Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[Gi...]]

Hello Ativan Tapering buddies! I’m new to the site and was referred to this sub group link for help. Hopefully, I’m in the right place as I’ve posted in the general community which may not be the right spot to get The Ativan “expertise”.

 

Hi Buddies

I’ve been on Ativan 23 yrs! I’m currently on Ativan 3.75mg taken Only at bedtime. I just started to read & want to plan out a slow, steady Ativan taper. Start with dry cuts then eventually when amounts get really low, possibly a water/liquid taper (I’ve only heard about this recently).

 

Has anyone been on a high dose of Ativan for so long & been able to taper? Can anyone share their experiences & offer advice?

 

What about managing withdrawal symptoms (can they even be manageable with a slow, slow taper?) while trying to be Full time working mom & raise a family?

 

I have only ever taken Ativan at night for sleep, never during the day. Tbh I don’t know if I have inter dose withdrawal Sx (maybe I do & don’t even realize?) bc this bedtime dosing schedule is what I’ve been doing for soooo many years and the way I feel during the  day (yes, there’s always that underlying anxiety, occasional panic attack, muscle weakness, balance issues, sensitivity to light/sound) is all I’ve ever known as my “baseline” normal. During my waking hours, no matter how I feel I pretty much muscle through the day (work wise (fairly stressful professional demanding job), kids, home responsibilities etc. For me, bedtime & not being able to sleep without Ativan is what scares me to death!

Does anyone have experience tapering from high dose Ativan, long time use AND someone who only took at night?

 

Feeling really (I mean REALLY) scared & alone 🥺

Thank you and nice to meet you all 🙏 Onchao

 

Hello Onchao,

 

Welcome.  You're in the right place if you're wanting off Ativan.  I did not start at a high dose, just 1mg which I took at night for sleep.  I have been tapering for 4 1/2 years with many long holds to stabilize, let symptoms subside and then continue cutting my dose.  I seem to be extremely sensitive to medications my doctor has said.

 

I started with dry cuts then went to liquid when I couldn't cut the pills any smaller.  I'm now at a tenth of my original dose and will finish at the end of the year.

 

There are others who, like you, took larger doses for long periods of time.  I feel sure they will chime in to help you.  Do not hesitate to ask lots of questions, we all do especially when we are first getting started. G

[[On...]]

Hi Gingermint! Thank you for replying How did you cut the dry doses to such small amounts? Did you use a scale or by eyeballing the pill sections? If by scale, how does that work? I’ve seen some affordable scales on Amazon that go to 0.001g but is that small enough. Not sure how much Ativan 0.5mg (halves, quarters, eighths) even weigh? Wow, you have gone through a long steady taper. You are almost at the finish line. So great! Thanks again! Onchao

[[Pa...]]

Hi Gingermint! Thank you for replying How did you cut the dry doses to such small amounts? Did you use a scale or by eyeballing the pill sections? If by scale, how does that work? I’ve seen some affordable scales on Amazon that go to 0.001g but is that small enough. Not sure how much Ativan 0.5mg (halves, quarters, eighths) even weigh? Wow, you have gone through a long steady taper. You are almost at the finish line. So great! Thanks again! Onchao

 

Many have gone before you and left breadcrumbs to help you find your way, whichever way you choose. 

 

 

Bob7 Benzo Dry Taper Method 

 

Dry Taper Math

[[ld...]]

Welcome Onchao, you've come to the best place. You will do this. The support here is incredible and the knowledge more than from any physicians that I know. All you need is commitment and the drive to succeed.

 

Liz, I love your comparison to sleep when you were a child. That was the best sleep, wasn't it??? So happy for you that you had that experience.

 

I continue to decrease my dose by 0.2cc daily while doing my liquid taper. So far so good.

 

Good thoughts to all my Ativan taper BB.

 

low dose

[[On...]]

Thanks Pamster for the dry cut links! The 2 scales shown in the 2 videos are no longer available on Amazon. Does anyone have another scale they have used or would recommend that I could buy off Amazon?

 

Thanks ldbenzohelp for your welcome and your conviction “ You will do this.” Although I feel no confidence at this beginning stage, those simple words did put a smile to my face 🙂 I would love to hear about your Ativan history, tapering experience and how you do a liquid taper. Do you have links /videos that you could share?

 

Thanks all 🙏 Onchao

[[Gi...]]

