Finally looking for help

[[Fl...]]

Hi all,

I started taking Ativan for sleep, and meetings. As my career moved forward, the anxieties grew , as did my dose.

I started with 1mg as needed before a big meeting, then as I grew in the company, meetings became more frequent and sleep was no longer possible without Ativan.

 

Today I take 4mg of Ativan a day just to sleep, and 8mg prior to a meeting . I’m here to save my life as I’m showing signs of mental decline.

I’m 36 years old male.

 

 

[[ma...]]

Hello Flupam Welcome to Benzobuddies!

 

We are glad you joined our community. You are making a good decision for your future by tapering off benzodiazepines and you will get plenty of support here.  These drugs need to be tapered slowly!. The rule of thumb is to reduce the daily dose by somewhere between 5% and 10% every 10 - 14 days.  You can alter the schedule, some need to taper slower, whatever feels comfortable, the aim is to try to keep symptoms manageable.

 

I would suggest that you familiarise yourself with the Ashton Manual, It is a great resource for understanding the effect benzo’s have on our body.  It provides tapering and withdrawal information and includes a list of common symptoms 

 

You will find some very valuable support and information on the forum.  Our members are happy to share their personal experiences with you and support you.. Please feel free to browse the boards and post questions to any of the dedicated threads.

 

I'll leave you a few links:

 

The Ashton Manual. 

Withdrawal Support

General Taper Plans

 

You might like to check out this support group.

 

Ativan Tapering Support Thread

 

Please take time to add a signature (history of meds/doses etc) it will help members give you relevant advice.  Go to the top of the page and select PROFILE then choose forum profile then insert drug history into the text box and remember to click change profile

 

Welcome aboard

Magrita

 

[[Fo...]]

Hi

Welcome

That’s quite a dose you’ve got up to.  Ativan is psychologically very addictive so look to see if the Ashton switch to diazepam is a reasonable option for you,

As Magrita says you have to read all about the Ashton manual and be determined to get this under control.

If you have social anxiety then do find a CBT chap to talk to about your generalised anxiety. ?.

Best wishes

Dick

[[Fl...]]

Oh my god, after reading this site..I can’t believe what I’ve done to myself...

 

I came here thinking To read about flumazenil success stories...

 

I’ve been on Ativan for 9 years daily....and wasn’t aware how serious this is...my doctor said she gives this to everyone!!

I’m in a state where I’m hoping reading this site is just a nightmare? Hoping I wake up soon

 

Is there any possibility that others some % of the population can do WD easily? And not experience paws? If there are people out there that have easily gotten off benzos, maybe they are not posting their success?

 

What have I done...

[[...]]

Hi Flupam,

 

I agree it is scary and can feel like a nightmare to find oneself dependent on Ativan.  I'm over five months into the process of tapering and it takes a lot of patience, acceptance, etc.  When I'm not feeling well, I have gone through some difficult moments of despair.  I have also had days of feeling well by going slowly enough to allow my body to adapt to decreasing amounts of Ativan.  I do believe I (you!) will successfully taper off Ativan even if it takes many months!

 

My Doctor also prescribed Ativan to me 6mg daily and told me it wouldn't be a problem.  Many doctors seem to still be uneducated about the dangers of overprescribing Benzos.

 

I think BB is valuable for learning about different tapering methods and getting help with starting the process.  I started off with pill splitting but now am doing DLMT (Daily Liquid Micro Tapering) which I and many others find to be a much smoother method.  So far I have gone from 6mg. Ativan daily to 2.75. 

 

I know many are able to cross over to Valium using the Ashton method, but there are others, like myself who taper directly from Ativan.

 

Trust, faith, determination, healthy life-style habits and a good support system will all help you!  Please feel free to join the Ativan Support Thread under Support Groups.  I hope you find helpful information and support on this site.

 

One step, one day at a time....

 

Luey

 

p.s. One of the best pieces of advice when I first joined BB was to avoid spending too much time reading worst case scenarios. Instead focus on finding helpful information and supportive Buddies.

[[Fo...]]

I agree

We are a selected population of folk taking it gently.

Some on here and in the big bad world get off benzos without too much pain.

Your doctor let you down, let’s help you fix this?

Dick

Chin up

Please fill in your signature in profile!!

[[We...]]

A lot of doctors prescribe this crap like it's penny candy.  You're one of the lucky ones Flu...you're catching this disaster while your still young, and are educating yourself thoroughly to pull yourself out of a dead end street.  Knowledge is power.

 

And everyone's withdrawal and recovery is different.  There are millions of people in the world that have successfully recovered from this.  It may not be totally painless, but you can definitely do it!  Don't let the scary stories scare you too much.  But hopefully they will impress upon you that you are dealing with something very serious and it will be the best thing you will ever do for yourself.

 

You got this!  You're here now, in the right place, on the right path.

[[Ma...]]

I don't know if it'll make you feel any better, but I'm not having TOO rough a time of it. Only advice I have is stay away from caffeine during your taper. It will set you back and make you crazy. Did me anyway. What's gotten me off the stuff is all the long term side effects. I'm 58, and have absolutely no interest in early senility. That scares me a lot more than the WD does.

[[...]]

