Help did last taper too much too fast

[[He...]]

My last taper was from 1.5 to 1.25. Hard to get exact with pills.  Now on day 11 of this taper.

On day 8 I started to get very shake and trembly,jelly legs, tingling in arms and legs, light headed and a bit dizzy, muscles weak.. Been like this for 4 days.  It's not going away. Will it go away? It's better at night but returns  in the morning and stays until about 6 pm.

 

Should I go back to 1.5 or how long does it usually take to stabilize if I stick it out? I don't want to go back up! But I don't wNt to crash either? I'm so scared!

 

Heathcliff

 

[[sk...]]

That's a really tough question Heathcliff.  We all know the w/d's all to well, and we all want the w/d's to stop, and fast.  You can look at it one of 2 ways.  Is it a bad thing to hold for a while while you get ready to drop again, not really.  However, you are 11 days into that drop.  It'll get better.  It'll get loads better.  Time is the only thing that can help.  If you pop back up to 1.5, yeah, maybe you'll have a little piece, but what then?  You'll have to pop back down right?  Maybe face the same symptoms head on again...

 

Personally, if I was 11 days into a taper, i'd stand fast, and buckle up.  Again, this is just me speaking.  I'm not in your personal shoes.  I am also doing a fairly rapid taper too.  I'm on 7.5mg Valium and will be dropping to 5 in a week or so.  I'm doing 2.5mg drops every couple weeks after being on Xanax for years, and not getting the correct crossover dosage.  Maybe give yourself a couple more days, find something that distracts you, weather it's watching movies all day, a warm bath with epsom salt, or whatever.  You've done such an awesome job getting to that dosage!  You're 11 days into it too!  It'll get better.  You got this. 

[[He...]]

Hi there  Skittles 45!

Thanks so much for your reply! I have decided to stick it out at the dose I came down to. You are right. I stuck it out so long, I might as well be strong and keep it going. 

I really really appreciate those people who reply to we new people who don't have a real clue about what will be happening with tapering.

You are really great to give me a long and well thought through reply. Made me think a lot before deciding to NOT GO BACK UP! 

Thanks again! :thumbsup:

[[sk...]]

Hey, i'm new here myself.  I've learned tons reading the other posts, and it keeps me so distracted during the day, i barely feel anything anymore.  Distraction is key, in my opinion.  Regardless if you choose to stick it out, or go back up, you have got to listen to your body.  I had to go back up 1 time already.  That was 3 days into a drop.  Just me personally, again, if I was 11 days in, i'd ride the wave and hunker down.  But by all else, listen to your body. 

 

Gotta understand the difference between 'normal withdrawal' and 'unsafe withdrawal'.  Nothing any of us are going through is easy... but it's so worth it!  I can't wait until i'm at your dosage!  I look to people like you that are at the lower dosages already for courage, and that alone keeps me going.  Regardless if anyone responds to me or not.  Just seeing that 'IT CAN BE DONE', gives me uncanny hope and strength. 

 

Sorry for being long winded.  But ultimately, ask yourself, is this just bad withdrawal, or is this unsafe withdrawal?  11 days into a drop?  Would it be worth going back up, regaining strength, and cut again, maybe... I just hope and pray that everyone here is successful in their goals.  I'm sure you'll make the right decision.  If you stay at 1.25 like you said, it'll get better.  There is light! 

[[He...]]

Oh I dont think I am at an unsafe withdrawal. It's just all so new to me. And I tend to get scared easily. So being the easily scared type of person and also feeling crappy, makes things twice as hard. But I sure do know about the distraction this site gives me. I've been on this site for about four hours already today! Yay!

 

My doc gave me a prescription for liquid Valium that I will start to use as soon as I am stable again at my 1.25 dose. The liquid will make it much easier to get an exact dose at even a very small dose.  I am presently cutting 2mg pills and it's very hard to get an exact dose. ( that may very well be a major cause of my problem) I'm looking forward to getting the liquid Valium at the pharmacy but hope it doesn't"break the bank"!  I don't think my insurance will cover it.  Also hope it doesn't make me nauseous!

Heathcliff

[[Ke...]]

Hi there... I agree with you not updosing... You've gone through the worst of it now for this cut.  I was sensitive to each cut but I am glad I kept going. I still get the sxs you are having but nowhere near as severe.

Skittles... Be careful with that big cut.... Good luck

K

[[ca...]]

I wouldnt worry about that. Blimey ive had all of what u mentioned since March. It could be much worse. Keep pressing. Im on 1.5 now. Feel free to pm me anytime as were in a similar position

[[...]]

I updosed after 12 days bc my sx's were getting worse and worse. The updose has helped but not stable yet. I know I went to fast and have to slow it down.

