PLEASE help me finish this crossover from A to V as I'm struggling..

[[Ti...]]

Long story short--have been on Ativan since beginning Oct. so a total of 5 months now!!  Have been spending 3 months trying to get off the Ativan!  Finally went to a doctor who supports Ashton and he gave me a rough idea of how to transfer over to Valium.  At first the Valium didn't seem to work, but then I gave it another shot and it seemed OK.  But then when I took a little Ativan out I felt it A LOT.  Now I am stuck on the two meds.  I am very symptomatic and someone on the boards mentioned that it's because my GABA receptors are confused by the two different drugs upregulating and downregulating them all day/night.  If this is true, then I realize I truly need to commit to crossing over.  Please help me do this!!

 

I am currently at roughly .1 Ativan and 1 mg Valium.  Therefore, need to know how to drop the rest of the Ativan and add the Valium.  I guess I will be at a total of 2 mg. Valium in the end since .1 mg. Ativan=1 mg. Valium.

 

Can I just drop the .1 Ativan all at once and insert the 1 mg. Valium since the other 1 mg. Valium has been building in my system?  Or do I need to go slower?  Please help me with a schedule!

 

I am very symptomatic and feeling very sick so want to do this right.

 

Thanks so much!!!!

 

Tina

Edit: Title changed as per member's request

[[Fr...]]

Hi Tina, My thought is, if .1 Ativan = 1 Valium, then why don't you replace that with 1 mg Valium. You would then be on 3mg Valium. You could hold that for about 2 weeks before you started to wean.

 

I c/o to V from 1.5mg Ativan after 20 years by crossing over like this:

 

I dosed three times a day with .5 mg Ativan so

The first week  replaced .5 mg Ativan with 5 mg Valium

The second week replace .5mg Ativan with 5mg Valium

The third week replaced .5mg Ativan with 5 mg Valium, having then been on 15mg Valium. Held 15 mg Valium for 2 weeks before I started weaning. 

 

Others will probably chime in here to assist you.

 

Frannie

[[an...]]

Check out the Ashton manual online, she states it all there.  Bless you!

[[Ho...]]

hi TinaCA,

 

The moderators of BB are by no means experts in tapers. We rely on the BB members to help support each other with information and support. Although our moderators have been through, or are experiencing a taper, they know about as much as our BB members.

 

I'm concerned that the title of this thread could exclude you from receiving help from our very knowledgeable members (who often know more about tapers of specific benzos that the BB team does).

 

I think if you changed the title of your thread to, perhaps..:"PLEASE help me finish this crossover from A to V as I'm struggling..:...you might get more input from the BB membership.

 

If this is something you're interested in doing, you can PM me and I'll change the title for you.

 

Hope

[[la...]]

Hi Tina,

 

In my opinion as the dose is so small I'd just switch the A for V and hold there until you feel better. You'll be then in only 2 mg valium and once stable you can taper that off very slowly.

 

Let us know what you decide OK. feel better

Hugs

laura

[[Jo...]]

Hi Tina, I agree with Laura. It may be worth taking the Diazepam only. Seek your Doctors advise always if you have any concerns. I was on Ativan from age 11 to 36 and now Diazepam.

 

I found the Diazepam (Valium) much kinder, for want of a better word, and they act longer in your system. As Laura advises, it is a small dose you are currently on, so if you have checked it all out, and feel able, give the valium a go on it's own. Hold.....ride out the potential affects, remebering you will feel anxious in any event and this may play some games with your thought process during a swop over.

 

Trust yourself and see how you feel. perhaps give it a go and please post here often to chat through all your feelings and get the valuable support from others who suffer or have sufferd.

 

Hold on TIGHT...it is not an easy journey. I did it Tina and I do believe you can too. In any event, as I have said, check out with your Doctor if you feel it may help you make an informed choice, share your intention to droip the Ativan in favour of the valium, but hold at your valium dose until you feel ready to taper. take advice from your Doctor and from members here. Guess what.....YOUR WIN

 

My very best to you and your not alone ok, shout out here and someone will hear and reply. best of luck.

 

Josh

[[Ti...]]

Thank you for the responses.  I am crossing over, but I have to do it slowly (albeit the low dose) because then Ativan is so tightly engrained in my brain and I feel every reduction big time!  I hate that it's taking so slow even though even though it is a small dose.