Stress Center Peer Support

Hi all, I have been having trouble sleeping and went to my health services at college. She gave me lorazepam to sleep, which has helped for the most part. I still wake up a couple hours before I am supposed to. She gave me 5 of these because that is what they give out for school without a larger cost. this Nurse didn't really seem to know much (to me). And she ordered me about 20 more pills of .5 mg. And told me to pick them up at Walgreens. I don't even know how much to take and when? It's pathetic. She just said try and sleep at night and if you can't , take this pill. But try not to depend on them to sleep. WHAT! I just don't know what I should do. And does this med help anyone?

I have had a hard time doing school work and concentrating. So I was wondering if this would help. It just is frusterating not having her seem to know very much.!

thanks

You will be just fine to take those to sleep. It is the generic for Ativan an anti Anxiety med. .5 Is just a half a milligram. I am taking it now to help me get of Paxil .5 3 to 4 times a day. at night I sleep really well and wake up well rested not hung over like when using sleeping pills!! I hope this helps sincerly Aaron

Hi KJ, I dont think you should be taking medications from your school murse because that is not what she specializes in. I think you need to be going to your doctor for this and seeing what he recommends. You could take Unisom, or Nytol, but I would talk to a doctor first. They always know the best meds that are out there. Good luck!

I'm taking 1 mg each night before bedtime. For me it doesn't start working for at least an hour. Right now I'm in my second week of the program, I'm having major problems with not sleeping and the pills aren't helping me. My goal is to get off all meds. Nights that I've tried going without the lorazepam, I'm up ALL night with thousands of thoughts racing through my head. Hangin on tight, for a brighter tomorrow.

Have you also tried the typical ways? Such as keeping a regular sleep schedule. Zero light in your bedroom. Some amount of movement (exercise) during the day. Avoid caffeine. Take a good vitamin/mineral supplement?

Also, the pharmacy should be able to give you some tips on dose and ways to use it.

HELLO, I TAKE ATIVAN 1MG 3X A DAY. IT WAS NOT GIVEN TO ME FOR SLEEP, AMBIEM WAS. THE PURPOSE OF ME STARTING THIS PROGRAM IS TO TRY AND GET OFF THE MEDS. I ALSO TAKE A ANTIDEPRESSANT.

YOU CAN'T FOOL AROUND WITH ATIVAN.
WHAT HELPS ME WITH SLEEP IS TO HAVE THE BEDROOM DARK. COVER ANYTHING WITH A LITE LIKE AN ALARM CLOCK OR PHONE. ABOUT 2 HOURS BEFORE YOU TRY TO GO TO SLEEP. TAKE A FEW DEEP BREATHS AND TELL YOURSELF VERY CALMLY I WILL HAVE A PEACEFUL AND RESTFULL SLEEP SAY THIS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN. AND SAY IT AS YOU TRY TO FALL ASLEEP. IT MAY TAKE A FEW TIMES BUT I'VE FOUND THAT IT DOES HELP. NO CAFFEINE OK. REMEMBER IT'S IN ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DRINK. TRY A HERBAL TEA WHILE YOUR TELLING YOURSELF YOU WILL HAVE A PEACEFULL HOPE THIS HELPS

didnt mean to write in caps

Stay away from Ativan / Lorazepam if at all possible. Its not a sleep medication; it is a tranquillizer that is highly addictive with psychotic and hypnotic properties. Very hard to get off of once addicted. You can become addicted in as little as two weeks from just the .5mg pill.

Through just regular use; its side effects and withdrawl can cause a whole host of effects such as mental issues such as depression, anxiety as well as many physical issues.

Nasty drug.

Forgot to mention .5mg of Ativan / Lorazepam is the equivalent of 5mg of Valium. People get fooled by the small dose.

I was given Lorazapam for anxiety attacks several years ago. I took them only as needed and did not suffer any side affects or withdrawal as I didn't take them everyday. meds are tricky, some are deffinately not to be messed with and are highly addictive especially if used over extended periods of time. I also don't feel that a school nurse should be handing these meds out.
Here is a link to Drugs.com and it lists a lot of good information about this drug. Worth looking at!!

<A HREF="http://www.drugs.com/lorazepam.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.drugs.com/lorazepam.html</A>

Deffinately PLEASE see a doctor. Knowledge is power and your health is best left to good, well educated professionals who know about meds and risks of taking them.

Best wishes, hope you can sleep.