Ativan/Lorazepam - My serious issues

[Jett81013]

My fears have gone from breast cancer, dvt, daughter having Type1 Diabetes, Ovarian Cancer, Colon Cancer, and now ALS...all in 3 months.

To a normal person, i'm assuming this pathology has to be anxiety? I have an EMG set up in the next 1.5 weeks scared to death that I have a death sentence waiting for me so I took a Loreazepam (generic Ativan)...still have my fear and twitching but I'm more calm...hopefully this does it for me.

Anyone have experience with this? Negative or positive reviews on the pill are appreciated

[bin tenn]

When I had a legitimate health issue last year, it triggered severe anxiety at first. They gave me an Ativan when I got to the hospital and it was amazing. I felt entirely normal. Not loopy, not "high". Just very chill - more than usual.

[PanickyGuy]

Anyone have experience with this? Negative or positive reviews on the pill are appreciated

It's good in the way that the benefits from it outweigh the negative effects of anxiety, especially panic attacks. It basically brings your momentary adrenaline surge down and makes you less tense and overall keeps you calm and relaxed. If your blood pressure is high while having anxiety\panic attacks, it will bring your blood pressure back down to normal.

The only side effects I've ever noticed from taking it were occasional muscle twitches and low blood pressure\pulse. Apart from that, it's not something you want to take all the time if you can help it because they say that benzodiazepines can be addictive in the long run.

I've been taking it for about four years now, not everyday mind you, but only for my worst panic attacks. Otherwise I try to ride through the minor anxiety spells and some panic attacks if I think I can hack it.

[Jett81013]

Thanks all for your responses...

PanickyGuy - how much would you say you take a week or month?

[Josh1234]

I'd suggest trying an SSRI. Ativan is habit forming, and benzos are hell on earth to come off of.

[PanickyGuy]

Thanks all for your responses...

PanickyGuy - how much would you say you take a week or month?

3 to 4 at the most per month, Jett. But still, even less if I can help it. It just depends on how bad my panic attacks become in certain situations. Like when something sets my anxiety off into panic mode and my blood pressure and heart rate gets way too high and I can't get calm after 15 minutes and it just keeps going on and on for nearly an hour or so. Lol - At that point I'm getting sick of it and pissed off, so down the throat goes one Atvian. :D That'll learn it! I say.



I'd suggest trying an SSRI. Ativan is habit forming, and benzos are hell on earth to come off of.

Yeah but see, that happens when people are abusing the damn things going overboard with taking too much in a day then what they should, especially everyday. Really moderation is always the key, just like with anything else.

[Jett81013]

Thanks...this is a dumb question but does ativan also help with depression or would that be another pill? I'm down a really deep A*S/M*D rabbit hole right now...i pretty much have spiraled into a depression...I don't even know how I'm going to get out.

Trying to not get addicted by taking it once a week...but i might need more...

[Josh1234]

3 to 4 at the most per month, Jett. But still, even less if I can help it. It just depends on how bad my panic attacks become in certain situations. Like when something sets my anxiety off into panic mode and my blood pressure and heart rate gets way too high and I can't get calm after 15 minutes and it just keeps going on and on for nearly an hour or so. Lol - At that point I'm getting sick of it and pissed off, so down the throat goes one Atvian. :D That'll learn it! I say.




Yeah but see, that happens when people are abusing the damn things going overboard with taking too much in a day then what they should, especially everyday. Really moderation is always the key, just like with anything else.


You don't even have to abuse it. Daily use for long periods of time will do it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

You don't even have to abuse it. Daily use for long periods of time will do it.

Agreed. Dependence through tolerance and abuse are two very different stories.

Plenty of dependent people have passed through NMP. Abusers head for the drug forums.

The times for dependence can differ too. Take Z drugs like Zopiclone, a month is enough on that one (I was dependent inside a month without understanding them back then, the coming off in my fifth week brought withdrawal, mild compared to what many go through though) and it's seen as a quicker habit forming drug to Diazepam. There's a reason they only give out two weeks of drugs like this.

[Annaboodle]

Agreed. Dependence through tolerance and abuse are two very different stories.

Plenty of dependent people have passed through NMP. Abusers head for the drug forums.

The times for dependence can differ too. Take Z drugs like Zopiclone, a month is enough on that one (I was dependent inside a month without understanding them back then, the coming off in my fifth week brought withdrawal, mild compared to what many go through though) and it's seen as a quicker habit forming drug to Diazepam. There's a reason they only give out two weeks of drugs like this.

This is a very thoughtful post and sums it up brilliantly I think. I had no idea what "tolerance" in drugs was when I was first prescribed diazepam. I don't think my GP at the time knew much about it either as he was very old school, for want of a better way of putting it. I honestly think he still had notions of "Mother's little helper" going on.


You don't even have to abuse it. Daily use for long periods of time will do it.

Yes, this is what happened to me. I worry when I see posters mention casually when talking about something else that they were feeling bad so they took an Ativan in the evening and one in the morning or similar. I worry, not because I don't think these people are sensible and responsible with medications, but because benzodiazepines are such a powerful class of drug. Many people prescribed them don't seem to be told anything about them and there is no discussion or awareness of any issues. The branding in the US with Ativan seems to be extremely strong. I just see "I took an Ativan" everywhere. I wonder if some people aren't even aware what kind of drug it is.