I tried to taper valium to quickly....

[[da...]]

...when I switched to Valium from Xanax and started 30mg at bed time, I felt really great after 2 weeks. Firstly I taper down 5mg in 2 weeks, was still feeling ok and than in quite a short time was on 5mg. It was all in 2 months time, when suddenly I had a such bad w/d I could not manage, so I took 10mg, did not help and within 4 hrs I end it up with 40mg. Next day I felt very guilty, I took 20mg, reduced to 10 mg within 4 weeks and now I am on 9mg and planning to taper down 1mg a week. The problem is I still getting w/d symptom's, not very bad as I had when taper rapidly to 5mg, but still. I am wondering if I should increase the dose to feel better, or should carry on. I really want to be free by September. Another problem in South Africa is lack of understanding doctors. I found one who kind of went quickly through Ashton manual, but was not very happy that I brought something he must stick to and prescribe according the schema I gave him. After one month, when I ran out of valium, he gave me half of what I needed and told me that I can now taper down every day by 1 mg and finish. I knew I had to find another doctor. It is a pain with doctors in SA, I went to a number GP's everyone was rather direct me to psychiatrist. I finally saw a psychiatrist, who prescribed me Welbutrin (which I did not buy) enough Valium and Lyrica. He told me I can switched to Lyrica and stop taking Valium and after 3 months i can easy stop taking Lyrica. I tried that, I last for 10 days and had take Valium again. Now I have enough of extended script of Valium if I take of 1mg a week. I am very tired to look for dedicated doctor. I am feeling guilty, that I was jumping on the dose and not sure if I am doing a right way now.  My legs, chest, neck are burning, I took my 9 mg today already...Must I increase the dose or will it go away? Sorry to ask questions like that on the forum, but I promise it is almost impossible to find dedicated doctor here. Most of them look at me like a heavy drug addict and trying to let me go to psychiatrist or rehab. One of them told me, that I could of easily have 3 glasses of wine each evening and it will make the same high as 20mg of Valium....

Another question for those who taper down slowly and finished. When you took last mg of benzo, did you feel ok straight away or still craving?

[[Pa...]]

You're not going to feel good as you taper, one of the purposes of a taper is to try to try to remain functional in your life, are you able to carry on with most of your duties?  From what I've heard about tapering, you'll feel the cut, then begin to stabilize, then you'll know it's time for another reduction.  Putting yourself on a one week taper schedule isn't a good idea with Valium, because it takes at least that long for your body to recognize you've given it less of the drug.  I'd try to reduce every couple of weeks if you can.

 

Try not to do anymore up doses, you need to get your body used to a slow steady decline of the drug, and not having a Dr who understands this process is common, very frustrating.

 

After your last dose, you'll likely still have some healing to do, but hopefully as you've done a slow taper, your body will have done some healing on the way down.

 

 

 

[[mt...]]

Hi Dana

I am about 5 months free from a 20 month taper off of 15mg of valium.  I am happy to report that I stepped off in pretty good shape.  I believe I am  so well because I took my time and let my body determine what was the correct taper rate for me.  I was fortunate to find a local DR who had experience in helping others taper and he found that having people make small daily cuts (as opposed to larger weekly biweekly cuts) was much more gentle for the body to respond to and consequently-LESS PAINFUL.

 

I am sure you understand by now that benzos cause our GABA receptors to down regulate and they are therefore unable to "attract" GABA which promotes a feeling of calm and tranquility.  We are therefore left in a state of hyper-excitability which can manifest in a nasty array of symptoms.  The goal of a taper is to reduce the benzo dose WHILE encouraging our body to up regulate our GABA receptors.  Some believe that a steady and gentle taper actually encourages the up-regulating process.

 

You may want to look into a titration schedule and learn how to take a small cut each day to help with w/d symptoms.  I also took my dose twice a day at equal amounts to keep the benzo blood levels stable.  You can ask for a titration schedule under the titration section in the Forum.

 

Benzos really effect our CNS and endocrine systems.  It is beneficial to be consistent with your taper and not move up and down in doses and going on and off of other medications.  Try to get to a place where you are stable and then begin to reduce in tiny increments.

 

Please let me know if you want anymore information on my tapering method and experience.  I can also send others your way that have tapered using this method.

 

Sorry to hear all that you have been through and suffered over the past years...  Keep on fighting to get well-you will get there one day!

 

Best wishes

Mimi

[Guest [Si...]]

Dana,

 

Hi, I know how tapering too quick can be. I c/o from Klonopin, and I started at 45mg of Valium. With Valium, you cannot rush it! I have figured this out the hard way.

