Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[Guest [ba...]]

I'm still struggling with various symptoms, but at this time, it's not quite the all-consuming experience it can be. Every good hour, day, or week means that good is possible and that's a big deal.

 

-- Liz

 

 

Baroness:  I love the last sentence of your post.  Sometimes We get caught up in all the bad of this journey and forget to see the good even if it is for an hour. Thanks for the reminder to see the good moments as what is possible as we go forward

 

 

I’m not really sure how to use the quote function so it didn’t really show up as a quote.

 

Just hit the quote button, then move the cursor to the very end of the text and type your comments.  You can hit the 'Preview' button to see how it will look.

[[2c...]]

Thanks badsocref.

[[Ho...]]

Thank you, 2cats! I feel like we are taper mates, in a way, and the support really helps me.

 

Hope for Tomorrow, I am sure others will chime in but I have been reducing about 3% each time, and I'm doing a direct dry taper from .3125 down to wherever I walk off eventually.  There is a buddy in the taper boards named Bob7, and he was very helpful in helping me find the right scale to use, figuring out how to weigh the pills and do the math, and starting me on a rough taper schedule.  You can look for my thread in that forum if it helps (I have no idea how to link you to the thread, sorry).  But as I said, I am sure others will chime in.  Good luck!

 

One other thing I wanted to add, is that each time I taper lately, along with the usual side effects/symptoms, I have this weird unsettling feeling of the ground not being solid under my feet.  It's almost like I can't trust the floor of my home, like any surface I'm on might cave in at any moment.  Scary, even though I know it's a taper-related thing.  It just feels scary.  Has anyone else experienced that? It seems to go along with generally not feeling sure about anything, not trusting anything to be solid. 

 

Haimona

 

Hey Haimona!

 

How are you?

 

I’m on day 4 cutting from .375 to .35

 

Worst symptom is irritability/hyperacusis. Do you have this? It’s AWFUL. How are your taper days?

[[Ha...]]

Hi Hope,

 

and all,

 

I'm struggling still, eagerly awaiting the day I feel anything remotely like rested or calm again.  Hope, I don't feel angry or irritable as much as frustrated because I just trudge through the days instead of living them.  My big goal most days is to get through the day without screwing anything up noticeably.  I try hard not to get angry because I'm working so hard to stay even keeled.  But with this fog and the hardness of everything, in a pandemic, with a stressful job, it sure isn't easy.

 

Baroness/Liz, thank you for sharing that things are getting easier.  I like the stories that bring hope.

 

2cats, I know you and I are in the trenches now.  I am glad we are side by side.

 

Haimona

[[2c...]]

Haimona yes it’s hard to deal with this unasked for situation when we have the normal stressors of life as well +a pandemic that is ramping up.

 

All the stories we read on here about people feeling better and actually healing are so encouraging.  You may not think it but just the fact that you are getting so close to the end and still hanging in there is encouraging to others. You are way ahead of me but I’m thinking if you could continue as far as you have, then I can do it too.

 

I’ve had a couple of positive things happen in the last couple of days.  I finally found a new Primary Care doc that I have a great feeling about. My old PC doc quit practicing out of the blue and I was foundering for a long time . The new doc practiced in California before coming here (Midwest) and he was all onboard with how I’m handling the Ativan tapering. He said when he practiced in California they were already recognizing a long, slow taper is the way to go. Between him and the psychiatric Nurse Practitioner,  I feel in safe hands.

 

He also got me going in a better direction to address the back pain.  A new pain mgmt doc who uses multiple approaches besides just meds and injections.

 

I had big sigh of relief.  Those issues and a couple of other things I feel now are in good hands.

 

.....and I actually drove myself to an appointment yesterday!  Such a little thing but I have gotten to where I was fearful to go anywhere by myself.

 

Oh, one more....I slept more than 4 hrs last night.  It may not happen again for a while but I’m taking it!

 

So happy to have found this support group ! I am also now addicted to some of the word games on the

Just for Fun thread and joined a book club there.  Great diversions especially with a pandemic filled winter closing in.

 

Sorry I rambled so much 

[[Ho...]]

Haimona,

 

I completely understand. I am 6 months postpartum, 1st time mom, corporate manager at my job, dealing with cold turkey SSRI withdrawal and short term dependency on ativan to “help” which never has helped. Started my taper of Ativan this week.

 

I keep trying to “fake it until I make it” but my goodness it catches up so badly. I cry often, pray even more, beg for mercy.

 

I hope you start feeling some sort of relief soon.

[[St...]]

Hi everyone!

