Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[Ki...]]

Moose - I'm not going to be much help with the mouth ulcer....the only thing I can suggest is what my girlfriend sweats by.....rubbing coconut oil on it multiple times a day. Sorry thats all I got 

 

Metta - there is no hard and fast rule. GreenIrishTweed tapers .002mg per day, RRiver did .004mg Mon to Fri and held on weekends. It's really just finding something that works for you while still trying to stay under the 10% every 14 days. Hope that helps 

 

Please note: .01mg/1ml is your solution....so, .005mg is NOT 50ml

 

Here is Rriver's thread, lots if good information starting on page 25

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=94605.240

[[Me...]]

Kiddo Thanks--Yes, I figured it out....like I said, brain fog. I just notice your avatar....so I guess it is common! 

[[su...]]

Kiddo...thanks!   I am going to take the shot and make a cut off tonights dose!!  I feel it is time!!    Wish me luck!!

[[Sa...]]

Sunny i can't advise you whether to cut or hold. I do believe anxiety is a hallmark of w/d as well as headaches. When in doubt be cautious. However I don't believe there is a sxs free taper. You can do this!

 

Metta glad you worked it out! Yes, cog fog does exist 

 

Moose I wouldn't be concerned about the OTC solutions. I'm intrigued by Kiddos friends suggestion though...Hope you're doing well otherwise!

 

Hi Kiddo just a tiny pep talk again. Even if you're having a rough day or time of it every day you do this you're one day closer. Believe in yourself!

[[su...]]

Saga, do you have a link to your taper?  I guess my question is...dry cut? I don't find very good info on dry cutting and I am hoping to do this all the way down!!  Thanks for your input..I think a lot of that anxiety I was having was situational, and the headaches I have had for years so I cant really blame the w/d or not for them!!!  Thanks again...I hope you are well!!

[[Sa...]]

Sunny I really don't have any kind of link to share. I simply did dry cut all the way. In the beginning I just eyeballed the cuts and estimated my cuts. In my sig when I hit .75 I began to use a Gemini milligram scale from Amazon to make smaller cuts. I didn't find using the scale to be hard- frustrating at times, yes, although I must admit I didn't do the math myself. Hubby worked it out and figured out the scale. It's funny I thought I'd move to liquids but never did.

 

So if youre planning to dry cut its best to use a scale in my opinion when you feel you can no longer get the precision at the lower levels. I'd also advice using a very hard surface like a mirror (seriously)  and a razor blade. The tools make the difference. I found it very easy.

 

Glad you're feeling like you can go ahead with the cut. Try not to psyche yourself out, ok? 

[[su...]]

Thanks Saga!  I  do already have a scale that I bought at the beginning of this journey! I really don't want to switch to liquid and am going to try stick to dosing twice a day! Thanks again for your input, it's nice to hear from someone who has been there!  Not that I am happy you had to be there!  Lol

[[Mo...]]

Thanks Kiddo!!! Funny...I have coconut oil. I'm sticking to the salt water for now. It's keeping things at bay. But if I can't get rid of it...I'll try the oil. Hope your head is better today 

 

Hi Saga! I'm ok...just day by day over here with whatever new thing comes my way. It would be a comedy show what my body feels if it wasn't so maddening and frustrating. I hope you are doing ok. 

 

Hi to everyone else. Moose

[[Mo...]]

Man, I STILL don't feel stabilized from my last cut on the 7th. Really over it. At least the chest discomfort has subsided, but now I have head pressure, "awareness of my face" (I don't know how else to describe it...it's not pain but I can "feel" my face"), facial flushing...I hope my doctor has some good thoughts tomorrow about what to do. I've been tapering longer than I was even taking the stuff...makes me feel like I should have just stopped and dealt with what would have likely been minimal withdrawal issues. Mad at myself and feel like I've made a mess. 

[[Ki...]]

Moose - glad you're getting some relief with the salt water 

 

Mookie - I had the same feeling in the beginning.....but after my leg injury (which started the daily use) when I was discharged from the hospital and went into cold turkey w/d I KNEW that I wouldn't survive it. I only took Ativan daily for 10 days, prior to that I took it as needed only. Don't beat yourself up. If your w/d is this up and down already then I bet if you had just stopped it would have been even more difficult. For what it's worth, I think it's smart that you're tapering 

[[Mo...]]

thanks, Kiddo. These afternoons this week have just been frustrating and uncomfortable and unproductive. It seems to be subsiding right now. I'm going to a show tonight with my daughter and my dad, just want to feel mostly okay before that! Thanks again, Kiddo. xo

[[no...]]

Hello everyone!It's been a while since I posted so I had some catching up to do.

