CONFUSED -- ASHTON METHOD OR WEAN 10% A MONTH?

[[Se...]]

I am hearing so many different things about how to wean from Valium. Some say Ashton Method is outdated and some here go by the Ashton Method.

 

Surviving Antipressants say wean ADs first and anything should be weaned at 10% a month to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Ashton says wean benzos first because they are so addictive. I've learned ADs really do a number on your brain and since I've been on ADs only since 2/17 I want to do it first and quickly.

 

This site mostly goes by Ashton Method. I want to get off my 12.5mg Zoloft and 7mg Valium and 90mg Gabapentin. Surviving ADs say wean one med at a time. I want to do them all at once and be done with it.

 

Thanks for feedback.

[[Na...]]

JMO,

Wanting to do them all at once is just a recipe for disaster. I say taper the benzo first. Some AD's have anti anxiety properties (Pristiq and Effexor for example) and can "cushion" the taper.

 

As far as your taper rate, that will be an individual thing to figure out.......listen to you body. I would highly recommend a LMT as well. The Ashton method is somewhat dated but does work. Personally I think her taper rates were a little on the aggressive side but she has probably forgotten more than I'll ever know.

[[Se...]]

I'm taking 12.5mg Zoloft. Surviving Antidepressants say the Valium will help the Zoloft wean better than the ADs will help the benzo wean.

 

I've also read that there are no studies that shows multiple drugs must be weaned one at a time. If you do it that way, you'd be on them for years.

[[Na...]]

I'm taking 12.5mg Zoloft. Surviving Antidepressants say the Valium will help the Zoloft wean better than the ADs will help the benzo wean.

 

I've also read that there are no studies that shows multiple drugs must be weaned one at a time. If you do it that way, you'd be on them for years.

[/quote

 

It's your choice, go ahead and taper them all at once then. 

[[Se...]]

I actually haven't made up my mind what to do. I'll discuss it with my doctor.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Anyone else care to comment on weaning of multiple meds and which ones go first?

 

Thanks

[[Va...]]

I'd follow the advice of SA and only do one at a time. That way you can identify the sxs and pattern of withdrawal,from that specific drug.  --V

[[fl...]]

I'm sorry I am not going to have any great advice for you, but I wanted to reply because I did a partial dual taper.  I was on 35 mg of nortriptyline and 1 mg klonopin.  2 1/2 years ago I decided to taper off both of them at once.  Midway through, I stopped my taper of klonopin  because of severe morning anxiety.  I continued with the AD tapering and finished August of 2016.  After stopping, I had a couple of good days, then crashed with severe physical symptoms and a lot of anxiety.  By January, the physical symptoms had subsided, but I was severely depressed and anxious.  I have just now finally recognized that if I continue to take the klonopin, I will never heal, so I am on the verge of resuming the klonopin taper.  It's easy to wish I had continued my dual taper so that I would be finished with both of them by now.  However, there is no way to know that that would've shortened my overall recovery time, or that the recovery wouldn't have been even more severe.  And, of course, everyone is different.  However you choose to do it, best wishes for a speedy recovery!  I hope other people will post who can help you more.