Ativan Question!!!

[cnote]

I've been on Ativan .5mg for a little over 2 months now.

I started taking 2pills before I went to bed at night the 1st time I used them. (60 pill bottle)
After that bottle ran out in one month, I got a refill and my Dr. insisted I  just used 1 pill per night. (30 pill bottle)
That bottle ran out, and I got another refill.

Some nights I just take 1pill of 5mg... but some nights I take 2pills before bed.

My question is.

For only being on these for 2 months... will it be easy to get off them?
I dont want to rely on these for sleep. Is it possible for me to have really bad bad withdrawls for the short term I've been on them? Ive seen some youtube videos of people going through withdrawls and it looks TERRIBLE! But, I think they were LONG time users.

How long do you think withdrawls would last?
Thanks so much! =)

ps: if anyone would suggest a "tampering off" method for me that would be great too!
Thanks!

[cnote]

Well I guess I should say its called "Lorazepam" on my prescription bottle. But I think its generic for Ativan.

[RCA7591]

Ativan (Lorazepam) is a short-acting Benzodiazepine approved for intermittent use only. The problem with using Ativan for insomnia on a daily basis is that the effect is short lived, as the hypnotic property wears off rapidly (within 7-14 days). This leads to rebound insomnia, and a worsening of the original insomnia once the Ativan is discontinued.

You're not completely screwed yet, as you've only taken it once daily for about two months. After four months, you'd have a real problem.

Thus, if the only indication for this Ativan is insomnia, you need to discontinue it now (under the supervision of a doctor). If you do not discontinue the Ativan soon, you will have a problem.

Here's how to discontinue the Ativan:

Week One - Take 7 pills and cut them into quarters using a pill splitter. Consume three of these quarter sections (0.375 mg total) nightly. Save the extra 7 quarters.

Week Two - Consume 1/2 of a 0.5 mg pill nightly.

Week Three - Consume one of the quarters you've cut in week one nightly.

Week Four (optional) - At the beginning of week four, take 0.125 mg (one quarter of a 0.5 mg pill) every other night for the remainder of the week. The Ativan is now discontinued.

This discontinuation schedule is to be performed only under the direct supervision of a medical doctor. Once the Ativan is withdrawn, Elavil or Pamelor can be substituted in its place (starting dose 25 mg). These are sedating Tricyclic antidepressants. They are useful for insomnia, depression, anxiety, social phobia, and a host of other complaints. You can speak with the doctor about these two options.

Fortunately, 0.5 mg of Ativan is a peanut-sized dosage, and you will not experience any "withdrawals". The only thing you can expect to experience is rebound insomnia once you begin to discontinue the drug.

~Ryan