3,2,1: Under 3 mg Valium people

[[Kg...]]

Catln:  I can only tell you what I did at the end of my taper- I kept at the same rate until the end - so when I went to 0 the rate I hit 0 at was the same rate as my taper. So if you are tapering .01 then just keep doing this until you hit 0.  This way your s/x will pretty much be the same as any other of your cuts.  I think your body gets into a pace of tapering when we do a micro taper and given our sensitivity you don't want to throw it off by cutting a much larger amount to go to 0.

 

 

Congratulations on being almost finished. 

 

 

[[ca...]]

I'm getting excited as I'm reaching .5 V in about 3 days. Really can't tell that I'm taking anything. Sure I'm still having sxs but not any worse actually getting better.

 

Question for the ones that tapered below .5

1. Why did you decide to taper below .5 V

2. Are you still having bad sxs

3. At what dose are you going to stop

 

I have mild anxiety, some headaches and pressure above temples, mild tinnitus.

 

Happy healing everyone.

 

Hi Caltn,

 

If I was having wdsx at .5  I imagine the wdsx would be pretty bad if I withdrew .5 all at once

Does that make sense?

 

Also no matter what dose I chose to jump at,  I’d make sure I was stable before I’d jump.(no wdsx)

 

Another thought  ..when a person is having no noticeable effects from the dose they are taking, it’s because the dose is so low, it’s not at a therapeutic dose.

However, the brain is STILL DEPENDING on the dose it is getting and withdrawal still needs to be done slowly and carefully, or else those wdsx will probably come right back.

 

Hope that helps

Heathcliff

 

I was looking for a answer that I  already knew...lol

I do plan to taper all the way down, already feeling very sensitive to noise. I cut my grass and used my leaf blower , when I came in the house I felt very over stimulated with nausea.

[[ga...]]

Here's where I confess that after all this time, I don't really understand the term "acute."  Does it simply mean the first few months after the end of the taper? Or does it mean a period of worsening symptoms post jump? I have heard people say they will taper to the end and have no "acute." I read a bit of Ashton and her use of the term and got even more confused. Could someone explain it to me? Thanks.

 

Oh, and today I am at 2.5mgL = 1mgV. Need to go change my signature!

 

Gardie

 

 

[[Ca...]]

Here's where I confess that after all this time, I don't really understand the term "acute."  Does it simply mean the first few months after the end of the taper? Or does it mean a period of worsening symptoms post jump? I have heard people say they will taper to the end and have no "acute." I read a bit of Ashton and her use of the term and got even more confused. Could someone explain it to me? Thanks.

 

Oh, and today I am at 2.5mgL = 1mgV. Need to go change my signature!

 

Gardie

Congrats Gardie..!! -Getting there for sure..!!

-Caltn also..!!

 

Gard I think accute is a time period.. But that might not be quite how it can be used here..

 

Ie. I had a pretty mild accute period, and couldnt determine a post-accute phase for Valium...

 

Im sure there would be a better definition though..!! Lol

Perhaps the period of expected high occurance/intensity following an event, in this case WD..??

 

Or...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_(medicine)

 

[[ca...]]

I'm getting excited as I'm reaching .5 V in about 3 days. Really can't tell that I'm taking anything. Sure I'm still having sxs but not any worse actually getting better.

 

Question for the ones that tapered below .5

1. Why did you decide to taper below .5 V

2. Are you still having bad sxs

3. At what dose are you going to stop

 

I have mild anxiety, some headaches and pressure above temples, mild tinnitus.

 

Happy healing everyone.

 

Hi Caltn,

 

If I was having wdsx at .5  I imagine the wdsx would be pretty bad if I withdrew .5 all at once

Does that make sense?

 

Also no matter what dose I chose to jump at,  I’d make sure I was stable before I’d jump.(no wdsx)

 

Another thought  ..when a person is having no noticeable effects from the dose they are taking, it’s because the dose is so low, it’s not at a therapeutic dose.

However, the brain is STILL DEPENDING on the dose it is getting and withdrawal still needs to be done slowly and carefully, or else those wdsx will probably come right back.

 

Hope that helps

Heathcliff

 

I pretty much have decided to taper on down to 0, starting to have a lot of stomach issues. 

Crazy how some sxs go and new ones appear.

[[ga...]]

Here's where I confess that after all this time, I don't really understand the term "acute."  Does it simply mean the first few months after the end of the taper? Or does it mean a period of worsening symptoms post jump? I have heard people say they will taper to the end and have no "acute." I read a bit of Ashton and her use of the term and got even more confused. Could someone explain it to me? Thanks.

