Feeling unable to take meaningful breaths, while on Ativan.

[[In...]]

I wish I could help you with your taper, but I did cold-turkey. Sometimes I have smelled things that aren't there or much more sensitive to smells that do exist.

 

Some people do find their symptoms decrease at lower doses of their taper, I hope yours do also 

[[An...]]

Thank you for your encouragement Innadaze..

I appreciate your response, and hope that you are right.

Thinking of you, and wishing you healing, and many blessings 

Love, Anu

[Guest [Un...]]

Im on 2.5 ativan and have same issues as you list in your signature line....including especially the breathing one.  Sometimes i have to yawn to get in a good breath and when i cant complete the deal it gets very frustrating and has led to panic.  then i make it worse trying to force the issue.

[[An...]]

Hi Rico,

Thank you for responding ..

I am saddened though that you are experiencing these breathing symptoms

They were here today, in full force ..They are tortuous for sure .. :'(

Rico, are you tapering? If so which method are you using?

I hope this settles for us, so that we can find some peace.

Take care of you ..

Sending you thoughts of wellness, and holding you in my prayers ..

Love, Anu

[[ro...]]

I deal with this every day.  I have to tell my self to breath.

I watch my husband breath and try and match his breath but makes my lungs hurt.

I also had my co2 level go up .  When I try to take deep normal breaths my B/P goes down. ,But I can't do this without thinking.

[Guest [Un...]]

Hi Anu

 

Im not tapering yet.  Trying to get a strategy and courage to move forward.  I know I am in tolerance of some sort.  Just need to get my confidence up.  Been a rough week.

[[An...]]

Ooh, robbin ..

I am so saddened that you are going through this suffering too

Robbin, how is the Phenobarb tapering working for you?

I wish that you will  find peace and serenity with it.

Wishing you blessings, and wellness ..

Love, Anu

 

[[Be...]]

this has been one of my main withdrawal symptoms, usually happens when Im trying to talk on the cellphone and do things at the same time... I cant even get through a short sentence...

I get a cool feeling in my chest area, and though I can take a deep breath and fill my lungs it leaves me feeling very unsatisfied and anxious, like the air I took in has absolutely no oxygen in it..

it comes and goes..

[[ro...]]

Anoushka....Its going very, very slow. Thanks for your words

[[An...]]

Hi Rico,

I am sorry that you had a tough week ..

Have you spaced out your doses? This is a good idea, and helps with Interdose WD.

I am on a bit over 2 mgs of A, and have been suffering for a long time ..

I hope you find a method to start tapering, so that you can get some relief.

Thinking of you 

Love, Anu

[[An...]]

Hi Benzy,

I am sorry that you are suffering with this breathing problem ..

Hopefully you will be done with it, as you are close to completing your taper ..

That is an awesome accomplishment Benzy ..I will keep you in thought and prayer ..

Hang in there ..You are coming to the end of the tunnel ..

Love, Anu

[[An...]]

Hi robbin,

Thinking of you, and wishing you a successful taper.

Wishing blessings, and well being ..

Love, Anu

[[Th...]]

Anoushka:

 

I'm having the same breathing problems, too.  Since I had severe asthma as a child, this nearly sends me over the edge.  Mine gets worse when I lie down.....about 15 mins. after lying down, both nostrils slam shut.  What I do is take 2 pseudophed, lie down with my prayer beads, and slowly count breaths, starting at 100 and going down to 1......then start over again.  This is like the Silva Relaxation method, which you can find on YouTube.

 

Next time this happens to me, I'll just send out some healing breaths to you........

 

Lee

[[An...]]

Hi Lee,

I am so sorry that you have to go through this ..

Especially having had asthma as a child .. Were you, or are you on Ativan too?

It is constant for me, and gets worse when I lay down. My nose shots down too, but then it starts to smell these terrible odors, which are not there ..I read that this is called hyperosmia, and it is caused by benzos.

Lee, thank you for the Silva relaxation method ..I will try it ..And for sure, I will be grateful for some healing breaths send my way ..

Sending you healing thoughts ..

Love, Anu

[[Th...]]

Anu:

 

Yes, I am tapering Ativan after a disastrous reaction to an AD made me suicidal.  I'm down now to about .4 mg.  I dissolve a .5 mg tablet in 10 droppers of hot water and then take out 2 droppers.  Viola!  80%.  Much easier than shaving tablets.

