New here, tapering valium, scary symptoms

Hi everyone.  I just joined.  I took valium 5 MG upon waking and at 2pm as well as temazapam 15 MG at bedtime for years.  My old psychiatrist of 7 years just kept giving me a different med for everything with no explanation of risk vs benefits,  side effects, etc.  I switched psychiatrists about 6 months ago.  My new psychiatrist works very closely with my therapist.  I told her immediately I wanted off the benzos.  About 2 months ago we all decided I was stable enough to try to taper.  Initially she dropped my afternoon dose by half.  I was so irritable and short tempted I couldn't be around people, even my family.  She increased back to the starting dose.  I didn't really have any physical symptoms.  Then we started tapering by .5 MG per month.  Right now I'm taking 4.5 MG at waking and at 2pm.  About 4.5 weeks ago, so just after the 2nd dose reduction I started having severe cardiac symptoms.  I thought I was having a heart attack.  I get chest pain and pressure and it radiates down my left arm, extreme fatigue,  shortness of breath.  Additionally my statle response is significantly increased and I feel physically very anxious.  I've been to the ER 3 times and admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit 2 times.  I've had all the tests my cardiologist deems necessary and everything is showing up normal.  My therapist redid my treatment plan yesterday and said my anxiety score was higher than its ever been, even at intake.  Her question was are the cardiac symptoms causing me anxiety or is anxiety and the taper causing the cardiac symptoms.  My psychiatrist doesn't believe the chest symptoms are related to the taper.  I'm not sure what to even think.  We have a 20 month taper planned and I can't do this for 20 months.  I'm looking for insight,  opinions, options.  Anything.  Thank you!

It may be anxiety, Professor Ashton mentions this symptom, it could also be the fact that benzo's are great muscle relaxers and when we take them away, our muscles complain and since the heart is a muscle, it makes me wonder.  Ashton  Manual symptom list

Heart and lungs. Palpitations, pounding heart, rapid pulse, flushing, sweating, and breathlessness are usual accompaniments of panic attacks, but may occur without panics. They do not signify heart or lung disease but are simply the expression of an overactive autonomic nervous system. Slow deep breathing and relaxation, as described under panic attacks, can do much to control these symptoms. Do not worry about them: they would be accepted as normal if you were running for a bus, and will do no more harm than if you really were!

 

Symptoms change throughout this process so what you're feeling now will probably leave and be replaced with something equally as hideous, I doubt that's much comfort though.

Hi everyone.  I just joined.  I took valium 5 MG upon waking and at 2pm as well as temazapam 15 MG at bedtime for years.  My old psychiatrist of 7 years just kept giving me a different med for everything with no explanation of risk vs benefits,  side effects, etc.  I switched psychiatrists about 6 months ago.  My new psychiatrist works very closely with my therapist.  I told her immediately I wanted off the benzos.  About 2 months ago we all decided I was stable enough to try to taper.  Initially she dropped my afternoon dose by half.  I was so irritable and short tempted I couldn't be around people, even my family.  She increased back to the starting dose.  I didn't really have any physical symptoms.  Then we started tapering by .5 MG per month.  Right now I'm taking 4.5 MG at waking and at 2pm.  About 4.5 weeks ago, so just after the 2nd dose reduction I started having severe cardiac symptoms.  I thought I was having a heart attack.  I get chest pain and pressure and it radiates down my left arm, extreme fatigue,  shortness of breath.  Additionally my statle response is significantly increased and I feel physically very anxious.  I've been to the ER 3 times and admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit 2 times.  I've had all the tests my cardiologist deems necessary and everything is showing up normal.  My therapist redid my treatment plan yesterday and said my anxiety score was higher than its ever been, even at intake.  Her question was are the cardiac symptoms causing me anxiety or is anxiety and the taper causing the cardiac symptoms.  My psychiatrist doesn't believe the chest symptoms are related to the taper.  I'm not sure what to even think.  We have a 20 month taper planned and I can't do this for 20 months.  I'm looking for insight,  opinions, options.  Anything.  Thank you!

 

Did you start your original taper 6months ago and she dropped it in 1/2 and then you got stable a couple of months ago and started again? Or did this taper all start 2 months ago?  Also are you still on the Temazapam? 

 

Your original cut was obviously too much and sent you into trouble and that is problematic.  So that is why I am wondering where you got stable at.  For some people “we have” to reduce our % of medication very slowly, or it sends us into all kinds of uncomfortable sx.  If you just started all of this a couple of months ago, and have reduced 1mg in total after having a large reduction and a bad experience, it may be causing the sx you are experiencing.  Again, I am unclear as to when you had your first dose cut at 1/2. 

