Switching from Ativan to valium

I have been taking Ativan 2mg twice a day for about 5 years. I never had a problem. Then Mylan discontinued producing lorazepam and I have found it very hard to switch to a new generic. I was forced to use Watson. That is what made me decide to begin my taper to cone off of benzis completely.

Now my dilemma is the Watson is causing major depression, anxiety attacks, feelings of uselessness. Like I could care less about anything. And I know it's this medication because nothing has changed but that. So I called my doctor and asked if I could switch meds. I see him next week.

I'm scared to switch completely to a new benzo without tapering off of those correctly, but I'm having such a hard time on this lorazepam. Not sure what to do.  And if I'm going to taper with the Ashton method, I figured I would switch to Valium and not Klonopin. I'm just worried the Valium will be flat out sedating. I'm so worried about all of this. Do glad to have found this site. Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Hi  Jennypenny0812   Welcome to Benzobuddies.

 

We are glad that you found us.  I am sorry that you have been forced to switch meds!  The symptoms you describe are common benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms.  I had them when I reached tolerance level!.  Try not to worry, you will get through this.  You will find some very valuable support and information on the forum. Please feel free to browse the boards and post questions to any of the dedicated threads.

 

Benzodiazepines need to be tapered off slowly. The general tapering guidelines are to cut the daily dose by between 5% and 10% every 10 - 14 days.  It’s important to listen to your body , if you are feeling too symptomatic, we would suggest that you slow that rate down. The aim is to keep any withdrawal symptoms manageable.

 

I would suggest that you familiarise yourself with the Ashton Manual, It is a great resource for understanding the effect benzo’s have on our body.  It provides Tapering and withdrawal information and includes a list of common symptoms 

 

I'll leave you a few links:

 

The Ashton Manual. 

 

Substitution Taper Plans   

Withdrawal Support

 

Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

 

If you would be so kind please add a signature (history of meds/doses etc) it will help members give you relevant advice.  Go to the top of the page and select PROFILE then choose forum profile then insert drug history into the text box and remember to click change profile

 

Welcome aboard

Magrita

 

Thank you so much for all of your help now and going forward. I'm going to see my psych Dr tomorrow. I'm going to ask him for 10mg for TID. if they are too strong I can  break them. My Dr. Is not very knowledgeable when it comes to tapers. I'm not sure what 5% equals to milligrams. Is there a valium taper down chart I could use to show my Dr. Tomorrow. I just want to go in there ready so he can help me out. Thanks a bunch

Ok. I have found the taper schedule in the Ashton manual but I don't know how to attach it. My question is how do I make a 10mg valium into an 8mg valium?

Also, the schedule is for morning, noon and night. I take my meds at night so how would I go about that with the taper? I'm going to start with 10mg for 3 a day. I take 3mg of Ativan now. Any help would be appreciated

Ok. I have found the taper schedule in the Ashton manual but I don't know how to attach it. My question is how do I make a 10mg valium into an 8mg valium?

Also, the schedule is for morning, noon and night. I take my meds at night so how would I go about that with the taper? I'm going to start with 10mg for 3 a day. I take 3mg of Ativan now. Any help would be appreciated

Hi Jennypenny,

 

To cut 8mg of Valium you will need your doctor to prescribe you 2mg and 5mg tablets. Just take 1 x 5mg, 1 x 2mg and cut a 2mg in half using a good quality pill cutter.

 

Have you had any luck finding a specific schedule? You could do as Ashton suggests, a side-step schedule to gradually replace the Ativan with Valium. Like you, my doctor was surprisingly ignorant, so showing her my schedule was paramount to getting her onboard. I explained I needed to cross-over from a short acting benzo to a long acting benzo. I dropped Prof. Ashton's name to support my knowledge. It worked which is the most important thing.

 

Below is how I did a Xanax cross-over to Valium. Stage 00 is based on .5mg Xanax per dose. Ativan would be 1mg. Remember 1mg of Xanax is equal to 20mg of Valium and 1mg of Ativan is 10mg of Valium (according to Ashton's equivalency table). Ashton's equivalency table is toward the higher end. The bracketed doses are .25mg of Xanax and 5mg of Valium and so on.

 

            Morning    Afternoon    Night

Stage 00    0.5mg      0.5mg      0.5mg

Stage 01    0.5mg      0.5mg    (0.25+5)mg

Stage 02  (0.25+5)mg    0.5mg    (0.25+5)mg

Stage 03  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg

Stage 04  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg  10mg

Stage 05  (0.25+5)mg    10mg      10mg

Stage 06    10mg        10mg      10mg

 

 

Hopefully this will at least give you a guide to take to your doctor.

 

Best of luck!

 

Harmonee

I just came back from the doctor and he was familiar with the Ashton manual. He agreed to give me 10mg of valium 3 times a day. That's actually less than what I was taking of Ativan, but I think they are very sedating do I might need less. Let's hope. He didn't think I needed to stick with the Ativan and gradually go to the valiythoygh which I was a little unsure of. Also, he said after stabilization around 2 weeks to cut my dose by 5 every 2 weeks. I feel that is a little fast? I told him should I do 7.5 if it's not enough and he said sure. Your thoughts and opinions would be appreciated. Thanks a bunch 😁

I just came back from the doctor and he was familiar with the Ashton manual. He agreed to give me 10mg of valium 3 times a day. That's actually less than what I was taking of Ativan, but I think they are very sedating do I might need less. Let's hope.

 

Yes I found Valium very sedative so I began my taper at 24mg rather than 30mg.