Hi Gingermint! Thank you for replying How did you cut the dry doses to such small amounts? Did you use a scale or by eyeballing the pill sections? If by scale, how does that work? I’ve seen some affordable scales on Amazon that go to 0.001g but is that small enough. Not sure how much Ativan 0.5mg (halves, quarters, eighths) even weigh? Wow, you have gone through a long steady taper. You are almost at the finish line. So great! Thanks again! Onchao

I did not dry cut.  Once I reached a quarter of a 0.5 tablet I switched to a liquid.  I make the solution myself using 2 ml vodka (80 proof), 0.5 mg tablet and 48 ml water.  First I dissolve the pill in the vodka and then add the water.  This makes 50 mls at 0.01 mg/ml.  I titrate my dose with syringes.

 

I never considered dry cutting and scales, too much work.  I'm an RN and accuracy is a must for me.  No matter which way you choose you will be successful.  I'm sure of it.  G

[[On...]]

Hi Gingermint, nice to hear from another hcp. I’m a pharmacist & in this mess. Oooh the irony and the embarrassment 😞 I can’t ask any hcps I know bc 1) they have no clue 2) the stigma & feeling judged

Anyways, I watched 2 suggested dry cut/scale taper videos and I was thinking Wth...?! Seems so complicated or maybe it’s just me.

You liquid taper sounds more straightforward. Do you have to use alcohol? Is there a pharmacokinetic reason? Does the alcohol affect the withdrawal Sx bc it’s alcohol? What else can you use as substitute liquid that ensures evenly distributed drug throughout liquid?

 

How are your withdrawal Sx during the taper then when switching to the liquid taper?

 

Thanks G, Onchao

[[Ha...]]

Hi all,

 

Haimona here.  It has been quite a while since I have posted here, and tapering during a pandemic sure isn't a fun thing to do, is it? In fact, my taper was stalled for quite a while and I am just now attempting to move downward again, on a gradual schedule to get me from .375 to .3125 mg, hopefully over the next two months.  I just wanted to check back in and see how everyone else is doing in this scary time.

 

Haimona

[[Pa...]]

 

You liquid taper sounds more straightforward. Do you have to use alcohol? Is there a pharmacokinetic reason? Does the alcohol affect the withdrawal Sx bc it’s alcohol? What else can you use as substitute liquid that ensures evenly distributed drug throughout liquid?

 

 

This will answer some of your questions but making a "home brew" isn't as reliable as perhaps having a compounding pharmacy do it for you, or getting the liquid version of your medication.

 

Titration FAQ's

[[...]]

Welcome Onchao,         

 

Congratulations on starting your taper!  Thanks for all your info and questions. I feel confident you will succeed and hopefully be able to do it with minimal symptoms if you go slowly and listen to your body.  Also, if you do everything you can to stay healthy through diet, moderate exercise and reducing stress I believe it will make it easier. 

 

You are not alone, I think it can be so helpful to lean into your support system including this group.  I know it can seem overwhelming at first but I found I was able to get into a rhythm.  Tapering has become a routine for me like “brushing my teeth.”

 

I was taking 6.0mgs when I started tapering 19 months ago.  You can see from my signature that I had taken Ativan for about six years with increasingly larger doses because I had developed a tolerance.

 

At the beginning I was determined to get off as quickly as possible.  I used “cut and hold (cut and suffer)” and went from 6.0mgs. To 3.25mgs. in two months. At first it seemed like I was doing fine but then I started having stomach flu like symptoms along with terrible fatigue. The symptoms got worse and I figured out I was experiencing withdrawal.

 

So I held, switched to Daily Liquid Micro Tapering (DLMT) and slowed way down.  Unfortunately by this time it seems I had thrown my central nervous system (CNA) considerably out of balance. It took me 5+ months to get my symptoms under control.  But by slowing way down and improving my diet etc., I eventually became almost symptom free and have stayed that way for the last 10 months.  I actually was able to speed up about six weeks ago and if everything keeps going well I should be able to get to zero, symptom free within the next month.

 

If I could do it over again I would start more slowly and use DLMT from the beginning.  And only if I was symptom free for a couple months would I possibly try to increase my speed by a tiny amount. 

 

It does sound like you might be having inter-dose withdrawal symptoms.  I moved my doses around 0.25mg at a time.  If you do decide to try this, I would recommend doing it before starting to reduce your overall dose.  I eventually spread my doses out to 4 x daily but still take half my total daily dose at night.

 

Here’s an excellent link for a computer app that describes liquid tapering. The ReadMeFirst section will give you a good overview. It was developed by Jim Hawk, a kind BB member from Switzerland.

 

http://benzo.alwaysdata.net/

 

You can play around with the app to get an idea of a schedule.  I ended up doing my own math however.  If you get to that point I will be happy to give you the simple formula.

 

I hope this helps.  We can’t tell you what to do but we can share information from our own experiences and offer moral support.  I look forward to seeing you on the thread.

