Diazepam taper

[stanners]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and was just looking for some help/advice. I've been taking diazepam for a little over 6 months now. I started my taper last Sunday from 20mg down to 18mg as my anxiety has improved massively over the last few months. The taper has been generally fine thus far, odd muscle aches and pain. The only issue that's worrying me is, I've felt short of breath since Tuesday which is generally worse at nighttime. It's a weird feeling like I'm forgetting to inhale, just before I sleep. It's weird that it's started this week so I'm hoping it is down to the tapering. Once asleep I'm sound. Has anybody else had this experience? Because now it's starting my health anxiety back up haha. I've never had no breathing issues before in my life at 26 years old: asthma, apnea etc. I do smoke 10 cigs per day but it's never caused this problem before and I do cardio jogging etc and would describe myself as being quite fit despite the cigs.

Thanks for any feedback.

[Ditapage]

Yes, diazepam is notorious for this breathing/chest bullshit. I only tapered from 2mg to 1 to 0.5 and it was brutal. It was the anxiety I had before taking diazepam amplified by 10000. Sorry for the negativity. I jumped off it 6 days ago and today I had the paramedics around! I've never had heart palpitations with a crushing feeling in my chest, ever. Plus dizziness and shortness of breath. All classic heart attack symptoms. I had to take the whole 2mg just to calm down.

I was taking 0.5mg for 3 months before this and the feelings you're describing is what I experienced too. I'd describe it as being underwater with a brick on my chest. And it would just happen out of nowhere but often before bed just to be sure I wouldn't get a good nights sleep.

What helps? Light exercise to ease tension because that's generally what it is. Diazepam is a powerful muscle relaxant so reducing it will naturally make us feel more tense.

Inhale for 4, hold for 7, blow breath out hard for 8. Again, eases tension but also helps regulate breathing.

Crying. Ha, Honestly!

Benzobuddies.org has a great forum of people going through the same thing and has helped me a lot.

[stanners]

Nah the negativity is fine mate. I'm under no illusions about how hard it will be. I took the 20mg last night again, just to test it and low and behold I have no breathing issues whatsoever haha. Now I know it's down to the diazepam I can manage it (hopefully). I've tried signing up to the benzobuddies but the confirmation email never comes through so I can't sign in.

Cheers for the reply mate. Means a lot.

[kindred1666]

hi stanners...Be carefull with benzobuddies they will scare the crap out of you !! they are very anti drug per se and are on the extreme end of the spectrum in relation to benzo use and withdrawals..just my 2 penneth worth ... Good luck with ur taper..i Did a ct of diazepam..no no no !!!

Kindred x