liquid valium help?

[[bo...]]

I am at 5.5 mg Valium down from 8 mg Valium after C/T from 5 weeks 1mg Ativan and 4 weeks .5mg xanax.  Total of 9 weeks benzo use after surgical complication, before I recognized that I had inadvertently become dependent.  I didn't even know what a benzo was before this mess and had never had anxiety issues.  Was given the ativan in the hospital after fluid overload and surgical complication.  Have been tapering .5mg every ten days, but it is too much for me now.  Plan to stick to no more than 10% over 14 days.  I am moving forward at .25 mg every seven days, but dry cutting these pills is so frustrating!  I have the generic Mylan and is crumbles so easy, and I have become a bit obsessive about knowing the exact dose I am taking.  I have a good psychiatrist who supports me with a slow taper and has given me liquid valium 5mg/5ml to taper with better accuracy and smoother cuts whenever I am ready.  My question is has anyone gone from oral tablet dry cutting to liquid without much variance?  I am nervous about using the liquid that it might not have the same strength quality and may intensify withdrawal if there is much variation.  Any suggestions or experience?  Thought about using pill form for majority of dose and using liquid to taper the smaller amounts.  Thanks and kind regards for any input and support.

[[Mi...]]

Hi boagie.

 

We've had a few members use liquid Valium with great success.

 

I personally could not use it because of some of the ingredients in it, so I had to dry cut all the way down. And yes, the pill crumbling can be frustrating.

 

Many members find that withdrawal from 5 mgs on down seems to be difficult.  For me, 5 mgs to 2 mgs was the worst, then things started to improve considerably.  I also found that sticking with .5 mg reductions every 7-10 days worked out better for me than .25 mg reductions.  I'm not sure why, but that's what worked for me.  Also, some cuts were worse than others, but I always stuck with my schedule no matter how bad I felt, and sometimes I would feel better after a reduction.

 

Let us know how you are doing with the liquid.

[[...]]

I tried liquid Valium but was unable to keep it down and had to complete my journey dry cutting.

 

I know it's not easy but it can work. I had to develop a system (not easy with a mind so on edge during a taper) a friend and fellow Benzo Survivor explained; with a razor, chop the pill into a powder and divide evenly into rows so that your getting a more accurate dose. It worked for me.  

 

KID  

[Guest [Si...]]

I also tried liquid valium. I am not sure what they use in it, but like Missy.. I couldn't tolerate it.

So I am dry cutting.

 

It's strange because I could titrate the valium in milk or water, but could not tolerate liq. valium.

 

You got some good advice.

 

 

[[bo...]]

Thank you for your responses.  Can you elaborate on how the details of being intolerable to liquid valium.  What exactly happened by way of a bad response to the liquid?  Curious so that I can be aware before making decision to try it or if it is just better to stay away from liquid and continue dry cutting.  Scared to death to do anything that might rock the boat, only want to make the best informed decisions moving forward.  Thanks again!

[[...]]

I started using liquid when i was at 2.5 mg and reduced at .25mg every 7 days. Was scared to death of what was going to happen at the end. All the worry was for naught, as i loved the liquid and the last 10 weeks of my taper was very smooooth. If i knew then what i know now i would of switched earlier. Don't fret you will be fine. Good luck!

[[bo...]]

STGZ, thanks for your response.  Did you dry cut down to 2.5 mg and than just one day replace the dry tablets with liquid, or did you replace the dose with liquid a bit a time.  What I mean , is did you take 2 mg in tablet form and .5 of the liquid.  Did you notice any variance between your tablets and the liquid.  I have read that some try to make the switch from tablet to liquid and experience severe withdrawal as though the liquid didn't have the same equivalence.  Does this make sense?  Thanks for your support and guidance.

[[Mi...]]

Thank you for your responses.  Can you elaborate on how the details of being intolerable to liquid valium.  What exactly happened by way of a bad response to the liquid?   Curious so that I can be aware before making decision to try it or if it is just better to stay away from liquid and continue dry cutting.  Scared to death to do anything that might rock the boat, only want to make the best informed decisions moving forward.  Thanks again!

 

Some people can be extremely sensitive to food coloring and flavorings, polyethelyne glycol, and other common ingredients not only in medicines, but other things such as lotions, shampoos, etc. I can't speak for the others, but I have a non-benzo related condition that makes me super sensitive to some things.

 

For me, the liquid Valium exacerbated the pruritis I was already dealing with, so I simply went back to dry cutting.

 

Again, many people have had success with the liquid.  Just try to stay away from liquid Valium Intensol, as it contains something like 19% alcohol.  "Regular" liquid Valium does not have alcohol added.

[[...]]

I did dry cut down to 2.5mg, then switched over to all liquid so i could see how that was going to go. As i said I was very worried about doing this and my back up plan was to go back to 1/2 of a 5mg pill if it went badly. I found the transition to be very easy. One suggestion, go and get the syringes ahead of time and get different sizes. Then experiment with water and cross check to make sure you are measuring correctly. I thought I was measuring correctly but when i cross checked it in another syringe it came up short. I was lining up the wrong part of the plunger with the measurements on the syringe. I played with it for days before I actually used the liquid valium. Good luck!

[[bo...]]

STGZ, thanks for your reply and advice on practicing with syringes to prevent mistake in dosage.  I am at 5.5 and planning to dry cut down to 5 or so and then possibly switch over to liquid, I was worried about just switching over to liquid all at once, so your words and experience are encouraging.  Can I ask if you remember what brand of tablet valium you were using before you went to liquid. 

