Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[Te...]]

Hi BB,

I have a question, I read  about cortisol and adrenaline in the body

 

I would like to know  what are the effects of the cortisol and adrenaline in our body ? 

 

any advise?

 

Thanks

 

Tex

 

[[mr...]]

Hi BB,

I have a question, I read  about cortisol and adrenaline in the body

 

I would like to know  what are the effects of the cortisol and adrenaline in our body ? 

 

any advise?

 

Thanks

 

Tex

 

Not sure if this is enuf info to help answer your questions.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/adrenaline-cortisol-stress-hormones_n_3112800.html

 

[Guest [mo...]]

Hi BB,

I have a question, I read  about cortisol and adrenaline in the body

 

I would like to know  what are the effects of the cortisol and adrenaline in our body ? 

 

any advise?

 

Thanks

 

Tex

 

Not sure if this is enuf info to help answer your questions.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/adrenaline-cortisol-stress-hormones_n_3112800.html

 

I also found this Tex

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=23215.0

 

[[so...]]

Solace and Peace,

 

I think that's awesome that you are holding your head up and getting through each day, and especially that you have changed your plan from weekly cuts to once or twice a month. Such a good move (that's just my opinion, but I really think it will help you) and also, if you want to make it even smoother you can ask people on here about doing gradual daily titrations with dissolved tablets rather than larger dry cuts that feel more sudden. It's helped a lot of us, so if you ever feel like asking questions we're happy to answer them

 

Have a really lovely Christmas, enjoy the simple things and the small victories

 

Thank you for your kind words!

 

I saw a different doctor today and he wants me completely off the Ativan within a month. He said that 10 mg of Valium and 0.875 mg of Ativan is too much and that the Valium should cover any wd symptoms. My nurse, who I adore and have always been able to trust to tell me hard truths, believes it will be OK too. To me, it sounds dangerous and stupid, but I do feel over-sedated and I would love for them to be right. He only prescribed me 0.5 mg of Ativan daily. I tried to fight for at least a two or three month taper, but he said no.

 

Advice? Thoughts? Daily taper maybe? And has anyone done the tapering method where you shave off small amounts with an emery board? Seems simpler than the water titration method... I am nervous and scared about this whole thing and I'm definitely not cutting until after Christmas because I dont want to have a bad holiday.

 

EDITED TO ADD: I'm thinking of changing my appointment to the following week if I have enough pills to last until then, which would allow me to cut 1/4 of a 0.5 mg Ativan pill every five days to reach my doctor's deadline. Does this sound plausible, with the 10 mg daily Valium to cover wd symptoms?

 

On the plus side, he ordered me the follow-up pelvic ultrasound for my complex ovarian cyst that my gyn (or shall I now say FORMER gyn) wouldn't order for me. I kind of like this doc and I can switch to him with minimal hassle. Am I crazy to try this fast of a cut on the Ativan or do you think he's right about the Valium covering the wd?

[[Ho...]]

I'm new to the board. I was on Xanax up to 1 mg daily starting in the end of August and got dependent. I tapered down to 0.75 mg daily but had severe interdose withdrawals. It took me about 5-6 weeks to switch over to Valium which I am now at 5 mg three times daily. Off Xanax for 1.5 weeks now.  My pdoc wants me to start Valium taper by decreasing in 1 mg increments every week once I hit the 2 week mark off Xanax. I am having withdrawal symptoms but they are tolerable. Is a weekly cut on Valium too fast? Not sure what to expect.

[Guest [mo...]]

I'm new to the board. I was on Xanax up to 1 mg daily starting in the end of August and got dependent. I tapered down to 0.75 mg daily but had severe interdose withdrawals. It took me about 5-6 weeks to switch over to Valium which I am now at 5 mg three times daily. Off Xanax for 1.5 weeks now.  My pdoc wants me to start Valium taper by decreasing in 1 mg increments every week once I hit the 2 week mark off Xanax. I am having withdrawal symptoms but they are tolerable. Is a weekly cut on Valium too fast? Not sure what to expect.

Hi Hope, welcome to BB.  I believe it is helpful to read other people's stories to somehow gauge where we are in our process, but at the end of the day it is all about you, your unique circumstances, and constitution.  I have a spread sheet that I work with, laying out the cut I will make and the number of minimum days I hold.  But the taper should be symptom based so if you have a cold, or you are feeling symptomatic, then you may choose to hold for 10 days or 2 weeks(and sometimes you may feel great and hold just 5 days).  You seem to be very sensitive(I read some of your other posts) so you may find when you get down below 10mg of Valium, that 1mg may be too much and you will start a liquid titration

(this thread and Diaz-pam helped me figure out how to do that). Unfortunately the anxiety and belly issues are a part of getting better.

 

This post will help you understand what is happening in your brain: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

 

I think it is inspiring that you have a fire in your belly, as you stated in post on another thread that you are mightily determined to get off these pills and get your life back.  This forum is a good place with a wonderful group of people to support you through the process.  Welcome again and try to remember to be kind to your body, you will get through this soon enough.  I believe once we recover from this syndrome, we can help others by informing them as to the dangers of these drugs.

[[Ho...]]

I'm new to the board. I was on Xanax up to 1 mg daily starting in the end of August and got dependent. I tapered down to 0.75 mg daily but had severe interdose withdrawals. It took me about 5-6 weeks to switch over to Valium which I am now at 5 mg three times daily. Off Xanax for 1.5 weeks now.  My pdoc wants me to start Valium taper by decreasing in 1 mg increments every week once I hit the 2 week mark off Xanax. I am having withdrawal symptoms but they are tolerable. Is a weekly cut on Valium too fast? Not sure what to expect.

Hi Hope, welcome to BB.  I believe it is helpful to read other people's stories to somehow gauge where we are in our process, but at the end of the day it is all about you, your unique circumstances, and constitution.  I have a spread sheet that I work with, laying out the cut I will make and the number of minimum days I hold.  But the taper should be symptom based so if you have a cold, or you are feeling symptomatic, then you may choose to hold for 10 days or 2 weeks(and sometimes you may feel great and hold just 5 days).  You seem to be very sensitive(I read some of your other posts) so you may find when you get down below 10mg of Valium, that 1mg may be too much and you will start a liquid titration

(this thread and Diaz-pam helped me figure out how to do that). Unfortunately the anxiety and belly issues are a part of getting better.

 

This post will help you understand what is happening in your brain: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

 

I think it is inspiring that you have a fire in your belly, as you stated in post on another thread that you are mightily determined to get off these pills and get your life back.  This forum is a good place with a wonderful group of people to support you through the process.  Welcome again and try to remember to be kind to your body, you will get through this soon enough.  I believe once we recover from this syndrome, we can help others by informing them as to the dangers of these drugs.

 

Thank you! I am really sensitive to this stuff but I definitely need off of it. I'll just see how it goes and adjust accordingly. Just frustrating not knowing how long it will be until I feel better!

[[Di...]]

I'm new to the board. I was on Xanax up to 1 mg daily starting in the end of August and got dependent. I tapered down to 0.75 mg daily but had severe interdose withdrawals. It took me about 5-6 weeks to switch over to Valium which I am now at 5 mg three times daily. Off Xanax for 1.5 weeks now.  My pdoc wants me to start Valium taper by decreasing in 1 mg increments every week once I hit the 2 week mark off Xanax. I am having withdrawal symptoms but they are tolerable. Is a weekly cut on Valium too fast? Not sure what to expect.

 

I personally think cutting 1mg per week is too much. The generally recommended reduction is 5-10% every 2-4 weeks. So a good in between amount would be 7% over 3 weeks which would be about 1mg every 3 weeks. There is also absolutely no reason why you have to cut 1mg in one go. You could cut 0.5mg, and maybe just do it more often. 

 

Your doctor is really pushing you to go too fast, so IMO the best thing you could do for yourself is to try to keep your doctor's nose out of your taper. It's YOUR taper after all, not your doctor's. You only need a doctor to provide the prescriptions. You should be controlling everything else. In fact a lot of people never even tell their doctors they are tapering, for this very reason.

 

I find that once people get to around 10mg they often need to switch to a daily taper anyway. A daily taper makes tapering a benzo a whole lot more comfortable.

[Guest [mo...]]

Merry Christmas BenzoBuds! Thank you D-Pam for creating this thread

I came to BenzoBuddies on December 26th last year, dazed, confused, frightened and sick.  I had just started a crossover to Valium and found this site on the internet while searching for info about what was happening to me.  I was sent over to this thread by Challis and felt immediately embraced by the community(especially thanks to jjrosk , smiff , okatz , lainey , diaz-pam , Ingrid ) It was touching the first time I received a PM from Smiff after going silent for a few days asking "are you Ok?"

I don't even remember last Christmas which is pretty frightening and sad since I had an 8 year old last year and these are his wonder years....but I am working on forgiving myself and moving on.  So thanks to Colin and his talented and devoted staff for holding space for this crowd of souls seeking info and support. I am eternally grateful for all of you and the unique way that we individually connect to support each other.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, and a prosperous, happy, health-filled New Year to all of you.

http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx27/junemoon1/merry-christmas_zpsdpdhbc9p.jpg

[[Te...]]

