Looking for input

[[En...]]

3 hours ago, [[B...] said:

I really appreciate all the time you took to share your careful words here

id say sleep is important so the 1 dose makes sense 

but the other makes sense as well

my Dr does what I ask…. He’s not informed about all this… he just prescribes

i just know I want to get off and have been uncertain about the best way

ive read so much and gotten confused

i dont want to harm myself by not doing what’s best

either way to get off of end up being on the one dose to reduce to get off

i could try the 2 doses and see

have you seen others stay on the 1 dose of Ativan and go from there? Because I’ve only ever taken 1 dose…

again

thank you

If you switch to Clonazepam you can get 0.5mg tablets that you can cut in half. They have cuts in them already so you know where the half of the tablet is. I use those and cut with a pill cutter I bought from the pharmacy. It has plastic guides in which the pill can be placed and you just close the lid and it cuts perfect in half. 

[[Ba...]]

Thanks so much.

I appreciate this feedback.

I will not updose but did through these 3 months…. I had taken prn for 8-10 years for migraines at 1/4-1/2?of .5. Then for sleep over the last 3 months.

im prett sick right now and unsure about what to do. Staying at .25 once a day is hurting my body…. I’m in constant withdrawal. I don’t know about holding bc I’m not feeling better. Actually I’ve been having this the whole 3 months but didn’t know it was the Ativan til a month ago…. Then started going up down 1/2-1/4-3/4-.5.

I just want off.

I can think about switching to Valium in hopes it would help.

thanks again for sharing.😊✨

[[En...]]

14 minutes ago, [[B...] said:

Thanks so much.

I appreciate this feedback.

I will not updose but did through these 3 months…. I had taken prn for 8-10 years for migraines at 1/4-1/2?of .5. Then for sleep over the last 3 months.

im prett sick right now and unsure about what to do. Staying at .25 once a day is hurting my body…. I’m in constant withdrawal. I don’t know about holding bc I’m not feeling better. Actually I’ve been having this the whole 3 months but didn’t know it was the Ativan til a month ago…. Then started going up down 1/2-1/4-3/4-.5.

I just want off.

I can think about switching to Valium in hopes it would help.

thanks again for sharing.😊✨

What you are feeling is tolerance withdrawal. Even at your regular dose that made you feel good before it is not enough now. You need to taper off. Lorazpam is not a good benzodiazepine to wean from because it is short acting. Switching to a longer acting benzodiazepine is suggested for tapering off. Clonazepam is stronger than lorazpam and valium is the weakest benzodiazepine. Both are long acting so you dont feel the withdrawal for about 3 days as compared to lorazpam which is within hours. 

[[Ba...]]

Ok

thank you so much

[[Ba...]]

I am just scared and confused. I’ve not wanted to change from the 1 dose bc it gave me atleast a few hours of sleep.

I wish I could just taper from there but probably can’t because I feel so sick.

I need to figure out what to do and do it  now so I can move forward.

Thabks again.

[[En...]]

13 minutes ago, [[B...] said:

I am just scared and confused. I’ve not wanted to change from the 1 dose bc it gave me atleast a few hours of sleep.

I wish I could just taper from there but probably can’t because I feel so sick.

I need to figure out what to do and do it  now so I can move forward.

Thabks again.

You can call your pharmacist that you get your meds from and ask them questions. I did that a lot in the beginning. You need to get off the lorazpam as it sounds like it is ruining your life and health. 

[[Ba...]]

Bring  that I’m at .25 of Ativan — what would the Valium equivalent be to that amount. I didn’t see that low dosage in the Ashton Manual charts?

[[Ba...]]

If you could direct me to a chart or something.

[[En...]]

22 minutes ago, [[B...] said:

If you could direct me to a chart or something.

https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/benzodiazepine-conversion

Go to lorazpam medium acting portion and add 0.25mg and all the conversions come up on each benzodiazepine shown. It looks like the equivalent valium is 1.9mg. 

[[Ba...]]

Ok

thank you so much 

[[En...]]

