Lorazepam to Diazepam

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi Swan

Glad to hear that you are doing so well on such a small dose of dzp

You can't get 1mg, so you'll have to quarter the 2mg, lol

You're doing very well keep up the good work
Love
Elspeth

[Dying_Swan]

Thanks Elspeth

I really appreciate your replies xxx

[joy]

Why am I the only one Lorazapam or diaz doesnt work for??

Joy

[Dying_Swan]

Hi Joy.

What doses have you had? It didn't work immediately for me either, and I still struggled for quite a long time after starting it. I guess it just takes the edge off, but I've still had panic attacks whilst on it. You also become tolerant to it quite quickly.

If you don't find it helpful, I'd steer well clear of it!

xxx

[joy]

5 mg Valium then 1mg of Lorazapam to be taken as needed but really no more than 2mg daily. Even when really edgy i might as well be eating smarties but the shrink says thats all there is!!

Love Joy

[Alabasterlyn]

Here is a bit about Diazepam tapering from the Ashton Manual, makes interesting reading.

REASONS FOR A DIAZEPAM (VALIUM) TAPER by Professor C Heather Ashton DM, FRCP, April 2001

1) Diazepam [Valium] is one of the most slowly eliminated benzodiazepines. It has a half-life of up to 200 hours, which means that the blood level for each dose falls by only one half in about 8.3 days. The only other benzodiazepines with similar half lives are chlordiazepoxide [Librium], flunitrazepam [Rohypnol] and flurazepam [Dalmane] all of which are converted to a diazepam metabolite in the body. The slow elimination of diazepam allows a smooth, gradual fall in blood level, allowing your body to adjust slowly to a decreasing concentration of the benzodiazepine. With more rapidly eliminated benzodiazepine e.g. lorazepam, (Ativan) (which has a half-life of 10-20 hours) the blood concentration drops rapidly and withdrawal symptoms can occur between doses, because your body has little time to adjust to low concentrations.

2) Diazepam comes in the smallest dosage levels of all benzodiazepines – 2mg tablets which can be halved to give 1mg doses. This means you can reduce in stages of 1mg every 1-4 weeks or more. It is difficult to obtain such low doses of other benzodiazepines. For example the lowest dose of lorazepam in the UK is 1mg, equivalent to 10mg of diazepam. (In the US 0.5mg lorazepam are available, but these are equivalent to 5mg diazepam).

3) Many other benzodiazepines are more potent than diazepam. For example lorazepam (Ativan) is 10 times stronger and it is difficult to reduce from this gradually. Temazepam [Restoril], though less potent than diazepam, has a shorter half-life and the smallest tablet is 10 mg (equivalent to 5mg diazepam).

4) Because of the slow elimination and small available dosage strengths of diazepam, it is often advisable to switch to diazepam when withdrawing from other stronger or more rapidly eliminated benzodiazepines. This switch allows you to tail off your benzodiazepine dosage smoothly and gradually and minimises withdrawal symptoms.

5) When making the switch it is important to do it gradually, replacing one dose at a time and at approximately weekly intervals and making allowance for the difference in potency. For example, if you are taking lorazepam 1mg three times daily, first change the night dose to 10mg diazepam. (This can be done in two stages if necessary e.g. lorazepam 0.5mg (half a 1mg tablet) plus diazepam 5mg; then drop the lorazepam and go on to diazepam 10mg). A week or two later change one of the day-time doses, and two weeks later change the other day-time dose.

[Dying_Swan]

Oh cool thank you Lyn that is really helpful. So it seems I would be safe to switch back to Lzp if necessary (trying to avoid this route!)

I'm glad to know the Doctor is doing the 'right' thing too!

Thanks so much xxxxx

[Richie]

Dear Dying Swan
iIhave many a time thought of going onto Diazepam from lorazepam because as Elspeth rightly says Lorazepam is far more potent.
Been on Lorazepam 4 years because no therapy has ever been offered but i cut it down to 2 and now would like to divert to diazepam to finish these off for good. Problem is lorazepam has been just right for my metabolism without side effects or anything. But the tolerance level doesn't last forever and i don't want to live on pills forever!!!
i'd try diazepam if i were you and keep a record every day gradually weaning yourself off everything
Love Richie xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Best of Luck xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx