Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi Everyone, I have been doing a slow taper off diazapam. Was prescribed 5mg 3 months ago. After a month tapered slowly now down to 1.25 mg and the withdrawal has just hit me. Feel awful. Blood pressure and heart rate spikes, headache, flu like symptons. Not sure where to go from here. Any suggestions. Thx appreciate any words of advise.
0 likes, 9 replies
We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.
musiclover9739 shane23112
Posted
You've been on a low dose. Usually that wouldn't be a difficult taper or even cold turkey but everyone is different. If it just started with your last decrease, perhaps you weren't at the prior dosage long enough. I don't know how much the last cut was but if feasible, perhaps go back up to it for a period, let your brain fully adjust and then cutting back again, perhaps less this time. My guess, only a guess, is that you either didn't stay at the last level long enough or, if that's not the case, you need to make less of a step down. Good luck
shane23112 musiclover9739
Posted
Thx
musiclover9739 shane23112
Posted
Hi Shane. I understand the difficulty although Valium is about the easiest to do low dosages of. One of my .5 mg Xanax is equal to about 10mg of Valium according to many. Some say more. So 1/5th of my .5mg pill is equal in effect to your whole pill. it's why some go to Valium as they're tapering off of other things. Much easier to do smaller doses. A quarter of a 2mg Valium is a very, very small dose. Doesn't mean you don't need less. My opinion, and it is only that, is that you might want to go back where you were and stay there 3 or 4 weeks while your brain gets more acclimated to that dosage before you try again. Otherwise you can go to a liquid dosage if need be but that involves a fair amount of preparation.
shane23112 musiclover9739
Posted
Hi, what if I try holding where I am?. Been on the 1.75mg for 3 days now. I think I can push thru u til it settles. I know it is a small amount but wow the withdrawal can be pretty awful. Hate when if effects HR & BP. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Do you find Benzo's cause ear ringing too? I seem to have that often.
Thx Shane
musiclover9739
Posted
Before you regard me as an expert, I'm in the midst of a difficult tape myself. 3-4 mg total of Xanax and Klonpin together for over 20 years. Have cut by 75% but just hit my own wall with migraines and visual disturbances, which really bother me because I have wet macular degeneration and limited vision to start with. You're right, it sucks.
shane23112 musiclover9739
Posted
judy96662 musiclover9739
Posted
Hi fellow longtimer. On temazepam for over 25 yrs. Have been tapering for over 2 yrs. with valium. Down to combination of one 2 mg. tablet and .4 mg. of valium liquid. Can only taper 1/20th of mg every week or two without s/x i.e, dizziness, hearing issues, leg weakness, insomnia, and several others that squeek in at times. Continuing at this rate is very demotivating yet I know as I lower the dosage my body still craves this dreadful drug. During the course of these past 2 yrs. you can only imagine the amount of research I've done and doctors I have seen. Even the renowned Mayo Clinic has refused me an appointment. Given all that, only this forum gives me hope for the future when some day I will be benzo free. I welcome any advice and/or support from you or other "longtimers" (both on benzos for a long time and those tapering for a long time). I understand the lower the dose the more time it will take (i.e. cutting no more than 5 - 10%/month). I'm 71 and would like to feel normal once again as I did before being forced to withdraw (with no professional help).
gina01020 shane23112
Posted
I Agee with music lover. I'm going to be doing the same thing shortly as soon as my AD swap has stabilized. I went from half a ozexapram to a quarter a week ago and had 3 days of trouble so went back to half and will taper slowly over a longer time.
Have you seen the Ashton Manual for tapering. It is very good and gives you dosages and time frames.
shane23112 gina01020
Posted