It might be a small dose 0.5, however nothing is considered small with this medication. I also take the same dosage of Ativan and I can’t really go any lower, in the past few months I cut my dose in half with the help from gummies it’s quite doable but I worry about how well I’d do without the help, I really don’t want to give them up at this point in time, I’m just another senior who took them for years and never abused them. In your case you are experiencing withdrawal and it’s sleep loss, I think your options are either to ask the doctor for help or perhaps you’re reducing your medication too fast, I always hear from others that success is attainable if you go very slow with tapering off, good wishes.

I have no need to taper off. I have been on .5 at night for years and, like you, do not abuse them. I only stopped cause the anesthesiologist told me Ativan would prolong the effects of the anesthesia. However, now- almost a week later- stopping and then going to .25 has me feeling horrible and not sleeping so I do not know what is anesthesia and what is withdrawal. Very frustrating. Thanks for your comment!

Did the doctor just tell you to hold it for the surgery? They do that with some meds. But typically you can just resume. A 50% reduction is a big one, and I would expect withdrawal insomnia. I wonder if you go back to .5 you would sleep? You said you had no need to taper.

This was helpful- I did take .5 again last night and slept and woke up without symptoms of withdrawal. The doctor told me not to tale it before AND after surgery- to just stop. "It's low enough that you can just stop". This was after I explained that I am very sensitive to meds.

I cant tell you how much I despise arrogant doctors! This doctor did not know me, did not know how sensitive I am to meds and gave me bad advice. This is not the first time this has happened and my job is to remember to listen to my body first,

Reply to hopenr, I know exactly what you mean about arrogant doctors. My primary doctor wanted me off of Ativan for the past two years, and now it has finally happened. Now I am back to where I was so many years ago. We had a problem finding a psychiatrist in my area who would manage the Ativan. One way finally found just prior to Christmas. He started tapering me off Ativan which was ok as long as I could take at least 1mg A day, but now I am completely off and my old problem with dysphagia is back. It doesn't seem to matter what the reason was I was taking the drug, the main thing was the doctors wanted me off of it period.
I hope my primary doctor is happy now that I am having trouble swallowing again. I don't know where to go, or what to now. Maybe I'll just start looking for street drugs, or just stop eating altogether? The final solution comes to mind, but I really don't want to go that route. I am seventy eight and probably don't have that much time left anyway, so I don't feel I need to get off this drug that I am taking so little it anyway. I didn't mean to burden you with my problem, but I felt I needed to tell someone. Thank you for reading this.
Dave S

Hi Frouke, Thank You for your reply. I have also come to the conclusion that my PCP is not looking out for my well-being, but rather her own agenda. There was no benefit to risk consideration, she just wanted me off of them. This flies right in the face of what she told me five years ago. I had a ruptured appendix, and when it was over with she said she wanted to take care of me. I don't see my present problem as taking care of me. I have thought about going to the hospital but I didn't think it would help. I will keep that in mind if things really fall apart. I really appreciate your suggestion, thanks again.
Dave S aka sudsy

Hopenr/Frouke, Regarding my forced withdrawal from lorazepam: I don't know where my planned actions will lead, but I have decided that I must have a showdown with my PCP regardless of the outcome. My doctor says she wants me off this drug so I won't have problems in my old age. At 78, how much older do I have to get before I am in "old age"? I believe her agenda for wanting me off of this drug borders on elder abuse. I have yet to experience any problems, and I don't think I will ever have any kind of problems she is referring to.
Thank You for your support.

I will be 72 in 2 weeks and just went through a 2 1.2 hour neuro-psych test. With the exception of visual/spacial I scored in the 99th %ile for all categories and I have been on .5 Ativan since my 2018 following a mild brain injury. Doctors can be appropriately right-sized as we self-advocate. You seem pretty sharp to me!

Good luck to you. I pray that you will have an understanding doctor who will clearly see your need for it. God Bless. Please keep us all posted!