Ativan Lorazepam Withdrawal Tapering Schedule

Ativan Taper Schedule

Hello,

I've been on 2mg of Ativan, 1mg in the morning and 1mg in the evening for the past 40 days. I now want to get off of it because I am starting to get adverse effects. was put on to help me until my Prozac full kicked in. I read about the ashton method of benzo withdrawal and made my own little schedule:

Ativan Taper Schedule

Starting Dose
Morning: 1mg, Evening: 1mg, Total Daily Dose: 2mg

Stage 1 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 1mg, Evening: 0.75mg, Total Daily Dose: 1.75mg

Stage 2 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 0.75mg, Evening: 0.75mg, Total Daily Dose: 1.50mg

Stage 3 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 0.75mg, Evening: 0.5mg, Total Daily Dose: 1.25mg

Stage 4 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 0.5mg, Evening: 0.5mg, Total Daily Dose: 1.00mg

Stage 5 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 0.5mg, Evening: 0.25mg, Total Daily Dose: 0.75mg

Stage 6 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 0.25mg, Evening: 0.25mg, Total Daily Dose: 0.50mg

Stage 7 (1-2) weeks)
Morning: 0.25mg, Evening: 0.0625mg, Total Daily Dose: 0.31mg

Stage 8 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 0.0625mg, Evening: 0.0625mg, Total Daily Dose: 0.13mg

Stage 9 (1-2 weeks)
Morning: 0.0625mg, Evening: 0mg, Total Daily Dose: 0.06mg

Stage 10
Morning: 0mg, Evening: 0mg, Total Daily Dose: 0mg

I am extremely, extremely scared, and am wondering if anyone has followed a schedule like the one above. If so, did you still have withdrawal and how bad? I am having panic and anxiety over this tapering process.

Thank you

Good luck Raya. I am on 2mg of Clonazepam which I think is equivalent. I am too dreading the taper, but it looks like you have worked out a good little plan. Keep us updated on how it goes. Tracy xx

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raya

I am extremely, extremely scared,

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Which could be a problem. Withdrawal is not just about chemistry and biology. Psychology is at least as important, and many would argue it is considerably more so. Believe you will suffer greatly and your mind may well try and make it so. As an example, there were a number of studies done in the 1970s in which hospital inpatients were told their benzodiazepine dose was being reduced. Many began having withdrawal symptoms even though the dose was unchanged.

Unfortunately, sites such a the one I suspect you got the 'Ashton method' from while maybe well meaning can make things worse.

The schedule you've outlined is okayish, though, imho, much slower than it probably needs to be given the relatively short time you've been taking Ativan. I don't think you need to take up to 20 weeks to wean off a med you've only taken for 4. It just gives the med more time to strengthen the level of dependence. However, I fear you're not going to be comfortable going faster because of what you've read which brings us back to my original point about psychology.

Thanks Mermaid. How long have you been on it for?

---------- Post added at 17:10 ---------- Previous post was at 17:09 ----------

Hey panic down under,

I actually would like to go faster if possible. I hate being on this drug. I hate it. Ideally I'd just like to be 5 days between each taper. Have you ever withdrawn from a benzo before?

If you've not been on long, the odds are your withdrawal is going to be more straightforward than someone who has been on for years.

I agree with taking great care but when you start you might find it easier, so can adjust. Just the same as I would say if you find it harder, reduce the taper to make it less harsh. So, some of this is going to be about how you cope when you are doing it.

I've been tolerant to Zopiclone after a month. I came off within about 10 days using the cycling method my GP should have used to put me on it in the first place (the crisis team told me this). Initially I wouldn't sleep at all on the non med nights but after a few it was adjusting.

I'm not saying follow my example because I had no clue about meds back then and just latched onto what the crisis team had said, but just wanted to give an example that it may not be as bad as you think. At the time I was on them because starting Cit made me depressed, crying and couldn't sleep at all. I had just had a breakdown so I was in a bad place at the start of my attempt at recovery.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raya

Have you ever withdrawn from a benzo before?

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Twice, from diazepam which admittedly is usually easier to quit because of the much longer half-life. The first time was uneventful, the second time started badly until my psychiatrist explained about the psychological component.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raya

Thanks Mermaid. How long have you been on it for?

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I was on Valium from July to December and have been on Clonazepam from December to now, so almost 12 months.

Do you mind if I ask what kind of adverse effects you are experiencing?

Tracy x

Hey guys!

Thanks for all your replies and stuff, so I decided that I'm going to try to go with this schedule:

I have been taking between 0.5mg and 2mg of Ativan everyday between the dates of April 19 2017 to May 30 2017. The last few weeks I had been taking 2mg of Ativan everyday.

After about 40 days on Ativan, I decided it was time to taper down and get off the drug, so on May 31, i tapered down to 1.75mg of Ativan a day.

This is the plan I have to get off of the Ativan:

4 days - 1.75mg
4 days - 1.50mg
4 days - 1.25mg
4 days - 1mg
4 days - 0.75mg
4 days - 0.5mg
4 days - 0.25mg
and then jump.

Basically a every four day reduction of .25mg. Is this too aggressive? i haven't been on the Ativan that long, and want to be off of it as fast as possible, without it being TOO aggressive, but without it also dragging on and the tapering duration be longer than the actual time I was on it!

Thoughts please!

---------- Post added at 17:46 ---------- Previous post was at 17:45 ----------

Hey Tracy, Do you mean adverse effects from the Ativan?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raya

Basically a every four day reduction of .25mg. Is this too aggressive?

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Given the short Ativan half-life it probably won't be too short, but everyone reacts differently so the only real way of knowing is by trying it. As Terry said, you can always ease off if withdrawal symptoms become too harsh.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raya

Hey guys!

Hey Tracy, Do you mean adverse effects from the Ativan?

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Hi Raya...yes, were you having any adverse effects from the Ativan. Or just don't need it anymore as the anti d has settled your anxiety? Do you still have anxiety at all?

so I actually started taking ativan to cope with anxiety that prozac gives you for the first few weeks. However 36 days later, ativan just started making me really depressed, and I started breathing weird, so I wanted to get off of it. I still am anxious as prozac hasn't taken it's full affect yet

Keep us updated on how you go. It will all go smoothly I think.