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Has anybody successfully tapered off of lorazepam (Ativan)?
Has anybody successfully managed to successfully wean off of Lorazepam?
If so how was it done?
And if it was by way of switching to other drugs, were you then able to taper off of those entirely under a doctor's guidance?
My husband has been on Lorazepam for 16 years
He did well for 14 years, but dragged his feet about trying to withdraw while he was feeling better.
In May he had a relapse of anxiety, and insomnia, with brain fog, heart palpitations, and more.
Currently he's doing better, thinking better, but still feels like crap a large part of the time, can't sleep without the drug, can't nap.and still struggles with anxiety.
At this point, I believe it's the drug that is actually causing the problem. Currently he's doing 1 mg at bedtime and 3/4 mg when he wakes up at 2:30 am.
I know it takes 2 years for the brains GABA receptors to normalize after taking Benzodiazepines.
Also know it's really hard to withdraw, has to be done extremely slowly, and the side effects are exactly the same as the symptoms it is meant to help.
My goal is to eventually wean him off of all drugs as functional health tests show they block his nutritional absorption and may be damaging his intestinal lining. I would like to be able to repair his health using nutrition, supplements, and neurotransmitter amino acids.
All feedback is welcomed!
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I’ve been on lorazepam for 15-20 yrs… from 1 mg down to current .5 mg. It’s the only thing that helps my RLS. Recently, I read on this forum that Magnesium glycinate helps with both RLS and sleep, so I tried it. I’m now down to .25 mg, and some nights 0…. Some nights are fitful, but trying to stay on track with this.
I’ve read that people “our age” shouldn’t be on lorazepam due to increased risk of dementia…. That scares me!
Not sure what is worse….. the risk or no sleep…..
Go very slow. I would only go 1/8 of a pill for a month then cut it by 1/8 again. By going very slowly you will have significantly less withdrawal. I am not a Dr but I had to try and taper off of klonopin after 30 yrs without any help from my Dr,(formerDr that is) going slow is the only way in my opinion. Good luck to you!
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1 ReactionI'm with you.....I would never sleep without it. Who would want to get off this wonderful drug that so far, has given me no side effects.
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1 ReactionWhat I did with my .05 klonopin pill was cut it in half on the line that goes down the middle and then I cut it in half again. You maybe able to get it in the lower dose that you want if you contact your doctor and explain to him . Good luck to you. God Bless
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1 ReactionIf it's a regular MD. who prescribed them and won't give you the valium I would make an appointment with a neurologist. That's what I ended up doing. They understand how your brain works.
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1 ReactionThere is a natural supplement called Valarian root. It is suppose to be the natural version of Valium. I have tried it in liquid form and it seemed to take off the edge but with any supplement you have to be cautious. Allergies and what not. I'm really sorry you have to go through such a terrible thing. Our country does not help our seniors enough. 6 month wait is absurd. Just to make it clear I am not a Doctor. Just saying for safety sake.
The Wall Street Journal had an article this week about the growing realization that benzodiazepines can cause major problems when trying to quit using them. The symptoms described aren't all that different from what I experienced when I stopped Effexor. The article also details serious physical problems for those using them, some of them not unlike what you describe. The article only briefly mentions lorazepam and focuses instead on Xanax, but the problems it discusses seem to seep over into all the different benzodiazepines. It's behind a paywall, as is everything on that paper, but if you have a subscription it's worth reading. If you don't, it's probable that your library carries it. Based on what I read, it sounds like getting a doctor involved in tapering him off would be wise.
https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/xanax-drug-benzodiazepines-research-harm-7a60f236?mod=hp_lead_pos7
I was on Ativan for anxiety after a cancer diagnosis. Started relying on it for sleep. My doctor told me he wanted me off it and I did a very slow taper. I’m thankful that he said I needed to be off it
It has always been pick your poison.
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1 ReactionI was on Xanax for years and years when I tried to get off of it. The effects from the withdrawals were horrible. I seriously thought I was gonna die, but I didn’t know I went off of them cold turkey so my cousin being in the health fields help me to wean myself off. I will never ever take that kind of medication again I take Cymbalta 60 mg if I start getting anxiety. I have Cymbalta 20 mg that I could add during the day still struggle with anxiety on and off. I hope your husband succeeds.