 

I'm almost afraid to say it but I think I am in a "window"!  This last week has felt like I am emerging from 8 years of sedation!  I can get up in the morning so much easier than before and I have less of that brain fog that we are all so familiar with.  I'm feeling ready to make another cut this weekend.  I feel so lucky that my withdrawal has been relatively "easy" compared to so many of you.  My heart goes out to all of you who are suffering so.  I have had my share of tinnitus, headaches and muscle spasms but they seem to get less and less the lower I drop my dose.  I wonder if the antidepressants I am on are making it easier for me.  I have always leaned more toward depression than anxiety so I feel for all of you who have to deal with anxiety and panic.  I once heard it described as feeling like you are falling, face first to a concrete sidewalk and knowing there is nothing you can do to stop it.  I started taking Ativan for sleep during a time of extreme anxiety related to work.  Eight years later, my work situation is much better so I am dealing with the benzo addiction more than recurring anxiety.  Believe me, I feel very fortunate!  The Tylenol PM is still helping me with sleep as I taper.  I wish you all peace and calm and light on your journey!

[[su...]]

Hello everyone!!  I hope everyone is doing well today!!  NRW10, we are probably all a little jealous of you but take your easier taper and run with it!!    I know I would and kind of am!! 

 

I had a couple of rough days after my last cut which was just 3 days ago but feeling good today...hopefully it lasts since I have only been up for an hour! HAHA  I think I may try cut in a total of 10 days...supposedly faster then the recommended depending on who you talk to but if I never really feel HORRIBLE and never feel GREAT I kind of think why not?!?  Shouldn't a cut off a short half life pill like this be felt within a few days?  Correct me if I am wrong!

 

Take care of you everyone and I know healing will come to us all! :smitten: :smitten:

[[Ki...]]

NorthRiver - I'm so glad things are manageable for you. Don't feel bad about that....sing it from the rooftops!!!!! 

 

Sunny - you make an interesting point about the short half life....the benefit of a short half life is being able to correct mistakes in cuts because the effects are felt so quickly BUT the symptoms we feel have to do with GABA and our CNS trying to regulate when the benzo is taken away. Glad you're feeling better 

[[...]]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum.  Just recently heard of tolerance WD and talked to my psychiatrist about it yesterday, he's never heard of it.  I told him I wanted to taper off my 1.5mg/day of Ativan and he said its sucha small dose, if I wanted to do a taper, I could do a quick one.  I was so disappointed in his response. 

 

Do you agree, is 1.5 mg/day considered a small dose?

 

Kyra

 

 

[[Ki...]]

Hi Kyra,

 

I'm really glad you came over to this thread. Your psychiatrists response is pretty typical, they are uninformed about the dangers and dependence of benzo withdrawal. Most professionals mean well,  it they are simply misinformed. A good idea is take a copy of the Ashton Manual to your appointment and leave it with him/her to read.

 

No, unfortunately 1.5mg is not a low dose of Ativan. That is equivalent to about 15mg of Valium. Even if you are already experiencing tolerance/relative withdrawal it is still important to taper responsibly.

 

Please ask questions and take the time to familiarize yourself with this thread and the general withdrawal area of the forum. This will help you get better equipped to deal with your taper.

 

Are you experiencing any symptoms now? Did you start at 1.5mg or has your dose increased over your usage? What makes you believe that you are in tolerance? Do you experience symptoms in between doses?

 

Let us know and we will be here to offer advice and support.

 

Take care, Kiddo

[[Ma...]]

Kyra, Ativan is a very powerful drug, and 1.5 is not necessarily going to be easy to taper from. I took about three months to taper from my 15 year 1 mg habit, and now wish I'd spent a bit longer at it.

 

Your psychiatrist is being overly optimistic, and I'm being kind to him when I say that.  Anyone who knows anything about these drugs knows that getting off them can be terribly difficult.  Also, I worry that your psychiatrist doesn't know about tolerance withdrawal.  Even my garden-variety GP knew about that when we discussed my tapering off the stuff.

 

Please don't let yourself get pressured into a rapid withdrawal.  That can make you sick for a long time.

[[...]]

Hi,

Well, I've been on Vicodin 1-2 pills per day since 2013.  I'd take it for 2-3 months, then stop 2-3 months, etc. When I did take it, it was 1-2 pills per day.  Also, I'd been on 1mg Ativan daily since 2012 (started at .5 mg).  One day in Sept 2014, my skin felt like it was on fire, face, hands, arms, chest.  The pain was a 10/10.  I had other symptoms (see signature) occur in later days that came and went, some still come around but the one that is here with me daily is the burning skin.  I've had Windows of either no burning ( couple lasted 2-3 weeks) or lessened intensity of burning.  I feel like I will live like this forever. I've been to many doctors, nobody knows the cause.  I cry all the time because I'm burning and I have to still go to work and try not to make my whole life about burning.  It's just so painful.

