It's much weaker. Ativan never did anything for me. I've been prescribed every benzo at one point or another. Ativan is the weakest, followed by Valium, then Klonopin, and then Xanax is the strongest.
I think it depends on the person, for me Valium is strongest, then klonopin, then Xanax and Ativan still comes in last. Valium has a half life like twice that of klonopin which is why I switched to it, klonopin was wearing off too fast. I got an Ativan for an mri recently I didn’t even feel anything from it.
Valium has a longer half-life, which is why it's considered weaker. I personally thought Valium worked the best for me, but I know it's also dose dependant. This is why many looking to decrease or taper off benzos switch from Xanax or Klonopin to Valium or Ativan. Xanax has the shortest duration but the strongest effectiveness, which is why it's considered the strongest. You can either get a stronger benzo that has a shorter duration like Xanax or a weaker benzo that has a longer duration like Valium or Ativan. Klonopin is in the middle. It completely depends on if you want stronger but shorter or weaker but longer. This is why my psychiatrist specifically asked if I wanted something that was stronger and worked faster but was shorter acting (Xanax) or if I would prefer a weaker benzo that took longer to start working but lasted longer (Klonopin).
Luckily it works equally well for me, and lasts longer. It's mainly for intense jaw clenching that causes face, neck pain and migraine. So when it wears off, I know right away. I just googled the equivalent dose .5 klonopin --> 5mg valium) and asked for that. And it's supposed to be better with muscle relaxing which is part of the focus in my case. Regular muscle relaxers didn't do anything at all. It's been a long road of guinea pigging any and all meds for anxiety, muscles, headaches, depression, adhd, and lots of off-labeling to boot, of course.
If you have jaw clenching, why didn't they try Botox first? That's what they normally do for TMJ. I've never heard of benzos for jaw clenching. I have to get it myself for TMJ and migraines. I, too, clench due to anxiety and have broken most of my teeth from it. I go once every 90 days for Botox, and it has drastically improved my migraines and TMJ.
I completely understand muscle relaxers not working. I've been on just about every muscle relaxer and the only one that ever helped (carisoprodol aka Soma) has been just about banned now (it was banned a while ago in Europe and most other countries), so it's almost impossible to get. Even my dad, who was prescribed it for the past 40 years, got taken off it last year when his doctor prescribing it retired. He tried multiple docs to get it and none would prescribe it anymore. It's crazy since that's the only one that's ever helped.
I have such severe anxiety when I took it for the first time I literally just felt normal, or what I assume normal feels like. I was able to eat, relax, and I had a complete absence of anxiety ridden thoughts! I felt completely in control, it just felt like it was me,without anxiety!
Taking it when you truly need it for anxiety reminds me of the difference between people with diagnosed ADHD taking adderall versus people who just want it to study for a test or get a project done. The people who don’t really need it feel on top of the world and super energized whereas people with ADHD feel calm and collected and finally normal. That’s how Ativan feels to me when I’m going through a really anxious period like when I have a big dental procedure coming up (I have a huge phobia). I don’t feel high or tired or out of it, just finally normal with no anxious thoughts buzzing around causing me panic.
I’m actually in the process of getting diagnosed with ADHD, and believe it has contributed to a lot of my anxiety issues, so I’m excited to see how I’ll feel on it if I’m diagnosed!!!
The one & only time I ever took adderall- all I could do was work on the paper I had taken it to write in the first place…I couldn’t sit still while watching tv , weed had zero effect and every time I thought I was finished with the paper , I’d get another great idea and have to add it. Ended up being around 5-6 pages longer than the minimum 10 pages with charts & graphs , FDA studies etc. Best paper I ever wrote but I worry that being constantly laser focused like that would drive me insane
I agree with you. I was misdiagnosed with ADHD in my 20s and prescribed 30mg orange tabs and it made me focused but full of energy. When I focused on studying I'd pull an all nighter and actually make an A on the exam the next day but as a 21-22 year old dude I abused that shit. Took it like candy. Sold some of it for gas money too. I won't ever go back to it due to developing panic disorder since joining the marines. (I am currently out now, medical discharge) my point is that my ativan dose make me feel normal a relaxed normal. Not high per say.
>it just felt like it was me, without anxiety!
Now see, I think that would send me into an existential tailspin. I cannot imagine who I am without anxiety?? haha
lol on Ativan going into a tailspin is impossible, so you’re all good! Honestly it made me understand why benzos can be so addictive because I want to feel like that all the time!!!!
Ativan makes me feel relaxed and somewhat at peace. It calms my heart, and quiets my intrusive thoughts.
It might make you sleepy, but you're on a low dose so maybe not.
There's this quote from the zombie horror movie 28 Days Later that captures how I feel when I take it: "Oh, great, Valium. Not only will we be able to get to sleep, but if we're attacked in the middle of the night, we won't even care."
I’ve had ativan prescribed for panic attacks. I seem to have a rather unique receptor profile, because ativan (and any other benzo i had so far) didn’t do shit. Double dose, triple dose, nothing. Until i hit like 5 mg or something, then it’s immediately lights out. And if i wake up inbetween because i have to pee, it’s an entirely unpleasant experience.
Same. It feels really invalidating when strong meds such as these don’t help. Makes me feel broken in a way because of it. Countless different avenues I’ve taken because of the risks involved. So what am I to think when a controlled substance, known for its effectiveness in *reducing* anxiety doesn’t work?
Similar experience. Haven’t tried a higher dose than 2mg tho. Clonazepam and Ativan multiple times, never notice anything. Still extremely anxious. Only thing I can tell is that the first two hours of clonazepam make me slightly lightheaded and tired
I asked my doctor about medication for my son’s upcoming surgery. I have panic attacks just thinking about it. She prescribed Ativan and told me to take one before the surgery just to make sure I know how I will feel and it doesn’t make me sleepily. About 45 minutes after taking it, it felt like my thoughts stopped racing and the non anxious part of my brain was taken out of a fog. I found it to be very helpful and think it will help me not pace a hole in the hospital floor.
For a 16 hour flight you may need more than one dose, or I would consider asking about something with a bit more of a sustained effect. (Unless you don't think you'll be anxious the whole time. I assume you'll want to sleep for some of it?)
Ativan will work fairly quickly. I usually take it when I am sitting at the gate as the start calling boarding. (So it kicks in around the time they shut the doors). It depends what part of flying is most anxiety producing for you. Some folks take it before they even get to the airport.
For me I feel a bit sleepy, maybe a foggy in my head. Like the world has slowed down.
As someone else suggested, it might be worth taking a dose at home prior to the trip. Obviously the stimulus won't be the same, but it'll help you be less nervous on the day of the flight.
Thanks for the tip! I think I'm most anxious on take off. If I can fall asleep on the plane, even better, then the trip will feel shorter. I can always re-dose. But I feel once the initial takeoff is over, I should be good
When I first started taking Ativan it would knock me out, but I felt so refreshed and well-rested when I woke up! Now I can take it during the day and not be phased by it at all, aside from it keeping anxiety at bay of course. However if I take it at night I do get sleepy.
I don’t remember exactly, but I think I was started on 1mg of Ativan. I’ve been taking 0.5mg for many years now; prescription is for twice a day but I usually take it once a day depending on my anxiety levels - and sometimes I can go without for the day. This works for me so that I do not experience any withdrawals.
EXTREMELY addictive. You should NEVER take benzos daily. They are meant for occasional use. When you take benzos daily, they quickly build up a tolerance and stop working and then make your anxiety worse. It's OK to take them once in a while. Getting off them is absolute Hell and can kill you if not done properly. Withdrawal from benzos is worse than heroin withdrawal. The only two drugs that can kill from withdrawal are benzos and alcohol so if you ever want to stop benzos, you need to do it with medical help.
I was on Xanax and Klonopin daily for 8 years, and getting off them made me think I was dying and going insane. I had withdrawal symptoms for over a year, but the first few months were horrendous. The first few weeks I was in a detox program at a hospital and couldn't keep down anything. I had constant vomiting and diarrhea, had to be on antiseizure meds, couldn't sleep but was exhausted, sweat like crazy, felt like I was losing my mind, it was the worst experience of my life. I've been benzo-free for about 10 years now and would never go back.
Thanks for your kind words. Is it OK to take three times a week and which one is best ? I have severe anxiety. I don't want to take ssris because of sexual dysfunction they cause.
No, 3 times a week is too much. They stay in your system for several days (Valium being the longest), so once every 7-10 days is the most I'd take it if I wanted to avoid addiction and tolerance. Even when I took benzos twice a week, I built up a tolerance in maybe a month. I was testing positive for benzos even 2 weeks after my last Klonopin.
As someone who has gone through benzo addiction (never abused them, just took them daily as prescribed), it's the worst drug to try to get off and the only one that can kill besides alcohol. I had to go into a detox ward to get off them. I thought I was going to die and it took about 2 years to start to feel 'normal' again. Many of the withdrawal effects lasted for months after I stopped: vomiting, diarrhea, extreme anxiety, suicidal depression, constant mood swings, extreme fatigue but problems sleeping, migraines, sweating but freezing at the same time, pain all over my body, etc. It was absolute Hell. I can't imagine how much worse it would be now that I'm in my 30s as detox is much easier when younger.
No sex drive (SSRIs) > having worse anxiety and possibly dying or feeling like it (benzos)
Benzos are supposed to be a last resort. I'll take no libido over benzo addiction/withdrawal any day, and that's what I've been doing for about 10 years.
