Benzos Benxos 25% taper possible? long term use

[300THB]

Lorazepam has been used at 2mg a day for the last 12 months.

Doctor has told me to reduce dosage by 0.5mg every 2 weeks.

So yesterday i taken 1mg in the afternoon and 0.5mg at night.

I slept not to bad but felt a little out of sorts but not much really.

Should i keep this up and stick with the 0.5mg taper reduction?

 

[Jekyl Anhydride]

Do you want to quit or is this your doctor's idea? Might as well give it a shot unless it becomes intolerable.

 

[Speed King]

I'd follow this recommendation. It is usually easier to taper benzodiazepines slower. At the minimum, regardless if you can handle it or not, it is stressing your body less.

The fact that your doctor suggested a slower taper helps.

I found coming off short acting benzodiazepines, that I used long term or high dose then quick taper, to stink, to say the least.

Stick with the slow taper.

 

[300THB]

Thanks for the advice guys yes i do want to quit.

Will a 25% dosage reduction taper not cause really bad benzo withdrawal? ive experienced it once when i cut my dosage 80% and it was real bad lol.

 

[Keif' Richards]

The severity of the withdrawal produced from your decrease is going to depend heavily upon your own psychological state and physiology. Benzodiazepines are known for not producing a necessarily linear withdrawal. It tends to wax and wane in terms of severity and is not as easily predictable as Opioid withdrawal. I feel that the only way to know for sure will be to try. I don't think it would be unreasonable to request a 50% halt in the taper if your symptoms were to be completely unbearable. It really depends upon what kind of footing you're on with your provider regarding controlled substances.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but withdrawal from sedative/hypnotics like Benzodiazepines, Barbiturates and Alcohol can be very severe. You can call this pessimism or you can call it trying to make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew. I'm not trying to say that it's going to be potentially lethal, I'm just saying that it can be severe enough to leave you unable to function normally and independently.

If your symptoms are too much for you to handle, you should let both your Doctor and us know what symptoms are bothering you. It's possible that you could still continue with the taper with the aid of some easily-acquired, relatively non-addictive medication. Either way, keep us updated.

 

[kleinerkiffer]

If you can tolerate it stick to it, if not tell your doctor that your withdrawal symptoms are severe and you don't want to taper that fast. And check out the ashton maual for more info about benzo tapers.
Good luck!

 

[300THB]

The severity of the withdrawal produced from your decrease is going to depend heavily upon your own psychological state and physiology. Benzodiazepines are known for not producing a necessarily linear withdrawal. It tends to wax and wane in terms of severity and is not as easily predictable as Opioid withdrawal. I feel that the only way to know for sure will be to try. I don't think it would be unreasonable to request a 50% halt in the taper if your symptoms were to be completely unbearable. It really depends upon what kind of footing you're on with your provider regarding controlled substances.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but withdrawal from sedative/hypnotics like Benzodiazepines, Barbiturates and Alcohol can be very severe. You can call this pessimism or you can call it trying to make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew. I'm not trying to say that it's going to be potentially lethal, I'm just saying that it can be severe enough to leave you unable to function normally and independently.

If your symptoms are too much for you to handle, you should let both your Doctor and us know what symptoms are bothering you. It's possible that you could still continue with the taper with the aid of some easily-acquired, relatively non-addictive medication. Either way, keep us updated.

Thank you guys for the replies.

Just out of curiosity what are some of these medications which can help with benzo withdrawal?

I know what your saying about the severity of benzo withdrawal symptoms. I experienced a full on blow of them before i got rushed into hospital with a heart rate of 180. Im hoping though that this can be avoided with a 25% reduction rate because last time i tried 80% or more and it was unbearable and down right dangerous.

On day 2 of taking 1.5mg from the original 2mg dosage and i don't feel too bad. Had some really severe dizzy spells and i thought i was going to pass out but these only lasted for 10-20 seconds each time. And i have spent the entire day in a Crown Court so i guess these could have been just caused by anxiety.

