Lexapro and Ativan
 

Can we talk about those here? I have been prescribed both for panic attacks and anxiety. I have had panic attacks and anxiety all my life so far, due to MVP syndrome dysautonomia. The ativan works but it's a benzo and I don't want to get addicted. The Lexapro has side effects that scare me so I haven't started it yet.

I take 1/2 ativan as needed, sometimes once a week, sometimes 1-3 days a week if the anxiety is totally debilitating. I don't want to keep taking it, even as needed, but it makes me able to function.

I know we can't ask for medical advice here. I have talked to pharmacists. I would like to hear from people who have actually taken these meds, if that's OK to ask here.

It's OK to share experience but you're correct in that we can't give advice, and there's a fine line between those two so it sounds like you're aware of being moderated if that line is crossed.

I've taken Lexapro, it didn't agree with me, the best way I can describe it is it put me into a dark mood. I also tried Zoloft, same effect, so I was prescribed EffexorXR and had good success but I had to give it a good 6 weeks to be fully effective.

What I consider most important with all meds is remembering that we will all have a different reaction to them, what works for one may not work for another. Work with your prescriber, keep a journal, and ask to be put on something different if you've given something a sufficient time to work and it's not helping. (Hopefully I didn't just give medical advice :D )

I have not taken Ativan.

I have taken SSRI antidepressants and cannot tolerate them due to sexual side effects. The only antidepressant I can take is Wellbutrin, which doesn't have those side effects, but also isn't very effective.

I do take Ativan, 20mb tablets. My primary care physician has prescribed this three times a day as needed for anxiety. In general, these type of tranquilizers are only prescribed for the short term, but my doctor has no problem continuing my refills. I have taken it now for several years.

Frankly, even Ativan hasn't fixed my anxiety. It takes the edge off and that helps me. I can take 3 a day as needed, but I never take 3. I take one at bedtime for sleep. In the mornings my stomach is "anxious" and I take one and then after I shower I take a 20-minute nap before getting on with my day. That helps my stomach anxiety. I can't remember the last time I took an Ativan during the middle of the day.

Like Astro said, everyone responds differently to medications. Benzos supposedly are less effective the longer you take them. I can't say that their effect was ever really drastic with me. Like I said, they take the edge off. I have not sensed a decrease in effectiveness because they didn't affect me a lot initially.

Years ago I took Xanax and do remember it making more of an impact. It doesn't last as long during the day as Ativan and of course, I was younger then.

Good luck with your journey. I trust my physician and follow his instructions. Hopefully, that will work for you too.

The best advice can I can give you is to listen to your body. Some medicines might agree with us and help us feel more stable and other medicines might not work as well or can have negative side affects. As annoying as this advice might sound- it can be trial and error. I know that is frustrating but what helps for one person might not help for the other.

I have found finding a doctor and psychiatrist that specialize in addiction can help navigate what types of medicines are healthy for recovery and what medicines are not. I have found being completely honest with your doctors have been a huge help.

I have tried a couple anti depressants and it took a couple tries to get it right. I was also worried about taking a benzo for anxiety and my doctor informed me that there are other options that are not. Just like there are numerous anti depressants, there are also numerous medicines for anxiety. Buspar has worked for ME and it is not a benzo and is not known to be addictive. Expressing your concerns to your doctor might help you navigate this. For the longest time I used to keep things from my doctors, but now that I tell the whole truth things have gone much better thankfully.

I hope you find medicines that agree with you and help you feel better mentally and physically!

Thank you all very much. :)

That is what I wanted to know -- people's experience, not medical advice.

Thanks.

Are they helping you Firesong? I have a script for lexapro too but I'm too scared to try it,I was on Zoloft a few years ago and I went totally bananas on it!so I'm a little leery of those meds,good luck to you, keep us posted:)

SSRIs don't work.

Hi Firesong-
I echo what several have said here.

I am on a med regimen that works great for me. I have a terrific psychiatrist and we work together- the combination of my honesty and her knowledge is working powerfully well for me.

Currently, ativan is one of the meds I take. 1- 1.5 tablets (1mg) a day as needed. One key time I take one is when I start to get an "amped up" feeling in my chest, that I have come to realize is usually impending anxiety. Several weeks ago, I had enough days where I wanted to take (or took) 2 or 3 pills, so I called my dr to discuss since I try to be diligent about taking meds exactly as prescribed (that used to be a big problem for me in lots of ways, while I was drinking). She did not want to revise the dose (my request to increase) until we meet (I chose not to spend the money to go early, as she is expensive and I pay out of pocket)....I have been focusing on implementing my other recovery tools even more consciously and have been taking one or none in the past 10 days or so. Other times I take pills are when I am tired or feeling physically bad and know that I will need more "cushion" if I have a long day planned. As others have said, the blunting effect is sometimes what I seek and receive.

