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ugh FAILED - NEED HELP - QUESTIONS

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raya44397
raya44397

Hey all,

So I was on Ativan for 40 days never more than 2mg a day, I was getting some adverse effects such as depression and weird breathing, so I decided to taper off.  The only thing is, I guess I tapered way too fast.  I went from 2mg to 1.25 mg in 5 days.  After that I withdrew sooooo baaaaad.  Emergency services has been to my house nearly every day,  I was vomiting, and psychosis, and had plans to take my life.  I just kept trying to get through it but couldn't.

I have decided to reinstate the 2mg a day.  However I think I may have built a bit of tolerance for the 2mg a day, so I'm going to do 2.5mg a day until I stabilize.   Once I've stabilized for a couple weeks,  I will literally do the slowest taper in all of history.

Questions I have are

1)  How long does it to stabilize after going through 7 days of the worst withdrawal possible.  Immediately? couple days?

2)  Do you guys think this plan will work?

3)  Any positive personal experiences on reinstating?

I reinstated on a higher dose than i've ever been on on purpose in order to get the withdrawal panic attacks under control

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • musiclover9739
    musiclover9739 raya44397

    Posted

    Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time.  I'm in the middle of a fast taper myself.  3.5mg combined of Xanax and Klonopin a day for over 20 years.  I've gone from that to 4  .25mg Klonopin/day in six weeks and I'm hurting.  Everyone is different from what I've seen.  I'm going to bump mine back up .5mg a day and stabilize there before I go on.  Are you under a doctor's care?  The withdrawal you're describing is pretty extreme, especially for 40 days, and I think you should really have a doctor supervising your taper and monitoring you.  As bad as you've described it, perhaps inpatient.  Strictly my opinion.  Having to go to an even higher dose when you haven't build up the kind of tolerance I have seems a little strange to me. Worst case I would think go back to your original dose and then get advice on a very slow taper from there once you stabilise.

  • lc72704
    lc72704 raya44397

    Posted

    Im so sorry for your terrifying experience.

    If you can get your doctors guidance on tapering that would be the best.

    I think your plan will work, but I hope your doctor will work with you.

    I was on 1 mg for 2 1/2 years and my doctor told me I could stop cold turkey. That was not the best decision, I had become physically addicted.

    I reinstated at my original dose and followed Ashtons manual for tapering.

    I was experiencing tolerance withdrawls while on it but did not realize it. But did feel a little better right away when I reinstated.

    I hope you have someone by your side to go through this with you

    Please seek medical help if the depression becomes overwhelming. Benzos are so brain altering for some of us so please be careful.

    I read an article from a Canadian doctor tht said that benzos can cause temporary reversible brain damage. Thats what it felt like; my brain was trying to reboot and causing chaos in my body.

    You will be i my prayers tonight Raya.

    Following great forums like this one were very helpful in my recovery. Everyones process to healing was similar yet so different.

    Im two years off and doing great.

    LC

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