When I was you age, 5 years ago, I was addicted to the same drug, 3 mg. I had a very strong cognitive decline and many sympthoms, I thought I was finished. Now I'm out of benzo and 80 percent recovered. You can do It, but it's long, rough, and have to avoid wrong moves as c/t or reading horrible storis. Inform yourself and be guided by all human qualities you have.

[[ea...]]

I wasted thirty long years on benzos. I deeply regret this now. No one knows why but some people (NOT all) suffer awful withdrawals getting off benzos. The majority of people go off abruptly and nothing happens. Seems that only a few people end up so bad they look for online support.

I used benzos for insomnia. And took a LOT of them for 30 years. I never once was told or read how benzos can affect you over time, and I am a nurse. I even worked in a detox center, for heavens sake. But benzos can and DO cause a lot of harm if you stay on them for longer than a couple of months.

Okay. We made mistakes. But we don't need to make more mistakes by staying on benzos.

I have strong feelings about this. I do believe that almost everyone heals, IF they want to heal. And that means reducing your dose fairly slowly, and accepting that even if you do, you may feel withdrawal symptoms. Benzos are powerful drugs. If you take them for long periods as I did, you may notice a decline in your health. Just as I did. I started going to specialists and was told I might have MS, Fibromyalgia, even Parkinsons. My balance was way off causing me to fall a lot. I broke several bones and am now mildly disabled due to one of those fractures after falls. That I walk at all is a real miracle. And I am grateful for this. Once I healed from benzos (and ADS) I felt SO much better. I still am surprised at the immense changes for the good that I have felt just by getting off benzos.

Please do not let this happen to you. Get off benzos the safest way you can and say "Good riddance."

east - STILL glad she got off benzos!

[[Fo...]]

Thanks for the vision of a better life East Coast

Dick

[[Fl...]]

Hi all, since I found this forum, I immediately cut to 2mg Ativan per day from 8~10mg per day over 10 years of use...

 

However,...I’m really not feeling any symptoms from the super fast cut and it’s been almost 7 days??

I have been keeping an Ativan on me at all times waiting for scary symptoms but nothing yet??

 

I’ve only noticed light dizziness, and I can’t sleep for more than 4 hours (which I’m ok with)

 

Is it simply too soon for me to get symptoms?

I did get a script of clonidine to help me sleep and I’m taking the 2mg at night with the clonidine..

 

[[Ma...]]

My worst symptoms didn't start showing up til two weeks in. I'm at a bit over 3 weeks CT, and while the muscle pain and stiffness is easing up some, the cog-fog has gotten awful. Everybody's different. You may not have issues at all. I hear some don't.

[[Fl...]]

My worst symptoms didn't start showing up til two weeks in. I'm at a bit over 3 weeks CT, and while the muscle pain and stiffness is easing up some, the cog-fog has gotten awful. Everybody's different. You may not have issues at all. I hear some don't.

 

My I ask what your worst  symptoms were?

How many days after a huge cut did it take you to get any significant symptoms?

[[Ma...]]

I CT'd. My amounts were a lot smaller, so we're kind of comparing apples to oranges. Honestly, with this brain fog I have right now, I can't remember much. Lots of pain and stiffness, and the feeling like if I couldn't crawl out of my skin, I was going to go crazy. Oh, and insomnia.

[[He...]]

Yes be safe and go slow, read information on this site on

what happens to your brain while healing, get support from

many on here that have been or are going through it.

You are young and have that in your favour.

Best advice go SLOW, let your brain heal one gabba  receptor

at a time.

I am fully healed off benzos, you can do it, you are worth it!

 

Just read you made quite a drop, not necessarily advisable,

I dropped too fast and I suffered badly.

I would maybe go back to 5-6 mgs, see what happens, stabilize

and go from there.  Sometimes you can make a big drop when

you’re on so much, but that drop is extreme. Be safe, and don’t

Mess with your brain by going up and down in dose. Just my honest

opinion, and experience.

[[Fl...]]

Yes be safe and go slow, read information on this site on

what happens to your brain while healing, get support from

many on here that have been or are going through it.

You are young and have that in your favour.

Best advice go SLOW, let your brain heal one gabba  receptor

at a time.

I am fully healed off benzos, you can do it, you are worth it!

 

Just read you made quite a drop, not necessarily advisable,

I dropped too fast and I suffered badly.

I would maybe go back to 5-6 mgs, see what happens, stabilize

and go from there.  Sometimes you can make a big drop when

you’re on so much, but that drop is extreme. Be safe, and don’t

Mess with your brain by going up and down in dose. Just my honest

opinion, and experience.

 

I spoke to soon...an hour my initial post my heart was racing, extreme dizziness, burning face, tingling body, heart felt VERY uncomfortable, blurry/white vision, I can go on and on..had to updose to 3mg, still itchy and not feeling right..I may have to increase more up to 5 like you suggested, because I went from almost no symptoms to cannot function AT ALL in the last few hours...ugh,

 

I’m sure I can get through this, I’m just worried about my business and how this will affect it

Luckily my gf knows what I’m going through and she’s been very supportive

[[He...]]

You can get through this, but honestly take it slow,

You can updose, your window still is narrow, I would up dose

To at least half the amount, which is a 50% cut, still more

Then recommended, but you can probably stabilize and then go forward

Slowly! You can’t hurry the brains timeline of healing.

You will get through this, make friends with time, it will pass and you will be better for it.