At first, it was sedating and it did calm me down quick. I had to up dose (Just me) because I tapered too quickly 3mg in one month! That's a no no! I went from 16mg to 23mg and have to wait to get 5mg and 2mg tabs to finish it, or I cannot. With Valium, there have been times I felt fine, tapering it, honestly, but when I taper too quick, it brings me to my knees! This stuff you have to go slow with. There is no rushing it. I understand wanting off it, and I do! But just taper slowly. I have learned you cannot go fast with this stuff. Once you taper quickly, it takes time for it to leave and you feel that cut, but man... 3mg in one month! Too quick!

Try to get to a place where you are stable and then begin to reduce in tiny increments.

That's what I'm doing now.

I agree with Pam as well, we are healing as we taper, but cut slowly with the valium.

No need to rush it.

I'm going to start cutting .5mg every month, that's just me. But if I hold too long, I get other symptoms.

Just know that you need to taper this stuff slowly.

It's not a race. I got carried away, wanting off it quickly, it just doesn't work that way with a few of us.

I would find a stable point and then hold, then start cutting smaller.

I hope you well.

 

S#

[[da...]]

Thanks a lot buddies...

 

I guess everybody has to learn it hard way. Last night just showed me clearly you are right. I was up almost through the night, vomiting, gastric sensations. I decide to take 15mg just to start the day off, now I feel kind of stabilized, but very tired and very worried. My problem is I live on my own in the middle of African bush, because it was my dream....

I will need to make a plan to stick to one doctor in whatever way I will find her/him. I will see maybe I will manage to go to Europe next month, than with the help of family surly I will find someone there just to prescribe me Valium, which is the biggest issue here. I was trying to rush up, as I knew doctors just do not like to prescribe such a big amount of this stuff...

 

Thanks again, will stay in touch.

 

Dana

[[mt...]]

Hi Dana

I just sent you an email!  As for Dr's and valium supply-perhaps if you develop a sound tapering plan and agree to monthly check ups and reports they may get on board.  I visited my Dr every month to have my blood pressure monitiored etc.  I also provided an elaborate tapering report in excel ( I can email to you if you have excel on your computer) to demonstrate my ability and conviction in tapering off the benzo. 

 

Of course it may also be a wonderful reprieve after all you have endured to go home and get some love and care from your family.

 

In my own case only my husband, son and dIL were helpful the rest of my family caused MORE grief than helped!

 

You sure have been through alot over the past  7 years.  You will make it off of the valium. 

 

Have faith!

Mimi

 

[[ho...]]

HI Dana ,

Im now through with tapering from Valium. I did it very slowly. At one point I just wanted to stop, I think it was at 1.5 or so . I could not do it. I felt the effects after 2 days . I went  down to .5 and then .25 in water for 2 days then jumped. I feel pretty good. The first couple days were not so bad. I am now at 7 days and doing well. So listen to the others and go very slowly. You will be glad you did.

[[da...]]

Thanks a lot Buddies, no more rush for me from now on. Getting slowly stabilized and will do it slowly 

[[ho...]]

Hi Dana,

Let us know how you are doing. Much love . 

[Guest [Si...]]

Dana,

 

Yes keep us updated.

 

 

[[da...]]

Thanks....

 

Terrible sleepless night. Have done my work quickly in the morning and had no more energy, landed in the bed. I am took my 10mg already, I think I am going to jump back again on 12.5 and try to get stabilize there, need to get on some stable dose before even think about the slow tapering.

 

Dana

[[ho...]]

Try to get some advice from one of the moderators or Pamster. She helped me  with the Valium taper schedule and it worked fine for me . I used the body scan meditation to get to sleep. It really did wonders for me when I was coming off of Klonopin.

http://www.archive.org/details/MCullenBodyScanMeditation

[[da...]]

Thanks Honeym,

 

I am using the body scan meditation, it helps me to fall asleep, but I awake quickly. I n any case, last night I slept 4-5 hrs it is a huge success, as my insomnia became chronic.

I managed to stay on 10mg yesterday, still feel my mussels and joints, I will see how I feel today. I do realize I was jumping up and down, some how quick taper did not affect me much until I have got from 30mg down to 5mg. Then back to 10mg and still not comfortable. I feel  I need to stay on some constant dose until I stabilize and than will do it very slowly like you did.

Congratulations on being benzos free!

 

Dana

[[ho...]]

Excellent news Dana. You are getting better already!

[[ti...]]

Dana, I came down to 10mg Valium from a high dose (at least 20mg Valium) too quickly. Its taken a while but I can now manage at this level. I feel there´s now something fairly solid there to work from. I also thought about increasing the dosage at one point but because of the long half life I found difficult to pick the right level with any certainly. Also going back up in dosage felt so demotivating. It sounds pretty grim at the moment but you´ve come a long way already ! 

 

I hope things will start to look better over the next few days.

 

Take care

Tim

[[ho...]]

How are you doing?