Ativan question

beepster · Post by **beepster** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 6:10 am

I've taken Ativan just when I needed it. It works best for me at nite when I can't sleep and I have to work the next day. The ativan works through the morning and gets me to work without any anxiety and once in work and have been there for a couple of hours...I don't experience any anxiety anyways, so the ativan does the job straight through the next morning. Also, I just took the .5mg. I havn't had to take Ativan at all since starting the program in May.... however....I still have it in my bag "just in case". I also take fish oil and I think it helps tremendously. I have to start again on calcium and magnesium (I forgot about their theraputic affects on the nervous system, thanks for the reminder). Good luck...the good news about Ativan is that you can take it ONLY when you want or feel the need to. So it's there when/if you need it. No pressure. Good Luck!
Lynn

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:50 pm

These are very good, positive replies. I must agree with Fischee's anger toward the person/people who say its like heroin. I remember reading that in here a while ago and that freaked me out so bad. Hearing from other people's positive replies about Ativan really helped me.

kvsdiva · Post by **kvsdiva** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:32 pm

If it makes you feel better, I took .5 or 1 mg one to two times per day for at least a year while in college and was able to wean down with no problem. Since then I've taken SSRI's (Paxil, Effexor), which are supposedly "not addictive" and it is horrid for my body coming off those.
It is very calming. I take Ativan to this day when I have a dental appt or I am going to fly.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:20 pm

Benzo's like xanax, ativan and klonopin are meant ONLY for short term use. If taken for extended periods of time, they can be HIGHLY addictive mentally and physically.

If you need a medication for long-term use, I encourage you to talk to your therapist/doctor about an anti-depressant that is good for anxiety and panic. These drugs are different and less addictive than Benzo's.

Either way, you should NEVER stop taking a medication without consulting with your doctor first.

There are natural alternatives to Benzo's !!! The amino acid, L-Theanine ( Suntheanine) is one of them that is extremely helpful. It is non-addictive and has been around a very long time.
<A HREF="http://www.hadleywoodhealthcare.co.uk/f ... 5B1%5D.pdf" TARGET=_blank>http://www.hadleywoodhealthcare.co.uk/f ... [1].pdf</A>
With or without medication, you can recover from an anxiety disorder. Always know you have a CHOICE !!

Carolyn Dickman · Post by **Carolyn Dickman** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:24 pm

I look at it like this... some of us NEED the medications! I have been on Xanax on a prn basis for over 20 years! It is there when/if I need it... Ativan did nothing for me! But, everyone is different when it comes to meds. Bottom line, if they help you to cope, it is all good! Even with this program, some of us suffer from GAD/panic disorder, and while the program lessens our symptoms, there are times when situations arise that a med maybe necessary! Just my opinion, of course!

Good luck to you...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:35 pm

Ativan has been the biggest help for me! I had previously been prescribed something like xanax and it took 10-20 minutes to actually kick in....well, when you're having an anxiety/panic attack, you're full throttle by about 5-10 minutes. It just wasn't working for me. So my Dr. Suggested Ativan and it's perfect for me. I HATE taking pills and I will fight off the anxiety whenever possible but for the times when it's really tough and I can't do it alone, I pop that little pill under my tongue and away I go. I don't find it really makes me sleepy though. Makes it easier for me to fall asleep when i'm ready but I'm never afraid I'll pass out or anything.
The first time I ever had to take it I was terrified. My husband was away with work and I was having an anxiety attack right before bed....and the thought of trying a new medication made it 10x worse...so the first time I took it it was an awful experience. My body full out rejected it. I cried for hours because I was so scared. But I tried it the next time I had an attack, and it worked like it was supposed to.
I have to travel to Cuba in a couple months and I have wicked travel anxiety....I'm hoping my ativan friend will help me out!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:44 pm

but has anyone had blurred vision from it? it works for me, but I think that it messes my eyes up. Also on wellbutrin, 150. freaks me out. Not sure what to do.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:28 am

Cinny, you should tell your Doctor. She/he will probably try different medications.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:57 pm

Originally posted by Shandee Houston:
Yes, it does, but I'm on 2mg. It does help very much. You won't need it for long. Be careful that you don't start taking them like candy like i did. Depend more on the tools they give us to cope. I know a lot about meds, ask me anything,

I've been taking 1mg Ativan 3 times a day for about 3 months now. Do you think that's too long? Also, I tried taking half the dosage 3 times a day, but after a few days I was starting to feel really anxious again, so I went back to my regular dosage. Any answers or comments for me? Thanks!

acgolf · Post by **acgolf** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:00 pm

Originally posted by Cinny:
but has anyone had blurred vision from it? it works for me, but I think that it messes my eyes up. Also on wellbutrin, 150. freaks me out. Not sure what to do.

Yes, I experience blurred vision from time to time. I also take Ativan. 1mg 3 times a day, but my Dr. said that blurred vision is one of the physical affects that can be experienced with anxiety.