Ativan/Lorazapam

liveforsummer · Sep 07, 2017, 06:47 PM

I don't like taking meds unnecessarily or incorrectly. I have a prescription for Ativan for anxiety but would it help for feelings of being overwhelmed, struggling to cope, fidgitiness? (I don't have the increased heart rate, sweating etc anxiety symptoms) Just thinking I could try one of them until I get my psych/med appointment.

Just looking for some opinions thanks

still_crazy · Sep 07, 2017, 06:53 PM

i dunno. benzodiazepines relieve anxiety and cause sedation at higher doses. long term use can cause problems. tapering after regular use can sometimes be difficult.

ativan is one of the higher potency ones. it takes a lower dose to relieve anxiety, so there's less sedation than with, say, an equivalent dose of Valium. Ativan also works quickly and wears off relatively quickly (though I think it lasts longer than xanax...).

I don't know, honestly. Taking one won't hurt you, as long as you're not drinking, driving, doing anything that requires intense concentration, etc. You might just fall asleep.

I hope you can get the help you need.

99fairies · Sep 07, 2017, 06:53 PM

I was addicted to ativan for about six months... 5 years ago. I was abusing it to the point of feeling very high. I now take klonopin for anxiety and it works really well. no high feeling. just takes care of my anxiety.

liveforsummer · Sep 07, 2017, 06:56 PM

I'm just thinking of taking one once it a while when it all just seems too much.
(Help me stop pacing! )

Wild Coyote · Sep 07, 2017, 07:04 PM

Anxiety manifests in many different ways.
It doesn't have to be a classic anxiety attack for Ativan to be helpful.

I'd recommend people with addictive personalities definitely try to stay away from benzos.

Otherwise, why not give it a try in order to see if it helps with your distress?

I agree with still_crazy, please be careful as to the conditions under which you test its efficacy and side-effects.

WC

Sep 07, 2017, 07:07 PM

Yeah, taking one once in awhile for the reasons you mentioned and for the pacing would be reasonable and potentially helpful. You never know unless you try. It's safer to take an occasional Ativan than a daily antipsychotic for most people. Let us know if it works for you. Best wishes and good luck!

liveforsummer · Sep 08, 2017, 07:24 AM

Took .5mg around 8:30 pm last night. By 10:30 I couldn't stay awake and went to bed.
I'm too terrified of becoming addicted which is why I think I've taken it less than 10 times in my life. (Drives doc crazy I suffer through symptoms when bad).

Sunflower123 · Sep 08, 2017, 07:51 AM

So glad it worked for you. I understand your concern about addictions. You just have to be deliberate in using it responsibly. I've taken Xanax or Klonopin or Valium everyday for years for anxiety and haven't had any addiction problems (I guess every individual varies). Interestingly, since I started taking Abilify and stopped using caffeine, I haven't needed the benzos for several days now.

I hope you'll use Ativan as you need when you're feeling that way. You could talk to your pdoc about your addiction concerns. I also hope you are feeling better. Sending big hugs.

WildcatVet · Sep 08, 2017, 08:50 AM

I don't think the occasional low dose is harmful, but long term use (longer than 4~6 weeks) can lead to addiction, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, memory loss, and eventually dementia.
When I was in drug rehab I roomed with 2 ladies addicted to benzos and they were in much worse shape than the heroin addicts.
Personally, with my history of drug/alcohol abuse I wouldn't touch ANY benzo with a ten foot pole.

ComfortablyNumb5 · Sep 08, 2017, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liveforsummer

I don't like taking meds unnecessarily or incorrectly. I have a prescription for Ativan for anxiety but would it help for feelings of being overwhelmed, struggling to cope, fidgitiness? (I don't have the increased heart rate, sweating etc anxiety symptoms) Just thinking I could try one of them until I get my psych/med appointment.

Just looking for some opinions thanks

The aggitation, increased heart rate, sweating is more so a panic attack where as a general feeling of uneasiness an being overwhelmed is anxiety or GAD. Ativan helps both. At least for me. My bottle says 1mg twice a day but my pdoc wants it just as a PRN (as needed). So To avoid addiction I only take 1mg every two days or so when I'm anxious. When I'm having a full out panic attack I take the 2mg and a nap. Pdoc says there's nothing wrong with that as long as I'm not running out of my script early.

Moose72 · Sep 08, 2017, 06:19 PM

My Pdoc took my Ativan away a year ago. Since then I've had panic attacks and just had to suffer. I think that's mean.

bioChE · Sep 08, 2017, 08:07 PM

I used to take Ativan. Now I take Klonopin. Lasts a lot longer, and keeps the panic attacks at bay.

Sep 23, 2017, 01:33 AM

My doc won't prescribe Ativan. She says when it wears off you can feel worse than before you took it. Anyway my mom got addicted to it and she was a mess - terrible transition to klonopin for her.

My doc will only give me gabapentin for anxiety

Guiness187055 · Sep 23, 2017, 07:34 AM

I have taken a lot of different benzos. I am on xanax now. Ativan is the only one for me that I can actually get high off of. I wont take Ativan.

Wonderfalls · Sep 23, 2017, 02:20 PM

I think your doctor is right. Some people get addicted just like they do to pain pills, but the vast majority of people don't. I've been taking 2mg Xanax prn for a long time. My doctor would prefer that I don't go through painful anxiety needlessly. Periodically I just stop and I've never had any withdrawal effects.

And by the way, both my former psychiatrist and my current pdoc have had no hesitation in prescribing it and the pdoc I interviewed with first and my internist both said they had no problem prescribing Xanax either. I think some doctors are just paranoid and I think it has more to do with their having to report benzodiazepine prescriptions as much as anything else. (Missouri is the only state that doesn't require that, for better or worse.)

glowsinthedark · Sep 23, 2017, 02:39 PM

I've been taking Ativan for almost 2 years. It is extremely helpful for me. I have gone through minor withdrawals in the past but now I make sure not to take it more than 3 days in a row and it seems fine. I will go for a week or more with none and don't experience any withdrawal. It's when your body adjusts to it And stops producing its own neurochemicals that you're in trouble. I have also never taken more than 1mg in a day, so as not to build up tolerance.

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Ativan/Lorazapam

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