I’ve been tapering imipramine  very slowly for a few years and I am now down to 20mg.

 

My SA Thread

Hi Tulip

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Its good to have you here.

 

Thank you for making your introduction topic and for filling in your signature.

 

I couldn't find you on SA were you on there under a different name?

 

Perhaps you could write a little back story and an update as to how you are at the moment?

 

Speak soon

 

Chippy

Thank you for joining.

 

Pretty much as @Chippy asked, have you crossed over from SA and can you share any more information with us?

On 1/26/2026 at 5:02 AM, Chippy said:

Hi Tulip

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Its good to have you here.

 

Thank you for making your introduction topic and for filling in your signature.

 

I couldn't find you on SA were you on there under a different name?

 

Perhaps you could write a little back story and an update as to how you are at the moment?

 

Speak soon

 

Chippy

I may have had some numbers behind the name..maybe tulip52.

 

At one point I was on the highest dose recommended of imipramine, 250-300mg and was still not doing well.  I did have a lot of stressors at the time but I think the meds  made things worse.  It’s taken a few years to slowly wean down but I’ve finally gotten down to 20mg and  I  am “me” again and doing just fine. I can feel, I’m no longer numb to the world and I have a lot more energy. 
 

The important thing is to take the 10percent or less taper every few weeks (that is recommended from the other site) serious and not be in a rush.  This isn’t a race and you do not want to suffer needlessly by going to quickly.

17 hours ago, Tulip said:

I may have had some numbers behind the name..maybe tulip52.

 

At one point I was on the highest dose recommended of imipramine, 250-300mg and was still not doing well.  I did have a lot of stressors at the time but I think the meds  made things worse.  It’s taken a few years to slowly wean down but I’ve finally gotten down to 20mg and  I  am “me” again and doing just fine. I can feel, I’m no longer numb to the world and I have a lot more energy. 
 

The important thing is to take the 10percent or less taper every few weeks (that is recommended from the other site) serious and not be in a rush.  This isn’t a race and you do not want to suffer needlessly by going to quickly.

Thanks for the update Tulip

 

I found you on SA and have linked above for you.

 

Sounds like you are doing ok now. This is great to hear! 🙂 

 

And some solid advice there for people! 

 

Hope you find the site useful and supportive.

 

Chippy

I know that this is for antidepressants but i am trying to come off of Ativan.. I take .5 twice a day.  Anyone in here dealt with this?

Hey @Tulip

 

Ive moved this back to your thread as we like to keep posts like this here.

 

I can't see Ativan in your signature could you update if for us?

 

So to confirm you are now taking:

 

11 Oct 2025 - Imipramine 20mg

?? Jan 2020 - Ropinirole 2mg

?? Jan 2024  - Clonidine 0.1mg

?? ??? ???? - Ativan ?mg

 

Tapering a Benzo is similar to an AD. You don't want to taper multiple drugs at once and want to taper from a place of stabilisation.

 

Couple of links to read. Let us know how long you have been in the Ativan.

 

Tapering Information

 

Polydrugged? Which drug to taper off first?

 

Chippy

I’ve been on Ativan for a couple of months and will start tapering after I get over a virus that I have.  I’m quite comfy with where I am on imipramine so I won’t taper it for now.

5 hours ago, Tulip said:

I’ve been on Ativan for a couple of months and will start tapering after I get over a virus that I have.  I’m quite comfy with where I am on imipramine so I won’t taper it for now.

Ok. Can you put the dates in your signature
 

 As you’ve not been on long you might want to taper off more quickly to avoid further dependence. Message back here when you are ready and we can offer some thoughts on this. 😀

I’ve been taking care of a family member and putting myself on the back burner.  Just realizing a couple things and will start logging to get a better idea of where I am.

 

I tapered down to 20 mg of imipramine and have stayed on this dose quite a while.  I started noticing a few weeks ago that after I would take it my restless legs would get worse.. even on rls meds. So, I started skipping the imipramine all together atleast twice a week and felt so much better.

