Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

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Can someone please tell me if they tapered off 4 mg of lorazepam and how they did it,please

Hi Susana,

 

There are just a few people on this thread since I joined over a year ago.  Most of us are doing micro tapering that we learned from other places on BBs.  Also it seems most people on here are tapering from a much lower amount.  I am tapering from 6mgs and still have a little more than 1mg left to go.  I am using liquid micro-tapering.

 

I looked a little bit at your past posts and I see you have been through many health struggles and struggles with benzos and other medications and tapering attempts over several years.  I am so sorry to hear of everything you have been through.

 

It sounds like you have had a lot of confusion about tapering methods. I can understand how confusing it must be.  I was wondering- do you know anybody who could help you study the options and help you figure out a taper plan?  Someone who you trust and is good with math who could help you in person or over the phone?  I asked a couple of math teacher friends to help me.

 

Again soorry about how much you have gone through,  Don't give up!  You will get there!

 

Luey 

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Powerball, I've seen a video of a cat arguing with an alligator and the cat won, LOL.  I never thought I'd be a cat person, but we took in a couple of stray kittens who are now about a year and a half old and one of them especially is my buddy--so cuddly and sweet.  One of them likes our Golden Retriever and the other doesn't. 

 

Susana, I tapered off of 6 mg a day of Ativan. I just crushed the pill and mixed it with water, but in this link is how most people here are doing it:  http://benzo.alwaysdata.net/titration/titrationHelp.htm?help=Readme+First

 

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AD1..my fierce little Kitten Patrick has been the best diversion for us. We just got him before Corona spread. Today was second day since quarantine that I got my days mixed. I thought it was Wednesday and missed lunch for the third time this week. How can I do it when the fridge is right behind me?

 

Susannah, it was not easy but not impossible. I tried all kinds of cutting and made many mathematical mistake. But I survived them all. I began at 4 mg March 31, 2019. Tonight I cut down to  0.13mg and still sleeping like a baby 99% of the time. Since I came here a year ago I have been the only one taking my Ativan purely for sleep. Maybe I can help you some but every taper journey is different and I never switched to liquid. Good night all. Powerball

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Can someone please tell me if they tapered off 4 mg of lorazepam and how they did it,please

Susana, I tapered off of 6 mg a day of Ativan. I just crushed the pill and mixed it with water, but in this link is how most people here are doing it:  http://benzo.alwaysdata.net/titration/titrationHelp.htm?help=Readme+First

 

Hi Susana, In case want to consider liquid micro tapering like AF1 mentioned, here is the main link to the computer application described in the "README FIRST" link she posted: 

 

http://benzo.alwaysdata.net 

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Thank you Luey.And Luey I don’t know anyone that could help me by person or phone.Yes i will get there

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powerball can you please tell me how did you do your taper.The pills weights are different,what i do know 

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Bozobertie, hi! I would be interested to know where people aren't on lockdown. 

 

Luey, NOT FUN!  Yuck. 

 

Hearts, praying for your safety!

 

Of course you’re right .. was a silly thing for me to say ...

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Susana,I waited to I saw you were back before I posted.

 

Maybe I can help, maybe not. are you on multi does? Luey I think switched to liquid at some point. I have dry cut all the way with a Gemini microgram scale. My problem was I kept switching my method of cutting, a long story. I went to Peru Christmas week and wrapped all my does in tin foil (I do not taper when I travel and it worked fine). A month ago I began tapering my 1 mg of Xanax since my Ativan was low. It was a complete disaster so I went from a micro taper of Ativan 0.01mg evey three day to 0.1 every 4 days. Most people around here and in the past say the tapering at the low doses Is the hardest. Luey is a little but higher than me now but started at a higher dose. We have both been here just over a year and we just keep on trucking' Just keep in mind, EVERONE here is doing their taper differently and listening to their body. You can do this too. Just stay committed. If you want my precise dosing method let me know. It is a little complicated but have it down pat now. Good night all. I am at 0.12mg and still sleep like a rock.Powerball

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Hi powerball.Powerball I’m on 4mg ativan,1 mg four times a day.Yes I will like to know about  your precise dosing method.Thank you powerball for writing back to me. I hope that you can help me.