Hi BB,

I have a question, I read  about cortisol and adrenaline in the body

 

I would like to know  what are the effects of the cortisol and adrenaline in our body ? 

 

any advise?

 

Thanks

 

Tex

 

Not sure if this is enuf info to help answer your questions.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/adrenaline-cortisol-stress-hormones_n_3112800.html

 

Thanks Mrtmeo,  I going to into this link.

 

Tex 

[[Te...]]

Hi BB,

I have a question, I read  about cortisol and adrenaline in the body

 

I would like to know  what are the effects of the cortisol and adrenaline in our body ? 

 

any advise?

 

Thanks

 

Tex

 

Not sure if this is enuf info to help answer your questions.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/adrenaline-cortisol-stress-hormones_n_3112800.html

 

I also found this Tex

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=23215.0

 

 

Thanks Yogi, I had a worst day in months, something new and something good,  the bad thing was a sudden strong tinnitus ever,  It must be something that I ate,  been, rice, potatoes, sweat potatoes,  olive oil,  green spaghetti, It was a leftover, so that poison me.

 

the good thing is that I did control myself from the panic, I got some adrenaline rush, but I waited to pass.

I'm going to check this link whenever I feel better.  because when I'm sick, I dont' like to read medical stuff.

 

Hope you are doing fine!!

 

Tex

 

[[so...]]

Did anyone see my post on the previous page? Not trying to be a bother at all but I honestly think it may have been missed. I really need advice since I'm working on a very short taper with this new doctor. A few people in my life have said they think the valium will cover the wd symptoms, but a few think it's way too fast. Just interested in your advice and input because the first cut is tomorrow. Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read and respond.

[[Te...]]

Did anyone see my post on the previous page? Not trying to be a bother at all but I honestly think it may have been missed. I really need advice since I'm working on a very short taper with this new doctor. A few people in my life have said they think the valium will cover the wd symptoms, but a few think it's way too fast. Just interested in your advice and input because the first cut is tomorrow. Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read and respond.

 

I think is too fast, Doctors don't know much about health!, they look after the insurance money,  My doctor talk to me 5 minutes and just offers me a menu of drugs and how much I need it, He told me not to quit, just live with it.

 

TEX

 

 

 

[[so...]]

I think is too fast, Doctors don't know much about health!, they look after the insurance money,  My doctor talk to me 5 minutes and just offers me a menu of drugs and how much I need it, He told me not to quit, just live with it.

 

I think it is too, but everyone around me also says that I am clearly over-sedated and that I'm on too much of everything... I just don't get what the difference is between taking a month, three months, six months, or whatever, as long as I am comfortable and steadily decreasing.

 

Having said that, my cousin who is a nurse said to try it but listen to my body. She said she herself has come off benzos cold turkey in the past but couldn't do it today. I am cutting that 1/4 pill today because it is certainly at least time for that step, but cutting another 1/4 pill again in five days seems nuts, and to keep doing that every five days... 10 mg of valium or not, I can't imagine not having wd symptoms. I'm trying to be brave though... just don't want to end up with seizures or vertigo. The rest, I can hopefully try to handle.

 

Anybody else have thoughts on this? I can't see another doc either, at least not for another month following, so that's not an option right now.

[[fr...]]

  I think also it is too fast.  I crossed from 2.5 mg. Ativan to 20 mg. diazapam.  I also did it .25 mg. of A at a time and subbed 2.5 mg. of V.  I took almost  4 months to do this so i would tell your Dr. you need to go at your own pace and see how you feel.  You might do fine, you won't know until you try.  I cut down to 15 mg. V and that is when I started having bad s/x's I am also fighting spinal issues and have to have surgery in 3 weeks so I have been holding for 4 months and will continue my taper after I heal from surgery.  I wish you the best.  Only you will know how you feel as you start the journey and I pray its easy for you.  My cross wasn't hard at all but the cut and hold definitely wasn't easy.  Good luck.

[[so...]]

Thank you freeme. He is completely unwilling to prescribe both beyond my next appointment, so if I can't do it, I'll just have to go back to my old doc who I'm not happy with but who at least only wanted me to cut 0.25mg per month.

 

I did find a few cases online where people did direct A to V crossovers or stabizilied on V before dropping A, and they did fine. So I'm hoping I'll be one of the lucky ones. But I'll be keeping my cousin's words in mind, "Listen to your body." And I'll just take it one day at a time and see how it goes.

[[la...]]

just a quick update

 

as of last night I dropped the rest of the Ativan (.25mg) and only added in another 1mg valium

 

now I am at 8mg V

 

Now for the real fun....Its already been brutal

[[Mi...]]

