Cut benzo dosages - dropping use by a lot.

[Lightning-Nl]

Just 5 days ago, I was taking 8 milligrams of Lorazepam everyday. I did it for about two weeks because I was out of sleep meds, and now that I have my Temazepam refilled, I've stopped that insane dose of Ativan.

Well... That was a mistake... While I thought that my therapeutic dosages of Temazepam would get me back on track, cross-tolerance has occurred and now, 30 milligrams of Temazepam is barely working and I'm having Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. I'm tempted to start taking the Ativan again, but that would be a horrible idea for the long-term. So I'm going to try and taper from this as quick as I can, but still being able to function.

I've been taking the Temazepam, at night, not going over my therapeutic dosage, since I was prescribed. I've now cut back the Ativan to 2 milligrams a day with the Temazepam. This is staving off withdrawal symptoms, but I have to dose the Ativan in the morning, and then again, in the evening (with dinner) and then 6 hours later, the Temazepam.

I'd like to get back to only taking the Temazepam everyday, and only taking the Ativan PRN (meaning only a couple times a week if nessecary).

Does anyone have advice on how I should go about doing this? The main problem I'm having is Vertigo, Tinnitus, and mood destabilization. 2 milligrams of the Ativan seems to ward 90% of those effects off, but I'd like to get to 0 milligrams of Lorazepam.

Does anyone have experience doing a quick taper?

 

[T. Calderone]

You took a large dose for two weeks so I imagine that's why you're feeling withdrawals. What you're doing now sounds like a good plan with just one tablet in the morning and one in the afternoon. Do this for another few days and then go down to only half mg Ativan twice a day for no longer than a week. That might work for you.