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Tapering from 1mg diazepam


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Hi guys. So I had been taking 5mg 2 to 4 times a week for about a year, I began to realize this probably was netting me some dependency. So I read about Ashton and stopped the valium until WD became apparent which was about four days. Then started back with 2mg, then down to 1mg after a week. I kept on taking 1mg for about 2 weeks and stabilized - was not feeling any withdrawal. Then on the 23rd I took none, then 1mg the next day, then none, then 1mg, and began to notice withdrawal. Mainly some anxious feelings and ears ringing. It sounds to me like what is important is not shocking the system, so last night I had 1/8th of a 5mg pill, less than 1mg. I'm planning on continuing on this way until I feel stable again. All I have are these 5s so it will be hard to get more precise. I am wondering about any opinions on this, I suppose I'm lucky to be starting so low. But I don't want to shock or sensitize my nervous system at all. Should I jump after stabilizing on this <1mg? Should I be tolerating the ears ringing and feeling light symptoms that this last drop has caused?
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Taking Valium for that long, even though you were’t taking it every day almost guarantees you’re dependent so I’m worried that given Valiums long half life you haven’t experienced the worst symptoms yet.  How would you feel about holding a dose for a couple of weeks before making anymore changes? 

 

 

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Taking Valium for that long, even though you were’t taking it every day almost guarantees you’re dependent so I’m worried that given Valiums long half life you haven’t experienced the worst symptoms yet.  How would you feel about holding a dose for a couple of weeks before making anymore changes?

 

So I was at that 1mg for a couple weeks. According to my notes 2 and a half. It didn't seem to be getting any worse. Now I am at this approximately .6 milligrams, perhaps just sticking there for one to two weeks and then jumping would work..? If I experience anything severe I will go up, I understand that's where the nervous system can get dysregulated.

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Your nervous system can handle whatever you can, I shocked mine pretty badly when I quit Klonopin cold turkey and I healed completely so I don’t think you need to worry about that. 

 

Professor Ashton cautions us to take a go slow, make small reductions and to do our best not to go up in dose so as long as you follow this guidance you should be okay.  She stresses that holding is better than going back up in dose.

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Your nervous system can handle whatever you can, I shocked mine pretty badly when I quit Klonopin cold turkey and I healed completely so I don’t think you need to worry about that. 

 

Professor Ashton cautions us to take a go slow, make small reductions and to do our best not to go up in dose so as long as you follow this guidance you should be okay.  She stresses that holding is better than going back up in dose.

 

Omg, I've just looked at your signature - CT from 6 to 10mg clonazepam!! That must have been really rough. I'm glad you're better now and on here helping and being of service.

 

I'm thinking what I can best do at this point is instead of alternating days take the cut dose every night. Right now I'm feeling okay so I'm feeling hopeful it won't be horrific. Just been feeling spacy and anxious in the mornings mostly.

 

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I agree with your plan to take it every night, even though Valium has a long half life, we strive to keep blood serum levels steady to avoid any whiplash of symptoms.

 

Yes, my experience was brutal but that just goes to show we can recover, no matter how we get off the drug. 

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Got a scale. A whole pill weighs .172. I am on a .030 piece of a pill and stabilizing for a week or so. Feel more comfortable with an actual scale that my dose is steady.
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Oh good, I’m glad to know you’re comfortable with the scale and your method.  Confidence in the taper is important, that prevents second guessing yourself once off.  When your recovery begins after you’re benzo free, it can take awhile to feel better so having confidence in your taper method keeps the fear from seeping in. 
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Oh good, I’m glad to know you’re comfortable with the scale and your method.  Confidence in the taper is important, that prevents second guessing yourself once off.  When your recovery begins after you’re benzo free, it can take awhile to feel better so having confidence in your taper method keeps the fear from seeping in.

 

Yep, so, planning to hold at this .8mg for a while, not sure what to do after but since my dosing was irregular before and I don't know what the half life is coming out to in my body I think it will be good to get on a regular amount for a bit then move from there. This is some scary stuff! Even from such a low amount.. Can I expect withdrawal to stop in say 2 weeks of stabilizing, or does the discomfort persist throughout the process?

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Hi williedee!

 

I'll chime in since I have been dry tapering for my whole taper, and am now on a very tiny dose like you. I go down appx .01 mgs a day. You may want to try something like this. In any case, here are a few pointers:

 

1 - Definitely don't do one day on, one day off of this drug. It's terrible for our w/d process. Better to hold till sxs stabilize and then go slowly in one direction: down.

