Valium/Diazepam Support Group

[[St...]]

Ok I think I updated it lol

 

But in case I failed, I was dosing Ati 2x/day and with the guidance of my psych I switched to Liquid V on 4/9/22 direct from Ati 0.433mg/pill which was equivalent to 3.2mg of V so dosing twice a day I started at 6.4mg. Today 4/15/22 I have drip dropped my way to 3mg 2x/day. I really want to keep drip dropping but I also think I need to change my dosage amount/times. Currently im at 4am/4pm i'm about to switch to 2mg 12am 2mg  8am 2mg 4pm

[[Ni...]]

Ok I think I updated it lol

 

But in case I failed, I was dosing Ati 2x/day and with the guidance of my psych I switched to Liquid V on 4/9/22 direct from Ati 0.433mg/pill which was equivalent to 3.2mg of V so dosing twice a day I started at 6.4mg. Today 4/15/22 I have drip dropped my way to 3mg 2x/day. I really want to keep drip dropping but I also think I need to change my dosage amount/times. Currently im at 4am/4pm i'm about to switch to 2mg 12am 2mg  8am 2mg 4pm

 

1 mg of ativan is equal to 10 mg of valium, according to the Ashton manual. So 0.433 mg of ativan is equal to 4.33 mg of valium. I know this because I was crossed over to a too low equivalent of valium for ativan and according to buddies members here was in for a tailspin which I endured as well.

[[St...]]

Ok I think I updated it lol

 

But in case I failed, I was dosing Ati 2x/day and with the guidance of my psych I switched to Liquid V on 4/9/22 direct from Ati 0.433mg/pill which was equivalent to 3.2mg of V so dosing twice a day I started at 6.4mg. Today 4/15/22 I have drip dropped my way to 3mg 2x/day. I really want to keep drip dropping but I also think I need to change my dosage amount/times. Currently im at 4am/4pm i'm about to switch to 2mg 12am 2mg  8am 2mg 4pm

 

1 mg of ativan is equal to 10 mg of valium, according to the Ashton manual. So 0.433 mg of ativan is equal to 4.33 mg of valium. I know this because I was crossed over to a too low equivalent of valium for ativan and according to buddies members here was in for a tailspin which I endured as well.

 

Geez thanks for this info! I went by what my doc said and whew was she off 😭 I am tolerating it moderately though only things bothering me is the anxiety and tachycardia. I've only been tachy since being on this stuff so I want off fast so my heart can go back to normal 😭 but now knowing it was a far stretch i'll be cautious about my drips but keep trucking forward because this nightmare has to end. I'm staying optimistic. Was only on Ati consistently Dec-Jan, started tapering myself, reinstated 1mg in Feb, started tapering myself again in march, switched to Val april now I want off sooner than later to avoid more issues by going slower than necessary. Def listening to my body though 🙌🏾 Ugh this process is crazy! How did you manage your taper/jump?

[[Pa...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

[[Ni...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

[[Pa...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

The calculator gives a range of equivalencies and Professor Ashtons may be based on loading her patients on the heavier side to aid in crossing over.  Not many doctors will use her tables so its important to see the range they'll typically choose from.

[[St...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

Thank you Pam! This is what my psych used too!

[[St...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

How did you get from your 7mg V to your jump at 0.5? What was your process? Cut and hold? Daily Micro?

I seriously am so tempted to either just jump, do a big cut and stabilize, or go to a 30 day detox. I think the ativan should be well out my system now and if I can just medically monitor this heart rate fluxuations and make sure that doesn't go crazytown i've been through the w/d feelings already i'm ready to feel em and get it over with. I had a full heart workup and its structurally normal and healthy so i'm convinced my tachycardia is all from these benzos This isn't getting easier for me and I have kids and life to get back to. This sucks that such short term use can do this to people ugh!! I swear when i'm done with this i'm gonna dedicate my life to benzo awareness and helping others in this area and mental health in general. This has been quite an experience.

[[St...]]

New question: do I have to dose this the exact same times per day? Or just the same amount per day?

[Guest [...]]

If you dose more than once per day, it should be at the same time.

Your body will rely on that.

My body knows when it’s time to have a dose.

 

Winnie

[[Ni...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

How did you get from your 7mg V to your jump at 0.5? What was your process? Cut and hold? Daily Micro?

