Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[he...]]

I found a different pill cutter and I can cut the .25 better (not perfect).  I am going to try dry cutting like this until I get to 5 mgs.  Might take two months.  I am also going to order titration supplies and maybe start that soon if the dry cutting is too much.

 

Will ask the doc next time for 1 mgs pills.  So far not too bad on the small cut.  I really look forward to getting down to 5 mgs.  Hope its not too bad.

 

Have you tried a straight razor?  I had best luck with one.  My pill cutter was more like a potato masher.

 

good luck,

hbam

[[aw...]]

Hi, HBAM:

I've had good luck crushing a tablet fragment that was too small to cut, then dividing the well crushed and mixed powder into 2 piles and 'eyeballing' it. Most people's ability to estimate the size of adjacent piles is pretty good. I checked mine once with an analytical balance and was consistantly within 10%.

Of course, why not just make a solution?

 

Aweigh

[[he...]]

Hi, HBAM:

I've had good luck crushing a tablet fragment that was too small to cut, then dividing the well crushed and mixed powder into 2 piles and 'eyeballing' it. Most people's ability to estimate the size of adjacent piles is pretty good. I checked mine once with an analytical balance and was consistantly within 10%.

Of course, why not just make a solution?

 

Aweigh

 

Yes, good idea Aweigh, I've heard of people also weighing their powder once the pill is crushed.

 

Personally I did move pretty quickly over to solution with clonazepam & ora-plus because I didn't have any of those ideas at the time.  It has been a dream to use - so easy.  But not so easy for everyone to figure out.  unfortunately. 

 

In the meantime, what you suggest is better than bad cuts

 

hbam

[[aw...]]

HBAM:

"Better than bad cuts". I'm not sure what you mean. Does bad mean inaccurate? For me, I think slow liquid taper is the way to go, frequent cuts of around 1%...or less. Then your brain has time to regenerate the apparatus that went away when the Klignons, I mean the Borg, no, I mean the Benzos, took over.

You might enjoy going to YouTube and searching for the song "Criminal of Truth". 

I have a friend who refers to us cog fog types as 'benzoids', and often it seems to fit. "Benzoids From Beyond the Grave..."

 

Aweigh

[[Em...]]

can someone tell me if you are supposed to feel any w/d while tapering?

 

I usually took .5mg of ativan between 10am and 1pm and i would be fine til the next day.

 

I am on day 2 of tapering and I am taking .75mg (3/4) of .5mg? feeling a little funny but not too bad. I am taking this at 9am....

 

I also have diazepam 5mg and not sure if i should take this or when i should take this while tapering???

 

any thoughts, advice

 

thanks

[[Wi...]]

Almost forgot to report that I AM ONE MONTH FREE TODAY!!!  WOOT!  WOOT!

 

The first month has been really tough with lots of s/x (some debilitating), but I'm also happy to report that they've seem to lighten the last couple of days -- the dizziness is less, the vertigo is less, I have a bit more energy.  I still have killer headaches, nausea, and the jitters and anxiety in the morning (like my body isn't stable), but it just feels like it's gone down a notch or two.  So, hopefully I'm starting to turn the corner.  Still a long way from being normal or being able to go back to work, but I'll take the improvement!

 

I still do find that my symptoms ramp up around the times of day when I used to take my Ativan -- so strange, but I guess this stuff does really rewire the brain. 

 

Hope all my fellow AV club members are having a great week and are healing.  We will all get there!!!  :smitten:

Hey Hoosierfan:

Happy to hear you are feeling better, gives me hope Hope you are having a great day

[[Wi...]]

HBAM:

"Better than bad cuts". I'm not sure what you mean. Does bad mean inaccurate? For me, I think slow liquid taper is the way to go, frequent cuts of around 1%...or less. Then your brain has time to regenerate the apparatus that went away when the Klignons, I mean the Borg, no, I mean the Benzos, took over.

You might enjoy going to YouTube and searching for the song "Criminal of Truth". 

I have a friend who refers to us cog fog types as 'benzoids', and often it seems to fit. "Benzoids From Beyond the Grave..."

 

Aweigh

 

 

I tried dry cutting and coould never get the dose perfect. That is why I switched to a water taper, and has been working out much better for me. Hope all is good

[[...]]

