Valium taper - i can't go under 9mg Valium

[[Fr...]]

Hello BBs,

 

Status Update:

 

As i said in previous posts,my doc switced me from Valium to Xanax+Ativan (because i said to him that i'm feeling tired, but i think that was because maybe i was tappering too fast , nextime i will keep my mouth shut)

*0,25mg Xanax morning

*0,5mg Xanax+1mg Ativan before sleep.

 

For a week i was felling better, but this week after 2 pm i started to have interdose withdrawals (burning skin+anxiety).

 

So i called him , and he said to me that he forgot to prescribe 0.25mg Xanax at 2pm(so i can take and hé will refil my prescription sooner). Also he said to lower thé Paroxetine from 30mg to 20mg.

 

So many changes in two weeks, i think i will ask to go back to Valium next appointement .

 

With my dose of 0.5mg at 2pm i feel better, but i was at 10mg/day of Valium and now if i make thé conversion i am on 30mg/day Valium.

 

Sometimes I feel liké a laboratory rat experiment. "C'est la vie"

Still fonctional and can go to work everyday.

 

[[Pa...]]

Too many changes happening too fast and drug equivalences thrown out of the window, I'm worried.  If your goal is to be benzo free it seems like you're going in the wrong direction and I worry too about tapering the Paroxetine at this point in time, we typically advise against tapering other medications because it makes it difficult to know what is causing what.

 

I agree, you're the rat in the laboratory experiment. 

[[Fr...]]

For Paroxetine i was already at 20mg, its only for two weeks that he prescribed me 30mg, so i think go back at 20mg it's not so difficult. What scares me liké you Saïd Pamster it's that swich.

 

I will try only Ativan (no Xanax, i dont liké it,it hit fast,but leaves fast.):

0,5 Ativan Morning

0,5 Ativan 2pm (only if nedeed)

0,5 Ativan Evening

 

So i will be at  least 15mg Valium équivalence, and next apointement i ask to swich me back to Valium.

 

Do you think that this two weeks were i was on Xanax+Ativan at an équivalence of 25mg Valium to go on 10-15mg Valium équivalence of Ativan it's hard, or should i go slower ?

 

 

Have a good evening BBs.

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Thanks for explaining about the Paroxetine, I agree, you should be fine.

 

I'd like to comment on your midday dose of .5 only if needed.  It's best to take the same dose at the same time each day so I'd rather see you take it each day if you need it or a lesser amount rather than "as needed".  This is a quote from  The Ashton Manual.

 

The aim is to obtain a smooth, steady and slow decline in blood and tissue concentrations of benzodiazepines so that the natural systems in the brain can recover their normal state.

 

I'm not sure how your switch back to Valium is going to go, you may experience some whiplash from what's been going on so you're going to need to pay close attention to your symptoms.  Going back to Valium you may be uncomfortable for the first little while until it builds up again, it might be wise to err on the side of caution by splitting the difference in terms of equivalency at the beginning. 

 

 

 

[[Fr...]]

Ok Pamster, now i understand better, it's not wise to swich directly to Valium only by dose équivalence. So it's better to insert Valium in parallel avec Ativan liké in thé Aston.Decrease Ativan and increase Valium slowly.I will see how to get my doc understands that. He did not hear about Asthon, and hé is not interested in.

 

Today 0.5/0.5/0.5 Ativan.

 

I have still one question, liké two months ago i finished Paroxetine pills, because my doc in holiday. And paradoxaly i felt better for one week. Now m'y doctor said to decrease thé paroxetine. I dont understand , because Paroxetine should me feel better. Paroxetine can have paradoxical effect ? If i start to tapper slowly Paroxetine it's a good ideea ? Or already to many changes ? Thé Aston say that first benzo and after anti-depressant.

 

I have to admit that i did not read all thé chapitres of thé Ashton manual. I will do.

 

Thanks for your answers,you really help me a lot you guys and Pamster.

 

Have a nice evening and good sleep BBs.

[[Pa...]]