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Hi buddies,

  I’m currently at .6mg daily and holding a bit before cutting again. Looking for encouragement and advice tapering down from here. I’ve read the Ashton Manual, and I was trying to move a bit faster (as my body allows) due to short term use. The cut to .7 let me know it needed to be more incremental, and I’m doing well now at .6.

 

Thanks!

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Good Morning Everybody,

 

I hope you're doing well considering the current circumstances and tapering challenges of course. Welcome Beautyfromashes!

 

I reached 1mg. today, a big milestone for me, after starting at 6mg. 16 months ago!

 

It feels significant to finally start tapering the last milligram. I plan to continue chipping away slowly, listening to my body, taking it one day at a time.

 

Thanks for sharing the ups and downs of this journey everyone. Who could have predicted we'd be living through a pandemic in the middle of everything else?!  Take good care and touch base if you can. 

 

Big hugs!  (with social distancing, I'm feeling hug deprived right now)

 

Luey 

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[move] LUEY ~ CONGRATULATIONS ON 1 MG!!!!!!!  [/move]

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Beauty - Welcome! Sounds like you are doing a great job on you taper! Listening to your body is key.

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Luey, YAY!!!! That's so exciting! 

 

Welcome, Beauty!

 

Something funny--I thought I clicked on the notification for this group and was reading the posts not recognizing ANY of the names. I kept thinking there were a LOT of new people suddenly in the group, but it turned out I clicked on the wrong notification. LOL

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Congrats Luey!! Thats alot of hard work.

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THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! 

 

I've told a couple of my good friends about reaching 1mg and they've said something like "oh that's good," it felt like they think "what's the big deal?"  I have mainly been able to put it in the background so that's good.

 

But, those of you here know the dedication and perseverance it takes to keep tapering! 

 

I'm so grateful for this group!  I can't imagine being completely alone in this process.

 

Peace, Love, Hope and Strength,

 

Luey

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Bozobertie, hi! I would be interested to know where people aren't on lockdown. 

 

Luey, NOT FUN!  Yuck. 

 

Hearts, praying for your safety!

 

Of course you’re right .. was a silly thing for me to say ...

 

I didn't mean it to be snarky at all; I'm really sorry if it came across that way. I was really wondering if there were places in the world that weren't on lockdown--like maybe a few countries left where the virus hadn't reached? 

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Susanna I mad a BIG mistake. I made a BIG mistake . I cut 0.01 very 4 days. NOT every.1 mg every days. That would kill me. I went to 0.11mg today. This is a big deal for me. The lowest I tried go before was 0.10 and I failed and failed big. Maybe there were other factors, but now I am almost back. Sleeping like a baby, but my mini mania is back. I do not have manic episodes,  I have only had three, but my speech is all of control. My best sign of anxiety. I am working like a dog from home. More than I did before. I am fortunate still. Powerball.

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Everyone here is making such good progress; I'm so proud of you all! 

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Powerball,

 

You're getting down there. 0.10 mg is a tiny amount, good you are still sleeping well. Sorry to hear about your "mini mania," and the anxiety, I hope it doesn't last long and your mind goes back to calm and neutral. I think I know a little bit about what it feels like.

 

I also feel fortunate to have a home where I can "shelter-in-place." Yesterday I planted root crops- radishes, onions, beets and carrots. Today I've been digging up sod to create more growing space in my small yard. I decided to get creative and make a circular bed where I plan to grow both flowers and greens like kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, etc. I know I keep saying it over and over-  when I spend time outdoors it's my best therapy.

 

How is everyone?  I hope you are taking good care of yourselves. I'm thinking of you Heartsonfire and hope we hear from you.  I can't imagine how stressful it must be working in a hospital right now. Thank you for your service at this difficult time.

 

Committed and Lisa, How are you doing?

