Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[Guest [...]]

Hi All,

A general question but does anyone get extreme fear and / or anxiety as soon as they start to wake in the mornings. I'm trying to figure out is this a benzo thing or related to the two other psyche meds I take (Mirtazapine and Dosulepin). I've been on 12mgs V since May 16 along with other meds and it's gotten worse the longer I carry on with the meds. I've already eliminated Seroquel and Lyrica in the last 12 months so they are in the clear.

Thanks

Staz

I got this several weeks after crossing over to valium.  It's horrible and has never left me since.  I don't get it every day but more often than not.  For me its extreme fear/dread/anxiety.  I wake several times and sometimes it happens each time.  I never had this before valium(diazepam for me).  I have no idea how to deal with this.  I was wanting to switch back to K but was already in the V so far and doc wouldn't switch me back.  If I could I would just jump out of bed as soon as I felt it coming but don't have the energy or will to do this.  Mirtazapine did not help me with this.  Are you taking the 2 A/Ds every day?

 

What you are suffering sounds very similar to my position. It's always as I just start to wake and from what you've said it kind of confirms my thoughts. I didn't suffer it until about 2 or 3 months into valium then and it's been every morning without any let up ever since.

Thanks for the reply aand good luck

Staz

[[Ol...]]

Hi Dee,

What you are going through sounds awful, and I'm sure it sounds pretty familiar to most people here, including me. If I were you I would get on a stable dose and then taper from there. If you can't stabilize at 2mg then you may have to updose to get stable. Even though you were only ever officially prescribed 2mg a day, it sounds like you updosed enough that your body is needing a little bit more. (I went through the same thing) Other people may have different opinions but that's what I did and it seems to be working, even though it's still really hard.

Good luck!!

[[de...]]

Thank you Olive Kitty. 

 

I am so inexperienced at using this site, and coupled with my own angstified brain have only just read your reply.  Thank you.

 

I was advised earlier that there might be a need for me to updose but foolishly (probabably) ignored it and stayed with the 2mg.  I want to get off Valium so bad!

 

I think you are right in that the intermittant doses caused more problems than I thought possible and I'm paying the price.

 

Whether my decision is good or not I am going to start a 10% taper in 5 days and hope for the best. 

 

I am still experiencing lots of symptoms and sometimes feel I'm going nuts.  Today breast tenderness and rash on hands, arms and feet.  This is new to me.

 

Maybe I should updose but will give the taper a go in 5 days time.  Who knows, I might let lucky but certainly have my reservations. 

 

Thanks again for your response and hope all is going well for you. 

 

Dee

[[Ma...]]

Hi everyone, needing some advice...  this is the second time I am doing xanax to valium taper,  I did the crossover too fast last time and at the end of the crossover I was taking 17 mg v spread out over the day, but probably a month before crossover I was getting more and more sedated so by time xanax was gone, I could barely hold up my head I was so dizzy and sedated.  Backed up, added back in .75 x and lowered valium way too much and ended up in horrible shape.  Went to 20.5 ve and started back tapering much slower.  Have fought the valium sedation the whole time.  Body not learning to tolerate it. 

Am close to second crossover coming to an end and getting uneasy the sedation is going to ruin this crossover too even tho I have gone much slower.  Now I am at 6 am .0625x + 2.5 v = 5 ve

2 p m 4v.  10 p m 10 MVP= 19 ve.    The sedation just keeps getting worse.  (It's weird but it doesn't keep me asleep that well at night, just during the day).  I took xanax for daytime anxiety, never made me sleepy.  Anyone got any ideas?  I can't do another crossover........help please :'(

[[Gr...]]

Hi Mary, see my signature, I only did a partial crossover from Xanax to Valium. Then I tapered the remaining Xanax, then started tapering the Valium after that. I tapered the daytime Valium doses first. Finally I was only dosing once a day at bedtime, I think I was at 12mg Valium at that point. That way the sedation was greatest overnight. I was still tired during the day, but the sedation had lessened  some.

 

Rather than swapping at the last .0625x with Valium, why don't you just drop the Xanax dose?

 

Then you could also try moving part or all of the Valium doses to nighttime. Most people only need to dose once a day, twice at most. You may not need to take Valium during the day anymore since you won't have the Xanax wearing off after the morning.

[[Ma...]]

Thanks so much for the response Grapejuice.    I am still pretty new at this but it sounds like it has merit.  I will study it this weekend with my husband and let u know what we decide.  I hate the valium so much and can't wait to get off of it.  bb community has been such a big help because of people like you!!   

[[An...]]

If you detoxed from valium after longterm use, how long was it after you took your last dose before some of the SX's started to abate? I know valium has a pretty long half-life. I am not talking about those who crossed over to valium from another benzo to taper. I am talking to long-term valium users who tapered valium.

 

[Guest [...]]

Bump

[[de...]]

Bump

[[Ma...]]

Bump

 

Somebody please tell me what that means, I'm old and have benzo brain

[[be...]]

Bump

 

Somebody please tell me what that means, I'm old and have benzo brain

Moving up a post.  to get answers.

[[ka...]]