It wouldn't hurt to do a fairly rapid crossover back to Valium by as you said, adding in some of the Valium while taking away the Ativan.  I feel you could accomplish this in a couple of weeks, thereby giving the Valium time to build up before completely withdrawing the Ativan.  If this is what you decide to do I doubt you'll need to bring your Dr on board with Professor Ashtons work, many are resistant to her studies, unfortunately.

 

I don't have any experience with Paroxetine but you might ask for input or do a search on the Other Medications board to see what other members have to say.

 

I haven't read the entire manual either, it was too much for me to process when I was recovering but I do refer to it quite often when I'm searching for a passage a member might find useful.

[[Fr...]]

Hello BBs,

 

Status Update :

Now i am stable at:

*0,25mg Xanax+0,5 Ativan -morning

*0,25mg Xanax - PRN - 2pm

*0,5mg Xanax+1mgAtivan - before sleep

 

I was in a work travel last week , and forgot to take with me thé Paroxetine, and i feel better now,no withdrawal effect what so ever, liké no more night sweats and burning skin,i even have good dreams, I have my pills but i will not take anymore to see liké what i will feel. Maybe withdrawal will come thé second week. I will wait,see and Update status.....

 

My doctor want to add a litlle bit of lithium to see if it help.I have apointement next week with him and i'll bé asking for switching me back to Valium(for Asthon reason) and try some lithium instead of Paroxetine. I will see what hé will say about this.

 

Meanwille i closed my little company, because to much stress for litlle money, and next week i start a new job (thé same activity in 5G networks,i know what to do ,so i dont need to learn new skills witch it's very well for my benzo situation) , i hope it will be less stresfull and have a normal scheduelle witch will help to cut thé external stress,and worry each month if i can pay my bills and debts .

 

Have a nice day, wish best for all of you BBs, stay strong as you can.

[[Fr...]]

Salut BBs ,

 

Status UPDATE after appointement avec my DOC :

Like i was saying dans previos post i wanted to switch to Valium (but unfortunately i can choose what i want w/o the permission of my Doc et c'est normal because he has more knowledge). I showed him Aston manual and he will take a look (i Hope). So after negociation i am on nouveau cocktail :

 

Before i was on :

*0,25mg Xanax+0,5 Ativan -morning (0,5 Ativan became 1 mg Ativan)

*0,25mg Xanax - PRN - 2pm (but PRN it became dayly)

*0,5mg Xanax+1mgAtivan - before sleep

I was not able to work without increasing the dose unfortunatly

For my doc no question de start le tappering , maybe dans 6 mois/1 an d'apres lui. I am not stabilized , he repeats me that all the time

 

Nouveau cocktail :

*1mg Ativan+7mg Valium+20mg Paroxetine - morning

*2 (2.5) mg Diazepam - 2 pm (he said that i cad decide la quantité between 2-2.5 mg Diazepam)

*1mg Ativan+7mg Valium+25mg LAMOTRIGINE (LAMICTAL) - new pour moi (weird, cest un medicament pour l'epilepsy ou trouble bipolore ) I will see....

 

I will keep updating regarding ce nouveau cocktail, maybe it can help others (Disclaimer: one its different thant others, its just my experience)

 

Have a nice day BBs ! Hang in there

[[ji...]]

wishing you the best of luck

[[Fr...]]

Thanks Jillibean,

 

I saw your signature, you are almost to thé end of tunnel. I wish you thé strenght to resist further. Take it slowly.

 

My goal now, it's to taper Ativan slowly, i dont touch to Valium for thé moment. And after Ativan Free i will atack Valium. But this time very very slowly. Last Time in was doing to quick ans was a disaster.

 

Have a nice day, and good sleep.

 

P.S. :In my case i noticed that more i sleep ,thé next day l'ESS i dont feel thé need of benzos, liké other days where i dont sleep enaugh.

So weekend i try to sleep max possible.

 

[[Fr...]]

Salut BB,

 

After trying all possible SNNRI et benzos , i am stable on :

*Morning 0,5mg Xanax+ 5mg Valium

*Pm 0,5 Xanax

*Evening 0,5 Xanax+7 mg Valium

 

Anti-depressant :

*Morning : Fluoxetine 20mg

*Evening :seroquel 100mg+Lamotrigine 50mg

 

I will keep this for two months and after i will try to restart a taper.

