Question:
: If a person craves benzo’s so much, it is likely they have a co-existing condition besides anxiety.
Not necessarily so, Jay. While true benzo addiction with craving is uncommon, perhaps even rare, in those with anxiety disorders, it does sometimes occur. In which case the benzos are not the drug for *that* person. Ian
Response:
when I was on them the doc said .5mg or 1mg is fine, after a while I got used to them and we talked about upping the dose but ended up changing meds. As far as I am aware Ativan is a short term benzo and you should only use it when you need to. If your taking it every day, twice a day it’s probably wareing off before you have another dose + your going to get tolerant to the drug quicker. My advice would be find a good psych doc ( mine was amazed at the stupidity of the meds my GP had prescribed me ). Only have the Ativan when you need it….1mg should be fine if you need it….but hey I’m no doc.
Neither am I but I *do* know that Ativan is a good anxiolytic med. It is indeed a short acting benzo which means that there are roughly two ways of taking it: *as needed* as you recommend or as a maintenance med which means taking it three to four times a day depending on the rate of metabolizing. It is well suited as a maintenance med as are all benzos. *Tolerance* to the anxiolytic effect does *not* occur as a rule (of course every rule has its exceptions) which means that once a therapeutic dose is reached (after some adjustments in the beginning) most of us anxiety folk remain on the same dose for years. Like many meds Ativan does cause *dependence* which means that your body gets used to it being there (like a dibaetic gets used to his insulin) and that consequently you should not get off of it suddenly but by wat of a slow taper to avoid or minimize possible withdrawal symptoms which is easy for some and difficult for others. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks for all the input. I am impressed how well the group comes together. I guess I will need to talk with doc as .5 mg doesn’t seem to do the trick. Mike
Response:
I understand what you are saying Andy, but much evidence tends to lean to the fact that even though the "major relaxant" (i.e. ‘buzz’) effects of a benzo (like Ativan) ware off, the anxiolytic properties don’t. I have taken benzo’s for over 7 years, and still get the same anxiolytic effect as I did back when I started. I think they are a true miracle drug, and maybe the safest drugs going. The only problem being they can be abused, but a good doctor will use multiple drugs often to attack that potential. If a person craves benzo’s so much, it is likely they have a co-existing condition besides anxiety. That’s why a.d’s are used with benzos, and even new atypical antipsychotics in low doses are also being used. Despite all of the negative "hoopla" about polypharmacy, often it can be used to treat, quite well, the most difficult cases of co-existing depression, anxiety, and even a background bipolar tendency. I also tend to think Bipolar disorder is one the most _underdiagnosed_ of all mental illness. Considering it can look and manifest itself as anger, and a high level of anxiety, it can go missed easily. I also tend to think that many G.P.’s are much more helpful then psychiatrists. I have encountered many psychiatrists who refuse to prescribe more then one med, often an antidepressant, and also refuse to make good use of much of the excellent and new research and uses of the new atypical antipsychotics, as well as benzo’s. In honesty, I find many arrogant, patronizing snobs who are more interested in having "control" over you then you actually getting better. They think they are providing "therapy" to me, but being an MSW, I can talk circles around most of them. I just want my meds to control symptoms. I don’t need to be told how and when I have to "relax". My G.P. has given me better psychiatric treatment then any psychiatrist I have ever been to. I know who I am sticking with. I would strongly advise others who are not getting anywhere with their psychiatrist to go back to your G.P. also. Jay – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – when I was on them the doc said .5mg or 1mg is fine, after a while I got used to them and we talked about upping the dose but ended up changing meds. As far as I am aware Ativan is a short term benzo and you should only use it when you need to. If your taking it every day, twice a day it’s probably wareing off before you have another dose + your going to get tolerant to the drug quicker. My advice would be find a good psych doc ( mine was amazed at the stupidity of the meds my GP had prescribed me ). Only have the Ativan when you need it….1mg should be fine if you need it….but hey I’m no doc. — Andy Thanks for all the input. I am impressed how well the group comes together. I guess I will need to talk with doc as .5 mg doesn’t seem to do the trick. Mike
Response:
Just wondering if anyone does or has taken Ativan. What amounts did you use? I was put on .5 One or two times daily and this doesn’t seem to do anything. I was on Buspar and went up to 45mgs. on that now this. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike
Response:
Hi Mike, I have used Ativan a little while. In the beginning I did very well on it, hadn’t been on meds before, but I had to use more at a later stage. I was told 1 mg was a rather low dose, 2 mg is Ok I started Paxil after a few weeks and do well on it. Still have the Ativan as when needed. Best wishes
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just wondering if anyone does or has taken Ativan. What amounts did you use? I was put on .5 One or two times daily and this doesn’t seem to do anything. I was on Buspar and went up to 45mgs. on that now this. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike
Response:
Hi Mike! I’m on .5 Ativan every night and as needed during the day. I’m a small person and don’t weigh very much so .5 to help me relax during the day is enough, even .25 helps. It does take a while to get in my system when I’m very stressed out. It may be different for you, but please talk to your doctor if .5 isn’t enough. He may change it to 3x a day or to 1 mg. I just wanted you to know that it has helped me a lot!!! Hugs, Di
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just wondering if anyone does or has taken Ativan. What amounts did you use? I was put on .5 One or two times daily and this doesn’t seem to do anything. I was on Buspar and went up to 45mgs. on that now this. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike
Response:
Just wondering if anyone does or has taken Ativan. What amounts did you use? I was put on .5 One or two times daily and this doesn’t seem to do anything. I was on Buspar and went up to 45mgs. on that now this. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike
If you take Ativan as an only med for PD (what *are* you diagnosed with?) this is a subtherapeutic dose. You might consult your doc about raising it, doubling it first and then see if you need more which is very well possible. If even higher doses don
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