Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[Ev...]]

Hello LKay -

 

I agree with BDL and Stelo; the taper your doctor has proposed sounds awfully quick.  Especially if you've had difficulties getting to this point.  Can you print off and show her the Ashton Manual?

 

It may be that your doctor's plan will work for you; we are all different.  My doctor also wasn't benzo-wise, and initially told me to taper 1/3 of my dose each week and be totally off the drug in three weeks.  I trusted him, not knowing any better, and that first big cut was horrible for me.  I found this site and the Ashton Manual and learned that most people need to taper more slowly. 

 

Listen to your body, if you need to go slower than your doctor has proposed calmly tell her that you're having a lot of difficulty with withdrawal symptoms and would like to slow down.  As BDL mentioned, you can ask your doctor about a prescription for liquid Ativan from a compounding pharmacy (check your yellow pages and call around, most towns have one) to manage the smaller doses.  I found when I approached my doctor with a slower taper plan written out and the name of the pharmacy that would make the liquid he was very amenable to letting me slow down. 

 

If you decide to go with the liquid, I had mine mixed at .1 mg per ml to make the math easier.  Shake it really well! Others here have used different ratios.  You can use a syringe to make your dose as small as you need to.  The general guidelines here (http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=9522.0) suggest as a ballpark cutting 10% of the dose ever week or two.  For many people it's also helped to split their daily dose over three or four smaller doses throughout the day to even things out.  Note that the liquid has about a 30 day shelf life (so you would need a new prescription each month), and needs to be refrigerated.  It's not fun to be tied to the medication bottle throughout the day and constantly watching the clock, but for me the smaller doses spread throughout the day helped my taper go much more smoothly.

 

Please do post here with any questions or concerns; many of us that use this thread are either currently in or have been in your exact situation, we can empathize with what you're going through and can share our experiences and tips. 

 

You CAN do this.  You have come so far already! Please do let us know how it goes.

 

 

 

 

[[...]]

Thanks SO much for yall's help! My Doctor here has ZERO clue and pretty much wouldn't listen to me, so I cut my .5mg Lorazepam pill in half and have been taking .25mg for 3 days now. I have had some dizziness and heart palpitations, but I'm trying to remind myself it is all apart of the process and I'm "okay". I just want to be DONE with this stuff already, My husband and I are looking forward to starting a family and that has been put on hold until I come off of the Lorazepam.  :'(

 

Benzo buddies is seriously such a HUGE help, thanks for all of the support.

 

-Lkay

[[ce...]]

Ativan taper suggestions.........

 

1. If you can take doses 4 times a day (rather than 2 or 3) it's better, as to avoid interdose withdrawals.

 

2. I suggest taking your largest dose at bedtime for sleep.

 

3. A Compounding Pharmacy can be your best friend.  Every city has a compounding pharmacy, so just ask your doctor about where the nearest one is, or google your city name and compounding pharmacy.

 

4. Spread your doses out evenly.  For instance 7 a.m.  12 p.m.  5 p.m. and 10 p.m.  (OR)  7 a.m. 1 p.m.  6 p.m. and 11 p.m.  This is important so as to avoid interdose withdrawals.

 

Note: if you choose to taper Ativan you'll have to watch the clock closely everyday to make sure you take your dose on time.

 

5. Get a calendar and map out your taper plan.  This was so helpful to me to know how much to take at what time of day. Otherwise it's too easy to forget what it was that you are doing.  There's enough pain and confusion with withdrawal anyhow.

