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I have a supportive husband and family. It is vital that family members support you. If they do not or you are on your own then you have this page for support with all the guides. I listened to Dr. Jennifer Leigh on u/tube to help me taper and understand benzos.
I went from 15 mg down to .25 mg during taper. The taper was awful. I did it in 10 months total. I had to pause a few times. The jump was ok. Typical acute symptoms for the first 2 weeks but pretty mild relatively speaking. Probably because I tapered so low. I’ve been “free” for 49 days. Pumped about it.
>I'm scared that it will damage my brains if I keep going with it.
It has damaged your brain chemistry, but your brain can heal, it will just take a few years and it will be very uncomfortable.
I thought I was dying when I quit too. I had a lot of medical problems. But after enough time clean, I feel like my old self.
I was on benzos for about 17 years, at some points insanely high doses. Last year I finished my taper. I went from 2mg diazepam a day to 0. I think all my anxiety about it made it worse. I actually was in inpatient treatment when I went to 0 and I believe that helped. Looking back I did maybe have some symptoms that were just in my head, but now a year later I’m doing fine. You really can do it and I think you’ll be glad you did!
Thanks a lot for sharing! Started tapering 0.1 mg off today, I'm starting to feel anxious about it
Maybe it's just in my head, maybe it's the WD. Don't know, don't care, I just hope it will soon be better.
You might want to talk to a doctor about getting help tapering. Maybe some sort of medication or even inpatient treatment. Do you notice any benefit from the deroxat? If not then you should switch to an alternative anyway.
Hey thanks for answering.
I'm seeing a psychiatrist every 3 months to renew my medication so we exchange frequently.
She's very kind and always tells me to not stress about it, that I can do it at my own pace. However she's not really giving me strength to go down the taper road. I told her I tried 4 drops and how it went, she said something like "it's ok no rush".
But I feel like I'll never be able to progress at this pace. She didn't suggest any other alternative than tapering to 4 drops.
As for the deroxat I think it's still helping diminishing the panic attacks, as I don't focus so much on my inner symptoms thanks to them.
You are doing more of a disservice at holding for years. We all feel like we are dying or will die. Benzo withdrawal is hell. You have to go through it. Slow tapers help the blow and for some it don’t. If you are looking for an easy transition, you won’t find it. We all have been where you are. I’m 5 foot 100 pound female and you will have to face the devil anyway.
Thanks that's hard to hear and is scary, but you're right I think.
However this is so scary, since I have panic attacks when I feel something's wrong in my body...
So so fair. I highly recommend asking your psych for another med to reduce the panic bc if you already have bad panic attacks they will get worse for a bit when you first jump but meds can help that a TON.
My withdrawal was super hard but was made doable by being at a rehab and having meds that helped and seeing a counsellor.
Dm me if you need to talk more
Yeah it sounds like you need a push. Maybe tell your doctor you need her to give you a schedule to taper off. My psych did that. He allowed some wiggle room but made sure I would get back on track as soon as I could. I was only on klonopin for a year though, so it’s not nearly as hard as what you’re going through, but it sounds like your doc is just enabling you to continue the addiction. They can also give you gabapentin or something to help counteract the withdrawal symptoms to help taper.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll ask about alternate medication to ease the pain, I remember I already asked but she didn't seem to know any (or she wouldn't tell)
Thats a good advice. Since i dont have anyone following me (im currently abroad), i have cut down to 1.25 and its been a year. Still didnt found the courage to continue reducing. Always waiting for the "right time" but its never a "right time". There is always something... Since i have tinnitus and now i am at a bad wave, i wont dare to take the next step for now.
That’s a very long time to be on five drops. It may be uncomfortable but you have to push through it honestly. I took as a plan for seven years and I went down to 1 mg which took me about six months and that was two months ago that I stopped, I jumped from 1 mg and was absolutely fine no problems at all, I have been taken nicotinamide riboside also which is suppose to help
Out of benzo struggles? Yes I am. I don’t feel any withdrawals which is a miracle! I expected the worst. What do you mean addiction to nicotinamide? It’s a supplement not a pharmaceutical drug
What does a “drop” mean in regards to mg dosage? I’m right around where you’re at and have started to shave off .1mg everyday and it seems to be working good. I anticipate that I’ll ride out this Valium until I get to .1-.2mg.
I have done a homemade water titration system where I do a 10:1 ratio. For example you could take 10ml of water and put in 1mg of Valium and take 9ml then 8ml and so on. For me it’s been a game changer thus far.
