Valium · Active · Sep 21, 2026

Tapering: Valium

active

74 posts

Missouri, United States

2nd taper too much. Couldn’t hold. Went back to 5mg.

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Positivity Support Symptoms & Self-Care Tapering Valium (Diazepam)

September 21, 2026

Is anyone tapering from Valium? I’m on 10mg. Currently at 8.75 after first taper Sept 2. Started second taper Friday, but it hit hard and fast. Can any one give suggestions on a good second taper? My first was 1/4 from my evening dose of 5mg. Would maybe removing 1/8 from morning 5mg work well? A better place to continue from? Thanks everyone!! 🌼🌼🌼

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

22 Replies

renee jSep 21

LighthouseSeroquel · active

Hi, I'm currently tapering off an anti-psychotic but about 10 years ago had to come off about 25 mg valium so I feel what you are going through, believe me. My psychiatrist was totally useless and left me to it to find my own way through and I succeeded though it wasn't easy. I had foolishly got myself addicted when going through a stressful period I found an old bottle of the stuff and after 2 weeks I was well and truly hooked. The best place to find help was finding the guide by Dr Heather Ashton a British psychopharmacologist, a well regarded guide to tapering off benzos. She recommends a slow taper, a 5 to 10% reduction of your present dose, every few weeks. Anything quicker will likely produce severe withdrawals, which could discourage you from carrying on I think. If you would like a link to her manual ( I think it's PDF) it's Benzo.org.UKManual Index. I think I have it correct, but just look up Dr Heather Ashton on Google and you'll find what you need. If you want to ask me anything or just let me know how you are getting on I'd like to hear from you. R.

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

Overthis66Sep 21

WelcomerValium · active

Renee, thanks so much for sharing. How long did it take you? Every time I read someone’s story I marvel at the strength and determination in everyone trying to overcome! Your story gives me hope. It’s truly sad that most of us are doing this on our own. My dr thinks it’s great and is encouraging, never pushing, but he has no idea. He wasn’t the dr who put me on the med, but he continues to try. Yes, I have read the Ashton Manual. Amazing work she has done. I’ve read 3 amazing books on withdrawal. When I see percentages and all the numbers for me it feels almost overwhelming. Why don’t they make small enough tabs of these medications so people can easily taper? I don’t think they want people to come off. The whole system is a disaster. I can honestly say this is so humbling. When you feel horrified like I did over the weekend from too much of a taper, there’s literally no where to go. The ER can’t help unless it was something very serious. Ya just gotta go with it, go through it and pray all the way through! Hoping to come out the other side! God bless ya, Renee!!

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

StuartSep 21

LighthouseEffexor · supporting

Hey @Overthis66 I had a Dr. follow the Ashton Manual for tapering off Valium: https://taper.community/resources/blog/valium-diazepam-tapering-schedule Went relatively smoothe for me. I was exercising a lot and sleeping well during it which I think helped.

Historic experience tapering off: Citalopram 20mg | Zyprexa 2.5mg | Effexor 75mg | Valium 20mg

Overthis66Sep 21

WelcomerValium · active

Stuart, thanks so much. Did you do cuts every few weeks or were there times you had to hold? I realize afterward, that my second cut, gosh, even the first was too much, but I feel despite the insomnia with the first I did well. This second was so hard I went back to the 5mg morning dose. I’m still amazed that affected me so quick and hard. Thank you again. I have the Ashton Method copied. Still awaiting to hear back from my dr. But basically feel I’m doing it alone. I feel I need a dang chemist to help with all these percents and numbers!! 😉

