Hi...my dr said I can take 1 mg of Ativan every day or every other day as needed. I have severe anxiety, depression and ptsd. I am also on an Ssri and a mood stabilizer. I am 63 so who cares about dependency I guess. I also have an autoimmune disease that is going to probably do me in sooner rather than later so quality of life is more important than quantity.
Question....anyone ever take Ativan long term?
thanks.
Tried benzo therapy twice. Both times I got addicted within a short time. But I have to add that I have an addictive personality, which you may not have. Both times I was in my 60s and both my doctors had me on high doses to start off with. The physical withdrawals were awful (went both times to a psych ward, cold turkey for three days and sent home). Had rebound anxiety for about nine months. It was the most godawful experience I’ve ever had. Everybody is different with their experiences. Benzos have their place in therapy. I know how a person can feel when they are at the end of their rope and will do just do about anything to get a minute of relief. This was a short summary of my experience. I wish you luck in your therapy and hope your doctors are cautious and observant.
Not Ativan, but I've been on low-dose Klonopin and Valium--twice each. So I've weaned off of both of them before. Right now I'm back with 2.5mg Valium once per day again. My psychiatrist feels it's such a low dose that there's no long term risk from it. I've had zero inclination to increase it, which would be dependence. Addiction, however, is different. That's what will cause withdrawal. I've heard it's worse for the short-acting benzos like Ativan, and somewhat easier for the longest one, Valium. But it's still a beast--mainly because it's hard to separate the original anxiety coming back, from the effects of withdrawal.
I do know that mid to high dose benzos are bad long term. They can damage the brain. But low dose SHOULD be okay. I'd tend to trust what the doctor said.
Just a couple of things to consider:
If you take a short acting benzo like Ativan every other day, there's a chance you might experience inter-dose withdrawal, meaning you go into withdrawal in between doses. If that happens talk to your doctor and see if a longer benzo is better.
Never ever stop a benzo cold-turkey. Even low dose. Not only is withdrawal a beast, but cold turkey can trigger fatal seizures. Don't do it.
If there's any temptation to increase your dose, talk to your doctor immediately.
Don't eat or drink grapefruits of any kind. And be super careful with interactions between your meds and any herbals or minerals. Check with a pharmacist first.
Benzodiazepines are great for as needed use but i would avoid taking them on any type of schedule. i would concur with the first comment re addictive personality. If you have had any problems with drugs and/or alcohol in the past these medications are not a good idea.
You can experience withdrawal after only 2 weeks of daily use.
I took Ativan about 10 years ago as part of my depression and anxiety cocktail (was taking Lexapro at the time was also a migraine sufferer) for persistent depressive episodes and high anxiety tendencies.
I remember you via a different user name I think. It seems you found a doc that can openly prescribe you benzos.
Here’s what happened to me. My doctor who prescribed the Ativan and Lexapro decided to no longer practice medicine and dropped all patients, no doc referrals, nothing. I was left in the dust with no doc referral. Off the Ativan I go. The Lexapro was continued through my neurologist treating migraines. I was dependent on my doc and at his mercy to keep supplying my scripts, terrible way to come off the Ativan.
You’ve got good info here on tolerance, dependency, withdrawal, etc. Be careful.
Hi. Sorry to hear of your condition(s). I have taken Lorazepam (Ativan) off and on for many years. More off than on I have to say. They really do help relieve anxiety and so lift your mood, for me anyway, with few side effects. But yes you can rapidly become dependent on them. I'd say try not to increase the doseage if you can. If in future you decided you wanted to come off them you would need to transfer to Diazapam as they are easier to withdraw from, but you would be faced with withdrawel symptoms which vary from person to person and length of time you've been dependent. I keep them for days when my anxiety is really high and low mood.
Not a good idea I am afraid. Lorazepam makes you feel great initially but absolute hell to get off, I would say worse than any other benzo. Alternate days will not work I can assure you. I have weaned myself off them now for around 6 months, they are still in the cupboard and a great temptation. I am in the UK so when i confessed to the GP I had been taking them. He wasnt pleased and just said, you'll have to taper them off. I asked for diazepam to help, ie quoting the Ashton Manual but he said, oh no, no more benzos. So I was just left to my own devices. In the middle of it I had a parathyroidectomy which didnt help my anxiety of course.