Yesterday I decided to be bold and cut my .75 mg of ativan down to .25 mg per day! I have convinced myself finally that the symptoms I am experiencing are in fact from the ativan withdrawals, and knowing this makes them somewhat tolerable.  I already feel better from no side effects of taking the medication, but the withdrawals are kicking in.  I am going to be as strong as I can and try to get stable on the .25 mg, and hopefully will be free of this stuff completely soon! 

 

When I start to get the withdrawals (dizziness, cloudiness, vertigo, headache, and irritability) I just tell myself that I am ok, and that I CAN get through this.  It can be tough to work when this happens, but I know that I can do it.  In fact, on a few occasions when I get a sudden rush of dizziness or cloudy head, I laughed it off and it seems to help. 

 

I will keep posting on my progress, its only been two days so we will see how it goes!

[[Al...]]

lgny ,

 

That is a big cut, good luck.

[[Ho...]]

Woa, Igny!  Crossing my fingers for you that the w/d will be tolerable.  I can't remember how long you've been on  your current dose.

 

Funny you should mention laughter...I was reading a book the other day about coping with chronic illness and one of the stories in there was about a guy (can't remember his name) who engaged in significant (2+ hours) of laughter therapy a day when he was trying to deal with chronic disease (Crohn's disease and something else) and claimed to have cured himself through laughter!!!

 

Whatever keeps you moving through in a health way, I say go for it!!!  :thumbsup:   For me right now, it's reading the Hunger Games trilogy!

 

Willow, thanks for the wishes.  Today my symptoms revved up again, but I was still able to clean half my house and take my son put put golfing... things I would not have done 3 weeks ago, so that tells me that my symptoms are getting "lighter" even when they are worse on a particular day.  Onward and upward!!! 

[[ma...]]

Yesterday I decided to be bold and cut my .75 mg of ativan down to .25 mg per day! I have convinced myself finally that the symptoms I am experiencing are in fact from the ativan withdrawals, and knowing this makes them somewhat tolerable.  I already feel better from no side effects of taking the medication, but the withdrawals are kicking in.  I am going to be as strong as I can and try to get stable on the .25 mg, and hopefully will be free of this stuff completely soon! 

 

When I start to get the withdrawals (dizziness, cloudiness, vertigo, headache, and irritability) I just tell myself that I am ok, and that I CAN get through this.  It can be tough to work when this happens, but I know that I can do it.  In fact, on a few occasions when I get a sudden rush of dizziness or cloudy head, I laughed it off and it seems to help. 

 

I will keep posting on my progress, its only been two days so we will see how it goes!

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

igny: 

 

you don't show your history, which would helpful for those who engage with you. 

 

that said, i don't think you are doing yourself a favor by taking the radical cut suggested above.  i'm a believer in getting it over with (see my story below), but i think your courting failure  by taking the GIANT LEAP.

[[...]]

Well here is an update:

 

Took the .25 mg this afternoon before I went to work, was starting to get major symptoms around the time I took it. I calmed down a bit and was able to drive to work.  Once I got there however, I could definitely tell that I had taken too much of a leap. It really is amazing how much this stuff (and what I think of as a small dose) can really mess with your head.  I brought another .25 mg cut of ativan with me, and took it when my symptoms started to peak.  I started to feel completely out of it. Like I was there, but not really there.  Dizzy, lightheaded, having to concentrate really hard on things. I will say though that the second .25 mg did help me out a lot.  I would normally take 1 to 1.5 mg per day. I had recently cut down to .75 mg and was just waiting to make the next jump.  I have been on the drug for a little over 6 months now.  I thought that I could make the leap to .25 per day, but it appears that .5 mg total per day in two doses might be the way to go for me now.  It makes me feel so much better that I was able to do so well having cut my dose down.  I think a lot of the reason I hate the ativan so much is the way that it makes me feel after taking it, and since my doses have been less in the past few days, my side effects have been less as well.  I am going to try and do the same thing tomorrow; .25 mg dose two times spread out. If I feel ok then I know that I can make that jump at least.  going a full .5 mg might not be the best right now, but I am confident that I am getting there!

