tapering benzos plan

"Edit 2023/03/12": I slightly changed my withdrawal plan. Diazepam in the morning made me sleepy, so I put it all in the evening. Here is the current plan:

 

Thank you for proposal. I can show you my current plan, and you can comment on it:

 

Stage Morning dose                                     Evening dose                                                                                 Equivalence

Stage 1 1/2 2 mg clonazepam                     1/2 2 mg clonazepam + 10 mg diazepam                                         42 mg diazepam

Stage 2 1/2 2 mg clonazepam                     1/4 2 mg clonazepam + 1/2 0,5 mg clonazepam + 15 mg diazepam 43 mg diazepam

Stage 3 1/2 2 mg clonazepam                     1/4 2 mg clonazepam + 15 mg diazepam                                         39 mg diazepam

Stage 4 1/4 2 mg clonazepam +

              1/2 0,5 mg clonazepam                   1/4 2 mg clonazepam + 20 mg diazepam                                         40 mg diazepam

Stage 5 1/4 2 mg clonazepam                     1/4 2 mg clonazepam + 20 mg diazepam                                         36 mg diazepam

Stage 6 1/4 2 mg clonazepam                     1/2 0,5 mg clonazepam + 25 mg diazepam                                     37 mg diazepam

Stage 7 1/2 0,5 mg clonazepam                   1/2 0,5 mg clonazepam + 25 mg diazepam                                     33 mg diazepam

Stage 8 1/2 0,5 mg clonazepam                   30 mg diazepam                                                                           34 mg diazepam

Stage 9 Nothing                                         30 mg diazepam                                                                           30 mg diazepam

 

 

Then, cca. according to Ashton:

- from 30 mg diazepam to 20 mg diazepam: in 3 / 4 mg steps

- from 20 mg diazepam to 10 mg diazepam: in 2 mg steps

- from 10 mg diazepam to 0 mg diazepam: in 1 mg steps

 

* Stage 1 is my current state

 

So stage 2 is:

 

1 mg Clonazepam a.m.  .75 mg clonazepam + 10 mg diazepam p.m.?

 

Thanks for sharing this, I was under the impression you were going to convert all of the clonazepam to diazepam. 

 

Your taper proposal may be a bit aggressive so I hope you’ll keep a good record of your reductions plus any symptoms you have and their intensity to help you make decisions on how long to hold if they get too much for you.  And also, tapers need to be flexible enough to endure life’s unexpected challenges, there are times we need to hold longer and reduce less to meet them.

 

 

Thanks Pamster! Yes, you are right about the dosage.

 

If you have any suggestions about my taper plan, feel free to share them. They are not written in stone, I can adjust it, so I will be successful with my withdrawal.

I didn’t taper but I’ve read some members can get away with making larger cuts at the beginning of their taper but need to slow down as they get to the lower doses.  Many say even Ashtons plan is too fast so just keep these things in mind and adjust your taper accordingly.  After all, the purpose of a taper is to use the drug to rid ourselves of it while living our lives, that’s the goal.

I have one very important question.

 

What is the equivalence between clonazepam and diazepam? Because I keep getting finding different numbers. Thanks!

 

Most around here use Professor Ashtons work but, we’re all different so there needs to a range. Finding your equivalent is what we should be looking at.  Some members will decide on a dose and find it makes them too tired and sleepy so they realize they don’t need the target dose they were aiming for.  So as with everything else about this process, listen to what your body is telling you.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Pamster, I see individual, so I will take it into account.

Hello guys,

 

So I have the first 2 weeks of withdrawing benzos behind me. My plan is in the first post. I am currently in stage 2, tomorrow I will decrease to stage 3.

 

Everything went ok in the first 2 weeks, but I expected that, based on my previous attempts. So this is my first update.

It looks like there is a significant drop between stages 2 and 3, let us know how that goes.  I'm glad you amended when you take the Valium, adjusting your taper as you go is smart. 

Hey guys,

 

So it is 4 weeks of withdrawing benzos. I have to say I almost do not feel withdrawals, most probably because I am doing it slowly. But I will wait and see.

 

I am entering another stage, so today I entered into stage 4.

