Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[Gi...]]

Thanks so much, Sleepy! Ten percent of 1.5 mg would be 0.15 mg.

Thank you, if I cut a 1mg pill into 4 pieces, that would be ( I think) 1/4 of a milligram. Is that close to 0.15mg? Just don't understand the math. Sleepy

Hello Sleepy,

 

If you cut a 1 mg ativan into 4 pieces, each piece is 0.25 mg or 1/4 mg.  I hope this helps. G.

[[pi...]]

Hi everyone,

 

A member posted on the Titration Board needing information about dry titrating ativan 2mg. 

 

Here's a link to his post, I also directed him to this thread.

 

Thanks for any advice or help you can offer.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=231670.0

 

PG 

[[Su...]]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new here. Thanks to Luey for the help in locating this thread. 

My husband is trying to taper off of 5mg Ativan daily. He’s currently at 4.75 but is having a lot of withdrawal symptoms. He was hospitalized in August and was told they could get him totally off in one week from 7 mg daily! Well we have had quite the  education about Benzos since then. He immediately had to go back up to 5 mg and is just now beginning to taper.  I think many of the symptoms he is having now is from the rapid decrease from the high of 7 mg.

He is very reluctant to try any natural remedies as he still takes other medications (lexapro, rozerem, beta blocker) and has read that some of the herbal remedies can interfere with prescription drugs effectiveness. Does anyone have any thoughts and/or experience with this? Has anyone tried CBD to help calm the fear and anxiety?

I have encouraged him to come on this forum himself to get encouragement and information but he is afraid it will just scare him reading about others struggles....does anyone else feel that way? Obviously you all get benefit or you wouldn’t keep the thread going 

Just trying to help him in any way I can. It breaks my heart to see him struggle so much.

Thanks all.

[[...]]

Hi Supportivewife, welcome!  Your hubby is very blessed that you're on here getting information. He's partly right about not wanting to read the bad stuff. That's why I like this site vs. benzo FB groups. Too much negative stuff shows up in your FB feed so I didn't stay in any of those benzo groups. Here you can see the title of the thread so you can avoid the really bad ones.

 

I started at 6 mg a day and I was also in the hospital and a psych rehab where they tried to get me off in 1 week.  Awful. I came home and my family doc put me back on half the dose and I slow tapered from there. You might want to look for the daily liquid microtapering board (DLMT.)  That's the easiest way to get off--the most gradual. Either that or get a gram scale and shave little bits of the pill off with a fingernail file and/or crush the pill. When I liquid microtapered I cut 0.002 mg a day and toward the very end I cut 0.001 mg a day. I tapered all the way down to 0.001 mg before I jumped off.  I've been off about a week and don't feel any worse than I did while tapering so I think it helped to go that low and to go slow at the end.  At the very beginning of my taper (not in the hosp) I could actually cut 1/4 mg a week and be ok.

 

Here are some instructions for liquid microtapering:  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=6393.0

[[Sl...]]

 

Hi Sleepy,

 

Thank you. It helps to better understand your situation.  I think it's good your doctor keeps prescribing 2mg. a day.  Since you have reduced to 1.5mg you are saving 0.5mg everyday which gives you some extra just in case.  I understand not wanting to tell your doctor if you don't trust her.  Of course it would be better to find a different doctor who you could trust to support you.

 

To confirm: You aren't able to use a titration method with either liquid or dry cutting with a scale.  You don't want to switch to valium.  You don't want to ask for 0.5mg tablets.  Is all of that still correct?  Based on what you say, the smallest you can divide your tablets is by 1/4mg. 

 

If that was my only option, I would first try cutting 1/4 off my mid-day dose.  Next I would try cutting 1/4 off my morning dose.  Then I might attempt to cut 1/4 off my night time dose.

