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Getting off Ativan

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Posted 8/27/2007 6:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all and hi Kitt,

I know you were getting off ativan and using valium. How did you do it?

How much valium and how often were you taking it?

And how are you doing now?

Thanks for any input.

Denim

Posted 8/27/2007 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Denim
I too am weaning off of ativan and using my valium only when needed to get me thru

I know at times it is rough but I have been on these meds for as long as I can remember and I found different ways of using self help coping skills to get me thru most of it
Like CBT....Relaxation techniques .....going for walks ......reading self help books and I am not doing to bad

I need to be on the ativan when my Pyoderma pops up as it slows the blood flow down for me ......

I am sure Kitt will be along with her answer right soon ..........

Take care

LYN
Posted 8/27/2007 1:20 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning Denim,

Yes I am weaning off the Valium.  I emailed you the link with my weaning schedule.  I am down to 4 mgs of Valium as of yesterday.  However if I need it, I would not hesitate to talk to my physician about using it as these medications do play a role in controlling your anxiety.

I have used a very slow process so I have not had any backlash effect from dropping the dosages to quickly.

Take care and bless you.

Posted 8/27/2007 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Kitt and Lyn, I'll be looking forward to seeing the email, I saw this first. I think whatever works best for an individual. I would do the weaning off a bit at a time, because that's what I know.
Glad you are both doing well. They are having cbt classses in my area, I think we might go, never went before.

Blessings,
Barbara
Posted 8/27/2007 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
The protocol is generally to find the equivalent dose between your dose of Ativan and Valium. You'd then take that until you stabilized. Due to the difference in the half lives of the medications you would experience some amount of withdrawal during the first week or maybe two. After you're stable, you then start tapering from the Valium very, very slowly. If done correctly then withdrawal phenomena would be minimized at all steps, although I understand that some people have a rough time with the initial switch. Others don't...everyone's different.

Is that something like you went through, Kitt?
Posted 8/27/2007 11:31 PM (GMT 0)

Hey D,

I sent her the link for the protocol and yes you ease off the Ativan and onto the Valium.  I had no bad effects using this method at all.  Only way to go in my opinion.  yeah

Posted 8/28/2007 6:18 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Demin.  My name is Nick.  I was on Valium for about 3 months and in all honesty, I had no problems stopping taking them.  However, I was put onto Klonapin and had no withdrawl symptoms at all.  What I would do is VERY slowly tapper off both while being put on a low dose of something else.  I have a friend who is tappering of Valium (and he was on a really high dose) and he has been taking Immovane to help him sleep at night and he has been taking Xanax as needed but only when the withdrawl is really bothering him.

But everyone is different with meds.  I would talk to your doctor and make a plan on how to tapper off.  The reason why I am saying you might want to see your doctor first is becuase it might be very uncomfortable stopping two benzo's at once.

Hope this helps a bit.

Nick

Posted 8/28/2007 6:37 AM (GMT 0)

Boomer2uall said...

Hi Demin.  My name is Nick.  I was on Valium for about 3 months and in all honesty, I had no problems stopping taking them.  However, I was put onto Klonapin and had no withdrawl symptoms at all.  What I would do is VERY slowly tapper off both while being put on a low dose of something else.  I have a friend who is tappering of Valium (and he was on a really high dose) and he has been taking Immovane to help him sleep at night and he has been taking Xanax as needed but only when the withdrawl is really bothering him.

But everyone is different with meds.  I would talk to your doctor and make a plan on how to tapper off.  The reason why I am saying you might want to see your doctor first is becuase it might be very uncomfortable stopping two benzo's at once.

Hope this helps a bit.

Nick

Hi Nick, Thanks for your reply. I appreciate the input. I guess what you are saying is that you subsituted the klonopin for the valium? That's excellent that you had no withdrawal symptoms from it. I'm guessing you tapered off slowly. There's nothing better than hearing from individuals themselves, who have gotten off or are in the process of gettting off a medication. All great replies here, Thanks alot.  

 


Posted 8/29/2007 11:07 AM (GMT 0)
Denim

Plz do keep us posted on how you are making out
Yes I weaned from ativan ( still am ) by using my valium as needed .....

All the best to you my friend

LYN
Posted 8/29/2007 12:13 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Denim

Hang in there and let me know if you need anything.  Great input from all.  Lots of support from our members.

Keep posting and gentle hugs.

