Anyone c/o to valium for taper & wished you stayed with original drug?

Just a bit curious, but I have read in different posts were some members have c/o to valium as Ashton recommends, only to later wish they had tapered off their original drug and not c/o to valium.  What are the reasons for this?  I know the Ashton Manual is just a guide, but it seems to be the go to playbook on this site.

 

If anyone out there had this experience, I would love to here your reasoning's as to why?  I have been totally c/o to valium from ativan for about 5 weeks and have been tapering for about 2 1/2 weeks of those weeks.  I haven't had any terrible sx with the valium (yet) other than sedation and occasional irritation, but is there something I should be looking out for with the valium down the road as my taper lowers?  Just wondering if I have made a mistake by c/o to valium or am I being paranoid?

 

JoJo

 

 

Very apt helpful posting JoJo

It’s surprising how many folk find the switch too drowsifying.  But I think it’s because the largest possible dose should be taken at night.

My Gp insisted I took the biggest in the morning as that’s when I woke anxious— of course by then it was too late.

You’ll get some good responses.

Dick

Since I just c/o to what I consider a fairly high dose of starting at 15 mg, I feel drowsy all day and night.  I hope this subsides as my taper goes down.  I traded a host of several terrible sx with the ativan to one major sx with the Valium, SEDATION!  I have to admit that I feel 10x better on Valium than I ever did in the 7 years on ativan, I wish I could just stay awake long enough during the day to enjoy it, 

 

Since I just c/o to what I consider a fairly high dose of starting at 15 mg, I feel drowsy all day and night.  I hope this subsides as my taper goes down.  I traded a host of several terrible sx with the ativan to one major sx with the Valium, SEDATION!  I have to admit that I feel 10x better on Valium than I ever did in the 7 years on ativan, I wish I could just stay awake long enough during the day to enjoy it, 

Perhaps the V dose might actually be higher than you need...??

 

Cantfly, I thought about that also.  I went from from 1.75 mg of ativan to 15 mg of Valium, which is actually lower that what Ashton recommends.  Sometimes, I think I could have even started lower than 15, but I didn't want to take the chance of going too low.  There are several different benzo conversion tables out there online, question is; which one is correct for each of us?  We all react differently to these danged pills.

Actually that sounds like progress JOJO

I am NOT allowed to prescribe but as it happens I am on 15 a day at the moment

Taken as 5mg am 2.5 lunch and 7.5 evening without too much sedation. Often forget midday ooopsie-)

Dick

jojodancer,

 

We are pretty much the same.  I just crossed from xanax to valium (17.5mg).  OMG I am so tired.  I can barely keep up with the day to day duties of my life.  I start my taper on Friday.  I'd like to start it now but I don't have pills small enough.  Are you tapering with liquid?

Meant to say the sleepiness wears off in 1-2 weeks according to other posts.

Best wishes to both.

When on 17.5  I took 5am 5 12am and 7.5 at night.

D

jojodancer,

 

We are pretty much the same.  I just crossed from xanax to valium (17.5mg).  OMG I am so tired.  I can barely keep up with the day to day duties of my life.  I start my taper on Friday.  I'd like to start it now but I don't have pills small enough.  Are you tapering with liquid?

 

After I explained my taper plan to my Dr., he agreed to give me a prescription for both 5 mg and 2 mg pills.  He gave me 5 mg 2 x daily and 2 mg 3 x daily.  I know this does not add up to 15 mg, but it was the only way to get enough 2 mg pills to cover my dose.  I just have an extra mg a month, which will come in handy when i get lower in my dose.

 

I take 7 mg (one 5 and one 2) in the morning.  I then do the same in the evening, while water tapering 1/2 of the 2 mg pills.  This makes a total of 15 mg.  If you PM me I will send you the liquid taper plan that was sent to me by another member.  It is a little different than other DLMT plans on this site, but it is working for me.  The only difference is the amount of liquid.  Instead of 1 mg= 10 ml, I use 1 mg = 100 ml.  I find this easier on my stomach.

Meant to say the sleepiness wears off in 1-2 weeks according to other posts.

Best wishes to both.

When on 17.5  I took 5am 5 12am and 7.5 at night.

D

 

After my c/o stabilization and taper beginning, it has been almost 6 weeks, and I can say the sleepiness has not eased up a bit.  Maybe those other people that say it only takes 1-2 weeks for the sedation to ease are starting at a much lower dose than 15 mg of valium, but then again, everyone is different.

Meant to say the sleepiness wears off in 1-2 weeks according to other posts.

Best wishes to both.

When on 17.5  I took 5am 5 12am and 7.5 at night.

D

 

After my c/o stabilization and taper beginning, it has been almost 6 weeks, and I can say the sleepiness has not eased up a bit.  Maybe those other people that say it only takes 1-2 weeks for the sedation to ease are starting at a much lower dose than 15 mg of valium, but then again, everyone is different.

 

Mine didn't either JoJo, I am down to 10 mgs now, and still have to take 1 nap, sometimes 2.  I was on xanax and it didn't make me sleepy at all.  I only take 3 mgs in the am, it has sedated me from day 1 and every one told me my body would adapt.  It didn't, but I have just kept plugging a long.  I'm sleepy now  :sleepy:  :laugh:  Mary ❤️

I am glad to be corrected—- only hope it eases soon Jo jo

D

jojodancer,

 

We are pretty much the same.  I just crossed from xanax to valium (17.5mg).  OMG I am so tired.  I can barely keep up with the day to day duties of my life.  I start my taper on Friday.  I'd like to start it now but I don't have pills small enough.  Are you tapering with liquid?

 

After I explained my taper plan to my Dr., he agreed to give me a prescription for both 5 mg and 2 mg pills.  He gave me 5 mg 2 x daily and 2 mg 3 x daily.  I know this does not add up to 15 mg, but it was the only way to get enough 2 mg pills to cover my dose.  I just have an extra mg a month, which will come in handy when i get lower in my dose.

 

I take 7 mg (one 5 and one 2) in the morning.  I then do the same in the evening, while water tapering 1/2 of the 2 mg pills.  This makes a total of 15 mg.  If you PM me I will send you the liquid taper plan that was sent to me by another member.  It is a little different than other DLMT plans on this site, but it is working for me.  The only difference is the amount of liquid.  Instead of 1 mg= 10 ml, I use 1 mg = 100 ml.  I find this easier on my stomach.

Hey Jojo  Sent you a PM.  Would love to see the plan.