Article by Jim Harper
Withdrawal solutions for Ativan Lorazepam can be different for each person. However, what is not different are the mistakes people make when attempting to withdrawal from Ativan.
- Reducing the Ativan too quickly
- Not having a specific plan before starting the Ativan withdrawal. This includes what you will do if withdrawal side effects begin
- Reducing the Ativan by too large of a reduction
- Using muscle testing or some other method approach to determine if a supplement is ok to take
This may be hard to understand why, but medical doctors attempting to withdrawal from Ativan are the worst of the worst to work with. They tend to have a know best attitude. If you are a doctor reading this, stop and ask yourself one easy question – If you know best, why did you allow yourself to even start taking Ativan?
If this comes across like I am picking on doctors that are trying to taper off Ativan, you are correct, I am. I will not make the rest of the readers go through this though. If you are another doctor wanting to withdrawal off Ativan, give me an e-mail. I’ll help. Just know, if you will not do what I say, you should save some time and further frustration and go elsewhere.
Now, back to what this program is about – that is, helping people off psychotropic medications.
In 1999, I published how to taper every psychotropic medication and that advice has been added to every medication since that time. A commonsense approach is all that it took. Imagine you are coming in for a landing on a jet airplane. You want it to be as smooth as possible. No turbulence, not feeling like you are on a roller coaster ride at an amusement park etc.
You gradually and slowly reduce the Ativan. If withdrawal side effects are too much, go back up to the last dosage you were doing well at and stay there until fully stable again. When you continue the taper off Ativa again slow it down even more this time. How difficult it that?
- How much do you reduce the Ativan by so the reduction is gradual?
I have found most people can withdrawal from Ativan reducing it by 5 percent. If you find the 5 percent reduction is too much for you to handle, go back up on the dosage to where you last felt stable, stabilize out and when you reduce the Ativan again you should reduce it by 2.5 percent.
- How do you get the Ativan at a 5 percent or a 2.5 percent reduction?
You need to go to a compounding pharmacy, and they can make the Ativan for you at those dosages.
- How often do I reduce the Ativan?
You reduce the Ativan by 5 percent every 2 weeks. It’s fine to take longer and not reduce as quickly but I do not suggest you attempt to reduce faster than every 2 weeks.
I suggest you read through one of my books, How to Taper Psychotropic Medication 2025 Edition. It is free to read on this website. Click here.