 

Oh, and today I am at 2.5mgL = 1mgV. Need to go change my signature!

 

Gardie

Congrats Gardie..!! -Getting there for sure..!!

-Caltn also..!!

 

Gard I think accute is a time period.. But that might not be quite how it can be used here..

 

Ie. I had a pretty mild accute period, and couldnt determine a post-accute phase for Valium...

 

Im sure there would be a better definition though..!! Lol

Perhaps the period of expected high occurance/intensity following an event, in this case WD..??

 

Or...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_(medicine)

 

 

Thanks, Cant. I think you're right. Most people probably mean a time period. Maybe characterized by intense symptoms. Worsening symptoms even? And then post acute would be when the symptoms start to resolve? 

[[ga...]]

Hi Heath, thanks, I am not sure if I am the Queen, but I am pretty darn proud of this third and last taper. You are right behind me, and you will walk off too, before you know it. Stay the Course.  💖 Peace and Healing.

 

Wow, Heath really is right behind you, BG! How cool for you both that you're nearing the finish line together.

[[ga...]]

 

I pretty much have decided to taper on down to 0, starting to have a lot of stomach issues. 

Crazy how some sxs go and new ones appear.

 

I'm sorry to hear about the stomach issues popping up. I think tapering down to zero is a good plan.

[[ka...]]

Hey Kitty! so good to see you doing well and make huge huge HUGE progress!!!

Gard- Congrats on the huge low number of 2.5  - FANTASTIC.

To my other friends who are in this boat rowing right along..... We are further than we were and facing the victory line. 

[[ga...]]

Hey Kitty! so good to see you doing well and make huge huge HUGE progress!!!

Gard- Congrats on the huge low number of 2.5  - FANTASTIC.

To my other friends who are in this boat rowing right along..... We are further than we were and facing the victory line. 

 

Good to see you getting so close to your finish line, Kasey. :smitten:

[[...]]

So many are getting closer - yay! I’m at 1.6 librium (0.65 mg V equiv). Planning to DMT all the way to zero. I’m not sure what acute means either but it really doesn’t matter. Im pretty sure we’ve all already experienced acute w/d sxs bc otherwise, why would we have switched to these ridiculously slow MT’s? B/c it’s our only way to avoid those intense sxs, ie acute.

 

Anyway, I’m a little nervous about the end of the taper being trickier but I feel better after reading on here. Staying the course.

[[So...]]

Checking in at 1.44mgs of Valium, still tapering at .02 a day but might speed it up as s/x have not been bad (but scared to rock the boat).

 

Ashton and Colin both say to not drag out the last lower doses...but then I see so many going extra slow at the lower doses so it's hard to decide.

 

Thoughts?

[[...]]

If MT is going well, why change it up and go back to c/h??? A large cut at the end just doesn’t make sense to me if you’ve been DMT- whether it’s going well or not. Ashton didn’t know abt MT. And Colin maybe had an easier taper overall but I’m not sure. But plenty more info on here and elsewhere that’s more modern that Ashton- MT to zero seems to be the general rule. Of course a few jump earlier but that’s seems like Russian roulette to me.

[[So...]]

I see your point and I also see the rationale behind Colin's thoughts. I will just stick with my current DLMT rate now (which at .02 seems way too fast for many but I am able to function at this rate - i workout, work, go outdoors and do stuff etc and have days where I am 90% well).

 

But then I wonder if slowly adding more Valium every day to my body is really making it all easier...my plan was still to go to 0.

[[ga...]]

I'm conflicted, too, but I see the point behind continuing to zero or near zero. I think this might get rid of "acute." It seems to me that people say they get worse after they jump and call that "acute." But if you taper to zero, why would you get worse? I would think you would just continue on the way you were with slow improvements. At least I hope so.

 

As for me, I am making even cuts now rather than percents and plan to just keep going with even cuts that as long as my symptoms are tolerable. It really helps that it's spring and the sun shines and I can get out of the house more easily. Cabin fever has been dreadful for me during withdrawal. So glad it's behind me and hope to be off and through "acute" before winter. Knock wood!

 

Best of luck to everyone.

 

Gardie

[[So...]]

Gardie - you are doing great and have a solid plan. I agree about going to 0...it makes sense. I just wonder if going super slow from 1.44mgs V where i am today to 0 is the way to do this...I know Ashton seems outdated now but she did help so many people get off and heal.