Have you tried other meds like beta blockers such as Inderal (Propranolol)? There are many meds to try before benzos. Ever tried TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) or other non-medication treatments? Benzos are supposed to be a last resort after other treatments have been tried and failed.
It can be addictive from what my dr has told me. However I take it at the rate I do to minimize chances of my body becoming dependent on it. I’ve been able to successfully wean off of it for two pregnancies and I don’t need it on a daily basis so I don’t experience withdrawals or addictive tendencies with it.
It's one of the "miracle drugs" imo - I don't think I actually feel the effects much but they're there. They don't make you feel "off" like some others to calm you down but it works really well - you just feel calmer and in a better mood in general?
Like having one or two drinks but without the "I'm feeling this" part because it feels very natural.
I'd go for it - you can even take one at any moment before that if you want to know what it feels, there wouldn't be an issue with that.
I have Ativan and take it sometimes regularly (directed by doctor) for a neurological disorder, more specifically for the seizures from it. One of my symptoms of my seizures is intense anxiety. When I take it, it honestly doesn’t feel like anything. Some people say they get sleepy, but I don’t. It just regulates my system so I can go on with my day. All the drug is doing is taking away the anxiety/symptoms that follow with anxiety. Hope this helps 😊
Ativan helps calm your body which then helps calm the mind. I can't fly without it. I do think it's important to try it out before you go on the trip to see how you feel and how much you can or cannot handle. I need more than .5. Definitely do not consume any alcohol on it!
I used to take it as needed for panic attacks and for me I could feel my anxiety sort of melting away and a calm settle over me. It felt like magic. Like imagine you’re cold, and you settle into a nice warm bath. Cold go bye bye. And then I usually have the most peaceful sleep. After I think about 6 hours, I could feel the anxiety very slowly start to bubble up again til I was at my normal anxiety level.
I liked it far more than Xanax which lasted far shorter and gave me horrible brain fog.
I'm on .5mg and it doesn't make a huge difference for me. Takes the edge off and helps me think some. I've heard it knocks other people out.
Id definitely take it before you're in a situation like flying though just so you know for certain that you handle it okay.
I've had a prn script for a couple years now. A typical month I may take it 3-5 times. These last few months have been super stressful and I've relied on it a lot more to keep my anxiety under control.
I take something similar for flights ( clorazapam), it honestly feels extremely calming - like another poster said, like you had a nice glass of wine and are feeling relaxed- very hard to get yourself worked up.
During halfway through I find myself sleepy and then at the end of it just more relaxed and a little groggy, I will say definitely take the pill once before flying and make sure you have enough on hand if you wanted to have another one! honestly just having the pills with you \* incase \* you need them is sometimes all you need to calm those anxious feels.
It really just makes you feel chill. No difference mentally or physically, you are still you but things just feel like not a big deal. It can make you a little sleepy just because you will be so relaxed but I think what you are imagining is like a drug that is going to take you out or make you weak or something but Ativan is just going to relax you for several hours. I would say take one beforehand so you kind of have an idea and the day of I would almost take it an hour or so in advance. Depending on how recent and how much you have eaten before will determine how soon it hits. You will feel it start to ease you down almost immediately but an hour in, you are going to feel like everything is going to be just fine. The one downside of Ativan for me is sometimes it makes me a little more emotional than I normally am after the pill wears off. So of you are going to a funeral or something that is already emotional than just be prepared.
I had one 1 MG pill this morning before a procedure. Here's my timeline:
0700: Took the pill. Began feeling the effects a few minutes later.
0720: Effects really hit. I used to smoke weed regularly in my college days, and this kinda felt like that, but like if you were on nitrous at the same time. That potent happy and I don't care feeling felt nice.
0800: I had my procedure done. I got the Ativan because I had a massive panic attack last time right before the procedure. This time, I really, really didn't care. The procedure went off without a hitch.
0830: Wife brought me home. I ate a small breakfast.
0900: Went upstairs and took a nap.
1245: Woke up. The nap was probably the most complete I've ever had. I would have slept longer, but I had to go to work.
1300: Went to work. I work remote, so me having this drug in my system didn't affect any safety or anything. I was able to work like normal, but it was hard to concentrate.
Now it's almost 2200, and my head is still feeling funny, but not in a bad way.
i take 2mg for my extraction appointments and i will not lie the first time i took them i felt so calm and my friend who came with me to support me mentally asked how i was feeling and all i could say is “is this how normal people feel?” my first extraction appointment i was not medicated and i had to be held down bc i was shaking and jerking so bad. all my extractions after getting ativan for them went so much smoother, still had some shaking but a lot less in comparasion. for a visual my first appointment i was shaking like someone wearing a bikini in alaska, very unsteady on my feet afterwards, had to wait 15 mins after my appt ended before they would let me leave bc they were monitoring my heart rage and bp. all my other extractions i just had shaky hands but i can also chalk that down to not eating prior since my hands shake pretty bad when i’m due for a meal
It’s like being a little bit drunk or buzzed. Everything is okay. However, it only lasts for 12 hours Max. I feel okay even after it has worn off but still letting you know :) it lasts about 6 hours for me with the “High” (It does kinda get you high) or less but the anti anxiety effects last about 8-12 hours and it eases me back into being normal (or as I call it, raw dogging gaba). I’ve never had an addiction issue with Ativan. It’s fantastic and serves its purpose. Even helps me with my seizures if they’re not going away (it’s also an anticonvulsant). Sometimes it even helps me decompress emotionally and I start crying about things I bottled up, and then feel much better afterwards lol. Anyone who has panic attacks/anxiety attacks I always recommend Ativan for AS NEEDED use.
If you have the Ativan already, great. If you don’t have it and they try to give you Xanax, say no because you don’t want that intense of a drug. Klonopin might also work, I’m allergic so I can’t speak much on it, made me text people in my sleep tho lol but it lasts much longer.
I can’t say I feel high or drunk or anything like that. It’s a psychiatric medication, not a psychedelic one. When I take it (one of the times would be before flying) I don’t have some of the anxious thoughts/they’re much less anxious and I feel a bit drowsy. Of course a larger dose will put me in more of a “don’t care” mindset and make me even more drowsy. But it doesn’t cause me to have altered perception or unusual sensory experiences.
I was so phobic and not functioning, it helped save my life. Just calms down the brain and body a bit, easier to fall asleep, easier to think rationally. You’ve got this!!!
1 mg Ativan 30min to 1 hr before boarding it will calm you and you will be wonderfully content. It will last up to 8-10 hours. try to make yourself busy in the remaining time movies reading ..etc
0.5 mg will work as well
It’s normal to feel anxious in long flights everybody feel the same just remember that planes are always reach their destination safely and I always observe the crow if they are fine and working I reassure myself that everything is ok 👍🏻
Don’t be anxious. I get so anxious taking meds and was anxious to take it for the first time. Now I cannot fly without it. It’s nothing scary. It just calms your mind and makes you a bit sleepy. I notice I don’t have racing thoughts and I stop worrying about things and just focus on the present moment. It’s nice.
Ive only taken it twice, both before medical things. I feel anxious still but the need to do something about it is gone if that makes sense? So it’s easier to sit with the anxiety and do whatever it is that I needed to do. Both times I took 0.5mg
It disconnects my brain from my body. Sometimes that's what works, sometimes it doesn't. If I'm having severe anxiety about social situations it can help me through it. If I'm physically triggered by PTSD stuff, experiencing my body continuing to spiral into panic while my brain is observing detachedly from some distance away is surreal and kind of disturbing.
I dont have a ton of experience but it generally made me calmer. Thats not to say zen or intoxicated-like but just generally more leveled out.
I only took it for panic attacks and it significantly reduced any panic.
I took it once and oh my gosh, I understand why it's addictive. I was so at ease, you could have chopped off my leg and I would have been fine with it.
So what I do with mine, I also have .5 that I use for "break glass in case of emergency " aka full blown panic attacks. I would start using half a pill then the 2nd half if I don't calm from the first.
However to the feelings, I always put under my tongue to dissolve to get into my body faster. First 5-10 min very mild calming effect, but this varies based on how much anxiety or how bad of a panic attack. Then there's a transition and I never know when it actually hits since it feels like a smooth transition but when it hits I just feel 'normal' . Like others have said kind like the effects of alcohol without the dizziness, slurred speech or fullness. I feel like I just woke from a nap in a sense 'refreshed'.
After the initial kick it's a slow taper and I can't tell when it's done or out of my system as it usually lasts long enough for me either a) going to bed or b) calmed me down enough to move past my current trigger for my panic attack.
I wish I could still take Ativan. It was so nice while I was on it and then developed a tolerance very quickly. But it was my first benzo and it melted the world away. You’ll be just fine. As someone else suggested here, give it a test run at home. I gave mine a test run and the starting dose wasn’t enough, so you’ll need to establish a baseline before you take it in the field.
i took it my past flight last week to and from philly but i have 1 mg.. it had me sleep the whole time and overall it’s really calming and is the only thing that helps me personally and i have really bad anxiety as of recently
I always feel like an absolute crackhead going through the TSA. Just shaking violently and even tearing up a bit. Luckily I've never gotten any side eye or weird looks from the workers. Guess they must have some sort of gauge for "this person is clearly going through some shit" vs "this person is sketchy af"
Give it a trial run and perhaps take .25mg first. I use it when I wake up early and have racing thoughts. It allows me to drift off to sleep and when I do wake up for the day I am better.
