3,2,1: Under 3 mg Valium people

[[So...]]

Thanks caltn - is the liquid valium you got the Roche brand? I am glad it is in the US. I wasn't sure...someone told me you can't get it here. Walgreens is the same as Duane Reade in NYC so I am in luck. I am going to ask my doctor tomorrow. Hope it works for me, if not, back to pills and making my own liquid...

[[Ca...]]

Hi Candice and Caltn

 

I'm also going to switch to liquid - have to make it myself because I don't think Rx liquid Valium is available in the US. Builder is helping me make a 14 day supply. He is truly such a help on this site.

 

I also was going to transition to the liquid at 3mg and hold there to make sure it works for me.

 

Interested to hear any liquid insights you both have.

 

Hope you are all well!

 

Happy Healing to everyone!

 

Hi Sober,

 

Like Caltn had mentioned it is available in the US.  I use the brand Roxane and I have not ever liquified my entire dose.  I take 1 mg in pill form (half of a 2 mg tablet), and trade it in for the equivalent of the Roxane liquid.  I always experience an adjustment period as well when I make the switch, and I typically hold 1-2 weeks after I make the switch to make sure I am stabilized.  Some people can liquify their entire dose earlier on in their taper and don't have to make those adjustments at each mg as they go.  My body is pretty sensitive so I am avoiding this.

 

Keep us posted on how it goes for you! 

[[So...]]

Thanks everyone - Builder gave me a plan to use my valium pills and water and a little vodka (I don't drink so that freaks me out but evidently the vodka is what makes the liquid even dose wise).

 

I am going to start the liquid this weekend - the math freaks me out so I hope I get it right...it does seem pretty easy though and my taper will be slow so I guess that is good.

 

I'm going to just got for all liquid as I am so bad with math and don't want to mess things up.

 

I hope I can speed up at some point if I feel OK - I don't want to taper forever but if I have to in order to stay stable and safe, I will.

 

Hope you guys are doing well.

 

My doctor couldn't give me a script for both the liquid and the pills so I got the pills because I was too scared i would mess up or not handle the liquid and then be stuck.

[[Ba...]]

Are youro pills 5 mg or 2?

I think I need to do this as holding where I am very very sick and it does not get better.

Not sure what my dr. will rx, either...  5s give more leeway... but would like to try a liquid that I know is made accurateley...

[[ch...]]

I too have trouble with the liquid Valium. I am on 2.4mgs at the moment and reducing the .4mgs with liquid and the rest with pills. When on just pills I have fewer symptoms, and as soon as I start to taper with the liquid I notice. I do not know why, unless it's the sweetener or colouring used in the UK version, or it isn't as potent and therefore feel like a bigger drop.

I intend to persevere down to 2 mgs, and then make my own liquid with vodka, and water, according to builder there is more alcohol in a mouth wash, so it should be fine, even though I do not drink alcohol at all. This will make a solution rather than a suspension  which is what you will get with milk, and therefore perhaps a more reliable dispersion?

I will only use 1mg in liquid and the other in tablet form, divided into two equal doses,  morning and evening. This way hopefully I can drop both down at the same rate, on a very gentle taper. At least that is my plan when I get there.

I really don't want to use the liquid Valium much longer but will persevere down the 2mgs.

I really don't know why the last few mgs are so tough, especially below 3mgs, but certainly for me it seems to be the case. I don't know about anyone else. 

 

 

[[ca...]]

It's been tough below 2 mg for sure and now I'm on 1 mg I'm at the point of not knowing whether I need to continue tapering or hold.

I always feel off balance, gastro issues, muscles jerking on and off all day, and neck/ nerve pain.

I'll get other sxs that come and go that sometimes makes me feel like something is wrong but I'm sure they're just withdrawals.

Holding at 1 mg for a few weeks then I'll decide.

[[Ca...]]

It's been tough below 2 mg for sure and now I'm on 1 mg I'm at the point of not knowing whether I need to continue tapering or hold.

I always feel off balance, gastro issues, muscles jerking on and off all day, and neck/ nerve pain.

I'll get other sxs that come and go that sometimes makes me feel like something is wrong but I'm sure they're just withdrawals.

