Advice required - valium novice

Hi all

Advice needed please. I realise I have been pretty green and unaware about benzos.

Placed on lorazapan 3mg last June. No idea it was short term.

Up and down in dosages by doctor (due to withdrawals but I did not know that at the time).

Did a lot of reading and researching why I felt so bad including dosage withdrawals.

January 2021 crossed over to 20mg valium using ashton which I naively thought would sort it all once I got through the crossover!

Problem at 16-14mg which was sorted by increase in antidepressant (yet again did not realise could be withdrawal).

New problem at 12-10mg. Cant seem to stabilise. Additional symptoms to previous withdrawals.

New CPN wants to keep holding but I think just push through. They will not allow updosing.

Thoughts appreciated please?

 

Current meds

Mirtazapine 30mg

Valium 10mg

Temezepam 10mg (doc wants to leave that to the end)

 

Hi all

Advice needed please. I realise I have been pretty green and unaware about benzos.

Placed on lorazapan 3mg last June. No idea it was short term.

Up and down in dosages by doctor (due to withdrawals but I did not know that at the time).

Did a lot of reading and researching why I felt so bad including dosage withdrawals.

January 2021 crossed over to 20mg valium using ashton which I naively thought would sort it all once I got through the crossover!

Problem at 16-14mg which was sorted by increase in antidepressant (yet again did not realise could be withdrawal).

New problem at 12-10mg. Cant seem to stabilise. Additional symptoms to previous withdrawals.

New CPN wants to keep holding but I think just push through. They will not allow updosing.

Thoughts appreciated please?

 

Current meds

Mirtazapine 30mg

Valium 10mg

Temezepam 10mg (doc wants to leave that to the end)

Most of us, like you have had to learn about the effects of wd and it is not pretty. I think your CPN has given you good advice, to hold, the Brain is having to deal with all of the wd you have done, and it stacks up and causes instability. Yes you can push through, but taking more time is the best to allow Brain to catch up to cuts. I hope you start feeling better soon. 💖 Peace and Healing.

Hi Miss piggy,

 

It looks as if you've stumbled along doing what you and your doctor thought was the correct thing to do but it's actually been causing you problems.  Its sad there isn't enough information out there, I'm sorry you're in this situation.

 

I'd like to start with your initial crossover to Valium, according to the equivalency charts we use by Professor Ashton, the correct dose to cross to would have been 30 mgs of Valium, so in my opinion, you started your taper at a deficit, do you agree with this observation?

 

Can you tell us what your taper looks like, how much are you reducing each time and is it according to your symptoms as we recommend or is someone setting your schedule?

 

As for holding or pushing through, I think I agree with your CPN, pushing through just increases your discomfort.  A taper is suggested so you can remain functional and live your life while getting off of the drug, doing this too quickly can make you unnecessarily miserable.

 

 

Thank you both.

I had got down to 1mg once and 1/2mg another time on lorazapam but each time felt awful. Noone told me about w/d.

I was having interdose withdrawals at 1mg and tried to reinstate to 1 1/2mg then 2mg. Made decision then to cross to 20mg valium.

Deduction every two weeks got to 20-18-16. Then w/d and stressors. Doc then increased mirtazapine to 30mg.

Got from 14-12 fine and feeling good.

Then 12-10 and other stressors have sent me into a tailspin.

This is the fifth week and still no stabilise.

 

Yesterday I had a massive melt down about feeling so down and not being able to see a way out. My husband wants to contact the CPN and I can understand why but I cant see there is any easy solutions.

I feel in a dark hole just now x

Yesterday I had a massive melt down about feeling so down and not being able to see a way out. My husband wants to contact the CPN and I can understand why but I cant see there is any easy solutions.

I feel in a dark hole just now x

It is normal to have meltdowns when so stressed, but it will get better, there will be a way out for you. I know that Pam will look over your Meds and post what she thinks will help with your taper. Hang on, have you tried any Meditations? I am sending you a link, hope that helps some. get comfortable and using a headphone is really helpful.

Sadly getting off of benzo's can be hard, but it has been done many many times, read the Success Stories. Stay Strong. 💖 Peace and Healing.

 

I don't have personal experience tapering Valium but I've read many members say that because of its long half life, reductions can catch up to you.  You can start out making your 2 mg reductions and everything is going fine but after awhile the symptoms start to pile up on you.  This is the time to hold until you feel a bit more stable then make your next reduction smaller.

 

I understand your taper is being managed by someone else but do you feel you can communicate your concerns to them, that it would be in your best interest to slow things down a bit?

 

You're right, there are no easy solutions but hopefully you can find a way to make your taper a little smoother.

