Lincbasket's lorazapam withdrawal help

[[Li...]]

hey beeper quick question what takes longer a direct taper or titration method i want off!!!

[[Be...]]

Well, in theory, you can go as fast as you want titrating so you could cut at the same rate as dry cutting.  Usually, though, dry cutting is faster because you are making larger cuts.  I was okay doing that but a lot of people use titration to make the process more bearable.  It takes longer but they don't suffer as much.  When I decided how to taper at the beginning, I decided to dry cut as far as I could "comfortably" go (with "comfortable" being a very relative term) and then titrate at the end.  The w/d symptoms were sometimes bad but never unbearable so I dry cut to the end.  I believe most people here who are tapering are using the dry cutting method. Hope this helps.

[[Li...]]

goodmorning to all, hey since i been taking .5 twice a day one at 3pm and one at 10pm, before this schedule which was about 2 or 3 weeks ago,i was taking from 1 to 1.5 a day or maybe even 2mg a day. so what my concern or question now is have i built up a tolerance to .5 twice a day and need more? its like an hour or 2 before its time to take it i get the withdrawal symptom of headache... i refuse to go any higher on my dose now that im willing to taper but im scared to start my taper since i havent even started a taper and im already having w/symptoms as it is...

[[Th...]]

goodmorning to all, hey since i been taking .5 twice a day one at 3pm and one at 10pm, before this schedule which was about 2 or 3 weeks ago,i was taking from 1 to 1.5 a day or maybe even 2mg a day. so what my concern or question now is have i built up a tolerance to .5 twice a day and need more? its like an hour or 2 before its time to take it i get the withdrawal symptom of headache... i refuse to go any higher on my dose now that im willing to taper but im scared to start my taper since i havent even started a taper and im already having w/symptoms as it is...

 

Hi Linc,

 

As you know from my earlier post, Ativan should be taken every 8 hours since it is considered a short acting benzo. To avoid interdosal w/d s/x, you can still split up your dosing by taking .25mg in the morning, .25mg in the afternoon and .50mg at bedtime or however you want to split it up but just so it covers you every 8 hours.

 

T2

[[...]]

hey linc,

You sound like my twin....I was taking ativan as needed and it just seemed I needed more and more.  I am now doing 1mg a day, as Theresa2 suggests.  I was going to go every 6 hours and take .25mg each time, but that would require a late night dose, which, if I actually am sleeping, I wouldn't want to wake to take....so I have been advised not to just skip it, but move to 3x a day for a week or 2 first, then start to taper.  So today I have commited to do just that.  I actually am having a good day and really didn't want to take the .25mg at the scheduled time.  I am so used to just taking "as needed" that to take it on schedule just seems weird to me.  But there was a day that "as needed" was 2.5mg.  TOO MUCH!!!  I'm just a little thing...under 5' tall and 95 pounds 

 

I've decided to take the advice I've received here as many are going through just what I am and have been successful.

 

Keep looking up 

[[Be...]]

goodmorning to all, hey since i been taking .5 twice a day one at 3pm and one at 10pm, before this schedule which was about 2 or 3 weeks ago,i was taking from 1 to 1.5 a day or maybe even 2mg a day. so what my concern or question now is have i built up a tolerance to .5 twice a day and need more? its like an hour or 2 before its time to take it i get the withdrawal symptom of headache... i refuse to go any higher on my dose now that im willing to taper but im scared to start my taper since i havent even started a taper and im already having w/symptoms as it is...

If you were taking up to 3 mg/day up to 2-3 weeks ago and now only 1 mg/day, you have made a very rapid taper; but then, we've discussed that before. Since you didn't want to reinstate you were advised that you will just have to tough out the w/d symptoms.  If you want to hold at 1mg/day for another week, it's probably okay but, before long, the symptoms won't be relieved by holding longer. 

 

You are likely to get various w/d symptoms throughout your taper and possibly even afterward no matter how slow youi taper.  Titration seems to result in fewer symptoms and is a way of cutting tiny amounts frequently if you are interested in doing that.

 

You can make up your mind not to be controlled by this drug anymore and that you will get off it no matter what.  It is a battle you can win. 

[[...]]

 

Titration seems to result in fewer symptoms and is a way of cutting tiny amounts frequently if you are interested in doing that.

 

 

Hi beeper,

I like the idea of fewer symptoms. I've read the info about titraton, but don't quite get it.  Guess I'll go over to that page and ask colin for help.

