6mg max diazepam per day for 23 days can I just stop? Please help!

[kittikat]

The thing is you WILL have really good days, but you will also experience 'blips'...I have had many of those even whilst on the diaz, in fact I had a really bad one this morning. Some days I think 'wow, great, I am beating this' and then it's all back to square one again

I really don't believe your GP will just stop prescribing them, especially if you are still having a bit of a bad time. Just make sure you let them know how you are or have been feeling. At worst, they will 'taper' you....they don't usually like to prescribe them for too long due to dependency, but they may offer you other drugs such as SSRI's and allow you to use the diaz 'as and when' whilst getting used to something else. Personally, for me, I couldn't handle the side effects of other drugs prescribed and diaz is the only thing that has really helped me. Try not to run before you can walk....it's a bit of a rocky road but hopefully you will get there soon enough. Five months ago I couldn't even leave my house so I have come quite a long way since then thankfully, but I still have a long way to go!!!

Let me know how you get on and feel free to PM me anytime if you are worried about anything or just need a bit of support. Kitti x

[dan1234]

I think you need to discuss this with your GP. He may be unwilling to prescribe you more diazepam, and he will suggest something else, or he will be fine with it and taper you down once the time comes.

[Sal W]

The thing is you WILL have really good days, but you will also experience 'blips'...I have had many of those even whilst on the diaz, in fact I had a really bad one this morning. Some days I think 'wow, great, I am beating this' and then it's all back to square one again

I really don't believe your GP will just stop prescribing them, especially if you are still having a bit of a bad time. Just make sure you let them know how you are or have been feeling. At worst, they will 'taper' you....they don't usually like to prescribe them for too long due to dependency, but they may offer you other drugs such as SSRI's and allow you to use the diaz 'as and when' whilst getting used to something else. Personally, for me, I couldn't handle the side effects of other drugs prescribed and diaz is the only thing that has really helped me. Try not to run before you can walk....it's a bit of a rocky road but hopefully you will get there soon enough. Five months ago I couldn't even leave my house so I have come quite a long way since then thankfully, but I still have a long way to go!!!

Let me know how you get on and feel free to PM me anytime if you are worried about anything or just need a bit of support. Kitti x

Thank you so much Kitti, I will PM you when, as a newbie, I can work out how to do it! Sal X

[Sal W]

Hello chaps! Steadying at 5mg and going to stick at this for now with a view to dropping to 4mg. My neurologist has suggested gabapentin for my periodic limb movement disorder to take 100mg at 9pm each night for a week and then increase to 200mg the next week and so on until the right dose is reached that gives me a decent nights sleep. She wants me to get to 4mg diazepam first so I shall try and do this sometime in the next couple of weeks. Hope it works, bit scared as the side effects sould horrendous but hopefully I won't get all of them!! Sal x

[dan1234]

If you suffer from anxiety may I suggest you try pregabalin - it is very similar to gabapentin except that it is licenced for GAD and a lot more expensive.

Gabapentin may also help with anxiety. I took it the odd time to good effect.

Dan

[LAURA48]

Hi - do not just stop them even after those few days - taper off gently - ask your GP.

[Sal W]

If you suffer from anxiety may I suggest you try pregabalin - it is very similar to gabapentin except that it is licenced for GAD and a lot more expensive.

Gabapentin may also help with anxiety. I took it the odd time to good effect.

Dan

Thanks for the advice Dan. I have now had my sleep study results and small amount of restless legs early in night and then some periodic limb movement later on but no apnea. Neurologist says to stay on diazepam until she sees me in the next month and not to take the gabapentin. My gp says 5mg per day is a low dose of diazepam and he is happy to prescribe and then when the time comes gradually taper. Feeling much happier now just hope the anxiety starts to reduce slightly during the next few months and that the CBT helps. Will mention the pregabalin to the neurologist and see what she says. Thanks again for your help!

---------- Post added at 13:47 ---------- Previous post was at 13:45 ----------

Hi - do not just stop them even after those few days - taper off gently - ask your GP.

Hi Laura, thanks for your advice. As you can see from post to Dan my GP is onside and I think all will be fine. I won't rush, couldn't bear to experience debilitating extreme anxiety again! Thanks again, Sal x