To be honest the symptoms are not anything I ever got with panic or rebound from the Ativan. They sound like what I get with septic staph infection. That was why I asked about white cell count and ESR. Have you ever been tested for Micoplasmic infection? It causes muscle joint pain and can effect the sternum causing chest pain. The toxins can cause anxiety. It is a form of arthritis and it and anxiety go hand in hand.

As for the ativan. No I would use what ever amount is necessary (up to four grams a day) to shut own the panic and then go as many days without as possible. As long as you can get a few days in between you won't build dependance. Ativan has too short of a half life to use long term. It doesn't cover twenty four hours so there is always some rebound. That is why I switched to Valium. You know we can not prescribe but I am allowed to tell you my experience as long as you know it is just my experience. My problem with Ativan was because I was in hospital in extreme pain for stretches of up to six months at a time. I spent three Christmases in hospital and My GP didn't know to take me off Ativan and put me on something for long term. I actually did withdrawal from Ativan but it is very hard to do. It is far easier to withdraw from one of the other Benzodiazapines. Valium is my choice because of its properties, mainly that it is mild and because it is a muscle relaxant. All the Benzodiazapines are tailored for specific use so Valium may still not be the one for you. When I do use valium which is seldom and on an as needed basis I use only 2 mg.. A very small dose and mostly because of pain keeping me awake. I've never had to taper off it either but that is just me remember.

Davit.

I sure will.

I had this conversation with her in the past but with no luck, she said I didn't take enough to experience addiction and/or withdrawal?!? (I've been taking it since August, so for 4 mo so far, and I've read about people experiencing withdrawal after 2 weeks).

This time I have 2 other doctors who said that most likely the ativan is to be blamed for my problems, so I will mention this to her. Hopefully she will listen and will be willing to help me.

You may want to mention these side effects to your doctor. Please let us know how it goes.

Sonia

thanks a lot for your response. I understand you are not here to help me with medication, but with the CBT program, and trust me I am working on it.

Finding another doctor is not an option - unfortunately, so I just have to keep pushing my family doctor hoping she will help me figure things out.

@ Davit:

to be honest, I hoped you would answer because I have read on the forums about your bad experience with the ativan.

You suggested that I take it only when I need it, and only in the smallest amount - am I correct? Well, this is exactly what I've been doing. (I had gone 10 days without it in the past, but now my attacks are so frequent that I feel like popping one every day, but I don't). I only take it when I feel a bad attack coming, and I've not taken more than 0.5 mg a day (with one exception when I took 1 mg). Still, from one pill to the other, the physical symptoms are with me almost constantly - mild to moderate headache, mild to moderate to severe chest pain, random pins and needles in arms and legs, muscle aches, tachycardia, and the latest one - upon waking up my arms (muscles and joints) are so painful and so heavy that I feel like I'm 90 not 37.

I will try to convince my family  doctor to switch me to valium and see where I go from there. 

Thank you so much for your answer.

My experience with Ativan is that doctors have no idea what they are dealing with or how it works and therefore don't know how you should withdraw from it. They seem to think you should suffer doing it. Not so. Remember I was dependent for four years. 

First off If I could not switch to Valium I would stay on the Ativan. Yes I did say that. It is only a bad drug if abused. 

How I got off was to switch to Valium and get off it. But if I couldn't I would have taken as much as needed to stop the panic and then gone as long as I could without any and at the next attack I would have taken as much again as needed to eliminate the attack. This way you don't get rebound right away. The period between doses gets farther apart. Not taking enough to stop the attack only makes you need it more often. (Personal experience) Like trying to put out a fire with a water pistol. Also my experience getting off was that as long as I had it and knew I could take it I would wait as long as I could and sometimes with relaxation and coping skills I didn't need it. CBT works by giving the panic attack a reason to shut down so it is gone. Medication shuts it down but doesn't give it a reason not to come back so it can, over and over. (rebound) Ativan is a misunderstood drug but if used right is not a bad drug. It has the potential for abuse if used wrong though and therefore the potential for dependance. This is not the same as addiction. It is very much possible to get off even after four years at four mg a day. I have not used it in years but I do use valium periodically. (PRN) Mostly as a muscle relaxant.

Davit.

Hi Alex74alex,

 

I am sorry to hear what you are going through. It sounds like a frustrating situation. Unfortunately members and Health Educators here cannot help you in regards to medication we can only offer you support and advice related to CBT. If you require medical advice please talk to a Health Care Professional.  If you are not seeking the advice you need from your current doctor I also encourage you to try to find another doctor who better suites your needs.

