Benzos Finishing Valium taper...

[DaftPunkFan]

OP, the 1.5mg you are on now isnt leaving you in any danger if you stop but I can understand that last bit is always the hardest to drop. I know people that were stuck on 1mg a day for months before making the leap. Its important to remember that the WD from 1mg is only psychological and any excess anxiety is just fuelled by fear of being without the drug you have come to rely on, not any actual danger to your health. Pregabalin could be useful to you if your really struggling. Im currently ending a 2 year addiction the zopiclone and the pregabalin has been a godsend, virtually eliminating WD symptoms.

Thanks so much for the advice everyone, it means so much to me.

Yeah like I said, I've been dealing with real anxiety for the last couple years, panic attacks less frequent, but still happening.
So it's been extra hard for me, probably the hardest thing I've had to deal with up to this point in my life.

The crazy thing is, I realized the other day the dose I'm at and was SO surprised, because I pretty much don't feel it at all and I'm doing it.
Compared to even a really small dose of say 5mg a day (which I actually felt), I'm so close to being done.

It's good to know that it's not unsafe to just stop at this dose.
I'm going to get down to 1mg by the end of the week, then I'm going to try and jump off.

Keep the advice coming, goddamit I'm gonna need it

 

[bunge]

DaftPunkFan, your struggles with anxiety are very similar to mine. I tried loads of different meds eg. Ssri's, snri's, diazepam works but only at 10mg or more and brit docs wont prescribe bigger doses and temazepam destroyed my sleep patterns. Zopiclone works wonders for my sleep and anxiety but in my case its as addictive as hell.
Pregabalin works for my GAD but does nothing for panic attacks. However theb I tried mirtazapine and the panic attacks are pretty much gone, I dont have the shakes anymore and I can control my stress. You should try other meds and treatments other then benzos as they just arent suitable longterm (as I guess you know.lol). Keep busy, learn some breathing exercises and you will be able calm a panic attack yourself without meds. The best advice though is be kind to yourself, lots of people have anxiety issues and alot of them develop some level of dependence on benzo type meds. You have done fantastic so far and im confident you can make the last leap to recovery. One last little is when you drop the last 1mg make sure you do it on a monday, its psychologically easier because its the start of a new week and you are more likely to succeed. Good luck and Daft Punk are awesome.lol

 

[DaftPunkFan]

DaftPunkFan, your struggles with anxiety are very similar to mine. I tried loads of different meds eg. Ssri's, snri's, diazepam works but only at 10mg or more and brit docs wont prescribe bigger doses and temazepam destroyed my sleep patterns. Zopiclone works wonders for my sleep and anxiety but in my case its as addictive as hell.
Pregabalin works for my GAD but does nothing for panic attacks. However theb I tried mirtazapine and the panic attacks are pretty much gone, I dont have the shakes anymore and I can control my stress. You should try other meds and treatments other then benzos as they just arent suitable longterm (as I guess you know.lol). Keep busy, learn some breathing exercises and you will be able calm a panic attack yourself without meds. The best advice though is be kind to yourself, lots of people have anxiety issues and alot of them develop some level of dependence on benzo type meds. You have done fantastic so far and im confident you can make the last leap to recovery. One last little is when you drop the last 1mg make sure you do it on a monday, its psychologically easier because its the start of a new week and you are more likely to succeed. Good luck and Daft Punk are awesome.lol

Thank you, I really appreciate all the input! I really am trying to just learn how to live without benzos or other drugs, although some of the other medications you brought up sound interesting. But yeah, if i were to use something long-term again, definitely wouldn't go with benzos!

Also I'm going to stop on a Monday when I do. For some reason that makes sense, as far as motivation to succeed that week, etc.

 

[bunge]

Sounds like you have the right attitude to beat it and a good grip on the situation. any questions bout the meds etc then feel free to pm. I have some pharma background so im generally not far off the mark with advice.lol

 

[DaftPunkFan]

I'm down to 1mg Valium a day!
I'm going to try 0.5mg this coming week, then just stop the following week.
Wondering a couple things before I just stop...

1.) Let's say I feel like I can't make it after going for a week or so without any Valium, can I take a 0.5-1mg dose that day and not have it affect my next day?
I guess I'm just wondering what I can get away with if I need something to fall back on. Anybody have experience taking small doses of a benzo after tapering?
I mean if I really need it, I'm obviously gonna take a small dose, but I'd just like to have an idea of what's gonna happen instead of finding out when the time comes. I'm also very scared, but I think I'm gonna make it.