 

Here's what a "possible" Ativan taper can look like.  You may choose to slow it down or speed it up depending on what your symptoms are.  Many people find that the lower you get on the doses the harder it is, so make it slower as you get to those low doses.  Try to make the cuts every 10-14 days for the best results:

 

Possible Ativan taper:

 

.50          .50        .50        .50                  Total:  2 mgs

.25          .50        .50        .50                  Total:  1.75

.25          .25          .50        .50                  Total:  1.50

.25          .25          .25        .50                  Total:  1.25

.25          .125        .25        .50                  Total:  1.125

.25          .125        .125      .50                  Total:  1

.25          .125        .125      .375                Total:  .875

.25          .125        .125      .25                  Total:  .75

.125        .125        .125      .25                  Total:  .625

.125        .125        .125      .125                Total:  .50

.125        .0625      .125      .125                Total:  .4375

.125        .0625      .0625    .125                Total:  .375

.0625      .0625      .0625    .125                Total:    .3125

.0625      .0625      .0625    .0625              Total:    .25

.0625      .0312      .0625    .0625              Total:    .2187

.0625      .0312      .0312    .0625              Total:    .1874

.0312      .0312      .0312    .0625              Total:    .1561

.0312      .0312      .0312    .0312              Total:    .1248

                .0312      .0312    .0312            Total:    .0936

                                .0312    .0312            Total:    .0625

                                            .0312            Total:    .0312

                                                                  Off!

 

[[Ed...]]

Cedar Tree -

 

I just contacted a compounding pharmacy today and they can make capsules at .125 How are you dosing lower than that? Scale? Water? Open the capsule?

 

I'm at 1.125 - cut last night after two weeks at 1.25 (cut .25 before that yikes). I really wish I did not cut at 11.30 last night. Made my morning and day hell. Should have done it in the evening! Now what I'm frustrated on what to do now.

 

Here is my schedule starting with last night. Going .125 at night was stupid I think. So I'm thinking about going .125 first evening dose then .25 at bed. But don't want to shock my system too much considering I did the cut at bed last night. Today has just been a horrible symptom day.

 

4/28 11.00pm

.125 (close as I could get - dry cut)

 

4/29

5.30 am .25

10.00 am .25

2.30 pm .25

7.00 pm .125??!?!

11.30 pm .25

 

 

 

[[ce...]]

I would do the lowest dose earlier in the day, but 7 p.m. may work best for you.  Tapering is about finding out what works for you while at the same time being safe and not rushing it too fast.  It may take some time, but it will be worth it once you're finally off and able to fully recover.  Just keep trying different things to find the system that works best for you.  Part of wd is acceptance and accepting that it may never be easy, but hopefully somewhat tolerable.  I was always sick in my taper, but many have tapered with little to no symptoms.  Anyway, I really hope you find a good solution for yourself soon. 

[[Ed...]]

Thank you!

 

Is a .125 cut from 1.25 a reasonable cut?

 

You're a gem:) 

[[ce...]]

Thank you!

 

Is a .125 cut from 1.25 a reasonable cut?

 

You're a gem:) 

Very reasonable yes.  It's easier to make larger cuts in the beginning than at the end. That's why I really had to slow it down on the last mg's.  You have a very good taper going. 

[[Ed...]]

I know this may be "pie in sky" thinking but am I healing - in some way - after each cut? This last cut of .125 to 1.125 has been brutal. I like, you had, have constant tolerance but have the goal of getting off this med. It's my sigular purpose but the symptoms brake me at times and I need some positive reinforcement. I have put so many friends and family on edge and they are so worried. It has also strained relationships because we chased so many different things and then bam! That little freaking pill has been destroying you for the last 8 months! I went months and months not realizing I was expierencing tolerance/withdrawal.

 

Does this make sense? The suffering is immense but I look to those who have won!

[[be...]]

Hey Edward. I can tell you from first hand experience that you are most definitely healing with every cut. I noticed it around .5mg that I was having a more manageable time. It still pervaded every part of my day but I was coming back to earth. Slowly.

I had more bumps, but the overall arc was one of healing. You will begin to notice. I can promise you that. Keeping a positive attitude is key.

When you get low enough, the drug will cease to have power over your sensory experice like it once did. And you will be clearer and less afraid.

 

I am 1 month off after a year long taper. Doing just fine.

 

BDL

[[Ed...]]

