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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

HELP! Advice on large amount of VALIUM/DIAZIPAM withdrawal!

Hey friend,

I recently had to go through a forced benzo withdrawal as a result of a legal matter. In order to receive an excellent deal from the DA, a condition imposed was a residential rehab stay. At this time I'd been off anything but prescribed meds which I always used properly as prescribed. I was then taking suboxone, vyvanse and clonazepam. Yes. I've always been good at landing great RX situations because I actually need them. I feel so bad for people who get SSRI's and BS like that. Wrong drugs man. Sure these can be addictive, dependence, etc, blah. Well, SSRI "discontiuation syndrome" (JESUS) apparently is pretty awful too. So any substance with strong effects on neurobiology will cause some kind of d/c syndrome (ie withdrawal). Thus I firmly believe that if you are gonna take drugs, meds if you want lol, then for gods sake at least take ones that help, that work...drugs whose pros will outweigh the cons for you. Klonopin was tough to beat beacause of the mix of 12 days straight awake (yes, this happened) and generally weird, uncomfortable feeling. But, even after several years 3mg klonopin a day and NO TAPER (dumb ass rehab man) I didn't have a seizure or anything like that. I ended up going back to kpin several months later and trust me, it wasn't due to PAWS or something like that...I realized WHY I started taking them in the first place. I have a serious anxiety/insomnia/hypervigilance issue related to trauma as a youth which Clonazepam, specifically, helps more than any other drug I've tried and is the only one to be effective. Dextroamphetamine, for me, is purely a tool of enhancement and has NO downside (dose of roughly 80mg dexamphetamine base). Suboxone both keeps me from opiates and provides a nice little mood lift, subtle but there. I've been through w/d from all of these and I'm talking very real w/d (after taking daily for years) and choose to take them. I tried real hard to convince myself that I was better when on nothing, but the simple truth is I have some serious problems and these medications help. I've been through the gamut of wack drugs. I can only speak of my own experiences, so won't knock all of them in general. For me, 3mg kpin, 4mg buprenorphine and 60-90mg amphetamine is as close to a pharmaceutical cure I've gotten. I'm in very good health. I am lucky to have doctors who are open minded and respect the severity of my issues, my rx experiences and my knowledge of pharmacology, and are thus willing to go outside the mainstream. Benzos can be quit, subs can be quit, amphetamines are a breeze. I've done it for them all and I choose them in the end. And it was NOT paws. That would be a convenient counter point and is far too often invoked. I was "fine" but my life is BETTER with these drugs. Better living through chemistry. Just be smart, know dosage, combinations, and above all, your own physiology.
 
I hope all is well! I just got off a ridiculous bender of valium, xanax, ativan, and zolpidem. It was pure hell, i was having seizures and halucinating for 2 weeks after quiting cold turkey. I had to be rushed to the er about 5days into it. But let me be the first to say congrats on your taper, that is the best thing you can do! Just listen to your body and it will tell you how slow to take it. Hope to hear how everything going soon, one day at a time.
 
Thanks all for all the replies..

Was meant to cut down to 50 last night for 3 days but thought I would try and push it a bit more as I am almost 2 weeks in and have cut 20mg with zero withdrawal/side effects..

So last night I took 45mg (the dr in the rehab said its all up to me, if I think my body can take it)

I dropped from 55-45 last night, I can feel it a bit today but it's mainly tiredness as only had about 5 hours in and out sleep/crazy dreams. Will see how it goes over the next two days then go back to the 5mg drop every 3 days for the last two weeks..
 
Hope you are still coping. I really want to cheer on you, but without adding pressure.

I've never done the rehab thing, but I've tapered non-addictional meds. I know how discontinuation symptoms can be, without the psychological addiction. Hat of to every person out there who also deals with the addiction part, it really makes my experiences humble in comparison.

Go sindy! :)
 
Thanks!

On 35 now! Feeling it but it's bearable.. Still got 13 nights left.. Hoping to leave on 25 but will see..
 
30.. Last week in rehab so will be leaving on 25..

4 weeks in rehab went from 70-25?
 
What do you mean be leaving on 25? At that point you will go cold Turkey?

Good work btw. :)
 
You're a sucess story Sindy. Some people have seizures cutting down as fast as you have.
 
I am basically staying on 30 for another two nights (5 days on 30) then drop to 25 for my last 4 nights here.. Go to my nhs drug and alcohol service who will taper me down the last 25mg probably by 2mg every 2-4 weeks (or what ever my body can handle)

Thanks everyone for your help and advice, much appreciated! Thought I would be a mess dropping that much in 4 weeks but it shows it can be done... I have felt a bit of withdrawal effects on the days after I've done the last few drops but I think as I tried cold turkey for a week years ago when I was on a small amount I know how bad that was so could judge how my body is reacting to the taper and when I'm pushing it too much..

The staff at the rehab are really happy with the result and so am I, have to be positive all the way through even when feeling the withdrawal.

Now the hard/long bit getting off the 25mg but to be taking 3 pills a night instead of loads is great?
 
I'm having the same problem coming off benzos life has got a whole lot more boring. Feeling for you mate
 
I'm down to 2 1/2 mg Lorazepam /day , all before bedtime. I'm dropping by 0.5 mg every week or two. Not having any real problems yet. I'm sleeping fine.
Hope you're doing well Sindy!
 
I just quit gabapentin which was horrendous!!
now I'm tapering benzos, I was doing 1-2 mgs Xanax sometimes 3 mgs but that's very rare and usually 1-1.5 mgs to be honest, or 10-30 mgs valium.
this doesn't sound like a lot but it was added with opiates weed and gabapentin on top.
now I'm down to 5 mgs valium or .5 Xanax a day it sucks balls I cant wait to jump off ive done it before its brutal but I hate needing benzos and worrying constantly about supply
 
Look, i did not feel like goinv to resd each reply but what i reccommend is and what i personally do aswell is to simply use another substance to help you relax or sleep and you can taper of in the speed and strength that you feel is neccessary with your substitute substance. Take the diazepam in the dose you feel is neccessary if you still require it at all. Just keep lowering the dose of the benzo and upping your substitute substance as you see fit. If offcourse you take morphine by example you will need another method to taper of from that. But no problem. I can fix any addiction problem if you have the right mindset to work on it.

Im here all night, and we are saying goodbye. Thanks for watching and untill we see eachother next time ;)
 
Yes, like when i was in prison they took my normal 4mg clonazepam and 30mg diazepam and went almost directly to zero. It took me weeks to get a little better. Surviving with 400mg trazodone a day which is nothing helpfull really. Not one day have i felt comfort in jail. Except that one day perhaps when i used about 4mg of suboxone.
 
Hi sindy its been a while since you last posted on your progress what is your daily intake now how are you managin? Take care
 
Hi, I'm on 16mg now.. been tapering roughly 2mg a week since I came out of rehab a month ago.. no problems?
 
Great advice Keif,

Look up the Ashton Protocol for Benzo withdrawal, and find a doc in your area willing to oversee your progress. Follow it to the f---ing letter, don't modify it at all. Ironically, valium is the best benzo to taper from - Xanax is a living hell.

You can do it........

MG
 
Great news Sindy. It sounds like there's a light at the end of the tunnel after all.
I'm working down from 8mg/day Lorazepam and it has been a little rough. I cut down from 2mg to 1mg a few days ago and didn't sleep for about 2 1/2 days.
It is getting better though, and thank God I have a big stash of pills to continue as long as I need.
 
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