Going from bi weekly to daily taper - yes or no?

[[bl...]]

I am tapering from long term low dose valium use. I used it sporadically for 9 years, 10mg on high side, 2.5 mg on low side, off and on. I am down to 2.5 mg every 3 days. I am concerned that the up and down is creating small withdrawal symptoms. I am experiencing strange body sensations and chronic pain.

 

I am considering changing to 1mg every day and then doing a milk titration to get off.  I am not sure about the jump from bi weekly to daily. I would appreciate any thoughts from others on this. Thank you.

[[km...]]

hi. just some thoughts - first the sporadic use is the first thing to sort out when you are trying to taper. i was using sporadically and getting all kinds of symptoms that i didn't tie to benzos. which means i was physically dependent but didn't know. so first thing to do to start a taper is be consistent with dosing to minimize symptoms and stabilize. second you might want to think about that you are stabilizing too low right now leading to symptoms. so figure that out. three, yes even though valium is long acting, you are probably better dosing at least once a day.

 

good news is you are on a low dose compared to most people on here. as far as the jumps, i found it far superior to make small cuts every day because i dreaded the jumps when i tried it every week or two. other people would disagree with me but frankly i don't see why.

[[Ju...]]

I agree that going to a consistent daily dose is a good idea before starting to taper. It may take some experimentation for you to find what the right dose is.

 

I made small reductions in valium every two weeks. I found it reassuring to have all my pill pieces measured out and then not have to think about it anymore, plus it feels good to see the dose reducing. Benzodiazepine withdrawal is unpredictable, sometimes symptoms can occur even during a hold. I found it helpful to have the stability of the two week waiting time before making any decisions about changing my dose. I sometimes see it to be challenging for people who are trying to respond to daily changes with a taper not knowing how to proceed when they have symptoms. It also has helped many people who were having trouble with their taper. The good news is you are on a low dose and whichever method you choose will get you to zero!

 

Members can respond best if they know your medication history. Please take a moment to create a signature line, listing your medication, dose and any relevant history.

Go to the top of the page and select Profile, then choose Forum Profile, insert drug history/timelines into the text box and click Change Profile.

 

JKS

[[bl...]]

I am just not sure how to make the transition from every 3 days to daily. I am afraid of making things worse.

 

My best guess is to go from current dose - 2.4mg every 3 days to 1.6 every 2 days. I would take the 1.6mg 2 days after my 2.4 dosage and continue at 1.6 e/o day.  Hold a week or two. Then try to go to .8 every day. Does that sound reasonable?

 

I would really appreciate suggestions from people on the board ... I am doing my best to hold it together but having so many other physical symptoms and I am not sure if those are due to the benzo w/d or otherwise. I feel like I have a constant stream of cortisone running through me at all times.

 

 

[[Tr...]]

Hey blues,

 

If I were you I would definitely try to switch to daily dosing as soon as possible. If you're taking 2.4mg every three days, dividing that by three might be a good place to start. That would mean taking .8mg every day. I don't think there would be much benefit it dropping to 1.6mg first... I would go straight to .8mg a day.

 

You may feel uncomfortable as your body adjusts, but it will definitely help your taper in the long run to have the same dose every day.