opinions on 5mg diazepam dry dmt with only 200 x 2mg tablets

[[Buddie]]

After an "action packed" year of tapering from combined 45mg valium equivalent, I will soon be at 5mg valium/diazepam with only 400mgs available or 200 x 2mg diazepam tablets left and no way to replenish. So I'd like to continue a dry daily taper which would maximize the "soft landing" length aspect but also not start too quick.

This is my current proposal:
5mg to 3.75mg = 0.76% per day (0.038mg/d @ 5mg to 0.029mg/d @ 3.75mg)
3.75 to 0.00mg = fixed 0.029mg per day

This would result in days per mg:
5 to 4 = 29
4 to 3 = 34
3 to 2 = 35
2 to 1 = 35
1 to 0 = 35
-------------
 5.5m=168d

This is 11 months and 860mgs (430 x 2mg tbs) sooner than originally planned 0.01mg/day. But I had high symptoms throughout all year and most recently increasingly worse while going my slowest from 6 to 5mg over 40 days. So I did a "correction" to 5.2, 5.4, 5.6mg and held. During this 10 week hold, acute symptoms actually got worse with higher doses, offering just 1hr of "clarity" on last day when I decided to restart. So there is a tiny chance lower doses might feel better?

My questions are:

1) Any way to continue using % down to lower mgs without speeding up higher mgs? In the past, tapering a daily fixed amount caught up with me if over 10%/14d.

2) With limited supply, which rate timeline may maximize possibility of benefits:
a) going fast to slow
b) going slow to fast
c) going even/average for all mgs 

3) Is maximizing total # of days more important than # of days on particular mgs (5&4 vs 2&1)?

4) Any other tips and trick that helped you land safely and maintain flexibility while tablets are dwindling?

Thank you dear buddies!

[[Buddie]]

[...], I've asked a member to take a look at your questions and see if they can help you.

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...],

[...] suggested I stop by.

You are overthinking it.  Benzo withdrawal has so many variables, it makes no sense trying to plan the entire taper.  Try not to live in the future, it stirs up anxiety.

Now, to your point, only 200 pills left.  We can work on a taper which considers your pill problem.

But first to your questions.  Everyone is different.  You must answer those questions using your own body.  I think the best way to do it is with a journal.  Each day, record your taper, your symptoms, and any external stress.  Week by week you can refer to your journal and modify your taper to have the fastest taper with tolerable symptoms. 

Now to simplify your math by using the journal.

How about this.  You start with your idea of reduction 0.038 mg per day but do it every day for a while.  That is reasonable.  If you do it everyday all the way to zero, you will be done in 132 days and it will only use 331 mg of your 400 mg supply.

Do not worry about percentages.  Just do the 0.038 mg each day and do the journal.  Then, study your journal and if you see a trend where your symptoms are getting worse, you can slow down your taper and re-compute to see if you still have enough of your supply.

How does that sound?

[[Buddie]]

[...],

I want to commend you for decreasing from 45mg to 5 this past year. The fact that you've done this and seem to be staying functional says a lot about your ability to create a taper plan for yourself.

I'm not a numbers person, so I can't comment on your plan. I think [...]'s idea sounds like a reasonable approach. You can always change course if symptoms dictate.

Also, I personally don't think you're overthinking anything . I know that once I came up with a plan for my taper that made sense to me, I felt a lot better and less anxious. I'm glad you're really thinking this through, especially since you have limited pills. Trust yourself!

OR

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...],

Do not worry about percentages.  Just do the 0.038 mg each day and do the journal.  Then, study your journal and if you see a trend where your symptoms are getting worse, you can slow down your taper and re-compute to see if you still have enough of your supply.

How does that sound?

Hi Bob,

Thank you for your great ideas! I agree that your way might conserve more tablets & time. Even though periodically locking the reduction amount might push the symptom envelope more, it might leave more tablets and options on the table for later.

[[Buddie]]

[...],

Also, I personally don't think you're overthinking anything . I know that once I came up with a plan for my taper that made sense to me, I felt a lot better and less anxious. I'm glad you're really thinking this through, especially since you have limited pills. Trust yourself!

OR

Thank you OR for your very kind words! My taper progress had a price as my stability and functionality have been steadily decreasing overall. It's been a steep climb that I intend to finish.

[[Buddie]]

I am sorry for using the word "overthinking".  Thank you [...] for keeping the road smooth.

[[Buddie]]

Thank you for your input [...] and for your support of this member [...].  It takes a village!

[...]