CAL

[[Li...]]

goodmorning to all hey beeper no you have my dosage mixed up i was taking .25mg in the beginning since i was working at the moment then moved up to .5mg then to 1.0mg then to 1.5mg a day for like 3months... I have been taking .5mg twice a day for a month now. for like 5 days now i have been getting headaches in the back of my head and chest pains feels like if i didnt take the dose at all, im guessing im building a tolerance to that dose also, or what do you think? 

[[Li...]]

oh and i get these withdrawal symptoms after my 3pm dose around 6 then they go away but i cant wait till 10pm gets here to take my other .5 should i take .25 at 3pm then .25 when it happens and .5 at 10pm?

[[Th...]]

oh and i get these withdrawal symptoms after my 3pm dose around 6 then they go away but i cant wait till 10pm gets here to take my other .5 should i take .25 at 3pm then .25 when it happens and .5 at 10pm?

 

Hi Linc,

 

As I suggested in my earlier post, you may want to consider splitting your dose for every 8 hours instead of 2X/day to cover these interdosal w/d s/x.

 

 

T2

[[Li...]]

since the withdrawal symptoms are happening after my 3 pm dose im guessing i should split the 3pm dose in half and take it when im getting the pains am i right

[[Be...]]

goodmorning to all hey beeper no you have my dosage mixed up i was taking .25mg in the beginning since i was working at the moment then moved up to .5mg then to 1.0mg then to 1.5mg a day for like 3months... I have been taking .5mg twice a day for a month now. for like 5 days now i have been getting headaches in the back of my head and chest pains feels like if i didnt take the dose at all, im guessing im building a tolerance to that dose also, or what do you think?  

You posted recently that you might have been taking 2mg/day, just so you know where I got that from.  I see you have information in your Signature box now so i shouldn't be making that mistake again.

 

goodmorning to all, hey since i been taking .5 twice a day one at 3pm and one at 10pm, before this schedule which was about 2 or 3 weeks ago,i was taking from 1 to 1.5 a day or maybe even 2mg a day.

Lincbasket -

 

Sorry for the mix up.  The issue of tolerance and tolerance withdrawal is a tricky one IMO.  If you are experiencing w/d symptoms between doses, then Theresa's suggestion about dosing 3x/day could take care of that.  If, on the other hand, you have reached tolerance so that you need more of the drug to get the same effect, there is nothing that will help except getting off of it and healing over time.  You can minimize the symptoms by treating them, like the stretching and heat for aching muscles and some people take OTC meds for pain.

 

You have been at your current dose for a month now.  I don't see how you can possibly benefit from staying there any longer.  However, if you are going to switch to 3x/day dosing, make the change gradually and stay like that for a week or so and then start tapering small amounts. You have .5mg pills, is that right?  They can be cut in 1/4's which equals .125mg which would be okay for your first cut IMO.

 

Good luck.

[[Be...]]

since the withdrawal symptoms are happening after my 3 pm dose im guessing i should split the 3pm dose in half and take it when im getting the pains am i right

It's best to space them out equally, 8 hours apart.  You should take them at the same time every day, not waiting until you have symptoms. 

[[Th...]]

since the withdrawal symptoms are happening after my 3 pm dose im guessing i should split the 3pm dose in half and take it when im getting the pains am i right

 

Hi Linc,

 

If I am mistaken, please let me know. You are currently taking .50mg 2X/day, is this correct? Ativan should be taken 3X/day to avoid the interdosal w/d s/x. If you take it every 8 hours, this should help. You cannot take it when you feel pains and be able to make a successful taper from it.

 

T2

[[Li...]]

yes i am currently taking .5mg 2x/day i wil try the 3x's a day

[[Th...]]

yes i am currently taking .5mg 2x/day i wil try the 3x's a day

 

Linc,

 

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, try .25mg in the morning, .25 in the afternoon and .50mg at bedtime assuming you need the most at night. Keep dosing about 8 hours apart. Try this for a week to see if this helps before you start your taper.

 

 

T2

[[...]]

yes i am currently taking .5mg 2x/day i wil try the 3x's a day

 

Linc,

 

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, try .25mg in the morning, .25 in the afternoon and .50mg at bedtime assuming you need the most at night. Keep dosing about 8 hours apart. Try this for a week to see if this helps before you start your taper.

