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HELP FOR TAPER PLAN FROM 20MGS VALIUM AND POLYDRUGGED


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asking for a plan to taper 20mgs valium .I am polydrugged with lyrica and now seroquel.

I already crossed over from ativan 5mgs and am currently on 20mgs valium 150mgs lyrica(terrible interaction)and 25mgs seroquel.dr communications broken down.need help soon for taper.my body is like cement to move.I have fallen down a couple of times.have no support or friends.please help

katy

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Hi Katy,

 

5 mgs Ativan is the equivalent of 50 mgs valium, so if you crossed over to only 20 mgs valium, you have already experienced a hefty reduction.

 

It might be helpful to hold at this dose for a few weeks to let your body adjust while the valium builds up in your system.  You will probably feel some discomfort and withdrawal symptoms.

 

I did a crossover to valium and this is how I tapered:

 

From 20 mgs down to 10, I cut 1 mg every 1-2 weeks, depending on how I felt. 

From 10 mgs down, I cut .5 mg every 1-2 weeks.

 

Many people, once they get to 5 mgs valium and below, will either cut .50 mg every 2 weeks, or .25 mgs every week.  I was fine cutting .5 mg every 7-10 days.  Once or twice I had to hold a cut for 2 weeks, but otherwise, I continued with my plan.

 

Everyone is different, so you must listen to your body and adjust your taper accordingly.

 

Also, I don't know if you plan on tapering your Lyrica or Seroquel, but it would be best if you taper only one drug at a time.

 

Keep asking questions - we're here to help. :)

 

 

 

 

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I have been holding at 20mgs valium for almost 3 months .this is the problem.I stopped my taper due to depression...I am in a bad way.
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Katy  :therethere:

 

hen I was depressed, my body felt like a lead weight.  Just lifting my legs to walk was an effort.  The good news is once you are off the valium, Lyrica and seroquel, a lot of that depression and fatigue should go away.  Missy gave you some good suggestions for tapering the valium.  Did you have any questions about her plan? 

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I am on 20mgs valium and have been stuck here for 3 months.I am extremely depressed.So possible antidepressant before beginning taper again?

alsoI am on 150mgs of lyrica which I am now splitting up during the day.I am really having difficulties functioning.cant work anymore.

I know I will have to add an antidepressant and just not sure but appointment with doctor on monday(He is NOT benzowise and told me to just dump one of my 5mg doses of valium)I did not do this.He is a psychciatrist and wants me to take seroquel for sleep small dose.25mgs.

I was in hospital for 2 days and yes all they did was drug me with seroquel.

Please help me with  a taper plan,I can take on monday.Or advise if I should wait for ad to kick in and restart taper?

I have ashtons plan and I think i went too fast on my taper as I have been on benzos for 23 yrs.

I am having trouble typing this as I am seriously depressed and wonder if I should

1-updose and how much?

2-continue taper or get a new one as I am dosing valium 3 times a day

3-add ad and which one would be best?

please help

katy

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Did you see the responses on your other thread asking for help tapering off 20 mg valium?

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=26997.msg406963#msg406963

 

In particular, Missy suggested a beginning taper plan for you.

 

I've never heard of taking more benzos to reduce depression; it generally works the other way:  the less benzo, the less depression.  I was put on an A/D before I tapered off lorazepam and I think it did help some after about a month of taking it.  You'd need to talk to your doctor about that. We can't suggest drugs for you to take.

 

If you've been holding for 3 months at 20 mg, you have allowed plenty of time for your body to heal from your previous taper, even if it was a bit too fast.  Don't worry about what happened in the past.  I would continue your taper in the hopes that your depression will lessen.  If you are going to try an A/D, I'd auggest waiting until you find out how you react to that before continuing your taper.  If you start feeling bad when you start the A/D and are tapering at the same time, you wouldn't know which drug is causing your symptoms.  This is just one opinion, though.  I'm sure you'll get others.

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I agree holding for awhile is good advice but Missy missunderstood I tapered over to far more than 20 mgs valium on ashtons plan.I believe I went too fast and a .05 reduction would be where I  might begin again.Does that make sense?I have been Holding at 20 mgs for almost 3 mos now I am scared to taper anymore or just taper 1 mg but let it go 3 weeks.

