Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[Si...]]

Definitely you can get caught from Ativan (Lorazepam) in a very short period. It was 2-1/2 weeks (15 1mg pills altogether) that got me. I ended at about 5 weeks on as I tried to rapid taper for 2-1/2 weeks before just c/t'ing altogether. Feeling A LOT better now that I'm 2 months off. I still have some healing to do and occasionally still have some issues, but nowhere near what it was. 

 

Good luck with your tapering!

[[Co...]]

So ive been on.5mg ativan for about 4 months now and taking .5mg split into four doses a day. I couldnot tolerate it when i gotdown to .35mg split it o fourdoses. I dont know if i titrated down to fast or if i developed tolerance or if my cuts were too innacurate.

 

I got my doctor to give me valium and have now gone back to my starting dose of .5mg ativan split into four doses and trying to crossover to valium taking 1/8 of 5mg pill at night. Its been about 1.5 weeks and the valium is helping the ativan wd shmptoms but also giving me other new symptoms like severe fatigue, feel like im losimg my mind (REAALY FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO SNAP), amnesia, and som e occasional migraines. 

 

Should i continue with the valium or try and taper off ativan again , but with liquid compound since my dose is so small. Or is there a differnt crosover benzo i could try?

 

Im feeling really hopeless and stuck.

 

Is it possible to even taper off ativan alone

 

 

Did you have Interdose wd at 0.5? Did you drop straight from 0.5 to 0.35?Perhaps at 0.35 was too quick a drop rather than Interdose.

[[Ki...]]

That's great Siggy - I hope you have continued healing. Keep us posted and looking forward to reading your success story 

[[Si...]]

That's great Siggy - I hope you have continued healing. Keep us posted and looking forward to reading your success story 

 

Sure, will do! Mulling doing a success story at some point even though I'm not at 100% yet. Once I can drink beer again without much problem, I'll consider myself closer to 100%. 

[[Sa...]]

I'm back in a world of hurt after a 0.01 drop. Heavy head vibrations and my skin is melting off lol. Caca sleep last night. I really hope I'm going to get some relief soon.

 

Cosmic, I honestly believe this is simply the nature of tapering. I always felt my drops in my head, almost immediately. They lasted about 24 hours, then cleared. Good to see you moving down again

[[Sa...]]

That's great Siggy - I hope you have continued healing. Keep us posted and looking forward to reading your success story 

 

Sure, will do! Mulling doing a success story at some point even though I'm not at 100% yet. Once I can drink beer again without much problem, I'll consider myself closer to 100%. 

 

Nice job, Siggy! I love your standard for 100% 

[[Si...]]

That's great Siggy - I hope you have continued healing. Keep us posted and looking forward to reading your success story 

 

Sure, will do! Mulling doing a success story at some point even though I'm not at 100% yet. Once I can drink beer again without much problem, I'll consider myself closer to 100%. 

 

Nice job, Siggy! I love your standard for 100% 

 

Well, I like to keep it scientific. 

[[Om...]]

Thanks for the insight guys.

 

I'm really starting to lose my visual clarity. Is this something that's permanent? I was 20 20 and I'm having trouble focusing in on anything 2 meters away

 

My vision got a bit worse as well and I ended up needing slightly stronger glasses

 

Im going to try and start my taper Monday. How long should I take a full strength liquid solution before I start making cuts?

[[dr...]]

Hi all,

 

I decided to take route with diazepam crossover, after a great week with dividing doses during the day, the things were nasty again and my morning anxiety came back stronger than ever, along with usual symptoms. Same dose, same timing...different feeling. According to Ashton manual I took first dose of diazepam today and found immediate relief. Its very early to say still, but I didnt have any other choice...

I hope you are all well and keep going...I will follow this thread also along with Valium support group.

[[sn...]]

Hi,

 

I'm in tolerance withdrawal and wanting to start my taper next week.  I'm in such bad shape because of the tolerance withdrawals.  How did yall manage to taper if you were already withdrawing?  I'm a complete mess.  No memory at all and see my signature line for my symptoms now.  This drug is making me a basket case.  Is there anything to help?

 

God bless everyone and healing,

Deborah

[[So...]]

Just stopping by to say hello to my fellow Ativaner's!!!

 

Hope all is going well with your tapers, and I see that some of you are off now. CONGRATS!!! 

 

My taper is still going pretty smooth. As long as I can keep the stresses of life at bay, I am able to keep my heart issue calmer.

 

But, I have lost a few family members since this all started, and most recently our beloved pet Chihuahua of 13 years.

 

We now have two new little Chihuahua pups and they are keeping the house lively!!! 

 

Let's keep up the tapers and get off of this crap for life!!! WE CAN DO IT!!!! 

 

Hugs,

 

Nana 

[[Ki...]]

