Valium .5 mg. Time to jump or keep tapering?

Ashton says that .5 mg Valium is low enough to jump. I'm at that point and my plan is to do that. But I've had such a tough time getting to this dose that I'm wondering about trying to taper further. I seem to be really sensitive to this med.

 

Part of me wants to just get it over with. But each reduction has been really tough.  Not sure what to do. Does it make any sense to taper further? Or is .5 really a negligible dose of Valium?

Ashton says that .5 mg Valium is low enough to jump. I'm at that point and my plan is to do that. But I've had such a tough time getting to this dose that I'm wondering about trying to taper further. I seem to be really sensitive to this med.

 

Part of me wants to just get it over with. But each reduction has been really tough.  Not sure what to do. Does it make any sense to taper further? Or is .5 really a negligible dose of Valium?

 

Hello GGB-

 

Just wanted to share that I was a sensitive long term user too. I jumped at .5mg. I felt just the same as when I was tapering after my jump. Looking back, if I had to do it again, I would have jumped at 1mg and been done with it. Give it a try, you may have the same experience. You can always go back on the .5mg if you are uncomfortable, give it a shot 

Ashton says that .5 mg Valium is low enough to jump. I'm at that point and my plan is to do that. But I've had such a tough time getting to this dose that I'm wondering about trying to taper further. I seem to be really sensitive to this med.

 

Part of me wants to just get it over with. But each reduction has been really tough.  Not sure what to do. Does it make any sense to taper further? Or is .5 really a negligible dose of Valium?

 

Hello GGB-

 

Just wanted to share that I was a sensitive long term user too. I jumped at .5mg. I felt just the same as when I was tapering after my jump. Looking back, if I had to do it again, I would have jumped at 1mg and been done with it. Give it a try, you may have the same experience. You can always go back on the .5mg if you are uncomfortable, give it a shot 

 

That's good to hear!!!

Thanks, Bella,

 

Each taper seems to hit hard even though I'm going very slowly. But after about 2 or 3 weeks things ease up enough to do the next taper. If that is the case now that I'm at .5 mg and if I do start to feel a little better, I think I will go ahead and jump. So many people talk about micro tapers down to nothing. Maybe .5 is nothing.  Here's hoping.

Thanks, Bella,

 

Each taper seems to hit hard even though I'm going very slowly. But after about 2 or 3 weeks things ease up enough to do the next taper. If that is the case now that I'm at .5 mg and if I do start to feel a little better, I think I will go ahead and jump. So many people talk about micro tapers down to nothing. Maybe .5 is nothing.  Here's hoping.

 

Here's wishing and praying for you the BEST!!! I hope you do so very well.

NMsafe,

 

Thank you! And right back atcha!

NMsafe,

 

Thank you! And right back atcha!

 

Thank you SO VERY MUCH!!! <3

Following...

Good luck...

 

Let us know how it goes...

 

**

I guess I should mention my experience was rather different... -I tried to jump from 0.5v, and it didnt go well...

Cantfly,

Was it worse after the jump than it was with previous tapers? Did you stick it out, or start back at .5 and titrate more slowly? How are you doing now? Hope you figured out something that worked better for you.

 

It seems like .5 of valium should be easier.  But my previous titration was from 1mg to .5mg and I had a hard time with that.

Cantfly,

Was it worse after the jump than it was with previous tapers? Did you stick it out, or start back at .5 and titrate more slowly? How are you doing now? Hope you figured out something that worked better for you.

 

It seems like .5 of valium should be easier.  But my previous titration was from 1mg to .5mg and I had a hard time with that.

Oh boy, thats a pretty big question and best considered with my complete situation, as per sig.. (and first few pages of linked blog)

-Yes, I did reinstate, and continued slowly as per the worst of my SX that did fluctuate with cuts...

It all worked out pretty well, and my final jump was of similar intensity and length to my prior reductions..

But the SX changed a lot and I saw many new SX appear and cycle through, though the intensity wasnt too bad..  I got my first anxiety around 0.25V.. My dominant SX were more physical prior to that... 

Post V I did pretty well considering some external factors, and saw things come together for me a bit after 4 months...

I then pushed the end of my lyrica taper too hard and it bit me good n propper... Im just starting to pick up from that as we speak...

 

To sum up..

In most situations, I just dont see the point in coming so far with a taper and rushing the last (in my opinion, rather crytical..) part of the taper... We are all different, so perhaps just follow the ideas and principals that have gotten you here..??

 

Anyways, -Im certainally NOT complaining about going low n slow... One med to go, and I will do the same... -Reguardless of that nasty little voice in my head that keeps saying "Otherwise"...

 

Hope that helps a bit...

 

 

I jumped at .5 V, and had absolutely zero issues.

I jumped at .5 V, and had absolutely zero issues.

I think lots of people can... Esp if one considers the population external to BB and the like...

-I remember "someone" saying they probably could have jumped at 3.5v (in hindsight)...

 

Im not so sure It would be the best thing in the face of increasing SX though..

 

 

Cantfly, glad you were able to reinstate and have an easier time with your taper. Good luck with the Lyrica. Sounds like you have a good plan.

 

Builder, it does seem like .5 valium should be ok for a jump. And if it's not I can try it again with more tapering. I'm not sure what to do. But I think for sure I should hold at .5 until things settle down. This last taper has been pretty tough. Another week or two of waiting can't hurt.

 

All of the feedback and support has been very helpful. I don't feel so much like I am "going it alone" when I try to make these decisions. That helps.

Builder, I see you have held for a month between cuts? Were you doing DLMT or just cut and hold please? Also, after each cut, for how long did you have sx and how long did they last?

You are not alone GonnaGetBetter - listen to your body and decide when to jump. Is this your second time tapering?

