Cold Turkey - Anyone going through it now? I am and it is getting difficult...

[[ma...]]

Hi again,

Before anything, I know I am supposed to taper but here in the UK our NHS is in a total meltdown despite what everyone thinks, and I cannot see a GP or mental health professional (not sure I want to to be honest!). I am not prepared to go to ER (A&E) as that is a disaster in and of itself (think waiting for 8 hours to then be told nothing wrong etc in a crowded room).

So - I am now 11 days since last 5mg Diazepam tablet, but I had not taken one for 2 days before that last one so I think I was already in the withdrawal phase. I am hoping that the next two weeks will see gradual improvement but maybe I am being overly optimistic.

Lots of symptoms now with dizziness, fatigue, muscle pain, tinnitus etc - the whole menu of them...but I am functioning quite a bit through parts of the day and I am still working (I work from home which makes things a whole lot easier!). I think I am expecting the symptoms to get worse before better...but I wanted to at least get some support/advice from someone who did CT or is doing it now. Like I say, unless I collapse I will not take another Diazepam, I will not buy them online. Was on them on and off for a couple of years and I think every time I went back on them it was due to me mistaking withdrawal for anxiety (normal anxiety as opposed to drug-induced), so I blame myself quite a bit for the current predicament - it was too easy to run to the GP instead of just seeing if I settled. I am eating well, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, drinking 2 litres a day of water and I get decent sleep thanks to Mirtazapine (my next one to get off, but one at a time) and if I know it will slowly improve over the coming weeks/months then I can look to ride it out. Suffice to say it is, right now, pretty acute and miserable to feel so unwell and foggy.

Tried some exercise but that seems to exacerbate rather than help just now although I know when I feel a little better it will help a lot! Just now it makes me feel more unwell.

Thanks in advance and I am so glad I found this forum!

Mark

[[Al...]]

Hello mate. I’m seven months into my cold Turkey. 
best of luck and keep calm and strong.

You can  do it, just know that it will pass eventually.