Dready - I'm glad you found something that you feel will work for you. It doesn't matter what the benzo is that you choose to taper from, we are still all in this together. Please do keep us posted on your journey 

 

Omni - I would think holding for a week would be sufficient. The nice thing with Ativan is that you would likely know in a day or two if it was going to work for you. I think you'll do great on this method 

 

Nana - I'm glad to hear that you are feeling well while your dose continues to go down. That's awesome 

 

Snow - I'm sorry you find yourself needing to be here, but welcome to the thread. Firstly, is like to say that it saddens me tremendously to see someone on 6mg of Ativan. That is medical malpractice as far as I'm concerned. I believe the reason you are feeling depressed and weepy and like a "basket case" is because of the high dose. I was the same was on 2mg and that lifted for me as soon as I got under 1mg. The other issue is that you are on some fairly heavy adjunct medications and it's hard to know which drug is causing your symptoms. One thing that you will read/see/hear over and over on this forum is that nothing will heal us but time. I'm glad you've decided to start to taper although, like I said, I'm not sure it tolerance withdrawal that is the issue. I see people in tolerance tapering quicker than people who aren't. Only you can decide. Have you come up with a taper plan yet? If so, do you mind sharing it with us? 

[[Om...]]

Thanks Kiddo I think ill do a 3-5 day hold and see where it goes. With Ativans short half life, I should be able to tell fairly quickly.

 

 

I'd also just like to say how relieved and happy I am to see how everyone here is trying to be positive (to the best of their abilities) and those of you with a bit of knowledge and insight are sharing it with others. I believe if we all stay strong, trust in God (if you are a believer), and lean on/help each other, we can make it through this mess.

 

 

[[Sa...]]

Hi all,

 

I decided to take route with diazepam crossover, after a great week with dividing doses during the day, the things were nasty again and my morning anxiety came back stronger than ever, along with usual symptoms. Same dose, same timing...different feeling. According to Ashton manual I took first dose of diazepam today and found immediate relief. Its very early to say still, but I didnt have any other choice...

I hope you are all well and keep going...I will follow this thread also along with Valium support group.

 

Dready, the very best of luck to you!  Keep in touch 

[[Sa...]]

Hi,

 

I'm in tolerance withdrawal and wanting to start my taper next week.  I'm in such bad shape because of the tolerance withdrawals.  How did yall manage to taper if you were already withdrawing?  I'm a complete mess.  No memory at all and see my signature line for my symptoms now.  This drug is making me a basket case.  Is there anything to help?

 

God bless everyone and healing,

Deborah

 

Hi Snow,

 

I just took a quick look at your signature. I think I'd like to hear a little more detail, you're on 6 mgs of Ativan , and a lot of other medicines that in my mind could be causing some issues as well.

 

What was your starting dose, how quickly did you move up to 6 mgs?

 

Mairin was another member on a high dose of Ativan. She just posted her success story yesterday. I'm telling you so you don't feel this is an impossible task. I hear a lot of frustration in your post, and I'm sorry.

 

I believe you'll feel better as your dose is lower. Have you considered which type of taper you'd like to do?

 

I hope you can give us more details about your medical situation. This is not an impossible task, yes tapering is difficult, but in my mind, well worth the effort.

 

Saga

[[Sa...]]

Just stopping by to say hello to my fellow Ativaner's!!!

 

Hope all is going well with your tapers, and I see that some of you are off now. CONGRATS!!! 

 

My taper is still going pretty smooth. As long as I can keep the stresses of life at bay, I am able to keep my heart issue calmer.

 

But, I have lost a few family members since this all started, and most recently our beloved pet Chihuahua of 13 years.

 

We now have two new little Chihuahua pups and they are keeping the house lively!!! 

 

Let's keep up the tapers and get off of this crap for life!!! WE CAN DO IT!!!! 

 

Hugs,

 

Nana 

 

Hi Nana, thanks for the congrats! I'm entering my week 3 off, I'm doing well!

 

I'm so sorry about your family members and your dog, that must've been difficult. I'm sure the puppies keep you busy    I'm glad your taper is going well, I'm always glad when you stop in

 

Saga

[[Sa...]]

Thanks Kiddo I think ill do a 3-5 day hold and see where it goes. With Ativans short half life, I should be able to tell fairly quickly.

 

 

I'd also just like to say how relieved and happy I am to see how everyone here is trying to be positive (to the best of their abilities) and those of you with a bit of knowledge and insight are sharing it with others. I believe if we all stay strong, trust in God (if you are a believer), and lean on/help each other, we can make it through this mess.

 

 

 

Very nice Omni! I like to keep a positive vibe as well. This may be difficult, but it's not impossible. I like more voices and input on the Ativan thread. I hope more people will participate.

 

Everyone has a unique tapering experience, hearing more opinions and support is terrific 

[[Ki...]]

Omni - I agree!!! Getting through this together is a benefit to everyone. Looking forward to getting to know you better 

[[Om...]]

I haz a question. Im on multiple meds for other things and was wondering if there would be any harm in taking my Ativan solution with my other meds. Or should I play it safe and not eat/take other meds 30 minutes before/after taking the Ativan solution?

