NEED help beginning taper from TEMAZEPAM 30mg, PLEASE. :)

Hi Benzo Buddies' friends. I am really needing some input on how to begin a liquid Taper from 30 mg Temazepam (take every night for insomia). I am also on Ativan 1mg (daily) for anxiety disorder. I am hoping to taper the Temazepam first before addressing the Ativan. I have been on both for 5 years unfortunately. The Temazepam is a powder form in a capsule and from what I understand cannot be titrated by water, but only by something fat soluble such as milk or half and half. I am not listing a date that I could like this titration to be completed,  as I do not have any idea as to how long it will take or what to expect. I am willing to go as slow as possible in order to avoid the worst of the withdrawal symptoms as well as protracted withdrawal. I REALLY APPRECIATE any help at all as to how to get started. I also have CBD oil and can use that to help out somewhat with withdrawal symptoms. Thanks for any input.

Not many temazepam users on the board it seems - I posted over a month ago and got zero replies.

I faced the same questions as you now pose when I started my taper of 30 mgs. The substance does not seem to solve very well in water, although opinions vary: sometimes it is said that the particles you still see are only supporting substances and not the benzo itself. I did an experiment with vodka, but still particles were visible. In the end, I started micro tapering directly, using a scale with a precision of 1 mg. Actually, I was able to switch from the capsules to tablets, but it should not make much difference.

My tablets for 20 mg temazepam weigh 430 mg and I started lowering the dose by 3 mgs of tablet or thereabouts, listening to the sxs as just like you, I prefer a slow taper with minimal symptoms. I started end of April and am now approaching the 15 mg temazepam mark.

Let me know (you can also pm me) if I can be of more help and good luck!

HI Briba,

YES! I am not finding much help regarding a Temazepam taper. I think I will repost my original pot today and see if I might get any responses. How is it going for you? Where are you at in your taper? I think my biggest concern (besides exacerbated anxiety & depression) is that my sleep is inevitably going to be disrupted (well, even further than it is now!) My sleep doc says that Temazepam is one of the worst drugs and despite knocking you out, does not allow for deep restorative sleep. I found an old post on the forum in which the member dissolved hers in half and half (something fat soluble to evenly distribute the particles). SHe also mentioned dividing up doses and taking throughout the day in order to avoid inter dose withdrawals. I am thinking if I did that, that I would assuredly not be able to sleep as I take all 30mg at night for sleep.

I appreciate any input you may have, as well as knowing how you are doing on your taper. I just want to actively get started, but need to know what I am doing so that I don't set myself up for failure or debilitating withdrawal symptoms.

Heather 

Hi Heather,

I've come down from 30 mg to 15 mg in my microtaper - took over 3 months. My sxs have not been too bad,  some depressive spells (but not all the time), some anxiety, tense neck and shoulders and some headaches, but definitely functioning. I more or less adjust the dose depending on how I feel, but try to keep lowering.

As to the sleep (where it all started for us temazepam users), it's not too bad either. The way temazepam used to knock me out years ago, that feeling left before I started the taper, even the earlier updose from 20 to 30 was not enough for that. Actually, most say (including Ashton) that the hypnotic effect becomes less pretty fast so after years it's only the sedating and muscle relaxing part that we benefit from. For the same reason, the deep sleep and REM sleep seem to be much less suppressed after long term use, I certainly know that I dream a lot.

On the subject of interdose withdrawal, with a half life of 8-10 hours, it's my guess that I already had that before tapering. I considered splitting (probably read the same posts as you), but decided against it: as long as the days are manageable, I stick to 1 moment of intake. But I read that you are still on Ativan, so that would prevent some of the nuisance. I certainly also appreciate any input you might have, so let's keep posted.

Hi Briba,

I am sorry for the delayed response...for some reason I saw your post under "my posts", but not in my messages.

Congrats on your success! That is really incredible to have gone from 30mg to 15mg in such a short amount of time without crazy withdrawal symptoms!

I am currently weighing my options for a taper and plan to begin next week. I did purchase a milligram scale and may "micro-taper" as you are doing. I feel very anxious about doing a water titration not knowing much about suspension. I see other member talk about it, but don't want to play my own pharmacist! I switched from Mylan to Actavis 1 month and experienced horrific withdrawal symptoms the first 2 weeks. Everything seemed to have stabilized except the crushing mental fatigue, which makes me have to nap 2-4 times throughout the day just to get through. My sleep dr. mentioned I could increase to 45mg to see if it helps, but honestly, I don't want to procrastinate getting off this drug any longer. Next week when I refill, I may ask to have a week's supply of the Ascend brand to see how I do on it...perhaps I ma just having an intolerance to Actavis's ingredients (or it may be purely withdrawal related).

Did/do you experience mental fatigue? I have been chronically ill with CFS for 10 years, worsening throughout the years. I am all too familiar with mental fatigue, but not unrelenting crushing fatigue like I have experienced this past month. 

I don't think Ativan will make a difference with interdose withdrawal symptoms, as it certainly didn't help when I went from Mylan to Actavis at the beginning of July.

I look forward to hearing how you are doing. Perhaps I can  pick your brain a little bit more when I begin my taper (hopefully towards the end of next week!) In the meantime, keep up the great work!

Heather

Hi Heather, feel free to ask anything, if you feel uncomfortable with certain questions, you can also pm me. With so few on temazepam, let's try to help each other.

I did experience some mental fatigue as well as some depressive spells and anxiety, but only on a minority of the time. I also had headaches for a couple of weeks, but that could also have been triggered for other reasons. Constant is still some stiffness in neck and shoulders, but if that's the worst...so all in all I have been able to manage it.

When going down I will be tapering somewhat slower.