3,2,1: Under 3 mg Valium people

[[So...]]

CallyDex - holding here too at 2.3mg of V - made a mistake and a huge 20% going from 2.9-2.3 in 6 days so hoping to get stable and start tapering MUCH slower...

[[Ca...]]

CallyDex - holding here too at 2.3mg of V - made a mistake and a huge 20% going from 2.9-2.3 in 6 days so hoping to get stable and start tapering MUCH slower...

Yes I read your posts about the mistake - soooo something I would do: with almost every dose I obsess about whether or not I have it at the right level, and when I cut I am a lunatic - have to write it down and check and recheck before I actually take it...If I reduced that much I would be flat on my back and I am impressed that you are able to handle it so well. How are you today? I have stomach issues..nausea and bad gurgling. [sigh]

[[So...]]

CallyDex - I am the same way - checking and rechecking the dose.

 

I am sorry about the nausea - haven't had that yet. I always have the same s/x - brain fog, some ringing in the ears, waking up too early in a jolt after a few hours of sleep, then those morning uglies where the chemical anxiety is bad and I start looping over past mistakes or past anguish. It slowly improves during the day/morning. Nights are always best for me.

 

I am holding here for a week before I start a MUCH slower taper. Doing OK. Forcing myself to get out and about all day if I can - market, UPS etc. I can't stay in my apartment all day like yesterday.

 

How long are you holding for? My benzo brain forgot already.

[[...]]

Oh callydex, I'm so sorry you were through so much psych meds nightmare! You are so strong to hang in for so long and still are pushing through !

 

As long as no unbearable and dangerous side effects of taking the poison, going slow is a better approach. These drugs are purely nuts. It's not just the torture but also the danger it can cause going fast.

 

Best luck to you for a smooth tapering off the rest dose.

4mom

[[Ca...]]

Oh callydex, I'm so sorry you were through so much psych meds nightmare! You are so strong to hang in for so long and still are pushing through !

 

As long as no unbearable and dangerous side effects of taking the poison, going slow is a better approach. These drugs are purely nuts. It's not just the torture but also the danger it can cause going fast.

 

Best luck to you for a smooth tapering off the rest dose.

4mom

thanks - I had my family here this weekend and it was wonderful, but I am totally drained and about to go to bed at 7 pm. I actually feel very blessed at this point that I only have one more drug to get off, even though I am pretty sick for much of the time. Others are going through much worse. I do find myself getting discouraged that I will actually stabilize at this dose, but like many others I am too afraid to make a change, and have the example of Cant and Begood who have gone slow and done real well - have a lovely and pain free evening.

[[le...]]

My least favorite part of micro-tapering is having to switch over part of the pill dose to liquid. It's like my body thinks I'm making some big change. I just went to .625 pill + .125 liquid so I can cut that out. Last night I was having all sorts of problems falling and staying asleep, which usually I don't have since I'm on Remeron. Still haven't found a good way to make that transition go smoothly.

[[So...]]

lemonjuice - How is the Remeron working? Any s/x? I was considering it because sleep is an issue and Trazadone turned on me the 2nd night I took it.

 

You are so low on the V - congratulations! I am at 2.3mg and holding to get stable after a 20% (by accident) cut.

[[le...]]

Nah, I don't get sxs from Remeron. Actually that's not true. I get like this heavy chest pressure in the middle of the night sometimes, feels like a weight on my chest. I have to hit my back like a baby and burp myself. That typically relieves it. And sometimes it takes a long time to wake up and feel awake. Someone on here once wrote that you feel like you got hit by a truck and that's a good description. It's not every night and it lessens in time. It makes you chronically just a bit more tired all the time. I sleep through the night no issues (mostly) though. And I can jump on-off it easily. I'm not sensitive to it.

 

ETA: I did start at 1.8 and moved up to 3.75, which has a bit more kick to it. I've read that going up wouldn't necessarily help the sleep aspect so I'll never go up.

[[So...]]

Lemon - my friend takes it at 3.75 too and says any higher is not good for sleep...I am glad it is helping you sleep. I wish I could get better sleep...

