Suggestions for 1mg ativan to valium taper?

Suggestions for 1mg ativan to valium taper?

So my doc wants me to take 10mg valium at night and no ativan during the day,

before I was taking 0.5mg sublingual ativan in AM and another 0.5mg sublingual ativan around noontime, and a 3rd 0.5mg sublingual ativan at bedtime (this is the one i recently gave up) since increasing paxil from 16mg to 20mg.

So first day I tried the 10mg valium at night and in the morning still had cravings for 0.5mg ativan. So I experimented with 5mg valium at night, and even 7.5mg valium at night, and no valium at night even though I was down to taking 0.5mg ativan in the AM and another 0.5mg ativan at noon and 20mg paxil at night. However Dr. says trust me, I know what I am doing however, I don't know why the intense cravings for ativan in the mornings and afternoon despite 10mg valium at night. He wanted no ativan in the daytime and only 10mg valium at night. Is there something wrong with the crossover?

It is been around 3 yrs on ativan and so I want to know what is the best way to taper ativan. Any suggestions?

Right now since the night 10mg didn't work out as I have cravings for ativan in the morning, I am trying 5mg valium in AM along with 0.5mg ativan in AM as well.

Not sure about the best way to taper, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The Ashton manual has an example substitution taper (Schedule 3). Each dose is 4 times your dose but you could divide everything by 4 (or 16).

 

The substitution does look slow and she is recommending taking valium 3 times daily with your reduced ativan and slowly crossing over that way. She only gets to dosing valium once daily after stage 25.

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s3

 

 

Hi,

I also saw http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s8

Why divide by 4 or 16?

Right now I'm on 0.5mg sublingual ativan bid (got rid of the 3rd 0.5mg sublingual ativan at night by increasing paxil to 20mg from 16mg).

Having 0.5mg sublingual ativan bid now I need a taper, what do you suggest?

BID dosing meaning one at AM, and another at noontime, got rid of nighttime dose

Hi,

I also saw http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s8

Why divide by 4 or 16?

Right now I'm on 0.5mg sublingual ativan bid (got rid of the 3rd 0.5mg sublingual ativan at night by increasing paxil to 20mg from 16mg).

Having 0.5mg sublingual ativan bid now I need a taper, what do you suggest?

BID dosing meaning one at AM, and another at noontime, got rid of nighttime dose

 

isnt that ashton taper cross-over schedule for 2mgs Ativan 3 x daily? That is why I said divide by 4 because I thought you were on 0.5 3 times daily

Yes, I figured out the divide by 4 for 1.5mg ativan total at 0.5mg x 3 per day, but now that I am down to 0.5mg x 2 per day which is 1mg total, I was trying to figure out a better taper schedule for 1mg and not 1.5mg and I didn't understand the divide by 16 (I understand the divide by 4 logic).

Yes, I figured out the divide by 4 for 1.5mg ativan total at 0.5mg x 3 per day, but now that I am down to 0.5mg x 2 per day which is 1mg total, I was trying to figure out a better taper schedule for 1mg and not 1.5mg and I didn't understand the divide by 16 (I understand the divide by 4 logic).

 

Maybe try to skip ahead to a point in her taper schedule where it is twice a day ativan use and she has dropped on dose?

Divide by 16 was just if you were looking at the total intake - divide by (4x4) - because she has 4 doses running per day - ativan plus diazepam. If you added them altogether you'd have to divide by 16. I think.. now I'm not sure of my benzo brain logic. I can't wait to have my mind back (hopefully)

I saw the headings, it is 3 doses and ativan equivalent, not 4 doses per day....you have to read very carefully...

 

Weekly schedule, then beside it are 3 headings

 

Morning

 

Midday/Afternoon

 

Evening/Night

 

and then a equivalent daily dose calculation ex. 0.5mg ativan = 5mg valium or 1mg ativan = 10mg valium etc

Daily Diazepam Equivalent

So today my doc said take 5mg valium at night and take 5mg valium in morning and no ativan (daytime), how I was usually taking 0.5mg sublingual ativan AM and 0.5mg sublingual ativan noontime. Is this a good strategy to do a "cold turkey?" substitution withdrawal like this? any experience? What do you do when you get a craving to take ativan in the morning?

My mom did a switch from 1.5mg lorazepam to 6mg valium.

It took a week for her blood levels of valium to work up to where she wasn't pining for her next dose before it was due.

Of course, 6mg V was not equal to 1.5mg lorazepam, but she was only on that dose of lorazepam for a few days.

Her usual lorazepam dose was .5 per day before she ct'd for a month.