Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[An...]]

Hi Laser,

I wanted to thank you for your care, support and encouragement so much ..!!

I don't know what is happening with me Laser ..I am in complete dispair ..I have not changed the Lorezapam prep, as I use tablets, and dry cutting, weighing the doses on a scale.

I cut (.125 mgs)  on Aug. the 9th, which hit me like a train ..4 weeks later, I became semi stable ..I then cut ( 0.625 mgs) on Sept.the 9th. This cut was worse yet ..I suffered, and suffering with this one Laser..

Most symptoms center in my head, with terrible pressure, headaches, foul smells in my nose, labored breathing, burning stomach, crawling sensations beneath the skin, unsteadiness, heart beats that feel heavy and frightening .. :'( plus unstable BP. which send me to the ER 4 days ago.

I am holding the second cut, for over 4 weeks now, with just a tiny improvement ..

 

I did evened the doses about 8 days ago, because they were a mess from dry cutting and holding too long. No doubt my body interpreted this as a cut?  Because symptoms multiplied ..

The other possibility could be a CT at a detox facility this past January. They literally CT ed 2 AD 's in 15 days ..

What are your thoughts Laser?  I am grateful for your interest and support ..Thank you for any help ..Love, Anu

[[La...]]

Anu:

 

Given the % cuts and your hold times, your bodies respnse seems to be far more severe than mine. It may have to do with your previous AD ct, maybe not. what matters is how you are responding now. If your body is telling you to hold on, then do just that. Don't make any reductions in dose until you are ready. My last dose cut hit me like a train, so I know how that can be. and i know I have more trains in my future with this demon drug. Please, just don't despair. you must have hope that over time you will get better. You must summon your inner strength to fight this fight. We all must. 

[[ch...]]

Anoushka,

Reading your posts u sound like u have the same reaction to any cuts as I do. Its horrible. I am suffering such horrible symptoms. I am currently trying to stabalize again on dissolving 1mg of lorazepam in 100mls water and divide into 4 doses and toss one aside to have three doses spread out.

 

This is horrendous. My head hurts, im dizzy, my heart does these weird horrible flutters that sit in my throat, I am ill all the time, I have awful chest tightness and feel short of breath. I also get 'brain zaps' and internal shakes. Im scared of seizures. This is hell.

 

Am with you all the way

 

Charlotte

[[An...]]

Oooh Charlotte,

I am so saddened that you are suffering too ..

This I know too well ..

Charlotte, please be careful ..What do you mean when you say that you will toss one of your 4 doses aside?

How are you tapering? What method I mean ..

I am on my 5 th week holding, and it looks like it will take much longer to become stable ..So, I am going nowhere ..I am holding till I find some relief ..

Please consider holding longer ..It may help with the symptoms ..

Know that I will be thinking of you, and keep you in my prayers ..

Sending you love, Anu  

[[ch...]]

Am just getting rid of one dose as i was on 0.75mg and dont need one of the 25mls doses as then i would be taking the full 1mg a day. I dont know how much to taper each day/week though and how to withdraw it. I use water titrationat the moment x

[[An...]]

Charlotte, you can't just drop .25 mgs because you think you do not need it ..!!

That is a HUGE drop, and sure to cause grief ..

Did you look at the liquid titration methods here?

When you drop, it should be 10% a month or less, from your previous dose ..

Please be careful and handle yourself with care ..

Another thought ..Why not, NOT drop anything right now ..Stay as you are, or hold for a week or two, to get stable ..By then we will find a safe titration schedule to follow ..

How do you feel about this?

Love, Anu

[[le...]]

Charlotte,

 

Anu gives great advice, I think. I would most certainly hold for now until I could stabilize. No way would I make another cut under these conditions. No way!

 

It takes a little time to get things figured out. I just got hit with some sx from when I spread out my dose and switched from pills to liquid. I knew this might happen, so I just waited. I will definitely be waiting until I know I'm in good shape before I start cutting.  I know we all want to get this mess over with, and it's hard not to rush things. But, unless you're being forced to fast-taper by your Dr., there is no good reason to go too fast, and many good reasons not to.

 

Listen to your body.

 

Praying for your best!

Lea

[[An...]]

Hi Laser, I was thinking of you ..Good to see you up and about ..

How are you feeling? Have you in my prayers to overcome this insidious drug with minimum discomfort.

