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Help please.

Posted , 8 users are following.

james28956
james28956

I was taking 7 mg diazepam and was cold turkeyed four months ago, I`ve been bed ridden with just about every symptom of wd. So today I phoned my doctor for help, he`s agreed to reinstate the diazepam starting at 2mg x twice a day and up to 6 mg if needed.

I`ve looked everywhere on the internet and all say this is not a good idea, that I need to hold on longer. 

I have NO life right now and I`m desperate.

Has anyone done this and if so did it work?  

My plan was to stabalize and then begin reducing again much slower but now I`m not sure?

Any help would be so welcome.

0 likes, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • woodbon
    woodbon james28956

    Posted

    Hi,

    I'm sorry you feel so bad.  If that was 7 mg a day to nothing, or 7mg 2or 3 a day I don't know, but whatever, going from taking 7 mg to nothing is a big step and it sounds as if your doctor thinks so too, now.   diazapam should be stopped slowly for most people to avoid side effects or keep them to a minimum.  If your GP has decided that is what he wants to do then try not to see it as a step backwards, but a step forwards, as he may want you to go on a taperred withdrawal of just 1 or 2 mgs a time.  Can you discuss this with him?  Try and work together as it sounds as if you both want the same thing.  Good Luck.  I'm not a medic but have been a fellow sufferer for years!

  • ashlee91
    ashlee91 james28956

    Posted

    Hi james im feeling your pain mate. I was also on 5mg a day and gave up benzos cold turkey aswell.

    I honestly promise you it will get better. Please do not put them back in your body. You are past the worst mate.

    If you are Australian i want you in the morning to take a towl outside and get some sunlight. Also if you cant get out of the house and face the shops can you get someone to head to the shops to get you some magnesium and calsium these were my life savers.

    Drink as much water as you can.

    How lond were you on benzos for?

    Can you share some of your withdrawls?

  • joe1976
    joe1976 james28956

    Posted

    James - hang in there & to Ashlee: you've got some stellar advice. I've been moved from zopiclone to valium and am cutting down on 10mgs of V a day. It all started with Zopiclone being prescribed last year. I'm a firm supporter of the Ashton technqique, just hate V & the Z from last year. Any support/advice/suggestions is always massively & gratefully received & to anyone reading this, going through the process, hang in there, it will be worth it. 
    • ashlee91
      ashlee91 joe1976

      Posted

      Thanks joe im no doctor but i no 100% what he is feeling right now. And i cant even tell you the time and effort i have put into my research about these horrid drugs.

      Im still in recovery at the moment and am still having withdrawls but i can tell you that it honestly gets better.

      Withdrawls dont last forever. His body is jusy begging him for what they want and thats the benzos.

      We should of never got off these pills cold turkey but whats done is done.

      I find the magnesium helps with the feel good calm muscle feeling even no its nothing compared to the benzos feeling but its something.

      Sunlight and relaxing juat gives the body some vitamin d and also just gets you out of the house.

      I hope he can see the light at the end of the tunnel soon. These druga can take years to fully recover. But it does happen : )

    • james28956
      james28956 ashlee91

      Posted

      Thanks for your answer ashlee91

      I was taking diazepam for 10yrs but like I said was ct.  I`ve had pain, nausea, headaches and been dizzy and a lot more, I used to be on 7mg a day for sleep. I took 2mg today but it didn`t help stop any symptoms, so think I`ll go back to none.How long have you been of them.  You say it gets better, thanks cos Im beside myself, how long before you felt a bit better. smile

  • jo61533
    jo61533 james28956

    Posted

    Hi James

    10 years is a long time to be on them and your doctor should really have put a taper in place but what's done is done and after 4 months I really wouldn't go back on them. Ashlee has given you some good advice regarding the magnesium etc. what are your worst withdrawal symptoms. Please stay away from online forums such as Benzo Buddies there are some stories on there that will make you feel worse it's almost like mass hysteria. Try not to over think it and just take each day as it comes. I quit cold turkey after a year of 20mg a data do I was very lucky with few withdrawal symptoms. Please do not take anything like gabapentin to try to help as these have an equally horrible withdrawal. You have done so well lasting 4 months you should soon start to feel better I really don't think reinstating now is the answer. You can do this, thinking of you. Jo

    • james28956
      james28956 jo61533

      Posted

      thanks jo

      I looked on benzobuddies and the stories did make me feel worse, I`m old now at 65 and this is scaring the life out of me.

      my worst symtom is pain and then being dizzy. They doc gave me pregabalin but I stopped that last week cos it said in the leaflet it can make u dizzy. I tapered of them over 3 weeks. 

      I`ve read what everyones said and wont take anymore, I took 2 mg this morning but that didn`t do anything to help. Th edoc said to increase them back to 6 mg but after hearing what everyones saying I think I`ll keep off them. 

