Hi Holiday
Great to hear you are doing well.
What a relief? I tell you - facing up to a benzo taper isnt a pleasant thought - but anyway - sometimes it just has to be done. And I still think that anyone who comes to the realisation that they want off these drugs is lucky - a winner. I really do believe that you have to be responsible for your own health ultimately - and sometimes that requires you to question your doctor.
It's all very well to say - talk this over with your doctor. But what if he/she is the very person who prescribed these drugs in the first instance? That was my experience. So - then you seek the advice of another doctor? Yep -for sure - but I still think you have to question what you are told. I simply would not have blind faith in any doctor now.
I was lucky - the second opinion that I sought immediately took out her BNF (British National Formulary) and read from it - clear and concise instructions as to how to taper off ativan. (directive from the government) And we followed that advice............ which just so happened was the same advice given by Ashton in her Manual. She prescribed valium for me in ever decreasing dosage - checked me out every month when issuing the repeat prescription............ and I was fine. I had a really closely monitored medical taper...
So - taper can be done effectively and fairly painlessly!!
But - hopefully you wont need to even think of this...............
"I would taper if I became dysfunctional or very uncomfortable, but I'm ok. I wanted off this stuff because I wondered if perhaps the ativan was the reason I never felt really good any more. It used to be I could lie in bed and listen to the morning and feel bliss. I hadn't had that in months. I wasn't as anxious as usual, but in a small subtle way I was numb. And with that wonder, I wanted off as fast as I could."
Oh - I just so identify with these sentiments - just not feeling right in yourself? Somehow I think the ativan blunts so much - so that you never ever get those wonderful moments when its just so great to be alive?! Joie de vivre!
But it does all come back again..........
Give in time......
Oh - I had been on ativan for about 6 months............
woops