 

With my 1st large cut, I thought abt uprising but didn't bc the sx's sucked but weren't worsening over time. I stuck it out and stabilized after 10 days or so of sx's. ... Which started after a 6 day lag time.

[[He...]]

Thanks for all your replies

I got liquid Valium and will start using it as soon as I am stable at my current 1.25 daily dose. I have decided to get a 1mg syringe and make my cuts as small as .05 and hold each cut for a week. That will take me about 16 weeks to get off that last 1.25 mg.  and I'll hold it for more than a week if I get bad withdrawals. I hope by going slow, .05 mg each week, will give me a very minimum of side effects.

Here's to hoping it works. I got that idea from a similar titration schedule I saw posted by Diaz Pam.

Thanks to Diaz Pam fir that!

Heathcliff

[[He...]]

By the way, has anyone gotten big puffiness under their eyes since beginning to taper. I can't stand the way I look. My doc thinks it's allergies but I don't have allergies and the puffiness started when it was not even allergy season.  Of golly, I hope it goes away. I'm not vain, but I really look awful!

Heathcliff

[[He...]]

Oh so now it's weakness and creepy kind of pain in my buttocks and thighs. Is thus a normal withdrawal symptom? I'm waiting out my symptoms from that too big of a reduction i took but Seems like my withdrawal at two weeks into the reduction at this point is getting worse, not better!

I don't know how much of this I can take!

[[He...]]

Okay so here I am crying and miserable. I am still holding at the 1.25 cut down from 1.5 ( so stupid of me to make such a big cut...learned now, from experience) but I'm hanging in for almost three weeks now.

The shakes are much better, but I have muscle pain in one thigh that is just about unbearable and comes in waves. Is this a normal side effect?

 

What should I do in regard to my taper. Wait a month, or wait even longer until the thigh pain goes away.?  I am so afraid that it never will go away.

I will start a micro taper with liquid Valium as soon as I am ready to reduce my dose again.

But when? I really dont know what is the right thing to do! It's been three weeks! Why am I SOOO sensitive?

[[sw...]]

Okay so here I am crying and miserable. I am still holding at the 1.25 cut down from 1.5 ( so stupid of me to make such a big cut...learned now, from experience) but I'm hanging in for almost three weeks now.

The shakes are much better, but I have muscle pain in one thigh that is just about unbearable and comes in waves. Is this a normal side effect?

 

What should I do in regard to my taper. Wait a month, or wait even longer until the thigh pain goes away.?  I am so afraid that it never will go away.

I will start a micro taper with liquid Valium as soon as I am ready to reduce my dose again.

But when? I really dont know what is the right thing to do! It's been three weeks! Why am I SOOO sensitive?

 

Tolerance?

[[dd...]]

Wait as lng as it takes...just try really hard not to updose. I have done that and now have to cover the same miserable ground all over again...ugh. it took me two months to cut out only 20% and I have updosed almost all the way back.

Try to keep in mind that tomorrow could be the turning point...the dose is low...I would give anything to be that low-that in itself should be inspiring and motivational...you cut a lot in the last 6 months (how were symptoms up until now?).

Someone once posted that holding is tapering sideways...I liked that....

[[He...]]

Hi ddjohn3,

When I first started my taper at 7.5mg daily dose, I had already begun to have mild shakes, but nothing near as what I am experiencing now. I made pretty big cuts,  7.5 to 5.0 to 3.75 to 2.0 every three or four weeks with  some withdrawal  effects. But when I went down to 1.5 and then 1.25 in a short period of time, I ran into trouble. I was getting impatient and wanted to get this whole thing over with. THAT WAS A MISTAKE!  I did not know that the lower you get in your dose,  the slower you have to go and the smaller the cuts in your taper have to be.

So now I am paying for my rush to get to a lower dose to fast.

I had begun to get really really bad shakes and muscle pain on the 6th day into my cut to 1.25 mg. I did not want to up dose, so here I am at day 22, holding until the side effects settle down. Once they do, I am going to start a micro taper using liquid Valium.  It will probably be about .o1 or .02 mg a day and see how it goes. If it takes me 100 days, that's ok! I just don't want to go through these really bad side effects again.  Ive learned my lesson..patience is the answer. Really slow, that last        1 1/4 mg is what I am going to do!

Good luck to you! I will support you if you want to keep posting, but just know, I am new to this and I am learning as I go, just like you!

Heathcliff 

[[He...]]

Hi again ddjohn3,

I just read your post again and realize you are not as new to this as I am.

Let name ask you this.. How does a person know  that the withdrawl fx of a too big taper will ever subside? How long do I wait? What made you up dose? Is there a point that a person realizes that up dosing is actually the only thing to do? Or is it just a matter of being strong enough to wAit long enough and stick it out until the side fx subside? I'm already at a three week hold. Is that a normal amount,or even longer amount of time for the fx to simmer down?