 

You could attempt a taper schedule that looks something like this:

1.  1/2mg morning,  1/2mg mid-day, 1/2mg night

2.  1/2mg morning,  1/4mg mid-day, 1/2mg night.  Hold

3.  1/4mg morning,  1/4mg mid-day, 1/2mg night.  Hold

4.  1/4mg morning,  1/4mg mid-day, 1/4mg night.  Hold

5.  1/4mg night  1/4 day  Hold

6.  1/4 night.  Hold

7.  zero

 

This is just an example.  Do you feel like you experience interdose withdrawal symptoms?  If you do, it seems it would be better to reduce 1/4 from one dose then 1/4 from another dose.  If don't experience interdose withdrawal symptoms, you could instead reduce all of your mid-day dose first as you suggested you want to try.  That would look like this:

 

1. 1/2 morning, 1/4 mid-day, 1/2 night.  HOLD

2. 1/2 morning,  1/2 night.                  HOLD

For you next 1/4cut, reduce from the time of day you need it the least. And so on....

 

I read that Ashton does not recommend up-dosing.  (Personally I think tapering should be based on a person's symptoms, ideally supported by a medical professional). If you cut by 1/4mg each time, that is very similar to the taper schedule Ashton used in her clinic. On benzobuddies direct taper description they recommend: "only make a new cut once you feel reasonably recovered from the previous cut.

 

Sleepy, I am not a doctor or an expert.  This is based on everything you have told us. It would be good to get other opinions.  I would not be able to make these big of cuts without suffering.  In the end, only you know what you want to try and what you can tolerate.

 

Keep us posted.

 

Luey

Thank you so much, I think I understand this. Am i staying on each dose for a week and then by the 7th week, I will be down to 1mg? Or when it says Zero, I would actually be done with the taper?

Yes, everything you confirm is correct. I don't think I get inter dose withdrawals. I will wait to hear from you to see if that is a 7 week taper and if HOLD means to hold for one week. You have given me more than Help, Luey, you have given me HOPE, I am very grateful.Sleepy

Taking a screen shot.

 

[[Sl...]]

Thanks so much, Sleepy! Ten percent of 1.5 mg would be 0.15 mg.

Thank you, if I cut a 1mg pill into 4 pieces, that would be ( I think) 1/4 of a milligram. Is that close to 0.15mg? Just don't understand the math. Sleepy

Hello Sleepy,

 

If you cut a 1 mg ativan into 4 pieces, each piece is 0.25 mg or 1/4 mg.  I hope this helps. G.

 

Yes, Ginger that helps, will screen shot, so I remember Thank you. Sleepy

[[...]]

 

My husband is trying to taper off of 5mg Ativan daily. He’s currently at 4.75 but is having a lot of withdrawal symptoms. He was hospitalized in August and was told they could get him totally off in one week from 7 mg daily! Well we have had quite the  education about Benzos since then. He immediately had to go back up to 5 mg and is just now beginning to taper.  I think many of the symptoms he is having now is from the rapid decrease from the high of 7 mg.

He is very reluctant to try any natural remedies as he still takes other medications (lexapro, rozerem, beta blocker) and has read that some of the herbal remedies can interfere with prescription drugs effectiveness. Does anyone have any thoughts and/or experience with this? Has anyone tried CBD to help calm the fear and anxiety?

I have encouraged him to come on this forum himself to get encouragement and information but he is afraid it will just scare him reading about others struggles....does anyone else feel that way? Obviously you all get benefit or you wouldn’t keep the thread going 

Just trying to help him in any way I can. It breaks my heart to see him struggle so much.

Thanks all.

 

Hi Supportive Wife,

 

As AF1 said, your husband is blessed to have your support. 

 

I also started tapering from the high amount of 6mg doing a direct taper ("cut and hold").  At 3.25mg my symptoms worsened so I switched to Daily Liquid Micro Tapering (DLMT).  It helped me to slow down considerably and helped get my symptoms under control.  If your husband is still having symptoms, he could hold at his current dose and then try a titration method either with liquid or dry cut using a scale as AF1 mentioned.