 

Sigh, there are so many variables that could potential effect dosing 

[[Sa...]]

I haz a question. Im on multiple meds for other things and was wondering if there would be any harm in taking my Ativan solution with my other meds. Or should I play it safe and not eat/take other meds 30 minutes before/after taking the Ativan solution?

 

Sigh, there are so many variables that could potential effect dosing 

 

Truthfully, my opinion would be to ask a pharmacist. I honestly don't know. Over the years I was on a TON of other meds, I had no issues with interaction.

[[So...]]

Just letting everyone know that there are quite a few of us that use the Let's Chat thread in the Off Topic area, to lighten the mood and have some laughs.

 

I would love it if ya'll stopped by. That thread has really gotten me through some tough times.

 

I am going to try and stop by here a little more often and support my fellow Ativaners. We all need it!!

 

This is one tough thing to go through. But, we will ALL MAKE IT!!!

 

Staying positive is one of the most important things to maintain during this time. It is also one of the hardest. But, that is why we all pull together to support one another.

 

I have had a great deal of loss during this time. Two family members, a close family friend, my precious pet (which hit me the hardest), and I thought I would never make it through any of it. But, I did. And, I continued to cut through most of it. I just want off of this stuff!!!!

 

I guess what I am trying to say is don't let life's ups and downs drag you any further away from your goals. Just slow it down and you will still win the race.

 

Hugs,

 

Nana 

[[So...]]

Just stopping by to say hello to my fellow Ativaner's!!!

 

Hope all is going well with your tapers, and I see that some of you are off now. CONGRATS!!! 

 

My taper is still going pretty smooth. As long as I can keep the stresses of life at bay, I am able to keep my heart issue calmer.

 

But, I have lost a few family members since this all started, and most recently our beloved pet Chihuahua of 13 years.

 

We now have two new little Chihuahua pups and they are keeping the house lively!!! 

 

Let's keep up the tapers and get off of this crap for life!!! WE CAN DO IT!!!! 

 

Hugs,

 

Nana 

 

Hi Nana, thanks for the congrats! I'm entering my week 3 off, I'm doing well!

 

I'm so sorry about your family members and your dog, that must've been difficult. I'm sure the puppies keep you busy    I'm glad your taper is going well, I'm always glad when you stop in

 

Saga

 

OMGosh!!!! Congrats!!! I am sooooo happy for you!! And, very proud of you!!! 

 

Yep, them little pups are keeping us on our toes...and, they nip at those toes every chance they get. 

 

Hugs,

 

Nana 

[[Gr...]]

Hey guys, Im new to the forum. I've got my basic plan of how I'm going to titrate, and was wondering if anyone here knew how well Ativan dissolves in vodka. Sophiasnana is using a 2mg vodka/98ml water solution and it seems to be working fine for her, although she has been thoroughly disturbing the solution prior to making her cut, and prior to separating her doses. Is this viable?

 

Also, I'm planning on doing a 1% cut per day (out of 1.5mg so the Ill be reducing at 0.015mg daily) How fast are you guys cutting?

 

Hi Omni. I am on a liquid titration of Ativan compounded by a local pharmacy. 1% daily wouldn't work for me as I have to work. I've done a .002mg daily cut since the start and must say it's working for me. I have had very few sxs. I've gone stretches of 10+ days with zero sxs. I'll keep going this way until the end if I can. I basically look at it as if someone said do the following for 6 months and you'll be cured. Sign me up. I'd rather it this way than to have to suffer. I might have to change it up later but knock on wood it stays this good for me. I dose 3x a day 8 hours apart. I'm currently on a streak of 22 days with no holds. Everyone is different though. You need to find what works for you. Good luck!!!

[[Co...]]

Green you have an unusual usage history. What kind of w/d symptoms were you going through? I've never seen someone with random dosing like that pick a number to taper and move on from there. Were the w/d so strong that you couldn't just stop taking Ativan and they'd dissappear?

 

The reason I ask is because you weren't even using 0.5 per day, far from it actually. To start off at 0.5 every day you would be furthering your dependency no?

[[Gr...]]

Green you have an unusual usage history. What kind of w/d symptoms were you going through? I've never seen someone with random dosing like that pick a number to taper and move on from there. Were the w/d so strong that you couldn't just stop taking Ativan and they'd dissappear?

 

The reason I ask is because you weren't even using 0.5 per day, far from it actually. To start off at 0.5 every day you would be furthering your dependency no?

 

I was having all the usual w/d symptoms. They were pretty bad. I tried to go without it for a few days but couldn't manage. Looking back now maybe if I stuck it out longer I might have been able to but I was panicking and couldn't believe what was happening to me. And I didn't just pick an amount to start from. That was the amount I took 99% of the time I had to drop Ativan. Once I started daily dosing it took me a while to even stabilize on 0.5mg. I believe I was already dependant before I started daily.