Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[He...]]

Hi,

I am presently in a long hold. I am holding because of a too fast taper that gave me very bad wdfx.    (7.5 down to 1.25mg Valium in three months) I didn't know any better back then.

 

I am now at 12 weeks, (almost the end of 3 months) in my hold. I am at 1.2 mg Valium.

I plan on starting a micro taper at the end of 4 or 5 months, depending on how I feel.

 

I am using a 10:1 solution of liquid valium.

My question is.....

 

Is a drop of .02  every week a good micro taper? Of course I would hold for the week and then proceed if I had no bad wdfx. 

I figure that would bring me down .1 mg every five weeks.

And at the very end of my taper, I would make my cuts even much smaller.

 

Or is a smaller, DAILY micro taper of .003 with a hold depending  on wdfx a better way? That would be a cut of about .09 after one month

 

Which is a gentler way to do it? Which sounds more successful?

I need help. I am very confused.

 

Heathcliff

 

Uh oh, I think I posted this in the wrong place. I should have put it in the "Planning your taper" board

Sorry, but please answer me if you can. Thanks

[[bu...]]

 

My question is.....

 

 

Or is a smaller, DAILY micro taper of .003 with a hold depending  on wdfx a better way? That would be a cut of about .09 after one month

 

Yup!

 

Which is a gentler way to do it? Which sounds more successful?

 

A daily taper will always be more gentle than a C&H.

 

[[He...]]

 

My question is.....

 

 

Or is a smaller, DAILY micro taper of .003 with a hold depending  on wdfx a better way? That would be a cut of about .09 after one month

 

Yup!

 

Which is a gentler way to do it? Which sounds more successful?

 

A daily taper will always be more gentle than a C&H.

 

 

Thanks Builder!

 

One more question if you don't mind. I am using a 10 ml and a 1 ml syringe.

 

Where in the world would I find a meaurement of .003  on the 1 ml syringe remembering i am using a 10:1 solution?

 

Here's what I am thinking.  There are 100 lines on the 1ml syringe( 10 lines between each number)

So I would start at the top ( between 0 and .1 ) cut 3 lines the first day, 6 lines the second day, 9 lines the next day, and so on, cutting another 3  more lines each day. And after 30 days I will have cut .09 from my dose

 

Is that correct? I hope I am not making you crazy or taking up too much of your time. I really appreciate your help!

 

Heath

[[Va...]]

 

My question is.....

 

 

Or is a smaller, DAILY micro taper of .003 with a hold depending  on wdfx a better way? That would be a cut of about .09 after one month

 

Yup!

 

Which is a gentler way to do it? Which sounds more successful?

 

A daily taper will always be more gentle than a C&H.

 

 

Thanks Builder!

 

One more question if you don't mind. I am using a 10 ml and a 1 ml syringe.

 

Where in the world would I find a meaurement of .003  on the 1 ml syringe remembering i am using a 10:1 solution?

 

Here's what I am thinking.  There are 100 lines on the 1ml syringe( 10 lines between each number)

So I would start at the top ( between 0 and .1 ) cut 3 lines the first day, 6 lines the second day, 9 lines the next day, and so on, cutting another 3  more lines each day. And after 30 days I will have cut .09 from my dose

 

Is that correct? I hope I am not making you crazy or taking up too much of your time. I really appreciate your help!

 

Heath

Heath It looks like you have the correct numbers to me.  --V

[[bu...]]

 

 

Where in the world would I find a meaurement of .003  on the 1 ml syringe remembering i am using a 10:1 solution?

 

Here's what I am thinking.  There are 100 lines on the 1ml syringe( 10 lines between each number)

So I would start at the top ( between 0 and .1 ) cut 3 lines the first day, 6 lines the second day, 9 lines the next day, and so on, cutting another 3  more lines each day. And after 30 days I will have cut .09 from my dose

 

Is that correct? I hope I am not making you crazy or taking up too much of your time. I really appreciate your help!

 

Heath

 

 

That will work.

[[so...]]

