I seem to develop a tolerance to Ativan. I went up to 4mg a day because of bad anxiety. It eventually stopped working and now I have the awful task of trying to come down from that high of a dose, which will take forever.

What has your doctor said about it? Is he/she going to replace the Ativan with something else once you've weaned off of it? It's soooo easy to develop a tolerance to a benzo.Tapering off is hard. You also gotta remember that after just a short while, they lose their sedating effect and if you take more to get that feeling without considering the subtler calming effects it is very easy to build a tolerance. Try to get away with taking as little as possible.
Also, benzos won't "cure" anxiety. It's best used in conjunction with therapy to work out whatever is making you so anxious thus greatly reducing or eliminating your need for the drug altogether. Are you currently in therapy? I've never been in your situation, so I'm not sure what else to add about tapering off. Maybe someone else has more info.
Good luck

Croix

I'm between doctors. My old one didn't have much to say about it. Didn't seem too concerned. I saw a new doctor who told me about 4 times how BAD benzos are. I didn't like her but not for that reason. She added Depakote. So far it isn't helping with anxiety but it's only been about a week. I'll see what the new doctor says.

Benzos are so attractive at first because they really do seem to cure anxiety for a short while. I really want to try Neurontin because it works on the same thing (GABA). Should see another new doc in about a month. Anxiety has been awful lately. I may try some old Trazodone.

My Dr prescribes me 20mg valium 1-3 per day as required.

Then again, less than 20mg never really did anything for me....

I have been on Klonopin for a bit over a year and don't seem to have developed a tolerance for it. I am also iin therapy

Tommy

edited to remove unintentional caps

I had bad discontinuation from xanax and ativan didn't work but I am building up a tolerance to klonopin. I'm hoping my doctor will let me come down and switch over to valium.


lilie

i've been on 2 mg klonopin for 2 yrs, and recently added a prn of an extra mg in case i need it. i sometimes don't take any at all during a day (and maybe one at night), and sometimes use all 3- 1 for the day and 2 at night (i wake up with horrible nightmares and am too freaked out to sleep).

i was thinking about asking for a quick-acting benzo to use with klonopin for when i get extra bursts of anxiety and need a benzo NOW- but i know my pdoc is just going to tell me i should stick more faithfully to my actual schedule. so i already know where that convesation is going to go.

i'm in therapy and my need for klonopin has been the same, like tommy. we also take the same dose