Does anyone else feel like this after taking Lorazepam?

[Susinko]

I have a bottle of Lorazepam that my pdoc told me to take when beyond the point where panic can describe my mood correctly.  I hate hate hate taking it though when I'm that bad off.  This is how it feels to me.  I am using visuals because that's how I usualy describe things that are hard to describe.

 

It feels like I'm running as fast as I can in my mind.  I take the meds and suddenly there is a wall in front of my face that I slam into, at full speed.  It hurts to suddenly have raging, out of control emotions and then have a drug that stops it like that. 

 

On the outside, I appear calm and out of it.  My words slur and I do in fact look peaceful.  On the outside anyway.  Inside, it feels like I'm struggling wildly against these huge people who are holding me down against my will. My brain is screaming that it's scared and it HURTS while this is going on. The medicine slowly takes affect and these 'people' slowly get off me when they think I'm sedated.

 

Then, finally, on the inside and outside, I feel calm and bit high and I feel what I'm supposed to feel on this medication.  This is the point where I am happy that I have this medication and that it exists. 

 

Does this sound familiar to anyone else?  Any thoughts?  Still fighting against the insurance company to find out why my husband's insurance policy was canceled.  I could really use it right about now.

 

 

[hisfilth]

Hello..i dont take lorazepam but i have taken xanax and klonopin so both in the same family of drugs. 

 

I wonder if the "reaction" you have isnt actuallly just part of the panic attack running its course(the meds are designed to work quickly but it can take a bit which feels like forever in a panic attack).

 

Just a thought since you said that it eventually works and you are happy it exists.

[cutegiantsquid]

That does sound like a panic attack. How many mg are you taking? I take 1mg, and it tends to snap me right out of a rage or attack, but it fucks up my sleep. I'll sleep for 10 or 12 hours on that stuff, and if I don't take it before bed, I have this weird half-sleep, half-conscious night where everything seems real and I'm not rested.

[Wooster]

The first time I tried taking lorazepam, I found that it didn't make me less anxious, it only made me unable to DO anything about being anxious. I think this sounds similar to what you might mean.

Several years later, I tried it again and it was moderately helpful.

[KillBytes]

I'm sure it's different for everyone, body tolerances, doses, personal experiences, etc. For me benzos work the best for removing the rough edges only. During a full panic attack episode, it doesn't even make a dent for me. 

[crtclms]

I can't really say I am familiar with that sequence of feelings. Which doesn't mean a whole lot. I take 2mg of it for stupendously bad headaches. It works much faster than xanax. I couldn't tolerate klonopin.

 

But it does sound like you are panicky until the med fully kicks in. Your reaction seems really visceral.

[Equivilency]

I'm not familiar with the feelings either. The lorazapam works like an instant 'panic/anxiety off' switch for me.. Isn't it amazing how we all react differently to the same meds?

[OBrian]

Ativan has been a lifesaver for me, altho I only really feel better after taking ativan for a period of time, say 2 weeks or so.  Though, one ativan is enough to halt a panic attack. 

 

I tend to use benzos more as a last resort fail safe, but I have taken them for extender periods at a time, usually in low dosages.

 

I think lorazapam is cheap btw, I only paid 14 bucks last time I went for 30 days worth.