New User / Looking for Advice / 0.5mg 4 weeks - HELP! :-)

Hi Guys,

 

Here's my short story:

Went to the ER for my first big Anxiety Attack, Heart pounding etc.  Was given Lorazapam and a 5 day supply @ 1mg, because I couldn't sleep and had to calm down.

 

- Didn't use the drug the next night, had panic attacks while trying to get to sleep, but bared through them.

- Still didn't use them for a few nights, crazy night terrors, sweating etc.  I assumed this was all from my Anxiety Attack

- Then I went on them at 1m 1 pill at bed time.  Very "Nice"

- Now I have had 3 more weeks @ 0.5m 1 pill at the end of the day

 

However, now I'm noticing withdrawal symptoms during the day after I get up, I can only sleep for 6hrs when on the drug, when off about an hour or so.  I thought at first I had a sleep phobia, but now I think it's just the drugs.  Went 2 days without sleep after trying another drug (Zitopam or something like that -- Z Pill), it put me to sleep for 1 hour exactly.  Then I woke up, I'm assuming now craving the Lorazapam?  Yesterday I had huge anxiety, which was fine I dealt with it, but my concern is sleep.  If I could do that it would be much easier.

 

Anyways, here I am!  Swetty palms typing away.

 

So I'm currently on 0.5m of Lorazapam, i cut it once to try it and it wasn't bad, but now withdrawal during the day is getting bad.  I'm in trouble.

 

Any help would be appriciated.  Booked in to the see the Doctor, to perhaps find something like Diazspam for slow taper?

 

Thanks,

God Bless

 

Also, should I be taking this during the day as well (break the dose)?  I'm getting withdrawal during the day.  If I can handle it should I just let it go and let the repairs commence, and then up my dose for Bedtime? Thanks.

Hi:

 

You are getting withdrawal because you are only taking it once a day and Ativan is short acting. I would at least split the dose in half, and take it twice a day. Many people feel the need to dose at least 3X daily. Betsy

Thanks so much feels good to talk to someone.

 

The withdrawls at that time don't bug me too much, just at bedtime when I need to sleep.

Should I use that time to let myself heal? Or just keep it steady?

Hi Dandeman:

 

How long have you taken Ativan in total? Less than 2 weeks? If so, I would try and get off ASAP with as reasonable a taper as possible. I should have done the same thing. There is a lot of collective wisdom on this site, ask the questions you need to.

 

IMO don't drag it out, find another way to deal with your anxiety attacks. I know it's hard, but withdrawing from these drugs is a lot harder.

 

Have you tried CBT, meditation, EFT? All of these can be VERY helpful. I too was given Ativan in the hospital (not for anxiety) and now I'm an accidental addict.

 

If you have questions, keep posting.

 

Good luck 

Thanks again,

 

Been on for about 3 weeks so far, just figured

Out the drugs effects as I noticed I got bad later

In the day.

 

Just getting in to CBT

 

Problem is, I can't sleep more than 1 hr without this stuff 0.25m

 

Should I just take the insomnia pain? If something would help me sleep

I could jump right now.  Took a z drug for sleep and only worked for an hour, pitched those

 

Hello,

 

Three weeks is pretty much the maximum time suggested for benzo use. If it were me I would try a rapid taper to avoid dependency from becoming entrenched. Insomnia is a common withdrawal effect and if you didn't suffer with it before you started Ativan, then your sleep will return.

 

Have you checked out the Insomnia board for some alternatives? Insomnia Board

 

By the way, the z drugs target the same receptors as benzos so dependency can develop with use of these meds as well.

 

pianogirl

So just stay at my 0.5mg and don't go up anymore?  Take what comes?

 

How long? A few weeks to repair?  Who knows eh? 

 

Is using .5 at night a bad idea at this point, or cold turkey?

Or cold turkey now?  Things just started getting weird with withdrawl.

So just stay at my 0.5mg and don't go up anymore?  Take what comes?

 

How long? A few weeks to repair?  Who knows eh? 

 

Is using .5 at night a bad idea at this point, or cold turkey?

 

I personally would not cold turkey. You could try cutting in half for 5 days and see how you feel. I would think that your short time use would give you a quicker recovery.  You might have symptoms but they should be short lived.  Of course, the anxiety you felt before could come back until you find other ways to cope with it. I see you are starting CBT, that's good.

