Tortuous weaning off valium

I have tried a number of sleep med including ambien which gave me 60-90 minutes sleep. My doctor told me lunesta is not as strong as ambien but I think I’ll research it myself. I build up a tolerance to meds extremely fast. Going on vacation soon and when I return will be dropping from 3 mg Diazapam to 2.5. Started at 20. Sleep still tortuous and agonizing and frankly I feel no different in dropping down to three as I did from dropping from 20-19. I’ve never had a day of relief.

Yep! Way worse to not get enough sleep than to take a medication for sleep!

historyguy, I had taken Flurazepam for sleep issues 2-3 times a week until it was discontinued in 2022. I was also taking Valium (Diazepam) 5-10mg, approximately 10 times per month. (I was prescribed 15 5mg pills a month). So when they discontinued my sleep med (flurazepam), I was on the hunt for something to replace it. My doctor prescribed me Trazodone, Lunesta, Temazepam, Estazolam, and Ambien. None of them worked for me. We should have probably tried a higher dose of Lunesta....but we didn't. The Ambien would put me to sleep every time, but failed to keep me asleep. So finally my doctor said, "Why don't I prescribe 1 medication for both your issues?" (Sleep and Anxiety) I had continued to use the Valium while trying all those different sleep meds. So my doctor had me quit the Valium and I started taking 1.5mg of Lorazepam at night. (I took 1mg at bedtime and the other .5mg in the middle of the night. It worked! For both my issues! In 2024 I had to add Amitriptyline (30mg) to my daily meds. I was having severe hip/leg pain because of bone on bone osteoarthritis in my left hip. I am an active person and was pretty depressed that I couldn't do the things I love. I'm a daily walker ( 2-3 miles a day) and also love biking and hiking. So the Amitriptyline was prescribed to me for depression but it also helps with sleep and anxiety and pain. That added in with the Lorazepam helped So much! I think you should consider asking your doctor for Lorazepam.... yes, it's a benzo, But, you need sleep! And this, I believe, would really help you! Remember, not getting enough sleep is way worse than taking a sleep medication. Even if it's a benzo. If you are dead set on not taking a benzo, maybe try 3mg Lunesta or Ambien. Over the counter Unisom (Doxylamine ingredient) works okay for a nonprescription sleep aid. I wish you well and hope you consider Lorazepam. Good luck.

Thank you so much for your helpful feedback. Sadly I was on lorazepam as well as amitriptyline with only the former offfering sleep for a little more than a week. I stayed with amitriptyline for over year before giving up on it. I tried ambien and still have some though they give me about 90 minutes sleep. I develop a tolerance to meds so darn quickly. Very depressing. Yes, I’m just biting the bullet. I want off of benzos, PERIOD. My hope is somewhere down the line my brain will reignite the brain receptors and natural sleep will eventually return. I hate being a slave to benzos. Very happy to hear you’re sleeping despite your earlier setbacks.

Have you had to increase the Lunesta dosage over time?

It is expensive. At least to me. But what I would do is contact them for a free online consultation. They can then tell you what their charge would be and if they feel they could help you. I hesitate to list a price in this forum as it may not be currently accurate.

Sorry the lorazepam and amitriptyline did not work. You say you hate being a slave to benzos.....not sure if you mean because of your struggles to get off them?? Because I will gladly be a slave to lorazepam because it saved me and lets me live a normal life with good sleep and no anxiety.

I am prescribed 3mg which is the maximum dose. Medicare will only allow 30 every 30 days, so I cut them in half. Start with half pill, usually wake around 2-3am and take the other half. This gives me 7-8 hours sleep. Works for me. I take Ashwagsnda also which seems to help sleep quality.

I think whenever I watch a video of someone who overcame benzo withdrawal are are enjoying a renewed, clean cycle of sleep I become envious. I know it can be done. My doc says I’m the longest sleep resistant patient he’s ever seen and he agrees it’s possible to begin anew if I can pull this off. By being a slave to the benzo I only mean I hate having a pill controlling my life, other than heart medication, etc. what happens when you develop a tolerance to the medication you’re on? Do you just continue to go from pill to pill? So you see, I’ve done this for so damn long I finally had to draw the line. I’m only talking about myself, not being critical of others. To get an idea of where I’m suddenly getting the nerve to do this, YouTube sleep and insomnia by Angela peacock. Hope you have a great day.

I take Ativan daily and I have been taking it for over 20 years, I get very anxious if I think about my medication not working for me, I have read stories of people going through withdrawal because they don’t have the same results from their medication. I basically stay on the same dosage, 0.5 mg in the morning and 0.5 mg at night, I have tried a number of different medications but with no success, I am a very anxious person and when I got cancer I really needed the Ativan to help keep me grounded because I was so stressed out. I truly feel very angry when I read about the abuse of some doctors forcing patients off their meds, this is absolutely an outrage and should be outlawed, it’s a shame to do this and very dangerous as well.