Using cbd to wean off Ativan

Posted by angrae @angrae, Oct 4, 2018

I’ve been on Ativan for past 5 months. Initially I was taking 1mg-1.5mg daily down to 0.25mg -0.5mg for the past 3 weeks. My last dose was 2days ago when the doctor switched me to lexapro. Lexapro has been horrible for me, not able to sleep, feel wired, anxious. I won’t take it again. I want to get off the Ativan but should I have quit cold turkey or tapered? Have I been on the Ativan long enough to need tapering, and can I use cbd to deal with the withdrawal symptoms by itself or along with weaning? Help.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

How long did it take you to taper off the Ativan?

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I have been takin 2mg of Ativan for several years, to help with sleep. Never in the daytime, only at night.

I want to use CBD gummies to get off Ativan. I have 1500 mg CBD gummies and I want to take one at night in place of the 2mg ativan. Questions are, in this scenario, can I stop the Ativan immediately and go to the gummie?

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@doctorj

I have been takin 2mg of Ativan for several years, to help with sleep. Never in the daytime, only at night.

I want to use CBD gummies to get off Ativan. I have 1500 mg CBD gummies and I want to take one at night in place of the 2mg ativan. Questions are, in this scenario, can I stop the Ativan immediately and go to the gummie?

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Try cbn for sleep. Much better

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@doctorj

I have been takin 2mg of Ativan for several years, to help with sleep. Never in the daytime, only at night.

I want to use CBD gummies to get off Ativan. I have 1500 mg CBD gummies and I want to take one at night in place of the 2mg ativan. Questions are, in this scenario, can I stop the Ativan immediately and go to the gummie?

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Hi @doctorj and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I moved your post to this discussion: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/using-cbd-to-wean-off-ativan/?pg=2 so you can connect with others talking about CBD to replace Ativan. I would consult with your doctor before stopping any prescribed medication. Because the two have different activating ingredients, you run the risk of going through withdrawals if you don't properly tater down. Have you talked to your physician about switching?

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@lisalucier

Hi, @sshoemaker1 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm hoping that members like @james88 @angrae @cdcc @ainsleigh @gailb and @parus will join in and offer any input they may have on their experiences with lorazepam (Ativan) and/or tapering off of it.

For managing sleep, we have a lot of different discussions in the Sleep Health group on Connect that might be useful https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/sleep-health/. If you feel comfortable, would you share what sleep issues you have been experiencing?

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Lisa
I’m amazed at all the opinions on here about weaning off Ativan with CBD oil. I am a retired nurse practitioner who specialized in general surgery. I was started on Ativan 17 years ago due to the fact I had a massive them I had 3 AM in the morning which to make a long story short gave me PTSD. I have wean down 2.5 mg twice a day but I can’t seem to get off of that. I have inquired with my primary physician, my prescribing psychiatrist about weaning with CBD oil and there is total non-commitment to discussing that option. These are former colleagues of mine Within the HMO that as I was employed by for 34 years. Do we take care of our own? To me it doesn’t feel like we do at this point.

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@retiredrnpinca

Lisa
I’m amazed at all the opinions on here about weaning off Ativan with CBD oil. I am a retired nurse practitioner who specialized in general surgery. I was started on Ativan 17 years ago due to the fact I had a massive them I had 3 AM in the morning which to make a long story short gave me PTSD. I have wean down 2.5 mg twice a day but I can’t seem to get off of that. I have inquired with my primary physician, my prescribing psychiatrist about weaning with CBD oil and there is total non-commitment to discussing that option. These are former colleagues of mine Within the HMO that as I was employed by for 34 years. Do we take care of our own? To me it doesn’t feel like we do at this point.

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Hi. You mentioned that you have tapered down to 2.5 mg twice a day and that you are "stuck." What symptoms do you have when you try to go down further? What happens exactly?

-Eileen

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@jean55

Hi @angrae, so sorry you have been struggling with anxiety. Twenty five years ago I started having panic attacks and generalized anxiety and other “crazy symptoms.” It turned out to be my thyroid. Hypothyroidism with spills that would make me hyperthyroid. It took two years and numerous doctors and misdiagnoses before my second endocrinologist correctly diagnosed me and got me straightened out.If you’re at Mayo I’m sure they’ve looked at your thyroid and other hormones including adrenals/cortisol but just a reminder since thyroid patients see an average of five doctors before proper diagnosis. Hang in there!

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Please do tell how they straightened your situation with your thyroid out. I’m having conflicting TSH and T4 - my hypothyroidism went haywire one year ago and they can’t seem to get it fixed. It’s taken a toll on my entire body.

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I am doing the same, I have been taking Ativan, Lorazepam on and off for the past 8 year's on a low dose 0.5
but sometimes I take 1mg a day or every 3rd day, in between I get withdrawal symptom's that is when I take a low 2.5mg of THC gummies that I found that works for me, and I also consume cannabis which I like the way it makes me feel. I also take Sertraline 150mg a day which I have been on since 2015 which has saved my life!

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I have been taking Lorazepam for a decade, recently I found it is not effective for my sleep. I want to seek another alternative, due to my body pain, the doctor suggested < 1THC:20CBD oil for me. It seems to improve with my sleep as well. Recently, my doctor changed it to CBN oil based on the research study shows 10CBN:20CBD is recommended for sleep.

It has be very difficult in the past few days for me when I tried to tapering off Lorazepam by using CBN (It didn't work) and then I switched back to CBD oil. Now I can't get in sleeping mode.

Anyone whom has experience or any schedule to tapering off Ativan / Lorazepam. Please share your thought...

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I have anxiety and physical pain. TMJ diagnosed 1983. TMJ very painful, I am 71 now and have struggled with this and now at this age-Crohn's, osteoarthritis, knees replaced, neck fusion, T12 fracture, but fixed. I am wanting to try and not take as much Ativan, I am on 1mg two times a day as needed, it is working for anxiety and pain. Never abused it. Looking into CBD gummies for pain. Wake up call-Devine gummies. How long to wait between taking Ativan and CBD gummy. Anxiety sorta runs along with flares of Crohn's. Don't ever know when and urgency to go to the bathroom is going to hit you?
Thank you

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