I seriously am so tempted to either just jump, do a big cut and stabilize, or go to a 30 day detox. I think the ativan should be well out my system now and if I can just medically monitor this heart rate fluxuations and make sure that doesn't go crazytown i've been through the w/d feelings already i'm ready to feel em and get it over with. I had a full heart workup and its structurally normal and healthy so i'm convinced my tachycardia is all from these benzos This isn't getting easier for me and I have kids and life to get back to. This sucks that such short term use can do this to people ugh!! I swear when i'm done with this i'm gonna dedicate my life to benzo awareness and helping others in this area and mental health in general. This has been quite an experience.

 

I'm sorry, I wrote a long reply to you before but suddenly had to do something else and never finished the post. My signature is more of a remembrance for me of how the first year of my taper went. It went real bad and I didn't make any progress as my cross over wasn't going properly. This was because my psychiatrist at that time did not want to prescribe more than 7 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan. He also let me taper in steps of quarters and halves of an ativan tablet. This had me laying on the floor due to the extreme uncomfortable physical feeling I was experiencing. It was pure torture every day for months as I suffered from inner akathisia. With this psychiatrist I was never able to come off the ativan or valium and I was stuck with him as I was living in a psychiatric living facility and he was my assigned psychiatrist and I was not allowed to go under the care of any other prescriber of benzos. I later managed to move away from the facility to a different place, and was able to get under the care of a benzo specialist. One of the few in my country. He prescribed me 24 mg of valium as equivalent of 3 mg of ativan. He knew the Ashton manual, unlike the psychiatrist. This specialist was not perfect either, and rushed my cross over from ativan to valium. I was only able to successfully cross over due to spare valium I had collected over the months. I ordered illegal 10 mg valium pills online before too. After a missed dose of just one evening dose of valium and risperidone, I was thrown in acute withdrawal suffering from intense inner akathisia. I had to updose to 28 or 30 mg of valium (I forgot which amount it exactly was but one of these two) and taper slowly from there on.

 

This was successful.

 

So my journey went from this.

 

Started on 3 mg ativan.

Failed cross overs to valium due to too low prescribed equivalent by uneducated psychiatrist, only 5 to 7 mg valium per 1 mg of ativan.

Successful cross over to 24 mg of valium.

Huge setback, back in acute withdrawal inner akathisia, updosed to 28-30 mg of valium.

 

Successfully tapered 1 mg drops per 2 weeks from 28-30 mg starting dose of valium till I reached 5 mg of valium daily.

 

From 5 mg valium to 0 mg I tapered 0.5 mg of valium drops per 2 weeks.

 

This whole thing took 2 years. It could've lasted just 1 year but due to incompetent psychiatrist it took a year extra, with suffering inner akathisia for months.

 

The last 5-6 months went extraordinarily well without any severe symptoms just mild flare ups of chemical anxiety at times and feeling weird, and erectile dysfunction and memory loss. The jump to 0 didn't feel much different than any other cut I've made. Now about 2.5 weeks later having pain sensations in brain some days and feeling weird. But overall it's doable for now.

[[Ni...]]

New question: do I have to dose this the exact same times per day? Or just the same amount per day?

 

In the first 6 months of my taper, missing my dose by only 10 minutes would cause inner akathisia sensation.

[[...]]

Hey Nikitis Congrats again on being benzo free

How are you feeling post jump?

Hopefully your doing well

Joeb

[[Ni...]]

Hey Nikitis Congrats again on being benzo free

How are you feeling post jump?

Hopefully your doing well

Joeb

 

Hey Joeb thanks! Im doing great, only some headaches and feeling lethargic some days.

[[...]]

Hey Nikitis Congrats again on being benzo free

How are you feeling post jump?

Hopefully your doing well

Joeb

 

Hey Joeb thanks! Im doing great, only some headaches and feeling lethargic some days.

[/quote_] That’s amazing and awesome I’m very happy for you Nikitis

 

 

[[me...]]

Hi friends,

 

I've been holding for quite a while. Went from 60mg down to 6mg in about four years. Had to hold. On 6mg daily. Previously I microtapered with water. Wondering if someone can come up with a realistic schedule for me to get off this. A year? Nine months? This has been so difficult on my loved ones and I don't want to make it any harder. Any supplement recommendations would be great too. Anything to ease this process.Thanks

[[...]]

Hi Merton, you should fill in your taper details in your forum summary so members can see it and offer suggestions

I’m sorry for your suffering and I wish I had the magic bullet my friend because this has been hell on me snd my family too

4 years is a long time and you have done an awesome job coming down from such a high dose

There are many opinions on the forum about supplements and things but it’s very difficult because everyone responds differently. You just have to research and try things carefully to see if it helps. As far as I know there are no known proven fix all things or else everyone would be doing it.