Kitt

 

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Posted 8/29/2007 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone so much. It was actually my husband who got off ativan. When I wrote my initial post, it was Sunday here and he had his own ideas of getting off. And it wasn't weaning. I had some ideas and remember Kitt saying she was weaning off. This was the first place I thought of for help. He actually didn't do it the slow way, but lived through it and is now, thank God, stable on the valium.
It will be my turn when I'm up to it. I have severe leg pain and any extra pain/anxiety might be too much.
But I am ready in my mind to do it. My husband was having a bad reaction to the activan, in that it was giving him more anxiety and panic attacks. If you recall that's how I came to this board and always got great responses. Since he's off ativan, he isn't getting the attacks everyday and the other bad panic symptoms. Imagine, he was on ativan for about 20 months of torture and never thought it was the ativan doing it. Anyway, thank you all so much. God bless you all. I will always come here for help.

Barbara
Posted 8/29/2007 4:32 PM (GMT 0)

Barbara,

Just droping in to say hello and good to hear your getting the info you need.  I am always available so email me whenever.

Hugs

Kitt

Posted 8/29/2007 9:09 PM (GMT 0)

stkitt said...

Barbara,

Just droping in to say hello and good to hear your getting the info you need.  I am always available so email me whenever.

Hugs

Kitt

Thanks so much Kitt, you would not believe how well my husband is doing. He is pretty stable on the valium and convincing me to do the same. Now I have to see my doctor again about this plan. But my husband is like a new person. Praise God.
Posted 8/30/2007 12:19 PM (GMT 0)
Many ppl do have this reaction to Ativan ....I am so sorry your hubby and you had to go thru all that Hades to find out thats what it was ......

Many seniors with Alzheimers are wrongly RX IMHO ativan and causes then to hallucinate or be more aggressive /beligerent....more anxiety than w/o the med .....


Glad it all worked out for you 's

Take care and yes stay with us

LYN
Posted 8/30/2007 2:07 PM (GMT 0)

Howlyncat said...
Many ppl do have this reaction to Ativan ....I am so sorry your hubby and you had to go thru all that Hades to find out thats what it was ......

Many seniors with Alzheimers are wrongly RX IMHO ativan and causes then to hallucinate or be more aggressive /beligerent....more anxiety than w/o the med .....


Glad it all worked out for you 's

Take care and yes stay with us

LYN

Thank you Lyn, we of course didn't know this. He's been through almost 2 years of Hades and I took the trip with him!! I thank God he is doing this well. It was making me crazy also to see him tortured everyday. Praise God and thanks so much.

Be well, Barbara

Posted 8/31/2007 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
YOu too and your hubby keep coming back and letting us know how all is going okay
YOU are part of this family and you know we are all here for you

God BLess
LYN
Posted 8/31/2007 3:07 PM (GMT 0)

Howlyncat said...
YOu too and your hubby keep coming back and letting us know how all is going okay
YOU are part of this family and you know we are all here for you

God BLess
LYN

Thank you Lyn so very much. This site is the best. I always know I can come here and get great responses from people. I would recommend this site to anyone. I have been to other groups and boards but left them. This site has everything. Every condition plus nice people who will answer you sincerely. God bless you all for you care and kindness, I really mean that. I will be back. I have a chronic pain condition, but so far my husband is doing great, and that is such a blessing from God! Praise Him! And thank all of you for your responses and concern for us.

Sincerely,

Barbara

Posted 9/3/2007 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

How are you and Happy Labor Day!!

I wanted to update you about this Ativan withdrawal. Well, like I said, my husband got off of it and all his panic symptoms left. He is hardly taking any valium, it is really knocking him out, but no panic attack!! Praise God. He did get a stupid migraine yesterday, which he used to get bad years ago, so that is a downer.

Now, as for me. I was taking ativan and have been transferring to valium also. Let me tell you, in one day of taking 1/2 and 1/2 3x a day, I feel the difference. Yesterday, was the first time in a long time I believe that I didn't feel so down as I have from my pain and my pain has been less, again Praise God. I really do believe like the doctor was saying on that site that Kitt so lovingly sent me, that the ativan raises your blood sugar and drops you quickly and I do believe although I wasn't having panic attacks, I was very emotional and these past 2 days of cutting down the ativan has already changed it.

So far, there has been no problem in switching over. I felt like I didn't need a week for the 1/2 and 1/2 at night and I realize everyone is different. I think I am ready for just valium at night w/o the ativan, we'll see.

I still have to see my doctor on this. I started this on Friday and he wasn't in. I'll call him tomorrow and also ask him about seeing someone about my knee pain. If they won't look at my back problems maybe I thought someone might consider me a candidate for arthroscopic surgery on my knees. I think that would really help me, if my knees felt better. But yesterday was the best day I had in awhile and I had to tell you that. Except for my husband's migraine.

Hopefully that too will pass.

God bless you all,

Barbara 

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