Tapering on Valium - depression is worse in the morning.

[[Ka...]]

I am trying to taper off of valium. I started at 10 mg at night for sleep now I am at about 6.5 mg.  I dont sleep well because I am tapering and my depression is also very bad in the mornings. I can barely get out of bed. I also noticed my anxiety symptoms have started up again in the morning. 

 

I wake up with that sinking feeling in my stomach, like that pending doom feeling. I am sure you have all felt that before.

 

Does anyone feel more depressed in the am? And how do you cope?

 

Also once I hit 5 mg I am thinking about going C/T just to get it over with.  The tapering sucks, and my sleep is really bad.

[[mu...]]

I do.  I'm tapering off of years of Xanax and Klonopin but do the same basic thing.  Lying in bed I feel like I just can't handle another day.  It tends to lift a fair amount for me once I'm up and moving around, which I'm grateful for.  One thing to keep in mind is that there seems to be some disagreement about the half life of Valium.  My doctor, and some online, maintain that although it has a long half life in terms of being detectable in blood serum, the actual effects aren't that much longer than something like Klonopin.  I'm not saying this is true but perhaps something to consider.  I went to my doctor wanting to switch and, although he is willing, he didn't think it would buy me much and felt like changing the meds might complicate things further. Good luck and hang in there.

[[Ma...]]

At one point I had terrible depression with Valium. I promise you it lifts. You just have to take it day by day. But it does lift and you can feel very good in a very short amount of time. Please think seriously  about CT off of 5mg valium. that could possibly cause neurological damage. Especially since you tried 5 other times.

[[Ka...]]

At one point I had terrible depression with Valium. I promise you it lifts. You just have to take it day by day. But it does lift and you can feel very good in a very short amount of time. Please think seriously  about CT off of 5mg valium. that could possibly cause neurological damage. Especially since you tried 5 other times.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Do you think I should try to go to rehab to get off of the 6-7 mg of Valium I take per night for sleep? The depression while taking it is terrible.  The depression sucks, it won't lift.

 

 

[[Ma...]]

I am doing a daily liquid micro taper. It is slow and symptom based. But I can function and live a normal life. This has worked for me

[[Ca...]]

A slow SX based taper should help with the depression, anxiety, doom n gloom... I had to get pretty slow, as it was one of the last things to lift.  It was only when waking up though... Getting up helps me, even if its just to sit... And telling myself in a pre prepared way that its chemical from tapering...

 

I wouldnt advise Detox, unless treating strong addiction rather than Dependence on the medication...

 

My Best.

[[Ka...]]

Thank you for your input. Today I start the CT after a long taper, now the medication of Valium does not work at a low dose at all so I am just prepared and ready for the CT withdrawals, so basically I wont sleep for 3-4 days. I will keep on posting here.

 

Thanks in advance. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

 

A slow SX based taper should help with the depression, anxiety, doom n gloom... I had to get pretty slow, as it was one of the last things to lift.  It was only when waking up though... Getting up helps me, even if its just to sit... And telling myself in a pre prepared way that its chemical from tapering...

 

I wouldnt advise Detox, unless treating strong addiction rather than Dependence on the medication...

 

My Best.

[[Ph...]]

Best of luck to you! Cold turkey works for some, and if you feel like the med is making your depression worse, than it might be your best option. I originally cold turkeyed (after a semi rapid taper) from 2.5mg of valium. I'm curious.. what dose are you CTing from?

 

And yes, my depression is always worse in the morning and slowly improves throughout the day, almost to the point to where I don't want to fall asleep at night since that is usually the best I've felt all day. For what it's worth, I was always more of a night person anyway, even before ever touching any pharmaceutical.

[[Ph...]]

I do.  I'm tapering off of years of Xanax and Klonopin but do the same basic thing.  Lying in bed I feel like I just can't handle another day.  It tends to lift a fair amount for me once I'm up and moving around, which I'm grateful for.  One thing to keep in mind is that there seems to be some disagreement about the half life of Valium.  My doctor, and some online, maintain that although it has a long half life in terms of being detectable in blood serum, the actual effects aren't that much longer than something like Klonopin.  I'm not saying this is true but perhaps something to consider.  I went to my doctor wanting to switch and, although he is willing, he didn't think it would buy me much and felt like changing the meds might complicate things further. Good luck and hang in there.

 

This is actually true. Just like you state, valium's actual effects are much shorter than it's half life. Crudely put, this is because it is more lipophillic, and enters the brain more quickly and easily, but also exits the brain more quickly. Easy in, easy out. It then gets converted to both active and inactive metabolites which are either excreted, or stored in fat tissue.

[[Ka...]]

I do.  I'm tapering off of years of Xanax and Klonopin but do the same basic thing.  Lying in bed I feel like I just can't handle another day.  It tends to lift a fair amount for me once I'm up and moving around, which I'm grateful for.  One thing to keep in mind is that there seems to be some disagreement about the half life of Valium.  My doctor, and some online, maintain that although it has a long half life in terms of being detectable in blood serum, the actual effects aren't that much longer than something like Klonopin.  I'm not saying this is true but perhaps something to consider.  I went to my doctor wanting to switch and, although he is willing, he didn't think it would buy me much and felt like changing the meds might complicate things further. Good luck and hang in there.

 

This is actually true. Just like you state, valium's actual effects are much shorter than it's half life. Crudely put, this is because it is more lipophillic, and enters the brain more quickly and easily, but also exits the brain more quickly. Easy in, easy out. It then gets converted to both active and inactive metabolites which are either excreted, or stored in fat tissue.

 

I have not had any valium for about 10 days and I can only sleep 2 hours per night. Is this normal? Ugh. Its terrible.

[[Ka...]]

Best of luck to you! Cold turkey works for some, and if you feel like the med is making your depression worse, than it might be your best option. I originally cold turkeyed (after a semi rapid taper) from 2.5mg of valium. I'm curious.. what dose are you CTing from?

 

And yes, my depression is always worse in the morning and slowly improves throughout the day, almost to the point to where I don't want to fall asleep at night since that is usually the best I've felt all day. For what it's worth, I was always more of a night person anyway, even before ever touching any pharmaceutical.

 

Hi, I CT from 5 mg at night for sleeping, now I cannot sleep at all.