1,25mg Lorazepam at evening/night for 10 years, how to taper?

[[Dr...]]

I don't have a scale.

 

And they are 2,5mg tablets, I already break them in two.

 

How do I taper?

 

Break in 2, then use a knife to cut the remaining 0,25 mg off so I have a 1mg piece?

 

Thx in advance.

[Guest [ba...]]

You're going to want a scale.  There's a decent little milligram scale available from Amazon (Gemini-20).  Costs about $22. 

 

Then you'll weight 10 pills to obtain an average pill weight.

 

Then you can calculate and weight out desired pill weights depending on how quickly you want to make your cuts. 

 

Do you feel a need for daytime coverage or do you just need it to help you get to sleep??

[[Ko...]]

Hi Drecky!

 

If it would help, there is a lorazepam liquid 2 mg/mL oral concentrate.  Comes in a 30 mL bottle with a calibrated dropper (graduations of 0.25 mL [0.5 mg], 0.5 mL [1 mg], 0.75 mL [1.5 mg] and 1 mL [2 mg] on the dropper). 

 

The concentrate can be added to a known volume of water to make a less concentrated solution.  From that, you could draw the volume needed to deliver your target dose. Any diluted concentrate not immediately consumed is discarded, so you would need to make fresh solution twice daily. 

 

https://docs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/Prescribing%20Information/PIs/Roxane/Lorazepam/Lorazepam%20Intensol.pdf

 

As you get down to very low doses, this method might be easier than dry cutting. 

 

Good luck to you!

[[Dr...]]

You're going to want a scale.  There's a decent little milligram scale available from Amazon (Gemini-20).  Costs about $22. 

 

Then you'll weight 10 pills to obtain an average pill weight.

 

Then you can calculate and weight out desired pill weights depending on how quickly you want to make your cuts. 

 

Do you feel a need for daytime coverage or do you just need it to help you get to sleep??

 

A scale is on the shopping list. Noted.

 

Also some kind of spatel?

https://www.deoplosmiddelspecialist.nl/images/artikel/02794/spatel-12cm.JPG

 

If you pulverize the benzo, where to put in the powder? Some kind of satchel ?

Mostly at nighttime, when I'm going outside for a long time, for example a train ride to work I have an emergency benzo in the wallet. But now with covid I'm home.

 

Hi Drecky!

 

If it would help, there is a lorazepam liquid 2 mg/mL oral concentrate.  Comes in a 30 mL bottle with a calibrated dropper (graduations of 0.25 mL [0.5 mg], 0.5 mL [1 mg], 0.75 mL [1.5 mg] and 1 mL [2 mg] on the dropper). 

 

The concentrate can be added to a known volume of water to make a less concentrated solution.  From that, you could draw the volume needed to deliver your target dose. Any diluted concentrate not immediately consumed is discarded, so you would need to make fresh solution twice daily. 

 

https://docs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/Prescribing%20Information/PIs/Roxane/Lorazepam/Lorazepam%20Intensol.pdf

 

As you get down to very low doses, this method might be easier than dry cutting. 

 

Good luck to you!

 

Ah damn, I don't think a liquid form is available in my country.

 

Thanks for the information, peopel.

[[Ko...]]

 

Ah damn, I don't think a liquid form is available in my country.

 

 

 

I'm sorry. 

 

But hey--they wouldn't want to make benzo tapering too easy, would they? 

[Guest [ba...]]

You can buy a spatula if you want, but a small knife or even a screwdriver might also work for you.  You don't have to spend a lot of money.

 

You can break pieces for weighing or you can crush the pill (or do a little of both).  Keep the pieces dry and they should be good for days/weeks (probably months).  Any air-tight container will do.  Keep out of heat/sunlight.  If you refrigerate, you should warm the container to room temperature before you open it.  Else, moisture collects inside of the vial. 

 

If you feel that you benefit most from using the drug for sleep, then maybe continue using at bedtime, but very slowly reduce your dose. 

 

The more classic approach is to cross-over to a longer-lasting benzo such as valium and do a slow taper.  That would provide more daytime coverage, but probably worse sleep onset.  That's why I asked about when you felt you most benefitted from the drug. 

 

Eventually, your sleep will probably start being affected.  Some degree of insomnia is common - especially for those of us who took the stuff for sleep.  Do what you can to remain calm if that happens.  It's a phase that many of us have to work thru.  The calmer you can remain, the less 'stuff' you'll need to deal with.  So now (before you start your taper) is a good time to develop coping and mindfulness skills.