tapering off lexotan

Hi all,

I've been on lexotan for five months now, periodically taking it as prescribed  (6mg)and sometimes taking it recklessly -up to 30mg a day.

Before I started, I was experiencing extreme fear, rage and was working with these in therapy but anytime I got really fearful

I took benzos and now I'm addicted.

At the start of this week I decided to taper after i had read the horrific effects of taking the stuff.

All this week i've managed to survive on 12mg and today 101/2 mg.

As a result I've had horrible nightmares, a sense of de-realization, mild paranoia, heart palpitations, anxiety and tinnitus.

This is quite distressing.

I have a 10 week plan to taper.

I have a few questions for the forum.

Is lexotan easier to come off than other benzo's?

What long-term consequences can i expect once i taper off?

Will my symptoms worsen as i lesson the dosage?

Is 10 weeks too soon?

Thank you for reading.

The very best to all,

Kev

Hi Kev,

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

Where are you based? Lexotan (Bromazepam) has not been available in the UK for a number of years - I don't recall another member of BenzoBuddies taking it. I've just performed a quick search and can find no reason for its removal from the UK market, so I wouldn't read anything into not being available here.

The good news is that it is not a particularly potent benzo. 5mg is probably equivalent to about 10mg of Valium. However, 30mg is certainly a hefty dose! It has a fairly short half-life (10-20 hours), so there is a danger of you experiencing interdose withdrawals if you don't take it several times a day (I would guess that 3 times a day, 8 hours apart, would be ideal).

I think your approach to your taper is flawed though. It is better, far better, to make small cuts to your dose, become accustomed to this new dose, then look to make a new small cut to your dose. It sounds as though you've made a very big cut - we would generally advise people to not make a cut larger than about 10%. That would mean cutting from 6mg down to 5.5mg. You would then, typically, stay at this new dose for 1-2 weeks, but it is always a case of seeing how you go as we can vary enormously in how we respond to a benzo taper.

How long have you been tapering? Please give more details of your taper schedule so far. It sounds as though you are tapering far too quickly. I understand your desire to be off Lexotan, but tapering too quickly can cause more problems than it solves.

Take care.

Hi Colin,

Thx for the welcome!

I'm living in ireland.

I've been tapering just 4 days now.

Mon -12mg

Tues -12mg

wed -12mg

thurs -10 and a half mg

I've been on it for 5 months. After 3 months I had tapered to 3mg per day.

I seperated from my wife and i went a bit reckless and varied the doses for the last two months

from 9mg some days up to 30 mgs.

I would say I averaged around 20 mgs.

I have survived the anxiety and nightmares so far. I am hoping to stabalize at 10 and a half for a week or so and

slowly taper from there, but maybe your right, maybe 10 weeks is wishful thinking.

Any info on the long-term consequences of my choice to go on benzo's?

BTW -I read your story and admire your courage,

All the best,

Kev

Hi Kev,

Oh, I missunderstood. I thought you meant that you'd taken a total of 12mg over the whole week, not 12mg per day. I thought "101/2 mg." was a typo, and you meant 1 1/2 mg. Well, that's not too bad then. However, since your dose has been fluctuating wildly, maybe you should just stick to the 12mg per day until you stabilise. It is important to get on an even keel before starting to taper. Also, small, more frequent cuts are better tolerated than larger, less frequent cuts. You might be able to manage cuts of about 10% every 1-2 weeks, but that's just a guide. Of course, a 5% cut every week is likely to be better than a 10% cut every two weeks.

This page will give you some idea of the potential problems of benzos: http://www.benzobuddies.org/buddiesguide

Yeah, 10 weeks might be pushing it. I don't rule it out, but it would be quick. I think your problem now is a lack of stability. Stick to your dose until things are more normal - it can only help you with the other things in your life too.

Colin,

Thx for your advice,

I'm commited to tapering slowly, though part of me wants to be off them yesterday!

I'll learn as i go along.

Congrats on this great support forum.

Kev

Hi, Kev,

Going slowly is the best way to get off benzos. It took me lots longer than I wanted to get off my benzos, but I don't regret the time I took. I was able to be functional during the taper, which is very important.

Therese

Thx Therese,

I'm taking it slowly, monitoring the withdrawel effects and am doing o.k. at 12mg or 10 and a half mg per day.

all the best,

Kev