Doc switched from k to Ativan...Thoughts??

[[Hu...]]

Still pretty new here and still struggling with the taper.  Doc recently switched .625 K to 1.25-1.50 Ativan, because of my severe symptoms.  I'm feeling just as terrible as before, but now not getting very much sleep to add to the misery.  At least I did sleep a little more with the K.

 

Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions? This forum is full of good stuff.  Thank you all!

[[Ca...]]

  Ativan is evil. i am on it and it doesn't take away any anxiety. it is draining me.  i am so sorry for you i hope things improve.

[[Hu...]]

Cathymp,

Thanks for the response.  Are you tapering Ativan?  How much, etc.?

[[An...]]

How long have you been on the ativan now? I always hated the short acting benzos. You get a little relief for 2 or 3 hours and then the effect wears off and you are miserable until that next dose. If this were me, I would be asked to be put on 10 mgs of valium and give it enough time to build up in your system. The same thing happened to me and the valium eventually gave me some relief after a little while.

[[Hu...]]

Antibenzo7,

One problem is that I'm not getting any relief from any benzodiazepines at any dose.  I am down to .625 of K from an all time high of 1.75, about a  year ago.  Only been on Ativan 5 days or so....still feel terrible, now can't sleep.

What were your symptoms before you started tapering, other than tolerance?  Any other ideas besides the V substitute?

Thanks!

 

 

[[ca...]]

Like others stated, Ativan is a short acting benzo. I wouldn't recommend tapering Ativan, it's pretty evil stuff.

[[Su...]]

Hi Huley,

 

You’ll want to dose more frequently on the Ativan. That might help if you haven’t tried it already.

[[An...]]

Antibenzo7,

One problem is that I'm not getting any relief from any benzodiazepines at any dose.  I am down to .625 of K from an all time high of 1.75, about a  year ago.  Only been on Ativan 5 days or so....still feel terrible, now can't sleep.

What were your symptoms before you started tapering, other than tolerance?  Any other ideas besides the V substitute?

Thanks!

Personally, my main SX's were mostly chest related. Chest pressure and pain, heart palps. feeling of not being able to breathe deeply (suffocation feeling / air hunger), fatigue, insomnia, panic, fear, severe all day long anxiety, exercise intolerance, tingling in extremities, increase in low back......those were my major sx's. I still have a lot of them.

 

Were you on .625 mgs of K before your doc put you on the ativan? How much ativan did he put you on? You said you are no longer getting relief from any of the benzos. Have you tried valium and failed?