I took 1/2 of a 1 mg ativan last night- My mom's. Boy I slept great with only waking up 1 time with mild sweats. I love this. BUT is it habit forming? It is such a lose dose maybe not if taken 1-2x week only. Ambian just does not work well with these flases and stuff.
Any advice?
Louisa

Yes, it is habit forming. Talk to you doctor about whether or not this is a good drug for you.

I also tried Ambien, Lunesta, you name it, and they did nothing. Had a spell of insomnia that last 17 months. I those 17 months I slept 6 hours straight twice. I clearly remember each time it happened. I was almost insane by the end of it. One doc gave me something (can't remember the name) she said one would drop an elephant. I took two and zip zero nada. My primary care physician--a SAINT--put me on Trazodone, and my problems were over! It used to be prescribed as an antidepressant but doesn't really work for that purpose, but some people get real insomnia relief. It is also really cheap. I get 100mg tabs and cut them in half. Costs me about $6 per month. I have been on for about three years now and intend to stay on it until I am out of perimenopause. I cannot tolerate another round of insomnia. I went to classes, counseling, you name it and Trazodone is the only thing that works. I hope you find some relief that isn't too toxic or habit forming. I know how you feel.

I only took 1/2 mg so I feel rather safe. As long as I do not do this more than maybe 2 x a week maybe I will be ok. I will ask about this drug you mentioned.

Dear Provo and Chocolate Woman,
I am going to check out that TRAZADONE ............ the insomnia is probably one of the worst things about peri-menopause. I can remember being totally wide awake for 3 months straight! I thought I would die. The panic and anxiety are another thing that blows my mind, along with the weight gain, depression, post nasal drip and cough and every other little thing that is "wrong" with me!!!! I am avoiding HRT like the plague. What the Hay are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to just let them give us stuff so we can get breast cancer??? There has got to be an answer!
Be in touch Ladies!!!
Carolyn

Provo,

While it is true that Ativan can be habit forming and addictive, taking it two or three times a week only for sleep will not hurt you. I took Ativan everyday for two months, and sometimes more than once...but like you only .5mgs at a time. When I started feeling a little better I found I didn't need it as often, and now I rarely take it. But I have a bottle of it with me all the time, just in case!! It does wonders for anxiety and panic attacks, but does tend to make me tired when I take it during the day. And yes, it can help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Here's wishing you a good night's sleep!!

Floater

Dear Louisa,

I know I sound like a broken record about medications, but... I will sing my song again because I believe it so strongly.

There are no prizes given for feeling sick. Or for going days without a good night's sleep. If a medicine helps you, I would take it and not worry. Insulin is also habit-forming in the sense that the body becomes adjusted to it. Diabetics do not worry about becoming addicted to insulin.

I have taken anti-anxiety medication at various times in my life. When I felt I no longer needed it, I was told how to titrate off very slowly. I never had a problem.

Trazedone is a very old medicine that is sometimes used for imsomnia. It is known to cause drowziness and confusion the morning after taking in some people. I would not advise taking it unless prescribed by a psychiatrist who is very knowledgeable about psychotropic meds.

Medication like ativan can be a two-edged sword, for sure. It has to be prescribed and taken responsibly. But I also believe it is there for people who are ready to take it responsibly.

Getting off my soapbox now and wishing you a good day,
Marcy

Trazodone/Desyrel can also be addictive. I personally know two people who can't sleep without it and develop the shakes and other withdrawl symptoms whenever they try to stop taking it. This being said, many people can take drugs thought to be addictive without becoming addicted themselves.

A good website for annonymous reviews of drugs is askapatient.com. You can read what others say about many different drugs there.

I took Ativan for one week (.5 mg once a day) and by the third day it was giving me rebound anxiety.
I guess it works differently for everyone. I never took another one.

Kelly, I am always visiting askapatient.com! It's a great website but it makes you feel like never taking ANYTHING again. It's so gratifying to find your side effect listed, even after your doctor has been saying "no,no,no, it's not the medicine" - it is.

Visit Paxilprogress.com and you'll never take an anti-depressant.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Helen

i have been taking trazodone for years for sleep and there are periods when i dont take it for weeks and i have never had any withdrawal/side effects from not taking it. but i know someone who takes it and she cannot sleep without it. its true, everyone is different and we never know how a med will effect us.

I don't give a hoot if ativan is habit forming or addictiving. It works for me and I love it!
Been taking it off and on for 5 years! Sometime I need it everyday for weeks and then can go months without taking any!

