Need help with Plan

[[Buddie]]

I am trying to get off the lorazapam and am now having some difficulties.  My pill size is 0.5

I was at 1/4 pill in AM and 1/2 in PM for a few weeks, then went to 1/4 pill both in the AM and the PM for a week.  It was a little rough but i was handling it OK.  Now I dropped the day dose and seem to be having problems that have been getting worse each day.  I am on day 5.  I am trying to stick it out but I wake up around 4:30 and have what I think is a rebound.  I also am having really bad dry mouth, some eye twitching, teeth grinding and some GI distress.  Is it common to have diarrhea when having the withdrawal symptoms?  Also, I seem to feel better when the two doses are equal and feel worse in the when the PM dose is bigger than the AM dose.  

I have 60 2 mg Valium from my doc but was hoping to not have to add another drug.  If i switch to Valium can I just drop the lorazapam?

Any advise would be great.

[[Buddie]]

Hello [...], Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

It sounds like you have a good taper plan going.  We recommend cutting your total dose by 10% every 7 to 14 days.  You might have cut your AM dose a little too soon, but not by much.  The symptoms you describe are very common and normal for this process.  It seems to me that if you continue with your current taper, you'll be done in a very short time.  If you decide to do a cross over to Valium, we can help you with that.  Crossing over to Valium won't eliminate your discomfort and it will extend the time you'll be tapering because there has to be a smooth transition to the new drug.  Another idea would be to get the .25 pills and cut them into quarters, this would slow your taper down a little more and maybe you'd have less discomfort.  Or another idea would be to do titration.  Lots of options here, let us know what sounds good to you.

Have you read the Ashton Manual?  It contains a lot of information about symptoms, plus it has a conversion plan from Lorazepam to Valium.  I wanted to give you a link to it, but I'm downloading some software right now and my computer is running really slow.  But, I wanted to welcome you.

[...]

[[Buddie]]

Thanks [...].

Do you think I should add the 1/4 pill in the AM to reduce the discomfort.  It is pretty rough in the morning and afternoon.  I feel like I am constantly clenching my teeth and have multiple loose stools.  You sadi this is normal.  How long should it last and how should I reduce or drop the PM dose.  If I were to switch to Valium should I start by taking the 2 mg in the AM and stay with the 1/4 lorazapam in the PM for a feww weeks and then switch to 2 mg valium each in AM and PM?

I have looked over the ashton manual but I fell that I am at such a low dose that I do not know how to do a valium switch.

If the discomfort will go away soon then I do not mind staying where I am at but I am nervous that I am in for long term effects from going to fast?

[[Buddie]]

Thanks [...].

Do you think I should add the 1/4 pill in the AM to reduce the discomfort.  It is pretty rough in the morning and afternoon.  I feel like I am constantly clenching my teeth and have multiple loose stools.  You sadi this is normal.  How long should it last and how should I reduce or drop the PM dose.  If I were to switch to Valium should I start by taking the 2 mg in the AM and stay with the 1/4 lorazapam in the PM for a feww weeks and then switch to 2 mg valium each in AM and PM?

I have looked over the ashton manual but I fell that I am at such a low dose that I do not know how to do a valium switch.

If the discomfort will go away soon then I do not mind staying where I am at but I am nervous that I am in for long term effects from going to fast?

Hi [...],

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!!

How long were you taking the Lorazepam? How did you do your taper? Did you cut by 1/4 of your .50mg tablet every couple of weeks? You could crush the .125mg piece you take in the pm, mix into 1/2 cup of milk or water and divided your dose to two times a day by drinking 1/4 c of the dose for the am and 1/4 c for the pm. Does this make sense?

T2

[[Buddie]]

Thanks [...].

Do you think I should add the 1/4 pill in the AM to reduce the discomfort.  It is pretty rough in the morning and afternoon.  I feel like I am constantly clenching my teeth and have multiple loose stools.  You sadi this is normal.  How long should it last and how should I reduce or drop the PM dose.  If I were to switch to Valium should I start by taking the 2 mg in the AM and stay with the 1/4 lorazapam in the PM for a feww weeks and then switch to 2 mg valium each in AM and PM?

I have looked over the ashton manual but I fell that I am at such a low dose that I do not know how to do a valium switch.

If the discomfort will go away soon then I do not mind staying where I am at but I am nervous that I am in for long term effects from going to fast?

Hi [...],

You're probably right about a switch to Valium, you're at a pretty low dose.  There's no way to know if you're going to suffer as a result of going too fast.  If you can stand it, I'd suggest staying on your current dose for a few more days.  Then you can do like Theresa suggested and do a simple titration. 

[...]

[[Buddie]]

WELCOME

I am not tapering but wanted you to know that you are not alone.  I went c/t on 9/2/09 from 1 mg klonopin....very hard. (Do Not Go Cold Turkey....slow turkey they say)  I understand the physical, mental and emotional pains of this process. 

You have come to the right place.  Lots of people who understand and have been where you are at in this process. 

