Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[jo...]]

I am seriously thinking of going to 3xday dosing from my current 2xday dosing, but not sure how wise that would be after being at 2xday for 21 months?

I have been stuck at 3.4mg since Dec. 10 and can't seem to stabilize. This has definitely been the most difficult stage of my taper with every wd sx worse than they have ever been. I almost gave in and went to the ER last night, but convinced myself it was just a horrendous panic attack, which still lingers today. Those panic attacks disappeared the past year after I c/o to valium, but I guess they're back with a vengeance. 

 

Here is my concern:

If I start dosing 3xday, I would be taking 1mg morning, 1mg afternoon, and 1.4mg night. My worry is with taking those small of doses I might make myself feel worse than better. I know that some here only dose once a day, while others dose 2-4 times a day. I'm just desperately looking for experiences or suggestions that may help my situation.

As always, I am so thankful for the support I have found from everyone here and I wish all the best with your taper and healing.

JoJo

[[Pe...]]

Hi Pacenik,

 

You wrote:"Nobody who isn't dependent on benzos has anxiety that needs 10 mg diazepam to deal with it."

 

What exactly does that mean for me? I don't quite understand. Thanks and greetings, Pecoro. 

It means that it can't be anxiety, it's just benzo dependence/tolerance. To a person who never used benzos, however anxious, 10 mg would be a strong dose, enough to put him to sleep. Doses like 20 mg are for status epilepticus.

 

Thank you! 

[[im...]]

For me I dose only once a day and I m thinking about taking a small 1mg during the day to feel better with th anxiety but I dont know what to do. 

[[Ta...]]

I dose three times a day.  I was going to get rid of my afternoon dose completely but I've decided to keep one annoying 1 mg for 2:30  pm.  This is just in case I move to water titration three times a day and I don't want to totally confuse my brain.  I'm currently at 14.5 from 20.  4 mg at 8:30  1 1/2 mg at 2:30 (I'm going to taper the 1/2 next) and 9 at 8:30 pm.    I figure the 1 mg at 2:30 is just acting as a sugar pill. 

 

So far the taper is going ok.  TG 

[[Ni...]]

So I ate a grilled cheese sandwich with mayonnaise of course and I fell asleep in the afternoon and had severe physical anxiety during my sleep. It went away when I woke up and smoked a cigarette and a tinge remained which later on during the evening faded. I should really stop the grilled cheese sandwiches but the eggs don't fill my stomach so much and I have a feeling they're giving me physical anxiety as well because of their high glutamine content.

[[Ni...]]

Yesterday I had no physical anxiety the whole day despite having eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonnaise! Today I made a cut to 12 mg of valium in the morning. I'm now on 12 mg of valium in the morning and 12 mg of valium in the evening, as my doctor's prescription is.

[[Ca...]]

Yesterday I had no physical anxiety the whole day despite having eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonnaise! Today I made a cut to 12 mg of valium in the morning. I'm now on 12 mg of valium in the morning and 12 mg of valium in the evening, as my doctor's prescription is.

Well done..!! -You got there..!!

Will your Dr let you stay on this dose a little while..?

 

[[Ni...]]

Yesterday I had no physical anxiety the whole day despite having eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonnaise! Today I made a cut to 12 mg of valium in the morning. I'm now on 12 mg of valium in the morning and 12 mg of valium in the evening, as my doctor's prescription is.

Well done..!! -You got there..!!

Will your Dr let you stay on this dose a little while..?

Thank you! I got the prescription till atleast 1 February, he might extend it.

[[Ca...]]

Yesterday I had no physical anxiety the whole day despite having eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonnaise! Today I made a cut to 12 mg of valium in the morning. I'm now on 12 mg of valium in the morning and 12 mg of valium in the evening, as my doctor's prescription is.

Well done..!! -You got there..!!

Will your Dr let you stay on this dose a little while..?

Thank you! I got the prescription till atleast 1 February, he might extend it.

I hope so, -and that it gets easier as you settle into a taper that suits you..

 

[[jo...]]

Had to quit the Rx liquid after 8 days, because wd sx were getting worse each day to the point that I was unable to function at all. It was the sickest and most terrified I have been throughout my taper. I guess I was just one of us who could not tolerate the Rx liquid. I wish it would have worked for me, because it was soo much easier. Been back on homemade vodka solution for 3 days and I am feeling much much better.

I want to thank everyone for helping me to try switching to the Rx liquid. Everyone's instruction and suggestions was heartfully appreciated. I'm just going to have to make the pills and homemade solution work for me.

 

JoJo

[[Ni...]]

Yesterday I had no physical anxiety the whole day despite having eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonnaise! Today I made a cut to 12 mg of valium in the morning. I'm now on 12 mg of valium in the morning and 12 mg of valium in the evening, as my doctor's prescription is.