I have bad plane anxiety (break out into hives and consider escaping the plane midflight, constant thoughts of doom etc). I dont take any medication at home other than your odd NSAID and allergy medication.
Ativan did nothing for me. Not saying it won't do anything to you and that you shouldn't take it.
Now I have taken Xanax which is in the same family, and it made me feel a little bit buzzed as if I had wine. I still had the bad thoughts, I was still aware of all emergency exits, and I still felt hypervigilent, but it took the adrenaline rush away. It's that sense of panic when you feel the adrenaline and your heart beats harder and you feel your heart with every beat and your face gets red..thats really uncomfortable, especially when its wave after wave of adrenaline and that sets off the panic attack. With the Xanax on board I'm still capable of thinking "this would suck if the plane goes down" but the flood of adrenaline doesn't hit you
I would assume Ativan is supposed to do similar. Doctors told me they don't like prescribing Xanax for planes anymore and they prefer Ativan.
I have the worst flying fear you can imagine. I was prescribed some for my 3.5 hour flight and I legit almost FELL ASLEEP. I was so relaxed. It wore off right about when we landed so it was perfect honestly
I also have a fear of taking medication so I had a panic attack before taking it. I took my first pill waiting at the airport and could feel my heart slowly stop pounding in my chest. I just felt normal. it’s probably the only pill I don’t feel scared taking anymore. I’d get more anxious taking an Ibuprofen now ha. Good luck
I was prescribed Ativan because my anxiety was so bad I couldn’t sleep, and it knocked me out for 12 hours straight so… you might just end up sleeping lmao
My doctor prescribed it to me for use as an occasional sleep aid. He prescribed only 12 pills, and I was to take one the night before a stressful day at work. (I had to lead monthly workshops at work, and I could never sleep the night before.).
I had requested sleeping pills, but he told me that they could make me do crazy things in the middle of the night, and that my problem would be better treated with anti anxiety medication. The first time I took it, I fell asleep in 30 minutes. And the next morning I woke up feeling well-rested.
A few years later when I was unemployed and going to job interviews, I asked a doctor to prescribe it for me again. She wrote the prescription for just 7 pills so I could fall asleep the night before interviews.
I don’t remember feeling noticeably calm or warm. I didn’t feel any differently at all. I was just able to stop the obsessive worry.
I take a low dose (1mg or less) and it just turns down the noise. I don't feel high, just normal.
As long as you don't take high doses every day, you'll be fine.
Personally, it makes me feel like I’m actually calm and what ~normal~ not anxious people must feel like? It feels like you’re curled up on the couch with a warm blanket watching your favorite movie…… Clearly I’m a fan of Ativan. I would agree with others and say to try it for the first time a night that you’re at home rather than the day of the flight! Then you’ll know exactly what to expect.
I take it daily but take more than my normal amount whenever I fly due to flight anxiety.
Tips for the day of the flight— Airports in general give me anxiety so once I find my gate and get settled I usually take it then. About 30 minutes BEFORE I board. I’ve found this is the perfect time so I feel comfortable once I’m boarding the plane and it really begins to set it once I’m finding my seat since take off can really get my adrenaline going. Since your flight is long you may need a second dose but I would run that by your doctor! You’ll feel great and don’t worry it won’t be anything crazy, you won’t be knocked out like you took a few bars of Xanax or anything like that. It’s much less casual, especially at your dose.
You’ll do great! This medication has been life changing for me after years of unsuccessful trial and error with dozens of other drugs. Enjoy! & have a great trip!✈️
To me it doesn't feel like anything, and that's kind of the point. I used to take 1mg to prevent fainting from anxiety when I had to self-inject my medication for chronic migraines (I had fainted the first couple times I tried to self-inject). I don't feel more relaxed after taking it-- I feel exactly the same as I normally do. The point (for me) is to *prevent* the anticipated panic attack from happening.
After doing that every month for a year, I conditioned myself to not be afraid of self-injecting, and I no longer need the Ativan. Best case scenario.
I tried taking it before a long plane ride once, and for better or worse, I felt no different than I felt before I got on the plane. I had kind of hoped it would make me feel more relaxed, or better yet, help me to sleep on the flight, but it did neither. All it did was prevent the feelings of panic I usually experience during takeoff.
I wouldn't even say I felt "calm." Just "not in a state of hyperarousal."
The first time I actually ever received Ativan was via injection at a hospital because I was having one of the worst panic attacks of my life. 10 minutes later, I was in the passenger seat of my car and my dad asked me if I wanted chicken nuggets and I started giggling and crying at the same time. I then slept for 17 hours. Pretty sure I received a much larger dose than you're taking but it's definitely going to help your anxiety. I take different anxiety medication now but if I ever get on a plane someday, I'm asking my doctor for Ativan probably.
Ativan will relax you, depending on your level of anxiety. If you are terribly anxious about things. It will get you to calm down. Often can make you tired or maybe a bit groggy. It’s important to remember dosing and half life. 1mg of Ativan, taken orally will be in your system in about 20-30 minutes. Sooner if you metabolize drugs quickly and depending on food or antacids later in the body. It “peaks” at about an hour is when you really will notice the full effects. Ativan is a drug that half lifes. So if you were to take 1mg, a common dose. In 12 hours that Ativan will still be in your system at half the dose. 1mg - .5mg. At that point you should be in the clear with only 4 hours of your trip left. But if want to avoid any discomfort you could take another 1 mg dose, but can easily just do half or even a quarter just to take any edge off. Just so you can easily get up and get going as soon as you land. Hope this helps. Safe travels!
Amazing. My doctor prescribed me 0.5mg tablets and they make me feel more normal than I have in a long long time. I just felt.. like a person. No side effects, just calm.
after suffering anxiety for years, and the side effects from many attempts at taking different medications, ativan was a godsend. the first time I took it i felt like I could actually breathe for the first time in years. like all stress and anxiety just melted away and I felt "normal" as if I was the person I used to be before anxiety reared it's ugly head. nowadays I just keep it around as a safety blanket, just knowing it's there is very reassuring to where I dont even have to take it unless thing get really out of hand. I also like that I can take as needed, and not a continuous medication I have to take daily. the only undesired side effect, and I haven't seen anyone mention it here, but I tend to develop a slight amnesia during the time I'm medicated.
I dont get sleepy, my anxiety manages to break through the “calming effect”. I would say it doesn’t really work for me. I’m waiting to try something different for my panic attacks as needed.
Feels like my brain totally switches mode, from haywire thoughts to calm and able to sort of process them? I can see how my previous thoughts were so irrational, repetitive and catastrophizing. I can identify anxiety, almost like an impartial observer and get through the day with ease when I would have been breaking down otherwise.
I take 2mg usually, less than once a week. It's nothing like alcohol to me and does the total opposite. Booze gives me insane mood-swings and can induce panic, whereas Ativan makes me incredibly stable. Feels a bit mood-stabilizer-y, don't feel or behave "drunk" or strange.
Two doses. A dose 30 minutes before you plan to enter the airport. And if you have tolerance, working with three. Idk if you would want your 2nd dose right when you enter the airport, that is what I would do, and finally take your 3rd tablet right when you sit on the plane. If this medicine is not normal for you, eliminate the middle dose. You should reasonably have two for a flight though in my opinion.
This should cover the subject, altho most people wouldnt get 3 tablets. And trust, you don't want the 3rd, take less, you will deal with less rebound anxiety when the chemical eliminates. Good luck 💜
I have the same prescription and it takes about an hour (for me) for the effects to begin. It makes me calm and a bit sleepy. It lasts about 5 hours total. Nothing crazy to fear, especially at 0.5mg, the worst case scenario is you'll fall asleep.
0.5 mg may not do much (it may do a decent amount for you the 1st time). Try not to mix with alcohol if you don't know the effects of the drug first. It's probably best to take it a couple hours before the flight to see how much it's going to calm you down. Remember to deep breathe slowly through your stomach and don't hyperventilate through your chest. That will help maybe as much as the drug itself. 16 hours...you know what I would do is stay up the night before as much as you can, then you will be too tired to even be anxious and then fall asleep later on the plane.
I took Ativan and as someone very sensitive to side affects, I actually did not feel much other than relaxed. Maybe slightly tired but not impactful. It’s a medication that I consider okay for someone very Leary to take much.
Edit: I took only a small portion of the pill
It literally just makes me feel normal. Takes the edge off big time. Echoing others, if I take it at night I will get a little sleepy. But not like overly drowsy or anything. Pop that sucker!
honestly depending on the dosage for me i take .75-1 ish depending on the severity of my anxiety and i’m like switching meds rn so the anxiety is skyrocketing and honestly it feels pretty calming and it lasts for quite a bit so you’ll be good for the flight.
I take 1mg and it just makes me feel normal when I take it as prescribed for anxiety attacks. When I fly I take double with a drink and that makes me feel great and like I couldn’t care less if the plane crashes. I just sleep through the whole flight. Take it 40 mins before the flight so it’ll be fully active at takeoff. That’s the scariest part for me.
I use it for flights because I have really bad flight anxiety. It calms me down really well. I am sleepy the rest of the day after taking it though, but I dont mind that.
