Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[Un...]]

Hi Kit,

I'm doing pretty decently overall. How are you doing?  Well, I hope.  I've been feeling pretty unmotivated and lazy lately and brain fog has been there more.  Also can't stop gaining weight.  I have a few other annoying symptoms but I don't feel like I can complain.  I'll take it!  Yes, I'm happy to finally be less than 1mg and feel like I can finally see the light.  Hoping to be off by the end of the year.  You will get there - as we have all come to learn, it's definitely not a race.

 

Wow, Momof7babes..  look at you girl!  I’m so excited for you!  I remember the place you were in when we first met.  Sounds like you are doing so well, considering.  Oh my, how right you are that it is not a race (oops!).  Couldn’t be happier for you!  Cheering you on ❤️

[[ki...]]

Hi Kit,

I'm doing pretty decently overall. How are you doing?  Well, I hope.  I've been feeling pretty unmotivated and lazy lately and brain fog has been there more.  Also can't stop gaining weight.  I have a few other annoying symptoms but I don't feel like I can complain.  I'll take it!  Yes, I'm happy to finally be less than 1mg and feel like I can finally see the light.  Hoping to be off by the end of the year.  You will get there - as we have all come to learn, it's definitely not a race.

 

I’m so glad to read you’re doing well. I remember when you first messaged me on FB and we were both in tricky places with our tapers. I’m doing ok. I hit a snag in April and have had to slow my taper down. Not sure if it was the pace of my taper or that I had an interaction with the COVID vaccine. Anyway, I’ll be holding for a little while in hopes things settle down. I gained quite a bit of weight during my first taper in 2019 and I gained some last year as well. Now I’m down 30 lbs since April (I had plenty to lose, so I don’t look sickly or anything). Yes, I have had so many friends finish their tapers since I started mine, I have to remind myself that with patience and acceptance I will get there too.

[[CH...]]

Yeah I’ve been hearing that you should split the Valium dose to twice daily to help with interdose WD but knowin the long half life I wonder what is the actual experience of those who stayed at only once a day dosing. To me I’m worried about the implications of trying to split my dose and wonder if it’s really necessary. At the same time I am concerned if I wait and keep tapering I’ll be forced to split on an already low dose and mess myself up.

 

With the really long half life, you shouldn't have interdose WD, but some here are fast metabolizers, they have a gene that causes them to metabolize medications more rapidly. Some know they have this gene (I have had my genotype done,  so I know I do not), and others find out by trial and error. If you'd rather stay on the safe side, since you are unsure, it won't harm you to split the dose, and continue tapering that way. Do what you feel most comfortable with.

 

Oh that’s great to know that I could have a blood test done to find out! Thank you for your feedback.

[[Mo...]]

Uni,

Thanks so much, lady.  You helped me so much - I haven't forgotten and I think of you often and pray for you frequently.  Hang in there the best you can as I know it's really tough for you right now.  I hope that brighter and better days are ahead for you soon!   

 

Kit,

Hard to believe that this was almost 2 years ago already.  I'm sorry to hear about that but glad that things are better for you.  I wouldn't be surprised if it were either thing.  I have heard of others having reactions like these to the vaccines.  I have stayed away from all doctors, etc and don't plan to get any vaccinations, at least until I'm healed.  Even then, I will likely remain very skeptical and hesitant.  Being harmed has opened my eyes. 

 

Congrats on the weight loss!  And you are feeling better even though you have cut calories?  How are you doing it, if you don't mind sharing (here or PM)?  I can't seem to stop gaining and it's getting a bit much.  I'm quite sure that the extra fat has helped with the Valium binding and metabolizing better so I'm happy to be back to a more healthy weight (my low was like 102 pounds).  Any time I try to cut what I'm used to, my body says NO and I seem to get shaky and irritable.  Thus my new strategy is to just make some more healthy meals and wait until after the taper to really focus on weight control & any loss of pounds.  We'll see. 

 

 

[[ki...]]

Momof7babes,

 

The weight loss has been from lack of appetite, nausea, and/or anxiety. Plus the way I deal with bad anxiety is by going for really long walks, so that’s likely contributed to weight loss as well. Not the ideal way to lose weight. In 2019 I was doing yoga classes 5+ times a week, plus running 15 miles a week and I still gained 20 lbs.

