10mg taper diazepam

[[...]]

 

Hi I started tapering from 10mg diazepam I dropped to 7.5mg 3 weeks ago. The anxiety is so intense and intolerable. Do I stick it out and stay here for a while at 7.5mg or do I up my dose this is hell and I mean to the point I just can’t be here I know that was too much to drop but I have only 5mg tablets so I just split one of the 5mg. Is anyone just suffering so so badly it’s taken over their life maybe I’m too unstable to taper yet I’ve just finished tapering mirtazipine is it just too much? Should I go back to my 10mg or have to accept this is withdrawals? What if it’s not and I’m just mentally unstable and I have something wrong with me, been on diazepam for 8 years 

many thanks for listening 

 

[[je...]]

Hi @[...]

I think that cut was just too big for you. I personally don’t believe in suffering through this. If it were me I would updose and go back to 10mg. How long ago did you finish the mirt taper?

Please know these symptoms are very normal when going through withdrawal especially when making big reductions. I had to learn the hard way and I updosed twice.

[[Li...]]

@[...] I agree with @[je...].  You made an 25% reduction in your diazepam dose.  We typically suggest reductions in the range of 5-10% of the current dose.

Also, are you aware that withdrawal reactions to antidepressants can be delayed?  If you just finished tapering mirtazapine, you might want to wait at least a month before beginning a gradual, response-guided taper of the diazepam.