Ativan Withdrawal
Since you could become psychologically or physically dependent on Ativan, you shouldn't stop taking it suddenly. Some of the withdrawal signs include but aren't limited to anxiety, depression, personality changes and sleeplessness. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor to help you stop taking Ativan, regardless of whether you've been taking it without having a prescription or have been abusing it.
Ativan Withdrawal Basics
Ativan is a medication which is available only by prescription that is used in the treatment of anxiety. Ativan is part of the group of drugs known as
benzodiazepine and it is considered to be a mild
tranquilizer, a sedative or a depressant for the central nervous system. It is most commonly used in the
treatment of anxiety disorders. Ativan has been found to be potentially highly addictive. It is necessary to increase the dosage regularly to maintain the initial effects. Since this is a medication that has been found to cause psychological and physical dependence it is essential that you not suddenly stop taking it.
Common Symptoms of Ativan Withdrawal
Taking this prescription can have many different side effects. No matter if a person stops taking this prescription because of the side effects or for another reason, it is important to know that there are many different withdrawal symptoms.
Some of these are similar to ones that happen while on the medication, but others are new and it's recommended that people who choose to quit using Ativan either decrease their dosage over time and under the guidance of their health care provider or switch to a different prescription medication during the withdrawal symptoms.
Some of the more common symptoms of withdrawal from Ativan include:
- Severe headaches
- Feelings of anxiety
- Feelings of depression
- Insomnia and difficulty sleeping
- Convulsions or seizures
- Cold sweating or profuse sweating
- Feelings of restlessness
- Disorientation
- Extreme tension
- Vomiting
- Ringing in the ears
- Abdominal cramping
- Feelings of vertigo or dizziness
- Tremors
- Nausea
- Shaking
- Convulsions
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat
- Loss of memory
- Fever
- Heart palpitations
- Hallucinations
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Panic attacks and extreme anxiety
How severe symptoms of withdrawal are will depend on the length of time that a person has been taking Ativan and what the dosage is at the time of stopping. A person who is struggling with benzodiazepine withdrawal should seek immediate medical care.
Reducing Withdrawal from Ativan
It is likely that symptoms will be less severe and there will be less of them if the medication is gradually reduced rather than abruptly quitting taking it. Some withdrawal symptoms could be so severe that they cause more problems than they had before they started with Ativan therapy.
As is the case with all medications, it's important not to stop taking Ativan without talking to a physician. It can be potentially dangerous to a person taking this medication, especially if it's been used for an extended amount of time. Especially since this is a drug that requires the dosage to be increased regularly, chances are that a high dose would be more dangerous to abruptly stop taking than for the person who was only taking a low dose for a week or so.
It's also important to tell your doctor if you quit taking Ativan and have noticed any uncomfortable symptoms. It's a good idea to ask your physician to help you to fight any withdrawal symptoms from Ativan that you might notice, regardless if you've been abusing this medication (see
Ativan Addiction) or have not gotten a prescription for it because the symptoms of withdrawal can be dangerous.
