Lorazepam as needed, how long before withdrawal symptoms occur?

[WalkerOfDog]

Hey all,

I was tired of my daily panic attacks, so about a week ago my GP prescribed 0.5mg Lorazepam (Ativan) to be taken "as needed"

I've taken a 0.5mg dose every day at 5pm for the past 5 days, and fortunately I don't feel my panic attacks coming on any more, so I wish to discontinue the medication, since it was "as needed" anyway.

The main reason being I was told Lorazepam is a short-term solution that shouldn't be relied upon, and I'm afraid of withdrawal symptoms and dependency after hearing horror stories from friends who were on benzos in the past.
Will I still need to taper off even with such a short usage period and relatively low dose? If so, how should I do it?

Thanks for reading!

[Dahila]

after one week you have no dependency and I am 60 years old suffering with anxiety forever, and on benzo on and off , Never got depended on it, Horror stories are to scare other people, do not listen it. Good you feel better ;)

[RuBisCO]

I have been on lorazpam since June for panic attacks and GAD. I take it far more often to improve my sleep rather than panic attacks (anxiety makes me a light sleeper). I'm prescribed 1 mg pills to take at most ever six hours, but almost never take 1 mg per shot and I have only taken 2 mg in a day (the safe limit). Instead I cut the pills into fourths (DO NOT DO THIS WITH SLOW RELEASE PILLS!!!). When ever I have my high anxiety weeks I take more, during low anxiety weeks I take none or now and then to improve sleep, but I do tapper off. My rules for my self are simple:

1. Take no more than 1 mg per six hours unless I absolutely have too (has not happened yet)
2. During panic take 1/4 a pill every 45 minutes until panic subsides (usually 1/2 a pill)
3. For sleep take 1/4 pill nor more then once every 3 hours (I usually sleep no more than 3 hours straight, on a good night 2x3 hour cycles plus 1 hour of very light sleep)
- 1 mg of lorazpam can get me to sleep 4-6 hours straight, but I suspect I come to regret it the next day with increase anxiety.

I started tracking my lorazpam use per day since September, imgur image: fkEbXBo

[Dahila]

Rubisco I would be careful with this advice, it is wrong what you are telling him. Have talk to doctor about Lorezapam the one which you put under the tongue? I have it as an emergency (panic) which does not happen often. I have 1 mg strenght and the worst panic attack I had when my hubby was in hospital after terrible accident, it helped I had not needed more. For sleeping Clonazepam is much better option, works from 8 to 10hours, does not make people feel like zombie.
I maybe wrong but looks to me like drug abuse. Lorazepam is very trendy lately................
Here you can tell someone about your expierence with certain meditation but do not give advice like that, That advice leave to doctors. BTW when I take ativan aka lorazepam, my sleep is chaotic, I wake up every 20 minutes. Every one have different response to medication this is why we need docs not fellow forumers :)

[Anne1221]

Rubisco, my anxiety interferes with my sleep too! Other friends of mine just have trouble sleeping when going through something big like a divorce, but I have trouble all the time. I have to take something for sleep as well.

[gypsylee]

Half an Ativan for 5 days? You won't get withdrawals from that :)

[RuBisCO]

Here you can tell someone about your experience with certain meditation but do not give advice like that, That advice leave to doctors.

I said my rules for myself, can't say the same for others. I have heard of the under tongue trick but I have not had a panic attack strong enough (or at least one when I had lorazpam available) to need to do that.

My mother for whom I inherited this from took diazepam, non-stop for years, on and off for decades, her advice to me was to not worry about addiction and do what I needed to be happy... I have not taken her advice.

[Kirk]

No worries.

[Dahila]

I said my rules for myself, can't say the same for others. I have heard of the under tongue trick but I have not had a panic attack strong enough (or at least one when I had lorazpam available) to need to do that.

My mother for whom I inherited this from took diazepam, non-stop for years, on and off for decades, her advice to me was to not worry about addiction and do what I needed to be happy... I have not taken her advice.

Many people, young people will treat it literally, this is why it is kind of unwise to give it. I had not intended insult, rather the opposite. The OP does not want to be on benzos and I think that's smart !!!

[FruitSalad]

Hey Dahila,

Yes I have heard benzo's are becoming recreational. And here I was 2 years ago TRYING to get off them :-). I was the same as you, could only sleep for about 20-45 minutes at a time. It was a nightmare, I can say you are a strong person :-). I remember thinking the drugs did all this too me, but that was wrong, I was toxic. That being said, I wouldn't just cold turkey a benzo after a long time.

The worst I get now is around 5 hours, today I woke up around 7:30am, and yesterday it was 9:30am for the first time in YEARS. Like a teen ager, I even got acne back for a bit! :-). Anyhow, that was after 2 years of intense detoxification.

