My 10th day off Ativan, is this normal for W/D?? I'm scared.

[[su...]]

This is day 10 off Ativan. 

 

I was prescribed it for Labyrinthitis in Jan 2010.. and to make long story short, eventually, at doctor's directions, "You have anxiety...take more, take it more often, etc." over time ended up taking it twice a day, rarely 3 times a day, but was having more weird symptoms like muscle tension, tingling, headaches, nausea, increased anxiety, panic attacks, agorapobia... on and on,  and I eventually found this site and realized I was having interdose withdrawal, because when I took a dose the symptoms got better, so  I went to a psychiatrist for help, but he told me it was not possible to have my problems at the doses I had been taking and told me to stop it cold turkey, which I did.  He told me I have anxiety and that caused my symptoms.  I sure do have anxiety, but the benzo only made it worse.  Anyway.

 

I had only been taking 0.125mg twice a day routinely for about the last year.  I shouldn't have been on any benzo, period, since I am a recovering alcoholic of many years, and had told Doc that when I had Labyrinthitis, and even later, but I kept hearing low dose, don't worry.  At least I didn't drink. 

 

Yesterday was better..I had some energy and was able to go out to the grocery by myself, although I made myself do it and I felt anxious/wobbly the whole time.  I am still tingling in my legs, it was better yesterday, but not as good today as yesterday, and today I am totally tired and I still get tension in my head/neck/shoulder muscles.  I didn't feel queasy today.  I just tried to go out for a walk and I felt anxious and slightly off-balance.  Not spinning vertigo, just off.  Is this stuff normal for where I am now?  I thought since I had taken such a low dose of Ativan I might get over this in a week or so.  Is it normal to have these symptoms still?  I feel like I'm going crazy, my mind won't shut down, and I'm really scared.  Yesterday, I felt like, OK, this is Withdrawal....you can cope with this, it will get better.  Today, I'm a wreck.  Is this normal???  I'm so scared.

[[fi...]]

How long have you been off of Ativan?

 

fg

[[NY...]]

Hi Sunnyside,

 

So sorry to hear that you are not feeling well.  Sadly, sometimes it doesn't matter how long we've been on the benzo or how much we were using as far as the length of recovery/healing goes.  However, be assured that what you are experiencing is definitely benzo wd especially since you just jumped 10 days ago. 

 

As far as what the psychiatrist stated about not experiencing wd symptoms when you are on a low dose, he is incorrect and definitely not benzo-wise. 

 

Did you cold turkey from .12 mgs. twice a day? 

 

I hope others with more experience and who have tapered or c/t from Ativan will soon give you more feedback.

 

I hope this helps,

NYClady

 

 

 

[[su...]]

Yes, cold turkey off Ativan 0.125 mg two times a day.  Somewhere in there over the months, occasionally 3 doses, but not many.  Also, just thinking, I also had been taking Trazodone 1/4th of a 50 mg tablet nightly for years....and also quit that cold turkey sometime in November.  I had been effectively managed for generalized anxiety disorder on Imipramine 10 mg 2 times a day for 16 years, until I started taking the Ativan.  I still take the Imipramine.  Psychiatrist told me to stop Ativan, stop Imipramine, and start Cymbalta.  I'm R.N., and just my personal opinion, based on research, have decided to stick with the Imipramine that worked for me all those years (old psychiatrist in different state prescribed it....he retired, we moved, so going back to him is not an option.)  I would rather stay away from the Cymbalta.  I am 10 days from my last Ativan dose.

[[fi...]]

You're definitely early out, but I hope things get smoother for you each day.  Pat yourself on the back for getting off.  I'm not there yet, but will get there.

 

Sincerely,

 

fg

[[se...]]

I c/t from ativan about 20days ago; I did it under "medical supervision" and all was fine for about the first ten days or so. Since then i have had some really rough days, slight ringing in my left ear, short term memory issues, a few episodes of d/p d/r; and the best way to sum up the rest of my symptoms is I feel like a have been run over by a truck... numerous times. I probably should have tapered but I too was on a "small" dose as I never took more than 1mg a day but only took .5mg for the last 3 weeks before i jumped. I only took ativan for about 2months. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since my cold turkey and its been really rough but im just happy to be off of that poison. I have already had windows... if thats possible... just hang in there and stay strong! This too Shall pass! That last sentence is for you as much as it is for me. 

[[su...]]

I c/t from ativan about 20days ago; I did it under "medical supervision" and all was fine for about the first ten days or so. Since then i have had some really rough days, slight ringing in my left ear, short term memory issues, a few episodes of d/p d/r; and the best way to sum up the rest of my symptoms is I feel like a have been run over by a truck... numerous times. I probably should have tapered but I too was on a "small" dose as I never took more than 1mg a day but only took .5mg for the last 3 weeks before i jumped. I only took ativan for about 2months. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since my cold turkey and its been really rough but im just happy to be off of that poison. I have already had windows... if thats possible... just hang in there and stay strong! This too Shall pass! That last sentence is for you as much as it is for me. 