 

I had the same breathing/sinus problems years ago when a dentist put me on Valium (little did I know.....).  I even went thru the dreaded sinus surgery and now realize IT WAS ALL THE **** PILLS!  I could write a book.

 

Peace to you.....yes, do look up The Silva Method Meditations and try them.  Very soothing.

 

Lee

[[An...]]

Lee,

How much was your daily dose, when you first started tapering?

And have you always followed this method?

Can I also ask you what you mean by droppers?

Thank you Lee, wishing you well ..

Love and blessings,

Anu

[[Th...]]

Hi Anu:

 

I came out of the hospital (and OFF the nasty AD!) on .5 mg Ativan 4 times a day.  That was in Feb. of this year.  I started cutting the pills in half and dropped down to 1 pill a day by September.  Those little buggars are too small to cut evenly, so I got some amber medicine bottles with droppers in the cap.  You can usually get one at the drugstore, or buy 12 of them for $6 on Amazon.  Everybody uses them for mixing essential oils.

 

Microwave some water, and put 10 droppers in a bottle with one pill.  Then, you can make 10% (or even 5%) reductions.  I did this years ago when I first got exposed to benzos.  It worked back then, and I'm praying it will work now.  I posted it on the old benzo board......if you Google 'Lee's Simple Titration' you will find it listed on some boards.

 

Breathing has been hard here today.  It got especially bad after lunch, so I concentrated on sending you some positive breathing vibes.  I hope you got them. 

 

Lee

[[An...]]

Hi Lee,

I am sorry that you endured all that

Thank you for the information about your method, it sounds tested and proven.

I will go and look for it ..You made it to Google Lee How neat is that ..

So when you say droppers, do you mean syringes?  I am not sure ..

Sadly I did not receive the positive breathing vibes

I have been suffering with labored breathing today, plus these uncomfortable heavy heart beats, plus my left arm feels kind of tingly ..Benzo symptoms I suppose ..Have you had any of these symptoms Lee?

Hoping that you will feel better ..

Love, Anu

[[Th...]]

Hi Anu:

 

No, not syringes.  These are glass bottles with a rubber top and a dropper in the cap.  Ask your pharmacist; they usually have some behind the counter.

 

My left arm is bad, too.  I had a bad accident and smashed up the entire left side of my body.  WD SXs settle down there more so than the rest of the body.

 

Can you get out and walk at all?  I find that a 20 minute walk in good air usually helps my breathing (even though I have to lie down and rest for a long time afterwards.....).

 

I'll keep sending the positive breathing vibes: hopefully one day they'll get thru to you.

 

Lee

[[An...]]

Hi Lee ,

It is morning in my world , a cold rainy morning .. I used to love this weather , but not now with this wd ..

It sounds like you have had your share of pain .. I am saddened to hear .. Today I will Google your tapering method ..

And please keep trying to send those positive breathing vibes my way .. Sooner or later , I hope that they will learn their way here .. As for walking , it is not possible for me at the moment .. I hope to, as time goes by , and wd gets lenient.

Wishing you a peaceful day ..

Love , Anu

[[mr...]]

Hi An,

Have u tried the buteyko breathing method?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx-3dt9L72c

 

[[Ma...]]

I have started getting this symptom too.

 

However, I live in a high altitude, low oxygen climate.  I wonder how much that affects me.  It is also extremely dry where I live.  One thing that helps is a saline nasal spray.  I breathe much better after I use that.

 

COPD seems to be an epidemic where I live.  I see people walking around with oxygen hooked up to them all the time.

[[mr...]]

I have started getting this symptom too.

 

However, I live in a high altitude, low oxygen climate.  I wonder how much that affects me.  It is also extremely dry where I live.  One thing that helps is a saline nasal spray.  I breathe much better after I use that.

 

COPD seems to be an epidemic where I live.  I see people walking around with oxygen hooked up to them all the time.

I have a friend that lives at a high altitude and he also, is on oxygen 24/7, non smoker.

I wonder what the D levels are of those on oxygen?

 

[[An...]]

Thank you mrtmeo.

I am grateful that you shared this breathing exercise with me ..I cannot wait to go find it ..

Wishing you blessings, and wellness ..

Take good care,

Warm thoughts of healing,

Anu

[[An...]]

Mairin, you are almost there ..!!

How absolutely wonderful ..

I am sorry that you are experiencing this labored breathing symptom..

Hopefully it will abate soon.

Thinking of you, and having you in my prayers ..

Love, and hugs, Anu