This is so good to hear, have you noticed any sedation or depression?

Hey guys,

 

More than 6 weeks of withdrawing benzos are behind me. It is going quite ok besides some digestion problems. But in general it goes well, which Im happy about.

 

Good to hear, sounds like benzo belly has arrived but I'm happy to hear you're making progress. 

Hey guys,

 

I am finishing stage 7 today. Everything goes well so far, besides some digestion problems. Just wanted to share.

Thanks for updating for us smithy1928, I’m glad its going well, I don’t hear this too often so thank you 

Hey guys,

 

I am in stage 9. I had some depression for maybe three days in stage 8, so I prolonged stage 8 to 3 weeks and then I was able to decrease the dose. Till now it seems ok, just digestion problems, but I am able to do things and work. I will again wait for 3 weeks I think, as this is the stage when I completely withdrawn clonazepam, and I am only on diazepam.

 

To Pamster: Sorry, last times I didnt see your comments. First of all, thank you very much for your support! I really appreciate it! To your comments:

 

"This is so good to hear, have you noticed any sedation or depression?": I didnt have any sedation. The depression came only once, the time I write above.

 

"Good to hear, sounds like benzo belly has arrived but I'm happy to hear you're making progress." Yeah, I am having digestion problems, but even though they get worse, over time they improve. I hope over time my body will recover to the extent possible.

Congratulations of being Clonazepam free, one down, one to go!  I’m happy to hear you’re able to work, and glad the depression has lifted. 

 

So glad you’re paying attention to your symptoms and adjusting your taper to manage them.

Thank you very much Pamster!

 

Just a little update. I started the 3rd week clonazepam free + 30 mg diazepam. I decided to prolong the stage to at least 3 weeks, as this is the step off clonazepam completely. Now I feel a bit down, depends on the day. Digestion problems increased again. And yesterday for the first time I felt nervousness in my whole body out of nowhere in the work. It came quite late in the stage, but I am ready to tackle it. Anyway, it is the step off clonazepam. So I will wait till my body adjusts and then continue to go down with diazepam.

Excellent plan to hold for now, getting off a powerful benzo like clonazepam is huge, I’m sure your body is missing it.  I’m sorry to hear you’re dealing with these symptoms, its not going to let go of you easily. 

Hey guys,

 

So today I am decreasing diazepam from 30 mg to 26 mg. I held 30 mg of diazepam for 4 weeks (before I had also clonazepam), because I had a bit of depression, some anxiety, all quite unpleasant symptoms. So I decided instead of decreasing always after 2 weeks to wait for 4 weeks. Now things are much better. I have motivation, better mood, no tics under my left eye (they came 2 weeks ago). I hope now clonazepam free and only on diazepam, the decreasing will be easier. We will see.

I think 4 mgs will be too much, and the problem with this is you won’t know if its too much until the cut fully leaves your system and by the time you realize it, it will be too late to go back up a bit and you’ll have to hold and suffer.  Would you consider reducing by less, perhaps 1 mg so you can see how you’re going to react now that you’re only on the Valium?

Hey Pamster, thank you for the advice, I will consider it. I take it that I decreased by 13 % - and anyway, from 2 mg to 1 mg it will be 50 % decrease. I am trying to keep the percentages fairly constant.

Since this is your final taper off of benzodiazepines (fingers crossed) I feel its important to get this right and tapering according to your symptoms is the way to do it. Let’s not worry about percentages and find your sweet spot tapering Valium. 

 

If you reduce by 1 mg and things go well, then the next time you can consider bumping that up.  I just hate to see you experience intense symptoms then have to hold for longer while they ease. 

Sounds good what you write. Now I think it is a bit late to go back. So I will try 4 mg (this is the last 4 mg) and I will see how it goes. If I will have to I will will prolong the period, and then adjust my plan according to it.

 

I basically do not have experience with withdrawing diazepam. So maybe this can be the first trial. Then I will adjust. Other thing is how much of diazepam will my doctor prescribe me. So I am a bit constrained. But thanks for advice! I will take it into account. This is why I am here.

Your taper, your way, that’s what we hope for.    I hope you’ll keep us posted, what we write will help others find their way through this process.