[RuBisCO]

Many people, young people will treat it literally, this is why it is kind of unwise to give it. I had not intended insult, rather the opposite. The OP does not want to be on benzos and I think that's smart !!!

Ok fine fine, to achieve what the OP wants I would take as little as needed and ween off. For example if I was taking .5 mg a day, I would switching to .25 mg for a few days then zero. I track my usage to make sure I am not trending up in usage, with exception to high anxiety weeks and then as I feel better I ween down to zero.

[Anne1221]

Rubisco, you are wiser than most with your use of benzos. I was impressed with this sentence: "Whenever I have my high anxiety weeks I take more, during low anxiety weeks I take none, or now and then to improve sleep, but I do taper off. My rules for myself are simple." You are telling us a) you take drug holidays which is wise, and b) you set rules for yourself. You are watching yourself and are aware that you need to be careful.

I always do drug searches on any medication I take and I was horrified to find out people take benzos for fun and just to get high.
(Yes, I am naive). When I read one person post that the one I take was "useless" and to "throw it out" because it was so weak, I decided I like mine now.

[donna0099]

I am 56 and have been on paxil for years .. have always flare ups of the anxiety symptoms , diagnosed with GAD.. when I have those awful feelings it really brings me down, scares me and I feel so fed up . I have been dealing with this since I was 16 , tired of putting on the face will suffering .. my Dr. prescribed Ativan to take as needed also , because I told him .. I am tired of fighting those horrible feelings it's been 40 yrs , but I am afraid also of taking the Ativan , although it does take those feelings away, I am afraid because I heard it can cause dementia , I just want some peace, I have worked my whole life and raised my family and the suffering has me wore out .. does anyone know anything about this ? Thanks so much ..Donna

[RuBisCO]

Well I'm flattered, but rather I have heard enough horror stories. Consider the youtube video (watch?v=5S6K6R1TC68) I'm fine with taking benzos as long as I can ween off and more importantly take it at low levels such that when I do suffer powerful panic attacks the Lorazepam WORKS. I fear it is not working someday, its like a child's blankets, knowing I have lorzepam to fall back on if things get bad brings me comfort, as such I must keep it available but not in constant use, distraction, meditation, exercise, cognitive therapies are my first line.

[Anne1221]

Donna, I was exactly where you are now a month ago. Then everything suddenly started happening to cause me increased stress and I had no choice but to take the benzodiazepine Tranxene. (older one but I've been at this for years) My psychiatrist has been telling me I need it, and then my primary care doctor told me I need to take it. I did the research and the LATEST studies show it DOES NOT cause dementia. They have reversed that one study that said it did. My psychiatrist said, "If that were true, you would have a huge population of older people with dementia." I am glad I let my psychiatrist and primary care doctor give me the okay to take the Tranxene (no more than 2 per day). It has made a world of difference. I too was sick of the suffering. I found this to show you:

Contrary to the findings of previous research, a new study claims the use of benzodiazepines - drugs widely used to treat anxiety and insomnia - does not raise the risk of dementia among seniors.

[RuBisCO]

I don't think dementia should not be a worry:, try enjoying life now, rather then worrying about how you will end.

[The Intolerable Kid]

Never had any withdrawal problems with this stuff myself. You'll probably be ok.

[donna0099]

thanks Anne 1221 I feel a bit better now. I am going to take them .. I don't care if I get addicted, at this point in my life after suffering all these years I need a break.. so tired of it all. Thanks taking the interest to reply means a lot . Donna

[donna0099]

yes so true

[donna0099]

thanks Guys .. means a lot

[Dahila]

thanks Anne 1221 I feel a bit better now. I am going to take them .. I don't care if I get addicted, at this point in my life after suffering all these years I need a break.. so tired of it all. Thanks taking the interest to reply means a lot . Donna

Give yourself a break, take the meds and in meantime work on strategy. I am not surprised you are scared of benzos, my stupid doc (family doc, and she is old and crazy) told me too that Lorazepam causes dementia, which is not exactly true. My psychiatrist explained it to me, and I tend to believe her. I will cause (when taken in high doses) short memory loss, but again I was on it for years and I do not think it happened. When we are panicky we do not think, we are no logical. I am older than you my dear and suffering with anxiety for whole my life. I am extra careful with benzos, I use clonazepam ; it works somehow 8 to 12 hours so you do not need a lot. I have always Ativan (under the tongue 1 mg) in my purse just in case.. I probably had not even one in the last 3 months or so :)

[donna0099]

Give yourself a break, take the meds and in meantime work on strategy. I am not surprised you are scared of benzos, my stupid doc (family doc, and she is old and crazy) told me too that Lorazepam causes dementia, which is not exactly true. My psychiatrist explained it to me, and I tend to believe her. I will cause (when taken in high doses) short memory loss, but again I was on it for years and I do not think it happened. When we are panicky we do not think, we are no logical. I am older than you my dear and suffering with anxiety for whole my life. I am extra careful with benzos, I use clonazepam ; it works somehow 8 to 12 hours so you do not need a lot. I have always Ativan (under the tongue 1 mg) in my purse just in case.. I probably had not even one in the last 3 months or so :)

thanks I do feel better about taking them..

