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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by alexcanada on May 8, 2010, at 3:14:23
it's not easy to form my thoughts right now but i need to post this.i started taking valium/diazepam again and want to know how long until i feel better???
i tried about 6 days ago to stop taking 2.5mg diazepam 3-4 times daily. at first i would go down to 2.5 just once a day and i could feel the withdrawl or that i wasn't feeling well. since then i tried to go completely without it. until taking 2.5mg an hour ago yet no relief! because it's reached the point where i feel i am almost constantly suffering and desperately trying to find ways to distract myself.
about me... i have treatment resistant depression that has been helped to a decent degree by parnate but have fluctuated from 20mg down to 15mg but two days ago have gone back up to 20mg after a few days of lowered dose. normally i stay at 20mg with times in the past at 15mg and 25mg. i also take ritalin which has developed a lot of tolerance and occasional gabapentin. so it's a lot of dopamine meds.
but i never felt as consistently bad as i have for the past 4+ days in a long long time.
hard to think, heart beating quickly often, first sleep was easy but now very difficult, anxiety, poor mood, depressed, bad memory, headaches which are very painful and very warm.
those very warm headaches i would often get in the past at times of bad depression.
any advice would be much appreciated.i cannot explain how painful it is right now
Posted by manic666 on May 8, 2010, at 4:55:22
In reply to severe benzo withdrawl i think, pls help, posted by alexcanada on May 8, 2010, at 3:14:23
if you down to that small a dose of valium //the problem may be elsewere//i had 2 dose,s of 40mg a day for a time as an altenative an it didnt register on me, i just stopped ,but thats just me //i no guys on 100mg a day plus a hole rack of meds//your 7mg a day should be a brezze to stop but your illness may make it seem bad,// you are taking a med no matter how small out you head
Posted by tensor on May 8, 2010, at 5:05:11
In reply to severe benzo withdrawl i think, pls help, posted by alexcanada on May 8, 2010, at 3:14:23
> it's not easy to form my thoughts right now but i need to post this.
>
> i started taking valium/diazepam again and want to know how long until i feel better???
>
> i tried about 6 days ago to stop taking 2.5mg diazepam 3-4 times daily. at first i would go down to 2.5 just once a day and i could feel the withdrawl or that i wasn't feeling well. since then i tried to go completely without it. until taking 2.5mg an hour ago yet no relief! because it's reached the point where i feel i am almost constantly suffering and desperately trying to find ways to distract myself.
>
> about me... i have treatment resistant depression that has been helped to a decent degree by parnate but have fluctuated from 20mg down to 15mg but two days ago have gone back up to 20mg after a few days of lowered dose. normally i stay at 20mg with times in the past at 15mg and 25mg. i also take ritalin which has developed a lot of tolerance and occasional gabapentin. so it's a lot of dopamine meds.
>
> but i never felt as consistently bad as i have for the past 4+ days in a long long time.
>
> hard to think, heart beating quickly often, first sleep was easy but now very difficult, anxiety, poor mood, depressed, bad memory, headaches which are very painful and very warm.
>
> those very warm headaches i would often get in the past at times of bad depression.
>
> any advice would be much appreciated.i cannot explain how painful it is right nowHard to say. I know I wouldn't even feel 2.5mg diazepam. It sounds you're not in the best position to start weaning yourself off diazepam. How long have you been taking diazepam? Does your pdoc know what you are doing? Maybe go back to 2.5mg 3-4 times daily and get in touch with your pdoc ASAP?
Kind regards,
Mattias
Posted by Phillipa on May 8, 2010, at 11:04:35
In reply to Re: severe benzo withdrawl i think, pls help » alexcanada, posted by tensor on May 8, 2010, at 5:05:11
Yes agree with Mattias as I've been on benzos over 40 years. Seems as the years go by need less not more and last night cut .5mg xanax from dose of l.5mg. I still overslept. Mattias babblemail me please I seriously need to hear your experieces of coming down on benzos as on here seems most have horrible side effects. Thanks. And sorry to divert your post. I'm terribly sorry you feel so bad just remember we all are different and maybe parnate effects benzos differently. Love Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk2010 on May 8, 2010, at 14:33:12
In reply to severe benzo withdrawl i think, pls help, posted by alexcanada on May 8, 2010, at 3:14:23
>i tried about 6 days ago to stop taking 2.5mg diazepam 3-4 times daily. at first i would go down to 2.5 just once a day and i could feel the withdrawl or that i wasn't feeling well. since then i tried to go completely without it. until taking 2.5mg an hour ago yet no relief! because it's reached the point where i feel i am almost constantly suffering and desperately trying to find ways to distract myself.
If you have been taking diazepam for a long time, withdrawal will need to be gradual.
You should return to your original dose of diazepam for the time being. You will feel better very soon.
Once you feel better, you can start to reduce the diazepam very gradually under the care of your doctor. You may be able to reduce your daily dose by about 1.25mg-2mg every two weeks initially then by 1mg every two weeks once you get down to a lower dose. If you have been taking diazepam for several years or more, complete withdrawal will probably take a few months. There is no point reducing the dose too quickly because you will make yourself ill. If you reduce sufficiently gradually you should be fine.
Take care
Posted by ed_uk2010 on May 8, 2010, at 14:43:40
In reply to severe benzo withdrawl i think, pls help, posted by alexcanada on May 8, 2010, at 3:14:23
One more thing...
I don't think that you should try to reduce your diazepam dose again unless your doctor agrees that it's the right thing to do. It sounds like it might not be the best time to come off it.
I think you should continue Parnate at your usual dose. Once the diazepam 'kicks in' and you are feeling more stable, you will be in a better position to discuss with your doctor whether any changes to your meds are required.
Posted by alexcanada on May 8, 2010, at 20:14:17
In reply to Re: severe benzo withdrawl i think, pls help, posted by ed_uk2010 on May 8, 2010, at 14:43:40
thanks for the responses. i'm back on 3x 2.5mg diazepam a day. might be small difference. it's hard to tell if it's doing much benifit right now but something has been improved a little.
i am also staying up on 20mg parnate instead of 15mg. it's possible my previous reduction on parnate despite working in a somewhat decent manner in some months prior is too weak for me now. so i'm 3rd day on 20mg again.
less severe burning headaches but long way to go for my motivation and mood to return to where they were for the past few months. still a lot of anxiety and hard to talk to people. lack of interest in my surroundings.
guess it will take some time.
and... yes i been taking valium 2.5mg 3-4 times a day for over a year. prior to that i took 5mg 3-4 times a day for about 1 year. although other benzos at times have been taken in the place of valium on several occassions as it's been difficult to find the right one. klonopin for instance was giving me headaches. ironically so does valium at various times yet the burning headaches i been feeling recently have been so strong that i would welcome whatever milder warm headaches i've had back then.
This is the end of the thread.
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