1. < Depression & Anxiety

Looking for help to taper off Ativan (lorazepam)

Posted by pamee @pamee, Jan 8, 2023

Hi my name is pamee. I need help as I have a rare disorder from Ativan. It's horrific excruciating pain 24/7 with minimal sleep so I'm also sleep deprived. The pain is killing me at times I want to die. I take 2 mg 4x a day fir 13-14 yrs and recently been having blackouts. I'm scared. Can anyone please give me suggestions whether I taper one dose at a time or should I taper all 4 doses in a day at about 1/4 of the pill. Thank you for any help you can give. Kind regards, pamee

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rickame | @rickame | Oct 31, 2023
In reply to @benzossuck "I am not a medical doctor but have done two Ativan tapers. I never thought I..." + (show)
@benzossuck

I am not a medical doctor but have done two Ativan tapers. I never thought I would let myself get back on this awful drug. This time when I decided to go off i went cold turkey even though I knew better. I lived through hell for 3 weeks until I reinstated and started a slow taper. Yes it is called Ativan suspension. Not t sure why doctors do not prescribe this for tapers. Some insurance companies won’t pay for it. It is about $60 but lasts a long time. Maybe u r seeing a doctor that is not experienced with tapers? My fist taper I saw a Naturalpatic (sp?) doctor that prescribed the liquid. This time around I am seeing a psychiatrist that specializes in all kinds of drug withdrawals. They are few and far between. I have to either do a zoom visit or drive two hours to see her. I googled “ drs that specialize in withdrawal. I think it was the Benzo Coalition. She uses the Ashton method which never recommends more than 10 percent reduction per month. It is a long process but it worth it if you can avoid going through nightmarish withdrawal symptoms.

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Might be challenging to taper off a liquid that is 2mg in only 1ml. if one wants to go down to .1m or so before stopping. Wonder if you can dilute the liquid where there is like .5 rather than 2mg per ml. Thoughts?

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1 reply
benzossuck | @benzossuck | Oct 31, 2023
In reply to @rickame "Might be challenging to taper off a liquid that is 2mg in only 1ml. if one..." + (show)
@rickame

Might be challenging to taper off a liquid that is 2mg in only 1ml. if one wants to go down to .1m or so before stopping. Wonder if you can dilute the liquid where there is like .5 rather than 2mg per ml. Thoughts?

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Oh yes you can dilute with distilled water. My husband is a whiz at math so he is able to dilute and figure out my dose. I would think if your doctor can’t help, your pharmacist could help. We have a smaller bottle and an eye dropper that we use to dilute.

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rickame | @rickame | Oct 31, 2023
In reply to @grumpypants "Hello everyone. Long story short I've been on Ativan for 1 year, with 0.5 morning and..." + (show)
@grumpypants

Hello everyone.

Long story short I've been on Ativan for 1 year, with 0.5 morning and evening. I tapered the morning dose 2 times in the past year. It's been a week since i finished my 2nd taper for the morning dose. I've noticed an increase in anxiety in the past week so obviously I'm scared of stating the evening taper.

I'm doing all of this under the direction of my doctor. And she does a taper that is once 1 day off several times, then every 2,3,4 days over the course of 2 months or so.

To be honest idk why i made this post. Maybe just wanted to put my fear of withdrawals, seizures somewhere.

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Thanks..hoping the doctor will work with her...not meeting until Dec.

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kathy5645 | @kathy5645 | Nov 6, 2023
In reply to @rickame "Can you or someone share experience or suggest tapering from .5m Ativan. A family member has..." + (show)
@rickame

Can you or someone share experience or suggest tapering from .5m Ativan. A family member has been on for about a year, starting with 1m and just .5 for past few months and wants to suggest a schedule to Dr, perhaps 25% less every week or two (.5 to .375 to .25 to .125). Would that be reasonable, or would you suggest the staggered and longer taper schedule shared by Kawanhee above? So much info out there is for tapering from much higher doses. Looking for some guidance and experience. Family member also takes melatonin, sometimes valerian spray, and ramelteon for sleep. She used to just take melatonin, and I believe other stressors contributed to insomnia so they started to take (too) many meds/supplements. Any advise on stoping or weaning from the others first or ok to taper Ativan. They'd like to just get back to the melatonin and some camomile/lavender tea;) Thanks for sharing.