 

I am not using any herbal remedies except Holy Basil tea.  The only supplements I can take without getting sick are Omega 3, Turmeric and Magnesium Chelate. Many others have difficulty with supplements.  My doctor who is helping several others taper benzos said it was common to have problems with supplements and herbs.  I have never tried CBD. Everyone is different.  Based on my experience, I would recommend caution with any of these.

 

I agree, it is better to avoid reading the worst case scenarios.  Initially I used the forum to learn about tapering methods.  Now I mainly stick to this Ativan support group because everyone is so positive.  Maybe your husband would feel comfortable with this group.

 

I would like to send you an alternative link to the one AF1 sent you.  The link she sent was written in 2007 and has not been updated.  The videos do not work and I haven't heard of using milk with Ativan.  I would recommend the following link below developed by another "buddy."  I found it to be the best source to learn about both liquid tapering and dry tapering (he calls the dry method "Direct Tapering" whereas on Benzobuddies Direct Tapering refers to a "cut and hold" method").  In particular go to the README FIRST sections for both liquid and "direct tapering".    You can play with the computer application plugging in some numbers.  I prefer to do my own math and schedule.  Let me know if you want sources for doing the math on your own after studying the README first descriptions.

 

http://benzo.alwaysdata.net

 

It can take some time to study and decide on the method and pace you want to start with.  Maybe your husband could hold at his current dose while researching tapering methods since he is currently symptomatic. 

 

Best wishes,

 

Luey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[...]]

Thank you so much, I think I understand this. Am i staying on each dose for a week and then by the 7th week, I will be down to 1mg? Or when it says Zero, I would actually be done with the taper?

Yes, everything you confirm is correct. I don't think I get inter dose withdrawals. I will wait to hear from you to see if that is a 7 week taper and if HOLD means to hold for one week. You have given me more than Help, Luey, you have given me HOPE, I am very grateful.Sleepy

Hi Sleepy,  The plan is not intended to be a seven week taper.  "Only make a new cut once you feel reasonably recovered from the previous cut."  For example, you might hold for two, three, four weeks or more between each cut depending on how you feel. Listen to your body and taper at a rate that works for you, where you keep any symptoms at a tolerable level. Go as slowly as needed. Best wishes!

[[da...]]

Just wanted to share my experience of how I was able to get off Ativan and remain off for over 15 months. I’m not sure I’d recommend it, yet it was ultimately effective. I had my wife flush my prescription, I drove to the ER, and they put me right into detox where they brought me off in 6 days. I was always under close medical observation as I went from 6mg to 1 on the last day. I think they took my blood pressure 8x a day. I questioned their plan because I was taking a huge amount of Ativan (6mg) and had taken a growing daily amount for 15 years. I went to intensive outpatient counseling after work for the first 3 months after detox and while the counselors had absolutely no clue about Ativan withdrawal, having people to talk to was helpful. I hit some 12 step meetings for awhile and that also helped with getting support, even if I really couldn’t relate or vice versa. I just recently started MMJ and it has helped with sleep, which was a rough withdrawal effect. 

[[Su...]]

Thank you AF and Luey for the support and suggestions. It’s a daily battle. The hardest part for my husband is managing his emotions. He is so fearful of everything. He’s not able to work so he has so much free time on his hands to worry and ruminate over his situation. I don’t believe he has accepted his situation in a rational, logical way. He just lives is his emotions, and they are all bad. 

I’ve suggested he may want to explore the liquid micro taper method....we will see.

 

Thanks again and I hope you all have a blessed day. 

[[...]]

The hardest part for my husband is managing his emotions. He is so fearful of everything. He’s not able to work so he has so much free time on his hands to worry and ruminate over his situation. I don’t believe he has accepted his situation in a rational, logical way. He just lives is his emotions, and they are all bad. 

Good morning Supportive Wife,

 

One of the most challenging parts of this process is the emotional part.  I think many of us have felt the fear you describe and other difficult emotions. Moving into a state of acceptance can take time. I have needed to do a lot of deep self-reflection to develop positive ways of coping. I am grateful for the faithful support of good friends.  I am also seeing a counselor as an additional source of psychological support.  Physical symptoms can make it difficult to do almost everything.  I am about 10 months into the tapering process and only recently have started to feel better.  Of course it's easier to feel optimistic on the good days. Learning how to not despair on the bad days is more challenging. It takes a lot of patience both for those of us going through this and also for the people supporting us.  Sometimes it comes down to one moment, one step, one day at a time.