[[Mo...]]

Ugh, sorry to hear!  Definitely not the way one wants to lose weight.  Hope that part of it gets better for you.  I think anxiety, or whatever goes along with it, has a correlation with metabolism (speeding it up).  I've heard of many in w/d say that they've gained weight and can't seem to get a handle on it, though.  Of course, there are many that lose weight too but these (myself included back then) I note are the ones that had more acute symptoms, often Aka, so there's a lot of activity.  I also know that I'm 43 now and that the severe weight loss I experienced (even though I was eating a TON but just healthy) probably jacked with my metabolism too.  Hopefully, one day, our bodies will be back to homeostasis, whatever that looks like.

 

 

[[Su...]]

Yeah I’ve been hearing that you should split the Valium dose to twice daily to help with interdose WD but knowin the long half life I wonder what is the actual experience of those who stayed at only once a day dosing. To me I’m worried about the implications of trying to split my dose and wonder if it’s really necessary. At the same time I am concerned if I wait and keep tapering I’ll be forced to split on an already low dose and mess myself up.

 

With the really long half life, you shouldn't have interdose WD, but some here are fast metabolizers, they have a gene that causes them to metabolize medications more rapidly. Some know they have this gene (I have had my genotype done,  so I know I do not), and others find out by trial and error. If you'd rather stay on the safe side, since you are unsure, it won't harm you to split the dose, and continue tapering that way. Do what you feel most comfortable with.

 

Hi Crew,

I wanted to ask a question and maybe start a bit of discussion?  I'm recently off Xanax ( yay me!!!) a long tortuous journey that involved Valium.  I know that there is much talk on the boards of the half-life of Valium, and other meds, but I have to dose 5X a day with Valium and have had my genotype done- I'm not a fast metabolizer.

When I realized that I started looking up the "half-life" versus the "Duration of action" of meds.  The numbers presented online differ wildly but many put the "doa" of Valium at about 3-4 hours.  That really is what my body seems to suggest as well.

If the half-life were the biggest thing wouldn't we not need to dose daily? let alone many times a day?

I wonder if those having a really hard time with dosing once daily would be better dosing more times using the "DOA" as a basis for dosing times.

 

If I wait to dose for too long I can feel my CNS get revved up and then it is harder to bring it down.   I realize that the recent xanax w/d confounds things tremendously-- eg I can go from my 10pm dose of Valium until noon with few sxs.  If I wait until 1:00 my day is done!

 

Just wondering about it all and reading lots of people on this thread.  It appears that I have a hard time simply holding without thinking I have to change something!! 

I'm just a month off Xanax and trying to hold for at least three until I start my Valium taper....  Hoping the interdose w/d will lessen.  Yes I still get interdose w/d on Valium dosing 5X a day.  Wild huh?

 

wishing you all the best in this crazy and worthwhile journey off....

 

SS

[[Mo...]]

SS,

Sorry to hear you are having this much trouble with I/D withdrawal on Valium.  Are you underweight or on the lower end of your ideal weight range by chance?  I had severe I/D withdrawal on Klonopin and wonder if my extremely low weight at the time had anything to do with it.  As soon as I transitioned to Valium, I did not have those issues and I gained all of my weight back - however, I do dose 3X per day. 

 

I personally do not put much stock into those genetic tests.  I am supposedly an ultra-rapid metabolizer of the CYP2C19 and that's supposed to make Valium a bad fit for me but that's not been the case.  I spoke to one of the psychiatrists at Mayo about these tests a couple of years ago and he just said "the science just isn't there yet." And apparently Mayo was a big player in getting these tests developed (IDK if that's true).  My previous psychiatrist, who was pushing these tests on everyone originally, also ended up determining that the tests in practice just weren't really a good indicator.

[[Su...]]

SS,

Sorry to hear you are having this much trouble with I/D withdrawal on Valium.  Are you underweight or on the lower end of your ideal weight range by chance?  I had severe I/D withdrawal on Klonopin and wonder if my extremely low weight at the time had anything to do with it.  As soon as I transitioned to Valium, I did not have those issues and I gained all of my weight back - however, I do dose 3X per day. 