As far as taper schedule all o can say is listen to your body. The rule of thumb is no more than 5-10% of your remaining dose every 2-4 weeks but some people can go faster and some have to go slower.

Filling in your forum summary with dosing details and history etc will help get you better feedback you can look at mine as an example. Also identify your symptoms etc

Joeb

 

[[St...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

How did you get from your 7mg V to your jump at 0.5? What was your process? Cut and hold? Daily Micro?

I seriously am so tempted to either just jump, do a big cut and stabilize, or go to a 30 day detox. I think the ativan should be well out my system now and if I can just medically monitor this heart rate fluxuations and make sure that doesn't go crazytown i've been through the w/d feelings already i'm ready to feel em and get it over with. I had a full heart workup and its structurally normal and healthy so i'm convinced my tachycardia is all from these benzos This isn't getting easier for me and I have kids and life to get back to. This sucks that such short term use can do this to people ugh!! I swear when i'm done with this i'm gonna dedicate my life to benzo awareness and helping others in this area and mental health in general. This has been quite an experience.

 

I'm sorry, I wrote a long reply to you before but suddenly had to do something else and never finished the post. My signature is more of a remembrance for me of how the first year of my taper went. It went real bad and I didn't make any progress as my cross over wasn't going properly. This was because my psychiatrist at that time did not want to prescribe more than 7 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan. He also let me taper in steps of quarters and halves of an ativan tablet. This had me laying on the floor due to the extreme uncomfortable physical feeling I was experiencing. It was pure torture every day for months as I suffered from inner akathisia. With this psychiatrist I was never able to come off the ativan or valium and I was stuck with him as I was living in a psychiatric living facility and he was my assigned psychiatrist and I was not allowed to go under the care of any other prescriber of benzos. I later managed to move away from the facility to a different place, and was able to get under the care of a benzo specialist. One of the few in my country. He prescribed me 24 mg of valium as equivalent of 3 mg of ativan. He knew the Ashton manual, unlike the psychiatrist. This specialist was not perfect either, and rushed my cross over from ativan to valium. I was only able to successfully cross over due to spare valium I had collected over the months. I ordered illegal 10 mg valium pills online before too. After a missed dose of just one evening dose of valium and risperidone, I was thrown in acute withdrawal suffering from intense inner akathisia. I had to updose to 28 or 30 mg of valium (I forgot which amount it exactly was but one of these two) and taper slowly from there on.

 

This was successful.

 

So my journey went from this.

 

Started on 3 mg ativan.

Failed cross overs to valium due to too low prescribed equivalent by uneducated psychiatrist, only 5 to 7 mg valium per 1 mg of ativan.

Successful cross over to 24 mg of valium.

Huge setback, back in acute withdrawal inner akathisia, updosed to 28-30 mg of valium.

 

Successfully tapered 1 mg drops per 2 weeks from 28-30 mg starting dose of valium till I reached 5 mg of valium daily.

 

From 5 mg valium to 0 mg I tapered 0.5 mg of valium drops per 2 weeks.

 

This whole thing took 2 years. It could've lasted just 1 year but due to incompetent psychiatrist it took a year extra, with suffering inner akathisia for months.

 

The last 5-6 months went extraordinarily well without any severe symptoms just mild flare ups of chemical anxiety at times and feeling weird, and erectile dysfunction and memory loss. The jump to 0 didn't feel much different than any other cut I've made. Now about 2.5 weeks later having pain sensations in brain some days and feeling weird. But overall it's doable for now.

 

Thank you for this! I think i'm suffering for the exact same reason , direct cross from a little under 1mg ativan and wrong dosage. I'm now at 5.6mg valium and i'm suffering. The mental suffering is the most and I can't sleep nor walk its making my muscles so so weak. I couldn't imagine updosing i'd be bedwridden for sure. This liquid valium from the pharmacy is not reacting well with me I don't think. Idk what else to do but jump and see what happens. I'm also having akathisia and can feel when my body needs the next dose. I thought this would be easier than then ativan 😭 I can barely eat these days and I have to really contemplate my walks to the bathroom. This is no way to be at all ugh.

[[Ni...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

How did you get from your 7mg V to your jump at 0.5? What was your process? Cut and hold? Daily Micro?

I seriously am so tempted to either just jump, do a big cut and stabilize, or go to a 30 day detox. I think the ativan should be well out my system now and if I can just medically monitor this heart rate fluxuations and make sure that doesn't go crazytown i've been through the w/d feelings already i'm ready to feel em and get it over with. I had a full heart workup and its structurally normal and healthy so i'm convinced my tachycardia is all from these benzos This isn't getting easier for me and I have kids and life to get back to. This sucks that such short term use can do this to people ugh!! I swear when i'm done with this i'm gonna dedicate my life to benzo awareness and helping others in this area and mental health in general. This has been quite an experience.

