K to valium crossover help

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On K for 3 months. .5 mg every 3 days or so ( 1.5 mg per week). Thought not everyday would be safe but I was wrong. Met with counselor today and she switched me to 5 mg of valium per day.  Took first dose today and its pretty horrible.  Much worse.   Is this crossover a mistake and if not how long will this misery last until I stabilize and can start taper.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Btw my counselor told me I was not addicted. The amount I was taking was too small. It was all anxiety.  I disagree.  The first dose of valium was so horrible that I am afraid to take another.  Would it be dangerous to just CT from K since I am not a long time user?  Would additional valium doses be easier to tolerate ?  

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by [...]

[[ou...]]

It's not all anxiety. What do you mean worse exactly? Did you feel worse immediately after taking V? If so maybe V isn't for you and you'd be better off tapering K directly. Definitely don't CT.

[[Hu...]]

 

What was horrible exactly? Did you just swap K for V? That is not a good idea.

Also 0.5mg Clonazepam = 10mg diazepam

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by [Hu...]

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New to this forum.  Not sure how to reply to both Outis and Hugodrax individually so will reply to both here.  Outis: took 5 mg of V around 12 pm yesterday. Within about 1-1 1/2 hr. Felt like body was on fire, chest pain, sweating , chills way worse than before. Came on suddenly. Didnt ease up until this morning. Hugodrax: Explained horrible above.  Worst I have ever felt. Yes, counselor just swapped  K for V.  Should I try another V today. Pretty afraid to go through that.  I have taken V in past and never problem. Waiting for counselor to call back. Hate to take more K due to awful headaches.  No easy answer. Still hard to imagine that one 30 pill script of .5mg over three months has done this.  Is this unusual or common ?

[[Hu...]]

Sounds like the diazepam is not covering for the clonazepam and you are having withdrawals. Swapping is not crossing. Diazepam builds slowly. Takes up to a week or longer to cover.

Yes, withdrawal could also cause sweating, nerve pain etc.

Good that you can metabolize diazepam. That is one worry less. Using for a couple of weeks or months can do this to you. Gaba receptors down regulate pretty fast i.e you are hooked within weeks. It is common.

I don't know in what form .5 clonazepam comes. Is it a whole tablet? You could try splitting the tablet into 4 and then calculate the diazepam equivalent of the piece you left out and slowly crossover quarter for quarter. Could take you a couple of weeks. And try to have regular doses. So, every day instead of when you feel like it. 

https://benzo.alwaysdata.net/ use the conversion tool. Clonazepam is 20 times more potent than diazepam.  And read the Ashton manual for more info. It explains everything. 

Nobody here is a dr so we won't give you medical advice. We can only tell what we would do. But I think just swapping K for V is a recipe for disaster.

Edited December 6, 2023 by [Hu...]

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this is very useful information. I was told to go from .75mg of Clonazepam to 10 mg of diazepam without crossover. It was hell and I haven’t felt normal since then. Then in three weeks after that I was told to go down to .25mg of diazepam three times per day and after two weeks to go to 5mg of diazepam! That was unbearable! After three days of 5 mg I was so sick and couldn’t get out of bed. I had to go back up to 9 mg and now I’m at 7.5 mg of diazepam and .25mg of clonazapam. I will wean off the diazepam first at .5mg every 10 to 14 days and then tackle the .25mg of clonazapam. Does that sound reasonable! Clonazapam worked much better for me than diazepam. But again I decreased way too fast and never gave my body a chance twitch each new dose.

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My doctor didn’t even want to see or discuss the Ashton Manual! Frustrating 

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Oh and my doctor says that diazepam is way more potent than clonezepam! It’s hard with all this conflicting information! Frustrated 

[[Hu...]]

Edited December 6, 2023 by [Hu...]

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No I guess is it ok to take the 7.5 mg of diazepam and .25 clonezepam. I also have a drink of wine in the evening. One glass and sometimes a beer with dinner.

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None of the diazepam or clonazapam make me sleepy!

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How do you taper off clonazepam? I’m assuming I’m at .50mg if I’m at .25mg clonazapam and 7.5 mg of diazepam.

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Diazepam does not agree with me at all should I switch back to .5 mg of clonazapam? I’m not sure what to do????

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Can you successfully taper off clonazapam?

[[je...]]

Hi @[...]

Can I ask you to please start your own thread? Then we can keep this thread focused on the OP and we have another thread dedicated to your needs. 

[[ou...]]

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Outis.   Thank you for your thoughts.  Spoke with counselor  yesterday and she is a little older and very stubborn.  She continues to tell me its all anxiety when i am 100% sure its mostly withdrawls.  Anyway I convinced her to try a taper from K.  She agreed for a week.  Took half a .5 mg yesterday afternoon and 99% of withdrawl symptoms gone.  This taper appears to be the right path. I am under no illusions, this drug appears to have a mind of its own and there could be bumps in the road but i am sticking to this taper.  Hopefully not too long since short time user.  You help has and will be invaluable. You seem to know what you are talking about.   Thank you

[[ou...]]

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She prescribed 7 pills of .5 mg klonopin.  Im feeling way better.  Ready to start taper.  

[[ou...]]

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Outis:   I have changed providers (psychiatrist) for med concerns.  They are writing for klonopin .5mg. Keeping counselor for all other issues. She just seemed very reluctant to prescribe K. 
i am splitting .5 mg to .25 mg and taking each day.  Much improved and hoping to do rapid taper but will let my body make those decisions.   Really appreciate your help. Will let you know how it goes.