I still pop the occasional valium at night or if I am going to the dentist
although they do not agree with me because of the histamine content, also an occasional bromazepam if I can get hold of them. I took bromazepam (Lexotan) for 6 years
after my husband died 35 years ago as I was left with a 3 year old in Australia then and not
so much was known about benzos. Had a tough time getting them in the UK but GP used to
write a private prescription. I decided to get off them and wasnt too bad but I was a lot younger then. They were absolutely wonderful but I think as you get older they are not so
effective.
I take a mirtazapine at night and just about struggle through. Many people are against those SRNI's as with SSRI's constant use can cause osteoporosis and I have that already quite severely with a fractured spine but what do you do when you cant sleep. They also suppress cortisol which helps my anxiety and a study was done to prove this on "normal" patients.
Please don't be tempted with this alternate day suggestion, your GP must be really stupid or just irresponsible. Good luck. Failing that, there is a group on Facebook called Beating Benzos.
Thanks....scary info. I am sure it is because I have so many issues (ocd,,anxiety, depression, ptsd) plus a life shortening autoimmune disease that he felt this was ok. I will speak to him about it. I had also told him that more than once I considered self harm.
I would be very mindful re starting taking any bezodiapines at all. Ativan is equivalent to 10mg of Valium. And you will defo experience interdose withdrawal - your anxiety will be worse and you will have an awful time getting off them. On the fb group Beating Benzos everybody is trying to get off these horrid drugs - and - not finding it an easy ride. Which I can vouch for.......... they wont benefit your life when you experience the side effects - withdrawal etc - trust me .....x
Hello. Yes I been taking atavin for about 20 years .. I am only on 0.5 mg.. I take it in the morning. I honestly think it doesn't help me anymore, I still have panic attacks and anxious everymorning when I awake. But who know , I could be worse without !!!
Thanks for writing to me. For me, I’ve been on Ativan for a few years. My doctor did discuss the issues with dependence but my doctor wanted to see if this would help. I have inherited anxiety and I know this was nessessary. I’m on the same dose the I started with. I take .5mg twice a day. It doesn’t stop anxiety but it does make it better. Talk to your doctor or see one that manages these types of meds. For me, this is more for my family than myself
I was on Ativan for about 1 year to help me sleep and it did wonders. I suffered my TBI in March of 1992 and never had any problems sleeping until 2012. I would go to sleep but an hour later I would be wide awake for the rest of the night. It wore me out. My general practitioner out of desperation prescribed to me a 10 mg dose and it did the trick. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
I've been on .5mg of Ativan for over 10 years. Stopped it for 1 year had some weird withdrawal symptoms like awful electricity shooting through my body, weird nerve stuff, some anxiety, but not much for about 1-2 months. Then I was fine. Not a big deal. I took it because I can't sleep and my brain goes crazy at night (anxiety and irrational) and nothing has worked other than Benzos (tried various SSRI, Propranolol, Gabapentin, countless natural and sleep hygiene things, and nothing works for night anxiety). I'm fine during the day other than I get exercise induced panic disorder. I had to get back on Ativan after year because I gained a new very severe abdominal nerve pains like having multiple bad tooth ache type pains in my colon and rectum (couldn't hardly even sit down). Brutal and only got worse and worse until I got back on Ativan. I'm down to .25mg Ativan at night to survive the night and colon pain gone. I could have easily stayed off Ativan if it wasn't for abdominal pain that made me want to jump off a tall bridge. Interesting thing is taking zinc helped get me off Ativan plus propranolol was the best combo. I did do a taper to .25mg over a month. But my sleep was never normal off it. I just survived with 2-3 hours of sleep but it sucked. I still continue to search for an alternative that works for my sleep problem, but I think take the least amount of Ativan you can to take the edge off. I wish you the best.
every day is the same
Every 13th of December is a hard day
Maybe Stopping benzo ativan 
It's just getting worse every passing day..
