how long does valium withdrawal last?

[swivelhed]

I've been using valium for at least ten years on a daily basis. Two months ago I reduced dosage from 10mg a day to 5, and three of weeks ago went down to 2.5mg. Two weeks ago, stopped taking it altogether.

Now, I've got a strange metallic taste in my mouth, fast heartbeat and the world seems to be kind of swimmy, if that makes any sense. A couple of nights ago I was having full on visual and auditory hallucinations.

It is my intention to walk away from this drug, but I'm not sure if I'm going about it the right way. I have no insurance and no Doctor. I understand this may take a while and am willing to suffer through, but am curious if anyone out there might know the real taper off formula? I am 50 years old and in good shape, 5'8, 160 lbs.

Thanks in advance
Swiv

[carol999p]

I still think your cut is too much.  If you were taking 4 x 5mg = 20mg.  The maximum you should have reduced was 2.00mg i.e 10%.  I would still have gone with 5% =1.00mg every 2 to 3weeks.

Zopiclone is also very addictive and even though it is not marketed as a Benzodiazepine - Z-drugs work on the same GABA receptors.  The difference being their shorter half life. This means you are confusing your brain even more and will definitely be experiencing interdose withdrawals.  Valium has a 300hour life every time you take a Zop.

Noon IMO you should do a  taper of the Zopiclone first - I don't know how long you have been on it but if possible you should loose it first and then once you have stabilized - usually at least 3months later should you start to taper Valium.  The Ashton manual says Z-drugs can be c/t but I think that is ludicrous if you have been on them for a long time.  A 10% taper is far more sensible.

You are going to have to be more vigilent about not missing doses - get a monthly pill box and put your daily doses in them.  To w/d any drug with as few s/e as possible a slow taper is advised and it is imperative to take your doses at the same time EVERY day.

[noone510]

thanks for the reply carol, i'v wrote things wrong. I take 4 x 5mg daily. I'v started cutting down by 2.5mg daily, leaving me with 3 and a half diazepam to take daily. I also take a 7.5mg zopiclone at night. If i missed taking any diazepam its them that i have saved to take when and if i have got to leave the house. I hope iv made more sense, it's the first time iv spoke about these horrible tablets and im not very good at all on the laptop. please reply if i have made more sense thank's.

[carol999p]

I think you are tapering rediculously fast.  The recommended rate is 5 - 10% every 3 -4 weeks.  You are 50 years old (I am also in my 50's) and you have been on them for 12years so if I were you I would go with the 5% reductions.  It is very important to take the correct dosages daily and at the same time each day so do not take the Zopiclone instead of your Valium. I suggest you download the Ashton manual and take it to your doctor so you can work on a more sensible taper plan.

[noone510]

i also had a heart attack in 2008 and after reading some of these posts am now frightened of withdrawing x

[noone510]

no-one                                                                                                             hi, i don,t really no were to start but here i go. I am one week in to withdrawing from 20 mg diazepam a day. Iv started by reducing by half mg a day. Im 50 yrs old and have been on these for 12 yrs, many a time iv missed taking a dose due to sleeping and saved those for when i needed to go out of the house taking an extra two which has become a habit. If i know i have got to go somewere i will take a prescibed 7.5mg zopiclone so i can save my diazipam up. My psychiatryt has just changed my antidepresants to 20mg of mirtazapine a night just  weeks ago. I got to rock bottom at the end of november last year when to many things got to me and really let myself go and if it was'nt for a very good friend calling round to see if i was ok i really don't think i would be here to write this now because i'd turned my phone off, kept my blind's shut and nobody had seen me. I hope i get a reply, i want to tell more but as i m writing this i can hardly see the keys as my eyes are streaming. Please help x

[Dahelp]

Wow! Denial is denial and 7 years of klonopin daily will definitely give you a good dose of that. So what your saying is that you don't need REM or SWS? "Someone" might need the Ashton Manual. This comment does not pertain to the other meds, as I know nothing about them, but benzos daily are a very bad idea (PERIOD) Brainwashing is only to be administered  by the brain in need of washing.
American Doctors don't want to help you. They want to keep you. You aren't a patient. You are a client. Anyone wanting to come off of benzos who does not have access to a doctor needs to read the Ashton Manual. It can be found at benzo.uk.org/manual. The American public needs access to this literature. It needs to be in our system.