Thanks for that very generous post! It's seems like most people switch over to Valium from Ativan, but at my current 1.125 is it worth it? We are all different. I have a couple of a Doc appointments and will discuss it but ideallly I just want get off this benzo.

 

The fear,anxiety and depression are so there but I will take you're advice on a positive attitude. I want to focus on the healing during the awful waves or cuts. Although tolerance is always an issue the waves are there too. I'm doing my best and so want to get off this crap!

[[be...]]

Switching to Valium seems to help a lot of people. But there are those who have a hard time. And I believe that it can also lengthen your taper. I couldn't bare to risk either of these possibilities.

One thing I actually preferred about Ativan was that I knew what was going to happen after I made a cut and I knew about when and for how long. With Valium it leaves so slowly, that I think it's hard to gauge if you are going too fast or slow or what cut was too much etc. because the effect is so delayed.

This is purely my take and like I said, I don't have experience with it first hand.

My taper may have been easier with Valium for all I know. I just hated the idea of introducing another drug into this equation. One with its own brand of symptoms and problems.

The other thing is that you may need to go up in dose to cross to the Valium. Also not an option for me. This is all up to you and your doctor if you are lucky enough to have an understanding one.

You will be fine though. There is comfort in that. It's just a matter of time. Good luck!

 

BDL

[[st...]]

I agree with you on this.  Switching to Valium was also not an option for me.  introducing another medicine into the equation didn't work for me - made me more stressed!  The hardest part for me was going from 0.50 to 0.25 but again with Ativan I knew what the symptons were going to feel like and generally how long - no surprises.  I have been Ativan free since April 21 and I have been sleeping much better and have a lot less anxiety.  I am still on Remeron but will be going off that soon too - can't wait to be FREE!!  Good luck and let us know how you are doing!

[[Ed...]]

Thanks so much for the great posts - both of you!

 

I'm not sure if I have explained how I got to where I am now. I was prescribed Ativan for anxiety July of last year. Definitely knew I had anxiety but really thought something else was wrong too. Working out real hard and not eating enough went into sever hypoglycemia - exacerbated a condition I did not know I had...Hoshimoto's. So I never took the Ativan for anxiety but months later I did start taking it for sleep because the thyroiditis was keeping me up all night. I did have an old bottle of Xanx that I never used but started before the Ativan. So night use only. So continued to use it or sleep all year long. Months later started to get mid day stomach bloating - strange mood drops in the afternoon. My thyroid was fine they kept telling me. Then they found an inflammation disease that is serious - but did not explain my symptoms. Long story short I started more Ativan not knowing I developed a tolerance. I think I was actually taking Ativan to relieve symptoms that were actually withdrawal  thinking I was dealing with something else. I was chasing my own withdrawals - clueless! Once I started my steroid for my inflammation condition - the Ativan was on board three times a day. And hit tolerance fast - two weeks minimum my body wanted more. It just feels good to wrote this even though I feel like hell. This is by far the hardest thing I have ever been through. I'm scared and confused at times but I have one goal. Get off Ativan safely and effectively.

 

My taper is down to 1.125.

Am 5.30 .25 10.00 .25

Pm 3.00 .25 7.00 .125 Bed .25

 

I feel like I may need more at night and cut the other .125 during the day. The mornings are tough with that long overnight gap. I wake up hurting but I am always in tolerance.

 

Maybe for my 1.125 dose:

Am 7.00 .125

PM 12.00 .25

Evening .25

Bed .50

Just thinking out loud.

 

[[BL...]]

HELLO!

 

I'm new to your thread and to this forum.  Very Excited that I found this Thread!!!

 

I wanted to share my story.  I have been taking Lorazepam total of 6 months since 2012 November, but able to completely stopped (without any withdrawal symptom) from February to March thanks to the ABILIFY. 

 

HOWEVER, I started taking Lorazepam again in Late March when ABILIFY started to give me akathisia like sensation. 

