Valium 20mg reduction process - suggestions.

[[Ke...]]

I have read the Ashton Manual.  I have read the BENZO BOOK (file attached). Both suggest different approaches towards reduction.

I am not good at math. I understand that reducing less than 10% of a dose is in the 'safe zone'. 

 

Question: how do one do the math for getting that 10% reduction number? 

 

Ashton suggest a 1mg every 2 weeks down to 0.  Benzo Book goes further, discussing .XXX% cuts, then under 1mg going to a LiQUID tapering process of minuscule amounts lowering the dose by a thousandth of a percent.

 

https://www.thebenzobook.com/

 

Right now I have 5mg tablets. I have a pill splitter. Using it on a 5mg tablet results in chunks and crumbs - and powder. No degree of precision whatsoever when looking at how the author of the free Benzo Book PDF states how he approached this.

 

I am just contemplating of taking about a year of my life slowly getting rid of Valium I have been taking for 20 years out of my system, only to be confronted with the potential of the dreaded lingering PAWS, and the concluding comment of Prof Ashton that stated some people may have to REMAIN on these drugs for their entire lives. 

 

I don't recall any of this being placed on the dispensing label or pharmacy instructions.  If I only knew.....

 

[[Br...]]

Many members use a jeweler's scale to get more accurate weights.  Here is one model that's popular:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012TDNAM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Here's a thread about using a scale: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=273984.0

 

And here's a link to a site that goes into depth about dry tapering: https://benzodrytapermath.com

[[ho...]]

I have read the Ashton Manual.  I have read the BENZO BOOK (file attached). Both suggest different approaches towards reduction.

I am not good at math. I understand that reducing less than 10% of a dose is in the 'safe zone'. 

 

Question: how do one do the math for getting that 10% reduction number? 

 

Ashton suggest a 1mg every 2 weeks down to 0.  Benzo Book goes further, discussing .XXX% cuts, then under 1mg going to a LiQUID tapering process of minuscule amounts lowering the dose by a thousandth of a percent.

 

https://www.thebenzobook.com/

 

Right now I have 5mg tablets. I have a pill splitter. Using it on a 5mg tablet results in chunks and crumbs - and powder. No degree of precision whatsoever when looking at how the author of the free Benzo Book PDF states how he approached this.

 

I am just contemplating of taking about a year of my life slowly getting rid of Valium I have been taking for 20 years out of my system, only to be confronted with the potential of the dreaded lingering PAWS, and the concluding comment of Prof Ashton that stated some people may have to REMAIN on these drugs for their entire lives. 

 

I don't recall any of this being placed on the dispensing label or pharmacy instructions.  If I only knew.....

 

Hi Keywest-

 

It can seem overwhelming but it gets easier.  If you are under the care of a doctor, V comes in 2mg tablets too, and that makes it much easier.  Also you can do a liquid taper as well, and a liquid hybrid -pill taper, that can be done daily or the cut and hold method.  Daily micro taper’s.dry/liquid or hybrid seem to be a little more gentle and you have more control.  However many still choose the cut and hold method.

 

For myself the Ashton method became too much for me at about 9mg (starting at 20mg) and that was after a month hold at 10mg.  I had to slow it down by the %’s you were talking about.  Everyone is different and what they can handle.

 

What helps is keeping a calendar or spreadsheet so that you track your dose daily and progress.  I bought these dry erase white sheets for my fridge (for stainless steel) and I write the months/days (I can do like 3 months at a time) and my doses and i make little faces, happy or sad, and other notes that track my progress.  When it is full, I take a picture and erase it and start over.  It really helps.  I also have my progress log here on BB’s and a journal too.

 

You will figure out the %, there are places on the internet that will do it for you  . Also, if you are under the care of a doctor and decide you want to have liquid, diazepam comes in liquid, or you can have a compound pharmacy make it for you (in the states)and it isn’t very expensive. Or you can order that scale off of Amazon and just weigh your pill’s, and the doctor can order you 2mg pill’s later on too.  You can also make your own liquid, some people do that too. 

 

Marie