Ativan reinstatement - HELP questions

[Raya]

Hey all,

So I was on Ativan for 40 days never more than 2mg a day, I was getting some adverse effects such as depression and weird breathing, so I decided to taper off. The only thing is, I guess I tapered way too fast. I went from 2mg to 1.25 mg in 5 days. After that I withdrew sooooo baaaaad. Emergency services has been to my house nearly every day, I was vomiting, and psychosis, and had plans to take my life. I just kept trying to get through it but couldn't.

I have decided to reinstate the 2mg a day. However I think I may have built a bit of tolerance for the 2mg a day, so I'm going to do 2.5mg a day until I stabilize. Once I've stabilized for a couple weeks, I will literally do the slowest taper in all of history.

Questions I have are

1) How long does it to stabilize after going through 7 days of the worst withdrawal possible. Immediately? couple days?
2) Do you guys think this plan will work?
3) Any positive personal experiences on reinstating?

I reinstated on a higher dose than i've ever been on on purpose in order to get the withdrawal panic attacks under control

[panic_down_under]

1) How long does it to stabilize after going through 7 days of the worst withdrawal possible. Immediately? couple days?

I'm not sure what you experienced was necessarily all from cutting the Ativan dose. I suspect your mind was also a factor. While severe withdrawal after only a month does occur, it is not the norm.

I also don't see why you feel increasing the dose is necessary.


2) Do you guys think this plan will work?

Possibly, however, discontinuing short-acting benzodiazepines (BZDs) is harder than quitting long half-life BZDs such as diazepam. It has a half-life of up to *200 hours which makes for a much smoother ride, especially at the lower doses.


* including its active metabolites


I reinstated on a higher dose than i've ever been on on purpose in order to get the withdrawal panic attacks under control

That probably isn't necessary. Also, panic attacks are not usually a withdrawal symptoms which adds to my suspicion your mind was a factor in your experience.

[Mermaid16]

Raya I sincerely hope you are okay. What an awful thing to go through. Maybe your original taper program is better. Everything I've read says 10%. I think it's better to do it slower, even if you were on it for such a short amount of time. I just tapered off Sertraline (I know it's in a totally different league) and today is my first day without it. I went quite slow at the end. Just s crumbvfor the last week. I am on 2mg of Clonazepam, so will be going through s similar thing shortly. I hope you feel better soon and then you can start again. Thinking of you and sending positive thoughts your way. You are not alone. Many have done this before. I know you can go it. Take it nice and slow and you will get there. Xx Tracy

[Ethansmom]

I hope everything is okay and yes, do try to taper slowly. Panic and anxiety are brutal. I am on 2MG of Clonazapam and Citalopram and still feel low level anxiety.