Hi Valium peeps! Just wondering when you crossed over to V, did you feel groggy and did it eventually wear off. I tried a dose of V instead of Ativan one night but suprisingly didn't sleep well so gave it up for a while.  But have been feeling awful and so tried a dose of V this morning instead of the Ativan and am now feeling groggy-but I think groggy is better than the torture I was feeling. Just wondering if the grogginess wears off and you get used to it or should I maybe go down a little on the V dose.  I took 5 mg of V instead of the 0.5 of Ativan I had been taking.  Thanks for any input.  Also wondering if I should go ahead and take Valium at bedtime instead of Ativan, or only switch one of the two doses at a time.  Before today I was taking 0.5 Ativan twice a day.  I hope this made sense.

 

I'm a couple of pages late on this but I just wanted to chime in that I had the same experience! I was way overmedicated on my crazy crossover (if you look at my sig, you'll see that I just added the full dose of V on top of my A dose, it was not the smartest thing to do but I wasn't in my right mind). I was extremely tired and slept a lot, but as soon as I started cutting, I had lots of energy and mental clarity. It does indeed get better.

 

Time for a quick personal update too. I was shocked to find out that today was day eight, which is usually the worst day for me. I am actually having zero symptoms at this time. I do still have a really tiny amount of vertigo when I lie down or sit up, but that's just in the AM and at bedtime of course, so it's almost an afterthought. Other than that, really no symptoms.

 

My gut feeling is that I'm down to almost nothing here and my body has already adapted to it. Of course, I won't know that until I make that final jump at the end of the month. But I feel hopeful right now, about the taper anyway! I'm working a lot, getting out of the house a decent amount, and still sticking to not talking about health-related anxieties. My mindset is so different now that I'm not filling my brain with those worries all day. I've really thrown myself into work and into TV shows and reading when I'm not working, and getting into those fictional worlds is really a huge help.

 

The funny thing is, I used to think everyone was so shallow when they'd be talking about TV shows and whatnot at family gatherings. (God, that sound awful and judgmental.) I thought it was a waste of time. Not that I didn't watch TV, but I wanted to have all these deep, serious conversations. Now I'm realizing that the reason all those people aren't losing their minds is precisely because they are not so deep and serious all the time. And I don't need to take a benzo to get myself out of my worries. I just have to decide not to indulge them. Just get busy and stay busy. It's really changing me for the better.

 

Hope everyone here is having a decent week benzo-wise. Just remember that the rough patches do end. They cannot last forever even though they can last a long time. Make it as easy on yourself as you can. Sending strength!

[[Le...]]

Hi Valium peeps! Just wondering when you crossed over to V, did you feel groggy and did it eventually wear off. I tried a dose of V instead of Ativan one night but suprisingly didn't sleep well so gave it up for a while.  But have been feeling awful and so tried a dose of V this morning instead of the Ativan and am now feeling groggy-but I think groggy is better than the torture I was feeling. Just wondering if the grogginess wears off and you get used to it or should I maybe go down a little on the V dose.  I took 5 mg of V instead of the 0.5 of Ativan I had been taking.  Thanks for any input.  Also wondering if I should go ahead and take Valium at bedtime instead of Ativan, or only switch one of the two doses at a time.  Before today I was taking 0.5 Ativan twice a day.  I hope this made sense.

 

I'm a couple of pages late on this but I just wanted to chime in that I had the same experience! I was way overmedicated on my crazy crossover (if you look at my sig, you'll see that I just added the full dose of V on top of my A dose, it was not the smartest thing to do but I wasn't in my right mind). I was extremely tired and slept a lot, but as soon as I started cutting, I had lots of energy and mental clarity. It does indeed get better.

 

Time for a quick personal update too. I was shocked to find out that today was day eight, which is usually the worst day for me. I am actually having zero symptoms at this time. I do still have a really tiny amount of vertigo when I lie down or sit up, but that's just in the AM and at bedtime of course, so it's almost an afterthought. Other than that, really no symptoms.