 

Hugs,

 

Luey

 

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Luey,  I am very jealous of your garden activities. I am. I need a calm mind. I never go outside except Sunday afternoons to walk the dog.  But this evening I did, I just had to. But I am too afraid. I know if I get Carona I am dead. I am pretty sure of that.  But my neighborhood is pretty normal. I am in a safe part of  Brooklyn, as far as I know. I really enjoy coming here to this site. It is a gift. When I sit down I do wonder who has posted tonight. As I have said here many times, "this is my lifeline." It has saved me. No nobody could help me. Not even my good psychiatrist knows how to after 2 1/2 years but he knew/knows very little about tapering. Very big things, but not really what I need. I posted here about a year ago how he told me to cut from 4mg to 3.5mg and I was horrified by the effect it had on me.

 

I need a calm mind. We also now cut TV off when Trump comes on for his Sh...Show and now watch a movie instead and come back to it the next night. We just finished Melancholia and next is The Shape of Water. I need to get off TV except Rachel. I need to get off the Internet except with small bites like this. I need to get back to my "book project" like last fall when I was reading voraciously. I did a 2 hr meditation on Sunday with about 5,000 people around the globe. I hate this plague but I am fortunate to have a good job I can work from home, but I put in long hours. 12 hours Friday but usually 9-10. I practically never leave the computer and sometimes forget to eat lunch. Glad you are doing well. And AFI, so glad you come around and check on us. Others Jumpers never do, so I really appreciate that. Good night. Powerball. 

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Glad to hear everyone is good...

We are all good here also, I am down to 0.17 and doing ok. Sleep is off and on.

This is a stressful time for all, but I also have been in my yard and it makes me feel much better.

Thinking of were I am going to put my garden , but here in Maine its still too cold.

Humprey my Poodle hurt his knee and might need surgery so trying to keep him calm to see if we can heal it without surgery.

 

Keep well,

Lisa

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Good Morning to All,

 

Lisa - Sorry to hear about Humphrey. Hopefully he heals quickly and won’t require surgery.

 

Luey, how wonderful that you are able to start planting! I too have been spending quite a bit of time outside. I have a small greenhouse and I have started a couple different varieties of zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, pumpkin, kale and a number of different flowers. I also have corn, green beans and snow peas but I think I will just direct sow those when the weather is a bit warmer. It is so enjoyable to watch everything growing. The fruit trees are in bloom here and they are so beautiful. Being outside in the sun makes me feel so much better. I have also been doing a little bit of baking (so encouraging!).  It is amazing how things that I previously took being able to do for granted, I now cherish.

 

It is so encouraging to see everyone getting so much lower in their dosages. Someday this will just be a memory for all of us!!

 

Haimona - Haven’t heard from you in a while. Hoping all is well.

 

Beautyfromashes - How are you doing?

 

Hoping everyone is able to find moments of calm today,

Committed

 

 

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Powerball, I'm curious why you think you'd be dead if you got Corona?  I've seen stories of people in their 90's recover from it. I think if I got it I'd recover and I've been stuck in the house for years because of my health.  Also there are lots of antiviral supplements like l-lysine, monolaurin, green tea, dandelion root, etc. For years when someone in the house got sick I'd give the rest of us l-lysine and vitamin c and 95% of the time it kept the others from getting sick. So I've got a little supply of vitamin c  and lysine (and tylenol) just in case.  I'm 56 by the way. I know I'm stuck on the couch for now, but I still think of myself as a healthy person. 

 

Luey, that's great that you can garden. I love working outside; I used to grow flowers and veggies when I felt good and I look forward to doing it again.  I belong to a couple gardening groups on FB and love to see what others are growing.

 

Lisa, I'll be praying for your dog.  We've prayed for our dogs before and seen them healed.  Not fun when your pets are hurting.

 

Hearts praying for you to stay safe! 

 

Hello everyone else! 

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AFI

 

I have several pre existing conditions. I am 58. I think I am pretty well, but these two benzos for a year have contributed to significant de-conditioning. I still think I would be dead. My husband goes out in practically a body suit to buy groceries and walk the dog.  II am actually more productive working from home, really. I need a remote job living in a tiny house. Day 2 on .10 mg. How in hell do I sleep? Is it the Xanax? I am beginning to wonder. Good night. Powerball.