 

Luey

 

p.s.  I recommend you avoid the horror stories. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[...]]

Hi Haimona,

 

Welcome back!  Yes, it has been a crazy time with the pandemic.  It sounds like it was a good idea to hold.

 

There are only three of us "old-timers" on the thread from when you were here, me, Tech and Powerball.  Recently there have been several new members- most starting from low doses and short-term use. They are a very supportive and positive group.  Hopefully soon it will be time to pass the torch.

 

Good to hear from you and good luck with the next phase of your taper!

 

Luey

 

 

 

[[Ha...]]

Thanks, Luey! The more buddies the better, I think.  We all can use all the support.  How are you doing with your taper? My biggest symptoms remain insomnia, anxiety and cog fog, but I've had enough semi-halfway-decent nights of sleep recently that I wanted to go ahead and try to move forward again.  It feels good to sense progress again, and get a little closer to being rid of this monster, Ativan.

 

Hi to all the new folks I don't know yet.  You've found a very supportive thread here.

 

Haimona

[[Gi...]]

Hi Gingermint, nice to hear from another hcp. I’m a pharmacist & in this mess. Oooh the irony and the embarrassment 😞 I can’t ask any hcps I know bc 1) they have no clue 2) the stigma & feeling judged

Anyways, I watched 2 suggested dry cut/scale taper videos and I was thinking Wth...?! Seems so complicated or maybe it’s just me.

You liquid taper sounds more straightforward. Do you have to use alcohol? Is there a pharmacokinetic reason? Does the alcohol affect the withdrawal Sx bc it’s alcohol? What else can you use as substitute liquid that ensures evenly distributed drug throughout liquid?

 

How are your withdrawal Sx during the taper then when switching to the liquid taper?

 

Thanks G, Onchao

Good morning Onchao,

Ativan will not dissolve into a solution with just water, it makes a suspension.  In the presence of 80 proof alcohol the benzodiazepine becomes a solution.  You can also use food grade propylene glycol which I tried but didn't find it worked for me.  Some members use milk.

The tiny amount of alcohol I use has no effect on sx for me.  I do not drink alcoholic beverages, not even wine. 2 ml of alcohol, as you know, is less than a half tsp. 

 

There is a BB member, Builder, who is very knowledgeable.  I looked him up and read about 100 of his posts to educate myself.  I had no sx going from tablets to liquids which I did in one day.  Ativan is also available in a concentrated liquid but you would need an rx from your doctor. I'm happy with my method, it has worked well for me. 

 

The key is finding what works well for you and sometimes that is trial and error.  WD sx vary from person to person so mine may not be what you experience.  Many of my sx have lessened or disappeared as I've gotten lower in dose.  Some persist.

 

Start slow and see how you tolerate it, make adjustments as needed.  I recommend long holds if you get to a point sx are difficult.  It gives your CNS time to settle down and some healing to take place.  This is what has worked for me.  I've had plenty of rough spells but I refuse to give up, I will not let this drug win. G

 

 

[[Ju...]]

Hello all,

 

Just poppin in to say hello.

I hope everyone is doing well.  I had a bit of a rough patch the last few days but back on it today. 

 

Welcome to Onchao.  Ask questions of the group.  I believe it was powerball that had taken an online course for sleep therapy.  Maybe next time he pops on he can give details.  He was also taking Ativan at night for sleep only.  Luey and others have the experience in liquid taper info.

 

Haimona-Very nice to meet you.  I wish you luck in resuming your taper.

 

Wishing wonderful days and peaceful nights to all.

 

JuJuBi

[[Ha...]]

Hi JuJuBi, nice to meet you too.  I'm sorry you had a rough patch; I hope today was better for you.  So far, the new taper is going pretty decently, just some jitters and waves of dizziness but nothing too awful.  Sleep remains elusive, but I'm always hopeful that tonight will be better. 

 

Welcome, Onchao.  I remember finding a free app from the VA about CBT for insomnia, which had some pretty good exercises and information on it.  I just looked and it was called "CBT-i Coach."  You might want to look for that.

 

I also wish everyone a restful night and an easy day tomorrow.

 

Haimona

[[On...]]

Hi Harmona, nice to meet you. Apps great idea！ will def check them out. Thanks for that suggestion.

 

Hi Jujubi good to hear you are back on track 👍🏼 You have a great memory of who’s done what & can help. So resourceful!

 

Hi Powerball, if you’re online & see this post Hello! And please let me know about your online sleep training experience and experience tapering from Ativan (taken at night only) would love to hear about this!

 

Have a nice Saturday everyone Onchao

[[Ma...]]

