One month off Ativan (positive post!!!)

[Guest [...]]

Well, here I am, I took my last dose of Ativan on month ago today. Honestly, I thought my first post here would be one of being petrified. But it's not! Yay!

I took my last dose of Ativan June 19. When I reached 0.125 mg I steadily improved. Sleep started returning, I started to get more windows. I felt ready to jump, but my mind said one more cut,so I cut to 0.0625mgs for a few days, then jumped. Well, should say slid! Many fellow members told me tapering 0.125 every 7-10days was a mistake. Don't get me wrong, it may have been, the symptoms were terrible, I spent most my time on the forum, which didn't help. And also interdose withdrawal during taper was miserable. But that cut to 0.125 really made the difference.

The day I took my last dose was a spur of the moment thing. I just decided not to take it. I had not uptake in symptoms, and at 4 weeks off, I have not even felt an acute.i have had an uptake in headaches that come and go,

but nothing major. I am still tapering gabapentin, so this might be attributing.

I threw all my pills away besides for two doses the day I stopped. I carried those two doses in my purse for two weeks, then dumped those. Ativan was no link get my stronghold.

For the last 10 days of taking Ativan, I left the forum. I left for 35 days, asked for a self imposed ban. Everything changed when I stopped expecting others to fix it for me. I finally accepted my own story to Ativan and what happened. My then doctor might have been responsible for it, but it was up to me to get out of it. I began changing my diet, began forcing myself to move, forcing myself to spend time with my family, forcing myself to be social, and began really practicing my faith again instead of going through the motions.

So the worst of my symptoms now include (but are much better than before, I am at about 75%)

*Tinnitus- It's 24/7, but I have 2-3 quiet days a week!

*Anxiety- no longer 24/7...more windows than waves, and comes in the form of attacks lasting a few hours. I can go a day or two without one! I am learning med free coping skills.

*Depression- not bad anymore. I have times, like hyped up normal times. In the height of my taper I was considering an antidepressant. That would have been a mistake for me!

*Random muscle twitches

*Random heart palps (80% better!!!)

*Headaches easily relieved with children's Tylenol

*Random bad night of sleep- most nights I get between 6-8 hours, about once or twice a week I only get 4-5.

 

I take no supplements, I am tapering gabapentin for back nerves, not withdrawal. The only meds I take are children's Tylenol, the occasional antacid, and if sleep gets bad, hydroxyzine (25 mg, have only taken 3 times total since June 10). I let my diet be my medicine and movement/socializing/distraction be my support.

[move]Thank you to everyone for the advice and support!!!![/move]

[Guest [ba...]]

I'm so very happy for you, Pumpkin!!!!  You did it!

 

:smitten:

[[Lo...]]

so happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I am 33 days off Ativan and the only physical symptoms that remain for me are above the shoulders.  Have some weird facial numbing that popped up Saturday.  I do get a little head pressure/headaches but they are very minor and infrequent.  The brain fog left a while ago and for that I am grateful.

 

I'm so so so so glad to hear you're doing so well.

[[lo...]]

Hi Pumpkin!

I love this post! Nicely done. I'm so happy for you!

Thank you for sharing!

Congratulations.

Continued healing and love...

 

[[Re...]]

YES, YES, YES. 

 

This is soooooo awesome to hear.  I'm literally jumping for joy. 

 

Outstanding....... ;D   :thumbsup:

 

-RST

 

By the way..... I am down to 228 mg per day of gabapentin and doing pretty well overall.  Woohoo.

 

[[N2...]]

How long were you taking Ativan? And congratulations !!

[Guest [ch...]]

Way to go Pumpkin! Proud of you.

CP

[[ly...]]

 

 

So happy to read this Pumpkin!

[[nh...]]

Why the hell am I so sick then

[[Fe...]]

Because everybody is different nhbuck.

 

Congratulations pumpkin! You did it! :thumbsup:

 

wenn