Does it usually take much more than 2 days to feel withdrawal symptoms?

 

[300THB]

So day 3 and nothing significant to report.

Last night though i did feel a lot of tension in my neck muscles. They kept cramping up and i couldn't move my head at one point for about 30-40 seconds. Felt pretty off balance yesterday as well where when i stood up i could feel like my feet where moving side to side.

Is this anything to worry about guys? a bit worried about the seizing up neck muscles i don't want to have a seizure

 

[Speed King]

If you feel they are, get checked. This is the problem, we cannot feel the effects you feel. Even a discription is your opinion. Worst case, sure. Usually a ballpark idea is what's needed at minimum, but this is one of the last drugs you fuck with during withdrawal. If it's that bad(I've been close to ER myself)go right now. I am being polite and not asking you but telling you to go. Only you know.

 

[300THB]

On day 12 i think.

How long should it take to stabilize on the new 1.5mg dosage? i don't feel completely stable lol.

All withdrawals should have peaked by day 12 shouldn't they? my doc asked me to reduce by 0.5mg every 2 weeks so i would imagine they should level out around now right? don't think im going to be dropping a full 0.5mg for this cut though think i will try 0.25mg.

 

[300THB]

On day 12 i think.

How long should it take to stabilize on the new 1.5mg dosage? i don't feel completely stable lol.

All withdrawals should have peaked by day 12 shouldn't they? my doc asked me to reduce by 0.5mg every 2 weeks so i would imagine they should level out around now right? don't think im going to be dropping a full 0.5mg for this cut though think i will try 0.25mg.

Doctor has also prescribed me 5mg Olanzapine to take daily. She said it would relieve the benzo withdrawal symptoms and help with my irrational thoughts. I have not taken it yet though i don't know if a anti psychotic is really a good idea.

 

[kleinerkiffer]

Doctor has also prescribed me 5mg Olanzapine to take daily. She said it would relieve the benzo withdrawal symptoms and help with my irrational thoughts. I have not taken it yet though i don't know if a anti psychotic is really a good idea.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15662766

In the clinical use of olanzapine, clozopine and zuclopenthixol seems epileptogenic, whereas in the case of quetiapine seizure reducing properties must be taken into account.

So imo olanzapine isn't the best idea, but I'm not a doctor..

 

[merajjj840]

I have used all the commonly Rx'd benzos and some of the barbiturates on/off since 2009. Point being: I have some experience in this area.

At day 12 the w/d from Ativan/lorazepam is over. Anything that is left is the psychological part, and as Kief Richards stated, that will wax&wane.

To stabilize at a new dose I would say 2 weeks is plenty of time (with a drug that has such a short half-life, and a short therapeutic effect).

How do you take your Ativan, btw? Do you just swallow it, or do you hold it under your tongue until it dissolves? (not a huge difference for most, some swear by the mouth technique..)

You stated you want your next drop to be 0.25mg instead of 0.5mg. That is fair, as you're on a "new" dose of the drug.
Suggestion: you could do 0.25mg drop for the next week and another 0.25mg for the following? Up to you.
- If you stated WHY you're on benzos, and this one in particular, I missed it.

I have never taken Zyprexa (tradename in US - dunno where you are). To the best of my understanding about this drug 5mg is a small-moderate dose. Your Psy gave it to you because it causes drowsiness, and I suppose could be helpful with anxiety, again - never taken it. It will likely be helpful with irrational thoughts, but aside from being drowsy I doubt it will help with Benzo w/d symptoms, as it doesn't hit GABA receptors.

Ps: you do not want to stay on anti-psycs if you don't have to. While it is a 2nd generation anti-psyc, it still often has nasty side effects (e.g. TD) **that come on with prolonged use** Other less severe side effects can occur much sooner, but don't discourage you from using it to help you off benzos.


Just a suggestion for when you get down to 0.25-0.5mg --> if you have ever taken Valium, and tolerated it well, it could be beneficial to switch to that. It is easier to taper off of, as the half-life is much longer, and thus the UP/DOWN benzo w/d symptoms aren't as present.

