11 days off serax

I still have a sliver of Valium I am tapering and have been since the day after I stopped serax. I discontinued serax at 1mg and was ok until about 2 days after when heavy depression and headaches and shakiness set in as well as feelings of doom. It hasn’t gotten worse (actually maybe better today) I have only been on benzos less than 5 months (including taper). I am at .5mg Valium today which I was taking the past month for Id wd from the serax. Since I hopped off the equivalent off this in serax is it safe to jump off the Valium at this dose? I have been on the v for way less time than serax. Any help from those who came before me is greatly appreciated. I can’t stand another day putting this poison in my body, but don’t want to risk anything serious like seizures or PAWS...

Basically, is tapering Valium a different beast than tapering short acting benzos? If not I should be fine...

That's a good question and one I cannot just answer and tell you what to do. This has to be YOUR choice and decision. Me, I would just get off the V as fast as possible.

Seizures are actually quite unusual. They usually occur in people who also drank alcohol or maybe used street drugs. But of course, they ARE possible even if remotely. Because of the short time you have been on benzos, my guess is that the symptoms you mention are normal benzo wd stuff. Since you are already feeling a bit better, I would guess that will remain true. Good for you for doing this!!! May I ask WHY you decided to get off these drugs?

east

Hi eastcoast62

Thank you for your answer! I feel the same way but people keep saying it’s harder to get off Valium so I was concerned, but I feel you are right to get off ASAP. I started in June of this year because we had a lot of loss in our family and I couldn’t sleep was having night panic attacks. They actually never helped me sleep and gave me depression and anxiety (I was diagnosed with GAD and depression by a psychiatrist who kept giving me more meds) finally realized the meds were the main culprit and began tapering and feeling much better, still suffering from wd, but at least I know what it is! So I can safely jump at .5mg hen good riddance!!

You picked a great screen name, Miracle. You will be one, I guarantee that. I am a miracle too, having gotten off a thirty year habit of nightly benzos.

There is a lot of "bunk" on BB, and Valium being harder to get off of is one of those. Utter nonsense. A benzo is a benzo is a benzo. I was told Klonapin was harder to get off of. I really feel that is silly, because benzo wd can be simply awful for anyone who took ANY benzo. You have to learn to ignore some of what you read here.

What I found was that I had to sort of sense out people here, and allied with those who seemed sort of similar to me. I tended towards people who were sympathetic but realistic, people who didn't "B.S." a lot. A sense of humor was good too. I stayed away from "Doom and Gloom" people, since I was already scared half to death. If a post frightened me, I clicked off it asap. I took the stance back then that positive begets positive, and began "faking it" almost right away. I knew as a nurse and as a former person in CBT that "faking it" really can work. I had my doubts but what the heck, I had nothing to lose so I started doing it. And it turned out to be the BEST tactic for dealing with benzo withdrawal and depression and anxiety and insomnia.

There are some people who make fun of me for this, as I have spoken about it for 7 years. I ignore them because I KNOW it works. I am living proof of that.

If you are at all interested in learning a bit more about this, drop me a PM. Or read my Blog.

You are going to be just fine.

east (Annie)

Annie

Thank you. I have been terrified of coming on here too because of the same doom and gloom. I appreciate your support. It means a lot when you have no idea what the f is happening with your brain! I love the advice of faking it and I’ve actually been doing that too until recently it sort of took hold of me, but I trust that this will all pass in time and hopefully my family won’t send me to the looney bin prior to that! Kidding (maybe