Quitting Lorazepam

[asdasdasd]

SWIM needs to quit eating lorazepam , he is taking it by something as 5 months, but only in the last 2 months he began taking it every day. Now he is taking 1\2 mg each day, what should SWIM take to help quitting? Of course he won't take anoter benzo, or quitting would be useless. He thought:

Melatonin
Valerian
Dimenhydrate
Alcohol

These should help SWIM sleep. What else do you reccomend? The other option would be to take a 3 platueau of dxm, he heard that this can help somehow by reprogramming the brain. Is this true?

[asdasdasd]

sorry for my english, but i am italian

[fnord]

cut it dwon to 1/4mg a day for a week then even less then quit,or ask your doctor for a tapering schedual

[SpaceCadetGlow]

1. 5-HTP
2. GABA
3. Cannabis
4. Kava might help

[Nagognog2]

Listen to fnord. The way to stop using benzodiazepines is to taper the dosage off slowly but surely. 1/2mg is a very low dose, so this should not be very difficult. SWIM is very fortunate he didn't use a higher dosage.

[allyourbase]

judging from SWIM's personal experiences with benzodiazapines (ativan/lorazepam included) SWIY would have absolutely no physical problems from stopping a .5 mg a day habit. it would be virtually impossible for SWIY to be physically addicted at such small increments....unless say SWIY is a 2 foot 45 pound quadroplasiac....

[asdasdasd]

SWIM used to take a higher dosage, and also combining it with other benzos (xanax, lorazepam, bromazepam), but in the last month he was able to reduce it only at 0.5 - 1 a day.
Kava is illegal in SWIM's country unfortunatly, and i don't know if the supplement GABA is legal. Should SWIM search on herbal supplements sellers or pharmacies?

[azrael2600]

Originally Posted by Nagognog2

Listen to fnord. The way to stop using benzodiazepines is to taper the dosage off slowly but surely. 1/2mg is a very low dose, so this should not be very difficult. SWIM is very fortunate he didn't use a higher dosage.

swim agrees. tapering off the dosage slowly is the only way to go.

[SansShady]

I know it doesn't seem like a huge improvement, but SWIM found it easier to get off of Lorazepam at 1mg/day by first taking a baby step down to Klonopin/Rivotril.

Even though Kloponin is still a benzo, SWIM found it far less habbit forming than Lorazepam b/c of it's slow-acting and drawn-out effects and very mild high.

SWIM found that because he was still taking a benzo, there weren't any initial withdrawals, not even anxiety or insomnia. Once SWIM adjusted to the Klonopin and overcame the compulsion for Lorazepam, kicking the Klonopin was almost effortless.

SS

[acolon_5]

In SWIMs humble opinion if one was going to switch to any benzo to taper down, valium would be the one. Weak binding, up to 200hr half life, and low pill dosage would make it ideal. The Ashton Manual is what SWIM's mother used to kick a very serious, very long benzo habit (starting with Valium 15+ yrs ago and finally trying to quit on 10mg/day Xanax).

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm

[fnord]

Originally Posted by Nagognog2

Listen to fnord.

sorry had to quote that its not that often when anyone recommends taking my advice,but anyways the substances the original poster mentioned may help distract him from his habit they wont do much to cure his physical addiction.the only recommendable solution to this would be to taper down your dosage,using those other substances may help mask what little withdrawal symptoms may be present but ive heard nothing about dxm "reprogramming" your brain to help with benzo's.also alcohol+bezos dont mix.

[Orchid_Suspiria]

Swim is very fortunate that he wasn't using lorazepam for a longer period of time or quitting might just take hospitillization.Swim would think the best sort of benzo to help him quit would be one with a long half life.That is what they give to people going through alcohol/opiate withdrawal.Swim thinks this may be so they will need less to get through the withdrawals.However swim is no expert so this theory could be wrong.

[fnord]

Originally Posted by Orchid_Suspiria

Swim is very fortunate that he wasn't using lorazepam for a longer period of time or quitting might just take hospitillization.Swim would think the best sort of benzo to help him quit would be one with a long half life.That is what they give to people going through alcohol/opiate withdrawal.Swim thinks this may be so they will need less to get through the withdrawals.However swim is no expert so this theory could be wrong.

sure it would work but replacing one benzo with another even at a lower dosage could just lead to a new addiction.

[Micklemouse]

The theory, & practice is that the short acting benzo (e.g. loarazepam) is reduced, & a longer acting benzo (Diazepam, chlordiazepoxide) is introduced at an equivalent dose to the original benzo (in this case 1mg lorazepam = 10mg diazepam). When the diazepam has replaced lorazepam it is then tapered itself over time until it is safe to completely discontinue, hopefully avoiding the addiction swap scenario (if the person withdrawing sticks to the plan & doesn't top up from another source!). Diazepam has a stupidly long half-life, & also has metabolites that are active, meaning that the body has a declining amount of benzodiazepine in it, cushioning against the renewed excitation of the neurotransmitters - adrenaline, serotonin, dopamine & acetyl-choline - that the benzodiazepine had been damping, & allowing those transmitters to slowly reawaken. The rapid reawakening of these neurotransmitters is what causes such aspects of withdrawal as convulsions & muscle twitches, semi-psychotic symptoms (paranoia, hallucinations), depression, anxiety & agitation, disturbed sleep & nightmares, increased blood pressure pulse & temperature.

For more information look up The Ashton Manual.

[Nagognog2]

See a good, competent doctor. Toughen up. Prepare to Ride The Tiger. It ain't easy. But you have to, Cowboy.

You'll be fine.

[lorzapmail]

Lorazepam is a pretty strong benzo. Even the equivalent charts don't tell the whole story. Lucky for swim 0.5mg a day is nearly clean. Try 0.5mg every other day. Swim has has tapered off from 8 mg a day to nothing in 3 weeks. With 1mg for panic maybe once a week for a few weeks. Swim does find too quick withdrawal wil set off panic attacks. You swimy with only 0.5mg a day, you should be able to stop very soon. Don't worry you are almost done. Swim feels you need no other drugs to help you stop or any rehab.