Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[be...]]

Marwegs, that’s a completely normal feeling!!! For me, it was getting to a place of feeling more confident of my taper and less marred by the past that I couldn’t change. There is no magic number, but I felt the biggest shift when I got under .4mg...I began walking for exercise again, eating (and gaining some weight back), and just overall feeling like I could handle more. I hope that you’ll hit your stride soon!!

 

Bibs, I dry cut down to .075, so I can relate! At that dose, I still experienced occasional interdose (unlike Luey and Powerball, who seemed symptom free sooner), so I felt like I wanted to take my taper down to .05 or .025. In order to go that low, I did have to switch to liquid titration. I used water/vodka and made my own mix. I ended up going even lower than I had planned, because I didn’t want to jump in the middle of taking antibiotics. This worked well for me. Best wishes to you planning the end of your taper! 😊

 

Beauty

[[Ju...]]

Hello Buddies,

 

 

Marwegs  It is completely normal. I had couch paralysis for quite some time. The paralyzing fear, regret and feeling like there is no end. I so get it!  Benzo Fear is a liar. Like Beauty says it is getting to a place of confidence and acceptance. As the days passed with little to no symptoms the fear began to ease up and things now get better everyday. I started working out going 5 min then 8 min then 10 the next time…..until I got to 20 min 3 times a week. It was at that point I started to feel so much stronger. I had some real fear getting to .5. (Benzos lying telling me .5 will be hard.) Once I got past that it was like a switch flipped. I feel so much more like myself.  Good job in starting your taper back and very smart to start tiny. Let your body and CNS rest up and listen to your body. I hope and pray that now on the liquid and more control of your taper you too will start gaining confidence. 

 

Bibsjo- you are getting  down there. You might try messaging Luey.

 

Tech-hope you are doing well. You have to be getting close.

 

wishing everyone a weekend of peace.

 

JuJuBi

[[Ha...]]

Hi everyone,

 

Just checking in here ... the past couple of days for me have been a bit easier, which is wonderful.  I'm continuing my slow taper down to .312, still dry cutting so far.  I think I will continue to dry cut at least until I get down to .25, at which point it might get really hard.  But for now, this seems to be working pretty okay.  Bibsjo, I'll be very interested to hear what you end up doing.

 

Kry123, I want to thank you for sharing the podcast that you did.  It was a great service that you did, and I also appreciate being alerted to the existence of the podcast.  I ended up buying the book about recovery written by one of the other podcast guests, Baylissa Frederick, who is a psychotherapist who also recovered from long term benzo use.  I am learning a lot and also getting some very encouraging thoughts from her, as she was very badly affected by her benzo use, including suffering severe memory deficits (one of my most worrisome symptoms) and has completely recovered.  She also understands and explains in a very clear way the brain science behind the meds, tolerance, dependency, and withdrawal.  I'm grateful that you steered me in her direction, as well as for your own interview.

 

Marwegs, I agree that what you are describing sounds completely normal -- it is for me, anyway.

 

Beauty, I'm so happy for you! That is just wonderful news.

 

JuJuBi, thank you for sharing your insights, especially about acceptance.

 

Luey, it's always wonderful when you stop by and check in with us.

 

Tech (Lisa), how are you doing?

 

I'm very happy to have found this group.

 

Haimona

[[...]]

Hi Bibs Jo and All,

 

I stopped by to read some posts from the group and see how you're all doing.  It looks like everybody is doing well and/or staying hopeful which is such an important part of this recovery process.

 

Hi Bibs Jo, I saw your question and am thinking maybe you confused me with Powerball for doing micro-tapering using dry cutting and a scale.  I did daily liquid micro tapering (DLMT) making my own solution which makes it very easy to go as low as you want.  I stopped at .10mg because I had been symptom free for so long. Let me know if i can help you with anything.

 

I feel lucky i haven't had any problems post taper.  I'm having the best summer I've had in a long time, so much easier than last summer when I didn't feel very great.  It took me a long time to get off the couch too.  But I did always try to hike at least a couple times a week and I really believe moving in nature helped me.

 

Best wishes and peaceful evening to all,

 

Luey

 

 

[[po...]]

Beauty: OMG! You walked off! I call that 'graduating here.' I am so happy for you, and even if you do not feel 100%, believe in what you have accomplished. Me? I don't have the strength to bond with the Xanax taperers. So I will check in here.