Do you know?

Thanks, Heathcliff

[[ly...]]

 

 

Heathcliff,

 

I tapered too fast earlier this year (70% in 6 weeks) and it caught up with me.  I've been holding almost 4 months.  I was probably ready to taper again a couple of months ago but wanted to see if all wd sxs would go away with a long hold - and they have.  So now I know that nothing is permanent and it's a nice feeling.  I am absolutely terrific now but am continuing to hold because I want to have a great summer.  I have lots of plans and travel, etc.  I've been on this stuff for 25yrs and plan to take my good ole time getting off - and feeling well as I do it. 

[[sw...]]

 

 

Heathcliff,

 

I tapered too fast earlier this year (70% in 6 weeks) and it caught up with me.  I've been holding almost 4 months.  I was probably ready to taper again a couple of months ago but wanted to see if all wd sxs would go away with a long hold - and they have.  So now I know that nothing is permanent and it's a nice feeling.  I am absolutely terrific now but am continuing to hold because I want to have a great summer.  I have lots of plans and travel, etc.  I've been on this stuff for 25yrs and plan to take my good ole time getting off - and feeling well as I do it.

 

That is amazing! I've never felt good on this stuff. I always have brain fog at the least.

[[He...]]

Hi Lynn 33,

Thanks fir your reply. It's nice to know that the fx of too big a cut will go away eventually. You have given me the incentive to hikers holding and not give up!

Thanks so much! And have a great summer!

It was 117 degrees here on the west coast of USA yesterday. Horrible unusual heat wave. Today was better though,

Have a great summer!

 

Heathcliff

[[ly...]]

 

 

I'm having the best summer in 25yrs!!!!

[[sw...]]

Hi Lynn 33,

Thanks fir your reply. It's nice to know that the fx of too big a cut will go away eventually. You have given me the incentive to hikers holding and not give up!

Thanks so much! And have a great summer!

It was 117 degrees here on the west coast of USA yesterday. Horrible unusual heat wave. Today was better though,

Have a great summer!

 

Heathcliff

 

Holy crap if I still lived there my dog would've died! I used to dip my headband in ice water on hot days and mist my dog down periodically.

[[He...]]

Hi Swicky,

Your reply made me laugh out loud. Holy crap is right!

 

 

[[Ki...]]

I am just finishing my first cut. From 3mg daily to 2,75mg. Following Ashton manual  hoping can find a dr so I can finish this out.  It is the day before my next cut to 2.5mg.  I am afraid since I feel I am now stabilized after two weeks I had some tough days but not like I would have had if wasn't tapering slowly.  I am afraid of next .25 cut. Does anyone know does it get worse with each cut?  I think I am stable from the first cut cause it felt like my eyes can open wider and I could do things today like take a walk or go to the store. It sounds like many aren't following the Ashton method of taper and going too too fast.  For me the Xds get worse about two days before they get better anyone else find this. Also eating oranges or putting something in my stomach something light seems to help ALITTLE  but every little bit helps. I feel if I. Am given the chance to follow the direct taper of 10% total daily mgs which is .25 day. I can do this pretty easy. I have been on for years and have tried everything. But was tapering way to fast and trying to take Valium without doing a taper onto it that's why I think a direct taper will work for me.  Can anyone tell me if u go through worse and worse wxds with each two week cut following the direct taper .25mgs every two weeks.  I just pray my dr will go along with this taper. That is cause of much my anxiety not getting his help.  I think the trick is not tapering too fast and waiting total two weeks to stabllize I can feel my body changing  I feel great today hope it lasts all day. Hope I am stable now and can do next cut. Good luck everyone.  Why isn't everyone doing the slow gradual taper instead of trying to much too soon?

[[ly...]]

 

 

Kim, I think you will be fine at this rate until you get alot lower.  Just my opinion and based on my personal experience.  I got peak wd sxs at day 4 or 5 and then they started going away.  I usually felt pretty good at 2 wks.  Everyone is different and you should listen to your body.  If you feel good you are most likely ok to proceed.  I was ok with significant cuts at higher doses.  I only got into trouble with a very fast taper earlier this year.  Wd caught up with me.  I went way too fast.  People tend to go fast because everyone (me too) wants off asap.  It's hard to slow yourself down when internal pressure pushes you.  At this point I think Ashton may be too fast for some.  I've decided to get off with as few sxs as possible and to go slow so as not to shock my brain with a flood of damaging glutamate.  I want my brain to adjust fully to lower doses.  It's my thought that slower reduces damage that may take a long time to repair.

 

I'm certainly no expert and no doctor but this is what I've decided to do.  We each have to take our own path but I'd listen to my body.

[[He...]]

The slower the better. I made the mistake of going to fast and making to big of a cut and I am suffering for it now. Don't be in a rush. It will backfire!