Benzos Ativan sucks - tapering advice needed

[PurpleKush1]

Yeah I never ask for the panic attacks they just came. And after you have panic attacks every day, your not afraid anymore you become use to it. And at least for me it was hell!!! might as well be withdrawing when your having panic attacks. Yea Im going to be getting a new doctor soon. Benzo isn't something I want to be on for life and I will taper off soon. But they do help if you can use them the right way once in a while. My problem was my old doctor had me on 3mg daily of Ativan, I didn't even know what the fuck Ativan was and people wonder why people are on benzo's. And more people have died off of ads just look at all the suicides and shootings and it's really suppose to be a safe alternative!

I agree with you 100 % ! and smart choice on tappering off, what you can do is keeping a few in case you have a panic attack but use it only when the situation is extreme. BEst of luck !

 

[bunge]

Purplekush1, did you ever try any of the other AD's?
My doctor told me that their phasing out the use of paroxetine in new patients due to its worse side effects and nasty withdrawal syndrome (i know this is the case with all ssri's but apparently paroxetine is bad even for an ssri!).
I tried sertraline as well and it worked wonders but also made me manic (my 15mg of zopiclone wouldnt keep me asleep for more then 3 hours) and i had a few amusing situations happen because of that.

 

[PurpleKush1]

Purplekush1, did you ever try any of the other AD's?
My doctor told me that their phasing out the use of paroxetine in new patients due to its worse side effects and nasty withdrawal syndrome (i know this is the case with all ssri's but apparently paroxetine is bad even for an ssri!).
I tried sertraline as well and it worked wonders but also made me manic (my 15mg of zopiclone wouldnt keep me asleep for more then 3 hours) and i had a few amusing situations happen because of that.

No man i didnt and i wont i hate them with a passion i would prefer eating pipes than ssri fuck that. Care to share those amusign situations ?

 

[Treefa]

Yes benzodiazepines are very dangerous drugs to be given out, presumably more than narcotic pain medications which are much safer in terms of withdrawals, long term effects, etc...

I took ativan for appx. 3 months, almost daily, before i first tasted the minor wd's (1mg 2X a day, used to abuse occasionally also) i thought these were "safe" and all that jazz. I laid awake that night trying to get to sleep, tossing and turning in pain.

Now, though i am still prescribed to ativan, i trade a trusted friend for xanax because the lorazepam tend to make me helplessley depressed, and xanax are much easier for me to tolerate and IMO withdrawal isn't quite as bad(ALTHOUGH, i hardly ever abuse the xanax unless im in opioid withdrawals, when i take appx. 1.5-2mg of Alprazolam to combat muscle aches&pains as well as to encourage sleep and produce a minor mood lift, not unlike that of alcohol).
HOwever, if i take lorazepam during withdrawal i will be borderlined suicidal/homicidal, but xanax is a whole nother ball park.

The key to using benzodiazepines responsibly is to not think of them as recreational drugs. And IMHO, they aren't at all. Believe me, i've had my days (back in HS) where i'd buy xanax bars off people and take a whole one and enjoy class, and even have tried to get fucked up on them.

Basically, look at this medicine as a harmful drug, that can be very useful at times, but it should be taken during those times only. Take it ONLY when you NEED it.

Just wait untill your so flooded with anxiety that your body is shivering, and pop your usual dose. Believe me, it's night and day.

If you have anxiety every minute of every hour of every day then i would not suggest the use of benzodiazepines for your condition. That WILL take you down a much worse path than using meditation and other non-pharmaceutical methods for controlling anxiety.


I consider myself very lucky for not being blinded by the benzo haze and getting addicted to the point of no return.
Now, i have about 20 .5 xanax, and usually i break them in half for the run of the mill anxiety etc.. (although past 2 days in WD i've taken 1mg in the evenings).

So basically just lower your dose as low as possible. If you can't resist the urge to pop pills then i suggest you do a fast taper half way down then go cold turkey.

Idk why everyone is so scared of withdrawal, you just need a game plan, and some time to yourself.

It's almost spiritual to me...you learn alot about yourself. After a while of withdrawing every week or two you get used to it haha.


Good luck brither, have faith in yourself, you'll be ok.

If you've good insurance, i'd accept the paxil, fil it, and not take a single one. Tell your new bitchy doc, about the GOD AWFUL side effects, and that you refuse to take any other antidepressants.

I have told my docs that i will not take anti depressants. I once spent about 4 or 5 months on lexapro...never ever again. That shit ain't natural, i wish my pharmacy sold weed and my insurance paid for 95% so it was like $2.50 per gram of GRADE A....i'd never pop a pill again...okay maybe some hydros or oxy, but seriously if i could afford weed i don't think i'd take as many pain pills.

 

[PurpleKush1]

Yes benzodiazepines are very dangerous drugs to be given out, presumably more than narcotic pain medications which are much safer in terms of withdrawals, long term effects, etc...

I took ativan for appx. 3 months, almost daily, before i first tasted the minor wd's (1mg 2X a day, used to abuse occasionally also) i thought these were "safe" and all that jazz. I laid awake that night trying to get to sleep, tossing and turning in pain.