 

Tell your husband we understand what he is going through.

 

Wishing you both moments of ease and peace,

 

Luey

[[te...]]

Wow ! Our small group is getting bigger . Hi to all , wondering if powerball is ok . Have not heard anything . Hope everyone is well , welcome to newbies and I suggest liquid micro taper for the least symptoms but remember they all come with symptoms . Wish everyone a great day .

Time is the only real answer .

Lisa

[[Co...]]

Hello Supportive Wife,

 

Although I started at a lower dose, I too developed some INTENSE fears and insecurities when I first started tapering. I also spent A LOT of time crying uncontrollably. Unfortunately, there was very little rational or logic for me during this time period. But things do get better!

 

I too see a therapist which I find helpful. (CBT, deep breathing, tapping, meditation)

 

You are so right about too much time to ruminate. My husband would take me on car rides just to get me out of the house. Also, yes, reading bad things online can make our fears and anxiety worse. Even now I pretty much just stick to this thread. But for me it did REALLY help to know other people were going through the same things I was experiencing and HEALING!!

 

I have done cut and hold, dry micro tapering and now daily liquid micro tapering. I too find DLMT to be the method I like best.

 

My heart truly goes out to you and your husband. Please keep us posted.

 

Blessings to you both,

Committed

[[...]]

Supportive wife, I wonder if there's a hobby your husband could do. I'm stuck on the couch, and I knit all day. It really helps!  Even though it's hard to concentrate, learning something new has helped me distract myself from how I'm feeling.  There are guys that do needle crafts, but there are lots of hobbies out there.  Just a thought.

[[po...]]

Tech it is so nice to be thinking about me. I am well. I just hit a milestone:

 

0.39mg! below 0.40 for the very first time! I have gone from 4mg to 0.39 in just under 8 months. The night before I had a scare though. I was all set to go to 0.39 and then I got my Ativan bottle mixed in with my other meds! So I had no idea if I have already taken 2 mg or not! Just when I am sailing I always F up. So I figured if I could not sleep then I must have missed it. But I have been getting up an hour after going to bed, reading a while, and then returning to bed where I go to sleep. But I was also afraid of being too far away from my Xanax dose taken earliery. What a messed up TAPER!! I just did not know what to do. So I went to bed, didn't sleep as usual, read for just a few minutes, and decided I would gamble. Maybe I did take it, maybe I did not. So I went ahead and took my 0.48 cut. In the end I guessed wrong and I took just under2.5mg, and slept like a baby. I woke up wondering if I am now going to have a setback.

 

So last night I tried the 0.39mg (a 0.48 cut) and yes I woke up to read, and then just slept! My God, I am back on track. Tonight I will not taper and see if tonight goes as well. I also have two big but short presentations before the full faculty tomorrow. I am near the end of writing my book and I swear to God I may never writer another. My weight has stabilized but the nausea is still there but manageable. Enough of ME!!!

 

Yes, the group of grown! Welcome to our New Arivan HATERS! and lovely to have Supportive here. Tell you husband that we are not gruesome here. We celebrate little victories here and encourage each other when we have a bad patch. No horror stories here! Go to YouTube for that!.

e

AFI one I so glad you are staying here (at least for a while) -we need to hear from Jumpers. It gives us such motivation but I understand how Sierra had to move on with her life.

 

Luey - we are so glad to have you here to be the dose mathematician for many newbies. I got so close to liquid taper, but have managed pretty consistently with my cuts, but then again I just cut once a night. I still have that Tito's vodka in my freezer and maybe I will take a swig when I jump. But no horses before the carriage for me. Good night all. Powerball. 

[[Co...]]

Good Morning Everyone!

 

Another week behind us. YES!!