Thank you for your support and encouragement Laser ..This benzo world has it's fill of endless, painful symptoms, plus emotional turmoil for sure ..But in the midst of it, kindness, encouragement, compassion, and selfless energy is given to others by people such as you ..

I am grateful to be the recipient of such kindness ..

Sending you warm thoughts of well being ..

Love, Anu

[[ch...]]

Thanks for ur responses but i think i didnt explain it correctly. I have been on about 0.75mgs dry cut but was hitting horrible symptoms and couldnt cut the pills accurately enough so went with liquid titration. I only have 1mg pills and as ive never been on that much, i mix up the 1mg tablet with 100mls water and toss 25mls away as i would not need one dose. I then divide the 75mls left into three 25mls jarsand take them three times a day so a dose of 25mls every 4-5hrs. I wanted to know how to taper and how much to start taking out. Do i take it out of the 75mls and then divide up the doses into relatively equal parts?or draw it from one of the 25mls doses???

[[An...]]

Look at this ch, maybe it will help ..

http://www.benzosupport.org/water_titration.htm

It explains very well, I think ..

Please let me know if you are able to understand it, or if you need further help.

Love, Anu

[[je...]]

So after spreading out my doses all week. I am going to try cutting again tomorrow. I take 1mg uaually in the morning,  should I try .75? Does that sound too large?

[[An...]]

Hi Jenn,

How many doses and what amounts?

Also how many hours apart?

Jenn, I my opinion cutting .75 is too large of a cut ..

How about trying .125 mgs

I hope someone will pitch in here ..

Hang in there Jenn

Anu

[[La...]]

My first cut was from 1mg to 0.75. By some miracle I survived it. But later on going from 0.45 to 0.35mg clobbered me like a wrecking ball.

[[je...]]

I meant taking .75, which would be a cut of .25 Right now I am taking 1mg in the morning .25 8 hours later then .25 8 hours later. For a total of 1.5mg per day. 

[[An...]]

Hi Jenn,

In my opinion this is a big cut ..But you may be OK with it, like Laser said ..

I know for me, it would have been ..

How about starting out with a smaller cut, like 1/8, hold for 7-10 days depending on how you feel,  and if all is well, then try going a bit higher the next time.

What you think?

Love, Anu

 

 

 

[[je...]]

I have read a lot of people doing this cut and doing ok with it. I have .50 tablets so that would be easier to cut.

[[An...]]

You should do as your gut feeling tells you ..

I wish you luck, and success in your taper.

Sending you warm thoughts of well being,

Anu

[[je...]]

Thank you!

[[mo...]]

Hi Folks , I just wanted to post what has helped me . I feel that taking my doses 4 times a day at the same time each day is helpful . It takes time for your body to adjust but it has worked for me . I have seven cuts left I am at .25 mg cutting about every 10  days. Hold longer if I feel stressed . I start reducing by 0.0312 mg my next cut so I'll see how that goes .So far withdraw symptoms havn't been too bad so far, knock on wood . Finding that compound pharmacy made it much easier too . Hang in there all MM

[[An...]]

MM, this is wonderful ..

You are a brave and courageous man ..

Soon you will be at the end of the tunnel, free of this insidious drug ..

Sending you thoughts of wellness and healing 

Love, Anu

[[Ma...]]

Glad to hear it MM

 

I am going to cut to .5625 in about 2 days. Doing well

[[Bi...]]

Thanks for posting MM  as it gives me hope  -  I am so afraid to get down below 1mg again as the last time was a disaster for me.  I'll keep going slow. Someday, someday maybe, it seems like forever.

[[je...]]

I am thinking I am going to ask my doctor about Valium. I have to be able to function at work and with my kids. The charts and tables I have seen are all for higher doses of Ativan. Since I am on 1.5 mg daily, what would it look like for me to cross over? Can anyone give me an example schedule? My doctor is supportive of me getting off the Ativan and at one point mentioned a longer acting benzo.

[[mr...]]

I am thinking I am going to ask my doctor about Valium. I have to be able to function at work and with my kids. The charts and tables I have seen are all for higher doses of Ativan. Since I am on 1.5 mg daily, what would it look like for me to cross over? Can anyone give me an example schedule? My doctor is supportive of me getting off the Ativan and at one point mentioned a longer acting benzo.

Hi Jen,

If you look at Dr Ashton's taper of 3mg slow withdrawal schedule here

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s8

You could cut the dosing in half.

 

[[je...]]

Thank you!