Have any of you used Ativan and had a bad time on it? I ran out of valium in Toronto and haven’t been able to get another script filled for various reasons but did have some Ativan. What I’m noticing is that the more I use it the more dizziness I’m getting and the more my situation deteriorates. The penny dropped today on this; there’s nothing else in the picture that would be causing this (I took 2.5 mg of paxil today but it was after the ativan again that things went south). I also notice how lethargic and generally unwell I feel hours after a dose … a weird headache too. The symptoms are not the usual beast I know so well … something is different and seems to be inline with the amount of Ativan I take.
Anyway, no more of that. Tomorrow I get my hands on some valium hell or high water.
Lisa, is this something you’ve observed in patients using different types of benzos? One might be great while another produces undesirable side effects?
Hi Scott,
Sorry you are not feeling well. With regards to your question, clonazepam and valium have longer half lives and a smoother ride so to speak. I generally would never prescribe ativan as it tends to hit you hard and does not last very long. You might be experiencing withdrawal if several hours after taking the ativan you feel awful. The only time I have used ativan is when a psychiatric hospitalized patient becomes violent. In this case the patient would receive a 2 mg IV injection of ativan.
With ativan, it seems to have a higher potential for addiction than valium or clonazepam as a result of it’s shorter half life. Is there any way you can get your hands on valium or clonazepam? Can you see a psychiatrist? I think I wrote you about this in another thread.
Scott, I have used Ativan as my preferred benzo for a while. I only take .5 mg when the anxiety is out of control, which is maybe a few times a week. I haven’t noticed any increased dizziness (or decrease for that matter) or any other negative symptoms. I do have valium also but have noticed that the few times I have tried it I have gotten a headache…may not be related. I have tried klonopin too on a regular basis (.5 mg per day) but it didn’t really do much at all. I only gave it about a 10 day trial, however. I hope you get some relief soon! Ben
Sorry to hear the Ativan is negatively affecting you Scott. At first it was like a miracle for me, all symptoms would subside but in a short amount of time tolerance set in. Interdose withdrawal is a real problem with Ativan. Clonazapam made my wobbling and dizziness much worse except for two wonderful days when it helped. I tried to stay on it for a number of years at different doses but no go. My doctor uses clonazapam occasionally for his restless legs and could not believe how a MAV/MdDS patient reacted to the same med.
You seem to have the most relief from Valium and I hope you are able to get some. At this point none of the benzos help me anymore but nothing else does either.
I FINALLY got some valium yesterday. I had a long discussion with the doctor about benzos and they are most definitely regarded as risky meds in Australia. I didn’t see my regular GP (booked out) but saw another GP in the same practice. All doctors here are kept under surveillence by the government with regards to how many benzo scripts they dish out over time. Even if I see a different doctor within the same practice for a benzo, it’s considered “doctor shopping”. On their own, benzos aren’t dangerous apart from their addictive nature but it’s when they’re mixed with other meds that the problems can start – apparently with certain painkillers. The doc I saw yesterday said a 21 year old patient of hers had inadvertently killed himself (the day before!) by taking too much benzo/painkiller combo. He was being treated for a pain producing illness and had taken too many pills … he stopped breathing during his sleep sometime in the afternoon after taking 4 or 5 of them (Sounds like Heath Ledger).
Anyway, benzos like valium are definitely a serious winner for me in treating this miserable condition and I’m glad I can get the stuff. She had no issue giving me 50 of them after pulling my name up on the local database and seeing that the last pack of 50 had lasted me 8 months. I took 2.5 mg last night before bed and today I finally feel like I’m heading back to baseline.
Hey Scott,
So glad you were able to get some valium. I can’t believe how your healthcare system is so different with regard to benzos. I wish you continued improvement in your symptoms.
Lisa
I FINALLY got some valium yesterday. I had a long discussion with the doctor about benzos and they are most definitely regarded as risky meds in Australia. I didn’t see my regular GP (booked out) but saw another GP in the same practice. All doctors here are kept under surveillence by the government with regards to how many benzo scripts they dish out over time. Even if I see a different doctor within the same practice for a benzo, it’s considered “doctor shopping”. On their own, benzos aren’t dangerous apart from their addictive nature but it’s when they’re mixed with other meds that the problems can start – apparently with certain painkillers. The doc I saw yesterday said a 21 year old patient of hers had inadvertently killed himself (the day before!) by taking too much benzo/painkiller combo. He was being treated for a pain producing illness and had taken too many pills … he stopped breathing during his sleep sometime in the afternoon after taking 4 or 5 of them (Sounds like Heath Ledger).
