Sometimes I am truly shocked how many good people become accidentally addicted to benzodiazepine medications such as Ativan (Lorazepam). I seem to get many emails about this subject, and unfortunately, I’ve also been through it myself. Even though Ativan and it’s sister benzodiazepine meds are known to be dependency causing, doctors in the US continue to routinely prescribe them to unsuspecting anxiety sufferers.
I remember well the extreme anxiety and physical pain of Ativan withdrawal; and in my case, my doctor never even instructed me to taper off of the drug gradually (like all the experts say you should), so I just quit cold turkey. Bad Idea.
My physical suffering, panic and anxiety after quitting Ativan was like nothing I had ever known (and this from a guy with anxiety problems from age 13!). The sad fact is that most doctors are simply ignorant of the tremendous damage that benzodiazepine dependency can cause. And if you quit using them cold turkey, as I foolishly did, there is a risk of suffering life-threatening seizures.
There are message boards all over the Internet where former Ativan users discuss the nightmare of benzodiazepine withdrawal. Symptoms such as severe panic, agoraphobia, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, heart palpitations, muscle spasms, trouble breathing, extreme insomnia, nausea, upset stomach, depression and painful cramps are not uncommon. And the most debilitating thing of all: benzodiazepine withdrawal can easily last six to 12 months, with a smaller percentage of users experiencing extended post withdrawal symptoms that can last up to five years! Talk about living through hell!
I wanted to point out the extreme risks involved in “popping” Ativan or other benzodiazepines as a way to reduce anxiety and panic attacks. Yes, you may get some immediate relief from your symptoms, but it’s a fools paradise, and the down side is potentially devastating.
More than once, I’ve had e-mails from former Ativan users who became dependent on the pills in as little as two weeks of regular use. Pharmaceutical companies are only now beginning to admit that benzodiazepines can cause dependency in such short periods of time. But unfortunately, most doctors are STILL not aware of this fact.
While it is true that Ativan can be helpful in certain very specific situations to control anxiety, a certain percentage of people seem to become addicted to this drug very quickly. Other individuals may better tolerate benzodiazepines, and be less likely to become dependent on the drug with short-term use. But who wants to take that chance?
Personally, I believe it is wise to be very skeptical of about taking any benzodiazepine. If you or any of your loved ones are considering taking Ativan or another Benzo drug, PLEASE have them visit some of the benzodiazepine withdrawal forums online (I can recommend http://benzowithdrawal.com/) and read a few of the personal accounts of former benzo users, and particularly those who became addicted very quickly to Ativan. And then run, don’t walk, away from these pills.
TIP: The ‘Instant Tranquility’ guided visualization session from www.easycalm.com has proven effective in helping benzodiazepine withdrawal sufferers to relax. You can try the “Instant Tranquility” guided visualization here.
Technorati Tags: anxiety medication, Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Powered by FireStats
I bookmarked this. Thank you for good job!
It use to take hours for me to fall asleep as I am a hyper person (which I guess makes sense being a personal trainer), I find it hard to relax. In a weird way this music open’s up my mind and I feel like I am in some natural dream land of complete peace. All I know is that then next morning I am refreshed and energetic for my clients
I started on the mangosteen & minerals Jan. 2006 to see if it would help my anxiety & depression.
During the first week I noticed I was sleeping through the night instead of tossing and turning. I then realized I actually had energy that lasted all day. My Depression lifted and my feelings of anxiety went away. My doctor cut my zoloft from 100 mg. to 50 for now and hope to get off it all together soon. I
now drink 2 ounces of the juice every day.
Dickman , Mary
Normal , IL
I advise everyone considering taking ativan or other benzos to really take this article serious. I’ve lived through the hell of benzo withdrawal and I can vouche that he is telling you the absolute truth. It was hellishly tough. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
[…] while back I posted a blog about my experience with Ativan withdrawal, and the hell I went through trying to “get off” of those “evil little […]
I am going through ativan withdrawal for the past 4 weeks after being on 1-2 mgs per day for the past 9 years. I am receiving acupuncture but hardly sleeping at all which creates huge anxiety, thankyou for this page and can you please offer more tips, I have felt so alone in this and truly on the edge.
I am also going through ativan withdrawal for the past 3 weeks after being on 0.5mg ativan for 18 days for treatment of anxiety. My psychiatrist took me off this drug suddenly and there was no slow withdrawal as I was told that I was not addicted with such a short term use. I can say that I had and still have some difficult withdrawal symptoms, from insomnia to high blood pressure, rapid pulse, palms sweating. I now take Metoprolol for B/P and this does help also I take melatonin supplement 1/2 tab and this helps with sleep although it is still interrupted
Troubling yet informative. Withdrawal from Ativan has been a grueling battle for anxiety attack patients. i believe any form of withdrawal from any substance can be as troubling as this. First, it is taken as a cure for anxiety, and now, the problems get knee-deep by adding up another truckload, as problems from ativan withdrawal poses yet another ordeal. I hope there are experts who could advise us on this matter.
This post is really helpful. Thanks a lot!
I can relate to the Ativan withdrawl. I have only taken 0.5 mg at night for sleep and I tried to stop abruptly. I finfally got 5 hrs of sleep after taking one at 2:00 am. I will taper to 1/2 for three nights and then 1/4 for three nights and see how that does.
Thanks for the sight.
best article I read about this yet!
This is a really good read for me, Must admit that you are one of the best bloggers I ever saw.Thanks for posting this informative article.
Ativan has really been a big help. i am happy with this product. i bought it in www.medsheaven.com
Thanks for your info. re Ativan withdrawal. I am in that group of people. Just wondering: Where did you get the info. about withdrawal taking up to 5 years for a small percentage of people?
