Lorazepam to Valium

[[mo...]]

@[Pa...] we did have a good visit despite some issues I had here and there. She didn’t stay with us so it made things easier for me stress wise. She, and our son, are aware of everything I’m going through. We haven’t mentioned about my liver yet though as don’t want to throw anything else on their plates to worry about. We almost cancelled the trip but decided the day before to go and are so glad we did. 

[[Pa...]]

1 hour ago, [[m...] said:

I figured that is being overly optimistic. Have you read of many who felt a micro-taper worked better for them?

I've read lots of members who swear by the micro-taper but the most successful ones understand when to hold, but they learn that through trial and error and you can guess what the error feels like.  There just isn't a sure fire way that works for everyone, so frustrating!

[[Pa...]]

1 hour ago, [[m...] said:

@[Pa...] we did have a good visit despite some issues I had here and there. She didn’t stay with us so it made things easier for me stress wise. She, and our son, are aware of everything I’m going through. We haven’t mentioned about my liver yet though as don’t want to throw anything else on their plates to worry about. We almost cancelled the trip but decided the day before to go and are so glad we did. 

I'm glad you followed through with your plans, this process robs us of so much, we have to try to keep our lives intact so we can resume them when we're recovered.  

[[mo...]]

@[Pa...] @[Ro...] @[or...] @[or...]I’m going to try a 10% cut today instead of 5%. It’s been 16 days since my last cut. I’m cutting it from my 1 PM dose which means it would cut back from 1.4 mg to .3 (1.1 being 10% of my total daily dose of 11.4). Is that ok to do? Will it cause  problems or should in I cut a little from each of the three doses? Going from 11.4 to 10.3 daily with the 10% cut. I’m scared of causing issues!

Edited September 16 by [mo...]

[[Ro...]]

1 hour ago, [[m...] said:

@[Pa...] @[Ro...] @[or...] @[or...]I’m going to try a 10% cut today instead of 5%. It’s been 16 days since my last cut. I’m cutting it from my 1 PM dose which means it would cut back from 1.4 mg to .3 (1.1 being 10% of my total daily dose of 11.4). Is that ok to do? Will it cause  problems or should in I cut a little from each of the three doses? Going from 11.4 to 10.3 daily with the 10% cut. I’m scared of causing issues!

Since you're increasing your cut percentage, I think I'd opt to cut off a little from all three.  Not necessarily saying that taking it from one would end up badly.  I believe Ashton has it so you take a cut from a particular time then move on to the other dose.

[[Pa...]]

I'm unsure what you should do @[mo...], but whatever you decide will help you going forward because you're going to learn more about you and more about how you need to taper.  I'm sorry we don't have absolutes we can guarantee, we just have you telling us how your experiment on yourself is going.  

[[mo...]]

9 minutes ago, [[R...] said:

Since you're increasing your cut percentage, I think I'd opt to cut off a little from all three.  Not necessarily saying that taking it from one would end up badly.  I believe Ashton has it so you take a cut from a particular time then move on to the other dose.

Thanks! I actually just took my 1 PM dose a short bit ago and cut to .4, not .3. Just easier with the lines on the syringe. So, I’m cutting 1 ml. Scary. 

[[mo...]]

@[Pa...] @[or...] @[or...] @[Ro...]

day 5 of my 10% cut. Woke up feeling it. I’m scared, hurting and anxiety/bad thoughts are taking over my brain and body. It’s not the worst like when I changed from lorazepam to diazepam but it’s definitely here. Any suggestions other than what I’m doing….breathing, meditation, mindfulness….

[[Ro...]]

1 hour ago, [[m...] said:

@[Pa...] @[or...] @[or...] @[Ro...]

day 5 of my 10% cut. Woke up feeling it. I’m scared, hurting and anxiety/bad thoughts are taking over my brain and body. It’s not the worst like when I changed from lorazepam to diazepam but it’s definitely here. Any suggestions other than what I’m doing….breathing, meditation, mindfulness….

Ugh, sorry to hear you're feeling it so strongly.  Maybe if you think some positive thoughts (I know, easier said than done), like, "this may be the worst of it."  "Tomorrow should be better."  Just maybe, you'll soon feel your depression lift as you taper down.

[[mo...]]

9 minutes ago, [[R...] said:

Ugh, sorry to hear you're feeling it so strongly.  Maybe if you think some positive thoughts (I know, easier said than done), like, "this may be the worst of it."  "Tomorrow should be better."  Just maybe, you'll soon feel your depression lift as you taper down.

Thank you! My husband has been repeating the same things all day. Don’t know what’s is do without him. 

[[Pa...]]

I hope you're recording your symptoms, this 10% experiment has a purpose, to see if you can handle it, if its worth the pain or if sticking to more manageable reductions is better for you.  Day 5 and you're feeling it, this is good to know, please let us know when it starts to let up. 

I'm sorry its bad again, it sounds like you're doing what you need to do to cope, I wish we had more to offer. 