 

i did this for weeks.  Now I’m wondering if it’s the Ativan bothering me or I’m having withdrawals from imipramine.  I know, I’ve made a mess.

 

Last night I took only 10mg imipramine and my restless legs was not a problem and I slept much better… 

22 minutes ago, Tulip said:

I’ve been taking care of a family member and putting myself on the back burner.  Just realizing a couple things and will start logging to get a better idea of where I am.

 

I tapered down to 20 mg of imipramine and have stayed on this dose quite a while.  I started noticing a few weeks ago that after I would take it my restless legs would get worse.. even on rls meds. So, I started skipping the imipramine all together atleast twice a week and felt so much better.

 

i did this for weeks.  Now I’m wondering if it’s the Ativan bothering me or I’m having withdrawals from imipramine.  I know, I’ve made a mess.

 

Last night I took only 10mg imipramine and my restless legs was not a problem and I slept much better… 

there is a chance maybe your body adapted fast and 10mg became your new baseline ?

sometimes unpredictable things can happen with those drugs so i don't know what's happening, and I'm not a tapering expert, only know the basics.

make sure to take consistently and don't make more of a mess from now on.

 

also just as a note, sert receptor occupancy is a bit more than 50% in 20mg and from there it becomes more steep according to Maudsley's deprescribing guidelines.

so make sure you take it steady from now on.

Edited March 13Mar 13 by Lighty

7 am -12 noon slept soundly

-12:30 pm .5 Ativan 

- 1:30 -3pm light housework 

-3 pm 25 minute walk 

- 4:30-5pm slight anxiety.. painted to keep my mind busy

6 pm anxiety is getting stronger

-7 pm cooked dinner

-8 pm mirapex (rls meds)

 

@Lighty I think I’ve been going through withdrawals from imipramine for prob a couple of weeks so I’m thinking I’ll try to stay at the 10mg even though it is a 50 percent cut.  I’m sooo tired of dealing with imipramine withdrawals and imipramine making my restless legs worse.

8 hours ago, Tulip said:

tapered down to 20 mg of imipramine and have stayed on this dose quite a while.  I started noticing a few weeks ago that after I would take it my restless legs would get worse.. even on rls meds. So, I started skipping the imipramine all together atleast twice a week and felt so much better.

Sounds like your body isn’t liking the drug to me. It’s not advised to skip doses. ADRs are dose sensitive so you look to be finding the lower dose better. That’s good. However the 50% cut and dose skipping isn’t ideal. I’d keep those daily diary’s going. Useful for sure. Put any symptoms in there along with your doses. Perhaps rate your symptom level for the day out of 10. 10 being the worse and 1 being mild. 
 

8 hours ago, Tulip said:

Last night I took only 10mg imipramine and my restless legs was not a problem and I slept much better… 

Lighty is right the lower doses have more potency so you want to careful from here. 
 

Can you update your signature with the dose changes?

 

I’d hold here at 10mg if you feel good on it and wait for a week or two and see how your wd symptoms go. If they get too bad you can always updose a bit to see if that eases them. But if you feel better in the lower doses you might just want to wait and let it settle. It’s your choice listen to your body. 
 

Please no more dose shifts and skipping doses. Nice and methodical from now on. 😊

 

Chippy

 

3/13 -3/14

 

9 pm .5 Ativan, bed, tv

12 am 10mg imioramine, broken sleep until 4 am

4 am took 4mg liquid imioramine, tv 

7 am - 10 am slept

10 am a little anxious.. no desire to do anything.. depressed 

11 am- 1pm painting to distract myself 

1-1:45 lunch, games on phone.. more depressed then anxious, tired.. I want caffeine so bad to pick me up 

51 minutes ago, Tulip said:

3/13 -3/14

 