 

I personally do not put much stock into those genetic tests.  I am supposedly an ultra-rapid metabolizer of the CYP2C19 and that's supposed to make Valium a bad fit for me but that's not been the case.  I spoke to one of the psychiatrists at Mayo about these tests a couple of years ago and he just said "the science just isn't there yet." And apparently Mayo was a big player in getting these tests developed (IDK if that's true).  My previous psychiatrist, who was pushing these tests on everyone originally, also ended up determining that the tests in practice just weren't really a good indicator.

Momof7

thanks for this info and reply

 

I'm not underweight, put back on the 30 lbs I lost whilst tapering too quickly, but perhaps i am an ultrafast metabolizer, or perhaps my body is still in BIG recovery mode from the Xanax.  Weirdly I never had interdose with X, only when I added in the V.  But our bodies are all very very different aren't they!

 

I guess we just keep going, or in my case holding  for a bit longer until my body settles down even more- if that is possible.

 

I'm pretty used to the interdose by now so it's really just that I can tell the time down to the minute every 2.5 hours!!  :laugh:

 

May I ask why you dose 3X a day?  how did you come to that dosing strategy? Are there any interdose w/d sxs or?

I'm so curious as to how other people come up with the regimen that works for them as we all seem to have such a variety of responses and choices around this whole thing.

I hope that your day is good -- one day closer-- and one more day to enjoy no matter what! 

SS

 

[[Mo...]]

Hmmm, that really is an unusual reaction compared to most that I know but it doesn't necessarily surprise me.  I do understand the feeling of interdose withdrawal as when I had it on Klonopin, I was clock watching.  I would get the physical tightness that you described and intense feelings of anxiety.  Before I crossed from Klonopin, I was taking it 3X a day to help with the I/D.  I originally only took the K once a day but realized some of the physical symptoms I was having (extreme dry mouth/throat) were due to the I/D; that and I was clock watching then too.  I had hoped it would help and it did for some things but not for others.  Anyhow, I just stuck with the 3X per day after c/o.  I am in a small FB group that discusses that people should take more frequently to avoid nervous system waves so that's just what I've done.  I only split it into 3 daytime doses.  At night, I don't interrupt my sleep.  So far, it's working well.  I even forgot to take my morning dose before church the other day and I almost started to panic but was able to calm down - I was fine and this was going about 15 hours without my dose.  I do take my liquid prescription sublingually and I'm not sure, but I think it's helped me.  I only notice issues when my blood sugar dips - I'm definitely more sensitive now. 

[[Su...]]

Hmmm, that really is an unusual reaction compared to most that I know but it doesn't necessarily surprise me.  I do understand the feeling of interdose withdrawal as when I had it on Klonopin, I was clock watching.  I would get the physical tightness that you described and intense feelings of anxiety.  Before I crossed from Klonopin, I was taking it 3X a day to help with the I/D.  I originally only took the K once a day but realized some of the physical symptoms I was having (extreme dry mouth/throat) were due to the I/D; that and I was clock watching then too.  I had hoped it would help and it did for some things but not for others.  Anyhow, I just stuck with the 3X per day after c/o.  I am in a small FB group that discusses that people should take more frequently to avoid nervous system waves so that's just what I've done.  I only split it into 3 daytime doses.  At night, I don't interrupt my sleep.  So far, it's working well.  I even forgot to take my morning dose before church the other day and I almost started to panic but was able to calm down - I was fine and this was going about 15 hours without my dose.  I do take my liquid prescription sublingually and I'm not sure, but I think it's helped me.  I only notice issues when my blood sugar dips - I'm definitely more sensitive now.

 

Interesting that the FB group that you belong to speaks of taking more frequent doses to deal with the nervous sxs.  It may be that I was in such terrible tolerance when i started  and tapered like a fiend when I started tapering (knowing who to listen to is more than half this battle) so that my CNS was truly injured.  Really injured!  But now I do it now works for me, and that's the main thing.

And I got off the Xanax

And I'm functional

And I'm so much wiser around tapering....

And there are such good people on this forum to chat with

Thank you for being one of them!!!

SS

 

[[Un...]]

