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MedHelp Member's Question

Lorazapam

by Dee, Jun 30, 2001 12:00AM
Tags: Addiction
I was taking 1 lorazapam at bed time for many years. It worked well as far as helping me sleep through the night. My Dr. retired and i ran out  I had some ativan that someone gave me which seems to work. My question is, will there be any withdrawal symptoms if i stop taking these all at once? any info on this would be appreciated.
Member Comments (58)

by Wizard, Jun 30, 2001 12:00AM
To: Dee, Thomas?
Welcome to the forum Dee. 1st off I'm not sure if you know that Lorazapam and Ativan is the same thing. It's a fast acting benzodiazipine short lasting in the system. Any benzo should not be stopped without a taper because it could bring on seizures. Thomas could tell you more on that subject. If you are only taking 1mg at night and none during the day you should be in a position to taper fairly well. I would not try this though witout consulting a Dr. Can you go to whoever took over your old M.D.'s patients? All of the above information is just my opinion as I am NOT a medical professional, but I do take Ativan as prescribed. Good Luck to you.

Power & Magick 2 u,

Wizard

by Thomas, Jun 30, 2001 12:00AM
To: Dee
if you've been on lorazepam (brand name is ativan) for years, you'll need to come off of it gradually or risk a seizure. Warning signs of seizure are anxiety, numbness in the hands (especially thumbs and forefigners) and tightness in the chest. I would not waste any time seeing another doctor about it. Good luck.



Thomas

by dee dee, Jun 30, 2001 12:00AM
To: from DeeDee to Thomas and Wizard
Thank you so much for your input.I was kinda hoping that the dalmane would just take the place of the lorazapam without any side effects of not taking the lorazapam.I have posted on this site in the past and i had a problem with abusing vicodins which i have been in the process of weaning off due to my source becoming non-existent.I have managed to cut my mg. in half per day so far.I will soon be cutting that in half to.Just to let others reading this with the same problems and fears, It was very uncomfortable the first 2 weeks but it has gotten alot better.Thank god for all of you that have helped so many of us with your wisdom and support on this site. Thank you again. DeeDee

by Thomas, Jun 30, 2001 12:00AM
To: Dee
Dalmane, being another benzo like ativan, might, in fact, work out fine. All benzos eventually affect the same brain receptors, so, you just might be right about the dalmane. A pharmacist might have something to offer on the subject.

by jennyfla, Jul 01, 2001 12:00AM
Sorry to cut into the thread so early-on, but this is important.  This has been a horrible night, my husband stopped taking his antidepressants about 4-days ago, and he is really wacked-out.  He was taking Effexor, and refuses to take them any longer because he feels they interfer with his um, 'manhood'!  Sorry guys, but this is really making him psychotic, and it's scaring me!  He refuses to believe that all the oxys and methadone he is putting in him just 'might' be adding to his problem ever so slightly; i wish he would look at the reality of all this abuse because it's time for his to WAKE-UP!!!

He put me through hell tonight saying that it's "all my fault' of course, everything is always somehow, someway my fault.  Not to mention the vodka he was pouring down his throat.  You all know i am very familiar with the effects of drugs and alcohol, and i've tried to explain that to him many many times, and also the effects of all these drugs, but he chooses to live in a world of denial!

He's missed doses before, and i knew it was a bad mistake.  I asked him to please tapper at least and to see his dr before cutting stopping with them completely, but he insists that they are all wacked and only after his money.  Do you see what i have to deal with, sigh! :(

He's asleep now with the help of a good reliable friend, mr xanax which is given to him only when he needs it, he doesn't have access to any medication, it's locked in a safe.  If he had access, he'd take them as quickly as possible.  The only reason i even give him anything is because he is addicted (which you all know the story), and by cutting him off from the meds, it wouldn't solve anything at this point.  You guys know how that goes, no one here will say, just don't give them to him, because, as you all sadly know, it's not that easy.  That's why i feel i can talk to you guys, because you understand what it's like to be addicted to something.  I also understand i am only enabling him... and that's a whole other story and, another sad part of my life.  :(

My question is, how long does it take for him to get past the, i guess, withdrawal effects of the lack of anti-depressants?

Yes, all this gobbly gook to get to this one tiny question.

Believe me, this has been the night from hell!  Or maybe i am just in hell, i'm not sure.  :(

I just don't know how much more of this i can stand.  I have all these children to take care of and to sheild from this mess, and then, with a husband who is loosing it at a rapid rate, it's wearing me down so quickly.  He is acting so strange, and very unprodictable now, at least with the antidepressants, he stayed somewhat neutral, which isn't good either, i understand.  With the combo of opiates and antidepressants, it was no wonder he could feel anything at all.

