Anyone addicted to "rescue" meds?

[Girlygirl1980s]

Lately I'm wondering if I am becoming addicted to certain meds that I take, like Ativan. I only take these when I need them, not on a regular basis, but it does seem like I need higher dosages, and it seems to take longer before they kick in. My sisters warned me this is addicting, but our whole family has anxiety and we need something!</font>Edited by: Girlygirl1980s

[ang01]

Hi, ativan (lorazepam)is highly addictive, take it as sparingly as you can, just save it for emergencies. You become tolerant to it and need bigger doses to get the same effect. Phenergan I don't think is addictive but can have a lot of side effects. Both drugs cause drowsiness.

[Girlygirl1980s]

I had Ativan in my house for months before I took it and my anxiety level has been very high lately and I'm having really bad panic attacks about every other day.* Edited by: Girlygirl1980s

[slingshot]

<DIV>Well, nice to see I am not the only one with anxiety. Sometimes I feel all alone and my wife does not seem to understand. I have been using Alaprozalm (xanax) on and off since July or August. Sometimes I can go weeks w/o it and then seems I take it every other day. I recently had a Panic Attack so bad I went to the ER (which made me more anxious cause I am an EMT) but I had to be sure. </DIV>
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<DIV>On a recent visit my doctor prescribed me lexapro (everyday) and Ativan (at a higher does than my xanax). </DIV>
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<DIV>At this point I am not taking either, just the xanax when needed. I hate that I feel like I can turn to them, but at the same time sometimes I feel normal again. My ER doc said that my xanax was at an elderly person does .25mg so, maybe it never did anything, like a sugar pill. </DIV>
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<DIV>Your not alone with anxiety and I am not sure what it is. Perhaps yours is over your emet's, mine is just over life. </DIV>
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<DIV>I also have Costochondritis which is like a chest injury, so that has taken a toll on me and after some other testing it appears I do have some sort of Acid Reflux, though no one has said GERD. </DIV>
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<DIV>So, my head just keeps spinning! </DIV>
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<DIV>Keep your chin up! </DIV>

[flipper12368]

I have been taking xanax for about 8-10 years now along with benedryl do everything you can to try to keep it under control once you get hooked by meds it is very hard to stop taking them i have only had a few months in the past 5 years when i havent taken anything

[sage]

I wouldn't say Ativan is "highly" addictive. Cigarettes and cocaine are more what I'd describe with the word "highly". But rather I would say thatAtivan can become habit-forming. If you take .5 to 1mg every once in a while (like once a week or so), you shouldn't have to worry. It could, however, take longer to kick in after a time, as you said.