Insomnia ativan or valium

[[VE...]]

Trying to get off 2 mg ativan at bedtime fir insomnia, makes me sleep but feel withdrawal by late afternoon. Will switching to equivalent dose of valium work for sleep? If it does when and if I decide to start taper it will be easier being on the valium. Thanks

[[Pa...]]

Hi VEGERs,

No wonder I didn't see your post, it was in an area of the forum reserved for discussion of topics of general interest or studies, I've moved it.

It sounds like you're dealing with interdose withdrawal, Ativan is short acting and members will mention when they've become tolerant to their prescribed dose isn't enough to last them to their next.  To get around this, most Ativan users will dose 2 or 3 times a day but this will most likely impact your sleep.

Crossing to Valium is a way to avoid this situation and I'm told tapering from can be more less painful because it comes in smaller tablets and because its so long acting.  Crossing can be challenging in terms of its side effects of sedation and depression but most will acclimate and do okay.  Some aren't able to adjust and end up going back to their original medication.

You can use this to help you determine an equivalent dose or Professor Ashton determined that 1 mg Ativan roughly equals 10 mgs Valium.

 

[[VE...]]

Thank you 😊 

[[PG...]]

Agree with everything @[Pa...] said

I went basically cold turkey off Ativan and it was rough. Once you start noticing interdose withdrawal symptoms, it's a good sign to start thinking about other options. Tapering and/or switching to Valium can definitely help.

There are so many helpful posts on here, good luck and feel free to keep us posted

[[Pa...]]

42 minutes ago, [[V...] said:

Thank you 😊 

I forgot to provide this link. Benzodiazepine Equivalents Conversion Calculator - ClinCalc.com

 

[[VE...]]

What side effects of sedation are you referring  to exactly? I'm basically taking for insomnia so the sedation part sounds  good but does it cause depression? I've never been depressed.

[[Pa...]]

@[VE...], the depression members have discussed seems pretty intense but short lived as they get used to the Valium.  One member who is in the process of crossing to Valium described it this way.

"And btw, I haven’t experienced anything extreme, just minor stuff, well, the depression from the V at first was like some of the worst despair I’ve ever felt. That’s been diminishing though."