[[ca...]]

Just checking in .... like I said in my last post I started feeling better after a month hold at 1 mg, started back tapering two days ago. Thank the Lord I'm feeling great, had my best day in over 5 months or so.

I can only say that I hope this post finds everyone getting better, Lords knows we all need some help.

 

[[Ca...]]

While I'm technically not at 3 mg (I'm holding at 4 mg right now), I thought I'd check in.  I was going to trade my next mg out for liquid this week, but I had a relapse of Epstein Barr hit me this weekend, so I'm giving my body time to build strength back up before diving in.  Like someone just recently shared, I too have trouble switching out my 1 mg of pill for 1 mg of liquid- I won't lie- I'm anxious about the change.  One step at a time....

[[ci...]]

Just checking in .... like I said in my last post I started feeling better after a month hold at 1 mg, started back tapering two days ago. Thank the Lord I'm feeling great, had my best day in over 5 months or so.

I can only say that I hope this post finds everyone getting better, Lords knows we all need some help.

 

Good to know that the hold helped reduce sxs.  Mine started to ramp up as I got below the 1mg equivalent.  So I slowed down my daily taper rate starting last night.  Hopefully, I’ll see an improvement in sxs in the next few days.  It’s kind of a bummer, because I really thought I could see my way to the finish line...now this adds another 5 weeks (IF I can stay at this pace).  Sigh! 

 

 

[[...]]

Just checking in .... like I said in my last post I started feeling better after a month hold at 1 mg, started back tapering two days ago. Thank the Lord I'm feeling great, had my best day in over 5 months or so.

I can only say that I hope this post finds everyone getting better, Lords knows we all need some help.

 

So great to hear such good news!

Hope this window stays long and you continue feeling good!

The turtle wins!

 

[[le...]]

While I'm technically not at 3 mg (I'm holding at 4 mg right now), I thought I'd check in.  I was going to trade my next mg out for liquid this week, but I had a relapse of Epstein Barr hit me this weekend, so I'm giving my body time to build strength back up before diving in.  Like someone just recently shared, I too have trouble switching out my 1 mg of pill for 1 mg of liquid- I won't lie- I'm anxious about the change.  One step at a time....

 

 

I think you're probably right to trade in 1 mg. The alt. is to trade in half that amount in the hopes that the transition is smoother, but then you have to do it more frequently. I used to trade in .5 and then .25 but now I'm trading in even less. I'm also dosing once a day, pill & liquid together but that's more a product of my dose. I was still doing twice a day at 4 and 3 mg.

[[Ca...]]

While I'm technically not at 3 mg (I'm holding at 4 mg right now), I thought I'd check in.  I was going to trade my next mg out for liquid this week, but I had a relapse of Epstein Barr hit me this weekend, so I'm giving my body time to build strength back up before diving in.  Like someone just recently shared, I too have trouble switching out my 1 mg of pill for 1 mg of liquid- I won't lie- I'm anxious about the change.  One step at a time....

 

 

I think you're probably right to trade in 1 mg. The alt. is to trade in half that amount in the hopes that the transition is smoother, but then you have to do it more frequently. I used to trade in .5 and then .25 but now I'm trading in even less. I'm also dosing once a day, pill & liquid together but that's more a product of my dose. I was still doing twice a day at 4 and 3 mg.

 

Thank you for your advice and encouragement.  Did you notice a smoother transition when you traded out a smaller amount?

 

I'm inspired by your progress, you're so close! 

[[So...]]

Checking in at my 2.3mg hold of V, day #4. Yesterday was pretty OK then last night I was up at 3am after maybe 2.5 hours of sleep. Up since then and the morning anxiety spike  - those chemical jolts and jitters started hitting. It's 9:40 now and they have eased up. I really hate how you never know what will happen day to day - yesterday I thought - great - getting stable at 2.3mg and today, I do not feel stable. Still going to hold here until I start to DLMT at a super slow speed.

