Ativan / Zoloft

[[El...]]

First, I apologize, I mistyped...a 10% reduction would be 0.113 mg, not 0.103 mg.

And, of course, you can decide the reduction rate!  I guess I tend to be somewhat cautious at first, knowing I can always speed up my reductions and/or reduce the holding time between reductions further down the line.  But if I go too fast initially, there is the possibility of lengthy and painful results.  But this is your taper and you know better than anyone else what you are able to tolerate.  So, a 15% reduction would be an initial reduction to 0.106 mg.  A 20% reduction would be an initial reduction to 0.100 grams.

Please keep me posted and I hope all goes well!

[[Mt...]]

Thanks @[El...]! I'll post back and let you know 

[[Mt...]]

Hi @[El...] I might have spoken too soon. I had a zero hour insomnia spell last night, worst yet. I'm wondering should I push through this spell and hope the cravings pass or do I updose to 0.25mg? This is a hard decision as I really want to be off the Ativan but I'm afraid I fell into the trap and can't get out. I'm also afraid that if I stabilize at a hgher dosage, I could become tolerant at that hgher dosage and will need to updose again. 

 

 

 

[[El...]]

@[Mt...] I am not a doctor so I can only tell you what I would do if I was in your situation. You also know better than anyone how much you can tolerate. But, if it were me, I would probably not updose. As you have been only at this dose for 4-5 days (after a couple of very large 50% reductions) it is going to take some time for your body to adjust. Unfortunately, insomnia is a common withdrawal syndrome for some. Trying not to focus on it and developing strategies to cope with it (whether getting up and engaging in some calming activities or, if you can, just trying to rest easily in bed) are ways people get through a period of insomnia. It is likely that your rapid and large reductions have caught up with you and your body is merely signalling you to slow time and let your central nervous system catch up.  I can assure you that sleep will eventually return...but, sadly, it may be an unwelcome and recurring visitor during your taper.

I think your concern about updosing and becoming tolerate, only to need to updose again, is a legitimate concern and is a good reason for trying to “tough it out”.

So, I guess, my advise would be to hold on for a least 3-5 more days. If you see no improvement, you can revisit the issue once again.

Hope your day is improving!

 

[[Mt...]]

Thank you so much @[El...], this is encouraging. Its good to have some reassurance that I am doing the right thing by holding.

 

I'll post back with updates. Have a good day. 

[[Mt...]]

Does anyone have any experience with zero sleep days, perhaps consecutively? Any coping mechanisms? I'm afraid it'll drive me mad to go this long without sleep. 

[[El...]]

I am so very sorry you are experiencing such bad insomnia. As I mentioned before, it is a sad reality for many presently on/or tapering benzos.

There are many and varied recommended ideas for coping. They include: meditation, distraction techniques (examples are reading, listening to music, watching a movie or favorite television program, playing games such as solitaire, engaging in an enjoyable hobby, exercising, etc.), maintaining a healthy diet, limiting or avoiding caffiene and alcohol, taking a warm bath, maintaining good sleep hygiene, limiting “blue” light before bed, using supplements or OTC remedies, etc.

I also experience seasons of insomnia. For me, it basically comes down to accepting it and not focusing on it. Some people are able to stay in bed, relax, and eventually sleep. Personally, if I lay in bed, I just ruminate and worry. So, if I do not fall asleep within an hour of going to bed or after walking up during the night, I just get up. Often I can read until I feel sleepy enough to try again. But if I am restless, I have been known to clean portions of the house, cook dinner for that day and store it in the refrigerator, go for a walk or work in my garden if it is near dawn, or swim laps if it is after 4 am and my gym is open. I avoid OTC remedies as they seem to only have a very limited benefit (and I certainly do not want to get reliant on another medication). I also avoid napping even if I have had a particularly “bad” night. But, most of all, I find that I do eventually sleep. It might not be 6-8 hours. But I am happy with even 2-3 hours (even if it is only choppy sleep). Amazingly, when I stopped fretting about it, I found I could survive on a less sleep than I thought I needed.

You may have to do some experimenting to find what works for you. Or it may be that you just have to “wait it out” and/or reach stability at your present dose. I am certain you will not go "mad" with little or no sleep!  You will sleep eventually. Our bodies are programmed to require sleep. I am certain sleep will come, you just need a lot of patience and some time.

 

[[Mt...]]

Thanks for this @[El...] you've been more than helpful! Appreciate your insight. 

Unfortunately I had to updose to 0.5 - I began to experience trembling, teeth chattering last night. I needed to go back up to sleep and the 0.5mg dose helped. I realize now that I tapered far too fast even for my short period of time on the Ativan. I will need to restart at 0.5mg and take it slower now. I hope I didn't disturb my CNS with these rapid changes. Hard to believe my body succumbed to dependency so quickly. 

That said I have your tips and tricks from earlier to continue forward with a slower taper. I am also considering the Ativan to Valium switch to make the tapering process easier. 

[[El...]]

Congratulations for making a decision to updose.  It is so very hard to make these decisions when we don't feel well and we feel "muddled".

I do hope you achieve some sense of stability on your new dose.  If you should decide to transition to Valium, I just caution you to start that transition from a position of stability.  If you are unstable and then encounter difficulties during your transition, you will not know if it from the transition, difficulties with Valium, or from further withdrawal effects from Ativan.

Let me know how it goes!

[[Mt...]]

Yes, it was a hard decision but I knew I had made a mistake by tapering too quickly so why suffer. Hopefully less suffering with slower taper.