Ativan Taper Calculator
Plan a gradual lorazepam reduction — week-by-week doses, dates, and diazepam equivalents you can print for your prescriber.
Ativan (lorazepam) has a half-life of 10–20 hours — long enough that most people dose it two or three times a day, but short enough that many experience interdose withdrawal between doses. Tapering lorazepam is very doable, but the schedule matters more than it does with longer-acting benzodiazepines.
Use the calculator below to build a percentage-based reduction schedule from your total daily lorazepam dose. Each cut is a percentage of your current dose, so reductions naturally get smaller as you approach zero.
Half-life
10–20 hours (short/intermediate)
Ashton equivalent
1mg ≈ 10mg diazepam
Common tablets
0.5 / 1 / 2 mg
Liquid available
Yes (lorazepam Intensol 2mg/mL)
What to know before tapering lorazepam
Lorazepam has one advantage many benzodiazepines lack: a manufactured oral liquid (lorazepam Intensol). That makes very small, precise cuts possible without a compounding pharmacy, which is why some people taper lorazepam directly all the way down instead of crossing over to diazepam.
The short half-life is the trade-off. Blood levels dip noticeably between doses, and cutting one of your daily doses more than the others can create a bumpy day. Most tapering guidance suggests keeping doses evenly spaced and trimming each dose proportionally.
Lorazepam also has no active metabolites, which is why it's often prescribed to older adults and people with liver conditions — but it also means there's no metabolic "tail" to cushion your cuts. Gentle percentages and adequate holds do that work instead.
Direct taper or crossover?
The Ashton Manual describes switching from lorazepam to diazepam (1mg lorazepam ≈ 10mg diazepam) for people who find direct cuts too sharp. With the liquid formulation available, though, a direct taper with 5–10% cuts is a realistic option for many — discuss both routes with your prescriber and pick the one that fits your situation.
Whichever route you take, the early warning signs of moving too fast — mounting anxiety, sleep loss, morning dread — are your signal to hold, not push through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to taper off Ativan?
From a typical 1–2mg daily dose, 10% cuts held two weeks each usually take 9–12 months to reach a low jump-off dose. Faster schedules exist for short-term users, and slower ones are common after long-term use. Duration of use, dose, and individual sensitivity all matter more than any fixed timetable.
What is interdose withdrawal from Ativan?
It's withdrawal symptoms — usually anxiety, restlessness, or a 'wired' feeling — that appear a few hours before your next scheduled dose, as blood levels fall. It's common with shorter-acting benzodiazepines like lorazepam. Evenly spaced dosing (e.g., three times daily) often reduces it; if it persists, discuss timing or a crossover with your prescriber.
Is there a liquid form of lorazepam for tapering?
Yes. Lorazepam Intensol is a 2mg/mL oral concentrate available in the US, and it allows much finer dose reductions than splitting 0.5mg tablets. It's one of the reasons a direct lorazepam taper is practical for many people. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist about it.
Should I switch from Ativan to Valium to taper?
The Ashton Manual recommends the crossover (1mg lorazepam ≈ 10mg diazepam) for people who struggle with direct cuts, because diazepam's much longer half-life smooths blood levels. But with the lorazepam liquid available, many people taper directly. Both are legitimate — it's a decision to make with your prescriber.
Can I stop 0.5mg of Ativan without tapering?
Even 0.5mg is roughly equivalent to 5mg of diazepam, and stopping abruptly after regular use can trigger significant withdrawal. Most guidance recommends tapering gradually even from low doses. Enter 0.5 in the calculator to see what a gradual finish looks like, and confirm the plan with your prescriber.
Sources & methodology
Equivalence values and reduction percentages follow the Ashton Manual (Prof. C. Heather Ashton, 2002), consistent with modern deprescribing guidance recommending gradual, patient-led benzodiazepine reduction and warning against abrupt discontinuation. This calculator performs arithmetic only — it is educational, not a prescription. Always work with your prescriber.