 

I'm sorry, I wrote a long reply to you before but suddenly had to do something else and never finished the post. My signature is more of a remembrance for me of how the first year of my taper went. It went real bad and I didn't make any progress as my cross over wasn't going properly. This was because my psychiatrist at that time did not want to prescribe more than 7 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan. He also let me taper in steps of quarters and halves of an ativan tablet. This had me laying on the floor due to the extreme uncomfortable physical feeling I was experiencing. It was pure torture every day for months as I suffered from inner akathisia. With this psychiatrist I was never able to come off the ativan or valium and I was stuck with him as I was living in a psychiatric living facility and he was my assigned psychiatrist and I was not allowed to go under the care of any other prescriber of benzos. I later managed to move away from the facility to a different place, and was able to get under the care of a benzo specialist. One of the few in my country. He prescribed me 24 mg of valium as equivalent of 3 mg of ativan. He knew the Ashton manual, unlike the psychiatrist. This specialist was not perfect either, and rushed my cross over from ativan to valium. I was only able to successfully cross over due to spare valium I had collected over the months. I ordered illegal 10 mg valium pills online before too. After a missed dose of just one evening dose of valium and risperidone, I was thrown in acute withdrawal suffering from intense inner akathisia. I had to updose to 28 or 30 mg of valium (I forgot which amount it exactly was but one of these two) and taper slowly from there on.

 

This was successful.

 

So my journey went from this.

 

Started on 3 mg ativan.

Failed cross overs to valium due to too low prescribed equivalent by uneducated psychiatrist, only 5 to 7 mg valium per 1 mg of ativan.

Successful cross over to 24 mg of valium.

Huge setback, back in acute withdrawal inner akathisia, updosed to 28-30 mg of valium.

 

Successfully tapered 1 mg drops per 2 weeks from 28-30 mg starting dose of valium till I reached 5 mg of valium daily.

 

From 5 mg valium to 0 mg I tapered 0.5 mg of valium drops per 2 weeks.

 

This whole thing took 2 years. It could've lasted just 1 year but due to incompetent psychiatrist it took a year extra, with suffering inner akathisia for months.

 

The last 5-6 months went extraordinarily well without any severe symptoms just mild flare ups of chemical anxiety at times and feeling weird, and erectile dysfunction and memory loss. The jump to 0 didn't feel much different than any other cut I've made. Now about 2.5 weeks later having pain sensations in brain some days and feeling weird. But overall it's doable for now.

 

Thank you for this! I think i'm suffering for the exact same reason , direct cross from a little under 1mg ativan and wrong dosage. I'm now at 5.6mg valium and i'm suffering. The mental suffering is the most and I can't sleep nor walk its making my muscles so so weak. I couldn't imagine updosing i'd be bedwridden for sure. This liquid valium from the pharmacy is not reacting well with me I don't think. Idk what else to do but jump and see what happens. I'm also having akathisia and can feel when my body needs the next dose. I thought this would be easier than then ativan 😭 I can barely eat these days and I have to really contemplate my walks to the bathroom. This is no way to be at all ugh.

 

I recall reading reports in this thread about people saying that liquid valium was not as potent as valium pills. Do not jump from such a high dosage of valium but instead switch over to valium pills!

[Guest [...]]

Ok Buddies

 

How does one get through this tapering process is you already have POTS, MCAS, MCS and a bad reaction to the Moderna Booster has made you even more sensitive.

 

It feels like I've been CT'd from the Booster, while still on the same amount, it's like night and day difference from the day I got it, like a switch was turned overnight.

 

I am suffering immensely these last few months, with new symptoms daily.

 

I tried to cross back to Ativan from the Valium, as it's never agreed with me and I appear allergic to the pill now??

 

Now I'm starting to get the pins and needles, burning, numbness in my feet, legs, face, hands, head/scalp, tongue, ears, eyes.....

 

My throat has felt like it's closed several times this last week, and it felt like I was breathing through a straw, swear to god I nearly called 911, as I was home alone.

 

My cognition, which was excellent until the booster has been getting worse, as the head pressure occurs every single time I eat and won't let up for hours.

 

I don't get any relief in holding, although I will hold a bit, until the Valium kicks in more.

