Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[Ki...]]

AF are you having any new or more bothersome symptoms as you go lower in your dose? Just wondering if theres something in particular you are wondering about as far as your own taper goes. Your signature looks very straightforward- are you having any new issues?

[[...]]

AF are you having any new or more bothersome symptoms as you go lower in your dose? Just wondering if theres something in particular you are wondering about as far as your own taper goes. Your signature looks very straightforward- are you having any new issues?

 

Yes, I was doing ok, not great, but bearable until about 2 or 3 days ago and suddenly went downhill fast.  It's been absolute torture. I decided to do the next 2.5mg over a period of 120 days instead of the 60 days I was doing--take twice as long. I just started to slow the taper and was wondering if because of the long half-life of Valium if it would take longer to get relief.  I'm guessing I was just cutting too fast and it caught up with me. I've been liquid microtapering.  Thanks!

[[Sh...]]

It seems to be a very individualized thing. Everyone heals at a different rate. There are so many variables, its hard to tell how long it will take. But it does seem people who taper slower have better results sooner than those who take larger cuts. Not everyone though!

 

Very individual. I was pretty much fine from 10mg down to 2mg V in the sense that I had some bad sx but they always cleared up a few weeks after a big cut. But below 2mg was horrid. I got off a year ago and still healing. Much better nowadays, but not healed. Never would have imagined it taking this long after doing a 'taper'. I now realise my cuts were too big.

[[po...]]

Shamo3

When you switched to micro daily taper what were you cutting daily?  Im wondering why it didnt work.  Im about to start one at 5mg valium and plan on starting slow .01 cuts daily.

 

Does anyone else think this is a smart planner not?

[[Va...]]

Shamo3

When you switched to micro daily taper what were you cutting daily?  Im wondering why it didnt work.  Im about to start one at 5mg valium and plan on starting slow .01 cuts daily.

 

Does anyone else think this is a smart planner not?

Hi pooky. I think .01 is a great place to start. If you don't feel an increase in sxs after a couple of weeks you can either stay at that rate or increase slightly.  --V

[[...]]

Hi, I'm down to 1mg V and it has really been rough, with very bad sxs!! But the worst sx I've been having for the past 2 months is very bad case of constipation!! Which causes my intestines to vibrate the whole day!! I've tried every laxative on the market, but nothing helps!! I would like to know if anyone has experienced the same sxs during WD?? I don't really want to go thru an intestinal check if this is only a WD sxs???

 

Thanks

[[...]]

Hi, I'm down to 1mg V and it has really been rough, with very bad sxs!! But the worst sx I've been having for the past 2 months is very bad case of constipation!! Which causes my intestines to vibrate the whole day!! I've tried every laxative on the market, but nothing helps!! I would like to know if anyone has experienced the same sxs during WD?? I don't really want to go thru an intestinal check if this is only a WD sxs???

 

Thanks

 

I couldn't say for sure, but I've read quite a few people on Valium having constipation.  You might try magnesium oxide capsules. They work for me and don't rev me up.

[[ka...]]

Shamo3

When you switched to micro daily taper what were you cutting daily?  Im wondering why it didnt work.  Im about to start one at 5mg valium and plan on starting slow .01 cuts daily.

 

Does anyone else think this is a smart planner not?

Hi pooky. I think .01 is a great place to start. If you don't feel an increase in sxs after a couple of weeks you can either stay at that rate or increase slightly.  --V

I agree, start with a .01mg cut daily. Many are able to tolerate this, you may find you have what some call a symptom baseline. Once you know what that is, it helps to know when or if you need to adjust your tapering. 

[[Ho...]]

Hi, I'm down to 1mg V and it has really been rough, with very bad sxs!! But the worst sx I've been having for the past 2 months is very bad case of constipation!! Which causes my intestines to vibrate the whole day!! I've tried every laxative on the market, but nothing helps!! I would like to know if anyone has experienced the same sxs during WD?? I don't really want to go thru an intestinal check if this is only a WD sxs???

 

Thanks

 

Yes I get that one pretty badly. It's seemed to be better as I've gotten lower but flares up from time to time. I use magnesium citrate powder (NAtural Calm) as needed, or milk of magnesia if I'm in big trouble.

[[ka...]]

i too use Magnesium and that helps keep things moving along in the GI tract for me. I also am now able to drink 'simply apple'  8 oz glass every day.

[[4G...]]

Hi. I'm new on here but I've been on Benzobuddies forever. Anyway, I posted on the main board and don't seem to be getting any answers. My question was about why this seems to be getting even worse to cut when down to the 5-6 mg mark. Who else finds this? Thanks.

[[Va...]]

Hi. I'm new on here but I've been on Benzobuddies forever. Anyway, I posted on the main board and don't seem to be getting any answers. My question was about why this seems to be getting even worse to cut when down to the 5-6 mg mark. Who else finds this? Thanks.

I've found it to be about the same however there are many I've seen who hit a wall at around 5-6 mg range. Hope you find the path gets easier in the near future.  --V

[[4G...]]

Thanks Valley Um. We seem to be on the same amount. I'm glad that you are finding it to be about the same, although that's no walk in the park is it? Oops! A walk in the park isn't a walk in the park anyway because of the agoraphobia!!! Will have to think of a new phrase!

I will keep a look out for how you are going on. Or we may cross on here again. The best of luck to you. Gxxx

[[...]]

