Diazepam withdrawl
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi. I want to cut straight to the point. I have been taking 5mg of diazepam for 25 years illegally. In the past 5 months I have been taking 2mg a day. I am now taking 2mg every 3 days, I am totally feeling so ill. I then take another 4mg and it goes away. Now the big thing is, I have no diazepam left. But I do have a pack of xanax. Can I take a tiny bit of Xanax to stop the withdrawal, then taper with them. I know it was only little diazepam for all those years, why do I feel so ill. I just want to stop the world from spinning. Please help me. ??????🙏??🙏??
0 likes, 29 replies
claire1610 michelle_93810
Posted
You cant use something else to feel better as that will create another addiction. You need to tough it out and listen to the stories here taper down and don't miss days. I can lie, you will still feel terrible but you have to do this. I seen these thing completely take over live. You can do it. Be strong and brave and if you are Christian. PRAY!!
denyse07327 claire1610
Posted
A good psychiatrist is sometimes essential and will advise you on what medication to use. She helped me get off two benzos which i thought would ever be possible 😍
ann55375 denyse07327
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Wondering if its because theres no anti dep,in my system that this is happening? Have asked gp,who says its not a high dose but i cant do without it. Gave me 10mg propanolol but not helping. Phoned mh team who told me its anxiety and go for a walk. Asked to see psych but no appts. Dont know how to stop this craving now as trying to lower is not happening, im actually needing more. Is there anyone can help
denyse07327 ann55375
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ann55375 denyse07327
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carol09801 michelle_93810
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BUT a psychiatrist who specializes in withdrawal is the key. So many of that profession are just pill givers and when it comes to withdrawal, not so much at all. I went to a regular psychiatrist for 9 months and basically, he was no help. Sure insurance paid for "medication management", but I wanted to get off. He pretty much wanted me to stay on the benzo and when I started to research how to withdraw and created my own taper plan (which got me to 3/8 of Lorazepam a day, I'd go to him and he'd say, "Yes, that sounds like a good idea..." I couldn't make the last cuts because Lorazepam has such a short life and my two sons who live far away and their families were coming for Xmas for 10 days and I ended dosing up. However, through a family member whose daughter is battling opioids, I've been going to her doc, a psycho-pharmacologist, private pay, who is awesome. He got me off .75 daily Ativan be the beginning of March this year using the substitution method of 9 mg of Diazepam a day, but now, of course, I'm having to taper very slowly off the Diazepam-will take me the rest of the year but I have been taking a benzo-first the Lorazepam (even though the highest dose I got to was 2.5 mg daily) and now Diazepam for a total of 33 months so super slow and the right doc and perseverance will get me there.
As I said, make sure you get the right doc with LOTS of experience with withdrawal, not just any psych doc. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
ann55375 carol09801
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carol09801 ann55375
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Ashton Method can be too fast for some. It would be for me. That's why you need to find a psych who is an addiction specialist and work with him or her to create a slow, slow taper. I am struggling at 6.75 daily and my last cut was only .25 and this was after taking 9 mg of diazepam a day with reducing levels of lorazepam successfully got me off lorazepam in two months, but I ended up with a 9 mg daily dose of diazepam in the end. Now I have to get off that. But I have a great doc though he is private pay who helped me do that and is helping me now. I hope to get to 5mg a day and then titrate from there. I may have to titrate before then but right now I can cut my 2mg diazepam pills down to get tiny .25 pieces. It may take me a year from now to get off, but I am determined. I take a LOT of ibuprofen to combat headaches, chest pressure, and itching. I have an underlying issue which is Ciguatera, a toxic fish poisoning I contracted 10 years ago from eating reef fish (grouper) which manifests itself in outbreaks of itching and pins and needles. That's why I went on lorazepam in Aug of 2015 to combat that outbreak. Bad idea! BUT a regular psych I went to in 2017 was no help. I tried to get off lorazepam myself and was down to 3/8 a day just before Xmas on 2017, but I had family coming and was a mess because it's short-acting so I went up to 1.5 a day of Lorazepam. Probably should have toughed it out, but I didn't. That's when I got a very reliable referral from a family member to my present doc, a psychopharmacologist. I just have to have faith now and determination. Get professional help. Too hard to do alone and frankly too complicated.
harriet67221 carol09801
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marleen85993 harriet67221
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Would have to agree with the fact the Ashton method is far too fast for most people.The aim of any taper is to keep withdrawal symptoms to the minimum.Some people can handle fast tapers some can't.Cut small amounts and hold until you are stable enough to move on.The main thing about any taper is that you as the taperer have control not a doctor.Listen to your body and go at a speed you are comfortable at.Remember the Ashton Manuel is the only trial and there have been no others since so it isn't set in stone.
harriet67221 marleen85993
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ann55375 carol09801
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carol09801 ann55375
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I would ask your regular doctor, assuming you have one. Or call a hospital and ask. Or good old Google search for a psychopharmacologist in your area. You might want to Google "addiction specialist" as well.