Any tips to cope with diazepam withdrawal symptoms

[Allie]

Hi there,

I am currently withrawing from diazepam at a rate of 0.5mg every fortnight.
I am doing well and am a third of the way through withdrawal.
However, I am being troubled with memory problems, unreality and confusion which causes me a great deal of anxiety. I accept that this will happen, but it still upsets me when it does!

I wonder if any of you have any practical tips or techniques on how to allieveiate such withdrawl symptoms?

Your help will be greatly apprieciated!

Thank you
Alison

THE VOICE INSIDE YOUR HEAD IS NOT THE VOICE OF GOD. IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT THINKS IT IS! Cheri Huber

[ConfusedByLife]

Id be interested to hear too. I know I take it more often than i should so im trying to go without it and have lasted overa week with no real side effects. Sorry, I can't really give u any tips Allie, just to say that you are going about it the right way (ie. Very gradually). I guess u just have to stick with it and in the end you should feel much better. Diazepam is addictive so I respect you for feeling strong enough to come off it and hope all goes well.

[Allie]

Confusedbylife,

Thanks for your reply!

I just going to have to live with it! It just gets me down when I've taken a step down and the confusion is annoying. I'm dealing with it the best i can at the moment, by distracting myself, doing sodoku puzzles, on line trivia challenges and walks outside (I'm recovering from agoraphobia too!) to get fresh air and out of my head!

It will get better as the days pass! It'll get better if I think more positvely and stop seizing on memory lapses/confusion so anxiously!
Diazepam's a weird drug to withdraw from! I keep getting de ja vu too. That dosn't freak me out, just facsinates me about how these drugs alter your mind!

Only got 12 more drops to go. I've worked out that I'll be diazepam free around April 2007! Can't wait, as i am in therapy at the moment and am actually doing very well, however the side effects of the drug are delaying it a little as i have anxiety flare ups each time I take a step down. My therapist is aware of this and even warned me in advance that I would have crappy days.

My best advice is to avoid diazepam at all costs!

Take care,

Alison xXx

THE VOICE INSIDE YOUR HEAD IS NOT THE VOICE OF GOD. IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT THINKS IT IS! Cheri Huber

[Paddington]

I think i must be very unusual as i dont get withdrawal symptoms,ihave often wondered what they are!!I made a comment on here once saying they were not addictive and boy did i get a blasting!I realise now that I am the odd one out!I do hope you get free of these nast symptoms hun,i think you are very brave!Love mary rose,xxxxxx

we are all in the same boat and can guide each other ashore

[Nel]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">I think i must be very unusual as i dont get withdrawal symptoms,ihave often wondered what they are!!I made a comment on here once saying they were not addictive and boy did i get a blasting!I realise now that I am the odd one out!I do hope you get free of these nast symptoms hun,i think you are very brave!Love mary rose,xxxxxx

we are all in the same boat and can guide each other ashore

<div align="right">Originally posted by mary rose - 07 November 2006 : 14:41:53</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

Some people find it easy to come off valium, not everyone has horrendous withdrawal effects. If you have only been taking it in small doses for 4-6 weeks then you shouldn't have a problem. If you are taking high dosages for longer then that may become a problem. I have spoken to both my CPN and my doctor about this in the past and I take their advice before anyone elses. I have taken valium for up to two weeks, on two seperate occassions in the past and had no problem stopping taking them.

[Ma Larkin]

I went cold turkey, ran out of my prescription and didn't bother returning to my GP for another one. I was on 2mg as and when needed and probably took 2 or 3 tablets a day. I did get palps after stopping them but they soon stopped. I know people that have stopped taking them and said they had no side effects whatsoever and I wondered to myself why they took them in the first place if they still felt the same after they'd stopped taking them. It is a well known fact that Diazepam is addictive and my advice to anyone is to take them whilst getting prescribed medication into your system, as a short-term measure to take the edge off the panic/anxiety until the meds kick in.

Good luck.

Les

[Fly2Freedom]

I dont have any problem with my valium,I found seroxat to be far more addictive.
I found this site to help you.
http://www.benzo.org.uk/

Good luck[:X]
Love xFlyx

[Nel]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">I went cold turkey, ran out of my prescription and didn't bother returning to my GP for another one. I was on 2mg as and when needed and probably took 2 or 3 tablets a day. I did get palps after stopping them but they soon stopped. I know people that have stopped taking them and said they had no side effects whatsoever and I wondered to myself why they took them in the first place if they still felt the same after they'd stopped taking them. It is a well known fact that Diazepam is addictive and my advice to anyone is to take them whilst getting prescribed medication into your system, as a short-term measure to take the edge off the panic/anxiety until the meds kick in.

Good luck.

Les

<div align="right">Originally posted by Ma Larkin - 10 November 2006 : 15:32:06</div id="right">
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I think it's often a psychological dependance, habit forming.
Obviously not if you are on them long term, that is a different withdrawal and I understand it is hellish.
I was first prescribed them after ending up in A&E after taking effexor, my heart rate had went up to 140 and was irregular. I was told to take them for a week after that happened, I was beside myself with worry. The second time was to help me cope with side effects from Sertraline (which I'm still on) - I still have half of the pack left in case I REALLY can't sleep.
I found the valium made me feel relaxed but I felt extra depressed any days I took it. Affects everyone different I guess.

[danielle82]

hi been taking diazepam 10mg for a while now tried to reduce on my own coming down now i feel real bad got panic attacks thoughts to hurt myself feeling really depressed was wondering if a doctor will give me anything to come off them i am under a syciatric at the momment who does not know that ive been taking them he gave me ciltropram for depression but ive being buying the other from the streets and medicacating myself.

[sunshine-lady]

I have been taking Diazepam for many years. I got addicted to them whilst in a psychiatric hospital. At that point I was taking 40mg per day. I am now down to taking 15mg per day (which I am working on) and believe me it has been a hard slog. People who say that Diazepam isn't addictive have obviously not been on a high dose for a prolonged period.
All I can advise is to take your time withdrawing from them, the memory problems will pass and it is a small price to pay for getting off this medication. The last 5mg I withdrew from I used liquid Diazepam which you draw from a bottle with a siringe, it made the monitering of the lower dose easier to manage.

Good luck xxx