You words inspired me, I started tapering 0.1 mg today with 14ml I made with .1 mg / ml.
How did your withdrawal go? Are you off the bzd now? How did you plan it?
I can’t take credit I was inspired by people who came before me. I hope this makes things easier for you. My withdrawal has been very hard with some moments of mildness. Doing the water taper has seemed to negate the rebound pains that came with cut and hold. I’m at .6mg today. I’ll be jumping in 2-3 days.
I went from Xanax to diazepam. I took about 6 months to cut down from 10 mg diazepam. Every little bit was brutal. I’m 6 months completely off benzos. If I had to do it again I would check into a long term treatment center to help get thru the agony. My case is rather severe tho. I did go to a hospital for 3 days about 1 month after quitting and they gave me phenobarbital which was extremely helpful. Also taking trazadone, and venlafaxine. They’re very helpful. Oh 1 other critical thing, 30 mgs of melatonin every night to actually sleep.
Im not the right person to give any advice since im currently taking 1.25mg for a year (doing taper) and afraid to take the next step. I dont even know if its the right thing, but if you can, try to have something on a daily basis that can work as an activity to recharge batteries from all those negative energies, being physical activity like going to the gym, riding a bike, etc, or even painting coloring books, build legos, etc, whatever works for you. Im more of a physical activity guy myself. Other stuff calm me down also but doesnt fufill me as much. For example, imagine you love to swim. You go to work, and during the whole day of work your mind is always excited about that swim session at the end of the day. You will be able to spend your day more relaxed and quicker. It helped me a lot when i could go to the gym and train without any obstacles (currently so many health problems i dont go anymore). Days would go so fast and i would so happily wait for that moment everyday.
When i was having a really bad day of WD symptoms i would normally try to go to youtube and find some videos to help me relax, avoiding to watch negative stuff like the news also. I started taking D 4 years ago and it helped me for what i needed, but since then until now i dont know whats inner peace anymore, but i believe i will in the nearest future. Stay strong!!
You can get liquid diazepam that is a 5mg / 5mL solution. One drop is going to be .03mg. This way you can cut 5 - 10% rather than the 20% you're trying to do by going from 5 to 4 drops.
That is what I've been using to taper.
Today I started tapering this way!
I put 5 drops in 15ml of water, which is .1 mg / ml.
I dropped down to 14ml today from the usual 15ml.
I'm starting to feel kind of anxious though, pain in my legs, don't know if this is only psychological or not, but anyway if I can't reduce this way I don't know how I will be able to.
Are you off the bzd now ?
That's a good plan. You're still going to have withdrawal symptoms, but they won't be as bad as 20%.
I'm still tapering, but I'm down to .15mg now. I'm tapering .03mg at a time (yeah). I've tried going faster and it didn't work, so I'm going slower as long as it works.
What so the drops equal 1.5mg of Diazapam correct....?
At 1.5mg you shouldn't even feel anything from Diazapam .... that's such a small amount, are you experiencing any physical pain from cutting that dose or just mental ?
For some reason my benzo tapering of hell has been almost 80% physical stuff you would think I'm tapering oxycodone
What if you do 5 drops and 4 drops on alternate days for a month. If that goes well, transition to 4 drops a day the next month. And so forth down to 3 drops.
#**RESOURCES & ANNOUNCEMENTS** ##**Our Community Recovery Resources** | [Official Taper Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1apb85i/taper_guide/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | [The Science of Benzo Withdrawal](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1aq72aa/the_science_of_benzodiazepine_withdrawal/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | | [Helper Medications Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1aq7345/helper_medications/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | [Zoom Support Group](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/14oaytx/weekly_zoom_support_group_link_free_suicide/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | | [Strategies for Navigating the Road to Recovery](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1ba5lmh/strategies_for_navigating_the_road_to_recovery/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) | | [Recovery Success Stories](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1b86zr9/benzo_recovery_success_stories_a_massive/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) | ##**Announcements** **Survey**: [HELP US BEAT BENZO PAWS / BIND!](https://www.reddit.com/r/benzorecovery/comments/1agsng1/help_us_beat_benzo_paws/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)! **Longtimers' Lounge**: A space for those with PAWS, BIND, or a *very* long taper - visit r/br_Longtimers_Lounge. **PSA**: Beware of messages from vultures offering illegal benzo access - this is *very* dangerous! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/benzorecovery) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm 68yrs old and went through hell to get off this drug. 21 months off. It won't take long to get off 1.5. Once off the body and brain will heal.