 

Let's see Bibs - I walked out of the ocean and on to the sand at 0.01mg. It was too damn hard trying to go to 0.005mg, but at that dose of crumbs I could barely see, well I knew the time had long passed and I was psychologically ready.

 

Kry, I am glad you went supplement free. In 2015 I took an over the counter Bull Shit (sorry folks, emphasis is need here) drug I got off the internet to build up muscles faster.  I have not been a gym rat' but a regular exerciser most of my life. I took two doses, had a vasospasm of two of my coronary arteries, had a heart attack, and came awfully close to death. They call my EKG the Widow Maker. It turns women into Widows. It took me months to find that F ing company on the internet and I threatened to sue them and turn them into the FDA. Of course I did not, but it felt good to write them.

 

I actually spoke at a regional conference (I chose to do it once, and only once, as it was so personal) of cardiac perfusionists where I retraced all my steps that day on 8th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, second by second (as best I could recall). I took pictures of my path. I showed them my EKG. I showed them the picture of my coronary arteries on the cath lab table. Then I told a few of the stories of young male athletes who have died taking this S.  I could tell my story once. My nephew, a cardiac perfusionist himself, was organizing the conference and he was shocked when I volunteered to do this for him. My presentation was last, and he said the audience was spell-bound.

 

I am on day 44 of my Xanax taper and all is going well. Keep the faith Kry. Good night. Powerball (and by the way, I completely recovered and see my cardiologist once a year)

[[ld...]]

So nice to see Luey and Powerball both posting today!!!

 

Sending hugs to everyone here. There is hope.

 

LD

[[kr...]]

Hi powerball-

do you know the ingredients of the supplement you took?  Honestly, I'm hoping I can someday take the bodybuilding supplements I once took before this happened to me..  Mainly was taking whey protein, creatine, L-glutamine, L-arginine, C, D3, magnesium & zinc.  all my bodybuilding supplements are high quality and took for years with no issues

 

I'm a week off Ativan and feeling pretty good..  biggest improvement is my brain does not feel like its fried..  I had lost 20 pounds during my 4 month nightmare..  Not long ago I was down to 153lbs and this morning I checked in at 162lbs..  I'm starting to drink black coffee in the morning (if feels so normal)  but concerned maybe its not a good idea

 

I seem to be having these weird muscle aces or stiffness.. started in my neck for a few days, then my lower back for a few days and now in my upper left leg.. not sure if this a normal withdrawal symptom..

 

Yesterday was my most normal day in 4 months.. (I almost forgot what normal feels like) 

 

I'm wishing everyone well on their tapers and you will beat this..

[[be...]]

Powerball, OMG!!! I guess I did graduate! Thanks for the excitement...I need to be reminded to celebrate. I feel like I’ve been put through the paces, but I’m so relieved to be off the crumb-cutting-water/vodka-stirring-thrice-daily train. Glad to hear you continue to be symptom free!

 

Kry, I’ve got those aches too...neck and lower back. They are definitely common wd symptoms. So far, mine are mild and come and go. I know movement helps, so I try to walk/stretch throughout the day. I’m also going to do some light yoga this morning. I’m so pleased to hear about your ‘normal’ day! I had one too!

 

LD, look at you with the 0 after the decimal. Almost there, you warrior!!

 

Beauty

[[Ju...]]

Good morning to Team Loraz!

 

Powerball it is so good to have you pop in!  You are welcome here you know that.  I think you have this taper stuff down and this is a good place for support and love.

 

LD- The Zero before the decimal club! Broke that .125 barrier and you will be off before we know.

 

Beauty-KRY and Luey- I love it powerball!  The Lorazepam graduates. All inspirations to us still tapering.  Loving that you are all doing so well now that you are off.  You all did the perfect tapers just right for you and all a bit different. Shows that there is really no right or wrong way. Only what is right for you as an individual. Thank you for coming back and supporting us.

 

Marwegs, Bibsjo We are all just keepin on and going down closer to the goal.

 

I do hope Tech pops in and lets us know how it goes.

 

Love to all JuJuBi

 

 

[[Ma...]]

Good morning everyone,

 

JuJuBi, Beauty, Haimona... thanks for your affirmations. I told my husband, I feel like a scared child, so many unknowns. I need to hear that this path, although different for many, has similarities that mean I will get through it. My goal for today is simply acceptance.

