struggling to taper from my doctors reduction plan

[[mc...]]

Hi,

 

I have been addicted to valium for over 20 years, I have also had other substance misuse addictions, the benzo one is by far the most difficult.  Last year I was taking between 50-70mg daily.  Up until now I have been stable on 20mg, the problem is my doctor is reducing me at 0.5 per week and thinks i'm only on 5mg :'(, and am really struggling :'(.  My anxiety levels have rocketed, I am not sleeping, I have become extremely sensitive to light, and my agoraphobia is horrendous. 

 

My children are currently in foster care and the only way the SS will allow them home is when I am free of this awful addiction,  today I have taken 30mg, therefore takin the 5mg does nothing for me.

 

I really do not know what to do, the effects of this illness daily is awful, but I cannot afford to loose my children.

 

Any advise would be grateful.  Thank you in advance

[[ma...]]

Hello mcginty

Welcome to benzobuddies others will be along shortly to welcome you, you will get a lot of support here

Glad you found us we understand what your going through, sounds like your having withdrawal symptoms

 

((hugs))

 

Magrita

[[...]]

Swallow your pride and admit to your doctor the actual dose you are on.  He can then help you safely taper off the valium.  Going up and down on the doses are not going to help you.  Take this time to get yourself together and prove to social services you can be a good mom to your kids.

Good luck!  You know what to do.

Skyy

[[Ma...]]

Hi and welcome.  I'm sorry you've had such a rough life.  Things happen to us through no fault of our own, all kinds of things.

 

Hey you made it this far, you are so far ahead of me it ain't even funny.  I hope you get better help.

 

How are you feeling in all this?

[[mc...]]

Thanks for your reply skyy,

 

your exactly right, I need to speak to my doc and tell the truth, I was doing okish (stable on the 20mg) until a SS meeting today, they made it very clear that if I am not free from valium, by june 4th, my children will go into placement and I will lose them, I have only been sober from alcohol since september last year and am currently doing well with regards to the alcohol.  I completed an alcohol/cocaine rehab successfully recently, and thought my children would be coming home, however, now ss told me I need another programme for the alcohol and cocaine to be assured I will not drink use cocaine again another added pressure.

 

I am just petrified of loosing my kids if I tell the truth, as I have had other drug and alcohol problems in the past, although I'm free from cocaine and alcohol now and very proud of that, I am struggling so much with the benzo's.

 

I just hope and pray I can do this

 

Once again ty.

[[mc...]]

Hi Mairin,

 

ty for your reply,  this addiction is awful isn't it, med profession has a lot to answer for [sigh], however, I'm trying not to put myself in my self-pity pit , how long have you been addicted? if u dont mind me asking. 

 

Today I'm not in a good space, however, I'm trying to stay positive and keep busy, as I seemed to be consumed by this addiction and hate being a slave to it.

 

How are you keeping? is your reduction plan going well??

 

Hugs

[[...]]

You are doing the best you can do.  Hopefully the doc will work with you and social services will see this as your growth and  desire to take responsibility for your life and your children's future.

 

  We can help you taper the 20 mg of valium over the next 9 weeks.  Mention that to your doctor, and show him Ashton's tapering schedule.  You can find that in my signature if you haven't read it yet.  I am not saying it will be easy, but it is doable.  If we have no choice, sometimes just getting through is all we need...

[[...]]

This is the rough example.  One can be more aggressive in the beginning on larger doses, then do smaller cuts towards the end....You could try the 1 week cuts aggressively until you get down to 5 mg.  Read the entire tapering schedule in Ashton's manual and ask for advice by starting a taper thread.  You will get a ton of help.  Just make sure people understand you have a tight schedule.....this will be better than a cold turkey off the valium, believe me.

Stage 10 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 10mg diazepam 10mg

20mg

Stage 11 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 8mg diazepam 10mg

18mg

Stage 12 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 8mg diazepam 8mg

16mg

Stage 13 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 6mg diazepam 8mg

14mg

Stage 14 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 5mg diazepam 8mg

13mg

Stage 15 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 4mg diazepam 8mg

12mg

Stage 16 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 3mg diazepam 8mg

11mg

Stage 17 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 2mg diazepam 8mg

10mg

Stage 18 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 1mg diazepam 8mg

9mg

Stage 19 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 8mg

8mg

Stage 20 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 7mg

7mg

Stage 21 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 6mg

6mg

Stage 22 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 5mg

5mg

Stage 23 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 4mg

4mg

Stage 24 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 3mg

3mg

Stage 25 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 2mg

2mg

Stage 26 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 1mg

1mg

Schedule 2 Notes:

You could probably manage Stages 1-5 (or even Stages 1-10) in weekly intervals (but take 2 weeks between stages if you prefer).

