Posted by Joy on July 15, 2001, at 17:54:14
In reply to Re:response ssri's, posted by kathyy on July 15, 2001, at 15:18:30
Hi Kathy, You sure got a run around. Your worrying at the time was 'normal' due to your family situations. There are many uninformed doctors out there. Ativan is not addictive for everyone. Some people just take it when needed. I take Xanax once a day at night and have had no problems. You are right, just slowly tapering off the Ativan would have been the thing to do. Of course it's not your fault. I hope you feel better, and that things improve for you and your mother soon.
Joy
> Hi Joy, here's what happened. I had gone to primary physician casue i was having mucousin stool and stress from worrying too much(pressures) death in family, mom in hospital, etc. I had 1 panic attack at dr's office. I had never had one before so he decided to give me lorazepam(ativan) 0.5 mg take every 6 hours as needed. Well, ativan creates a rebound panic/anxiety in the interim, so it's hard to stop. That's why it's addictive. Well, I took it for the 1 panic attack, and this is exactly what started happening to me. So after 2 weeks, I decided to stop pills. Well I had shooting pains and tremors, and sweating. I went to dr. he decided to taper them with Celexa. I have since found out I would've been fine if he just straight tapered me. I was at 3 pills a day. He started my taper at the same amount,. I knew nothing of tapers and drugs, never having taken pills in my life , or drugs, or alcohol. I'm 32.
> So i believed him, after 2 weeks into taper I had lost my peripheral vision, difficulty making decisions, couldn't breathe for 5 weeks, palpitations too, etc. Well dr. sent me to 2 detoxes( both times with no drugs in my urine) figure that one out. This has been a medical nightmare. The 2nd detox gave me phenobarb every 2 hours to prevent a seizure. We since found out I couldn't have had one (drugs were outta system) This whole fiasco has Not been My fault. I feel as if people blame me. Yes I was stupid to start taking ativan for 1 panic attack, but it creates rebound panic. And I got help when i realized what was happening. I just got all around bad medical advice. 5 dr's have said so.
poster:Joy
thread:70182
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010714/msgs/70229.html