lorazapam to diazapam please advise

Have decided I need to try crossover as my symptoms will not lessen. Have been slow tapering to .875 lorazapam and am having terrible morning-now spreading to afternoons/evenings anxiety. Do have the .5 lorazapam and 5mg diazapam. will get script for the 2mg when i see Dr. As far as dosing,am at .25am ,.25 noon, and .375 evening. Am going to change out the noon dose first as More able to rest if it kicks me. I should do 2.5 diazapam right? Also do this interchange once a week in quartered doses?(from the .875 amt ) so like next week do 2.5diazapam for .25 lorazapam at nite. ect..? all the Ashton charts start so high and am trying to figure correctly as to not over/under dose. Other symptoms are tolerable but do have ultra high anxiety. Thanks for input

Sama1222-

 

Per Dr Ashton, the equivalencies of Lorazepam(Ativan) to Valium is 1mg Ativan = 10 mg Valium. I did a direct c/o from Xanax 1mg - 1.5mg to 10mg Valium am and pm(20mg total). I didn't switch out doses, just crossed over. I had been on Xanax for 5-6 years daily with some days taking 3mg's. The Valium c/o was pretty smooth for the most part. Is different from Xanax and less potent. IMO, the Lorazepam and Valium are the same as far as potency but the Valium may need to build up in your system; that didn't happen with me, I felt it within an hour and was level with the new regimen within a few days. Just giving you my experience with a crossover, hope that help some.

 

Just Breathe

Just Breathe

                  Thank you for your input. Switched a dose out at noon and feel much better than morning/afternoons of late. can see it may need to build tho.  Am having hard time with the lorazepam taper though. Need to at least try I think and see if it makes a difference. Maybe it is a tolerance issue. Have read around and it could be many different things including the withdrawals huh? Seem to be getting appetite back though.The most severe symptom is the anxiety/inner trembling. Need to complete this task-what a road! Thanks again for your time and suggestion. You are very dedicated to us !

Sama1222-

 

You are welcome for the input. Just ones person's experience. I hope your c/o goes well. Post and talk about it if you have any questions.

 

Just Breathe

Hi Sama,

 

It's always best to cross over gradually because of the vastly different half lives of the two benzos. I know Dr. Ashtons crossover is quite slow, but if I were doing it, I'd probably do at least an aprox 25% switch out every few days to a week. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol_awakening_response

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal_axis

 

This is why so many of us have rough mornings and feel better at night.

 

Cortisol and the adrenals...

Thank you all for input.

    Just Breathe-did you notice depression worse when you c/o to valium? Dr. thinks its rare! Told him I tried to c/o before and noticed dark cloud.

   

   

How about you Mike59- did you notice any difference immediately? I am going to c/o in stages altho DR states no need just do Diazepam in place. Thanks for links!

 

ELJAY-will heed your advise as I am suspicious it may cause black moods. Altho did feel relief from the anxiety-got up with looming ugggggggh feeling thru morning and really dont need that. will try slow c/o - dose switch weekly to see if possible. Another crap shoot.                                                                           

 

all iin all Dr agreed to switch- but thinks amt. is minimal to cause such upheaval in depression/ other w/d symptoms--NO CLUE oh and he is 1 of only 2  benzo Dr in area. Or so HE says. Need to find a better Dr I think. 

I crossed from Xanax and noticed interdose withdrawl ending and more sedation.  The sedation went away.

 

Best,

Mike

Thank you all for input.

   Just Breathe-did you notice depression worse when you c/o to valium? Dr. thinks its rare! Told him I tried to c/o before and noticed dark cloud.

 

Sama1222- maybe slightly but I attributed that more to being on benzo's for years and benzo's in general causing a more lethargic, depressed feeling in me. I just know for me, I needed to do a C/O to get off of Xanax and be able to work full time and live my life and taper. This decision was best for me. My psyc. dr. was not for Klonopin use in c/o from Xanax for taper (was I glad about that) as I had tried one dose of .75mg's Klon and knew I could not tolerate. We all have to find the right shoe....Valium for me was the right shoe. Whatever works for you is your right shoe. Will be here to support you know matter your taper method.

 

Just Breathe

Thanks for your knowledge buddies! Am really struggling w/ lorazepam so need to try anything that may help. Dr also agreed this was happening in July- Aug when I started telling him was not feeling the same-more anxious, wound up ect.. also was doing the hydrocodone then - so hard to tell when it really was a tolerance issue -near that time tho. So 5 mths in- 1 at tapering-wow- where does the time go -HA  Godspeed to us all!

Have very heavy reaction to diaz- will go and finish taper with lorazepam. Checking on titration schedule while I wait for cylinder.

I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling well, hopefully you can titrate.  Have you ordered a cylinder?

yes cylinder on its way-Dr has no clue what I tell him about the diazepam. For me it is way too much mentally and physically. Dont really know what to do- he says keep doing diaz and wean off loraz but it does affect me soooo different. Have read some people having same type when crossing over- it is not just me - i think.

Sama1222-

 

You are right, the Ativan and Valium are different, both benzo's but different. Same would be if you compared Xanax to Klonopin to Valium to Ativan...and so on. There effect or feeling is different. I found that the Valium, which IMO, is so less potent then Xanax, is much smoother, not without it's own issues, but what worked for me. You tried, it didn't feel right...I think it is just fine to go back and do the titration direct from Ativan....not a one size fits all process and allowing for flexibility is a plus. You find the right taper method experimenting(not sure that is the correct word?) until you find the right one for you. All good.

 

Just Breathe

Yes-again your are right! Gotta be functional during this process and the diaz kicked my butt. still have terrible muscle burning and soreness- not a withdral s/x as it occured after slow c/o and is less today. didn't even get 1/2 way!

I had mentioned in another thread how different charts show different equiv.  Dr. Ashton is 10 to 1 Ativan (lorazepam) to Valium (Diazepam) while others show 5 to 1.  What's up?  Makes a difference for sure.