 

Luey, Powerball, I came here almost at the end of your tapers, but please know that I have drawn a lot of knowledge and strength from your journeys. I’m so happy to hear it’s going well.

 

Kry, it seems like you are really healing. I pray for just an ounce of your perseverance and strength... I am missing my old feisty self!

 

To all the others, wishing you healing and peace today 💗

[[te...]]

Hi Jujubi thanks for thinking of me , it’s nice to have such caring people here ... I am down to 7mls and will stop at 5 a few more days maybe a week just because my sleep really takes a hit . I still don’t sleep more than a few hours without waking ... but I am so thankful most symptoms are gone . Some still show up here and there but I just keep busy and now that they too will go

.

Haimona nice to hear from you hope you too are doing well .

There are so many new people here I wish everyone well . It’s been a long time for me over 1 1/2 years only to get off . 75 once a day what a nightmare drug . But time does heal us .

Wishing everyone peaceful days ahead .

Lisa

[[su...]]

JuJuBi suggested this thread to me as I am new and looking for assistance.  Today is bad and I don't know how to go forward.  I am copy and pasting from my intro as it gives the background and where I am in this process.

 

 

 

Hello. I am stuck, scared, and need help.  I was put on a short term, low dose benzo and have been tapering, but am now having serious withdrawals. Before the specifics of where I am in that timeline, it might be helpful to offer little context of how I got here.

 

On June 24th I went for a run and in the middle of that run did not feel well.  I had difficulty bringing my pulse down the rest of the day and overall felt sick, and dizzy.  Chalked it up to dehydration or heat exhaustion and pushed fluids/Gatorade/cool showers.  The next day I continued to not feel well, had dizzy spells, rapid heart rate and a continued over all not feeling well.  I ended up having a panic attack that next day, likely from the fear of what was going on as I had a recent heart scare.  I was due for a 6 month follow up echocardiogram after having a similar situation back in December.  In December I ended up in the ER after having chest palpitations, dizziness, overall not well feeling, body shaking.  They admitted me because EKG then showed signs of left ventricular hypertrophy.  After having an echocardiogram, my heart showed no structural abnormalities or signs of LVH, so they sent me home with BP pills to control the palpitations and get my BP down.  At that time, I was suspect that hormones and anxiety might have been driving things (I am in mid 40s and had a late in the game baby 2 years ago, along with beginning to have symptoms of perimenopause).  I went back to my primary to discuss this and she suggested going on Lexapro, 5 mg.  I agreed as I was having difficulty with the symptoms.  I had never used any type of anxiety/depression med before, and other than a handful of panic attacks in my life, I had always managed quite well with exercise/running as an outlet.  Needless to say I took that first dose that evening and did not do well.  I first felt out of it, very tired.  A few hours later I began to have a burning sensation throughout my body and uncontrollable shakes.  I went to bed and woke up extremely sick, dry heaving and the body shakes got worse.  My husband took me to the ER again (mid December now) and they ended up giving me IVs of Benadryl and Phenergan, saying I had an adverse reaction to Lexapro and to not take anymore.  Returned to primary and discussed what happened.  I still felt awful then too.  She said perhaps to try a different anxiety medication and I said no thanks, that I didn't want to try a daily med at that point anymore given my reaction.  She then prescribed me .25 Xanax to take as needed while I worked through the cardiac issue.  I did take a couple over the course of a couple weeks that last part of December when symptoms got really bad.  Never more than one pill and never consecutively--after having 2 occasions where the Xanax actually made me feel worse, I did not take them anymore and put them away.  I also discussed that I felt the Diltiazem (the blood pressure med) was not a good fit, she agreed.  I followed through with a cardiology work-up with a stress echo and that came back fine.  Cardiologist wanted me to monitor my blood pressure at home as he felt I did need to be on a BP med but was willing to have me monitor for a month.  By mid January I felt back to me again, no palpitations anymore, no anxiety and felt generally well.  Blood pressure was okay at home.  Had another follow up in February and BP was up in office, so Cardiologist said white coat hypertension but to monitor and we would revisit this July along with echocardiogram.  I began my running regimen again and was feeling really good--world pandemic events aside.