 

pianogirl

Thanks,

 

So if I get this right.  When I have withdrawal symptoms, it means it's out of my system and I am healing.  So I should take the leaste possible at which point I can handle?

 

ie; None during the day, 0.5 at night to sleep, then start moving it down?  Whatever feels comfortable (with some pain?)

 

Should I move down to Valium at this point for more control?

Thanks,

 

So if I get this right.  When I have withdrawal symptoms, it means it's out of my system and I am healing.  So I should take the leaste possible at which point I can handle?

 

ie; None during the day, 0.5 at night to sleep, then start moving it down?  Whatever feels comfortable (with some pain?)

 

Should I move down to Valium at this point for more control?

 

When you have withdrawal symptoms it means your body is reacting to the lack of the drug.  Yes, find the dose where you are feeling stable and move down from that.

 

Personally with just 3 week use, I would not switch to valium.  That is just my viewpoint, knowing what I know now I would want to get off and put these meds in the rear view mirror.

Ok, so I found 0.25 to be fairly stable right now, it seems like it lasts about 6hr or so.

 

So basically I should be doing 0.25 3 times a day.  And then move down?  Geez, I need a pill cutter then because I think I will soon have to move down to 0.12 3 times a day.  Does that make sense?

 

Thank you so much, I don't know what I would have done without you guys.

A pill cutter would help make the cuts more even, you can get one at the grocery store. I dry cut with a sharp knife but it wasn't always a clean cut.

 

You are welcome, I just want to see you get off the Ativan and find other coping tools to deal with anxiety and panic. Life is much better without benzos.

 

pianogirl

Thanks, My Anxiety was keeping me up sometimes at 0.25mg before bed, I would wake up in an hour. But at that point I'm assuming the 0.25mg is still in my system and a woke up because of Anxiety.. period, as if the drug could not hold it down anymore?

 

You are an Angel, thank you so much.

Thanks Dandeman , 

 

When you feel anxious at bedtime, try some deep belly breathing. It got me through the rough anxiety during my withdrawal. Breathe in slowly for a count of 3, hold for a count of 3 and slowly exhale for a count of 6. See the anxiety leave with each exhale.

 

Another tool is to let the anxiety be there.  Feel yourself floating around it like you are floating on a wave in the ocean.  Anxiety is just a feeling, it can't hurt you.  A blanket with good weight to it is also very calming. 

 

pianogirl

Little status update for me,

 

Last night I did 0.25mg in the afternoon, and 0.25mg right at bedtime.  Seemed to go ok.  Getting some light withdrawal symptoms at 5pm today, they came much earlier yesterday.  Light, just flushing and tingling.

 

I think I should just do the 0.25mg tonight to help sleep.  Thoughts from the pro's?  If I can't sleep (I usally get 1-2 hours) if it "fails", should I just carry on or push the dose back up for a bit?

 

I seem to be able to control the anxiety pretty well, doing a lot of self hypnosis that is working well.  Can calm myself down.

Thanks,

 

So if I get this right.  When I have withdrawal symptoms, it means it's out of my system and I am healing.  So I should take the leaste possible at which point I can handle?

 

ie; None during the day, 0.5 at night to sleep, then start moving it down?  Whatever feels comfortable (with some pain?)

 

Should I move down to Valium at this point for more control?

 

pianogirl:

 

I agree with your advice 100%, so I won't even try to overshadow you. Betsy

 

When you have withdrawal symptoms it means your body is reacting to the lack of the drug.  Yes, find the dose where you are feeling stable and move down from that.

 

Personally with just 3 week use, I would not switch to valium.  That is just my viewpoint, knowing what I know now I would want to get off and put these meds in the rear view mirror.

Hi again,

 

I just hit a rough patch at 6pm (Had zero issues though the whole day - last dose was last night at 10pm), I just popped a 0.12 (quarter or so of a 0.5mg) and going to see if I stabilize on it, then 0.25 for bed.

 

Am I doing this correctly?  Trying to find my point I guess.

 

So basically I'm trying to get away with 0.25 for the total day.

Well, I think that was a poor idea. 0.25 for the day.  I think my baseline is 0.5mg for the day.  So should I just start shaving that down by 10% per week at this point.  I think I'm dependent.  The good news being I thought my anxiety was THAT bad, it's 'just' the drug.