Well done..!! -You got there..!!

Will your Dr let you stay on this dose a little while..?

Thank you! I got the prescription till atleast 1 February, he might extend it.

I hope so, -and that it gets easier as you settle into a taper that suits you..

I'm having slight anxiety now, and I woke up with my right leg feeling weak but spasming at the same time. I've never had muscle spasticity before. I did put some clothes on my feet in bed last night before sleep because a friend advised me that and it felt a bit heavy on my feet and legs a little bit. Now my leg feels a tiny bit stiff but not tight.

 

Could it be because of the clothes?

[[Ca...]]

Yesterday I had no physical anxiety the whole day despite having eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonnaise! Today I made a cut to 12 mg of valium in the morning. I'm now on 12 mg of valium in the morning and 12 mg of valium in the evening, as my doctor's prescription is.

Well done..!! -You got there..!!

Will your Dr let you stay on this dose a little while..?

Thank you! I got the prescription till atleast 1 February, he might extend it.

I hope so, -and that it gets easier as you settle into a taper that suits you..

I'm having slight anxiety now, and I woke up with my right leg feeling weak but spasming at the same time. I've never had muscle spasticity before. I did put some clothes on my feet in bed last night before sleep because a friend advised me that and it felt a bit heavy on my feet and legs a little bit. Now my leg feels a tiny bit stiff but not tight.

 

Could it be because of the clothes?

Its not a bit of Restless Limb Syndrome (RLS) or similar that your getting perhaps..?? -Its pretty common..

The best I can describe it is the irresistible urge to move the muscles, and resistance against them to make the muscles work can help ease it..

But if one is just getting little “niggles” of RLS it can feel pretty odd and neuropathic..

-Just a thought though..

[[Ni...]]

Yesterday I had no physical anxiety the whole day despite having eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonnaise! Today I made a cut to 12 mg of valium in the morning. I'm now on 12 mg of valium in the morning and 12 mg of valium in the evening, as my doctor's prescription is.

Well done..!! -You got there..!!

Will your Dr let you stay on this dose a little while..?

Thank you! I got the prescription till atleast 1 February, he might extend it.

I hope so, -and that it gets easier as you settle into a taper that suits you..

I'm having slight anxiety now, and I woke up with my right leg feeling weak but spasming at the same time. I've never had muscle spasticity before. I did put some clothes on my feet in bed last night before sleep because a friend advised me that and it felt a bit heavy on my feet and legs a little bit. Now my leg feels a tiny bit stiff but not tight.

 

Could it be because of the clothes?

Its not a bit of Restless Limb Syndrome (RLS) or similar that your getting perhaps..?? -Its pretty common..

The best I can describe it is the irresistible urge to move the muscles, and resistance against them to make the muscles work can help ease it..

But if one is just getting little “niggles” of RLS it can feel pretty odd and neuropathic..

-Just a thought though..

I didn't have the urge to move my leg, it just felt really weird. Like in a spasm and weak at the same time. I hope it's not something permanent. Thank you for your thoughts and concern

[[Mi...]]

Hi Scorpio,

 

All I could think of is to check that the composition of both tablets are the same even though they are both made by Teva. I recommend searching for any comments on Google.

[[Pe...]]

Hello, first of all best wishes for 2021 for all of you!  I have been tapering my valium coming from 15mg to 9mg and had such severe sx that I decided to hold. I have held the 9mg from 11-3 to 12-22 without any relief. I panicked and updosed to 10mg at my p-doc's advice on 12-22. I was reluctant to do it but I felt I had to because I was feeling so ill and depressed I was afraid I was losing control. My p-doc added Seroquel to the mix to make me sleep better and alleviate my depression. The Seroquel did not help much and gave me anxiety so I stopped taking it at 01-01. After that I was more anxious than before due to withdrawal from it which seems to subside by now. The updose to 10mg does not do much it seemes but I do sleep a little better and some sx lessened (jaw-pain). My major sx now is depression, which I already had since starting tapering but is now with me 24/7. I know valium-tapering causes it but I worry a lot about needing to updose while holding. It makes me think I will never make it off this drug and I read a lot about what will await me if that happens, and that scares me enormously. I do not know how to proceed from here. The depression is debilitating and I have no courage now to start cutting again. I feel I am stuck at 10mg and don't know what to do. Has anybody any advice for me? It is greatly appreciated. Wishing strength to all on this board and greetings from The Netherlands, Pecoro. 

