Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[Ki...]]

Mark,

 

Hey buddy....I don't have any advice as I don't know a lot about V.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you and you will still pop in once in awhile to give us an update.

 

If you have stabilized, you could always try another cut with the A and see how it goes. You'll always have the V in your back pocket if you need it 

[[Sa...]]

Hi Mark,

 

I'm glad the dr spent a good amount of time with you and made you feel good about choosing a crossover...everything you're saying is good!

 

My guess is you're nervous, and maybe feeling better right now...it's very easy to second guess everything right now. I'm not sure exactly what to say. I went through the process and filled the Valium when I was considering a crossover myself. I backed out. I didn't trust the Dr. That's me...everyone is different...

 

Tapering creates a ton a second guessing...it's very hard to know if we are doing the right thing...that's why it's impossible to make a decision for someone else. It comes down to relating what we've experienced ourselves...that's the best we can do. We aren't living in another persons body...this is a uniquely different experience for each person.

 

Good luck with whichever choice you make. 

 

Saga

[[Sh...]]

Thanks Saga & Kiddo !

 

I liked your support while here :-)  another reason i am nervous about c/o.

Hopefully will find the support there.

 

It will be nice to get down to 3 doses per day and then 2 doses per day

Not having to spend as much time on cutting so precisely

 

My mind gets too obsessed with i/d w/d. when i do physical work where i dont have to think its not too bad and i can get in the grove...but creating products and designing seminars is tough going up and down all day.

I know there are negatives with Valium and hopefully the tiredness doesn't last too long and the depression stays away.

 

I also think the psychological factor of dropping 1 mg might help

 

I guess i will have to see

 

If is settles me for my family...it will be worth it!

 

Thanks again 

[[Sa...]]

Wishing you the best Mark, the Valium thread has a ton of terrific people with a TON of tapering knowledge and experience...absolutely no need to worry about support! You're in good hands...best to you

[[Ki...]]

Mark - you'll find lots of terrific people on the Valium thread. Look for Smiff and Carita, they are both wonderful and "seasoned" and are good friends of Saga and I. They will take you under their wing 

[[Al...]]

Thanks Saga & Kiddo !

 

I liked your support while here :-)  another reason i am nervous about c/o.

Hopefully will find the support there.

 

It will be nice to get down to 3 doses per day and then 2 doses per day

Not having to spend as much time on cutting so precisely

 

My mind gets too obsessed with i/d w/d. when i do physical work where i dont have to think its not too bad and i can get in the grove...but creating products and designing seminars is tough going up and down all day.

I know there are negatives with Valium and hopefully the tiredness doesn't last too long and the depression stays away.

 

I also think the psychological factor of dropping 1 mg might help

 

I guess i will have to see

 

If is settles me for my family...it will be worth it!

 

Thanks again 

 

Shastasage,

 

I was just like you stuck in the Ativan 4 dose per day in my case. My whole revolved around planning and taking the damn stuff. Tried twice to reduce but could only ever get to .75 Mgs.

 

Then crossed over to Valium,..wow best thing I ever did. Only dose twice a day and no inter dose withdrawals.

It's not a cake walk but 100 times better than Lorazepam.

 

I think you are making an intelligent decision here.

 

Hopefully see on the Valium taper thread! 

 

ATU

[[Sh...]]

Thanks  Kiddo & ATU !

 

I feel better after reading those two posts 

 

I cannot hear what you two told me enough!!!

I had just read some pretty bad crossover threads and some people who were ready to give up on life and it really depressed me. I wasn't expecting to read it...but there it was.

I guess i have done the same without intending to.

 

So again it is a relief to read both of your wonderful posts

 

Thank You!

[Guest [Mo...]]

I crossed over to Valium as well. Could not endure the inter dose withdrawal any longer.

Same as ATU, tapered from 4 mgr Ativan to 0.75 and could NOT go lower....

 

The initial phase of Valium cross over made me very sedated and kind of weepy and took about 2 weeks to ebb away. I was just lethargic.

But it goes away.

For most people around 2 weeks.

 

It was the best decision I could have made.

Moo

[[Sh...]]

Thanks Momofone!

 

i feel better and will start the c/o tomorrow

 

I looked for different peoples c/o schedules and came up empty...probably right in front of me

 

Can someone please direct me on where i might look to see how others did it or are doing it

 

Thanks!

[Guest [Mo...]]

Thanks Momofone!

 

i feel better and will start the c/o tomorrow

 

I looked for different peoples c/o schedules and came up empty...probably right in front of me

 

Can someone please direct me on where i might look to see how others did it or are doing it

 

Thanks!

 

 

Valium diazepam support group

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=96753.0

 

Or

 

Crossing over to Valium support thread

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=101814.0

 

See you there!