 

PB - Congratulations on getting below .40!! That is FANTASTIC!! You must be very happy!!

 

Luey - Hope your hike was enjoyable. Is it getting pretty chilly there?

 

I have exciting news to share!

 

At the beginning of my taper, I had an INTENSE fear of being alone. It was so bad that my husband got permission to work from home and if he needed to be out of town on business, one of my kids would come and stay with me.

 

Well...... this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday my husband went to visit his dad in Colorado and say his goodbyes. I put on my big girl pants and stayed at home BY MYSELF!! This is HUGE!! HEALING IS HAPPENING!!!!  I couldn’t be more happy right now. 

 

(Who would have ever thought that, as a grown woman, staying at home by myself would have been considered an accomplishment? But I’ll take it!)

 

Hoping we all have a good week with moments of peace and feeling encouraged.

Committed

[[te...]]

Congratulations committed , it has been the same for me . Not a good feeling at all . A grown woman should be fine but I had the same problem and still do to some extent . I am so happy for you I hope this will happen for me too .

This is a long journey I have learned to be patient I always needed help in that department but with this withdrawal it gives you no choice .

Best Lisa

[[...]]

Committed, that's wonderful!  Luey was it you I was telling about that some people get better the lower they go?  Powerball, that's an awesome milestone!  You'll be off before you know it.

 

My sleep is getting back to where it was pre-jump.

[[Co...]]

Oh Lisa, I am so sorry to hear you struggle with the same fear. It’s miserable isn’t it? Praying yours continues to ease.

 

Lisa, AF1 - THANK YOU!!!!

 

AF1 - Your sleep pre-jump, is that a good thing?

 

[[Sl...]]

quote author=Luey link=topic=44903.msg2973665#msg2973665 date=1572142853]

Thank you so much, I think I understand this. Am i staying on each dose for a week and then by the 7th week, I will be down to 1mg? Or when it says Zero, I would actually be done with the taper?

Yes, everything you confirm is correct. I don't think I get inter dose withdrawals. I will wait to hear from you to see if that is a 7 week taper and if HOLD means to hold for one week. You have given me more than Help, Luey, you have given me HOPE, I am very grateful.Sleepy

Hi Sleepy,  The plan is not intended to be a seven week taper.  "Only make a new cut once you feel reasonably recovered from the previous cut."  For example, you might hold for two, three, four weeks or more between each cut depending on how you feel. Listen to your body and taper at a rate that works for you, where you keep any symptoms at a tolerable level. Go as slowly as needed. Best wishes!

Thank you, Luey. Understood!! Sleepy

[[...]]

Powerball, Haha, that's the first time in my life anyone has complimented my math skills. I cried when I took statistics in grad. school.  It's good to hear you're doing well despite your little weekend mix-up.  You always recover.  CONGRATULATIONS on your progress!!!  I can not believe you are writing a book in the middle of all this. (I'm assuming your hard drive survived!) 

 

When you get to zero At.v.n, I might clink your Tito's with my own McCormick martini (cheapest vodka from the neighborhood dive bar). It's all about the olives!  Normally even without at.v.n, I hardly ever drink alcohol and never get tempted when I'm measuring out my potion. Maybe I'll eat a pint of salty caramel chocolate coconut ice cream instead. That sounds so tempting right now.  I've been so good about my restricted and healthy diet.  Sugar is (mostly) out.

 

Committed, High Five for your solo weekend!!!  I hope your confidence keeps growing and soon you'll be able to savor your moments of solitude.  A great sign of recovery. What's really great is to hear you say you feel HAPPY!!!

 

I live by myself and normally enjoy my independence. But at my worst, after about three days alone in my house with zero energy and nausea, I would start to go stir crazy.  Phone calls from friends saved my sanity.

 

I've been feeling better, more like myself and more energy.  We are having crazy weather!  Snowy, it's 10F with even colder wind chill factor.  This is not normal for the end of Oct. even in Montana! You need goggles and a face mask just to go out there. I've got the oven on roasting sweet potatoes, beets, Brussel sprouts and miso marinated tofu.

