Not Knowing Something When You Should
Have you ever done something that you thought was helping you, but then you come to find that you're actually causing harm to yourself instead?
What I'm talking about in this particular case is choosing to take a prescription medication for anxiety, finding out that it works to help control the anxiety, and then finding out that it's actual a very dangerous medication with a giant list of side effects (including anxiety), highly addictive, and can cause terrible withdrawal symptoms perhaps worse than what you had before you started taking it.
Not only that, but then you find out it should be used for a very short time, and it can also cause long-term damage to your physical and mental faculties. Add to that, the fear of also being a cardiac patient, the feeling of imminent doom, and now the highly possible withdrawal symptoms ... and you have even worse anxiety and panic.
Ativan (lorazepam) is one of the benzodiazepines, so-called tranquilizers and anti-anxiety agents, which, unfortunately, can be highly habit-forming. If you stop taking the drug abruptly, you can develop the symptoms for which you were being treated: anxiety, agitation, irritability, tension, insomnia and, sometimes, convulsions. Bottom line is that it can be very dangerous.
A schedule must be devised by which you gradually reduce your dose over a number of weeks, depending on how long you've been on the drug and how large a dose you are taking daily. This will hopefully give the brain and the body sufficient time to start functioning as it once did prior to dependency on the drug.
In short, I am torn in two directions. My anxiety was so bad that I felt I needed something to stop the panic attacks and the fear of imminent death ... yes it is that bad. When I am having anxiety, it literally feels as though I am going to die in a matter of moments. The Lorazepam stopped he panic attacks ... even though I am still having anxiety. Even though the drug has helped immensely, I now have the fear of damaging side effects and dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
Wish me well. I'll need some positive energy coming at me to get through this. It will take upwards of 8 to 10 weeks to gently try and wean myself off the medication. If you are one of the millions out there in the same situation, please do your research and consult with your doctor about what steps you should be taking.
Just a thought ...
~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP.,DM.
