overwhelmd

I am tapering off ativan under a doctor's supervision. I had been taking anywhere from 2-6 mg per day for the past year and a half. I just finished 3 weeks at 4 mg and am now at 3 mg for a week according to my doctor's instructions. I just emailed the doc because I am seriously having some whopping withdrawal symptoms. Sweating, light and sound sensitivity, shakiness, anxiety. I can't believe 1 mg makes that much of a difference. I asked the doc to put me on a much slower taper schedule. I am also a recovering alcoholic and when I used to run out of ativan, I would drink heavily. I can't do that now, just have to cope with the symptoms. I was wondering if anyone has experience with benzo withdrawal, how long you were on them and how long it takes to taper off without losing your mind?

Any input is appreciated

Jessika78

Unfortunately a lot of doctors who prescribe benzos are clueless about them. Is this a psychiatrist who you're dealing with or no? I cold turkeyed off of benzos about 10 or 11 years ago because my doctor told me to. It was the worst experience of my LIFE. I have never felt as close to death as I did then. Seriously, no opiate withdrawal can come close to what that felt like. But anyway, I have been back on and off benzos over the years and never had a problem weaning off, but I have done it very slowly and also haven't taken a high dosage of the meds. My benzo was Klonopin, so it has a longer half life I believe than Ativan. Have you heard of the Thomas Recipe? I would google that and try to follow that as well as you can. I would mention it to your doc as well that you want to follow the Thomas Recipe. Slow and steady is the only way to go when dealing with benzo reduction. I wish you the best!!

Dee74

No experience myself overwhelmd but you'll find support here.

Definitelydo speak with your Dr again if you think you need help

D

Rdphish

I would ask my doctor about switching me to a longer acting benzo (Valium?) That may help you taper more effectively and less painfully.

overwhelmd

My doc just emailed me back and said she would slow down the taper. She also asked if I wanted to switch to valium. Can anyone tell me how many mg of valium = 1 mg ativan?

Taking5

Your Dr. or Pharmacist should be able to.

Dee74

Yeah these are really questions you need to ask your Dr overwhelmd - preferably face to face too I think?

D

Live

benzo.org.uk : Benzodiazepines: How They Work & How to Withdraw, Prof C H Ashton DM, FRCP, 2002

world's foremost expert on benzos including withdrawal schedules

TiredEnough

Overwhelmd, I came off valium and ativan the bad way (ct). I am really glad you are not doing that. My advice is to work with your doc and dig in for a long haul. A slow taper is no fun but getting off them too fast is much worse. Valium was easier to stop for me. Ativan is a mean, mean, benzo.

cleaninLI

Hey Overwhelmd! I ditto what was stated above. I just wanted to wish you well with your taper. I agree with TE the slower the better. Don't worry this is doable and you shouldn't have too much trouble as long as you stick with your doctor's plan. Remember having a positive attitude will see you through. Many of us have been there done that and are now successfully of the benzos. If we can do it so can YOU!

Good luck and we are here with you.....you are not alone!

MemphisBlues

I think it is a positive sign that your doctor suggested the valium switch. To me it means he is versed in the potential whammy benzo withdrawal can create.

I see a equivalency table online that says one milligram of Valium is equal to 10 milligrams of Valium, but that is probably a question for your doctor or pharmacist.

The benzo.org site is very helpful. I do caution you that the forums there hold the stories of those who suffer mightily getting off benzos and I believe this is a highly subjective thing and the folks who post there are those experiencing the worst symptoms. I was highly suggestive when getting off of Klonopin and I suspect if I read of a symptom, I got it.

I didn't have the luxury of tapering and went cold turkey from a prescribed dose of Klonopin that had the equivalency of 400 milligrams of Valium, so I will spare you my experience.

overwhelmd

Thanks for all of the advice everyone. Man, this is so much worse than alcohol withdrawal. I am sorry I ever found ativan. At first it was just to help with the stress of dealing with a few months of testing for breast cancer and an eventual biopsy which was thankfully negative. However, with my little monster, I easily became dependent on it and found lots of excuses to keep taking it.

My doc emailed me last night and said she was going to read the material I forwarded to her from the benzo.org.uk site and get me started on a new schedule today, switching to valium and going very, painfully slowly. I am prepared to dig in for the long haul if it means I don't have to deal with such nasty withdrawal symptoms. I could not imagine CT.

I am having some pretty severe headaches, light and sound sensitivity, and some weird body sensations (in my scalp and sometimes my back and arms). I'm taking advil for the headaches and keeping the blinds closed at work and home. Does anyone have any other headache remedy suggestions? That seems to be the worst thing and I'd rather not be popping advil all day.

TiredEnough

I had some wicked migraine like headaches off the valium and some pretty nasty ones off the ativan. I never found a solution except a very dark, cool room and time. If you can, keep calm. Freaking out made mine intensify.

Tylenol helped a little. Wish I had better advice.

overwhelmd

You have been extremely helpful and I appreciate just knowing that I'm not alone. Having support is priceless.

dsmaxis10

I used to take clonopin for a year our so the withdraw was horrible has along half life. Took three milligrams docter cut it sown to one I shook like a leaf. Anyways I quit cold turkey couldn't sleep took tylinol pm just so I could sleep twenty minutes our an hour. Took 4 milligrams of Xanax yesterday only because if my mom catches me drinking shes going to put a club on my car. Flushed the rest of the Xanax down the toilet made me sleep 18 hours with blackouts from it. I want to stay sober had four years before struggle to get a week now. Anyways wean of slow under doctors supervision Im glad I flushed the Xanax down the toilet day one again cause the with draw from benzos is the worst. Benzos hit the same receptors as alcohol very addictive to alcoholics.

overwhelmd

I rudely discovered just how mean benzo withdrawal is. Luckily I have a very understanding doctor. I got her to read up on the benzo.org.uk website and she then agreed to switch me to valium to begin the withdrawal process. I made the switch on Saturday. I had weaned down from 6 mg of ativan to 3, and we swapped out 3mg of ativan for 30 mg of valium per day. It was a tough weekend - no sleep, killer headaches, anxiety and weird body sensations and smells. Today, I guess the valium has leveled out in my blood because I feel much better. Still having headaches, but nothing else. I only took 5mg this morning. I am so relieved. I feel much more confident and not so fearful of the withdrawal symptoms

overwhelmd

Hey TiredEnough, You are totally right - the best thing for the headaches is a dark and cool room. Staying calm is absolutely the key. Thanks so much again for your sage advice

TiredEnough

I'm glad it helped. Man, those were some rough ones for sure. Felt like my eye was going to pop out like a cartoon

You are doing it the right way and are doing great. It takes some time but you are on the nicer, safer path. I'm proud of your doc too for doing the right thing as well.

Did you get any audio or visual hallucinations? Those were a trip.

overwhelmd

No audio or visual, but the smells were so weird. I kept walking around my house trying to figure out where they were coming from. Some smelled like food cooking, some were stinky - I thought it was my son's feet I will take a headache any day over that weird crap!

TiredEnough

Haha, I had a month of smelling everything within miles. Some good, some bad, some awful

It hit me hard off the opiates and then 10x as hard off the Ativan. I had the crazy idea to quit them both ct back to back. I made it but I would have done it your way if I could.