 

2 - It's great that you got a scale b/c it is important to make sure you are consistently going down and not bouncing around. You say your pill is .172. Is that all your pills? I'm tapering diazepam, and my 2mg pills range in weight from .166 to .181. When you get down this low, it does make a difference. I weigh all of my pills and put them into weight categories and then taper each weight category at a time. If that feels like too much for you, then simply see if you can find a bunch of pills that are roughly the same weight and just use those. You're so close to the end that you won't need that many pills, most likely.

 

3 - You mentioned you were at .8. If the pill weighs .172, then .8 is going to weigh .069. I'm not sure where the .030 number came from. Do you know? If you want to be at .5, then your pill weight would be .043.

 

4 - Once you establish a pill weight that makes sense, hold for a week or so, till you feel stable, and then, if you want, you can microtaper. So on day one, you're at .043. On day two, you're at .042. And so on. You can pause any time if you feel too activated. You can take this down as low as the scale allows you to.

 

As far as sxs, it's different for everyone. But since you are sensitive, consider trying to taper down a bit further and holding a bit longer before you jump. I hope this helps. You'll be done soon, which is great!

 

Openroad

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Hi williedee!

 

I'll chime in since I have been dry tapering for my whole taper, and am now on a very tiny dose like you. I go down appx .01 mgs a day. You may want to try something like this. In any case, here are a few pointers:

 

1 - Definitely don't do one day on, one day off of this drug. It's terrible for our w/d process. Better to hold till sxs stabilize and then go slowly in one direction: down.

 

2 - It's great that you got a scale b/c it is important to make sure you are consistently going down and not bouncing around. You say your pill is .172. Is that all your pills? I'm tapering diazepam, and my 2mg pills range in weight from .166 to .181. When you get down this low, it does make a difference. I weigh all of my pills and put them into weight categories and then taper each weight category at a time. If that feels like too much for you, then simply see if you can find a bunch of pills that are roughly the same weight and just use those. You're so close to the end that you won't need that many pills, most likely.

 

3 - You mentioned you were at .8. If the pill weighs .172, then .8 is going to weigh .069. I'm not sure where the .030 number came from. Do you know? If you want to be at .5, then your pill weight would be .043.

 

4 - Once you establish a pill weight that makes sense, hold for a week or so, till you feel stable, and then, if you want, you can microtaper. So on day one, you're at .043. On day two, you're at .042. And so on. You can pause any time if you feel too activated. You can take this down as low as the scale allows you to.

 

As far as sxs, it's different for everyone. But since you are sensitive, consider trying to taper down a bit further and holding a bit longer before you jump. I hope this helps. You'll be done soon, which is great!

 

Openroad

 

Thank you!! So they're 5mg pills, that's why the figure seems off. It's all I have for now. I think that's what I'll do. Stabilize here - which I am feeling okay at, not bad at all, then microtaper to .015 and jump. I appreciate the encouraging words. Even though my situation is comparatively minor I have been feeling stressed out about it.

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I heard there is a 3-10 rule for clonazepam - 3 days for symptoms to set in, ten to stabilize. Is there such a rule for diazepam? Or is it so unpredictable due to its half life ranging for 20 to 200 hours that it's hard to say?
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I am going to taper from 10mg of Diazepam taken at bedtime to aid sleep.  I plan to start in a few days time as I am not feeling very well (in bed with flu - I think also the after effects of 8 days of cold Turkey). The plan is to reduce Diazepam from 10mg to 9mg for 10 days, then reduce to 8mg depending upon how I feel.  Cutting/filing the tablets was a bit hit and miss.  I have ordered a pill cutter.

 

Does this sound like a sensible approach.  I must admit after the horror of 8 days Cold Turkey I am quite fearful.

 

Will the fact that I have completed 8 days cold turkey help the process?  Will I have got rid of some of the Diazepam in my system.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Jo

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@[wi...]

 

@joanne123 Your plan sounds good to start. But cuts that size will become quite uncomfortable as you go lower. If you want taper advice, best thing to do is start a new thread of your own in the taper support section. I hope it goes easy for you.

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@williedee I have found that it is completely personal and different for each person. Many people say sxs set in 3 days after a cut. But it really varies. And when you microtaper, it obviously won't work like that at all. Just track how you're feeling and you'll find your own pattern.

 

@joanne123 Your plan sounds good to start. But cuts that size will become quite uncomfortable as you go lower. If you want taper advice, best thing to do is start a new thread of your own in the taper support section. I hope it goes easy for you.

 

Okay, so I got to where I felt I was through the acutes on that .8mg. Only missed one night of sleep. Had some emotional instability and flaring up. Starting my micro taper now, probably to about .010. How is yours going?

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