Overwhelmed Right Now - New 1.5mg Ativan Taper Help Needed plus misc questions

[[Ap...]]

 

By George... 

 

 

lol, true story. I promise I'm not 80 years old Thanks for the help!

[[RS...]]

April:

 

My therapist taught me how to detect the onset of a panic attack and then breathe and/or distract my way out of it.

 

He used exposure therapy to help me fight my claustrophobia.  For one appointment we spent an hour riding the elevators in the building...it was tough, but I eventually was able to do it and remain calm.

 

He had me do things like drive in rush hour traffic and take short flights....anything that could induce a panic attack.  I had to do these things without taking Ativan. 

 

For depression he used CBT techniques based on the book Feeling Good by David Burns.

 

It was very practical and helped prepare me for a life without Ativan.

[[Ap...]]

April:

 

My therapist taught me how to detect the onset of a panic attack and then breathe and/or distract my way out of it.

 

He used exposure therapy to help me fight my claustrophobia.  For one appointment we spent an hour riding the elevators in the building...it was tough, but I eventually was able to do it and remain calm.

 

He had me do things like drive in rush hour traffic and take short flights....anything that could induce a panic attack.  I had to do these things without taking Ativan. 

 

For depression he used CBT techniques based on the book Feeling Good by David Burns.

 

It was very practical and helped prepare me for a life without Ativan.

 

Thanks! Traffic jams does it to me too. Need to work on that.

[[Ap...]]

So I'm about to make my next cut tomorrow. Do people generally go right to that cut or do it in baby steps? For example, right now I'm at 1.25mg and I think I may try to go down to 1mg. Should I do 1.125 for a couple days first or just go straight from 1.25>1?

 

Also, do I need to have the mods move my thread over into the Progress Log section?

[[Pa...]]

I didn't taper but from what I've observed people just make the cut they intend to make and hold.  How are you feeling, do you feel your body is ready for another one?

 

The Progress Log section is basically a diary, it's good for tracking your symptoms but no one can reply to it so you'd be better off staying here.

[[RS...]]

I went in .25mg cuts and I don’t recall many issues.  That said, listen to your body.  What was fine for me might not be fine for you. 

[[tr...]]

OMG - your graph!!! I love that. I don't think I've ever seen anyone do that before for tracking.

 

I had to do a rapid taper from Ativan. I had also got off from AD's earlier.

 

I am almost 2 months from my jump. Definitely not in the clear but wanted to say I've had some changes/improvements that have given me hope.

 

Just wanted to share that hope with you. there is life after AD's and benzos and I know I'm healing.

[[Ap...]]

I went in .25mg cuts and I don’t recall many issues.  That said, listen to your body.  What was fine for me might not be fine for you.

 

Totally understand, appreciate the comparison though.

 

I didn't taper but from what I've observed people just make the cut they intend to make and hold.  How are you feeling, do you feel your body is ready for another one?

 

The Progress Log section is basically a diary, it's good for tracking your symptoms but no one can reply to it so you'd be better off staying here.

 

Sounds good. I'm feeling ok. Slightly on edge as a baseline lately but definitely significantly better than before. Little bit of chest ache, tinnitus is the same, dizzy has improved a bit. Everything seems more stable since I got off the erratic daily dosage rollercoaster. Only had 1 day during my first week of taper that I was extra anxiety but that still wasn't even close to the worst I've been. I feel cautiously optimistic that I can cut tomorrow.

[[RS...]]

When in doubt, stay where you are.  You do not have to rush your taper.

 

I stretched mine out as I knew I wanted to jump in the winter, after New Years .  But reality crept in and I didn’t jump until Feb 8.  Oh well, it all worked out.

[[Ap...]]

Haven't posted much the last week because it was actually going pretty good. Just yesterday though I started getting some nausea/dizzyness and that raised my anxiety a bit. I have it again today. Its not as bad a before when I didn't know anything about Ativan and my doses were all over the place....during that there were days were I couldn't really eat anything the whole day. Hopefully I'm not going back down that route.

 

I'm on my 3rd taper point (1 week each) and feel like I've noticed a trend on 2 of the weeks. It seems like the first few days of the taper is fine, then on the 4th or 5th day my anxiety seems to creep back in. Then by day 7 when I'm just about to take the next cut it seems to get better. Is that common? (good for the first few days, then hits you, then evens out).

[[Pa...]]

I'm glad to hear things have been going well and it sounds like you're beginning to make observations about your taper process, this is a good thing.  From what I've seen, your reactions to the cuts are typical, of course it depends on what drug you're tapering but each person notices a pattern.  Personally I feel like it can give you the confidence to continue because you have a certain expectation to hold on to.

 

 

Sorry about the nausea, I had a lot of that too and it's not pleasant.

 

[[be...]]

That’s been my exact experience. I have one or two decent days after a cut where I convince myself that I’m handling the cut perfectly and should have done more...then symptoms hit hard for 1-3 days (just so far...I know this could get better or worse as taper continues)...then start to stabilize. I started the process wanting to rush off quickly, but now I’m more concerned with remaining as  functional as possible as I move down. Best wishes to you - you seem to have a real handle on your taper. 😊

[[kn...]]