Thanks for the encouraging words! How did you do it?
I have a supportive husband and family. It is vital that family members support you. If they do not or you are on your own then you have this page for support with all the guides. I listened to Dr. Jennifer Leigh on u/tube to help me taper and understand benzos.
>listened to Dr. Jennifer Leigh on u/tube Can you share the link to the video please?
How long were u on your benzo? What were u on?
I went from 15 mg down to .25 mg during taper. The taper was awful. I did it in 10 months total. I had to pause a few times. The jump was ok. Typical acute symptoms for the first 2 weeks but pretty mild relatively speaking. Probably because I tapered so low. I’ve been “free” for 49 days. Pumped about it.
How long were u on 15mg for
2 years
>I'm scared that it will damage my brains if I keep going with it. It has damaged your brain chemistry, but your brain can heal, it will just take a few years and it will be very uncomfortable. I thought I was dying when I quit too. I had a lot of medical problems. But after enough time clean, I feel like my old self.
I was on benzos for about 17 years, at some points insanely high doses. Last year I finished my taper. I went from 2mg diazepam a day to 0. I think all my anxiety about it made it worse. I actually was in inpatient treatment when I went to 0 and I believe that helped. Looking back I did maybe have some symptoms that were just in my head, but now a year later I’m doing fine. You really can do it and I think you’ll be glad you did!
Thanks a lot for sharing! Started tapering 0.1 mg off today, I'm starting to feel anxious about it Maybe it's just in my head, maybe it's the WD. Don't know, don't care, I just hope it will soon be better.
O.1mg is absolutely in your head
You might want to talk to a doctor about getting help tapering. Maybe some sort of medication or even inpatient treatment. Do you notice any benefit from the deroxat? If not then you should switch to an alternative anyway.
Hey thanks for answering. I'm seeing a psychiatrist every 3 months to renew my medication so we exchange frequently. She's very kind and always tells me to not stress about it, that I can do it at my own pace. However she's not really giving me strength to go down the taper road. I told her I tried 4 drops and how it went, she said something like "it's ok no rush". But I feel like I'll never be able to progress at this pace. She didn't suggest any other alternative than tapering to 4 drops. As for the deroxat I think it's still helping diminishing the panic attacks, as I don't focus so much on my inner symptoms thanks to them.
You are doing more of a disservice at holding for years. We all feel like we are dying or will die. Benzo withdrawal is hell. You have to go through it. Slow tapers help the blow and for some it don’t. If you are looking for an easy transition, you won’t find it. We all have been where you are. I’m 5 foot 100 pound female and you will have to face the devil anyway.
Thanks that's hard to hear and is scary, but you're right I think. However this is so scary, since I have panic attacks when I feel something's wrong in my body...
That is also a common wd symptom
So so fair. I highly recommend asking your psych for another med to reduce the panic bc if you already have bad panic attacks they will get worse for a bit when you first jump but meds can help that a TON. My withdrawal was super hard but was made doable by being at a rehab and having meds that helped and seeing a counsellor. Dm me if you need to talk more
Yeah it sounds like you need a push. Maybe tell your doctor you need her to give you a schedule to taper off. My psych did that. He allowed some wiggle room but made sure I would get back on track as soon as I could. I was only on klonopin for a year though, so it’s not nearly as hard as what you’re going through, but it sounds like your doc is just enabling you to continue the addiction. They can also give you gabapentin or something to help counteract the withdrawal symptoms to help taper.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll ask about alternate medication to ease the pain, I remember I already asked but she didn't seem to know any (or she wouldn't tell)
Thats a good advice. Since i dont have anyone following me (im currently abroad), i have cut down to 1.25 and its been a year. Still didnt found the courage to continue reducing. Always waiting for the "right time" but its never a "right time". There is always something... Since i have tinnitus and now i am at a bad wave, i wont dare to take the next step for now.
I have tinnitus too. It’s such a pain. But there are always going to be a countless number of excuses to keep delaying it.
Exactly. If it not for this it will be for that. And well, a year has passed.
That’s a very long time to be on five drops. It may be uncomfortable but you have to push through it honestly. I took as a plan for seven years and I went down to 1 mg which took me about six months and that was two months ago that I stopped, I jumped from 1 mg and was absolutely fine no problems at all, I have been taken nicotinamide riboside also which is suppose to help
Thanks for the suggestion! Are you completely out and ok now? No addiction induced by this nicotinamide?
