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VALIUM CROSSOVER FROM AMBIEN


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Hello everyone,

 

Another post. So...I started tapering off 10mg's of Ambien six weeks ago because I had hit tolerance when I doubled my original dosage of 5mg's. I have cut the pill down by 25% but I am really suffering. I wake up in the middle of the night in terror and spend most of my days bed bound with tremors and now I'm having little hallucinations in my peripheral vision and pain in my  legs.

 

I have had a number of people on another forum strongly advise that I crossover to Valium and try to stabilize and then taper off the valium but I can't seem to find any success stories on benzo buddies about this specifically.

 

If anyone out there has any information at all I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Thanks,

 

Artman

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Could you add a signature so we can see how long you've taken Ambien and what your reductions have been?  Also, are you on any other medication?  Here are the instructions for adding your signature, if you need help let us know here and a team member can insert the information you provide.  This helps other members see your situation at a glance instead of looking up your introductory thread. Add your history/signature 

 

What time are you taking your dose?  Did you reduce by 25% in stages or in one cut and have you held this dose for six weeks?

 

I took Ambien and my days were miserable with interdose, I quit cold turkey which I'm not recommending but the tremors stopped almost immediately for me.  I had insomnia for awhile after that but I felt so much better I didn't care, I was just so glad to be rid of the inner vibrations.

 

Crossing over from a z-drug to a true benzodiazepine can be done if absolutely necessary but my feeling is it should be the last resort because for me, benzo's were a lot harder to recover from.

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Pamster,

 

Once again I am impressed that an administrator on this site is taking the time to dialogue with me directly. I went ahead and updated my profile with the signature you recommended. I recorded all of the exposition you outlined. I take the dose once, nightly, and if I am lucky get four hours of sleep but it is not restful sleep. I pretty much have tremors all day now with waves of anxiety and thoughts that I am losing my mind due to sleep deprivation.

 

I just don't know what to do because there are many on other forums who keep advising me to cross over to valium and then taper off that. There are a few who tell me to stick with the taper (but it is taking forever) and I even have others just telling me to CT because I am in misery any ways, might as well just jump and face the horror head on and heal from that.

 

I just cannot believe that there is nowhere, no medical facility at all that can help me. I feel very alone and scared and just plain miserable.

 

Thanks again for your responses.

 

I salute you!

 

Artman

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Thanks for adding your signature, it's very helpful and I'm glad to see you've been making sensible reductions.  I know you're being pulled in many different directions and the problem is when we're going through withdrawal we're cognitively challenged so making decisions is difficult.  Add in the fact that this decision no matter what it is will most likely be painful so that increases our stress which then increases the severity of our symptoms.

 

We'll be glad to help you with a crossover if this is what you decide to do, I wish I could help you with your decision but I agree, its sad the medical community can't help us.

 

As for me working with the members, it helps me stay grateful, I don't ever want to take my recovery for granted.

 

 

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Pamster,

 

You are a rock star! But I just noticed in your signature that you actually CT'd off Ambien? Wasn't that horrible? How long did it take for you to feel like you were over the hurdle of CT? I actually tried to CT once and only lasted ten days before I couldn't take it anymore. And when you say you would help with a crossover to Valium, do you mean suggesting a dose and how to integrate that into my current situation?

 

All my best,

 

Artman

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Yes, I quit cold turkey but I felt better almost immediately, the inner trembling and dark thoughts were gone.  I couldn't sleep for a few days and when I could I had horrific slasher nightmares but I slowly started sleeping more and more.  I was lucky I know because not everyone has my same experience.

 

Yes, if you decide to go with the Valium, we can suggest a dose and timetable. When you say you're being advised on other forums are you talking about different boards here or other platforms?

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Pamster,

 

Oh, I meant other forums on Facebook. Yes, can you send me a dose and time table please? I would like to review it with my doctor this week. I am currently on 7.5 mg of Ambien but don't know what that translates into Valium.

 

You're the best,

 

Artman

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We can work on your taper plan together and as far as a Valium equivalent we use Professor Ashtons table.  https://www.benzo.org.uk/bzequiv.htm

 

It looks like you may need to cross over to 3 or 4 mgs of Valium and since Ambien is short acting and Valium so long it might be a good idea to introduce the Valium all at once while only reducing the Ambien by half.  I realize this may put you at a little bit higher combined dose while transitioning but Valium can take as long as 2 or 3 weeks to fully build up in your system.  Your next crossover step would be to eliminate the Ambien completely and you could to that a week or so after the initial step depending on how you feel.

 

There are members who support each other with z-drugs in this support thread, you might ask for feedback from them about your plans or hopefully another member will stop by here to make suggestions, its best to get a wide variety. http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=97331.0

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