Paradoxical effects - should i just speed up my taper or keep torturing myself?

[[Lo...]]

I have been making evening cuts (10-15%) to my 1mg of Lorazepam for about 10 days now, and when I wake up in the morning, I feel pretty good.  But when I take my AM dose, I feel worse, I get rushes of anxiety, weird feelings in my chest, tingling feelings etc...and I have just discovered what paradoxical effects are. 

 

So, if I am feeling paradoxical effects during my taper, should I just speed it up?  Just get it over with in the next 30 days and deal with healing with the drug out of my system?  My mindset would be if im feeling better before I dose, then I feel worse after, why drag out the process by essentially torturing myself for the next 3-6 months and THEN deal with the drug being out of my system, versus just getting it over with and healing with the drug out of my system in the next 30 days?

[[Ju...]]

Nobody knows what to tell you about this.  That is why you have views and no replies.

 

My experience is that a slow, very slow taper works best.  Most benzo buddies will say that.

 

But you need some expert advice.  Someone who has experienced paradoxical effects.  By responding to you, I have brought your query back to the top of the list.  I hope that a sympathetic, knowledgeable person will respond quickly.

 

I care.

 

[[Do...]]

If I were you, I would maybe consider speeding it up a little, but I wouldn't go super fast or anything.  Basically, if I were you I would try to find a speed where you can still handle the actual "withdrawal" symptoms, but not too fast that you shock your system.  Even if you do choose to speed it up, I would go a little slower at the end, right before "jumping" so your body gets adjusted to the lowest dose possible before stopping.  Good luck!

[[fi...]]

Lost..there's another thread of someone who had a similar predicament - i'll try and find it - something about GI w/d symptoms that were bad - tried updosing and got worse..finally lowered the dose and go BETTER...something like that..i'll try and find it or if someone else reads this and knows which one - maybe that's the closest you'll get to a similar situation - if it helps...

firefly

 

edit: here's the link: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=189855.0

 

i don't know if it will help but to know you're not alone might

[[ne...]]

Hi LostRV727, sorry to hear you are in so much distress. 

 

But, I have to ask you, don't you think if you were to have developed paradoxical effects from the benzodiazepine, that you would feel just as bad after the evening dose as you do after the morning dose? It's the same chemical, just entering the brain at different times.

 

Hope you'll figure this out! Keep us posted!

xoxo

[[fi...]]

Hi LostRV727, sorry to hear you are in so much distress. 

 

But, I have to ask you, don't you think if you were to have developed paradoxical effects from the benzodiazepine, that you would feel just as bad after the evening dose as you do after the morning dose? It's the same chemical, just entering the brain at different times.

 

Hope you'll figure this out! Keep us posted!

xoxo

 

I might disagree with this...given the doses are additive -the half life is up to 20 hours even if the therapeutic serum level isn't high enough it's still in your system-..and perhaps it's just that second dose that's just 'too much' for your system. (all theory here FYI)

No way to know for sure though ...unless you try it out or go with your gut.

I'm by far not the person to ask. And not sure anyone has the answer but

i hope someone with far more experience on these boards comes along to perhaps put in their two cents.

 

but i'm following and wishing you well

[[Lo...]]

Thank you to all of those that chimed in with advice.  One of the hardest things about this whole process, for me at least, is waiting on what tomorrow will bring.  Will I feel worse than I did today?  Will I ever feel better? Should I stick to a slow taper, even though most days taking the medicine makes me feel worse?  I am still getting inter-dose withdrawal - or at least I think I am, and most of my symptoms come to mid-late afternoon.  I'm so torn with all of this. The impatience is setting in, and I just want this to be over with.  Do I speed up my taper to a 30 day taper and then deal with whatever comes and start the healing process with this drug out of my system?  Do I keep taking it even though it makes me feel worse and after 3-6 months THEN start dealing with the effects of the drug being out of my system? Where do I want to be in 6 months? Do I want to be just getting off the meds by then, or be off them for a couple of months by then? The unknown is terrible.  This sucks, it really does, but I haven't given up hope, and none of you should either.

[[fi...]]

I wish I had answers for you Lost.  I get the conflict..i really do.  I wish I knew what to tell you.

I've only had short courses on Ativan by comparison (long term zopiclone) and i'm taking it one day at at time (weaning off both right now).

and everyone is different.  I don't even know that you'll know the very next day - there is a steady state the body achieves even with shorter acting benzos...so it will typically take days to know just how a change will affect you.  (or should based on the half-life)..but that's academic - from this forum...it seems the rules can go out the window - you might know immediately... or much much later.  So I'm sorry. I wish i could be more help.  My heart goes out to you though.  And i think everyone will be here supporting you no matter what you chose or what happens.  And when you decide..don't second guess yourself.  You'll never know - might have been worse or the same either way.

x0

firefly

[[to...]]

I get the same thing everytime i cut. It goes away 3 weeks after the cut

[[fi...]]

Well that's good!