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New Here and Have A Question About Meds

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

dtaber

I prefer the old stand by Valium. Which I break in half. It is weaker but has for me almost no side effects other than sleepy. Benzos are also muscle relaxants and the newer ones are stronger. Could this be where the heavy arm feeling comes from.

You are right, If some is good more is not necessarily better. I like to think of it like spices and makeup. There is a point where too much is not good. Just noticeable is about right.

Coping skills and relaxation will replace a lot of Ativan especially at that small of a dose.

Ativan addiction is complicated, it changes how your mind receives information and makes other chemical changes that take time to change back. I believe my blog explains how this works as told to me by my therapist.

I understand about the brain saying enough. That is pretty much what happened to me. I had to cut some family ties which I am not sure I will be able ever to reopen. I've tried only to slip back again. I'm stronger now, I may try again. Not sure why, I have a new life, why mess with it. Chalk it up to experience and let it go.

Here for you,

Davit

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 18

Hi Davit,

Yes, I understand what your saying about addiction.When the emergency room doctor first gave me one-I was amazed at the effects. The anxiety and physical symptoms vanished rather quickly. When I got out of the emergency room I went home and quickly looked up Atavan and learned that it can become addicting. My doctor stressed the fact to me too and I guess thats why I try to get by on as little as a dose as possible. I mean there's no reason for overkill if a small dose handles the symptoms, is my way of thinking.

I have tried xanax in the past and it left me with that heavy arm feeling that many complain of, so Atavan feels like a good fit for now. I plan to stick with the panic center program to gain the coping skills I need to manage this slight drawback with my health. I just wish the panic & anxiety was not happening now. I am in the middle of getting a new business off the ground with a joint venture partner. Then I am in a lousy marital relationship,that I plan on leaving as soon as I am able financially. And I have 3 kids depending on me to start a new life away from my husband.

Two years ago I owned a thrift store and we had a store robbery and I was there during the mess, so I think my anxiety started 2 years ago from that situation. Then after that my marriage started deteriorating due to economical issues-no job for husband, moving from state to state for 2 yrs trying to find employment. It's just been tough and my brain finally said enough.

So really, I am not surprised.It's just lousy timing. But I remain positive that I will overcome this issue.I just need to put in the effort, which I am willing to do.

Deanna

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

dtaber

Ho boy. When I said I was an Ativan addict, I was, I was taking four mg a day and panicking the rest of the time, sort of like a coke addict. Ativan is the drug of choice for short term use because it is quick. But I was on it for four years. Long enough for it to be hard to get off. So I will tell you the same thing your doctor will. .05 to 1 mg a night so you sleep is fine for a month and by then the SSRI will have worked if it is going to. After that once in a while if you need it is okay long term, you won't become dependent. This is just common information. But every one is different so it is up to you to figure this out with your doctor. SSRIs are anti depressants that reduce anxiety. Ativan is an anti anxiety. So the usual thought is to use the ativan to reduce the panic till the SSRI works. Ativan has a one hour half life and is out of your system in four.

One thing I want to stress is that this is a disorder, not a disease so if you jump on it and stick to it you can get rid of it. Basically by understanding how and why it happens.

The simple is to change negative thought to positive. The program teaches you how. Caffeine doesn't cause panic, it only makes it worse. Same as medication doesn't cure panic it only reduces it. CBT cures panic. Medication makes it easier. You said you cut out the vast majority of your caffeine. You will find there are times you can use it and when you can't, for me it is not after noon on bad days and not after supper on good days. Some times just knowing what it is doing reduces it's effects.

One other thing, panic attacks are now impregnated in your mind so you have the potential to have more. The program teaches you how to deal with them so they have no power and in a sort of sense forget you had them. So please don't stop when you have coping skills, finish the program. To actually become free long term you need to do the whole program.

Here for you,

Davit

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 18

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for all the replies. It helps knowing that others have "been there". I did get a hold of my doctor today and she basically said the same thing. The meds will probably make me feel worse at first. Also if I have a bad weekend we will reanalyze my prescriptions. So that was good news.