I will see what the dr says but he is not knowlegable about this he is the one who suggested dropping 5 mgs in one day!!!My dr is most of the problem here where I live ,those addicted to benzos are treated like real addicts.There are no benzo wise drs.where I live.

its not like in the states.Canada lags behind in the world for benzo wd.

I am NOT taking care of myself either ,eating etc.

And I really have no dr directing me at all.

He is just throwing drugs at it.and I need to survive somehow.

Your advice is good though if i can just make it through to see him.

thank you if you have anything to add please do anything at all.

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[22...]

Katy,

 

I'm really sorry that you are feeling so badly right now.

 

I would not updose if I were you, that just means adding a lot of time to your taper. I know you are depressed and I'm sorry to say that depression is a very common effect of valium, I think a lot of people deal with it when tapering Valium.

 

I would not add an AD unless you are seriously suicidally depressed.

 

I'm not sure you should be considering tapering Valium and Lyrica at the same time. Tapering 1 drug at a time is generally the norm.

 

I really can't tell you what you should do, only what I would and wouldn't do based on experience and having been reading others experiences for almost 3 years.

 

This won't be easy katy, but you CAN do it, and I promise you will be glad you did.

 

Lux

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Hi Katy - This is what I had posted in your other thread.  Do you have any questions about this plan?

Btw, Valium gave me horrible, horrible depression.  I think once you can get lower is your dosage, the depression might ease up for you a little.  Now that I'm off, I'm back to my happy self (most of the time) :)

 

Hi Katy,

 

I did a crossover to valium and this is how I tapered:

 

From 20 mgs down to 10, I cut 1 mg every 1-2 weeks, depending on how I felt. 

From 10 mgs down, I cut .5 mg every 1-2 weeks.

 

Many people, once they get to 5 mgs valium and below, will either cut .50 mg every 2 weeks, or .25 mgs every week.  I was fine cutting .5 mg every 7-10 days.  Once or twice I had to hold a cut for 2 weeks, but otherwise, I continued with my plan.

 

Everyone is different, so you must listen to your body and adjust your taper accordingly.

 

Also, I don't know if you plan on tapering your Lyrica or Seroquel, but it would be best if you taper only one drug at a time.

 

Keep asking questions - we're here to help. :)

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am so messedup right now.I ended up in hospital for a week and they dropped my benzo from 20mgs to 17.5.Also tried to add wellbutrin xl.

Before hospital I was havign trouble with early morning anxiety (serious) and after hospt terrible anxiety and aragaphopbia.

Then I was handed back to my original dr and just told to updose back to 20mgs of valium and he added risperdone saying it was an antidepressant.The risperdone just makes me stare at the walls and now no longer on the wellbutrin.

seriously depressed and need help with wd,now that i am bk at 20 mgs 5 am pm and 10 night with 150 lyrica.When do I cut and which dose do I take off 1 mg?

I was on ashtons method as you recall but now its just 5-5-10 and I am lost and so scared.the anxiety and aragophobia is unreal and this dr just wants me to keep taking risperdone.no mention of a cut.i just updosed bak to 20mgs on tuesday.

I fear I am going mad I really do.

no real appetite ,not able to care for myself well,and all alone.

evenings are better for anxiety but I fear the morning.I am now taking my 5 mg dose at 4-6 am.

and then afternoon at 2pm.I have been taking benzos for over 23 yrs and they still want to do a rapid detox 8days.It is insane and so when should i cut and where?does valium have to be dosed 3 times a day ?now that I am on 3 times a day where do I take that one milligram from I am still traumatized by hospital experience and the lackof support in my life.I am scared to go to the grocery store.I want to trust my dr but he hasnt even talked about reducing again and he is going on holiday for 2 weeks.The risperdone is not an ad and i cant seem to get enough in my system anyway ,,,please help.