 

Fast forward to my run on June 24th.  I continued to feel dizzy/lightheaded, would get rapid HR out of no where, and generally felt like crap, so ended up going to urgent care that weekend.  The Dr there did an EKG and I did have some PACs, but nothing "scary" was showing up.  He suggested I go to my primary to have some labwork done given my perimenopause symptoms that it might be low iron/or a thyroid issue.  I did just that. I have a new primary as old one left the practice, so when I went to the appointment, we did discuss what had happened in December.  He ordered the labwork (which came back fine) and wanted me to follow up with cardiology sooner and to also have a Holter monitor put on.  He felt, however, that I was just having panic and wanted me to take that Xanax again.  I told him about how

it made things worse those few times back in December, but he was insistent that I needed to take it for at least 3 days to have reprieve.  He wanted to up the dose but I said no.  I began the Xanax July 1st (.25/3xs a day).  It was a rough go in the beginning as I felt a little worse, but by day 3 I did have some reprieve.  I stopped the Xanax.  On July 5th, I had a return of even stronger anxiety and my existing symptoms that I was already working through were worse (blood pressure went way up along with that HR).  It was a Sunday to I began the Xanax again but halved the dose .125/3xs a day.  Began to feel little better after two days and by Wednesday I had my cardiology appointment to have Holter put on and echocardiogram.  Cardiology said I could stop the Xanax.  I did.  July 9th I had no Xanax at all, but the next day I work up the sickest I have ever felt, with a tremor again, body shakes, and had the most intense panic attacks I've ever had.  I emailed my Dr. and told him I thought I was having an adverse reaction to stopping the Xanax again.  He insisted it was my anxiety that was coming out and to continue taking until I was to meet with cardiology for the results.  By Sunday night my body shakes were uncontrollable and I woke up at 2 am to fast HR and extremely high BP.  My husband took me to ER and they said it was panic attack and to stop the Xanax and they started me on Lorazepam (gave me 1 mg via IV in ER along with Zofran for the intense nausea).  The next few days I tried to only take the Lorazepam as needed (they prescribed me .5 mg).  By Wednesday, I had only taken 3 pills total but again ended up with no sleep, extreme flu-like feeling with dry heaves and the tremor.  I had a tele-visit with my DR to discuss the ER visit and he again wanted me to take the Lorazepam 3x's a day until I saw Cardiology (which was Monday July 20th) and that I should seek out a psychiatrist because it was beginning to be "beyond his pay grade."  I had waves of feeling okay those next few days, but also waves of knowing that this drug was not doing my body any favors and I felt very let down by my Dr's unwillingness.  I began to do more investigating and found some validation online that I was likely having interdose withdrawals even though I had only been on these benzos for a short period of time (and irregularly).  Over the weekend I began researching how to taper and looking for a psychiatrist/DR in Virginia who could possibly help if my DR was not going to be willing.  When I saw the cardiologist on July 20th, I was a wreck and a had a break down in his office.  He assured me that I was not in need of psychiatry but that yes, there was anxiety to what was all happening.  He wanted me on a BP pill now to regulate my high HR and high BP, so he put me on Coreg 12.5 mg 2xs daily and said to taper off the benzo.  I was very relieved to hear this.  My echocardiogram was again clear (another relief), but the Holter monitor results were not in yet, and we would revisit them in a month with my follow-up.  That evening, albeit feeling sick, I felt somewhat relieved to begin getting off this benzo.  I also reached out to a psychiatrist whom I found that was said to help with tapers. The cardiologist's taper was very fast (he wanted me to drop a third of a total dose every 3 days, so I ended up conferring with the psychiatrist who said that was a little fast.  He said I could prolong it a little more so we discussed via phone how to start and then I was to meet with him on July 30th.  I began my taper July 20th and began with dropping my middle day dose by .25 mg for three days then dropping my morning dose by .25 mg for another three days and so on. (I will write out schedule below).  I met with psychiatrist who agreed I never should have been put on the Xanax in first place for consecutive use especially given my reaction to Lorazepam back in December.  He understood my desire not to use this time as a bridge to start an SSRI, that I was going to move forward with Cognitive Behavior Therapy instead.  I just wanted off the Lorazepam.  He helped figure out the taper for me which is as follows:

 

Lorazepam .5 mg tablets

1/3 tablet three times a day for 3-7 days

1/4 tablet three times a day for 3-7 days

1/4 tablet twice a day for 3-7 days

1/8 tablet twice a day for 3-7 days

 

