Im so confused and scared

[[Sp...]]

So I have severe anxiety disorder anyway which doesn't help.

 

I’ve spoken to my GP and someone else in a drug service who says im reading too much into all of this.

 

Ive taken 5mg Diazepam over a period of 2 months in total I have taken them for 17 days a total of 155mg.

 

Someone in another group has stated to taper off them I should start taking them everyday and then taper so there is a steady level in my blood. Well ive been taking them 2 or 3 days a week not daily.

 

I dont know how to approach this at all. Do I start taking them daily and taper but they were only prescribed for as and when needed my GP wouldn’t give me enough to taper daily.

 

Im desperate to see what someone else would do in this situation. Im really scared and feel alone and that no-one can help me. 

[[Pa...]]

What group said to take them everyday then taper, was it someone on BenzoBuddies?  Most of the comments I've seen from our members have said to either discontinue them completely or take a few more then stop.

[[Sp...]]

Hi Pamster

 

Thanks for replying.

 

No it was someone on another site. . They said because ive been taking them for example 3 days a week and then non until the week after and in total over a 2 month period taken them for 18 days they said i should not be doing that I should be on a steady dose everyday then start to taper off.

 

My issue with that was well I havent been taking them daily and did not want to start putting more in my body when I havent been taking them consecutively for the last 2 months.

 

I am just unsure how to reduce weekly doses. Ive only read people on daily doses.

[[Pa...]]

When was the last time you took one and what was the dose?  Before that, when was the last time you took one?

[[Sp...]]

Thanks for helping Pamster.

 

This week I’ve had 15mg over 3 days.

 

Week commencing 24th January 2019 - Taken for 3 days twice a day totalling 30mg.

Week commencing 30th December 2019 - Taken for 2 days twice a day totalling 20mg.

Week commencing 6th January 2020 - Taken for 3 days twice a day totalling 30mg.

Week commencing 13th January 2020 - Taken for 2 days twice a day totalling 20mg

Week commencing 20th January 2020 - Taken for 1 day twice a day totalling 10mg.

Week commencing 27th January 2020 - Taken for 2 days (broke a tablet in half for one day) totalling 15mg

Week commening 3rd February 2020 - Taken for 2 days twice a day totalling 20mg

Week commencing 10th February 2020 - Taken for 3 days ONCE a day totalling 15mg

 

[[dd...]]

So this is just my opinion and there are likely many out there....but you are not going to know much until you try to stop. You may or may not feel anything right away. When my whole thing started I had only been taking clonazepam off and on for about 3 months. I totally stopped and felt just fine until about 3 weeks later and I slowly started feeling really awful. Ended up going back on on a daily basis and started taper from there. The key is SUPER slow taper. I have made some videos on You Tube under Benzos Be Bigger Than Your Body...the one you may want to watch is Keys to Success....its a good primer if you are going to end up having to taper. Best of luck....and yeah....having an anxiety disorder makes it more difficult, I have one too-but honestly, when I was tapering (I am on an extended hold right now) I was doing it slow enough that I was ok most of the time. You can PM me if you want :-)

[[CA...]]

I understand how afraid you are and feeling alone.  I live alone and have felt the same way.  I, too, have terrific anxiety and sometimes think I'm going to fall apart, but I did that with them and still do as I taper.

 

We're here for you.  I really don't know much about short-term use and thought they were okay for that, but not sure.  If you need to taper and as ddjohn3 said, "Do it slowly."

 

Had I known 21 years ago that one can become addicted or whatever to them, I never would have taken them.  But, then there is the other side of the story ... they did help me, but the long-term use and getting off them is just as difficult as anxiety. I wish now I had known more about anxiety and panic and tried to handle it without them. 

 

You'll be okay.  Just keep on keeping on and take one day at a time.

[[Sp...]]

Thanks for the reply!

 

I think its just because all ive seen is daily usage I havent seen anyone taking them a few days a week so I am unsure how to approach it.

 

To either cut down next week again and the week after or just stop now.

[[Sp...]]

Thanks for you response.

 

I understand what you mean and that’s what I was saying because I haven’t used them daily, I didn’t want to start using them daily.  Using them for 18 days over 2 months is not daily.

 

I have read the Ashton manuals couple of times and the taper from Valium is a daily dose.  Although I have read it states you can stop after you are on a nightly dose of 1mg per night which is equivalent to 7mg a week.