Daily Liquid Taper Problems...What Am I Doing Wrong?

I'm perplexed by the problems I'm having with my daily liquid taper.

 

I switched to the PG/Valium solution (1 mg) and held for 2 weeks. I began daily reductions of .03 mgs a day (3mls). I held at 14.40 mgs (11 days) and 14.25 mgs (5 days) due to increased sxs. It's taken me 41 days to reduce .87 mg!  Am I doing something wrong? Do I need more time to adjust to the liquid? Once I get to 14 mg I'll have to liquify 2mgs to keep my doses even...yikes.

 

I'm tempted to drop down to 14 mg after tonight to see if micro cuts work better.

 

Any thoughts or ideas...I'm stumped!

 

Best to all, Left xxx

1) Most folks don't switch to 100% liquid, they take a combination of tablets and liquid.  For example, at 14.25, they would take 14mg from tablets, and .25mg with liquid.

 

2)  I don't know exactly what your procedure is, but no, you won't have to liquify 2mgs to achieve any specific dose.

 

 

3)  A daily microtaper is almost always more tolerable than a C&H taper.

Sorry, my question was not clear.

 

1) I didn't switch to 100% liquid.  I liquify 1mg, the other 14 mg I take in dry form. Today I'm taking 14mg dry and .13mg liquid.

 

2) I dose 4xs a day. I get IDWD. SG said it's best to maintain a steady level of Valium in your system. This is/was my plan once I get to 14mg

 

  3 mg x 4 (doses/day) = 12 mg dry

  .50 mg × 4 (doses/day)= 2mg liquid

 

3) I know a daily MT is more tolerable than C&H that's why I'm trying to stick with it. I'm having problems and don't know what to do. 

 

Once I switched to the 1mg liquid I only held for 2 weeks before reducung....should I have waited longer?

 

Do some buddies micro cut using liquid?

 

I'm sorry if I sound short or abrupt...I feel terrible and I'm frustrated.

IMO, a .03 daily cut is aggressive. If you're symptomatic from it, lower your cut rate.

I'm perplexed by the problems I'm having with my daily liquid taper.

 

I switched to the PG/Valium solution (1 mg) and held for 2 weeks. I began daily reductions of .03 mgs a day (3mls). I held at 14.40 mgs (11 days) and 14.25 mgs (5 days) due to increased sxs. It's taken me 41 days to reduce .87 mg!  Am I doing something wrong? Do I need more time to adjust to the liquid? Once I get to 14 mg I'll have to liquify 2mgs to keep my doses even...yikes.

 

I'm tempted to drop down to 14 mg after tonight to see if micro cuts work better.

 

Any thoughts or ideas...I'm stumped!

 

Best to all, Left xxx

 

.87mg in 41 days works out to .021mg/day.  Try a .02mg cut.

 

It sounds like you are doing a good job with waiting and mixing the liquid and dosing.  Typically, most all people seem to be able to taper above 5% a month, but there are people who cannot.

I'm perplexed by the problems I'm having with my daily liquid taper.

 

I switched to the PG/Valium solution (1 mg) and held for 2 weeks. I began daily reductions of .03 mgs a day (3mls). I held at 14.40 mgs (11 days) and 14.25 mgs (5 days) due to increased sxs. It's taken me 41 days to reduce .87 mg!  Am I doing something wrong? Do I need more time to adjust to the liquid? Once I get to 14 mg I'll have to liquify 2mgs to keep my doses even...yikes.

 

I'm tempted to drop down to 14 mg after tonight to see if micro cuts work better.

 

Any thoughts or ideas...I'm stumped!

 

Best to all, Left xxx

 

.87mg in 41 days works out to .021mg/day.  Try a .02mg cut.

 

It sounds like you are doing a good job with waiting and mixing the liquid and dosing.  Typically, most all people seem to be able to taper above 5% a month, but there are people who cannot.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart SG! This is a wretched experience. I'll start 2ml/.02 mg reductions tomorrow.  Wonder why I can't go faster   Super turtle taper here I come.

 

Bless you SG for all your help. I hope you are doing well 

 

IMO, a .03 daily cut is aggressive. If you're symptomatic from it, lower your cut rate.

Thank you benzo-off for the advice, I appreciate the advice I'll dial the reductions back to 2mls/.02 mgs a day.

 

I hope you are doing well and thank you for reaching out. 

.87mg in 41 days works out to .021mg/day.  Try a .02mg cut.

 

It sounds like you are doing a good job with waiting and mixing the liquid and dosing.  Typically, most all people seem to be able to taper above 5% a month, but there are people who cannot.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart SG! This is a wretched experience. I'll start 2ml/.02 mg reductions tomorrow.  Wonder why I can't go faster   Super turtle taper here I come.

 

Bless you SG for all your help. I hope you are doing well 

 

I know of a guy who could not do any more than .025mg a day at a dose of 25mg V.  That's 3% a month!  Below that he was fine, above it symptoms would escalate.  Then, of coarse, there is Oscar, who does not seem to be able to taper at all.  I'm sure there are others in this club.

Left Behind -

can you describe your c/h history....like when you cut, how much would you cut at a time, what was your lag time for sx's, how long would sx's last, how frequently did you cut?  I know you said it was inconsistent but can you give some idea on some of the cuts, esp the later cuts?

How did your sx's compare during c/h vs the MT?

Is your MT at the same overall rate as your c/h or slower or faster than your few cuts right before MT?

 

When you MT, do you decrease all 4 doses at once or one at a time?

 

Sorry for so many ?'s - trying to understand your history better to see what might help.

For those who have helped so much in the past, I'd like to explain...I know many people use dry pills for 1 mg and liquid Valium for .25 to equal1.25mg.

I am switching to all liquid Valium now, even though iam at 1.25mg. I found that I need to go REALLY slow at this point in my taper.

I will dose down by .01 or. 02 every 1 or 2 days using a 1:10 solution.

I know it will take a long time, but hopefully I won't get the side effects I am getting now.

I can always increase or decrease the cut, or the hold time if I find I need to. 

I also know I could use the dry half pill for the 1 mg part of my dose But I have decided to go right to the liquid and get my body used to it now.

 

Any adverse ideas about my plan out there? Thanks for your input! :)

Heathcliff

For those who have helped so much in the past, I'd like to explain...I know many people use dry pills for 1 mg and liquid Valium for .25 to equal1.25mg.

I am switching to all liquid Valium now, even though iam at 1.25mg. I found that I need to go REALLY slow at this point in my taper.

I will dose down by .01 or. 02 every 1 or 2 days using a 1:10 solution.

I know it will take a long time, but hopefully I won't get the side effects I am getting now.

I can always increase or decrease the cut, or the hold time if I find I need to. 

I also know I could use the dry half pill for the 1 mg part of my dose But I have decided to go right to the liquid and get my body used to it now.

 

Any adverse ideas about my plan out there? Thanks for your input! :)

Heathcliff

 

You'll be fine.  I started 100% Rx liquid V when I got down to 3 mg...worked fine.

What does your pdoc say about your taper?

Heathcliff,

 

I think you have a good plan.  Slow is key.  Are you feeling any better since that last cut?

 

Anne