Temazepam taper - help me!

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I'm on day 53 of a taper from 30 mg temazepam and now on 10 mg.  I cut last week on Thursday from 12 to 10 mg and the side effects have really returned almost to as strong a level as my first cut from 30 to 22.5 mg.  I need a plan to finish getting off temazepam.  I don't know whether I should continue to cut 2 mg/week or try to go at 90% of the previous dose, which results in an infinite series because it never reaches zero.  Since cutting last Thursday to 10 mg from 12 mg my insomnia has grown bad.  I wake up every 2 hours, and last night I didn't sleep at all.

 

In addition, bear in mind that I currently take 0.5 mg Klonopin, 700 mg of Soma/Carisprodol, 30 mg of Remeron, and currently taking 160 mg of Doxepin.  I have been upping the doxepin with each step down of temazepam, which has been working until last week.  I am prescribed 200 mg but didn't want to reach that until my final step off temazepam.

 

I don't want to taper anything else right now until I am done with temazepam, and plan to take a 1 month break before I start my next taper, which I'm thinking will probably be Klonopin.  I'll be back then for a Klonopin plan.

 

Much appreciated

Jeff

[[MA...]]

Hey Jeff......You know none of us are experts here ..Your coming off a lot of medication. I go to a hollistic doctor and get iv's of amino acids and vitamins to build up my body while coming off. I would suggest you talk to someone who can give you professional advise on how to do this.Maybe your coming off too much too fast.I know your in hell ...this will be over with for all of us one day.Hang in there. I would look up your medication and research it before you make any moves. :'(

Hope things get easier for you...Marlene

I also do neurofeedback and it seems to help. I also know someone that does a body scan and can tell you everything that can help you with suppliments...

[[Be...]]

Hi totallyhooked.

 

I don't have any experience with temazepam but it sounds like it may be time for you to drop down to 1mg cuts.  BTW, how long are you allowing between cuts?  You may need to slow down a bit to get symptoms back to a more "comfortable" level.

[[so...]]

Like beeper says, maybe cutting back to 1mg. cuts.  ( like every 7 days) may help, but there is not guarantee.  I know from 1mg to .5 mg. it seemed like it was one hell day after another for me.    Below .5 mg, it seemed to become a bit less intense,and things just got better from there on down.

No one can tell you what kinda trip you will take off these drugs cause everyone experiences a slightly different series of symptoms.

Determination is your biggest champion while weening yourself from these drugs.  you just have to stay with it and deal with it as it comes.

Wish there was an easier way

st

[Guest [Si...]]

Jeff,

 

I don't know too much about Temazepam either, but I agree with Beeper and softtail.

Try 1mg cuts. Most cross from Temazepam to Valium, no, I'm not suggesting it.. sounds like you are set on coming directly off it.

I hope you start feeling well soon, and getting the taper on track 

 

S#

 

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I was thinking more frequent small cuts instead of 2 mgs every week.  My last dose of 10 mg was scheduled for tonight, so I'm thinking of taking 9.5 mg tonight, 9.5 mg Thursday, 9 mg Friday, 9 mg Saturday, 8.5 mg Sunday, 8.5 mg Monday, 8 mg Tuesday, 8 mg Wednesday, then 7.5 mg Thursday, etc.  I'd still be on a pace to cut 2 mg/week until I'm off.

 

Any better this way?

[[Be...]]

I, too, think smaller cuts more often work better than larger cuts less often.  Just try not to get too far ahead of the healing curve.  I know you'd hate to have to go in reverse. 

[[to...]]

Well this smaller cut idea is working so good so far.  I go 2 days at a dose then cut 0.5 mg and went from 10 mg to 9.5 mg to 9 mg this way.  It's much better than the cuts I was making and I think given the short half life of temazepam (6-12 hours) smaller cuts pose less shock to your system.  Also, if I have trouble in a cut I can always go 3 or 4 days before the next mini-cut!

 

Thanks for the help.  You are all a blessing in these times to me. 

[[Be...]]

I'm so glad it's workiing out, totallyhooked.    I especially like you listening to your body and taking more time between cuts when you need to.    Hope you are having a good weekend.

[[dr...]]

Hello totallyhooked,

 

How have you been feeling the past week? Im also taking Temazepam and will be titrating from that soon. How are you doing your taper is it a dry cut or a compounded pill? I'm trying to get as much knowledge about this process as I can. I've almost finished my dry cut taper from Xanax and looking forward to get off the Temazepam. I've read some success stores from BB who have titrated from Temazepam, I know it's not easy but it can be done. Keep pushing through you'll get there.

 

Best

Dream

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I am having windows since around 12 mg.  I have had 3-4 good nights of sleep, then a few bad nights (5-6 hours), then more good nights (6-8 hours).  It's a bit of rollercoaster ride, but during the windows my memory and cognition are better than they have been for decades, which gives me the courage to battle forward.

 

I am dry cutting with a mg scale I bought for about $25 on Amazon.  Trying to dry cut by eyeballing the pill isn't the right approach, as your day to day dosage is all over the map.  I tested this scale for repeatability and it is very, very accurate.

 

Next on my list to taper is Klonopin.  I am on 0.5 mg of that, but I am taking July off to recouperate before starting my next taper.

 

My biggest mistakes include the c/t attempt I did back in March (reinstated after 3 days) and the large 25% cut I made on my taper.  I also found that toward the end changing from a weekly cut to every other day cuts was much easier on the body.

 

I have been on temazepam 10 years so if I can stop, anyone can.  I was on Ambien 10 years before that.

[[dr...]]

Reading your reply is very encouraging for me. My situation is similar to yours but reversed, I'm tapering the Temazepam last, I too will be taking off July for my body to get use to no Xanax. I see your bad nights of sleep are 5-6 hrs, that will improve in time, I'm so happy to hear your having windows. Thank you so much for explaining how you have tapered, you have opened a new possibility in tapering for me.

 

Best wishes and continued healing