HOW to get off???

[[Qu...]]

Hi, all--I have been on benzos for approx 13 years. I am currently on .25-.5 of Ativan daily. Sometimes I end up taking more like .75-1. It depends. Prior to that, I was on Xanax .25 daily, though I would sometimes get as high as .5, some days. My psychiatrists have not supported my getting off. They convince me that I'm on such a small amount that it will do more harm then good to get off at this point. I don't even know where to start. I can't go to any recovery groups because I don't meet the criteria for addiction. But I AM dependent. I wish I had never started. Please tell me it's possible to do this without quitting work and going into an anxiety/depression spiral!

[[Br...]]

Hello @[Qu...] - Welcome to BenzoBuddies!  We're glad you found us!

We many members who took benzos for years, including Ativan, and were able to taper carefully.  It's absolutely possible.  This isn't to say you won't experience any withdrawal symptoms but with a sensible, cautious taper you can keep symptoms to a minimum so you're able to function in your daily life.

Many of us can relate to your wish that you never started.  This is a community that understands this and getting support from others who get it can make a world of difference.

Have your doctors given you any reasons why they think you're better off staying on Ativan, other than you're on what they view as a small amount?

If you would like tapering guidance, I suggest you start a thread on the Benzodiazepine Taper Strategies forum.

I believe you'll find information here that will help you feel confident that you can accomplish this.

We're glad you're here! 

[[Qu...]]

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I think my psych believes that the amount I am on is negligible and that if it gives me relief, it is not worth struggling to come off of. That is my sense. He has explained that such a small dose poses little risk. He did switch me from Xanax to Ativan when I asked, and I plan to ask to reduce the dosage next session. I will check out the strategies. I have downloaded The Ashton Manual and have scanned it. I will see what others say about how they have been successful. Thanks you for the info and support.

[[...]]

It's possible to get off. You just have to make up your mind. Take it real slow. Learn and practice stress management techniques. 

Your doctor doesn't want you to get off?

Will he write you a years worth of prescriptions? Or do you have to go and pay his fee each time you need a refill? Hmmm...

If you do decide to be free of benzos, you don't have to tell the prescriber that you are quitting. Just dispose of the extra when you are free 

Good luck

Edited April 4 by [...]

[[Ka...]]

13 hours ago, [[Q...] said:

Hi, all--I have been on benzos for approx 13 years. I am currently on .25-.5 of Ativan daily. Sometimes I end up taking more like .75-1. It depends. Prior to that, I was on Xanax .25 daily, though I would sometimes get as high as .5, some days. My psychiatrists have not supported my getting off. They convince me that I'm on such a small amount that it will do more harm then good to get off at this point. I don't even know where to start. I can't go to any recovery groups because I don't meet the criteria for addiction. But I AM dependent. I wish I had never started. Please tell me it's possible to do this without quitting work and going into an anxiety/depression spiral!

Hello @[Qu...] my experience of ativan was clouded by erratic dosage. That was some years ago & I am not taking it now.

I wonder if your fluctuations in daily dose can be changed to one fixed baseline dose rather than historic dose between .25 to 1mg? I’ve learn to respect this pills impact - although is small in size is equivalent to 10mg diazepam. 
Yes, your psychiatrist is right you’re on a low dose but it may no longer be working over time & providing much in way of therapeutic benefit but just driving the dependence.  

Edited April 4 by [Ka...]

[[re...]]

Katrina is right on with the steady dosing. These up and down doses cause major issues to the brain as it likes predictability so I would at any cost try and stop going up and down or take "emergency doses" That crap is gonna wear off then you are in a world of trouble. 

I can't believe doctors still allow this to happen with the "as needed" nonsense. It becomes so much trouble down the road that way and I have found over and over again the erratic dosing causes the most issue. Titrate up/titrate down steady is a way better method than what these doctors suggest. You might as well freaking drink alcohol to calm down when needed (being sarcastic somewhat here, but not wholly) if the doctors can't see the dangers of erratic dosing. 

[[Re...]]