 

I had a rough night and morning but things are improving. I might have to add a small amount of Trazadone to help the nights I can't sleep (like last night)  - not every night but when really needed. Anyone ever try Trazadone? My doc offered it to me at the start of my taper and I threw way the prescription so would have to get a new one. I just need some sleep. I was up last night at 2:30am and been up since then...

 

On a positive note, started my DLMT yesterday! I am going to taper with 1mg of liquid and use the 2mg in pills until I get used to it all because last night was not easy so maybe it's the liquid or maybe it's just s/x and a wave.

 

Let us know what you end up doing Gonna.

 

Hi Builder - thanks for being so helpful always.

Soberhope,

 

This is my first time tapering. I've been at it for 6 months and have been surprised at the difficulties I've had. I was prescribed Valium for 15 years. As tough as the taper has been with all the miserable symptoms, I've already started noticing improvement in my physical health in many ways. It seems as if the Benzo was actually making me sick these past 5 years. I'm actually starting to feel some hints of optimism...

 

I also have used Trazadone for years to help with insomnia. In the past I've used up to 200mg, but have been at 50 mg for several years now. Can't sleep without it. But when I'm off the Valium, I plan on looking at the Trazadone too. This whole experience has made me very leery about what meds I take...

 

Wishing you the best with your DLMT.

Thanks Gonna - you are doing great on your taper.

 

I was told to try Trazadone in super small doses (10mg) to help with sleep when needed. Sleep is a huge issue for me and can really mess up my morning/day and make me feel much worse so might have to try it.

You are not alone GonnaGetBetter - listen to your body and decide when to jump. Is this your second time tapering?

 

I had a rough night and morning but things are improving. I might have to add a small amount of Trazadone to help the nights I can't sleep (like last night)  - not every night but when really needed. Anyone ever try Trazadone? My doc offered it to me at the start of my taper and I threw way the prescription so would have to get a new one. I just need some sleep. I was up last night at 2:30am and been up since then...

 

On a positive note, started my DLMT yesterday! I am going to taper with 1mg of liquid and use the 2mg in pills until I get used to it all because last night was not easy so maybe it's the liquid or maybe it's just s/x and a wave.

 

Let us know what you end up doing Gonna.

 

Hi Builder - thanks for being so helpful always.

 

So sorry to hear about your sleep issues.  I tried trazodone in maybe 2003-2004 because my sleep was awful.  I loathed trazodone myself.  It made me insanely hungry and I just wanted to get up out of bed and eat anything before going to sleep. I did gain some weight and it didn't help much with my sleep after a few weeks because I never got good sleep and I woke up hung over when I did sleep. I quit it cold turkey. Wanted to share my experience with it.

Thanks NMSafe - I have heard mixed things about Trazadone. I read that Ashton suggests Promehazine but Benadryl really does not work for me so that one seems out of the question too and years ago Melatonin gave me nightmares. I wish I could have something to sleep when it's an emergency.

 

It might be adjusting to the liquid that is messing me up lately (even though I started yesterday). Who knows?

 

I did take Bacopa M 3 days in a row and it helped all 3 days but now I am scared I will over-do it - it's the only supp I have tried since I started the taper.

Thanks NMSafe - I have heard mixed things about Trazadone. I read that Ashton suggests Promehazine but Benadryl really does not work for me so that one seems out of the question too and years ago Melatonin gave me nightmares. I wish I could have something to sleep when it's an emergency.

 

It might be adjusting to the liquid that is messing me up lately (even though I started yesterday). Who knows?

 

I did take Bacopa M 3 days in a row and it helped all 3 days but now I am scared I will over-do it - it's the only supp I have tried since I started the taper.

 

I'm so sorry!!! I took bacopa last year for a while, but like you I quit because I didn't want too many chemicals in my body. I also too ashwaghanda but I quit taking that in December. Promethazine is an H1 like most old school antihistamines, and it's OTC in England, but prescription only here in the USA.  Used mainly for nausea in the USA and for sleep OTC in England.  It's a lot stronger than Benadryl IMO but it leaves me heavily hung over too.  After not sleeping from time to time over the last month, there were times I wished I had some, which I actually did last September.  Even then when I couldn't sleep, I just couldn't sleep and I wasn't sure what it would take to get to sleep. My body just righted itself. 

An excellent OTC sleep aid, which will not interfere or effect a taper in is Doxylamine Succinate, otherwise known as Unisom in the US. The tablets come in 25 mg doses, which can be cut in half. I tried the gel cap, and they did not work well, however, the tablet form works very well.

 

 

Thanks Benzo-Off - I will get some Unisom for sure!

An excellent OTC sleep aid, which will not interfere or effect a taper in is Doxylamine Succinate, otherwise known as Unisom in the US. The tablets come in 25 mg doses, which can be cut in half. I tried the gel cap, and they did not work well, however, the tablet form works very well.

 

I use doxylamine.  Won't forever, but I am now.

I think you can safely "jump" at 0.5 mg. I put jumping in brackets because due to the very long half life of metabolites of valium for most people, you don't really jump but let the Valium levels subside gradually over weeks until it is totally eliminated from your body.

Builder, I see you have held for a month between cuts? Were you doing DLMT or just cut and hold please? Also, after each cut, for how long did you have sx and how long did they last?

 

When I did C&H, i held 2 weeks between cuts.  And I had significant sxs for 36-48 hours about a week after each cut.

 

When I started DLMT, the only holds I did was for convenience (to  accomodate travel plans) excep when I got down to 3.25mg.

 

I never really had any significant sxs doing DLMT, until 3.25mg.  Anxiety ramped up, I had tremors, increased sleep issues.  I did a 10 day hold, then updosed back to 3.25, then things level out again and I was able to finish with no further issues.