valium taper speed after 3 years use?

[[ma...]]

Hi all, I'm new here but been reading the forums for a few months now.

I'm in Australia where benzo info and understanding is basically non existant, even with the professionals.

I had been on 20mg of valium for the last 3 years, 5mg 4 times a day and in the last year to year and a half I've titrated from 20mg to now currently 2mg for the last month.
Withdrawal was pretty much non existent down to 2mg then very noticable when I finally hit 2mg, as of a month ago.

I dont know if 20mg for 3 years is considered a lot, but if Ive come down in just over the last year, from 20mg a day to 2mg in the last month, am I safe to just stop now at 2mg or would it be best to halve to 1mg, then 1/4, or halve 2mg and then finish up? I still dont know enough to make an informed decision and my doctor has left the decision to me to make,

The worse withdrawals Ive had so far are CNS body temperature issues, going hot then cold and breaking out in sweat, akathesia that comes and goes, burning in the stomach and other parts of the body and worse of all, extreme hunger, like really bad but weird hunger pains, that make me want to eat but also give me a felling of nausea and shakiness but it's not from low blood sugar as I eat the ketogenic way of eating so I dont think its got anything to do with low blood pressure, but out of them all, I would like to lose the hunger symptom, the rest I can bare for a bit if I have to,

Thanks.

[[pi...]]

Hello @[ma...],

Welcome to Benzo Buddies! We’ll done on taper if from 20mg to 2mg.

I would consider your usage as fairly long term. Additionally, your dose was pretty significant. 

Sadly, it is not only in Australia where doctors don’t understand the withdrawal process and how to safely help people taper off benzos. It’s a world wide issue.

Although you don’t appear to have severe withdrawal symptoms, I personally would not jump off the 2mg. It’s important to make this as easy on the central nervous system as possible. We generally suggest a reduction of 5-10% every 10-14 days. Valium also has a long half life so sometimes the symptoms can be delayed, this happened to me.

There is no reason to rush, benzo withdrawal is a marathon, not a race. 

I’m glad you’ve joined the forum, keep posting for support and information. We’re here to help.

@[pi...]

 

[[Ma...]]

First off, great job!. You’re near the finish line.  The jumping dose for Valium is generally thought to be around 1 mg.  I personally think at this point you need to be doing a linear taper, not an exponential one.  The only issue with Valium and cutting is that it’s got a very long half life and the effects for some people of a cut aren’t felt sometimes for up to a week or two.  Maybe you could try a small cut and gauge how your symptoms compare now to a couple weeks from now.  If they’re no worse or better, then keep making linear cuts down to 1mg. While some people go all the way to .5 or 0, I think 1 mg is a good jump dose for most people.  

[[ma...]]

2 hours ago, [[p...] said:

Hello @[ma...],

Welcome to Benzo Buddies! We’ll done on taper if from 20mg to 2mg.

I would consider your usage as fairly long term. Additionally, your dose was pretty significant. 

Sadly, it is not only in Australia where doctors don’t understand the withdrawal process and how to safely help people taper off benzos. It’s a world wide issue.

Although you don’t appear to have severe withdrawal symptoms, I personally would not jump off the 2mg. It’s important to make this as easy on the central nervous system as possible. We generally suggest a reduction of 5-10% every 10-14 days. Valium also has a long half life so sometimes the symptoms can be delayed, this happened to me.

There is no reason to rush, benzo withdrawal is a marathon, not a race. 

I’m glad you’ve joined the forum, keep posting for support and information. We’re here to help.

@[pi...]

thanks for the feedback. I'm guessing by your name that you play piano?  I'm a pianist myself but during this withdrawal phase  its hard to concentrate on playing when all the withdrawal symptoms are screaming out at you.

[[ma...]]

2 hours ago, [[M...] said:

First off, great job!. You’re near the finish line.  The jumping dose for Valium is generally thought to be around 1 mg.  I personally think at this point you need to be doing a linear taper, not an exponential one.  The only issue with Valium and cutting is that it’s got a very long half life and the effects for some people of a cut aren’t felt sometimes for up to a week or two.  Maybe you could try a small cut and gauge how your symptoms compare now to a couple weeks from now.  If they’re no worse or better, then keep making linear cuts down to 1mg. While some people go all the way to .5 or 0, I think 1 mg is a good jump dose for most people.  

do you have any links from the forum that explain the difference between linear and exponential? and their meanings, thanks.

[[pi...]]

17 minutes ago, [[m...] said:

thanks for the feedback. I'm guessing by your name that you play piano?  I'm a pianist myself but during this withdrawal phase  its hard to concentrate on playing when all the withdrawal symptoms are screaming out at you.

I totally understand that. I felt a complete disconnect between my brain and my fingers while in the thick of things. I was on automatic pilot while teaching, luckily I had many years under my belt so I relied on that. The good thing is that everything improved. In some ways I felt my concentration was even better than before benzos, once my recovery was in full force. Give it some time, you’ll get there.