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

renee jSep 21

LighthouseSeroquel · active

Hi everyone, I'm really glad you've had a look at the Ashton Manual, just persevere with it, I know it looks a bit overwhelming at first. My taper took about 8 months and I have to admit, it was quite rough at times. The taper I am now on for quetiapine looks like it will be much longer, hope I manage to live that long, I'm no chicken (lol). Hey @Overthis66, here is something to start you off with, what I would do anyway if I were you (and I'm not, you may want to adapt it for you as you go along) Are you able to go back to 10 once a day? Were you ok with 10? If yes, it's easy to calculate the first 3 months. If not it's back to the old drawing board as they say, but I'm sure I could handle that. Twice a day at 5mg? I'd have to get the calculator out. Starting dose: 10mg cut of 10% ie 1mg so starting the taper your dose is now 9mg/day (made up of one 5mg and two 2mg), stick it out 2-4 weeks (pref 4 at first) Next cut if reasonably stable sh be 0.9mg, but let's make it 1mg, a bit bigger than 10% as you're not able to use liquid yet and if 10% was ok. Your new dose is now 8mg/day, try another 2-4 weeks till you stabilise. To get pill quantity, a 5mg + a 2mg + a half 2mg, you got it. When I say stabilise I mean no symptoms or the symptoms are mild enough for you to function at your job, socialise, without people asking that embarrassing question "are you alright?," sleep not too bad etc. You may be able to adjust the cut to 12% say, or have to bring it down to, maybe 7%. Never do a cut earlier than 2 weeks, the brain has to physically adjust, it takes longer than that. And I think you should double-check with your doctor just to be on the safe side, remember I'm not a doctor, I don't want to endanger anyone. e. I'll try to send a photo when I get my better half onto it, he loves doing that sort of thing and I have no idea. The physical dimensions excl the plunger section are 9.5cm (3.75in) long and 0.5cm ( 1 quarter-inch) diameter to give an idea (I know, tiny right?). Hang in there, R.

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

renee jSep 21

LighthouseSeroquel · active

Oh sorry, here I am again. You're probably wondering what all that stuff about syringes was. I was writing to another person who needs to know about liquid compounding for their taper, that's the size of the 1ml syringe needed. But that info could be helpful for you if you can't cut your tablets small enough in the future when your doses get too low. Your highly embarrassed co-taperer, R. (I'll be more careful in future, promise!)

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

Overthis66Sep 22

WelcomerValium · active

@renee j, wow!! That’s amazing help!! But lol I don’t want to go back to 10mg. I’m at 8.75. I take my full 5mg tab in the morning and in evening I’m taking 1/4 out of my 5mg tab. Since I tried taking a 1/4 from the morning dose and that hit hard and fast I know that was too much. So maybe an 1/8 cut? I’m guessing I should start that on morning or should I keep reducing the evening dose first? I’m really interested in the liquid form!! The thing is if dr will do it and finding a compounding pharm to do it. Those are questions I’ll have to ask him!! As you writing in thinking you were sharing with another, no worries at all!!! 🌼🌼🌼

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

StuartSep 22

LighthouseEffexor · supporting

"Did you do cuts every few weeks or were there times you had to hold?" — @Overthis66

If I remember correctly I held once for a couple weeks longer than scheduled. I had only been on benzo's for a little under a year so I think that played a role as well for how smoothe it went. I also started to push myself to hold off on the morning dose about halfway through the taper. That's where exercise helped me a lot as I would go to the gym in the AM and didn't need to take it until after. Since I was already feeling good I could try and go a little longer every few days. Unless the cut is too drastic I would try to withhold going back up when tempted. That can often mess with our confidence. However, I classify Benzos in the "nightmare" category for withdrawals, so be careful and kind with yourself 🙏

Historic experience tapering off: Citalopram 20mg | Zyprexa 2.5mg | Effexor 75mg | Valium 20mg

Overthis66Sep 22

WelcomerValium · active

@Stuart, thanks so much!! That’s very encouraging and helpful!! You did great!! My rule I gave myself was if a cut was too hard I would stick it out. I’ve never go back. This one was ugly and scary. To have it hit fast and hard after the first besides the insomnia was pretty okay. See, we wake early so I always take it at 5am when we wake. I will try this!! I’ll try holding back a bit. Maybe I can care for the animals and have my iced coffee and see if I can hold back a bit! That’s great advice!! I know I want to push myself and be done. But I know now not to push too hard. Don’t overthink everything and have grace with myself. You do the same!!!! 😊

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

StuartSep 22

LighthouseEffexor · supporting

"I’ll try holding back a bit." — @Overthis66

Even just a few minutes! 5:05AM one morning, then you get some confidence "I got this", then maybe 5:10 a few days later. The small steps add up 👍

