Thinking of switching over to valium eventually

[[mi...]]

Hi, this is mishi,  I am going to the doctor today, and I will show him the asthon manual book. I have the soft cover copy.  I am at 2.25 mg right now.  Should I show the doctor the book.  It has some information on how to switch.  I am not really sure If I should go by the soft cover book if I decide to change from klonipon to valium. 

 

At what point should I start the taper.  I want to consult you anyway.  I trust you very much. Do you think I might do better, because I am so sick on the klonipon. I know I will have withdrawal whatever I take but maybe the valium will be easier for me.  The book tells you to stay with a little bit of klonipon first then mix it together with the valium, and then switch altogether with the valium.  Is that right.  Hope to be hearing from you soon. 

[[mi...]]

I know that if I switch from  2mg of klonopin to valium, I will be taking 40mg of valium.  However, one does not switch at once.  You start by taking some klonopin plus valium.  I do not know the amount of each I should take.  I need a schedule for the switching.  I will on  2mg of klonopin  on March 18th, and this is when I want to do the switching.  Thank you, mishi

[[...]]

 

Do you have a doctor that will prescribe you Valium?

 

TC

[[Be...]]

There are pros and cons to switching to valium.  Only you and your doctor can determine whether the risks of switching to valium are worth it.  Some people do do much better tapering off valium than other benzos.  However, many doctors, especially in the US, will not prescribe valium and others who do agree to switch to valium won't let you take your current benzo at the same time the way Ashton recommends.  Maybe if you take the manual with you and show him.her Chapter 2, your doctor will understand the process and be willing to consider it.  You are right that Ashton recommends doing a gradual substitution so  you are taking the same amount of benzo in total but some of it is klono and some is valium until you are on nothing but valium.  Since you are on 2.25mg Klono, the approximate equivalent dose of valium would be 45mg.  Good luck.

[[mi...]]

I have been very sick on 2.25mg of klonopin in total(.75mg 3 times a day every 8 hours). I saw a doctor today who was not familiar with the asthon manual, which had a schedule for 3mg of klonopin and 1.5mg of klonipin, but did not have a schedule for 2.25mg.  The doctor gave me a schedule that did not make any sense to me or my aunt who is helping me. 

 

I have a prescription for valium as well as klonopin.  Could you kindly give me a schedule so I could start my substitution schedule right away from the 2.25mg of klonopin to valium.  Thank you, mishi

[[Be...]]

How much valium did your doctor prescribe, mishi, and what strength tablet are they?

[[mi...]]

Hi, this is mishi, I will see the doctor again.  I did not like her schedule, and she said she would work with me on bb's schedule.  I have for 2 weeks of pills, a mixture of .05 klonipin (60 tablets) and 30 tablets of 10mg of  valium.  However, I am not starting this schedule until I hear your schedule.  The prescriptions can be changed, since she is willing to work with me. Please send me the schedule since i am not accepting the doctor's schedule. Who at bb is best qualified to send me a substitution schedule from 2.25mg of klonopin(.75mg 3 times a day every 8 hours) to valium. Please respond as soon as possible.  Thanks,  Mishi

[[Pa...]]

Hi mishi,

 

Your total dose once crossed over from 2.25 mgs of Klonopin to Valium will be 45 mgs of Valium, is your Dr willing to prescribe this?  One thing you must understand before you do this, Valium can be extremely sedating, so when you first do the crossover, you could feel very drugged until your body gets accustomed to it.  It's also known to cause depression, so you should also be aware of this.  Your crossover will add approximately 6 to 12 weeks to your taper.  You should probably ask your Dr to give you the 2 mg pills, they're easier to taper with when you get to the smaller doses.

 

Your crossover schedule should look something like this. When you're done with your crossover, you'll begin your taper of approximately 1 mg every 1 to 2 weeks.

 

AM                                             mid day                                         PM

.75 mg K                                    .75 mg K                                         .25 K and 10 mgs Valium     1 to 2 weeks

.75 K                                         .75 K                                             15  V                              1 to 2 weeks

.75 K                                         .50 K   5 V                                      15  V                              1 to 2 weeks

.75 K                                         15 V                                              15 V                               1 to 2 weeks

.50 K  5 mg V                              15 V                                              15 V                                1 to 2 weeks

15 V                                          15 V                                              15 V                                1 to 2 weeks

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Hi Mishi,

 

I checked the schedule I made for you and made a couple of corrections, let me know what you think,

 

Pam

[[Be...]]

I think Pamster has suggested a good schedule, mishi.  You are lucky to have a doctor who will work with you.  Hope all goes well at your appointment.

[[Ol...]]

Mishi

 

Hi there.  I did a c/o to Valium (generic Diazepam) from Clonazapam.  I was taking more than you and did it basically the Ashton way.  I printed out the manual with the schedule and highlighted the important parts I wanted to discuss with my doctor.  I thought in my head what I wanted to say so he wouldn't talk me out of it and he would be on my side.  At other times when I said I was having problems on the Clonazapam he would want to prescribe me more or something else on top of what I was taking.

 

He saw that I was very prepared and did prescribe me what I needed.  That won't happen with every doctor but I think he knew that I was very serious and understood what I was talking about before I walked in the door.

 

I took some of each, Clonazapam/Diazepam and it was finally c/o to only Diazepam.  I actually switched it over to the Diazepam a little quicker than the Ashton schedule states because it made me so, so calm.  I needed to feel calm.

 

It has been a long road and I am now down to my last 3mg of Diazepam but I know that for me it would be impossible to cut the Clonazapam down.  I found it easier because Diazepam comes in 10mg, 5mg, and 2mg pills.  They are very easy to cut.  Just make sure your doctor will prescribe enough.  The Ashton schedule is just an approximate amount of time.  You might need to cut every week or every 2 weeks.  It really just depends.  Also, the last 5mg are a little tougher to cut since it is a large percentage.  Make sure you have enough for that time too.

 

If your doctor won't let you change over to Diazepam, you can still cut the Clonazepam.  Most people here cut what they were on to begin with and there's lots of help here for that.

 

Good luck!

 

Oleander

[[Ol...]]

Mishi

 

I wrote to you before I saw the schedule that Pamster made for you.  I TOTALLY agree with that.  I am so glad your doc will prescribe the Valium for you.  I would just make sure that he knows that 1-2 weeks is the norm but there might be a time when you need a little more time near the end so you want to have enough pills to last the whole time.

 

The c/o method was the thing that really saved me.  I started from a larger dose of Clonazepam (3mg) and 2mg of Xanax as well and I am almost done at 3mg of Valium (diazepam).  I just want to say that it can be done.

 

Some people start to feel much better when you cross over to the Valium.  It happened for me.  I wish you much luck.  Write to me on my blog when ever you want under the blog forum--Oleander's Blog.

 

Oleander

[Guest [ke...]]

Mishi, Hi

 

I switched from 2.25mg of Klonopin (Clonazepam) to 45mg of Valium. It's a hefty dose of Valium, but if you have a doc to work with you, good luck.

Uhhh--- as far as the Valium vs. Klonopin taper. Valium, I would have to say is the best route as I had inter-dose w/d from Klonopin. Valium, I don't, but the valium will sedate you up. I t will eventually become less sedating as you taper down and it's not easy, but doable. That's my experience.

Good luck, Keryn.