Please help!!! I tapered a benzo (anti-anxiety med) too fast and am suffering immensely!!!
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1
Please help!!! I tapered a benzo (anti-anxiety med) too fast and am suffering immensely!!!
Hello friends,
I am seeking support and advice for a Restoril (temazepam) taper gone wrong. Temazepam belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which are extremely hard to get off of, and this one is specifically used for insomnia. I was on a high dose (90mg. It is almost impossible to find a doctor to give you a script for over 30mg per night, but my doctor is pretty relaxed with the prescription pad!) for over a year, and on July 2nd I cut the dose from 90mg to 60mg and faired pretty well during that month (no noticeable withdrawal). Well exactly 4 weeks later on July 30th I decided to cut down to 45mg (a 45mg, or half, decrease in less than a month: way too fast), and didn't supplement/cross taper with 7.5mg of Valium as I should have (I didn't add any valium on my first taper of 30mg, so I figured I would be okay with another 15mg drop). According to my research, for every 30mg drop in temazepam, you are supposed to add 15mg Valium and then SLOWLY discontinue the Valium once you are SAFELY off temazepam. So I did two things wrong: 1) I tapered the temazepam way too fast (50% decrease in 28 days from such a HIGH DOSAGE), and 2) I never cross tapered with valium to help prevent/ease withdrawal symptoms. Well a couple days after I dropped down to 45mg my whole mind and body went into shock: most of you will be familiar with what I am talking about when I list the symptoms I had and am currently having - EXTREME anxiety, tremors, shaky voice, unquenchable thirst, loss of appetite, vomiting, chest pains, worsened insomnia, and crippling muscle/body aches. I thought I just needed to tough it out and the withdrawals would eventually subside so I waited two weeks before telling my psychiatrist. He immediately put me back on 75mg of temazepam and 60mg of Valium but the symptoms persisted. We tried this for about 10 days, even upping the Valium to 80mg per day but still no relief. I have since just gone back down to 45mg of temazepam, cut out the valium altogether, and it has been 6 weeks and 3 days since I made the dreaded taper and 6 weeks of hell. I'm not sure if I have protracted withdrawal syndrome? Because every day seems to be getting WORSE rather than better. I would've thought that after 6 weeks my body would've adjusted to the dose by now? I desperately need support and guidance from ANYONE who is willing to help. Thank you and God bless.
I am seeking support and advice for a Restoril (temazepam) taper gone wrong. Temazepam belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which are extremely hard to get off of, and this one is specifically used for insomnia. I was on a high dose (90mg. It is almost impossible to find a doctor to give you a script for over 30mg per night, but my doctor is pretty relaxed with the prescription pad!) for over a year, and on July 2nd I cut the dose from 90mg to 60mg and faired pretty well during that month (no noticeable withdrawal). Well exactly 4 weeks later on July 30th I decided to cut down to 45mg (a 45mg, or half, decrease in less than a month: way too fast), and didn't supplement/cross taper with 7.5mg of Valium as I should have (I didn't add any valium on my first taper of 30mg, so I figured I would be okay with another 15mg drop). According to my research, for every 30mg drop in temazepam, you are supposed to add 15mg Valium and then SLOWLY discontinue the Valium once you are SAFELY off temazepam. So I did two things wrong: 1) I tapered the temazepam way too fast (50% decrease in 28 days from such a HIGH DOSAGE), and 2) I never cross tapered with valium to help prevent/ease withdrawal symptoms. Well a couple days after I dropped down to 45mg my whole mind and body went into shock: most of you will be familiar with what I am talking about when I list the symptoms I had and am currently having - EXTREME anxiety, tremors, shaky voice, unquenchable thirst, loss of appetite, vomiting, chest pains, worsened insomnia, and crippling muscle/body aches. I thought I just needed to tough it out and the withdrawals would eventually subside so I waited two weeks before telling my psychiatrist. He immediately put me back on 75mg of temazepam and 60mg of Valium but the symptoms persisted. We tried this for about 10 days, even upping the Valium to 80mg per day but still no relief. I have since just gone back down to 45mg of temazepam, cut out the valium altogether, and it has been 6 weeks and 3 days since I made the dreaded taper and 6 weeks of hell. I'm not sure if I have protracted withdrawal syndrome? Because every day seems to be getting WORSE rather than better. I would've thought that after 6 weeks my body would've adjusted to the dose by now? I desperately need support and guidance from ANYONE who is willing to help. Thank you and God bless.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Wareham, Mass
Posts: 7,067
Hi, N8theWarrior.
Welcome to SR. Glad you found us but very sorry for what has brought you here.
I don't have experience with a benzo taper, as alcohol was my doc.
But I offer you sympathy as it all sounds pretty awful.
Perhaps someone with more experience will be along to offer some wisdom soon.
Meantime, try to rest and hold on.
Wishing you well.
Welcome to SR. Glad you found us but very sorry for what has brought you here.
I don't have experience with a benzo taper, as alcohol was my doc.
But I offer you sympathy as it all sounds pretty awful.
Perhaps someone with more experience will be along to offer some wisdom soon.
Meantime, try to rest and hold on.
Wishing you well.
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,097
hi and welcome to SR.
no one on here can give medical advice. Please see your doc for his advice or go to the ER if you need emergency treatment and attention. Your doc knows you and your body and will surely be able to help.
I hope you get the medical help you need Please stick around or SR too.
It's a great place for support and strenght. Maybe come and join the September class for eveyrone quitting this month. It's a great class, full of people at the same stage as you.
no one on here can give medical advice. Please see your doc for his advice or go to the ER if you need emergency treatment and attention. Your doc knows you and your body and will surely be able to help.
I hope you get the medical help you need Please stick around or SR too.
It's a great place for support and strenght. Maybe come and join the September class for eveyrone quitting this month. It's a great class, full of people at the same stage as you.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,981
Welcome to the forum. Those are some pretty monster dosages and from what I'm aware of, benzo tapers need to be very slow, like up to 6 months or more slow.
I would keep in close contact with your psychiatrist to see how they feel you should approach it.
I would keep in close contact with your psychiatrist to see how they feel you should approach it.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: middle of nowhere
Posts: 2,849
Welcome to SR!
That sounds rough. Extremely. And dangerous. Can you get to a clinic and see another doctor?
I know reducing or quitting benzos can be extremely hard. I think you should try and surround yourself with as much support as possible.
You don't have to go through this alone.
Del
That sounds rough. Extremely. And dangerous. Can you get to a clinic and see another doctor?
I know reducing or quitting benzos can be extremely hard. I think you should try and surround yourself with as much support as possible.
You don't have to go through this alone.Del
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 2
Cross-Addicted to Alcohol and Two Benzos
I also need info on how to taper. I tried to use benzos to taper and just ended up using all three to sleep. I've quit the alcohol for three days, but the benzo use is giving me some mild dementia. That's a lot to get off of. I did actually sleep for four hours last night though.
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