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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

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Suffer From Anxiety. Did Not Take It Today. Feeling Jittery, Nuaseated, Head Hurts, Feel Hot. Due To Missing Tablet?

Hi - I have anxiety and I m in a waiting period before seeing a new CBT clinic. I ve been given Ativan 1mg for the last year or so, on an if , so if I feel a panic coming. My panic is related to transportation so I try to strategically only take my ativan 4, maybe 5 times a week. My ride to work is currently away and I ve been traveling long distances so I ve taken ativan every day. Today, I didn t take it. I feel jittery, nauseated, head is hurting, I feel hot. Could it be related? Is my dosage and intake enough to cause withdrawal? (I could also be PMSing!)
Wed, 16 Jan 2013
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.

Your symptoms of jitteriness, headache, etc. seem to be related to the benzodiazepine (Ativan) withdrawal. Yes, even a 1 mg daily dose is sufficient to cause withdrawal symptoms - more so, because Ativan is a short acting medication and so has a higher risk for withdrawal effects.

Though benzodiazepines are prescribed for the short term management of anxiety, it may not be a good idea to take ativan everyday. One reason is the addiction potential; the other important reason is that will only serve the purpose of symptom relief, but not resolve the the core problem in any way.

So, I would advise you to come down on the frequency of the Ativan and try other relaxation techniques like deep breathing, etc. CBT will definitely be a very good option, which can give you long-lasting results.
Wish you all the best.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
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Suffer From Anxiety. Did Not Take It Today. Feeling Jittery, Nuaseated, Head Hurts, Feel Hot. Due To Missing Tablet?

Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query. Your symptoms of jitteriness, headache, etc. seem to be related to the benzodiazepine (Ativan) withdrawal. Yes, even a 1 mg daily dose is sufficient to cause withdrawal symptoms - more so, because Ativan is a short acting medication and so has a higher risk for withdrawal effects. Though benzodiazepines are prescribed for the short term management of anxiety, it may not be a good idea to take ativan everyday. One reason is the addiction potential; the other important reason is that will only serve the purpose of symptom relief, but not resolve the the core problem in any way. So, I would advise you to come down on the frequency of the Ativan and try other relaxation techniques like deep breathing, etc. CBT will definitely be a very good option, which can give you long-lasting results. Wish you all the best. Regards, Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar Consultant Psychiatrist