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Posted 11/14/2007 11:21 PM (GMT 0)
I take ativan  every morning and  mywhole  day  is  full of drowsyness and  dizzines. Is there anything else  I can do to  stop my  day from  feeling  like this. I know there is someone out there who can  help me please redface

Post Edited By Moderator (Howlyncat) : 11/21/2007 12:19:04 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/15/2007 2:28 AM (GMT 0)

Hello Sandy,

Welcome to Healing Well. Would you mind giving a bit more info re the Ativan, what dose are  you on? Do you take any other medication besides the Ativan?

With a bit more info I may be able to respond better to your question.

thanks

Kitt

Posted 11/19/2007 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
hello kitt I take 1mg ativan in the morning... yes i take meds for me high blood pressure .
Posted 11/19/2007 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
how long have you been taking the ativan? And what is worse (in your opinion), the anxiety you had or the effects you're having now? Maybe you only need .5mg, but thats up to you and your doc.

best_
dan
Posted 11/19/2007 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
Or maybe something with a longer half life like .5mg of klonopin... Might help.

hang in there!
Posted 11/19/2007 10:41 PM (GMT 0)

Hey thanks so much for clarifying your dose.  I agree .5mg of Ativan may be enough for your anxiety. 

Dan is right, a longer acting benzodiazipine may be in order for you.  Or perhaps a low dose of an AD for example Lexapro.

Please check with your physician and keep posting.  We are happy to help as much as we can.

Hugs to you

Kitt

Posted 11/20/2007 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
thank you  for  responding  back to me sooo soon, this  anxiety  thing is  really  geting to me , there is  not a  day  where i dont  feel  like  im just a  normal  person, has there  ever been someone  out there that has  gotton  over this  illness. confused
Posted 11/21/2007 12:18 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Sandy,

My doctor prescribes ativan for insomnia so I don't doubt that you would feel a bit groggy!  I find some other medications such as valium (which have a longer half life) are better for daytime anxiety.

Sorry to hear that you are having a rough time of it at the moment, but keep posting and people will help you out.  Some days can actually be normal (for me) :-)

Posted 11/21/2007 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
Ativan was useless for me. Did nothing for the anxiety, but about 2 hours after taking it I would be sleepier than I've ever been. After waking from the "sleep" I'd have no idea who I was, where I was or what was going on. It was worse than the anxiety. Haven't taken it for 10 years and will not again.

just my 0.02 dollars worth.

Stixxy
Posted 11/21/2007 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
hi there stixxy,just wanted to put my two cents worth in..maybe try cutting them in half,thats what i do and it works really well for me... also like kitt said..u have to decided which one is worse eyes no fun i know!
Posted 11/21/2007 7:18 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Kitt and Dan .......

You may need to change benzo's or cut in half and go on an AD

Not everyone is the same and ativan has worked wel for me for many yrs than I care to remember....

Plz post and let us know how you are doing

LYN
Posted 11/21/2007 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
IMO, I'm not a doctor though. I used to take 1 mg of Ativan/Lorazepam a day. Taking the dose wouldn't make me entirely groggy as I'm such a panicky person as it is.... but I decided to cut the dose in half because it made a bit loopy.

Now I take .5 mgs a day. If that's what you're taking now and it's still too much; cut the pill in half.

Another recommendation would be to take something lighter. Klonopin is 1/4 times stronger than Ativan. Xanax is weaker.

Maybe a .5 mg of Xanax could be prescribed from the doc? Although for me; I took .5 mgs of Xanax and I was loopier than ever!! I'd never take it again!

Some benzos work differently for people. So if you still feel groggy even if you cut the dose in half.. I agree with the others... maybe an anti-depressant is in order or maybe even a beta-blocker. Beta-blockers are typically for high blood pressure but are also used in people with anxiety and panic. The beta-blocker helps to block the rush of sudden adrenaline. It's been successful with many people I know.

Just go to the doc if nothing gets better or if you feel the need to and discuss your options. It can't hurt to find the right combination or single dose of medications that work for you!!

Twiggygal~
Posted 12/4/2007 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
It  is a wonderful  thing to have  people out there on this site to  let you know what  you are going through  there are a lot of others  that are going through the same thing.  I always  thought  I was  the  little lady in the little  boat in the river  sitting out there all alone, with no one to turn to ,  but  thank God for this  forum  it has helped me in so many ways.  The  thing that  I don't get now is  why now  am i starting to have these  spells like i want to pass out.  Is that a  part of  anxiety? I went to a new doctor the other day and he made me so mad, he told me that  ther was  nothing he could do for me and  that  what ever  was  bothereing me  I needed to sit  back and  come to grips  with the problem.  I also  asked  him if he could  do an EKG on me because my  chest was  hurting , he told me that I was  to young  to  have a  heart attack , now let me know this  has there  ever been  a  age limit on someone having a heart attack?I told him to deleate all my files from  his  office  comouter  because i would  never come back to his office again, I think  he needed a  doctor  himself.  But my question  still remains? Has  there  ever been anyone  that  has totally been freed from this  illness. confused
Posted 12/4/2007 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
I take a silimar drug in the evening to help me sleep. Then when i take it in the morning it takes away the axiety. However i am very laid back and dont worry about getting things done. it help to take it in the evening - then i get a good nights sleep and life is much better with a full nigh sleep
Posted 12/5/2007 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
sandy,just wanted to respond to the passing out thing u mentioned....yes i often feel like im going to pass out..thank goodness i never have but feel like that often. one thing i have learned through this journey is,everyone is different and will have symptoms different than others....also...anxiety can cause just about anything to go n with ur body eyes anyway glad you are on this forum this has been a live saver for me at times...know that we truly care and are here for you.
Posted 12/5/2007 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
sandy,

my doc just took my off ativan and put me on serax to help with the grogginess. She said it's underprescribed but in the same family (it's a benzo) so when you get yourself a new doc (and I recommend a psych to help with the anxiety, not just a gp) ask about it. she's definitely right. I can take it and go to work and it'll make me slightly foggy, but nothing like with ativan. I'm completely functional on the serax. I just can't tell how well it's working yet...

serafena
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