Someone HELP me please :(

Posted , 3 users are following.

Ok so I have been on ativan since December 2014. I was first prescribed .5mg and moved up to 1mg. I was advised to taper of the

1 like, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Posted

    The ativan so I was able to reduce it back to .5mg but when I tried to go even lower my anxiety returned and had to go back up to 1mg. My doctor has prescribed to me so far 2 different antidepressants to try to get me off the ativan. First Escitalopram (tried just 2.5 mg to start off) , which gave me a choking sensation and I had to stop it. And second Sertraline (2.5 mg again) which made me shaky and jittery all over. I had to stop taking it too because it was unbarable. Now my doc tried to switch me to a long acting benzo, clonazepam because he suspects my anxiety is in the way and thos side effects were perhaps in my head. After being on this longer avting benzo, he plans to try more antidepressants. I was prescribed a .125 mg pill of clonazepam and adviced to split it in half's and take one morning one night. The day I started it I felt some chest pain, talked to the doc he said to split in fourths. I tried that today with chest pain again. I'm at my wits end here, can 2.5 mg worth of an antidepressant or .03125 worth of clonazepam really cause me to have side effects or is it just in my head?

    I'm lost and nothing but ativan seems to work right. sad help?

    Ps: sorry I hit enter accidentally before typing the whole thing!

  • Posted

    Tell yourself that you will be alright...........and it will. You might need a different kind but stronger meds. Live your life though. Do not let your meds  live for you but accept them as something you need. Do not buy the myth. Hey, i am ok now and i don't need meds anymore.

    I don't know how old you are, but this is not an emegency.....give yourself room to grow. 

    • Posted

      I'm 24. I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Are you saying that this are just side effects I'm immagining? And not an emergency? 
    • Posted

      I'm 24. I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Are you saying that this are just side effects I'm immagining? And not an emergency? 
    • Posted

      I didn't know that ativan was still prescribed these days as it is quite addictive and some of the side effects you're experiencing could be down to withdrawal symptoms from reducing the dose. No I don't think you are imagining these side effects, but any kind of drug takes a while for your body to adapt to it. Sometimes the initial side effects can make you think they're not helping. I also don't think there is any emergency here, but worrying constantly about your meds is not healthy. If you were diabetic for example, you'd take your insulin and not worry and get on with your life as you know you need it and wouldn't stop taking it just because you felt better. The same applies to your meds, accept that you need them at present, take them and when you feel better don't stop taking them by thinking you no longer need them. I think that's what david was trying to say, but that's only my view
    • Posted

      I am just saying that my guess that it's the wrong kind of meds for you. I have learned through the years that if a drug over medicates you than you don't need it because it is over the top of what you need...That you  need to be comfortable in what you take because IT would be  DOING ONLY what it is suppose to do and with very little side effects. When I say give youiself time to grow I am saying that you should only accept taking a drug IF it lets you continue to live life to the fullist you can ........this comparing side effedcts verses benifits is only something YOU can figure out, Good luck.
    • Posted

      Ty for your reply. I am in th US and yes ativan is still prescribed here. My doc has started me on Prozac now and to take at night so the side effects are easier on me. Only problem is today I have been exhausted and sleepy all day. Should I try to put up with it to see if it will help me? My doctor told me that I shouldn't feel any benefits until about 4 weeks in but since I started I haven't had any panic attacks. I had a similar experiance with the other SSRIs. They seem to calm me from day 1. Is this possible?
    • Posted

      Ty for your reply. I am in th US and yes ativan is still prescribed here. My doc has started me on Prozac now and to take at night so the side effects are easier on me. Only problem is today I have been exhausted and sleepy all day. Should I try to put up with it to see if it will help me? My doctor told me that I shouldn't feel any benefits until about 4 weeks in but since I started I haven't had any panic attacks. I had a similar experiance with the other SSRIs. They seem to calm me from day 1. Is this possible?
    • Posted

      As for taking Prozac to help with Ativan side effect; not recomended to take both.

      Ativan makes one slowly aggressive after awhile and Prozac does too. Ask Dr. about Lexapro OR Welbutran. Yes, be careful about seritonian syndrome. It is not pretty. Trazadone is good for sleeping.

    • Posted

      There is always a emotional response to anything put in your body.....meds included.I would not say imagination NO. It is real. You just handle that response in a non emotional way. This, what I am saying, seems hard to undestand but if you want any steady enjoyment in living it is imperitive. Here's hoping that you find the right med combination. At 65 I  just now am realizing that I must reduse my focus on my health issues. This is easy for me to say; I have found my med combinations .....approved by a caring Dr. of course.  A caring Dr. is hard to find nowdays.........maily because of Obamacare increasing regulations, cost and etc.
    • Posted

      Hi and ty for your reply again. I don't feel I am getting any side effects from ativan. The prozac is there to get me off of the ativan which can be really addicting. So far I think the sleepiness has subsided. I also found a really good doctor that is taking my pace with the new medications and really trying to find what works best for me. I hope I get this solved soon.
    • Posted

      Good luck and bless you. Remember; don't continue to take medicines without asknig your body to respond. Be proactive.

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