I went from taking this daily:
20mg Valium
2mg Ativan
1mg Xanax
1 - 1.5mg Klonopin
50-200mg Butalbital
(Rx'd for more than 1 reason, and, no, my doc is not a croaker )

To:
15mg Valium
50mg Butalbital

Did this transition over a 3-4 month period. Everyone is different.

Point being....if I can do it, ya'll likely can too!

Best of luck!

 

[300THB]

I have used all the commonly Rx'd benzos and some of the barbiturates on/off since 2009. Point being: I have some experience in this area.

At day 12 the w/d from Ativan/lorazepam is over. Anything that is left is the psychological part, and as Kief Richards stated, that will wax&wane.

To stabilize at a new dose I would say 2 weeks is plenty of time (with a drug that has such a short half-life, and a short therapeutic effect).

How do you take your Ativan, btw? Do you just swallow it, or do you hold it under your tongue until it dissolves? (not a huge difference for most, some swear by the mouth technique..)

You stated you want your next drop to be 0.25mg instead of 0.5mg. That is fair, as you're on a "new" dose of the drug.
Suggestion: you could do 0.25mg drop for the next week and another 0.25mg for the following? Up to you.
- If you stated WHY you're on benzos, and this one in particular, I missed it.

I have never taken Zyprexa (tradename in US - dunno where you are). To the best of my understanding about this drug 5mg is a small-moderate dose. Your Psy gave it to you because it causes drowsiness, and I suppose could be helpful with anxiety, again - never taken it. It will likely be helpful with irrational thoughts, but aside from being drowsy I doubt it will help with Benzo w/d symptoms, as it doesn't hit GABA receptors.

Ps: you do not want to stay on anti-psycs if you don't have to. While it is a 2nd generation anti-psyc, it still often has nasty side effects (e.g. TD) **that come on with prolonged use** Other less severe side effects can occur much sooner, but don't discourage you from using it to help you off benzos.


Just a suggestion for when you get down to 0.25-0.5mg --> if you have ever taken Valium, and tolerated it well, it could be beneficial to switch to that. It is easier to taper off of, as the half-life is much longer, and thus the UP/DOWN benzo w/d symptoms aren't as present.

I went from taking this daily:
20mg Valium
2mg Ativan
1mg Xanax
1 - 1.5mg Klonopin
50-200mg Butalbital
(Rx'd for more than 1 reason, and, no, my doc is not a croaker )

To:
15mg Valium
50mg Butalbital

Did this transition over a 3-4 month period. Everyone is different.

Point being....if I can do it, ya'll likely can too!

Best of luck!

Very interesting thank you. So i should already be mostly stable on the new dosage. I just feel serious depersonalization nothing seems, looks or feels real. So i guess this is just the psychological after effects and should pass with some time.

Im really not all set on taking the anti psychotic because firstly i have suffered from depersonalization for many years it comes on and goes off. Usually it lasts 3-6 months then passes for a year and starts again for a few months. I believe most anti psychotics will just make this a lot worse.

Why im on benzos? well i started taking them illegally without a prescription for about a year. I have gone up and down from 6mg to 2mg a day especially when i was regularly using cocaine. On them nights i would take 4-6mg to sleep after. But i have not used cocaine in nearly a year and have been on the steady 2mg a day for a good 5 months. I started to take them because i was basically extremely depressed due to a personal incident and that led to me blowing through what most peoples monthly salary is in a week on my cocaine habit. Then i tried to kill myself when high on cocaine, benzos and alcohol. Then after that i never used cocaine since and just kept to taking my benzos. I guess they made my days bearable when i was in this dark psychological place.

Seriously congratulations on your taper off benzos mate, you have done extremely well in such a short time!

I will definitely consider diazepam switch when down to 0.5mg. I can handle low doses of valium fine but anything over 10mg or so and it just makes me feel very spaced out.