Aa
Ativan
I was recently prescribed Ativan for my anxiety, was told by my dr to take 1mg in the am and 1mg in the pm, my question is if i am fine during the evening hours do i take it? I don't want to get addicted to these pills as i just battled opiate addiction (200 days clean). I actually asked the dr for xanax and he told me this would be better since i am having the anxiety all day and that the Ativan can stay in my system without all the highs and lows. I never suffered from anxiety until recently, well since i have been off the opiates, i assume the opiates masked all the anxiety.
Thank you so much for your beautiful and insightful post. My doc does know of my opiate addiction and that i went to rehab, that was the first thing i did when i came out. Now i cannot guarantee if he remembers that, but honestly i do really need something for the anxiety. I am currently in therapy and have been now for almost a year, now that i am clean allot of past emotions are coming to the surface that i had masked for all those years. I am in the process go getting to the root and its not an easy task nor is it something that can happen overnight. Its very difficult for me to trust docs right now from all that i have been through, so when he told me to take it 2 times a day i thought ok great, then realized i didn't need it twice, so i am sure there is nothing wrong with taking less. And YES i am very involved with the addiction side and have been for 2 years now, love the people over there, and now over here:) Im just new to the anxiety forum. Again thank you for all your help.
Dane, just to be clear, I was not telling you to take your meds however you see fit, I should have probably made my comment about asking your doc FIRST before giving you my recommendations.
We've discussed this issue before. I told you most of this same stuff before. Also, a lot of the anxiety you're dealing with, as you know is probably rebound anxiety post the detox. Plus, if you had any to begin with, the opiates wouild have squashed that, so now you're dealing with it again.
Like I told you before, and again here, I think your goal should be to keep the Ativan use to a minimum, as well as the length of time you take it to a minimum, to avoid adding any unnecessary complications to your recovery.
Again, just wanted to clarify, that this statement of mine, should have probably come FIRST:
"Check with your doc first, but I'm sure he would have no problem with you taking the smallest amount necessary. "
Keep up the good work, you're doing a great job, and of course you know you have the support of the folks in the addiction forum as well. I'm sure they too would tell you just to be careful.
We've discussed this issue before. I told you most of this same stuff before. Also, a lot of the anxiety you're dealing with, as you know is probably rebound anxiety post the detox. Plus, if you had any to begin with, the opiates wouild have squashed that, so now you're dealing with it again.
Like I told you before, and again here, I think your goal should be to keep the Ativan use to a minimum, as well as the length of time you take it to a minimum, to avoid adding any unnecessary complications to your recovery.
Again, just wanted to clarify, that this statement of mine, should have probably come FIRST:
"Check with your doc first, but I'm sure he would have no problem with you taking the smallest amount necessary. "
Keep up the good work, you're doing a great job, and of course you know you have the support of the folks in the addiction forum as well. I'm sure they too would tell you just to be careful.
We cannot tell you to take your medications in any way that is different than exactly how your doctor prescribed them for you. Assuming your doctor is aware of your past opiate use and therefore you're possible leaning towards addiction, I'd certainly advise discussing this issue with him.
There is some debate about the terms used with benzos as far as addiction is concerned. For those of us who have been on a benzo long term (years) are we "addicted," even tho we seldom, if ever, need to have our dose increased. Are we "tolerant," because sometimes we do have to increase our dose, or are we "dependant," because our dose can remain the same, but if we can't get it, we head into withdrawal.
I can understand his reluctance to give you Xanax. While it is a very short acting benzo, staying in our systems only about 4-6 hours max. it IS very easy and quick to become "dependant" on Xanax.
The opiates no doubt DID mask your anxiety. Why it has taken this long for the anxiety to rear it's head is a good question. The opiates have been out of your system for a long time.
Have you considered trying therapy alone to see if you can overcome your anxiety without any medication? Many people do. I'm sure you know that taking a benzo is only going to mask the symptoms. Until you get to the root cause of your anxiety and deal with it, you'll just be trading one pill for another.
I think you need to talk to someone far more knowledgeable than me about the pros and cons of getting on a benzo after working so incredibly long and hard to get off, and stay off, opiates.
Perhaps the good folks up in our Addiction Forum could give you some better advise. They're really cool people and will give it to you straight.