 

Still holding my dose since 11-3 now at 10mg but to no avail, I suffer from severe wd-effects every day. I have blurred vision, depression, tensions all over my body, burning skin sensations, anxiety, nerve-pains in my arms and legs, tinnitus, jaw-pains, headaches and a feeling of being ill. I also feel if my brain is numb and I can't think straight anymore. I haven't had a good day for months. Also my sleep is getting worse. I had good hopes a long hold would work for me. Tomorrow I will have an appointment with my pdoc over the phone. I have to tell him I quit taking Seroquel. He has been talking about switching me to Klonopin long term but I don't like this idea. I want to get off these drugs! I don't know what to do now this hold and 1mg updose don't give me any relief. Should I have updosed more to get stable? I am afraid that more Valium might backfire now or give me more depression. Am I in tolerance withdrawal? Is there something else going on? I try to keep my dose steady at 10mg now, but feel the urge to take more to have some relief. Something I never had before. All I can do is lay on the coach all day, where I was much more active at the higher doses some time ago. I am so tired of fighting, does anybody know what might be going on with me and how to proceed? Thanks and strength to all on this board, Pecoro. 

 

Edit: Content

[[Ma...]]

Pecoro, so so sorry you are suffering like that.  I believe, just my opinion, you tapered too fast and now it has caught up with you.  Holding often takes months, not 1 or 2, and also often gets worse before better.  Please hold, it won't be easy, but your brain and central nervous system have to catch up with your cuts.  That can take a good while.  Most of us, have done the same thing, and had to hold for months.  We are here with you.  Don't change anything, every change upsets the stability you are trying to reach..  sending you healing thoughts, Mary 🙋🏼🙏😘😷

You can read on the Long Hold Support Group and begin posting there if you want.   

[[Mo...]]

Hi Pecoro.  I'm sorry you are having such difficulties.  I can completely empathize as I have been where you are right now.  I'm not sure I have any good suggestions except to prepare for a microtaper, research NAD+, and if you are only dosing 1X a day then go to 2-3X dosing per day.  Hang in there! 

[[va...]]

Hello, first of all best wishes for 2021 for all of you!  I have been tapering my valium coming from 15mg to 9mg and had such severe sx that I decided to hold. I have held the 9mg from 11-3 to 12-22 without any relief. I panicked and updosed to 10mg at my p-doc's advice on 12-22. I was reluctant to do it but I felt I had to because I was feeling so ill and depressed I was afraid I was losing control. My p-doc added Seroquel to the mix to make me sleep better and alleviate my depression. The Seroquel did not help much and gave me anxiety so I stopped taking it at 01-01. After that I was more anxious than before due to withdrawal from it which seems to subside by now. The updose to 10mg does not do much it seemes but I do sleep a little better and some sx lessened (jaw-pain). My major sx now is depression, which I already had since starting tapering but is now with me 24/7. I know valium-tapering causes it but I worry a lot about needing to updose while holding. It makes me think I will never make it off this drug and I read a lot about what will await me if that happens, and that scares me enormously. I do not know how to proceed from here. The depression is debilitating and I have no courage now to start cutting again. I feel I am stuck at 10mg and don't know what to do. Has anybody any advice for me? It is greatly appreciated. Wishing strength to all on this board and greetings from The Netherlands, Pecoro. 

 

Still holding my dose since 11-3 now at 10mg but to no avail, I suffer from severe wd-effects every day. I have blurred vision, depression, tensions all over my body, burning skin sensations, suicidal ideation, anxiety, nerve-pains in my arms and legs, tinnitus, jaw-pains, headaches and a feeling of being ill. I also feel if my brain is numb and I can't think straight anymore. I haven't had a good day for months. Also my sleep is getting worse. I had good hopes a long hold would work for me. Tomorrow I will have an appointment with my pdoc over the phone. I have to tell him I quit taking Seroquel. He has been talking about switching me to Klonopin long term but I don't like this idea. I want to get off these drugs! I don't know what to do now this hold and 1mg updose don't give me any relief. Should I have updosed more to get stable? I am afraid that more Valium might backfire now or give me more depression. Am I in tolerance withdrawal? Is there something else going on? I try to keep my dose steady at 10mg now, but feel the urge to take more to have some relief. Something I never had before. All I can do is lay on the coach all day, where I was much more active at the higher doses some time ago. I am so tired of fighting, does anybody know what might be going on with me and how to proceed? Thanks and strength to all on this board, Pecoro. 

 

Hi Pecoro. I was like that plus zero sleep. It was indescribable. I held for 7 months. Started feeling slightly better on month three. The best advice I got here is stop going up and down in doses and just hold. I also updosed and I will never know if that helped. Holding did. Now I'm holding again. I just can't afford to be disabled.

[[Pe...]]

Hello Mary, Momof7babes and valiumnomore, thanks for your fast replies! I made my cuts to 9.5mg and 9mg while already being in agony and did not recover from them. The updose to 10mg I reluctantly made to try and stay functional. I knew it would be better to keep doses stable so regretted it a week later. I dose my valium 2 times a day, 5mg in the morning and 5mg when I go to bed. Because of the 1mg updose I feel I am suffering for nothing now and don't know if healing is still going on. I will look up what NAD+ means and if that can do something for me. I already have a scale. For now there is no improvement of symptoms in sight, and that frightens me a lot. The very idea of living like this and seeing no way out depresses me beyond words. I never thought this would hit me so hard after taking prescription pills from a doctor. Thanks again and greetings from The Netherlands, Pecoro. 

