Scared of seizures

[[Th...]]

Hi all,

 

The withdrawal symptom i fear most is a seizure.  I had one years ago due to wellbutrin, and remember how i felt just before it happened: sweaty, hot nauseous, feeling things were not real.

 

Since i started tapering off Ativan i have had waves where i felt like that, and was terrified i would have a seizure.

 

What should i do when a wave like that hits?  I usially lie down when this happens (if i'm home).  I also eat something really fast, hoping it will prevent a seizure.  I usually get a cold sweaty feeling, than intense nausea.  It happens fast, one minute to the next.

[[th...]]

It is suggested that seizures from benzo wd is saved for those who cold turkey. And this is also a small percentage. If you are tapering the risk should be rare. The syx you have are common wd syx and many have them. I have them all day and night. So not sure if those syx are necessarily a seizure preview. But u may feel them often during your taper so keep finding ways to manage. You said you were tapering 20% a week...that can be too fast for some people. Recommendation is 5-10% cuts every 10-14 days. So if you need to slow it down that's understandable. Good luck 

 

Grinch

[[pi...]]

Cutting 20% a week is pretty fast, is there a way you can slow down the taper? I know you are following the doctors plan but you are hardly able to stabilize from one cut before you do another.

 

Seizures are rare,  I ct'd from Ativan for a medical procedure and didn't have a seizure.  I didn't know what was happening to my body because of all the strange symptoms but it was all due to withdrawal.

 

pianogirl

[[Th...]]

Ok.  Hopefully this is just normal withdrawal then.

I am not sure how to address slow taper with my psych.  He doesn't seem that knowledgable about benzo tapering.  He was surprised i had withdrawal sxs.  Since i have tablets, it would be difficult to break them down into really small doses. 

Any advice is appreciated!!!

[[ma...]]

Take some vitamins. Vitamin b6, magnesium, and fish oil.Also drink chamomile tea at night for sleep.I find bathing in lavender essential oils, and lavender lotion helps for sleep as well. It's all withdrawal symptoms you are feeling.Im afraid of seizures as well! I have A big family and this lorazepam ruined my life, I want this drug to come with A black box warning and all physicians should have to tell you what you need to do to get off it when they hand it out!! This I'd bs that it just gets handed out with no info!!!!

[[Th...]]

Marie, thank you for your reply.  I have taken B-vitamins, fish oil, magnesium and vitamin D for a long time, probably 3 years now.  Before the benzo-mess they made me feel great, except for the occasional anxiety.  So i am taking all this.  I also take melatonin with l-theanine at night, which is supposed to help with withdrawal. 

I think i am so scared because i had a seizure ones, and it was the scariest day in my life.  So when i get the same sxs i had just before the seizure, i freak out.

 

I have been eating a lot, to prevent low blood sugar.  So now i am gaining weight on top of all this misery.

 

I wish i never took these damn pills.  They should have warning labels.  I became an accidental addict....and i used to be so healthy.  I hate this!

[[ma...]]

Thisisnofun,

 

I just was prescribed lorazepam because I had A panic attack when my brother was killed by A car.Dr in er gave me the prescription, and told me I needed these to get through this rough time! Never even said how to get off it or I could develop tolerance in such short time use!! I only used them 4 and a half weeks and was cutting down the dose on my own the whole time.How did this happen!??

 

I also find that doing small things around the house is A good distraction from symptoms.

[[th...]]

To figure out how to taper slow you can ask on the taper board or Ativan support board. You ll find tons of info!

[[ma...]]

Today is going on day 3 of no lorazepam. Do withdrawals get worse?

[Guest [va...]]

I too am scared of having a seizure. I since my taper it has gotten worse but as the others have said it is very rare but the feeling you are having are similar to the aura you felt. I had 3 seizures not because of Ativan. I was from a brain tumor. The first one I had a horrible aura. So bad and complex I can't explain it so that is why I too freak out when I have the sense of DP or dizziness I try to do some form of mindfullness when it happens. I tell myself it's just the SX's and I'm going to be okay. Nothing stops the feelings but I think it keeps me from having a full blown panic attack. It's hard I bc I know what's going on logically with all the SX's but by mind and body are still out of control. Hang in there

[[ma...]]