Thanks again.
Beverly
This is insane reading these commments about ativan withdrawl. I thought I was going crazy. I’ve had anxiety since I was a child and have recently become aware of the horrors of trying to taper off this drug. I would have extreme panic attacks about a week after the drug was almost completely out of my system. I couldnt breathe, racing terrifying thoughts, sense of impending doom, and I could not stop crying uncontollably. I am done with benzos!
Nice post,
I love this site.
Simple design, great content and plenty of quality reviews.
Again, Another Great Post.
Just love your style of writing.
Keep up the good works
To Tammi on November 16th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I am wondering how do you do now. I took 0.5mg Ativan every day before sleep for 40days and I withdrwaled it. This the the first day of the 4 weeks and I can sleep 5 hours a day but I have high blood pressure140/90. I am wondering how you deal the high blood pressure and how many weeks do I have to suffer from high blood pressure? I appreciate Tammi or anyony could answer me.
Umm.. your post point out the obvious but not much else. People, if at all possible do not wait for your doctor to cut you off from benzo’s do it yourself. I lost a 5 yearold daughter and started having panic/anxiety attacks about 2 years later, to put it in perspective you think you are dying and WILL seek medical attention. I tried several drugs like zoloft cannot remember all the names but none worked. Doctor gave me Ativan, it was a miracle drug, started sleeping again not worrying about dying in my sleep..etc..etc and the attacks went away. I was on .5 mg 3 times aday. Very small dose. Eventually I noticed I was living in a ” I don’t give a shit fog” excuse my french. I decided to start reducing my Ativan levels on my own, I’ve always been curious and knew while taking ativan, withdrawls could be a killer. I was on the initial dose for 6+ months, I forgot to add that, anyways Ativan is a fast acting drug from what I’ve read and putting it under the tongue like nitro for heart patients really speeds up the effect for quick acting relief from symptoms of anxiety/withdrawl. What i did was stop the mid day .5 mg cold turkey but knew that “IF” my symptoms got out of hand I had my fall back .5 mg to use, it really helps knowing you have a fall back dose like that. The first few weeks I really cannot remember needing the .5 mg emergency dose to be honest. I didn’t feel the effects of withdrawls until I after a month of just taking .5mg aday morning and night i decided to knock off another .5 mg. I did this differently by still taking a small dose morning and night but using .25 mg but keeping in the back of my mind I was down to 1/3 of my initial prescribed dose and could still use my emergency blanket dose of .5 mg in a pinch. I will admit I did need that emergency dose off and on for months (yes months) but tried to keep it to .25 mgs and not the full .5mg but somedays well it was necessary. Anyways to make a long story short, I found the initial reduction of my initial prescribed dose by 1/3 cold turkey was easy, the second reduction 30 days later by 1/3 allot tougher and after 6 months at the 1/3 dose ( .5mg, .25 morning and night) and needing the emergency under the tongue .25mg less and less I was finally able to convince myself I no longer needed the drug everyday but only a .25mg or in my case 1/6 intial prescribed dose on an as needed bases but this only worked when I felt the attacks/withdrawls coming on and put it under my tongue and used “NO WATER” to wash it down for at least 10-15 minutes, i disolved it under my tongue. I am happy to say my doctor has not tried to take me off my dosage of .5 mg 3x aday but we have had long talks about how I’m taking it if at all and I told him to reduce my prescription to 30 mg a month and only used as needed. I also should note I never use the stuff anymore. but have that blanket around me “IF” i need it. This all took at least 8 months of work, this may or may not work for everybody but it did for me and I initiated it on my own terms when I felt I was ready. I hope this helps some of you and I feel for anybody who was removed from it cold turkey by there doctors. If you’ve heard of the singer Stevie Nicks, you’ll know if you search on the web she stated getting off ativan was harder for her than Coke. If you fail the first time try ..try again. And my advive from experience is never ever fall all the way back to the max dosage your doctor prescribed for you and it will get easier I promise. Good luck and if you have been to the emergency room thinking your dying and wer diagnosed with anxiety do not be embarassed you are not alone. When this all started with me I went twice and the doc said this happens to allot of people. And sometimes for no reason you can point to. talking to someone also helps allot shrinks never did it for me just someone whos a good listener worked and helped me through my darkest days..
Iv had my first panic attack about two months ago.I am 16 yers old.I thought i was going to die.I went to the E.R and they told me i had a panic attack.They gave me 8 1mg ativan pills.I took 2 mg a day for three days.One in the morning and one at night.I stoped taking ativan because i was feeling calm but confused and spaced out.About three days later when i stop taking ativan I felt like i snapped.I felt like my life was a dream.Iv been through hell but im not sure if its withdrawl symptoms from ativan.can i get withdrawl symptoms after taking ativan for that short period of time?plzz anyone i need an answer because im about ready to give up.my email is johnnyv_07@yahoo.com
I was put on ativan for sever alcohol withdrawl and was taking 6 mg a day for two months and then 8 mg for a month and a half Did not know anything about this drug or how powerful it is.Dr’plan is to reduce 1 mg every two weeks, sure hope it works.I have been without over a weekend and by monday morning thought I was ready for the nut house or the grave.After reading many posts I am pretty full of fear because I have gone threw sever withdrawl already and dont want to go threw it again.
I am experiencing very clear withdrawal from taking .5mg once a day for just over four weeks (I tapered to half that for five days). I asked my doctor if my dizziness could be caused by this withdrawal and she said that that dose was too small to do this. She is wrong.
Thank you so much for this beautifully written and beautifully intentioned blog post.
Leave a Reply