Lorazepam sub w/Diazepam worked BUT Diazepam taper nightmare-HELP!

After 6 months of self-taper from 2.5mg Lorazepam-3/8, I failed. Was a few days before Xmas-both sons coming w/families from far away. Updosed to 1.5 Loraz. Found excellent psychopharmacologist who used 9mg Diaz to get me off Loraz in 2 months by 3/5/18. Wish I had asked him to just help me finish off Loraz, but I didn’t.

 

Been cutting Diaz by .25 but sxs are brutal: chest pain, teeth ache, itching, insomnia, constipation, headaches, backaches, BP spikes, shaky. For BP, Lisinopril made sxs worse and Clonidine gave me insomnia. Hydroxizine helps now w/BP, sleep, and itching. Now I have terrible acid reflux/GERD (lots of ibuprofen, but I also think the Diaz contributed to it). PCP prescribed omeprazole but it made everything much worse. She approved me going off as of tomorrow-only been on it for 6 days. I am just starting to hold at 6mgs Diaz until GERD settles down. Going to stick to GERD diet and maybe Slippery Elm-nothing else. PCP wants me to ask my addiction doc about an SSRI to help with the Diaz taper, but I do not want to go on anything else I have to wean off of. I tried liquidV but it didn’t seem to work. I know my addiction doc will use a compounding pharmacy if needed.

 

BUT I am concerned i just can’t tolerate Diaz. This is soooo much worse than my own Loraz taper (even though I failed at the end). Has anyone had to change from the Diaz substitution taper to something else that was a bit easier? If so what was it? I’m not looking for no sxs, but Diaz seems to be poisoning me, e.g. the GERD, which I did not have with my 6 month Loraz taper even though I took a lot of ibuprofen.

 

I respect this forum and would be so grateful for any HELP.

After 6 months of self-taper from 2.5mg Lorazepam-3/8, I failed. Was a few days before Xmas-both sons coming w/families from far away. Updosed to 1.5 Loraz. Found excellent psychopharmacologist who used 9mg Diaz to get me off Loraz in 2 months by 3/5/18. Wish I had asked him to just help me finish off Loraz, but I didn’t.

 

Been cutting Diaz by .25 but sxs are brutal: chest pain, teeth ache, itching, insomnia, constipation, headaches, backaches, BP spikes, shaky. For BP, Lisinopril made sxs worse and Clonidine gave me insomnia. Hydroxizine helps now w/BP, sleep, and itching. Now I have terrible acid reflux/GERD (lots of ibuprofen, but I also think the Diaz contributed to it). PCP prescribed omeprazole but it made everything much worse. She approved me going off as of tomorrow-only been on it for 6 days. I am just starting to hold at 6mgs Diaz until GERD settles down. Going to stick to GERD diet and maybe Slippery Elm-nothing else. PCP wants me to ask my addiction doc about an SSRI to help with the Diaz taper, but I do not want to go on anything else I have to wean off of. I tried liquidV but it didn’t seem to work. I know my addiction doc will use a compounding pharmacy if needed.

 

BUT I am concerned i just can’t tolerate Diaz. This is soooo much worse than my own Loraz taper (even though I failed at the end). Has anyone had to change from the Diaz substitution taper to something else that was a bit easier? If so what was it? I’m not looking for no sxs, but Diaz seems to be poisoning me, e.g. the GERD, which I did not have with my 6 month Loraz taper even though I took a lot of ibuprofen.

 

I respect this forum and would be so grateful for any HELP.

 

Hello gcal-

 

I am sorry that you are having such a difficult time.

 

The Valium gave me terrible gerd for many years. (It is gone now) I found black licorice to be very effective to ease the reflux.

 

As far as substituting the Valium, you could try the Klonopin. Have you considered this?

I found it very difficult to switch from Valium back to klonopin and gave up on it after a couple of weeks. Note this was the second time tapering Valium, the first time I had no problems. I did find subsequent tapers to be more difficult even on the same drug, so to the extent that it helps uou, you don’t have to worry about the decision to substitute. I hope you can find a way to help the symptoms and continue with your taper.

JKS

Bella Amis-I have read about black licorice. Do you get it at a health food store or perhaps Whole Foods? Amazing? How does it come? And how do you injest it? And how often and when? As for Klonopin, I’ll ask my doc. Do you think Klonopin is easier to taper? I do believe that if I could get the GERD under control: the teeth ache and chest pain, I could continue on with the cuts. The one caveat is that I have Ciguatera, a toxic fish poisoning I contracted 10 years ago which can be awakened by any number of things still ch as puritis and pins and needles, but I think I’ll try the licorice once I hear from you as to where to get it and when and how to use it. Thanks!

BellaAmis-I meant “Amazon” not Amazing.

Bella Amis-I have read about black licorice. Do you get it at a health food store or perhaps Whole Foods? Amazing? How does it come? And how do you injest it? And how often and when? As for Klonopin, I’ll ask my doc. Do you think Klonopin is easier to taper? I do believe that if I could get the GERD under control: the teeth ache and chest pain, I could continue on with the cuts. The one caveat is that I have Ciguatera, a toxic fish poisoning I contracted 10 years ago which can be awakened by any number of things still ch as puritis and pins and needles, but I think I’ll try the licorice once I hear from you as to where to get it and when and how to use it. Thanks!

 

This is Liqorice product I used.

So the 2018 reviews of this licorice product say the company changed the makeup of the product and are begging to bring back the old formula. I guess I’ll look for another brand of the chewable tablets.

Just keep swimming-

 

Hmm-good to know that switching is probably a no win. I’ve read people having a tough time tapering from Klonopin too and my doc really doesn’t want me to switch. So I think you are suggesting I just keep going with the Valium taper.