Has anybody successfully tapered off of lorazepam (Ativan)?

What is happening know? Did you just cold turkey?

Twenty years ago I was able to titrate my dosing down to zero in a group of lorezepam addicts. It wasn't that hard. But I'm back on it now -- 1.5 mg -- and though it seems to have affected my short-term memory, I feel I need it. My partner has Crohn's and high anxiety thanks to a recent diagnosis of cirrhosis. It''s helping him. Needs must when the devil drives, as my grandma used to say . . . ..

Also, when I successfully detoxed years ago, I reduced the dosage by 1/2 mg, very slowly. And the group support was invaluable. Sadly, that group, for addicts on prescribed meds, no longer exists.

I have AFIB for 20 years. When your heart has uneven heartbeats it throws everything off. Your body is in panicmode. I have found Ativan dose allows me to relax and not be so afraid of whatever your heart is doing
I try to take it sensibly and not over indulge.

Hello, yes, I tapered myself off lorazepam, horrible drug for me, my GP meant well, trying to reduce tremors (I have multiple sclerosis), and for a few years, can't remember how long, I could barely walk, my legs were super stiff. Then had a to get a new neurologist who repeated tests already done and whilst in hospital, a safe place in case I started seizing or something, I secretly started tapering down, halved dose, eventually quartered it & by the time they sent me home was off it. My psychiatrist soon after prescribed clonazepam, a much better drug, no horrid side effects. Best of luck to you and your husband.

I took 10mg ativan some years ago for insomnia. Becoming suspicious I cut the dosage in half. All was great for a week and then my heart rate and blood pressure skyrocketed. As I was preparing for the ER I searched ativan withdrawal. Garden variety withdrawal. Taper under supervision.

Unfortunately it’s very difficult to find a GP or physchiatrist that actually knows how to taper benzodiazepines or any other physchiatric drug. There wouldn’t be forums like this if they did. We have to reach out to strangers on the internet for help.

I've been on 4mg for 8 years. How the time past so fast...
So, I have been trying to get of ativan for years.
I take 1mg, 3X/day.
I taper by reducing
My second dose in half while keeping 1st and last at 1mg.
I do this for 2 weeks then I stop 2nd dose altogether.
Just when I feel I have a handle on this, a traumatic incidence happens.
The latest is my 24vtear old son moved in my house, sleeping on couch.
He was in psychiatric hospital for almost 3 months.
THC induced psychosis with dillusions and suicidal thoughts.
So, back up to 3 mg, sometimes 4 per day.
This drug, Ativan Is a blessing and a curse..

I was reading about your frustration with Ativan and related. I’ve been on and off twice in over twenty years. I still take them one per day but it’s so hard to stay on this dosage and every time I start reducing something seems to come along and throw me off again. My own guess is that the med itself is causing us to go back to it and my reason is that the meds help a lot and maybe they make us weaker to fight back. I’m basically speaking for myself and I know how quick it helps me feel better. When my stress goes up I lack the determination to stay away from them, there’s just too much stress already it doesn’t leave much room for more

I totally agree with you.
A psychiatrist once told me that when someone is addicted to a substance, even if one stops for a period of time, once we take the drug our brains say "gottchya" our synapses go crazy and we crave more.
That "gotchya" line really stuck with me.
At one point, I told my pcp I wanted to ween off and her response was, "why would you want to with the stress in your life. She has a point.
I'm also an alcoholic in recovery and I can never take a drink because it never stops at one.
At least with Lorazepam, we can drive and work and do all the things we do throught our days.
So, for now with all the stress I'm under, I will stay on my prescribed dose of 3 mg/day. It really has kept me sane and keeps me from drinking as well.
Once my life gets on a calmer realm, I will try to reduce down again.
It can be done, I've done it before. Well, at least I hot down to just one 1mg/day.
Hard to imagine my life without it.
But, it used to be hard for me to imagine a life without alcohol. Now, I won't touch it with a ten foot pole, at least today...one day at a time.