Anyway, benzos like valium are definitely a serious winner for me in treating this miserable condition and I’m glad I can get the stuff. She had no issue giving me 50 of them after pulling my name up on the local database and seeing that the last pack of 50 had lasted me 8 months. I took 2.5 mg last night before bed and today I finally feel like I’m heading back to baseline.
Best … Scott
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Scott do you get an instant refill or do you have to go back to the doctor next time you need some more medication. When I get mine I get 30 at a time but I get three refills with each prescription. I ran out last month and had to have her call me some in and that is when I got the new colored ones…
Do you get 2.5 mg or 5mg …I get the 5 and cut them in half and then sometimes even in half again …
Benzos are often used here in Australia by people with (illicit) drug problems in lieu of heroin etc. Xanax for example is known as “hillbilly heroin” and there’s a substantial black market. As I mentioned in an earlier post a lot of doctors in Australia (in my area at least) have signs up that they won’t even prescribe it. If you do get a prescription you don’t get any repeats like they’ll give you with other meds (eg anti-depressants), you have to go back to the doctor each time.
The Government/medical/law enforcement concern isn’t restricted to benzos. For example, psuedoephedrine has traditionally been used in the production of speed (methamphetamine) and organised criminals would often send operatives out to numerous pharmacies to stock up. So, now, that stuff is available only behind the counter (although still no prescription required), they sight and record your ID when you buy it and only one pack per person.
For genuine cases (like ours) I can say from personal experience there’s not a problem getting the prescription for Valium (or whichever benzo it is), the doctors in general are just really cautious.
Having said all that, the most full on reaction I’ve ever had to a dizzy drug was when I tried an over the counter motion sickness medication (pre diagnosis of MAV). The pharmacist said I could take up to four, with no problems. Well, I took one and I was absolutely wiped out. I literally had to crawl into bed.
It’s funny what you can and can’t buy in various countries. In parts of SE Asia and South America you can buy benzos over the counter. In the US you can buy melatonin over the counter but in Australia you can’t buy it at all.
Amazing isn’t it? Whenever I want some valium I feel like I’m asking the doctor for a bag of crack! :lol:
S
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I HATE THIS! I totally feel this way! I have yet to ask my Dr to refill my prescription for it because of it, so I take my husband’s Klonopin which makes me feel like a drug addict again! (! am sober 12 years). It hate that feeling. But I only take 1/2 to 1 pill and I ALWAYs tell someone I am taking them. They help!
Even though this is an old post I want to share what I know about Ativan.
I have taken Ativan for a couple of years til yesterday. It was prescribed to me for anxiety/other mental health problems. My psychiatrist prescribed it ‘as needed’ up to 4x’s/day- and sometimes six if necessary spredded out during the daytime. However, I rarely ever took more than 3-4 pills ever a day if needed. Usually 1-2/day at all.
When the vertigo started I began taking more of the Ativan. Then when I saw the neuro specialist he had me take the limit of the Ativan, which I really wasn’t thrilled about doing. Ironically, it didn’t work at all. I didn’t feel drugged out. I just felt like crap- mentally and physically.
Finally I called the specialist and my regular neuro. The specialist changed the prescription to Valium- 1 to 2 pills/day not sure what the dosage is. Hopefully it will help control the vertigo and symptoms.
The Ativan is a very potent drug and can be addictive and abused if used incorrectly. My pdoc warned me of it’s potency and how dangerous it was when he prescribed it to me. I kept that at bay the entire time I was taking it.
Victoria, I had an even wackier experience with a motion sickness med. When the vertigo (and subsequently nausea) first hit, my wife drove me to the ER. They gave me a mega-dose of meclizine/dramamine. I lay there, head rolling from side to side, legs twitching. I concluded that it was the worst damned drug for me.
Forward a few weeks, and I learned that taking a half-dose, about 12-13 mG, was the best thing I could do for feeling sick! No side effects. Two years later, I got the MAV dx, and started the diet. 'nuff said.
Scott, before the MAV dx, I spent over a decade with a provisional dx of seizure-type disorder, probably atypical partial complex (temporal) epilepsy. The drug my neuro settled on is carbamazepine. However, if I had a dissociative spell, or suspected one was coming, I was to take lorazepam for 2-3 days. No probs, no complaints.
It’s really weird how different drugs affect different people - especially those with migraine brains. I’ve always been really sensitive to anything “speedy” so a lot of caffeine, or cold medication with pseudoephedrine is not pleasant at all. Benzos on the other hand are for me a God send.
As we have all stated it truely is an individual thing…Ativan is my Benzo of choice, currently while tapering up on the Topamax it has been a God send. Back in the beginning (2004-2005) they tried Valium 1st…it did nothing for me but make be more dizzy if that was even possible and tired. Much success in finding what works.