But now, he is a mess of tears and anger!  One minute he is crying and the next he is cursing, and it's turning me into a basketcase!

I'm doing all i can just to maintain my sanity and be here for my children who need to be in a world where they feel they are safe.

His anger is not directed towards the children at all, but is towards his bosses, and to me, i'm afraid.  He is angry with himself, but chooses not to focus on that, although he is aware of it.  Instead, he is blaming me for things being wrong, especially the sexual part!  Sorry again, i hate to bring up that subject here, but it's all a part of the problem, so if i left it out, a big piece would be missing.

In numbing myself with oxys, to tell you the truth, i could really care less about that topic, and also, i have so much frusteration and anger inside for him myself, i really don't miss the intimate part.  I miss the 'old him', but this new, addictive one, i don't really care to be that 'close' to!

He causes me so much termoil in my life, it's just a constant kind of firedrill, every day of my existance!

It's always something with him, his job, his back, his mental state, always something.  How much longer can i keep this up.  He says i'm a wonderful mother, but not a good wife.  Is he out of his mind, doesn't he 'see' everything that i do for him, everything short of wiping his ass for him (sorry!  it's late and i am so past tired, and hurt).

I know that's not good for him, he must learn to stand up on his two feet, and as long as i keep enabling him, and patching and repairing all the messes, he'll never get better.  I feel i am the worst thing for him sometimes, and it makes me feel bad about myself.  I should probably take the kids and run, and get myself better, and concentrate on myself and my precious, beautiful children.  I know i'm nuts for staying, but i remember what he is really like deep inside, and we've been together for 20-years now, and i can't just give up and throw that all away.  I also fear he will die out there, or definately hit rock bottom, which is where he needs to be to finally come to the conclusion that he has to get help or he will die.  

I understand he feels pain, which is back, but it's not bad enough to justify taking all the medications that he does.  I sometimes wonder how he would feel if he just got off of everything, how much of the back pain would still be there.  I think he is in withdrawal part of the time which can make you feel like every musle and joint are screaming at you!

Thank you for listening, it's been such a long, horrible night, i just can't turn myself off and go to sleep just yet.

Tomorrow is another day, and although i look forward to spending the day 'not' working, and also being with the kids, i also dread the mood me might be in, he's so unpredictable lately!

Sigh, will this permanent frown ever come off of my face! :(

Lv Jenny

by susanlea, Jul 01, 2001 12:00AM
To: Jennyfla
Hey finally something I have alot of experience with! First of all calm down. Second, what dose of Effexor is he on? 75mg or 150mg. Do you remember a couple of months ago, I got all weepy and I felt like my life was out of control. Well your husband has done exactly what I did! YOU MUST NOT STOP TAKING EFFEXOR ABRUPTLY! You must taper it, just like you taper up to a dose in the beginning. As my physician and a psychiatrist both told me, your husband has now thrown himself into a BIOLOGICAL depression. He has shocked the area of the brain Effexor works on. And if he takes a regular dose instead of increasing it after a few days, he will shock it again. Right know his brain doesn't know which way to go. If you can get your husband to take a starting dose for a few days and then increase to his normal dose he will feel better. Trust me. I made the same mistake 3 times and thought I was having a panic attack. Stopping like that makes you feel freaked out. It won't physically harm him, but he will act really weird and bent out of shape unless he gets back up there. Effexor has to be weaned off to let the neurotransmittors adjust. He's freaking those transmittors out! Now, welcome to my world, or what it used to be. My ex who you know about. Could not have sex, couldn't get it up (excuse the bluntness) or it couldn't stay up. Of course I was blamed for it, just like you. A fight would ensure. And the battle would begin. Oxycotin over a period of time, like any narcotic taken in excess normally makes a man impotent. Most of the time Oxycotin makes you not even interested. I searched for answers and round and round I went. To Drs to shrinks, thingking My God, he must be right, it must be me, it's my fault, I'm not doing something right, I must not be sexy or pretty enough. BullShit!@(sorry) That's the biggest guilt trip of all time,It can't possibly be him, he's a big burly man, so it has to be you.  Jenny, we are so much alike. The pain we both endure for love. And yes enabling also. Remember I stayed in constant pain, I wanted to give him my meds, it's ok he's not in pain, I am, but I wanted to make him happy. God forbid if he went into withdrawals. You really know Jenny....that if you were to take the kids away for a couple of days, took the pain pills with you and he went into withdrawals....he won't die.  I lived that vicious circle for 2 years. The yelling, the fights, the abuse, the anger. He was always slamming doors, hiding in a locked room. Being Called an F@*#king *****, a F@*#king C@#T, good do I miss those days......NO WAY. Remember the freedom we talked about, on Easter I sat in the back yard watching the kids, the clouds, the birds. I am enjoying life again. No it's not all gone yet, the pain stays with me.  But I now have so many more Sunshine moments than the darkness.  I lived in a dark, massy world for 2 years. You could have cut the air with a knife. The house always closed up, drapes drawn. Let some sunshine in, my Florida girl! Please, please go to Al-anon, it's hard to find a good NA group, sit and listen, you do not have to talk,, just listen to others, you will see yourself many times over in the ones around you. You will see them at different stages. The new ones who have come because they feel their lives are over...all the way to the ones who've made it over the mountain...and survived. Yes there is life after this. No my ex was not the father of my boys, but he was there for over 5 years, since they were 4 and 5, they haven't seen or heard from him since he left and yes they are hurt, and yes they are mad. But you now what? We are, yes we are happier and better. And we will continue to get better everyday, untill we will say What was his name? I'm not saying leave him, but do something for yourself. And as you have more than once told me, do it for the precious ones. Because believe me, they know what's going on, and it does affect them more to see the addiction, and the emotional withdrawn state he's in than if you were to leave until he's straight. If you love him, you will do whats right for you and your kids. And I believe you love this man. Everyones different, I don't mean to be hard on you, I love you dearly. When he left I was the new one in the room, the one feeling my life was over, I loved him so much.  But somewhere between then and now, I have learned to love my self alittle more and you know what! I'm alot more fun than he ever was.....talk to me.....Love Susan