 

My gut feeling is that I'm down to almost nothing here and my body has already adapted to it. Of course, I won't know that until I make that final jump at the end of the month. But I feel hopeful right now, about the taper anyway! I'm working a lot, getting out of the house a decent amount, and still sticking to not talking about health-related anxieties. My mindset is so different now that I'm not filling my brain with those worries all day. I've really thrown myself into work and into TV shows and reading when I'm not working, and getting into those fictional worlds is really a huge help.

 

The funny thing is, I used to think everyone was so shallow when they'd be talking about TV shows and whatnot at family gatherings. (God, that sound awful and judgmental.) I thought it was a waste of time. Not that I didn't watch TV, but I wanted to have all these deep, serious conversations. Now I'm realizing that the reason all those people aren't losing their minds is precisely because they are not so deep and serious all the time. And I don't need to take a benzo to get myself out of my worries. I just have to decide not to indulge them. Just get busy and stay busy. It's really changing me for the better.

 

Hope everyone here is having a decent week benzo-wise. Just remember that the rough patches do end. They cannot last forever even though they can last a long time. Make it as easy on yourself as you can. Sending strength!

Way to go SandP! You sound great and are rounding the homestretch to freedom! 

[[He...]]

 

My question is.....

 

 

Or is a smaller, DAILY micro taper of .003 with a hold depending  on wdfx a better way? That would be a cut of about .09 after one month

 

Yup!

 

Which is a gentler way to do it? Which sounds more successful?

 

A daily taper will always be more gentle than a C&H.

 

 

Thanks Builder!

 

One more question if you don't mind. I am using a 10 ml and a 1 ml syringe.

 

Where in the world would I find a meaurement of .003  on the 1 ml syringe remembering i am using a 10:1 solution?

 

Here's what I am thinking.  There are 100 lines on the 1ml syringe( 10 lines between each number)

So I would start at the top ( between 0 and .1 ) cut 3 lines the first day, 6 lines the second day, 9 lines the next day, and so on, cutting another 3  more lines each day. And after 30 days I will have cut .09 from my dose

 

Is that correct? I hope I am not making you crazy or taking up too much of your time. I really appreciate your help!

 

Heath

Heath It looks like you have the correct numbers to me.  --V

 

Hey V! Fancy meeting you here but glad! Good to see you! You are truly a godsend! I trust you implicitly.

 

Thank you to you and Builder. I guess I knew what I was doing all along but I wasn't sure. It's good to have all you buddies to fall back on when I'm not 100% sure. I wrote down all these measurements and put it in a safe place. Now all I have to do is make sure to keep holding and not rush ahead.

Thanks again for inspiring me to do the long hold. It's truly amazing how good I feel! Shhh, don't jinx it!

 

Heath

[[la...]]

Just wanted to ask here if anyone has dizziness and brain feeling so whacked...can not barely think as worse symptom?

 

you see I have gotten so sick in the last year (been sick for several years but this last one has knocked me off my feet) 

 

so after seeing many Drs and many tests  was told I have MAV (migraine associated vertigo)  then was tested for Lyme...came back neg. But ppl on Lyme boards say that there is 20-50% error with blood tests)

 

Lyme literate Naturopath says its Lyme but I am not convinced...since I have this stinking valium in me

 

I need to cut again and am so sick do not know how I can do it.  Long hold did NOTHING for me

 

I may have to cut smaller but then I am prolonging this and its been forever already with no ease of pain and suffering.

 

so the head symptom???  anyone?

[[Ho...]]

Just wanted to ask here if anyone has dizziness and brain feeling so whacked...can not barely think as worse symptom?

 

you see I have gotten so sick in the last year (been sick for several years but this last one has knocked me off my feet) 

 

so after seeing many Drs and many tests  was told I have MAV (migraine associated vertigo)  then was tested for Lyme...came back neg. But ppl on Lyme boards say that there is 20-50% error with blood tests)

 

Lyme literate Naturopath says its Lyme but I am not convinced...since I have this stinking valium in me

 

I need to cut again and am so sick do not know how I can do it.  Long hold did NOTHING for me

 

I may have to cut smaller but then I am prolonging this and its been forever already with no ease of pain and suffering.