 

Ashton wrote:

 

In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely.

[[ga...]]

Gardie - you are doing great and have a solid plan. I agree about going to 0...it makes sense. I just wonder if going super slow from 1.44mgs V where i am today to 0 is the way to do this...I know Ashton seems outdated now but she did help so many people get off and heal.

 

Ashton wrote:

 

In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely.

 

Thanks, Sober. Not sure why Ashton thinks .25mg/month is ridiculously slow. Also not sure why she thinks .5mg is having little effect. It would be nice if she had given us some clue to her reasoning. All I could find about typical post-jump in her writings was this: With slow tapering, some long-term users have virtually lost all their symptoms by the time they take their last tablet, and in the majority symptoms disappear within a few months. This looks like a typical person has symptoms for several months after their last pill and then is recovered. And yet, that's not what I see described on these boards, even from people who have done a slow taper. Seems like it takes closer to a year. I don't have a year. My daughter is getting married. I live with her. I will have to move. The idea of uprooting myself and finding a new place and moving everything and settling in is too much for my cog-fogged brain. I need to be off and 90% better before I attempt something like that. I want to be able to do this with minimal help and without panicking. I was a terrible burden to her when I went through Xanax hell (before I figured out that Benzo Buddies was more helpful than my prescriber). I don't want to be a burden to my daughter when she is starting her new life. She worries about me too much as it is. So I am determined to press on as much as I can and be off this summer. So not going super slow but going lower than Ashton's jump. Hope that's a good compromise!

 

Gardie

[[Be...]]

Gardie - you are doing great and have a solid plan. I agree about going to 0...it makes sense. I just wonder if going super slow from 1.44mgs V where i am today to 0 is the way to do this...I know Ashton seems outdated now but she did help so many people get off and heal.

 

Ashton wrote:

 

In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely.

 

[[So...]]

Gardie, Ashton also wrote that very few people end up protracted (she said 10%). I would not fear the jump. I have two friends that jumped recently and are doing great. We just can't compare ourselves to other people.

 

I have what seem to many to be a very fast taper but also an "easy" taper as I am able to exercise, go out to lunch/dinner, watch TV, shop for stuff I need, be in public (even public speaking), get work done etc...I do feel lucky but I am not symptom free. Sleep is still broken and I do have waves (but also windows where I feel 90% myself). It's all relative. BUT as I have gotten lower, symptoms are much better - the tinnitus is gone 100%, the morning chemical surges are gone, brain fog is rare and not intense. This all happened when I got to a lower dose. My worst period in my taper was then I held at 3mgs for a month (I was told to do this by a few buddies who even suggested a 3-6 month hold). Symptoms were horrible then and I barely left the house. Once I started to taper again, I felt better and better.

 

I know Bella that you sped up your taper towards the end ( I think to .03 or .04 a day) - can you tell us how much you sped up and at what dose and also how it worked out?

 

People are going to lambast me for this but what I see the most is that people who do a cold turkey or rapid taper have a longer period of healing. I also think other meds make everything harder too. That is why I threw out the bottle of Trazadone i was prescribed after 2 nights trying very small amounts. The Valium is plenty for me to battle.

 

 

 

[[Be...]]

Gardie, Ashton also wrote that very few people end up protracted (she said 10%). I would not fear the jump. I have two friends that jumped recently and are doing great. We just can't compare ourselves to other people.

 

I have what seem to many to be a very fast taper but also an "easy" taper as I am able to exercise, go out to lunch/dinner, watch TV, shop for stuff I need, be in public (even public speaking), get work done etc...I do feel lucky but I am not symptom free. Sleep is still broken and I do have waves (but also windows where I feel 90% myself). It's all relative. BUT as I have gotten lower, symptoms are much better - the tinnitus is gone 100%, the morning chemical surges are gone, brain fog is rare and not intense. This all happened when I got to a lower dose. My worst period in my taper was then I held at 3mgs for a month (I was told to do this by a few buddies who even suggested a 3-6 month hold). Symptoms were horrible then and I barely left the house. Once I started to taper again, I felt better and better.

 

I know Bella that you sped up your taper towards the end ( I think to .03 or .04 a day) - can you tell us how much you sped up and at what dose and also how it worked out?

 

People are going to lambast me for this but what I see the most is that people who do a cold turkey or rapid taper have a longer period of healing. I also think other meds make everything harder too. That is why I threw out the bottle of Trazadone i was prescribed after 2 nights trying very small amounts. The Valium is plenty for me to battle.

