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

Posted by ch2232 @ch2232, Jan 8, 2022

Has anyone tapered from 0.5mg of lorazepam per day? Can you share your experience? Thank you.

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kawanhee | @kawanhee | 3 days ago

In reply to @berekann "@kawanhee saw my doctor today and i’m going to taper off the lorazepam. Tonight .5 mg,..." + (show)

@berekann that plan was too fast for me. Attached is how I weaned.

berekann | @berekann | 3 days ago

In reply to @kawanhee "@berekann that plan was too fast for me. Attached is how I weaned." + (show)

@kawanhee thanks. How long had you been taking it? My doctor seemed to think this would be fine, but I am a bit worried.

berekann | @berekann | 3 days ago

In reply to @berekann "@kawanhee saw my doctor today and i’m going to taper off the lorazepam. Tonight .5 mg,..." + (show)

@berekann and, my plan worked well - took a Calm's Forte at 8:15pm as i was feeling much less than calm! Took .5mg Lorazepam at 8:50pm and was asleep shortly thereafter. Woke up several times and always went back to sleep. About midnight, I took .125mg Lorazepam and at 3am took 1 Calm's Forte. Slept until 5:30am. Had been waking up at 4 or 4:30am. Feel rested, but maybe a bit off-balance. Definitely a more restful sleep - more core and deep sleep, according to my smartwatch.

kawanhee | @kawanhee | 3 days ago

In reply to @berekann "@kawanhee thanks. How long had you been taking it? My doctor seemed to think this would..." + (show)

@berekann I was taking it for about two years. My pcp put me on a similar weaning schedule but it was too fast. My sleep doctor suggested the plan I sent and I dragged it out longer as you can see. I had tried getting off it before, but this schedule worked for me. If you haven’t been on it as long as I was, you could just do it faster

berekann | @berekann | 3 days ago

In reply to @kawanhee "@berekann I was taking it for about two years. My pcp put me on a similar..." + (show)

@kawanhee thanks - I’ve only been on it for 6 weeks with a 5-day break in the middle - different doctor in the same office (my pcp was on vacation) said to taper 1/2 dose for 2 nights, then 1/4 dose one night then start Doxepin. Which, when I read about it, opted not to, and went back to Ambien to use up my 5 tablets. That didn’t work well, so my pcp put me back on lorazepam - .5 mg with an extra .5mg if needed. But after 3 weeks of very erratic sleep & lethargic days, he put me on that taper schedule. Just talked with my local pharmacist, who knows me, and she agrees that his plan is a good one. 🤞

kawanhee | @kawanhee | 2 days ago

In reply to @berekann "@kawanhee thanks - I’ve only been on it for 6 weeks with a 5-day break in..." + (show)

@berekann that makes sense! You weren’t on it very long at all! Best wishes!

berekann | @berekann | 2 days ago

In reply to @kawanhee "@berekann that makes sense! You weren’t on it very long at all! Best wishes!" + (show)

@kawanhee thanks! I can see from several of your posts that you’ve had quite a journey thru tapering;; thanks for being willing to share. I’d been taking 1mg several nights last week - last night just .5mg and I think the same tonight and none tomorrow. Mainly because I’ve had upset stomach all day & muscle aches. Will try to sleep without, but that’s my backup plan.