I say we get lorazepam banned as A prescription they can just hand out without a verbal warning.Its criminal A drug can be allowed to destroy lives, but marajuana is illegal! ? Makes no sense.

[[Th...]]

Marie, that's a good idea, doing stuff around the house.  It's just that i have absolutely no motivation right now--almost like depression.  But i am on lamictal for that.  I think i will try and organize a couple of cabinets around the hiuse, it will distract me.

 

Valley girl, yes, i think that is what i had with my seizure, an aura!  I hope you are ok now, the brain tumor sounds very scary.  Thx for the advice on how to talk myself throughthose sxs!

 

Grinch, i already read thru a lot of ativan tapering threads.  It sounds like i would have to convince my psych to write a precription for liquid tapering.  The direct taper with the tablets gets difficult when you get to miniscule amounts.  I just need to check in with my doctor, maybe he will be more open minded than i think.

 

Thx all!

[[Be...]]

Ok.  Hopefully this is just normal withdrawal then.

I am not sure how to address slow taper with my psych.  He doesn't seem that knowledgable about benzo tapering.  He was surprised i had withdrawal sxs.  Since i have tablets, it would be difficult to break them down into really small doses. 

Any advice is appreciated!!!

You are on enough gabapentin that having a seizure would be highly unlikely. I know what you mean tho. I feel like I'm gonna seizure all the time too but I know I won't cause I'm on 1,000mg of gabapentin.

[[Be...]]

Hi all,

 

The withdrawal symptom i fear most is a seizure.  I had one years ago due to wellbutrin, and remember how i felt just before it happened: sweaty, hot nauseous, feeling things were not real.

Since i started tapering off Ativan i have had waves where i felt like that, and was terrified i would have a seizure.

 

What should i do when a wave like that hits?  I usially lie down when this happens (if i'm home).  I also eat something really fast, hoping it will prevent a seizure.  I usually get a cold sweaty feeling, than intense nausea.  It happens fast, one minute to the next.

The only thing that helps me with that feeling you describe. Is the supplement called Taurine 1,000mg. It's rumored to work on seizure activity, also rumored to hit the GabaA receptor. It's sure no placebo for me. When I'm in absolute hell I reach for it and it helps. Don't take it after 3pm tho it can keep you up. Sure calms me down for sure.  Helps the delirium/conFusion feeling.

[[Th...]]

Thx benzohell, i love your name lol.  Yeah, i'm hoping the neurontin dose is high enough.  It definitely helps with the shaking and the vibration feeling.  I will look into taurine

[[mo...]]

Thisisnofun,

 

I know what you mean.  Wellbutrin amped me up enough to have my first ever hyperventilation event.  I thought I was having a heart attack.  My entire body was tingling from head to toes...even my eyes felt like they were tingling.  I think Ativan gave me a complicated migraine, but that was before I was even tapering...I was just taking a various amount (0.5 mg up to 3 times daily) for almost 2 weeks before it happened.

 

Good luck in tapering the Ativan.  I went onto Xanax after having a panic attack from being accidentally cold turkeyed off of the Ativan.  I eventually did a direct cross-over to Clonazepam and am now in the process of tapering that.

 

Again, good luck and I wish you well!

 

moto joe

[[ma...]]

Thisisnofun

 

I was on lorazepam and rapid tapered because I only was on a theraputic dose 2 and half weeks so I tapered for another 2 and half weeks, not perfectly, but I did lower my dose to .125mg before I jumped.you will be fine!! I just know it.

[[Th...]]

Ok, i am starting to feel less scared.  So glad i found this forum.

[[ma...]]

Me to! All the support is great! I really appreciate it.

I just had trouble in a store all the bad sensations came to me at once.tingling, vibrations, and the light bothered my eyes.

[[Be...]]

Thx benzohell, i love your name lol.  Yeah, i'm hoping the neurontin dose is high enough.  It definitely helps with the shaking and the vibration feeling.  I will look into taurine

you'll be glad u did.