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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by janejj on January 4, 2003, at 16:10:16
I have been taking lorazepam 1mg before bedtime for over a year now. I want to stop taking this medication as I have an immigration medical coming up and do not want to be declined entry to the country.I stopped taking it yesterday as is to be expected I am suffering rebound insomnia. I am also feeling very sick, anxious and depressed.
I need advise on how to minimize these withdrawal symptoms. I cannot reduce to 0.5mg blah, blah, blah, I need this drug out of my system.
I have also stopped taking Prozac, although I know I will not feel withdrawal from this for a least a month.
Thankyou
Posted by Shawn. T. on January 4, 2003, at 18:45:45
In reply to Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by janejj on January 4, 2003, at 16:10:16
Have you thought about trying Valerian? I know that it seems to help some people. See
Shawn
Posted by Guy on January 4, 2003, at 19:35:55
In reply to Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by janejj on January 4, 2003, at 16:10:16
If you've been taking 1 mg of Ativan every night for a year you will experience rebound insomnia. I suggest you try to switch to Doxepin (a tricyclic AD) or Remeron, a newer sedating AD. Ativan is short acting and can put you in withdrawal during the day...best to discuss your plans with your GP. Cold turkey off any benzo can spell trouble. Best of luck.
Posted by judy1 on January 4, 2003, at 20:39:25
In reply to Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by janejj on January 4, 2003, at 16:10:16
clonidine- I think 2mg qid- but that was coming off about 5 times your dose (and I tapered because of seizure risk). With 1mg you shouldn't have to worry about anything serious- for insomnia 7.5-15mg remeron will work and you should feel considerably better in a few days no matter what you take. Prozac is kind of self-tapering because of its' long half life. good luck and let us know how it all goes- judy
Posted by kara lynne on January 4, 2003, at 23:36:53
In reply to Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by janejj on January 4, 2003, at 16:10:16
Sorry to be ignorant, but why would taking Ativan to sleep be a reason to decline your entry into the country? And will they need to know-- will they test to see if any drugs are in your system or something?
Posted by viridis on January 5, 2003, at 2:20:33
In reply to Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by janejj on January 4, 2003, at 16:10:16
I have the same question as Kara Lynne -- I mentioned this in my more detailed response to your earlier post, but I'll ask again. Is it really a problem that you're taking psychiatric meds? I'm not sure which country you're talking about, but if it's the U.S., I just went through this recently, and they had no particular interest in what prescriptions I was taking for psychiatric conditions. The main thing the doctor had to certify (along these lines) was that I wasn't "insane", and since I said I wasn't on the questionaire, he did. There was no drug screen, although they did ask about use of illegal drugs.
The big concern seemed to be transmissible diseases, which makes sense. ADs and benzos are so commonplace that I'd be surprised if it were an issue. Of course, I'm no immigration expert, and it may vary among countries, but it seems unfortunate (and possibly even risky) to deny yourself proper treatment unless you know that this could threaten your immigration status.
Posted by HIBA on January 5, 2003, at 3:32:14
In reply to Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by janejj on January 4, 2003, at 16:10:16
Hi Dear,Any attempt to be free off chemicals should be encouraged, but what was the real problem that led you to Ativan ? Do you think you are cured and no more in the need of a medication to keep going ?
Of course the substitution (doxepin or a similar sedating antidepressant) will be a good idea since they are not controlled substances. But substituting a benzo with an antidepressant is quite controversial, because it can lead to a more long lasting psychological dependence with more side effects. If your ativan intake is under medical supervision, why should you worry over it ?
HIBA
Posted by janejj on January 6, 2003, at 15:24:50
In reply to Re: Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal... » janejj, posted by viridis on January 5, 2003, at 2:20:33
I am worried about Canadian immigration..Infact immigration is enough stress to make anyone depressed !
I am feeling better after stopping the Lorazepam, I actually slept on my own last night !
Thanks for the responses ! its really appreciated especially when you're feeling desperate and no-one seems to understand.
janejj
Posted by viridis on January 7, 2003, at 1:23:38
In reply to Re: Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by janejj on January 6, 2003, at 15:24:50
Hi Janejj,
Immigration really is stressful! I worried about all sorts of possibilities, even though everything turned out just fine, as I expect it will for you.
I'm Canadian, living in the U.S., so I'm not sure what the rules are for immigrating to Canada. However, I'd be very surprised if they gave you trouble over legitimate psychiatric medications -- the ones you mentioned are widely prescribed in Canada. I suppose I'm biased, but Canadians are generally very reasonable people. My guess is that you won't have any trouble with medication issues, and I doubt they'll even bother about the ones you're taking.
It's good to hear that you're doing well without lorazepam; just watch out for flareups of anxiety or withdrawal symptoms. If you've been using it primarily for sleep rather than anxiety, it could be just as well that you discontinue it, as long-term use of benzos for insomnia alone is thought by many to be problematic. Just be careful, since rapidly stopping benzos after extended use can be risky for some people.
Good luck, and I hope all goes well with your move to Canada.
Posted by janejj on January 7, 2003, at 15:37:54
In reply to Re: Help me with lorazepam (Ativan) withdrawal..., posted by viridis on January 7, 2003, at 1:23:38
Hi,
I have found that generally Canadians are reasonable and nice people! Thats one of the reasons I want to become a permanent resident.
I just want everthing to go smoothly, I'm sure it will, I'm just a natural born worrier !
Thanks for helping to put my mind at ease,
Janejj
This is the end of the thread.
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