Need Direct Taper advice off Atavan

Hello - thank you for this website and fpr your support. 

 

I've been reading a lot of posts & Ashton... getting ready to direct taper off of Atavan 1/4-1/2mg PRN (3-4/week) since December 2016. Not sure about conversion to Valium so have decided to stick with Atavan (ugg).  I have gotten no help or even a recognition from GP, ER, Psychologist or Psychiatrist  that the 800lb gorilla on my back is a developed dependency on Atavan. I finally figured it out for myself on benzobuddies & askapatient.c--

 

I'm thinking 10%(of cut) every 7 days.. adjust/hold if needed. (Am I too optimistic? maybe 5%/14d)

(I tried to CT for 2 weeks (mistake) so I am definitely dependent

 

Not sure about how I would react to Valium so I'm thinking "direct taper"

 

Tried water tiration - found effect of  dissolving pills hits me a lot faster and seems to leave sooner so ordered a "gram scale" and do it that way.

 

Since I was PRN (1/4-1/2mg....3-4/week) .... what should I use as a starting dose??

(I am thinking 1/2mg day and see how that works - (Taper calculator for 10%/7days/.5mg) would take about 16 weeks.)

 

Also, because of the short 1/2 life of Atavan, can I split the dose in half and do morning & bedtime?

 

I would appreciate any comments/suggestions on my proposed plan. This is all new to me, but I have come to the conclusion "if its going to be, its up to me"  (and benzobuddies!)

 

Thanks..... Topofthebottom

 

 

My advice would be to find a doctor willing to prescribe Valium.  Don't risk making it difficult for yourself with Ativan.  The half-life is too short. 

Thank you for the reply.  I have been thinking the same thing myself today... trying to find a dose

that I would have to take 4 times a day for the better part of a year that would "stabilize" me and allow me to start tapering. I've been adding small increments all day....  up .5mg and still not there and experiencing interdose withdrawal issues.

 

My BIG problem is that I am only getting a couple of hours sleep each night..... would a switch to Valium help alleviate the insomnia caused by short acting Atavan? I've read a lot of success stories

with substitution of Valium.  I'd hate to spend many months trying to get off Atavan... only to fail and have to start over.  Meeting with the GP who prescribed me this poison to begin with. I will give him a copy of Ashton and supporting docs.... we'll see.

 

Thanks again for your reply.... helped me make up my mind (whats left of it!)

I found this calculator for the conversion :  http://clincalc.com/benzodiazepine/

 

Looks like 1 mg Klonopin = 15 mg of Valium

 

Good luck...

 

I am early in my direct taper from Klonopin to Valium. 

Ashton states that 1mg Klonopin equals 20mg diazepam.

I am not trying to be contrary and certainly have a lot of faith in Ashton but the calculators I see say 1K = 15 V

Well  all I can say is my doc has given me 10 mg and it is not enough.  I'm early into this but I thought

the object was to get me stable with the change from klonopin to valium and then taper.  I'm having bad symptoms every 6-7 hrs.  Not sure what to do.  ER over the week-end and doc said 5mg 3 x a day and see my doc asap.  My doc says no increase.  Only two days at 15 mgs and I do better .. I make it almost thru the night,..but heart rate is low .. mid to low 40's.. that is the doc's concern.  so did 10 mg yesterday and was awake w symptoms every two hours all night.  I've made it so far today on 5mg .. almost 12 hrs.. dicey spells but maintaining.  Not sure what to do... getting close to taking 2nd dose.

Keep in mind Valium is more of a muscle relaxer.  Doesn’t seem to help with anxiety much, but that could be just my friends experience.