Historic experience tapering off: Citalopram 20mg | Zyprexa 2.5mg | Effexor 75mg | Valium 20mg

renee jSep 22

LighthouseSeroquel · active

Hi O. 66, I get that you don't want to increase back to 10mg, don't worry. I was just putting some figures out there for you to consider. When I tapered valium all those years ago I didn't know about hyperbolic tapering, just linear, and it was a rough tortuous ride. Hyperbolic is slower but allows you to live a reasonably happy life while you taper, you should be able to go to work and socialise and so on like you deserve to be able to, maybe with just manageable discomfort now and then. My feeling is try reducing the evening dose first, but it would do to check with the doc first as I'm not a doctor and maybe there was a reason the dose was split between am and pm. To find a compounding pharmacy I asked at my ordinary one, and they gave me the number to call. But it can be expensive unless you use your commercial pills to make up as much of your dose as you can, then make up the balance with the suspension fluid. The usual suspension in NZ is one mg/1 ml of suspension fluid, but for my first 3mth delivery it would have cost $800! The very obliging pharmacist suggested a different suspension of 5mg/1 ml which brought the price down to only $200, affordable for me. There are some doctors, I've heard, that are uninformed and resistant, possibly because of the cost and maybe the health insurance companies where you are won't fund it. I got rid of my health insurance a while ago so that's no problem for me. Are you located in the US? If so there are several tapering clinics run by a Dr Josef Witt-doerring who could advise you, his website is taperclinic.com if I remember rightly. Unless you have been forcibly removed to a mental hospital you are entitled to choose to opt out of any medication using whatever means you want, and I know there are plenty of doctors who will help you, as Dr Josef says in his helpful YouTube videos. The syringe is great though, and although it is only a 1 ml one there are 100 divisions so it is so easy to get accurate, tiny doses. Sorry about writing to the wrong person in my head, they are actually tapering a totally different med, but same principles apply. Take care, R.

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

Overthis66Sep 22

WelcomerValium · active

@Stuart, thank you. That’s encouraging!! Tomorrow is a new day and a new start!!

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

Overthis66Sep 22

WelcomerValium · active

Hey, @renee j, thanks so much!! Yes, I’ve been following Dr J for quite some time. Even contacted him. Extremely expensive, but just in watching his videos I’ve gained a great deal of info. I’ll contact my pharmacist tomorrow and ask for his wisdom. He just might be able to help. I think the liquid tapering would be fantastic but I’m not sure dr would do it. But I think I’m okay with cutting tabs. I’ll just go slower. See, dr suggested I start the second taper from morning dose. But I keep thinking why not continue with the evening dose? I’ve already cut a 1/4, so next time removing an 1/8. I figured once I got to a half tab I could start on the morning dose. Work that down to half tab. Do the half tabs and ask dr for the 2mg tabs and start cutting those. It’s awful how sometimes fear sneaks in and then we lose focus and overthink everything. Thanks so much for the advice!! I hope you’re doing well of your taper! 🌼

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

Flyguy10Sep 22

LighthouseProzac · supporting

Hi @Overthis66. Valium is my last remaining med. 10mg at bed. Doctors had overloaded me the last few years. Had tapered from 20mg (10mg 2x per day) down to the one 10mg dose. Sleeping with my pain is a problem so kept it at night. I had tried to go further. My pills are scored 5mg, so 2.5mg is as close as I could get without measuring. With the long half life I was doing alternate day dosing. 15mg, 12.5mg for a few weeks, then 12.5 for a few weeks, etc. Hit my wall at 10mg, probably going to inquire about combining 5mg and 2mg tabs so I can go slower once I'm ready (still not stable from the duloxetine to fluoxetine taper). Apparently 10mg is a wall a lot of people hit. Good luck!

