valium taper

I was on another Site where I have been advised to come to the General Taper plan site.

At present , I am on 9 mg of Valium.My main problem being insomnia, Valium has worked wonderfully well so far. I feel a little heaviness during day time but I can cope with it.  Will you be able to give a safe taper plan ?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Swapna,

 

I've split off your post and started a new thread for you. I think this post got lost since you added it to another existing thread. Sorry.

 

Yes, we can give you a safe taper plan. We generally suggest a taper rate starting around 10%. We would need to know what dose pills you have. It's best to have the smallest dose available (2mg for Valium) in order to taper directly off the pill. If you can't get those, we can help you with different methods as you get lower and need to make smaller cuts. Let us know what you have available.   

Thanks , Eljay ! 

I have both 5 mg and 2 mg pills.

At present, I am taking 1 mg ( by cutting a 2 mg pill into half ) about two hours before dinner.

After an hour after dinner , I take a 5 mg and a 2 mg tablets . I am falling asleep and sleeping soundly .My main problem was insomnia. As I have blood pressure , the Doctor suggested Ativan . Doctors suggest benzos freely , little realising that it is addictive and one tends to increase the dose when the lower dose does not work !

I want to give up taking such tablets as quickly as possible. It is embarrassing to go to the pharmacist for a repeat supply.

Please suggest a safe taper plan.

I think a liquid formulation ( 2mg per tea spoon) is also available. But I am expert in cutting pills.

Thanks once again !

You should be able to taper directly off your valium using the 2 and 5mg pills, no problem! Most people are able to cut their 2mg pills in quarters.

 

No need for a formal plan. Just reduce your dose by 0.5mg (1/4 of a 2mg pill) every week or two until off. You can spread your daily dose out in whatever manner you like. 

Thanks, again !

I have more 5 mg pills. If I cut it into half, I get 2 & 1/2 mg .If I cut in into two, I get 1.25 mg. It will be difficult to cut further. 

The 2mg pills I have now, I shall cut into four pieces.And, taper as suggested by you.

With 5 mg pills , I have to devise something.

So far, my tapering is going on smoothly. But I anxious at night !  That is the problem with benzos !

Thanks once again !

All of you are great help !

You won't need to cut your 5mg pills further than 1/4's since you have the 2mg pills.

 

You're welcome!

Thanks again, Eljay ! 

Can you suggest a combination of cutting a 5 mg pill and a 2 mg pill and taper ?  I hope you will not mind the exercise.

Another question. Prof Ashton has suggested 1 mg reduction after you reach 10 mg stage. But here I find all are recommending 0.5 reduction. Is it difficult to reduce 1 mg per week or so ?

Hi Swapna,

 

Here is a pill cutting plan I've done for you based on 0.5mg cuts. Hope it makes sense. I tried to create it using only 1/2-pill cuts for as far as possible. You only have to make 1/4 pill cuts at the very end.  

 

Dr. Ashton 'recommends' 1mg cuts every 1 to 2 weeks. So with 0.5mg cuts you can make them more often. I would suggest make the following cuts every 4 or 5 days. You can always adjust this as you go, depending on how you are doing.

 

And yes, it was good exercise! 

 

 

Step 1.. take (1 and 1/2) 5mg pills + (1/2) of a 2mg pill. This would make 8.5mg.

 

Step 2..take (1) 5mg pill + (1 and a 1/2) 2mg pills. = 8mg.

 

Step 3..take (1 and a 1/2) of a 5mg pill. = 7.5mg.

 

Step 4..take (1) 5mg pill + (1) 2mg pill. =7mg.

 

Step 5.. take (1/2) of a 5mg + (2) 2mg pills. = 6.5mg.

 

Step 6..take (1) 5mg pill + (1/2) of a 2mg pill. = 6mg.

 

Step 7..Take (1/2) of a 5mg pill + (1 and a 1/2) 2mg. pills. = 5.5mg.

 

Step 8..take (1) 5mg pill. =5mg.

 

Step 9..take (1/2) of a 5mg pill + (1) 2mg pill. = 4.5mg

 

Step 10..Take (2) 2mg pills. =4mg.

 

Step 11..take a (1/2) of a 5mg pill + (1/2) of a 2mg pill. = 3.5mg.

 

Step 12.. take (1 and a 1/2) 2mg pills. =3mg

 

Step 13.. take (1/2) of a 5mg pill. =2.5mg.

 

Step 14..take (1) 2mg pill. =2mg

 

Step 15..Take (3/4's) of a 2mg pill. =1.5mg.

 

Step 16. take (1/2) of a 2mg pill. =1mg.

 

Step 17..take (1/4) of a 2mg pill. =0.5mg.

 

Then jump!

Thanks Eljay.  As you can see from my history I am now at the 10 mgs range (down from 35 mgs) and your chart will save me some figuring.  So far this deal has been fairly easy.  Do folks find that the last 10 mgs are harder or the same?

Hi there

 

I wanted to pipe in and give my 2 cents...for what is worth! LOL  I am finishing a taper off of 15mg of valium.  I am currently at .6mg.  I used a combination of pills and liquid V so I could make small precise cuts.  I happen to be one of the more sensitive types...and as I got lower in my dose I was unable to handle weekly-biweekly cuts as they just set me off in a tailspin.  Let me know if you are interested in the Liquid V and how to use it with pills (cheaper) to hopefully minimize your s/x.

 

It is just fantastic you have come SO FAR!

 

Best wishes

Mimi

Thanks Eljay.  As you can see from my history I am now at the 10 mgs range (down from 35 mgs) and your chart will save me some figuring.  So far this deal has been fairly easy.  Do folks find that the last 10 mgs are harder or the same?

 

It's hard to say, Jackson, it's different for everyone. The good news is that it's been ok for you thus far. Most likely it will continue to be. For me personally(tapering off 1.25mg Klonopin), I did not find it got harder the lower I went. I actually felt better the lower I got!