 

 

T2

 

Hi Linc,

It sounds like you are where I am.  I just found this board this week and have started what T2 suggests. 3x a day.  I will begin taper between oct 2 -4. 

 

Keep in touch, I will most interested in how you do.

 

CAL

[[Li...]]

hey cal whats up? i sure will keep in touch and keep you informed... im so tired of all this b/s ever since i went to the er for the first anxiety or panic attack i have been living a nightmare that i want to wake up from. i dont know if that will ever happen with all this going on. i have had to many er visits due to the anxiety if its not a racing heart its abdominal pains or acid reflux and if its not either of those its something else... i have everyone at my house fed up with all my dumb nonsense about anxiety,lorazepam,and withdrawal i want out. ever since i got this i have not been the same person i went from going out every weekend to maybe once a month...

[[Lo...]]

Hey Lincbasket,

I can so relate to you. I went for a year going from one dr. to the next and I don't know how many trips to the ER. I either had breathing problems, bloating problems, body tremors, weakness and fatigue, trouble swallowing, and many more. No one ever related my symptoms to my being on klonopin for 7 years. I was in tolerance to the klonopin for the entire year. I got to where I became housebound. My sons even went and did my grocery shopping for me. I was scared to leave the house; my anxiety level was over the top. My husband had a hard time understanding what I was going thru and was very frustrated that no one could figure out what was wrong with me. I was diagnosed with extreme anxiety and IBS. I finally spent a night and day in the hospital and the hospital psychiatrist told me that my medication was working against me and not for me. He told me that I needed to come off of it. I began to research about benzos and found out about tolerance and withdrawal symptoms and saw that everyone of my symptoms were on the list. So, I was determined to get off of the benzo and here I am. The only way to get over all these mental and physical symptoms is to do a safe taper and let our bodies heal from the benzo use. Once you have done this, you will be the same person you use to be. It just takes patience, determination, and a positive attitude, not to mention, help and encouragement from people here on BenzoBuddies. So many on here are benzo free, and you and I can be as well. Hang in there, in my opinion, there's no other way to go, but forward with the tapering process. I know you can do it. We are here for you!! Soon, this will all be a distant memory!

 

Lori

[[...]]

Just try to get on a schedule, Linc....I'm finding out that is important before a taper can begin.  That is what I am doing.

3 x a day .25mg in the morning, .25 mg in the afternoon and .50 mg before bed.  Always the same time...8 hours apart. 

Then after a week of that, start to taper.  I'm not sure the exacts about that, but I will know in a week, because that is where I will be.

We can do this together, cuz it seems we are at the same place.

CAL

[[Li...]]

im going to do the same as mentioned

[[Li...]]

what is ibs how do you get dignosed with this?

[[Be...]]

what is ibs how do you get dignosed with this?

IBS is Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  When I had it, it was only diagnosed when every other possibility was ruled out through extensive tests.  Then they told me it would go away on it's own. What a waste of time and money! 

[[Li...]]

i have alot of stomach problems which include gas constipation heart burn and all...

[[Lo...]]

Hey Lincbasket,

IBS is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Sometimes, a dr. will just diagnose you when you tell them your symptoms. That happened to me for about 5 years. Then, this past year with all my problems, I was referred to a GI dr. who did an endoscopy, a colonoscopy and stool samples (to check for blood). The definition of IBS is, "IBS is a chronic (long-lasting) disorder of the large intestine (colon). It is the most common intestinal disorder. It affects twice as many women as men and usually begins in early adult life. Although IBS can cause much distress, it does not lead to life-threatening illnesses. The cause is not fully understood. Most symptoms of IBS probably result from abnormal muscle contraction (spasm) of the lower part of the colon. Sometimes a spasm delays bowel movements, causing constipation. At other times, it may lead to more rapid passage of bowel movements, causing diarrhea. In either case, the spasm usually causes abdominal cramps. Some foods may trigger attacks. Spasms may also be triggereed by stress or depression because muscles in the colon are controlled by the nervous system."

 

Some symptoms of IBS:

cramping and pain in the abdomen, which may be severe

constipation or diarrhea

a lot of gas

bloating after eating

nausea

lack of appetite

mucous in stools

frequency of bowel movements changes

The stools' appearance or form changes

a feeling of fullness in the rectum

Symptoms often occur after you have eaten a big meal or when you are under stress. Your symptoms may be relieved by having a bowel movement.

 

Hope that helps a little bit!

 

Lori