When To Begin Taper

[[De...]]

There seems to be a lot of different information on when to begin a taper. Of course we all have different situations that we are in. I am asking specifically for my situation.

 

Please check my introduction (http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=173274.msg2304797#msg2304797) for my current situation but basically my CNS is completely destabilized from a host of medications. I tapered gabapentin from 1800mg to 300 mg daily over the course of last year.

 

A lot of people talk about being stabilized before beginning a taper. I have no idea if I am or not because I have severe symptoms that may or may not be related to benzo withdrawal but perhaps related to benzo use. I'm fairly certain that there was damage done in my gabapentin taper.

 

I am currently at 3mg lorazepam. I tried to crossover to clonazepam last year around this time and then diazepam in July. Both times my brain was further destabilized by the addition of the new medication. It seems I am stuck with lorazepam?

 

I have obtained the Rx lorazepam solution from my doctor and he seems willing to work with me without any timetable although I didn't discuss this with him. I have developed a taper plan using information gleaned from this site.

 

My biggest concern is Is it too soon to taper? I've been taking 1 mg tabs three times a day. There's a lot of talk about half-lives and such. Should I spread these doses out to .5mg six times a day before tapering? All of this is quite overwhelming and my quality of life is already so poor. I don't want to make another mistake.

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

[Guest [ba...]]

Six times a day seems pretty excessive.  3-4 times a day should work even for lorazepam. 

 

Stabilized doesn't mean that you feel good.  It just means that no new crazy symptoms are popping up each day.  You'll have to decide if you're stable and/or strong enough (mentally) to begin a taper.  What symptoms are you experiencing? 

 

Crossing over doesn't always work out.  That's OK.  There are people who taper with short half-lived benzos. 

 

As for mistakes...  If you adopt a reasonable taper rate, you probably won't have a 'mistake'.  You may not feel great during your taper, but you probably won't cause any new maladies other than the acute symptoms that sometimes accompany benzo withdrawal.  Fortunately, they usually pass in time.