 

My New Psychiatrist tried to put me on to the ZOLOFT 25mg instead of ABILIFY and told me to take 1mg in the morning and another 1mg at night until my brain gets used to the ZOLOFT.  BUT, I ONLY took 1mg in the morning. 

 

I didn't like ZOLOFT at all.  It gave me suicidal thought from long, horrible physical and mental pain, speech discomfort, chest pressure, lethargy, EKG change, depression( I didn't have Depression before) and more anxiety.  So I told my psychiatrist that I am stopping the ZOLOFT after 3weeks.

 

So, I am off the ZOLOFT now(my head is clear, no more mental and physical pain, depression and anxiety), and started tampering the Lorazepam using DIRECT TAMPER last week(April 22, 2013).

 

I purchased a Portable Milligram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G and a nail file from nail shop, and started to grind the pill by 10% NOT like BB's general rule.

 

Last week was 0.9mg.

This week is 0.81mg, but I did 0.8mg today see if I can tolerate.  So far, mood is fairly good, I eat good, I sleep good EXCEPT for some headache, neck pain and spasm, and little dizziness like anemia, and all these started last week after 4 days of tamper.  My wife said it could be from allergy..... I sincerely hope so....

 

Has anyone experienced headache described above while tampering?  I did have a head and neck MRI and I am clear.

 

THANKS!!

 

MY TAMPER PLAN - YES I have no patience.........

Week 0 - 1mg once/day in the morning

Week 1 - 0.9mg once/day in the morning

Week 2 - 0.8mg once/day in the morning

Week 3 - 0.7mg once/day in the morning

Week 4 - 0.6mg once/day in the morning

Week 5 - 0.5mg once/day in the morning

Week 6 - 0.4mg once/day in the morning

Week 7 - 0.3mg once/day in the morning

Week 8 - 0.2mg once/day in the morning

Week 9 - 0.1mg once/day in the morning

Week 10 - END

[[st...]]

Hi Edward - thanks for the background.  We all have our stories with pretty much the same ending: the need and the "want" to get off the Benzo that we are on.  I too was dealing with tolerance withdrawals, remember I was on it for 13 years.  I gave way too much power to this medicine.    The thing that made me crazy about this medicine was that it dictated my life!  The most stressfull thing for me was the constant cutting of the pill and the "want" to increase the dosage if I was having a bad night.  I felt like an addict and knew right then and there that I was at the end of my rope.  I'm going to give you my two cents about taking it all day like you are.  I think that that may be stressing you out and not helping your withdrawal symptons.  I have been there and tried it all!!  I was taking up to 2 1/2 mg for sleep at night, I kept my dose as I cut down to only at night time, but kept moving the dose up a bit in time (instead of taking it at 10:30 - I would move it to 10 then to 9;30 and then to 9 so that my body would not equate it to sleep.  That worked for me. Think of each cut as one step to recovery.  Taking it throughout the day to me is more stressful - because you think about it all day - consider that Edward - and I'm sure I may get some negative response to this - and I know I 'm not a doctor, but that's just my opinion.  Hang in there and let me know how you are doing.

[[Ed...]]

Stelo -

 

Thank you so for the insight! Dosing schedules totally stree me out - you nailed it! I am going to give it some thought and it sounds like it really has worked for you. It's this damn tolerance that is hurting me.

 

The last two days have been awful. I have read much info on how Ativan is freaking hard to get off. The fear of failure and anxiety of how this freaking happened to me has really been bothering me. Plus the normal withdrawal. I had anxiety before this now it feels out of control. I cry a few times a day - depression mood swings,DR....ya know.

 

I have made two cuts from 1.50 and now I am at 1.125. I don't want to lose those cuts! But it's so hard and I feel like the deck is stacked against me. I have to realize that so much of this withdrawal bit a lot of it is also me!!! I feel terrible about what I have done to disrupt my wife's life.

 

I need hope!

[[st...]]