 

so the head symptom???  anyone?

 

I've heard lots of people getting dizzy.  Isn't there a while dizziness group on the boards? I get it but not that often.  I do have problems thinking.  A lot worse in the morning and clears towards the afternoon, and also depends where I am in the cut cycle as to how bad it is, but I'm never as sharp as I used to be.

[[sh...]]

What do you use to alleviate a headache?  I have had some bad interactions with the Diazeapam and get nervous about trying anything new with it.  Is there an OTC pain reliever for headaches that does not interact?  I've read no Tylenol.  What about Advil?  Others?

 

Thanks

Sharkie

[[Ja...]]

Sharkie are you stabilizing at .8?

[[no...]]

What do you use to alleviate a headache?  I have had some bad interactions with the Diazeapam and get nervous about trying anything new with it.  Is there an OTC pain reliever for headaches that does not interact?  I've read no Tylenol.  What about Advil?  Others?

 

Thanks

Sharkie

sharkie  Tylenol is fine, Professor  Ashton says to take Paracetamol which is the same drug as Tylenol 

 

 

Love Nova xxx  :smitten:

[[fi...]]

What do you use to alleviate a headache?  I have had some bad interactions with the Diazeapam and get nervous about trying anything new with it.  Is there an OTC pain reliever for headaches that does not interact?  I've read no Tylenol.  What about Advil?  Others?

 

Thanks

Sharkie

 

I read a piece the other day that said that Ibuprofen actually blocks Glutamate?? So I've been taking Advil most days for back pain.......

[[bu...]]

Any common NSAID pain reliever will work just fine.  Most folks seem to have the best results with  Tylenol.

[[Su...]]

Just wanted to ask here if anyone has dizziness and brain feeling so whacked...can not barely think as worse symptom?

 

you see I have gotten so sick in the last year (been sick for several years but this last one has knocked me off my feet) 

 

so after seeing many Drs and many tests  was told I have MAV (migraine associated vertigo)  then was tested for Lyme...came back neg. But ppl on Lyme boards say that there is 20-50% error with blood tests)

 

Lyme literate Naturopath says its Lyme but I am not convinced...since I have this stinking valium in me

 

I need to cut again and am so sick do not know how I can do it.  Long hold did NOTHING for me

 

I may have to cut smaller but then I am prolonging this and its been forever already with no ease of pain and suffering.

 

so the head symptom???  anyone?

 

 

 

Yes I've experienced dizziness on and off through all the tapering.  Actually fall over sideways and hope I'm near something to grab on to.  I noticed not eating made it worse.  Balance not so great.  I'm expecting that to subside over time.  If I lean down I can go into a spin.  Now when I'm having a so called window or having a more balanced day I don't have that near as much.  For me I feel it's directly related to the v I'm tapering off.  Fingers crossed.

[[la...]]

My dizziness is daily to one extent or another...I had a really bad day today....just feel horrible and I cut only on Sat. would not expect to feel this cut already?

 

this is the lowest I have been at since 2013...But I am sicker then ever

[[so...]]

Thank you SO much everyone for the supportive messages! I thought I'd pop in for another quick update because I have a tiny piece of exciting news that is probably not that big of a deal but it is to me! I've been decaf-only pretty much for this entire taper just because I thought hey, why not take a break from caffeine and not rev up my body more during this time? I never drank more than one cup of coffee or espresso per day anyway (two at total maximum and never every day). But this last cut was so unbelievably easy (I mean easy isn't even the word, I just literally did not feel this cut at all) that I decided that having one coffee drink couldn't hurt. I've actually been having a latte every day for the past week and it's been awesome. I went to the mall with my partner this past weekend and ordered an espresso drink at Starbucks and it felt SO good and so NORMAL to just sit down and enjoy it without even worrying about how it might affect me. And it did not affect me, other than to give me a little extra energy, just like it used to. I see this as a major milestone because it's not just the physical effect of the caffeine but the psychological hurdle of adding it back into my life. Not letting it stress me out and just enjoying it is just honestly the coolest thing ever to me. It's so unlike me.

