Amnesia drugs?

[Fighting back]

Back again with another topic.

Today I underwent a diagnostic process which involved sedation. Nothing mental health related. I was given Ativan and I was told I was to be given sedation as well as some sort of amnesia medication. Supposedly this is standard procedure with sedation. Of course, sedation turned out to be that usual disorienting experience where you seem to just blink your eyes and you wake up in a different room. Anyways, this procedure was done in the morning and now at the end of the day, I realize that my anxiety has been low today and there were no bad side effects. I'm actually looking forward to the next day. What just happened here? Is it possible that the Ativan and sedation affects my mood?

Certainly something I will be discussing with my doctor.

[uni]

Hello Fighting back. That all sounds very interesting. I think it's definitely possible that Ativan and sedation have affected your mood. Ativan is for anxiety to begin with, given to calm a person down and sometimes make them drowsy, but I don't know about the sedation. It does make you wonder how long the effects will last. I guess you'll find out. The longer the better, eh?

[paul m]

Hello Fighting Back. For me, the proper use of Ativan was very important in my recovery and remains important to me still. You will find a lot of articles bad mouthing it and some doctors who will say how addictive it is, but for me it works. You may already know everything that follows, but in case you don't or for others who mightn't the following is how I feel about Ativan. Take Care. paul m

For some it can be addictive, but for a majority when used properly it can be a blessing. I see docs time and time again prescribing Ativan to be taken 1 mg X 3X per day at morning, afternoon and night. Nothing wrong with that as long as it's for the short term. In the long term, due to the nature and half life of this medication, that is the fastest way to become addicted to Ativan.

Having said that there are lots of times that I do take Ativan 3X per day, I just don't do it long term. Some days I take 3mg, somedays I take 1mg and somedays I take none.

For me Ativan is best used before I become too anxious or upset. (which is why some doc's prescribe it 3X per day). If I wait until I'm upset, it has less chance of working and takes much longer to work. Ativan doesn't take away my anxieties, it just allows me to handle them on a more rationale basis, like I did before I got ill.

The best thing about Ativan,is that you can ask for a very small amount (30X1mg tablets) and try it in various combinations and see if works or not for you. Usually without major side effects.

A couple of warnings. Ativan is a benzodiazipine and all benzos can be addictive if not used carefully. Ativan, in large doses, can cause problems with my short term memory and I wouldn't even think about having 3mg of Ativan and 3 beer. Ativan and booze has more than an additive effect(more or less 3+3=12 rather than 6) .For a few people they will be hypersensitive to even small doses and thus 1 mg will react like a 5 mg(fairly large) dose. Finally, for a few unlucky people, Ativan can have the opposite reaction. That is it will cause agitation rather than sedation.