I did fairly decent that first week (July 20th) as the beta blocker the cardiologist put me on helped with the rapid HR. I had some slight withdrawl symptoms, but it was all doable.  I actually began to feel glimmers of me again last week (August 2nd).  Last week I was down to .125/3xs a day and was managing to drop my doses every three days until I hit the .125 2xs a day.  I had a great day on Wednesday (August 5th) and that was the day I dropped to .125 2xs.  On Thursday and Friday, however, I began to have some withdrawls again, namely anxious feelings, tightness across back with slight tremor.  I became emotional as well a few times.  On Friday I woke with a bad headache and some nausea with some anxiety.  It was doable though.  My husband I figured it was because I dropped to two doses instead of the three being spread out.  That Friday night I had a horrible night, woke at 3 am to intense back pain, some tremor, and extreme dry heaving. So on Saturday, instead of dropping a dose again, I took .25 again but broke it up into three instead off the two .125 doses.  I muddled through the day and managed to get sleep Saturday night.  Woke up yesterday (Sunday) feeling a little better with only a headache and mild nausea and anxiety.  Ended up doing my drop again but went up a little from what psychiatrist detailed.  Yesterday I went to roughly  .07/.06/.07 (doing best to dry cut and even things out).  Today it is the same.  However, last night was AWFUL.  Before bed I began to have strong anxiety and some shakiness again, so I tried to meditate and distract myself.  Ultimately I ended up only getting about an hour of sleep before waking up to uncontrollable shakes again and dry heaving.  I felt like I was dying again last night (much like the times early on when I stopped the meds and ended up in ER).  I am at a loss of what to do because I was managing things really well and looking forward to finally being off of this stuff.

 

The psychiatrist initially said I could jump off once I got to .06 twice a day (which would have been end of this week), but I just don't know if I was tapering too fast or if this is just par for the course, that my body needs to stabilize a little before I do that last drop.  Are the withdrawals during taper like this?

 

For all intents and purposes I began benzos July 1st (first the Xanax then the Lorazepam) and started taper on July 20th.  l am three weeks into the taper and until this last drop, was managing it very well.  I had dark moments last night and my husband is very helpful about staying positive that I will be off, that it is hard, but I can do this.  I'm muddling through today with the kids, feeling shaky, nauseous, and a little hopeless .  I was not set to meet with that psychiatrist again (he is an hour away and not in our insurance network, so we paid out of pocket) and I don't know how helpful my primary will be at this point because he felt it was a low dose and I wasn't on it for so long. 

 

Apologies for the rambling here, but I am feeling so sick and desperate to be off this drug.  I'm so close but just unsure of how to proceed at this point.  Thank you for any help.

[[te...]]

Sunshine 75

Had all those symptoms and more , slow down and listen to your body .

Symptoms are worse when you reduce to fast

Lisa

[[ld...]]

Sunshine, Have you read the Ashton Manual on line yet? LD

[[Ju...]]

Sunshine

 

Welcome to our little Lorazepam family,

 

Here is the link to the The Ashton Manual  Full of information on Benzo withdrawal including recommended reduction rates and what is happening to us.

 

I agree with TECH  Holding at your dose will give some time to rest and take in some of the new info. You have reduced very fast.  If I am reading your signature right you started taper 7/20 at 1.5mg/day and are now at .2mg./day that is way above the recommended 5-10% every 7-10 days. 

 

I know your reduction rate was recommended by your doctor and it may work for some. Most doctors recommend tapers that are too fast and don't allow our brains and CNS enough healing time to catch up. The Ashton manual is a good standard but even those rates are too fast at least for some of us.

 

I too was quick switched from Xanax to Lorazepam.  Xanax is 2 times stronger (I did not know this at the time I was switched) I believe it took me 2 months just to heal from the switch. Things do get better with time and healing.

 

JuJuBi

 

JuJuBi

 

 

[[su...]]

Thank you Lisa, LD, & JuJuBi,

 

I have not read Ashton manual yet but have looked briefly through.  Thank you for the link.  It's been a very bad couple of days and I'm hanging on by a thread, and reading hasn't been my strong lately either.  I found BB through research online and kept coming across Ashton manual references, which is how I just "knew" that my issues are the withdrawals and my lack of tolerance for this drug at all.  My anxiety prior to being put on what very manageable, and I ran/worked out as therapy.  Never had issues until my "cardiac" palps in December.  I still think the increased anxiety that started then was hormone driven but primary/OBGYN/cardiologist just said yeah, it can cause that stuff, but primary was one who thought it was best to start a med (originally the Lexapro 5 mg in December, but that one dose didn't end well, so I didn't pursue any further).  Then when cardiac issue started again end of June, primary assured I wasn't going to get addicted and it was really going to help until I figured things out.  Well I am worse off than when I started and so very frustrated with myself for not listening to my gut. 

