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Any experience with Ativan and UC????

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/27/2010 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
 Being freshly diagnosed with UC, I have built up a great deal of anxiety.  In recent months, I have been prescribed Ativan (Lorazepam) to keep anxiety at bay, but I have shyed away from it since being diagnosed with UC.  I went online and did a drug interactions checker with Prednisone, Asacol, and Mesalamine enemas and nothing interacted with Ativan.  We don't give out medical advice on these forums, nor would I take any, but I was wondering if anyone has has their doctor Ativan/Lorazepam for them during their treatment for Ulcerative Colitis?

 

Posted 9/27/2010 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I have been prescribed it in the past few years and take it upon occasion for anxiety.
Posted 9/27/2010 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
I used Ativan occasionally when I was on pred. It helped with sleep and with pred-induced anxiety.

Sue
Posted 9/27/2010 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
oh is pred said to induce anxiety in some patients?
Posted 9/27/2010 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
I was given Ativan while in the hospital. It helped to relax so much and actually get sleep!
Posted 9/27/2010 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
I am taking Klonopin as needed for my anxiety. My anxiety, however, is not due to my Uc but other issues and I find that if I keep that anxiety at bay it helps my Uc stay calmer. There is a strong mind/gut connection to this condition. And yes, Pred can induce anxiety in patients.
Posted 9/27/2010 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Great to know! Thanks!
Posted 9/27/2010 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Not for UC but for anxiety stemming from other sources, I have a low dose prescription for lorazepam, but I'm also currently on Wellbutrin, which helps with the anger & obsessive thinking that I'll sometimes engage in around UC and other issues. Then if my anxiety spikes, I can take a small dose of lorazepam for that. One serious issue with lorazepam & its ilk is that they can be quite habit forming. I bear that in mind and that's why I'm more inclined to take a mild antidepressant even though I actually prefer lorazepam lol.

I abused it for a short time in college & at its worst I found that it didn't actually help with my anxiety but it did make me not care at ALL how I acted out, so I was hanging out crying wherever I went, not exactly a great way to get anything done. Breaking the habit was tough, too. Lots of sleepless nights.

And I've also seen it in action in the context of hospice. I've been a hospice volunteer off & on for many years, and many hospice patients have a lot of anxiety, particularly when their livers are shutting down. When the liver no longer clears toxins from the blood, people can become angry or anxious, or can begin to hallucinate. There are drugs to help with liver function but Ativan has an almost immediate calming effect.
Posted 9/27/2010 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I'm not worried about forming an Ativan dependency. I rarely take it, but considering I haven't had more than 2 hours of sleep each night for the past week, I think I'm going to take it for a few nights. I need to recover.
Posted 9/27/2010 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Totally. That's definitely its highest & best use.
Posted 9/29/2010 5:21 AM (GMT 0)
There is no drug disease interaction between ativan and IBD... it doesn't have an effect on the digestive system that has any documented evidence of worsening or causing a flare of UC.
Interactions with ativan in terms of drug-drug (in UC) are rare as well. The most common would be combined with other depressant agents, for example codeine, morphine for pain. This could cause over-sedation or respiratory depression in combination of high doses or in sensitive individuals.

Yeah, watch out, ativan and all other benzodiazepines are highly addictive - both physically and psychologically. They also cause significant changes in sleep patterns, the consequences of which are currently thought to be detrimental to memory and learning long-term.
Posted 9/29/2010 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
I have been taking Ativan regularly [1mg (1 -3x/day)] for chronic anxiety/panic attacks not related necessarily to UC for about 1 year now. I went into remission in March of this year and have had no issues so far as I know with Ativan.

I had been suffering a horrible flare for over a year in spite of being on asacol and 100mg Imuran when I finally convinced my doctor to prescribe Hydrocort enemas. Within a week my flare was over and hasn't come back (knock on wood!). I've cut my dose of Imuran down to 50mg/day and my Asacol from 3 tabs 3x/day to 2tabs in am and 3 tabs in pm.

Other meds that I'm on:
Bupropion (Wellbutrin SR)
Cymbalta
Asacol (3 tabs 2x/day)
Imuran (50mg)
B complex vitamin +C (for low folate levels due to imuran)
daily multivitamin

Hope this info helps!
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