32 minutes ago, [[B...] said:

Ok

thank you so much 

I wish you good luck in whatever you decide to do. I hope you get off benzodiazepines all together and get back to the real you. This drug changes us and ot is like it causes an opposite reflection of who we really are. If you took this medication initially for something like anxiety or insomnia I highly suggest you take care of that issue while you are tapering off benzodiazepines as that issue will still be there when you are off benzodiazepines. It seems this drug is the go to for immediate short term relief but will create a long term problem. 

[[Ba...]]

Thanks so much.

I used it for migraines prn for years several times a month …. Then sleep in Feb til now bc I can’t get off now!!!

I appreciate your help and care.

[[Co...]]

12 hours ago, [[B...] said:

have you seen others stay on the 1 dose of Ativan and go from there? Because I’ve only ever taken 1 dose…

Some members stick to their dosing regimen; others change to more frequent dosing and/or switch to a longer-acting benzodiazepine. I generally suggest making as few changes as possible, as positive outcomes with any change are not guaranteed. So, in the first instance, I suggest sticking with the benzodiazepine you already take. And if you suffer from interdose withdrawal effects, split your daily dose into a greater number of smaller doses.

The short version: it varies and depends upon the situation. And as I wrote in my earlier post, you might gradually make the change (maybe across 10 days, or some such) to assess how you react.

[[Co...]]

16 hours ago, [[E...] said:

It may be worth it to switch over to a longer acting benzodiazepine like Valium or Clonazepam.

It remains an option, of course. But for the reasons I outlined in my previous post, I would suggest it more as a backup option.

16 hours ago, [[E...] said:

Lorazpam is short acting so you will feel the withdrawal symptoms fast. Also if you are cutting when you dont feel well it will compound your symptoms.

Hopefully, if @[Ba...] decides that he/she needs coverage over the middle of the day, the twice-a-day dosing will provide the answer.

And yes, within reason, hold off from new reductions to dose until you feel reasonably recovered from the previous reduction.

16 hours ago, [[E...] said:

When you make a cut do not updose and go backwards. You will kindle your brain and your future tapers will be more difficult. Hold until you feel better. I found it was about 14 days.

Yes, best avoided. But if a reduction was overly large/hasty and recent, a quick reversal is unlikely to cause any harm.

[[Co...]]

Just a quick note to add: because @[Ba...] is using scales to refine the size of doses, this gives added weight to the option of sticking with lorazepam, by redistributing the dose over the day. It might not be the answer, but it does mean there are fewer changes compared with substitution.

[[Ba...]]

I am just scared and confused. I’ve not wanted to change from the 1 dose bc it gave me atleast a few hours of sleep.

I wish I could just taper from there but probably can’t because I feel so sick.

I need to figure out what to do and do it  now so I can move forward.

Thabks again.

[[Ba...]]

I appreciate your help Colin. I am still so confused about my best option.

I’ve never been stable so I am not sure if I’m gonna get stable on lorazepam at all before reducing. I could try though.
I’ve already got this type of taper? Woukd I be able to get stable per day to cut or reduce? Even if I switched to Valium I might not be stable.

I read an article last night here about some people staying in a problematic withdrawal the whole way.

 

[[En...]]

3 hours ago, [[B...] said:

I appreciate your help Colin. I am still so confused about my best option.

I’ve never been stable so I am not sure if I’m gonna get stable on lorazepam at all before reducing. I could try though.
I’ve already got this type of taper? Woukd I be able to get stable per day to cut or reduce? Even if I switched to Valium I might not be stable.

I read an article last night here about some people staying in a problematic withdrawal the whole way.

See your Dr and ask what the best option  is for you. We are not Drs and only can give you advice based on our experiences. Call your pharmacist and speak with them. They are the most educated on medications. I was on Lorazpam at first as well and my Dr switched me to Clonazepam so I could taper. No it didnt stabilize me I actually got akathisia and couldn't sit down. It will be difficult to split 0.25mg throughout the day and you are in tolerance withdrawal. Your dose you are on is no longer helping you and you would need a higher dose to stabilize. 

[[Ba...]]

Ok

wow

seems like getting off would be the answer bc I am having so many symptoms

I agree I don’t think I will stabilize at that dose but wouldn’t want to updose

feel scared and stuck

 

[[En...]]

