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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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Thanks and will do
I took 4 mg for only a week 4 mg a day took sleeping pill to manage withdrawal and should have taken following 100 mg seroquel or less 1 mg Xanax try that look at seroquel
I’m new to this website so I really don’t know what I’m doing so please help I have been on Ativan for about Six months and on Xanax for about six months, I was taking 1 mg Ativan a day I told my doctor I want to get off of this because it messing with my cognitive and I think I’m having side effects from it. He put me on 0.5 in the morning and 0.5 at night as needed he did not give me really instructions and how to slowly come off of the Ativan. so I cut about 25% off and for the last three days it’s been really rough. Today’s a little better and I’m on gabapentin 100 mg at two and 100 mg at night. It does help me sleep at night can help with your suggestions.
You are doing well sleeping and were not on big dose funny it is affecting cognitive functions get tested to be sure or if you have no. Benefit from it then your taper is a good guess
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1 ReactionYou’re going to have to taper the gabapentin at some point. It will cause dependency issues also. The only think I can suggest is to speak to your doctor about switching to Valium and tapering off. It shouldn’t be bad as you were on a low dose for a relatively short amount time. The folks on high doses for years have the hardest time getting off these meds.
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1 ReactionI have cut back 25% for seven days the One day, I may not have too much of withdraws and then the next day the withdraws are a little stronger is this normal don’t want to start cutting back anymore until the withdraws has subsided
I am not a doctor, but 25% at a time is pretty standard. Your body is used to having the benzo. You could always try to cut back the 25% for a couple of extra days? Also, if you are able to exercise, even just walking, this helps so much. It relieves the anxiety, gets the dopamine and other "feel good" stuff going in your brain. Maybe do the 25% cut back for an additional couple of days and try to do something active as well. One day at a time. Hang in there.
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1 ReactionHey just curious if youre still on prozac? Im trying to taper off and could use
some guidance
Hi @briannaesiline, you might also wish to join this discussion:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac) _ How to get off it
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/fluoxetine-prosac-_-how-to-get-off-it/
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.
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