 

I was prescribed 0.5 mg Lorazapam for Anxiety and  chemo nausea and Vomiting. It was upped to taking one every 4 hours. Has anyone extended the time between doses to get from 4 hours to 6 hours? I don’t want to take them every 4 hours and begin tapering. I would like to get to 6 hours.

 

Would I start by taking it every 4 hours 1 minute for awhile, then every 4 hours 2 minutes, eventually taking 0.5 mg every 6 hours?

 

This took awhile to get to this dose, months. And I’ve been on this dose for 4 months.

 

Thank you. Having cancer sucks!

 

Please let me know if a home has done something like this. I don’t want to use any other benzo. I like the way Lorazapam works.

 

Thank you.

 

Strongone20

 

[Guest [ba...]]

You can simply switch from 4 to 3 doses in a day.  Would you be taking the same total daily dose are were you planning to reduce your daily dose?

[[Ha...]]

Haimona yes it’s hard to deal with this unasked for situation when we have the normal stressors of life as well +a pandemic that is ramping up.

 

All the stories we read on here about people feeling better and actually healing are so encouraging.  You may not think it but just the fact that you are getting so close to the end and still hanging in there is encouraging to others. You are way ahead of me but I’m thinking if you could continue as far as you have, then I can do it too.

 

I’ve had a couple of positive things happen in the last couple of days. 

 

2cats, I'm so glad you are having some positive things happen.  And thank you for suggesting that my own story may be encouraging to others.  Today I feel just short of an abject failure. 

 

Hope, thank you for understanding, and for hoping I feel better soon.  I do understand praying and begging for mercy (I often have the urge to cry, but ativan has made it impossible for me to cry; another thing I hope to get back one day).  I hope you feel better soon too.

 

Strongone, welcome to this group.  You will find lots of knowledge and support here.

 

Haimona

[[ph...]]

Hello Buddies

Today I am down to 0.625 mg of my taper. So far so good though I had some waves with mild xs like insomnia, buzzing in the ears. Realy nothing tough comparing to what I felt during years of using this hellish medicine. I know this is a process and coming thru it is not an easy journey. My next goal is 0.5000. Liquid taper is good for me, it is tolerable and easy manageable. I wish you all the best

[[St...]]

You can simply switch from 4 to 3 doses in a day.  Would you be taking the same total daily dose are were you planning to reduce your daily dose?

 

What do you think from switching from 6 (every 4 hours) to 5, then 4 before I taper? I take 6 in a 24 hour period. Then I could take 5 (every 4 hours 50 minutes), working up to one every 6 hours.

 

Before I start my taper. How long should this take? It would be going down from 3 mg to 2 mg in 24 hours.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

How would I do this? My chemo brain does not work well.

[[Pa...]]

You can simply switch from 4 to 3 doses in a day.  Would you be taking the same total daily dose are were you planning to reduce your daily dose?

 

What do you think from switching from 6 (every 4 hours) to 5, then 4 before I taper? I take 6 in a 24 hour period. Then I could take 5 (every 4 hours 50 minutes), working up to one every 6 hours.

 

Before I start my taper. How long should this take? It would be going down from 3 mg to 2 mg in 24 hours.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

How would I do this? My chemo brain does not work well.

 

Hey Strongone, can I get you to put your medication history in your signature, that way we can see at a glance what's going on with you.  Add your history/signature 

[[Bi...]]

You can simply switch from 4 to 3 doses in a day.  Would you be taking the same total daily dose are were you planning to reduce your daily dose?

 

What do you think from switching from 6 (every 4 hours) to 5, then 4 before I taper? I take 6 in a 24 hour period. Then I could take 5 (every 4 hours 50 minutes), working up to one every 6 hours.

 

Before I start my taper. How long should this take? It would be going down from 3 mg to 2 mg in 24 hours.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

How would I do this? My chemo brain does not work well.

 

 

Hi Strongone,

 

We want to be helpful, but also want to be very careful not to steer you in a dangerous direction. I did something similar, moving from 4 doses every 4 hours around the clock, to 3 doses every 6 hours around the clock. I was at a much lower dose than you are now when I did that. It resulted in some very severe withdrawal symptoms for me.

 

I think most of us use the Ashton manual as a guide, which recommends lower reductions. Have you read the Ashton Manual yet? I would recommend reading that first.

 

[[St...]]

You can simply switch from 4 to 3 doses in a day.  Would you be taking the same total daily dose are were you planning to reduce your daily dose?

 

What do you think from switching from 6 (every 4 hours) to 5, then 4 before I taper? I take 6 in a 24 hour period. Then I could take 5 (every 4 hours 50 minutes), working up to one every 6 hours.