 

Lisa, patience is normally NOT my strength either.  I was so frustrated at the beginning of this.  Somehow I've come to a certain level of acceptance. What else can I (we) do?

 

AF1, I hope life post jump just keeps getting better for you!  Sleepy, I'm glad the plan makes sense. Wishing you success! Keep us posted.  Maggie, are you out there!?!?!  Anyone else reading, join us, we support you!

 

Take good care everyone and stay warm!!!

 

Luey

 

 

 

 

[[he...]]

Hi I'm new to this website/forum and not sure how to post a new message to the Ativan tapering support thread -- I hope this works. I'm looking for advice... I have taken Ativan mainly (though other benzos mixed in) for mostly 10 years, the last 6 mos at 1 mg nightly. I absolutely feel dependent on it for sleep, and I feel like my anxiety has escalated with my dose increase. What a crazy-making drug. I have no idea how to sleep without Ativan... it started partly from traumatic grief situation then working nights for many years and drugging myself to sleep during the day. I no longer work nights but I have a stressful job that ends at 11 pm (ER nurse). I kind of feel like this drug dependence is ruining me. How do I start the taper? Should I switch to long-acting benzo? Doc is willing to prescribe K but discourages V for some reason... yet at the same time does not think I will have Ativan withdrawal because have taken low-ish dose. I don't think she realizes my psychological dependence on it. I've been trying meditation, sleep apps, all kinds of other anxiety-coping strategies. I feel crazy. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks and love to all who are going through this.

[[...]]

Welcome HeartsonFire! 

 

You've come to the right place.  We're just a small, (but very supportive!) group right now, all of us at different points of tapering directly off Ativan.  I know what you mean about feeling crazy, I think most of us here have felt "crazy" in one way or another. We all started ativan for different reasons like sleep, anxiety and/or grief and loss. If you look back through people's signatures you'll see others are tapering from a smaller dose like you.

 

In order to go very slowly/gradually, most of us are doing daily micro tapering either by making our own liquid solution or dry cutting and weighing using a gram scale.  I'm doing daily liquid micro tapering (DLMT) and it really helped me get my symptoms under control.  Not symptom free but much better.

 

Reading your msg. made me think of the possibility you are experiencing interdose withdrawals.  Because ativan is short acting, most of us need to take it 3 or 4xdaily to prevent interdose withdrawals.  I needed to very gradually spread my doses out. I always take more at night in order to sleep. 

 

HeartsFire, I really believe our brains/bodies can recover from this terrible dependency.  I feel my body slowly adapting to less and less ativan.  It takes a lot of patience but I truly believe it's possible.  Please join us as much as you like and let me/us know how we can help you.  The good thing is you are aware and want to start tapering in a safe way!

 

Sending you strength and hope,

 

Luey

 

 

 

 

[[te...]]

Welcome ,

Yes we all have the same problem we are all trying our best to get off this horrible drug . I was always on a small does o.5 mg once a day for a year then twice a day when grief hit . Only when I realized it was making me sicker did I try and just stop and oh how sick I was . Go slow and liquid taper . It’s the best way .

Lisa

[[...]]

Heartsonfire,

 

Welcome! I'm sorry you're in this boat with us.  Here is how to dry taper (thanks, Luey for showing us this--I was wondering where to direct new people to)

http://untrusted.markkit.net/untrusted/benzo.alwaysdata.net_direct_directHelp.htm_help_Readme_First.html?s=uase02k83s5c6gh0e3113cj3f4#

 

and here is how to wet taper:  http://benzo.alwaysdata.net/titration/titrationHelp.htm?help=Readme+First

 

I cut 0.002 mg a day of Ativan for most of my taper then 0.001 a day at the very end. You may want to go faster or slower but that might give you a general starting point.  I agree that you may want to split your dose into 3 doses a day, but that also might make sleeping harder so I'm not sure.  Maybe try something else for sleep?  I take Unisom.  At least being a nurse the math shouldn't bother you.