Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[...]]

Hello all.

 

I think I have hit tolerance big time and basically struggle to do much although barely hold a job down.

 

I need to withdrawal diazepam 30mg. I take 10 mg x 3 daily and been on the drug for over 10 years.

 

I take it at 7am, 3pm, 7pm.

 

Any advice of reduction, whether my times to take my doses are ok or should they change would be appreciated.

 

I really do need help with this.

 

Thanks in advance

[[et...]]

Dorothy and Snow White - Are you the same person? sorry if you're not just the way the last few posts looked it seemed like you are the same person.

 

Dorothy - I would like to see your signature too. Cut and hold is used by many members on BB's. what you are experiencing is as Smiff says...windows and waves. Most daily taperers strive to have their windows and waves daily rather than far apart so we don't have to endure the crazy w/d symptoms you are having. I would hold for a good long window which would be stabilization no matter how long it takes, then go ahead and use DP's daily reduction technique.

 

Snow White - I would give you the same advise as Dorothy. As for people not answering your posts. Remember there are people from all around the world on here from different time zones and some people are back to work. I have also found that if I am a consistant poster more people see my questions as they don't end up pages behind especially at this time of year when people have other distractions. Ask lots of questions and post often and you will get to "know" everyone better and we will get more familiar to what is like to live in your world on a daily basis and therefore can be more help to you.

 

Gra - your situation is very unique to me as most people cross over from a fast acting Benzo to Valium for the slow decent. Would you mind telling us how you got to 30mg from the start dose? Did you hit tolerance each time you added more Valium and then hit tolerance again and again?

etown

[[Sn...]]

Hello Etown.

No I am not the same poster as Dorothy.  I replied to her as she seems to be going through the very same experience as myself.  I've not been that active on the site since joining in about October, this is all very new to me. 

I have been managing somewhat up to now but seem to have hit a brick wall.  As I said in my last post I was feeling a lot better over the Christmas period and up to a couple of days ago when wham, I have been really hit, probably the worst ever & it is really quite frightening.  I had been intending to switch to Diazepam's tablet/milk taper.

I am in a quandary and don't really know what to do.  I have read about a small updosing, splitting my dose into 2 or 3 per day etc, but I imagine I would have to do that before I switch to DP's method.  I usually feel unwell during the morning and improve somewhat during the afternoon,evening.  At present I feel really bad all day and evening & sort of OK about an hour before bed.  I sleep for about 4 hours in total and so it starts again.  This is worst I have felt during my entire taper so far.  In fact I am beginning to think I am seriously ill with something.  Does this make sense?

I have to make some sort of decision which way to go and that is causing me a lot of stress because I just can't make my mind up which way to jump but have to do something.  The one thing I am not keen on is updosing, don't know why but it doesn't feel right to me.  Anyway perhaps this explains a little more about me

[[Ca...]]

Dear Snow White,

  I am sorry you are having such a challenging time. I am by no means an expert tapering Valium but wanted to share my experience. I find I never feel good while tapering...but strive for moderate symptoms rather than debilitating ones. A few months ago I was very ill with withdrawal and this site suggested I hold until I felt better. I held for over a month and did experience less intensity. The holds allows your body to catch up with your cuts. You are still making progress while holding.

  Posts do not always get answered...so if you have a pressing question and it has not been addressed ask again. You are not alone on this path...many of us are here managing the same issues.         

  It helped me tremendously to know others were having similar experiences. It took away some of the fear that I had a nasty disease. The symptoms manifest is many ways that mimic disease...remember this is not a disease process...your body is doing what it needs to do to heal.

  Best to you Snow White. It will get better...we just have to be patient and trust in out ability to heal.

Warmly,

Carita

 

[[ja...]]

Just had a massive attack the kind of which I only had when I was withdrawing off of xanax. I know the reason is because of the cold turkey crossover to valium. I guess it's not unexpected but I was just doing so well on the valium. At first I thought screw this I'm going back on the Xanax but I think I'll keep on the valium this won't last forever. If only my doctor wasn't so ignorant and crossed me over more gradually.

[[et...]]

Jason is your signature up to date? Are you on all Valium now? How long?

etown

[[et...]]

Snow White - sorry you 2 just seemed so much the same. when I look at your signature I have a few questions. You say that you were up to 30mg Valium. What dose did you start tapering from and how long did it take to get from 30mg-5mg? I believe we can help you but the more information the better. Sorry you are feeling so rotten. I think there is some too fast stuff going on here but don't know until I can see your history from 30mg until now.

etown

[[Ks...]]

