Okay, see, now I'm pissed off.

[logansrogue]

Apparently, now that I'm reading up on ativan - it's addictive. Addictive in small doses - and guess what I've been having over the past two months?! My doctor is a fucking idiot.

I feel woozy in the head. I haven't had a lorazepam in like, two days. Not last night, but the night before. My mood is crashing, but I don't know if that's the upset from the psych or other things. Fuck.

Comments

[pixienymph.livejournal.com]

Hmm... I was on Ativan for a year and never got addicted to it.

[nephron.livejournal.com]

It's a benzodiazepine and thus a drug of dependence. Nancy- maybe you should try having half your normal dose for a couple of days before quitting entirely?

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

The problem with BZDs is that they're ten times more potent than valium, and therefore much harder to halve as far as dosage is concerned. If you half the tablet, you're already falling below the amount of drug you need before you start feeling withdrawal symptoms.

Because I only used half every day, or every other day (more normally), my level is pretty much very low anyway. So this mood dip is, hopefully, all I'll feel.

In other news - I wanna hang out with you and Mer and Shig some time. I miss youse!!

Hmm.

[tylergrrls.livejournal.com]

The problem with BZDs is that they're ten times more potent than valium, and therefore much harder to halve as far as dosage is concerned.

Actually, Valium is just another benzodiazepine, like Ativan or Xanax or Restoril. So I'm not getting how one drug in the class could be ten times more potent than another drug in the same class, without a comparison of empirical dosage.

Ativan is pretty addictive, physically, but most patients trying to quit taking it (including my mother) have a harder time with the anxiety once they stop.

0.5mg is the lowest dosage of Ativan made, with 2mg being the highest. Since it is a tablet and not a capsule or extended-release, then you can half it if you want. Its action isn't dependent on maintaining serum levels, so it may not help as much, but messing with your dosage yourself shouldn't screw you up.

For the record, Ativan isn't really an antidepressant. It's an antianxiety drug, one that calms you down. It's not going to perk you up. If you're feeling low, you can lay off of it for a few days and it won't hurt anything. You can always restart it if you get to feeling anxious or nervous. It should only take about 20-30 minutes for it to kick in once you take it.

Donna :)

[obeisance.livejournal.com]

Hooray for Earth. =p

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Uhm. Yeah. *confused*

[tha-prez.livejournal.com]

Alot of Benzo's are addictive, if your worried about it, try talking to your doctor and see if you can go on a different drug. i wouldnt recommend altering the dosage, it might screw up your body alot worse.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Well, I've only been having .5mg every second day or so. Every now and again I'll have it two days in a row. I've been kinda antsy today, and I've been craving it (not hugely, but enough that I'm like, Awww, want a pill so I can be all oooooh relaaaaxed). So it's bad already. I don't want to want this pill any more.

[tha-prez.livejournal.com]

maybe you can get yourself into drug rehab. ~_^
But still, talk to ur doctor. God how cliched does that sound....

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

A drive-by hug for you *hugggggg*

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Thanks, babe :)

[crzydemona.livejournal.com]

Wow... My doc gave me ativan for "emergency only" situations (like, when I'm ready to rip someone's head off). It knocks me flat on my butt for 24 hours and I do a lot of drooling. I couldn't imagine having to take that stuff all the time. I'd never move again!

I hope you called your doctor to talk to him about it.

Best of luck...

Jen

[sexyjanet.livejournal.com]

Adivan/lorazepam. I know them well. Even though I wasn't on them....Crazy times.

[jen-ella.livejournal.com]

I've taken the Xanax (as needed) for five years for anxiety attacks. It works fabulously for me. Maybe you should ask about that. Since I don't take it every day the whole addictive thing isn't an issue, but it does a great - and fast job - when I have the anxiety attacks.