Getting off Ativan and Freaking Out!
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Hi everyone,
I freaked myself out by reading all kinds of horror stories online about coming off a Benzo, especially Ativan because of it’s short half life. I am looking for anyone who has had a similar experience to me that can help. I go see my new doctor Tuesday but here is my history. I was given .5mg of Ativan back in 2016 for situational anxiety. I barely ever took it until very late that year into 2017 when I started getting anxiety attacks in the middle of the night. I’d wake up shaking and have heart palpitations. So I started taking .25mg every night to help me sleep. My doctor said this was fine and I shouldn’t form a habit. Yeah right! My mind doesn’t want it but my body is trying to tell me differently. I mostly stuck to my .25 mg every night unless I would have a situation where my anxiety was up (life events, husband out of town, etc) I very seldom took it during the day and the most I ever took at one time was 1 mg and that was very rare. I mostly stuck to the .25mg or .5mg at night. All of a sudden in the last couple months I have been waking up in the middle of the night with the terrible shakes and in the morning horrible, nervous shaking and anxiety that eases a little as the day goes on but never quite goes away. I’ve been gagging and dry heaving and this morning even threw up. I have ringing in the ears. I’ve had my thyroid checked and that was all clear. I am now thinking I have built up a tolerance to the Ativan and am in tolerance withdrawal. I have been consistently taking .25mg for the past 3-4 nights. I want off this horrible drug! I wish my doctor would have been more honest about what this drug could do to me. I am a mom of 3 boys and I can’t be incapacitated like this! My plan is to start tapering off, but since I am already experiencing withdrawals I am wondering if I can go at a little faster pace and I am wondering if anyone has a similar experience? My pharmacist said to just stop taking it, that he stopped after a year on a small dose of Xanax and was fine but everywhere I read says that is extremely dangerous. Any advice would be great! Please try to keep it positive, I’ve already terrorized myself.
0 likes, 7 replies
michelle68080 chelsea46220
Posted
Glad to hear that you want to get off this terrible drug . Stay off google. I did the same thing and the stories freaked me out also. I was in the same boat as you about 12 weeks ago. TOTALLY Same symptoms . I developed tinnitus two years ago so I have been in interdose withdrawl ever since. 5 years ago I was prescribed xanax by my prescribing doctor, who had no clue about tapering , so I went to my GP. Don't listen to pharmacist either. I was taking 1 mg at night for about 5 years. I am not a doctor but in my opinion, you have entered benzo tolerance. Had the same waking up anxiety and shakes just like you. I'm glad you read up on this and you know that xanax and ativan leave your system within hours and within 24 hours your body is already in withdrawls. I went to my regular doctor and she put me on a taper plan. We added a morning dose and afternoon dose for a couple weeks to get it in back in my system instead of just every 24 hours. I tapered down to .0125, stayed on that for two weeks at bedtime and took the jump. I had some withdrawl symtoms when I went from .25 to .0125 for a day but wasn't that bad. I am now 84 hours off my last pill and I haven't had any symptoms . Actually I am already sleeping better and not waking up with the anxiety. But still aware that rebound anxiety could happen. Talk to your dr and get a taper plan and if they don't work with you find another one that will. Not everyone will want to do the ashton method. I wouldn't just stop at this point. Your dose is pretty low. Also what helped me was a spray called Rescue Remedy. It's a made by Bach Flower. I also take CBD oil. Two sprays twice a day. You can do this. And remember to stay off google. Let me know if you doctor set you up with a taper plan. You can do this. I hoped this helped...
chelsea46220 michelle68080
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dhmc chelsea46220
Posted
michelle68080 chelsea46220
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Hello there. You have done your homework. I'm not a doctor but I'm pretty sure you are in a benzo tolerance . Same thing happened to me. I have a very long story but will make short, not sweet. Back in 2103 I was put on 1 mg of Xanax a night by my therapist . In the beginning of 2016 I started waking up in the middle of the night just like you are now. Went to a internal medicine doctor and had a head MRI because I was experiencing head vibrations and ringing in my ear. I told her I was taking the xanax at night and she had obviously no clue about tolerance ... I Spent A lot of money. Nothing showed up . So I went back to my therapist and she said that my anxiety was worse and that I needed to go to 1 mg 3x day. I never did that.
thank god!! . So the last two years have not been that great. After reading up on google like you , I found out I was in benzo tolerance . I never saw THAT doctor again ! . At the beginning of March 2018 I called my GP and made a appointment to see her and she helped me go over a very nice taper plan. I know a lot of people will turn to the ashton manual but she did not want to do that because my dose was small. I tapered down to .0125 and took the jump. My last pill was on Sun. Mother's day.. I am now on day 4 of no Xanax. I have not had any real bad symtoms yet but I still know all about rebound anxiety so I am going with it. You can do this. Stay off google It freaked me out also!!!! It will make your taper worse. If you don't trust your doctor find another one!! I also take CBD oil which I think helped. I Also have been taking Rescue Remedy by Bach Flower. That helped me a lot when the anxiety woke me up and I also had the shakes. So you are on the right track for sure. Your not crazy at all!!!! I hoped this helped...
chelsea46220 michelle68080
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michelle68080 chelsea46220
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Keep us posted on what your doc has in mind for a taper. I'm not sure on the Ativan but should be close. Getting it back in your system instead of just once every 24 hours helped me. You should be good. If you would like to message me , I can go over my schedule with you and see if it's close.
chelsea46220 michelle68080
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