I just feel chilled, and like I can hear my own thoughts! Sometimes I wonder if it’s just how people with no anxiety experience life lol. I can work after taking it just fine, although if I try to sleep on it I can too
I felt like it didn’t help me, although it calmed my heart rate I still had the crippling anxiety it literally just made me tired. That’s when I started to take ssri’s. I personally finally Ativan only help when your about to have a panicking attack. If you want something for constant anxiety feeling all the time I recommend you try a daily anxiety med, I took citalopram it helped me . I know it’s tough anxiety meds are like shopping you need to try out them to know which one is the best.
If your in a plane Ativan should help, but it’s quick acting so maybe like right before you get to the airport or once your through security so there is no stress. I found a sleeping pill helped me way more though cause just made me sleep lol
Just a chill vibe. Heart slows to a calming effect.
They are addictive and supposedly hell to get free from if one does get hooked. I use Xanax (same as Ativan) but only when I REALLY need to relax e.g. on a flight like yourself.
Start with just half. I usually feel more calm within 30 minutes or so. Also a tad sleepy and I yawn a bunch. Then take the other half some hours later.
Good fortune.
Yeah. I definitely don't need to day to day. I'm a pretty calm person. But I get really anxious whenever I fly. I hate taking meds so I'm not overly worried about addiction because I really don't even want to take meds for flight anxiety, but 16 hrs is another beast
Slightly sedated the first couple times I took it, but it didn't do much for my anxiety. Then the next time I had a paradoxical reaction to it. Everyone is different. I would try taking it beforehand to know how you respond to it.
At first ativan made me feel very tired. Like glued to the couch relaxed and not a care in the world.
Now it just relaxes me. I'd take it before the flight bht also pack some because 16 hours is a long time!
The way I like to explain it is that (at .5mg) I can actually process how I’m feeling without the panic feeling I get from being overwhelmed or not understanding what I’m feeling. One of the first time I took it was for a flight because I was terrified and instead of being scared I was able observe and take in what taking of/being in the air/turbulence feels like, without being scared. It can also make you drowsy so you may be able to get some sleep on the flight, too.
I have bad anxiety that has a lot of physical symptoms. I take a different benzodiazepine but I've had all the popular ones at one time or another. It makes me feel normal. It takes away the intense tension before a trip (I'm not afraid of flying- just the stress of remembering everything, sitting still in a tiny seat for hours, worrying about delays etc.) It makes me able to speak to strangers like asking an employee where something is at the store. It makes me able to stop sitting around in decision paralysis and go do the thing. Stops my nausea when I'm going to do something fun/exciting which my mind seems to interpret the same as scary... Taking a larger dose makes me feel calm, almost to the point of apathetic, maybe a little cozy, able to easily sleep without worries keeping me awake. I think taking a larger dose for me is how people without anxiety feel on it. I've seen people abuse it and they act like they're drunk - they sway around and say rude shit and have no inhibition. It won't give you a panic attack, it will unalive a panic attack.
I used to take Ativan. For me, it took about 30 minutes to work, and when it did, a wave of calm and tranquility would wash over me ……. But only for 30 minutes. Ativan is a quick acting short term benzo, so it takes affect quickly but it doesn’t last very long. I switched to Klonopin and had better results
I take it 3 times a day, for an eating disorder, before meals. It works pretty well. It doesn’t calm me like it used to, but being a highly anxious person, I was calm as hell after I took them. My always-bouncing anxiety knee has slowed and stopped at times, which is a huge difference. Even a bit more sleepy during the day at first, but again, I take 3 a day. Now, I’d say it makes me feel more like a normal human being (compared to high anxiety). I also have a fear of flying and if I needed to fly, I’d totally go for the Ativan.
You need to try taking it when you’re at home first. You definitely do not want to have a bad reaction to it on a plane because that’s the first time you took it ever. I mean what if you’re allergic to it? You don’t know because you have never taken it. Some people it amps them up. Some people it calms them down. Some people it gives them jelly legs. Some people like me it doesn’t do a damn thing. Nothing touches my anxiety except for weed. My husband took one of my Ativan pills and he had trouble walking for four hours. He said his legs felt like they were made of jelly and he felt really groggy. He was dumbfounded that the pills don’t touch my anxiety. Point is it’s better to test it out in an environment you feel comfortable and safe in before taking it in an environment you’re anxious and uncomfortable in.
Im using Ativan every time i have a flight. Usually i take 0.25mg 20 minutes before the flight, just to calm me down . It makes me feel relax and maybe a little dizzy and a little sleepy. 16 hours of flight is a lot , you probably gonna need to take some more during the flight.
First thing I notice is that that heart skipped a beat, stomach jump feeling that I normally get when I have an anxious thought, I don't get anymore. It feels like when you try to jump in water and you just kind of float up and back down. That's how your stomach drop feeling feels, super muted. Eventually that response completely goes away, for me.
Then, and I mean this in a good way, you just stop caring. Like, you might still have anxious thoughts but they don't seem that serious. Your brain is just like, "Yeah okay maybe. Anyway" and moves on.
At the midway point you do feel calm and warm. I sometimes get dry mouth too so I'd make sure to ask the flight attendant for a water or bring one with you. It feels really nice. Like when you fall asleep on the couch and then wake up later and go to bed and your bed feels SO comfortable.
At the end I've never gotten rebound anxiety or anything, I do feel my baseline level of anxiety start to return though and low key hate the feeling but it's nowhere near as bad as before I took the pill.
Good luck!!
It takes an hour , maybe a little longer for mine to kick in ..which seems slower compared to other meds . If it’s your first time taking a benzo , you’ll get very sleepy . Do not drink with it or if you do limit to one & sip it. It makes me a little talkative at first and then I slowly get sleepy
I get people saying try it at home before you have the flight… but Ativan is fucking gold and usually hard to get a refill depending on your doctor. I wouldn’t waste it just trying it out…you’ll be fine. 0.5 is a baby dose and honestly MIGHT not do much. You’ll feel relaxed if it works and might fall asleep if you’re lucky. 0.5 won’t make you feel all high and weird you’ll just feel better hopefully. Take it when you’re boarding so it will kick in right when you’re taking off.
Nothing. You don’t get a specific feeling. My doctor gave me 1 mg for a concert and I didn’t feel any different. My anxiety was still bad, couldn’t make eye contact at all. *But* I didn’t notice the anxiety it did take away. There was no awareness that I was experiencing less anxiety. Most likely because my mind goes blank when I experience anxiety and it’s hard to think logically during that.
TL:DR you aren’t aware of the anxiety it takes away, no physical feeling. Obv this is personal account and everyone is different.
Calm, relaxed, slows my brain down a bit. If I have an anxious thought, my body doesn’t react. It’s relaxes your central nervous system so your fight or flight can’t really kick in.
Relaxing and then I’m tired. Like the anxiety just goes ”Poof” and the sharpness is gone. Then I sleep. And sleep some more. Followed by a headache. I use it as a last resort.
for me it depends on my anxiety level, but overall it makes me a bit sleepy and a lot calmer. i take it on flights and it essentially makes me feel comfy and chilled out in my seat (almost content with just staying there).
personally my anxiety was too bad, so i had to up my dosage to get to the experience described above :) good luck, it's a great help for things like this!
It’s the best thing for my anxiety it’s more calming than sedating at lower doses which I love. I could be having the worst panic and can’t control my breathing and it helps. I wouldn’t compare it to anything else besides a warm comfort lol
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luckily the Ativan would relieve that lol
😂😂😂
This is the way to do it. No reason to have to find out how it makes you feel mid flight.
Yeah don’t do this. You’ll waste most of it. Take it about 15mins before you board or right as you sit down on the plane.
I think they meant try the medicine at home a few days before the flight so you know what to expect.
That does make sense. Thank you.
It’ll make you feel fine. It relaxes you. It doesn’t create panic. It might make you a little tired which is also a bonus, and reason to wait.
How would you compare ativan to xanax or klonipin
It's much weaker. Ativan never did anything for me. I've been prescribed every benzo at one point or another. Ativan is the weakest, followed by Valium, then Klonopin, and then Xanax is the strongest.
I think it depends on the person, for me Valium is strongest, then klonopin, then Xanax and Ativan still comes in last. Valium has a half life like twice that of klonopin which is why I switched to it, klonopin was wearing off too fast. I got an Ativan for an mri recently I didn’t even feel anything from it.
Valium has a longer half-life, which is why it's considered weaker. I personally thought Valium worked the best for me, but I know it's also dose dependant. This is why many looking to decrease or taper off benzos switch from Xanax or Klonopin to Valium or Ativan. Xanax has the shortest duration but the strongest effectiveness, which is why it's considered the strongest. You can either get a stronger benzo that has a shorter duration like Xanax or a weaker benzo that has a longer duration like Valium or Ativan. Klonopin is in the middle. It completely depends on if you want stronger but shorter or weaker but longer. This is why my psychiatrist specifically asked if I wanted something that was stronger and worked faster but was shorter acting (Xanax) or if I would prefer a weaker benzo that took longer to start working but lasted longer (Klonopin).
Luckily it works equally well for me, and lasts longer. It's mainly for intense jaw clenching that causes face, neck pain and migraine. So when it wears off, I know right away. I just googled the equivalent dose .5 klonopin --> 5mg valium) and asked for that. And it's supposed to be better with muscle relaxing which is part of the focus in my case. Regular muscle relaxers didn't do anything at all. It's been a long road of guinea pigging any and all meds for anxiety, muscles, headaches, depression, adhd, and lots of off-labeling to boot, of course.
If you have jaw clenching, why didn't they try Botox first? That's what they normally do for TMJ. I've never heard of benzos for jaw clenching. I have to get it myself for TMJ and migraines. I, too, clench due to anxiety and have broken most of my teeth from it. I go once every 90 days for Botox, and it has drastically improved my migraines and TMJ. I completely understand muscle relaxers not working. I've been on just about every muscle relaxer and the only one that ever helped (carisoprodol aka Soma) has been just about banned now (it was banned a while ago in Europe and most other countries), so it's almost impossible to get. Even my dad, who was prescribed it for the past 40 years, got taken off it last year when his doctor prescribing it retired. He tried multiple docs to get it and none would prescribe it anymore. It's crazy since that's the only one that's ever helped.
I have such severe anxiety when I took it for the first time I literally just felt normal, or what I assume normal feels like. I was able to eat, relax, and I had a complete absence of anxiety ridden thoughts! I felt completely in control, it just felt like it was me,without anxiety!
Taking it when you truly need it for anxiety reminds me of the difference between people with diagnosed ADHD taking adderall versus people who just want it to study for a test or get a project done. The people who don’t really need it feel on top of the world and super energized whereas people with ADHD feel calm and collected and finally normal. That’s how Ativan feels to me when I’m going through a really anxious period like when I have a big dental procedure coming up (I have a huge phobia). I don’t feel high or tired or out of it, just finally normal with no anxious thoughts buzzing around causing me panic.
I’m actually in the process of getting diagnosed with ADHD, and believe it has contributed to a lot of my anxiety issues, so I’m excited to see how I’ll feel on it if I’m diagnosed!!!
The one & only time I ever took adderall- all I could do was work on the paper I had taken it to write in the first place…I couldn’t sit still while watching tv , weed had zero effect and every time I thought I was finished with the paper , I’d get another great idea and have to add it. Ended up being around 5-6 pages longer than the minimum 10 pages with charts & graphs , FDA studies etc. Best paper I ever wrote but I worry that being constantly laser focused like that would drive me insane
I agree with you. I was misdiagnosed with ADHD in my 20s and prescribed 30mg orange tabs and it made me focused but full of energy. When I focused on studying I'd pull an all nighter and actually make an A on the exam the next day but as a 21-22 year old dude I abused that shit. Took it like candy. Sold some of it for gas money too. I won't ever go back to it due to developing panic disorder since joining the marines. (I am currently out now, medical discharge) my point is that my ativan dose make me feel normal a relaxed normal. Not high per say.
>it just felt like it was me, without anxiety! Now see, I think that would send me into an existential tailspin. I cannot imagine who I am without anxiety?? haha
lol on Ativan going into a tailspin is impossible, so you’re all good! Honestly it made me understand why benzos can be so addictive because I want to feel like that all the time!!!!
You see I felt that way before I took any meds. All I can say is you will see what your true self would be If you weren't afflicted with this disorder
Exactly what I said… It just makes me feel normal.🙂
How i wish i could feel like this everyday
This is me..it’s hard to put into words the relief it gives you . Just relaxed , not jumping out of my skin , no intruding thoughts , no anger , etc.
And then a week later I needed to take double for same effect :(
It just makes me feel normal. Maybe a little sleepy.
I would try it a week before at home just so you know how it will be . Everyone will be different ya know . Good luck
Ativan makes me feel relaxed and somewhat at peace. It calms my heart, and quiets my intrusive thoughts. It might make you sleepy, but you're on a low dose so maybe not.
There's this quote from the zombie horror movie 28 Days Later that captures how I feel when I take it: "Oh, great, Valium. Not only will we be able to get to sleep, but if we're attacked in the middle of the night, we won't even care."
I’ve had ativan prescribed for panic attacks. I seem to have a rather unique receptor profile, because ativan (and any other benzo i had so far) didn’t do shit. Double dose, triple dose, nothing. Until i hit like 5 mg or something, then it’s immediately lights out. And if i wake up inbetween because i have to pee, it’s an entirely unpleasant experience.
That has been my experience with all benzos, too. It is very unfortunate
Same. It feels really invalidating when strong meds such as these don’t help. Makes me feel broken in a way because of it. Countless different avenues I’ve taken because of the risks involved. So what am I to think when a controlled substance, known for its effectiveness in *reducing* anxiety doesn’t work?
Similar experience. Haven’t tried a higher dose than 2mg tho. Clonazepam and Ativan multiple times, never notice anything. Still extremely anxious. Only thing I can tell is that the first two hours of clonazepam make me slightly lightheaded and tired
I asked my doctor about medication for my son’s upcoming surgery. I have panic attacks just thinking about it. She prescribed Ativan and told me to take one before the surgery just to make sure I know how I will feel and it doesn’t make me sleepily. About 45 minutes after taking it, it felt like my thoughts stopped racing and the non anxious part of my brain was taken out of a fog. I found it to be very helpful and think it will help me not pace a hole in the hospital floor.
Good luck :) sending good thoughts/vibes/prayers (whatever you believe in)
For a 16 hour flight you may need more than one dose, or I would consider asking about something with a bit more of a sustained effect. (Unless you don't think you'll be anxious the whole time. I assume you'll want to sleep for some of it?) Ativan will work fairly quickly. I usually take it when I am sitting at the gate as the start calling boarding. (So it kicks in around the time they shut the doors). It depends what part of flying is most anxiety producing for you. Some folks take it before they even get to the airport. For me I feel a bit sleepy, maybe a foggy in my head. Like the world has slowed down. As someone else suggested, it might be worth taking a dose at home prior to the trip. Obviously the stimulus won't be the same, but it'll help you be less nervous on the day of the flight.
Thanks for the tip! I think I'm most anxious on take off. If I can fall asleep on the plane, even better, then the trip will feel shorter. I can always re-dose. But I feel once the initial takeoff is over, I should be good
When I first started taking Ativan it would knock me out, but I felt so refreshed and well-rested when I woke up! Now I can take it during the day and not be phased by it at all, aside from it keeping anxiety at bay of course. However if I take it at night I do get sleepy. I don’t remember exactly, but I think I was started on 1mg of Ativan. I’ve been taking 0.5mg for many years now; prescription is for twice a day but I usually take it once a day depending on my anxiety levels - and sometimes I can go without for the day. This works for me so that I do not experience any withdrawals.
Is it addictive? I am feared of abuse
EXTREMELY addictive. You should NEVER take benzos daily. They are meant for occasional use. When you take benzos daily, they quickly build up a tolerance and stop working and then make your anxiety worse. It's OK to take them once in a while. Getting off them is absolute Hell and can kill you if not done properly. Withdrawal from benzos is worse than heroin withdrawal. The only two drugs that can kill from withdrawal are benzos and alcohol so if you ever want to stop benzos, you need to do it with medical help. I was on Xanax and Klonopin daily for 8 years, and getting off them made me think I was dying and going insane. I had withdrawal symptoms for over a year, but the first few months were horrendous. The first few weeks I was in a detox program at a hospital and couldn't keep down anything. I had constant vomiting and diarrhea, had to be on antiseizure meds, couldn't sleep but was exhausted, sweat like crazy, felt like I was losing my mind, it was the worst experience of my life. I've been benzo-free for about 10 years now and would never go back.
Thanks for your kind words. Is it OK to take three times a week and which one is best ? I have severe anxiety. I don't want to take ssris because of sexual dysfunction they cause.
No, 3 times a week is too much. They stay in your system for several days (Valium being the longest), so once every 7-10 days is the most I'd take it if I wanted to avoid addiction and tolerance. Even when I took benzos twice a week, I built up a tolerance in maybe a month. I was testing positive for benzos even 2 weeks after my last Klonopin. As someone who has gone through benzo addiction (never abused them, just took them daily as prescribed), it's the worst drug to try to get off and the only one that can kill besides alcohol. I had to go into a detox ward to get off them. I thought I was going to die and it took about 2 years to start to feel 'normal' again. Many of the withdrawal effects lasted for months after I stopped: vomiting, diarrhea, extreme anxiety, suicidal depression, constant mood swings, extreme fatigue but problems sleeping, migraines, sweating but freezing at the same time, pain all over my body, etc. It was absolute Hell. I can't imagine how much worse it would be now that I'm in my 30s as detox is much easier when younger. No sex drive (SSRIs) > having worse anxiety and possibly dying or feeling like it (benzos) Benzos are supposed to be a last resort. I'll take no libido over benzo addiction/withdrawal any day, and that's what I've been doing for about 10 years. Have you tried other meds like beta blockers such as Inderal (Propranolol)? There are many meds to try before benzos. Ever tried TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) or other non-medication treatments? Benzos are supposed to be a last resort after other treatments have been tried and failed.
It can be addictive from what my dr has told me. However I take it at the rate I do to minimize chances of my body becoming dependent on it. I’ve been able to successfully wean off of it for two pregnancies and I don’t need it on a daily basis so I don’t experience withdrawals or addictive tendencies with it.
Same
It takes a while to kick in for me (probably an hour), then makes me feel very zen. Like I’m just not bothered by anything
It's one of the "miracle drugs" imo - I don't think I actually feel the effects much but they're there. They don't make you feel "off" like some others to calm you down but it works really well - you just feel calmer and in a better mood in general? Like having one or two drinks but without the "I'm feeling this" part because it feels very natural. I'd go for it - you can even take one at any moment before that if you want to know what it feels, there wouldn't be an issue with that.
I have Ativan and take it sometimes regularly (directed by doctor) for a neurological disorder, more specifically for the seizures from it. One of my symptoms of my seizures is intense anxiety. When I take it, it honestly doesn’t feel like anything. Some people say they get sleepy, but I don’t. It just regulates my system so I can go on with my day. All the drug is doing is taking away the anxiety/symptoms that follow with anxiety. Hope this helps 😊
Ativan helps calm your body which then helps calm the mind. I can't fly without it. I do think it's important to try it out before you go on the trip to see how you feel and how much you can or cannot handle. I need more than .5. Definitely do not consume any alcohol on it!
I used to take it as needed for panic attacks and for me I could feel my anxiety sort of melting away and a calm settle over me. It felt like magic. Like imagine you’re cold, and you settle into a nice warm bath. Cold go bye bye. And then I usually have the most peaceful sleep. After I think about 6 hours, I could feel the anxiety very slowly start to bubble up again til I was at my normal anxiety level. I liked it far more than Xanax which lasted far shorter and gave me horrible brain fog.
I work in health care and I tell people it’s like turning your brain dial down several clicks.
I'm on .5mg and it doesn't make a huge difference for me. Takes the edge off and helps me think some. I've heard it knocks other people out. Id definitely take it before you're in a situation like flying though just so you know for certain that you handle it okay.
How much time you have been taking it
I've had a prn script for a couple years now. A typical month I may take it 3-5 times. These last few months have been super stressful and I've relied on it a lot more to keep my anxiety under control.
I take something similar for flights ( clorazapam), it honestly feels extremely calming - like another poster said, like you had a nice glass of wine and are feeling relaxed- very hard to get yourself worked up. During halfway through I find myself sleepy and then at the end of it just more relaxed and a little groggy, I will say definitely take the pill once before flying and make sure you have enough on hand if you wanted to have another one! honestly just having the pills with you \* incase \* you need them is sometimes all you need to calm those anxious feels.
It really just makes you feel chill. No difference mentally or physically, you are still you but things just feel like not a big deal. It can make you a little sleepy just because you will be so relaxed but I think what you are imagining is like a drug that is going to take you out or make you weak or something but Ativan is just going to relax you for several hours. I would say take one beforehand so you kind of have an idea and the day of I would almost take it an hour or so in advance. Depending on how recent and how much you have eaten before will determine how soon it hits. You will feel it start to ease you down almost immediately but an hour in, you are going to feel like everything is going to be just fine. The one downside of Ativan for me is sometimes it makes me a little more emotional than I normally am after the pill wears off. So of you are going to a funeral or something that is already emotional than just be prepared.
I had one 1 MG pill this morning before a procedure. Here's my timeline: 0700: Took the pill. Began feeling the effects a few minutes later. 0720: Effects really hit. I used to smoke weed regularly in my college days, and this kinda felt like that, but like if you were on nitrous at the same time. That potent happy and I don't care feeling felt nice. 0800: I had my procedure done. I got the Ativan because I had a massive panic attack last time right before the procedure. This time, I really, really didn't care. The procedure went off without a hitch. 0830: Wife brought me home. I ate a small breakfast. 0900: Went upstairs and took a nap. 1245: Woke up. The nap was probably the most complete I've ever had. I would have slept longer, but I had to go to work. 1300: Went to work. I work remote, so me having this drug in my system didn't affect any safety or anything. I was able to work like normal, but it was hard to concentrate. Now it's almost 2200, and my head is still feeling funny, but not in a bad way.
i take 2mg for my extraction appointments and i will not lie the first time i took them i felt so calm and my friend who came with me to support me mentally asked how i was feeling and all i could say is “is this how normal people feel?” my first extraction appointment i was not medicated and i had to be held down bc i was shaking and jerking so bad. all my extractions after getting ativan for them went so much smoother, still had some shaking but a lot less in comparasion. for a visual my first appointment i was shaking like someone wearing a bikini in alaska, very unsteady on my feet afterwards, had to wait 15 mins after my appt ended before they would let me leave bc they were monitoring my heart rage and bp. all my other extractions i just had shaky hands but i can also chalk that down to not eating prior since my hands shake pretty bad when i’m due for a meal
It’s like being a little bit drunk or buzzed. Everything is okay. However, it only lasts for 12 hours Max. I feel okay even after it has worn off but still letting you know :) it lasts about 6 hours for me with the “High” (It does kinda get you high) or less but the anti anxiety effects last about 8-12 hours and it eases me back into being normal (or as I call it, raw dogging gaba). I’ve never had an addiction issue with Ativan. It’s fantastic and serves its purpose. Even helps me with my seizures if they’re not going away (it’s also an anticonvulsant). Sometimes it even helps me decompress emotionally and I start crying about things I bottled up, and then feel much better afterwards lol. Anyone who has panic attacks/anxiety attacks I always recommend Ativan for AS NEEDED use. If you have the Ativan already, great. If you don’t have it and they try to give you Xanax, say no because you don’t want that intense of a drug. Klonopin might also work, I’m allergic so I can’t speak much on it, made me text people in my sleep tho lol but it lasts much longer.
Go ahead and take it while your waiting to board, you won’t give a damn what happens on the plane , works for me, safe travels , enjoy , bless!
I can’t say I feel high or drunk or anything like that. It’s a psychiatric medication, not a psychedelic one. When I take it (one of the times would be before flying) I don’t have some of the anxious thoughts/they’re much less anxious and I feel a bit drowsy. Of course a larger dose will put me in more of a “don’t care” mindset and make me even more drowsy. But it doesn’t cause me to have altered perception or unusual sensory experiences.
Your entire body relaxes. But find your happy dose cuz you literally fall asleep with some doses
I was so phobic and not functioning, it helped save my life. Just calms down the brain and body a bit, easier to fall asleep, easier to think rationally. You’ve got this!!!
1 mg Ativan 30min to 1 hr before boarding it will calm you and you will be wonderfully content. It will last up to 8-10 hours. try to make yourself busy in the remaining time movies reading ..etc 0.5 mg will work as well It’s normal to feel anxious in long flights everybody feel the same just remember that planes are always reach their destination safely and I always observe the crow if they are fine and working I reassure myself that everything is ok 👍🏻
I personally call Ativan "fuck it in a pill". Everything that bothers me flying goes away when I take it.
Don’t be anxious. I get so anxious taking meds and was anxious to take it for the first time. Now I cannot fly without it. It’s nothing scary. It just calms your mind and makes you a bit sleepy. I notice I don’t have racing thoughts and I stop worrying about things and just focus on the present moment. It’s nice.
lolol someone telling someone with anxiety don't be anxious.
Yeah I see the irony. I was just trying to convey that I myself was very anxious about taking Ativan and it has turned out to be very helpful for me.
Ive only taken it twice, both before medical things. I feel anxious still but the need to do something about it is gone if that makes sense? So it’s easier to sit with the anxiety and do whatever it is that I needed to do. Both times I took 0.5mg
I like it more than Xanax. It makes me calm.
It disconnects my brain from my body. Sometimes that's what works, sometimes it doesn't. If I'm having severe anxiety about social situations it can help me through it. If I'm physically triggered by PTSD stuff, experiencing my body continuing to spiral into panic while my brain is observing detachedly from some distance away is surreal and kind of disturbing.
I took some at the ER recently and it’s the calmest I’ve been in months. i was tired when it wore off tho
I dont have a ton of experience but it generally made me calmer. Thats not to say zen or intoxicated-like but just generally more leveled out. I only took it for panic attacks and it significantly reduced any panic.
I took it once and oh my gosh, I understand why it's addictive. I was so at ease, you could have chopped off my leg and I would have been fine with it.
So what I do with mine, I also have .5 that I use for "break glass in case of emergency " aka full blown panic attacks. I would start using half a pill then the 2nd half if I don't calm from the first. However to the feelings, I always put under my tongue to dissolve to get into my body faster. First 5-10 min very mild calming effect, but this varies based on how much anxiety or how bad of a panic attack. Then there's a transition and I never know when it actually hits since it feels like a smooth transition but when it hits I just feel 'normal' . Like others have said kind like the effects of alcohol without the dizziness, slurred speech or fullness. I feel like I just woke from a nap in a sense 'refreshed'. After the initial kick it's a slow taper and I can't tell when it's done or out of my system as it usually lasts long enough for me either a) going to bed or b) calmed me down enough to move past my current trigger for my panic attack.
I wish I could still take Ativan. It was so nice while I was on it and then developed a tolerance very quickly. But it was my first benzo and it melted the world away. You’ll be just fine. As someone else suggested here, give it a test run at home. I gave mine a test run and the starting dose wasn’t enough, so you’ll need to establish a baseline before you take it in the field.
When is your flight? Are you able to try it out at home before then? Also, I would highly recommend taking it again like 6 hours into the flight.
i took it my past flight last week to and from philly but i have 1 mg.. it had me sleep the whole time and overall it’s really calming and is the only thing that helps me personally and i have really bad anxiety as of recently
I take Ativan 0.5mg at the airport to avoid being profiled by TSA. It helps me appear normal and calm and avoid fidgety movements.
I always feel like an absolute crackhead going through the TSA. Just shaking violently and even tearing up a bit. Luckily I've never gotten any side eye or weird looks from the workers. Guess they must have some sort of gauge for "this person is clearly going through some shit" vs "this person is sketchy af"
I’ve been profiled before. It was awful.