 

I only tried crossing back 0.6 mg of Valium for 0.06 mg of Ativan, so I think I'm experiencing some WD from the Ativan until the Valium builds up.

 

Today, my new feature - that's what I call them is my teeth feel like they are going to fall out especially where I have mercury fillings.

 

Any advice on how to taper from this position???

 

I'm not as mobile and very unstable on my feet, a few days ago, I could walk fine.

 

I need some serious help.

 

I know others may have had a bad reaction to their shots, have they updosed or is it futile.

I'm a rapid metabolizer of Valium, which doesn't help, but when I went back to the Ativan, it lasted longer, but the muscular pain was a lot worse???

 

Anyone continue to taper in this condition??

 

I literally feel like I'm falling unconscious after I eat and the foods I can eat are even more limited since the booster.

 

Thanks all, this hasn't been a great Easter for me.

I miss being a part of my family.

 

thanks,

Winnie

[[ho...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

How did you get from your 7mg V to your jump at 0.5? What was your process? Cut and hold? Daily Micro?

I seriously am so tempted to either just jump, do a big cut and stabilize, or go to a 30 day detox. I think the ativan should be well out my system now and if I can just medically monitor this heart rate fluxuations and make sure that doesn't go crazytown i've been through the w/d feelings already i'm ready to feel em and get it over with. I had a full heart workup and its structurally normal and healthy so i'm convinced my tachycardia is all from these benzos This isn't getting easier for me and I have kids and life to get back to. This sucks that such short term use can do this to people ugh!! I swear when i'm done with this i'm gonna dedicate my life to benzo awareness and helping others in this area and mental health in general. This has been quite an experience.

 

I'm sorry, I wrote a long reply to you before but suddenly had to do something else and never finished the post. My signature is more of a remembrance for me of how the first year of my taper went. It went real bad and I didn't make any progress as my cross over wasn't going properly. This was because my psychiatrist at that time did not want to prescribe more than 7 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan. He also let me taper in steps of quarters and halves of an ativan tablet. This had me laying on the floor due to the extreme uncomfortable physical feeling I was experiencing. It was pure torture every day for months as I suffered from inner akathisia. With this psychiatrist I was never able to come off the ativan or valium and I was stuck with him as I was living in a psychiatric living facility and he was my assigned psychiatrist and I was not allowed to go under the care of any other prescriber of benzos. I later managed to move away from the facility to a different place, and was able to get under the care of a benzo specialist. One of the few in my country. He prescribed me 24 mg of valium as equivalent of 3 mg of ativan. He knew the Ashton manual, unlike the psychiatrist. This specialist was not perfect either, and rushed my cross over from ativan to valium. I was only able to successfully cross over due to spare valium I had collected over the months. I ordered illegal 10 mg valium pills online before too. After a missed dose of just one evening dose of valium and risperidone, I was thrown in acute withdrawal suffering from intense inner akathisia. I had to updose to 28 or 30 mg of valium (I forgot which amount it exactly was but one of these two) and taper slowly from there on.

 

This was successful.

 

So my journey went from this.

 

Started on 3 mg ativan.

Failed cross overs to valium due to too low prescribed equivalent by uneducated psychiatrist, only 5 to 7 mg valium per 1 mg of ativan.

Successful cross over to 24 mg of valium.

Huge setback, back in acute withdrawal inner akathisia, updosed to 28-30 mg of valium.

 

Successfully tapered 1 mg drops per 2 weeks from 28-30 mg starting dose of valium till I reached 5 mg of valium daily.

 

From 5 mg valium to 0 mg I tapered 0.5 mg of valium drops per 2 weeks.

 

This whole thing took 2 years. It could've lasted just 1 year but due to incompetent psychiatrist it took a year extra, with suffering inner akathisia for months.

 

The last 5-6 months went extraordinarily well without any severe symptoms just mild flare ups of chemical anxiety at times and feeling weird, and erectile dysfunction and memory loss. The jump to 0 didn't feel much different than any other cut I've made. Now about 2.5 weeks later having pain sensations in brain some days and feeling weird. But overall it's doable for now.

 

Thank you for this! I think i'm suffering for the exact same reason , direct cross from a little under 1mg ativan and wrong dosage. I'm now at 5.6mg valium and i'm suffering. The mental suffering is the most and I can't sleep nor walk its making my muscles so so weak. I couldn't imagine updosing i'd be bedwridden for sure. This liquid valium from the pharmacy is not reacting well with me I don't think. Idk what else to do but jump and see what happens. I'm also having akathisia and can feel when my body needs the next dose. I thought this would be easier than then ativan 😭 I can barely eat these days and I have to really contemplate my walks to the bathroom. This is no way to be at all ugh.