Hang in there, laineyk; that's a big drop. And it will take the Valium some days to kick in. You are brave!

 

Buddy love,

MirandaJane

[[so...]]

Lainey, know that we are thinking of you and sending positive vibes! I am so scared right now too, so I'm right there with you. We have to try to remember how much stronger we will be when this is all over, and that these days will just be a memory then.

 

You got this. We got this.

 

Hang in there and keep us posted.

[[so...]]

I updated my signature with the taper plan that my doc has me attempting to adhere to... I did notice that the jumping off point from A to V on the Ashton Manual is at 0.5 mg, not far from where I am now, so maybe this could be actually possible? Again, going to listen to my body and brain, and if I just can't do it, I will seek help elsewhere somehow, possibly from a psychiatrist, though I have heard it is hard to get a quick appointment. I also have the help of my legal medical marijuana (for migraines, but it has been a miracle for anxiety), so there's a little extra help there at least. Fingers crossed and hoping for the best. I really appreciate those who have reached out here and via private message. I promise I won't endanger myself and that I will trust my body more than I trust this new doc.

[[Kg...]]

Solace:  I guess what I don't understand is why you went on 10 mg of Valium all at once rather than dropping out the Ativan and adding in the Valium to let your body have a smoother cross over time.  If you look at the Ashton manual you can see how she does this.  I think you would still be done with the Ativan if you slowed your cross over and allowed the Valium to build up in your body vs. taking both at the same time.  I don't know the equivalency of Ativan to Valium but you should make sure that you are taking an equivalent amount of the Valium when you are on it totally.  If you look at Lainey's signature you can see how she did a cross over to Valium from Ativan as she dropped the Ativan out and crossed over to the Valium.  Good luck to you.  Most doctors do not like to Rx two different benzos - why I don't know since they have no problem keeping us on this stuff plus antidepressants and other stuff for years at a time.  But hey - I am preaching to the choir here. 

[[so...]]

No, I agree completely, it was foolish but I wasn't in my right mind. I just wanted to get back to being stable and the valium kept making me feel better so I just kept increasing it over a period of a week. I'm hoping it works out OK in the end but I know now how stupid that was.

 

This is the part of the Ashton method that I'm clinging to for hope: "Even at reducing doses, the diazepam should cover withdrawal from lorazepam, because by this time it has had time to work through the body and will be acting smoothly both day and night." At 0.5 mg A, they do drop off and just continue with V.

 

So I'm just hoping. But I know I'd be the exception. Only time will tell.

[[Kg...]]

Solace:  If you are feeling okay now on what you are taking and you drop down the Ativan and don't feel well perhaps you can just add in some more Valium to cover you.  You don't want to get in the swamp so perhaps you will need to go up a bit on the Valium to then get off of the benzos totally.

[[so...]]

I only have enough valium to take that amount daily, and I don't think he'd be willing to increase it, so that's a no-go.

 

I can't change my primary doc until February if I decide to, but does anyone think it would be a wise idea to see if I can find a psychiatrist right now to manage my taper instead of even trying to deal with this doc for this purpose? A second opinion can't hurt, in any case, right? I looked up a few local docs and thought I'd make some calls on Monday to see if they accept my insurance and if they have any appointments before my next primary doc appt.

[[Te...]]

I only have enough valium to take that amount daily, and I don't think he'd be willing to increase it, so that's a no-go.

 

I can't change my primary doc until February if I decide to, but does anyone think it would be a wise idea to see if I can find a psychiatrist right now to manage my taper instead of even trying to deal with this doc for this purpose? A second opinion can't hurt, in any case, right? I looked up a few local docs and thought I'd make some calls on Monday to see if they accept my insurance and if they have any appointments before my next primary doc appt.

 

solaceandpeace ,

the best thing I did was a cross over to Valium, I follow the Ashton method, It was smooth but with bumps, 

I crossed from 1.0 ml ativan  to 10 ml Valium, but cut valium very quick to 5 ml.  I think only one day I took 10 ml. It was too much, 

I did it in one month,  and It was worth it,  I did when I was very sick,  It took me from April  2014 to December 2014  to make a decision

 

12/13/14  start c/o Valium

1/5/15  0.25 Lorazepam 8am.  V 2 mg 12 , 4, 8 pm total  6 mg V

1/11/15 by Ativan, Finished c/o

1/15/15  8 mg V total,  8,12,4,8 pm

2/07/15  5 mg V 

2/12/15 4mg 20m Prozac, feeling good! 

 

If you see my signature I cut  6 ml Valium in a month,  mostly because my doctor told me to cross over to 6 ml and BB to 10 ml.

 

I think the plan is good but check your body. 

 

Tex

 

  :smitten: