Switching to different benzo

[[Buddie]]

I was just reading some of the posts here.  Early on my doctor mentioned switching or supplementing my klonopin with ativan. How does this work?
He's seem to forget about it. I don't care for my doctor and actively trying to find another. He's doing large dry cuts. Plus messing with my Vyvnase at the same time.
I'm having horrible nausea and pretty bad fatigue right now.
Does i help to switch to another benzo while tapering?

[[Buddie]]

Its a bad idea to go from a longer acting drug like Klonopin to a shorter one like Ativan, the likelihood of introducing interdose withdrawal is high.  A benzo is a benzo is a benzo, there is no easier, softer way to rid yourself of these drugs.  Valium is the gold standard because of its long half life but its no picnic and crossing to another benzo isn't fun, it comes with its own set of challenges and many members end up back on their original drug because they can't deal with the side effects.  Unless you have serious interdose withdrawal on the drug you're currently taking, crossing over to a longer acting drug in my opinion isn't worth it and crossing to a shorter acting one is not a good idea.

As for supplementing your Klonopin dose with Ativan, well that's just wrong, using a benzo to withdraw from another benzo makes no sense, how do you then get off the Ativan?  Honestly, there needs to be some serious training requirements for doctors when it comes to withdrawing their patients from benzo's!

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...]. I agree with [...]. There's no advantage to being on a variety of benzos. The best one is the longest half life one you can stand to be on. I was on Librium which is very slow, and it might have made me sluggish but worked for me to get off them. Less drama on longer half life.

[[Buddie]]

I was just reading some of the posts here.  Early on my doctor mentioned switching or supplementing my klonopin with ativan. How does this work?
He's seem to forget about it. I don't care for my doctor and actively trying to find another. He's doing large dry cuts. Plus messing with my Vyvnase at the same time.
I'm having horrible nausea and pretty bad fatigue right now.
Does i help to switch to another benzo while tapering?

Valium is what you need if you are going to swap klonopin.
Ativan is harder to taper, it has a shorter half life.
Doctors are clueless I am afraid.
I don't blame you for trying to find another doctor.
You should be in control of your taper as doctors don't know your body, and they tend to do large cuts.
I would not mess about with other drugs while you are tapering a benzodiazepine.
Best of luck in finding a doctor.

[[Buddie]]

I'm hoping to get in with a new doctor for medication management. I need to call them back and set up and appointment.
I can't wait to ditch the doctor I'm currently with.  He has no clue what he's doing.  Doesn't care about me or how I feel.
The medical care in our town is awful. 
I'm really upset with my previous psych doctor for getting me hooked on all this junk.
I'm feeling awful today.  Extreme nausea and fatigue.  So far, that's been my only symptoms with this latest taper.  I know he's tapering me the wrong way, but I don't know what to do about it except for a new doctor.
The Ativan thing....he mentioned it once. He keeps changing his mind everytime I talk with him.
Really upset he lowered my Vyvnase.  The fatigue is awful.
too much at once

[[Buddie]]

I'm shocked to hear he's having you taper off of two drugs at the same time, I'm glad you're working on finding a new doctor.

[[Buddie]]

[...]...he has this idea that I need to take a break from vyvanse for a month.  That is to completely be off it cold turkey.  No thanks.  I'm so furious with him.  I feel trapped. I can't upset him too much or he might drop me as a patient and then I will have no meds at all. 
He wants to work on my sleep meds at the same time.  I can't handle all that.

[[Buddie]]

[...]...he has this idea that I need to take a break from vyvanse for a month.  That is to completely be off it cold turkey.  No thanks.  I'm so furious with him.  I feel trapped. I can't upset him too much or he might drop me as a patient and then I will have no meds at all. 
He wants to work on my sleep meds at the same time.  I can't handle all that.

I don't suppose you can get a different doctor can you can you?
Are you in the UK?
These doctors are, I am afraid, spectacularly clueless, despite the fact that it has been known that these drugs are addictive for years.

[[Buddie]]

[...]...I live in the US.

I just found another doctor and therapist. They work in the same practice.  I see both of them next week. I hope the doctor will listen to me.  That's the problem. They never listen nor do they care.  It's frustrating and depressing.

[[Buddie]]

[...]...I live in the US.

I just found another doctor and therapist. They work in the same practice.  I see both of them next week. I hope the doctor will listen to me.  That's the problem. They never listen nor do they care.  It's frustrating and depressing.

Hi
I really hope the new doctor and therapist can help you.
I can see it's frustrating for you.
Would the doctors read highlightsd bits from a printed Ashton manual?
I once got my drug worker to give my GP some pages off the manual to read, I just highlighted the relevant bits. I wish you luck.