I have been on 1 mg of ativan since April. As of late, my anxiety has gotten worse, but i have not taken anymore to get me through. I just started talk counseling a week ago, but because of the time of year (Christmas) can't get another appt for a month. I have explained to my Psych that i am on fire with anxiety but all she does is yell at me and tell me i'm not getting any more meds she says it's illegal for me to have anymore than 1mg a day. I had a previous MD give me ativan with a prescription of 4 1mg a day. I never took that much but did have a prescription for that much. I don't believe she is listening to me about my anxiety. And not sure why is is lying to me about it not being legal. I am a wreck. I want to get a new doctor but it's the wrong time of year. What do I say to her so her hears me? I am just trying to cope until i can get my ducks in a row with talk therapy which i not sure why she didn't insist i do sooner than 9 months into this whole problem. I have some extra xanax but am afraid to take it without permission. I just need relief. Please advise
You take the medication offered, no more no less
I do not know where you are in the world so I cannot say what is on the drug list etc
In my case in the UK I do take Opiates and trusted to moderate the dose up and down because I was instructed to do that by pain Clinic. These drugs I take are level two medications and they are locked away and they need two signatures to get then prescribed. I lock them away in the car in case they get taken. So I understand how some medications need t be treated, however here it may be She feels a higher dose would be counterproductive in your medication regime
Have words with your CPN and explain your problem with medications. It may be she expects you to control your Anxiety and move on with the course of CBT
BOB
I really don't know what she expects. Every time i see her she tells me something different. I live in USA
I had that problem with a med at work last week I started having an anxiety attack at close to the end of the day. I ended up getting through it but it was extremely difficult. I worry all day every day. This all started all of a sudden. Over the last couple of months. I've always had anxiety but never like this.
The trouble with this type of drug is that people quickly become tolerant and they loose their effect. Then when people try to stop the drugs their anxiety increases as one of the effects of withdrawal. In the UK these drugs are avoided altogether other than for sedation during medical procedures, they tend to prescribe antidepressants that also have a sedating effect but cause fewer problems. I don't know what sort of counseling your having, but as borderriever says, the evidence suggests CBT is the most effective, though none of these things are easy.