Ativan is the fast acting version of clonazepam and they are both highly dangerous and very addictive drugs, going cold turkey can cause siezures and death in some people.
Please be very caeful of this drug as I am slowly tapering off them as I was prescribed both at one time after my ex's first a.
It is the most overprescribed drug in the world.
This is very horrible and scary. I DO HOPE YOU ARE O.K!
I was given this drug as Ativan was not helping me sleep. I have had sleep problems since my husbands affair (and the kids wake up calls don't help). It has been three years since my husbands affair and I AM SO SO SO SO TIRED!
How is it you found this drug (clonazepam) addictive? Did you crave it if you did not take it? Did you find you wanted more of it? It doesn't make you stoned like does it?
I think I may be experinceing some side effects from the ohter drug I recently started to take. That being lexapro. It seems to be helpign with the depression, however I feel somewhat nervous and may be developing this restless leg thing. I think this is why Clonazepam was diagnosed (but also for the sleep problem).
What else can you tell me about this drug? I am to take it once a day (AT NIGHT), .5MG.
In the early days post D Day, I was prescribed Ativan and then Klonopin for anxiety. I was so stressed and had a lot of flashbacks/panic attacks if I was home alone (there were so many nights when I waited for H, thinking he was working, when he was with OW - when I am alone, I re-live those nights, but this time, with knowledge of the reality.)
IC really felt I needed "a break" generally and that I needed to know I would be OK if panic attacks happened. I started with very low dosages but needed to up the milligrams to get the relief over time. IC has told me that many drugs have a "poop out" factor - stop working as body gets used to them.
So, I used the drugs on an irregular basis - maybe 3 times a week, sometimes less and rarely more. I did not have any addictive issues at all. Now, I carry the pills around with me, just in case - but haven't taken one in several weeks - there is security in knowing that I have a way to help myself if I need to.
I also have huge sleep issues - did even before D Day but it got much worse. For that, I have tried many, many drugs, though none are great - my resistance to sleep is high.I have Ambien and Lunesta, both of which work OK for me.
I don't mind taking medications if they help me, but others feels differently. For me, it is much better to sleep and feel less anxious than to suffer through it. Maybe you could talk to doctor about the addiction thing and what quantity brings on the addiction.
I obtained a perscription for Xanax. I don't think I ever finished my first bottle, but it helped break a cycle of anxiety attacks all day, not sleeping at night, more attackes while exhausted the next day, not sleeping at night, even worse attacks the next day (several per day)... that were having an effect on my quality of work and my health and safety (an severe anxiety attach while driving on the 405 in Los Angeles has risk)
And once I could get "some sleep" and carry the bottle with me just in case and sometimes, even if I was having an attack I could talk to myself and determine if I "needed" a xanax (or a half of one) or if this one wasn't so bad.
I never took a regular "dose" it was always only as needed. Talk to your doctor and see about some type of "as needed" option. The addiction factor would seem (I am NOT a doctor) to be less of a risk.
I honestly consider it to be a lifesaver for me and like I said, I don't think I ever finished the first bottle.