Re SSRIs and anti-depressants, I have taken them in the past with mixed results - I believe this is because the true dx wasn't simply depression. I currently take lamictal which is an rx for bipolar/Borderline, which was my dx while still drinking. My behavior is significantly different now that I am sober- I am much closer to the median of behavior as far as the symptoms and characteristics of BPD go, so I continue to take this med as part of my maintenance routine to stay in this good place.

I am a big believer in meds-in-combination with other things as key to my recovery. As I am sober longer (I just passed 8 months) my other (AA) program tools are more and more helpful, though as I have just said, I clearly need both.

Good luck.

The Ativan helps but I don't want to take it regularly until I talk to my doctor again. I like the effect it has; no side effects other than mild drowsiness, but I'm scared of getting addicted to it. I am afraid to try the Lexapro because of side effects I've read about. A few years ago a different doctor prescribed Zoloft. I took one at bedtime and the next morning woke up with terrifying side effects that were so scary I went to the ER. I have a call in to my doctor about Buspar but he hasn't called me back yet. I wish I could afford a psychiatrist who specializes in meds for anxiety. I have a nervous system disorder that causes the anxiety and the only meds for it are meds for anxiety.

What I used was a Wellness Center that specialized in mental health, they are not MD's but can prescribe medications.

I think Zoloft and Lexapro are both SSRIs for depression which are similar. Buspar is different and is for anxiety, but it isn't a tranquilizer like Ativan.

I've been around a lot os psychiatrists and while they are specialists in the medications, it is still trial and error based on conversations you have about your past reactions to medicines and how the current prescription is working for you. They'll adjust the dosages as time goes on. It is definitely a process.

Hi Firesong,

I've been taking Lexapro 5mg, the smallest dose available, for anxiety. So far it has done me lots of good. My doctor had me set at 10mg originally and I found it to be too high. I just didn't like some of the side effects at that high of a dose. Though it makes me wonder how some people can be on the 20mg pills. Yikes!

Hi, bradly. My doctor prescribed 10mg. My pharmacist said to cut them in half. I figured I would cut them in quarters. Still haven't gotten brave enough to take even .25 mg, still waiting for my doc to call me back on the Buspar. (sigh)

:grouphug: Thanks, everyone!

I know the worst thing for me at first was reading the info pamphlets that come with the meds, freak out, and not take them. I've had a couple docs tell me just to not read them and throw them out as it's a common things for those of us with bad anxiety to get paranoid about taking our meds.
I just got switched over to ativan the other day as i've been on clonazepam for about 3 years and my doc said they are similar in effects and are both a slower on/off benzo so addiction is less likely. Though like others mentioned and my doc as well said to just use them on an "as needed" basis and not every day, even though they are prescribed that way as more of a max dose in case you are having a really bad day and need them.
I haven't been on lexapro, but have been on a few other SSRI's with not so great results, but found for me personally zoloft to work well. Though everyone reacts to meds differently, give it a go and if it doesn't work out, just let your doc know so you can try something else.

I take an Ativan in the morning and at night, 20mg. I am a large person, 250 lbs.

This morning I forgot to take it and went to play for the early church service. It was obvious to me that I didn't take it. I felt a little weird and my stomach was upset with anxiety.

I got home before the second service and took my dose. At the 11:00 service I felt like myself.

If one were to get off Ativan, you would definitely need to taper.

I wish I had known about anxiety meds when I used to play for my church 30-something years ago. I used to get very bad anxiety right before the service. I was in a folk group so not playing solo, which helped, and once we hit the first note I was OK, but the anxiety hit every single first Sunday.

I think I am going to call my doc's office tomorrow to ask that he either refill my ativan or replace it with Buspar. Since he still hasn't called me back ... sigh.

Doctor finally called in Buspar prescription and I picked it up yesterday.

Haven't been brave enough to take one yet.

I am currently taking Busirone (Buspar) Firesong. I was very hesitant to try any meds for my anxiety too. I'm on pretty much the lowest dose they give and i've been taking it for about 3 months. I didn't "go crazy" when I started it and i didn't really have many side effects either. For me it's a very mild effect and I don't really "feel" anything when I take it. But I do believe it's helped me start doing other things to help with my anxiety too. Every person reacts to different drugs in their own way, but if your doctor has prescribed it based on a personal evaluation I woudln't be afraid to at least try it.

Thanks, Scott.

I like your Gibson.

I tried the Buspar today for the first time. Took half a tab in the morning with BP meds and got even sleepier than the BP meds usually make me, so I thought, OK, I can handle being sleepy. Then I took another half by itself in the afternoon after lunch and it was horrible. Hot flashes, heart racing, felt like I was having trouble breathing.

Not gonna try that again! Apparently some doctors say deal with the hot flashes and racing heart, but I won't, and definitely won't deal with anything that affects my breathing in a scary way.

I may try the Lexapro in a couple of days, or may just give up and accept being anxious and stressed out all the time. :(

I would check your BP if your blood pressure meds are making you drowsy, that's often a sign your blood pressure is too low. Also are you sure it was the meds, or just the anxiety of taking them? I know I also sometimes would freak out trying something new, but it's best to at least give it a try for a week or so, then move of if it truly isn't working.

Thanks, Forward12. That is good advice. The sleepiness is a side effect of the Clonidine. I wish I could quit taking it but it is one of the few I can take -- I can't take any diuretics because they all seem to have a sulfa ingredient and I am allergic to that. I'm just glad the Clonidine only makes me sleepy! :)

I tried the local counseling center with a sliding scale but it is a rip-off. I don't know whether or not I can afford it because it doesn't tell you upfront what the charge is -- you just have to bring cash and wait and see what they charge you.

Going to try a little Lexapro tomorrow and see what it does.

Meanwhile I have learned that if I eat a good meal (protein) it helps a little with anxiety.

I found a website that says Lexapro and other SSRIs can increase the risk of stroke and heart problems, so out goes the Lexapro after the Buspar. :(

I found a local counselor who has a sliding scale fee setup, so will see about getting an appointment.

Felt very good and calm going to bed last night and still this morning. Nice change! Maybe it was the tai chi? :)

Did anyone else taking Buspar have headaches with it? I am on the lowest dose. I am OK on 1/2 pill, but if I try a whole I get a headache. Had bad anxiety attacks today all day and decided to do a whole pill instead of a Clonopin ( have the lowest dose of those, also).

Firesong,your reaction to Buspar was the same as mine!crazy that it's for anxiety but for some people it makes it worse, I then tried Hydroxy something I can't remember the name but it's called Visteral? Anyway that was a bad reaction too,it's an antihistamine that's supposed to be good for anxiety but it was awful, I'm using magnesium glycinate now and it actually works good but makes me tired

Day 2 On Lexapro
So far so good. I took 2.5 mg yesterday -- felt bad, then OK, then weird, then queasy, then OK, then bad ... then fine at bedtime. So today I tried another 2.5 mg. I was going to stay home to ride it out but had to run some errands (not driving!) and today I feel absolutely fine on it. I was very anxious early this morning and took half an ativan, so by the time I took the Lexapro I was already nice and calm and sleepy. I don't plan to mix them anymore but it's nice to know that I can take the Lex and go on about my business, getting my mind off the fact that I just took a pill, and feel fine. 2.5 mg of Lex is tiny! Almost need a magnifying glass and tweezers.

Now I'm gonna take a nap!

Glad it's working for you, keep us posted:)

I hardly slept at all last night. I don't know if it was the Lexapro or not, but about 4:00 this morning I finally took an OTC sleeping pill and slept really well. I woke up feeling better than I have in days, and I didn't take any Lexapro today. It may have made me a little "whatever" -- relaxed, not worrying/caring -- but it was also making me feel queasy-to-sick. I wanted to test it, trying some things while on it that make me panicky, but I was feeling so queasy I didn't want to do anything at all. Today I did a couple of things that often make me panicky, and I didn't feel panicky. I also felt well enough to do some chores around the house. I'm always grateful when I wake up feeling good and have some energy.

I didn't toss out the Lexapro as I did the Buspar awhile back, but I did stick it way at the back of the cupboard. I gave it 4 days and it didn't help; just made me feel bad. I'm not gonna spend any more money on prescriptions that don't help with the anxiety but do make me feel bad.

Thank you for the update Firesong, that's one reason why I haven't tried it yet, I've read too many stories of people having bad insomnia from it and the nausea you mentioned, I know it takes more than 4 days to work but I can't feel like crap waiting for it to work either:( plus I did horribly on Zoloft I don't really want to try another ssri cuz of that Eeks!