Hi All,

A general question but does anyone get extreme fear and / or anxiety as soon as they start to wake in the mornings. I'm trying to figure out is this a benzo thing or related to the two other psyche meds I take (Mirtazapine and Dosulepin). I've been on 12mgs V since May 16 along with other meds and it's gotten worse the longer I carry on with the meds. I've already eliminated Seroquel and Lyrica in the last 12 months so they are in the clear.

Thanks

Staz

I got this several weeks after crossing over to valium.  It's horrible and has never left me since.  I don't get it every day but more often than not.  For me its extreme fear/dread/anxiety.  I wake several times and sometimes it happens each time.  I never had this before valium(diazepam for me).  I have no idea how to deal with this.  I was wanting to switch back to K but was already in the V so far and doc wouldn't switch me back.  If I could I would just jump out of bed as soon as I felt it coming but don't have the energy or will to do this.  Mirtazapine did not help me with this.  Are you taking the 2 A/Ds every day?

 

What you are suffering sounds very similar to my position. It's always as I just start to wake and from what you've said it kind of confirms my thoughts. I didn't suffer it until about 2 or 3 months into valium then and it's been every morning without any let up ever since.

Thanks for the reply aand good luck

Staz

 

Just a thought - as I have read others experience this as well. They discussed this being a cortisol & blood sugar issue. It has been documented that Benzo's affect each. As for the blood sugar - it can cause low blood sugar. Some have found relief with the addition of a banana just before bed time, or vitamin c during the day..... *Pls be careful when adding any supplement as it can affect ones symptoms as well.  Hope this offers some help.

[[Aj...]]

Hi Dee,

What you are going through sounds awful, and I'm sure it sounds pretty familiar to most people here, including me. If I were you I would get on a stable dose and then taper from there. If you can't stabilize at 2mg then you may have to updose to get stable. Even though you were only ever officially prescribed 2mg a day, it sounds like you updosed enough that your body is needing a little bit more. (I went through the same thing) Other people may have different opinions but that's what I did and it seems to be working, even though it's still really hard.

Good luck!!

 

 

I recently reinstated on diazepam because the muscle problems were too severe but am getting severe interdose withdrawal.

 

When you updosed how long did it take before you stabilised?

[[Su...]]

Thanks so much for the response Grapejuice.    I am still pretty new at this but it sounds like it has merit.  I will study it this weekend with my husband and let u know what we decide.  I hate the valium so much and can't wait to get off of it.  bb community has been such a big help because of people like you!!   

Hi Mary,

I am another of the ones who did a partial crossover to Valium as that med messes with my system and mood!  At this low dose i tried to do more of a crossover to Valoum and my sxs went a bit bonkers for a few days...

I'm settled down but thinking that a long hold is in order -- to restore some order.

I'm not going to mess with the meds again, just taper off the X and then taper off the V.... slowly at some time in the future...

Just to add my voice to the partial crossover folks.

SS

[[de...]]

Hi everyone, needing some advice...  this is the second time I am doing xanax to valium taper,  I did the crossover too fast last time and at the end of the crossover I was taking 17 mg v spread out over the day, but probably a month before crossover I was getting more and more sedated so by time xanax was gone, I could barely hold up my head I was so dizzy and sedated.  Backed up, added back in .75 x and lowered valium way too much and ended up in horrible shape.  Went to 20.5 ve and started back tapering much slower.  Have fought the valium sedation the whole time.  Body not learning to tolerate it. 

Am close to second crossover coming to an end and getting uneasy the sedation is going to ruin this crossover too even tho I have gone much slower.  Now I am at 6 am .0625x + 2.5 v = 5 ve

2 p m 4v.  10 p m 10 MVP= 19 ve.    The sedation just keeps getting worse.  (It's weird but it doesn't keep me asleep that well at night, just during the day).  I took xanax for daytime anxiety, never made me sleepy.  Anyone got any ideas?  I can't do another crossover........help please :'(

 

Mary, when you started the crossover from Xanax to Valium, were you doing okay or at least better than you've been doing toward the end of this crossover?  In other words, was the Valium helping you in some way? 

[[Ol...]]

Ajusta,

When I have updosed I have stabilized right away. What were you at and what did you updose to? You might have to ride it out because you don't want to updose too much. It's so hard because there is never a clear answer. I'm feeling for you!

[[Aj...]]

Hi,

 

Thankyou!

 

I had stopped completely and had to reinstate - I took a couple doses of 2mg and then got frightened and did 1mg 3x/day.

 

After about 2.5 hours as it starts to wear off the symptoms become very bad again.

 

This is what happened as I tapered last year as well.

 

Then after stopping completely things just got worse and worse.

 

 

I simply don't know whetherbto go up or down at this point.

 

Or maybe I should just take other things for pain and spasm etc. But I'm terrified of other symptoms getting worse again.

[[Ma...]]

Thanks so much for the response Grapejuice.    I am still pretty new at this but it sounds like it has merit.  I will study it this weekend with my husband and let u know what we decide.  I hate the valium so much and can't wait to get off of it.  bb community has been such a big help because of people like you!!   

