View Full Version : Lorazepam
I can't find the right place for lorazepam...so hope this is ok on this page.
For the last 2 1/2 weeks I've been taking a little lorazepam on PRN basis. It has been only at night before sleeping. The most I took was just over 0.5 mg, most night 0.5 mg and the last few nights 0.25 mg. Last night I fell asleep and actually even forgot to take it /didn't need it.
Now today, after reading the leaflet, I see that it says you need to taper off lorazepam.However, online, some say it depends on how long you were on the dose, how 'addicted' you were (Im guessing perhaps not hugely so in my case as I fell asleep without it?!) and how high the dose. Clearly the dose was very small, it wasn't a long period of time either.
I'm not sat here wondering if I'm about to have some sort of 'odd reaction' to the lack of taking it (even though I felt totally fine before I knew of the tapering off fact...no sweating or racing heart etc LOL) Should I take an even weenier amount tonight....or am I ok leaving it as I am ?
I realise nobody can give medical advice, but wondering if anyone else has done something similar and has any thoughts. I can ring the pharmascist of course, but the GP gave no advice on needing to taper on the 10 tablets that were provided.
Benjammin69
12-04-18, 12:46
I can't find the right place for lorazepam...so hope this is ok on this page.
For the last 2 1/2 weeks I've been taking a little lorazepam on PRN basis. It has been only at night before sleeping. The most I took was just over 0.5 mg, most night 0.5 mg and the last few nights 0.25 mg. Last night I fell asleep and actually even forgot to take it /didn't need it.
Now today, after reading the leaflet, I see that it says you need to taper off lorazepam.However, online, some say it depends on how long you were on the dose, how 'addicted' you were (Im guessing perhaps not hugely so in my case as I fell asleep without it?!) and how high the dose. Clearly the dose was very small, it wasn't a long period of time either.
I'm not sat here wondering if I'm about to have some sort of 'odd reaction' to the lack of taking it (even though I felt totally fine before I knew of the tapering off fact...no sweating or racing heart etc LOL) Should I take an even weenier amount tonight....or am I ok leaving it as I am ?
I realise nobody can give medical advice, but wondering if anyone else has done something similar and has any thoughts. I can ring the pharmascist of course, but the GP gave no advice on needing to taper on the 10 tablets that were provided.
Hi so you only took 10 tablets? You will not need to taper on 10 tablets. I am a regular benzo user ( as prescribed by my psychiatrist) and I take them when I feel I need them and some days ain’t take them at all. I never use them for sleep mainly for work presentation or when my depression is high and I need a mental break... I’ve been taking klonopin 3 times. Week for about 3 months .. and I can just stop so don’t stress too much. You shouldn’t have any withdrawals but you may feel a bit more anxious as the lorazepam will of reduced your anxiety to a manageable level so once removed your anxiety will come back - this is not withdrawals this is your existing condition.
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I've just looked, it was 12 tablets in total I think, as I say split into different amounts each night depending on what I needed to just get to sleep. Thanks for your response, and thoughts, they are appreciated. I felt pretty good this morning, and was delighted I'd slept without any at all...... until I read the whole 'tapering thing' and people giving horror stories about potential convulsions. :wacko: I was unsure if becuase I had used a little everynight that made it more of a problem than sporadic useage. What you are saying though is that most people, at this dose and lenght of use would be ok. Rightho. Off to the garden weeding :D:D:D
Benjammin69
12-04-18, 13:09
I've just looked, it was 12 tablets in total I think, as I say split into different amounts each night depending on what I needed to just get to sleep. Thanks for your response, and thoughts, they are appreciated. I felt pretty good this morning, and was delighted I'd slept without any at all...... until I read the whole 'tapering thing' and people giving horror stories about potential convulsions. :wacko: I was unsure if becuase I had used a little everynight that made it more of a problem than sporadic useage. What you are saying though is that most people, at this dose and lenght of use would be ok. Rightho. Off to the garden weeding :D:D:D
Yeah try not to read the horror stories the internet is full of them about seizures etc you are not going to have a seizure on stopping lorazepam 0.5mg x 12 a day trust me! I have taken diazepam 10mg for months not daily but weekly and taken long breaks too so don’t worry honestly it’s not worth it your be fine.
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Thank you for taking the time to reply, much appreciated ! :D
MyNameIsTerry
13-04-18, 02:47
Ben is right.
I think the PIL just means to act as a disclaimer. Unless you become dependant you don't need to taper off.
Forget about the horror stories, that's for those dependant. Some of those people will have been on years and gone through all sorts of things like benzo changes or even their own anxiety. They risk rebound anxiety if they cold turkey. The seizures are a potential issue for them coming off cold turkey.