Holding at 1 mg for a few weeks then I'll decide.

I am at 1.54 and terrified to reduce at all: sleep is better, anxiety is better, but I still have nerve and joint pain and some depression that I think is the result of the V: I am going to hold. My homeopath - who is also an MD and very familiar with Ashton (much to my surprise) and even thinks Ashton is too fast - said he believes that my brain feels even a cut of .02 and that I should go really slow, even if it takes 20 years. Not that I have that long to live....good luck

[[ca...]]

Why is the  last 1 mg the hardest? I read where others feel better and taper faster at the end. I know people who tapered the last 2 mg in 4 months and felt fine.  I was hopeful that I would feel better, but seems like this last 1 mg may take longer than I thought.

Are the sxs I'm experiencing  now the same ones that I'll experience when I jump is the question I keep asking myself.

 

[[Be...]]

Why is the  last 1 mg the hardest? I read where others feel better and taper faster at the end. I know people who tapered the last 2 mg in 4 months and felt fine.  I was hopeful that I would feel better, but seems like this last 1 mg may take longer than I thought.

Are the sxs I'm experiencing  now the same ones that I'll experience when I jump is the question I keep asking myself.

 

Hi caltn!

 

How you doing buddie?

 

Some of us who are more sensitive seem to have symptoms regardless of how long we hold. Based on what I have read, I believe this is genetic. Ashton says that there is no therapeutic value @ 1mg and under. Looking back, if I had known what I know now, I would have jumped when I reached 1mg instead of going down to .5mg. I feel this way because I felt exactly the same symptom wise as when I was on 1mg. As a matter of fact, this 1st year off I felt like I did while tapering. This is how it went for me and others. Some folks get relief from long holds and some of us simply do not. Long holds do not work for everyone.

 

So, it is my opinion that when one is @ 1mg or less and still symptomatic, getting no relief from long holds, it is time to jump and be done with it.  I would bet a nickel that you would probably feel the same as you feel now if you jumped at 1mg.

 

Wishing the very best for you buddie

[[ca...]]

Why is the  last 1 mg the hardest? I read where others feel better and taper faster at the end. I know people who tapered the last 2 mg in 4 months and felt fine.  I was hopeful that I would feel better, but seems like this last 1 mg may take longer than I thought.

Are the sxs I'm experiencing  now the same ones that I'll experience when I jump is the question I keep asking myself.

 

Hi caltn!

 

How you doing buddie?

 

Some of us who are more sensitive seem to have symptoms regardless of how long we hold. Based on what I have read, I believe this is genetic. Ashton says that there is no therapeutic value @ 1mg and under. Looking back, if I had known what I know now, I would have jumped when I reached 1mg instead of going down to .5mg. I feel this way because I felt exactly the same symptom wise as when I was on 1mg. As a matter of fact, this 1st year off I felt like I did while tapering. This is how it went for me and others. Some folks get relief from long holds and some of us simply do not. Long holds do not work for everyone.

 

So, it is my opinion that when one is @ 1mg or less and still symptomatic, getting no relief from long holds, it is time to jump and be done with it.  I would bet a nickel that you would probably feel the same as you feel now if you jumped at 1mg.

 

Wishing the very best for you buddie

 

Hi Bella

 

So glad you chimed in and offered your advice cause I'm thinking the same thing.  I plan to hold a few weeks, maybe taper down some and if I feel the same I may do a quick taper to .5 mg to be on the safe side. I don't think this 1 mg is doing anything.

[[ci...]]

Why is the  last 1 mg the hardest? I read where others feel better and taper faster at the end. I know people who tapered the last 2 mg in 4 months and felt fine.  I was hopeful that I would feel better, but seems like this last 1 mg may take longer than I thought.

Are the sxs I'm experiencing  now the same ones that I'll experience when I jump is the question I keep asking myself.

 

Hi caltn!

 

How you doing buddie?