 

Oh, and I have still 100% stuck to not talking about health-related anxiety or really anything worry-related. It's been just over two weeks now and these have been the best two weeks I've had in years. I'm working harder, I'm playing harder, I'm enjoying life instead of letting it control me. My partner is completely in shock at my total change in personality. They say a tiger can't change their stripes, but the fact is, those weren't my original stripes, you know? I wasn't always that way. I used to be fun and relaxed and never worried. Remembering that is what triggered the decision. If I used to be that way, what's stopping me from being that way now, other than my own stupid thoughts being in overdrive? Don't get me wrong, I still have anxiety pretty much every day at some point. But I get that it's natural and it will pass. And I allow it to do so. No more dwelling on it. It's a rule for me now. I refuse to ever give in to that mess ever again. It would have to be a complete psychotic break for me to do so, because as long as I'm in control of my own faculties, I just won't do it. It is NOT worth it. I wasted the first half of my 30s on anxiety! No more, no more, no more.

 

Sharkie, I'm a Tylenol user for the headaches too. A little caffeine sometimes also helps, and if those fail me and it's nighttime, I'll have a little medical marijuana and that usually knocks the pain right out.

 

Love to all of you who are struggling right now, especially laineyk because dizziness and/or vertigo have been the bane of my existence for so long now. Actually one random thing that occurs to me that makes a difference for me in the way I feel with all that is my sleep situation. If I go to bed earlier (before midnight) and get consistent sleep, it really seems to make me feel so much better in general, and that definitely applies to any dizziness and even the vertigo. I'm a night owl, so it's hard to fight that and I fail a whole lot of the time. I'm still a big believer in biorutin or lemon bioflavonoid being my magic bullet against tinnitus and vertigo, but I don't really know for sure. I think there's an element of it just getting better with time (or maybe our balance systems adapting and changing). I pray yours gets better soon. Hopefully it will get better as you get lower, or at least stop once you're off.

 

Sending so much love to all of you. Two more cuts for me. Thanks for getting me here. I honestly 100% could not have survived this journey without you guys. xoxoxox

[[fi...]]

S&P - thank you for your posts - I love reading them and as I move to a liquid daily taper - they bring me SUCH hope......

 

:smitten:

[[bl...]]

Solace: That's a great post. Happy for you. Inspiring.

 

Fight: How are you feeling? I cut to 6 and my arm is KILLING me and vision so damn blurry. Trying to not freak out. I may have to go back up a bit. I was feeling optimistic about getting down to 6 as I've been holding at 6.5 for a while but I dunno....

[[fi...]]

Solace: That's a great post. Happy for you. Inspiring.

 

Fight: How are you feeling? I cut to 6 and my arm is KILLING me and vision so damn blurry. Trying to not freak out. I may have to go back up a bit. I was feeling optimistic about getting down to 6 as I've been holding at 6.5 for a while but I dunno....

 

I'll PM you 

[[bl...]]

Ok. I don't even know how to do that. Jeez.

[[sh...]]

Hello,

 

Just wondering if those of you tapering have had any issues with coloring your hair with salon dye?  Did it ramp up symptoms or was it fine?  Got an appointment Thursday and started wondering since my symptoms have been pretty bad the last couple months.  Don't want to do anything to make matters worse.  But the gray!!!

 

I colored my hair while on Ativan okay, but I have found far more interactions with the Diazepam so posting here too.  I do the coloring where it sits on your head for 30-40 minutes before washing.

 

Thanks

Sharkie 

 

[[bl...]]

I've only done highlights but never had an issue--other than sitting in that chair for so long! You should be fine.

[[sh...]]

I think highlights are probably safer because, correct me if I'm wrong, they don't get massaged into the scalp.  Just sit on the hair in foil.  Right?

 

Sharkie