 

Thanks for all the replies, and I will continue to post my progress. I would also love to hear about the withdrawal symptoms that other people are experiencing so that I know that Im not going crazy, lol.

 

I will try to write my history into my sig tomorrow but here is a brief summary:

 

Jan 2012      - Xanax .5 as needed (never took more than 1mg per day)

Feb 2012      - Doctor switched me to ativan  as needed .5 mg up to 3 times daily

July 13, 2012- Decided to start tapering with .75 mg per day, some days had to jump back up to 1 mg

Aug 22, 2012- Jumped to .25 mg per day single dose (ended up being too much of a jump

Aug 24, 2012- Tried .5 mg spread out over 2 doses, and seem to be doing ok so far (crosses fingers)

[[ce...]]

Hi Igny.  You've learned what many of us here have learned already and that is making big cuts can really cause problems.  Benzo's really do need to be tapered and it's going to help you a lot to slow it down.  Be sure to keep your doses even through the day and taper every two weeks or so.  You'll get off of it soon enough, just be good to your body in the process.  Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones to discontinue with manageable symptoms.

 

Wishing you the best!

Cedar 

[[he...]]

Well here is an update:

 

Took the .25 mg this afternoon before I went to work, was starting to get major symptoms around the time I took it. I calmed down a bit and was able to drive to work.  Once I got there however, I could definitely tell that I had taken too much of a leap. It really is amazing how much this stuff (and what I think of as a small dose) can really mess with your head.  I brought another .25 mg cut of ativan with me, and took it when my symptoms started to peak.  I started to feel completely out of it. Like I was there, but not really there.  Dizzy, lightheaded, having to concentrate really hard on things. I will say though that the second .25 mg did help me out a lot.  I would normally take 1 to 1.5 mg per day. I had recently cut down to .75 mg and was just waiting to make the next jump.  I have been on the drug for a little over 6 months now.  I thought that I could make the leap to .25 per day, but it appears that .5 mg total per day in two doses might be the way to go for me now.  It makes me feel so much better that I was able to do so well having cut my dose down.  I think a lot of the reason I hate the ativan so much is the way that it makes me feel after taking it, and since my doses have been less in the past few days, my side effects have been less as well.  I am going to try and do the same thing tomorrow; .25 mg dose two times spread out. If I feel ok then I know that I can make that jump at least.  going a full .5 mg might not be the best right now, but I am confident that I am getting there!

 

Thanks for all the replies, and I will continue to post my progress. I would also love to hear about the withdrawal symptoms that other people are experiencing so that I know that Im not going crazy, lol.

 

I will try to write my history into my sig tomorrow but here is a brief summary:

 

Jan 2012      - Xanax .5 as needed (never took more than 1mg per day)

Feb 2012      - Doctor switched me to ativan  as needed .5 mg up to 3 times daily

July 13, 2012- Decided to start tapering with .75 mg per day, some days had to jump back up to 1 mg

Aug 22, 2012- Jumped to .25 mg per day single dose (ended up being too much of a jump

Aug 24, 2012- Tried .5 mg spread out over 2 doses, and seem to be doing ok so far (crosses fingers)

 

I haven't read through the thread yet, but you are not going crazy. The symptoms are crazy!  Here's Ashton's list:  http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha03.htm#t1

 

Everyone is different, my weirdest symptoms so far is burning sensation.  It comes and goes but feels exactly like a first degree burn, so ice helps some. Just weird.

 

hope that helps, glad that you here

 

hbam

 

[[he...]]

HBAM:

"Better than bad cuts". I'm not sure what you mean. Does bad mean inaccurate? For me, I think slow liquid taper is the way to go, frequent cuts of around 1%...or less. Then your brain has time to regenerate the apparatus that went away when the Klignons, I mean the Borg, no, I mean the Benzos, took over.

You might enjoy going to YouTube and searching for the song "Criminal of Truth". 

I have a friend who refers to us cog fog types as 'benzoids', and often it seems to fit. "Benzoids From Beyond the Grave..."

 

Aweigh

 

Yes, inaccurate cuts is what I meant, sorry for the sloppy talk. 

Borg indeed    resistance is essential 

[[ce...]]

BDL, haven't seen you around here for awhile.  I hope that means you are doing well.  Let us know how you are........okay?   

