Hello!

[[TP...]]

I am new here and just starting my taper plan off Lorazapam which I've been taking for over 10 years.  It started with anxiety from caring for 2 elderly parents in my home as well as dealing with my oldest son deploying to Afghanistan.

 

I'm realizing now this should have been short-term use in each situation, but somehow my doctor just kept approving refill after refill for years and years. I was clueless in thinking this was perfectly safe and she knew what she was doing, and I kept taking them at night because I got to the point where I couldn't get a good night's sleep without them.

 

So here I am now, and I'm in a panic to even ask her to guide me through this taper because I feel like if she would just cut them off cold turkey.  I was prescribed .5 mg to be taken every day once in the morning and once at night.  Once my life issues settled down, I did manage to stop the morning dose, but the sleep issue still haunted me, so I'm still taking one .5 pill every night.  Last night, I cut it in half, then one of the halves, I cut to begin this taper with 3/4's of a pill. 

 

I know I can't just stop taking these, and I'm hoping to be one of the lucky ones that doesn't have to deal with severe withdrawal. I did try to stop once cold turkey, and I was jumping out of my skin by day 4, so I just started taking the one pill again. 

 

Anyway, that's my story. Thanks for reading, and I'm happy to have found a place that is so supportive!

[[Pa...]]

Hello TP2017, Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

Wow, 10 years is a long time, but I can understand why you began taking benzo's in the first place, you had a lot on your plate.  Most of us here wished we would have done things differently, but here we are.  You're smart to taper, and hopefully your Dr will be on board with a nice, slow one, that's the best way to approach this process.  We have lots of resources which will help you decide what is best for you, so be sure to check out General Taper Plans. 

 

Since you began to experience withdrawal symptoms the time you attempted a cold turkey, you've made a good decision to taper.  Not everyone who quits benzo's has to suffer horrible withdrawal, but you won't find those people here, we're the unlucky ones, hopefully that won't be you.

 

We're glad you're here, please look around and make yourself at home.  If you have questions, just ask, we're here to help.

 

Pamster