 

Some of us who are more sensitive seem to have symptoms regardless of how long we hold. Based on what I have read, I believe this is genetic. Ashton says that there is no therapeutic value @ 1mg and under. Looking back, if I had known what I know now, I would have jumped when I reached 1mg instead of going down to .5mg. I feel this way because I felt exactly the same symptom wise as when I was on 1mg. As a matter of fact, this 1st year off I felt like I did while tapering. This is how it went for me and others. Some folks get relief from long holds and some of us simply do not. Long holds do not work for everyone.

 

So, it is my opinion that when one is @ 1mg or less and still symptomatic, getting no relief from long holds, it is time to jump and be done with it.  I would bet a nickel that you would probably feel the same as you feel now if you jumped at 1mg.

 

Wishing the very best for you buddie

 

Hi Bella

 

So glad you chimed in and offered your advice cause I'm thinking the same thing.  I plan to hold a few weeks, maybe taper down some and if I feel the same I may do a quick taper to .5 mg to be on the safe side. I don't think this 1 mg is doing anything.

 

Hi Caltn,

 

I am about the same equivalent as you.  Currently .052 k = 1.04v

I’ve been wondering the same thing.  Please let me know if you feel any better with a hold. 

 

Circlestar

[[So...]]

It seems harder as i have reached the 3mg point...I am about to start a DLMT to go from 3mg down. I hope it isn't so tough as I taper down slowly. Anyone not have a hard time on going down in the low numbers of V?

 

I want off this pill so bad but know I have to go slow.

[[Ba...]]

It's been tough below 2 mg for sure and now I'm on 1 mg I'm at the point of not knowing whether I need to continue tapering or hold.

I always feel off balance, gastro issues, muscles jerking on and off all day, and neck/ nerve pain.

I'll get other sxs that come and go that sometimes makes me feel like something is wrong but I'm sure they're just withdrawals.

Holding at 1 mg for a few weeks then I'll decide.

I am at 1.54 and terrified to reduce at all: sleep is better, anxiety is better, but I still have nerve and joint pain and some depression that I think is the result of the V: I am going to hold. My homeopath - who is also an MD and very familiar with Ashton (much to my surprise) and even thinks Ashton is too fast - said he believes that my brain feels even a cut of .02 and that I should go really slow, even if it takes 20 years. Not that I have that long to live....good luck

 

Cally, obviously your dr. does not think it is so bad to stay on a tiny dose like that.  It is so hard to know.  Some get off wind up reinstating after a while...  as said below, maybe getting off no worse than where you are.

I even wonder if tiny dose of K woul be preerable if the valium makes you feel crappy.

[[Ca...]]

It's been tough below 2 mg for sure and now I'm on 1 mg I'm at the point of not knowing whether I need to continue tapering or hold.

I always feel off balance, gastro issues, muscles jerking on and off all day, and neck/ nerve pain.

I'll get other sxs that come and go that sometimes makes me feel like something is wrong but I'm sure they're just withdrawals.

Holding at 1 mg for a few weeks then I'll decide.

I am at 1.54 and terrified to reduce at all: sleep is better, anxiety is better, but I still have nerve and joint pain and some depression that I think is the result of the V: I am going to hold. My homeopath - who is also an MD and very familiar with Ashton (much to my surprise) and even thinks Ashton is too fast - said he believes that my brain feels even a cut of .02 and that I should go really slow, even if it takes 20 years. Not that I have that long to live....good luck

 

Cally, obviously your dr. does not think it is so bad to stay on a tiny dose like that.  It is so hard to know.  Some get off wind up reinstating after a while...  as said below, maybe getting off no worse than where you are.

I even wonder if tiny dose of K woul be preerable if the valium makes you feel crappy.

Could be...but I have stabilized slowly since I went to the 1.54, and I am not switching drugs ever again. I have been on so many over the years, and the V is a crossover from Ativan which was a switch to cover horrible Gabapentin wd - so I'm going to stay put where I am for a while longer. Better the devil you know?

 

[[ca...]]

Why is the  last 1 mg the hardest? I read where others feel better and taper faster at the end. I know people who tapered the last 2 mg in 4 months and felt fine.  I was hopeful that I would feel better, but seems like this last 1 mg may take longer than I thought.

Are the sxs I'm experiencing  now the same ones that I'll experience when I jump is the question I keep asking myself.

