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Tapering off Ativan Support Thread


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I thought I'd start this b/c not too many are tapering off Ativan.  However, I know it's possible and have seen success.  My doctor won't switch me to V or K since I am such a low dose to begin with.  Would love to share notes with anyone currently tapering or who has successfully tapered off Ativan.  I am currently taking my dose 3 times/day.  Thanks, Tina  :smitten:
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I moved this thread to the General Taper Plans support board where you will get more replies from people looking for this kind of support.

 

All the best!

Schatje

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Hi CNOTR--

 

Not good today, unfortunately.  I thought I took a small enough cut, but man, my system must be so sensitive to this stuff!  How did you feel during your taper?  I feel in a dream-like state, slept only 1 hour last night, no appetite, tinnitus, no energy, some depression today (shocker--I feel like crap every day), GI issues, etc.  I miss being a fun mommy to my kids.  This is not fair to any of us!  I actually had some "good" days around Christmas which was nice.  Was your taper smooth-sailing or did you experience similar w/d??  So happy for you that you are OFF this poison.  I will be there soon...

 

Tina

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You know, it's weird... I almost think I was doing better during my taper than I am now? It's a whole other feeling?

 

But I also started Remeron while I was tapering too to help out? So maybe that's why my taper wasnt so bad?

 

My tolerance w/d was pretty dang bad! or whatever i was going through... it was constant lightheadedness, off balance, delayed vision response (like when moving my head upwards, things would slightly move for a 2nd)... then the breathlessness in bed, with overwhelming feelings over my body before falling asleep, almost like a rush of adrenaline but ICE COLD adrenaline? Then i had the body shocks in bed, and even once during the day with really bad d/p and d/r... thats when I knew there was a problem going on and it was no longer just an anxiety spell. I also had benzoriah, I remember the crying was so intense I couldnt stop. But then once I updosed to 2mg, saw a psych, i was fine! then i started remeron, I was great!, then started cutting ativan every week, and I was fine doing this! sometimes id almost forget to even take my dose of ativan while tapering, that's how good i felt. I had energy yada yada yada. I did have one bad panic attack though after my ativan taper was done. And I mean BAD! I thought I was dying... the cold and hot sweats, the bad energy in my body, the breathlessness, i was breathing like i ran a marathon! the nausea, the fire feeling coming out of my mouth... ugh! not a good experience. Luckily it only lasted 5 minutes? Then was left with constant shaking and tremors. Luckily this only happened once! My CNS was very sensitive!

 

Then after I was done tapering, I remember having some mild anxiety, like bad butterflies in my stomach, then I'd obsess about w/d for a bit, then be fine for a while... I slowly weened off the Remeron, then came the fatigue, the forgetfulness/memory issues, feeling kind of spacy.. but i don't necessarily think it was the remeron. I then had issues with sleep... but it has pretty much returned to normal. I also remember having some issues with watching tv shows etc. and my anxiety would just peak for no reason. A strange adrenaline anxiety. Not fun, but I managed and just tried my best to give it no thought and remember its just w/d.

 

Lately now I've just have been going through this little funk, you can see on the w/d and recovery board i just posted what im going through at the moment.

 

Hang in there! Hope you are doing well. Have you had any of my s/x?

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hello fellow members of the ativan club.  I've been doing a slow taper for about 15 months now after over 10 years use of 1mg then 1.5 mg a day for insomnia, pleased for the end to be in sight.  I think I'm tapering very slowly, but I've had a lot happen in the last year (3 family deaths including my mum, I had cancer (fully recovered) and now I have a thyroidectomy in a month).

 

Many symptoms have changed through my taper.  I started with a big cut with no idea what would happen - went from 1.5mg to 1mg, and overnight I started getting tinnitus, crazy mood swings, frazzled thinking, sudden anger, and when i talked the sound of my voice coming as if from another person. 

 

My biggest relief has been the recovery of my brain.  At one stage i couldn't make a mental map across town to drive from one place to another.  I couldn't even follow the story line of a comedy programme. Now I'm a lot more capable as my brain recovers.  Its hard as Im self employed and get work based on problem solving and my ability to write.   

 

I've had tinnitus the whole time, and bad muscle aches, along with insomnia and anxiety.  It is getting better as I get lower.

 

It seems so strange to just blurt this all out, but I guess it helps to share our difficulties, as well as celebrate our achievements.

 

happy new year to you all (its only 8 hours away where i live)

 

Poppins

 

 

 

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Poppins--glad you joined!  I also have had tinnitus ever since I lowered my dose.  How long did you hold at 1 mg. after you cut from 1.5?  Did the sx you experienced improve over time?  Do you live in England? I noticed you said "mum" :)  I had a British nanny when I was a kid and remember her saying this.  :)  I was only on Ativan a short time, but now know it doesn't matter whether long or short--this med is a tough one to kick.  Congrats for overcoming cancer--what an amazing acheivement--especially while tapering!  Sorry to hear about your deceased mom and family/friends.  You sound like a strong person holding up through all of this.  Also good your cognitive issues are coming back, as well as your sleep.  I am suffering terrible insomnia right now :(  Do you take your dose 3 or 4 times a day?
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Hello Ativan BBs

Looking forward to learning about your low dose tapering experiences.

Tapering Ativan is quite the challenge, huh? It got more difficult for me when I hit .074.  But I've been pushing through until I got to my current dose. It's been two weeks and I may try cutting tomorrow

Jeanie

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Jeanie--wow you are so close to the end--that's fantastic!  I am currently at .14.  How long have you been tapering for?  I was thinking I'd be done by 2/22 (when my liquid expires), but not so sure now.  It seems it gets more difficult cutting towards end?  You are below me in your taper, so I'd love any input.  Was your initial dose .35?  Or were you higher before that?
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I wish I could say I was closer to the end. I can only cut .0013 at a time!!  I'm only on Ativan because of a three month baclofen dependency that turned toxic and I had to C/T. I never took more than .35 Ativan. Stabilized a year ago. I may be ultra sensitive because of the combo of cipro, baclofen, Ativan. It's  really a nightmare. I'm hoping none of you have the difficulty I'm having!!! Probably going to have to go all the way to zero. 

 

Jeanie

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Hello Ativan Buddies!

 

I was on 3 to 4 Lorazepam for 6 weeks, then within a week went down to 2 - not much happened, but little did I know then.

 

My family practicioner wanted me to cross over to Clobazam, which I took about 6 days and then stopped again c/t. Then he wanted me on Oxazepam to cross over, which I took for 5 days and then c/t.

Somehow I just felt this crossing over wasn't the way for me on a psychological level. I can't stand the thought of taking another drug to get rid of the present one, although its "just" another Benzo supposed to help me. Also, I have severe adrenal and thyroid issues, and also some sex hormones are out of tune, so I didn't want to have any additional symptoms I couldn't place just from the crossing or the different Benzo. (Those problems were the reason I got the Benzos prescribed in the first place.) So, against all other advice, I decided to stick to Lorazepam (in my country it's called Temesta). Besides that the doc wouldn't prescribe me Valium anyway. So here I am.

 

I then cut more, and at 1.5 started liquid titration in milk (many experiments I did showed that it was better for my pills/brand than water, because milk is denser and heavier and therefore the particles don't drop so fast to the ground). Today I have arrived at .75 by dropping .03 every day for about three weeks and some holding, and have just switched over from 3 times to 5 times because of the short half life. I think it was the right decision, but I wonder if the lower dose per time I take it makes any symptoms momentarily? Does anybody know?

 

I felt very bad when arriving at 1., but generally it has been going well for me in comparison to others, I guess. But then again I can't really tell the difference between all my symptoms and where they come from anyway. And I'm still on a relatively high dose. Guided meditation has helped me, and so has EFT.

 

So I've just decided on doing .15 5 times now: 8am, 12:30, 5pm, 10 pm, 3am  (3am is  :P)

 

Looking forward to reading from you!

Thanks for any inputs!

 

Satasha

 

 

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I'm really insecure if I should first go to 4 times a day.

Or if I even should bother waking myself during the night. It might have a serious impact on my well-being. Additionally, my twins sometimes wake me up during the night, too, so I might be glad for every hour of uninterrupted sleep I get.

Does anybody know if the Benzos are metabolized slower during the night?

 

:-\

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Thanks for the welcome Tina.  Good spotting on the Mum rather than Mom.  I'm in New Zealand, which tends more to English rather than American language. 

 

I held at 1 for only a couple of weeks, then kept cutting, and was majorly hit around .85.  I held there for months cos of what else was going on in my life, and slowly but surely, the worst improved.

 

I divide my dosage into three which works well for me - just under half of my daily dosage at night, and I'm sleeping well just now, then 1/4 around 9am and the final 1/4 at 2 or 3pm.

 

One thing I want to believe is that I've been healing on the way down, particularly as its been such a long slow taper.  I guess I can be our guinea pig.  A lot of people are hit a couple of months after they stop. 

 

I've found the compounded liquid ativan so much better than titrating or pill cutting.  Its accurate, although my first bottle did have sediment towards the end making me wonder if my dosage wasn't that consistent.  Nevertheless, I'd recommend it.

 

I guess the other thing I'd like to say is that at times I've become timid and cautious in my life during withdrawal, but actually going out and doing stuff and mixing with people has always been okay, actually good.  I've travelled, sailed on yachts with groups, snorkeled, entertained, had a loving relationship, and kept working right through.  Its been tough but doable.  The only thing I regret was putting myself forward for a job interview when I just couldn't think clearly enough.  The panel asked the agency if I'd been unwell.  It was just a couple of weeks after my mum died, and I was suffering. 

 

 

good to know you all

 

Poppins

 

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Poppins--My husband I traveled to NZ about 10 years ago.  What a wonderful country!  We were there 2 weeks and saw quite a bit--although would love to go back someday to see more.  Loved Milford Sound, Lake Wanaka, the glaciers, etc.  So much to see and do!  I can't believe you've been so productive during your taper.  I feel like I must be doing something wrong :( I was only on it a short time so I don't understand why it's so difficult to come off.  I think a HUGE part of the problem is insomnia.  I can't only sleep 3-5 hours a night and have 2 little kids to watch all day.  I feel like a zombie and it's very difficult.  Also, my appetite has been affected and I have lost weight.  Hmmmm.  My doctor thinks I'm crazy to be tapering so slow since I was initially at such a low dose but I must be very, very sensitive.  I want to be finished in Feb., but my doctor will give me until early April if need-be.  Psychologically, I hate being on this drug and want to do my taper faster, but then my body really feels each cut which slows me down.  I wonder if I just held at a dose longer, if my sleep would return.  But I know there is no guarantee of this.  Your sleep is great, which tells me that maybe I am doing something wrong here.  Also the tinnitus is bothering me more now--hope that diminishes when this is all over...
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Hi Tina

 

Managing two little kids on top of insomnia and other withdrawal symptoms is amazing, its a hard hard thing to go through.  Each of us has a different chemical makeup and response, thats the challenge in this, to find the approach and path that reflects what are individual bodies need.  Sometimes I've found the tinnitus and symptoms are worse just before a window.  But not always!  Just trust that sleep will come back to you, and hang in as best you can.

 

Glad you liked NZ when you came, the scenery is amazing huh.  My Mum lived in Wanaka for the last 15 years, and it was our holiday place growing up, so I know it well.  You'll have to come back with your kids some time.