I also broke with my girfriend,and we have a little doughter.

 

I have still Hope

 

Have a nice day.

 

[[Pa...]]

Hi FrenchGuy,

 

I'm sorry to hear you broke up with your girlfriend, you're smart to hold this dose until things settle down for you.  It looks like you dropped the Paroxetine.

 

Pamster

[[Fr...]]

Yes Pamster, Paroxetine it was replaced by Fluoxetine.

It seems a bit better.

[[Fr...]]

Salut BBs,

 

It's been a while i didnt reply, i am still under benzo but i feel stabilized for 3 months now.

 

I am on :

10 mg/day Valium

3 mg/day Ativan

30 mg/day fluoxetine.

 

I will try to restart taper  , by Ativan first i think.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Its good to hear you're stable, I agree that tackling the Ativan first is the best, get rid of the shorter acting benzo. 

[[Fr...]]

Hello BBs,

 

I hope you are doing well .

 

I have two weeks vacance, if I try a rapid taper ,just to see what happens , and if I have bad withdrawal i can return back to my normal dose or i will be doomed forever?

 

Thanks and hang in there .

[[Pa...]]

Hey Frenchguy, am I to understand you're taking a 2 week vacation to do a rapid taper?  I'm not sure this is a good idea, if you get hit with some really nasty symptoms its tough to pull yourself out of them, many will end up going higher in dose to get them to settle down.

 

I hope you'll come back to the forum so we can talk about this. 

[[Fr...]]

Hi Pamster and BBs,

 

I will try to explain better (sorry for my english) .I don't take 2 weeks vacance especially for this, i don't have work for 2 weeks, so I'll stay home.

 

Now i am on 3mg/day Ativan and 10mg/Valium.

I want to jump from Ativan and add 5mg/Valium in the evening so I will take only 15 mg/day Valium in this two weeks and I hope I can stand to continue like this.

 

I know it's a big jump (25mg Valium equivalency), but i want to try. I feel that this pils changed me, all friends and family said that.

 

Later edit:

It will be a semi-cold turkey.

I jump from 3 mgAtivan/day, but I keep 15mg/day Valium.

 

I will update.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Benzo's changed me too and it was my friends who noticed and commented on it so I understand wanting to be rid of them.  Thank you for explaining your situation, what you're planning is pretty drastic but this is your choice and you're fully informed of the possible ramifications of your actions so we'll support you.  I hope the best for you and will be very interested in how it goes because I know you've wanted to be rid of the Ativan for some time now.

 

Reach out if you need help while you're doing this, we'll be here for you.

[[Fr...]]

Thanks Plaster,

 

I know this is a risky semi-witdrawal and i assume it.

 

I will let u know what will happen and if I can stand it.

 

 

[[Fr...]]

Hello BBs,

 

I tried a fast widrawal, and i had mild symptoms, but i started to work again and i relapsed to my previous doses.

 

So i think a slow Aston taper it's the way for me.

I already started this week.

 

Have a nice weekend and hang in there

[[An...]]

Last week i said to myself to go to 7mg Valium/day , but I was in hell for one week, and because i have to work i relapse back to 10mg. (and i took also Ativan 1 mg once).

 

Hi FrenchGuy and welcome to BB. Are you stable now taking 10 mgs of valium?

[[Fr...]]

No, i relapsed, i will do it the slow way.

 

I am still  at 20mg/day of Valium.

 

I will let u know when I'll be at 10mg

 

Resist in there

[[Pa...]]

Sometimes it takes a few tries to get through this, its worth the work. 

[[An...]]

No, i relapsed, i will do it the slow way.

 

I am still  at 20mg/day of Valium.

 

I will let u know when I'll be at 10mg

 

Resist in there

Ok, thanks for updating. We are all pulling for you. Take your time and listen to your body. Withdrawing from these drugs isn't an easy process, but it is doable. The folks here at BB will support you every step of the way.👍