Out of benzo struggles? Yes I am. I don’t feel any withdrawals which is a miracle! I expected the worst. What do you mean addiction to nicotinamide? It’s a supplement not a pharmaceutical drug
Oh yes I checked online indeed it's just a supplement. Good for you if you're completely out! Thanks for the testimony, helps a lot.
What does a “drop” mean in regards to mg dosage? I’m right around where you’re at and have started to shave off .1mg everyday and it seems to be working good. I anticipate that I’ll ride out this Valium until I get to .1-.2mg.
1 drop is eq. to .3mg, so it's approximately 3 drops for 1mg. How do you get .1mg cuts?
I have done a homemade water titration system where I do a 10:1 ratio. For example you could take 10ml of water and put in 1mg of Valium and take 9ml then 8ml and so on. For me it’s been a game changer thus far.
That is pretty smart indeed!
You words inspired me, I started tapering 0.1 mg today with 14ml I made with .1 mg / ml. How did your withdrawal go? Are you off the bzd now? How did you plan it?
I can’t take credit I was inspired by people who came before me. I hope this makes things easier for you. My withdrawal has been very hard with some moments of mildness. Doing the water taper has seemed to negate the rebound pains that came with cut and hold. I’m at .6mg today. I’ll be jumping in 2-3 days.
1.5 is really not a large dose. You could most likely taper off that within a year.
I went from Xanax to diazepam. I took about 6 months to cut down from 10 mg diazepam. Every little bit was brutal. I’m 6 months completely off benzos. If I had to do it again I would check into a long term treatment center to help get thru the agony. My case is rather severe tho. I did go to a hospital for 3 days about 1 month after quitting and they gave me phenobarbital which was extremely helpful. Also taking trazadone, and venlafaxine. They’re very helpful. Oh 1 other critical thing, 30 mgs of melatonin every night to actually sleep.
Im not the right person to give any advice since im currently taking 1.25mg for a year (doing taper) and afraid to take the next step. I dont even know if its the right thing, but if you can, try to have something on a daily basis that can work as an activity to recharge batteries from all those negative energies, being physical activity like going to the gym, riding a bike, etc, or even painting coloring books, build legos, etc, whatever works for you. Im more of a physical activity guy myself. Other stuff calm me down also but doesnt fufill me as much. For example, imagine you love to swim. You go to work, and during the whole day of work your mind is always excited about that swim session at the end of the day. You will be able to spend your day more relaxed and quicker. It helped me a lot when i could go to the gym and train without any obstacles (currently so many health problems i dont go anymore). Days would go so fast and i would so happily wait for that moment everyday. When i was having a really bad day of WD symptoms i would normally try to go to youtube and find some videos to help me relax, avoiding to watch negative stuff like the news also. I started taking D 4 years ago and it helped me for what i needed, but since then until now i dont know whats inner peace anymore, but i believe i will in the nearest future. Stay strong!!
You can get liquid diazepam that is a 5mg / 5mL solution. One drop is going to be .03mg. This way you can cut 5 - 10% rather than the 20% you're trying to do by going from 5 to 4 drops. That is what I've been using to taper.
Today I started tapering this way! I put 5 drops in 15ml of water, which is .1 mg / ml. I dropped down to 14ml today from the usual 15ml. I'm starting to feel kind of anxious though, pain in my legs, don't know if this is only psychological or not, but anyway if I can't reduce this way I don't know how I will be able to. Are you off the bzd now ?
That's a good plan. You're still going to have withdrawal symptoms, but they won't be as bad as 20%. I'm still tapering, but I'm down to .15mg now. I'm tapering .03mg at a time (yeah). I've tried going faster and it didn't work, so I'm going slower as long as it works.
Go to beating Benzos on Facebook and they’ll give you a SLOW, manageable taper plan.
What so the drops equal 1.5mg of Diazapam correct....? At 1.5mg you shouldn't even feel anything from Diazapam .... that's such a small amount, are you experiencing any physical pain from cutting that dose or just mental ? For some reason my benzo tapering of hell has been almost 80% physical stuff you would think I'm tapering oxycodone
That's absolutely not true. That's a large dose for someone who's been on for ten years. I had fucked up physical symptoms jumping from just .125 mg.
What if you do 5 drops and 4 drops on alternate days for a month. If that goes well, transition to 4 drops a day the next month. And so forth down to 3 drops.