Need help with diazapam taper?

[[al...]]

I've been on valium 5mg 3x day for 10 years after being physically abused by my partner for a few years. I have had generalized anxiety disorder my whole life and it was manageable without meds but never panic attacks. My doctor had retired after 7 years and I had to go to a new one for 2 years. It was an NP and instantly put me on 5mg 1x day which was pure hell for 2 years with rebound panic attacks daily  I had to cut my hours down at work and basically slept my panic off for 2 years. My GP who I have had for 25 years noticed I was acting crazy and said he knows I have generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and PTSD and was livid and said you need a doctor not an NP. He referred me to a new doctor who was also livid I was just decreased abruptly put me back on 5mg 3x a day. My life instantly was more manageable. I have been going through hell in my life lately and for about a month I have been taking extra at times because of my tolerance (4-7 tabs) on more days than I would like to admit but always have some left when script is due. I always try to take it only when I have panic attacks. Some days i don't even need it at all. I notice if I go days without taking at all Ibam a mess. I really want to come off this med before I am shut off with all the new laws because they are coming (I work in psych). My doctor said not to worry because I am grandfathered in because of the amount of time I have been on it but I don't trust it. I can't find a taper schedule for the amount I am on and most things I find are to taper off other benzos with the use of valium, not valium itself. I looked up that popular method but it does not give me the info I need. I don't have a history of substance abuse or a big drinker and I don't smoke weed (causes anxiety). I don't judge anyone who does I help people with addiction. I'm so confused. I'm getting anxiety over not having anxiety. Can anyone help me? Where do I start? 

[[al...]]

TDLR: I need help with a taper schedule for valium 15mg a day 

[[Br...]]

 

Hi alicent -  We typically suggest tapering with cuts of no more than 5-10% of your most recent dose every 10-14 days as symptoms allow.  The best way to approach your taper is to do a symptoms based taper where you would only make your next reduction once your symptoms feel manageable. 

A simple option is to make reductions by weighing your pills using a scale.  An example of a popular scale is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012TDNAM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 

You can start by weighing 10 of your pills and dividing the weight by 10 to get an average weight for one pill.  

You will want to start by choosing what percentage you want to reduce with.  Let's say you choose to make a 5% reduction for your first reduction: you will calculate your 5% reduction by taking the weight of your total 15mg daily dose and multiply it by 0.95.   You would then shave or file your pill until you reach the target weight.

Then for your next 5% reduction you would multiply your most recent dose weight by 0.95 again and shave or file the amount necessary from your total daily dose, and continue this for most of your taper. This way you are always reducing at 5% of each new current dose.

It's important to understand here that your 5% reduction every 14 days has to be recalculated from your new total daily dose after each reduction so the reduction percentage is never increasing as you go lower in doses. 

I know this can feel overwhelming at first.  Let us know if you have questions.