 

Before I start my taper. How long should this take? It would be going down from 3 mg to 2 mg in 24 hours.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

How would I do this? My chemo brain does not work well.

 

Hey Strongone, can I get you to put your medication history in your signature, that way we can see at a glance what's going on with you.  Add your history/signature

 

I tried to put medication history in signature! Thank you!

[[St...]]

You can simply switch from 4 to 3 doses in a day.  Would you be taking the same total daily dose are were you planning to reduce your daily dose?

 

What do you think from switching from 6 (every 4 hours) to 5, then 4 before I taper? I take 6 in a 24 hour period. Then I could take 5 (every 4 hours 50 minutes), working up to one every 6 hours.

 

Before I start my taper. How long should this take? It would be going down from 3 mg to 2 mg in 24 hours.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

How would I do this? My chemo brain does not work well.

 

 

Hi Strongone,

 

We want to be helpful, but also want to be very careful not to steer you in a dangerous direction. I did something similar, moving from 4 doses every 4 hours around the clock, to 3 doses every 6 hours around the clock. I was at a much lower dose than you are now when I did that. It resulted in some very severe withdrawal symptoms for me.

 

I think most of us use the Ashton manual as a guide, which recommends lower reductions. Have you read the Ashton Manual yet? I would recommend reading that first.

 

Thank you! I did read the manual. I just wondered if I could change my dose. I hate it I am on doses every 4 hours! I know it’s different but thought I could slowly reduce time between doses which is also tapering.

 

I appreciate any help!

 

Edit: Fixed quote

 

[[Pa...]]

Hey Strongone,

 

Help me understand what your goal is for right now, okay?  You want to decrease the times you dose from 4 to 3 times a day, and your total daily dose is 3 mgs?  Can you take 1 mg in 3 doses in a day and sleep through the night if you take the last dose at bedtime?

[[2c...]]

Hey Phoenix52

So glad you’re meeting your goals and going on to the next one.  It’s encouraging to hear from ones like you that are plugging along and reaching goals.

 

I will probably go to a liquid at some point because of good results some of you are having.  That’s if my provider will prescribe it.

[Guest [ba...]]

I see nothing wrong with you slowly increasing the time between doses to move from 4 per day to 3 per day.  Reducing from 4 to 3 is a 25% reduction; I'd take at least a full month to do the transition.  A one-month transition would mean delaying your doses by an additional 4 minutes per day.  That seems a fairly mellow rate to me.

 

That's not an approach that I'd recommend for a person dosing once per day, but I think it should work for a 4 to 3 transition without much hassle.

 

As usual, if you find that spacing out the doses is making symptoms unbearable, then hold (stop increasing the spacing for a while).

[[St...]]

Hey Strongone,

 

Help me understand what your goal is for right now, okay?  You want to decrease the times you dose from 4 to 3 times a day, and your total daily dose is 3 mgs?  Can you take 1 mg in 3 doses in a day and sleep through the night if you take the last dose at bedtime?

 

Dear pamster:

 

I am taking 6 doses a day. Every 4 hours. I take 0.5 mg each dose.

 

My goal is to get from every 4 hours to every 6 hours. And keep my dose at 0.5 mg. Then I will go down from a total of 3 mg per day to 2 mg per day, just by extending the time between  doses.

 

I don’t want to start the wean until I am at least 6 hours between doses.

 

I’m sorry if this is confusing. I’m not well enough to start cutting doses. And taking 0.5 mg every 4 hours is too often.

 

I hope this information helps.

 

Thank you all so much!!

 

Strongone.

[[St...]]

I see nothing wrong with you slowly increasing the time between doses to move from 4 per day to 3 per day.  Reducing from 4 to 3 is a 25% reduction; I'd take at least a full month to do the transition.  A one-month transition would mean delaying your doses by an additional 4 minutes per day.  That seems a fairly mellow rate to me.

 

That's not an approach that I'd recommend for a person dosing once per day, but I think it should work for a 4 to 3 transition without much hassle.

 

As usual, if you find that spacing out the doses is making symptoms unbearable, then hold (stop increasing the spacing for a while).

 

Dear badsocref

 

Thank you for your help! I am on 6 0.5 mg per every 4 hours per day right now and want to get on 4 0.5 mg every 6 hours. So I thought extending the time would be easiest since I am not well battling cancer.

 

So how would I do it with 6 0.5 mg tablets every 4 hours?

 

Thank you so much. I appreciate all the help I can get.

 

Strong one.

[[Pa...]]

