Anyone doing a direct taper with ativan?

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What are you impressions?  Is it better to do a substitution taper with valium?  I don't like the thought of taking two benzos at once, but if the results are better I'll consider it.  I just want some impressions from people with experience with ativan taper.

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I've been doing a direct taper of Ativan for the last 33 months, starting at a dose of 5 mg's a day, currently at a dose of .070 mg's per day.  I will reach zero on November 15.  I have been addicted to prescription Ativan for 20 years.  I have been using a compounding pharmacy to prepare my cuts.  Without the compounding pharmacy I would not have been able to do this.  I use Gabapentin at night as a crutch to help get some sleep.  So, it is definitely possible to directly taper Ativan.  The cuts you describe in your signature seem too aggressive and this may have something to do with your panic attacks.  I hope you can stabilize at your current level.  If not, you may have to step back a bit and stabilize.  Is there a reason you are trying to taper so rapidly from such a high dose?  Patience is essential in this business.  Re/ Valium crossover, yes, this may be a very good solution for you.  It has been a pathway for success for many people.

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Thank you for your response.  I wasn't even aware that I was doing a fast taper, I was just doing what my doctor told me to do.  I want to do a slower taper and I am now in the process of finding another provider as I am exasperated with my psychiatrist who doesn't listen to me.  Do you think it would have been easier on you if you had switched to diazepam?  How is your taper going?

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Thank you for your response.  I wasn't even aware that I was doing a fast taper, I was just doing what my doctor told me to do.  I want to do a slower taper and I am now in the process of finding another provider as I am exasperated with my psychiatrist who doesn't listen to me.  Do you think it would have been easier on you if you had switched to diazepam?  How is your taper going?

My taper is going well and I expect to be off in November after a 34 month direct taper.  I do expect protracted symptoms going forward from there, but I will be off.  I have no idea if a crossover to Valium would have been a better approach for me.  My neurologist and psychiatrist both refused to allow a crossover to Valium because of another medical condition that I have.  When I read your signature and saw how quickly you have gone from 6 mg's to 1 mg of Ativan, I was amazed, even a bit jealous!  I've been at this for nearly three years.  Everyone is different but it seems to me that your rapid taper may have something to do with your panic attacks.  Just a hunch.  See what your next provider has to say.

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Thank you!  I'm going to see another provider a week from Monday, a clinical nurse specialist, and in my experience they listen better than doctors do.  I'm also going to ask my GP if she would be able to medically supervise my taper, so I'll have some backup in case the appointment in a week goes bad.  I honestly had no idea that my taper was fast until I started doing research after having terrible withdrawal at 1.5mg/day.