Switching from Xanax to Lorazepam (Ativan)

[adina550]

Hello All,
I've been taking Xanax for 10 years, small dosage (0.25) on and off but pretty consistent. 4 weeks ago my doc switched to Lorazepam without any tapering, just all of sudden. The reason for the swich was that Lorazepam has more calming effect and I guess it's better seen now. So now after 4 weeks of suffering, lack of appetite, nausea, nervousness and others, I take 4mg Lorazepam but I still have nause, eat very little (was told I have a sluggish stomach) and still feel tired from Lorazepam.

Have any of you experience something like this and how long will this last until Lorazepam is stable? I'm desperate b/c I don't take easy the nausea and I'm starving myself basically not being able to eat b.c of bloating, and all these symptomps. Please share you experience with this swich if you went through something this. My anxiety is also high and has an effect on eating.  

Many thanks to all,
Adina

[Punagirl77]

It's possible to have side effects although I didn't have any with Zofran or Lorazapam. Every body is different too in how they react to it.  I do know however that when you are on an anxiety pill you have to go off of them gradually----I don't think you can just stop them.  For example if I wanted to go off of the Lorazapam, I would have to wean myself off a little at a time.  So It's possible going off the Xanax could have caused some side effects.

Maybe if you are afraid of side effects you could try to take ginger.   It does help with nausea and it's natural---also ginger ale helps too.  My nausea got worse, so that's why I had to go on the Zofran.

[adina550]

Thanks much....my problem is that I don't have this nausea all the time, some days are good and then all of a sudden, next morning I wake up with it.  Doesn't Zofran have side effects? Last year when I took Lorazepam I haven't have this nausea unless I reduce the dosage...so I played with the dosage then I got nausea. I am thinking that now I have this nause from the switch from Xanax to Lorazepam and the fact the I took Xanax for a long time .....I'm just concern that I eat little and I'm already skinny.....

If you have more to share with me, please do so. Much appreciated.

[Punagirl77]

I started with 2mg Lorazapam and it worked right away .  I had nausea right away as that was one of my first symptoms when I got sick.  I took alot of ginger for the nausea at first and then I needed something stronger and that's when I took Zofran.  The Zofran worked on my nausea right away also.  If you take the two together at bedtime, the Lorazapam will help you sleep and the Zofran will help with the nausea.  It didn't take anytime for me to adjust to the Lorazapam, it helped me sleep and relaxed me right away.  It still does and I have been taking it for 15 months now. I have split it in two taking 1mg most nights, but if I have a bad day and want to sleep deeper, then I go back to 2mg.  My Hashimotos symptoms have still not gone away because I must take the thyroid med very slowly due to angina, so I need all the help I can get with Zofran and Lorazapam.

[adina550]

Thanks so much for your input. May i ask you how much do you take and did you have nausea at the begining until your body got adjusted to Lorazepam or you have it all the time, everyday even after you got stable on Lorazepam? I was told that when the body gets adjusted the nause will become less and less....is this true?

Did your body got used with Lorazepam in 6-8 weeks  or how long did it take?

Many thanks?

[Punagirl77]

I have been on lorazapam for over a year now and it has been a blessing.  I really helps me sleep because if I didn't have that I would not be able to sleep with my horrible Hashimotos symptoms.  I too have nausea and what helped me was taking 4mg of Zofran along with the Lorazapam just before bedtime.  Zofran is an anti nausea and anti vomiting med.  Ask your doctor for some to help you with the nausea.  Lorazapam helps some, but when nausea is really bad, take Zofran.  Hope this helps,  Terri