How to manage side effects from 30 years use of Lorazepam

@cwrobbins
Is Lorazepam the same as Escitilopram?

I have been on 10 mg of Escilitopram for 10 years. My other medications I was on for PTSD anxiety panic disorder I was able to wean off. I was told I would need to take the Escilitopram for life. It has really helped me with anxiety and depression.

I have empathy for you as exepreinced PTSD and anxiety/panic disorder for years. I am a Mayo patient and see a Psychiatric Medicaton Specialist who works with all my other doctors to presribed medications to help me with my mental health that does not contradict my medications for physical health.

Do you have access to a major medical facility of which your can see a psychiatrist who can referr you to or get a direct appointment with a psychiatric medications specialst. A medication specialist has so much expereinece with medications that can find a medication that can help you and lesson side affects based on you the specific person.

A lot of doctors go by the nor of have this prescribed that. What you need is and should be what is specific of what is best for you best on your symptoms and side affects.

I’m very sorry for your suffering with benzodiazepine withdrawal, I too have been taking these meds for over 20 years. I truly understand your wish to stop your meds but I wasn’t sure why, are they not helping you or are you being pressured to quit, either way it’s causing you far too much anxiety. If you’re going to stop your medication then you must have a plan in mind, most of all you need a doctor or other medical professional to guide your withdrawal, it’s not something you can do on your own especially after 30 years of taking them. There’s a lot of help available for you to get through this process. I don’t get any help from my doctor either so I’m on my own too but I found a lot of helpful information here from others who have been through this experience, I hope you will find the best solution for your situation, good wishes.

Ive been weaning off lorazepam from using it about 3 years.
I was on .5 mg once a day.
Discussed with my new dr as other dr retired.
He said it would probably take about 3 months.
Its been about 3 months and ive not had too many issues.
However, Ive since learned my breast cancer has gone into my stomach and Im expected to have my stomach removed after the findings of this weeks tests.
Im going to continue what Ive been doing with weaning off, but it might take me a few months longer facing this challenge.
(I will not go back to a full tablet. Ive cone this far and its working)

Heres what Ive been doing.
I got a pill splitter and cut the entire 30 day script into 60 pieces.
I take 1/2 pill each morning same time. Ive been doing this now for about 3 months. I will continue to do this another 2-3 months.
So far, Ive not experienced too many problems,
However,
Ive noticed if im an hour late in taking it, my body reacts.
I do get a bit of anxiety and feel “off”.
Sometimes its tears, or just down.
I take the 1/2 and it takes about 20-30 mins to get me back in balance.

Since your doctors not helping you, I suggest calling the Pharmaceutical company and asking for their health specialist to guide you.
If there isnt one, ask your local pharmacist or find a drug rehab place to help you. Tell them you want to get off.
The key is training your body AND your mind.
I dont know your dosage, how many pills you take a day.
Youll need to plan weaning off and one of those people should be able to help you.
Im guessing with 30 years of use, it might take 6 months or up to a year to wean off.
I will suggest you actively also get yourself on a walking program every day early am around 5:30 or 6 am when you hear the birds singing. This is reflective of good oxygen and will help you breathe and de-stress.
Concentrate on LISTENING and praying or meditating during this time.
Try and walk casually for at least 30 minutes.
This is to give your mind and body a conscious peaceful mindset of gratitude.
I also suggest each night you walk 20 minutes around 7-7:30 to free your mind from the days stresses.
Include starting a Blessing Book. A blank spiral notebook.
30 minutes Before you go to bed, write out your days Blessings.
It could be thanking God for the beautiful day, a stranger that smiled at you, a phone call from a friend, a card you received…. You want to train your thoughts to look at the GOOD in your day,
Start listening to podcasts. Charles Stanley, Joni Erikson Tada, Kay Arthur., Mel Robbins. Listen while youre soaking in the tub,
Consider reading a Psalm in the Bible each day and writing it out and meditating on the truths in it.
Youre building up faith and confidence to replace the anxiety HABIT and your thought process.

I hope this helps you.
Know, With God, all things are possible. He is with you in this and will help you out of it if you ask Him.
Blessings to you, precious one,
You ARE precious.

I don’t think it’s the same. It’s the generic version of Ativan. As a kid it was the only thing that helped me not have anxiety attacks that were so bad I spent more time in the hospitals than out. I never had any doctors who knew what they were doing so it became apart of my regimen. Whenever I tried to get off them my anxiety started back up making me take them again. Come to find out a side effect from not having them is anxiety. I live in a very small rural town where there’s no doctors who practice internal medicine. I’m currently looking at the nearest large city for one. Hopefully there’s one that can help. I also stopped taking anti depressants because they were giving me my night terrors and ED. Thankfully those dreams are gone even though they still feel very real.

I’m not a fan of taking another drug but I’m up against a wall. Is there anything you’ve taken to help get through the next 6-8 months? Says it could take up to a year for side effects to go away.

The anxiety you feel is withdrawal from Ativan, that’s why it’s hard to stop, there’s also a risk of seizures if you withdraw incorrectly. There’s a book available called The Ashton Manual that outlines how to wean yourself off the medication, it’s the best method available but the taper is very slow, you can find the book online for free, you mentioned 30 years on these meds so expect a long time for yourself. It will be helpful for you to see the doctor for another anti anxiety medication to ease up the withdrawal symptoms and this should help you cope.

You asked me what I was taking to help me wean off the Ativan, I’ve been using cannabis gummies for help but it’s not for everyone.

I’m sorry to hear about your terrible experience with going off Lorazepam. I currently take it but not daily, only as needed. But maybe this will help you: I have complex PTSD and had the nightmares and other traumatic events you described. What helped me immensely was Prazosin, name brand Minipress. It’s a high blood pressure medication that was once used off label for PTSD nightmares by the VA doctors who treated survivors of war. Now it’s prescribed for PTSD nightmares as well. It’s been a miracle for me. I have high blood pressure and take medication for it but the Prazosin doesn’t interfere with my high blood pressure. I now take Prazosin every night before going to bed and I haven’t woken up since with the horrifying nightmares I used to have. I’m going through withdrawal symptoms from desvenlafazine which included the awful feelings I once experienced with the PTSD nightmares. Most all of my symptoms are gone but I still wake up now with nearly the same PTSD nightmare feelings as before but much much milder. Reading about your situation has helped me today understand why I feel like I have been. I’m going to have my psychiatrist recommend a Prazosin protocol for me for these new symptoms. So thank you so much for sharing. It’s helped me.

It’s been a touchy issue with my gf however after talking with her she’s ok with gummies. I’ll be trying this again. I used recreationally before, smoking, but that was before I had to stop taking these meds. Thank you for reminding me that this is an option.

I was on .5 mg for years. My dr lacked helping me so I researched and found that taking half of that for a year or two was the base of how to do it. I know there’s better ways but I also knew this drug will kill me before natural causes. So far nothing major has happened but I’m not out of the woods yet. Thanks to you guys I’ve made an appointment with the Mayo Clinic and have an appointment with an internal medicine physician. I realize I can’t do this by myself.