 

Hi caltn!

 

How you doing buddie?

 

Some of us who are more sensitive seem to have symptoms regardless of how long we hold. Based on what I have read, I believe this is genetic. Ashton says that there is no therapeutic value @ 1mg and under. Looking back, if I had known what I know now, I would have jumped when I reached 1mg instead of going down to .5mg. I feel this way because I felt exactly the same symptom wise as when I was on 1mg. As a matter of fact, this 1st year off I felt like I did while tapering. This is how it went for me and others. Some folks get relief from long holds and some of us simply do not. Long holds do not work for everyone.

 

So, it is my opinion that when one is @ 1mg or less and still symptomatic, getting no relief from long holds, it is time to jump and be done with it.  I would bet a nickel that you would probably feel the same as you feel now if you jumped at 1mg.

 

Wishing the very best for you buddie

 

Hi Bella

 

So glad you chimed in and offered your advice cause I'm thinking the same thing.  I plan to hold a few weeks, maybe taper down some and if I feel the same I may do a quick taper to .5 mg to be on the safe side. I don't think this 1 mg is doing anything.

 

Hi Caltn,

 

I am about the same equivalent as you.  Currently .052 k = 1.04v

I’ve been wondering the same thing.  Please let me know if you feel any better with a hold. 

 

Circlestar

 

I sure will. A lot of my sxs have improved a lot but the new ones are coming and causing concern. My balance is terrible and feels like  a gyroscope is tilting in my head.

[[So...]]

Hey everyone - hoping we can keep this Under 3mg Valium group thread going and support each other.

 

I am at 3mg and have held here for 3 weeks. The hold is not doing anything for me right now and I think I need to just start my DLMT (cutting 5% every 15 days) and start making progress.

 

I tapered too fast at the start, going from 10mg to 2.5mg from mid-October to late January. 2.5mg was too hard so up-dosed back to 3mg where I have been holding.

 

Anyone have any advice? Bella suggested I just start tapering again and I kind of agree. Someone else suggested I up-dose (but to what? I think I was last stable at 5mg but don't want to lose my progress and what if 5mg doesn't even make me feel stable?).

 

How is everyone else doing? Let's stick together and get down to 0 and jump together.

 

I have spent way too much time on BBs lately and want to focus on just a few positive threads to support me. The horror stories of acute really scare me and bring me down - not good when tapering.

 

Hope everyone is great!

 

Pete

[[Ca...]]

I'm going to stick with a slow taper....in my past experiences with Gaba and Paxil and now V I have found that sometimes (for me) it just takes a long time to stabilize....and I have to function. Good luck people...

[[ca...]]

Hey everyone - hoping we can keep this Under 3mg Valium group thread going and support each other.

 

I am at 3mg and have held here for 3 weeks. The hold is not doing anything for me right now and I think I need to just start my DLMT (cutting 5% every 15 days) and start making progress.

 

I tapered too fast at the start, going from 10mg to 2.5mg from mid-October to late January. 2.5mg was too hard so up-dosed back to 3mg where I have been holding.

 

Anyone have any advice? Bella suggested I just start tapering again and I kind of agree. Someone else suggested I up-dose (but to what? I think I was last stable at 5mg but don't want to lose my progress and what if 5mg doesn't even make me feel stable?).

 

How is everyone else doing? Let's stick together and get down to 0 and jump together.

 

I have spent way too much time on BBs lately and want to focus on just a few positive threads to support me. The horror stories of acute really scare me and bring me down - not good when tapering.

 

Hope everyone is great!

 

Pete

 

I would not taper that fast from 3 mg, you can taper faster on higher dosage but once you get to 3 mg , slow way down. A DLMT worked well for down to 1 mg and now a lot of sxs are gone except the off balance or no balance feeling.  Some neck/ nerve pain.

Nothing worse than feeling like you can't even stand up much less walk and go to work.

[[So...]]

caltn Do you think reducing 5% every 15 days on a DLMT is too fast? I was told by many that 5-10% is the suggested rate so was hopeful I was being on the conservative side. I am fine going slow - i just want to continue to taper and not hold any longer at 3mg.