 

Hi-  I personally wouldn’t jump off of that dose.  I too had problems with liquid until I found the right compound pharmacy to do the right formula for me and I do a combo of pill’s and liquid.  It works really well.  I went through a lot of trial and error, but finally found something that worked, so try and hang in there. 

 

Marie

[[ho...]]

Ok Buddies

 

How does one get through this tapering process is you already have POTS, MCAS, MCS and a bad reaction to the Moderna Booster has made you even more sensitive.

 

It feels like I've been CT'd from the Booster, while still on the same amount, it's like night and day difference from the day I got it, like a switch was turned overnight.

 

I am suffering immensely these last few months, with new symptoms daily.

 

I tried to cross back to Ativan from the Valium, as it's never agreed with me and I appear allergic to the pill now??

 

Now I'm starting to get the pins and needles, burning, numbness in my feet, legs, face, hands, head/scalp, tongue, ears, eyes.....

 

My throat has felt like it's closed several times this last week, and it felt like I was breathing through a straw, swear to god I nearly called 911, as I was home alone.

 

My cognition, which was excellent until the booster has been getting worse, as the head pressure occurs every single time I eat and won't let up for hours.

 

I don't get any relief in holding, although I will hold a bit, until the Valium kicks in more.

 

I only tried crossing back 0.6 mg of Valium for 0.06 mg of Ativan, so I think I'm experiencing some WD from the Ativan until the Valium builds up.

 

Today, my new feature - that's what I call them is my teeth feel like they are going to fall out especially where I have mercury fillings.

 

Any advice on how to taper from this position???

 

I'm not as mobile and very unstable on my feet, a few days ago, I could walk fine.

 

I need some serious help.

 

I know others may have had a bad reaction to their shots, have they updosed or is it futile.

I'm a rapid metabolizer of Valium, which doesn't help, but when I went back to the Ativan, it lasted longer, but the muscular pain was a lot worse???

 

Anyone continue to taper in this condition??

 

I literally feel like I'm falling unconscious after I eat and the foods I can eat are even more limited since the booster.

 

Thanks all, this hasn't been a great Easter for me.

I miss being a part of my family.

 

thanks,

Winnie

 

Hi Winnie-  I am so sorry that you are going through all of this.  I really don’t know what to say.  I guess just “hold” until you can stabilize, and yes I read you have tried this, but how long?  Also have you tried the pine bark (white) tea?  This may help you. 

 

Big ((((hugs))))

 

Marie

[[ho...]]

Hi Benzo Buddies-

 

I disappeared again, and I am sorry.  Life gets a little strange for me during this process and I seem to disconnect.  I do think about you all often and I want to log in, but I just don’t. 

 

I am still plugging a long and finally down to the 3’s…barely…LOL.  But under 4! YAY! 

 

Hope to catch up and try and stay engaged. 

 

Marie

[[St...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

How did you get from your 7mg V to your jump at 0.5? What was your process? Cut and hold? Daily Micro?

I seriously am so tempted to either just jump, do a big cut and stabilize, or go to a 30 day detox. I think the ativan should be well out my system now and if I can just medically monitor this heart rate fluxuations and make sure that doesn't go crazytown i've been through the w/d feelings already i'm ready to feel em and get it over with. I had a full heart workup and its structurally normal and healthy so i'm convinced my tachycardia is all from these benzos This isn't getting easier for me and I have kids and life to get back to. This sucks that such short term use can do this to people ugh!! I swear when i'm done with this i'm gonna dedicate my life to benzo awareness and helping others in this area and mental health in general. This has been quite an experience.

 

I'm sorry, I wrote a long reply to you before but suddenly had to do something else and never finished the post. My signature is more of a remembrance for me of how the first year of my taper went. It went real bad and I didn't make any progress as my cross over wasn't going properly. This was because my psychiatrist at that time did not want to prescribe more than 7 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan. He also let me taper in steps of quarters and halves of an ativan tablet. This had me laying on the floor due to the extreme uncomfortable physical feeling I was experiencing. It was pure torture every day for months as I suffered from inner akathisia. With this psychiatrist I was never able to come off the ativan or valium and I was stuck with him as I was living in a psychiatric living facility and he was my assigned psychiatrist and I was not allowed to go under the care of any other prescriber of benzos. I later managed to move away from the facility to a different place, and was able to get under the care of a benzo specialist. One of the few in my country. He prescribed me 24 mg of valium as equivalent of 3 mg of ativan. He knew the Ashton manual, unlike the psychiatrist. This specialist was not perfect either, and rushed my cross over from ativan to valium. I was only able to successfully cross over due to spare valium I had collected over the months. I ordered illegal 10 mg valium pills online before too. After a missed dose of just one evening dose of valium and risperidone, I was thrown in acute withdrawal suffering from intense inner akathisia. I had to updose to 28 or 30 mg of valium (I forgot which amount it exactly was but one of these two) and taper slowly from there on.

