Hit a wall

[[al...]]

Hi all.  I have been tapering valium. Started out at 20 mg and am now down to 11.5 mg. it has taken me about 7 months to get to this dosage in my taper. I have been tapering close to 10% a month , sometimes a little less.  My taper has been manageable wth occasional sxs hitting me after a few cuts. However once I tapered from 11.5mg to 11 mg all hell broke loose and I experienced extreme withdrawal sxs. I decided to updose back to 11.5 mg and I was able to stabilize. 

My question is , have I hit a wall in my taper ?  Am I not going to be able to go any lower?  I was going along fine till I got to 11 mg then got slammed .  How should I proceed. Any insights would be greatly appreciated 

Thank you in advance

[[Li...]]

 

@[al...]

Congratulations on reducing your Valium / diazepam dose from 20mg to 11.5mg.  That’s a major achievement!

Are there any other factors that might be causing an uptick in symptoms (e.g. changes in medications, supplements, health, stress)?  If not then, the uptick may be a signal you need to make adjustments in your taper.  For example, you may need to decrease your monthly taper rate or change your taper technique or regimen.

The reduction from 11.5mg to 11mg was a 4.35% decrease.

What has your monthly taper rate been up to this point? 

What taper method have you been using (e.g. cut and hold, minitapering, daily microcrotapering, other)?  

What technique(s) have you been using to obtain your doses?

 

 

[[al...]]

@[Li...] I've had no changes as far as stress ,supplements or health.

I have been cutting anywhere from 8% to 10% a month.  I have been dry cutting using a jewlers scale and holding for two weeks after each cut.  I have been doing a hyperbolic tapering method.  Maybe at this level I need to make smaller cuts?  But why would things change so dramatically so quickly. I'm at a loss. I really didn't want to be tapering this poison for years to come

[[Li...]]

What hyperbolic tapering method are you using?  Are you following one of the regimens in The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines (MDG)?  Or have you been calculating your reductions based on the previous dose (what you’ll see referred to here as exponential reductions). 

Is it possible you’re just in a wave?  If so, you could try holding a bit longer.

If not, in your shoes, I would try slowing down my taper rate.  I’d also consider shifting from making larger cuts and holding for two weeks to making smaller reductions more frequently, perhaps with short holds.  You might find it helpful to review @[Fa...]’s taper history and taper thread at:

https://benzobuddies.org/profile/333653-[fa...]/

However, per MDG: 

“Ultimately, it is the patient’s experience of withdrawal that should guide the rate of taper.” (p.390)
 

[[al...]]

Thanks for the response and good info @[Li...]!!

[[Li...]]

You’re welcome, @[al...].  I hope you will keep us posted so we all can learn from your experience. 

[[al...]]

I will. I have been reading Faith,Hope,Loves  taper story and plan to slow down and stay stable. I will also be doing longer holds so as to remain functional.  I believe I have been going too fast and pushing through symptoms to make more cuts and it has finally caught up to me.  Faith, hope, love has the right idea. Go slow and steady and stay functional

[[Ca...]]

I have struggled with the same issue. I was microtapering 1.38 mg a month down from 40 and then in December slowed it to a microtaper of 1 mg a month and then when I hit 12.2 I updosed a few times and it was suggested that i go back to 14 mgs and stabilize. Well im just in bed all day still and holding. Dr. Pat Halligan suggested microtapering 2.5-5 percent a month but a few benzo wise coaches thought I would never get off. So I plan to do the one mg microtaper monthly. But I am so tired I dont have the energy to cut and weigh the pills. I am not functional now anyway at 14. Yes, please keep us posted.