Thank you for your replies. I feel so incredibly low that I have updosed by 2mg. I hope I have not cocked everything up.

 

I held for 5 weeks with no improvements and lost a lot of weight and no sleep plus another group of symptoms.

We do what we have to do to survive, no one will judge you and we hope like you do that this will help you get stable.  Will you have enough pills to maintain this dose for awhile to see if it helps?

Yes. Do you think 2mg will help stabilise me. I feel very low x

I don't know and the problem is, it will take a few days, possibly a week to find out. 

Thank you x

Hi all

 

I took a turn for the very worse and my husband called the CPN. The psych is saying I need more anti depressant meds and I have to take them. I feel sort of trapped now. I wish I had tapered slower.

 

Take care of you all

P

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

I echo everyone else's sympathies about your situation. I am sorry you are feeling too lousy and hope it improves soon. Regarding your updose, I want to let you know that I have recently fallen victim to my own stinking thinking as I too updosed by 2mg, and as I did not get the relief I was hoping for, I pressed the 'f*** it button' and swallowed a 10mg pill a few hours later.

 

I am not sure what effect this will have over days, but I am now reducing from a higher dose than planned and have dug myself into yet another hole.

 

I hope you get some relief from the 2mg. I do not think you should in any way beat yourself up for your choice to mitigate your symptoms. What I would say, though, is please don't make my mistake and follow the hung for a sheep as a lamb logic that will clearly have done me no good in the long term.

 

I hope you get some respite and can proceed in relative comfort soon. Windows do come even if the waves can seem eternal.

 

Sending hope,

 

Bancha

Hi all

 

I took a turn for the very worse and my husband called the CPN. The psych is saying I need more anti depressant meds and I have to take them. I feel sort of trapped now. I wish I had tapered slower.

 

Take care of you all

P

 

I'm sorry to hear you're not doing well, how do you feel about taking more of the antidepressant, do you agree with this recommendation?  The reason I put the word recommendation in italics is because to my knowledge, a person can't be forced to take medication unless it's court ordered.  I don't know where you live but when my mother wouldn't take her medication for schizophrenia a hearing was held and she was court ordered to take her medication and at that point they had the power to force her to take it.  Are you court ordered to take this medication?

 

I'm trying to advocate for you, to let you know you may have choices.

Thank you.

I dont really have a choice here as next stop would be the hospital and I dont want that.

I am taking the additional med but dont feel good on it.

It is difficult as I am arguing withdrawal and they say untreated mental illness. I am losing.

P

I'm so very sorry, too many of our members have been given labels when it was in fact drug withdrawal.  I don't know if this is the same in your case by I'm saddened to see defeat in your words.

Hi all

 

I took a turn for the very worse and my husband called the CPN. The psych is saying I need more anti depressant meds and I have to take them. I feel sort of trapped now. I wish I had tapered slower.

 

Take care of you all

P

I am so sorry that your Provider and Husband do not understand how gut wrenching hard going through wd can be. 💖 Peace and Healing.

Thank you both.

It is so difficult to tell whether it is w/d or untreated. I guess my gut tells me it was too big a cut so w/d but they might be correct. Not easy x

Hi all

Advice needed please. I realise I have been pretty green and unaware about benzos.

Placed on lorazapan 3mg last June. No idea it was short term.

Up and down in dosages by doctor (due to withdrawals but I did not know that at the time).

Did a lot of reading and researching why I felt so bad including dosage withdrawals.

January 2021 crossed over to 20mg valium using ashton which I naively thought would sort it all once I got through the crossover!

Problem at 16-14mg which was sorted by increase in antidepressant (yet again did not realise could be withdrawal).

New problem at 12-10mg. Cant seem to stabilise. Additional symptoms to previous withdrawals.

New CPN wants to keep holding but I think just push through. They will not allow updosing.

Thoughts appreciated please?

 

Current meds

Mirtazapine 30mg

Valium 10mg

Temezepam 10mg (doc wants to leave that to the end)

Most of us, like you have had to learn about the effects of wd and it is not pretty. I think your CPN has given you good advice, to hold, the Brain is having to deal with all of the wd you have done, and it stacks up and causes instability. Yes you can push through, but taking more time is the best to allow Brain to catch up to cuts. I hope you start feeling better soon. 💖 Peace and Healing.

Hi

I believe the reason you can't stabalize is because your taking multiple drugs at once i have so much bad experience with benzos an ad its  a volatile combination i was on mirazepam 30 mg for 2 year's biggest mistake of my life iam 3 mounth free from remron and things are getting better my advice to you try tapering remron and stay only with the benzos till you stabalize if you cant try lowering dosage with remron 7.5 should cover your sleep this pill is a nasty one took it 2 year's

Good luck