      Should I be feeling better soon?  I was told it can take a year but surly it wont be this bad for a year. 

      thank you for your kindness Jo

    • jo61533
      jo61533 james28956

      Posted

      Hi James

      Hey you're not old. I took pregabalin and hated it. When did you come off of that because the withdrawals for it are horrible and some of your pain could be down to that, for me the withdrawal from that was far worse than benzodiazepines. With regard to how long it will last I would like to hope you would be better soon. There are horror stories that it can last a year but I strongly believe this is s small minority and that there are normally other issues. What did you go on them for x

    • james28956
      james28956 jo61533

      Posted

      Hello jo

      I did feel bad after I stopped the pregabalin but the doctor said they weren`t the cause. I went on them after the ct and went on the diazeapm for sleep. Funny I`m sleeping now ok.  I`ve been all afternoon looking up things to try to help me but don`t look like theres much. I`ll try magnesium like a kind soul said earlier.  The pain isn`t as bad as it was but its bad enough. I `m taking co-codamol for that but its only taking the edge off. thank you Jo you are very kind.

    • jo61533
      jo61533 james28956

      Posted

      My doctor told me I didn't have withdrawal from pregabin because I was only on them for a week, but I most definitely did! Awful leg pains, burning eyes and horrible depression. So it may have added to your problems. It's good that you're sleeping that helps a lot. Just look after yourself try and eat well and distract yourself as much as you can, if you feel up to it walks are good. You can do this, I'm sure you will start to feel better very soon. If you need someone to talk to or to vent just pm me. Take care. Jo x
    • james28956
      james28956 jo61533

      Posted

      Hello jo

      I was taking the pregabalin for nearly 4 month then taperedbecause I was always dizzy. I`ve had the nausea and sweating with some headaches since I stopped them, at the start the headaches were bad but they seem a bit better now but I`ve got the nausea really bad. Do you think they have made me worse, did yours last long ater you stopped them.

       

  • jessie51
    jessie51 james28956

    Posted

    Hello James,

    so sorry you are in the position you are,  you have No life right now but you can have in the future if you just start again and do a slow withdrawal.  Never mind what you have read, we are all different and must do what is comfortable for us and our individual circumstances. Your doc is ready to work with you on this and see you through, his suggestion of twice a day is good,  the w/d should be done very very slowly,  I would say at 4 week intervals between each drop in dosage, halving the tablest and then quartering them,  it seems like a long slow carry on but as you know how bad you feel right now then slow is the only way to go.

    Get off the drug yes,  but ....   do it gently and be kind to yourself to get off them and be well.   Eat what you can, protien is good,  get out for as many walks as you can manage,  just have a complete change in lifestyle while your body adjusts to what is happening to it,  it is a big adjustment,  can't be done overnight.  Drink plenty water to keep your system flushed through,  stay busy as you can, sleep when you can,  never mind what the clock says, do what you can when you can,  do what ever it takes to keep active and stop your mind from getting down and depressed about things.  You can do this James,  you will feel so much better at the end of it and have a new leash on life,  but,   James take it  slow, it is worth it.   Work with your Dr,  start back on them and be relaxed and comfortable  with yourself, then you will be in a happy state of mind to start the w/d afresh.  It is do able and worth while.   

    I wish you all the best with this,  just take it slow, stay relaxed and keep busy.

    Warmest regards

    Jessie x

    • james28956
      james28956 jessie51

      Posted

      Thank you jessie51

      I`ve been told by a lot of people to not start the drugs again, They all say I`ll be worse n the long run. I took the 2mg tablet yesterday and it didn`t d any good at all, if it had I think I`d have tried another one later, Did you have to restart as I`d like to know how you got on doing it. I do thank you but I`m getting a lot of people saying dont start them again.

    • jessie51
      jessie51 james28956

      Posted

      Hello James,

      I did not do any restart, a slow w/d from the start.  I understand people saying don't restart, it does seem like a backwards step and only suggest a restart because of the way you are feeling, you took them for 10 years, your Dr has suggested this and finally your age.

      It is of course all up to you and how you feel you are getting on, do you feel better now than you did two months ago - three months ago?   If yes then keep going as you are and forget the restart.

      I do wish you all the best,  it is a rough journey.

      Warmest regards

      Jessie x

  • jo61533
    jo61533 james28956

    Posted

    Hi James

    my pregabalin withdrawals only lasted about 10 days but I was only on them a week. You are going to get different advise from different people but you are 4 months free of diazepam and I would hope very close to feeling better. If you reinstate there is no guarantee that this will work and there are people who cut very slowly and still suffer horrible withdrawal. The fact that you can sleep is a good sign. I feel that you have done the hard part and it would be a shame to go back to square one. Good luck and take care

     

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