Diazepam 1mg to .75mg?

Hello all,

 

I've been on 1mg diazepam since April. My pdoc agreed to switch me to liquid diazepam today on the condition that I reduce to .75mg. I'm incredibly nervous considering I had a horrible time dropping from 2mg to 1mg. I'm hoping it will be somewhat easier making a 25% reduction as opposed to 50%. I would love to hear the experience of others making 25% reductions (or something similar) near the 1mg mark. Thanks! 

I can't speak to that as when I was instructed to do large cuts it was with another medication.  I am now on Diazepam and am doing a 10% drop every two weeks as per the Ashton manual.  But, everyone's body reacts differently.  It seems to me that is the 'go to %' pdocs go with.  Even at a world renowned place here in Toronto, one pdoc I spoke to said to drop by 25% every 2 weeks until I was done!  I was like, No Way!!! I was just so sick...I can not feel that way again!!! I found another very well known hospital here that was advising me to do the Ashton way and said I could hold if I felt really bad, or we could move to 7% or 5%.  That put my mind at ease and allowed me to feel like I had a sense of some control, which is important to me, and that my fears about crashing again had been listened to.  I am the patient, the one who is going to go through this psychologically and physiologically, I should have a say as to how this taper goes based on how I feel.  The one thing I am not allowed to do is updose.  I am to hold only.  I am pretty rough but I am still cutting .01 mg a day doing a liquid micro taper.  Maybe take a print out of the Ashton Manual (which you can get on this site) with you and explain that you want to be successful, and in most people's cases, slower than 25% is the way to achieve success.  But, there may be people on here who have cut by 25% and have been ok. They can share their experiences with you.  I just know for me,  that would be too steep and would set me up for failure!  I was so sick I had to go to the E.R. and hope to NEVER have to go through that again, ever in my life!  I wish you all the best if you are forced to do this!!! ❤

Blacklablady, hello. What titration method are you using and are you holding for awhile after a specific amount of says?

Thank you so much for your feedback! Today is day 6 since I dropped 25%. I'm not feeling like myself, but so far this isn't as bad as my previous drop of 50%. I am experiencing my usual withdrawal symptoms in a less severe manner. An increase in fibromyalgia, PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms are typical for me, as is feeling like I'm coming down with the flu for the first few days. Decreased appetite. Dissociation. Increased sensitivity to stress. I also had two very significant PTSD triggers occur for me over the weekend, which has caused similar symptoms even when I haven't tapered. I'm just trying to get through it at this point. I look forward to feeling like myself again... :'(

Thank you so much for your feedback! Today is day 6 since I dropped 25%. I'm not feeling like myself, but so far this isn't as bad as my previous drop of 50%. I am experiencing my usual withdrawal symptoms in a less severe manner. An increase in fibromyalgia, PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms are typical for me, as is feeling like I'm coming down with the flu for the first few days. Decreased appetite. Dissociation. Increased sensitivity to stress. I also had two very significant PTSD triggers occur for me over the weekend, which has caused similar symptoms even when I haven't tapered. I'm just trying to get through it at this point. I look forward to feeling like myself again... :'(

Hang in there friend!!! I am thinking if you!!!!❤

Blacklablady, hello. What titration method are you using and are you holding for awhile after a specific amount of says?

Hi Belle, the pro on this site you want to talk to is named Builder.  He was the one who explained everything to me as I couldn't do the math with Benzo Brain.  I ended up finding a compound pharmacy close by who compounds my Diaz for me, but Builder's plan is the exact same.  If you put a post out in the Titration Taper portion on this site, in your subject area, ask Builder to help you based on what dose level you are on.  He will help you with all the math, numbers, everything!  He is a veteran on this site who has helped so many people!!!! Had I not found this Pharmacy close by and had coverage for my meds, I would have totally done his method.  It is virtually the same.  I cut .01 mg every day out of my daily dose.  Not everyone can do that rate, some faster some slower.  I have a spreadsheet the pharmacy gave me which tells me how much to extract from each dose.  I do 3 doses a day.  As I get lower it will become 2, then 1x a day.  All you have to do with his plan is decide if you want to do 1, 2, or 3 doses a day, figure out the time frame to spread it out, like AM and PM, then divide the total daily dose times the number of times you want to dose a day. All the best as you begin your taper, Belle!!! ❤

Hi,

I pill split V, -as per my sig (dd/mm/yy)... It just took me more time for my SX to cycle through as I got lower, but it all worked out well..

Some of the bigger % cuts needed a slight rescue dose between week one and two, but thats just my situation...

I had one main SX (GI issues) that dictated my taper speed.. It hit pretty early, so I think I was ahead of many other SX, thus they were pretty mild compared to what has shown up with subsequent tapers and changes..

 

It can vary so much person to person, so I hope your recent months of tapering can be more of a guide for yourself..??