Edward - you are taking the world on your shoulders right now.  Take a step back and breathe.  One breath in and a long breath out - do that every time you feel stress.  Try the warm baths, the melatonin (definitely helps with the taper), and breathing.  One thing you absolutely need to stop doing is reading on the internet about everyone's horror stories.  They will make you crazy!!! You are not them and remember that people tend to report out on bad things as opposed to successes.  Don't go back, stay with it, you can do it.  I would seriously think about just taking it at nighttime - once a day - then pulling back a bit off the bedtime hour. This worked for me so I am offering it up to you.  I would be in the nuthouse right now if I had to take it 4 or 5 times a day.  You can't let it consume your day.  Get control of this and remember, you can do it.  Drink lots of water while you go through this and try and get some exercise.  Don't write anything down, and stay at the dose you are at until your body stabilizes, that means until you feel "normal" again.  What happens is, on the medicine, your body creates a new "baseline".. as you taper, your body gets used to a new "baseline".  You need to stay at that new baseline until the fog clears and you feel "normal" again.  Then make another cut - just one dose per day.  REALLY THINK ABOUT DOING THIS!!  Do the same thing.  I am telling you I tried to get off this stuff a zillion times, it may work for you!!  let me know how you are doing!

[[ce...]]

Edward - you are taking the world on your shoulders right now.  Take a step back and breathe.  One breath in and a long breath out - do that every time you feel stress.  Try the warm baths, the melatonin (definitely helps with the taper), and breathing.  One thing you absolutely need to stop doing is reading on the internet about everyone's horror stories.  They will make you crazy!!! You are not them and remember that people tend to report out on bad things as opposed to successes.  Don't go back, stay with it, you can do it.  I would seriously think about just taking it at nighttime - once a day - then pulling back a bit off the bedtime hour. This worked for me so I am offering it up to you.  I would be in the nuthouse right now if I had to take it 4 or 5 times a day.  You can't let it consume your day.  Get control of this and remember, you can do it.  Drink lots of water while you go through this and try and get some exercise.  Don't write anything down, and stay at the dose you are at until your body stabilizes, that means until you feel "normal" again.  What happens is, on the medicine, your body creates a new "baseline".. as you taper, your body gets used to a new "baseline".  You need to stay at that new baseline until the fog clears and you feel "normal" again.  Then make another cut - just one dose per day.  REALLY THINK ABOUT DOING THIS!!  Do the same thing.  I am telling you I tried to get off this stuff a zillion times, it may work for you!!  let me know how you are doing!

This is terrible advice. Take it once a day in the morning and make another cut, a dose per day?  No way is this going to work, particularly if you've taken benzo's for any real length of time (months to years).  Please reconsider making a safe taper plan and sticking to that OR switch to a longer acting benzo and taper from that.  Rushing a taper is equal to a cold turkey which can cause seizures, and protracted wd once getting off.  It's very unsafe.

 

 

[[ce...]]

I know this may be "pie in sky" thinking but am I healing - in some way - after each cut? This last cut of .125 to 1.125 has been brutal. I like, you had, have constant tolerance but have the goal of getting off this med. It's my sigular purpose but the symptoms brake me at times and I need some positive reinforcement. I have put so many friends and family on edge and they are so worried. It has also strained relationships because we chased so many different things and then bam! That little freaking pill has been destroying you for the last 8 months! I went months and months not realizing I was expierencing tolerance/withdrawal.

 

Does this make sense? The suffering is immense but I look to those who have won!

Edward, this is really common to not know that the pill was what was making you sick. We never think that benzo's are this powerful and capable of the damage they are.  We often wind up learning the hard way which is unfortunate.

 

Even in tolerance wd, its so much better to keep to a schedule. Yeah it can be stressful, but so can protracted wd and unnecessary ER visits. I know what I'm talking about here.  BTW, it's often easier to make larger cuts in the beginning of the taper than at the end. Many people find they need to slow down near the end for this reason.  You'll see very soon how much you can or cannot tolerate. The idea is to keep at a safe reasonable pace so as not to have to updose and wind up starting all over. Cold turkey is really not an option, so please be safe.  Once you create your own plan, just really stick to it and stick it out. The only way out of this is to go through it. There are no fast, easy answers.

