Needing a titration plan for diazepam/valium

I'm currently on 15 mg.  I put in a spreadsheet of a 1% drop each day and it looks way too fast (i.e. from 15 mg to 13.03 in 2 weeks while Ashton recommends 15 to 14 in 2 weeks).

 

If I go by .5%, it goes from 15 mg to 14.05 mg in 2 weeks... which I think is more reasonable.

 

Can anyone give me some insight on a plan?  Maybe a plan that worked for them?  I'm new to titration, I was doing the cut & hold method but I just can't anymore...

 

Thank you!

How are you currently taking the 15 mg's of V (how many hours in between) and what dose are the pills?

How are you currently taking the 15 mg's of V (how many hours in between) and what dose are the pills?

 

I take 5 mg halfway through the day then 10 mg at night... I have it back dosed so I can sleep.

 

I also have 2 mg pills that the dr. thinks I'm taking (he thinks I'm on 17 mg) that I've been saving up to help me cut with.

How are you currently taking the 15 mg's of V (how many hours in between) and what dose are the pills?

 

I take 5 mg halfway through the day then 10 mg at night... I have it back dosed so I can sleep.

 

I also have 2 mg pills that the dr. thinks I'm taking (he thinks I'm on 17 mg) that I've been saving up to help me cut with.

 

I'm a bit confused, sorry. Are all your pills 2 mg?

 

I'm a bit confused, sorry. Are all your pills 2 mg?

 

Sorry... I take 5 mg pills x 3 at the moment.  One in the early afternoon and 2 at bedtime for a total of 15 mg.

 

I was just making a statement that my dr. thinks I'm on 17 mg and I have 3 bottles full of 2 mg tablets saved up for cutting purposes.

 

Does that clarify?

 

I'm a bit confused, sorry. Are all your pills 2 mg?

 

Sorry... I take 5 mg pills x 3 at the moment.  One in the early afternoon and 2 at bedtime for a total of 15 mg.

 

I was just making a statement that my dr. thinks I'm on 17 mg and I have 3 bottles full of 2 mg tablets saved up for cutting purposes.

 

Does that clarify?

 

Yes, thanks! I used to dose all at one time, I slept horribly and this was when I was not tapering. The even level of benzo helps me sleep so much better than taking it at one time, or taking them too close together. In all honesty, I've never slept better than I do now, while tapering. I dose 2 times a day, every 12 hours and am at 5.44 mg's V.

 

It's good that your doctor thinks you are on a higher dose, always have a stash of benzo's while tapering.

 

Here's a suggestion for tapering(I would go all liquid, but most prefer pill & liquid, I'm not one of them):

 

Take 1, 5 mg V every 12 hours in pill form

 

Take the other 5 mg V, add it to 50mL's of full fat milk, put into a sealed glass spice jar or hard plastic container (I use Gladware, no leaks and the lid is nice and tight), let it sit for  12 - 12 hours in the fridge, shake it 2 - 3 times throughout this time period, then eye-ball the 50mL's of V-milk into 2 smaller dosing jars, take one with each pill dose.

 

Do this for 2 weeks, to allow your body to adjust to the V-milk solution, than, start a daily micro taper. If you want to know more, I'll continue.

 

I hope that made sense.

 

Yes, thanks! I used to dose all at one time, I slept horribly and this was when I was not tapering. The even level of benzo helps me sleep so much better than taking it at one time, or taking them too close together. In all honesty, I've never slept better than I do now, while tapering. I dose 2 times a day, every 12 hours and am at 5.44 mg's V.

 

It's good that your doctor thinks you are on a higher dose, always have a stash of benzo's while tapering.

 

Here's a suggestion for tapering(I would go all liquid, but most prefer pill & liquid, I'm not one of them):

 

Take 1, 5 mg V every 12 hours in pill form

 

Take the other 5 mg V, add it to 50mL's of full fat milk, put into a sealed glass spice jar or hard plastic container (I use Gladware, no leaks and the lid is nice and tight), let it sit for  12 - 12 hours in the fridge, shake it 2 - 3 times throughout this time period, then eye-ball the 50mL's of V-milk into 2 smaller dosing jars, take one with each pill dose.

 

Do this for 2 weeks, to allow your body to adjust to the V-milk solution, than, start a daily micro taper. If you want to know more, I'll continue.

 

I hope that made sense.

 

That's interesting.  I guess another reason why I've spread them out is if I take 5 mg right when I wake up I feel lethargic, like I want to go back to sleep.

 

Anyways, 2 weeks of practice still taking a total of 15 mg, basically?  Is there a point to this?  Like, do some people have side effects from this method or just the fact that its different or??  Just curious.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Yes, thanks! I used to dose all at one time, I slept horribly and this was when I was not tapering. The even level of benzo helps me sleep so much better than taking it at one time, or taking them too close together. In all honesty, I've never slept better than I do now, while tapering. I dose 2 times a day, every 12 hours and am at 5.44 mg's V.

 

It's good that your doctor thinks you are on a higher dose, always have a stash of benzo's while tapering.

 

Here's a suggestion for tapering(I would go all liquid, but most prefer pill & liquid, I'm not one of them):

 

Take 1, 5 mg V every 12 hours in pill form

 

Take the other 5 mg V, add it to 50mL's of full fat milk, put into a sealed glass spice jar or hard plastic container (I use Gladware, no leaks and the lid is nice and tight), let it sit for  12 - 12 hours in the fridge, shake it 2 - 3 times throughout this time period, then eye-ball the 50mL's of V-milk into 2 smaller dosing jars, take one with each pill dose.