Hi. I'm new on here but I've been on Benzobuddies forever. Anyway, I posted on the main board and don't seem to be getting any answers. My question was about why this seems to be getting even worse to cut when down to the 5-6 mg mark. Who else finds this? Thanks.

 

I've had the same thing happen and what I learned the hard way is that if it's getting harder, slow down or do a hold or you might just hit a wall and crash and burn.  I should have seen the warning signs and slowed way down. I am still trying to recover from it.

[[Va...]]

Thanks Valley Um. We seem to be on the same amount. I'm glad that you are finding it to be about the same, although that's no walk in the park is it? Oops! A walk in the park isn't a walk in the park anyway because of the agoraphobia!!! Will have to think of a new phrase!

I will keep a look out for how you are going on. Or we may cross on here again. The best of luck to you. Gxxx

[[Ki...]]

Thats odd I was noticing a lot of people having problems around the 4 mg mark! I wonder if it depends on where you started? Like maybe halfway is hard for some... my guess is its different for everyone no matter what. My first taper, before I knew what was happening was WD and I attributed it to taking Coq10 ( I had to blame SOMETHING)- I had been on .5 mg x and about 5 mg ambien, and over a few months I had tapered by eye ( no scale, did not think it was important) down to about .2 xanax and I forget how much ambienesia. But that would have been a little over halfway then. After a week of no sleep and crying I just said to hell with it Im gonna sleep, I took .75 x and slept like a baby. If I had only known I might could have done this right way back then!

[[bu...]]

Hi. I'm new on here but I've been on Benzobuddies forever. Anyway, I posted on the main board and don't seem to be getting any answers. My question was about why this seems to be getting even worse to cut when down to the 5-6 mg mark. Who else finds this? Thanks.

 

Looking at your siggy, it appears you are cutting a constant amount....5mg.  At 10mg, .5 was only a 5% cut.  But at 6mgs, its over 8%...probably too big.

 

Most folks need to reduce the cut amount as they lower, the %age cut rate stays somewhat constant.  From 9mg down to zero, I lowered my cut rate 4 times.

[[Ki...]]

Builder do you find that true for microtaper as well? So many MT folks just seem to stay at the same rate- Im sure its different for everyone...

[[bu...]]

Builder do you find that true for microtaper as well? So many MT folks just seem to stay at the sane rate- Im sure its different for everyone...

 

As I said, I did a daily micortaper, and I lowered my cut rate 4 times over the span of my taper. 

 

From experience, it was fairly obvious that about 5-6%/14 days was the max I could comfortably tolerate, whether it was a C&H or a daily taper.

 

If you start a slow enough rate, you could probably stay at that rate.  For example, if you're at 10mg and start with .1mg/14 days, (1%) you ,you might be able to stay at that rate.  But if you start at .5mg/14 days(5%), you will probably run into trouble before your done.

[[4G...]]

Okay. Thanks very much for that. I feel under pressure from the Psychiatric Nurse who comes round. But at the end of the day, it is up to me how much I taper and when. I think I will go back to 6mg again. I think I'm pushing it too much. Thanks again. Gxxx

[[...]]

Builder do you find that true for microtaper as well? So many MT folks just seem to stay at the same rate- Im sure its different for everyone...

 

I seem to see most MT folks lower their cut amt as they go down...as builder did.  Or some use the same cut amt, but add in more holds...end result is the same, less cutting per period of time.

 

I also see that 5mg V seems to be a time when a lot of buddies have to slow things down.  Of course, this number isn't set in stone...it could be a little higher or a little lower for different people...or ideally, no trouble ever at all! (wouldn't that be nice!)

 

4GB- if you're in trouble, get the sx's under control, hold, then move forward at a slower rate.

[[Ki...]]

I wish there was a way for yall to know whats best. Sadly its all trial and error because everyone is so different. So many people do well on valium, many do better on klonopin. Many do fine on xanax and taper off that! Its just a matter of finding what works and all anyone can do is give you their own experiences and opinions, but they arent going to be able to say what would be the right thing. As far as swapping straight instead of slowly crossing over, I have seen people do that before, and at least in my mind it seems many have trouble tolerating valiums very different side effects and go back to klonopin - some just go straight back then wait a while to get stable again. I think the general rule is to get stable by updosing 10-20% of where they hit tolerance or whatever happened, get as stable as possible then start a very slow controlled taper by symptoms, not time. I hope thats right and if not that someone will correct me. I am praying for you both and hope things get better soon.

[[Ki...]]

Valium has interesting side effects doesnt it? I dont see KLUTZY STUPID written on there though. This weekend I managed to cause a display of charcoal lighter fluid to fall and bust my lip open, then I managed to burn off all the hair on my arms without burning anything else. I am thankful for the ability valium gives me to control my WD sx to a certain extent, so Im not complaining, but between this and frequently smackkmg my head into tree limbs that are clearly visible to everyone but me... only benzo brain people can relate. Weekends! 

[[ka...]]

oh my  Kitty, I totally get it!!! ( it might just be us grits) 

[[Sl...]]

Well, I tried my questions at the 3mg and under group because it was specific to my situation, but it was suggested I post here. I am at 3mg using pills and liquid, going down 1mg every 20 days. Factoring in that "everyone is different", should I consider reducing at a slower rate on my journey down to 0? If so, how many days (or weeks or months) should I take?Just looking for opinions, please help, I have been doing this for over two years and don't want to mess this up. I am already old so am happy to take as long as necessary for the most favorable outcome. Thank you.