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NEW help with ativan taper


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I NEED HELP WITH A TAPER, I SEEN THAT IS SAYS FOR 10% CUTS ITS 1/4 OF YOUR DAILY DOSE, WELL I JUST CANT GRASP HOW MUCH THAT REALLY IS . I GUESS THATS ANOTHER REASON TO GET OFF THESE THINGS. PLEASE HELP ME IF ANYONE CAN.
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Hi Trudi,

The general recommended taper rate is aprox. 10% of your daily dose, every 1 to two weeks, depending on how you feel. It can be very flexible. I know it sounds complicated but we can help you with a taper plan. You need to give us a little more info though.

1. What benzo are you taking?

2.  What is your daily total dose?

3. how many times a day is that dose spread out over?

Let us know!

Linda :)

 

 

 

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Trudi,

I will be logging off shortly, but someone else may come by later this evening, or for sure first thing in the morning. Just go ahead and give us that info.

How long have you been on benzos?

Just know that you can get off of them, probably with not too much trouble, as long as it's done sensibly. No cold turkey!

Welcome to Benzo Buddies. :)

Talk to you in the morning.

Linda

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IM TAKING 2 1/2 MG OF ATIVAN I TAKE 1 MG AT AROUND 9:30 IN THE MORN. AND A .05 AT ABOUT 3 TO 4 IN THE AFTERNOON AND 1 MG AT 9:30 AT NIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE HELP,  HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME OUT NOW
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Hi Trudi,

You just caught me.

10% of 2.5mg is .25mg, or a 1/4 of a mg. I forgot to ask you what mg pills you have.

If you have problems with insomnia, it's best to start reducing the morning or midday dose.

If you are taking .5mg pills, you would reduce by half a pill, and stay at that dose for at least a week

If you are taking 1mg pills, you would reduce by a 1/4 of a pill, and stay at that dose for at least a week.

Do you have a pill cutter?

just reduce one of your 3 daily doses at a time. (per every week or two)

I hope this makes sense. If not, I or someone else will clarify it for you.

 

 

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Hi Trudi,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

 

Are you looking for help with a titration plan, where you make up a liquid from your benzos so that you can make smaller cuts; or are you looking for general help with your withdrawal plan, tapering by pill-splitting? Either way, we will need to know the dosage of the tablets you use.

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i have 1mgs and i dont think my doctors gonna help me by cutting she thinks i have not been on them long enough, well i know i have been because i did take less one day and i thought i was going crazy. now i know its from them. well its day 2 of cut i cut yesterday by luck the right amount. i felt heavy cheasted all day and edgy. it wouldnt be so hard to just deal with this prob but i have many things going on and are not helpin. other health issues. i think i can get more ativan so i cant keep cutting but i might have to use some xanax too so i dont know how to work this all out. if your doc isint willing to wean you down why do they even give them to ya. so any more info would be great thanks for all the replies
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Morning Trudi,

How many pills do you have left, including refills?

Also, make sure you hold that cut a few more days, until you feel somewhat normal. You may not feel perfect, but managable.

The best thing to do if your doc won't help you w.d, is to just get more refills, so you can taper. If the 1/4 mg cuts become too hard as far as wd symptoms, Colin will help you with a titration plan, which means mixing with liquid and making smaller cuts, as small as you want them.

Just see how this weeks goes with your first cut, then we'll take the next step.  ;D

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yes just a 1/4 of a pill not whole dose , im cutting my morning dose by a fourth and keeping the afternoon and night time dose the same, thats how i should be doing it right, and each week ill see how i am and cut a another 1/4 from a dose and so on. well thanks for the help
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You got it!

keep in touch. Don't hesitate to post again with any questions or concerns. Or just some reassurance and support, if things get a little tough. But you will probably do just fine!

LInda

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hey linda thank for the much need help its ppl like you that lets someone like me know there is help, i got a script from my doc today for 60 1mg ativans and he told me just come back when i need them. ok i have another ? this is my second day with this cut and i feel like i cant breath and when it gets a few hrs from my next dose i start shaking , will this start to go away i didnt think it would hit me that fast. well if you could tell me what to some what to expect i know everyones is different but im sure the basics are there. again thank you write soon even just to say hello and ill do the same
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Hey there Trudi,

What you are feeling is normal, and you are probably having interdose withdrawals. What might help a bit is if you move your 4;30 dose a little earlier, so your 3 doses are a little more evenly spread out. And maybe do 3/4ths and 3/4ths at your second and third dose.

As  for what type of symptoms and how long these symptoms will last, it is so different for each person, but for me, I would usually stabilize (feel better) at about 7 days post cut. Though the last cut I made, because I am getting lower, took about 2 weeks.  But keep in mind I am on a longer acting med.

There is a list of possible symptoms on the home page, or the benzo guide page. The link buttons are on the top of your screen.

Ativan is a short acting benzo, so you will feel the cuts a bit more acutely, because it leaves your system more quickly.

If this becomes intolerable to you, there is always the method of switching to a long acting benzo, Valium, then withdrawing from that. But you would have to have your docs cooperation.

Honestly, I think since you haven't been on terribly long, you most likely will get thru this ok without having to cross over to valium.

Remember, you can always make smaller cuts by using a titration method, but it's a little more complicated. Colin will help you with that if need be.

If anyone else wants to throw their wd knowledge in here for Trudi, I"m sure she'd appreciate it! Someone who's dry cutting from a short acting benzo, or who just completed?

Thanks guys!!

Talk to you later Trudi!

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Another thing,

as you get lower in your taper, it would be easier if you could get .5mg pills, because then you could make smaller reductions. But if not, that's ok, we can work with what you've got :)

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ok then what im feelin is the norm well thank you, i take my middle dose at around 3 or 3:30 i try to strech a little each time but maybe i should stay good on the times and just deal with the cuts. the reason i take my middle dose then is my hubby leaves for work an hr later and i have trouble seeing him go so my pill will be kickin in then. so i will cut the morning dose first then start to even them out .
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hey linda , i noticed you take seroquel, i use to take that for lack of sleep well because of the side effect of nasal congestion all that got me was addicted to afrin nasal spray but i got a cortasone shot and that got me off the junk lol, but i still have congestion even today and im not taking either of them, funny huh, does it bother you like that.
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i use a netti pot for nasal congestion - you can buy one at any pharmacy with directions - i keep a one quart bottle with a screw on cap and add 3 tsp of sea salt (it has no preservatives) PER QUART.

 

welcome to the forum - please feel free to read the archives are any present posts - the first page you come to when to enter benzo buddies has a lot of useful information. ;)

 

 

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you so welcome trudi.

 

another thing that helps is to open a window during the day and keep your bedroom immaculate - even curtains can be a big problem - you can run them thru the dryer on cool once a week and that will help. ;)

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hey linda , i noticed you take seroquel, i use to take that for lack of sleep well because of the side effect of nasal congestion all that got me was addicted to afrin nasal spray but i got a cortasone shot and that got me off the junk lol, but i still have congestion even today and im not taking either of them, funny huh, does it bother you like that.

 

No, it really doesn't. Another very common s/e of seroquel that I never had was ravenous hunger!! I was also prescribed it for terrible insomnia. You probably didn't read my history, but my insomnia was so severe that I had suicidal ideation and spent two 3 day stays in a psych ward this last summer. All because of insomnia! (related to restless legs syndrome).  Almost off it and still sleeping! :yippee: 

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well im very sorry for why you had to take it and what you went through, but im very happy for you for being so close to off and doing well. i hope all things go well with both of us and every other soul thats got a mess of stuff to deal with. the stuff these doctors give us. be well  Trudy
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