Sorry I wasn't of more help
BTW.......congratulations on 200 days clean! That is something to be very proud of.
Peace
Greenlydia
There is some debate about the terms used with benzos as far as addiction is concerned. For those of us who have been on a benzo long term (years) are we "addicted," even tho we seldom, if ever, need to have our dose increased. Are we "tolerant," because sometimes we do have to increase our dose, or are we "dependant," because our dose can remain the same, but if we can't get it, we head into withdrawal.
I can understand his reluctance to give you Xanax. While it is a very short acting benzo, staying in our systems only about 4-6 hours max. it IS very easy and quick to become "dependant" on Xanax.
The opiates no doubt DID mask your anxiety. Why it has taken this long for the anxiety to rear it's head is a good question. The opiates have been out of your system for a long time.
Have you considered trying therapy alone to see if you can overcome your anxiety without any medication? Many people do. I'm sure you know that taking a benzo is only going to mask the symptoms. Until you get to the root cause of your anxiety and deal with it, you'll just be trading one pill for another.
I think you need to talk to someone far more knowledgeable than me about the pros and cons of getting on a benzo after working so incredibly long and hard to get off, and stay off, opiates.
Perhaps the good folks up in our Addiction Forum could give you some better advise. They're really cool people and will give it to you straight.
Sorry I wasn't of more help
BTW.......congratulations on 200 days clean! That is something to be very proud of.
Peace
Greenlydia
Thank you, he actually started me out on the lowest does, .5 twice a day and i called up and said it didn't do anything, so that is when he increased my dose. I am finding that i do only need it once a day, so thats what i will do for now. Thank you for all the info, as i know this is a slippery slope. I didn't realize that 2mg is high, i thought it was a low dose, hopefully i cant get off it soon, i will listen to you and try to take just .5 on good days.
The LESS you take, the better!!
Ativan and Xanax are BOTH short acting benzos. They are both best used on an "as needed" basis. The Ativan's duration is longer, which is why you probably aren't needing it in the evening. You can't be too careful with your history, and you being so freshly clean.
My advice to you is to take it ONLY when the anxiety is severe. If you can, I would even try to skip the morning dose from time to time also. If you take it regularly, every day, even only once a day, you will build a tolerance, and after a couple months, become physically dependent and have to be tapered off. You really want to try to avoid that. That's why the very best thing to do is to take it ONLY when you really need it. Also, 2mg daily is a hefty dose, especially for someone who has never taken it.
I would also recommend trying a half of a pill instead of a whole one when you take it. You may be surprised that you don't end up always needing the whole pill. Check with your doc first, but I'm sure he would have no problem with you taking the smallest amount necessary.
Again, therapy will remain important...NOT for the soul seeking stuff we've talked about, but for you to learn other anxiety coping mechanisms that don't include habit-forming meds like Ativan. If I were you, I would keep your course of treatment with the Ativan limited to the shortest time period possible.
I understand the need to treat the anxiety, but this is such a slippery slope.
PLEASE, you can't be too careful.
Ativan and Xanax are BOTH short acting benzos. They are both best used on an "as needed" basis. The Ativan's duration is longer, which is why you probably aren't needing it in the evening. You can't be too careful with your history, and you being so freshly clean.
My advice to you is to take it ONLY when the anxiety is severe. If you can, I would even try to skip the morning dose from time to time also. If you take it regularly, every day, even only once a day, you will build a tolerance, and after a couple months, become physically dependent and have to be tapered off. You really want to try to avoid that. That's why the very best thing to do is to take it ONLY when you really need it. Also, 2mg daily is a hefty dose, especially for someone who has never taken it.
I would also recommend trying a half of a pill instead of a whole one when you take it. You may be surprised that you don't end up always needing the whole pill. Check with your doc first, but I'm sure he would have no problem with you taking the smallest amount necessary.
Again, therapy will remain important...NOT for the soul seeking stuff we've talked about, but for you to learn other anxiety coping mechanisms that don't include habit-forming meds like Ativan. If I were you, I would keep your course of treatment with the Ativan limited to the shortest time period possible.
I understand the need to treat the anxiety, but this is such a slippery slope.
PLEASE, you can't be too careful.
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