 

This was successful.

 

So my journey went from this.

 

Started on 3 mg ativan.

Failed cross overs to valium due to too low prescribed equivalent by uneducated psychiatrist, only 5 to 7 mg valium per 1 mg of ativan.

Successful cross over to 24 mg of valium.

Huge setback, back in acute withdrawal inner akathisia, updosed to 28-30 mg of valium.

 

Successfully tapered 1 mg drops per 2 weeks from 28-30 mg starting dose of valium till I reached 5 mg of valium daily.

 

From 5 mg valium to 0 mg I tapered 0.5 mg of valium drops per 2 weeks.

 

This whole thing took 2 years. It could've lasted just 1 year but due to incompetent psychiatrist it took a year extra, with suffering inner akathisia for months.

 

The last 5-6 months went extraordinarily well without any severe symptoms just mild flare ups of chemical anxiety at times and feeling weird, and erectile dysfunction and memory loss. The jump to 0 didn't feel much different than any other cut I've made. Now about 2.5 weeks later having pain sensations in brain some days and feeling weird. But overall it's doable for now.

 

Thank you for this! I think i'm suffering for the exact same reason , direct cross from a little under 1mg ativan and wrong dosage. I'm now at 5.6mg valium and i'm suffering. The mental suffering is the most and I can't sleep nor walk its making my muscles so so weak. I couldn't imagine updosing i'd be bedwridden for sure. This liquid valium from the pharmacy is not reacting well with me I don't think. Idk what else to do but jump and see what happens. I'm also having akathisia and can feel when my body needs the next dose. I thought this would be easier than then ativan 😭 I can barely eat these days and I have to really contemplate my walks to the bathroom. This is no way to be at all ugh.

 

Hi-  I personally wouldn’t jump off of that dose.  I too had problems with liquid until I found the right compound pharmacy to do the right formula for me and I do a combo of pill’s and liquid.  It works really well.  I went through a lot of trial and error, but finally found something that worked, so try and hang in there. 

 

Marie

 

Thank you for this advice! So I need to ask my psych to coordinate this compound pharmacy prescription? And Ask her for pills as well ?

[[ho...]]

This is a good tool for giving you a range of equivalencies.  https://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/

 

This calculator tool says 1 mg of ativan is 8 mg of valium. I will emphasize that this is not right. The only table that is accurate is in the Ashton manual which says it's 10 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan.

 

How did you get from your 7mg V to your jump at 0.5? What was your process? Cut and hold? Daily Micro?

I seriously am so tempted to either just jump, do a big cut and stabilize, or go to a 30 day detox. I think the ativan should be well out my system now and if I can just medically monitor this heart rate fluxuations and make sure that doesn't go crazytown i've been through the w/d feelings already i'm ready to feel em and get it over with. I had a full heart workup and its structurally normal and healthy so i'm convinced my tachycardia is all from these benzos This isn't getting easier for me and I have kids and life to get back to. This sucks that such short term use can do this to people ugh!! I swear when i'm done with this i'm gonna dedicate my life to benzo awareness and helping others in this area and mental health in general. This has been quite an experience.

 

I'm sorry, I wrote a long reply to you before but suddenly had to do something else and never finished the post. My signature is more of a remembrance for me of how the first year of my taper went. It went real bad and I didn't make any progress as my cross over wasn't going properly. This was because my psychiatrist at that time did not want to prescribe more than 7 mg of valium per 1 mg of ativan. He also let me taper in steps of quarters and halves of an ativan tablet. This had me laying on the floor due to the extreme uncomfortable physical feeling I was experiencing. It was pure torture every day for months as I suffered from inner akathisia. With this psychiatrist I was never able to come off the ativan or valium and I was stuck with him as I was living in a psychiatric living facility and he was my assigned psychiatrist and I was not allowed to go under the care of any other prescriber of benzos. I later managed to move away from the facility to a different place, and was able to get under the care of a benzo specialist. One of the few in my country. He prescribed me 24 mg of valium as equivalent of 3 mg of ativan. He knew the Ashton manual, unlike the psychiatrist. This specialist was not perfect either, and rushed my cross over from ativan to valium. I was only able to successfully cross over due to spare valium I had collected over the months. I ordered illegal 10 mg valium pills online before too. After a missed dose of just one evening dose of valium and risperidone, I was thrown in acute withdrawal suffering from intense inner akathisia. I had to updose to 28 or 30 mg of valium (I forgot which amount it exactly was but one of these two) and taper slowly from there on.

