Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[Ki...]]

Just to clarify-

My reference was to a study using grapefruit juice during chemo, not benzos. The purpose of my post was to answer a question regarding fast metabolism and the effect of using grapefruit juice on my valium metabolism. Sorry your docs messed up your taper. I just wanted to make sure my post was not being misunderstood.

Kitty

 

 

---------

My medical team used Ativan to "help" me during chemo. What they really accomplished was to flush my remission right down the toilet.

[[so...]]

Ah, got it. Thanks Kitty.

[[so...]]

I so appreciate the advice on the abdominal pain! Ed, I agree, the periods of time with no symptoms should keep me convinced that I'm OK! ATU, I have a small prescription of antispasmodic from my appendectomy surgeon but I'm afraid to even try it after reading the side effects. They lost me at "fatal serotonin syndrome"! All my symptoms pass within two weeks so I'm just hanging tough!

 

Regarding once daily dosing, I feared that so much but it ended up being a blessing. It was the first step to being ready to just be done with it, and I found that instead of feeling hyper aware of not taking pills throughout the day, I instead didn't think about it at all. I would take my dose first thing in the morning. Take it and forget it. I couldn't believe how easy that transition was.

 

Regarding sleep, I took a decent amount of Benadryl during my taper. I didn't really need it for sleep but it helped my muscle tension. I had no side effects from that. Why is that supposed to be bad during a taper? If it works for you, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Everybody (and every body) is different!

[[Al...]]

SandP,

 

Thanks for sharing that with me. The antispasmotic medicines I mentioned are not absorbed into your blood stream and so they only effect the smooth muscles of your gut then pass through. Im not sure which drugs they gave you but if your not comfortable taking something else,..and I certainly understand that, then just carry on managing your sxs as you are. For what it is worth I find Tulsi tea very soothing to my inards!

 

They reason I brought up about the benedryl is because the only good night sleeps I get are when I take it but people have been telling me not to take it regularely for fear of either becoming imune to its effects or such.

 

Any way Ill carry on with other experiments. I ordered some inositil today, thats suppose to help with sleep so we shall see.

 

Take care now! 

 

ATU

[[ho...]]

Is Valium a depressant ?

[[Al...]]

Hopefulscot,

 

I do not believe Valium is a depressant, its a benzo for sure. But in high doses it can certainly make you feel lethargic especially early on in a crossover for example. Once your body adjusts to it and also as your dosage goes down the depressive feelings usually drop off.

 

Now I say this having read much on here. I personally have never been on a large enough dose to experience this effect but Im sure others will chime in with thier knowledge and experience. 

 

ATU

[[bu...]]

Is Valium a depressant ?

 

All benzos are depressants.

 

Note:  That does NOT mean they cause depression, it means they are CNS depressants that produce a tranquilizing, or "downer" effect.

[[Ki...]]

I have read a lot of people posting that they tried to cross to valium but gave up because its too " depressing". A lot of us notice a HUGE increase in sedation, lethargy etc when first starting it. It is used as a muscle relaxant. It was what my dentist used when they pulled my wisdom teeth because I hate the gas. Its very sedating but for most people that wears off. I wonder how many people could have stayed on it and might have benefitted from it if they had given it time to settle in. I take it at night but by morning I dont feel " tired" from it, I can actually go swimming if I get the chance. Benzos have different qualities. I guess thats why xanax and some others are the "street drugs" or whatever you would call it moreso than valium is. At least thats how I saw it when I worked in a prison not many people were arrested for trafficking in valium!

[[ho...]]

Thanks for the replies folks.

 

Hopefulscot

[[Al...]]

Hi all,

 

I slept good last night taking 5 mg. of Cyclobenzaprine since my jaw/neck pain has been high lately. I felt great on waking but still not much of an appetite to speak of. I had a meal replacement drink then started cleaning the basement. When done I was feeling very weak and my heart rate was at 102.

I am resting now trying to get my rate back down.

 

Is this normal to get rapid heart rate from even mild exersize?

 

Thanks Budfies

 

ATU

[[cr...]]

Builder, when I take doxy, I take 50 mg, 2 tablets.  Did you really get just 3 or 4 mg out of those little 25 mg pills, they are scored, but still that would be 12.5.  It's just wishful thinking on my part that you meant to say 3 or4 doxy, instead of 3 or 4 mg Cross

[[bu...]]

