Moonpie: need help and supporting tapering off of Ativan

[Moonpie]

Thank you Shep.  I have another thought that has concerned me. Since I am looking at 3 years before I am off all meds. What happens if you have to be hospitalized and you are doing a micro-taper?  They aren't going to do it for you and if they start you on the full dose you are back to square one.  

 

Also I would like to share what I have learned on this journey of micro-tapering.  It may be stuff everyone already knows but my hope is it will help and encourage others.  It will be long though and I wasn't sure about that.  Also I do not know how to add pictures as there will need to be a couple.   What do you think?

 

Edited October 25, 2018 by ChessieCat
changed from italics

[Shep]

On 10/25/2018 at 10:40 AM, Moonpie said:

What happens if you have to be hospitalized and you are doing a micro-taper?  They aren't going to do it for you and if they start you on the full dose you are back to square one.  

 

Are you having medical issues that would require hospitalization or are you thinking that you may get hospitalized for so-called "mental illness" issues? 

 

On 10/25/2018 at 10:40 AM, Moonpie said:

Also I would like to share what I have learned on this journey of micro-tapering.  It may be stuff everyone already knows but my hope is it will help and encourage others.  It will be long though and I wasn't sure about that.  Also I do not know how to add pictures as there will need to be a couple.   What do you think?

 

 

If you have information very specific to your own journey, feel free to post it here in your thread. If it's information that would be applicable to anyone doing a micro-taper, feel free to post on the thread about micro-tapering. For pictures, go to the bottom left section of the text box for your post. You'll see a little icon of a paperclip and the words "Drag files here to attach or choose files).  You can either drag the picture in or you can click on the link "choose files" and get the pic from your computer that way. Once you attach it, there's an option to embed it in your post. If you have problems, please post here so the tech-savvy mods and members can assist:

 

 

Technical support and bug reports

 

I'm sure others would enjoy reading what you've learned along the way. 

[Moonpie]

Hi Shep, sorry to just now be answering. I am just over-thinking being on the meds so long. Wondering what would happen if for a physical reason I was hospitalized.  

[ChessieCat]

You are worrying about something that may not happen.

[Shep]

Yes, as Chessie stated, this may never happen. These kinds of thoughts are called catastrophizing and can actually be a withdrawal symptom. I would let those thoughts pass and keep moving forward. The problem with holding onto these kinds of thoughts is that they can lead to a destruction thought-spiral. 

 

Dealing With Emotional Spirals

 

 

[Moonpie]

Think I may have hit a snag.  Was okay until almost noon.  Haven't been drinking enough water I know.  I was drinking my vitamin drink I dissolve in water.  Was driving.  All at once I felt really weird - my face felt strange and my head foggy and I didn't feel like exactly was was going to pass out but I could.  My mind was foggy and I would forget what i was saying in mid sentence.

Hands tingly. Just not right. Went to my daughters and laid down and slept for 2 hours.  Came home. better but no ok.  Pressure in the front of my head and base of my neck.  Though it might be snuses and my thyroid is too low I think, had it tested yesterday.  Scared of course.  Dropped my Ativan dose today to .003.  I have had some symptoms but none like this.  Any ideas?  

[Altostrata]

What's in your vitamin drink?

 

You need to be sure to drink enough water. Not enough could cause migraines, which sometimes aren't painful but disorienting.

[Moonpie]

Zeal without the caffeine. I have been using it 4 months.  My head hurts a little but not bad

[Altostrata]

There may be something in Zeal you're reacting to. I would need to see the ingredients.

[Moonpie]

You think it would after 4 months!? Plus if that was it I think it would have worn off by now.  Didn't drink but 1/2.   But it did start while I was drinking it. When I feel better I will send info.   Laying in bed curled up in a ball riding this out.

[Moonpie]

Altostrata I sent you a private message as I did not know it if was okay to post the product info here.  

[Altostrata]

Please do post the product information!

[Moonpie]

That's why I sent it in a private message to you.

[ChessieCat]

You may have misread Alto's post.

 

She is requesting that you DO post the information.

[Moonpie]

Yes I did miss read it, thank you. Still not okay today here are the ingredients for the Zeal vitamin. Mine is guarana free   https://portalvhdsvxvs8608mhw0h.blob.core.windows.net/webfiles/FACTSHEET_US_VEGAN_ZEAL_ENG_8364.pdf

[ChessieCat]

Some members have issues with B vitamins.  Vit B6 can be activating. hypersensitive-to-b-vitamin-or-b-vitamin-complex

 

 

vitamin-b12-essential-for-mood-nervous-system

 

It is better to take individual supplements.  That way you can work out if something causes an issue.

 

To research any of the other ingredients you can use google and add survivingantidepressants.org to the search term,  eg survivingantidepressants.org vitamin D

[Moonpie]

Yes I did miss read it, thank you. Still not okay today here are the ingredients for the Zeal vitamin. Mine is guarana free   https://portalvhdsvxvs8608mhw0h.blob.core.windows.net/webfiles/FACTSHEET_US_VEGAN_ZEAL_ENG_8364.pdf

[Moonpie]

Thank you ChessieCat.  I scan the information and plan to read it more thoroughly later. I saw an article last week on B12 deficiency and the symptoms and I have most of them. Do the B12 shots cause problems if you're sensitive to it?