Valium — Started 02/2025, max of 20mg — current 10mg - holding | Lexapro 5mg - Started 9/25 | Prozac 10mg — Started 8/13/26 — Ended 9/2 | Cymbalta 20mg - 1 month, 40mg - 6 months, 60mg - 1 month, 90mg - a few days, 60mg - 1 month, 40mg - 15 days, 20mg - 3 weeks, discontinued 8/13/26 | LDN 4.5mg - 1 year - discontinued | with clinician

Overthis66Sep 22

WelcomerValium · active

@Flyguy10, thanks for sharing. Good much to you on this journey!! How long have you been tapering off your meds? It’s fantastic it’s your last one. That’s inspiring! It is mind boggling that the lower one gets the tougher it is. Seems it should be the opposite! We will all make it through the other side!! Might be rough at times but we are stronger than we think!! Blessings. 😊

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

Flyguy10Sep 22

LighthouseProzac · supporting

I wanna say for about a year now. Valium was 20mg at top. Gabapentin was 900mg 3x per day, that has been 0 since the spring. Duloxetine was as high as 90mg per day, but the highest dose I held for any significant period of time was 60mg. That was the one that wrecked me. Psych swapped me straight from 20mg of that to 10mg fluoxetine for a few weeks and then wanted me to direct swap to 5mg lexapro since my symptoms hadn't disappeared in 3 more weeks. I refused, glad I did. I'm recovering. Very slowly but its a trend.

Overthis66Sep 22

WelcomerValium · active

@Flyguy10, you too have had a hard, I know hard doesn’t even begin to describe it, but a drastic change in meds. I’ve done that in the last almost 5 months. Was on .25 three times a day Klonopin for 6 years. A year ago I started weaning. Well near 5 months ago I needed up in ER. They gave me 2 Ativan and sent me home. I didn’t know I’d been in interdose withdrawal for some time. Next day dr removes the Klonopin and started 2mg Ativan. 1 morning and 1 evening. That was near 7 weeks of hell for me. I begged weekly to get me off that drug. I know it kept severe withdrawal from klonopin away, but it was horribly dark for me. Went straight from that to the 10mg of Valium. It’s been rough. But I’m determined to get this med out of my body. It just stinks, no it makes me sad and angry that it has to take us so so long and struggle when it was easy to write out the script!!

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

renee jSep 22

LighthouseSeroquel · active

Thanks @Overthis66, great name by the way, yeah my taper is going great, couldn't be better. I'm glad you are consulting with your doctor on this, he/she seems the reasonable sort, which is what you want. You must make the choice how you want to taper at this stage and if it gets difficult you know something needs adjusting, right? Let me know how you go. And yeah, Dr Josef is a godsend.

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

MashaSep 22

LighthousePaxil · holding

Just read this thread and I am learning so much. It’s clear to me that hyperbolic tapering is the only way to get through any of this. And advocating for yourself with doctors who just want to randomly add things and take away.

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 25 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day
Ativan .25 at night

songbirdSep 23

WelcomerValium · holding

Has anyone found anything that helps with the Valium tapering ? Anything at all? It’s one of the hardest things to stop. And does anyone know what happens if you stay on a dose for too long..

Valium — 2 years, 2 months — holding | Topamax — 25mg — 3 years, 3 months — actively tapering | other — 3mcg — 3 years, 9 months — supporting others | other — 30mg — 3 years, 3 months — supporting others

Overthis66Sep 23

WelcomerValium · active

@songbird, benzos are the hardest. For me, I wouldn’t take another script. It’s going to be hard no matter what. Slow and steady will be my path forward. I use supplements, D3, Magnesium Glycinate, B Complex and a few others. I started them for migraines, but even now they’re giving my body what I need to push forward. What helps me most is praying, reading the Word, music, reading, being outdoors with our animals. Everything that keeps my Mind focused and busy.

Valium — 10mg — 2 months — actively tapering | without clinician

StuartSep 24

LighthouseEffexor · supporting

"Has anyone found anything that helps with the Valium tapering ?" — @songbird

I've read about other people using "Magnolia Bark" to help benzo tapers. I have no experience with it, but some anecdotal reports say it was helpful. It's been reported to: "reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve sleep by interacting with GABA receptors in the brain".

Historic experience tapering off: Citalopram 20mg | Zyprexa 2.5mg | Effexor 75mg | Valium 20mg

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