Ativan withdrawal and going on Lunesta

I think that you doctor should have gradually weaned you off Ativan and slowly introduced Xanax into your system, so many doctors make this mistake, they just don’t know enough about the medication and how they work in our bodies. They are both benzodiazepine but process differently within the brain, also Xanax is stronger and longer in your system than Ativan. Were you having a problem with Ativan, was it wearing off too quickly? This problem could happen and the doctor either increases your dose or switches you to a longer acting benzo like Xanax or Valium, whatever the reason for the change in your medication it must be done slowly to adjust your body to the new medication. I hope that you feel better soon and if you still feel that you need a change please research the information available online, it’s very helpful in doing the transition safely without a lot of unnecessary side effects.

@frouke My recent post was directed to @lakesofdelray who mentioned being taken off Ativan and put on Xanax, I hope that you read my message.

@frouke Ativan was not working as well after all those years. I blame myself for not doing the research. That will not happen again. I have been back on the Ativan for about 2 weeks. I may be seeing a little light. Thanks for caring

@lakesofdelray I would think so. I’ve been on low dose Ativan for years but everything I’ve read says never stop without tapering. The sudden switch to Xanax seems unwise. I would question your doctor’s decision and try to get a second opinion.

Thanks. I did question her and she said that it was fine. They are comparable. I should have done my homework. Hard to find a second opinion. Thanks for caring.

@lakesofdelray , Your doctor had the right idea as far as replacing 1 mg. of Ativan with 0.5 mg. of Xanax however doing a direct switch would definitely cause withdrawal symptoms from Ativan. If you do try it again you just start with one Ativan replaced by Xanax for a week and then do it again with a second Ativan for another week until you are only taking Xanax after the third week, this method will help you to avoid withdrawal symptoms, best wishes.

@frouke thank you so much. Where did you get that information? I had the worst morning ever today. I’m under a lot of stress which seems to never end and this doesn’t help. Would it be possible to contact each other outside this setting?

@lakesofdelray, I am going to be out for a while with doctors appointments but I’m home later this afternoon, I don’t know what our time difference is, I live in Canada. If you’re not feeling well you should call your doctor, perhaps a dose increase of Ativan may help with anxiety, I’m sorry this happened to you because I’m having a similar problem with another medication due to the doctor giving me the wrong advice. I got my information online because I wanted to switch from Ativan to Clonazepam for longer affect but I had to delay it for now, I think you’re feeling the aftermath from switching too quickly but it will calm down if you just stay with the Ativan for now. Please take care and ask for help if you’re not sure and I’ll get back to you when I get home, Frouke.

May 19
from conniey
You did not mention what your diagnosis is. My son has bipolar disorder with schizoaffective features, or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, whichever way one wants to describe it. Chronic insomnia has been a major feature of his illness for many years. During the past 2 - 3 years, he has been taking Seroquel, along with 4 or 5 other medications. I believe his current dose of Seroquel varies between 600 mg and 800 mg a night. He says he can feel himself getting calmer, and more tired, after he has taken his Seroquel. Sometimes, he has to add 1-2 mg of Klonopin to his evening meds regimen in order to get to sleep and stay asleep, but he tries not to take Klonopin consistently, because he does not like the way he feels the next day, after having taken it to treat his insomnia.

I hope you have been tapering off the Ativan under the supervision of a psychiatrist, not a PCP. It is somewhat unusual for a patient to have been taking .5 mg of Ativan every night, for 6 years., especially for an elderly patient. Was that done under the supervision of a psychiatrist? It is a well-established fact that benzodiazepines can cause addiction. Were you aware of that, during the 6 years you were taking .5 mg of Ativan every night? I would encourage you to seek treatment from an experienced psychiatrist, rather than a PCP or even a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

In general, I am surprised to find that so many of the posts on this Mayo Clinic site are questions from patients about medications. The best qualified person to give you advice about psych meds is a well trained and experienced psychiatrist. When you ask other patients about medication, you are getting a reply that is just one person's experience with that particular medication. A good psychiatrist, especially if you have been his/her patient for a number of years, knows you and the course of your illness well, and can use his/her experience and expertise to recommend meds that the psychiatrist thinks will be appropriate and helpful for you. A good psychiatrist is much better able to recommend medication for you than other lay people, who may or may not be patients themselves. Another patient's experience with a particular med may be quite different from your experience with that medication, for a variety of reasons.