[ChessieCat]

36 minutes ago, Moonpie said:

Do the B12 shots cause problems if you're sensitive to it?

 

See Post #2 in the B12 topic.

[Moonpie]

well I got my thyroid lab results back surprise surprise surprise, they are not only normal but better than last time. I guess this is withdrawal symptoms.  These have sure smacked me hard, have not had any like these for a long time. It has been 3 days now going on 4  wonder when they will start to lessen.  So need to go to work

[Moonpie]

Ok mistake this morning drank a glass of hot tea.  Increased my energy but now tight chest and woozy head some anxiety. Dumb dumb dumb.                       As I said this episode shocked me. Since I started the .001 micro taper every 4 days I have had nothing this extreme. I think I may know what I have done and I want your opinion. I have gone probably a month where other than a few days each week I drink two cups of tea, my vitamin drink, and sometimes kombucha which I know has caffeine. During those days I have drank two bottles of water or less. Could that have done it. This exhaustion is disabling interested in any comments or ideas you might have. Thank you so much

[Moonpie]

 Doing better!  Held my taper until the symptoms subsided. Doing good now.  5 more days and off of all Ativan!

[ChessieCat]

Keeping a diary might help you to see what things increase your symptoms.

[Moonpie]

Yes I have been for two years.  I am finding not drinking enough water and/or too much caffeine ( and it doesn't have to be that much!) will do it.  

[Moonpie]

Went completely off of Ativan after tapering for a year. I did it on the 14th. It's 8 days later and I have been hitting some really depressive points and exhaustion. On top of that I've been sick twice,  went without sleep a couple of nights due to family emergencies, and my grandbaby ended up in the hospital. Plus I know I'm grieving my husband with the holidays. Don't know if it's going off the meds or not but really really down and having some anxiety tonight. I thought going slow would spare me this but there is as usual so much more in the mix. 

[Leo1983]

Hi M0onpie.

 

How long were you on benzo and Lexapro all together? 

[Moonpie]

Yes.  

[Moonpie]

Oops Sorry Leo1983, that wasn't an answer LOL.  I had been on the Ativan and Lexapro both since November 2016. Still very down and unmotivated.  

[Moonpie]

Need help starting Lexapro taper on January 1st

 

Hi. I just finished tapering off of 1.5 mg of Ativan daily.  I had to do it very slowly. As I was extremely sensitive to the drug. I did .001 every four days. I did this by shaving off small amounts of the pill and using a digital scale. I do not know if I am as sensitive to Lexapro or not. I would like to try tapering a larger dose but I'm scared of symptoms. I want to be able to function. I  fix my pills a week ahead. I weighed 10 pills and divided by 10 and it came out to .160 mg in weight.  But when I went to weigh the pills to shave off a portion, they varied as much as .005 or more.  One pill weighed .162 and the next one weighed .157.  my Ativan pills did not vary this much in weight.   How should I go about weighing these. I am concerned about using the liquid as I do not know how I might react to changing the med so I would rather just shave the pills. I hope I have not rambled too much I would appreciate any help.   Thank you

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by ChessieCat
added full topic title to post

[ChessieCat]

Congratulations on finishing your Ativan taper.

 

Q:  What specific help are you needing?

 

Because of your recent Ativan taper, and because you don't know how stable and sensitive to reductions you are you might want to consider reducing by less than 10% to start with. 

 

Here are some links which might be helpful:

 

Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)
 

Micro-taper instead of 10% or 5% decreases

Rhi's "Start Small, Listen to Your Body" Taper Plan

 

Brass Monkey Slide?

 

using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses

[Moonpie]

Hi CheesieCat!  Thank you for replying!  I do not know how to weigh the pills to take off .001 because their weight is varying so much.  They seem to weight around 162mg to 157mg and some vary even more.  I am of course nervous about side effects so tapering at this low rate makes me feel more comfortable.  How do I shave off my amount with such different weights?  Thank you! Moonpie

[ChessieCat]

There is a lost of discussion in this topic:  using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses

 

Did you check it out?

[Moonpie]

Oops sorry I misspelled your name.  Yes I read all of it but I did not find an answer or I over looked it.  If a pill weighs. .162  and I shave off .001 will it be the same as if one is .155 and I shave off .001.  That is all I could gather from averaging.  I may be missing something.  I wouldn't mind trying the liquid I guess but I am on medicare and all they carry is the .5 mg dose.  The problem is if I put in for it and they send it then I am afraid it is written in stone and I won't be able to go back.  

 

[ChessieCat]

I'll bring this up with the other mods.  I get mine compounded so haven't any experience with weighing but some of the other mods do.

[Altostrata]

Moonpie, how much Lexapro are you taking?

 

How are you feeling now that you're off Ativan? Any withdrawal symptoms?

[Moonpie]

Feeling  great. No symptoms.  I take 10mg of Lexapro once a day at night.  I reweighed some pills. I pushed tare every time I weighed a new pill and was very careful not to touch the bowl or the pill after I put it on there. Most of running around 150 to 152.  I have had a few at 149 or 148.