Best way to switch IMO is to take a look at the conversion charts and work out what you would like to do for your taper, then take your preferred tapering plan to your doctor and present him with it showing that you have done the research, if you do want to taper and not just switch. If you just want to switch then just go by the conversion chart that is linked in my signature, if you are prescribed then same advice with the doctor.
If you want to taper though, I have experiene switching from lorazepam to diazepam to taper, not quite the same but is related to switching benzos so will share my experience.
When you first start to switch most people like to just completely swap but I found it a lot easier to switch by doing it staggered, so I would take half loraz and half diaz for a couple of weeks then 1/4 3/4 then all diaz after a few weeks. Is up to you though, depending on your circumstances and availability.
If you want to taper off then as per usual tapering guidlines, you can normally expect to be able to drop bigger doses at the beginning but when it gets down to the last 10 or 15mg of diaz daily it is wise to take it slow and drop in 1mg incremements to prevent any unnecessary pain and anxiety.
also they tell you to take it three times daily but what is the point of that with such long half life?
Are you taling about valium or clonazepam here? I found it was best taken 3 times a day when switching from lorazepam as that was my lorazepam dosing habit so I stuck to the time of day habit, one dose in the morning, one in the afternoon and one at night for sleep.
Some charts say 0,5 mg is 10 mg valium some say 1 is 10 mg valium
Is probably because of the subjective differences in the different benzos, the sedating/hypnotic/anxiety relief etc. effects that different benzos are all different slightly in treating. It is not always as simple as looking at a chart.
Although the link in my signature was compiled by a bluelighter with extensive experience with benzos and he used multiple sources of reference to help come to the equivalencies in his chart. I would look at it carefully, but as with everyone YMMV.
