anti-depressants not working

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:20 am

Good Morning! I turned my relaxation tape on last night before I went to bed and fell asleep about 1/4 of the way through. I guess I will try again this afternoon when I am not so tired so I don't fall asleep. I did get a good night's sleep though.

Thanks Kathryn, Denny 4 and Karilynn for your inspiring words. It is nice to wake up and have some positive words to start my day on. Thank you all so much!

To Karilynn,

I was on Ativan for about 18 years, and after about 2 years I was up to 2mg 5 times a day. I stayed on that dose until I went in to the hospital on Dec. 17th. During all that time, no doctor ever told me what I would have to go through to get off of the Ativan, or that it would affect the way my other meds worked. It's not easy to find a good doctor out there. You really have to watch out for yourself!

Amy

Mary65 · Post by **Mary65** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:39 am

Amy1010,

You've had lots of responses, so you may not care about mine, but the rocky road of de-toxing off one med so another can work is really tough. I have had emotional problems for many years, but haven't been taking meds for as long as you have. However, since I began with Lexapro and xanax last summer, I've played catch-up.

Now, the only think I'm taking is klonopin, for my severe anxiety and panics. My doc (whom I eventually hope to leave behind, if this program works) doesn't want me on antidepressants -- just seroquel, which is horrid to take and try to function.

So I am with you and support you in this brave journey. I, too, am looking to this program for a fresh start.

Best wishes to us both.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:55 am

Dear renaissancegirl,

If you don't think your doctor has you on the right meds, don't be afraid to try and find a new doctor. Just be careful they don't put you on anything addictive. I tried seroquel once and it didn't do anything for me.

I hope you get all the help you need from this program. Thank you for your support, and I am here for you too.

Amy1010

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:03 am

Amy-

Yes, I do want ativan and crave the part that relaxed me so much....Although, I fought a good fight, and I will never take it again! We did a very empowereing thing for ourselves and we WILL NOT GIVE UP and let it get the best of us.......It's funny you mentioned EVIL....I always thought of ativan as A demon

inside me....Screaming to get out.....I still have withdrawls.....The biggest withdrawl I have is the anxiety. My doc explained that after you get of ativan your anxiety manifests because the calcium channels ativan was blocking in your brain were now let loose....So imagine someone in prison who gets set free , ok, and then after the period of being imprisioned they are let loose, How do they react? Excited, overly happy, etc. So that is what happens to our nervous system the calcium channels were set free so now they don't now what to do with themselves so they go hay wire.....which left our bodies tingling, feelings of insects crawling on me, burning sensations, vomiting, diareaha, nausea. you name it, i had it! I am glad you read Ephesians....next read Isaiah 43:18,19...." Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing, Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Also go to Psalm 13, it fits us perfectly.....Please read it, I encourage this Psalm is empowering!

I love God - and he has us, satan wants us, but he can't have our soul - GOD HAS US IN HIS HANDS! I promise you this! I remember teeling the doctors, I have been off ativan for 16 days, why aren't the withdrawls gone? Remember it takes up to 18 months for your body to readjust from the abrupt discontinuation of a benzo. It's going on 7 months for me now, in the beginning my anxirty was so severe, I couldn't sleep for 15 days - sucked! Thought I was nuts and of course the sleep deprivation made it worse. Thank you for praying for me please continue to pray for me as I will also for you while we struggle with this journey together....Remember all things are possible through CHRIST!
In Christs Love and in HIS name-

Patricia

bna · Post by **bna** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:09 am

Karillyn-

I was on ativan 5 years 6 mg a day...I started at 1 mg a day, see what the docs fail to tell people is that your body becomes tolerante to the ativan which eventually you have to increase to get the same effect you did when you first started....I encourage you to do what the doc tells you, but be careful with the ativan, try not to take it unless you really need to.....It's a hard thing to battle and get off of.....Had I known what it would do, I would have never taken it!

Prayers and blessings,
Patricia

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:31 am

Amy,
I was on Xanax when I found the medication right for my depression. The doc said Xanax is a depressant and might counteract the other, so off of that I came and the EMSAM patch is working wonders!
Beverly

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 3:17 am

I have been on Ativan 0.5 prn mainly to sleep at night and when i really need it.Now hearing about your experiences Im alittle spooked.Im on Effexor 37.5 now . What do you think?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:46 am

If you wean off Benzos properly you will not have the withdrawals that you talk about in this blog. I'm talking about using a razor blade to shave the pills over the course of a year if you've been on it them for any length of time. This holds true for all meds. Proper weaning is the key. The rule of thumb for AD's is no more than 5% of your dose should be reduced in a single week.

Gary ***** BSN, RN