a little meds question.

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Comments

  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    KATE58 said:

    I have been taking 1 mg of
    I have been taking 1 mg of ativan (lorazapam) for 4 yrs now ,sometimes 2 mgs a night
    it does not make me sleepy ,it just helps me relax so i can sleep.
    i usually sleep 7 hrs straight,when i take it .
    sometimes i have forgotten to take it and i have trouble sleeping,
    but no withdraw or any other problems from not taking it.
    my amswer if my doctor said he wanted me off it because i might become addicted??!!.....
    I HAVE STAGE IV CANCER,WHO CARES IF I AM ADDICTED TO AN ANTI ANXIETY DRUG???!!!!
    ativan also helps with nausea and helps calm muscle cramps.
    it is in the valium family and relatively mild
    this other drug they want to give you sounds a bit heavy

    just looked up trazodone in
    just looked up trazodone in my drug book
    used for depression,cocaine withdraw,alcoholism,panic disorder,agoraphobia
    insomnia,and aggressive behaviors.
    has caused increased thoughts of suicide in teenagers.
    the list of common side effects are too long,i can't type that long
    without my fingers getting cramped.
    before taking any thing i always look it up at least on the internet
    google: trazodone ,desyrel or desyrel dividose
    I'll stick with my little ativan
    but thats just me.everyone has to do what is best for them
    but PLEASE do it INFORMED !!
  • Bear23
    Bear23 Member Posts: 84
    I've been wondering about anxiety drugs
    I have not taken the Trazodone. I took ativan when I had treatments to help with nausea. It always put me to sleep. I have been thinking this weekend about asking for something for the nerves. Mine are shot right now after learning of mets to the lungs, now stage 4, and having to start chemo again this week. I have been contemplating halving the ativan pills I have left over, 1mg. They are scored. I have been taking Ambien 5mg for sleeping. It works for about 4-6 hours. Then I wake up and the nerves start going again and can't get back to sleep.

    I hope you figure out what to do. It's always such a balancing act. Hugs
    Bear
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    Bear23 said:

    I've been wondering about anxiety drugs
    I have not taken the Trazodone. I took ativan when I had treatments to help with nausea. It always put me to sleep. I have been thinking this weekend about asking for something for the nerves. Mine are shot right now after learning of mets to the lungs, now stage 4, and having to start chemo again this week. I have been contemplating halving the ativan pills I have left over, 1mg. They are scored. I have been taking Ambien 5mg for sleeping. It works for about 4-6 hours. Then I wake up and the nerves start going again and can't get back to sleep.

    I hope you figure out what to do. It's always such a balancing act. Hugs
    Bear

    i agree with you Kate...i
    i agree with you Kate...i think I would be happy just to keep truckin along with the ativan....I am not a very good patient....when I get in a doctor's office my blood pressure might be 160 whereas as home it is 120....I just panic ...I get lost after entering any medical situation ...if I am even vaguely NED I just panic and want out of there. I so admire people who persist...not me....I'm, gone

    mags
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    maglets said:

    i agree with you Kate...i
    i agree with you Kate...i think I would be happy just to keep truckin along with the ativan....I am not a very good patient....when I get in a doctor's office my blood pressure might be 160 whereas as home it is 120....I just panic ...I get lost after entering any medical situation ...if I am even vaguely NED I just panic and want out of there. I so admire people who persist...not me....I'm, gone

    mags

    Mags,
    you have to

    Mags,
    you have to remember,you are in charge of your health
    not your doctors
    my doctors are always telling me "you are the boss"
    they know more than me,and they give me the options,
    but the final decision is mine.(and yours)
    fortunetly for me, I really trust my doctors,and I research everything they tell me,
    in fact my onc has started handing me computer print outs whenever we discuss a new option.
    if you don't want to take this new drug,just say so. I'm sure he will either leave you status quo,or come up with another option.
    good luck
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    Bear23 said:

    I've been wondering about anxiety drugs
    I have not taken the Trazodone. I took ativan when I had treatments to help with nausea. It always put me to sleep. I have been thinking this weekend about asking for something for the nerves. Mine are shot right now after learning of mets to the lungs, now stage 4, and having to start chemo again this week. I have been contemplating halving the ativan pills I have left over, 1mg. They are scored. I have been taking Ambien 5mg for sleeping. It works for about 4-6 hours. Then I wake up and the nerves start going again and can't get back to sleep.

    I hope you figure out what to do. It's always such a balancing act. Hugs
    Bear

    I halved the ativan at
    I halved the ativan at times.
    I take the least amount that will do the job
    Of course don't try that with heart medication,or any other drug that is dose
    controlled.
  • amyb15
    amyb15 Member Posts: 109 Member
    hi, I work in the social
    hi, I work in the social service field and my job is to compile an extensive social history on the individuals I work with. Most of them find Trazadone very effective as a sleep aid with little or no side efects.
    As for the Ativan, my personal opionin is...if ou need it, take it. If it works for you take it. I would not worry about becoming addicted/dependent on the Ativan. YOu may find that the Trazadone is not as effective for you. You have a lot going on and it should be the least of your worries. You can worry about that at some time in the future. As for now..take the Ativan if you need it.
    when I got pregnent I was taking Ativan every night as a sleep aid. I worked great!! My Dr. siad I needed to come of it immedicalty as it can damage the fetus. I was put on Ambien for a while to replace the Ativan and I never felt that it worked. I spent many of sleepless nights. That was a totally different stiry of course. My advice to you is, you have to sleep. If you need the Ativan..take it and don't give it a second thought. You can worry about getting off in the future.
    That is just my opinion and I'm sure mnot every would agree with it.
    Best of luck tou you!!!
    Amy
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    maglets said:

    good grief
    I surely sound like charlie brown??? or lucy....who was it that said good grief????

    nice to see you too Kathleen....how is that boy of yours doing?

    hugs, mags

    It was LUCY :)
    "Good grief, Charlie Brown."
    -Craig