[[Ed...]]

Thank you so much for the post!

 

Wow. Acceptance has been difficult. I really appreciate your opinion and cold turkey is not an answer for me - even a schedule that mimics it. I am on 1.125 and in tolerance. Ativan. You have any opinions on a Valium switch?

 

I'm just struggling with acceptance as you can tell. The pain this is causing both mentally and physically is unbearable at times. I'm just fing scared.

 

Always enjoy your posts.

[[ce...]]

My opinion is that if you can do a switch to Valium it would be great to not have to dose 4-5 times a day.  But, I never had that opportunity and didn't get the chance to try it.  It works for some and not for others.  Basically it's a crap shoot.  In the end, they are both benzo's and it's important to taper off of them safely. 

 

When you get to acceptance about wd, it will help a lot, but it's not easy to arrive to that mentality. 

 

Wishing you well Ed! 

[[Ma...]]

Hi, I am just checking in, and reading back.

 

I have stopped reading obsessively for about 2 months.  I do think that has helped me mentally.  I only usually read now when I drop, as I come on to post my dose.

 

I have just dropped to 1.75 A.  I did get hit harder than normal on the second day after the drop.  I've been tapering down from 8 mgs for more than a year now.  I may stop tapering for the summer, or, go very slowly and drop very small.  The reason for that would be that the summer is extremely hot where I live and I am not sure I can handle both tapering and the heat.  The heat makes me very anxious.  My doc kinda wants me to stop tapering, I think because he knows it will be very hard for me.  I really don't want to stop tapering for the summer but I also don't want to be going nuts.  So, I am not sure.

 

I was googling about heat and depression.  There is a form of it caused by hot weather, although its usually associated with winter.  People get depressed because it is hot, because routines are not normal, you may have bored kids at home, you may feel insecure about wearing light clothing, you get stressed about money to entertain the kids, you may have physical issues with the heat such as dizzyness and dehydration.  All this can cause or worsen depression.  Just thought it was interesting, because I know it affects me that way, for sure.

 

However, aside from occassional crying spells when I drop, and a feeling of emotional upheaveal and out of controllness, I am really not doing bad at all.  I get those feelings after a drop and they last a few days.

 

I was reading BDL's post about knowing ativan.  It does seem to me, that the symptoms last about three to four days.  I agree with his opinion about valium.  I was switched from ATivan to Klonopin, and then back to Ativan.  The Klonopin was just horrible for me.  I guess my body is more used to ativan, adn even though all these things are benzos, they do seem to have different feelings.  So, I am pretty wary about switching to V myself.

 

I dose four times a day. I don't find that too terrible.  It doesn't drive me crazy, all though it is annoying.

 

anyway, just saying hi at 1.75, glad to read how you all are doing.  Very happy for you BDL.

[[ce...]]

Mairin!  It's not going to be too long for you now before you're benzo free (even if you hold during the summer)!  Wow, from 8 mg's to 1.75, that's awesome!  You must be really proud of yourself.  My suggestion is to do smaller cuts when you get down to the end.  It will help a lot. 

 

I'm really happy to hear you've come so far. 

[[Ma...]]

Edward T

 

I was just looking at your posts.  You started at 2 on April 13, and now you are down to 1.125?  That just two weeks to go from 2 to 1.125. 

 

I think you are going to fast.  ITs recommened to go down 10% or less every two weeks.  In two weeks you have gone down almost 50%.

 

Please reconsider this.  I am going down .125 about every 12 days.  It is slow but I did experience a large and fast drop and that just wrecked my life for many many months.  Really, slow with small cuts is the way to go.

[[Ma...]]

Thanks Cedar, I just saw your post

 

Hugs to you   And I probably will cut smaller when I get lower.