ativan addiction?

[manonfire]

Anybody feel like sharing thier experiences getting off this drug? I have over a year clean from  fentanyl lolipops. Began having major anxiety last summer. now i dont know if it is anxiety or need to take drug. Suggestions?

[kimmieb]

whatever you do, do NOT go off of them cold turkey.....it can be fatal.....it's not like going c/t off of hydros or vics or whatever....it's MUCH more physically dangerous.  believe me, i unintentionally went thru wd/s, and i too, thought i was dying.....it was the most unnerving experience i've ever had.....since then, my doctor put me back on....and on my own, i sought out a very good psychiatrist who knows his drugs like no one else i know and i've asked him to help me taper off of the ativan, which he's doing.....he did a TON of bloodwork, started me on an interesting vitamin regimen, and is using another drug called chorazapate (a very weak benzo, i believe) to first wean me off the ativan....he has a method to his madness and i'm following it....anyway, just wanted to share the experience....hope it helps....i feel for you because i know what it feels like.....get a good doctor to help you with this....don't try to do it on your own....also, you can check out something on the internet, google "The Road Back", it's a program to get off of benzos and other such psychotropic meds

[bobby139]

I have been taking adivan for about 10 yrs and now I have given up oxy's high doses and the w/d sucked but not as bad as if i miss a couple of adivans. Missing those feels like I am going to die!!!! They put me on  them with combinations with other med's for seizures and I would like to get off of them but to scared. So dont get on them if you dont have to.
Bad stuff!!!!
bobby

[(Not so) Spunky]

I haven't taken Ativan, but I have taken xanax. I was on them for about a year- I was prescribed them for insomnia/anxiety. I HATED them, but they worked! I only took 1-2 mgs a day but even at that low dose, it was pure HELL recovering from 'em. You need to taper slowly and down to as little as possible. For instance, cut your mgs by 1 or 2 every 4-5 days. Once you get to the lowest dose possible, then start by stretching the time in between doses. If you only take once a day- start going every other day for a week, then every 2 days, etc...  Even at taking them only once every 3 days- you will still have w/d's, but it should only really be not sleeping. This is the taper method my dr uses, and how I did it. I think it was a week after my last pill that I finally started sleeping through the night. Remember I am not your dr, but this should give you at least an idea of how it will be. DO NOT go c/t. You may have a seizure and you FOR SURE will get sick!! HTH!  

Tish

[elefrog42]

Hi there,
Although I know people who had good experiencse using atvian as needed for panic attacks, I couldn't take it. I would pop one under my tongue and wake up the next morning with NO IDEA what happened the night before (yes,from ONE tab).  It was really scary.  I would search for an alternative treatment for anxiety.  May you should see a psychiatrist who could walk you through your options?

[LIZZIE LOU]

hi there stranger :)   i was just thinking about you the other day and wondering how you were doing.  dont know much about the ativan...but i just had to stop and tell you hello!

kim

[poetrygirl1960]

There are other really great things on FLaddicts list to ease or totally abort your anxiety attacks and it's all natural.

I still feel you should taper and not just flush them.  You said you take anywhere from 8 to 10 mgs a day so you would cut that back to 6 mgs for a week or so and go from there, but I'm not a doctor and not really qualified to give you a schedule or anything.  But, I have been on them and this is my opinion.

[manonfire]

I was a fentanyl abuser, that is why I worry. taking 8-10mgs a day

[worried878]

How much are you taking each day?  I know that benzos need to be tapered to avoid seizures...high dosages can not be quit CT...your doctor should work with you on it so u can do it safely....u will probably need to ask him for an alternative for sleep if u use them for that..or get some melatonin etc...have you looked in the health pages under DISCUSSION?  lots of info there but alot of it is for narcotic withdrawal but some of it would still pertain to you...fladdicts amino acid protocol could help you...lostmarbles has experience with xanax detox...perhaps u can pm her...others who have experience with benzo addiction will post soon...I was a hydro abuser so my knowledge of benzo WD is limited

[manonfire]

How does a taper work when I suffer from anxiety attacks even in the middle f the night....They make me dull and slow, and I feel like I "need" them which scares me.

[poetrygirl1960]

In my opinion for what it's worth, benzo's are really sneaky and scary drugs.  I flopped from xanax to ativan to xanax.  The thing is it wasn't even my DOC but when I detoxed they were more cautious getting me off of that than the opiates.  I took phenobarbitol for a week tapering every day until I was at none to avoid seizures, and other non-appealing effects.  It doesn't take long at all to get to the point that you can't sleep with it either.  Be ever so careful and go off of it with the help of medical professionals who can ease you off.

Good Luck,
Lisa