 

I get nervous when I hear people hit hard patches as the dose gets lower...would love any tips at all for how to best conquer the lower doses to get down to 0 or whenever I feel good jumping...I really only know one thing: taper slowly.

 

Hope everyone is doing better than me this morning. I always get better by night time - wish sometimes that I would get some more relief during the day when I want to actually get stuff done.

 

Going to do 15 mins at the gym to see if I can handle that and if it helps...

[[Ca...]]

Checking in at my 2.3mg hold of V, day #4. Yesterday was pretty OK then last night I was up at 3am after maybe 2.5 hours of sleep. Up since then and the morning anxiety spike  - those chemical jolts and jitters started hitting. It's 9:40 now and they have eased up. I really hate how you never know what will happen day to day - yesterday I thought - great - getting stable at 2.3mg and today, I do not feel stable. Still going to hold here until I start to DLMT at a super slow speed.

 

I get nervous when I hear people hit hard patches as the dose gets lower...would love any tips at all for how to best conquer the lower doses to get down to 0 or whenever I feel good jumping...I really only know one thing: taper slowly.

 

Hope everyone is doing better than me this morning. I always get better by night time - wish sometimes that I would get some more relief during the day when I want to actually get stuff done.

 

Going to do 15 mins at the gym to see if I can handle that and if it helps...

I think your doing fine...!! Fwiw, I dont see anything in your posts (that I see) that jumps out as problematic...  As things stand right now, I would just give it a bit more hold time and play by ear for a couple more days...

 

[[So...]]

Cantfly - thank you for responding - made me feel better and thankfully the anxiety spikes have stopped. Heading to the UPS store - fun, ha! And then going to test drive a mini exercise routine later.

[[Ca...]]

Cantfly - thank you for responding - made me feel better and thankfully the anxiety spikes have stopped. Heading to the UPS store - fun, ha! And then going to test drive a mini exercise routine later.

All the best with that..!  -Just remember exercise (exessive or new) is one some need to be a little cautious of...  Just keep it all somewhat relative to your norm(ish)... But I get the feeling thats your plan... -So good luck, -Enjoy...

 

[[So...]]

I know Cantfly - wise words  - I have to start super slow with the exercise - do not want to throw myself into a wave from the gym!

[[le...]]

Thank you for your advice and encouragement.  Did you notice a smoother transition when you traded out a smaller amount?

 

I'm inspired by your progress, you're so close! 

 

Hmm, that's hard to say. No, I didn't notice a smoother transition per se, but I also didn't notice a harder transition. I was being cautious about it. I think many of us on the DLMT route learn not to take big risks, and trading a smaller amount just seemed sensible. I did not like dosing twice a day at a certain point. I felt like my body was not connecting the tiny drops of liquid I was taking at night with the pill in the day, so I combined.

 

There was a time maybe 6-8 months ago when I thought, when I hit a certain low dose (under 1.0) my body won't feel the V anymore and I'll just have 24/7 symptoms until I'm off. That fortunately -- in my experience at least -- has not been the case. I'm currently having an uncomfortable few days because of the transition, but I've had some great days at .75 so it gives me hope.

 

 

[[So...]]

lemonjuice - looks like you are doing well at .75...you're on a low dose and having great days here and there which is a good sign. I see a lot of people jump at .5 and some at .25 and some at 0...I am going to shoot for 0 unless I feel ready before that to jump.

[[le...]]

lemonjuice - looks like you are doing well at .75...you're on a low dose and having great days here and there which is a good sign. I see a lot of people jump at .5 and some at .25 and some at 0...I am going to shoot for 0 unless I feel ready before that to jump.

 

I don't know what I'm jumping from right now. No clue, not even thinking about it that much. Maybe .25? Depends on how I feel etc., but that seems reasonable.

[[So...]]

lemonjuice - you have the right attitude. I also don't want to pick a jump amount or time, when I know I'm ready, I'll do it.

[[ca...]]

Lemonjuice

 

Glad to hear you are doing great on the low dose. It was hard for me to get down and held at 1 mg.

Your suggestion said it all.... IT depends on how we feel is the determining factor on how low we go..