HeidiGirl

[[He...]]

I've been tapering for 1.5 years and I'm really struggling at this point. I'm here to share my experience and ask questions.

[[...]]

Hey HeidiGirl.  Welcome!!  I am so sorry you have been struggling for so long.  There are lots of folks here that are taking it day by day and here to support each other. 

 

A few links below you may be interested in:

 

Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidance

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper)

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

Ashton Manual symptom list

 

Again, welcome.

 

jBen

[[He...]]

I'm on my last .5 mg of Valium and I was really hoping that the w/d symptoms would be subsiding but they aren't. Really having windows and waves and even a few for w/d symptoms. What's the best way to get off this last hurdle of .5 mg of valium?

[[Pa...]]

Maybe you weren’t aware but it takes awhile to recover once you’re completely off the benzodiazepine.  The drug is gone but the changes it made to your brain will take some time to repair.  Your symptoms once you jump off the Valium will likely be intense for a couple of weeks but hopefully after that the symptoms will lessen.  You need to prepare yourself, this can take many months. 

[[Nu...]]

Hi HG,

 

Sorry to hear of the tough times. You've come so far in your journey. You'll get there! Keep up with it, especially when the times get tough. Double down and keep moving forward.

[[He...]]

Thanks for your responses. Does it make a difference as to when I take my dosage while I'm tapering? My waves are really bad in the morning so I'm wondering if I should take my dose in the morning vs. the afternoon. Right now I take my dose around 3:00 pm but it's really difficult in the morning with the w/d symptoms.

[[Nu...]]

Good question. I'll let the more experienced folks chime in here. I'm not sure what people have found that works best...

[[Pa...]]

Thanks for your responses. Does it make a difference as to when I take my dosage while I'm tapering? My waves are really bad in the morning so I'm wondering if I should take my dose in the morning vs. the afternoon. Right now I take my dose around 3:00 pm but it's really difficult in the morning with the w/d symptoms.

 

You can take your dose whenever it suits you, many members have trouble in the morning, they attribute it to high cortisol levels.

[[He...]]

Thank you. I took my .5 dose of valium at 7:30 am the last 2 mornings and I think I feel a difference; however, the afternoon is very bad. I'm thinking about increasing my dose to .75 mg but I've been at .5 for 22 days. I really thought I'd be feeling better but I'm not. Is this normal? If that's the case, I can only imagine how bad it will be when I completely stop. Do you recommend me dropping to .25 for a period of time before I completely stop?

[[Pa...]]

Some members feel better as they taper, but most feel more intense symptoms as they get to the lower doses, they then decide to slow their taper down.

 

I would avoid raising your dose unless you’re severely compromised with symptoms, meaning not functioning such as being able to take a shower or prepare a simple meal.  Given how you’re feeling, I’d hold this dose for awhile to see if things settle down, then yes, make another small reduction.

[[je...]]

You are at a very low dose of Valium. I jumped at the Valium equivalent of 0.5mg. I'm not saying you have to jump here because you have to be mentally ready to jump otherwise the stress and anxiety can do a real number on you. I'm just saying you're probably not getting very much therapeutic value anymore, i.e. the drug is doing very little at this stage. I would not increase the dose, that would just delay the inevitable which is getting off this.

 

From the Ashton Manual:

In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily.

[[He...]]

I'm not experiencing too much anxiety other than weepiness but it's the physical symptoms - headaches, nausea, fast heart beat, etc. but definitely having waves and windows. I think I'll stay on .5 valium for another week or 2 and then cut to .125 for a period of time and then jump. Hopefully I'll be able to tolerate the w/d symptoms which are mostly physical. I can deal with crying all the time but the physical symptoms are the worst and I know I don't want to have to restart a small dose once I've jumped.