Yeah I’ve been hearing that you should split the Valium dose to twice daily to help with interdose WD but knowin the long half life I wonder what is the actual experience of those who stayed at only once a day dosing. To me I’m worried about the implications of trying to split my dose and wonder if it’s really necessary. At the same time I am concerned if I wait and keep tapering I’ll be forced to split on an already low dose and mess myself up.

 

With the really long half life, you shouldn't have interdose WD, but some here are fast metabolizers, they have a gene that causes them to metabolize medications more rapidly. Some know they have this gene (I have had my genotype done,  so I know I do not), and others find out by trial and error. If you'd rather stay on the safe side, since you are unsure, it won't harm you to split the dose, and continue tapering that way. Do what you feel most comfortable with.

 

Hi Crew,

I wanted to ask a question and maybe start a bit of discussion?  I'm recently off Xanax ( yay me!!!) a long tortuous journey that involved Valium.  I know that there is much talk on the boards of the half-life of Valium, and other meds, but I have to dose 5X a day with Valium and have had my genotype done- I'm not a fast metabolizer.

When I realized that I started looking up the "half-life" versus the "Duration of action" of meds.  The numbers presented online differ wildly but many put the "doa" of Valium at about 3-4 hours.  That really is what my body seems to suggest as well.

If the half-life were the biggest thing wouldn't we not need to dose daily? let alone many times a day?

I wonder if those having a really hard time with dosing once daily would be better dosing more times using the "DOA" as a basis for dosing times.

 

If I wait to dose for too long I can feel my CNS get revved up and then it is harder to bring it down.   I realize that the recent xanax w/d confounds things tremendously-- eg I can go from my 10pm dose of Valium until noon with few sxs.  If I wait until 1:00 my day is done!

 

Just wondering about it all and reading lots of people on this thread.  It appears that I have a hard time simply holding without thinking I have to change something!! 

I'm just a month off Xanax and trying to hold for at least three until I start my Valium taper....  Hoping the interdose w/d will lessen.  Yes I still get interdose w/d on Valium dosing 5X a day.  Wild huh?

 

wishing you all the best in this crazy and worthwhile journey off....

 

SS

 

Hi SS,

 

Congratulations on achieving freedom from X!  I hope it is going as smoothly as possible and you’ve had no acute.  I know you’ve taken it slow, and you’re so wise for doing so! 

 

So, the Valium thing is a biggie for me as well.  I dose 4 times a day and still feel it doesn’t cover wd between doses.  It is better than when I was doing 3 times a day dosing, however. I am confirmed ultra rapid metabolizer (UM), but not sure that has anything to do with it.  I’m also underweight and malnourished, from wd.  From what I’ve read and heard, Valium acts similarly to X with hitting the receptors quickly and leaving quickly, except it has a long half life.  Seems to reach peak by 1.5 hours for me, then poof it’s more revved up wds again in a few hours from each dose.  That’s just my experience, though.  I know many who can take it once a day and be fine.  I do wonder if this will improve for you in some months the further from discontinuation of X.  That interesting you didn’t have interdose on X until you added the V in? 

[[Un...]]

Uni,

Thanks so much, lady.  You helped me so much - I haven't forgotten and I think of you often and pray for you frequently.  Hang in there the best you can as I know it's really tough for you right now.  I hope that brighter and better days are ahead for you soon!   

 

Kit,

Hard to believe that this was almost 2 years ago already.  I'm sorry to hear about that but glad that things are better for you.  I wouldn't be surprised if it were either thing.  I have heard of others having reactions like these to the vaccines.  I have stayed away from all doctors, etc and don't plan to get any vaccinations, at least until I'm healed.  Even then, I will likely remain very skeptical and hesitant.  Being harmed has opened my eyes. 

 

Congrats on the weight loss!  And you are feeling better even though you have cut calories?  How are you doing it, if you don't mind sharing (here or PM)?  I can't seem to stop gaining and it's getting a bit much.  I'm quite sure that the extra fat has helped with the Valium binding and metabolizing better so I'm happy to be back to a more healthy weight (my low was like 102 pounds).  Any time I try to cut what I'm used to, my body says NO and I seem to get shaky and irritable.  Thus my new strategy is to just make some more healthy meals and wait until after the taper to really focus on weight control & any loss of pounds.  We'll see.

 

I think of you too!  It’s great to see how far you’ve come.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  Hugs

[[Su...]]

