Twice or multiple doses daily?

[[Ni...]]

From the start I've pretty much broken my dose up during the day and take the last at the end so I sleep. After doing some re-reading in the Ashton Manual, it says twice a day is all that's needed. My most recent cut from 22mg diazepam to 20 a few days a go I also decided to go from 4 times a day to twice daily - 10 mg in the morning-early afternoon and 10 mg in the evening-night.

 

Two things happened.

 

1) The slow transitions of doses didn't make me feel as sluggish as I thought, but I was more awake, alert and felt great.

 

2) I pretty much stopped sleeping, or at least felt like I tossed and turned all night with insane and vivid dreams. I'm used to those now but it seems that on twice daily, my brain just won;t shut the hell up and let me sleep. I understand why, it just doesn't feel very pleasant.

 

I'm glad I have a guest room so I don't keep my wife up all night while I toss and turn.

 

I went back to 4 doses per day today until I can get a grip on it. Maybe I need to hold it at twice daily for a longer period so my body adjusts to both the cut and the timing.

 

 

So my question is: Do you think twice daily is better or multiple doses throughout the day? I know one made me feel better because there were less mood transitions, but the other allowed me to sleep better. Eventually I'll have to go to twice daily doses as I lower them, so maybe it's better to get used to it now.

 

Cheers

 

EANx Guy

[[Cr...]]

So on 4x daily you were sleeping okay but felt sluggish and cloudy-headed.  On 2x daily you feel more alert but don't sleep well.  That is curious because you'd think the extra dose in Valium at bedtime would help improve your sleep.  This just goes to show no one really knows what to expect when it comes to these drugs, it appears your body doesn't like all that Valium at once.

 

It could be possible that you would have adjusted to the 2x daily dose had you stayed on it a bit longer... but for every problem that improves I am sure others could pop up (ie, you go back to feeling sluggish).

 

My guess is that perhaps it would be beneficial for you to meet in the middle at 3x daily.  You can try that out and see how that works for you.  You can spread your dose out almost evenly (7, 6, 7) or you could tailor it so you get more when you need it like (6, 6, 8 ) or (5, 5, 10).  If you try to keep most of your dose out of your active day like in (8, 4, 8 ) or (6, 4, 10) that may help with sluggishness.

 

(7, 6, 7 ) - Even as possible since your body likes that

(6, 6, 8 ) - Still pretty even but with a little bit extra for sleep

(5, 5, 10) - Even day dose with a lot extra to sleep

(8, 4, 8 ) - Extra for morning anxiety, low amount during day for more alertness, extra for sleep

(6, 4, 10) -  Same but with less for morning anxiety and even more extra for sleep

 

There are so many options... and the extra valium for sleep sounds good in theory but you actually were sleeping worse on a higher dose a bedtime... but that could be because your body wasn't used to that amount at bedtime or it wasn't used to the gap between doses.

[[sw...]]

Hello,

 

I think it's up to you how many times a day you take it, but obviously x2 is much more convenient than x4.  I only ever took mine x1, and just at the end of the day in order to sleep.  I think that the main thing that you need to be aware of is that if you shift how much you take at what dose, you're going to have some symptoms until your body gets used to it even if your daily total is staying the same (because your body is missing the medicine when it's expecting it).  Ultimately, the larger dose at night should make it easier for you to sleep once you've adjusted, though.

 

[[Be...]]

I would give any changes to dosing of valium 2 weeks to adjust to before giving up on it.  Just my opinion based on what I've read since I've never been on valium.  Good luck.  And congrats on getting down to 20mg!

[[Ni...]]

I did change both dose and frequency at the same so I had to expect something would happen. I suspect that if I stay at the twice daily dose, my body would get used to it, but had pretty much settled on the 3x daily for now, 5/10/5. We'll see how that works out and I can extend a few days to get used to it if I have to, but don't think it'll be necessary.

 

The really odd part was I can take 5 mg and feel the effects. If I take 10 mg, I'm alert but it doesn't feel like I've taken much at all. I like how I feel better at 2x daily, so I'm going to work towards that. Eventually I'll get some sleep...

 

Thanks for the replies 

 

This just goes to show no one really knows what to expect when it comes to these drugs, it appears your body doesn't like all that Valium at once.

 

You got that right...

 

Cheers,

 

EANx Guy

 

 

[[Mi...]]

I would give any changes to dosing of valium 2 weeks to adjust to before giving up on it.  Just my opinion based on what I've read since I've never been on valium.  Good luck.  And congrats on getting down to 20mg!

 

I would agree with Beeper.  I tapered from Valium and took it twice per day until down to around 8 or 9mgs, then took it once per day in the evening.

 

I struggled with insomnia throughout my taper, but I felt much better when I eliminated the morning dose and took it only once per day.

 

Insomnia is one of the s/x that seem to be common and most, if not all buddies will experience it at some point.

 

I'd try taking it twice per day for two weeks and give your body time to adjust.

[[Ni...]]

Changing dose and frequency is a major change, so s/x are expected. I had bouts of insomnia when I tapered on klonopin, but it's improved with diazepam. I know at some point it'll come and what to expect, being ready is half the battle. I have a stack of books and a comfy guest room that are waiting for just such occasions.

 

I definitely felt more awake than I have in a decade on the 2x daily dosage. Colors are brighter, less sensitivity to sunlight, etc. So I think I'll stick with 3x daily for now, then next cut switch to 2x daily and let it ride an extra week. 

 

It's amazing how bad off I realize I was the more I wake up mentally. And it's nice being awake.

 

"Sunlight over me no matter what I do.." Fleet Foxes

 

Cheers,

 

EANx Guy