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Has anybody successfully tapered off of lorazepam (Ativan)?
Has anybody successfully managed to successfully wean off of Lorazepam?
If so how was it done?
And if it was by way of switching to other drugs, were you then able to taper off of those entirely under a doctor's guidance?
My husband has been on Lorazepam for 16 years
He did well for 14 years, but dragged his feet about trying to withdraw while he was feeling better.
In May he had a relapse of anxiety, and insomnia, with brain fog, heart palpitations, and more.
Currently he's doing better, thinking better, but still feels like crap a large part of the time, can't sleep without the drug, can't nap.and still struggles with anxiety.
At this point, I believe it's the drug that is actually causing the problem. Currently he's doing 1 mg at bedtime and 3/4 mg when he wakes up at 2:30 am.
I know it takes 2 years for the brains GABA receptors to normalize after taking Benzodiazepines.
Also know it's really hard to withdraw, has to be done extremely slowly, and the side effects are exactly the same as the symptoms it is meant to help.
My goal is to eventually wean him off of all drugs as functional health tests show they block his nutritional absorption and may be damaging his intestinal lining. I would like to be able to repair his health using nutrition, supplements, and neurotransmitter amino acids.
All feedback is welcomed!
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I wish you strength and courage to undertake this journey, don’t go too fast because it will hurt you, slow is the key word here.
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1 ReactionI am fairly new to this site but you can vent as much as you want to me. I hate that your doctor is so mean. I've ran into one myself recently. But Ativan was a great help to me when I had a subdural hematoma and had to have a trephination. It allowed me to heal and have no after effects from the surgery. If you can't find a new doctor locally maybe you can have an online doctor. I've never tried, but have heard they exist. I'm sending prayers your way and wish you a change of doctors. Somehow.
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5 ReactionsThank you
Been prescribed ativan since end of October so almost 11 months. Was prescribed .5 mg and typically would use it around 2 weeks out of a month sometimes more. Sometimes i wouldnt take it for a week and then others i would rely on it for a week straight. This has been one of those weeks. A couple times a year i get what i call “intense daily panic attacks” — not typical anxiety but the kind of attacks that feel debilitating. Ive taken it for 9 days straight. Today i was committed to not taking it and attempting to stop it entirely but the panic came on so strong and i became immensely depressed and on edge and couldnt sit still but also couldnt lay down. I couldnt be a parent to my children! So i caved and took one. I just find it weird because previously i could go a week without or 3-4 days without.. im talking just last month and would have no issues or symptoms of withdrawal. So what gives? Did i magically become chemically rich or physically dependent in the past week due to 8 days of use in a row? If so.. what suggestions do you have to taper off and be done. I assume it wouldnt be a long taper given the fact its a low dose for 10 months and not an everyday thing. Dont want to have to rely on this med for another moment so any suggestions or experience is appreciated !
First off, are you okay? second off, if you have taken a med for a week and typically don't take it for 3-4 days, then it makes sense that you are relying on it so much
I am okay (i think 😭) thank you for asking! Probably wont know the extent of the 9 days damage until tomorrow when i attempt to stop again. Just want to be off of it entirely
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1 ReactionIt's going to be okay, i promise
It’s a very insidious drug and doesn’t always like to cooperate with our plan to stop. I remember when I first started taking this drug, I could take it on and off without any problems and I even stopped taking them for a while but before I knew it I started feeling physically ill and I wasn’t even sure what was causing it until one day I took an Ativan and everything went away, I should have stayed off them but I just couldn’t cope anymore…that was over twenty years ago. My advice to you is start now with your withdrawal, you’re in a good place to begin a slow taper, you mentioned that your dose is 0.5 mg. so I would recommend cutting it down to 0.25 mg and adjust to this for perhaps 4 weeks or more depending on how you feel, the main thing is to go very slow to avoid relapse. There’s also lots of good info online that can be very useful. I think that you have a good chance to get off them and perhaps if needed ask your doctor to give you something else that’s not addictive to help you cope if needed, best wishes for your recovery.
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3 Reactions@jebz88 First, I'd like to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. I see you have already received support that you've found helpful. I understand the struggle with anxiety and trying to figure out what works best.
While I mostly understand how benzodiazepine medication such as Ativan works I can only comment on my own experience. As @frouke commented, this class of medications is insidious. You are very wise to be concerned with tapering off and how to do that. For now, and from what you've written the anxiety and panic attacks you experience ramp up at times. I went through that same scenario when I first experienced panic attacks. This was over 30 years ago and I worked with a psychiatrist who helped me find an antidepressant (desipramine but there are better antidepressant medications with fewer side effects now available) medication that worked to bring down the anxiety and the depression I was feeling so I could better cope. Since I took the antidepressant daily I didn't have to "react" and worry about panic attacks. I learned coping skills for when I did feel anxious.
Are you already taking antidepressant medication that works for depression and panic attacks? There are many medications that your doctor can try with you to see what works best. It takes patience on your part to go this route as it takes time to get to the dosage level that works best for you and for your body to adjust.
Here is information from Mayo Clinic:
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI):
--https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/snris/art-20044970
Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors:
-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825
There are other medications too that are not in the above classes that work for anxiety and depression.
Are you seeing a mental health therapist who can help you develop coping skills and help you with the stress you are experiencing?
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3 ReactionsNaturegirl,
I would have to agree with you. I also struggle with the same thing. I have also struggled with anxiety for about 3-4 years now.
to answer any questions, no I am not.