[[bo...]]

STGZ, I see that you were free from benzo's in July.  How are you doing and how are your symptoms after 3 or so months being off?  Hope you are recovering well and steadily.

[[...]]

Boagie, on 7/3/11 when i took my last dose i trashed everything, (leftover pills,liquid,syringes,etc.), having to do with benzos. I don't remember what the brand name of the valium was, but it was a generic as that is all my insurance would pay for. Be sure when you make the switch that the liquid is the 5mg = 5ml solution. You remind me alot of myself in that you seem to be obsessive about exact dosages, generic vs. brand, liquid vs. pill, etc.. Looking back i think this is something i did to try and feel that i had some control over an uncontrollable process. It is what it is, but no matter what happens you are strong enough and want your life back bad enough to make it through to the other side, right? As far as how i am doing now, from everything i read, to have been on xanax for almost 25 years and to be off for only 3 months i am doing great! I attribute this to the slow taper i did and would recommend the same for you. This is not a race!! You will be glad you went slow when you jump. Really my remaining symptoms are lack of motivation and lack of energy. That being said i know i am getting better every day and it is what it is and i will keep moving forward until this is all just a bad memory and i am 100% healed!! How about you? 

[[bo...]]

Boagie, on 7/3/11 when i took my last dose i trashed everything, (leftover pills,liquid,syringes,etc.), having to do with benzos. I don't remember what the brand name of the valium was, but it was a generic as that is all my insurance would pay for. Be sure when you make the switch that the liquid is the 5mg = 5ml solution. You remind me alot of myself in that you seem to be obsessive about exact dosages, generic vs. brand, liquid vs. pill, etc.. Looking back i think this is something i did to try and feel that i had some control over an uncontrollable process. It is what it is, but no matter what happens you are strong enough and want your life back bad enough to make it through to the other side, right? As far as how i am doing now, from everything i read, to have been on xanax for almost 25 years and to be off for only 3 months i am doing great! I attribute this to the slow taper i did and would recommend the same for you. This is not a race!! You will be glad you went slow when you jump. Really my remaining symptoms are lack of motivation and lack of energy. That being said i know i am getting better every day and it is what it is and i will keep moving forward until this is all just a bad memory and i am 100% healed!! How about you? 

 

STGZ, you are absolutely right about obsessing and needing to feel some sense of control.  Sometimes the whole thing seems like a mysterious out of control scenario that I just can't believe to find myself in.  Never saw it coming or could've imagined that people suffer like this from medication.  It is a learn as you go process with the help of others who have been down the road ahead of you or who are traveling the same journey.  All of my education about benzo withdrawal has come through my computer, I know more than the psychiatrist who is prescribing the valium for taper.  I already have the 5mg/5ml valium, I am just not sure about when to make the switch and if it is better to just stick with dry cutting.  Do you wish you would've switched over before 2.5mg's?  Were you dosing twice a day?  This is truly the hardest thing I have ever experienced.  I have three small children and a kind and supporting husband, although it took us some time realize the depth of suffering and duration of this withdrawal process.  I struggle every day with a handful of symptoms, mostly I am just sick to death of not feeling well, not feeling like myself and depression found me a few weeks ago and is hanging on.  Otherwise, lots of muscle pain, some anxiety, inability to concentrate, irritability, headaches, sensitivity to food making symptoms worse, hair coming out like mad, mouth pain and sensitivity to light and sound.  Please tell me some of the symptoms decrease as the dose gets lower.  I feel like I have so far to go and one of my weakest characteristics is patience.  I read somewhere that if you find the ability to curb the impatience and taper slowly, you'll only have to do it once.  Trying to remember these words and do each day one day at a time.  But I kind of feel like the valium is just building in my system and I can't tell if I feel depressed because of all the valium or if it just part of the withdrawal process.  Not a depressed person by nature, so it is somewhat tormenting.  My dreams in the beginning were atrocious and then just became really busy and crazy.  Made a cut 4 days ago, and last night back to awful rotten dreams.  The whole process is just draining and ever present.  Thank you for your support and words of strength and encouragement, it is somehow comforting to know that there is someone out there who knows the details of benzo withdrawal and has made it to the end, congratulations.  You are in my thoughts and I hope your recovery will continue with only improvements and no set backs.  What a long road you have been down.  Best to you, and thanks again for taking the time to offer guidance to someone feeling alone and worried. 

[[Pa...]]

Hi boagie,

 

I wanted to let you know that Professor Ashton mentioned that benzo's can affect the endocrine system, many Buddies mention hair loss.  From what I've read though, it comes back as you heal.  There are a few who say that symptoms lessen as they get lower in dose, but many report they grow in intensity, I'm not trying to discourage you, just prepare you.  I know this is difficult, we get so worn down from the pain, it's difficult to see the end of this nightmare.

 

Pam

[Guest [Si...]]

boagie, hi there

 

When I was on a high dose of klonopin. I had the hair loss. I tried an herb called 'Silica' I am not recommending it, but it did help some.

I had hair come out in gobs, but now as I tapered down.. I don't have any more hair loss.. it has grown out, curls in the back and all.. It's thick and healthy.

Pam is correct, some do get healthier hair as they taper on.

I would make a recommendation, it isn't an herb or pill.

 

It is a shampoo and conditioner called "Mane 'n Tail" .. it actually works strengthen the hair.

As I know of it has no outrageous chemicals in it.. that may send us up the wall.

 

Good luck.

 

PS- As far as Liq. Valium. I tried it and couldn't tolerate it.

So I am dry cutting to 0mg here.