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Valium taper - i can't go under 9mg Valium


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Hi everyone, i am from France, so sorry for my english.

 

Long story short, i am 38 yrs old,and  i am father of 3 kids from 3 diffrents mothers. And i had to run a small business to send money to thé kids. I love my kids very much.

 

After was diagnosed with Sévère Depresion and Burn-Out in January 2019, i was put on Xanax 8mg, sleeping pils (Imovane or Zopiclone,i dont remember thé quantity) and Paroxetine antidepressant (20 mg). I had no ideea that this medicine it's addictive.

 

After 2 months i was better, but I realized that this cocktail makes me dumb. I am an enginner so i need to make calculus ,I cannot stay at home,because i need to work for my kids.

 

My doctor said that is no problem with benzos,and my reaction is normal because of my personal background life, and there are people that take it for life.

 

After one month I changed thé doctor and he put me on Ativan 6mg and 15mg of Valium to change slowly to Valium, but hé doesnt want to tapper. So i trick my doctor that i keep thé same quantity, but in reality in one year i manage to stop Ativan and i am just on 9mg Valium/day. I can bearly cope,but i am functional .

 

I had to admit that evening i smoke little pot for sleeping.I dont know if its a good idea,but it helps me. I dont drink any alchool,or other drugs, and i also stopped cofee.

 

Last week i said to myself to go to 7mg Valium/day , but I was in hell for one week, and because i have to work i relapse back to 10mg. (and i took also Ativan 1 mg once).

 

So anyone had this problems at 10mg tappering treshold?

 

I also have a bad year,because Covid almost ruined my bussiness. So i dont know what to do, wait until my financial situation get better or go with thé tapper?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hello FrenchGuy,

 

Welcome to Benzo Buddies! Your message is easy to understand and your situation is far too common. Sometimes doctors pile drug upon drug on people until they are fairly comatose. It's really surprising that your original doctor put you on such a high dose of xanax, along with a z-drug, which targets the same receptors in the brain.

 

You've done really well all on your own, congratulations on reducing your dose significantly. I'm not surprised that the latest cut caught up to you, many people find things more challenging at the lower doses.  I would strongly suggest that you slow your taper down now.  You need to be functional for work and a slow taper can help to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

 

Generally, a reduction of no more than 5-10% every 10-14 days is suggested. It's important to allow your body to direct the taper, if necessary the rate can be adjusted. Benzo withdrawal is not a race, slow and steady is the way to go. I'll give you a link to the Planning Your Withdrawal Board for additional information.

 

Good for you for avoiding alcohol and even coffee.  It's important to take good care of the fragile nervous system during this process. 

 

Many people have economic hardships because of COVID, and the virus is still affecting people around the world.  If you taper slowly, it's possible to continue your taper. We'll be happy to support and encourage you along the way. We understand what you are going through. This is doable. Settle in and do some reading and let us know how we can help.

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans)

 

pianogirl  :)

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Thank a lot pianogirl for your answer, this is thé first time that somebody understands what we are going trough thé withdrawal. This is also a very frustrating thing, that others don't understand (because we look normal,we don't have broken bonnes that one can see,we have broken brain that nobody can't see or feel how is it) and think that i am weak and i can't stop abruptly.

 

I will take a look at Asthon and update my status.

 

My doctor prescribe me Valium in 5mg/pils so i think i will go for a water titration,because too dificult to cut it in 10 small slices.

 

Thank you for replying, i am really feeling better  now, and thanks for moderating this forum.

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Welcome from me too FrenchGuy, it's so important to get validation for what we're going through and you're right, just about the only people who get this are those of us living it. 
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Thank a lot Pamster for your support, and your courage to go CT. Because i need to keep my job, i cannot go CT, because after reading on the forum maybe that can be faster,but it disables you, so i will try the slow tapering.

 

I will.wait 2-3 weeks at 10mg/day Valium,before trying next step at 9mg.

 

My symptoms are mild from my point of view, i am trying to distract as much as possible,but not so easy:

*Everyday symptoms : Morning Anxiety, night panick attacks and sweats, fatigue,poor concentration ,short memory problems .

*randomly  symptoms : burning skin and sensitivity to sounds

 

I also noticed that evenings i feel better, i dont know why. And sometimes doing a task that before was very easy,now it feels complicated and i put much More Time in doing it than before benzos.

 

Have a nice day everyoane.

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It wasn't courage FrenchGuy, I just wasn't informed and didn't realize going back on the drug and tapering was possible.

 

Morning anxiety is huge during this process so what you're feeling is typical and the fog we're in while going through this is severe, we're quite compromised mentally. 

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My situation is different than others here on the forum FrenchGuy, I haven't had a drink since 1991 but I started taking benzo's about 12 years into my sobriety and soon lost control of my use, so while I didn't know about tapering, I'm not sure I would have been able to given my addictive nature.  For me, it was probably the only way I could free myself, I so admire those who can taper knowing the pill will take the pain away but having the courage to not take it or only a sliver, I'm truly in awe.

