I’ve been taking Ativan .5 three times a day for about three months. Started weaning quite awhile ago and I have one week left. My anxiety has been off the charts the past week. I currently take 150 mg of Zoloft but honestly, my anxiety is about as bad as it was when this all started.
I keep telling myself it’s the withdrawal from Ativan but I’m terrified that it’s a relapse. I’ve worked so hard to get to where I’m at. Feeling hopeless this weekend as the old symptoms have creeped back in.
Any advice/reassurance is appreciated!
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Mongea
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I’ve been going through the same thing with my latest Ativan cut. It can cause rebound anxiety, so once your body’s used to the lesser amount your anxiety should even back out. You have come so far, try to focus on how amazing it will feel to finally be done! And trust me, I know that’s sooo much easier said than done. But it will be worth it.
My anxiety is off the charts. I’ve only been Cutting .125 each week so I’m hoping what I’m experiencing is the withdrawal and not my anxiety coming back.
How long did you feel crappy after you stopped taking the Ativan? I guess I felt like 1.5 mg/day wasn’t that much or that I wasn’t on it long enough to cause withdrawals...
3 months is definitely long enough to develop a physical dependence on it. That’s about how long I’ve been on it. Usually the first week is when you experience withdrawal symptoms. I normally feel better by the second week. Everyone’s different though. I’ve also heard the last cuts are the hardest, I guess because it’s what you’ve been on the longest. I don’t think you’d be going through a relapse on that much Zoloft though, try not to overthink it.
So sorry to hear this. I think it is really unlikely to be a relapse. Others seem to think it will be your body adjusting to the cut back of Ativan I see. I have never taken benzodiazapined but I hear it can be horrendous to get off them . You have done brilliantly to get this far on your weaning off.
Have you had any traumas in your life lately?
It must be so hard managing anxiety with young children to care for.
I had the experience of feeling nearly suicidal again as I had when first really ill about 6 months and 2 dose increases after starting Velafaxine. It only lasted a few days and was triggered when I finally heard from a therapist I had waited for, for around 5 months. When she finally did contact me and did an assessment by phone I found her so cold and insensitive it really upset me. She was completely focussed on asking questions in her questionnaire and became cross and impatient if she thought I had strayed from the subject or did not give the sort of answer she wanted to hear. She finished by asking me to say what my long term goal was and I said I just wanted to return to feeling how I had felt before becoming ill so suddenly following a life trauma. She actually said that I needed to change that to that I wanted to learn how to live with my anxiety, implying that it would never go and that I would never feel better just learn to live with how I was feeling. I now understand why she said that and we all know that anxiety can return but infact 6 months later I do feel as good as I did before I was ill with just a few minor symptoms. I was vulnerable enough at that stage of my illness to find this response from a professional as very upsetting and frightening. Despite this setting me back big time, I was over it very quickly and back on the road to recovery within a few days. It certainly wasn't a relapse in which I was put back to square one.
I think you will find you will feel better in a few days or at worse perhaps need to make your wean off Ativan a bit longer. You will be able to discuss it with your doctor if need be.
My very best wishes to you and everyone suffering from anxiety or depression.
Hi Kim, my husband has been dealing with a health crisis. We’ve been going through testing for MS, thankfully, his diagnosis is solitary sclerosis. He has no feeling in his hands right now because of the lesion on his spine. They’re hopeful that the lesion will disappear in a few months.
I know I’ve been under stress worrying about him and caring for the six kids, but I’ve learned so many coping skills that I’m surprised I can’t pull myself out of the anxiety when it happens. Also, I’m on such a high dose of Zoloft, I’m surprised so much can sneak through.
I'm so sorry they gave you Ativan! This all happened to me!
Ativan us awful because of its short half life! After a short time you can start going through inter dose withdrawals meaning you start withdrawal in between doses!
Then when you try to taper off things get worse!
There are forums for withdrawing from benzodiazepines. I was a member of a few for YEARS! I STILL am not well. Idk if the nodules on my areanal glands are because of my withdrawal or not. But the symptoms I suffer with are the very same as withdrawal and they have never really gone away.
Not only is everyone different but your attempts for getting off benzos can be different.
Seek out the forums you'll have lots of help 24hrs a day!
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