 

@[Qu...] If your doctor disagrees with your decision about tapering off your benzo, you may consider finding another prescriber who will agree to a patient-led taper. Alternatively, you can inform your doctor that you are taking the regular dose while quietly tapering off on your own with help from experienced members of this forum who are knowledgeable about tapering. After all, I can almost guarantee the doctors will not give you the right tapering advice. Read enough stories around her and we all have the same experiences with these doctors. 

 

If a doctor thinks you are a liability in any way, that is when they may cold turkey you or prescribe multiple drugs, which can complicate benzo withdrawal and neurotoxic harm from these drugs. As patients, once we realize the situation we are in, we need to take responsibility for what we tell our doctors to avoid such situations. The lack of education and understanding of benzo harm and withdrawal in the medical field is the root of the problem, but this failure won't change overnight. It's best to keep things simple with these doctors, as they tend to over-prescribe. 

 

The most important thing is to educate yourself about benzos and the process of deprescribing. Here are some tips:

 

• Visit the Benzo Information Coalition website.
• Read the new guidebook on Amazon by deprescribing expert Dr. Mark Horowitz, released this year. Dr. Horowitz does take clients. 
•  Consult with a benzo cessation coach. Angela Peacock and Melissa Boutilier are popular as they both were polydrugged and experienced severe withdrawal symptoms and know a lot about possible adverse reactions. Angela travels around the US teaching doctors how to deprescribe, she is a deprescribing expert and a prominent voice in the psych med harm community. Both Angela and Melissa are pro-healing, not pro take more drugs or staying on your drugs if you want to get off. Dr. Jennifer Leigh is also someone people like to work with but she does not have the same knowledge about the drugs as Angie and Melissa. Dan Landauer is wonderful for emotional support. Make sure your coach is off all drugs if that is important to you. These coaches have been off of everything for quite some time.
• Watch Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring's YouTube channel as there is helpful symptom and tapering information there. He does take clients. He has a coach named Nicole Lamberson who works with him who was a Physician's Assistant and went through protracted withdrawal. Many patients find her an excellent choice for support when working with him. 
• Watch the film Medicating Normal and Lisa Ling's The Benzos Crisis from This Is Life with Lisa Ling.
• Lastly, avoid hospitals, detoxes, and rehabs as they harm patients by ripping them off of benzos way too quickly.
• Keep in mind that anything you take while tapering can complicate or lengthen the time of benzo withdrawal. You need to be aware of this fact so you make informed decisions. The Benzo Information Coalition has a comprehensive list of vitamins, herbs, and prescription drugs that can cause problems. Treatments like Ketamine, TMS, and ECT can also be damaging along with treatments that can seem benign so do your research.
• In regards to tapering information, it is worth noting that The Ashton Manual was written 25 years ago and has not been updated. 

 

I hope this information is helpful. It took me hours of research to gather all of this, and I wish someone had told me this upfront before I decided how to taper. 

 

I guarantee that you will know more than your doctor after all of your research but don't be surprised if they gaslight you or tell you to "stop consulting Dr. Google" or our groups. So many of us have had this experience, especially with psychiatrists or mental health facilities. Don't listen to them. The problem is them not you.

 

If you start to have symptoms they also love to say it is a reemergence of underlying mental issues or emergence of new ones. The chemical imbalance theory has been debunked. You can look this up.

 

Just tune them out -- they truly don't know what they are talking about with few exceptions of those health providers who are our biggest advocates like Dr. David Healy, Witt-Doerring, Horowitz, Gøtzsche, etc. You can find many of these voices in the prescribed harm community on X.

 

Overall, stay informed and listen to your intuition. You know who you are and who you are not. Don't lose sight of that.

 

YOU CAN DO THIS.

 

I wish you all the best on your journey.

 

Edited April 6 by [Re...]

[[Qu...]]

Thank you all SO MUCH for the words of encouragement and advice. I am going to make a plan and start soon. I will continue to check in. 

[[re...]]

Rebecca has amazing info in that post. I am impressed at that detail and everything. I agree with all she has said. 

All those recommendations are all you need in this. Keep in touch and let us all know how you do.