[[Mo...]]

I understand.  Given that you are in the Netherlands, I'm not sure what resources are available.  I know that in the US, there is a new website for practitioners, which is benzoreform.org.  Klonopin....he does know that's just another benzo, right?  I hope you can find a good solution, and the strength you need. 

[[Pe...]]

Yes he surely does know that. He doesn't like the idea of me tapering and getting in trouble. He seems fine with stopping the taper because of that. I think that is strange. I wish he would support me more. He thinks benzo wd should be over in a few weeks and if not you suffer from something else...

 

I can only hope healing still goes on after the 1mg updose, because otherwise I suffer for nothing now.

 

Greetings Pecoro. 

[[Ma...]]

Hello Mary, Momof7babes and valiumnomore, thanks for your fast replies! I made my cuts to 9.5mg and 9mg while already being in agony and did not recover from them. The updose to 10mg I reluctantly made to try and stay functional. I knew it would be better to keep doses stable so regretted it a week later. I dose my valium 2 times a day, 5mg in the morning and 5mg when I go to bed. Because of the 1mg updose I feel I am suffering for nothing now and don't know if healing is still going on. I will look up what NAD+ means and if that can do something for me. I already have a scale. For now there is no improvement of symptoms in sight, and that frightens me a lot. The very idea of living like this and seeing no way out depresses me beyond words. I never thought this would hit me so hard after taking prescription pills from a doctor. Thanks again and greetings from The Netherlands, Pecoro. 

 

It is scary Pecoro  .  I messed up so many times in the beginning, I hadn't found bb and my Dr knew nothing about withdrawal.  Updosing is always a 50/50 shot.  Some people it does wonders for, others nothing, and it is also something that may take time to work.  Really, though, hold on, don't change anything, it won't get better right away.  The pushing through when you already felt bad, has probably caused a lot of the withdrawal symptoms.  Don't add to that.  You want to stabilize and it's going to take time, stabilize doesn't mean those symptoms will go away, it means they will become more tolerable.  I wish I could tell you something will work faster, but there just isn't anything but time.  Believe me, I wish there was.  The fact that everyone reacts differently and there is no linear healing just makes it all so hard.  But again, we are here anytime you think we might can support you.

M.

[[Be...]]

You want to stabilize and it's going to take time, stabilize doesn't mean those symptoms will go away, it means they will become more tolerable.

 

I got to that point after my reinstatement, the symptoms were tolerable, so my Provider and I decided to start with a small cut of half a 1 mg Diazepam. We thought I should start slow. Symptoms have been brutal at times, the headaches the worst. But also pressure or fullness in my ears (often worse in the left), and alternating between feeling cold (usually at night and in the am), then too warm (afternoons and evening. I guess this is part of the process, I only just started the cut (less than a week). My provider and I agree this is going to be a long process, and she's letting me control my taper. The headaches are the worst though, I ice my head, take Tylenol, ice gives temporary relief. So your comment helped me understand stabilization, which I clearly am not right now, and may not be for a couple weeks or longer (And I guess that's why there's the Long Hold Support Group).

[[Ma...]]

You want to stabilize and it's going to take time, stabilize doesn't mean those symptoms will go away, it means they will become more tolerable.

 

I got to that point after my reinstatement, the symptoms were tolerable, so my Provider and I decided to start with a small cut of half a 1 mg Diazepam. We thought I should start slow. Symptoms have been brutal at times, the headaches the worst. But also pressure or fullness in my ears (often worse in the left), and alternating between feeling cold (usually at night and in the am), then too warm (afternoons and evening. I guess this is part of the process, I only just started the cut (less than a week). My provider and I agree this is going to be a long process, and she's letting me control my taper. The headaches are the worst though, I ice my head, take Tylenol, ice gives temporary relief. So your comment helped me understand stabilization, which I clearly am not right now, and may not be for a couple weeks or longer (And I guess that's why there's the Long Hold Support Group).

 

They are a great bunch of people and because they have been on bb awhile, a lot of them are very knowledgeable, so just jump in if you have a question or need some support 

[[Ma...]]

Hey everyone, if I understood correctly, the Federal Government just changed their vaccine rollout to 1a and 1b, across the US.    1a is 65 or above.

1b is 64 or below with a morbidity, so if you fit into any of those and want the vaccine, just check your local sites and see if it has changed yet.  It may take a few days who knows to get in place.  Just want everyone vaccinated that wants one.      :smitten: