Posted by xtrem3 on March 14, 2008, at 9:09:18
In reply to Weaning off Diazepam, posted by tessie on February 25, 2008, at 7:16:11
> Hi my name is Tessie. I am after and am open to advice and sugestions on how I should attempt to
rid/Wean/Tapper myself off this drug called dizepam (Valium).
> I have tried already once before unsucessfully and now I am ready to do it for good. It was prescibed to me by a psychiatrist, for the reason of a temporary substitute for the drug I used to take called Serizon that was in the process of being taken of the market a few years ago. I was supossed to take this only for a short time until another drug was found to be more suitable than the various ones I tried that were not suited to me at all. This never happened. I never found that correct drug for coping with my Anxiety/Depression, yet I still needed to sleep at night hence taking Diazepam. I have now been on Diazepam for approximetely five years. Can anybody shine some light on this subject for me, it would be very appretiated. Regards Tessie
Hi Tessie,I am in a simular situation as you are and can very well sympathize with you as to what you are experiencing. Just remember that you are not alone.
You need to visit benzo.org.uk and view the Ashton manual. Pay attention to the information that pertains to you ONLY. Do not take information that does NOT apply to you and make the assumption that you are also suffering from that specific symptom or episode as a result of being on BZs. This usually results as what some may call "Benzophobia". Remember, it is an anti-benzo site and you must becareful of "medication supremists" who will stop it nothing to scare people off medication by any means. We are all unique and we all react differently not only to being on BZs, but also on withdrawal.
The diazepam (Valium) taper method as mentioned in the Ashton manual is the best way toward benzo cessation because it usually produces minimal withdrawal symptoms, and will allow you to function while you are breaking off the BZs. The good news is you are already on Diazepam and you do not need to do a crossover (Like Xanax and Klonopin users do). I'm not sure what dosage you are on, but whatever it is make sure you cut by 10% (usually 1mg per week until down to 5mg, and then 0.5mg per week there after does the trick).
The idea of withdrawaing this way from Valium is that (as explained in the Ashton manual) Valium has the longest acting half life and a long lasting presence of active metabolits (up to 200 hours) and as your slow decrease in dosage happens, your blood concentration level of the drug gradually declines rather than causing a sudden downspike which gives your Gaba receptors (the brain receptors in which BZs effects) time to adjust to normal function while the BZs are slowly removed from your system.
This withdrawal method is considered by many to be "overkill" and would just prolong withdrawal agony, but this has been proven wrong by many many people having trouble with benzo cessation.
Sudden withdrawal or rapid taper from a short-acting benzo (Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan, etc) has the potential to cause catastropic w/d symptoms(including the potential for seizure), and in addition, create what Ashton and other benzo withdrawal experts call Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome (PWS), which means withdrawal symptoms may last for many many months or even years. The slow taper from Valium as shown in Ashton's charts resulted in a 90% withdrawal success rate, meaning symptoms improved over a period of months to the point in which they feel like they did before starting benzos. The majority of 10% who had problems are considered to be either those who either crossed over too quickly, tapered too quickly, or were simply forced into withdrawal by their Doctor or by simple fear pushed into them by some Anti-benzo forum members.
You will do fine. Just follow the taper schedule. Remember, you can get the 2mg Valium (or generic Diazepam) tablets which are scored so that you can break them into half creating 1mg tablets.
During your taper, pay attention to your external life responsiblities and activities, rather than solely on the withdrawal (which is another reason why that 10% minority fails to withdrawal successfully). Go out with friends, play board games, do light to moderate exercising as much as you can. Most importantly, seek a cognitive behavioral theropy which will teach you how to cope off the drugs (benzos has the tendancy to disinhibit the learning of stress-copping skills while on them).
Good luck to you. You will be fine.
poster:xtrem3
thread:814556
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080303/msgs/817849.html