 

At this point, I just don't know how to slow it down exactly.  I think when I made the jump from 3 doses a day to the 2 doses a day, that in itself was a problem.  So yesterday was roughly (because I am estimating my cuts with a pharmacy pill cutter) .07/.06/.07 and today so far has been as well. 

 

Do I just stay here then? 

And how long does body take to stabilize? 

How will I know when I can move down again? 

Am I supposed to move up to stabilize?  I dread that idea too because I've come this far and just want off the train. 

 

The psychiatrist helped come up with the taper we had, so clearly that is not working for me but I don't know how to fix it from here and he has not returned my call.  Really hoping he does. 

 

How do I go so low then dry cutting?  Original plan from psychiatrist (which primary Dr went along with too when I told him), was to get down to .06 2x's a day, but from what I'm seeing here, that doesn't seem realistic.  It seemed so doable before as I was really doing well, in fact feeling better than I had from when first was put on in first place in July.  Then the floor fell out from underneath me. 

 

I can't imagine many more nights like I had this weekend.  Daytime is not easy but last night the shaking the entire night, back tightness/heaviness, and dry heaving was just too much.  That happened Friday night as well, but Saturday night I at least got a 6 hour stretch of sleep. 

 

SO many questions.  I had this plan and felt good about it, but now, it's overwhelming again. 

 

Thank you for listening/offering insights.

 

Sunshine

[[Ju...]]

Sunshine

 

I know this is all scary and overwhelming especially when you are feeling bad and been through so much.  It still amazes me what doctors can tell us about these drugs that just is not true. The fear and regret of all this can be just as difficult sometimes as the physical symptoms. I have been where you are. I know how it feels to just want off this train. I wish I could tell you there is an easy way. Acceptance and Patience are very hard. But it does get better and we do all heal.

 

There are two choices in your situation. You can try to hold where you are until things settle (no one can tell you how long this may take. I have had things settle in a day or as long as 6 days. Some have held and waited much longer after big cuts.) Or you can go back to the dose where you feel you were coping better and stabilize there for a bit. Once you feel more stable continue with a slower taper. This may feel like you are losing ground but it sounds like you are needing to stabilize.  Keep in mind that neither is a guarantee.  And Unfortunately no one can decide for you. 

 

When to move forward again is something you will decide by listening to your body. Stable can be feeling more like yourself or just symptoms easing. We are all very different in our withdrawals. 

 

Most who dry cut use a scale. I used this one early on when I dry cut.Scale 

 

Others may chime in with different scale recommendations. 

 

You were wise in getting back to 3 doses. Interdose withdrawal can be an issue with some.  Are your doses 8 hours apart?

 

JuJuBi

 

[[Bi...]]

Hi Sunshine,

 

From your signature it looks like you became dependent on Xanax almost immediately and went through withdrawal after just a few days. I am so sorry that happened to you.

 

I would slow way down and hold your dose until you can internalize the information in the Ashton Manual.

 

I personally am going super slow, but I have been on the benzos for a long, long time. I wait until I feel stable for a few weeks to take the next reduction. This generally happens when I am feeling well and start forgetting to take the medication. That has been my signal. Fortunately I found a benzo-wise doctor to help me through the last stages. He feels I should super stabilize before reducing.

 

We are here for you,

 

Bibs Jo

[[su...]]

JuJuBi,

 

Yes, it's been an overwhelming past month.  I did have some withdrawals as I moved along the taper, but they were doable and I was functioning.  This was the hit and just when I was emotionally in a "I've got this" spot.  I really appreciate the insights here and the rallying behind others is very uplifting. 

 

This is all good info and helpful.  I noticed during my taper early on that there seemed to be a pattern, one day nausea was the main leader, the next would be the headaches and muscle pains, with some eye twitching and gastro issues thrown in here and there.  Anxiety was always palpable, but doable.  This last drop was different though, put me back to when things were first bad and I didn't know what was going on. 

 

I am glad I went back to the 3 doses because when I first was on the Lorazepam after the ER doc switched me to it, I was at that time trying to go as long as possible between needing to take it, not realizing then that I was having those interdose withdrawals.  So it makes sense that it happened yet again when I was scheduled to drop to 2 doses.  I am indeed spacing them out 8 hours (I might be off sometimes by a bit only because I have a little one who sometimes gets me caught up in lost time or not waking up early enough).