 

Do this for 2 weeks, to allow your body to adjust to the V-milk solution, than, start a daily micro taper. If you want to know more, I'll continue.

 

I hope that made sense.

 

That's interesting.  I guess another reason why I've spread them out is if I take 5 mg right when I wake up I feel lethargic, like I want to go back to sleep.

 

Anyways, 2 weeks of practice still taking a total of 15 mg, basically?  Is there a point to this?  Like, do some people have side effects from this method or just the fact that its different or??  Just curious.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Keep in mind, I am suggesting what works for me. The split dose worked wonders and I had no issues switching to V-milk, I have been dosing this was froom 12 mg's V, all in V-milk, never did pills & liquid. Some people may feel a difference, that is why it is suggested to do this for 2 weeks, to make sure you are OK with it. You are still taking 15 mg's total V. 10 mg in pill, 5 mg in V-milk solution, which will become the portion you remove your cut from.

 

You'll need 10mL and 1mL oral syringes also. I use Rubbermaid small round containers for my prep jars (I make 3 at a time) and smaller Gladware for my dosing jars. You will need 8% full fat whole milk also, not 2%, 1%, skim.

 

After your 2 weeks, if you feel no different dosing this way, you than can start to daily taper off. I started really slowly at .005mg's, working up to .02mg's reductions and that is my limit. It is a slow, gentle process and I work full-time, live my life and am not "suffering." I'll do this all the way to 0mg's.

Hi, don't mean to barge in here, but Benzo-off, do you mean that you slept better once you took your dose twice a day instead of once? I take my whole 8 Mg. at night and have always done so, due to them being prescribed for insomnia, but if it would work better to dose twice a day, I will try it, because right now I am only getting around 5 hours of sleep...

Do tell more, please...

thx

SC

 

Keep in mind, I am suggesting what works for me. The split dose worked wonders and I had no issues switching to V-milk, I have been dosing this was froom 12 mg's V, all in V-milk, never did pills & liquid. Some people may feel a difference, that is why it is suggested to do this for 2 weeks, to make sure you are OK with it. You are still taking 15 mg's total V. 10 mg in pill, 5 mg in V-milk solution, which will become the portion you remove your cut from.

 

You'll need 10mL and 1mL oral syringes also. I use Rubbermaid small round containers for my prep jars (I make 3 at a time) and smaller Gladware for my dosing jars. You will need 8% full fat whole milk also, not 2%, 1%, skim.

 

After your 2 weeks, if you feel no different dosing this way, you than can start to daily taper off. I started really slowly at .005mg's, working up to .02mg's reductions and that is my limit. It is a slow, gentle process and I work full-time, live my life and am not "suffering." I'll do this all the way to 0mg's.

 

Nice! Yeah, I only drink whole milk anyways so that's not a problem. Thanks for telling me what you use as well, that will definitely help.  Syringes should just be in the pharmacy section of Wal-Mart I assume?

 

Thanks for the tapering advice as well.  I've heard of people cutting by percentages, which is why I used that as an example (1% or .5% per day).  I think cutting by an exact amount each day might be easier to keep track of.

Hi, don't mean to barge in here, but Benzo-off, do you mean that you slept better once you took your dose twice a day instead of once? I take my whole 8 Mg. at night and have always done so, due to them being prescribed for insomnia, but if it would work better to dose twice a day, I will try it, because right now I am only getting around 5 hours of sleep...

Do tell more, please...

thx

SC

 

Yes, that is what I mean and what has happened. Benzo's only temporarily help with sleep and anxiety. Do some research on benzo's and sleep, GABA, REM cycles. I wasn't prescribed these for insomnia, and I am always astounded when I hear that people were, though I know it's a commonly practiced, yet erroneous thing to do, IMO.

 

Keep in mind, I am suggesting what works for me. The split dose worked wonders and I had no issues switching to V-milk, I have been dosing this was froom 12 mg's V, all in V-milk, never did pills & liquid. Some people may feel a difference, that is why it is suggested to do this for 2 weeks, to make sure you are OK with it. You are still taking 15 mg's total V. 10 mg in pill, 5 mg in V-milk solution, which will become the portion you remove your cut from.

 

You'll need 10mL and 1mL oral syringes also. I use Rubbermaid small round containers for my prep jars (I make 3 at a time) and smaller Gladware for my dosing jars. You will need 8% full fat whole milk also, not 2%, 1%, skim.

 

After your 2 weeks, if you feel no different dosing this way, you than can start to daily taper off. I started really slowly at .005mg's, working up to .02mg's reductions and that is my limit. It is a slow, gentle process and I work full-time, live my life and am not "suffering." I'll do this all the way to 0mg's.

 

Nice! Yeah, I only drink whole milk anyways so that's not a problem. Thanks for telling me what you use as well, that will definitely help. Syringes should just be in the pharmacy section of Wal-Mart I assume?

Thanks for the tapering advice as well.  I've heard of people cutting by percentages, which is why I used that as an example (1% or .5% per day).  I think cutting by an exact amount each day might be easier to keep track of.

 

They probably won't be on display, as most pharmacies simply give them away.  Ask for them at the pharmacy counter.

 

Also readily available from Amazon.

An alternative to what you've had suggested so far can be found in the links in my signature.

 

I would personally advise against making any very concentrated liquid mixtures as can be very easy to make mistakes when you are measuring your doses. If you do choose to go with a concentrated mixture, I would suggest waiting until you are a bit more experienced with the overall procedure. Just my opinion.