Hello everyone

I am on day 5 of tapering from Ativan. I have always taken it at bedtime, and now that dosage is diminishing, I have been told that splitting the dosage into 3 or 4 is common practice. I worry that the change will spur more W/D sxs...

Any advice on this, how to schedule it and if anyone has had better success sticking to one dose a day?

With thanks!

[[Gi...]]

Hello everyone

I am on day 5 of tapering from Ativan. I have always taken it at bedtime, and now that dosage is diminishing, I have been told that splitting the dosage into 3 or 4 is common practice. I worry that the change will spur more W/D sxs...

Any advice on this, how to schedule it and if anyone has had better success sticking to one dose a day?

With thanks!

Hello Marwegs,

I was put on Ativan at night for sleep.  I started tapering but had so many daytime symptoms that I split my dose in two.  I take half at 7 am and the other at 7 pm.  It did help with the daytime sx.  I honestly don't remember if it was difficult or not, just that it helped.

 

I considered splitting into 3 or 4 doses but it just seemed too difficult to remember to dose that many times a day, plus carry the med around, and I was still working as an RN when I started tapering. 

Twice a day has worked for me but I know some have stuck with once a day and others have gone to 3 and 4 doses daily.

It takes some trial and error to find what works best for you.  Good luck with your taper. G

[[ho...]]

Baronessblixen..how did you get the cut so precise with such a small pill? Trying to follow similar taper plan. Thank you.

[[Ju...]]

Hello Hoping

 

hoping4healthy

I think you already have a scale.  I used that before I switched to liquid.  It is a challenge and why many do switch. As you can see it can be done.  If you go look through some old posts especially by a buddie Powerball. He used dry cutting all the way off and has posted some tips. 

It would be very helpful for the group if you could add a signature here PROFILE then choose forum profile then insert drug history into the text box and remember to click change profile.

 

I wish I had more experience with dry cutting and could help more. 

 

JuJuBi

 

[[Ju...]]

Hello everyone

I am on day 5 of tapering from Ativan. I have always taken it at bedtime, and now that dosage is diminishing, I have been told that splitting the dosage into 3 or 4 is common practice. I worry that the change will spur more W/D sxs...

Any advice on this, how to schedule it and if anyone has had better success sticking to one dose a day?

With thanks!

 

Hello Marwegs

 

When I split my dose I did it slowly.  I was on two doses a day. Morning and afternoon.  I did not move and reduce at the same time.  I moved a small percentage from afternoon dose to night. Held. Then moved some from the Morning to the night and held.  I did this rotation for a little over a week until the doses were even and 8 hours apart.  Some can move doses easily and other experience wd.

I have seen many methods for splitting.  I found going slow made the move easier.

 

We are all so different in the way we metabolize this. I have seen some creative ways to move doses. There is no hard fast rule to any of this.  We are all scientist in a way experimenting as we go.  My basic rue is take it slow and listen to your body.

 

JuJuBi

 

 

[[Bi...]]

Onchao

 

I used this.  Still available

 

 

 

 

Smart Weigh GEM20 High Precision Digital Milligram Scale 20 x 0.001g Reloading, Jewelry and Gems Scale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESHDGOI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_.-ZcFb37Q6P31

[[Ha...]]

Day four of my new taper, I'm having a lot of waves of dizziness, some of them bad enough I have to sit down for a while.  Good thing it's Sunday.  One day at a time.

 

Haimona

[[Gi...]]

Day four of my new taper, I'm having a lot of waves of dizziness, some of them bad enough I have to sit down for a while.  Good thing it's Sunday.  One day at a time.

 

Haimona

Haimona,

 

Dizziness is one of my sx too.  Some days I'm stuck at home because just walking to another room is troublesome.  I'm on the couch on those days.  Even sitting up can be a problem.  Happily it does go away with a hold.  I had it most of May, but now it's gone.  Until next time I reduce my dose. G

 

 

[[Ha...]]

Hi Gingermint,

 

Nice to meet you here.  Yes, it did go away for the most part at the end of my long hold (I was holding from last October to a few days ago as I had a really bad reaction to the last reduction).  I didn't miss it, that's for sure! It's much easier on a non-work day when I can just sit down when I need to ... hoping tomorrow won't be too bad, but I'll take it as it comes.  That's helping me get through this: deal with today today, and don't borrow trouble.  Or to borrow a phrase from AA, "one day at a time." 

 

We are having a lot of rainy weather here and because I also am prone to migraines, that makes the dizziness worse for me.

 

Hoping you are having a good and peaceful day.  I'm glad the dizziness has gotten better for you!

 

Haimona