My First Taper W/D--Help!!

[[Te...]]

I've been sailing along very nicely this past month.  But then.....yesterday happened! I cut 1.24mg, this past Friday, 3/2 and yesterday 3/6, I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me.  I got up feeling very tired, slightly unstable on my feet and the brain fog was a bit noticeable.  I felt a little better, today....still moving slow and can't remember sh*t!! How long does this last?  Do you think I made cuts to quickly? I hope I haven't screwed this up right here in the beginning. Thank God for spell check. 

 

Taz

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I finished my klonopin taper almost 3 weeks ago.

 

I would get some wd symptoms days 2 and 3 after every cut and feel 100% better by day 4. Valium has a longer half life so maybe that's why your wd starts later. As I got into the tiniest doses I'd get some withdrawal in between doses too. At that point I jumped and actually felt better. Right now I feel more or less normal. I have been maybe a bit tense and getting lost more than usual.

[[Te...]]

Thanks mel2012.....your reply is very encouraging.  Hopefully this will pass in another day or two.  It really caught me off guard.

 

Taz

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Mel2012,

 

It sounds like you are having a pretty easy time of it so far. Yay!  May I ask how you came off of the Klonopin? Dry cut or titrate? And 10% method? Thanks for the input.

[Guest [de...]]

Temaz

 

Slow the hell down. You did a 33% cut in three weeks.You will be slammed if you continue at this pace.I would stop cutting, and maybe updose to 10 or 11. With the long valium half life, there is a delay between a dose cut and your plasma level of Valium/metabolites reflecting the change. This delay is at least 1 week and probably closer to two. So stick the rule of no greater than 10% cut every 2 weeks.

 

DS

[Guest [de...]]

Temaz

 

I hope I am wrong, but don't count on your symptoms lessening in a day or 2. Pharmacokinetics would indicate that you plasma levels of V are still dropping, so your symptoms may get worse. Only you can decide what is tolerable or not. updosing (from re reading your timeline, I would venture 12mg might be a good spot to park for about 3 or 4 weeks , depending on how you feel), will probably spare you the suspense of wondering how much worse it will get. I have been brutally slammed twice in the last five years, so I am very cautious in my taper (which will start when I have finished my .75K to 15V c/o, almost there)

[[Te...]]

Temaz

 

Slow the hell down. You did a 33% cut in three weeks.You will be slammed if you continue at this pace.I would stop cutting, and maybe updose to 10 or 11. With the long valium half life, there is a delay between a dose cut and your plasma level of Valium/metabolites reflecting the change. This delay is at least 1 week and probably closer to two. So stick the rule of no greater than 10% cut every 2 weeks.

 

DS

 

Thanks deerslayer!!!! I think I needed to hear it put just like that.  I've had a few others tell me I'm too impatient and cutting too quickly...I guess it's caught up with me.  I'm feeling a little better, today but I hardly slept, last night or maybe I should say very unrestful type sleep.

 

Wow....deerslayer, you're second post really got my attention.  I'm beginning to think I just may go back up to 11.25....I was doing really well, at that point.  Do you think might work for me? 

 

Taz 

 

 

Taz

[Guest [de...]]

That may be a reasonable place to park for a while.

It is probably not far below from where your plasma levesl are. You may have a good chance of satbilizing at this level in a few weeks. What is important though is to not keep changing doses to chase symptoms. If you choose 11.25, stick with it even if it means a few weeks of moderate w/d and bad insomnia. But if you updose to 11.25, feel lousy, updose aging to 12, feel better, drop to 11 three days later etc, you are just going to confuse your brain and you will lose touch with where you are pharmacologically.

 

You were at 15 a month ago. Based on the rule of thumb, you should be no lower than 12 or 13 if you wish to minimize withdrawal. Think of this as a game of poker. You are playing odds. You may be fast healer who can tolerate a 25% or more in a month with only brief mild w/d. Or you might be an average healer who now is a day or two from the abyss. As I have already said, I have been slammed twice and I will move mountains to avoid it from happening again.

 

Best of luck

 

Regardless of what happens, you will learn from it.

 

 

[[Te...]]

That may be a reasonable place to park for a while.

It is probably not far below from where your plasma levesl are. You may have a good chance of satbilizing at this level in a few weeks. What is important though is to not keep changing doses to chase symptoms. If you choose 11.25, stick with it even if it means a few weeks of moderate w/d and bad insomnia. But if you updose to 11.25, feel lousy, updose aging to 12, feel better, drop to 11 three days later etc, you are just going to confuse your brain and you will lose touch with where you are pharmacologically.

 

You were at 15 a month ago. Based on the rule of thumb, you should be no lower than 12 or 13 if you wish to minimize withdrawal. Think of this as a game of poker. You are playing odds. You may be fast healer who can tolerate a 25% or more in a month with only brief mild w/d. Or you might be an average healer who now is a day or two from the abyss. As I have already said, I have been slammed twice and I will move mountains to avoid it from happening again.

 

Best of luck

 

Regardless of what happens, you will learn from it.

 

 

Deerslayer, I'm taking your advice.  I work at a hospital and I had a few moments to speak with one of our doctors that is actually very knowledgeable of slow benzo tapers....she's the one that encouraged me to go with the Ashton method.  She absolutely agreed with your assessment of my situation.  She said I botched my crossover by rushing it.  She advised me to up dose to 12mg and then cut 1mg every two weeks and no sooner.

 

Thank you very much, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. 

 

Taz 

[Guest [de...]]

Glad to help. Good luck to you. I work in a hospital too (pathologist). Withdrawal and providing patient care are not compatible.