Yeah I’ve been hearing that you should split the Valium dose to twice daily to help with interdose WD but knowin the long half life I wonder what is the actual experience of those who stayed at only once a day dosing. To me I’m worried about the implications of trying to split my dose and wonder if it’s really necessary. At the same time I am concerned if I wait and keep tapering I’ll be forced to split on an already low dose and mess myself up.

 

With the really long half life, you shouldn't have interdose WD, but some here are fast metabolizers, they have a gene that causes them to metabolize medications more rapidly. Some know they have this gene (I have had my genotype done,  so I know I do not), and others find out by trial and error. If you'd rather stay on the safe side, since you are unsure, it won't harm you to split the dose, and continue tapering that way. Do what you feel most comfortable with.

 

Hi Crew,

I wanted to ask a question and maybe start a bit of discussion?  I'm recently off Xanax ( yay me!!!) a long tortuous journey that involved Valium.  I know that there is much talk on the boards of the half-life of Valium, and other meds, but I have to dose 5X a day with Valium and have had my genotype done- I'm not a fast metabolizer.

When I realized that I started looking up the "half-life" versus the "Duration of action" of meds.  The numbers presented online differ wildly but many put the "doa" of Valium at about 3-4 hours.  That really is what my body seems to suggest as well.

If the half-life were the biggest thing wouldn't we not need to dose daily? let alone many times a day?

I wonder if those having a really hard time with dosing once daily would be better dosing more times using the "DOA" as a basis for dosing times.

 

If I wait to dose for too long I can feel my CNS get revved up and then it is harder to bring it down.   I realize that the recent xanax w/d confounds things tremendously-- eg I can go from my 10pm dose of Valium until noon with few sxs.  If I wait until 1:00 my day is done!

 

Just wondering about it all and reading lots of people on this thread.  It appears that I have a hard time simply holding without thinking I have to change something!! 

I'm just a month off Xanax and trying to hold for at least three until I start my Valium taper....  Hoping the interdose w/d will lessen.  Yes I still get interdose w/d on Valium dosing 5X a day.  Wild huh?

 

wishing you all the best in this crazy and worthwhile journey off....

 

SS

 

Hi SS,

 

Congratulations on achieving freedom from X!  I hope it is going as smoothly as possible and you’ve had no acute.  I know you’ve taken it slow, and you’re so wise for doing so! 

 

So, the Valium thing is a biggie for me as well.  I dose 4 times a day and still feel it doesn’t cover wd between doses.  It is better than when I was doing 3 times a day dosing, however. I am confirmed ultra rapid metabolizer (UM), but not sure that has anything to do with it.  I’m also underweight and malnourished, from wd.  From what I’ve read and heard, Valium acts similarly to X with hitting the receptors quickly and leaving quickly, except it has a long half life.  Seems to reach peak by 1.5 hours for me, then poof it’s more revved up wds again in a few hours from each dose.  That’s just my experience, though.  I know many who can take it once a day and be fine.  I do wonder if this will improve for you in some months the further from discontinuation of X.  That interesting you didn’t have interdose on X until you added the V in?

 

Hi Uni,

Nice to be in contact again and to hear of your experience.  Validating that you too have and experience with V of it hitting quickly and then leaving quickly!  Yes and yes!  Not sure what the half life really means when the doa is what i experience most.

My body always liked X ( I know I know)  and when I first started on V it was at 10mg -- no interdose w/d but depression so bad that I couldn't move. I quickly lowered the dose but dosed 5X a day with V and once a day with X.  There are so many factors that contributed to the whole thing.

Right now I'm just trying to move move doses -- 15 minutes at a time, then hold for a few days -- so that I can get at least one dose late in the evening.  Then I can possibly start tapering that dose.

 

Look at how far you've come Uni!  congratulations on the trudge down, a journey of champions I figure.  I hope that things ease for you as you are holding ( think that's what I read-- holds have been fantastic at times for me)

 

Thanks for this message that confirms some of my experience and please know that perhaps we can support each other again as we continue.  I mean that to say I hope I can be of support to you -- fellow fast metabolizer?

 

<3

SS

[[Be...]]