Ok I updated my signature...

[[et...]]

Ks - I would cross over to 20mg of Valium 25% at a time, then stablize for a while and start tapering the valium.

etown

[[dr...]]

Snow White,

 

I'm in a similar situation right now. When the wave hits it feels horrendous. I've been through sooo many times and you would think it gets easier but it doesn't for me. I'm questioning wether I can make it as I am not able to function very well right now. Usually I can. I have to remember this is my benzo brain putting self doubt into me. Plus, it's the support of everyone here in trying times that gets me through to the next stable point.

 

Drew

[[be...]]

Hi benzogirl

I crossed over from Ativan to Valium and the increasing sedation lasted a little short of 1 week for me.

Bart

 

Thanks Bart:

 

 

The same thing happened to me. After six days, I was fine. Congrats on becoming a moderator! I know you'll be just terrific. Betsy

[[or...]]

drew you can make it. You're one of my role models because you're on about the same dose as I am and you're doing so well. Partying, seeing friends, working -- you're doing really well. Look at how well you did over the holidays!

 

Can some of what you're feeling be because you are depressed over your GF? Forgive me for asking if it's not . . . just wondering.

 

I know what you mean about a wave hitting and feeling like crap though. Then you question whether things will ever get better. I am having a medium crappy day myself today.

 

So . . . yes you can do this. In a couple of days (how long do your waves last?) you will feel better and be able to get on with things again. I know it. I think intellectually, and based on past experience, we ALL know this . . . but when we are in a wave we feel so damned crappy that we kinda lose hope.

 

I'm holding on for tomorrow. It may well be a better day. Damn I wish this healing thing were linear!

 

Best wishes,

 

Okatz

 

 

[[Ks...]]

Ks - I would cross over to 20mg of Valium 25% at a time, then stablize for a while and start tapering the valium.

etown

 

What worries me also is that Valium is fat soluble, so it is stored in fat isn't it? I have gained enough body fat, I do not need to be releasing more Valium when I try to lose all this weight...?

[[Sm...]]

Drew, Snowhite: I'm in the weeds too. It is my own stupid fault. I started taking peperine to increase the absorbtion of curcumin. Trouble is it increases the absorbtion of V too. Now I'm trying not to take it and I'm in w/d. God knows what equivalent mg my body has been getting whilst on piperine. Fortunately I was on it for about 3 weeks. The worst symptoms are just before next dose - even though i take 3 times daily!. I think some of the enzymes etc that piperine inhibits may have become over active to compensate. With luck they will settle. I should know this. I'm an idiot. I did know this really: I suspected it would end in tears but when you are there and it seems to be working you just seem to talk yourself into giving it a go. As we all know you can't get something for nothing in a tablet. Your body will adapt and or there will be s/x. If anything isn't causing either of those it is probably not doing much at all.

At least I don't have to take the asthma meds that were flaring my symptoms so.

Every time you find yourself back here though you get scared. So scared at the power of this stuff over you and whether it will ever end.

We'll sit tight together, commiserate and hopefully feel better soon.

Much love

Smiff

[[ja...]]

Jason is your signature up to date? Are you on all Valium now? How long?

etown

 

No it's not up to date I'll do that now

[[or...]]

Smiff, my thoughts are with you. I have been in the weeds so many times during this w/d. We try something thinking it will make things better, and wham.  With any luck things will settle down for you. What dose of V are you on now? I can't really tell from your sig.

 

Feel better!!!

 

Okatz

[[dr...]]

Thanks Smiff and okatz! 

 

Katz, you can ask me anything...I'm an open book. I'm sure some of the self doubt I have is from wondering what the heck will happen with my gf. It was much better when I dropped her off at the airport two days ago than nye.  She has constantly communicated with me and we agreed to move on. For some reason I can't let it go. I'm having terribly obsessive thoughts about what she really thinks. The obsessive thoughts flare up during waves. In normal life what the heck can I do if she doesn't want me?  Deal with it, but in obsessive land it takes on a life of its own.

On the plus side. I drove an hour on the freeway to play with her cats which is a great distraction. Even sitting in another house makes me less depressed than being stuck in mine. The freeway drive didn't kill me so hopefully this wave is closer to the finish. I'm rambling now!

 

Drew

[[et...]]