 

I think sometimes knowing that the sx are just sx can help us, so we don’t get so scared.  They can definitely cause anxiety thinking something is very wrong.  Like Pamster mentioned, Valium is a muscle relaxer and when we begin to take it away, I believe our bodies get angry with us.  My muscles hurt all the time  . I am glad your cardiac panel has come back clear.

 

Maybe other’s will chime in and give you some direction/help here……

 

Marie

Hey Marie.  We started all of this about 2.5 months ago.  I still take the temazapam as she only wants to wean 1 med at a time.  The initial drop by half only caused the psychological symptoms of extreme irritability and anger.  No physical symptoms.  I didn't even realize how bad it got until I brought it up ith my therapist.  I've been seeing her 21 months and we have a really good report.  She said I was unusually verbally aggressive and it didn't matter what she said in my session, it wasn't right.  My psychiatrist increased the does back up to 5 MG for 1 day.  Just until she could get the new dose to the pharmacy. Then we started dropping by .5 a month.  I immediately felt better after I went back up to 5mg.  I was only on the 2.5 for a week, but it was definitely a bad week.  I'm trying to get an appointment with her for Monday. She only works Mondays.  They are going to call me back tomorrow.  I wondering if I need to abort mission, go back to my original dose and go even slower with the taper??  Maybe wait a month or 2.  I don't really know.  I just know I have a family I have to be functional for.

When I joined this group about a month or so ago my #1 complaint was cardiac issues (tachycardia) and air hunger. I could not catch my breath and was so winded after walking up one flight of stairs. My heart would pound all day. Just standing in the kitchen my HR would be in the 100’s (usually it’s in the 60’s). I did a rapid taper in 8 weeks much too fast and that’s what made my sx worse.

 

The Ashton Manual says these sx are part of the withdrawal process and not dangerous. I know how uncomfortable and scary it is and I hope you’re feeling better soon. For the most part my tachycardia and breathlessness has abated if that’s any consolation.

"My psychiatrist doesn't believe the chest symptoms are related to the taper."

 

Obviously, these symptoms are related to the taper if you have had all tests come back normal. These doctors are really something. I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. SSR1975 had similar symptoms. You might want to read her success stories.

Hey Marie.  We started all of this about 2.5 months ago.  I still take the temazapam as she only wants to wean 1 med at a time.  The initial drop by half only caused the psychological symptoms of extreme irritability and anger.  No physical symptoms.  I didn't even realize how bad it got until I brought it up ith my therapist.  I've been seeing her 21 months and we have a really good report.  She said I was unusually verbally aggressive and it didn't matter what she said in my session, it wasn't right.  My psychiatrist increased the does back up to 5 MG for 1 day.  Just until she could get the new dose to the pharmacy. Then we started dropping by .5 a month.  I immediately felt better after I went back up to 5mg.  I was only on the 2.5 for a week, but it was definitely a bad week.  I'm trying to get an appointment with her for Monday. She only works Mondays.  They are going to call me back tomorrow.  I wondering if I need to abort mission, go back to my original dose and go even slower with the taper??  Maybe wait a month or 2.  I don't really know.  I just know I have a family I have to be functional for.

 

Hi- Sorry it took longer to get back to you…I wasn’t feeling very good (Benzo flu. Ugh).  Thank you for explaining.

 

If it were me, I would not go back up because you just have to eventually go back down.  Perhaps just hold until you stabilize and feel better and if that is for a couple of months then so be it.  Then go at a slower pace….it isn’t a race to get off.  We just eventually want to get off and we want to do this comfortably and to be able to function.  Obviously this is JMO, and we are here to support what every you decide

 

Marie

Funny, my psychiatrist just told me that my unconscious mind is contributing to sxs and that I need to continue tapering regardless of them. Basically, my unconscious mind has “decided” it is going to have sxs...I do not doubt the power of the mind but...this tapering/sxs/when to taper next stuff is confusing when you have sxs all the time without windows.

 

 

I am sorry that you are having to deal with a doctor that doesn’t understand benzo w/d very well.  Maybe you could find a new provider that will help you with a taper process that is symptom based and who has more experience.  Maybe see if your doctor would be open to reading over some of the newer material out on benzo w/d and taper plan’s. 

 

Marie