New here. I went off 3 mgs Clonazepam to 1.5 in 5 weeks. I have one week left of .5 . My question, I am going through some really bad days ( insomnia, nausea, cramping, dizziness, and diarrhea ) about every four days might last 3 days, but it seems the bad days are getting fewer. My question is I have .5 tapper until May 12th. I am wondering if should stay at .5 for a while longer before I begin the tapper to 1 mg a day? ( I am going to ask my Doctor to slow the tapper down with .125 every 2 weeks - learned that here! )

 

This forum has given me new perspectives on the withdrawal illness...I like what you all are doing here, it is helping me a lot already.

[[Ap...]]

New here. I went off 3 mgs Clonazepam to 1.5 in 5 weeks. I have one week left of .5 . My question, I am going through some really bad days ( insomnia, nausea, cramping, dizziness, and diarrhea ) about every four days might last 3 days, but it seems the bad days are getting fewer. My question is I have .5 tapper until May 12th. I am wondering if should stay at .5 for a while longer before I begin the tapper to 1 mg a day? ( I am going to ask my Doctor to slow the tapper down with .125 every 2 weeks - learned that here! )

 

This forum has given me new perspectives on the withdrawal illness...I like what you all are doing here, it is helping me a lot already.

 

Sorry to hear about your symptoms knarf, you will probably be able to get more responses if you start a separate post. Good luck!

[[RS...]]

April:

 

I’m coming up on three months and most symptoms come and go quickly.  But I’m getting nightmares again.  There is no rhyme or reason for anything we experience in withdrawal.

[[Ap...]]

April:

 

I’m coming up on three months and most symptoms come and go quickly.  But I’m getting nightmares again.  There is no rhyme or reason for anything we experience in withdrawal.

 

Congrats on the almost 3 months RShack...that is huge!! Can't wait to follow in your footsteps Glad to hear the symptoms are getting further between and shorter.

 

I've had a couple really good days in a row here so I'm just going to keep trucking along. Sitting at .75mg right now and have 3 days left of this cut and then hopefully going down to .5mg next Tuesday pending how the next 3 days go.

[[RS...]]

Thanks April, sounds like you are making good progress too. 

 

I mentioned that there is no rhyme or reason behind the withdrawal symptoms and today is a good example.  I slept very well, no nightmares, almost 7 hours without waking.

 

But I wake up and bam....burning sensations all over, tinnitus, unmotivated. But I forced myself to get moving and cooked a nice breakfast for my wife.  And by lunchtime I’m feeling ok.  I suspect the work stress is piling up. 

 

Tonight I will make a nice dinner and even have a couple of drinks.  (Full disclosure, alcohol can hinder healing, but I am a light drinker and so it hasn’t been a problem for me.)

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Thanks April, sounds like you are making good progress too. 

 

I mentioned that there is no rhyme or reason behind the withdrawal symptoms and today is a good example.  I slept very well, no nightmares, almost 7 hours without waking.

 

But I wake up and bam....burning sensations all over, tinnitus, unmotivated. But I forced myself to get moving and cooked a nice breakfast for my wife.  And by lunchtime I’m feeling ok.  I suspect the work stress is piling up. 

 

Tonight I will make a nice dinner and even have a couple of drinks.  (Full disclosure, alcohol can hinder healing, but I am a light drinker and so it hasn’t been a problem for me.)

 

Hi RShack,

 

Have you noticed a correlation between the drinks and your symptoms?  Just curious because I've heard so many horror stories about ingesting alcohol too soon in recovery. 

[[RS...]]

I haven’t.  Funny thing, I had all those nightmares last week and didn’t drink anything. 

 

Nothing seems to correlate.  But if I compare myself now with how I was three months ago, I’m much better now.

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Thanks RShack, just goes to show you how we're all different.  I'm very happy to hear you're feeling better than you did 3 months ago.   

 

P.S. Love that you cook for your wife. 

[[RS...]]

She loves it too!  Says she doesn’t miss going to restaurants—not that we went that often anyways. 

 

I had a cocktail while preparing dinner, and then a glass of wine with dinner.  I slept fine and so far, feel pretty good today.

[[Pa...]]

How are you doing April10th, you said you had a couple of good days, hope that's still the case.

[[Ap...]]

How are you doing April10th, you said you had a couple of good days, hope that's still the case.

 

Thanks for checking in, Pamster, means a ton! Still going pretty good. I had my first big but brief anxiety event last night since going on this string of really good days. Didn't last long though but the remnants lasted through the night. Today was back on track though. I can't explain how much the sunshine and nice weather is making this so much easier. I couldn't imagine doing it in the dead of winter. I've been able to work on so many projects outside which really help to keep my mind of anything benzo related.

 

Going to cut from .75mg>.50mg tomorrow. This may be the last time I do a big cut like this since the %'s are starting to get really big at that point.

[[Pa...]]

I know what you mean, the good weather does make things a little better, I say that about the Covid19 lock down, it would have been way worse if it had happened in November.  Of course, we'll all need to keep vigilant until we see a reliable vaccine.

 

It sounds like you made it through the anxiety, I'd say you're doing very well so far.  I hope that big cut is kind to you, you should know fairly quickly if it's not going to be.  I think you're wise to slow it down after this.

[[RS...]]

Wow, that’s great April that you are able to go outside and get work done.  Funny how we are all different.  I purposely planned to jump in the winter.  (Easier to sleep, work and social calendar isn’t as busy.)

 

As mentioned before, take your time, no need to rush.  You are making solid progress and that is what counts.  Can’t wait to read your success story here!