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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Rainbowlight on February 21, 2003, at 23:02:06
Whew! I'm glad it is the benzo withdrawel. No skin crawling after the Ativan dose. She has me taking the Ativan once a day for the next 2 weeks. It sure does make me tired, but I feel really mellow and good on it. Can't they create a benzo that doesn't put you to sleep, LOL!!! I was thinking, I have an idea to help you sleep better. It's going to sound cheesy but it really works. But an oil burning lamp, the aromatherapy kind (about $5.00 at Walmart/Target/etc.). Buy pure Lavander essential oil at the healthfood store (also about $5.00) (it HAS to be the pure essential oil). Burn it in the burner (about 6 drops) with some water next to your bed for about an hour before bedtime. I swear this stuff knocks you out. It's very powerful. I use alot of aromatherapy. It really does work. You can also add the Lavandar oil to a hot bath too (if you like baths, lol!) It's worth a try. At the least, your house will smell good!
p.s. do you take daily Klonopin? Does the sedation go away in time?
Posted by Ritch on February 22, 2003, at 9:30:58
In reply to Ritch, posted by Rainbowlight on February 21, 2003, at 23:02:06
> Whew! I'm glad it is the benzo withdrawel. No skin crawling after the Ativan dose. She has me taking the Ativan once a day for the next 2 weeks. It sure does make me tired, but I feel really mellow and good on it. Can't they create a benzo that doesn't put you to sleep, LOL!!! I was thinking, I have an idea to help you sleep better. It's going to sound cheesy but it really works. But an oil burning lamp, the aromatherapy kind (about $5.00 at Walmart/Target/etc.). Buy pure Lavander essential oil at the healthfood store (also about $5.00) (it HAS to be the pure essential oil). Burn it in the burner (about 6 drops) with some water next to your bed for about an hour before bedtime. I swear this stuff knocks you out. It's very powerful. I use alot of aromatherapy. It really does work. You can also add the Lavandar oil to a hot bath too (if you like baths, lol!) It's worth a try. At the least, your house will smell good!
>
> p.s. do you take daily Klonopin? Does the sedation go away in time?I don't take any Klonopin in the daytime unless I am under periods of acute stress and prone to panic. That might happen just a few times during the year. Sedative meds generally cause a lot of cognitive dysfunction for me (inattentive ADD symptoms). Thanks for the aromatherapy suggestion, but I already know what causes it-serotonergic meds. I reduced the little bit of Effexor I take in the morning by about a 1/3 and have slept fine the last two nights. Earlier in the year when I was on a dexedrine trial I had gone off Celexa (the SSRI at the time) completely and was sleeping fine, then I took about 1.5-2.0 mg of it one day when I felt a little down and slept about four-five hours tops that night. It is the #1 insomnia provoker for me-AD's.
Posted by Rainbowlight on February 22, 2003, at 19:44:29
In reply to Re: Ritch » Rainbowlight, posted by Ritch on February 22, 2003, at 9:30:58
You know how my pdoc was having me take Ativan 2 mgs. 2x a day. And then I was to drop to 1 mg. each morning. Well, it's not enough, I'm not sleeping well without it. Any ideas? Is the Elavil ever going to be enough for me to sleep on?
Posted by Ritch on February 23, 2003, at 10:10:40
In reply to Re: Ritch, posted by Rainbowlight on February 22, 2003, at 19:44:29
> You know how my pdoc was having me take Ativan 2 mgs. 2x a day. And then I was to drop to 1 mg. each morning. Well, it's not enough, I'm not sleeping well without it. Any ideas? Is the Elavil ever going to be enough for me to sleep on?
Can you ask her about splitting the 1mg dose so you can take half to get to sleep? That seems a little weird to take a benzo in the morning that only lasts 12 hrs. and you have insomnia problems. Elavil being enough? Hard to say until you are off the benzos long enough for your body to adjust to the change. Stopping a medication is as much a jolt as taking one.
Posted by Rainbowlight on February 23, 2003, at 15:53:33
In reply to Re: Ritch » Rainbowlight, posted by Ritch on February 23, 2003, at 10:10:40
Do you know how long it takes for your body to adjust to not being on a benzo? I took Restoril for over a year (15 mgs. at bedtime)
Posted by Ritch on February 23, 2003, at 16:30:21
In reply to Re: Ritch, posted by Rainbowlight on February 23, 2003, at 15:53:33
> Do you know how long it takes for your body to adjust to not being on a benzo? I took Restoril for over a year (15 mgs. at bedtime)
Not sure. Maybe somebody has some numbers (I haven't seen any that I can recall). I suspect it might be highly individual and you will just have to follow how you feel. Now that you mention it, I wonder if taking the Ativan only once a day is treating an Ativan withdrawal?? I asked the neuro I saw once about which benzo would be best for me and he told me Klonopin. He said Ativan and Xanax (esp.) might help with depressive symptoms better than K. but he told me that with Xanax (esp.) you spend all your time treating a benzo withdrawal.
Posted by Rainbowlight on February 24, 2003, at 2:24:52
In reply to Re: Ritch » Rainbowlight, posted by Ritch on February 23, 2003, at 16:30:21
Very interesting theory. Now I am going to have to fight an Ativan addiction too??? LOL!!!!!! Toooo funny. Perhaps it might have worked better if I lowered the Restoril a little at a time to get off it. Oh well, pdoc thought this was the best way. And this pdoc seems to really know her stuff, so I'll trust her on this one, lol! Geez though, my moods keep changing. This morning tearful, tonight fine. Hopeing it's just all the med changes and in a few weeks I will feel like a new person (cross you fingers!!)
Posted by Ritch on February 24, 2003, at 8:54:45
In reply to Re: Ritch, posted by Rainbowlight on February 24, 2003, at 2:24:52
> Very interesting theory. Now I am going to have to fight an Ativan addiction too??? LOL!!!!!! Toooo funny. Perhaps it might have worked better if I lowered the Restoril a little at a time to get off it. Oh well, pdoc thought this was the best way. And this pdoc seems to really know her stuff, so I'll trust her on this one, lol! Geez though, my moods keep changing. This morning tearful, tonight fine. Hopeing it's just all the med changes and in a few weeks I will feel like a new person (cross you fingers!!)
Your pdoc is prob. wanting to see if the Elavil will allow you to sleep..period. Can't figure that one out if you also take a (different)benzo at bedtime, that would explain the daytime dose only to settle your anxiety. Mood flips, huh? This time of year is the worst for mood cycling and anxiety for me. I can't wait until April that's when I settle into a bubbly mild euphoric high (little grouchiness or anxiety). Can't wait-just a few more weeks of this high voltage!
This is the end of the thread.
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