Feel free to ask any and all benzo questions here

[Raven]

No problem at all!

The Ashton method is a slow switch to diazepam (or other long-acting, high mg/dose benzo) then a slow taper of 1-3mg every few weeks. All of the basic and somewhat detailed informations can be found here: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

Tapering off to zero is honestly a REALLY bad idea unless you're treading familiar territory. To totally taper even a relatively low dose of benzos safely can take a year. The best way to look at it is this: if you were consistently on 1mg of lorazepam and were to stick to the Ashton method and taper 2mg of diazepam every other week, you'd be down to 5mg of diazepam in 5 weeks. 5mg of diazepam is roughly equivalent to 1mg lorazepam so you'd be down to .5mg when switching back.

I'm not sure if it was this thread or somewhere else or if it was you I brought it up to but have you considered doxylamine succinate? It's essentially a better antihistamine sleep aid than diphenhydramine. Failing that, might i suggest midazolam? That would have to be a small dose to avoid next day grogginess (~5mg) and it's fairly short acting but it's effective. There's also lunesta which I have no experience with but I've heard that it's much better than the z drug it's an isomer of (zopiclone).

Oh and as for tolerance, its only temporary. I've used the Ashton method several times to keep my alprazolam tolerance in check.

I'm not so sure about the full specifics of the Ambien/Ativan question to be totally honest. If I were in your situation I'd most likely alternate each one with something to potentiate the Ativan (if I were to choose to stay with those two) for at least a few weeks before switching to something else. I'm not you obviously so I domt know if that's an option but I would likely try to go 2 nights on one each alternating for a bit before a switch or taper as well but that's just me. Whatever your body lets you do, try it out. Youll have some sleepless nights for sure but tapering and particularly your awful situation (sorry to hear this is all injury induced as well) don't leave you a lot of options that I can think of.

Bowser:
If I was not a Newbie here with limited privileges, then I would surely be sending you some style points for all the work you have put into this thread! Thank you for your detailed replies; full of personal experience and well written.
I don't want to pretend to be speaking for anyone but myself. However, I think that my situation will apply to many. The only benzo script I have is for Ativan. I have, however, chosen to use diazepam and alprazolam on my own (because they work!). I have no script and I manage these medications completely on my own.
Given the inherent risks associated with obtaining medications via my chosen method, and based on the complete absence of sympathy I anticipate that my Primary Care Physician will convey to me in the event that my medication supply is disrupted, what do you recommend that I have on hand in terms of medications so that I can work my way through an emergency taper on my own? Should I always have a substantial supply of diazepam on hand so that I can fall back on an Ashton Model taper in the event that my alp supply is disrupted?
Raven