Posted by: little one ®
05/30/2005, 12:08:17
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Hello,I am not sure if you have read up on ativan but I do know that this drug is very very addictive. Good luck. Lynne
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Posted by: Mary ®
05/30/2005, 12:55:28
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I took ativan for a couple of years. It was very difficult for me personally to get off of and didn't help with my dysphonia that I could tell. One Dr. also suggested that I take zoloft, which did help my depression but did absolutely nothing for the dysphonia.
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Posted by: gloria ®
05/30/2005, 18:19:12
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I'm new to the bullentin board, but felt I needed to respond.Ativan is very adicting and should be taken with caution. I have been on Zoloft for years and have still developed SD symptoms. ADSD. At least that is what my voice/speech therapist and a neurologist have said. I see my ENT on Wednesday and will probably get referred to Dr. Berke at UCLA.
Anyway, I get the impression from what I have read already, that drugs really don't help with the spasms. My sister is a new Speech Therapist and even she says at her clinic they recommend Botox. So be careful with the drug issue.
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Posted by: kitty ®
05/31/2005, 23:24:23
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I have ABSD and I took Ativan for anxiety related irritable bowel prior to getting SD. It is additictive and hard to get off of without witdrawal (shakiness, sleeplessnes, etc.). I have had insomnia problems for years and was on Ambiem to sleep. After 7 years it was tough to withdraw from it also when my ENT put me on Diazepam (generic Valium)at night. His reasoning was it was a muscle relaxant (rather than anti-anxiety), and would also help me sleep. It took a week or two to get over the withdrawal but it does seem to help. I am gradually sleeping better, even though I sleep lighter, I am able to go back to sleep. It is more natural sleep than when I was on the Ambiem. Also I had read articles that implicated Zoloft as causing speech problems. It is listed in the drug company's own pamplet of rare side effects. Although no research I have heard of indicates it actually can cause SD. I have also taken Zoloft several different times (I have always been a little high strung), and doctors are always anxious to try to fix every little thing with a pill. Zoloft has many bad side effects and I finally quit cold turkey against my doctor's advice because I was having such vivid and disturbing dreams among other side effects. Right now the Diazepam helps my neck pain from the severe muscle tension but does nothing for my voice. I thought that the Ativan used to help my voice in the begining but it has no effect now. I was taking Ativan for IBS and tried it to see if it would help my voice. I would use it for a few days and I would have some voice, then I would go off it for a few days and my voice would disapear the next day. I don't know if it actually helped or if my problem has just gotten worse these last two years because I have failed all treatment options. Good luck to you. I have a rather severe case of SD and many people have had better luck than I have. At this point my vocal chords are severly bowed, which leaves me with few options.
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Posted by: gloria ®
05/31/2005, 23:51:36
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Kitty,
Please be careful with Valium also. It to is quite addicting. I once read a book about a lady's journey at kicking the Valium habit (I'm Dancing as fast as I Can). Don't remember the author. Anyway, good luck.Gloria
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Posted by: Colleen ®
06/01/2005, 10:21:51
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My doctor just gave me Ativan .5mg to help me sleep at night as needed. My voice has been alot better lately and it must be the ativan. I ko not have as much breathiness. But are you all saying it is bad for us..Colleen AB/SD NE PCA SURGERY UCLA
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Posted by: kitty ®
06/01/2005, 23:53:20
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Thanks for the info, but I am on the lowest dose and will probably never be able to stop using it. I will always have the tight muscles in my neck which causes pain and headaches. My insomnia problem goes back 40 years and I need something to help me sleep, (my insomnia is made worse due to pain and discomfort associated with my ABSD).
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Posted by: wiley ®
06/23/2005, 20:33:21
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I have been taking Ativan for about one year and it works relatively well for me. It is not perfect, but it is more effective that the two treatments of Botox I had. I considered the surgery, but things will have to get much worse before I try that. I learned about Ativan while inquiring about NIH medical trials on SD. I am not the kind of person who takes medication regularly, even for colds and flu; therefore I was somewhat reluctant to try Ativan. Also, my local doctor was very reluctant to prescribe it for me. However my ability to speak was deteriorating quickly and I was getting desperate. After talking to my family doctor back home, he agreed to let me try it. In June of 04, I started with an initial dose of 2 mgs per day. I didn't notice any improvement, so I increased my dosage to 4 mgs- after consulting with my doctor. The improvement at 4 mgs was both immediate and very noticeable. However, Ativan is subject to tolerance and it wasn't long before the effect of 4 mgs was less than original. My doctor gave me permission to experiment with my dosage as long as I didn't exceed 10 mgs per day. This doctor knows me well and I am quite "in tune" with my body and how it responds to medication. As I gradually increased my dosage during the fall of 04, I finally reached 10 mgs per day. It was at that point that I noticed that I would get a little drowsy in the late afternoons, if I sat quietly for more than five minutes. I came to the conclusion that I didn't want to become dependent on such a large daily dose of Ativan; therefore I began to gradually reduce my dosage. During this entire time, I was in communication with my doctor. By January of 2005, I had reduced my dosage to 2.5 mgs per day and remain at that level today. I take one mg in the morning another after lunch and then one-half mg before bed. I experience no side effects except for the fact that I sleep "heavy" at night. I would like to eliminate the one-half mg before going to bed and replace it with a less powerful sleeping aid. I realize that my results seem to be the exception rather than the rule, but I am convinced that the Ativan is helping me. I am a professor at a regional university and I sometimes lecture between 9 and 12 hours per week. During this current summer term, I lecture from 2:20pm to 5:20pm Monday through Thursday. Without the aid of the Ativan, I don't think I could do it. However, it is not the Ativan alone that allows me to speak while lecturing. I have developed a technique where I contract my diaphragm muscle and use the "pressure" to control the air as it moves through my vocal chords- at least that is what it feels like to me. I learned this technique while teaching step aerobics (not part of my job as a professor). I found that the only way my students could understand me was if I deliberately contracted my diaphragm and "forced" my words out. I do this in such a way that it doesn't feel like my head is "under high pressure." It takes some practice, but I have been successful with this technique. Unfortunately, it doesn't work as well during "normal" conversations or when talking on the phone. It seems only to work with my "lecture" voice. In addition to my lecturing and teaching step aerobics, I teach a Sunday School Class. I am determined to lead a "normal" life and not be restricted in my daily life activities by SD. I would advise anyone considering the use of Ativan to be very careful and work closely with your doctor. It will take discipline on your part and if you have a tendency for dependency- physical, psychological, emotional, or otherwise, I would recommend extreme caution. Sorry this post is so long. I hope someone will find the information helpful.
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