Can anyone tell me the differences between these two? I see my doc this week and she is going to prescribe me ativan, but I am wondering how similar or how different it is from Xanax. I have never taken either before, but I have heard of Xanax.

Any info would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

KristyLynn

Ativan is a sedative and xanax is a tranqulizer. So ativan is just stronger . I will take a tiny piece if I have like 7 days of bad sleep just to give my body a rest.

My experience with Xanax was very unpleasant. It actually worked in reverse on me (as drugs always do) and I didn't sleep for three nights and was an edgy wreck. On the otherhand, I know several people who swear by Ativan and can't get along without it. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Both ativan and xanax are tranquilizers called benzodiazapines. both are very addicting and have very short half lifes.(the amount of time a drug stays in your system). This can cause havoc to your system when your brain needs more of the drug. These drugs should be used only as a temporary fix (2-4 weeks max)and under the guideance of a qualified doctor.

If your brain does develope a dependency on these drugs, trying to get off them can be hell. And I do mean hell. I got hooked on Klonopin, a long half life benzo, and it cost me three years of living hell. Most doctors are not educated in the seriousness of benzodiazapine addiction and the bizare withdrawal syndrome associated with them.

For more information, do an online search on benzodiazapine addiction. The best information comes from others like me who have suffered needlessly. Also visit www.benzo.org.uk forum.

Most people who say they take benzos long term do so because trying to face the difficulty of withdrawal is unbearable.Ask any long time benzo user if they keep taking it because it helps them or because they have been convinced by their doctor that they need Them.

I don't mean to scare you but I wish someone would have warned me before I took my first dose of xanax. Feel free to email me if you would like to talk. mzuno@verizon.net

good luck

Marcos

KristyLynn,

I took Ativan when I was first diagnosed with anxiety and had to wait several weeks to get an appt with a shrink (we have a shortage of them where I live). I took Ativan for about six weeks, I think, and did really well with it. It immediately stopped my panic attacks, and I loved the immediate calm it brought. Of course I was addicted almost immediately and my brain called for more as time went on. I think I was able to get by on just a quarter or half a mg at a time while I was on it. Once I started seeing the shrink and we looked at different approaches (he wanted me to take dietary supplements instead of meds but my brain chemistry was too far out of whack after several years of extreme stress � it didn�t work) I was able to wean off Ativan with not too much difficulty. I did it VERY slowly and was very lucky that it is OK to take Neurontin, the med I am on now, when I was almost off Ativan but not completely. I am sure, given the addictive nature of benzos, that the longer I was on Ativan, the harder weaning off would have been.

Good luck to you. I think the world of meds for us is a tricky one. You are smart to get well informed.

Thank you all for your input on this subject...it is much appreciated! I talked to my pharmacist and my doctor today about this subject. They both told me that Ativan was a "cousin" to Xanex and that it lasted longer than Xanex and seemed to be more effective with treating anxiety. Supposively alot of people swear by ativan. The pharmacist told me that he actually took ativan on a as needed basis and couldnt imagine not having it when he needed it. He did warn me though that it is addictive and to be careful as far as that goes.

Marco and/or anyone who responded to this thread:

I am trying to come off Ativan. I've been on
it for 2 years and 10 months (Yes, I am counting).
I started at 3mg @ 2 times a day. I am now
at 0.5mg @ 2times a day (both at night). I want
to completly go off it soon. It is very difficult
due to the withdrawal effects and lots
of external stressors (which i am trying to
better handle).

any advice on how to get off all together?

See a psychiatrist for this. They will spell it all out for you, plan it out and monitor you.

Good luck

I have been taking Xanax for 3 years on an as-needed basis. It has helped me a lot, although it does make me tired, so I don't really like taking it unless I really ned it. It does interfere if I want to exercise.
Like anything else, everyone reacts differently. No matter what drug you take, it is a process of trial and error. You have to see how your body and brain react, then see what dosage works best.

Good Luck.