[[Ho...]]

BDL, haven't seen you around here for awhile.  I hope that means you are doing well.  Let us know how you are........okay?   

 

Cedar, I was just thinking the same thing about BDL this morning.  Hopefully he is doing so well that he hasn't had time to get on the forum!

 

I wanted to thank you personally for all of your posts Cedar, because you give me hope that I can beat this beast.  As days turn into weeks, turn into months, and I feel like I am being pelted from all angles by crazy physical symptoms that limit me so much, I always go back to the fact that you fully recovered in under a year.  So it keeps me putting one foot in front of the other, and from running to my PDoc for more meds to try and "solve" my symptoms.  That's been my pattern in the past, and I'm sure why I've been at this mess for 18 months.  NOW, I'm finally off the benzos and holding; letting time be the healer.

[[ce...]]

BDL, haven't seen you around here for awhile.  I hope that means you are doing well.  Let us know how you are........okay?   

 

Cedar, I was just thinking the same thing about BDL this morning.  Hopefully he is doing so well that he hasn't had time to get on the forum!

 

I wanted to thank you personally for all of your posts Cedar, because you give me hope that I can beat this beast.  As days turn into weeks, turn into months, and I feel like I am being pelted from all angles by crazy physical symptoms that limit me so much, I always go back to the fact that you fully recovered in under a year.  So it keeps me putting one foot in front of the other, and from running to my PDoc for more meds to try and "solve" my symptoms.  That's been my pattern in the past, and I'm sure why I've been at this mess for 18 months.  NOW, I'm finally off the benzos and holding; letting time be the healer.

This is the best thing I've heard all day!!!!!!!!  Yeah Hoosierfans! 

 

It sounds like you've finally stepped out of the "revolving door" as I call it.  That's when we keep doing what we've always done in the past.  One pill for this another pill to fix it and on and on.  When you can finally break that cycle, then you are truly free.  I long for this for everyone here.  Psych drugs did nothing but keep my life in darkness.  Every pill has a "side-effect" of one sort or another.  In truth, I don't think any of the pills I took over 20 years did anything but make me sick and crazy.  The best thing I've done for my life is to get out of the revolving door and take charge of my own health.  I'm so glad I did, and I'm so glad your'e doing it too!  I want to hear more about your journey.

 

Lots of love,

Cedar

[[Ga...]]

I'm so glad to find this thread.  I had major surgery in May 2012 and couldn't sleep after  They think I have PTSD.  They gave me Ativan for sleep.  1mg.  I started thinking I was dependent about 2 months later and tried to talk to the DR about it.  He just told me to take .5 instead of the 1mg.  I tried but couldn't sleep.  He never talked about taporing.  So at 3 months I figured out on my own that I was having w/d because of not using the drug on a regular basis or dropping the amount one night ect.  Now I am using constant and trying to tapor. I dropped a week ago from 1mg to .75.  My muscles are bad.  Arms, neck, back, and jaw is starting to bother me.  Has anyone tried massage to help or acpuncture.  My GI issues were terrible when the w/d got bad.  I went to the acpuncturist and she has tried to help me some.  I've only had one session.  tomorrow I will ask her if she can do some relaxation help.  I thought I wasn't this bad, but today has not been easy.  I am sleeping, but I am guessing that as the amount drops the sleep will also.  Something happened during the surgery and I am afraid to sleep I guess.  I know that if I come off this I still won't sleep and that creates more w/d.  I currently only take this once a day at midnight.  Mornings are bad.  Afternoons have been ok until today.  How long do you go before you make cuts.  I was thinking of jumping at .125, but all of you are way down below that and still having lots of problems.  Wow!

[[Ga...]]

So, I'm trying to come off the Lorazepam ( Generic)  I read your tapor schedules and they make sense.  I bought a scale, but now realize that the generic may give problems anyway.  My real question is I was given this for sleep 3 months ago and I still am having sleep issues.  Did any of you have sleep issues during your tapor? IF so, did you just suffer through, or did you find a way to sleep?

[[ce...]]