Builder, when I take doxy, I take 50 mg, 2 tablets.  Did you really get just 3 or 4 mg out of those little 25 mg pills, they are scored, but still that would be 12.5.  It's just wishful thinking on my part that you meant to say 3 or4 doxy, instead of 3 or 4 mg Cross

  I actually took it as liquid in a cough/cold remedy.  It contains 10mg per tbsp, and I typically took about a half tbsp.

 

 

IMO, 50mg is way more than you need.

[[cr...]]

Thanks, Builder, I know I shouldn't take 50, but 25 doesnt work even with 100 Trazodone. 7.5 or less Remeron doesn't either. Thanks for responding, Merry Christmas. Cross

 

Builder, when I take doxy, I take 50 mg, 2 tablets.  Did you really get just 3 or 4 mg out of those little 25 mg pills, they are scored, but still that would be 12.5.  It's just wishful thinking on my part that you meant to say 3 or4 doxy, instead of 3 or 4 mg Cross

  I actually took it as liquid in a cough/cold remedy.  It contains 10mg per tbsp, and I typically took about a half tbsp.

 

 

IMO, 50mg is way more than you need.

[[so...]]

Well, I had a wonderful Christmas that turned into a horrible Christmas. I chased away the anxiety to go and be with my partner's family, and we had so much fun. Then a family member flipped out after too much alcohol and basically threatened to kill everyone. No joke. I ended up hiding in the bedroom, having a full-on panic attack (how could I not?), and calling 911. Then I had to talk to the cops, who then left and that family member continued their tirade for about another hour.

 

I know my blood pressure was through the roof and the stress must have exacerbated my WD symptoms because I had awful ear pain for hours. But I have to say, usually when people argue, I go into panic mode immediately. This time, when it was still just an argument, I stayed totally calm. Once he started threatening physical violence, fight or flight kicked in. I don't think it would be normal to stay calm in THAT situation. But before that, I was OK. And that is progress.

 

I'm wiped out. I'm disappointed. I'm sad. I feel terrible for this family who is now making the decision to cut their son/brother out of their lives. But I'm trying to put my mental health above everything else and just distance myself from the whole situation. Aside from comforting my partner, this just isn't my battle.

 

I hope this post wasn't too off-topic. I had a conversation with a friend tonight about putting my health first and it made me think about the effects of going through something traumatic like this while I'm in what could have been the acute phase. I'm having almost no symptoms other than anxiety and a bit of akathisia, so I can't label this acute. But it's that time period, less than a month from my jump. In the moment, that panic felt like a huge setback. But it's just a few hours later and I'm just feeling sad, not actually traumatized. I feel like the "me" from five years ago would have been mentally messed up over what happened and from actually having to be the one that called 911.

 

I don't know... this post is getting long and rambly so I'm going to cut myself off here. Just my thoughts. I hope all of you had a much better holiday than I did!

[[Al...]]

SandP,

 

What you experienced during that traumatic  episode is exactly what I would have felt. Stressful situations always wind me up something awful but afterwards we settle back down. Thats just because our cns is so sensative right now, I cant even watch anything fast moving on TV without getting dizzy.

 

You will be fine, just take the time you need to settle and dont think About what happened too much, put it behind you. In time this extra sensative state will fall back to normal.

 

I went to my families gathering last night and it was great though I confess I fretted over it a long while. Once there and in good conversation, I had a great time.

 

Merry Christmas,..now enjoy the rest of it. 

 

ATU

[[ed...]]

SandP,

 

I'm sorry you had that negative experience. You're doing the right thing by separating yourself from it.  It isn't your battle and you have enough on your plate right now.  Today, as they say, is a whole new day.

 

Merry Christmas to you and all the wonderful buddies in this thread!

 

Best,

Ed

[[sh...]]

Hello there. 

 

I am trying liquid diazepam for the first time this week.  I dose 4 x a day due to rapid metabolism and dry cutting is getting harder at lower doses.  Builder gave me a formula:

2 mg pill

4 ml vodka

16 ml water

 

I took my afternoon dose yesterday with the liquid and it felt a little shy of getting my full dose.  I did my afternoon dose again today with liquid and felt even worse.  More sx.  It is a pretty small dosing.  Only 1.8 ml, but I can still really feel the change. 

 

Anyone, have the experience when moving to liquid that it didn't feel as strong as the pills?  Do you adjust or what??  Was hoping this would be easier to measure and cut from here on out.  Not liking so far, but like many of us I am ultra sensitive and feel every change.

 

Appreciate any help.