 

I personally do not put much stock into those genetic tests.  I am supposedly an ultra-rapid metabolizer of the CYP2C19 and that's supposed to make Valium a bad fit for me but that's not been the case.  I spoke to one of the psychiatrists at Mayo about these tests a couple of years ago and he just said "the science just isn't there yet." And apparently Mayo was a big player in getting these tests developed (IDK if that's true).  My previous psychiatrist, who was pushing these tests on everyone originally, also ended up determining that the tests in practice just weren't really a good indicator.

 

 

I had the specific genetic test done when going to a pain management clinic. It was part of a study being done on Medicare patients (I receive SSDI), and they were asking for volunteers to participate in the development of these tests. I was told mine came back normal. This was before these tests became mainstream in medicine. I was not told who was involved in the development.

 

I've since had my full genotype done, and used Promethease and SNPedia to learn more about my genetic makeup. There are several genes involved in metabolizing drugs. And each of these genes has variants. Variants may be ultra-fast metabolizer, fast metabolizer, normal metabolizer and poor metabolizer. These are all part of the P450 family. The variants are associated with different alleles, and the gene you have affects all benzo's, but most commonly Valium. Some of the variants are uncategorized as scientists and researchers are not sure due to conflicting results. Maybe that's where you fall.

 

SNPedia and PubChem acknowledges that the variants are still not fully known. I have one variant, which is a good one. A different metabolism gene I have says I cannot metabolize Plavix, and Plavix could be deadly. And I found yet another gene related to not being able to take Plavix. The science is still developing, and for those getting genotypes done, 23 & Me can give you different results than Ancestry. My guess is the ones geneticists use in medicine also have margins of error. At least the Valium is working for you. Is it because you are dosing 3 x's a day, or is it nothing? There may be no answer. While Ashton uses bedtime dosing at the end of crossing over, she did say that ultimately the taper should be patient driven. Do what you feel comfortable doing.

[Guest [...]]

I’ll be down to 9 mgs tonight, this whole journey has just been horrific insomnia wise, at what point do people consider it safe to stop taking medication? Is 5 and under the safe zone? I know it’s highly individual but just curious on what people have seen and read.

[[Ca...]]

I’ll be down to 9 mgs tonight, this whole journey has just been horrific insomnia wise, at what point do people consider it safe to stop taking medication? Is 5 and under the safe zone? I know it’s highly individual but just curious on what people have seen and read.

To help members answer/guess, -which people (how affected by these meds), and “safe” from what (seizure, symptoms, reinstatement..)..??

 

[[se...]]

Hi all,

 

I am crossing over from clonazepam to diaz, currently on step 2 of a crossover where I take 5mg diazepam twice daily, and .25mg clonazepam at night. Although last night I only took .125mg K with the V, because I am feeling like I want to cross over to a lower dose of V than Ashton recommends (15mg).

 

First of all, I feel fine throughout the day. Honestly, so far, anxiety wise, I feel better than I have in years, certainly much better than when I was taking clonazepam "as needed", which meant I was taking anywhere from 0 (although this almost never happened in the past year), to .5, to 1.5 mg in any given day. When I was stabilizing on .75mg K (in two doses of .375) I was also having a lot of anxiety attacks throughout the day. Since I started my crossover this isn't happening.

 

My big complaint that I'd love advice on, is I find it extremely difficult to wake up in the morning. Normally I wake up naturally around 7:30 or 8 after going to bed around 11, but lately I've been waking up at 6, going back to sleep, and then waking up at like 9:45, which for me is super late and makes me feel depressed and bad about myself. And even waking up then, I have to drag myself out of bed. It's really a feeling I haven't had since I quit drinking - it reminds me a bit of a hangover, except once I wake up and have a half-caf coffee, it basically goes away. I don't feel super sedated throughout the day.

 

I'm wondering a couple things. I have been taking my night time V dose around bedtime - maybe if I took it with supper I could mitigate this?

 

The specialized pharmacist who is supervising my taper, using Ashton method, wants me to reduce my morning dose first and then my evening dose, but I wonder if anyone has done this in the opposite direction - continued taking the morning dose and lowered the night time?

 

Finally, I'm talking to him this morning in an hour, and I want to suggest a significantly lower crossover dose than Ashton's. Last time we talked he agreed to 14mg, but I am thinking maybe 12.5, as that would be the equiv if I keep taking .125K at night.

