hello - asking for my elderly mom

Hello -

My reason for joining is to try and help my 80-year old mom who has been on Lorazepam for 45+ years (2mg/day, but now she is on 1mg/day). She has developed very bad body jerking and delusions, and I'm trying to find out if that is from being on a benzo for so many decades.

Thank you,

TG

Hello TomatoGrower,

Welcome to Benzo Buddies!

It's very hard to tell if  what your mother is experiencing is due to the lorazepam or something else.  Certainly, long term use can  cause problems due to tolerance, where the dose is no longer effective.

How long ago was your mother reduced from 2mg to 1mg? If it was pretty recent, the symptoms could most definitely be due to withdrawal. The reduction was 50% and that is very large.  For someone who has been on benzos for that many years a slow controlled taper plan is advisable. The symptoms you speak of are common for withdrawal.

That being said, there could be other causes of what your mother is experiencing. We found a good geriatric specialist for one my family members, who is much older than your mom, because she was having hallucinations. She has never taken benzos.

I'll give you a link to the Ashton Manual. Although it discusses tapering in detail, you will find other good information that might help you and your mom. The manual was written by Dr. Heather Ashton, an expert in the field.

Let us know how we can help.

The Ashton Manual

pianogirl 

Thank you so much, pianogirl for adding me and for your reply. I've been at such a loss as to how to help my mom, so finding this website has been such a help.

Can I ask you if it is okay to ask on the forum the following question: when should someone go back on their full benzo dose and restart a taper? Like in my elderly mother's case, should she go back to her 2mg a day of Lorazepam and restart a taper?

This is my mother's backstory: after being on 2mg/day of Lorazepam for 45+ years, she decided back in February of this year that it just wasn't helping her anymore and pretty much quit cold-turkey, even though I tried to get her not to do that. Fast forward 3 or 4 months later, she basically had a nervous breakdown, but ended up in the hospital for heart issues. She was eventually put back on only 1mg/day of Lorazepam because a psychiatrist felt that 2mg/day was too strong for her petite weight and height.

Soon after coming home from the hospital, she developed delusions, and she developed very bad body jerking. Even after being put back on 1mg/day of Lorazepam, the body jerking did not go away.

So if anyone can speak from experience, my question is should she go back to her original dose of 2mg/day of Lorazepam in order to get rid of the body jerking? And then restart a slow, gradual taper? The body jerking is taking a real toll on her 80-year old frame.

And in what category of the Forum should I post my question?

Thanks in advance -

TG

Thank you so much, pianogirl for adding me and for your reply. I've been at such a loss as to how to help my mom, so finding this website has been such a help.

 

Can I ask you if it is okay to ask on the forum the following question: when should someone go back on their full benzo dose and restart a taper? Like in my elderly mother's case, should she go back to her 2mg a day of Lorazepam and restart a taper?

 

This is my mother's backstory: after being on 2mg/day of Lorazepam for 45+ years, she decided back in February of this year that it just wasn't helping her anymore and pretty much quit cold-turkey, even though I tried to get her not to do that. Fast forward 3 or 4 months later, she basically had a nervous breakdown, but ended up in the hospital for heart issues. She was eventually put back on only 1mg/day of Lorazepam because a psychiatrist felt that 2mg/day was too strong for her petite weight and height.

 

Soon after coming home from the hospital, she developed delusions, and she developed very bad body jerking. Even after being put back on 1mg/day of Lorazepam, the body jerking did not go away.

 

So if anyone can speak from experience, my question is should she go back to her original dose of 2mg/day of Lorazepam in order to get rid of the body jerking? And then restart a slow, gradual taper? The body jerking is taking a real toll on her 80-year old frame.

 

And in what category of the Forum should I post my question?

 

Thanks in advance -

TG

It's usually best to find the lowest possible dose that eliminates the symptoms.  Since these issues started after the 50% reduction, it's reasonable to try to stabilize her at 2mg.  One thing however, sometimes reinstatement does not work. It can, but there is no guarantee.

Why don't you post on the General Taper Plans Board first and see what responses you get.

General Taper Plans   

PG