Ativan withdrawal

Posted by gmamrj @gmamrj, Dec 4, 2023

I am 81 years old. Have been taking Ativan for 5 years for PTSD after open heart surgery. Started off with 1mg a day and have reduced it to .5 mg per day for about 4 years now.
I am now feeling anxious, jittery and dealing with insomnia. Do not want to increase dosage. I want off Ativan My
PCP prescribed Lexapro (small dosage) to take along with Ativan to start withdrawal. That was the worse 2weeks of my life. Insomnia, climbing the wall. Quit the lexapro. Still on .5 mg of Ativan.
Feel terrible. Any help would be appreciated.

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Good advice. Thank you

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@gmamrj

I am in the process of withdrawing from Ativan. My PCP provided me a slow tapering schedule that I have been following following now for 11 days
Previously I was taking .5mg once a day.
Tapering off by reducing by .25 every 2weeks.
My main withdrawal symptom is not sleeping. I tried melatonin which was a BIG mistake. Horrible. ..couldn’t sleep period.
Now curious if a small glass of wine before bed would help. I need my sleep.
Any other suggestions?

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What I find that helps me fall asleep is Yogi Bedtime tea. I am almost asleep by the time I finish my cup of tea.

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@pinkhydrangea

What I find that helps me fall asleep is Yogi Bedtime tea. I am almost asleep by the time I finish my cup of tea.

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Where can you buy it?

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@jfrog43

Right eye cataract surgery was completed on July 9th. Doctors' clearance to return to normal was July18th. Results were wonderful. Brightness and clarity in right eye are something that is hard to believe. Left eye is scheduled for surgery on July 29th.
Yes, I do want to find a psychiatrist Thank you for your help & giving me someone to talk with in making these decisions. Its' still a long road ahead but at least I have some info on how & what I need to do rather than bullied by my doctors.

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@jfrog43 That’s good news for your right eye. Isn’t cataract surgery a miracle? I remember when I had that surgery four years ago. The right eye was first about this time of year. I stared out the window on the way home in awe of the clarity, and the colors of the leaves on the trees. It’s great that the surgery for your left eye is next week.

Thanks for letting me know that my messages were helpful to you. Would you please check back in and let me know about your progress in finding a psychiatrist?

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@gmamrj

Where can you buy it?

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Any grocery store. Walmart, Kroger, Tom Thumb. You will find it at any large food store in your area. Amazon also has it.

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@naturegirl5

@jfrog43 That’s good news for your right eye. Isn’t cataract surgery a miracle? I remember when I had that surgery four years ago. The right eye was first about this time of year. I stared out the window on the way home in awe of the clarity, and the colors of the leaves on the trees. It’s great that the surgery for your left eye is next week.

Thanks for letting me know that my messages were helpful to you. Would you please check back in and let me know about your progress in finding a psychiatrist?

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I have another question for you. When looking for someone to advise & manage my Lorazepam tapering
schedule or continuing on with my previous rx, are
Psychiatric Nurse Practioner /Geriatric
CRNP/PMH
It's almost impossible to find a Geriatric Psychiatrist
Once again, thank you

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@jfrog43

I have another question for you. When looking for someone to advise & manage my Lorazepam tapering
schedule or continuing on with my previous rx, are
Psychiatric Nurse Practioner /Geriatric
CRNP/PMH
It's almost impossible to find a Geriatric Psychiatrist
Once again, thank you

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@jfrog43 Nurse practitioners who are certified and licensed in psychiatry and geriatrics are very good choices for care. You are so accurate. It can be very difficult to find a psychiatrist much less a geriatric psychiatrist. If you were a member of my family I'd say, yes, please do see a psychiatric nurse practitioner and evaluate for yourself if you are comfortable with that provider. Personally, I see nurse practitioners for some of my medical care in another specialty and I feel listened to and well cared for. I wish for you to find that provider who is very interested in you as a person.

Does this help?

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I have a long history of anxiety and depression. My original diagnosis was acute and chronic anxiety with hyperventilation. Over the years not much has changed. I started out on Librium, then Valium, and now Lorazepam. It started way back in school in the fifties and sixties. I was in bad shape then and also had to be hospitalized for a nervous breakdown. In the seventies I was in Germany where I was started on lorazepam 2.5mg x 3 times a day. That was way too much so I went back to Valium. When I returned home after living in Germany for ten years I was put back on lorazepam 1mg x 3 a day. I am comfortable with that but now my most doctor wants to wean me off of this and I'm a bit apprehensive as I feel like I will be returning to the dark ages. I also had a severe reaction to an antidepressant that led me to a full course of ECTs. I am now 77and do not feel like going back to my earlier life.
Sorry this is so long but this is just the highlights, or maybe the lowlights? Thank You.

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I’m 76 and off lexapro for 1 year. I use propranolol 40 mg a day and sometimes take 2 a day to relax my anxiety and stress. It works!

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@stsopoci

I’m 76 and off lexapro for 1 year. I use propranolol 40 mg a day and sometimes take 2 a day to relax my anxiety and stress. It works!

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I agree with you on the propanolol. I use it and find it very helpful.

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