 

Thanks!

[[ca...]]

caltn Do you think reducing 5% every 15 days on a DLMT is too fast? I was told by many that 5-10% is the suggested rate so was hopeful I was being on the conservative side. I am fine going slow - i just want to continue to taper and not hold any longer at 3mg.

 

Thanks!

 

I was able to handle 10% down to 2mg, then 5% down to 1 mg. You'll know when you tapered to much. I would also hold some every now and then, just go slow.

[[Ca...]]

Each to their own as per wants, needs, and situation.. I havnt seen one way that will work for everyone...

But for ME, as per my sig, I could not have gone faster and survived my situation.. -I tried to jump from 0.5v, lasted a couple of months and got bitten... My only regret (well one of) was that I didnt/couldnt DLMT my way down from 0.25v to "0" at a similar rate... Had I gone any faster, I wouldnt have had a clue just how much my body was actually doing to heal at those very low doses, and post stepping off... It would have just become an OMG situation, that may have convinced me to bite the bullet and "just get off"... Instead I could feel the SX change and cycle through at a manageable level.. Even then there were "moments", esp after the cuts...

 

Personally, I feel the best way is to use ones lead up to low dose as a guide, -if possible..

Even then WD can start to take on a "paradoxical" feeling even though one is obviously adjusting to lowering doses... Had I done a DLMT, I probably wouldnt have gotten to see this for what it was...

 

Im NOT saying that everyone needs to take several months between each 0.25v (or equiv) reduction, but if one needs to, why not, after having come this far...??

 

Its all very individual, and depends on ones level of sensitivity, healing ability, other meds and history... -and probably 101 other things...

 

All I can realy say is that I wish everyone the very best with what they decide is best for themselves...

-And that one way or the other, it will be worth it in the end...

 

As I have been known to say... "Low n Slow, -IMHO"

 

[[ch...]]

Caltn, if you are using scales, can you please tell me your method please?

[[So...]]

Cantfly - thanks and I agree slow is the way to go. Staring my DLMT tomorrow at 3mg and cutting 5% over the next 15 days (5% of the last 3mg dose, not starting dose). I will definitely go slower if I have to. I am already going all the way down to 0. I bought Tapering Strips (anyone heard of these) from the Netherlands that will take me from 1mg to .5mg in a month then .5 to 0 in a month so I have some time between that and the DLMT...but no rush.

 

Here is the link to Tapering Strips. (only bummer - they are expensive):

 

https://www.taperingstrip.org/

 

Hope everyone is doing well. I had a bad morning and now feel better - going to run some errands and get outside.

 

[[Ju...]]

Someone just mentioned that our differences in reducing are genetic, that sometimes long holds don't work.  I tried three times between March 2018 and August 2018 to reduce to 1.25 Valium.  I either had derealization or high anxiety each time.  So I held longer.

 

But now I have been reducing by liquid taper since January 30, 2019, and at one-third reduction of the .25 mg. Valium, I am very keyed up.  The hold seems to have failed me.  I am going to hold for a while now until I settle down to being relaxed, and then reduce more.

 

Has anyone else been disappointed in what long holds have done for them?  I really wonder if it is going to be possible to cease Valium--ever.  I would be fine if it weren't for what withdrawal is doing to me.  I don't see a solution.  Does anybody have any suggestions?

[[Be...]]

Someone just mentioned that our differences in reducing are genetic, that sometimes long holds don't work.  I tried three times between March 2018 and August 2018 to reduce to 1.25 Valium.  I either had derealization or high anxiety each time.  So I held longer.

 

But now I have been reducing by liquid taper since January 30, 2019, and at one-third reduction of the .25 mg. Valium, I am very keyed up.  The hold seems to have failed me.  I am going to hold for a while now until I settle down to being relaxed, and then reduce more.

 

Has anyone else been disappointed in what long holds have done for them?  I really wonder if it is going to be possible to cease Valium--ever.  I would be fine if it weren't for what withdrawal is doing to me.  I don't see a solution.  Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

The solution is to get off the poison how ever you are able to. Symptoms will eventually cease & you should be as you were prior to ever taking a benzo. This is how it worked for me.