 

I see that some dry cut and others, like yourself, switch to the liquid compound.  Is there a huge difference between these methods? 

 

Best,

 

Sunshine

[[su...]]

Hi Sunshine,

 

From your signature it looks like you became dependent on Xanax almost immediately and went through withdrawal after just a few days. I am so sorry that happened to you.

 

I would slow way down and hold your dose until you can internalize the information in the Ashton Manual.

 

We are here for you,

 

Bibs Jo

 

Bibs Jo,

 

Yes, I knew that first week that something was wrong, that I was not tolerating things well.  My Dr. said it was my anxiety that was coming out and that I needed to stay on it for any therapeutic results.  During one of my televisits, both my husband and I said that the Xanax should be helping my anxiety symptoms not making them worse.  It was frustrating and I trusted that the Dr. was trying to look out for me (I know he meant well, but it was maddening to not feel like I was being listened to, that something was wrong).  When I finally spoke with a psychiatrist to get on a taper schedule, he told me I never should have been given the benzo in the first place, that my initial charted experience with Lexapro (I took one dose in early December and ended in ER with adverse reaction) should have been first clue.  Hindsight.  The cardiologist was the only one who listened to me and agreed I shouldn't be on it, but his taper was even faster than what psychiatrist offered. 

 

My husband and I will go through the manual and I will indeed hold dose for now.  Next up is a scale, I guess.  There is no way I can do such small drops with a pill cutter. 

 

Best,

 

Sunshine

[[Ju...]]

Sunshine

 

8 hours apart is what works best for most.  I set an alarm on my phone as my reminder. Consistency across the board is best to keep even amounts in our system and get us to homeostasis.  I have been early or a bit late on occasion with no real issues.

 

I am partial to DLMT (Daily liquid micro taper) most here have switched to that at the low doses.  Less of a shock than cut and hold.  Just no longer having to weigh and cut pills was a big relief for me.  Several members here dry cut to the end. 

 

Someone can chime in on doing your own using alcohol. Here is a link that might help.  http://benzo.alwaysdata.net/?fbclid=IwAR27niY8iqaULgc8G65X4wNPxjOiBiMqzFp7cep948167XR3nKKgUY3FJAQ Click on either direct or liquid then the read me first on the bottom right.  I use a compounding pharmacy that makes my solutions of .1mg/1ml.  With a liquid you can reduce small amounts each day. Much smoother than cut and hold.

 

JuJuBi

 

[[Dr...]]

How to taper lorazepam 1,25mg?

 

Been using for 10 years, maybe a bit less.

 

I mostly take it in the evening or early night when I go to bed.

[[Ju...]]

Hello Drecky

 

Have you read the Ashton manual? That is a good place to start. Gives the basics of tapering recommendations and explains what is happening to us.  I believe Pamster gave a couple other good links to read over.

 

Here is another link.

 

http://benzo.alwaysdata.net/?fbclid=IwAR27niY8iqaULgc8G65X4wNPxjOiBiMqzFp7cep948167XR3nKKgUY3FJAQ Click on either direct or liquid then the read me first on the bottom right.

 

There are many ways to taper.  I am in favor of DLMT (Daily Liquid Micro Taper) some dry cut with a scale. Some make their own liquid solutions. Some use a compound pharmacy like myself to have a solutions made.

 

Reading through some of the past post in this thread can be very helpful also.

 

It is helpful to fill in your signature. It lets Buddies know how to help you in your specific situation.

 

JuJuBi

[[Ch...]]

Glad you’re here for support, sunshine. You’re in good hands in this group and getting great help. I have just one suggestion that may help: to think about avoiding caffeine/coffee/chocolate while you go through this process. Chamomile tea helped me relax when I was tapering.

 

Hang in there, you’ll be okay.  Benzodiazepine withdrawal often manifests itself in fairly intense body anxiety.  Par for the course but scary, I know.

 

[[ld...]]

Hi all,

 

Checking in with everyone. Good to see some new people. You have definitely come to the right place.

 

I am down to 0.076mg (7.6cc of my DLMT).

 

I find that when I'm encountering any stress, it seems magnified or worse than it used to. Anyone else experience this?

 

Thanks!

LD