 

Both methods involve pain, I've seen slow tapers that are agonizing all the way down and after jumping off the drug, but I've also seen uneventful tapers with smooth landings.  I've also seen some who cold turkey suffer for many years and those like me who recover fairly quickly.  We all have to plot our course and be willing to change that course if things become unmanageable.  Whatever you decide to do, we'll support you.

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Thanks for your answers, and "bravo" for your succesful story.

 

I can manage not taking more pils, i know that for one extra pill i will suffer more later.

 

I am back to 10mg/day of Valium.because of my morning anxiety i switched to 6mg morning and 4 evening. I will see if it's better or not.

 

I can bearly pretend to other people that i'm normal, and struggle to look and act normal.

 

I am also taking Paroxetine 20mg/day from January 2019.

I think better is to finish with benzos and after quit Paroxetine. What do you think ?

 

 

In my case thé "window" it's very short, sometimes i have nasty symptômes for 2 hours, and suddenly i'm feeling  ok for another 2-3 hours, than come back again. Very weird....

 

Thanks again for your support BBs.

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Windows and waves, they're wonderful and terrible and toy with us in their cruelty.  I understand how difficult it is trying to appear normal when you have no idea who you are anymore and what normal actually is, social situations are excruciating. 

 

I agree with your thoughts about waiting to taper and recover from the withdrawal before tapering the Paroxetine, whatever you do, just don't taper two medications at once.

 

I think you're wise to adjust your dosing regimen, experimentation is the key to a good taper because if it's not working for you, then adjustments need to be made.  :thumbsup:

 

 

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You are so right about this phrase : "I understand how difficult it is trying to appear normal when you have no idea who you are anymore and what normal actually is, social situations are excruciating. "

 

 

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Hello BBs, i just wanted to update m'y status in witdrawal  like keeping a log here, so it can help me keeping track and maybe others (even if each case is diffrent ).

 

Like already said, i have two problems  financial one and going off benzo.  It's very hard keeping functional for work,and struggle with tappering.

 

So in the begining of this week i relapsed back to 10mg/day, after two days i go up to 15mg/day and i start to feel euphoric (at least i know that i havent  yet  developed  paradoxical effects ).

 

Yesterday i syarted to cut to 12mg/day, i will keep this for 1-2  weeks to see how it's working.

 

You were right Pamster, there is no mathematical équation, it's all about trial and error.

 

I have still one question: Can this trial and error do more damage to my brain? 

 

 

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I understand your need to work, I had to work as well and it's difficult but I felt it provided a good distraction.  I still felt my symptoms of course, but I couldn't give in to the despair since I had to function and be around people. 

 

I'm concerned about your up-dosing.  I understand the need for experimentation but going from 10 mgs to 15 mgs is a big jump, especially since it sounds like you were over-medicated.  Your brain need consistency so please keep on a slow steady reduction path.

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You are right Pamster, i know. I was on 15mgs only for two days, now i am stabilized at 12mgs/day (7mgs morning and 5 evening).it seems to bé ok for thé moment, no more burning skin or sound sensitivity. Still morning anxiety.

 

Sometimes i feel like i make a step forward, and two backwards  :tickedoff: .

 

But i'm motivated, from 8mgs/day Xanax to 10mgs/day Valium it's a good achivement for me.

 

Have a nice day BBs

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I'd forgotten that you were on 8 mgs of Xanax, yes, you're in a much better place now!  You're off of the Zopliclone too, is that right?

 

Two steps backwards is what we all seem to live with when going through this, it's sometimes difficult to see any forward progress, at least that our tortured fear filled brains will recognize.

 

 

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Yes Pamster, first i was put on 8mgs Xanax/day , Seroquel, and Z-drug (zopiclone) for two monts, but for thé last two drugs i dont remember thé quantity.that 2 months i was liké on another universe.

After thèse 2 monts i switched doctor and put me on Ativan and Valium+Paroxetine 20mgs/day,like it's written in my signature.

 

So now(after 18 months) i am at 12mgs/day Valium(relapsed from 7mgs,because i wanted to go faster,big mistake) and 20mgs/day Paroxetine. No z-drugs,no alchool,no cofee,no any other drug.just a little "pot" before bed so i can sleep 8 hours (dont try this, it's only my expérience). For thé pot, my doctor said that is not recomended but in thé same time he is not so worried about it.

 

My doctor also said that m'y dosage  is very small, and i can cut 2mgs without any problems. In reality it striked me hard a week later after i jumped from 9 to 7 .so back to 12mgs to keep my job.

 

I think i have to get used to it, and go little by little. When i was on higher dossage, 2 mgs cut was not a big problem, but below 10mgs i have to take it slowly.

 

Thanks for support BBs, i will keep updating my status.