"Nothing is permanent in this world , not even our troubles . "

Charlie Chaplin

[Dahila]

thanks I do feel better about taking them..

"Nothing is permanent in this world , not even our troubles . "

Charlie Chaplin

Donna I am on 1 mg of clonazepam a day and I do not need upping it. I am on it for probably 4 years......... I am not the meds advocate, but sometimes risk is worth due the benefits. I also use herbal extracts , I made, and they help with sleep ;))

[Anne1221]

Actually I got tired of complaining to my doctor who said, "You're sacrificing your life now for some feared outcome later." I don't like taking them, I don't want to take them, I have no fears of getting addicted because I don't crave them or even want them, but I do need them." I have WAY more anxiety than depression.

[donna0099]

thanks Dahila , I always have to worry about something lol... but I know I do need them maybe not forever , but that is okay too.

[donna0099]

Yes Anne , I feel just the same way you do ! And I have more anxiety than depression for sure , I am a worry wart

[Dahila]

thanks Dahila , I always have to worry about something lol... but I know I do need them maybe not forever , but that is okay too.

Worry is my middle name, so I do understand it. I bet that 99% of us have health anxiety too........eh I take that one pill a day small dose and function ok :)

[Dahila]

thanks Dahila , I always have to worry about something lol... but I know I do need them maybe not forever , but that is okay too.

Worry is my middle name, so I do understand it. I bet that 99% of us have health anxiety too........eh I take that one pill a day small dose and function ok :)

[Dahila]

Ladies sorry for posting twice, the page does not cooperate :((

[Anne1221]

Oh, if only I had $1.00 for every time someone said to me, "You worry too much." I would be rich. Here's how absurd it gets: I gave someone the name of a doctor. Then I started worrying that they might have a car accident on the way to that doctor and I would feel so bad. I just seem to find things to worry about!

[Dahila]

Like ^^^ I worry about driving in snow cause the predicted, about the smallest things.........................
this is anxiety works on us

[dontcarewhatusernameis]

Hey all,

I was tired of my daily panic attacks, so about a week ago my GP prescribed 0.5mg Lorazepam (Ativan) to be taken "as needed"

I've taken a 0.5mg dose every day at 5pm for the past 5 days, and fortunately I don't feel my panic attacks coming on any more, so I wish to discontinue the medication, since it was "as needed" anyway.

The main reason being I was told Lorazepam is a short-term solution that shouldn't be relied upon, and I'm afraid of withdrawal symptoms and dependency after hearing horror stories from friends who were on benzos in the past.
Will I still need to taper off even with such a short usage period and relatively low dose? If so, how should I do it?

Thanks for reading!

I once took lorazepam every night and once or twice during the day sometimes for about a month (60ish out of 90 .5mg pills used). The doctor told me I shouldn't use it that much and I quit taking them for awhile and only used them when really needed badly. No withdrawals at all. The rest of them lasted me years. I don't have panic attacks though just severe anxiety sometimes and mild most of the rest of the time.

"As needed" probably means your supposed to wait until you have a panic attack before you take it. Lorazepam is pretty fast acting, powerful, and doesn't last that long compared to some other benzos like diazepam and clonazepam. I'm not a doctor though.

[FoxHound]

I've been on it steadily for two years. Anywhere between one 1 mg dose to now 2-3 mg per day. I've obviously built up a tolerance, since 1 mg would knock me out usually. But when not taking it, I don't really notice any withdrawal. Maybe it's just because it has such little effect on me.

[LivingWell]

Uggggghh. Coming off Benzos is the worst. I had been having huge panic attacks from it, even though I was doing a slow withdrawl.

I was nervous to take L-Theanine supplements, and St.Johns wort to help me taper off, because I heard it might interfer with the other meds I was taking.

I take CBD every day now. I don't think there is a real limit on how much you can take because it is non psychoactive. I still just take it two times a day.

I take Oil of Sunshine variety mostly. I like it because it seems easy to dispense after I received it . I don't always notice the effects from it that day, but a week or two into the
Sunshine oil and I think it is really helping with the severity of my panic attacks.

Wish me luck!