 

Poppins

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Just reread your post Tina

 

It may be worth trying a hold for a week or so to see if you get sleep back.  Through trial and error, i found I did better with a slightly larger cut less often, than a gradual incremental drop.  So I have a night or two of bad sleep, then it improves to the point that I cut again.  My pace has been glacial lately, but I'm not fretting about it, its all in the right direction.  From my reading its better to slow down towards the end. 

 

poppins

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Hi everyone.  I started my taper at 3mg of Lorazepam.  Got down to .75mg and started water titration.  Would get to .5mg. hit a wall and go back up.  Things finally go bad enough and I got so sick I had to go all the way back to 2mg to stabilize.  Am holding until I feel good enough to start a taper again, this time much, much slower.

 

Glad this thread was started, helps to see how others are doing on this drug.

 

Hugs,

Poplady

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Hi Popcornlady, looks like you have been doing it hard coming off this drug.  Have your symptoms leveled off more now?

 

Poppins

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Thanks for the advice Poppins :)  I held for 5 days this time and still feel pretty awful today--mostly nausea/no appetite, insomnia (only slept 2 hours last night), some high BP, major ANXIETY all morning, heart beating rapidly, tinnitus.  It's like every day I hold, I feel a little worse, instead of better.  I think I felt better 4 days ago or so.  I feel like I might also be getting a paradoxical reaction to the Ativan.  It is supposedly more common with Ativan then other benzos.  I'm going to make another small cut tonight.

 

Can you all give me your input on this taper plan?  I am planning to cut .005 mg. every 3 nights...So I am at .14 mg. right now and will go to .135 mg. next.  Seems like such a small cut, right?  So weird I am still having so many symptoms and that's why I am thinking it might be paradoxical...

 

Popcorn--How are you feeling now??

 

 

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Hi Tina, i've read of some people who seem to do better by keeping on tapering, they feel worse when they hold, maybe you are in this group?  I hope so! 

 

I don't know what to say about taper plan and speed at the lower doses.  Ashton's 10% every 10 days - 2 weeks would equate to .014mg from your current dose, which seems pretty similar.  I guess the thing to do is try, see how you go, and be ready to change to another approach if it doesn't work.  ONe up side of the Ativan short half life, is that you do know if you are cutting too fast quite quickly, whereas with valium people often can't tell for over a week or more. 

 

I have bad tinnitus today, no idea why, not going to waste my energy bring to figure it out. 

 

cheers P

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One thing I've found helpful in withdrawal is thinking from time to time about what my dosage is in valium.  1mg of Ativan is estimated to be about 10mg of valium.  This helps me remember that even though it can seem only a tiny bit of a pill, actually its still a reasonable dosage, and not to jump or cut too much.    So I'm currently on .25 Ativan or 2.5 valium per day. 

 

 

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Hi all,

 

I am currently pretty stable on this dose. Just have to decide when and how I want to start tappering again.  One thing I know I will go very, very slowly.

 

Hugs,

Poplady

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Cheers to us mothers out there!  My kids are 2 and 4.  I wish being a normal, fun mommy to them.  Satasha, how is that going for you? 

 

I am sitting here wide awake at 2 am.  Fell asleep around 10, was jolted awake around 1:30 and am now wide awake with adrenaline pumping.  I am wondering if this has to do with the quick peak in the ativan level in my blood and my body's metabolism.  I know this is one of the reasons why it's tough to get off Ativan.  I might try to switch my dosing to 4 times a day.  Is anyone doing their dose 4 times a day?  I wonder if it would help this problem and any of my other w/d symptoms...Or if this is just part of the w/d overall...Do any of you have this problem (I know we are all so different...)

 

How are you all functioning day to day?  Poppins--I know you are able to do a lot which is great!  So glad you are stable now Popcorn...Also have any of you attempted to switch to V or K?  I am so nervous about doing with the Ativan--it is supposedly the toughest one b/c of it's short life and how it binds very tightly to the receptors.  My doctor won't switch me b/c of the low dose I am on and I am so concerned that I won't be able to do it with Ativan.  That's why I'm thinking the 4 times/day thing might help.  So confused over here...

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