@mcberry - Good morning. - Good morning and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am a former Valium abuser, or addict, which is more precise. Valium, as you probably know, is highly addictive and will soon have your body demanding more and more as you become more and more tolerant. When you stop using it suddenly withdrawal will be a result of psychological shock and physical dependency, producing a complex of symptoms that and sometimes can be dangerous. I found that every time I tried to withdraw my body would begin giving me signals that it wasn't a great idea to do it cold turkey. And you might not feel anything for a day three or four days, and then the symptoms of withdrawal will become very intense.

Muscle pain.
Mood swings, especially depression and anxiety.
Gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and abdominal cramps.
Tremors.
Confusion and restlessness.
Irritability.
Headache.
Difficulty sleeping.

"General withdrawal: After a period of 3-4 days of acute symptoms, the person will tend to experience a more lengthy withdrawal phase that will continue for 10-14 days in most cases. During this period, the person will experience increased cravings for Valium, lightheadedness, mild headache, mild fever, periods of nausea, potential chills, depression, and continuing bouts of anxiety. These symptoms will be significantly less intense than the acute symptoms. In general, the person will experience flu-like symptoms, general feelings of dissatisfaction, and an overall sense of melancholy. In some individuals, there may be an additional period of rebound anxiety between 10 and 14 days."

Valium, in some ways, duplicates an alcohol effect on the body such as central nervous system depression, slow down the heart rate, slowed or difficulty breathing, impaired motor control, unusual behavior, and memory problems.

I know that this sounds pretty gloomy but Valium withdrawal can be pretty awful and with help and good guidance, you can avoid potential dangers.

Other medications that might be used include the following:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are antidepressant medications that have been shown to be useful in some instances in the withdrawal process from benzodiazepines and may be useful in addressing rebound anxiety.

Melatonin is a hormone that can ease symptoms of anxiety and induce sleep in some cases and may also address tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.
Anticonvulsant medications would be used in the event that an individual develops seizures. Some anticonvulsants also appear to be useful in addressing the overall symptoms experienced during withdrawal from Valium.
Other specific medications for nausea, headache, and so forth can be added at a physician’s discretion.

CBD oil is safe but it's mostly for calming anxiety and won't do anything to help other physical withdrawal symptoms. In order to safely withdraw from Valium, you need a detox program so that you can receive proper care during withdrawals. Physicians can initiate a tapering strategy for Valium.

How long have you taken valium and when did you decide to get off of it? It took a while for my body and brain to balance themselves out and for me to learn to live life without it. But I did it and I was on way, way too much so if I can do it, so can you.

There are many detox centers around the country. If you need help in beginning this process you can call:

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline SAMHSA’s National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Merry

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