Now, though i am still prescribed to ativan, i trade a trusted friend for xanax because the lorazepam tend to make me helplessley depressed, and xanax are much easier for me to tolerate and IMO withdrawal isn't quite as bad(ALTHOUGH, i hardly ever abuse the xanax unless im in opioid withdrawals, when i take appx. 1.5-2mg of Alprazolam to combat muscle aches&pains as well as to encourage sleep and produce a minor mood lift, not unlike that of alcohol).
HOwever, if i take lorazepam during withdrawal i will be borderlined suicidal/homicidal, but xanax is a whole nother ball park.

The key to using benzodiazepines responsibly is to not think of them as recreational drugs. And IMHO, they aren't at all. Believe me, i've had my days (back in HS) where i'd buy xanax bars off people and take a whole one and enjoy class, and even have tried to get fucked up on them.

Basically, look at this medicine as a harmful drug, that can be very useful at times, but it should be taken during those times only. Take it ONLY when you NEED it.

Just wait untill your so flooded with anxiety that your body is shivering, and pop your usual dose. Believe me, it's night and day.

If you have anxiety every minute of every hour of every day then i would not suggest the use of benzodiazepines for your condition. That WILL take you down a much worse path than using meditation and other non-pharmaceutical methods for controlling anxiety.


I consider myself very lucky for not being blinded by the benzo haze and getting addicted to the point of no return.
Now, i have about 20 .5 xanax, and usually i break them in half for the run of the mill anxiety etc.. (although past 2 days in WD i've taken 1mg in the evenings).

So basically just lower your dose as low as possible. If you can't resist the urge to pop pills then i suggest you do a fast taper half way down then go cold turkey.

Idk why everyone is so scared of withdrawal, you just need a game plan, and some time to yourself.

It's almost spiritual to me...you learn alot about yourself. After a while of withdrawing every week or two you get used to it haha.


Good luck brither, have faith in yourself, you'll be ok.

If you've good insurance, i'd accept the paxil, fil it, and not take a single one. Tell your new bitchy doc, about the GOD AWFUL side effects, and that you refuse to take any other antidepressants.

I have told my docs that i will not take anti depressants. I once spent about 4 or 5 months on lexapro...never ever again. That shit ain't natural, i wish my pharmacy sold weed and my insurance paid for 95% so it was like $2.50 per gram of GRADE A....i'd never pop a pill again...okay maybe some hydros or oxy, but seriously if i could afford weed i don't think i'd take as many pain pills.

FInally someone who hates AD s as much as me lol ! but i dont agree though that benzo cannot be recretional, for me they are, they cause euphoria because i go from a state of anxiety to a state of no-care and almost bliss.

 

[billybob4200]

Yeah I used to take Xanax recreationaly and never got attached to them just used them to take the edge off never got fully hooked. But this Ativan is some suicidal shit I've been on it daily for about 4 months I am down to like 0.75mg daily but man I feel like I hit that point of not return, every time I have tried to skip a dose or day fucking get solid blinking eyes heavy head and brain electric shocks here and there. I switch to Xanax for like two weeks witch made me feel a little better mood sleep wise. But I took 1.5mg a day, and in the mornings I would wake up with my left arm not moving for like a min and then electric feeling. This shit fuckin sucks man but I am just going to get a knew doc and keep trying to taper my dose, I am just trying to taper the shit slowy until I get to the last increment that way at least I won't be messed up for to long but it just feels like i am prolonging the this shit by taking it everyday! But every one saying to come off is really slow and that way your brain can readjust in shorter time instead of jumping off and it taking longer months to years !

 

[General Antonio]

I would ask your doctor if you could switch to a benzodiazepine with a longer half-life, such as valium or klonopin. I detoxed from Xanax about 2 months ago, and switching over to klonopin to complete the taper was probably the smartest thing I did, as you can afford to taper much more slowly (e.g. titrate 0.25 mg every 2 weeks) and because the benzo last a lot longer. Long story short, I switched to Klonopin once I was at 1 mg of Xanax.. I tapered down 0.25 mg every 2 weeks until I was down to 0.125 mg.. I took this dose for 5 days and discontinued taking benzodiazepines. Don't get me wrong the withdrawal absolutely sucked with all the classical withdrawal symptoms: heightened anxiety, a racing heart, paranoia, the weird "pins and needles" feeling on your skin and the question of whether I would ever be able to think again normally, or be that way for the rest of my life.

However, withdrawal wasn't absolute hell (but still pretty damn bad) because I was able to taper very slowly.. Once I was off, I took a cocktail of Kava Kava/Valerian Root/GABA/Phenibut for about 3 weeks. After about 1 month, nearly all the withdrawal symptoms were gone.

If you want to get off benzodiazepines, you have to make a plan and not be fearful of the discomfort that will occur. It can be done with a good plan, discipline and good habits. I'm now 58 days clean from Xanax after taking it for 18 months or 1 and 1/2 years and feel 100% better. You really have to want to get off, and you must understand that over time, everything WILL get better, guaranteed.

 

[F1n1shed]

Guys i know diazepam is the usual taper benzo to use. But is it possible to taper off clonazepam with clonazepam, will the WD be very bad? Keep in mind the daily dose is small, just large doses like once or twice a week.