2.) Right now, I'm taking 2 separate doses (One when I wake up, one around 7pm). This was good while I was tapering, but now I'm in the terrible habit of waking up and going straight for my first dose. Would it be beneficial to get used to a single dose for this next coming week? If so, would you go with morning or night? Thanks!

 

[DaftPunkFan]

0.5mg

I dropped to 0.5mg Valium daily with almost no problem, I'm on day 3 right now.
Pretty amazed and happy, I'm actually doing pretty well lol.
Also doing 1 dose now, in the evening.

Any more tips/suggestions? I'm gonna try and stop completely next week. Thanks!

 

[3dmusic]

I have tapered down to 2.2mg from 15mg valium.
I started with the cut and hold style taper, but it was no good, too rough, so I started daily cutting and things are a whole lot better.
If you smoke you will have more difficulties, so it's best to quit or cut down.
This is because cigarettes induce the enzyme that clears valium out of the system, causing a shortfall at the receptor site and withdrawal symptoms.
Firstly, get on a dose which covers you, then, divide your dose into two or three even parts, whichever you prefer, and take at even intervals. Once stable, make a 0.3% cut from the existing dose.
Make that cut daily, until your lag time elapses. Lag time is the time it takes between reducing your dose and symptoms to hit.
If, after lag time has elapsed and you are feeling well, you can increase the size of your cut slightly, and wait for lagtime to elapse and so on. You will feel better.
If symptoms hit, simply reduce the cut size to an earlier more comfy cut and you will be as right as rain.
I am doing this now and am going smoothly down in dose.
Doses can be liquified using homogenous whole milk, if on klonopin or valium.
It's water for librium, but I dunno what dissolves other benzos.

 

[3dmusic]

I dropped to 0.5mg Valium daily with almost no problem, I'm on day 3 right now.
Pretty amazed and happy, I'm actually doing pretty well lol.
Also doing 1 dose now, in the evening.

Any more tips/suggestions? I'm gonna try and stop completely next week. Thanks!

Well done.

 

[cardsandchips]

This is my journal for my taper from 4mg Xanax with a crossover to Valium and then a Valium taper.
Here is a link to the schedule that I have used as a guidline (although I am tapering much faster than the schedule suggests : http://www.non-benzodiazepines.org.uk/alprazolam.html

I hope that this is of some help to you. My advice is take it slow...do not do as I have been doing...go at your own pace and listen to your body.
Once I make a cut I never updose.

Xanax cuts are tough because of the short half life. 4 weeks ago I was taking 4-6 mg Xanax and drinking 12+ beers every 24 hours and felt like my life was coming to an end.
28 days later I am Xanax free and down to 3 beers in a 24 hour period. I space my beers at least 3 hours apart from one another. The first 2 weeks were tough but well worth it.

12/12- 4/24/13 4 mg Xanax

4/25/13 Cut .5mg (all cuts are divided into 4 dosages taken every 6 hours).
4/29/13 Cut.25 mg
4/30/13 Cut .25 mg
5/3/13 cut .25 mg
5/4/13 cut .25 mg
5/7/13 cut .25 mg
5/8/13 cut .25 mg
5/11/13 cut .25 mg
5/12/13 cut .25 mg
5/15/13 Starting c/o to Valium
1 mg Xanax+10mg Valium
5/18/13 .5 mg Xanax+20mg Valium
5/21/13 Xanax free/ now for a fast Valium taper.
30mg Valium (feeling great) my next cut will be on 5/24/13 cutting 5mg Valium for a total of 25 mg for 3 days taken at 12.5 mg every 12 hours.

I wish you the best of luck and I am here if you need any support,

Cards

 

[DaftPunkFan]

This is my journal for my taper from 4mg Xanax with a crossover to Valium and then a Valium taper.
Here is a link to the schedule that I have used as a guidline (although I am tapering much faster than the schedule suggests : http://www.non-benzodiazepines.org.uk/alprazolam.html

I hope that this is of some help to you. My advice is take it slow...do not do as I have been doing...go at your own pace and listen to your body.
Once I make a cut I never updose.

Xanax cuts are tough because of the short half life. 4 weeks ago I was taking 4-6 mg Xanax and drinking 12+ beers every 24 hours and felt like my life was coming to an end.
28 days later I am Xanax free and down to 3 beers in a 24 hour period. I space my beers at least 3 hours apart from one another. The first 2 weeks were tough but well worth it.

12/12- 4/24/13 4 mg Xanax

4/25/13 Cut .5mg (all cuts are divided into 4 dosages taken every 6 hours).
4/29/13 Cut.25 mg
4/30/13 Cut .25 mg
5/3/13 cut .25 mg
5/4/13 cut .25 mg
5/7/13 cut .25 mg
5/8/13 cut .25 mg
5/11/13 cut .25 mg
5/12/13 cut .25 mg
5/15/13 Starting c/o to Valium
1 mg Xanax+10mg Valium
5/18/13 .5 mg Xanax+20mg Valium
5/21/13 Xanax free/ now for a fast Valium taper.
30mg Valium (feeling great) my next cut will be on 5/24/13 cutting 5mg Valium for a total of 25 mg for 3 days taken at 12.5 mg every 12 hours.

I wish you the best of luck and I am here if you need any support,

Cards

Good for you man, looks like you're making a lot of progress. I'm only taking 0.5mg Valium a day right now, but I'm having a hard time just stopping from here. I don't really have panic attacks anymore, it's just super uncomfortable to stop, and if anything I'd like to take a huge amount of Valium right now

But as long as I'm not going back up in dose and staying here, I guess I'm doing alright...

 

[ShaunG]

Cardio! Not sure if you work out, but it helps a lot even if you just do some cardio.

 

[budsnbars712]

Good to hear about your progress man. I can't tell you that I have finished a taper, but I can tell you that I am in the same boat. I am currently tapering also from xanax...but I DID NOT switch to a longer lasting benzo which is recommended. I binged up to 6 mg's for 3 years but was consistantly on 2.5 mg's daily. Recently dropped down to 2 mg, and now I am on 1.75 mg's and going by .25 every week or two (I know two is recommended). Just wanted to share my situation with u bud, as it might help that you know someone that is going thru the same type of ordeal....I am very glad to hear that you have gotten this far and I am sure you can finish and be successful!! Send me a p.m. or check out my threads if you feel like your alone man...I'm right here with you.

PS-Daft punk's new album random access memories is not bad...I really like Doin' It Right..

 

[DaftPunkFan]

Good to hear about your progress man. I can't tell you that I have finished a taper, but I can tell you that I am in the same boat. I am currently tapering also from xanax...but I DID NOT switch to a longer lasting benzo which is recommended. I binged up to 6 mg's for 3 years but was consistantly on 2.5 mg's daily. Recently dropped down to 2 mg, and now I am on 1.75 mg's and going by .25 every week or two (I know two is recommended). Just wanted to share my situation with u bud, as it might help that you know someone that is going thru the same type of ordeal....I am very glad to hear that you have gotten this far and I am sure you can finish and be successful!! Send me a p.m. or check out my threads if you feel like your alone man...I'm right here with you.

PS-Daft punk's new album random access memories is not bad...I really like Doin' It Right..

Hey thanks buddy, really appreciate it. Sounds like you're on the right track as well.
This stuff is just so crazy... definitely want to be done with it and let my brain recover for a little bit!

Also I really like the new Daft Punk album, it's got some really funky tracks. Good stuff!

 

[DaftPunkFan]

Cardio! Not sure if you work out, but it helps a lot even if you just do some cardio.

Hey thanks! Yeah I've been running everyday recently, around 3 miles or so. I definitely notice I feel a lot better afterwards, so I'm trying to exercise for at least an hour a day.

That was actually one of the biggest things I noticed that helped. Sometimes its really hard to get motivated to exercise at all, but WOW does it make a difference if you force yourself

 

[3dmusic]

If you taper off the last 0.5mgs the way I mentioned above, you will stand less chance of suffering afterwards with symptoms.

 

[theantiadult]

thats a very low dose of valium if it helps alot and being off that little is so bad cauze u have severe anxiety maybe stay on it.also kava will help especially if u use it in a stornger form then u may have tried.kava root powder mixed in a drink tends 2 cauze much relaxation quickly and can also help your withdrawls.

 

[Dabhob33]

Hi Shaun
Did/do you have any of these symptoms?

- head pressure (front)
- panic when dozing for a nap
- fatigue

I?m down to 2mg valium and have been fighting with these symptoms.

Dave