 

It helps to hear from some other "low dose" people.  I'm honestly still in shock over this....and now that I know what it is I want to fix it yesterday.  I'm going to need to keep reading here and learn how to calm down and go with the flow.  Anyway,  I hope you feel better (me, too) soon.....thanks for your support.  Congrats to you on your 3 weeks!

[[ho...]]

Hi Sunnyside (and Sena44 too),

I ct'ed from low dose PRN Ativan too.  You can see from my sig line a bit of my history.

 

I'm so sorry to know that you are suffering. 

 

You are in the early days and you can be fairly certain that everything physical and emotional that you experience is wd related.  You are strong and your body will not fail you even during the worst of this.  Keep posting your sx on this board and you will get the support you need. 

 

Everyone is different in their healing.  Healing happens when it happens!

 

In addition to this BB, these are some of the things that have helped me through to this point:

Bliss Johns resources:

Her affirmations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuTKW5b18N8&feature=watch_response

Coping Skills page:  http://recovery-road.org/resources/self-help/

For Anxiety:

Relieve Anxiety with Medical Hypnosis by Steven Gurgevich  http://www.soundstrue.com/shop/Relieve-Anxiety-with-Medical-Hypnosis/180.productdetails

http://nothingworks.weebly.com/

For Insomnia:

Deep Sleep with Medical Self-Hypnosis by Steven Gurgevich

http://www.soundstrue.com/shop/Deep-Sleep-with-Medical-Self-Hypnosis/1944.productdetails

Delta Sleep System

http://www.soundstrue.com/shop/Delta-Sleep-System-%282-CD-Set%29/2295.productdetails

 

Congratulations on getting off the drug!  That is truly the first step.  Each day now you are closer to your total healing.

 

XOX  (((HUGS)))  You will get through this.

 

 

 

[[wy...]]

Sunnyside- I was on Ativan 1mg per day for about 6 months before I started tapering, and I am over 5 months drug-free now and still have issues.

 

Like others have been saying, you can be assured that this is WD. You are in an acute period right now, which is generally the worst part for most people, so hang tight.

 

As far as the dosage levels being so "low" that you should hardly notice it: I ask this of doctors: If it's such a low dose that it won't affect me to come off it, then why do I need it at all? That alone should tell you that the drug (even at very very low doses) is doing SOMETHING to your brain and body chemistry, at least enough of something that the doctor feels it worth prescribing at all. Also, 1mg of ativan is equal to 10 mg of Valium, so .125 mg of Ativan is over 1mg of Valium twice daily in your system, every day. That's not just nothing. So it is going to take your brain and body some time to recover and get back to a normal working state. But, you will recover. We all do.

 

 

[[su...]]

Sunnyside- I was on Ativan 1mg per day for about 6 months before I started tapering, and I am over 5 months drug-free now and still have issues.

 

Like others have been saying, you can be assured that this is WD. You are in an acute period right now, which is generally the worst part for most people, so hang tight.

 

As far as the dosage levels being so "low" that you should hardly notice it: I ask this of doctors: If it's such a low dose that it won't affect me to come off it, then why do I need it at all? That alone should tell you that the drug (even at very very low doses) is doing SOMETHING to your brain and body chemistry, at least enough of something that the doctor feels it worth prescribing at all. Also, 1mg of ativan is equal to 10 mg of Valium, so .125 mg of Ativan is over 1mg of Valium twice daily in your system, every day. That's not just nothing. So it is going to take your brain and body some time to recover and get back to a normal working state. But, you will recover. We all do.

 

Very good points about the equivalent dose of V.  Certainly not nothing!!!!  I battle with:  I'm only an R.N. and I was told by a psychiatrist (doctor!!) no way could this be withdrawal, which, then takes my mind to well, if it isn't withdrawal, then what horrible disease do I really have?  Because this isn't anxiety.  I know what that is...was diagnosed in '95 with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and had been effectively controlled on Imipramine low dose for 16 years until I started the Ativan.  This is different, trust me. I have kept a daily journal since 10/2011 trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with me..wrote down every med, every bite of food, every symptom.  Can look back now and see I was having tolerance and interdose withdrawal early on.  So, I just need to try to quiet my mind when I get so scared.  This tingling, feeling off-balance, brain fog, muscle tension...all the rest are W/D symptoms.    Yesterday was rough.  Sleep is fitful.  Today felt rocky this a.m. but forced myself to drive to the veggie market just so I could say I got out of the house.  This is such a crock.  Never in a million years would I have expected in early retirement I would be wondering if I could muster the gumption to get out of the house.  I appreciate your support.  I need to keep hearing we will recover, we all do.  Thanks......................

[[ca...]]

It helps to hear from some other "low dose" people. 

 

I was on a low dose (5mg per day) of Valium. I took it everyday for 4 months. At 10 days off I was miserable. I didn't see a good improvement until at least a month off. I am almost at my 3 month off mark and I still have some occasional anxiety and I still have to watch everything I eat to not make anything worse. Hang in there. It might take a little while to get to feeling better.