Hi Mary,

I am another of the ones who did a partial crossover to Valium as that med messes with my system and mood!  At this low dose i tried to do more of a crossover to Valoum and my sxs went a bit bonkers for a few days...

I'm settled down but thinking that a long hold is in order -- to restore some order.

I'm not going to mess with the meds again, just taper off the X and then taper off the V.... slowly at some time in the future...

Just to add my voice to the partial crossover folks.

SS

 

So far it's working for me, if it wasn't for my back, I would be I pretty good shape.  I am down to .145 x , still holding at 15 v.  Once the x is gone , going to hold for 3 weeks. .  Someone I really trust said a month wasn't needed unless something goes wrong.  Slow and slower may win this race and that's ok! healthy wishes girlfriend!!!

 

[[bu...]]

 

 

I recently reinstated on diazepam because the muscle problems were too severe but am getting severe interdose withdrawal.

 

When you updosed how long did it take before you stabilised?

 

How often are you dosing?  It would be extremely unlikely to experience interdose WD with diazepam.

[[Ol...]]

Adjusta,

I used to experience interdose w/d on Valium after about 5 hours. It was horrible. I tried all different combinations of doses and frequencies until I found something that worked for me. When I got down to 5mg I took 2mg upon waking, 1mg 5 hours later, and 1mg 5 hours after that. Then I eliminated the last one, then I tapered the morning dose to 1mg, then tapered the afternoon to 0 and finally tapered the morning dose to 0. By the time I got down to morning only the dose was so small I was just constantly in mild withdrawal. I felt bad, but not as bad as earlier in my taper. Now I feel so much better! I hope you can find a dose that works well for you. Maybe start at 5mg and taper from there? Will your doctor let you set your own pace?

[[ho...]]

thats because one of the metabolites in valiums half life is like only 5 hours or something like that. i was dosing three times a day and last week changed to 2 times a day and about 4 hours or so after i take my dose i feel extremely shaky, cold sweats and very very fatigued and get a weird feeling in my stomach. i did not have this until i started dosing twice a day. i started writing down when this happened and sure enough is about 4 hours or so everyday that i have this. i looked it up and sure enough one of valiums metabolites (or maybe two of them) have extremely short half lives. one of them for sure, ill have to look in my files to confirm which ones. hoping my body is still changing to dosing twice a day. if it doesnt stop, im going back to three times a day. its been a week and five days since i changed to twice a day dosing.

[[ho...]]

Adjusta,

I used to experience interdose w/d on Valium after about 5 hours. It was horrible. I tried all different combinations of doses and frequencies until I found something that worked for me. When I got down to 5mg I took 2mg upon waking, 1mg 5 hours later, and 1mg 5 hours after that. Then I eliminated the last one, then I tapered the morning dose to 1mg, then tapered the afternoon to 0 and finally tapered the morning dose to 0. By the time I got down to morning only the dose was so small I was just constantly in mild withdrawal. I felt bad, but not as bad as earlier in my taper. Now I feel so much better! I hope you can find a dose that works well for you. Maybe start at 5mg and taper from there? Will your doctor let you set your own pace?

did you just split pills to taper olive?

[[Ol...]]

Yes, that makes a lot of sense. I read that Valium had a 10 hour half life so I was confused about getting interdose withdrawals, but I just figured I have a really high metabolism so mine goes faster. Yes, I did dry cuts only, I would just split them with my fingers. I started by cutting 1mg at a time, then around 6mg I realized that was too hard so I dropped by .5mg, then at 2mg I realized I needed to go even slower so I went down by .25mg. By the time I got to .25mg that felt like the smallest I could accurately dry cut and at that point I decided to jump and see how it went. So far so good!

[[Aj...]]

Hi,

 

I'm taking them about 6 hours apart.

 

I leave the morning one as late as possible and just try to stay in one position in bed because as soon as I move all the muscle spasm and whooshing starts.

 

 

I had this all through taper last year.

 

Even on tiny amounts as soon as it reache peak level in body about 1.5 hours in I would start to get constant squeezing in head and throughout spine as the levels began to drop again. That squeezing has literally caused my muscles to become fibrotic.

 

I can only lie on side. I can't sit or lie on back or on wedge because of spine and muscle stuff - it is hell.

 

I think the diazepam makes me feel worse because body is having to constantly deal with it but without it all my muscles become far too springy and uncontrollable.

 

I've just taken some methocarbamol for muscles and it makes some problems worse just like the diazepam.

 

All of it weakens muscles that need to be strong but does nothing for the really tight parts that make me feel crushed.

 

I just want the diazepam out of body again but without it the muscle tightness is apalling from top of head throughout whole spine, legs and increasingly arms and hands. All the small muscles right in tight against spine have hone solid.

 

Before withdrawal the diazepam seemed to keep working - for most of the time I was only tsking 5mg 2x/day so I don't know if it is a change in the way my brain deals with it or if I tapered too quickly last year and the levels dropped to fast.

 

 

 

[[Ju...]]

Valium has a long half-life, about 8 days.  But you still can feel it in 6 or 7 hours after taking a dose.  When I take only .5 mg., I can feel it in 2 and one-half hours.