Tapering off Ativan Support Thread

[[co...]]

Hi,

BDL, i hope you are feeling better. Are you back on track with small daily cuts and is it working well again? I  plan on trying this method soon.

 

Hoosier fans, I sent you a pm reply. I hope you got it. If not, please let me know. I also hope you are feeling better each day...

 

Tinca, How are you doing off the Ativan and with the remaining valium taper?

 

[[Ho...]]

Managed, wow!  What a journey it has been for you!  I wish you continued healing and it gives me hope seeing how far you have come (I am looking forward to the day that my dizziness goes away so I can feel comfortable working out)! 

 

concerned, replying to you as we speak.  Happy to report to all that yesterday was a bit better....still had to take about 3 hours of naps during the day, but the dizziness seemed a bit less and I was somewhat functional...took the kids on a walk, did some laundry, cooked dinner and cleaned up around the house.  Not great, but ok, and I will take it. 

 

BDL, I hope you are feeling a bit better.  Just stay secure in knowing you are on the right path!    You are staying so much more functional than a lot of us, and that in and of itself gives your body a strong floor on which to build healing.  I'm still working on rebuilding the 2 x 4s      Next week or so hopefully I'll get my subfloor back. 

 

Off to meditate......ooooommmmmmmmmmmm

[[Wi...]]

Hi Everyone:

 

I am new here and currently taking Ativan the brand name. My question is, my new Dr. is switching me to the generic Lorazepam . I know they are the same, but would I feel any difference in switching? thanks so much for you help

[[Ho...]]

Willow, welcome to the thread.  I wish you much healing on your Ativan journey!!

 

I am a HUGE advocate of staying with name brand psych meds, for the simple reason that I spent 8 months in hell last year when my insurance company switched me to a generic version of my SSRI and no one told me....I had a horrible reaction that none of my doctors could point to the cause of until I happened to come across an article in SELF magazine about the dangers of generics, and asked my doc, "could this be it?"  When we switched back to the brand, all of my horrible symptoms (dizziness, fatigue, light headed episodes, anxiety, electric shocks, jitters) abated.  It was crazy.

 

That was an SSRI, but I would say the same rule applies with the benzos.  I think there are a few folks on here who have noted that they had different reactions to the generics than the brands.

 

What most folks don't know is that the FDA standard of "bioequivalency" for generics is a bunch of bunk.  First, bioequivalency doesn't apply to some of the mechanisms of the medication, including time release.  So, for example, a brand might give you a nice smooth consistent dose (i.e. an XR); the generic could release the medication in a completely different timing (lot more up front, little later).  Second, bioequivalency can vary somewhere around 20 - 25% of the effective dose.  Third (and even worse), once generics are authorized, those generics can vary 20 - 25% from EACH OTHER (i.e. you could get generic Ativan from Lab A one month and Lab B another month) and you wouldn't know it unless you read your labels carefully. 

 

I now insist on brands if they are available, and make sure I read each of my refill labels carefully to make sure they are coming from the same Lab (or if they don't, watch myself for symptoms).  My PDoc has said that the generic issue is rampant in psych meds, but not talked about very much.  Finally, there is some attention being paid to it.

[[Wi...]]

Thank you Hoosierfan

 

I wish you luck as well and congrat on getting off the evil stuff. I did say to my Dr. why switch me and he said it is the same...oh I hope I don't have any more probs. An antibiotic is what got me into this mess to begin with. My doc wanted to put me on Cipro the antidepressant..but I said no. but would it help? How are you feeling today better I hope

[[Wi...]]

Thank you for the information. I have one script left of ativan. So I will go back and see if my new Doc. will change the script. I rather stick to what I am taking. My head hurts enough as it is

I will read my lables to from now on

[[aw...]]