---------- Post added at 02:47 ---------- Previous post was at 01:56 ----------
Just had a look a couple of PIL's on the MHRA website and they say this:
On stopping lorazepam, you may experience symptoms such as headaches, muscle pain, anxiety, tension, depression, restlessness, sweating, confusion or irritability. Your original sleeplessness may also return. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, ask your doctor for advice.
That could be interpreted as anywhere between taking one tablet ever to taking them for 30+ years.
Thanks everso Terry, I view you as our resident expert on meds LOL I know you are self-taught, but you know much more about half-lives and chemicals than I could ever know. So, basically, if I fell asleep without it one night then that is a sign of non-dependency? Sadly, last night, not so good and needed a 1/4 to sleep. :weep:
MyNameIsTerry
14-04-18, 03:12
Hah! You should have spoken to Ian, I doubt I know 1% of what he did/does! Ben will know what I mean. Thanks for the kind words :flowers:
Sleep is a complex one and it can be the underlying problem rather than the drug. When I came off Zopiclone (after about a month of nightly use) I couldn't sleep at all initially because it had messed me up because I should have never have been on them so long. But with benzo's dependence can mean rebound when you remove them without tapers which brings greater anxiety than was there before starting them.
If you were dependent you would need to take the same doses to just achieve the current effect and it would gradually mean increasing them as the dose becomes worthless. Then when you reduce the dose you can greatly struggle because your body needs it.
You said earlier:
For the last 2 1/2 weeks I've been taking a little lorazepam on PRN basis. It has been only at night before sleeping. The most I took was just over 0.5 mg, most night 0.5 mg and the last few nights 0.25 mg. Last night I fell asleep and actually even forgot to take it /didn't need it.
You wouldn't have the above experience if you had become tolerant, you would need to maintain doses otherwise would be struggling and going a day without would be a cold turkey.
The trouble with sleep, as I'm sure you know, is that if you worry about it you won't sleep. So, last night might have been about that.
So so right Terry, its all 'the worry' about the sleeping isn't it - or lack of it. Last night took like a fragment of the lorazepam - much less than 0.25 mg and slept 7 hours (with a couple of wake ups, but went back to sleep). So, I reckon you are right, I'm neither tolerant or dependent.
Anyhow, had some good news today, 2nd year mammogram results - CLEAR :D
MyNameIsTerry
14-04-18, 15:12
Sleep can become a massive focus. When I relapsed it was 10 days of waking hours early for work, and I would only plan 6 max anyway as I always did before, and feeling the anxiety whilst trying to get back to sleep and then more anxiety over how rubbish I would feel and how would I cope. That tipped me over the edge and I finally went off work.
An issue made so large becomes an anxiety issue of it's own to resolve as I had built up new fears about it. Years I managed to properly sort this out so that I can happily cope of a couple of hours sleep if it comes to it. Prior to this my old patterns would pop up.
With sleep it helps to stop giving it importance, other than sleep hygiene adjustments and don't make them obsessive either. Stop caring about it. Then you just start sleeping. It's just like with intrusive thoughts or panic, you make it worse reacting to it.
7 hours seems good. I used to get anxious over changes in volume but you learn you body will force you to sleep when it needs it.
Exercise is good for sleep. Various studies in healthy people who regularly exercise have shown it helps deepen their sleep. It's obvious it will help us with the adrenaline issues we have. It's just hard for those suffering fatigue. I remember CrystalHiggs on here had threads about this and cycling sorted much of hers out.
Great news on your results! :yesyes::yahoo: It must be normal to worry as that test approaches but a massive woo hoo on results day!!!
Great advice Terry, thanks again. You are so right, the 'how will I cope' becomes a desperate feeling and as adrenaline is high already...very high...then BLAM, not a chance ! I've had this before, but not for so long. Every time I am just drifiting off, and not even sibconsciously aware of it, its as if my body just pulls me back 'to action'. Its the most odd feeling, as if your brain is saying 'uuuh ho don't go to sleep' and pokes you back quickly. I guess it is because you have spent all day estabilishing a 'threatening' situation, and your brain over rides the tiredness. I need to basically not care, and somehow it will eventually happen.
You are very kind to spend time giving the advice. I will truly try the things you've said tonight. I downloaded some binaural app thing, every tried that ? Mind, I tried for 1 minute last night and it drove me potty lol
Anyhow, had some good news today, 2nd year mammogram results - CLEAR :D
Nice one Carys:yesyes:
You may find that the lorazepam isn't needed now, Carys. What a relief for you and brilliant news!! :hugs:
Yep, I sure hope you are right Pulisa.....twas same time last year I used them too. :blush:
It's hardly surprising, Carys. No matter how much you want to "move on" the precautionary scans/tests must bring the trauma of diagnosis back. So good that you are in the clear-huge relief for you xx
MyNameIsTerry
15-04-18, 02:34
You would do these same for us, Carys, you deserve support back. And sleep can be hard going as we don't realise how important it is for the mind until we start not getting it.