ty

katy

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Missy I posted again .I am so scared ..so lost .I have been through hell in the last few weeks.After taking benzos for 23years,,,the dr said I may have to stay on low dose benzo.and thats okay but this is really hurting me.20mgs valium has had me in depression for 3 full months,and one dr says I have benzo induced mood disorder another says I am bipolar what can I ask my dr?it has all been a run around.when they took away 2.5 mgs valium I thought I had lost my mind,,and they said jsut deal with it.

now they will probably suggest rapid detox and I have no clue whether I am coming or going.do I take the risperdal I can only tolerate one half of .25 mgs.and that sends me to sleep.the seroquel quelled the anxiety at.25 or even 12.5 for sleep.but I am basically non-funtional.You guys seem to be the only support around,not sure if i can continue the taper w/o ad as I am so depressed but cannot seem to get one going other the wellbutrin sent me to the moon.I am sorry I am desperate but I have no friends or family and i fear getting tolerant to the 20mgs valium again.

ty in advance.

desperate

katy

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Hi Katy,

 

Since you have problems with anxiety in the morning, perhaps you could take the larger dose in the am.  How about taking 10-4-5 for a week or two?  I know you're scared, but the only way out of this is through the pain.

 

Pam

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Pam 10-4-and 5 at night right? do I just start tonight and drop the other 5 mg night dose? 10 in the am at 6 am will knock me out cold.that is when I get the panic attacks.well I get them all day actually but morning is worse.

ty for your help

katy

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So 10 mg would be too much in the morning?  What size are your pills, perhaps you could cut them and come up with a more creative dosing schedule like 7.5-4-7.5 depending on what size pills you have.
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I have 5's and 2's,the dr just called and said riperdone has antidepressant effects.and he said try it at night if you want.(he is not a benzo wise dr.I have been directing astons benzo taper plan)he just knows i amdepressed and cant handle the anxiety of initial ssri treatment,even low and slow so he wants to use the risperdone.

here is what is happening.

bed-150lyrica and 10mgs valium

awake at 4 am with anxiety=take

my 5 mgs valium and bkt o bed.at 8;30 am take 12.5 risperdone and it sends me back to bed or an hour or so.

afternnons never as anxious unless have to go out.

dr says early am rising is depression.I swear I am at my wits end.

once I tried 10mgs valium at 6 am was out of it for a day so I see where you r going with splitting the dose.

anyway I have 5s and 2's so not sure how to split it but am dosing 3 times a day and I am terified of becoming tolerant again.

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Pam you are so kind to help.Asked dr about tapering and he said oh you can if you like.wel I just went from 17.5 to 20 again since tuesday.it is almost like 'do what you want"try this try that,,,like a merry go round.
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Hi Katy,

 

I'm unfamiliar with the other meds you're taking, but I believe there is no cure for benzo withdrawal but time.  Unfortunately, we must hurt to heal.  It sounds like your depression might be what most of us feel when we're tolerant to or withdrawing from benzo's, so the answer usually isn't more medication, it's getting off the drug.

 

It's time for you to get creative with your pill cutting and design a taper that will help you the most.  I can't really tell you where to cut your dose, since you know your needs better than I.  But with both of those size pills, you could get a pill cutter and find just the right mix for you.

 

 

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I understand Pam.completely.

I know you are not familair with lyrica etc.I tried splitting it up and became a zombie in the day.It is meant to be split tho.and I am stuck w it till the end of taper I know and agree hurt to heal.

23 years of benzo use is nasty.

but i do have a few questions.

Does valium have to be dosed 3 x per day?i have seen schedules of 2x a day?

And yes going down is the only way to lessen depression.but my depression is pretty dark.

as far as reducing the one mg.of valium I cannot see where to do it,I have a pill cutter.

Looking at ashtons method she goes from 20 to

5-4-and 10,,,but she doesnt account for polydrugging.so I have this monster dose of lyrica (it is basically gabapenten)and 10mgs val.at night.

How do I know what is right for me?I am terrified to experiment.I have done it b4 and ended up totally out of it.

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Yes, you can dose Valium twice a day, it's totally up to you and your lifestyle.  You can cut out 1 mg by cutting your 2 mg pill in half, and finding a way to arrange the rest of your doses throughout the day.

 

I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you about those other drugs.  You could start a thread on the Other Prescribed Medications board, perhaps you could get some input.

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