 

Let us know what you decide to do.

 

Take care,

 

I will definitely try again with my doctor`s office - switching doctors is not an option.

Also, when it comes to my therapist she WANTS ME ON ATIVAN despite my efforts to eliminate it from my life because of the symptoms it gives me, she even stated that she has been taking it herself ever since 2006 on a daily basis (wrong choice of therapist maybe???)

Every time I mentioned this to the ER doctors (and trust me I`ve been there so many times that everyone knows me by now) they said it`s my family doctor that should help me and monitor me during this process... it sucks. 

Taking the ativan masks the anxiety symptoms and helps me through a panic attack (sometimes), but then the side effects (dizziness, lightheadedness, tiredness, etc) and/or the withdrawal symptoms I`m experiencing are so bad. Plus I know that the pills themselves do nothing other than mask the problem, or I am not looking for a band-aid solution, I`m actually looking for a life free of anxiety.

It`s frustrating and I guess sometimes I feel like venting off... sorry if I use this message board for that.

Thanks again,

Alex

Alex, 

First of all, good for you for working hard on the program and for asking for help.  Of course, my gut reaction to your post was that you need to ask a doctor about withdrawal symptoms and problems.  Then I read that you have discussed this with your doctor (also good for you).  How unfortunate that your concerns were not heard.. 
I don't know your situation and if it is possible for you to switch doctor's or to get a second opinion.  It's so difficult to have to fight for these things.  You sound like you are doing all the right things. 

My doctor prescribed Ativan for me this summer and advised I use it in case I was having an attack and I was unable to calm down.  I think I took it 3 times (.5 mg each) and then I didn't take it for awhile.  After meeting with a nurse at work because I had a panic attack, she suggested I call my doctor to let her know that I was experiencing anxiety with greater frequency.  My doctor asked to see me and prescribed Celexa and referred me to a therapist.  After taking Celexa once, I had a very bad reaction and she suggested I try Zoloft instead.  I saw the therapist that same day and he, my doctor and I decided to try CBT on it's own for awhile.  That was about 2 months ago.  I think I took an Ativan about a month ago on a really bad day when I made some mistakes that led to an unexpected attack.  I've had mostly good days since then. I can honestly say I feel much better and am nearly back to my old self - I tend to think I will be better than my old self, soon enough.

Good luck - I have every confidence that you will get through this, Alex!

Hi everyone, 

I am desperately trying to help myself overcome my anxiety, I am working on this program diligently (or so I think), but I admit that I also need help from you, the support group, so here I am, again.

I've been prescribed ativan for panic attacks in August of this year (looking back, I wish I had done some research and read about it before taking it).

I never took more than 0.5 mg a day (with one exception - once I took a 1 mg pill instead of my regular 0.5). Also, I have not taken it every day, but more on an "as needed basis" - sometimes I have taken it for 7 days in a row, some other times I only took 1-2 pills a week.

I would like to know how to safely withdraw from it as I have already started having withdrawal symptoms - increasing number of panic attacks (I've had one every day since Saturday), chest pains, muscle pains, horrible nightmares, rapid pulse, shortness of breath, shaking, trembling, hot flashes, extreme fatigue (going up and down the stairs from my bedroom to the kitchen feels like running a marathon).

What makes me sure that it's withdrawal? Well, I have all these symptoms (or some of them) I take an ativan and half an hour later the symptoms are gone, but afterwards I feel so weak, lightheaded, and tired. Plus, I can't really think of anything, focus on anything, or do anything. I just lay in bed with little or no power left.

In a nutshell - I have read about people experiencing withdrawal symptoms even after using ativan short term, and I strongly believe I am one of them. My doctor is not at all supportive of this (I asked her opinion and she said I am not experiencing withdrawal and pretty much did not want to  help me with any tapering plan, or with replacing the ativan with valium - which I believe to be the "proper" way to withdraw).

I read dr Ashton's manual (the authority in this matter), but I couldn't find a plan that would be suited for my situation - 4 months of using 0.5 mg doses of ativan on and off.

Does anyone know of a safe, easy way of withdrawing? I read that niacinamide (vit B3) might help, any insight on that? Also, I take L-theanine which is supposed to relax the nervous system, and I've recently started taking GABA supplements - also supposed to help relax the nervous system and help with panic/anxiety attacks.

Thank you.

Alex