9 minutes ago, [[B...] said:

Ok

wow

seems like getting off would be the answer bc I am having so many symptoms

I agree I don’t think I will stabilize at that dose but wouldn’t want to updose

feel scared and stuck

 

Yes I remember that feeling stuck. You are not stuck you just need to figure out the best course of action to get off this drug so you can feel better. It is the drug that is doing this to you. You feel horrible all the time because of tolerance. Your body is used to this dose. I was like you and once I tapered down I started to feel better. Good news is that you are on a low dose. I was on 2mg and it took me 6 months to get down to 0.25mg and to start to function again. You may have to just bite the bullet and start reducing. You will not feel stabilized if you keep doing what you are doing. Even switching to a longer acting benzo won't stabalize you they all act the same. 

Like I said do some investigating and educate yourself on tapering. Read the Ashton manual and stay away from horror stories. Once you are off the drug you will begin to heal and feel better. The longer you stay on this drug and feel the way you do it will get harder to taper.

[[Ba...]]

Ok

thanks do much

i agree

ive read way too much and need to follow my own path and story

glad to hear you felt better once started reducing

the insomnia is the scariest part to me bc I’ve never have insomnia like this

if I don’t take that Ativan dose at night it’s like a sleep robber comes and steals sleep with scary thoughts and jolts and bolts

i know this will heaL one day but it’s scary

I’m having increased symptoms the last 2 days with my hands and feet and legs twitches and more 

its scaring me so much

and to not know if it will ever go away 

and then the fear of what’s the best right way

thankssssss🫶🪽🕊️☺️

 

 

[[En...]]

Just now, [[B...] said:

Ok

thanks do much

i agree

ive read way too much and need to follow my own path and story

glad to hear you felt better once started reducing

the insomnia is the scariest part to me bc I’ve never have insomnia like this

if I don’t take that Ativan dose at night it’s like a sleep robber comes and steals sleep with scary thoughts and jolts and bolts

i know this will heaL one day but it’s scary

I’m having increased symptoms the last 2 days with my hands and feet and legs twitches and more 

its scaring me so much

and to not know if it will ever go away 

and then the fear of what’s the best right way

thankssssss🫶🪽🕊️☺️

You will heal completely.  The drug lies to you and makes you feel like this is it. I went to the ER with chest pain only to find out everything is ok. I have numb toes which I though I had diabetes. Got a blood test and my blood sugar was great. Dont listen to the drug. You will heal completely. I have leg twitches too. It is a physical symptom. Just do what you can to get off the drug. Good luck 

[[Ka...]]

Hello @[Ba...] I don’t know what info you already have but link below might be good to digest slowly & may help explain questions you might have. Also, you could potentially share some of this with your prescriber: 

 

https://www.benzoinfo.com/benzodiazepine-tapering-strategies/

I hope you can move forward & find some stability. These tablets are very small but really deserve some respect in terms of their impact. Equivalent diazepam is x 10 so 0.25mg is worth 2.5mg diazepam for comparison. 

A few members have incurred similar issues with ativan. Even switching to diazepam to taper does not always work. I hope given the fluctuations in your dose you can be careful with measuring 0.25mg and subsequent reductions. Wish you well. 

 

[[Ba...]]

Thanks so much

ive read sooooooo much

probably too much

and STILL do not know what to do

i do know if I stay on Ativan it will keep harming me

i understand that about crossing over too to Valium 

in this situation there are no clear answers

except

SO I HAVE TO GET OFF!!!!

I’ve not had a smooth story of withdrawal so far so I don’t think I can make it smooth now

Thanks so much for sharing 

ps

i met w a coach benzo and she suggests daily tiny shaving off of the amount til finished 

just not sure 

 

[[Ka...]]

@[Ba...] agree you have to get off. 

Tiny shavings sound like a good plan. But these pills are tiny so be careful. 
Try not to worry or overthink - easier said than done & it’s really hard when you feel as you do. The best thing is you’ve approached this, @[Co...] & @[En...] have given really good support & you’ve gathered info.