put back on ativan told to stop the xanax

[hazyworld]

Hello Im sure u are all familaar with me well the dr had me stop the xanax today and go back on ativan after a month on xanx i had been on ativan for 4 months before she stopped it So i took 1/2 mg of ativan at 9 am and felt some confusion and i made it till 2 pm proberly not long enough and i toom another 1/2 mg of ativan about one hour later my head statred hurting and cheeks kinda felt like burning and my fingers felt funny and the right side of face felt kinda numb so at 5 pm i took anotehr 1/2 mg.My original perscription fro ativan said 1 pill 3 times a day and they are 1 mg pills but i had got down to 1/2 mg 3 timed a day before being stoped and put on xanx..and i have been scared al;l day of dying from stopping the xaanx or having a seixure so i thought i might need more ativan...dr ddint tell m,e how much to go back to taking just to stop the xanx and go back to ativan..am i in any danger o fhow i took the ativan today any ideas about the numbness and burning og face cheeks and i kinda am diizzy whicj is why i had wanted off the ativan but xanax didnt make me dizzy it depresed m,e any thought woukld be great

[discouraged80]

My mother in law was put in the hospital after a new dr  took her off her xanax which she had been on for years and put her on ativan. She was also told to stop her pain medication lortab which she has been on for  along time due to back problems.How long will she have halluciantions from this?. The hospital did put her back on the xanax and lortab. We think she is in the first stages of dementia also. This could ll have been coming on slowly but ow is more noticabe.

[nursegirl6572]

You may want to consider copying your post into a new post rather than adding it on to another member's questions, you'll get more replies that way.  Just go to the Anxiety Forum's main page, where all of the topics are listed and click on "Post a Question".  Then post your question there.

There is a pretty simple answer here....everyone responds differently to different meds...and a whole host of factors can play into how effective a med is for a person.  If I read your post right...you say that the Xanax was more effective for you than Ativan, yet you are actually prescribed the Ativan, correct?

Your doctor should have no issue in switching you...both meds are short-acting benzodiazepines meant to ward off a panic attack...a short-term therapy...like you say you are using them already. If one is more effective than the other then it only makes sense to request the med that seemed to help you the most.

This will actually be beneficial for you as it will better control your anxiety, and most likely at a lower dose of the Xanax than the Ativan...meaning you may end up requiring a higher dose of the Ativan to reach the same goal vs with the Xanax.

Approach your doctor with it....I'm sure it won't be a big deal.

Good luck!

[Sunsational]

I am prone to panic attacks. My Dr. had me on Xanax and has not put me on Lorazepam (generic Ativan). This was last Thursday and I am not adjusting well. Yesterday I went to the Emergency room because I thought I was having a heart attack or stroke. My blood pressure was 185/135. Within about 30 minutes it had dropped. It was a panic/anxiety attack. I only take a Xanax if I feel one coming on. I do not take them on a daily basis. It will calm my body down. The Ativan does not. Is there a reason for this? I have never tried Ativan and I don't know if I should call my doctor and insist on the Xanax.

[Jannie1]

Hello; I saw your post and since I am a long time user of 1.5 mg/day antivan I thought I would respond to you.  I have never been on Xanax but see it on this site used by a lot of people.  I have been on paxil, which was hell to get off of after one year.  To stop you Xanax and go back to antivan in my mind, might have caused these symptoms.  How are you now?  Did you settle down a bit?  3 mg of antivan a day is what your Dr. ordered, so you should have maybe followed his instructions coming off the Xaxax and then going back down on your antivan.  Antivan is a very old drug and pretty well tolerated.  It is also a  very cheap drug, and the big Pharm want you to use newer drugs that are more expensive, in my mind anyways....  I think a lot of the new meds cause a lot more side effect personally. I am addicted to antivan after 5 years and have illness which it helps take the edge off.  They want to keep putting me on newer drugs, but my therapist and myself think I am doing okay on the antivan, so why change it up.  

Don't hesitate to go back to your Dr. and see if you are still having these symptoms to see what he says about your antivan dose.

Wish you well.
Jannie1