So, I'm trying to come off the Lorazepam ( Generic)  I read your tapor schedules and they make sense.  I bought a scale, but now realize that the generic may give problems anyway.  My real question is I was given this for sleep 3 months ago and I still am having sleep issues.  Did any of you have sleep issues during your tapor? IF so, did you just suffer through, or did you find a way to sleep?

I just suffered through the horrible insomnia. I had no choice. 

 

But, I hope that you're able to sleep better than I did.  Part of my problem was that I was withdrawing from Ambien too.  Double whammy! 

[[Ho...]]

So, I'm trying to come off the Lorazepam ( Generic)  I read your tapor schedules and they make sense.  I bought a scale, but now realize that the generic may give problems anyway.  My real question is I was given this for sleep 3 months ago and I still am having sleep issues.  Did any of you have sleep issues during your tapor? IF so, did you just suffer through, or did you find a way to sleep?

I just suffered through the horrible insomnia. I had no choice. 

 

But, I hope that you're able to sleep better than I did.  Part of my problem was that I was withdrawing from Ambien too.  Double whammy!

 

Garden Lady, I think the ONLY side effect I haven't had is insomnia!  In fact, I sleep probably too much!!

 

BUT, when I got off Klonopin awhile ago I did have insomnia, and here are some of the things that helped me:

1.  develop a good sleep routine -- for me it was a warm bath and reading a good book in the bath about an hour before bed, and then low lights around the house for an hour and then face wash, teeth, etc. and to bed (no or little tv during this time).  And, I always tried to get into bed w/ the lights out at around the same time.

 

2.  Chamomile or Tazo Calm tea (usually after my bath).  Just helps with nerves and that restlessness that might keep you up.

 

3.  However you've slept best in the past, try and duplicate it -- for me, I have to have light noise to sleep (this also helps distract from the running thoughts and "oh my god, WHEN am I going to fall asleep); so I put on a movie that I've watched 1,000 times (so I'm not really paying attention to the dialogue) or some sleep music.  I also run my ceiling fan for some light noise and to cool my room down.

 

4.  I go to bed ALONE (my hubby hates this!), but he falls asleep instantaneously, and then on my insomnia nights I would sit there with "WHY can't I fall asleep like that."  I figured out if I'm in bed at least an hour before him, it's much more likely that I'll fall asleep and be sleeping soundly before he comes to bed.

 

5.  Other things my doc told me (which helped but I don't do so much anymore) are:  (1) no naps after 4 p.m. (try and wear yourself out); (2) no caffeine after 4 pm; (3) no food after 7 pm

 

That's all I can offer for now, maybe some folks in the Insomnia threads will have some suggestions!

[[be...]]

Hey guys! I'm here! I'm good!

Ive had to step away and live my life for a while. I met a girl, fell in love, chased her to NYC, started a new job...

I held my taper again recently. I wasn't feeling too bad but I just didnt want to deal with symptoms while all of this new stuff was happening.

I'm at about .24 ish mg spread over four doses. Still on the liquid.

Started coming down every four days or so about two weeks ago. So far so good.

I get the occasional flare up, but for the most part I'm fully functional and that is the goal.

 

I'm faced with a new weird challenge though which is that I've been offered a very cool opportunity to move to Thailand and work for a while but I would have to leave in November. I won't be done with my taper so I don't  know.

 

There is some new blood on here. I'm glad you've all found us. Welcome. You'll find so much support in the darkest times right here. I have been through hell and this forum and this thread in particular have been invlaluable. I'm not done with my taper but I've been through the roughest of places and I have found my way out as you will too. Please let me know if I can help in any way.

 

Goodnight!

 

BDL

[[Ga...]]

Am havinb great difficulity with interdose withdrawl.  I see the tapor plans that cedartree and Hoosier fans have .  they look good. but how do  you start implementing them.  do I take the big dose at as usual and then the next day about 12 hours later take like .25mg and then .5 the next night and then start splitting them to 6 hour intervals and dividing again?

[[be...]]

Garden lady, if you just start the taper with split up doses, your body will adjust soon enough. You don't need to taper the taper so to speak.

In fact you'll probably start feeling better reasonably soon because your blood levels will even out instead if having the dramatic peaks and troughs that cause interdose withdrawal.

This is what I've experienced an read from others.

Good luck!

 

BDL