Anxiety and Panic Attacks

@lisalucier @mbabkk I only use ativan very rarely, "as needed". My PCP is very conservative and he gives me an Rx for 10 pills once a year if I ask nicely. I did have a doctor a long time who gave me more of them, I was going through an extremely stressful time, but I only took them at bedtime to help me relieve my anxieties and fall asleep. When I realized they were habit forming I cut back to very occasionally.
JK

There are times anxiety hold the reigns above reasoning. Is what it is...

Totally correct and it is so difficult for other people to understand. I just went through 4 days of horror - I was making good progress on an important relocation project and was happy and well supported by 2 good friends - then I
Found my anxiety brain starting to focus on only the risks not the rewards and it took me several days to get this negative thinking partly back on track - my 2 key supportinh Friends Were totally puzzled - HOW could i go from totally optimistic and realistic to “it will never work let’s stop it “without any logic and all processes in shape ? Well a 24 hour delay in a key document coming from my native Denmark to my current Thailand address caused havoc to my logic even though a phone call to the Danish government authorities confirmed that the certificate had been sent. I am ashamed of myself - I should know that registered letters can take time. But my anxiety enemy was taking over. It took 4 days for me to get my brain reversed to logic and I understand this process BUT the support team looked at me me caring eyes and very puzzled how I could overreact. - project isback on track thank you my good friend Ativan - my anti anxiety support medication

From Zoloft to Ativan journey was a risk I took but a calculated risk - Zoloft made me feel medicated and that I lost my normal life focus and just humming away - a good friend who I have worked with in a global consulting partnership and he is a psychologist mentioned it to me one day and looking in the mirror I realized he was right -but where to go what to do
When your psychiatrist say “
You must stay on Zoloft “ well I discussed it with my lead doctor who is a neurologist and he said “ take the risk of getting off a medication that you don’t feel comfortable with and try another avenue “ that became Ativan ( to be taken only as needed) and for me personally that gave me control over my medication and that gave me the encouragement I needed to get back to my former self / yes it may not provide the same “ stability “
I agree but I am fortunate to be a trained SMART RECOVERY facilitator so subscribe to the mantra of “ take control of your own life “ / warning this will not work for everyone I know that but with the support of a MAYO CLINIC trained neurologist I was able to see that I could at least try ( could always fall back to safety of Zoloft ) and I knowingly took the jump
- I am not advocating that this will work for everyone please do not get me wrong on that - but it worked for me so I would advocate that in some cases a neurologist doctors pracmatic and wholistic approach and openness to explore may work better than a well trained psychiatrist with maybe more conservative views - just my 5 cents if personal wisdom- there are so many medications out there and it may take several try and fail to find the right one for YOU / I was lucky I think and yes I see the difference between a safe Zoloft ( take 3 tablets a day forever ) and a more risky Ativan ( take only as needed ) it is not for everyone for sure but experimenting under supervision of a highly trained neurologist made it for me. ......,, so far so good

I think my reply got lost so i I try agsin - my neurologist who has worked at Mayo Clinic for 3 years Say that his role is to make my life. Better ( I am 67 years old ) he is not at all concerned about addiction as the dose is .5 and taken as needed and his prediction and recommendations is that I always carry a1-2 Ativan wherever I go ———comments please

Dear @mbabkk:
I have had anxiety issues and panic attacks for many years. After I learned to take my meds on THE exact schedule, the number and severity of my panic attacks dropped down greatly. Walgreens sells a little steel bottle with screw on lid that works great for me to carry 2 Ativan pills with me. It attaches to my house keys so I always have it with me. They even made me a small prescription label to put on it (so there is no doubt it is my medication and what it is)(I covered that label with clear packing tape so it lasts longer). I'm 58 yrs old and addiction runs in my family. I too was terribly worried about becoming addicted. But after some 10 years of carrying a couple pills with me, I have not developed any addiction. I have learned to be aware and recognize that little twinge/ feeling I get before a panic attack fully begins. I open my little bottle, get a pill, mash it with my teeth, hold it under my tongue for a bit, then swallow whatever is left. I use the 5-6-7 breathing technique while the med takes affect. That technique is inhale slowly through my nose while counting to five (taking all 5 seconds to inhale), hold that breath while counting to 6, then exhale very slowly taking the entire 7 second count to exhale (I usually exhale slowly through my mouth, but through my nose works ok also). It works better if I always inhale through my nose. After about 10 of these 5-6-7 breathings, the pill starts working as well as my mind has been occupied with my breathing counting and I smooth out....
Kindest Regards
@houseman

@mbabkk, Congratulations! I'm very envious. I wish my doctor felt this way. Good luck. @cognac

Thank you for sharing your experience unfortunately there is no wallgren in bangkok so i carry my Ativan in a small pouch with the doctors medication attached - my neurologist say that I should not worry about the habit / addiction - I should focus on getting a better life - it has been a strange journey for me as I am an addiction councellor but I have followed the guidance of my doctor and today have no worries as i know when I need to take a tablet and can live for weeks without need but the stigma is there - I am 67 years and my doctor just says “ you will live with this little pill the rest of your life “

Thank you for your comments - how bestvto clarify my experience with Zoloft and then moving to Ativan ? I am a leadership consultant and in my profession passion is essential - while on Zoloft I felt I was somewhat sedated and my co consultants told me that as well. So switching from a constant medication to a “as needed” medication ( Ativan ) brought me back in control / this is of course a very personal challenge but i feel much better now that I do not have to take medication but can decide when and why . Make sense ?? For me yes but I would say that it is not for everyone to take that journey

going to try it tks