Ativan for last 8 months - racing heart - best forum for me?

[[co...]]

Should I go to the anxiety forum? Is there a CBT forum?

 

What brought me here now - the last three days have been BAD... I am taking 3.5-4 mg/day the last 2-3 days, and waking up in the middle of the night with a "racing" heart 100-110BPM probably, but it feels scary because I wake up from a dead sleep... and I did take 1mg Ativan before bed. Maybe the pills are wearing off.

 

Demanded to see the family doctor yesterday - prescribed a small dose of Cipralex (a branch of Celexa) 5mg for two weeks then 10mg afterward... he says it should cut down my Ativan use and even though Cipralex is for OCD/depression - it is great for reducing anxiety.

 

I have not started on the Cipralex yet, even though I am in possession of it. I may not take it depending what I read on this forum. I will be spending Friday evening here reading as much as I can.

 

Any thoughts?

[Guest [de...]]

The cipralex might be a source of further agitation. You cannot medicate withdrawal sx's with antidepressants. They usually make w/d worse. I am not sure why you are having these night terrors/racing heart, but is definitely sounds like w/d. Could you provide more info about your dosing over the last few months?

[Guest [de...]]

I shouldn't be jumping to conclusions. Your night time waking may be anxiety related. Is this a new thing for you or have you been battling a lifetime of panic/anxiety. One thing is certain, your taking alot of ativan, and updosing to chase your symptoms will not end in a good place for you. Still, I would hold off on any new drugs until you have a better notion of why you are waking with your heart racing.

[[co...]]

The night terrors/racing heart were the result of an extended period of stress last June 2011. What was happening to me I did not think was a big deal, but before I knew it I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I was having a heart attack and racing to the hospital.

 

Since that first night there were about 5-10 nights in June/July waking up from a night terror/racing heart. I attempted some lifestyle changes (exercising more, I am in fairly good shape, but I think more cardio helps) and the ativan seemed to make the night terrors/racing heart stop. The heart goes back to normal after popping a 1mg ativan and being awake for 10-15 minutes. It's my subconcious, I don't know what's in there.

 

The last few months I was doing better, weaned down to 2 mg daily, no night terrors or racing heart, but then recently I got a common cold and felt like a complete wreck, so upped the dosage back to 3mg. I wasn't exercising. In fact, I feel cloudy, not sharp brain, and I am taking 3-3.5 mg/day because I don't want to wake up with night terror like I did 2 of the last five nights.

 

I will hold off on taking the Cipralex because I have taken the advice of those in my life and on the internet to not be so quick to take them. The doctor prescribed them though, guess he thought the Ativan wasn't working anymore (to an extent he is right).

 

My night time thing I don't think is withdrawal, it is anxiety related, it started that way. I have had a lifetime of hidden panic, but never had panic attacks, just was generally agoraphobic, but ironically when I am home alone I go stir crazy. I hate going to meetings at work, but I think being around others helps to distract me.

 

I do not want to updose to chase my symptoms, but I seriously hate the night terrors. Once I somehow get my daytime mind back on track (right now it is constantly cloudy), then I am more comfortable going to bed without taking a dose higher than 1mg.

 

I pray to be back to weaning off the pills. I was down to 2mg/day, too bad I got sick. But generally I don't feel like I have been living a good quality of life since June 2011.

 

I don't know what to do. I think keeping busy helps, and when I go out it helps... but I can't seriously go out and exercise every night... I don't particularly like to do that.

 

I think a good idea is to read books on the subject and changing attitudes, etc. I suppose my attitude is ok, but couple it with some bad genetics (history of shyness) and not dealing well with stress... this is what has become of me.

[Guest [de...]]

Maybe giving a try is an SSRI is a good idea. I can personally vouch for Lexapro. I was a bit happier and absolutely zero panic. Just make certain that  you stabilize your ativan dose before beginning an SSRI. You don't want too many variables.

[[...]]

Are you looking for help getting out of the maze of withdrawal?

 

The first advice I'm going to give you is that in withdrawal, thinking is not clear. To tell the truth, despite your earlier trouble with night panic, it might be useful to consider all your symptoms withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms are inescapable if you're to be free of ativan. If you keep re-dosing to ease your symptoms, you'll continue on this roller coaster.

 

The drug propanolol might be your best choice now. In fact, it would've been a good choice when you first had night symptoms. It acts like a governor, limiting your heart rate and thus your sense of panic. It can be taken as needed. It's very safe and your physician should have no reservations in prescribing it. The fact that he believes that an SSRI will reduce your need for ativan is well-intentioned. But doctors are making such suggestions because they do not fully understand benzo withdrawal.

 

There is more controversy than ever about SSRIs. They were once thought of as very successful with few side effects. But some studies are showing they are not as effective as the older tricyclics. The trouble for us whose GABA receptors are in chaos, the SSRIs don't work on GABAs. I tried Celexa to ease my withdrawal but it had zero positive or negative effect. Some studies have shown that paxil helps withdrawal from benzos. I personally didn't want to go down that road because paxil is not easy to get off of. I've had enough of getting off drugs.

 

I would never have gotten off benzos and ended up feeling great today if I had not been committed to a tapering program and enduring weeks of really tough withdrawal symptoms. I just didn't want to be imprisoned by a drug. If you fall into the trap of updosing to treat anxiety which you think pre-dates your withdrawal, you'll never be free. Again, reach for the propanolol.

