Normal life on Valium

Is anyone living a normal life tapering on Valium. I very rarely go out and stay on couch more than off. I know I need to do more and go out but it is so hard for me to leave the house. I can’t plan anything.I want to live a normal life and feel comfortable going places. I can’t plan anything because of not knowing how I’m going to feel. Concerned I will get anxiety or bad feelings and just want to be home if I feel this. Any advice whose been through this?

Define 'normal'. My life has been anything but since this whole mess started. What you are feeling and describing is something most of us can identify with.

Is anyone living a normal life tapering on Valium. I very rarely go out and stay on couch more than off. I know I need to do more and go out but it is so hard for me to leave the house. I can’t plan anything.I want to live a normal life and feel comfortable going places. I can’t plan anything because of not knowing how I’m going to feel. Concerned I will get anxiety or bad feelings and just want to be home if I feel this. Any advice whose been through this?

 

I live a completely healthy life. I'm tapering slowly.

I can’t plan anything because of not knowing how I’m going to feel. Concerned I will get anxiety or bad feelings and just want to be home if I feel this. Any advice whose been through this?

 

You can't plan for everything in life. Unexpected things can happen to everyone, and we have to deal with them.

 

I suggest that you take baby steps and then progress from there e.g. a walk in your neighborhood, local park, grocery store. I suggest that you do not plan, but rather just get up and go. See how you feel. You can always come back home if you needed.

Thanks so much for the encouraging words and the advice!

Redbird, I noticed in your sig you slowed your taper down. Are you still experiencing anxiety and bad feelings? Have you thought of reducing the dose next time, and see if you function better? Maybe .5 instead of 1 mg?

I just hate to go lower because I just want to be off this medicine.

I just hate to go lower because I just want to be off this medicine.

 

If you don't go lower, how will you get off this poison?

I get that, I really do, but darkarchon is right. Have you been to the Long Hold board? Sometimes our tapers catch up with us, and we need to stop, hold, and then resume a bit lower. The longer you've been on this stuff, the better you are at recovery if you taper slowly. You've been on benzos a very long time, it is going to take time to taper off of them. A lot of the people here on BB go through what you are going through, and the usual advice is holding longer between cuts, and reducing the amount you are tapering. You may just need to hold for some time, and let your body catchup to the deficit in benzos.

 

I'm not suggesting you do what Maugham1 is, though there are several on the group tapering like him, the Long-Haulers. Some have walked off and not suffered acute. His tapering strategy is working for him. It requires a lot of discipline and patience, I commend him for being able to stick to it. At some point, as you get lower, you are going to need to make reductions, and you are going to have to weigh doses, or switch to a liquid. You'll want to stay in that 5 to 10% range, and once you are down to 10 mg, you aren't going to be able to do 1 mg cuts, because that will exceed 10%. darkarchon gave you good advice too regarding taking baby steps.

I get that, I really do, but darkarchon is right. Have you been to the Long Hold board? Sometimes our tapers catch up with us, and we need to stop, hold, and then resume a bit lower. The longer you've been on this stuff, the better you are at recovery if you taper slowly. You've been on benzos a very long time, it is going to take time to taper off of them. A lot of the people here on BB go through what you are going through, and the usual advice is holding longer between cuts, and reducing the amount you are tapering. You may just need to hold for some time, and let your body catchup to the deficit in benzos.

 

I'm not suggesting you do what Maugham1 is, though there are several on the group tapering like him, the Long-Haulers. Some have walked off and not suffered acute. His tapering strategy is working for him. It requires a lot of discipline and patience, I commend him for being able to stick to it. At some point, as you get lower, you are going to need to make reductions, and you are going to have to weigh doses, or switch to a liquid. You'll want to stay in that 5 to 10% range, and once you are down to 10 mg, you aren't going to be able to do 1 mg cuts, because that will exceed 10%. darkarchon gave you good advice too regarding taking baby steps.

 

Lottie, thank you for your nice words. I would like to point out that I'm using liquid diazepam and it makes tapering very easy. I'm taking it slow and my taper is basically painless aside from some tinnitus.

I can’t plan anything because of not knowing how I’m going to feel. Concerned I will get anxiety or bad feelings and just want to be home if I feel this. Any advice whose been through this?

 

You can't plan for everything in life. Unexpected things can happen to everyone, and we have to deal with them.

 

I suggest that you take baby steps and then progress from there e.g. a walk in your neighborhood, local park, grocery store. I suggest that you do not plan, but rather just get up and go. See how you feel. You can always come back home if you needed.

I like this advice. There's even an intermediate step to going for a walk. If you're literally not getting out of the house at all, 30 mins in your garden (if you have one) or just outside your door (if you don't have a garden) is a lot better than not doing this.

 

It's benzo-normal to feel unable to do anything and to get into a horrible rut. You can get out of it by taking tiny steps at the right time.

Redbird Flies - Hope you are doing well. Please keep us posted. Thanks!

I live a very functional life but in order to do so I'm tapering at snail's pace. I'm very kindled so most people wouldn't need to taper as slow as I do. Being functional and not missing the only life I have is my priority.

Thanks Valiumnomore!