 

Alternately...could the excess sleepiness just be withdrawal from K? Weirdly, whenever I took K at night, I woke up easier and more refreshed in the morning.

 

Part of me is worried a crossover was the wrong decision, but like I said, my daytime anxiety is much better than when I was just taking .375mg K 2x/day. So I do think the valium is doing what it's supposed to in being a more even level throughout the day.

 

Sorry for all the info!!! Any input or experiences would be really appreciated!!!

 

[[Mo...]]

Hi Selkie,

It does sound like you made the right choice, IMHO, crossing over to Valium.  Most of us here feel very sedated at first on it also. Especially at the higher doses.  This does go away for most of us.  If you could, just accept it for what it is for now, allow yourself to sleep, perhaps get some exercise to wake you up.  In time, this likely will get better.  You are not unreasonable to consider crossing over at a lower dose as even Ashton talks about this and another reason why doing a slow c/o is beneficial.  I got away with a bit less as well - my equivalent dose was supposed to be 7.5mg but I went over to 6.5mg and had no trouble.  As far as dosing, I do 3 even doses but could probably get by with 2.  For now, I would personally just stick with what you are doing and give it time for your body to adjust before changing anything else.  I know it's hard but acceptance and patience is key in this.  I wanted to abandon my crossover a couple of times because I felt so terrible but it ALL got better for me and I can't tell you how glad I was that I stuck this out.  This isn't the case for everyone but for me, it definitely was.  Best wishes!

[[se...]]

Thank you so much Momof7 (and wow, how incredible!)

You're right, I have a lot of trouble with patience. It's really hard for me to just "let myself sleep", but it is probably absolutely just what my body needs. And I also know that sleep might get difficult as I start to reduce so I'm glad I'm able to for now. Thank you. It's honestly just so helpful to chat here with people going through this, I'm at the very beginning and I get so tempted to CT because I just want this all to be over and move on with my life (don't worry, I am not even considering this in the slightest). Need to remember patience. Thank you.

 

<3

[[no...]]

I been holding for over 2 months now, heading in to nearly 3 and not getting any better so am considering trying a cut, did anyone else find it helped when a hold was making you feel worse?  The last cut was nowhere near as hell as this one has been although it was bad at least I got times when it was more bearable  but I'm scared I may end up even worse if I cut, but I also want the hell of this drug too but can't afford to be any more messed up than I am right now I'm barely surviving.

 

            Nova 

[[Ni...]]

I'm even lower than my last time before I went cold turkey, I'm on 13 mg of valium now, coming from 28 mg of valium! And I'm doing great, physical anxiety is almost non existent! I'm also tapering off my risperidone, went from 3 mg to 2 mg yesterday, gonna stay on 2 mg for 2 weeks then cut to 1 mg for 2 weeks then jump from it.

[[Mo...]]

Nova,

I'm really sorry you are struggling.  I'm not a big fan of long holds and my own experience was not good.  I do know of one buddy who, after a long hold and feeling worse, started microtapering pretty slowly and it helped.  I hope things improve for you one way or another!

 

Nikitis,

That is fabulous news!  Congratulations!

[[Be...]]

Nova,

I'm really sorry you are struggling.  I'm not a big fan of long holds and my own experience was not good.  I do know of one buddy who, after a long hold and feeling worse, started microtapering pretty slowly and it helped.  I hope things improve for you one way or another!

 

 

I answered Nova on the long hold board, as I held a little over a month, then did a tiny .25 cut in my am V dose as I started feeling worse. Now 10 days after the cut, I'm a wreck. So your post helped me, even though it wasn't intended for me. My Psych NP is encouraging me to chip off .25 of my last 1 mg am dose until I'm down to 0. I'm at .75 now. I will probably hold for no more than 3 weeks before the next .25 mg cut. Is that too slow, or slow enough?

[[no...]]

Nova,

I'm really sorry you are struggling.  I'm not a big fan of long holds and my own experience was not good.  I do know of one buddy who, after a long hold and feeling worse, started microtapering pretty slowly and it helped.  I hope things improve for you one way or another!

 

Nikitis,

That is fabulous news!  Congratulations!

Thanks   

 

                                            Nova