We are here for you!  Be patient with yourself and know that you are healing.

[...]

[[Buddie]]

I was on Xanax for a few weeks and then was switched to Lorazapam.  I have been on the stuff since early June of this year.  At most I have taken up to 1 mg a day.  I took 1/2 in the AM and a full in the PM for a month or so then tried to drop the AM and had a hard time and went back.  Then started again and got to 1/2 in the AM and PM for a few weeks, then 1/4 in AM and 1/2 in PM for a few weeks, then 1/4 in AM and PM for a week, and now just 1/4 in PM.  I always feel OK or even better for the first two days then on the third I get a pretty good headache and some GI distress.  Teeth grinding and ear ringing also.  Seems to get better after a week which is why I dropped the AM dose only after a week.  Also, I seem to feel better when the doses are the same and when the dose is larger in the PM, I get a wicked rebond in the AM and feel crappy most of the day.  I usually feel better in the evening even before taking the PM dose.

I plan to stay where i am for another week and then maybe drop the PM dose or even try to get a 1/8 tab?

It is a good idea to maybe add a 1/8 AM dose for a little bit?

I just want this to go smooth and want to avoid any long term symptoms.

Thanks for all your help.

[[Buddie]]

It is very common to have loose stools at this point. I had horrible GI issues, grinding teeth, tremors for weeks up until the middle of my taper from 1mg of Lorazepam.  My mornings were also VERY rough. Try to hang in there if you can for 10 days, your brain is having the recalibrate.

I suggest consulting with your Dr on the dosage switch from L to V. I am currently down to a small amount; it was one of hardest things I have ever had to do.

Anna

I am trying to get off the lorazapam and am now having some difficulties.  My pill size is 0.5

I was at 1/4 pill in AM and 1/2 in PM for a few weeks, then went to 1/4 pill both in the AM and the PM for a week.  It was a little rough but i was handling it OK.  Now I dropped the day dose and seem to be having problems that have been getting worse each day.  I am on day 5.  I am trying to stick it out but I wake up around 4:30 and have what I think is a rebound.  I also am having really bad dry mouth, some eye twitching, teeth grinding and some GI distress.  Is it common to have diarrhea when having the withdrawal symptoms?  Also, I seem to feel better when the two doses are equal and feel worse in the when the PM dose is bigger than the AM dose.  

I have 60 2 mg Valium from my doc but was hoping to not have to add another drug.  If i switch to Valium can I just drop the lorazapam?

Any advise would be great.

[[Buddie]]

How long should the GI distress last.  It seems that each other time I dropped a dose it only lasted a few days and this time seems to be a little worse.  Is 10 days tthe usual time it takes to adjust to a reduced dose.  If this is the case I def. went too fast in dropping the daily 1/4 tab since it was only about 6 days after the previous dose.

When one does make a step too fast as I have is it better to go back and start again or tough it out?

My doc told me to stop the lorazapam and switch to valium without a slow crossover so I did not do it.  If I were can somebody help with a plan for that?

The mornings are really tough, I wake up around 5 AM and seem to have a rebound effect as i am really anxious and hmy heat is racing and that is when I have the brunt of the GI distress.  I take my PM dose at around 8 or 9 PM.

[[Buddie]]

I was on Xanax for a few weeks and then was switched to Lorazapam.  I have been on the stuff since early June of this year.  At most I have taken up to 1 mg a day.  I took 1/2 in the AM and a full in the PM for a month or so then tried to drop the AM and had a hard time and went back.  Then started again and got to 1/2 in the AM and PM for a few weeks, then 1/4 in AM and 1/2 in PM for a few weeks, then 1/4 in AM and PM for a week, and now just 1/4 in PM.  I always feel OK or even better for the first two days then on the third I get a pretty good headache and some GI distress.  Teeth grinding and ear ringing also.  Seems to get better after a week which is why I dropped the AM dose only after a week.  Also, I seem to feel better when the doses are the same and when the dose is larger in the PM, I get a wicked rebond in the AM and feel crappy most of the day.  I usually feel better in the evening even before taking the PM dose.

I plan to stay where i am for another week and then maybe drop the PM dose or even try to get a 1/8 tab?

It is a good idea to maybe add a 1/8 AM dose for a little bit?

I just want this to go smooth and want to avoid any long term symptoms.

Thanks for all your help.

I know you're suffering, but in terms of what we normally see around here; you're doing quite well.  I feel you should stay at your PM dose for a few more days.  Then do the simple titration with the liquid that Theresa suggested.  Adding an AM dose would be going backwards at this point.  No matter what you do to try and juggle your schedule, you're still going to suffer. 

You were on a relatively low dose for a short time.  I don't see you suffering for too long once you're off.  It's hard to judge, but from what I've seen you could start to feel good about a month after your last dose.

Continue as you are, on PM dose of 1/4 tablet.  Then do the simple titration for another week to 2 weeks and jump from there.

Hang out with us while you're doing this, we'll help you to know that the symptoms are normal and will leave you as you heal.  You're doing great!