Quinne

Hey guys,

For the 17 months i've been sober i've been on valium and started a gradual reduction in early days. I started on 10mg and worked down to 3.75mg, reduced to 3.5mg over a month and today is day 6 on 3mg-all of this has been done in consultation with my Psychiatrist. The last couple of days have been a little messy I've experienced dissociation, a bit of dizziness, strange eating patterns and a general feeling of low mood and malaise. I even felt a bit drunk one evening (alcohol was/is my poison); I know these symptoms are all within the "normal" range, and have taken 0.5mg of deralin on 3 occasions, initially when I had mild anxiety and at home to see how the med would effect me, once for major anxiety and once (last night) to help me sleep. I've spoken to my family, sponsor, housemates and boyfriend to let them know what's happening. My head's a little doo-lally and i'm feeling a little weird about going to my baby sister's 21st tonight-the plan is to grab the video camera and stay out of my head! I just don't feel as lucid and it's concerning me I have my AA home group this afternoon, fortunately

Has anyone here gone through a similar experience with these medications? I know the valium robs me of my true mental, physical and emotional potential, so although i'm feeling weird, i'm glad to be doing this

Xx

Quinne

*bump*!

Dee74

No personal experience to share Quinne, but being on any drug for 17 months and then coming off would take some adjustment, I'd expect - I'd think this was especially so for benzoes.

If this is really concerning you maybe a call to the Dr is warranted?

D

Marcher13

Quinne I know nothing about this but in your post you mention that this is Day 6 on 3mg and you've been feeling off colour for several days. Maybe the step from 3.5 to 3mg is the problem? Could you phone your doctor?

If going to your sisters 21st seems too much go easy on yourself. Perhaps you could phone her before the party, explain and suggest a plan for the two of you later on?

Take care of yourself.

john44

Hi Quinne. It sounds like you're on a very slow taper on valium. I'm a bit surprised though that such a long taper would be necessary from such a small dose. Admittedly, I don't have experience with long-term valium use that would necessitate a taper. The last time I detoxed from alcohol (in a medical facility) I was given valium. It worked like a charm; the detox was almost painless and I'm sober to this day.

The benzo I do have experience getting off is Xanax. I was on a prescribed dose of 1.5-3.0 mg/day for over four years. I also developed a rather bad drinking problem during this time. A rather bad combination, really. I was detoxed in a hospital for a week and then it was off to rehab for three weeks. I shook like a leaf the whole time. Happily though, I did successfully stop the Xanax with no further complications. I imagine valium is quite a different animal than Xanax, thus the taper. I do know it has a much longer half life than Xanax. Did your doctor explain why such a long, slow taper?

MemphisBlues

Please tread carefully and under the supervision of you doctor. I had a decade-long run with benzos that didn't end well. From what I've read on tapering, even though some may think you were on a low dose, a .5mg cut from 3.5 mg could be a tad steep, but that's just going from what I've read about the Ashton method.

I found a beta blocker beneficial fro anxiety. One thing I have found on the benzo support websites out there is that many people stabilize on a reduced dose for a long period of time, like weeks, before tapering further, and many find water titration beneficial, though I have no experience with that.

Good luck.

Welcome to SR.

Quinne

Thanks to all for your kind, informative and thoughtful replies

One thing I know I have a bad habit of doing is dwelling on any kind of symptom and over-analysing. I get stuck in my head. Like with my drinking past and any other life issues that pop up, I find that speaking with AA members who have shared similar experiences beneficial-I spoke with my sponsor before and she went through the same thing in early days-I feel inherently due to many of the drinking acute and post-acute withdrawals seeming to have mostly dissipated, i'm inherently going to "feel" this more.

John44, I actually instigated the discussion with my Dr and he seems to have essentially left it in my hands-i've queried anything and everything (including this taper length), though I get the impression he trusts my judgment, but truthfully, I don't believe he is too well-versed on benzos. I'm not trying to disrespect his experience and knowledge, but I understand that it may not be his speciality. I will give him a call on monday, though

Marcher13, i'm blessed with an amazingly supportive family and boyfriend, who will be coming with I have an "escape plan" and have told my sponsor and two other female members where i'm going. My little sis understands completely if I make the call not to go

Thanks again, guys!

Skye2

I don't have any experience either, but went to the Doctors a while back when I was quitting for the second time (this is my 3rd and final), and she took one look at me, took my temperature and laughed. I had picked up a bug without realising, but of course blamed how I was feeling on withdrawals

Just a thought