 

I am also anxios by my nature,but i kept it under control without drugs for 38years . I think all started when i failed my personal life, and had 3 kids from 3 différents mothers. Not an easy task . But paradoxical ,thé kids  keep me motivated to go out this drug.

 

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I'm glad to see you're not taking Zopilcone, I've read its difficult to taper from and I don't have a problem with pot for sleep, I use it myself.  There are many on the forum who use it but I didn't have access to it when I went through withdrawal so I don't know how it would have worked back then.  Here is a thread where members discuss their use. http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=165140.0

 

Getting to the low doses prompts many members to slow down, this isn't uncommon.  You might want to connect with the folks in this thread, they'll be able to relate to your Valium taper.  Valium Support Group

 

Keep focusing on the positive that you were able to deal with life's challenges without drugs for a long time, I'm sure you'll be able to again once you've recovered from this.

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Thanks for thé link to Valium Support, i'll take a look there.

 

Today not feeling so well, but i seen worse before.

Sometimes time and patience are thé biggest warriors.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello BBs,

 

I had a new appointements with my Doc, and he decided to stop valium and replaced by:

*0,25mg Xanax - morning

*30mg Paroxetine (i was on 20mg before)-morning

*0,5mg Xanax + 1mg Ativan - before slepp.

 

He told me to stick to this for 1 month, and de will see after.

 

Sincerily i feel better now, but no benzo free.

After i talked to him, it also thinks that i can have a little bipolar problem . pfffffff

 

I will keep updating ....

 

Have a good day everybody and hang in there.

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Hi FrenchGuy,

 

I'm glad you feel better but I hope you won't let anyone label you until you're off of benzo's and recovered from the damage they've done to you.  Too often our withdrawal symptoms mimic mental health issues, so please don't accept this diagnosis from your Dr. until you're well past this.  The last thing you need is another medication, this is how people get poly-drugged, then they never know what is causing what. 

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Maybe you are right Pamster, i dont know what to belive, i dont have trust in my brain anymore. Maybe thé  benzos tricks me so i get excuses for saying that i'm sick and i have to continue. I didn't think of this before, thank you , i will think about it.

 

Still financials problems and stress at work, i hope this will pass away soon.

 

I dont understand why Xanax and Ativan?, why not just Xanax or just  Ativan. Why both? Maybe of thé Half-Life Time?I will also ask thé doctor ,maybe there is a reason ?

 

I also stopped smoking pot , my Doc said that even CBD may  Copé, thé THC create anxiety.

 

I will keep updating....

 

Have a good weekend Pamster and BBs.

 

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No , my Doc stopped Valium and switced me to :

*0,25mg Xanax - morning

*30mg Paroxetine (i was on 20mg before)-morning

*0,5mg Xanax + 1mg Ativan - before slepp.

 

I told him that valium make me very sleepy and tired all day, so he switced for 1 month to see how i will do.

 

Before i was at 10mg Valium/day. (tappered by m'y self) In reality for thé doctor I was on 40mg/day. Because he dont want me to taper,hé thinks that i still unstable because of my financial and work stress.

So he made a conversion liké i was on 40mg/day. So now i also have to convert ,but i dont know how exactly, i cant cut in small pieces thé Xanax or Ativan.

 

Corect me if i am wrong :

1 mg Xanax=20mg Valium

1 mg Ativan=10mg Valium

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Sorry about that FrenchGuy, I see your other post now, I was so focused on the bi-polar label I didn't key in on the dose and benzo changes.  I imagine you would feel better now since he essentially raised your dose of benzo's and yes, those are the equivalencies we adhere to.

 

I have no idea why he would put you on two different benzo's, but you'll want to taper the Xanax first since it's very short acting and is difficult to taper from because of this. 

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Thanks Pamster, i will try to taper maximum that i can of Xanax first this month, and i will ask thé Doc to give me only ativan next month, and try taper directly from Ativan.Maybe works better for me to tapper than Valium.

 

Off topic:

I saw that in USA want to stop prescribe benzos,i think it's a good idea (except some sévère menthal ilness). In France they prescribe benzos like vitamines , if i tell my doc that i dont feel well he prescribe me more write away. Here if u have a job thé health system is diffrent, so thé doctors are paid more if they have more patients, and thé patients pay only 10% of thé bill, thé other 90% is thé french state that pays to thé doctor.

 

So for me to get consultation+benzos Rx for one month i pay liké 10 dollars in total.

 

In thé lockdown Covid19 thé benzos prescriptions raised catrastophically in France, so people that did not have any mental problems , now they have to struggle with withdrawals.  :idiot:

 

Even my doc confesed to me that he also uses benzos sometimes . He also said to me that NEVER stop CT, but liké usual he did not say this first time, or prevent me about withdrawals. I was so ill because of thé burn-out and i didn't do any research.  :tickedoff: .

 

 

 

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