Any thoughts of when to start dosing Valium once a day?

I am almost down to 10 mg a day from my original 15 mg.  I have always dosed Valium twice a day in equal amounts, morning and evening.  I have read where others started reducing their dose to once a day when they got to a lower daily amount.

 

I am just looking for some insight and experiences on those of you who went to once a day or stayed at twice daily till the end of your taper.  If you went to once a day, at what mg did you change?

 

JoJo

For me I went to once a day only on the last step, and it was at night. You are at a high enough dose that you don't need to worry about it. When and at what dose do you project you might jump?

For me I went to once a day only on the last step, and it was at night. You are at a high enough dose that you don't need to worry about it. When and at what dose do you project you might jump?

 

When and at what dose do you project you might jump?

I have not even thought about when and what dose at this point.  I am going to let my body dictate when and what.

For me I went to once a day only on the last step, and it was at night. You are at a high enough dose that you don't need to worry about it. When and at what dose do you project you might jump?

 

When and at what dose do you project you might jump?

I have not even thought about when and what dose at this point.  I am going to let my body dictate when and what.

 

Then I think it's too soon for you to need to dose once a day. Have you checked out the experiences of others? Things to look at: What dose did jump occur; how long for steps, total taper time; how much is each  drop vs the total historic maximum dosage?

 

My jump after 19 months was from approx .4 mg valium,  40% of one mg.

The reason that diazepam is usually Rx'd 2X/day is NOT about level blood concentrations.  Diazepam has a powerful sedative effect, and is usually Rx'd 2X/day to spread the sedation.

 

You can probably switch to 1X/day whenever you feel its convenient.  I went to 1X/day at 3mg.

The reason that diazepam is usually Rx'd 2X/day is NOT about level blood concentrations.  Diazepam has a powerful sedative effect, and is usually Rx'd 2X/day to spread the sedation.

 

You can probably switch to 1X/day whenever you feel its convenient.  I went to 1X/day at 3mg.

 

Thanks for the info builder.

In your signature it looks like you tapered at around .02 mg a day for the most part of your taper.  If this is correct, was this pace comfortable for you throughout your taper with the occasional hold?  And were you able to hold down a full time job during your experience.

 

I started my taper at .03 mg a day when I was at 15 mg of Valium and slowed to .025 mg a day at 11 mg because sx were starting to show up more often.  I am planning on slowing down to .02 mg a day in the near future for the same reasons.  At the beginning I was able to work and function with little to no problems and thought that this was not going to be so bad, but as I get lower in my taper I am finding out it does get tougher.  I still work everyday and am able to perform my daily duties, but it is not as easy as it was 5 months ago in the beginning.  I still have good days, but the bad days are starting to get closer to one another.  This is why I was curious if you or anyone else worked and continued to work full time all the way through the taper process after starting at such a high dosage.

 

Thanks again for everyone's support during this enduring process.

JoJo

The reason that diazepam is usually Rx'd 2X/day is NOT about level blood concentrations.  Diazepam has a powerful sedative effect, and is usually Rx'd 2X/day to spread the sedation.

 

You can probably switch to 1X/day whenever you feel its convenient.  I went to 1X/day at 3mg.

 

Thanks for the info builder.

In your signature it looks like you tapered at around .02 mg a day for the most part of your taper.  If this is correct, was this pace comfortable for you throughout your taper with the occasional hold?  And were you able to hold down a full time job during your experience.

 

I started my taper at .03 mg a day when I was at 15 mg of Valium and slowed to .025 mg a day at 11 mg because sx were starting to show up more often.  I am planning on slowing down to .02 mg a day in the near future for the same reasons.  At the beginning I was able to work and function with little to no problems and thought that this was not going to be so bad, but as I get lower in my taper I am finding out it does get tougher.  I still work everyday and am able to perform my daily duties, but it is not as easy as it was 5 months ago in the beginning.  I still have good days, but the bad days are starting to get closer to one another.  This is why I was curious if you or anyone else worked and continued to work full time all the way through the taper process after starting at such a high dosage.

 

Thanks again for everyone's support during this enduring process.

JoJo

 

Do NOT focus on the absolute (milligram) cut rate.  The controlling factor is the percentage cut rate.  You will almost certainly need to periodically adjust your milliggram reduction rate to maintain a comportable percentage cut rate.

 

I know from both my C&H history, and my DLMT experience, that I was always OK as long as my cut rate didn't get above about 6%/14 days.  As long as I kept that standard, I never had any serious sxs.  I did have a flare-up at 3.5mg, when my cut rate topped that 6%/14 day rate.  I did a hold, an updose, and when stabilized again, restarted my taper a slower rate.'

 

Per my user name, I am a general contractor/homebuilder*, and real estate agent.  During the 2 years of my taper, I typically had 4-5 houses under construction, visited each job site daily, then went to my RE office.

 

*  Contractor/homebuilder is a second career.  I am a graduate engineer (with an MBA) and worked as a plant and facilities engineer until I decided to become a self-employed entrepreneur.

Builder,

Thank you very much for all the help and information.