 

It sounds as if you might be over-thinking this process and, again, the mind in withdrawal does this. It's one of the withdrawal symptoms!!!! Just my 2 cents worth.

[[co...]]

I have been on Ativan for as long as you see in my signature below. Over eight months. Sure, it was nice to get relief at the time and think that my anxiety would just go away and I could stop using the pills... I was not educated on this stuff, but I may have even read about longer term use, but it was getting me through the day... I can't remember exactly what my mentality was back in October.

 

I am surprised my Doctor did not tell me of the long term effects of taking Ativan and how hard the withdrawal symptoms are. The medication does not seem to be working that much anymore, I have become habituated on it and as the poster above stated, I could be just chasing my withdrawal symptoms if I increase the dosage.

 

The only problem right now, I think, is for the last week now I wake up in the middle of the night with what I perceive to be a fast heart rate for someone who should be sleeping / at rest. The first night was probably 110-120 BPM, then the following nights it is maybe about 70-85... nothing crazy.. but the overwhelming feeling of anxious throughout my whole body probably makes me think something is wrong with me.

 

I don't know how to wait out these night terrors, I generally take 1mg of Ativan and it somewhat works, like I said, it doesn't work like it used to.

 

I am trying to stabilize the Ativan use to 3mg per day. But, all day I have cloudy head, except sometimes when I go to the mall, or hanging with my girlfriend, distractions seem to help, or mask, the issues in my head. So, the last few days I have varied between 3, 3.25, and 3mg per day. I am trying to stabilize like I did back a couple of months ago.. I was only taking 2 mg per day.

 

I stated my doctor prescribed me Cipralex last week because I said I am not getting better. He mentioned it should allow me to decrease Ativan usage... the poster above however called it Lexapro?

 

Also, I don't know if I should hold out on Ativan during the day... maybe take 0.5 -1 mg during the day, then load up 2mg right before bed... to get through the night...

 

Thoughts are appreciated. Will I ever get out of this :c)

[[we...]]

Welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

I guess you've just begun to realize what a trap these drugs are. It bothers me when other members suggest trying this drug or that drug, that's what it is an open forum so that we can comment on each other's posts.

 

First of all, 3 milligrams of Ativan is a high dose. What was your doctor thinking! You don't start somebody on 3 milligrams. Well I'm here to bash your doctor, but he's a bit heavy on the prescription pad.

 

The problem with taking many drugs is that you have no idea what each one is doing, the solution is not to add some more, but rather determine the effect of each. The only way you can do that is to take one of the time. You cannot go off Ativan right now because you're going to go in acute withdrawal and that is dangerous. 8 months is plenty of time to have developed a pretty strong addiction.

In case you haven't done so already, you may want to get it from the horses mouth, the Ashton manual. Just click on the link below to read through the manual.

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

regarding the night terrors and the palpitations, I had the heart palpitations, and it became useful for me to call them adrenaline rushes rather the night terrors. If you can dissociate the fear from the bodily sensations that will go a long ways towards accepting this phenomenon. It's very possible that you are getting inter-dose withdrawal. Ativan has such a short half-life that the decrease in blood concentration could be enough to trigger an episode, particularly if you already have a predisposition to it.

 

My advice is to read the Ashton manual, decide what it is that you want to do, for example do a sensible slow taper, decide how you're going to take your dosage of benzodiazepines throughout the day, for example keeping the larger dose at night, and expect a bumpy road on your way to freedom.

 

Whatever you decide, remember that all we can do is give our opinions, and that the ultimate decision is yours. If you can get your doctor on board, the more power to you. Often doctors don't really go along with it, or are ill-informed themselves. Bringing the Ashton manual is often helpful. If you can get your doctor to work with you on a plan, that will be helpful. Keep in mind of benzodiazepines themselves cause depression, and that the withdrawal process can cause depression by itself.

 

 

 

 

 

[[co...]]

Hi, thanks for the message.

 

I did read the Ashton manual - it gives me more motivation than I had to be 100% benzo free.

 

Unlike what you've stated above, the Ashton manual is not against taking an antidepressant at the same time as the Ativan. The Ashton manual actually kind of agrees with what my doctor said... taking the antidepressant will help you feel better while you taper off of the Ativan, and it will help the taper itself.

 

I was sick for the last couple of weeks and did not exercise, I think I have developed depression, and I never thought that would happen. I am not scared of it right now though...

 

Now, I do agree with you, the less pills the better... so I am trying something I watched on 60 Minutes a couple of weeks ago... actually I am not trying it, I am getting back at it, and that is exercising. Apparently mild cases of depression can equally be treated with either 1) exercising, or 2) taking antidepressants.

 

As you see in my signature, I was down to 2 mg for about a month.

 

I feel cloudy now, and not so good sometimes. I feel I am in for a long ride. I am going to postpone the antidepressants until I start feeling REALLY bad... but the doctor and Ashton manual both said that it takes 2-3 weeks for those to start working, so maybe I should pull the trigger at some point, I am just testing exercise for now.

 

I have been dating a girl for about a month, I don't know how I can continue to hide this. We do have a connection and she may be able to help and see me through this. At the same time, she wants to have kids one day, and could consider me a bad case of genes... anyway, my goal is to be completely free... some day this year, with a slow taper.

 

I would still appreciate people's opinions.

[[we...]]

To make the correction, I meant to say I'm not here to bash your doctor.

 

Without the 60 minutes, was that about how antidepressants are not anymore effective than placebo?