 

This was successful.

 

So my journey went from this.

 

Started on 3 mg ativan.

Failed cross overs to valium due to too low prescribed equivalent by uneducated psychiatrist, only 5 to 7 mg valium per 1 mg of ativan.

Successful cross over to 24 mg of valium.

Huge setback, back in acute withdrawal inner akathisia, updosed to 28-30 mg of valium.

 

Successfully tapered 1 mg drops per 2 weeks from 28-30 mg starting dose of valium till I reached 5 mg of valium daily.

 

From 5 mg valium to 0 mg I tapered 0.5 mg of valium drops per 2 weeks.

 

This whole thing took 2 years. It could've lasted just 1 year but due to incompetent psychiatrist it took a year extra, with suffering inner akathisia for months.

 

The last 5-6 months went extraordinarily well without any severe symptoms just mild flare ups of chemical anxiety at times and feeling weird, and erectile dysfunction and memory loss. The jump to 0 didn't feel much different than any other cut I've made. Now about 2.5 weeks later having pain sensations in brain some days and feeling weird. But overall it's doable for now.

 

Thank you for this! I think i'm suffering for the exact same reason , direct cross from a little under 1mg ativan and wrong dosage. I'm now at 5.6mg valium and i'm suffering. The mental suffering is the most and I can't sleep nor walk its making my muscles so so weak. I couldn't imagine updosing i'd be bedwridden for sure. This liquid valium from the pharmacy is not reacting well with me I don't think. Idk what else to do but jump and see what happens. I'm also having akathisia and can feel when my body needs the next dose. I thought this would be easier than then ativan 😭 I can barely eat these days and I have to really contemplate my walks to the bathroom. This is no way to be at all ugh.

 

Hi-  I personally wouldn’t jump off of that dose.  I too had problems with liquid until I found the right compound pharmacy to do the right formula for me and I do a combo of pill’s and liquid.  It works really well.  I went through a lot of trial and error, but finally found something that worked, so try and hang in there. 

 

Marie

 

Thank you for this advice! So I need to ask my psych to coordinate this compound pharmacy prescription? And Ask her for pills as well ?

 

Hi Strong - Just a suggestion.  You do what ever feels right for you and if your doctor is on board.  For me, it worked out the best, and saved me.  The cut and hold was just absolutely NOT working and liquid alone wasn’t working (cut and hold too).  Plus I had to try different formulations of the liquid.  My compound pharmacist found one that I hold under the tongue and it also has a longer shelf life and doesn’t have to be refrigerated.

For many the standard liquid brand works just fine too.

 

I find that the pill’s work better (I don’t know why? Maybe it’s in my head) and the liquid at this point is the smaller portion and has been for a long while of my taper, and allowed me to do a daily without weighing/ and shaving pill’s.  So it’s just been so much easier and hasn’t affected my wean or side effects so much.  Something I have shared is that keeping your brand of pill’s the same is important because they “could”change your wean/sx. Per the FDA each company only has to be with in 10-15% of the main (active/benzo) ingredient and you can see where this could cause some problems.  My benzo doctor explained this to me, when we figured out what was going wrong with me a while back, when my RX got changed (generic).  So I make sure to stay with same generic brand.

 

The rule of thumb around here is to try and not do more than 5-10% every 2-4weeks, and to also if possible stick to a symptom based taper.  Personally that is more where I am at these days.  I try to stay with my symptoms more than anything.  I shoot for a % but it’s just a guess.  Being functional is so much more important than being bedridden.  I also feel like I am healing at the same time instead of in the spiral I was before. 

 

Obviously we all just want this to be over with and sometime we just feel like jumping and thinking that it will just work itself out…..for some it does.  However, I have seen so many stories that people who have jumped or been forced off, find themselves in BIG BIG trouble and reinstated and sometimes at a larger dose, and then taking even longer to stabilize and then have to start from scratch.  I have also read stories of people jumping and making it, but suffering but still getting through….so it’s just a personal choice.

 

I hope you can decide what will work best for you.  There are so many great people here to cheer you along and to offer great advice.  Plus loads and loads of information on so many old threads. 

 

Marie