I recently had a string of panic attacks as a side effect from my AD Remeron. Since then I lowered my dose and I seem to be better. The reason I am posting this is another topic turned into a discussion on benzos. My doc originaly gave me Klonopin. As I understand this is as a preventative med for anxiety and panic. The idea of taking that once a day really scared me because I have heard of how hard it is to stop once you become dependant on it. So instead I decided to use Ativan, it goes under your tongue as a med for panic attacks. This seem to me to be much better, I only use it if I need it and it works right away. I would just like to hear from anyone who has experience with this med. At what point should I worry about becoming dependant? I have the 2mg pills and so far have only used a few. I have had problems with oxycodone addiction but have worked it out. I am very careful not to pop a couple of these just so I can melow out, I don't want to start up a problem with these but I do need them sometimes. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Ativan is a benzo...

Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan, Restoril.....

They are all the same thing. The FDA never approved any of these drugs to be taken on an everyday basis.

We ALL know that these drugs are the BY FAR the most "physically" addicting drugs ever made.

They dont get me high, I've never abused them, I DONT LIKE THEM. but I cant stop taking them or I get very sick? Anyone have a clue????

Hello Shonn,

2mg Ativan huh? Hmm I believe that is the largest dose of that particular Benzo available. Franky I would be much more worried about becoming addicted to Ativan than Klonopin. Here is the difference, Klonopin is less sedating much has a much longer action inside the body and that is why docs use it for WDing from the other Benzos. Ativan, MUCH stronger, even than Valium, but a shorter half-life. Everywhere (including the fact-sheet that came with all my Benzo scripts) I read that Benzos are not to be taken for longer than 2 weeks straight. Right now I have an incredible urge to post a link but I want to stay a member so I just suggest doing some searches. FWCadeFoster is right....these are extremely difficult drugs to stop once they have their grip on your brain/nerves. Good luck, Hope you do not go down that road.

Jason1976

Hello Cade and Shonn...I took Ativan awhile back for panic attacks. Shonn I didnt know they made Ativan that goes under your tongue I always just swallowed it like a normal tablet. Anyway I was on the 1mg and only used it when I felt an attack coming on you know the sweating, dizzy feeling that comes first? I would break a 1mg tab in half and take 0.5 mg and wait 5 mins and if it didnt ease or stop it from coming I would take the other 0.5mg and call a friend or my mother and talk till it left and it always did. My doc wanted me to take one 1mg tab a day as prevention but I never did I always took just when needed and when my attacks went away I stopped the Ativan without any problem because I wasnt taking them regularly. They are a good thing on an AS NEEDED basis but as Cade stated you can get dependant on them if used daily for a long period of time. Good luck and God bless.
Autumn.

Cade,

Aren't you on Klonopin? Hope I have that right seems I have heard ya say this before. My problem Benzo has been Xanax, the short acting but powerful anxiety reliever. I am 26 and about to turn 27 and my mind is at about 75% of what it used to be, i can sit in total silence, be reading a novel (which I love to do) and ask myslef what the last paragraph was about and be lost. If someone was to ask me to name 10 important things I did in let's say 1996, it would take me half an hour to recall. To me that is the most scary thing. I am at present off the Benzos but I still get urges to take them. Anyway, thought I would ramble a tad, just killing time and always glad to see a post by you.

Jason1976

I ditched the everyday klonopin in favour of thhe ativan. It goes under your tongue, its called sublingual i think....

Thanks for the replies all

oooook,

Autumn : You hit the frikkin nail right on the head. I think Benzos are GREAT drugs but as an "as needed basis" Xanax is a very fast acting drug. Probably the most oraly "in a tablet form". Great for acute panic and seizures. Even as a pre-op if you are nervious.

PepperAddict/ Jason - Yes I am on Klonopin, I went on Klonopin and Methadone in 1998 and my doctor just kept filling the scripts, not even getting me on a taper. After a year I was putting on WAY to much weight, plus I wanted to work in Law Enforcement so I wanted off all meds. Nobody really even knew about the wd's from benzos at the time so they just kept giving me more FIGURING I was having panic attacts and not wd's. So I was on Xanax 4x, Valium 3x, and K-Pins 2x. That's a lot of hypnotics to "not be abusing, no? Anyway I gave into the benzos and im just going to stay on klonopin for the rest of my life. It makes me feel normal but like at 7:00pm like 2 hours before my next dose I start to tremor. I need to maybe do 1mg 3x a day instead of 2mg 2x a day.

sublingual ativan - They do that with pills that dont absorb well in the GI track. Like the suboxone, but what does.

Most probably know, but I currently am on 2mg ativan and xanax/clonopin 3 time a day. Also take traxexe,
a older more mild benzo's. Just as cade said i feel no high, now if I to 20 at once then ya, but taking them as directed, just makes you normal~~whatever that is??!
And http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/angel.gif, I too will be on k-pins for life. I'm dropping the tranxene now....slowly, but and this may answer CADE'S question, I NEVER GET ATTACKS!!! It's used to control my attack's, and most all my anxiety!

hope anything helped,
A.C.

Ativan can be taken either sublingually (under the tongue), or swallowed with water. It works slightly faster when disolved under the tongue. Same med, however.

Sorry, I hadn't quite finished....the advantage to taking Ativan under the tongue is that it can be given to someone who is pre-op, but also NPO.
NOW I am finished!

Thanks for the resopnses all. I know Benzos are very addicitive so I am being Very carefull and as a last resort before I take one......I had never had anxiety or panic before and its good to know I have something on hand to help should I have another Panic attack, because man....that was no fun at all......Thanks everyone http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif