Okay, so I was prescribed Ativan and Lexapro about 2 months ago to help with my depression and anxiety. I was given Ativan for anxiety and sleep (even though I wasn't really having sleeping problems). I was too drugged out to get through a day so about a week ago I stopped taking the Ativan. I feel fine except my sleep is now disrupted. I dream constantly and for that I am not sleeping deep enough to feel rested in the morning. Has anybody else experienced this after quitting Ativan? And if so, how long was your sleep jacked up for?
Hi A060988, I don't have experience with Ativan, though I am here to provide help in any way that I can. Have you expressed your concerns and the effects to your doctor? I am sure that they will be able to give you the best guidance.
When you take certain medicine, it affects you differently, therefore give yourself more time and then you will see how you feel, or contact your doctor and explain to him what is going on. Wishing you well. God bless you.
Hi,
I have switched medications and it can take awhile for your body to readjust. Especially stopping cold turkey instead of weaning off. Was it ok to stop it so quickly? That might be your problem.
To fall asleep at night try and take Melatonin. It is found in the vitamin section. You can take 3mg or 6mg depending on how the lower dose works. My Dr said it is the best for natural sleep without being addictive or interactive with any other medication you are on. So its pretty darn safe!
My daughters pediatrician even recommended it for her. She has ADHD and sometmes has a hard time falling asleep because of her medication she is on.
Just a thought for you. I just started Busperone (sp?) last week for my anxiety. I take it 3 x's a day. Next week my Dr will increase the dose.
So far the knot in my stomach that was always there is gone, but I still can't pick up the phone and answer it. Or answer the door or leave the house without getting all worked up. So I am hoping a higher dosage will help me at least get my butt outside each day.
I have 3 broken vertebra and 2 cracked vertebra so I am in pain all the time which doesn't help. I have to spend the majority of my time laying on my side. So....having to that, I got used to not going anywhere. Now I am afraid to without a ton of anxiety, panic attacks. I have agoraphobia (fear of being in public crowded places).
Anyways, I was on Lexapro for a long time after I had my son. I had post partum depression back then. It worked good! I am on Cymbalta now, just because its supposed to help with pain.
I sure hope you find a med that works for you and that you recover from the effects of this one soon! Don't forget to try that Melatonin. Seriously! It is great! :-D
You take care! Much luck to you!
God be with you and bless you!
Jeanna
Thanks for the responses everybody! I have taken Melatonin before, but actually didn't help with sleep. I wasn't having sleeping problems before I started taking the Ativan, but now it's another story! lol So I did look online and saw stopping cold turkey can have pretty disruptive effects so I started taking a fraction of the prescribed dose and will wean off that way. I spoke to my doctor about it, but she just said give it more time. After reading this medicine can be addictive I want off because I have very addictive tendencies and don't want to depend on this to function.
I appreciate the support and will try Melatonin again and see if I react differently now that I take Lexapro and not Wellbutrin.
is Ativan the same thing as lozapram? If so I think that I may be experiencing the same symptoms, I had my first panic attack about a week ago. and was tod that I should only use LOrzapam when I feel an attack coming on. Now i find my self not sleeping long nor getting a very deep sleep, also I have noticed that my appetite has diminished. I take the lowest dose available now.
Yes Lozepram is the generic form of Ativan. My doctor actually just increased my dosage, but I'm not taking what she prescribed because I become a zombie and want to just lay around all day which obviously I can't do at work. I take it before bed because I get too drowsy and droopy feeling to function. Do you feel that way too purekansas?
So far I only take Lorazapam when I really need it , I try to not use it to much because i do not want to be come addicted, but it doesn't make me sleepy, it seems to jack up my sleep though, like not getting a restful sleep, and then the dreams and thoughts start and somtimes the toughts or dreams are bad
I have an issue with sleep and I dream crazy dreams a lot and wake up scared and won't go back to sleep. It's a catch 22 for me right now. If I don't take it regularly I have daily anxiety attacks, but taking it and reducing my anxiety I am sleepy all the time. I used to take Xanax, but was absolutely addicted so I threw out what I had. I don't know what else I could try to help it. Hmmm....
I was also prescribed ativan by my doctor for most of the times it helps me and others it does not sometimes i get up in the middle of the night to take one so I can sleep
Hello! I am on Ativan . I only take it if I really need to, like when I can't stop myself after I start crying. It hasn't seemed to mess up my sleep yet that I can tell. Now my Trazadone sometimes makes me feel like a zombie the next day. Sometimes even it seems to do no good to help me sleep, like tonight. A lot has happened for me this year, so I guess I'll just have to wait it out this time. I wish you the best of luck!
I am also on a low dose of ativan don't take it every day just when I need it, seems to be helping me...sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep I will take one and it helps me relax so I can go back to sleep.
back in May the doctors had me on lorazapam and lexepro. I to could not sleep, scarry dreams and i was haveing pearanoia. that people where folloing me and watching me. Made me crazy. I stopped taking them. I found that most family doctors that is what they prescribe, however if you seek a phyciatrist they know alot more about the effects and the way those drugs work. Also i think its may be a Magnesium vitamin deficency. I was put into the hospital for some issues and they were putting lots of magnesium in me. I slept great with my cpap at the hospital for a week and since i have been home i am sleeping just as well. the dr. currently has me on zoloft. its been a week so im really not sure how its working yet. it do make me goto sleep about half hour from taking it,
My doctor had me on lexapro, ativan and valium, I have since found a new doctor by the way hehe. I had some serious issues with the Ativan it sure as hell made me sleepy but I was always in this kinda haze even after sleeping it off and being awake for 8 hours. I went to see my current doctor and he took them off me straight away he likened the withdrawls similar to those you have with heroin if you do develop a serious addiction to them. He also advised me that Ativan is a short term medication and that it should not be used continuously for more then 14 days.I had been taking them nightly for 3 months. When I stopped taking them I was having crazy dreams everyday really crazy dreams and my sleep was all sorts of messed up but after about 3 weeks the dreams stopped and my sleeping has gone back to normal. I hope you feel better. Best Wishes
howlermonkey
if you were advised that ativan was a short term medication and was only supposed to be used contiuously for 14 days. What can be the alternative?
I have been taking Ativan for panic attacks and it also gives me the strangest dreams.My doctor has also prescribed me Remeron(Mirtazapine)to take so I can sleep at night,which gives me a deeper sleep.
Ativan slows down the central nervous system. This is why it's useful for anxiety - it reduces the anxious thoughts and slows the mind. However, when you come off it or reduce from a dose that your brain has gotten used to, the "brakes" that the Ativan provided are no longer there. This is why, I believe, your dreams become more vivid as your brain's activity readjusts. Hope that helps.
I've taken ativan on and off for a few years. You should not try and stop cold-turkey or you will get sleep problems and it may possibly make your anxiety worse. I would get a pill cutter and slowly ramp down.