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The Benzo coalition
They have the latest and best info including supplements you shouldn’t take and taper schedules. No more than 10% a month taper. Board members include a cardiologist who was damaged by Benzos. Very reliable info.

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pitilina | @pitilina | Nov 12, 2023

Hi guys. I ve been taking Lorazepam for 5 years 1 mg before bed. I want to taper off. Do you think going to 0.5 mg is good?
thanks

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2 replies
jk77 | @jk77 | Nov 12, 2023
In reply to @pitilina "Hi guys. I ve been taking Lorazepam for 5 years 1 mg before bed. I want..." + (show)
@pitilina

Hi guys. I ve been taking Lorazepam for 5 years 1 mg before bed. I want to taper off. Do you think going to 0.5 mg is good?
thanks

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After 5 years, I'd drop down to 0.75mg for a while, not down to 0.5mg. I've not been on lorazepam steadily for more than a year at a time, but it's such a powerful Rx that I'd be very leery of dropping by 50%, esp. after 5 years.

What does your doctor recommend? ****It's really important to have their input when tapering off a controlled substance.****

Also, what are your dr.'s thoughts on OTC helpers such as Calms Forte or ashwagandha? (I'm not urging you to try either of those -- just noting that both have been helpful for me on the nights that I don't take lorazepam. You and I might take lorz. for different reasons; I take it bc I have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.)

Wishing you well with this -- and pls do talk to your dr.

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rick63 | @rick63 | Mar 17, 2024

Weening off Ativan , how long did it take till the tinnitus stopped buzzing

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kawanhee | @kawanhee | Mar 18, 2024
In reply to @pitilina "Hi guys. I ve been taking Lorazepam for 5 years 1 mg before bed. I want..." + (show)
@pitilina

Hi guys. I ve been taking Lorazepam for 5 years 1 mg before bed. I want to taper off. Do you think going to 0.5 mg is good?
thanks

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If you want to go down to .5, do a slow taper to get there. Based on how I tapered off of .5 (took me about six months,) I’d recommend the following based on how my sleep medicine doctor told me to wean off it:
Do every two to three weeks:
1) 1mg, 1, .75, 1, 1, .75….
2) 1, .75, 1, .75, 1, .75…
3) 1, .75, .75, 1, .75, .75…
4) .75 every day
5) .75, .75, .5….
6) .75, .5….
7) .75, .5, .5…
8) .5 every day
Please note: I’m not a doctor but this is similar to the slow taper that worked for me.
For what it’s worth!

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1 reply
peeteer22 | @peeteer22 | Mar 19, 2024
In reply to @kawanhee "If you want to go down to .5, do a slow taper to get there. Based..." + (show)
@kawanhee

If you want to go down to .5, do a slow taper to get there. Based on how I tapered off of .5 (took me about six months,) I’d recommend the following based on how my sleep medicine doctor told me to wean off it:
Do every two to three weeks:
1) 1mg, 1, .75, 1, 1, .75….
2) 1, .75, 1, .75, 1, .75…
3) 1, .75, .75, 1, .75, .75…
4) .75 every day
5) .75, .75, .5….
6) .75, .5….
7) .75, .5, .5…
8) .5 every day
Please note: I’m not a doctor but this is similar to the slow taper that worked for me.
For what it’s worth!

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kawanhee,
Do you take all of #1 in one day? That quantity would be 6 times a day,
and take that for 2 - 3 weeks?
Then do #2 amount every day for 2 - 3 weeks?
I think I'm confused.
Also, I take Ativan 200mg daily as well as Lorazipam 1mg 4 x a day.
I am nauseus every day.

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2 replies
mikaylar | @mikaylar | Mar 20, 2024

omg that is a tremendous amount of benzo. You need a doctor to help you taper off. Be careful and safe.

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