Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...], i've read of some people who seem to do better by keeping on tapering, they feel worse when they hold, maybe you are in this group?  I [...] so! 

I don't know what to say about taper plan and speed at the lower doses.  [...]'s 10% every 10 days - 2 weeks would equate to .014mg from your current dose, which seems pretty similar.  I guess the thing to do [...] [...], see how you [...], and be ready to change to another approach if it doesn't work.  ONe up side of the Ativan short half life, [...] that you do know if you are cutting too fast quite quickly, whereas with valium people often can't tell for over a week or more. 

I have bad tinnitus [...], no idea why, not going to waste my energy bring to figure it out. 

cheers P

[[Buddie]]

One thing I've found helpful in withdrawal [...] thinking from time to time about what my dosage [...] in valium.  1mg of Ativan [...] estimated to be about 10mg of valium.  This helps me remember that even though it can seem only a [...] bit of a pill, actually its still a reasonable dosage, and not to jump or cut too much.    So I'm currently on .25 Ativan or 2.5 valium per day. 

[[Buddie]]

Hi all,

I am currently pretty stable on this dose. Just have to decide when and how I want to start tappering again.  One thing I know I will [...] very, very slowly.

Hugs,
Poplady

[[Buddie]]

Just noticed that many of us are mothers... I have twins (toddler boys) as well.
Besos!   

[[Buddie]]

Cheers to us mothers out there!  My kids are 2 and 4.  I wish being a normal, fun mommy to them.  [...], how [...] that going for you? 

I am sitting here wide awake at 2 am.  Fell asleep around 10, was jolted awake around 1:30 and am now wide awake with adrenaline pumping.  I am wondering if this has to do with the quick peak in the ativan level in my blood and my body's metabolism.  I know this [...] one of the reasons why it's tough to get off Ativan.  I might [...] to switch my dosing to 4 times a day.  [...] anyone doing their dose 4 times a day?  I wonder if it would help this problem and any of my other w/d symptoms...Or if this [...] just part of the w/d overall...Do any of you have this problem (I know we are all so different...)

How are you all functioning day to day?  [...]--I know you are able to do a lot which [...] great!  So glad you are stable now Popcorn...Also have any of you attempted to switch to V or K?  I am so nervous about doing with the Ativan--it [...] supposedly the toughest one b/c of it's short life and how it binds very tightly to the receptors.  My doctor won't switch me b/c of the low dose I am on and I am so [...] that I won't be able to do it with Ativan.  That's why I'm thinking the 4 times/day thing might help.  So confused over here...

[[Buddie]]

Hi everyone! I take the BIG A too:( Was at 2.5, now 2.25.. I've been moving at a snails pace. I am a stay at home mommy of a 4 and 6 year old. A lot of stress on this end. Not Ativan related. Sick father, my 6 year old just had emergency surgery, we relocated and left family and friends... The list goes on. My psych called in the liquid A from a compounding pharm. Terrified to start because I dose 5 times a day. I'm so not into figuring out the math on taking on this way of tapering. I'm stable right now. I was to cut again, but not sure how much. My pills are .5. I cut .25 off my 3am dose a month ago with no ill effects. So I thought to cut my 12pm dose from .5 to .25. Not sure this [...] too much. I haven't staggering liquid A yet, as I am finishing up the bottle (pills) of Ativan first. Just really scared to [...] the liquid. Would any of you suggest cutting the .5 into fours and taking three out if the four with this next cut? Or [...] that really going slow? Nice to be part of the A club! The group, not the lousy pill;) lol

MK

[[Buddie]]

Hello Girls!

Well, I still cut quite a lot every day (about 4% per day) and it's going quite well. But then again I'm still on quite a large dose (.66). [...] (it's already 2.30 pm here) has been above average until now. Not much besides the metallic taste in my mouth, a little dizzyness and some tense muscles. I actually feel better than I have been for some weeks. I even started cleaning!    Maybe it's also a withdrawal symptom, since I really hate it and have a cleaning lady coming over every two weeks... 

But I know it can be different tomorrow, so I won't overdo it and just spend as much time I can with my boys.

[...], I was in the ER two months ago because of my adrenal and thyroid problems, and it's hard to tell what causes which symptoms. The Benzo withdrawal does all the same stuff to me.
What I do know [...] that mediation (guided body scan type) helps me a lot in calming down, I do it every night before falling asleep, and also when I wake up during the night to help me fall asleep again. And when I have too little [...], the next day [...] utterly horrible. I used to need 7 hours, now it's more around 9 to 10!

[[Buddie]]

Hi everyone! I take the BIG A too:( Was at 2.5, now 2.25.. I've been moving at a snails pace. I am a stay at home mommy of a 4 and 6 year old. A lot of stress on this end. Not Ativan related. Sick father, my 6 year old just had emergency surgery, we relocated and left family and friends... The list goes on. My psych called in the liquid A from a compounding pharm. Terrified to start because I dose 5 times a day. I'm so not into figuring out the math on taking on this way of tapering. I'm stable right now. I was to cut again, but not sure how much. My pills are .5. I cut .25 off my 3am dose a month ago with no ill effects. So I thought to cut my 12pm dose from .5 to .25. Not sure this [...] too much. I haven't staggering liquid A yet, as I am finishing up the bottle (pills) of Ativan first. Just really scared to [...] the liquid. Would any of you suggest cutting the .5 into fours and taking three out if the four with this next cut? Or [...] that really going slow? Nice to be part of the A club! The group, not the lousy pill;) lol

MK

I went down by .5 for most of my taper.  Then I went to .25.  Then it all caught up with me.  I think I would cut your .5 into four quarters and take 3.  I don't think it's too slow.  I am proof that too fast doesn't work.  If you have no symptoms after a week, you can cut again if you want.

I  was also trying to cut 1mg pill and that got difficult.  I have not used the coumpounding liquid, so have no advice on that.

Hugs,
Poplady

[[Buddie]]

I do liquid titration with milk. Generally speaking, [...] [...] not fat soluble like other benzos, so you could just use water, but since the milk [...] denser / heavier than water it works better. Sugar water works, too!

This [...] the way I do it:

In the evening, I take exactly 100ml of milk (buy a good/professional measuring device! The narrower and higher the better!). Put the milk in a smallish glass (about 150ml). Throw in one 1.0 Ativan tablet (any other amount could work too, but this [...] by far the easiest to calculate!! Since 100ml and 1 tablet leads to 1ml = 1 percent of your dose in the beginning!). Shake a little. Put in the fridge.
In the morning, take out of the fridge, stir carefully with a spoon in all directions (not just round and round). Immediately take a syringe (best work the 10ml for me) and take out as much as you need for this dose. Put directly in your mouth (slowly!!). Wash syringe and spoon with dishwashing liquid. Put the rest of the milk back in the fridge. Repeat at 2pm and 10 pm. Throw away the rest. Repeat process daily.

Maybe this helps to further clarify: I take .23 three times a day. That [...] a total dose of .69. So I throw away .31 in the evening. Tomorrow I'[...] be using .22 three times a day. And so on.

[[Buddie]]

Thanks S! but mine [...] already mixed and ready to [...]. They said I just have to take. Make sense?