 

He didn't think I needed to stick with the Ativan and gradually go to the valiythoygh which I was a little unsure of.

 

I'm surprised, if he says he is familiar with the Ashton manual, because Ashton makes a huge point of 'side-stepping' from one benzo to another. It's quite easy to do.

 

Also, he said after stabilization around 2 weeks to cut my dose by 5 every 2 weeks. I feel that is a little fast? I told him should I do 7.5 if it's not enough and he said sure. Your thoughts and opinions would be appreciated. Thanks a bunch 😁

 

5mg would be over a 16% cut and 7.5mg would be over a 21% cut. So yes, I totally agree with you it seems too rapid. It's so important you don't come crashing down in the first instance.

 

My cross-over and taper looked like this, but I've adjusted the dosage to equal Ativan. By stage 6 your have completely crossed over to Valium at 24mg.

 

            Morning    Afternoon    Night

Stage 00     1mg       1mg     1mg

Stage 01     1mg       1mg     (0.5+5)mg

Stage 02   (0.5+5)mg    1mg     (0.5+5)mg

Stage 03   (0.5+5)mg  (0.5+5)mg  (0.5+5)mg

Stage 04   (0.5+5)mg  (0.5+5)mg    8mg

Stage 05      8mg      (0.5+5)mg    8mg

Stage 06      8mg         8mg        8mg

Stage 07     10mg         2mg       10mg

Stage 08     10mg          -        10mg

Stage 09      8mg          -        10mg

Stage 10      6mg          -        10mg

Stage 11      5mg          -        10mg

Stage 12      4mg          -        10mg

Stage 13      3mg          -        10mg

Stage 14      2mg          -        10mg

Stage 15      1mg          -        10mg

 

I'm not a doctor, but this schedule worked for me. It is very important that you are stable when you begin your taper.

 

In the beginning (once I had successfully crossed-over) I reduced at 2mg about every 10-14 days, then dropped to 1mg reductions every 10 days. It's important that you listen to your body and hold if you have any sxs.

 

Let me know what you think?

 

Harmonee

 

Thank you for the input everyone. My problem with the Ashton crossover is that I never took my medicine in the am. I only took it towards the evening. I told him I felt 5mg cut was too much. So I think I will take 7.5 instead of the 5mg that he suggested. My worry is that I cannot take this medication during the day and I can't take 30mg at night. I took 15mg last night and I was comatose. So I really don't know how to handle this and be able to take all this medicine to equal 3mg if Ativan. I feel so weird and out if it today. I can't focus 😔

Thank you for the input everyone. My problem with the Ashton crossover is that I never took my medicine in the am. I only took it towards the evening. I told him I felt 5mg cut was too much. So I think I will take 7.5 instead of the 5mg that he suggested. My worry is that I cannot take this medication during the day and I can't take 30mg at night. I took 15mg last night and I was comatose. So I really don't know how to handle this and be able to take all this medicine to equal 3mg if Ativan. I feel so weird and out if it today. I can't focus 😔

 

Oh, I thought you said you were taking Ativan 3 times a day. Just trying to get my head around your regime. You say you don't take Ativan in the AM, so I gather you take 1mg of Ativan at 19:00 (your signature says 7), and then 2mg of Ativan again at a later hour? How many hours after your 19:00 dose do you take the last dose? It sounds like you may need to compromise and gradually work your way to having only one dose in the evening?

 

Taking 15mg of Valium straight off would have knocked you for a six! It needs to be substituted very gradually. When you took the 15mg of Valium, how much Ativan did you mix in?

 

Sorry not understanding what you mean by 7.5 - are you referring to % or mg?

 

Valium is very hypnotic. Ashton's equivalency is a tad on the high side, at least it was for me. Have you considered liquid tapering directly off Ativan if Valium is too sedating?

My taper is going very well. I'm actually taking a lower dose than before. 1mg of Ativan and 15mg of Valium.

 

My question is this. I took my last pill at midnight last night. I'm going out to dinner with friends and was wondering if it would be safe to have a beer if I don't take my meds tonight? Tyia

Hi Jenny,

 

That's fantastic news your taper is off to a good start! 

 

If I were you, I'd skip the beer and take your meds on schedule tonight.  That way, you're doing everything within your power to keep your taper going well.

 

Wishing you the best,

sierra 

My taper is going very well. I'm actually taking a lower dose than before. 1mg of Ativan and 15mg of Valium.

 

My question is this. I took my last pill at midnight last night. I'm going out to dinner with friends and was wondering if it would be safe to have a beer if I don't take my meds tonight? Tyia

 

I would avoid beer and alcohol and sugar and caffeine completely.

I have been taking 1mg of Ativan and 15mg of valium which was going well.  As of Monday I cut my Ativan in half, now taking .5mg of Ativan along with the 15mg of Valium.

My problem is I am extremely angry ever since I did this cut. I am snappy, feeling violent and pissed off when I wake up. I really can't cut the dose differently with the Ativan because they just crumble.

 

Will this anger pass? Is this normal

crossed over from 4mg of ativan to 15 mg of valium. I'm on my first week of just valium. My question is how should I taper from here on out.should I cut 2.5mg every 2 weeks or could I go quicker? My doctor thinks I should go 5mg until I hit a lower dose. I'm not so sure. I need some input on how I should continue this valium taper now.

I have constant work related functions and I am petrified to have a glass of wine even if I don't take the Valium that day. That's another question I have. I would never take a Valium and drink the same day. I would just skip the Valium for that day, but is that safe considering the long half life?  If anyone out there has any input or a similar situation. Thank you