Diazepam Addiction

[doodah]

Hello all, thought I'd add my "addiction" info for you here too. I was prescribed all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff back in the late 70s/early 80s and got totally hooked on Nitrazepam (Mogadon), which is a sleeping tablet (benzo). When I was weaned off loads of other "rubbish" I started to take small amounts of Nitrazepam throughout the day. It had a similar effect I guess to Valium etc. I knew I was totally dependant on these tablets because I'd always run out before my new repeat prescription was due and feel very guilty when I rang the doctors for another prescription. Also, before I'd go to the doctors I'd have massive anxiety "will they know I've taken too many - will I get my prescriptions - what if they haven't got the prescription ready?". Waiting at the counter at the doctors would feel intolerable but ... as soon as I had the prescription (a piece of paper!!) in my hand, all my anxiety would instantly disappear. I knew then that I was addicted/dependant - grrr! I tried twice to come off the tablets but it didn't work. Then, a few years ago, my doctors gave me no option and I was told I had to start coming off them and that they weren't really having any effect on me, it was all psychological.

I very slowly started reducing by 1 or 2 mg every 2 months - a local chemist would send away to a lab for them to be made into capsules. Anyway - cutting a VERY long story short - I took my last Nitrazepam capsule in March 2007 - which is a miracle for me!!!

I really wanted to post my long and boring story for anyone who, like I was, is scared or doesn't believe they CAN come off these types of medication. If I can do it, anyone can - honestly! But I would definately say get the help of your doctor - it's very, very hard doing it on your own.

Wendy xxxx

[decca]

Thanks Wendy,
I was on Mandrax then Mogadon (or was it t'other way round) along with 3x 30mg Phenobarbitone per day , way back in the 60s when I had a severe bout of Eczema.I was addicted to all of them but nobody tried to stop me taking them, I just did it myself when the Eczema got better and I was able to sleep without them over a number of years, there was no hooha then like there is now about Benzo's.
Decca

[rsindigo]

This is my experience of Diazepam.
I was on 12 mg of Diazepam a day for 5 years for Anxiety/panic attacks. If I knew I had to go somewhere, that would add to my anxiety then I would take extra Diazepam that day maybe an extra 2-6 mg and I always took Diazepam with me when I went out just in case I panicked.
After 5 years of taking it I was advised that some of my anxiety symptoms could be caused by long term use of Diazepam? and I was advised by my doctor to come off.
I was horrified at this prospect because I believed that Diazepam stopped me from having a bad panic attack.
Anyway in October 05 I started to come off - I cut down by 1mg a fortnight until I got down to 5mg. Then I cut down more slowly by cutting down by 1/2 mg once a fortnight until I was off completely.
It took me in total 7 months to come off Diazepam.
But I NEVER had any problems or extra anxiety coming off, If anything I actually felt better for being off I havn't taken Diazepam since and I have now been off 12 years.

[decca]

Thanks Roger and welcome to the forum,

[decca]

Thanks Roger and welcome to the forum,
You did well to get off of Diaz. that quickly and it's good to hear you didn't get any symptoms.
So really then to start with you did the 10% taper that Prof. Ashton recomends,(not sure if I got my maths right,bit fuzzy headed today)
I'm on 2 mg per day and thinking of cutting down but 10% of 2mg isn't going to be easy without going to Liquid Diaz. and all the fuss it entails.
What did you do when you got down to 2mg ?
Cheers
Decca.

