Jump to content

hi Im new


[ju...]

Recommended Posts

Hi, I'm carol and a friend suggested i come here.

 

I started taking ativan over a year ago when i quit smoking to help with  anxiety.  I quit for 11 months but am now back to smoking.  anyway 8 months ago i quit drinking and  also started taking trazadone to help me sleep.

 

well now i have decided its time to go off the ativan and the trazadone .

 

when i started taking ativan i was taking up to 1 1/2 a day, not all days i would take it just when i needed it and somedays i would take only 1/2. then it went to 2 and then 3 a day and then sometimes i  would take 4.  i  am now aloud to take  2 A day how ever i can take 4 if needed but my presciption  (60) needs to last me 30 days.  i found i wasn't going to make it, so i decided it is time to go off the meds.  Yesterday i only took 1/2 and i am planning on doing that until i  see my Dr. on Tuesday.

 

The trazadone i was taking 3 at bed time  but now taking only 1 at night,

 

I  am real shaky this am and teary. and have been up since 3:00  i  am assumming its  the change in the ativan dosage.( along with the trazadone

 

Any help would be appreciated.  hope i posted in the right place.

thanks

carol

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Carol and Welcome to Benzo Buddies!

 

Carol,  What you are feeling is the withdrawal from your meds.  I recommend that you reinstate everything until someone here can get you a tapering schedule.  Making that big of a cut at one time will really send you into some bad symptoms.  It's best if you taper one drug at at time, it just makes life a lot easier.

 

You have a lot you want to accomplishment and, no doubt, you can do that, let's just take it a little slower.  I believe in keeping life as smooth as possible coming off these drugs so getting a tapering schedule is important.

 

Someone will be along shortly to help you with that, in the meantime please reinstate your meds.

 

Ts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Carol,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

 

I would recommend that, as did TropicalSoul, that you reinstate. Most of our members report an easier time withdrawing from benzos if they keep taking the antidepressants. Many of them then go on to withdraw from their antidepressants once over their withdrawal from benzos.

 

What dose of Ativan do you take - doe you mean 1.5 tablets per day, or 1.5mg? If you are unsure of your dose, just let us know how many tablets you take, and the dose of a single pill and we will work it out. It would be helpful for you to post similar information about you Trazadone dosing. I won't comment upon the your Trazadone use (I've never taken an antidepressant) but many of out members have or do take them, and I'm sure some of them will give you feedback.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome carol! You've done alot of jumping around with your dose. Have you ever been on a stable dose of ativan? Maybe you could go on 1 dose and stabilize on that for 10-14 days and then start a sensible taper? I'm not an expert, just thinking out loud. Someone who know's more about tapering will be by soon.

I just wanted to say hi and welcome! Hope you feel better soon.

Amanda

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dang, i just posted a reply and i messed it up some how and i dont think it posted so if it did i m sorry.

I will try this again.

 

I was shocked to see the response all ready i got thanks guys wasnt expecting that.

 

First let me say i am on a antidepresent for depression and i am not planning on going off that any time soon.

 

my ativan dosage is 1 mg.  i was taking 2 a day up to 4  if needed ( or wanted)  My shrink says  i have to take atleast 1.2 mg aday.  my dosage has been all over the place, somedays i take 1 somedays 2 lately it was more. I usually did okay untill the family  and hubby came home and then i would be taking  it more

 

the trazadone is for sleep that is all. 50 mg. tablets. i was taking 3-4 a night now i am taking one.  I have been told different things  regarding the trazadone as far as its dependency ( is that the word i am looking for) and how going off could effect me staying sober.    Did that make since.?

 

my sponser in AA was concerned and so am i now that i was taking the ativan to escape

 

I have an appointment next week to be evaluated for alcohol / drug out patient as i  am having issues staying sober but i am staying sober so far.  i think this will be helpfull  for going off these meds also.

 

i hope i answerd you questions and i hope i didn't get timed out on this post.

thanks

carol

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Colin will be back to work out your meds for you. 