It's great to take to help me sleep plus I won't wake up with the anxiety type night sweats.

I have started projesterone cream 2x day.The flashes seem to be getting a little better. Maybe my hormones are settling down on their on accord. Who knows. I am tring 1/2 ambian tonight as I feel safer with that. I have noticed that I crave sugar too, especially at night. If I eat the sugery stuff I will wake up wantintg to devour anything high in sugar or carbs. it is almost like an alcoholic craving. Ambian has been known to make people eat in the middle of the night and I have noticed this. But it has happened when I do not take it as well. I saw a news program where a woman took ambian and got up at 3 am and ate 3 packs of hamburger buns. LOL Now why she would have 3 packs is beyond me. No period in sight and I am due tomorrow. I have not noticed the rage this past 36 days either. The last time I felt that rage I chased a women into the post office for stealing my parking space. I literally left my car running with the door open in the middle of the lot and chased her a** in the post office right down to the PO box area. Whew! Glad that is not a problem with all this other stuff going on. LOL
Louisa

Well you know what? I am not going to give a hoot either. My dr. better prescibe it for me lest I resort to stealing my mom's like a bad teenager. I am too old for this mollycoddling. I have never been a pill taker or abuser and don't plan on becoming one now. LOL
Louisa

SNOWMOON56- Empty your message box! it's full and we cannot PM you!!!!
Louisa

Snowmoon, I feel this same way! When you are so tired in the morning you have to sit down to floss your teeth then it's time to get serious about sleep. I have never had any side affects from Trazodone, although I only take 50 mg, once in a while 75-100. I also do not believe a psychiatrist is necessarily needed to prescribe this med. Why give your insurance company something to whack you with? And I don't have mental health problems. I JUST WANT TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

I truly tried everything out there, herbal and otherwise, yoga, meditation, you name it. If I'm an addict then tough you-know-whatskies. At least I sleep every night.

Hey chocolate woman! I agree! I want to be a well rested addict if I musty be an addict at all.
Louisa

We're on the same page, Louisa. Glad things are getting better for you, but I'll be sure not to park in your spot!

Seriously, I think the reason trazodone is not prescribed as much as Lunesta or Ambien is because the drug companies don't make any money from it. That would be reason enough.

Also wanted to let you know, I have no drowsiness in the morning, no foggy head, dry mouth, shakes, etc. I also don't get in my car and forget where I'm going, or forget my address, or read the same page in a book four times, etc etc etc because I get a good night's sleep. Enough said.

Thank You KellY!

Ativan is my lifesaver in many ways. Firstly, when I am dizzy with migraines. But secondly, when I have insomnia I take 1/2 of a .50mg tablet which is a really small dose, and it works great. Habit forming? I suppose it you take it all day long, or depend on it too much. But if you use it occassionally, it's fine. That is what it is there for - to help us! I tried Ambien and the side effects are way worse and it also causes hallucinations and all kinds of weird stuff. Ativan is much safer IMO.

Ambian almost makes be feel buzzed so I don't like it. Makes me hungry too!

Louise I empty my box, or deleted some pm's>>thanks for letting me know!

Yah, Ambien makes me totally groggy and yucky the next day. I heard about the hallucinations (one of the side effects) and then I heard a story about this lady who would always see this little boy in the room with her when she would take Ambien. Creeeeeepy!!

Louisa,

Ativan does work very well in calming anxiety and promoting restful sleep. I have taken it so that I could sleep when I had horrible acid reflux that caused esophagus spasms that caused me to panic. Being awake all night in a panic takes a toll on a person pretty quickly as does night sweats or insomnia. If Ambien is not helping you, you might want to ask your doctor for some ativan to help you get the needed sleep. I think you are correct. A small dose taken responsibly will not become habit forming. I don't think most doctors will give you very many of those tablets anyway. I hope you feel better and get some sleep and relief from the hot flashes.

Cindy

OH HELL!!! I had taken Ambien several years ago and had minor success with it. I took some a couple of weeks ago, just 1/2 of a 10mg pill (the lowest dosage) and I was really screwed up !! I felt awful and hardly slept at all, and when my eyes were closed I felt like I was hallucinating !!!! I didn't have that problem when I took it before, something is different now. I will NEVER take it again ! From now on I'll either eat a turkey sandwich or I'll slap on some progesterone cream.