Trying to taper off Ativan

Hi

I have been on Ativan for over ten years

I have tapered on and off 2 times in the past the 3rd

I went to detox and they took me off cold turkey it was horrible I had severe post acute withdrawals 2 weeks in I was clean for 30 days it was so bad I had to go back on i was under pressure to go back to work and Inhad no choice do or die. So now I am trying to carry on with my life working and taopering I am on 1 mg 4x a day and currently I have cut  back to 2mg a day. I take one at 4am 1/2 at noon 1/2 at 8 pm so I can get 8 hrs between doses but I am suffering headaches, crying spells, dizziness, nauseous , teeth clenching, can’t concentrate, sweats, etc. I just need support my dad is the only person I have and I hate to have to cry to him. He is very supportive but I am sure he feels helpless. I see a therapist 1x every other week. I see my psychiatrist 1 every 3 months he has also prescribed doxepin 100mg at night to help with sleep anxiety and depression it has taken the edge of of the anxiety but the depression gets a hold of me because this is the hardest thing I have ever done and it’s been six months of trying to get off this drug and it is wearing on me. So I though I would join this group and seek support to get me thru this what seems like a slow death

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!  We are glad you decided to join us.  You'll find a lot of support and information on this forum, which is the only one of its kind online.  Your history is somewhat similar to mine and my detox symptoms were so awfulI also reinstated.  My third and final withdrawal was successful, and it's been almost 7 years off now.  It was the hardest thing I've ever done too, but it was worthwhile.

For those starting a taper, we generally recommend starting out at a rate of 5 to 10% every 10-14 days, then adjusting the taper to suit your own needs.  Note: very short term users may be able to taper faster.

Withdrawal symptoms, which vary widely but commonly include anxiety and insomnia, often occur during a taper, but these are temporary and will get better in time.  In general, first tapers are easier, but cold turkeys or multiple withdrawals may be more severe and longer lasting.  Here are a few links to get you started:

The Ashton Manual, a concise reference for tapering and symptom issues.

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

Once again, welcome!