Thank you Hoosierfan

 

I wish you luck as well and congrat on getting off the evil stuff. I did say to my Dr. why switch me and he said it is the same...oh I hope I don't have any more probs. An antibiotic is what got me into this mess to begin with. My doc wanted to put me on Cipro the antidepressant..but I said no. but would it help? How are you feeling today better I hope

Hi, Willow:

Cipro is an antibiotic, not an antidepressant, and it is one of a class of antibiotics (fluoroquinolones) that anyone who is taking benzos should not be prescribed. Seriously, you can have a very bad reaction to Cipro if you're taking or tapering benzos. I think there's a major thread on this subject by Colin.

 

Aweigh

[[Wi...]]

Hi Aweigh:

 

Thank you for the advice I have a bit of Benzo fog today. what I should have put was Cipra (Cipralex) is what he suggested , to help me taper off the Ativan.

An antibiotic is what got me into this mess . So for now on this girl is sticking strickly to penicillin. Hope all is going good for you

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[Ho...]]

Hey Willow...if he gives you the "it's the same" line again, just show him this article.

 

http://www.self.com/health/2009/06/dangers-of-generic-drugs

 

After we made the discovery (neither my Pdoc nor my PCP was notified of the change to my medication), my Pdoc told me "there are two types of drugs for which a generic should never be substituted...anything with the heart (i.e. blood pressure meds) and psych meds.  There is just too much danger there."

[[Wi...]]

Thanks again Hossierfans :

 

I will read and print the article and bring it in with me. I am sensitive to medications as it is, and tapering this is bad enough. I do not need anymore issues. I appreciate your help so much

[[Ma...]]

Does ativan cost more than lorazpeam?

 

[[ce...]]

Does ativan cost more than lorazpeam?

It really is the same stuff, so I'm not sure why it matters.  But, because the drug company has timed out on it, the generic is available.  I used to get a months supply for $4.00.

[[Ma...]]

I was just wondering Cedar, I've never taken the real Ativan, just the generic.  If some feel the real Ativan is better, it might be worth it.

[[ce...]]

I took both and never noticed a difference.  The ingredients are identical.  As long as your mg's are right you're okay.  It really makes zero difference whether you use generic or the namebrand.

[Guest [Si...]]

I have a relative in the generic business and have heard a lot about that issue.

 

Generics are pretty much the same as their brand names, but they certainly aren't exactly the same all the time.

 

The difference is usually minor, and related to the effective plasma levels/delivery/dosage of the medication. Generics have the same action as their brand name equivalents, but sometimes a generic may deliver a few percent more or less of the drug action than the brand name drug. This is pretty well documented and there is an allowance for it with the FDA.

 

The reason that generics are so accepted is that these small differences in fluctuations are rarely clinically relevant, but certainly there are exceptions.

 

It seems to me that it there would be no issue in using a generic because  if the dose you were on was actually x% higher or lower than the dose you think you were taking , it wouldn't really matter at all and you would really never know it.

 

What could cause problems would be to switch brands in the middle of a taper, where an unwanted 10% reduction (or increase) in dosage could really throw someone off. So, getting on a particular preparation and sticking with it is probably more important than avoiding generics completely, in my opinion.

[[Ho...]]

I have a relative in the generic business and have heard a lot about that issue.

 

Generics are pretty much the same as their brand names, but they certainly aren't exactly the same all the time.

 

The difference is usually minor, and related to the effective plasma levels/delivery/dosage of the medication. Generics have the same action as their brand name equivalents, but sometimes a generic may deliver a few percent more or less of the drug action than the brand name drug. This is pretty well documented and there is an allowance for it with the FDA.

 

The reason that generics are so accepted is that these small differences in fluctuations are rarely clinically relevant, but certainly there are exceptions.

 

It seems to me that it there would be no issue in using a generic because  if the dose you were on was actually x% higher or lower than the dose you think you were taking , it wouldn't really matter at all and you would really never know it.

 

What could cause problems would be to switch brands in the middle of a taper, where an unwanted 10% reduction (or increase) in dosage could really throw someone off. So, getting on a particular preparation and sticking with it is probably more important than avoiding generics completely, in my opinion.