 

We don't have a time limit for posting here, or at least I've never have found one and sometimes it takes a looong time for me to get a post out! :)  I know other sites do have that, I find it so annoying to lose a post that I have worked on.....sometimes my brain just doesn't work that fast :laugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Sorry you post did not go through. This is just one of those things - either a Network problem, or the webserver had a fart! ::) It is always wise to compose ;long posts off the forum, just in case. What I tend to do is copy the post (highlight, right-click, copy, but not bother pasting it anywhere), and then click the post button. If I'm unlucky, and it dose not go through, I pull up the reply page again, and simply paste the text to the fresh reply screen. ;)

 

Anyway, if I understand correctly, you take 1mg per day, but sometimes you take 2, 3 or even 4mg per day. Did you mean to write that 'your shrink says that you have to take at least 1.2mg per day'? Did you mean 1.5mg? Whatever the dose, it is important to first stabilise you dose before starting your taper. I strongly recommend that you obtain 0.5mg pills, as this will allow you to make smaller cuts to your dose. This will enable you to manage a smother taper off your benzos. If for any reason you cannot obtain the 0.5mg pills, will can help you methods for making smaller cuts to you pills than can be managed by simple pill-splitting.

 

Keep us informed of developemend to with your various meetings.

 

Have you a specific start date in mind for you withdrawal? As I said, stability with your dosing in the first place will help you no end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

Just to add ,you really dont want to abruptly, signifacantly reduce both your meds. In fact its probably best you take on 1 med at a time, I dont know about trazadone but making a major reduction in your benzo can negatively affect you, also I started on xanax because I quit smoking so I understand.

Take Care

Bobers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Carol!!

 

Welcome!!  Make yourself at home here!  Jump around, read stories, post questions.  You are not alone!!

 

Love,

 

Jen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Carol  :thumbsup:

 

No one here is going to insist you come off your anti depressant. I too am on one (Lexapro) and I have no plan to stop. And no one is pushing me to do so! This forum is about assisting and supporting you in tapering your benzo, however you choose to do it, and to help you do so in the most painless way possible.

 

It's mighty good to meet you and please feel free to be yourself. You are in a safe and caring environment here.  :)

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Carol,

 

Welcome!  I sent you a pm, as I'm also in AA and wanted to discuss that part "offline".  I've c/t'd off both benzos and anti-depressants, mostly with disasterous results.  Don't abruptly stop either!  As much as you want to get off of these, as we all do, please give time time, and take the suggestions here on how to taper properly off the benzos.  It's also suggested that you don't stop the antidepressants until you've finished your benzo taper.  Remember though, it's your call, and if you feel comfortable tapering both, and it works, great. 

 

Doug

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hi Carol,

 

I am new too and wanted to say hi.  It is really a nice place here and you'll get good help.

 

Comfort to you,

E. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks Ester and Welcome to you too.

 

I went to my meds Dr. yesterday and we are tapering off.    we talked about the Valium thing and i said no, we talked about increasing  my antidepressant and i said no,  she said stay on my trazadone and i said okay.

 

so we are going to put me back to where i was suppose to be at 2 1mg for a week  then we will go to 1.5 mg  for a week, then 1 mg for a week then 0.5 mg then she said if needed i could do 0.25.  this looks like a good way to do it and from what i have read here it is the right way.

 

here we go.  , it allready scares me. i think iwillbehere alot

 

thanks carol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Carol,

 

I'm on Ativan.  converting to valium and tapering.  A .5 cut even with the valium was tough, .25 was better for me still with some valium for the longer half life. 

 

If it gets to hard you might want to consider this.  I've been cutting for a few months.

 

Hope it goes well,

 

E. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like you have given this some thought.  Your not going to make dramatic changes to your medications.  Too much change at once and you can end up in a real bad way.  Support is a pretty darned important aspect to this.    What ever you decide to to, good luck.  Not sure what your plans are for the Benzo's but it sounds like your going to start a taper. 

 

Don't be in a hurry, if it worked this place would not exist.  Take your time, your terms, your body.  Good luck to you. 

 

I bet you find more support here than you ever imagined.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...