Jason - hang tough buddy you will get stable and then its semi clear sailing from there. Go for walks....cold cloths....vicks under the nose...hot bath....icy hot rub...pacing the floor...cry a little...find a special place in your head and go there.

etown

[[co...]]

Hi, I have a question for those of you who are relatively not symptomatic and tapering very slowly daily. What is your lag time? In other words if I now tapered fairly well to 7.5 and I hold for 4-5 days after tapering down from 8mg after crossover from Ativan should I assume I am stable enough to continue daily micro tapering at that dose. Or could a lag time go on beyond 4-5 days to 7 days or longer.

 

I know we are all different however those of you who have been doing this daily mico-tapering awhile have some sense of what amount of time it takes to feel symptoms after a hold if the cut is too much? I am speaking about the difference between a .02 to a.04 cut at 7.5mg. I realize that the cuts may be much smaller going further down.

 

Your feedback would be welcome as I am new to the Valium lag time issue which is longer then Ativan, Concened

[[dr...]]

Concerned-my lag time is about 8 days.

 

I'm thinking of going back to the cut and hold but in smaller increments. Maybe .1 every ten days which is actually slower than my daily taper. I think I can predict when I'll get hit better and be prepared for it. This last reduction gave me no warning and then I got slammed!  I feel okay now and hope the worst is over.  Fingers crossed. Damn that sucked!

 

Drew

[[Ca...]]

Drew....so glad you are feeling better. Good luck with taper changes.

Carita

[[et...]]

Concerned - generally lag time is 2 or 3 days to 2 weeks. Mine is more like3weeks so don'tbet the farm on anything.

etown

[[co...]]

I am hearing that lag time could be anywhere from 2-3 days to 2-3 weeks. If that is the case, how many days does one do a daily micro-taper before deciding to hold? Is it for 10-21 days? Or do you just wait for symptoms and then hold? To make any progress I am going to taper .5mg at a time for about 15-20 days and then hold for 4-5 days. Does that seem reasonable as long as I am doing reasonably well?

 

I do feel tension/tightness in my body and mild anxiety, some tingling sensations before it is time to take the next dose. That is daily however once i take the dose, which I split up several times a day, within 30-45 minutes I am fine. I consider that manageable symptoms. I can function fairly well with this. If my symptoms get a lot worse and don't improve when I take more then that would be a problem.

 

I imagine I might feel more that way as I get lower down and have less to spread through the day.  At that point I might need to reduce cuts and hold for much longer till I adapt to that dose. Concerned

[[or...]]

I'll be interested in seeing how you do, drew. I know what you mean. Cut and hold was awful for me . . . but at least it was predictable. Daily reductions seem so iffy. You just wait . . . and then an 18 wheeler hits you. Or not. But what everyone says is that IT DOES!!!!

 

I have been wondering if now that I split up my dose and things got gradually better if doing a much less ambitious cut and hold (say .01 mg valium every couple of days instead of every day) than I did in the past might not be better for me.

 

I so hate the idea of that 18 wheeler coming for me. I don't know. And if I start daily reductions and get in the weeds again I am going to be so discouraged that jumping in the ocean may seem like a viable alternative. I am really on the fence about this.

 

It took me a long time to feel better -- almost a month now -- and I sure don't want to wreck the 90% of feeling like a human being I am experiencing now.

 

I am a wimp. I went through 6 months of hell with my Ashton taper (aka cut and suffer) trying to reduce 2 mg of freakin' valium. I don't want any more suffering.

 

Does anyone else have thoughts about this?

 

On the fence,

 

Okatz

[[ja...]]

Jason - hang tough buddy you will get stable and then its semi clear sailing from there. Go for walks....cold cloths....vicks under the nose...hot bath....icy hot rub...pacing the floor...cry a little...find a special place in your head and go there.

etown

 

Thanks for the support man, I know that once my body adjusts to the Valium and forgets about the Xanax that I'll be so much better off. I'm just going through a hard time right now. I think my body is adjusting well to the Valium because I went down in dosage and am sleeping like a baby on it. Just the cold turkey quitting of Xanax is getting to me I think, despite the fact that I'm taking another similar drug. I just really want to reach that point of stability and start going in the right direction. That's the second time this week that I was forced to take a Xanax tablet to get me through the day. Both times it has happened as soon as I woke up, then I take the .5mg Xanax on top of the Valium and the attack ends, but then it's severe depression for the rest of the day. I'll hang tight and keep going.