 

Problem is that that "few percent" or "small differences" are actually around 20% (according to my Pdoc).  Also, the delivery mechanisms can be crucial (i.e. I was on Effexor XR).  In any event, I have 8 months of being in generic hell where I had all sorts of horrible symptoms that were so bad that I could barely work, that would tell you that generics are ABSOLUTELY NOT the same as name brands; and for those of us who are sensitive to meds, those "clinically insignificant" differences can be HUGE.

 

Sorry to get on my soapbox, but switching to a generic absolutely ruined me for 8 months, and what I'm going through now is still fall out from that 8 months last year.

[[Ma...]]

I called my pharmacy, and the difference in price (without co-pay) is this:

 

70 dollars for generic

 

700 dollars for name brand Ativan.

 

Yikes.

[[Al...]]

Wow! that kind of puts a different light on the matter.

 

Are there some generics that are better than others then?

[[ch...]]

What WD symptoms do you have during Ativan tapering or slow micro tapering? Are they the same as during C/T  detox or any less severe? Or are they all about the same?

[[ch...]]

I notice that some say they have headaches and leg problems while tapering, do some also have very severe sxs like the anxiety and severe panic attacks? Is there anything you can do about the severity of the anxiety?  I have severe anxiety, constant panic attacks and so many others, all severe. I stayed on one dose too long and believe I developed tolerance and started to have and continue to have all the same sxs and very severe. Can not take it and cannot up dose as will run out of Ativan as do not have the help of a doc. Do not know what to do. Help? I can tolerate the physical stuff, just not the other stuff, deep depression and constant horrible thoughts of death and feeling that I am going to die and all the anxiety stuff.

[[he...]]

I notice that some say they have headaches and leg problems while tapering, do some also have very severe sxs like the anxiety and severe panic attacks? Is there anything you can do about the severity of the anxiety?  I have severe anxiety, constant panic attacks and so many others, all severe. I stayed on one dose too long and believe I developed tolerance and started to have and continue to have all the same sxs and very severe. Can not take it and cannot up dose as will run out of Ativan as do not have the help of a doc. Do not know what to do. Help? I can tolerate the physical stuff, just not the other stuff, deep depression and constant horrible thoughts of death and feeling that I am going to die and all the anxiety stuff.

 

Hi Chanetta,

 

One of the first tricks I learned here is to find distraction methods.  When the anxiety and intrusive thoughts get strong, best thing to do is find ANYTHING else to focus on.  Whether that is mellow music, or dance music, a long walk or just walking around the livingroom, a movie if you have focus - but I'd suggest it not be a 'thriller'! 

 

Even if you get a break for a minute and that's a minute of peace you weren't getting before.  The doubtful thoughts that jump in, forget them. It seems impossible, but it does get better with practice. 

 

also a deep breath now and then.  feel the difference before and after, if it works a little that's a little progress!

 

hbam

 

 

[[aw...]]

HBAM:

I just got back from a therapy session. My therapist spent about 15 minutes saying pretty much what you suggest to chanetta, with some specific methods to do this. Breath focus, posture. When it gets real hopeless-feeling, I hang on to "this is gonna change, it always has before and it will this time, too."

 

You are already there,

 

Aweigh

[[he...]]

HBAM:

I just got back from a therapy session. My therapist spent about 15 minutes saying pretty much what you suggest to chanetta, with some specific methods to do this. Breath focus, posture. When it gets real hopeless-feeling, I hang on to "this is gonna change, it always has before and it will this time, too."

 

You are already there,

 

Aweigh

 

Pointing at the moon, does not equal landing, prof  .  But thanks!  Glad to hear if they are helping you.  It's amazing sometimes, what a BIG difference a breath or distraction can make sometimes.

[[Ma...]]

I don't know if there is one, but if not, can we start a distraction suggestion thread?  I would help me.

[[he...]]

Great question!