I completely agree with you. The second time around, when the relapse came, it was about waking too early but the first time, the initial breakdown, was all about getting to sleep at night. I would have that feeling of bouncing back. It was like I was fighting giving up control to my body, pretty classic in anxiety with losing trust in what our bodies have done since birth. I didn't fear not waking up, it was a fear of loss of control and maybe the unknown?
Like so many things it's about trusting our bodies.
Given tis happened at the same time as your tests before it sounds like an anxiety spike issue, a period of raised levels that spill over into areas like your sleep. That's good in that it should just go now, it's just something to work on for next time.
I did buy one of those white noise CD's but never got around to using it. I found reading helped me a lot, fiction though rather than reading about mental health.
Mindfulness is being used to treat some sleep disorders too. Meditation is aimed at making you relax and calm your mind so it makes sense it can be used for this. Not easy though, it's perhaps more about change than immediate relief.
Chamomile tea works for some. It's an acquired taste though! I used to add honey but to much of that and it goes from bitter to sickly.
I hope you have a good night tonight. Maybe you will just drop on the bed and be out like a light after the relief of your results? http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/sleep/t2233.gif (http://yoursmiles.org/t-sleep.php)http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/sleep/t2254.gif (http://yoursmiles.org/t-sleep.php?page=2)
Awww you guys :blush::D...so kinnndddd
Well, the white noise (whatever HZ it was meant to be for sleep) did my head in LOL I also downloaded some 'restful sleep sounds', but they were on such a short loop that it didn't sound natural and I was listening alert for the repetitions in the rain and wind and waves etc. Think I might resort to fiction Terry, at least it doesn't make irritating noises lol My husband says I'm too mentally active last thing at night, playing word games on my phone in bed. He turned the blue light thing off, and I stopped doing it, but that made no difference really.
A better night, definitely an improvement as woke at 7 and fell asleep naturally for another 30 mins. I did start the Headspace app a few months ago, then you had to pay for it to go beyond the basics, and I resented it pahhha....maybe I should though. I'm trying to force myself to be more active today, (not nervous energy active, but busy physically active) however shattered I feel, I reckon that should help too. Love chamomile tea actually, and do drink it, but us ladies of a certain age can't be drinking lots before bedtime :winks: All great suggestions, I'll go for reading I think. :yesyes:
MyNameIsTerry
16-04-18, 03:02
Well, I'm certainly not going to make recommendations for tiring anything out in bed with the hubby :roflmao:
If it's any help, the thread in my signature has free Mindfulness courses in. One is a full online MBSR, others are just the meditations. There are some other free daily meditation type apps out there, not sure what they are like.
I think phuzella uses headspace beyond the basics so she would be able to say what the paid options are like.
My anxiety has always had me in the toilet more at night...when I get older I expect that will increase so I might have to rig up the garden hose to save on shoe leather :winks::yesyes:
There are chamomile capsules too. They will likely have a lot more in than the tea though.
Glad to hear you had a good night.
My mum recommended reading as she is a big reader and always reads in bed. I thought it would make my mind more active but I was surprised to find it did help so I've been doing it for maybe 6 years now. I can sometimes struggle with racing thoughts that make this harder, and fatigue can make it less inviting, but after a while my mind comes away and into the book. It can also be a distraction. Sometimes I will be trying to visualise what I'm reading which is useful as it means investing more mental energy into the story and away from other thoughts (a bit like how when we panic we can try techniques to fill the mind with non scary questions e.g. how many dog breeds begin with S). Thankfully the trade off isn't loads of fear since my books are often more sword & sandals!
I'd recommend keeping things simple, Carys. Nowt like a good book and some peace and quiet after the demands of the day. Don't try too hard with sleep otherwise it just becomes another psychological hurdle to overcome.
OOoooo I like the idea of the mental game Terry, how many dog breeds etc.? Mind, that might make me think too hard lol I saw that there was a mindfullness link on the bottom of your signature, I'll give it a look now. Thanks Pulisa, I'm trying not to try hard, it is hard though :winks:
Course it is, Carys! We take sleep so much for granted all the time we don't have a problem with it.
I slept ! (if it hadn't been for one of the dogs on the bed having dog dreams that were like earthquakes, I might have even slept more lol). I had a good 8 hours last night (a bit broken up, but hey ho), with no tablet of any sort , or part of a tablet taken. What a relief. I am writing this as an update for anyone else who reads that is worried about sleep or lack of. It takes time sometimes to sort things out. I played a game, from your idea Terry, about animals starting with letters of the alphabet...and only got as far as C. I spent all day also 'not concerning myself' about it, and reminding myself that I may get little sleep that night but nothing would happen.
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