Tappering Ativan 1mg after short term use (3.5 weeks)

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My primary care doctor prescribed Ativan 1mg 3.5 weeks ago for insomnia during my covid illness. With Ativan, I was able to sleep 7 hours at least, even if only with short interruptions and heavy dreaming all night.

My doctor said that under 4 weeks of taking Ativan I can stop without dose reduction and bad withdrawal symptoms. 

So yesterday I did not take any dose. The night was a little worse than with 1mg of Ativan and today I feel completely beside myself, have dizziness & can't leave the house. In return the brain fog, head pressure and dry eyes is gone, which probably came from Ativan. 

Should I better reduce the dose from 1 to 0.5 for the next few nights contrary to what my doctor said. My next appointment is not until 10/9. 

Thanks for help regarding tappering for short term use.

 

[[de...]]

Welcome to Benzo Buddies!   Glad you are here!    Even though you were on Ativan for only 3.5 weeks, it appears, by the way your body responded to not taking it for a night, that you will need to do a taper.    There are others here who will advise you as to how that taper should be done, but stopping abruptly is never recommended.   Unfortunately, your doctor may not be benzo wise, and does not realize that someone can become physically dependent even after only taking it for a few weeks.   

We usually recommend 5%-10% every couple of weeks.    

[[Pa...]]

As @[de...] mentioned, dependence can happen fast, we typically suggest reducing by 5-10% for long term users but given you’ve only been on it for a few weeks, it might be a good idea to do a rapid taper.  Taking .5 or even .75 might be a little more manageable, you’re not going to feel good but you may function a little better.  You could hold this dose for about a week, then reduce a little more.  Tapering is all about finding the right way for you, so paying attention to your symptom severity is important. 

 

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Thank you so much @[Pa...] for your helpful reply. 

Will give it at try with 0.75 first and going down week by week together with acupuncture treatment what probably helps with withdrawal symptoms and sleep disorders. 

[[Pa...]]

Sounds good @[...], just keep a record of your reductions and symptoms so you can make educated decisions about when and what to reduce, a symptom based taper can keep us functioning.  

I probably should have asked before recommending a rapid taper, have you ever taken and discontinued benzodiazepines in the past, this will have an impact on your situation. 

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Thanks for asking @[Pa...]

No, I have never taken benzodiazepines before and have no experience with discontinued in the past. 

 

[[Pa...]]

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Good to hear! Thanks for all the helpful information & your help @[Pa...]
I appreciate this very much! 

I will definitely keep you posted on how it goes for me so others can benefit from the experience. 

 

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@[Pa...] After a week of tapering, here is a brief overview of my experience:

10/1 - 10/6 approx. 0.75mg.
Drowsiness & fatigue the first 3 days, no appetite. Worked in homeoffice for 6 hours/day. Slept 7 hours/night with one interruption. After 4 days I felt stabilized. 

Since 7.10. 0.5mg
Bladder hurts bit, Drowsiness, fatigue & some inner restlessness. This morning I felt much better already. Slept 6.5 hours on 7.10. and only 4.5 hours last night. 

I meditate several times a day, which calms me down enormously. On Friday an acupuncture treatment which took away some stress & tension and so far a good sleep. 

But since about 1.5 weeks I seem to have a histamine problem. Eating is almost impossible. This may also be caused by Long Covid, which unfortunately still accompanies me.  

All in all, the symptoms seem to be contained so far & are bearable. Except of course for the insomnia and the food intolerance. 

I will be going down to 0.25 mg on Monday (9/10) and would like to stop taking it on Friday (10/13). 

My doctor wants to switch me to mirtazapine for the insomnia, but I'm going to pass on that & look for other ways to get back to sleep. 

If I have managed so far without bad symptoms, can I assume from your experience that I will also get through the rest fairly easily or should I taper more slowly? 

Have doctors appointment tomorrow to discuss but unfortunately he is no big help.  

 

 

 

[[Pa...]]

It’s good to hear from you @[...], it sounds like things are going well, or as well as can be expected.  Your inability to eat concerns me, but I’ve seen this happen a lot.  Are you nauseous or are you reacting to certain foods, it sounds like this has carried over from your Covid?

I’m actually kind of relieved you’re not interested in other medications at this time, I’ve seen some members struggling with their Mirtazapine withdrawals.

I’m of the belief that your recovery will be much like your taper, at least this is what I’ve seen in my time here.  You’ll most likely experience some acute symptoms for a week or so once you jump but I hope they’ll be manageable.  

You may be able to continue tapering at this rate, your symptoms seem to be indicating this. 

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@[Pa...] Thank you so much for your fast reply & your opinion. 

I react to certain foods rich in histamine with headaches, stuffy nose, diarrhea, itchy mouth but no nausea. But my husband is taking good care of me & has been cooking as histamine free as possible since few days. I also think it may be a Covid problem as Covid is also known for histamine problems. Will discuss it with the doctor tomorrow. 

I am also assuming that I will hopefully get off lightly from my short course of Ativan. I took a sick leave at work so I can jump without pressure. 

How about cbd/weed smoking once I am off of Ativan. Before my covid illness 8 weeks ago I was an occasional smoker which always helped me sleep well. I am finding different opinions on this. 

 

[[Pa...]]

I’m happy to know your husband has been helping you and thank you for explaining what you’re dealing with.  

I’ve read different experiences among members about the use of cannabis, some it helps, others not so much.  I would think you’d be okay to resume it given you have experience with it, and I’m assuming you’ll stick to the Indica strains.  Your time on the Ativan was so brief, I’m hoping this will just be a helpful learning experience, not a total life disruption those taking it long term endure. 

[[Ya...]]

@[...] how are you?
What are your symptoms now?

 

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@[Ya...] Thanks for asking!

 

After jumping two weeks ago, I was doing surprisingly well. The first few nights I had strange thoughts, head pressure and my heart was beating fast. However, with beta blockers, the symptoms calmed down.

I slept 5-6 hours at the beginning. For the last three nights, however, I have been waking up after 2 hours and can no longer fall asleep, which is very stressful right now. I don't feel tired at all during the day even though I hardly slept. However, since my sleep problem was originally caused by Covid I can't currently assess if it is actually a withdrawal symptom. 

In any case, I feel much better mentally since stopping. I didn't realize while taking Ativan that the crying spells & depressive moods & anxiety were caused by the medication. 

I hope my sleep will come back soon. I will try hypnosis this week. Acupuncture has unfortunately brought me no effect. 

 

[[Ya...]]

@[ س...] Did you take one or two pill per day? (divided pill)

 

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I took 1 pill 1mg in the evening

[[ha...]]

Are u ok now 

[[Pa...]]

Hello @[ha...], welcome to BenzoBuddies!

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Hi @[ha...] I am okay now. Hope, you are fine too!