Ativan or Xanax?

xlostgirlx · Post by **xlostgirlx** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:13 am

I wanted to ask everyone which pill works the best out of Ativan or Xanax. I have taken xanax before and know it works good though i've never taken Ativan because i am afraid to. I'm not sure how it would react with me though i would like to know what expiriences or side effects anyone else has had with Ativan.

xlostgirlx · Post by **xlostgirlx** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 8:53 am

Originally posted by Mrs T Bones:
Good Morning lostgirl,
I do know that Xanax is the leading drug for panic attacks!!! I think Ativan is a much milder type of nerve medication!!!

Ativan is used a lot in the elderly, who need something to calm them down!!! It is a very safe drug!!!

I pray this helped answer your question!!! God bless you dearly (((((((((lostgirl))))))))))...Love Ya Dearly, Cloie

My grandmother has never taken Ativan since she doesn't have any anxiety problems but she scared me with it saying that they give it to people in hospitals who are dying so they won't be in their mind or something ...

bna · Post by **bna** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:57 am

Hi Lost girl

I have been taking ativan to help with insomnia after surgery. I was very nervous to take it myself. My Mother had been on it with end stage Alzheimer's disease.

I have been taking each evening and i have not had any problems with it. It has helped my insomnia and post-operative nausea.

Hope this helps. take care and God bless.

samcat · Post by **samcat** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 10:32 am

xlostgirlx,

There goes your grandmother scaring you again. I know bna and the woman has plenty of good sense, so I would listen to her since she has actually taken the medication. The way I look at it is this, You can take one pill. If you hate it, don't take it again. One Ativan isn't going to kill you or make you lose your mind. All these medications have side effects but they don't bother everyone. You have to try them to see if they help you .

jdog499 · Post by **jdog499** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:39 pm

ativan is harmless. well i've been taking .5 mg for almost a year now. sometimes 2x a day and there isn't any side effects. with me only thing it helped with when i first started was it made me sleepy at night. so if you have sleeping issues it will help. never took 1mg so not sure how those work but .5 is harmeless

jillzmind · Post by **jillzmind** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:16 pm

Hi Girl
nice to see you on here working the program.
I have to tell you Ativan did NOT work for me and made me very ill. But thankfully my anti-depressants took away enough of my anxiety so that I could work this program. My newer Dr I have said that the Ativan I was given was probably too high of a dosage. But I won't take it again. Didn't like how I felt.Each of us is so very different. It might work like a dream for you. You won't know till you try it. I'd go with the lowest dose to start with if it were me.
Take care

Jill~

cream cheese · Post by **cream cheese** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:03 pm

Throughout my Nursing career these medications were given to patients after a proper Psychological/Psychiatric evaluation. There are doses and strengths that are tapered Or increased to how effective the behavior modification is. Sheets are given to Medical personnel to evaluate effectiveness, side effects and adverse reactions..The drug is monitered over time with a patient. IF the drug is not satisfactory for the patient he will change the drug/and or dose
..This is primarily a doctors job to get a thorough history. No one should just GUESS on which drug they should take. If the psych history is complete the doctor should recommend the med not the patient, although patients can question if a certain drug would be right for them. New drugs are improved and changed all the time because of side effects and complaints from patients. Sometimes new drugs are trial drugs....the doctor should inform you of this that the drug is being studied because its new. Right to know is a patients right. NEVER ASSUME that a drug is right for you on others comments about it Everyone is unique!!!I cant stress this more for safety and well being. creamcheese

xlostgirlx · Post by **xlostgirlx** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 10:51 pm

Thank you for all your answers. The only thing i am afraid of are side effects. And i have a panic attack after i take a pill because i'm so afraid of the side effects from a trauma i had with seroquil. Thats why i'm so scared. I probably won't take it since thats one of my biggest fears but i would xanax since its basically the number 1 pill for panic attacks like mrs T bones said.

And with antidepressants the ones i've tried gave me panic attacks uncontrollable ones where i couldn't stop shaking. I never understood why. I ask a doctor they never told me why my doctors are hard to talk to because they don't listen and are too busy with a line of other patients.

If i stay in the house away from cars and the outside then i won't have a panic attack. Though when i'm inside i still have my anxiety and sometimes lay in the bed all day for relief.

newrunner · Post by **newrunner** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:45 am

Hi-

Xanax and Ativan are both in the benzodiazepine class of drugs. Xanax works quicker and ends quicker. Ativan is a little slower to get going, but lasts a bit longer. Other than that, they do the same thing in your body.

If you can get the Ativan, and can't get the Xanax, take what you can get and work with it. It will calm you down so you can do the program.

My credentials are as a registered pharmacist, so I know of what I'm talking about.

cream cheese · Post by **cream cheese** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:26 pm

Dear Lost....I recommend you change you doctor.creamcheese