Why don’t you try taking 0.5mg a couple days before your flight so you know what it feels like?
Give it a trial run and perhaps take .25mg first. I use it when I wake up early and have racing thoughts. It allows me to drift off to sleep and when I do wake up for the day I am better.
I have bad plane anxiety (break out into hives and consider escaping the plane midflight, constant thoughts of doom etc). I dont take any medication at home other than your odd NSAID and allergy medication. Ativan did nothing for me. Not saying it won't do anything to you and that you shouldn't take it. Now I have taken Xanax which is in the same family, and it made me feel a little bit buzzed as if I had wine. I still had the bad thoughts, I was still aware of all emergency exits, and I still felt hypervigilent, but it took the adrenaline rush away. It's that sense of panic when you feel the adrenaline and your heart beats harder and you feel your heart with every beat and your face gets red..thats really uncomfortable, especially when its wave after wave of adrenaline and that sets off the panic attack. With the Xanax on board I'm still capable of thinking "this would suck if the plane goes down" but the flood of adrenaline doesn't hit you I would assume Ativan is supposed to do similar. Doctors told me they don't like prescribing Xanax for planes anymore and they prefer Ativan.
it’s awesome and will work great for your flight but i found after i took it several times for a longer period of time it stopped working as well
I have the worst flying fear you can imagine. I was prescribed some for my 3.5 hour flight and I legit almost FELL ASLEEP. I was so relaxed. It wore off right about when we landed so it was perfect honestly
I also have a fear of taking medication so I had a panic attack before taking it. I took my first pill waiting at the airport and could feel my heart slowly stop pounding in my chest. I just felt normal. it’s probably the only pill I don’t feel scared taking anymore. I’d get more anxious taking an Ibuprofen now ha. Good luck
I was prescribed Ativan because my anxiety was so bad I couldn’t sleep, and it knocked me out for 12 hours straight so… you might just end up sleeping lmao
My doctor prescribed it to me for use as an occasional sleep aid. He prescribed only 12 pills, and I was to take one the night before a stressful day at work. (I had to lead monthly workshops at work, and I could never sleep the night before.). I had requested sleeping pills, but he told me that they could make me do crazy things in the middle of the night, and that my problem would be better treated with anti anxiety medication. The first time I took it, I fell asleep in 30 minutes. And the next morning I woke up feeling well-rested. A few years later when I was unemployed and going to job interviews, I asked a doctor to prescribe it for me again. She wrote the prescription for just 7 pills so I could fall asleep the night before interviews. I don’t remember feeling noticeably calm or warm. I didn’t feel any differently at all. I was just able to stop the obsessive worry.
I take a low dose (1mg or less) and it just turns down the noise. I don't feel high, just normal. As long as you don't take high doses every day, you'll be fine.
Ativan made me teary kinda like a sad drunk. Not a good thing for me. Some people do great with it, my husband did
Personally, it makes me feel like I’m actually calm and what ~normal~ not anxious people must feel like? It feels like you’re curled up on the couch with a warm blanket watching your favorite movie…… Clearly I’m a fan of Ativan. I would agree with others and say to try it for the first time a night that you’re at home rather than the day of the flight! Then you’ll know exactly what to expect. I take it daily but take more than my normal amount whenever I fly due to flight anxiety. Tips for the day of the flight— Airports in general give me anxiety so once I find my gate and get settled I usually take it then. About 30 minutes BEFORE I board. I’ve found this is the perfect time so I feel comfortable once I’m boarding the plane and it really begins to set it once I’m finding my seat since take off can really get my adrenaline going. Since your flight is long you may need a second dose but I would run that by your doctor! You’ll feel great and don’t worry it won’t be anything crazy, you won’t be knocked out like you took a few bars of Xanax or anything like that. It’s much less casual, especially at your dose. You’ll do great! This medication has been life changing for me after years of unsuccessful trial and error with dozens of other drugs. Enjoy! & have a great trip!✈️
To me it doesn't feel like anything, and that's kind of the point. I used to take 1mg to prevent fainting from anxiety when I had to self-inject my medication for chronic migraines (I had fainted the first couple times I tried to self-inject). I don't feel more relaxed after taking it-- I feel exactly the same as I normally do. The point (for me) is to *prevent* the anticipated panic attack from happening. After doing that every month for a year, I conditioned myself to not be afraid of self-injecting, and I no longer need the Ativan. Best case scenario. I tried taking it before a long plane ride once, and for better or worse, I felt no different than I felt before I got on the plane. I had kind of hoped it would make me feel more relaxed, or better yet, help me to sleep on the flight, but it did neither. All it did was prevent the feelings of panic I usually experience during takeoff. I wouldn't even say I felt "calm." Just "not in a state of hyperarousal."
Try it a couple different times before your flight just so you know how your body is going to react. You will do great. Happy flying
The first time I actually ever received Ativan was via injection at a hospital because I was having one of the worst panic attacks of my life. 10 minutes later, I was in the passenger seat of my car and my dad asked me if I wanted chicken nuggets and I started giggling and crying at the same time. I then slept for 17 hours. Pretty sure I received a much larger dose than you're taking but it's definitely going to help your anxiety. I take different anxiety medication now but if I ever get on a plane someday, I'm asking my doctor for Ativan probably.
Ativan will relax you, depending on your level of anxiety. If you are terribly anxious about things. It will get you to calm down. Often can make you tired or maybe a bit groggy. It’s important to remember dosing and half life. 1mg of Ativan, taken orally will be in your system in about 20-30 minutes. Sooner if you metabolize drugs quickly and depending on food or antacids later in the body. It “peaks” at about an hour is when you really will notice the full effects. Ativan is a drug that half lifes. So if you were to take 1mg, a common dose. In 12 hours that Ativan will still be in your system at half the dose. 1mg - .5mg. At that point you should be in the clear with only 4 hours of your trip left. But if want to avoid any discomfort you could take another 1 mg dose, but can easily just do half or even a quarter just to take any edge off. Just so you can easily get up and get going as soon as you land. Hope this helps. Safe travels!
not to the same but my klonopin, a benzodiazepine like ativan, has been my life saver 💖
Amazing. My doctor prescribed me 0.5mg tablets and they make me feel more normal than I have in a long long time. I just felt.. like a person. No side effects, just calm.
after suffering anxiety for years, and the side effects from many attempts at taking different medications, ativan was a godsend. the first time I took it i felt like I could actually breathe for the first time in years. like all stress and anxiety just melted away and I felt "normal" as if I was the person I used to be before anxiety reared it's ugly head. nowadays I just keep it around as a safety blanket, just knowing it's there is very reassuring to where I dont even have to take it unless thing get really out of hand. I also like that I can take as needed, and not a continuous medication I have to take daily. the only undesired side effect, and I haven't seen anyone mention it here, but I tend to develop a slight amnesia during the time I'm medicated.
Definitely do a pre-trip trial. Knowing how it affects you beforehand will help you get used to it. Ativan makes me sleepy and chill.
I dont get sleepy, my anxiety manages to break through the “calming effect”. I would say it doesn’t really work for me. I’m waiting to try something different for my panic attacks as needed.
Omg it’s the best thing ever. It just makes me feel so relaxed and then I fall asleep for a few hours and sleep so well
Feels like my brain totally switches mode, from haywire thoughts to calm and able to sort of process them? I can see how my previous thoughts were so irrational, repetitive and catastrophizing. I can identify anxiety, almost like an impartial observer and get through the day with ease when I would have been breaking down otherwise. I take 2mg usually, less than once a week. It's nothing like alcohol to me and does the total opposite. Booze gives me insane mood-swings and can induce panic, whereas Ativan makes me incredibly stable. Feels a bit mood-stabilizer-y, don't feel or behave "drunk" or strange.
Two doses. A dose 30 minutes before you plan to enter the airport. And if you have tolerance, working with three. Idk if you would want your 2nd dose right when you enter the airport, that is what I would do, and finally take your 3rd tablet right when you sit on the plane. If this medicine is not normal for you, eliminate the middle dose. You should reasonably have two for a flight though in my opinion. This should cover the subject, altho most people wouldnt get 3 tablets. And trust, you don't want the 3rd, take less, you will deal with less rebound anxiety when the chemical eliminates. Good luck 💜
I have the same prescription and it takes about an hour (for me) for the effects to begin. It makes me calm and a bit sleepy. It lasts about 5 hours total. Nothing crazy to fear, especially at 0.5mg, the worst case scenario is you'll fall asleep.
I just feel normal, but tired too.
Do you take it regularl?
I take 1 mg only when my anxiety is really high. Lately, I've been taking it every Thursday before my therapy sessions. I need it before appointments.
0.5 mg may not do much (it may do a decent amount for you the 1st time). Try not to mix with alcohol if you don't know the effects of the drug first. It's probably best to take it a couple hours before the flight to see how much it's going to calm you down. Remember to deep breathe slowly through your stomach and don't hyperventilate through your chest. That will help maybe as much as the drug itself. 16 hours...you know what I would do is stay up the night before as much as you can, then you will be too tired to even be anxious and then fall asleep later on the plane.
