How long is it okay to stay on Ativan while detoxing

[mobay1020]

Hi,

I am on day 11 off of Lortab and overall I feel pretty good.  Last weekend, days 5 & 6, I started having pretty bad anxiety, maybe a panic attack or two.  I couldn't get settled all weekend.  A friend of mine finally gave me a .25 xanax and it slightly took the edge off.  By Monday morning I was in such a panic that I almost went to the ER.  Fortunately, I was able to call my dr. and get a prescription for 1mg Ativan called in.  Since Monday I have been taking 1 -2 a day as needed and boy has it helped!!!!   I've taken Ativan sparingly in the last couple of years ever since I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer almost 2 1/2 years ago and I never got addicted. Mostly they just made me sleepy.   My question is how long should I continue to take the Ativan and how long before my body will get used to it?  I WILL NOT go through another withdrawal like I just went through and I refuse to become addicted to something else.  I am a full time mom and have to get 2 young kids up and ready for school every morning so just this week I've been taking it in the morning to ease the anxiety of the craziness.   Since tomorrow is Saturday I am going to try and not take it all.  Please wish me luck.

[mobay1020]

Thanks for the advice everyone!!!  I am going to go this weekend without it and see how it goes.  IF I still feel that I need it I am going to go schedule an appt. with a therapist.  Now that the pills aren't clouding my judgement anymore I think that I am suffering from PTSD from the cancer diagnosis that I received a few years ago.  I thought about everything that I have been through in the past couple of years and my mind is going crazy.....

[livngr8ful]

Im with vicki on this.  You will feel much better if you eliminate things in your body.  I know I was rx'ed ativan when i detoxed.  It caused me to completely black out (total memory loss) and i also acted very violent on it (from what I was told).  Try meditation, it worked very well for my nerves.  What I do is close my eye's and focus on the black, then look deeper into the black.  Its almost as if I can see darker shades of black.  It helped me a bit.  Give it a try.

[vicki595]

Hi~  Not taking it at all is the best way.  Your brain needs to heal so that it can naturally produce all the chenicals you need. With time,you will feel less and less anxious.  Try thinking of things to do to calm yourself.   I know mornings are hectic with young children. Maybe a little more organization at night would help...

I just know (and so do you) that relying on the Ativan will hurt you in the long term.

Good luck~

Vicki