If Activan is short acting, why do my WD symptoms start only 2 weeks later?

[[ma...]]

Hello 

 

Activan withdrawal symptoms are said to start immediately after reducing the dose, or even to occur between daily doses, because this is a short acting benzo. But, for me, strong withdrawal symptoms occur only two weeks after reducing the dose. Even in my first trial, when I made an abrupt 50% reduction, the symptoms appeared only after two weeks!

 

Does anyone know why? Are there other people with a similar reaction to short acting benzos?

[[Ki...]]

A slow taper is best and a 50% reduction is known to cause extreme symptoms. Have you read the Ashton Manual? It will be of great help to you. Blessings! 

[[ma...]]

Hi Kimmelquizbeck, thanks for you reply!

Yes, I know 50% was too much. I'm doing it much slower now. What I don't understand is why I have no withdrawal symptoms until two weeks after cutting the dose. I found no answer in the Ashton Manual and it doesn't make sense because Activan has a very short half-life 

I wish you an easy tapering 

[[Do...]]

Some people metabolize certain benzos much slower (or sometimes faster) that what is generally seen.  I have seen people on these boards who haven't used for two weeks, went to the hospital for an issue, and still tested positive for short acting benzos, and the doctors didn't believe that they hadn't taken any in two weeks.  On the flip side, there are people who took a dose, went to the doctor or ER for something, tested negative for benzos, and the doctors told them that they didn't take their dose and that they were lying.  Everyone metabolizes them differently, so it is possible the levels are just starting to drop off at the two week mark.

[[Bo...]]

It's been the same for me with Ativan. I'm now at the two week mark and hit the hardest so far. A few months ago I had inter dose w/d within 24 hours but I'm guessing I've built up a tolerance.

When I skipped a few days and felt nothing I was advised to keep off them because apparently that was a good sign but I'm not so sure now.

 

Good luck with your taper. It's the more recommended way.

 

[[li...]]

I think it's a really good question and one that I have also pondered.  These drugs work (or wreck havoc) in mysterious ways, don't they?  It's hard to know exactly how your body is reacting to the taper. I've been actively tapering now for a month, and am feeling the symptoms more strongly now than I did in the beginning.  Am I feeling the result of the early part of the taper now, or of the cut I made more recently?  Hard to say.  I can only say, I can't wait to get rid of the drug completely.  Hang in there!

[[Ar...]]

I am currently at .25 Ativan and am having several symptoms..anxiety, breathing problems...trouble sleeping, weakness, muscle loss, etc. But...I do not feel as bad as I felt a week ago or week before that...I am on day 2 feeling better having made a cut from .50 to.25 9 days ago....do you guys think I can cut again another .5 or even 10? if I'm only having these symptoms and the pain hasn't come back yet? What do you all

[[Su...]]

Hello 

 

Activan withdrawal symptoms are said to start immediately after reducing the dose, or even to occur between daily doses, because this is a short acting benzo. But, for me, strong withdrawal symptoms occur only two weeks after reducing the dose. Even in my first trial, when I made an abrupt 50% reduction, the symptoms appeared only after two weeks!

 

Does anyone know why? Are there other people with a similar reaction to short acting benzos?

 

It all has to do with half-life and blood concentrations etc.  Many people who are w/d from short acting BenZos, Xanax and Ativan find that the symptoms hit around the 3-5 day mark..... that has been so for me during my cut and hold.  I was cutting about 10%- 15% a cut.....

SS

[[ma...]]

Thanks for your replies Dolphinator78, Bookoo, lily maria, Arty5, SufferingSixty 

These are indeed strange drugs! I'm really puzzled by how confident doctors are in prescribing them, considering how little it is known about how they work. I suspect the depression symptoms I started having one and a half years ago, for which I was prescribed Effexor and more benzos (clonazepam), were in part due to the long term effects of Activan. It's total madness!

 

Arty5, I'm not sure I understand your question (how can you cut 0.5 if you´re already at 0.25?). Anyway, I think you're doing a great tapering. I'm even thinking of accelerating my plan because it is so much slower. And I just want this med out of my life forever!

[[Su...]]

Thanks for your replies Dolphinator78, Bookoo, lily maria, Arty5, SufferingSixty 

These are indeed strange drugs! I'm really puzzled by how confident doctors are in prescribing them, considering how little it is known about how they work. I suspect the depression symptoms I started having one and a half years ago, for which I was prescribed Effexor and more benzos (clonazepam), were in part due to the long term effects of Activan. It's a total madness!

 

Arty5, I'm not sure I understand your question (how can you cut 0.5 if you´re already at 0.25?). Anyway, I think you're doing a great tapering. I'm even thinking of accelerating my plan because it is so much slower. And I just want this med out of my life forever!

Hey Magnesia,

If you're having symptoms you may want to consider slowing down your taper instead of speeding it up... just an idea.  Wanting this stuff out of us is a strong urge -- but for many fast tapers lead to long recovery -- slower tapers lead to shorter or no acute phase....

 

That's what I'm reading although far from off this stuff...

I know that when I slowed way down life became way less stressful, my symptoms became manageable ... and I'll still get off in time.  you've been on these stuff for a long time -- me too..

[[Ar...]]

Sorry, I meant to ask if I could cut another 5percent off of my .25 mg I am currently taking...my symptoms are annoying but not debilitating....I don't want to leave the house but I can..I don't sleep well but I sleep a little bit...and I can't always breath so great all the time but I can breath without coughing or gasping.

[[Su...]]

I would be slowing it down some.... but we all have to find out own rhythm...

Sxs can catch up to us if we go too quickly, that's my experience and you can't go wrong with going slowly.  You could wait just a bit more before another 5% cut....

SS

[[ma...]]

SufferingSixty, I know, but it's tempting!

 

Arty5, I would do as SufferingSixty says. Wait until I felt well and then cut a little more. You are already going really well. Why risk becoming nonfunctional?

 

All the best 

 

 

[[Gr...]]

Klonopin is supposed to be long acting, but I get withdrawal symptoms within 24 hours of changing a dose. I think that wasn't always true.  I think I developed interdose withdrawal and I actually used to take my dose split up 5 times,thoughout the day.  The doctors always told me that it didn't matter when I took them, and taking it all once a day would do the same thing, but it really wasn't the same thing and it made a difference to split up the dose. 

 

On a maybe, related note, my novacaine always wears off from the dentist, before it is supposed to.  Usually I get the "long-acting" one which is supposed to last like four hours and it still only lasts two.  This has been a problem with the novacaine wearing off while they are still doing something to my teeth.  Very painful.  :'(

[[Ar...]]

Thanks for the input guys....do you all wait until all the symptoms are gone before you cut again? How is everyone else doing this? Srry Soo confused with benzo brain right now 

[[Su...]]

Hi GreenCup and Arty5

yes, this is a misunderstanding that many docs have regarding supposed "long-acting benzos"

It's really the half-life that is long acting but if you look up duration it is short for any benzo.

We're all different as to what our bodies do and what we can tolerate....

Wishing you the best

SS

 

[[Ar...]]

Thanks..I am doing a liquid micro taper now....my symptoms are bearable so I am cutting 5percent today..and gonna hold...wish me luck! Thanks again for the info.

[[Su...]]

Oh I see that you weren't on it for that long....

Sorry for my long winded reply! 

Wishing you luck and all the best!

SS

[[Si...]]

I understand that your brain receptors have to learn how to deal with less Ativan.  That takes a long time.  (Gabba receptors have been down regulated. and have to re-adjust)