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Anxiety Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to generalized anxiety, anxiety and eating, anxiety and sleeping, mood swings, and phobias.
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Depending on how much Ativan you have been taking and for how long, it might lose its effectiveness in treating your anxiety. This is called tolerance. Ask your doc about it, and ask if you should wean off or if it's safe to just stop it.
With Ativan, depending on how long you've been on it, you can also experience something called "rebound anxiety" (your anxiety can get worse.) Ask your doctor about this.
Ativan can also be addicting. If you don't want to get addicted to Ativan, and if your doctor is prescribing this medicine to you over and over, month after month, tell the doctor you don't want to become addicted to it.
The drug, Inderal, which is a betablocker (cardiac med) is not "addicting" like Ativan, but - depending on how you are taking it - it's not without its potential dangers if stopped suddenly if you've been taking it a long time. Inderal is a betablocker (heart medication) sometimes prescribed to help anxiety. It is often prescribed with anti-anxiety medications. You need to know EXACTLY how you are supposed to take Inderal (with or without the Ativan) and how you are supposed to stop taking it if there comes the time you want to. Depending on the dosage of Inderal and how often you've been taking it, the doc might want to taper you off Inderal when you stop it. Ask about this specifically.
One thing that might make you feel better is to know you're not alone as a college student who is struggling with the anxiety. Dorm life, classes, unfamiliar people and places is very stressful. As you get more adjusted, your anxiety might level off. Best of luck.
Since being on the Inderal for 4 months now, I have been able to stop taking the Xanax entirely. My doctors don't know if it's Migraines causing panic attacks or panic attacks causing migraines. Either way, the Inderal has slowed the headaches down to feeling just pressure (like I'm sucking on a thick milkshake) and the occasional ice-pick quick headache instead of the 36 hour long migraines. With the decrease in headaches, my anxiety has also slowed. The Inderal gets more oxygen to your heart so it doesn't have to work as hard = less need to speed up and pound hard. By reducing both of these issues, the nausea and anxiety seizures have also subsided. I am taking 160 mg of Inderal (that's an above average dosage). The last Xanax I took was just before my period a month and a half ago when I was taking 120 mg daily. (I have been increasing my dosage monthly to get to where my symptoms are livable).
The upside is, I can drive a car again. The down side is, I've gained 15 pounds in 4 months.