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Hi,

My name is Jim. I am 47 years old and currently on a high dose of benzos.

2 years ago,after a near fatal heart attack,the cardiologist decided that part of my problmems were stress related, and started me on Ativan at .5mg 3x day. He sent me home with a 6 month prescription. The first couple of months it seemed to help keep me calm,but then I started having anxiety/panic attacks, which was something that I had never experience before, and as I can only describe as,the worst panic filled and out of control feeling I have ever experienced.

My daughter was here, and in fear, as she had never seen me like that before, she called the police. When they got here I was walking around in circles in my driveway and completely out of it.

The paramedics came and took me to the ER,where they gave me....guess what ???

More Ativan.... !

That night I was transferred to the psychiatric ward, where they explained to me that after a few months, Ativan loses it's potency, and that I should have been titrated up, (had my dosage increased), after the first 6 to 8 weeks to prevent this from hapening. Solution.... They upped my Ativan to 1mg 3x day, and I was fine for about 4 months. Then, since I knew what the panic attacks felt like by this time, I drove myself to the ER when I felt one coming on one day.  Solution.... Klonopin, 1mg 3 x day.  The K-pin really knocked me for a loop. I missed 10 days of work and begged the doctor to put me back on the Ativan at 1mg 4x day.  Then I got smart and hired a good PDOC.  I am now in the process of trying to wean off of benzos completely. We have tried several different SSRI antidepressants,buspar,neurontin,etc., none of which seemed to help,so I am now in stage 4 of the Ashton method. .5mg ativan + 5 mg valium three times a day, and 10mg valium at bedtime. This has not been easy,and switching over to the valium is proving to be a challenge, but I am determined to get off of this stuff and I have heard that the Ashton method is the safest and least traumatizing way to do this..... My PDOC agrees, and disagrees..... He says the Ashton Method is lengthy and involves Valium, which is much more sedating than K=pin, but I flat out resurde to try to taper with the K-pin so we are doing he Ashton method....

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Hi kyjim

 

Welcome to Benzo Buddies

 

Sorry you are caught up in the Benzo Trap.

 

It is good that you have a Doctor that is willing to help you get Free from Benzos.

 

You will get all the support and friendship you want here at Benzo Buddies.

 

Teakettle

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Jim I am tapering off the ativan too, I have been at it for 2 months and doing ok. Welcome to the website, I would be interested in anything your Good Pdoc has to say about this.

 

sundazed

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Thank You.  Nor really sure where to look for support. PDOC is so busy,1/2 the time he never returns my calls. I know that alot of people are going through the same situation as myself and I need all the support I can get. Thanks again.
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Hello Sundazed. Yes, Ativan has been a blessing and a complete nightmare all wrapped up into one. I have heard this Ashton method was very effective. The PDOC did not fully agree at first. I printed the entire manual and took it to him. He said that he would rathher taper me on K-pin,but my experience wit K-pin was not so good. Made me unable to drive,work, speak correctly,.... etc. LOLh
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It was easy,as long as I took it slow. I did 1/2 ativan and 1/2 Valium only at bedtime for a week. Then,in the morning and at bedtime for 2 weeks. Finally got to all 4 doases 1/2 and 1/2 last week,and this is my first week with only Valium at bedtime and not Ativan.  SO far so good. No major freak outs or anything. A little more sedated during the day but I hope that passes in time.
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sorry all this craziness happened to you, in all the years I have had panic I avoided the psych ward....ER room are another story in my case... I have been suffering with this for so long and now that I am tapering I find myself questioning everything. I just hope I will be better when I don't have this drug.
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Yes.The Psychiatric wing is an odd place to end up. Luckily I was only there for a night. There were alot of people there that were truly psychotic,screaming,biting at themselves,tied down,etc...  It scared me,but also made me realize that this benzo addiction is a manageable affliction and that we can beat this thing.
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we are glad to have you here, there are more than a few of us tapering the ativan, I am using the water titration method and it's much easier than cutting pills. do you know about liquid valium ? it's also a option.
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yes we can beat this...in my case I was diagnosed with GAD and that was almost 20 years ago, I took my 2 mg Valium for most of that time and when I moved to another city I sought out my 2mg Valium and was denied, I was told it causes liver damage and that I could have 1.mg Ativan which I took thinking it was a lower dose of medicine...it's 10x stronger, I wish I knew this...that was almost 5 years ago.
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Yes. My PDOC mentioned that as well. I was so scared after my last panic attack I was willing to try anything,then I read about the Ashton method. I have had bad experiences trying to make eve the tiniest cuts. One day I decided to only take 1.2 of my ativan with 5 mg of valium... That was a mistake. By the time my nex dose was due I was trembling.
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I wan on 1mg af ativan 4x a day,so we had to alter tha manual a bit,but basicly the saem crossover. 1mg of Ativan = 10mg Valium and so on. Soon I will be on 40mg of Valium a day. The  I will begin the slow taper. Probably 2mg every one to two weeks.
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read the archives there are people here doing the ashton method now and many people who have finished

 

I have learned so much information on this site I am very appreciative of it...

 

I just took my dose 40 minutes ago...I was shaking it's the first time I ever shook between doses but I could feel it coming

that's why I want to switch over to Valium...the longer life plus I took it before but I forgot what it feels like and if I do switch

I hope I can tolerate it again...it's been so long over 5 years since I took it.

 

I guess I am one of those long time users... sad but true.

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Oh Man... I didn;t even realize the stuff was adicting until I had already been taking it for 3 months. The all they wanted to do was increase the dose. I was like.. OK, if this is addictive, I want off !  I peeked at your profile. Northern Cal ?  I used to go to Big Bear alot.
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Hi kyjim,

Sorry you had to go through that.I hope your taper goes well.. I can't get my doctor to go along with the Valium.So I am slowly taper from 3 mg of xanax with K-pin. I hate this stuff all of it.I'm new here also and you can't find a better group for support.

I wish you the best, hang tough one day we will be off this junk.But I mean to do it the right way. I do not want the withdrawals I suffer bad Panic attacks and that enough to deal in it's self.

I just wish I knew the right way. And a doctor to agree with it. K-pin wears me out.

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