I don't know if this is tolerance WD and I'm trying to wrap my mind around it.  Could the off and on opiate use along with the continuous use of the benzo messed up my nervous system somehow?

Thanks for being so welcoming and any insights are appreciated.

Kyra

[[Ki...]]

Kyra - I know how scary this all is......so feel free to vent/whine/complain and stop your feet. Tapering these drugs is a full time job.

 

I've had every symptom listed in your signature. I had very bad burning as well until I got below .75mg and then it cleared up. I was really happy. Now I only get twinges every now and then when I'm overstimulated. The burning feeling could be a side effect of the drug, I'm not entirely sure and maybe someone else could weigh in on that.

 

I have no experience with opiates or the withdrawal symptoms that it could create.

 

Are you taking your Ativan more than once a day? If not, you are more likely to be experiencing interdose withdrawal symptoms than tolerance withdrawal, IMO.

 

If you have some time, you would likely find it beneficial to read this Ativan thread in its entirety. There is a lot of information that you would find useful.

 

Saga23 should be along shortly and she may have some insight into opiate withdrawal.

[[La...]]

Kyra, while tapering off 1 mg ativan, i frequently experienced burning of the skin. Typically face hands and feet, but it could happen anywhere on my body. It varied in intensity but is COMPLETELY gone now that i have been off ativan for some time. I have no experience with continuous opiate use, but from sporadic use, i never experienced burning skin. What you are experiencing is actually quite common in benzoland.

[[...]]

Kiddo- when the burning started in September, I think I was on 1 mg of Ativan at that time.  Hard to remember but I believe I was taking the Ativan once per day.  Now I take .5 in the morning and then 1 mg at night.  I am not taking Vicodin now.  Stopped vicodin end August 2014, stupidly restarted it December 2014 and stopped again 3 days ago.  I plan to never take Vicodin again. 

 

So you had the burning too?? Was it burning skin that felt similar to the pain of a horrible sunburn (nothing was actually visible on my skin).  How long did you have it and when you had it, was it constant?

 

I will definitely take you up on the offer to stomp my feet, whine, vent, scream. 

 

Kyra

[[...]]

Laserjet3051 - wow, you had this too?  I guess it's not so uncommon.  I don't really know if I'm in WD tolerance to the Ativan or not or if I've created kindling by the stopping and starting of Vicodin.  I thought I was trying to be smart and prove to myself I could stop any time and wasn't addicted.  Stupid me!

 

The burning I have is often anywhere from 6-10 hours long and is so extremely painful.  I have had breaks in between of no burning (a few lasted 2-3 weeks) or lessened burning.  Was anybody's burning this extreme?

 

Mine is also typically in my hands (both hands same time), arms, face, chest, back and sometimes legs.  I just want to be better and stop living in what feels like hell on earth. :'(

 

Kyra

[[Ki...]]

Hi Laser 

 

Kyra - yes, that's exactly what it felt like....a bad sunburn but it feels deeper than the skin. It's awful. I'm sorry you experience this every day. Mine was intermittent and varied in intensity, sometimes it was a 10 and I would lay in bed crying. I haven't had it since about .75mg (knock on wood). I really believe it's related to the Ativan.

 

There is a support thread for Nerve Pain/Nerve Burn that you may want to join/read. Trust me, you are FAR from alone with this common symptom.

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=109107.0

 

We're here for you 

 

 

[[...]]

Thank you so much for the thread Kiddo.  I looked at your taper schedule, did you stick with the water method or pill cutting method to taper?  I'd prefer to cut my pills. But I'm assuming with the really small dose tapering, this is done with water or alcohol and not some type of pill cutter?

Kyra 

 

[[Sa...]]

Hi Kyra, Welcome! Lots of great advice here, you'll find a lot of Drs are simply not aware of the effects in coming off these drugs.

 

I tapered off a rather large amount of opiates as well as the ativan. The burning skin. In a word OMG yes. Well that's a few words. Anyway I do think there's a somewhat connection between opiates and benzos together but I've honestly never explored the research myself because I didn't want to know. Burning skin is a very common side effect of the benzos alone as everyone has said. I also have an extreme skin sensitivity since tapering off the last of the opiates a few months ago. The slightest touch hurts. That one I believe is related to the opiates, truthfully.

 

Either way, keep reading and learning. Hopefully just reading others have experienced the same sxs will help in a way. Keep asking questions. Will be happy to help any way possible.

 

Hope everyone else is doing well today...