Vertigo spoiled my withdrawal plans...

[[Jo...]]

I am tappering off Ativan, been doing so for a month and was down to .25mg a day then out of nowhere I get a severe vertigo attack, my first, and my doctor wants me to increase my Ativan for a few weeks to .5mg a day and then switch to Meclizine.

Has this happened to anyone else?

[[me...]]

Yes, I had bouts of vertigo during withdrawal which were worse than any I'd ever had before.  Mine was the bppv type.  It is a known withdrawal symptom, one of many balance related ones.

[Guest [...]]

Is your doctor planning on allowing you to taper from the Ativan before switching you over to the meclizine or allow you to use it while you taper?? If am not mistaken isn't it a 1st generation histamine H1 antagonist, and others might know if we Dramamine?

[[Do...]]

I used meclizine during my taper and withdrawal for occasional bouts of vertigo.  It did not mess with my taper or withdrawal at all.  Is there a specific reason that your doctor wants to up your ativan back up (other than the vertigo?).  Unfortunately, vertigo is a very common withdrawal symptom, even when you taper slowly.  Even if you went back up to .5 and the vertigo went away, nothing prevents it from returning as soon as you reduce your dose again.

[[Me...]]

You can't go from a benzo to meclizine totally dif meds you will be in for a world of hurt if you do that.  Hope you feel better soon, vertigo is terrible.

[[Ma...]]

I tapered off ativan and my vertigo was and still is at times, really annoying and bad

[[Ti...]]

John,

 

I am the same as you.  I was moving right along on my taper. I made a 35% drop which was too much and 4 days later I got bad vertigo. It has now been over a week since then and I sleep with my head looking up so I don't get the spinning when moving my head to the right or left.  I have now held at .12mg for 14 days waiting/intending to stabilize. Yesterday afternoon was pretty bad.

 

I have some trips coming up so I'm keeping the faith.

 

Tiny

[[Tw...]]

Tapering slowly and I have vertigo as well. I'd say don't increase the Ativan and keep going at a slow pace tapering.