Considering switching from xanax to valium, need advice!

I have been dry cutting xanax since 21st February. I have tapered from 2.25mg to 1.8125mg. My dose consists of 1mg xanax XR and 0.8125mg regular xanax.

 

Im currently feeling very ill: headaches, numbness, cold/hot, anxious, dizzy, flu-like symptoms etc. I think that as my taper progresses its getting harder and harder. Is it possible that interdose wd symptoms increase as the doses get smaller?

 

Im going to contact my doctor and ask for valium. Is it possible to kinda try it out, just replace one dose and see how it effects? Im so afraid that it doesnt have the same effect and i will end up feeling even more ill. And some doctors say that u shouldnt take more than one benzo at a time, why is that?

 

If there's someone out there who has done a switch from xanax to valium i would be happy to hear how it was. All advice and suggestions are welcome now. I need some help to make my taper smoother.

 

I read from ashton manual that 0.5mg xanax is about 10mg valium. Can i trust this?

Wantalife,

 

Some doctors won't prescribe benzos at all...   that is the kind of doctor I wish I would have chosen...

 

Xanax is a tough one to taper from, I know many here have done it, but due to it's short half life, I believe it can be one of the rougher ones to taper directly from...along with Ativan...

 

The figures you quoted from Ashton are the ones most people refer to....with 1mg X = 20 mgs of valium.....so you have the right numbers there....there are other charts that say it is a bit less....but I put my stock in Ashton..she is the expert...

 

I have not had experience with the valium crossover....but there are quite a few on here...that have been able to successfully crossover..hopefully..they will be along to answer your questions soon..it was an option I wanted to pursue, but could not...because I could not find a doctor in the area that would prescribe valium....which led to me having to come directly off of Klonopin..which isn't too bad...

 

Btw....Hotel Yorba was on two benzos at once...he was on K and valium......and i believe he tapered the K first..then started on the V.....

 

TC

I'm sorry this is so hard, wantalife.  We have had people successfully taper off xanax by dry cutting (Keith 64 comes to mind), but it can be difficult.  I, too, am concerned about how you will feel replacing the xanax with valium since valium takes so much longer to build up in the system.  Of course, that assumes your doctor will consider prescribing it at all, which my doctor wouldn't.  Have you considered titration?  You can go really slow and make really teensy reductions that way. 

Hi wantalife!

I was able to use Ashton's method to successfully come off benzos. I was using Klonopin at about .5mg daily when I made the switch to valium. It took me 11 months to taper from the valium and my last dose was Feb 16.

TC has a good point in that you should find out first if your doctor will permit you a valium prescription.

I had the same fears about starting valium also. Would the effects be different? Would it aggrivate w/d? etc... In my own experience of using Ashton's method, the effects of valium seemed to me to be subtly different. The biggest difference I noticed was how lethargic and sleepy valium made me feel. As far as dosage conversions, I found out really quickly that Ashton's dosage equivalent's for Klonopin to valium (1:20 ratio) were much higher than I actually needed. I simply tapered this initial dose down over a few days once I had made the complete substitution. Once I felt comfortable with the dosage, I proceeded to regularly taper from that.

Let me also say that since joining this forum I have learned quite a few things about tapering. I came here with an "Ashton" approach to tapering from these meds. I have learned that many other members have just as successfully come off these meds using other methods such as titration and dry cutting. In my case, it wasn't just that Ashton's method had worked for me, it was simply that this was THE only method I was aware of. I was not a member of a great support forum like we have hear where I could get other viewpoints and strategies for tackling this drug. I did also have some issues with a steadily increasing tolerance to Klonopin, so, who knows?

Hope my reply doesn't complicate matters for you. I'm just sharing with you my own experience. If you decide to use another method such as titration, there are some excellent people on this forum who can guide you through the process!

Either way you choose, I wish you much success!! I'll be around the open forum from time to time if you need any further advise!

Take care,

pangelingua

Isnt Valium and clonazepam the same thing?

 

I dont know what to do. All the options seem bad  Gonna hold my taper for some time and hope my body adjusts.

This may be your best option wantalife. One of the reservations that some members have had with using Ashton's method is that it involves making a gradual switch to a different benzo (valium), which entails having to make your CNS adjust to a different drug. This can cause complications with some people. As I recall, using the method made me feel depressed and sluggish at first, until I tapered down to a dosage of valium that worked well for me. I regret sometimes that I did not belong to a forum such as this when I was having to make this decision. I probably could have saved myself lots of time had I known about methods such as titration. However, I also realize that after so many months, I have reached my goal of no benzos!!!! So, perhaps it doesn't matter after!!

Wantalife, I know that your body will readjust. It may take a liitle time and patience. Even if you don't decide to use Ashton's method, she has some great advice about individual symptoms and how to deal with them in her manual. One of the things she says is that the 'wavelike' occurance of symptoms must not be regarded as a sign of disease, but of healing! Making the decision to get off these meds is NEVER a bad option. You have made the right choice!!!

Valium and clonazepam are not the same benzo. Clonazepam is a MUCH more potent drug. Ashton has clonazepam  listed as 20 times stronger in potency!! This drug also has a shorter half-life. Clonazepam is another name for klonopin. Valium is also known as diazepam.

Hope this helps.

Thank u for your supporting replies pangelingua. I meant to ask if diazepam (not clonazepam  ) is the same drug as valium... And got the answer, ty. I'm exhausted, holding my taper.

Hi Life,

I was switching from xanax to diazepam (valium). So, I thought it would be easier, but still it's hard! Benzo is benzo, and whatever it is, it's hard to come off of. But if you find it's very hard to come off from xanax, I guess, yes, you can switch to valium.

 

Nice to chat with you, by the way