I only take a small bit of atavan and only when needed. My prescription is .05 mg tablets once a day. Typically I can take 1/4 of a tablet-like I did this morning and all is well. Yesterday was worse-I got all the way to 3/4 of one tablet.

I am going through the panic program and update my diary daily. I started Wednesday this week. The information has been great and somewhat reassuring too. It seems I get all the classic symptoms when I have an attack. The first couple times is very alarming that's is for sure.

I have been listening to meditation mp3's when I feel an attack come on and have cutout a vast majority of the caffeine that I usually consume.

I am hoping soon to have this under control before it does turn into a panic disorder- ie-panicked feelings before an attack even comes on.

Deanna

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 44

Dtaber,

I am on 10mg of prozac as well. I started very slowly on 5mg of the liquid form and titrated to 10mg. Ask your doctor and/or pharmacy. An SSRI will usually make you feel worse for a couple of weeks and then you will start to feel better, more balanced. For me, it makes me feel more myself. My doctor also prescribed attivan as well to get me through the first couple of weeks. Read the panic program it also helps to know that panic attacks can be uncomfortable, but they won't hurt you.

Hope that helps.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Dtaber

Ashley is right you need to ask your doctor about meds. But here are some questions you can ask. Ativan, is for short term use and harder to get off of than the other benzo's. Not all people can use SSRIs, if you can't there are Tricyclics that work. For me the tricyclic has only two side effects, sleepy and dry mouth. I was an Ativan addict so I like to make sure people don't end up the same way. Ativan is for short term use as needed. If as needed starts to be more than once a night with a few during the day it is time to ask your doctor about some thing with a longer half life. SSRIs usually take six weeks to get maximum effect and do usually make you sick or worse for the first two weeks. But if it continues to be worse or if the panic attacks are such that even the Ativan is not helping then definitely talk to your doctor.

You are rather New to panic attacks, so you are probably making them worse with thought.

The program will help with that. Keep posting, it helps. Read about journaling too, it works to clear the confusion that comes with the attacks.

Here for you,

Davit

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

Hi Dtaber,

If you have questions about medication or symptoms it is best to get the advice of a doctor or pharmacist. Have you talked to a therapist or considered using the program here? I encourage you to do so. The program may be able to help you manage your symptoms. Start with session one and plan a schedule for yourself to follow and stick with it! The program is hard work but it does work!

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 18

Hi Everyone,

A little background about me, I had my first panic attack in October 2010. The scariest thing I've ever felt. I thought I was having a heart attack so I went to the emergency room. Had an EKG, heart xray, blood work. Everything was fine with me.

Then symptoms went away until December where they came back in force. I got put on Paxil and clonidine (when needed).

The first nite I took clonidine-it scared me really bad because it seemed to bring on more panic and then my heart seemed to slow down -which apparently it's supposed to do that-but still it scared me so bad, I dont want to take it again. Two weeks into the paxil -I started getting panic attacks out of the blue. Two emergency rooms trips that showed I was fine and a new drug atavan.

After that episode, I talked to my doctor and changed meds. I changed to Prozac. I started at 10 mg then went to 20 mg within a week. And I still have atavan to take when needed.

Here is my situation and I have called my doctor to ask-waiting for her to get back to me. Has anyone else experienced something similar? I am now in my second week of prozac an the panic attacks are increasing. Yesterday was just plain awful and scary for me. I got through the day with the help of atavan and thankfully slept well,, but woke up this morning with chills, shakiness and heat flushing my upper body and a little bit of nausea. I took my prozac and about a quarter of a .5mg of atavan and feel stable right now.

I feel like I'm going crazy because I have actually taken both Prozac and Paxil and they never brought on panic attacks before. Although before, I felt I only had generalized anxiety mixed with some depression.

So is it normal or should I say-has anyone else had this happen?

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