9 pm .5 Ativan, bed, tv

12 am 10mg imioramine, broken sleep until 4 am

4 am took 4mg liquid imioramine, tv 

7 am - 10 am slept

10 am a little anxious.. no desire to do anything.. depressed 

11 am- 1pm painting to distract myself 

1-1:45 lunch, games on phone.. more depressed then anxious, tired.. I want caffeine so bad to pick me up 

please do not play with your dose, don't take one day 10mg, one day 14mg, another day a different dose, you are confusing your nervous system and causing it to be worse.

settle on a certain dose for at least a week, after a week, see if you feel okay or you need to updose more, if you feel like an updose would help, updose a little and see if it helps or not and how much it helps.

27 minutes ago, Lighty said:

please do not play with your dose, don't take one day 10mg, one day 14mg, another day a different dose, you are confusing your nervous system and causing it to be worse.

settle on a certain dose for at least a week, after a week, see if you feel okay or you need to updose more, if you feel like an updose would help, updose a little and see if it helps or not and how much it helps.

You’re right.. I got nervous with a 50 percent taper and four hours later I took 4 mg more.  I’m going to stick to the 14 mg.

 

3/13 -3/14

 

9 pm .5 Ativan, bed, tv

12 am 10mg imioramine, broken sleep until 4 am

4 am took 4mg liquid imioramine, tv 

7 am - 10 am slept

10 am a little anxious.. no desire to do anything.. depressed 

11 am- 1pm painting to distract myself 

1-1:45 lunch, games on phone.. more depressed then anxious, tired.. I want caffeine so bad to pick me up 

3 pm feeling a little more restless, 25 minute walk

3:30 pm gave in and took .5 Ativan 

Edited March 14Mar 14 by Tulip

5 minutes ago, Tulip said:

You’re right.. I got nervous with a 50 percent taper and four hours later I took 4 mg more.  I’m going to stick to the 14 mg.

just decide a dose to settle on, how long have you took 10mg ? if it's been only one day or something, you should maybe stick to 10mg.

im still not understanding how many days you took nothing, if you took 0mg for long enough, 10mg might be enough, it takes at least a week of the same dose to assess if a dose change has helped partially, helped completely, didn't help or made things worse.

please explain your dose change. how many days you skipped, did you skip multiple days in a row or every second day or didn't take it for a week ?

Edited March 14Mar 14 by Lighty

 

3/13 -3/14

 

9 pm .5 Ativan, bed, tv

12 am 10mg imioramine, broken sleep until 4 am

4 am took 4mg liquid imioramine, tv 

7 am - 10 am slept

10 am a little anxious.. no desire to do anything.. depressed 

11 am- 1pm painting to distract myself 

1-1:45 lunch, games on phone.. more depressed then anxious, tired.. I want caffeine so bad to pick me up 

3 pm feeling a little more restless, 25 minute walk

3:30 pm gave in and took .5 Ativan 

4-7pm Ativan has me too flat, sipping caffeine the last two hours.  Talked on the phone, painted.. note to self..I can do this!  I’ve been through imipramine tapers several times and I have made it through each time.. this time is no different.  I am 94% there!!  

@Lighty honestly, bc I’ve been working so hard taking care of a family member’s needs (elderly, failing health)  all I can truly say is I know that I was skipping the 20mg atleast twice a week.   I took ten mg last night and it worried me so much about becoming destabilized that I took an additional 4 mg.. I’m going to stick with the 14mg.  In the past I’m usually pulling out of the emotional roller coaster taper in a couple of weeks.

Hey. Lighty is on the money. You must be consistent with your dose. Jumping doses around can cause serious problems for you. 
 

Hold here for the minute and wait to see how you are at 14mg. I’d give it 2 weeks to assess any potential wd symptoms. Don’t let fear drive your decisions. Nice and methodical. 
 

Chippy

3/14-15

9 pm .5 Ativan, bed, tv

12 am 10mg imioramine, broken sleep until 4 am

4 am took 4mg liquid imioramine, tv 

7 am - 10 am slept

10 am a little anxious.. no desire to do anything.. depressed 

11 am- 1pm painting to distract myself 

1-1:45 lunch, games on phone.. more depressed then anxious, tired.. I want caffeine so bad to pick me up 

3 pm feeling a little more restless, 25 minute walk

3:30 pm gave in and took .5 Ativan 

4-7pm Ativan has me too flat, sipping caffeine the last two hours.

9 pm tics, a little anxious , took mirapex

9:30pm 3:30 am in bed, painting, bed, tv tv.. 

4 am - 12 noon broken sleep

1:30 pm ativan

2-9 pm tv, played on phone

9 pm mirapex

 

only one Ativan today, anxiety not quite as bad.  Needed to just be still and quiet, ok day

 

2 hours ago, Tulip said:

3/14-15

 

9 pm .5 Ativan, bed, tv

12 am 10mg imioramine, broken sleep until 4 am

4 am took 4mg liquid imioramine, tv 

7 am - 10 am slept

10 am a little anxious.. no desire to do anything.. depressed 

11 am- 1pm painting to distract myself 

1-1:45 lunch, games on phone.. more depressed then anxious, tired.. I want caffeine so bad to pick me up 

3 pm feeling a little more restless, 25 minute walk

3:30 pm gave in and took .5 Ativan 

4-7pm Ativan has me too flat, sipping caffeine the last two hours.

9 pm tics, a little anxious , took mirapex

9:30pm 3:30 am in bed, painting, bed, tv tv.. 

4 am - 12 noon broken sleep

1:30 pm ativan

2-9 pm tv, played on phone

9 pm mirapex

 

only one Ativan today, anxiety not quite as bad.  Needed to just be still and quiet, ok day

 

Watch the caffeine won’t you. We advice to avoid it or keep it too a minimum. You know your body. 
 

Please take you Ativan consistently. If two doses is too much and you’ve been taking it inconsistently perhaps the one dose is the way forward for you but as with ADs consistency is important. 

8 hours ago, Tulip said:

12 am 10mg imioramine, broken sleep until 4 am

4 am took 4mg liquid imioramine, tv 

with those type of drugs, you usually need to take the dose at once....

i don't think it makes sense you splitting the dose and then taking the rest 4mg on 4am, which is why your sleep is broken untill you take the other 4mg.

 

I only broke up the imipramine dose that first night out of indecision with the dose. Insomnia is part of my usual withdrawals symptoms.  As far as the Ativan, I’m taking it as needed only bc I do not want to be dependent on another drug.   Today is a better day.. it’s 2pm and I only just recently started feeling a little anxious and the last Ativan was at midnight.  I’m thinking I will ride it out and see if I can wait a couple of more hours before taken the Ativan again. @Chippy @Lighty Thank you for walking with me in this.

25 minutes ago, Tulip said:

I only broke up the imipramine dose that first night out of indecision with the dose. Insomnia is part of my usual withdrawals symptoms.  As far as the Ativan, I’m taking it as needed only bc I do not want to be dependent on another drug.   Today is a better day.. it’s 2pm and I only just recently started feeling a little anxious and the last Ativan was at midnight.  I’m thinking I will ride it out and see if I can wait a couple of more hours before taken the Ativan again. @Chippy @Lighty Thank you for walking with me in this.

it seems like you have taken the Ativan for multiple days already, if you aren't hooked, it's better to take something like chamomile tea as something to help with relaxing (if you tolerate it)

9 hours ago, Tulip said:

As far as the Ativan, I’m taking it as needed only bc I do not want to be dependent on another drug.

You really shouldn’t do that imo. You’ve been taking it since dec right? If so you’ve built dependence already. Regular dosing is important. You don’t want to get benzo wd. 
 

9 hours ago, Tulip said:

Today is a better day.. it’s 2pm and I only just recently started feeling a little anxious

This is good.