[rsindigo]

HI Decca,
I was given a book by some one in 1995(I can't remember the books name) about coming off medication and I followed the books recommendation on withdrawing from Diazepam and it worked extremely well for me.
I was using 2 mg tablets and cutting them up myself (I found them easier to control) in that;

1 tablet = 2 mg
1/2 a tablet = 1 mg
1/4 of a tablet = 1/2 mg

When I got down to 2 mg I took 1/4 of a tablet in the morning, then 1/4 of a tablet at dinner and then 1/2 a tablet at night which meant I took 2 mg that day in total.
I did that for a fortnight then I cut down to 1 & 1/2 mg a day. i.e. I took a 1/4 tablet in the morning, a 1/4 tablet at dinner and then a 1/4 of a tablet at night and I did this for a fortnight.
Then I cut down again by 1/2 mg so that I then took a 1/4 of a tablet in the morning and then a 1/4 of a tablet at night and missed dinner time out. which meant I was now taking 1 mg of Diazepam a day.
Then after another fortnight I cut down again to 1/2 mg a day and took a 1/4 of a tablet in the morning only.
Then after a fortnight I stopped taking Diazepam.
I never had any withdrawal symptoms or extra anxiety coming off and I always felt comfortable to cut down each fortnight because I wasn't having any symptoms.

I 'm no expert but this way of coming off Diazepam worked for me.

[decca]

Thanks a lot Roger for that very informative reply,
It's Basically how I thought about doing it, by cutting my 2 mg tabs into quarters and dropping a quarter every two weeks.
I take mine in one go, I wonder if it helps to split the dose as you did.
Cheers
Decca.

[rsindigo]

This is the dosage and cut downs I used when withdrawing from 12 mg
First of all 12 mg a day and NO extra.
Then I took;

morning..........dinner............evening
4 mg...............2 mg..............4 mg............= 10 mg for 2 weeks.
4 mg...............2 mg..............3 mg.............= 9 mg for 2 weeks.
3 mg...............2 mg..............3 mg.............= 8 mg for 2 weeks.
2 & 1/2 mg.......2 mg..............2 & 1/2 mg...= 7 mg for 2 weeks.
2 mg...............2 mg..............2 mg.............= 6 mg for 2 weeks.
2 mg...............1 mg..............2 mg.............= 5 mg for 2 weeks.

Then when I was down to 5 mg I cut down more slowly by 1/2 mg a fortnight.

morning.............dinner...........evening
1 & 1/2 mg.........1 mg..............2 mg.............= 4 & 1/2 mg for 2 weeks.
1 & 1/2 mg.........1 mg............1 & 1/2mg........= 4 mg for 2 weeks.
1 & 1/2 mg.........1 mg..............1 mg.............= 3 & 1/2 mg for 2 weeks.
1 mg.................1 mg..............1 mg.............= 3 mg for 2 weeks.
1 mg.................1/2 mg............1 mg............= 2 & 1/2 mg for2 weeks.
1/2 mg..............1/2 mg............1 mg............= 2 mg for 2 weeks.
1/2 mg..............1/2 mg............1/2 mg.........= 1 &1/2 mg for 2 weeks.
1/2 mg..............nothing............1/2 mg.........=1 mg for 2 weeks.
1/2 mg..............nothing............nothing........ .= 1/2 mg for 2 weeks.
nothing..............nothing............nothing

Yes I think it helped to split the dose throughout the day instead of taking that days dose in one go.
This is the plan that worked for me.

[bluebottle]

My surgery has a drugs counsellor who is experienced in helping people come off Diazepam.

[decca]

Thanks Roger,
I'm starting from this point using 2mg tablets-
1/2 tablet = 1mg , 1/4 tablet = 1/2 mg.

1/2 mg..............1/2 mg............1 mg............= 2 mg for 2 weeks.
1/2 mg..............1/2 mg............1/2 mg.........= 1 &1/2 mg for 2 weeks.
1/2 mg..............nothing............1/2 mg.........=1 mg for 2 weeks.
1/2 mg..............nothing............nothing........ .= 1/2 mg for 2 weeks.
nothing..............nothing............nothing

Sounds much beter than trying to cut a 2mg tablet in 8 peices as per the Ashton manual.

Thanks bluebottle,
I don't think my surgery has a drugs counsilor.

I asked my Doc what to do if I wanted to stop taking them and he said to just stop taking it .
I'm sure that can't be right.

Cheers
Decca.