Swiching from Xanax to Lorazepam

[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

[lynn57]

You deserve to feel BETTER than this.  It sounds like you may have built a tolerance to the ativan and maybe a change is in order.  There are other anti-depressants out there that don't affect your sex drive as much as others.  If your anxiety were controlled perhaps you wouldn't even need an anti depressant.  Ask your Doc about Klonopin.  It is not as easy to abuse as other benzos and keeps your moods a little steadier.

[alhigh]

I a having taking ativant for 15 years after I had panic attack in 1996 I was in rehab for other drugs aswell and drinking this was 3 year s ago I got off everything but the ativant 4. 1 mg a day I am still with anxiety and now depression lexpro I am not enjoying I went from 20 mg I cut myself to 10 mg because it killed my sex drive
the only thing that is safe and helps is serqeul brings back my appitite and put me to sleep comfortable but when wake up it's like starting from the beginning everyday

[lynn57]

At the onset of my panic attacks I had a doctor who gave me a script for 180 tabs of ativan @ 1 mg.  and sent me home.  After taking a few I found myself waiting until the next time it was due.  Since he wrote PRN, I didn't have a clue.  I ended up taking Zoloft and ativan.  I finally got tired of the highs and lows and found a new doctor.  I was distressed that my initial doctor(who barely knew me) was so quick in deciding the right meds for me.  I had horrible insomnia.  My new Doc changed my meds and got me off the ativan and over to Klonopin with a short taper and integration of the two.  I finally ended up feeling better and thanking God that I had switched doctors.  Ativan can make you very tired.  My potassium had bottomed out and I had been in ICU for three days.  I had the worst anxiety attacks you can imagine.  My nervous system was receiving all kinds of bad info.  It was like a short circuit.  The ativan really did help in this acute phase, but I didn't mind feeling nothing and being tired.  As I got better I wanted my life back and Ativan wouldn't let me do that. Keep going until you find the right meds and the right doctor.  Hang in there!

[Stellez]

I took Ativan (Lorazapam) 1mg for the past year. It was prescribed to me during a trip to the ER due to a severe panic attack. I was told to take as needed. Well, I started taking it everyday just so it stayed in my system...just in case. Then, I increased it to 2 pills a day (1mg). I found out later that Ativan doesnt really treat the problem. It is basically like taking an aspirin when you have a headache. Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil, etc are better suited for long term use. I also learned that Ativan is highly addicting. I actually had to wean off of Ativan and it was challenging. I had awful nausea, fatique, vomiting, loss of appetite. It is odd that your Dr. didn't wean you. That just doesn't seem right. Maybe you need a new doctor. Ativan does make you tired along with all the other symptoms you described. I can honestly say it does work...give it 20 minutes to kick in. Becareful in using it long term. Only take it when you need it. I wish I had a better doctor at the time who fully explained to me what panic attacks and Ativan was all about. Best of luck to you.

[RubyWitch]

I think your doctor needs to do some catch up reading on the prescribing and discontinuation of benzodiazepams. It doesn't matter what dose of Xanax you were on, but you were on it consistantly for TEN YEARS! That requires a taper and is the main reason you're having such a difficult time now. You cannot just quit Xanax cold turkey!
As the above poster said, for long term use, Klonopin would have been the better choice and the taper should have been done by stepping OUT very small increments of the Xanax and stepping IN the equivalant amount of Klonopin over a lengthy period of time until the Xanax was totally out of your system and the Klonopin had reached therapeutic levels.
There are many good, natural ways to up your metabolism and whoever told you your stomach was "sluggish" should have told you about your options.
I suggest you speak with your doctor about the difficulties you're experiencing and see what he can do to help you through this rough transition HE has put you in.
And then I think I'd start looking for a new doctor.
I wish you the best.
Peace
Greenlydia

[lynn57]

Any benzo can cause sluggish bowel because of the calming affect.  It calms more than just your nervous system.  I would have thought Klonopin would have been the better choice if you are in it for the long haul.