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Meds not working (so soon??)

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Posted 2/18/2011 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
I started my meds about 2 1/2 weeks ago.

Celexa @ 20mg x1 day

Ativan @ .5mg x1 day

Both taken in AM as my attacks happen around 8:00am.

The last few days I have had to take 1mg of Ativan in the morning and then 1mg of Xanax in the afternoon/evening. Today I had to take the Xanax about 4 hours after my Ativan. I haven't been on these meds long but  I am afraid I am going to need more and more. Can bodies be resistent to these type meds so soon??

On a side note I had started with xanax but prefer the Ativan. Although still use the xanax as a boost when the Ativan doesn't work. Like I said before my anxiety is purely physical pain so these meds are supposed to keep the physical pain at bay.

I heard attacks can go in waves and I might be in a "wave" of them this week.

Posted 2/18/2011 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
My own personal and lay opinion is that ativan and xanax shouldn't be used daily. They are for more infrequent use. I've always read that you shouldn't use both at the same time, and that has to do with GABA receptors and a bunch of stuff I don't understand quite well enough to talk about here. Anyway, tolerance will become an issue at some point with either drug, though it seems a bit soon for that. Then again, taking them at the same time may complicate matters. I do not know.

If you have an attack every single day at the same time, there has to be a better solution for you. Part of it lifestyle, part of it pharmaceutical. If your doctor is having you take a short-acting benzo every day or especially if he has you on two benzos at the same time, my humble and lay advice would be to get a new doctor.

Yes, it is my experience that attacks can come in waves. Have a bad week or two, then have a week or two where things are pretty good. That sounds normal to me.
Posted 2/22/2011 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
You know I was taking the celexa before bed and then the Ativan in the morning and I went two weeks without an attack. It seemed like when I took both in the morning I had the problems. I tried taking both at night but would still have an attack in the morning. I went through my wave last week like you said and ended up taking 2 ativan and 2 xanax in the same day... my body was just on the verge ALL DAY LONG... after about 3 days it went away. Over the weekend I didn't take my meds until the afternoon and I was fine. It seems like my anxiety is peaking on my way to work. I can't change jobs and have been working here for 9 years so I am not sure if my anxiety is travel or job related since this is something occuring regularly and the panic attacks are relatively new. My doctor was trying to have me on both to try and make my body not used to having them and then wean off of everything (and the doc didn't prescribe the xanax, just the ativan). The ER doctor had given me xanax to help when one started... the problem is by time I realize one is starting... no meds will stop it. Which I think is why my doc put me on an ED... maybe at least until the celexa kicked in??? I am trying to get in with a great therapist but she has a hefty waiting list. My doc definitely wasn't trying to fix me long term... just maybe stabilize me until "better" help could assist :)

I wish I was someone just reading my silly posts... instead of the one writing them.
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