 

Thanks,

Sharkie

[[Al...]]

Sharlie,

 

I am also using Builder's liquid Valium made the same way. I switched over to all liquid about two months ago without any negative results.

The only thing I can suggest is to treat the switch to liquid ad a cut. Let your body have time to aclimatize to it so to speak.

 

Im not saying I am having an easy go right now but its not due to my home made liquid,..just withdrawal sxs.

You are so close, keep the faith and believe in your ability to see this through. 

 

ATU

 

[[Le...]]

Hello there. 

 

I am trying liquid diazepam for the first time this week.  I dose 4 x a day due to rapid metabolism and dry cutting is getting harder at lower doses.  Builder gave me a formula:

2 mg pill

4 ml vodka

16 ml water

 

I took my afternoon dose yesterday with the liquid and it felt a little shy of getting my full dose.  I did my afternoon dose again today with liquid and felt even worse.  More sx.  It is a pretty small dosing.  Only 1.8 ml, but I can still really feel the change. 

 

Anyone, have the experience when moving to liquid that it didn't feel as strong as the pills?  Do you adjust or what??  Was hoping this would be easier to measure and cut from here on out.  Not liking so far, but like many of us I am ultra sensitive and feel every change.

 

Appreciate any help.

 

Thanks,

Sharkie

I had the same problem switching from pills to liquid, it felt like a cut. If you continue to feel worse, maybe try a small updose? Just a suggestion, thinking out loud so to speak.

[[so...]]

ATU and Ed, thank you for the supportive replies! I am doing well, and honestly so is everyone else. As scary as that experience was and as sad as it is to see them cut him out of their lives, it feels like it was a long time coming. Somewhat anticlimactic. People can only tolerate so much abuse.

 

I am pleasantly surprised by my calmness in reaction to it. With the exception of the actual panic attack, I really am OK. It's crystal clear to me how much I learned about handling difficult times and I think the benzo experience was worthwhile if it meant learning how to handle my own life and the normal ups and downs. I'm beginning to see these things as challenges instead of traumas. Things to overcome.

 

My stomach has calmed down a bit and my akathisia seems to have let up too, though I don't drive much until the weekend arrives so we'll see how that goes.

 

I'm tackling getting off some other pills now. When I first went through my health crisis back in 2011-2012, I started taking a ton of supplements to try and control everything. It's been a paranoid pill party every day for years, popping them to try and stave off the vertigo. But I'm doing pretty well now and I don't think it had anything to do with most of the supplements (biorutin being the miracle that I will never quit). I've come to realize that taking something like 20 pills a day is just tearing up my stomach, giving me heartburn, and making me go broke.

 

I was on 21 pills a day previously. Getting rid of all but the essentials will take me down to 12 pills a day. Still kind of a lot but a huge reduction. I don't want to do anything out of desperation and panic anymore. Going from three Ativan a day and then four Valium a day to zero benzos was SO freeing. Less is more. So I'm going to take only the supplements that I feel are absolutely necessary and let go of the rest.

 

If I hit any snags since I'm not out of the woods from the benzos yet, I'll stay on whatever supplement gives me a hard time for a little longer. But I've already cut out half of my magnesium dose and my full melatonin dose and I feel just fine. I expected at least a blood pressure spike, but nothing! I'm afraid to tackle the probiotics because of the benzo belly, but I'm trying to swap out three daily expensive pills for one daily cheap pill, so hopefully it will be a good thing too.

 

Well I'll stop talking your ear off! Thanks for all the support and for listening to me ramble. I'm brave enough to do all this now because of you and I will never stop being grateful for that!

[[ed...]]

Please, "ramble" on. I just love hearing how things are going with you!

 

Ed

[[so...]]

Please, "ramble" on. I just love hearing how things are going with you!

 

Ed

 

Aww, thanks Ed! 

[[Ma...]]

Sharkie,

 

Why don't you just liquefy 1 mg for taper and take the rest dry.  That's what I do.  I use that spreadsheet on benzo.organization. called water titration spreadsheet.

 

 

 

[[ed...]]

Sharkie,

 

Why don't you just liquefy 1 mg for taper and take the rest dry.  That's what I do.  I use that spreadsheet on benzo.organization. called water titration spreadsheet.

 

 

Sharkie's signature shows her to be under 1mg already (at .75).

[[Ma...]]

Sorry.  Didn't check that.  In my world there's only whole numbers!!!

 

I will bless the day I reach.75@@@