by susanlea, Jul 01, 2001 12:00AM
To: Jennyfla
You don't want to end up with permenant frowns, it will age you quickly. In one short year I have aged, the wrinkles are showing, boy that Plastic surgeons going to have a good time working on my face in Sept. Cheer up! It's not your fault...love you girl..Susan

by CASEY, Jul 01, 2001 12:00AM
To: Jennyfla
I have gone through so much of what you described with my 19 year old son. "Peace at any price". He went  through rapid withdrawals from Paxil, relapsed and ended up in ER when he overdosed on heroin and speedballs.  Since  I can't "divorce" my son, I finally admitted that I could not run interference for him for the rest of his life and mine. I let go of the fear of his destroying the house, getting arrested or overdosing. I did not have the energy and why just keep the status-quo going when it is leading no where? A year from now you will be worse or in the same place if you try to keep him contained. I resisted Alanon for 2 years. It is saving my life. For a least 2 hours a week, I have sanity. Please put your energy into yourself and your kids. Let the chips fall where they may with him. Who knows? Things might get better. My heart goes out to you. None of this is your fault Trust me! love,  Casey

by Milo, Jul 01, 2001 12:00AM
To: Jennyfla
Bless your heart, you know I'll be thinking about you and hoping that you find the wisdom & strength to do whatever you need to do to make this awful situation better. I don't pretend to know what you should do, but your husband definitely needs to get back on the antidepressant -- lea explained the "discontinuance syndrome" better than I could. I don't know how you can get this across to him except that it's the only way he'll feel better, otherwise he'll continue to suffer for some time. Maybe you could get some info about Effexor withdrawal (tons of posts about AD withdrawal symptoms on the web) and show it to him? I'll be wishing you & your sweet little kids the very best. -- Milo

by skipper, Jul 01, 2001 12:00AM
To: jennyfla § everyone
i guess i'll just have to echo what milo says.i am sure that what ever decision you make: stick by it, don't back down. If you have

to, go to a protective shelter!Even just a couple days of cooling

off for both you & your husband might at least give one of you the

time & space to make decision for right now and the near and far future. Even though i'm not real comfotrable about talking about

my own problems with impotence and the effests of opiates of any

kind (not just oxy), i too sadly am aware of them. i had my wife

read your post and her heart goes out to you. after many false starts i'm on my detox from oxy and everything else.i put so much

hope in getting my neck brace off- i guess i thought the pain would go away too. well it hasn't, i'm riding about a +9. mr. jones hasn't yet showed up yet but i know he's coming. i do have

soms valium and loperimide so i might have as bad  a time as i loooking forward. i'm deterumined too see my pain doc whith a few

oxys and oxy ir left when i go in the 16th. of july. will see.

hey every body be careful

skipper