 

Moo

 

[[Al...]]

Thanks Momofone!

 

i feel better and will start the c/o tomorrow

 

I looked for different peoples c/o schedules and came up empty...probably right in front of me

 

Can someone please direct me on where i might look to see how others did it or are doing it

 

Thanks!

 

Shastasage,

 

Most failed crossovers I read about were failed because the person tried to cross over directly or too fast. Follow the slow stepwise crossover that Ashton published for best results.

 

I think looking back, even though I was only on .75 Mgs. Ativan, it took me like 8-10 Weekes to fully cross. When I was done, I felt great!

 

So, do not rush it put your plan down on a calendar and follow it to the "t".

 

See you on the other side! 

 

ATU

[[Ki...]]

Hi Pete - how are things going?

[[pe...]]

Hi

 

So I am on 0.5mg of Lorazepam 4 times a day for 7 months . I have been having horrendous problems with my teeth, gum recession and teeth pain.

I am wondering if this is cause of interdose withdrawals and if i should switch to valium or start decreasing the ativan using a liquid solution. I'm slightly worried about switching to valium but wonder if it will get rid of this side effects.

 

Best

P

 

 

[[Ki...]]

Hi Pete - I too get the receding gums along with tooth and jaw pain. This is not unheard of in withdrawal. I don't see a correlation between interdose and these symptoms, what your experiencing is just plain old withdrawal, IMO.

 

Have you tried any cuts yet?

 

Liquid titration is very doable if you want, you can have your r/x compounded by a pharmacy or make your own. Lots of members have had success with both methods. 

 

I don't know much about c/o to Valium but I would research it quite thoroughly first as I've read that V is known to cause depression, and I would assume that if you have a pre-existing depression already that may not be the best route for you.

[[pe...]]

Thanks for your reply

 

The last few weeks i have started to get suicidal depression- this could have been triggered by a local anesthetic that i had at the dentist. I have never had despair like it in 20 years of having depression and anxiety. Also my OCD became something else.

 

 

 

 

[[Sh...]]

Pete27 Most of my major problem shifted into high gear after i went to the dentist and had local anesthesia .

 

First two times were bad and the third time i went into heavy tremors for about 15 minutes where he had to stop the drilling.

He had to finish without anymore anesthesia...and i could feel it all.

After that i started having issues with all my meds and have had to come off them all since that happened in February...Lorazepam...now c/o to Valium is the last.... and hopefully i never take any prescription meds ever again!

 

ATU Thanks...i will follow something close to that. withdrawal is a good teacher!

 

Mom of One....i appreciate the links!

[[Sh...]]

Hello,

 

Does anyone have some ideas on this post

 

Thanks!

 

Hello,

 

I am wondering if i could please get some quick help as i think i may have been weighing my pills wrong.

 

I am weighing my lorazepam 1 mg pills and they all come out to be .118 - .120  every pill i have had does this weight

 

When i calibrated the scale it weighed perfectly for the 10g weight and the 2nd 10g weight for 20 g on my Gemini scale i got on recommendation

 

I just weighed my 5 mg Valium and it weighed .179

 

i weighed another prescription pill i have that is 20 mg and it weighed .191  When i put 2 pills on there it weighed .382

 

But i must be doing something wrong and wondering if the cut i have made over the last 6 weeeks have been too much and thus the cause of my bad withdrawals

 

Thanks!

[[Ki...]]

Mark - it's really common for each pill to have a different weight....that comes up a lot on the threads.

[[Sh...]]

Thanks Kiddo

 

Yes i have seen it but now i am really confused on how to weight the pills.

 

I have a 1 mg pill that weighs .119 and want to take .27 of a dose of the 1 mg  but the actual weight of .27 must be a lot less right?

 

So if i am crossing over to Valium....i want to be sure of the actual dose i am now on for the Lorazepam....Make sense?

 

Shasta

[[La...]]

Thanks Kiddo

 

Yes i have seen it but now i am really confused on how to weight the pills.

 

I have a 1 mg pill that weighs .119 and want to take .27 of a dose of the 1 mg  but the actual weight of .27 must be a lot less right?

 

So if i am crossing over to Valium....i want to be sure of the actual dose i am now on for the Lorazepam....Make sense?

 

Shasta

 

Hi Mark:

 

I can help you so long as the facts/goals are made clear. If I understand correctly, you have a 1mg pill of ativan that weighs 0.119 gram, correct? You are interested in weighing out only 0.27mg ativan from this pill?  If so, then 27% of a 0.119 gram pill = 0.03213 gram = 32.13 mg. (0.27mg of a 1 mg dose =27%). Or are you trying to do something different here?

