Need hope, feeling so hopeless

[[Qu...]]

Heya everyone. 
 

so I’ve been on an as needed dose of ativan for about a year. My doctor gave me 30 pills last June, had 5 left until 3 weeks ago. 
Started having extreme anxiety over a medical issue i have. Started taking ativan again, had a panic attack so bad i went to the ER where get injected me with it too. That was 4/19 which I’m counting as my start date. 
 

since then, so just 3 weeks, I’ve taken anywhere from .5 to 2 mg on 15 of those days. 
 

i took 1.5 mg tonight because I’ve been experiencing extreme insomnia and thought that would knock me out. It hasn’t, hence I’m here. 
 

i want to get off this drug if it’s not even going to do anything for my insomnia. I thankfully haven’t had a panic attack that required one in about 5 days the last few days I’ve just been using it to sleep. 
 

do i need to taper? I don’t want to be on it a second longer than required. I did have a solid 5 days in the middle where i didn’t take any, but then things happened and now it’s been daily for 7 days. So in the past 3 weeks i used it for 8 days, stopped for 4, and started again now at day 7. 
i think that maths right. Its midnight and im exhausted with a pounding headache and can’t sleep. 
 

please tell me im going to be ok. 

[[...]]

@[Qu...], hi and welcome to Benzobuddies!)

First of all, yes! You're going to be ok. You haven't been taking benzo systematically and the term of its use isn't too long. Most probably you won't have much difficulty getting off it but, if anything weird for a while in the beginning, it will subside over time. My guess is it won't take you too long to get over the withdrawal.

By my experience and according to what i've read, poor sleep, headaches, panic attacks, etc can be caused exactly by benzo, especially if taken for more than a few weeks but all the issues induced by benzo must resolve on their own in the end. Sure you have to deal with the health issue you were prescribed Ativan for as well.

I think you do need to taper off ativan. I'd try a short taper first. Hope other members will join in and give you their thoughts on the most suitable taper rate. I'm personally not too good at tapering, although somehow managed my own...)

Good Luck and smooth healing to you!)

[[Gr...]]

Welcome to benzo buddies like Kate you’re definitely in the right place. You will experience some withdrawal symptoms as well as some symptoms of bind is short for benzodiazepine induced neurological dysfunction Some of us experience, the same symptoms or some of us have totally different symptoms. I encourage you to do some research on tapering you can reach out to those who have had successful tapers wishing you the best in recovery. I know you’re scared right now, but I promise you you will get better. all of us have been where you’re at at one time it can be terrifying hanging in there just keep talking about what you’re going through and reaching out to others. Your fellow buddy.