How did you successfully taper off of 0.5 lorazepam (Ativan)?

I wanted to share with you a very unpleasant experience recently with Ativan, I have been taking it for about 20 years and I use 0.5 twice daily and it usually helps me to calm my nervous system. The Ativan is a generic brand and I’ve used several over the years, I picked up my prescription from the pharmacy and they said it was a different brand but I was told I’ve used this one in the past so I wasn’t concerned. The first time I took the new prescription I felt bad, I could feel it take affect which felt like a cramping sensation in my arms and neck, it lasted a few minutes but I had a meltdown going through it, my heart was racing and anxiety was off the charts. I didn’t know if it was me or the Ativan but after I tried it again the same thing happened. I had a feeling it was the brand they gave me and I had to go through hoops to get help because they are so rigid with this medication, I was shocked the way they treated me, I was being scrutinized by the pharmacy and the doctor like a junky criminal, I don’t have any history with abusing my meds but they weren’t even looking at my credibility. I finally got my usual brand but I had no option but to take the other brand until they straightened things out. In the ensuing weeks I felt for the first time how powerful these meds really are, I’m still recovering from it. I always hope to get rid of them but between cancer and long covid I don’t have the strength inside to push myself, I curse the day I took my first dose, I also want to add that for those who have been blessed to get off them, never ever take even one dose because it will pull you back into using and I speak from experience, it’s like any addiction, you can never go back again.

So sorry you have gone through this. I’m one of the lucky ones who weaned from this. Was prescribed for me when I got my cancer diagnosis. Happy to be off it; no more benzos for me!

I think you’re one of the very lucky ones who conquered this addiction and I commend you. It’s a very difficult drug to get rid of but a great deal depends on how long you have been taking them as well as your age and general health, it makes a huge difference in the outcome.

I’m 69 and had been on it for about 3 years. Was relying on it for sleep but stopped working. The second time weaning worked; did it very slowly

My doctor's group includes pharmacist. I have been working with her to wean down my Effexor dosage. She has respected my wish to do so slowly, Next up will be lorazepam. If your doctor is part of a big group, ask if your withdrawal can be supervised by a pharmacist,

Thanks for the info, my family doctor is not knowledgeable about weaning and after many arguments between us he did give the pharmacy permission to control my usage, it’s fairly workable for the most part but I mentioned in a previous message that they had changed the brand I was on and I reacted to it, they said it was due to each company uses different fillers and I had a nasty side effect from it. I’m currently trying to reduce my dose from 0.5 twice daily to 0.5 once per day. I know that I need more guidance with it and I use the internet for advice. I have always been on the same dose for a few years now but before I got sick I was on a higher dose so I’ve been on this drug for over twenty years. I hope to be able to get off them forever but I know I’ll have a struggle because it helps to wean slowly but another med is needed to help give me some more strength to cope with it.

I’ve been taking Ativan since the end of Apr 2024. Today was my first day at tapering. On .5mg for anxiety. Doesn’t help really so trying to come off it to hopefully be prescribed something that actually works.
8am whole tablet
2pm half tablet…I used pill cutter
8pm whole tablet.
Plan to do this for 7 days. The following 7 I will cut the 8am pill in half…then omit midday then omit morning. Half pm pill by the 4th week and 5th week hopefully omit pm pill.
So far I’m super nauseous all day even I I try to eat very small meals 4 times a day.
Please help if anyone has something better.

I’ve been taking Ativan since the end of Apr 2024. Today was my first day at tapering. On .5mg for anxiety. Doesn’t help really so trying to come off it to hopefully be prescribed something that actually works.
8am whole tablet
2pm half tablet…I used pill cutter
8pm whole tablet.
Plan to do this for 7 days. The following 7 I will cut the 8am pill in half…then omit midday then omit morning. Half pm pill by the 4th week and 5th week hopefully omit pm pill.
So far I’m super nauseous all day even I I try to eat very small meals 4 times a day.
Please help if anyone has something better. Forgot to add I’m 48 yrs old about 133 pounds due to weight loss from no appetite

The physician then needs to learn how to wean and take it out of the hands of the pharmacist.....that's not where it belongs. Not sure that I understand that you want to wean off a particular medication but then need another one in assisting to do so. That seems kind of counter productive. If your physician is unable to help then seek the assistance of a pain management or psychiatrists assistance. If the pharmacist manages it he is doing so by practicing outside the scope of his legal practice!

Thanks for your reply, I had 2 responses to my comment, one person recommended a pharmacist to help me and you mentioned that I not go with a pharmacist. I appreciate the advice and will try to get this under control one way or another.