How long does Ativan Tolerance Withdrawl last?!
Question: How long does Ativan Tolerance Withdrawl last!?
Four months ago I was prescribed 1 mg of Ativan to take at night as needed for insomnia!. Well, almost three weeks ago, I was quickly weaned down to !.25 then to 1/8th over an 8 day period!.
The moment I started the tapering from !.25 to almost nothing (the 1/8th size of the pill), my chronic insomnia problem returned with a vengance, along with tinitus in my ears, shaking hands, morning sweats, terrible anxiety and a real fear of going crazy!.
I begged my clinic doctor to help me and his solution was to prescribe me Ambien and Xanax, but I refused for obvious reasons!.
Currently, I take synthroid for 11 years for hypothyroid disease too!.
Should I try to conquer this by myself and not take anything OTC or prescribed to help me sleep!? Will my body's circadian rhythym eventually get back into sync and allow me to sleep without the help of medicine!?
Should I just take the dose of Ambien!? My body is physically addicted to the Ativan!. I don't want to become addicted to Ambien!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
The moment I started the tapering from !.25 to almost nothing (the 1/8th size of the pill), my chronic insomnia problem returned with a vengance, along with tinitus in my ears, shaking hands, morning sweats, terrible anxiety and a real fear of going crazy!.
I begged my clinic doctor to help me and his solution was to prescribe me Ambien and Xanax, but I refused for obvious reasons!.
Currently, I take synthroid for 11 years for hypothyroid disease too!.
Should I try to conquer this by myself and not take anything OTC or prescribed to help me sleep!? Will my body's circadian rhythym eventually get back into sync and allow me to sleep without the help of medicine!?
Should I just take the dose of Ambien!? My body is physically addicted to the Ativan!. I don't want to become addicted to Ambien!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Start with Professor Ashton's manual - aka 'The Ashton Manual' (linked below)!.!.!. it sounds like overswift withdrawal!. The solution, and tapering schedules will be found in the manual, available online!.
Take at look at the Valium equivalents, read up about the similar nature of the benzos and the 'z'drugs - they are pretty much interchangeable - look at the half-lives and understand the implication!.
More helpful links can be found here (below)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Take at look at the Valium equivalents, read up about the similar nature of the benzos and the 'z'drugs - they are pretty much interchangeable - look at the half-lives and understand the implication!.
More helpful links can be found here (below)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Ativan is one of a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, The withdrawal period can be quite lengthy depending upon the half life of the drug!. Ativan and Xanax are pretty similar!. The withdrawal is exactly as you have described!. What happens is that your GABA system has been affected by the tranquilizers!. When the drug is removed, the system "overshoots" before eventually getting back to normal!.
I was on Xanax for 7 years and withdrew at home but then got to the point that my blood pressure was dangerous so I put myself in a rehab hospital!. There, they used non-benzos like over the counter Benadryl to calm me down!. However, at one point my BP truly skyrocketted and they gave me a large shot of phenobarbital- a non-benzo tranqulizer- also addictive!.
Ambien is also in the Benzo Family!.
Talk to the doctor about going back on a "tolerable" level of Ativan and then very slowly descreasing it over a period of months rather than weeks!. Eventually you WILL feel better!.
Also there are nonaddictive meds which may help you sleep like Benadryl- but honestly everyone I know who quit Xanax or Ativan had disrupted sleep for quite some time!.
Don't give up! Be sure to talk to the doctor!Www@Answer-Health@Com
I was on Xanax for 7 years and withdrew at home but then got to the point that my blood pressure was dangerous so I put myself in a rehab hospital!. There, they used non-benzos like over the counter Benadryl to calm me down!. However, at one point my BP truly skyrocketted and they gave me a large shot of phenobarbital- a non-benzo tranqulizer- also addictive!.
Ambien is also in the Benzo Family!.
Talk to the doctor about going back on a "tolerable" level of Ativan and then very slowly descreasing it over a period of months rather than weeks!. Eventually you WILL feel better!.
Also there are nonaddictive meds which may help you sleep like Benadryl- but honestly everyone I know who quit Xanax or Ativan had disrupted sleep for quite some time!.
Don't give up! Be sure to talk to the doctor!Www@Answer-Health@Com
I recommend seeing a true sleep doctor!. many of them are also psychiatrists!. This is actually a powerful combination because they have a little better understanding of the medications people use to sleep!. Ativan withdrawal should not last more than a 3-5 days!. I would suspect that for 1mg for 3 weeks it should be closer to 3 days!. Behavioral training is the best way to get the best long term improvement in sleep!. This is where the sleep medicine doctor comes in handy!. They have a host of things you can do to retrain your sleep cycle!. Good luck!Www@Answer-Health@Com