 

The later stages are probably better taken in 2 week intervals.

 

When you get down to a dose of 5mg daily, you could begin to decrease in 0.5mg doses, but most people manage with 1mg reductions.

 

You will need to utilise a mixture of 10mg, 5mg, and 2mg diazepam tablets to obtain the required dosages. Halve the (scored) 2mg tablet to obtain 1mg doses.

 

If your starting dose is 20mg diazepam daily, you could begin at Stage 10, but in this case you could reduce by 1mg every 2 weeks.

 

 

 

[[Ma...]]

I started out on a very low dose of ativan in 2001.  I was just stressed from the birth of my second child.  I can't remember the exact dose, I think it was 1 or 1.5.

 

I stayed at that for many years.  then it went up to 2, 2.5, then I got a new doc and it kept going up until 6 mgs a day, then she switched me to Klonopin, same dose!  6 mgs a day.  I should have not taken it all, but I was put on a drug called Lamactil that made me extremely anxious and even the 6 K did nothing for the anxiety. 

 

I spent the end of Feb and March getting off the Lamactil, which I was put on in January, cause I could not take it!  I even dropped a whole mg of K during that, because a friend of mine died and I got terrified of these drugs.

 

I broke the relationship with the prescribing doc but luckily found a holistic doc.  He seems good and I trust him.  He has done something weird, just yesterday, replaced my K with ativan again.  Today is my first day of this.  I have a much longer way to go than you.

 

You are doing so great, keep going, i feel deeply for you.

[[mc...]]

This is the rough example.  One can be more aggressive in the beginning on larger doses, then do smaller cuts towards the end....You could try the 1 week cuts aggressively until you get down to 5 mg.  Read the entire tapering schedule in Ashton's manual and ask for advice by starting a taper thread.  You will get a ton of help.  Just make sure people understand you have a tight schedule.....this will be better than a cold turkey off the valium, believe me.

Stage 10 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 10mg diazepam 10mg

20mg

Stage 11 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 8mg diazepam 10mg

18mg

Stage 12 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 8mg diazepam 8mg

16mg

Stage 13 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 6mg diazepam 8mg

14mg

Stage 14 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 5mg diazepam 8mg

13mg

Stage 15 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 4mg diazepam 8mg

12mg

Stage 16 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 3mg diazepam 8mg

11mg

Stage 17 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 2mg diazepam 8mg

10mg

Stage 18 (1-2 weeks) diazepam 1mg diazepam 8mg

9mg

Stage 19 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 8mg

8mg

Stage 20 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 7mg

7mg

Stage 21 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 6mg

6mg

Stage 22 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 5mg

5mg

Stage 23 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 4mg

4mg

Stage 24 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 3mg

3mg

Stage 25 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 2mg

2mg

Stage 26 (1-2 weeks)

--

diazepam 1mg

1mg

Schedule 2 Notes:

You could probably manage Stages 1-5 (or even Stages 1-10) in weekly intervals (but take 2 weeks between stages if you prefer).

 

The later stages are probably better taken in 2 week intervals.

 

When you get down to a dose of 5mg daily, you could begin to decrease in 0.5mg doses, but most people manage with 1mg reductions.

 

You will need to utilise a mixture of 10mg, 5mg, and 2mg diazepam tablets to obtain the required dosages. Halve the (scored) 2mg tablet to obtain 1mg doses.

 

If your starting dose is 20mg diazepam daily, you could begin at Stage 10, but in this case you could reduce by 1mg every 2 weeks.

 

Thanks Skyy,

 

I wish my doc was as understanding as you, I have decided to pluck up the courage and pay him a visit tommorrow, as I simply cannot live like this, what scares me is obviously loosing custody, and I am afraid of the wd effects, I tried cold turkey b4 and lasted 5 wks, god I really wish I could of stayed with it, wouldn't be in this mess now :'(.

 

I going to get a print out of ur message and just allow him to read it, that way I wont get too flustered or b able to cop out of telling him the truth.

 

I'm just so scared and fearful of the outcome, thx so much 4 taking the time to reply, so glad I found this site, heres hoping

[[...]]

Hang on, you have come so far. You can talk to him and do this!  Skyy

[[an...]]

Skyy, your suggested tapering schedule is different that Ashtons, just curious as to why?

[[...]]

Skyy, your suggested tapering schedule is different that Ashtons, just curious as to why?

 

It is directly copied from Ashton's schedule starting at stage 10.  It was a reference for an example that she could review from Ashton's manual.

[[an...]]

[[Ma...]]

Um, you took 30 today???