Just c/o to valium from ativan, Is it better to dose 3 x or 2 x day?

I just finished a co/ from ativan to 15 mg of valium to begin a taper.  I am going to stabilize on the valium for 2 - 3 weeks.  I now dose 5 mg valium 3 x daily, but I have read others that only dose valium 2 x daily.

 

Is this the norm for valium?  Dosing twice a day would make a everything easier, but I am a little worried about i/d w/d.

 

Has anyone went from dosing valium 3 x daily to 2 x daily at 15 mgs or somewhere near that dose?

If you have, what were your experiences?

 

 

I take it twice a day with no issues.

It's really up to you, Valium is so long acting.  Dose it the way I makes you most comfortable.

 

I do three doses am,  just a half mg in afternoon, then bedtime.  So if you need most in the morning, make your schedule are that, if you need sleep, revolve it around bedtime.  It's pretty flexible.  Mary ☮️

I will have to experiment like a lab rat.  I take equal 3 equal doses throughout the day, but I feel more groggy in the morning before I even take my morning dose.

 

I think I may try 2 doses with more in the evening.

I will have to experiment like a lab rat.  I take equal 3 equal doses throughout the day, but I feel more groggy in the morning before I even take my morning dose.

 

I think I may try 2 doses with more in the evening.

 

Exactly, that's one good thing about Valium, it's so long acting, you have options on dosing.  Hope you feel better . Mary

HI JOJO!

 

I'm following your awesome progress as I too expect to be switched to Valium in the coming week, progressively of course and I am crossing over from Ativan just like you did.

 

I have interdose withdrawals 4 times a day which gives me intrusive thoughts and derealization, slight confusion, hard to concentrate and I am buzzing all day with low level anxiety cuz I know I have the interdose to deal with.  Ativan only lasts about 4.5 hours for me and I think this is why i'm not able to shake the fear...always in apprehension.

 

My question to you is did you have interdose and did that go away when you were crossed over to Valium?

 

Thanks for your time and again good job !

 

Cheers :-)

 

MP

You bet I had inter dose with Ativan!!! Everything you described.  I dosed three times a day while on Ativan.  The worst part is that I never new when it was going to happen.  As I was going through the six week (actually 7) c/o to Valium the inter dose s/x faded away.  I have not had any since.  Makes me wonder if all those years ago if I was put on the wrong benzo.  But, as we all know, there are no good benzos. 

 

After I c/o, I took three weeks to stabilize on Valium, dosing 3 x daily.  Really, the only major sx I had was sedation, but NO inter dose wd.  I am now taking a week or so to stabilize on 2 x daily dosing.  The first few days of dosing twice daily were filled with heightened anxiety, but I believe it was brought on by myself not knowing how I was going to feel...afraid of those inter dose w/ds, but they never came.  I now dose 12 hrs apart and have NO sx except for the sedation, which is still getting better.

 

I am so glad I c/o to Valium from Ativan.  I feel sooo much better now and I am getting ready to start my taper in the next couple of day.  I wish you good luck with your c/o and it eases your symptoms.

This is music to my ears!  I know everyone is different but I choose to be optimistic. I’m so happy to hear you have no more ID withdrawals anymore. I honestly believe this is what’s keeping me stuck in constant negative thoughts, and no matter how hard I try I can’t stop thinking about my situation.

 

Another question; did you ever feel a dose would make things worse when you were on Ativan, meaning no relief?  I get relief sometimes but then other times none,  it could be all in my head mind you.

OH YES!!  Just before I switched to Valium, and one of the reasons why other than it supposedly being easier to taper from, was sometimes when I took an Ativan my sx would increase for about 30 min to an hour, then I would start feeling normal again, well as normal as expected.  This is when I decided it was time to get off these damn drugs, because I was not going to up-dose the Ativan again.  It would have been a never ending cycle.

 

I forgot to mention in my earlier reply that along with the sedation, the short term memory problems are still with me.  I have to set alarms on my phone to remind me it's time to dose. If I am busy with something when the alarm goes off and don't dose before I turn my alarm off, I sometimes still forget.  Then 20 minutes later I am left wondering if I took my dose. 

 

You may not have the memory sx, but if you do, be sure to set alarms and be diligent to take your dose  when they go off so you don't accidentally double dose, unless you want to sleep for a day and a half.

Well, it sounds like you and I are very similar in that I believe my sx increase for at least and hour when I take it and then IDW, and then 30 minutes before my next dose I feel relief.  I have been wondering all along if it was me doing it to myself but it sounds like it can, and did happen to you too.

 

My doc updosed me to 1.5mg and thinking it would help I went along with it but it made things worse, and this is why I got a psychiatrist appt and want to be switched to Valium.  The intake nurse at hospital even noticed that dosing 4 times a day on Ativan was wrong so yeah, can't wait!

 

Funny you mention setting an alarm, I already do this!  I don't have much short term memory loss unless it's during IDW and even making supper can be alarmingly difficult lol.

 

Thanks for your input - cheers!

 

Jojo, do you work?  I’ve been off 8 months and hoping switch to Valium will enable me to go back..I miss being productive.  I honestly believe IDW has kept me back, I’ll taper when I’m stable and back into a routine.

I have worked the whole time since I started Benzos.  Some days were very rough, but I some how muddled through the day.  I had no choice.. bills to pay and a family to raise.  When I felt the pain or thought I was going to loose it at work, I would try and take slow deep breaths and think of my my two young daughters and wife who were dependent on me.  I would find an excuse to go to the restroom, throw cold water on my face and neck, and then try to hide out in a bathroom stall as long as I could.. Sometimes the sx eased up and sometimes they didn't.  I won't lie, some days were as close to hell as a man could get.

 

But, the good news now.  I have not had any of those experiences since switching to Valium.  I am sure the further down I get in my taper sx will arise again, but for know I am going to enjoy every GOOD DAY that if finally feel NORMAL again, even if it is a temporary experience from switching benzos.  I made up my mind that the sx I may experience from the upcoming taper are cause by healing and not inter dose withdrawals.  Each day of a reduced dose is another day close to getting your life back.

 

Symptoms can either be a sign of a sickness or sign of healing.  That's for you to decide.

P.S.  Staying in my house all day on the days I didn't have to work made my sx much worse.  Get out of the house and keep your mind busy as much as possible.  This helped me from keep dwelling on my dependency.

 

 

You’re an awesome man.  Due to other circumstances I left work because I was really unable to work due to antidepressant side effects which screwed up my CNS.

 

Your experience with Ativan is very encouraging and I’m being optimistic mine will be similar, the ups and downs are what’s really beating me up and Valium seems to be the solution.

 

I’ve gotten out of the house every day, done errands, drove the car...even if it’s just for a walk and it does help, thank you for reminding me. 

 

Psychiatrist appointment tomorrow and looking forward to it, to get this recovery started.

 

Again, you’re an awesome man and I wish you only the best on your journey 

 

Cheers Jojo

 

MP