New Here Need Help

[[Sa...]]

Hi there, I'm Sara. Im currently taking Ativan and have been for 6 weeks. It was prescribed at 0.5mg twice daily but only took one 0.5mg tablet at night to get me to sleep. I have severe anxiety which was why it was prescribed. After starting a new AD, my anxiety levels increased some so I would take another 0.25mg during the day some days. Then for a while just back to 0.5mg at bed time. But anxiety peaked again with increase in AD dose so over the last week or two I've taken at most 1.5mg in a day for a lot of the days of the two weeks but not all. I have realized the increase in my depression is very likely from the ativan because when I took Xanax in the past, it caused the same effect. So I need off my Ativan ASAP.

Please help!

[[Ch...]]

Hi Sara, welcome to BenzoBuddies.

 

Six weeks is a few weeks past the recommended 2-4 weeks of use, so generally a rapid taper is recommended in that case.  If you've taken a benzodiazepine in the past, then you may want to do a slower taper, even if this use is only six weeks.

 

Here's a link to the taper board for more information and support:General Taper Plans 

 

Please take some time to Create a Signature. This will help other members understand your history so they will be better able to support you.

Go to the top of the page and select Profile, then choose Forum Profile, insert drug history/timelines into the text box and click Change Profile.

 

When you have a chance, I highly recommend that you take a look at The Ashton Manual, which is an authoritative source on what to expect during withdrawal and recovery, authored by Dr. C. Heather Ashton, who is an expert in the field. It provides a great deal of information that can be very reassuring during any stage of this process, including a list of common symptoms with helpful explanations on the reasons for their existence.

 

Take care,

Challis 

[[Je...]]

Hi there, I'm Sara. Im currently taking Ativan and have been for 6 weeks. It was prescribed at 0.5mg twice daily but only took one 0.5mg tablet at night to get me to sleep. I have severe anxiety which was why it was prescribed. After starting a new AD, my anxiety levels increased some so I would take another 0.25mg during the day some days. Then for a while just back to 0.5mg at bed time. But anxiety peaked again with increase in AD dose so over the last week or two I've taken at most 1.5mg in a day for a lot of the days of the two weeks but not all. I have realized the increase in my depression is very likely from the ativan because when I took Xanax in the past, it caused the same effect. So I need off my Ativan ASAP.

Please help!

 

Good luck - thank goodness you're deciding to do something after only 6 weeks.  good for you...

[[Su...]]

Hi there, I'm Sara. Im currently taking Ativan and have been for 6 weeks. It was prescribed at 0.5mg twice daily but only took one 0.5mg tablet at night to get me to sleep. I have severe anxiety which was why it was prescribed. After starting a new AD, my anxiety levels increased some so I would take another 0.25mg during the day some days. Then for a while just back to 0.5mg at bed time. But anxiety peaked again with increase in AD dose so over the last week or two I've taken at most 1.5mg in a day for a lot of the days of the two weeks but not all. I have realized the increase in my depression is very likely from the ativan because when I took Xanax in the past, it caused the same effect. So I need off my Ativan ASAP.

Please help!

 

Good luck - thank goodness you're deciding to do something after only 6 weeks.  good for you...

Yes six weeks!  You'll be good soon I figure from that .... well done to get off this stuff.....

 

[[Sa...]]

Thank you for responding. Any advice or link to rapid taper?

[[Je...]]

I'm too new - maybe try here:  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=133.0

 

moderators can help pinpoint links better.  best wishes!

[[Su...]]

Thank you for responding. Any advice or link to rapid taper?

I think you may want to look at the Ashton Manual that the moderators may have supplied?

Although the amounts of meds are different and the tapering is slow, consider that as you taper off.

You may be able to go more quickly as it was such a short term usage, but you may still need to taper.

you may want to post a question the the general taper forum for other short term users to see.

Or try the withdrawal support forum, as that gets lots of activity.

Try those and if you don't get satisfactory replies post here again.....

SS