 

[[mo...]]

6 minutes ago, [[P...] said:

I hope you're recording your symptoms, this 10% experiment has a purpose, to see if you can handle it, if its worth the pain or if sticking to more manageable reductions is better for you.  Day 5 and you're feeling it, this is good to know, please let us know when it starts to let up. 

I'm sorry it’s bad again, it sounds like you're doing what you need to do to cope, I wish we had more to offer. 

@[Pa...]

Thank you! I am tracking. It started last night with some body aches and today has been joint pain, more anxiety, intrusive thoughts about what a failure I feel as a wife, mother, and daughter, and exhaustion. In the grand scheme of things, I guess it isn’t as bad as it could be. Hoping tomorrow brings some relief and not more of the same or worse. Trying to keep a positive mindset. 

[[Pa...]]

Those intrusive thoughts are relentless, my subconscious dredged up stuff I hadn't thought about in years, why does it do this?  When you think about the power these pills have, its scary!  

[[mo...]]

18 minutes ago, [[P...] said:

Those intrusive thoughts are relentless, my subconscious dredged up stuff I hadn't thought about in years, why does it do this?  When you think about the power these pills have, its scary!  

Very scary! 

[[mo...]]

@[Pa...] @[or...] @[or...] @[Ro...]

I’m on day 9 of tapering and woke up with crazy anxiety. It’s the worst I’ve had in a while. I was doing well on days 7 and 8. Joint pain, sweats and burning skin is gone just this anxiety and shaking has come back. Can this happen after feeling fairly good for a few days during taper?

We are thinking it’s because I started using xywav again twice a night and it is known to cause anxiety. But, I don’t sleep well without it so I don’t know what to do. I think the anxiety has cut down because of cutting the xywav back to once a night instead of twice and a lower dose for the last month. I don’t have any other withdrawal symptoms I usually have and the anxiety with withdrawal hasn’t been like this in such a long time.!

Edited September 24 by [mo...]

[[Ro...]]

1 hour ago, [[m...] said:

 

I’m on day 9 of tapering and woke up with crazy anxiety. It’s the worst I’ve had in a while. I was doing well on days 7 and 8. Joint pain, sweats and burning skin is gone just this anxiety and shaking has come back. Can this happen after feeling fairly good for a few days during taper?

We are thinking it’s because I started using xywav again twice a night and it is known to cause anxiety. 

It's unusual to feel like that after feeling better, but it's not unheard of.  I'm thinking it's the xywav, too.  I noticed that sweating is listed under the possible side effects of xywav, but it could be the withdrawal..

[[Pa...]]

The trouble is, our symptoms can wax and wane for no reason at all, so making assumptions isn't always accurate. 

[[mo...]]

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

The trouble is, our symptoms can wax and wane for no reason at all, so making assumptions isn't always accurate. 

@[Pa...] Understood, thanks.. This stinks. The end!

First panic attacks like this I’ve had since being switched off Ativan. 

Edited September 24 by [mo...]

[[Pa...]]

Even though we aren't sure what is causing you to feel this way, the only thing we can look at is your 10% reduction and your reintroduction of the xywav so assumptions have to be made.  Were you just using it once a night and you went to twice?

[[mo...]]

16 minutes ago, [[P...] said:

Even though we aren't sure what is causing you to feel this way, the only thing we can look at is your 10% reduction and your reintroduction of the xywav so assumptions have to be made.  Were you just using it once a night and you went to twice?

@[Pa...] yes with the occasional 2 a night but mostly once a night. Was planning to get off all together but waking up middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep is a pain. It’s dark and thoughts start flooding in hard. 

[[Pa...]]

Oh yeah, I remember how dark my thoughts were when I felt like I was the only person in the world who was awake, its a lonely and desperate time. 

[[mo...]]

@[Pa...] it definitely is. 

[[mo...]]

I’m not good this morning at all! Day 11 of my cut and I just don’t understand. I was doing pretty good on days 7 and 8 then it all went downhill. I can’t do this.

[[Ro...]]

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

I’m not good this morning at all! Day 11 of my cut and I just don’t understand. I was doing pretty good on days 7 and 8 then it all went downhill. I can’t do this.

Sorry to hear that you've been hitting "speed bumps" in your taper.  Think you could give yourself more time to stabilize on this cut and then go back to reducing at, say, 5% or so on your next one?

Sending best wishes and good vibes your way.

[[mo...]]

12 hours ago, [[R...] said:

Sorry to hear that you've been hitting "speed bumps" in your taper.  Think you could give yourself more time to stabilize on this cut and then go back to reducing at, say, 5% or so on your next one?

Sending best wishes and good vibes your way.

Thanks. I just really don’t think o can handle the depression from the Valium but know I wouldn’t be able to handle glong back to Ativan. Catch 22. I’m mot sure if I want to keep living like this anymore. I’m skiing everyone around me miserable and am nothing but a burden