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Breaking Free from Lorazepam

Im basically done with Lorazepam except for sporadic use for panic attacks. Now I am able to see that this drug, and likely all benzos, are best used for checking out.
Originally I loved that my stress and panic attacks were under control with these new meds. Now I can see that it really made me tired. Great for stopping a panic attack. Also great for going to sleep.
Now I dont want to take any if I have a choice. And Im being more proactive about avoiding triggers for my meltdowns.
 
Once I am off it acts a lot like alcohol. Get drunk once and have a hangover one morning. Get really drunk once and be hungover for the whole weekend. Just dont start using more than twice a week and you wont build any dependance. And dont take more than you absolutely need and you wont have much withdrawls,
 
Squeaky said:
Once I am off it acts a lot like alcohol. Get drunk once and have a hangover one morning. Get really drunk once and be hungover for the whole weekend. Just dont start using more than twice a week and you wont build any dependance. And dont take more than you absolutely need and you wont have much withdrawls,
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I have to strongly disagree. After someone has formed a benzo dependency and then tapers off using twice weekly is not an option. Well it is an option if you want to constantly be experiencing symptoms of rebound anxiety. Do a couple months of twice weekly and you will kindle yourself into a state of mild WD's every time you try and go more then 2 days without a benzo.

Taper off and only use benzos in times of extreme distress. As far as I am concerned the idea of getting off a drug that is extremely physically addictive only to return to using that same drug twice a week is a recipe for failure and relapse into daily use. Yes some people may have enough self control but they are in the minority. Using twice a week is how I have formed a majority of my drug dependencies. Twice a week of Ativan would make it so you have active motabolites in your system 4 days out of the entire week.
 
Prescottdave said:
Twice a week of Ativan would make it so you have active motabolites in your system 4 days out of the entire week.
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Lorazepam has no active metabolites. Just wanted to throw that out there as I've seen similar statements on several threads this week. Primary metabolite (~75%) is lorazepam glucuronide which is fully inactive. It's used in people with renal and hepatic impairment due to the reduced incidence of accumulation. Also in sidestepping the cyp450 enzyme family it isn't subject to the hereditary differences that can make other agents more variable.
 
Im no chemist, but I do know that Ativan(Lorazepam) is preferred in Emergency rooms because it us easily injectable as a liquid, but also because it acts fast and leaves just as fast. As opposed to something like Xanax, which keeps you stoned for hours and lingers for more than a day.
There is a psychological component to addiction where you become addicted to the idea that a pill is the solution to every problem, thus taking a benzo every day because life is hard. And weekly use definitely turns into daily use for me because of that. I do recognize that I am constantly risking a dangerous habit because I choose to solve my problem with a pill today, then tomorrow, then every day, then needing more because my tolerance is up. And that scares me..... a lot.
Compound ALL of this with the daily responsibilities of being an adult with Autism and I say thank God I have something to help me make it through another day. My guess is there are a LOT of people exactly where I am.
 
Dr. Extract said:
Lorazepam has no active metabolites. Just wanted to throw that out there as I've seen similar statements on several threads this week. Primary metabolite (~75%) is lorazepam glucuronide which is fully inactive. It's used in people with renal and hepatic impairment due to the reduced incidence of accumulation. Also in sidestepping the cyp450 enzyme family it isn't subject to the hereditary differences that can make other agents more variable.
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This is correct. Thanks for the heads up. It still stands that taking benzos 2x per week after trying to recover from a benzo dependency could easily lead to rebound symptoms and even mild WD's. This is a harm reduction forum and thus why most would suggest not messing with benzos after getting off them. To me it just sounds like torture and could also create a kindling effect which is currently being discussed in several other threads. There are numerous studies cited on wikipedia which have shown even a few days on a benzo with a previous history of dependence can result in WD's.
 
I had a few stressful days and got back up to 2 mg per day Ativan. I am tapering back off right now. Quick since I only used it for a week or so. I am terrified of insomnia, so I am probably going slower than necessary. Actually I did 4 mg one day I think.
Its not hard to taper now though. I dont like the side effects of this drug at all any more. And now I have experience with coming off it. I just stick to my plan and its not hard.
 
I cut my dose by 1/2, about once a week until 0.5 mg/day in the evening. Then off. No wds. Been off for a couple of weeks no wds.
Ill probably use it again from time to time, but only when Im desperate. The side effects sort of suck now. Im sure thats a good thing.
 
Im done with benzos now. I keep thinking that I really need a better night of sleep and an Ativan would really help, but I just figure I want to be %100 off them for a lot longer so I just dont take any. When it gets that easy to say no, then I guess it means Im through to the other side now.

Tapering totally worked for me. I stuck to the idea that its a game of percentages, cutting my doses by 25 or 50%. But also sticking to the idea that I could never go back up a level. I was ready to stay at a lower level for as long as needed. But always knowing that I must go further down.
Also knowing that life is hard. Getting off the pills doesnt mean its going to be really hard forever. It just means its getting back to normal, normally hard. The same normally hard as it is for everyone else.
 
I havent taken any in a week now. I did for about 5 days last week. Maybe was off all benzos for 2 or 3 weeks before that. I havent been sleeping very good lately, but I think its related to opiates and just general stress. Either way Im doing fine with no benzos right now. I really want it to stay that way while I taper off Lyrica and pain killers. Problem is that withdrawls from any one of these drugs includes insomnia, and benzos fix that problem fast.
I dont have a gigantic stash anymore either. Im either going to have to give them up forever or go get more. Dunno if my Dr will give me them again. Too much politics around benzos and opiates right now in the USA.
 
Been back on Ativan for sleep for about 2 weeks now, again. I?m tapering off now. I should be done in two more days. No side effects other than sleeping good. No wds
 
I think it has been 2 months now since my last Ativan. The most important think for me has been finding other ways to deal with the problems that I had been using it to solve. Insomnia, stress, panic attacks, etc..... It’s no fun, but better than the side effects of Ativan.
 
It’s been more than a year now since I stopped taking Ativan daily. I use it once or twice a month sometimes just to sleep because of oxy wd’s when I run out, but I’m no longer dependent on Benzos.
I remember counting the days since my last pill. I knew that it was going to be a while before I felt normal and the waiting was MURDER!! Enough to make me want to go back. Somewhere in the middle of the counting I got distracted and it all just disappeared. No more apprehension about how much further it would be.
I think that was key. Distractions. Definitely help.
 
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