Ativan Help Please?

Question

My therapist/psychiatrist have yet to identify or label me with a diagnosis. However, tey've prescribed celexa for the time being and now are putting me on Ativan for when my lows get too hard to handle Can anyone shed some light as to the effects of this drug? Personal experience would be much appretiated! Thanks

Answer 1

Hi. I'm just coming off of Ativan right now. They put me on it about a month ago because I told my doctor I was feeling anxiety. I was excited to be prescribed something from the valium family and took it with pleasure. Unfortunately, I also have dysthymia (chronic depression) and am on another medication for that. I am now in one of the worst states I've been in and am trying very hard to come out of that. They think it is because of the medication, and it could very well be. I read on sites such as erowid vaults (an experience vault from people doing drugs, mixing, prescriptions, etc.) that when taken all the time Ativan can make you like a zombie. I guess it did this to me, because I started feeling very fatigued and groggy and missed school for a few days, simply because I couldn't stand to be there.
One more thing you really want to watch out for: if you are feeling more than just anxiety, especially despression like me, this drug can worsen that. I believe I read this while researching Borderline Personality Disorder on Wikipedia, and it rang so true to me, but it said sometimes valium (or Ativan and other tranquilizers/sedatives) can take away the anxiety, which leaves behind in depressed people the naked depression, emptiness, and hopelessness. This happened to me and was horrible.
Make sure your doctors know WHY they are prescribing you the drug, because if they just throw something at you it can really mess you up worse than before.

Answer 2

I am in the process of being taken off of ativan aka lorazepam. It was origionally perscribed while I was in the hospital first as a sleep aid then at a lower dose for anxiety. The thing is they never told me that it is a controlled substance and addictive. The psychiatrist that I see now was not too happy about me being on ativan and is switching me over to Paxil. However, the ativan was very good at controlling my anxiety with few side effects. If you do not know why they are perscribing this stuff for you I would ask and ask again till you get an answer. I was also on celexa a few years ago but had to stop because of the weight loss, agitation and heart palpations. Don't be as stupid as me. Make sure you know what the medication is before you take it.

Answer 3

I have taken a low dose of Ativan for several years. I take .5 at night and .5-1 mg as needed (which is no more than a couple of times a week.) I have had no addiction problems with it (even though I have a history of substance abuse.) I remain on the same low dose and have not had any negative side effects from it or withdrawal if I don't take it. When I say "as needed" I mean I take it when I am flipping out and acting like a psycho and/or am so agitated that I am unable to function like a normal human being. All it does is gently return me to normal and to a place where I am able to function. There is no euphoria or anything like that with this medication for me. If I take more than 1 mg, it just makes me sleepy and I don't like that so I never take more than a milligram.

It can be addictive, especially if taken frequently/ at higher doses, for an extended period of time. In that case, it can also worsen depression. But this is not a problem for all who take it. And most will agree on one thing ... it is very effective.

Answer 4

I can't go to the dentist unless they give me ativan. I've had minor surgery on nothing more then ativan. I could never be on it regularly though. It gives me a personality adjustment. I become a little mean, and think I'm super girl. well not quite that drastic but it's a nice feeling. I'm very honest and forward. So beware at first and try starting on a small dose.
Good luck

Answer 5

I was prescribed ativan for panic attacks and general anxiety with "hypomanic" states where I would feel depressed but my mind and heart would be racing. Ativan helped me through panic attacks on many occasions, but I began to rely on it to calm me down. Because of this I didn't develop the proper coping techniques needed to 'come down' from extreme anxiety.

After taking ativan for about 6 months on an 'as-needed' basis, I began to experience what I can only describe as a mild form of psychosis, generally within a few hours of taking ativan. During these times I actually experienced hallucinations and extreme personality changes and aggression (completely opposite of my personality). During these episodes I engaged in self-injury for the first time (cutting) and did extreme things like threaten to jump out of a moving car. I found out that for some people ativan can actually cause your negative feelings to come back more severely after the initial 'calm' period.

I know this works differently for many people, so I don't want to say you shouldn't take it, but in my experience it was not worth the initial tranquilizing benefits. Monitor yourself closely as you take the ativan to see if you are having adverse side effects... it's very important to catch this type of negative and contrary reaction before you end up in a situation worse than the one you are in now.

Good luck with the trials and tribulations of meantal health and pharmaceuticals... many of these meds should be used only as a last resort, in my opinion.

Answer 6

It is a tranquilizer that will reduce anxiety, calm you down, and help you sleep. Tranquilizers are also prescribed for some patients with suicidal thoughts. Most of the time, it should only be used on an as-needed basis instead of routine intervals around the clock. It should also only be prescribed on a short term basis, as it can be addictive. But if you need to take it for a time being while you wait for the celexa to kick it, it's a safe and standard drug to use. Take good care and hope you're feeling betters soon!

Answer 7

the drug you are asking about is a benzodiazapam . that is a class of drugs. the drug is used to treat anxiety and aid with sleep.
the drug is fast acting . the drug has been in use for a very long time . this drug is additive but so long as you take the drug as your doctor tells you to adiction is not all that likley.
low doses of the drug are given daily to people and the person is able to continue to drive and carry on as normal but each person has to wait to see how the drug affects them.
when this drug is used as it is suppose to be used a person will not get high or feel very tired instead it will just reduce the anxiety to the point that the person is feeling perfectly normal.
this drug can be used to aid in sleep and when that is the case it does not knock you out instead it just makes the sleep come more naturally slows down racing thoughts and when the person is sleeping helps them to sleep fully and wake up more restfull.
there is no reason to worry about this drug making you into a zommbie or something it just does not work like that when taken as directed and adjusted by the doctor as needed the person taking it would not seem any more under the infulance of a drug then a person who has no drugs in them.
most often the drug is given in tablet form but the drug can be injected as well you i am sure will only be taking this drug in the tablet form .
i have taken this drug now for years and i dont get hooked on it at all . i have a friend that is hooked on the drug but with my help and the help of the doctors she is not really doing too bad at all with it . for her its more like a person who might go get drunk once a month and the rest of the time not drink at all .
for me i have never felt any sort of high from it and if i take more then i am suppose to which i have from time to time it just makes me fall asleep of calm down. .
it goes without saying that i should and everyone should just take the drugs as the doctor has told us to .
as far as side effects when on a low dose that is one that you would take each day for a week or more you most likely will find 0 side effects from it . the most you might find is that at first you feel some what tired . just tell the doctor about that and the dose will be adjusted and then you will have 0 side effects.
dont look for a label for yourself except the one your parents gave you and that is your name . i am sure you will find that is quite enough unless you deside to become a priest or a doctor.
i hope this was helpfull for you .

Answer 8

when he says 'lows are too hard to handle' do you mean you panic or get anxious? because that is the purpose of valium. i am on it and that is what i use it for.

be careful how often you take it as it can be addicitve if not monitored properly. you shouldn't be taking it more than a couple of times a day.

Answer 9

ativan relaxes the anxiety that you might be experiencing, and your blood level may be imbalance.

Answer 10

Arivan Great drug