 

Actually, I did not speed up my taper at the end. This is how my taper journey went:

 

12-6-2011 rapid tapered from 20-30mg day long term use (broke tablets in half taking my doctors advice ) until I reached 5mg (6 weeks). February 2012 all hell broke loose at the 6 week mark. Mid March 2012 I reinstated to 15mg and held for a month. 10% cut and hold to the 11mg mark (symptoms unbearable held again for a month From this point on I daily tapered 1mg per month (.03mg per day) and went to .5mg and jumped.

 

I fully agree with the cold turkey theory. Seems as if those of us who are sensitive and rapid taper C/T have the tendency to have more difficult tapers and recoveries. Not sure why this is but I have observed this as well. So to me it makes perfect sense to jump at this level. Fear is what seems to hold back so many from taking this crucial step. Just my opinion 

[[So...]]

Thanks Bella, I was thinking of doing .03mg too but so many people say it's way tooooooo fast (I am doing .02mg a day now and people also think that is too fast). My symptoms are manageable and while I don't want to rock the boat, I also wonder if dragging out the last 1.44mgs V will really help me in the long run, my reasoning (like Ashton and Colin) is that my body is just getting more Valium at low doses...I feel so ready to jump but of course won't until I hit .5 or .25, depending.

[[Be...]]

Thanks Bella, I was thinking of doing .03mg too but so many people say it's way tooooooo fast (I am doing .02mg a day now and people also think that is too fast). My symptoms are manageable and while I don't want to tock the boat, I also wonder if dragging out the last 1.44mgs V will really help me in the long run, my reasoning (like Ashton and Colin) is that my body is just getting more Valium at low doses...I feel so ready to jump but of course won't until I hit .5 or .25, depending.

 

You are welcome! .02 may be to fast for some, but if it works for you then stick with it. For those who are sensitive and get no relief from holding, I always suggest to go at a tolerable rate and be done with it. For those who get relief from holding and going slower I suggest to stick with that route. It really is an individual thing. What works for one may not for another. Pete, I would suggest you try jumping at the .5mg mark and see how you feel. Chances are probable that you will feel just the same as you did while tapering. Try not t get sucked into the fear mode

[[So...]]

Thanks Bella - I think I will do that...I also am going to try .03mgs. If it's too much then back to .02mgs.

 

I know I am not following the 5% - 10% rule on here but I am just listening to myself. If I have days at 90% and so many symptoms have left, I must be doing something right...

[[Be...]]

Thanks Bella - I think I will do that...I also am going to try .03mgs. If it's too much then back to .02mgs.

 

I know I am not following the 5% - 10% rule on here but I am just listening to myself. If I have days at 90% and so many symptoms have left, I must be doing something right...

 

[[ga...]]

Gardie, Ashton also wrote that very few people end up protracted (she said 10%). I would not fear the jump. I have two friends that jumped recently and are doing great. We just can't compare ourselves to other people.

 

I have what seem to many to be a very fast taper but also an "easy" taper as I am able to exercise, go out to lunch/dinner, watch TV, shop for stuff I need, be in public (even public speaking), get work done etc...I do feel lucky but I am not symptom free. Sleep is still broken and I do have waves (but also windows where I feel 90% myself). It's all relative. BUT as I have gotten lower, symptoms are much better - the tinnitus is gone 100%, the morning chemical surges are gone, brain fog is rare and not intense. This all happened when I got to a lower dose. My worst period in my taper was then I held at 3mgs for a month (I was told to do this by a few buddies who even suggested a 3-6 month hold). Symptoms were horrible then and I barely left the house. Once I started to taper again, I felt better and better.

 

I know Bella that you sped up your taper towards the end ( I think to .03 or .04 a day) - can you tell us how much you sped up and at what dose and also how it worked out?

 

People are going to lambast me for this but what I see the most is that people who do a cold turkey or rapid taper have a longer period of healing. I also think other meds make everything harder too. That is why I threw out the bottle of Trazadone i was prescribed after 2 nights trying very small amounts. The Valium is plenty for me to battle.

 

Sober, I have seen the same thing. The people who c/t or rapid seem to be the ones in protracted. I have seen that both on these boards and in real life. Rushing through hellish symptoms leads to more and longer hellish symptoms. My symptoms aren't hellish right now, so I'm cautiously optimistic. When I'm not being paranoid!