Hey Strongone,

 

Help me understand what your goal is for right now, okay?  You want to decrease the times you dose from 4 to 3 times a day, and your total daily dose is 3 mgs?  Can you take 1 mg in 3 doses in a day and sleep through the night if you take the last dose at bedtime?

 

Dear pamster:

 

I am taking 6 doses a day. Every 4 hours. I take 0.5 mg each dose.

 

My goal is to get from every 4 hours to every 6 hours. And keep my dose at 0.5 mg. Then I will go down from a total of 3 mg per day to 2 mg per day, just by extending the time between  doses.

 

I don’t want to start the wean until I am at least 6 hours between doses.

 

I’m sorry if this is confusing. I’m not well enough to start cutting doses. And taking 0.5 mg every 4 hours is too often.

 

I hope this information helps.

 

Thank you all so much!!

 

Strongone.

 

I feel like we need to only talk about one thing at a time and the most immediate issue is your desire to only take your dose 3 times a day, tapering needs to wait until you can get this established, do you agree?

[[St...]]

You can simply switch from 4 to 3 doses in a day.  Would you be taking the same total daily dose are were you planning to reduce your daily dose?

 

What do you think from switching from 6 (every 4 hours) to 5, then 4 before I taper? I take 6 in a 24 hour period. Then I could take 5 (every 4 hours 50 minutes), working up to one every 6 hours.

 

Before I start my taper. How long should this take? It would be going down from 3 mg to 2 mg in 24 hours.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

How would I do this? My chemo brain does not work well.

 

 

Hi Strongone,

 

We want to be helpful, but also want to be very careful not to steer you in a dangerous direction. I did something similar, moving from 4 doses every 4 hours around the clock, to 3 doses every 6 hours around the clock. I was at a much lower dose than you are now when I did that. It resulted in some very severe withdrawal symptoms for me.

 

I think most of us use the Ashton manual as a guide, which recommends lower reductions. Have you read the Ashton Manual yet? I would recommend reading that first.

 

Dear bibsjo

 

You went from taking Lorazapam every 4 hours around the clock (I do that is and I take 6 doses a day)  to 3 doses every 6 hours?  Cause I want to Slowly get from 6 doses to 4 doses of 0.5 mg which would be 6 hours

 

It’s confusing how to do this. And I want to do it slowly. Extending the time. I don’t know how to do this for sure

 

Thank you so much!

 

Strongone

[[St...]]

Hey Strongone,

 

Help me understand what your goal is for right now, okay?  You want to decrease the times you dose from 4 to 3 times a day, and your total daily dose is 3 mgs?  Can you take 1 mg in 3 doses in a day and sleep through the night if you take the last dose at bedtime?

 

Dear pamster:

 

I am taking 6 doses a day. Every 4 hours. I take 0.5 mg each dose.

 

My goal is to get from every 4 hours to every 6 hours. And keep my dose at 0.5 mg. Then I will go down from a total of 3 mg per day to 2 mg per day, just by extending the time between  doses.

 

I don’t want to start the wean until I am at least 6 hours between doses.

 

I’m sorry if this is confusing. I’m not well enough to start cutting doses. And taking 0.5 mg every 4 hours is too often.

 

I hope this information helps.

 

Thank you all so much!!

 

Strongone.

 

I feel like we need to only talk about one thing at a time and the most immediate issue is your desire to only take your dose 3 times a day, tapering needs to wait until you can get this established, do you agree?

 

Dear pamster.

 

My immediate goal right now is to get from taking the Lorazapam every 4 hours I take 6 a day. I want to slowly extend the time between doses to get to a goal of every 6 hours at 0.5 mg. That’s a taper but not cutting them. Cause every 4 Hours is too often to wake up when you are battling bad cancer. Or for anyone.

 

I am so sorry but am so confused where it says I want to go from 4 To 3 because I am not there at all.

 

I’m at 6 per day. Every 4 hours

 

ThAnk you so much for your help!

 

Strongone

[[Pa...]]

I'm so sorry Strongone, you haven't confused things, I have. 

 

Are you experiencing interdose before the 4 hours is up?

 

[[St...]]

I'm so sorry Strongone, you haven't confused things, I have. 

 

Are you experiencing interdose before the 4 hours is up?

 

Dear pamster.

 

I don’t think I am having interdose  withdrawal. Sometimes If I sleep through the alarm and miss a dose I don’t feel well for a few more doses. That doesn’t happen much.

 

I just think every 4 hours is to stressful to begin cutting the doses. And too close together. It helped when I was on chemo and hope I don’t have to go on more but won’t know til next week with pathology report

 

Thank you!

 

Strongone