Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group The use of Ativan for anxiety

Here is my story the meds I have to take for the depression is triggering terrible anxiety, about one hour after I take them. You would think the normal routine would be decrease the offending med, but I can't. SO now we are trying Ativan in very controlled doseages, and I think it is working. I naturally think about the concerns around addiction. I take one a day usually 1 mg, and if that works for me I aam going to contine. I was just wondering if any of the A/S folks take Ativan for anxiety.


Janet

Hello, sherry takes volume 3x daily(about the same as ativan)she has been an all of them. I believe all the drugs in that family are somewhat habit forming,but if you need it-take it.I see that you said 1 a day;do you take that in the morn. or eve.?

Hi Janet,
Please don't worry about addiction. We have to take control of our lives in any way we can. Anxiety is a real tough one and the Ativan should help a lot. I took Trazadone for 10 years for panic attacks and was able to go off easily by titrating down. Hopefully this will help you more and more and you can live without all of that awful anxiety. Routing for you!!!

Hey Janet.

I have to disagree with Pea this one time.

I have extensive knowledge of, due to own use and that of others as learned through an 8 month psyciatric clinic stay and a lifetime of interest in the subject since....the medicines in this family of drugs.


Yes: They are effective. Very. They also work almost instantly. And Yes, used with caution and the right way, they can be of benefit. Used with benefit however, in my experience, is as a muscle relaxant/anxiety dampener in a very short time span. Typically, I would reccomend, if one must, use it when all else has failed, use it in a medical cure, lasting no longer than 3 days, and spend those 3 days sleeping, resting and recouperating.

The problem with benzodiazepine meds is worse than people are aware of in general. I don't want to scare anyone, but on this subject you really need to be armed with information.

Lets see:

Pros these meds give:
Reduces anxiety
Muscle relaxing
Dampens epileptic attacks
Helps with insomnia
Reduces muscle spasms

That about sums it up. Now the Cons:
Highly addictive. Recent studies confirm what I and others that have used them has known for years; Addiction can kick in after as little as 10 days use!

The problem with addiction on them is the very fast increase in dosage needed to keep up with tolerance.

And withdrawal induces anxiety(!!!!!!!) (Trust me, I have been addicted to them, I know excactly what I talk about: The very thing you take them for; sweaty palms, that good old anxiety heartbeat, panic attacks...oh yes it gives it all once your body needs more. And it will. So you take them for a problem, they help, then they add more of the problem once they arent in your system anymore, for you it just feels like anxiety not withdrawal, so you take more....see the scary bit? -How are you to know when you have real anxiety or the one induced by the pills?

Muscle cramps during withdrawal

"Flattening" of your mood. (common problem with psyciatric meds though)

Insomnia (yes they work for insomnia...but if you dont fall asleep within the first half hour, they start working the opposite. Now you are REALLY awake.

Seizures. Not fun, I've had them.

Psychosis

Depression


I'll stop there, feel free to send me a message if you need more information.

But I'll give you some advice:
If your antidepressant is causing anxiety, and you are passed the time the medicine needs to get to the right level in your blood....it's not the right one. Your doctor will tell you you just need to allow time for it to work, but they have never experienced a panic anxiety attack of the strenght level a such medicine can induce. It is frankly terrible beyond description. Take charge and investigate these meds thoroughly. If necessary, skip the newer meds and try an older more proven one. And there ARE alternatives to bezodiazepine anxiety relievers. I cant say wich ones are available in your country, but demand your doctor investigates and comes up with an alternative.

Benzo's (as we used to call them) are far too easy, far too effective, for doctors not to be tempted to prescribe them, but they DAMAGE people. It's just not worth it.

Best of luck and I'm here if you need to mail me or make a post that lets you talk out some of it!

Love
gilth

I have seen a friend really struggle with getting off of a prescription mood-enhancing drug as Gilth mentioned. It is not always difficult, but it can be horrible.

How about trying harder to find a anti-depressant that doesn't cause side-effects that need more drugs to counter-act? Have you exhausted all the likely possibilities yet?

Hi Janet, I took Ativan 1 mg to sleep. I had to stop taking it because it interfered with all my lab work. It was so hard to stop it. I didn't find it helped me with anxiety. In fact I found over time my anxiety/depression worsened.

I am off it now, and will not go back on it.

I glad it is helping you.

Hugs
Gerri & Makaylah

Hi Everyone,

I have to stay with the Effexor and Abilify for the depression. So I can't stop them. He has suggested dividing the dose of Abilify which is helping. I take some in the morning, the rest at bedtime. I am just startng the Ativan, as of last week. I just seem to need the 1mg when the anxiety hits, and that seems to do the trick. I took Tridural (narcotic) and had no problem comin goff of it, so maybe that means I don't have an addictive personality. The doctor said he wouldn't give them to me if I smoked because smokers have a very addictive personality.

Janet

Hi Gerri,

I am always afraid the depression will get worse with Ativan, I can't take narcotics , melitonin, because they make me worse. so I am carefully trying Ativan

Janet

Certainly not implying you don't have the will-power to get off, my friend had plenty of that as well. Unfortunately many of these drugs have physical withdrawal effects that can be real tough to bear.

They are meant for short term use, usually while something for depression or anxiety kick's in and then weaned off. That is how I used it. Follow your Dr.s directions. Good luck.