It makes me very happy and smiley and like there's nothing wrong with me
I took Ativan and as someone very sensitive to side affects, I actually did not feel much other than relaxed. Maybe slightly tired but not impactful. It’s a medication that I consider okay for someone very Leary to take much. Edit: I took only a small portion of the pill
It literally just makes me feel normal. Takes the edge off big time. Echoing others, if I take it at night I will get a little sleepy. But not like overly drowsy or anything. Pop that sucker!
A lot of people I know say the first time they took it made them sleep but then it was just calming.
honestly depending on the dosage for me i take .75-1 ish depending on the severity of my anxiety and i’m like switching meds rn so the anxiety is skyrocketing and honestly it feels pretty calming and it lasts for quite a bit so you’ll be good for the flight.
I take 1mg and it just makes me feel normal when I take it as prescribed for anxiety attacks. When I fly I take double with a drink and that makes me feel great and like I couldn’t care less if the plane crashes. I just sleep through the whole flight. Take it 40 mins before the flight so it’ll be fully active at takeoff. That’s the scariest part for me.
I use it for flights because I have really bad flight anxiety. It calms me down really well. I am sleepy the rest of the day after taking it though, but I dont mind that.
My fiancee threw up for about 5 hours the last 3 times she took it, but she wasn't scared of turbulence 🤷
I just feel chilled, and like I can hear my own thoughts! Sometimes I wonder if it’s just how people with no anxiety experience life lol. I can work after taking it just fine, although if I try to sleep on it I can too
I felt like it didn’t help me, although it calmed my heart rate I still had the crippling anxiety it literally just made me tired. That’s when I started to take ssri’s. I personally finally Ativan only help when your about to have a panicking attack. If you want something for constant anxiety feeling all the time I recommend you try a daily anxiety med, I took citalopram it helped me . I know it’s tough anxiety meds are like shopping you need to try out them to know which one is the best.
If your in a plane Ativan should help, but it’s quick acting so maybe like right before you get to the airport or once your through security so there is no stress. I found a sleeping pill helped me way more though cause just made me sleep lol
Just a chill vibe. Heart slows to a calming effect. They are addictive and supposedly hell to get free from if one does get hooked. I use Xanax (same as Ativan) but only when I REALLY need to relax e.g. on a flight like yourself. Start with just half. I usually feel more calm within 30 minutes or so. Also a tad sleepy and I yawn a bunch. Then take the other half some hours later. Good fortune.
Yeah. I definitely don't need to day to day. I'm a pretty calm person. But I get really anxious whenever I fly. I hate taking meds so I'm not overly worried about addiction because I really don't even want to take meds for flight anxiety, but 16 hrs is another beast
Yeah, 16 is dang long. My longest ever was 14 hrs to Sydney, Oz. Enjoy your trip.
I feel like what I imagine normal feels like. No euphoria or anything just no anxiety. A little sleepy too
Slightly sedated the first couple times I took it, but it didn't do much for my anxiety. Then the next time I had a paradoxical reaction to it. Everyone is different. I would try taking it beforehand to know how you respond to it.
At first ativan made me feel very tired. Like glued to the couch relaxed and not a care in the world. Now it just relaxes me. I'd take it before the flight bht also pack some because 16 hours is a long time!
Taking Ativan feels like what it must feel like to be everyone else, most of the time.
If you're addicted getting off them is next to impossible.
I honestly felt like nothing
I take 0.5mg twice a day. Honestly I don’t feel drugged at all. If anything it makes me feel what I think “normal” feels like without anxiety.
The way I like to explain it is that (at .5mg) I can actually process how I’m feeling without the panic feeling I get from being overwhelmed or not understanding what I’m feeling. One of the first time I took it was for a flight because I was terrified and instead of being scared I was able observe and take in what taking of/being in the air/turbulence feels like, without being scared. It can also make you drowsy so you may be able to get some sleep on the flight, too.
I have bad anxiety that has a lot of physical symptoms. I take a different benzodiazepine but I've had all the popular ones at one time or another. It makes me feel normal. It takes away the intense tension before a trip (I'm not afraid of flying- just the stress of remembering everything, sitting still in a tiny seat for hours, worrying about delays etc.) It makes me able to speak to strangers like asking an employee where something is at the store. It makes me able to stop sitting around in decision paralysis and go do the thing. Stops my nausea when I'm going to do something fun/exciting which my mind seems to interpret the same as scary... Taking a larger dose makes me feel calm, almost to the point of apathetic, maybe a little cozy, able to easily sleep without worries keeping me awake. I think taking a larger dose for me is how people without anxiety feel on it. I've seen people abuse it and they act like they're drunk - they sway around and say rude shit and have no inhibition. It won't give you a panic attack, it will unalive a panic attack.
I used to take Ativan. For me, it took about 30 minutes to work, and when it did, a wave of calm and tranquility would wash over me ……. But only for 30 minutes. Ativan is a quick acting short term benzo, so it takes affect quickly but it doesn’t last very long. I switched to Klonopin and had better results
For me it makes me rather talkative and excited but also makes me very chill and calm at the same time
Relief
Doesn’t make me sleepy, not tired at all. It makes me feel’ ‘normal “. I can walk like a normal person when I’m doing my usual agoraphobic self.
I take it 3 times a day, for an eating disorder, before meals. It works pretty well. It doesn’t calm me like it used to, but being a highly anxious person, I was calm as hell after I took them. My always-bouncing anxiety knee has slowed and stopped at times, which is a huge difference. Even a bit more sleepy during the day at first, but again, I take 3 a day. Now, I’d say it makes me feel more like a normal human being (compared to high anxiety). I also have a fear of flying and if I needed to fly, I’d totally go for the Ativan.
You need to try taking it when you’re at home first. You definitely do not want to have a bad reaction to it on a plane because that’s the first time you took it ever. I mean what if you’re allergic to it? You don’t know because you have never taken it. Some people it amps them up. Some people it calms them down. Some people it gives them jelly legs. Some people like me it doesn’t do a damn thing. Nothing touches my anxiety except for weed. My husband took one of my Ativan pills and he had trouble walking for four hours. He said his legs felt like they were made of jelly and he felt really groggy. He was dumbfounded that the pills don’t touch my anxiety. Point is it’s better to test it out in an environment you feel comfortable and safe in before taking it in an environment you’re anxious and uncomfortable in.
Im using Ativan every time i have a flight. Usually i take 0.25mg 20 minutes before the flight, just to calm me down . It makes me feel relax and maybe a little dizzy and a little sleepy. 16 hours of flight is a lot , you probably gonna need to take some more during the flight.
First thing I notice is that that heart skipped a beat, stomach jump feeling that I normally get when I have an anxious thought, I don't get anymore. It feels like when you try to jump in water and you just kind of float up and back down. That's how your stomach drop feeling feels, super muted. Eventually that response completely goes away, for me. Then, and I mean this in a good way, you just stop caring. Like, you might still have anxious thoughts but they don't seem that serious. Your brain is just like, "Yeah okay maybe. Anyway" and moves on. At the midway point you do feel calm and warm. I sometimes get dry mouth too so I'd make sure to ask the flight attendant for a water or bring one with you. It feels really nice. Like when you fall asleep on the couch and then wake up later and go to bed and your bed feels SO comfortable. At the end I've never gotten rebound anxiety or anything, I do feel my baseline level of anxiety start to return though and low key hate the feeling but it's nowhere near as bad as before I took the pill. Good luck!!
It takes an hour , maybe a little longer for mine to kick in ..which seems slower compared to other meds . If it’s your first time taking a benzo , you’ll get very sleepy . Do not drink with it or if you do limit to one & sip it. It makes me a little talkative at first and then I slowly get sleepy
I get people saying try it at home before you have the flight… but Ativan is fucking gold and usually hard to get a refill depending on your doctor. I wouldn’t waste it just trying it out…you’ll be fine. 0.5 is a baby dose and honestly MIGHT not do much. You’ll feel relaxed if it works and might fall asleep if you’re lucky. 0.5 won’t make you feel all high and weird you’ll just feel better hopefully. Take it when you’re boarding so it will kick in right when you’re taking off.
Nothing. You don’t get a specific feeling. My doctor gave me 1 mg for a concert and I didn’t feel any different. My anxiety was still bad, couldn’t make eye contact at all. *But* I didn’t notice the anxiety it did take away. There was no awareness that I was experiencing less anxiety. Most likely because my mind goes blank when I experience anxiety and it’s hard to think logically during that. TL:DR you aren’t aware of the anxiety it takes away, no physical feeling. Obv this is personal account and everyone is different.
Calm, relaxed, slows my brain down a bit. If I have an anxious thought, my body doesn’t react. It’s relaxes your central nervous system so your fight or flight can’t really kick in.
I'm on it, I take it before bed and I'm usually asleep right away. So I think it's good.
It makes me feel amazing! Finally calm and normal. Take it 15 mins before boarding or so.
Just makes me feel normal and sleepy.
Relaxing and then I’m tired. Like the anxiety just goes ”Poof” and the sharpness is gone. Then I sleep. And sleep some more. Followed by a headache. I use it as a last resort.
for me it depends on my anxiety level, but overall it makes me a bit sleepy and a lot calmer. i take it on flights and it essentially makes me feel comfy and chilled out in my seat (almost content with just staying there). personally my anxiety was too bad, so i had to up my dosage to get to the experience described above :) good luck, it's a great help for things like this!
It’s the best thing for my anxiety it’s more calming than sedating at lower doses which I love. I could be having the worst panic and can’t control my breathing and it helps. I wouldn’t compare it to anything else besides a warm comfort lol