 

[[Sh...]]

Sorry Kiddo!

 

Tough to do left brain stuff when i am in heavy emotions!

 

I am taking .027 mg x 5 a day

[[Ki...]]

Hi mark - Sorry, rough day for me today. What Laser said still applies. You can use that calculation for all your cuts. Hope that helps clear it up for you 

[[Na...]]

Hi everyone. I c/t 8mg ativan starting in July 14. Got to week six before i finally found a new doctor. Now he wants me to start the ativan again at 6mg per day. 2mgx3. He also has diagnosed me with OCD and AAHD. He doesn't seem too keen on getting me off ativan but i am very keen to the idea. The acute phase of withdrawal was hell and i would never go through that again. I want the freedom to taper off ativan myself if he should stay hardline on me reinstating it.  So in essence if i have to go back on ativan at 6mg per day can someone please help me with a taper plan on this high of a dose.? I'm still battling not going on it at all but he feels i may have to become hospitalized if i don't because of the horrible panic disorder. Please give me your advise. Bless y'all, ~Terrain

[[Ki...]]

Hi Native - I'm so sorry you are going through this. Truly.

 

I have a couple of thoughts regarding your situation, hopefully some others will chime in too. I personally feel that 8mg Ativan is a ridiculously high amount and feel that's medical malpractice. The fact that you c/t that amount makes my heart hurt. Of course you are experiencing severe panic and OCD from your c/t and I'm so very sorry.

 

I think it's imperative to know that reinstatements don't always work. But if you do decide to go that route I would definitely NOT reinstate at 6mg. I would actually go back in 2, or maybe 3, and just hold that dose for awhile....like 3 months. It won't take your symptoms away, as that is still a huge cut in dose from the original, but it will hopefully decrease the intensity of them and keep you functional while you do a proper, gradual taper.

 

In regards to your doctor, he/she does not have the right, nor the authority, to make you take a drug you don't want to. I don't want to see you end up hospitalized either so I so think you should try to get back on and see if you can find any relief at the lower dose.

 

If you doctor is against you getting off Ativan, then perhaps you shouldn't tell him. Just keep getting your prescription filled and taper, safely, on your own.

 

We will all be here to help you and offer support. Let us know what you decide and then we can try and help you stabilize and come up with a taper plan.

 

Take Care, Kiddo

[[Sh...]]

Hey Kiddo and Laser

 

Laser sorry i just saw you wrote me back in the blue part

 

what i was trying to figure out was an accurate dose i am converting to in my c/o to valium

 

Looks like i screwed up in thinking that the weight of the pill = the dosage inside the pill. ( i had not been to a Dr. in 25 years before last November because i was afraid of something like this happening)

 

It is a bit complicated but stick with me and i think you will get where i made my mistake

 

So the first Lorazepam's i had each weighed .099 ea. (from Pharmacy A)  and then the ones i have been taking now

(Pharmacy B Watson brand generic) weighed .118 -.119 ea so lets just say .119 ea.

 

I figured .119 equaled 1.19mg of Lorazepam in ea pill. ( that they put too much in each pill )

I was taking 1.5 mg's a day per Dr.s prescription.....so i figured based on the pills weight i was actually taking around 1.76 mg per day but i was probably actually taking the 1.5 mg prescribed dose.

 

When people at benzobuddies told me to cut the pills into 4 daily doses i tried cutting them to .0375 (actual weight- not actual mg.) 4x a day. It was not pleasant!

 

So i then cut them to 5x a day because i thought i was i/d w/d too much ( but it looks like now i might have just cut too much)

 

At 5 x a day i weighed the pills at .030 ea. (actual weight- not actual mg.) Still had a hard time with sxs. I endured it for 2 weeks or so and then cut to .027 (actual weight- not actual mg.)

 

And that is where i am now with my first c/o dose of Valium made two days ago.

 

I exchanged one of the .027 weight doses for a 2.5 mg dose of Valium.

 

Now in this process i discovered that i had made a mistake when i started weighing the Valium pills and they only weighed like .176....i then weighed an old BP med that was 20 mg and it only weighed .196.

It was "Oh S*^T" at that point.

 

That upset plus the first c/o dose has had me spinning and i am not feeling really sure what actual dose i am crossing over to.

 

The more recent calculations put the actual dose i was taking in real mg's as 1.134 mg or .226 mg's each dose.

 

This would explain the bad withdrawals i was experiencing when i first started weighing and cutting

 

So instead of c/o to 15 mg of Valium....i am thinking more like 12 mg of Valium since i already inadvertantly cut apx .30 mg of Ativan during the last month or so

 

Make Sense?

 

Hope i explained this properly and am open to any more questions, suggestions, advice etc