how long does ativan take until it reaches it full egfect?

[Shoe96]

Hi I started Ativan 1 mg this week and at first it was wonderful for my anxiety but I noticed sometimes I stay anxious even though I took the pill. My question is, do I need to at least take the medication for a few weeks before expecting more relief from anxiety or is this as good as it gets? I just don't want to waste time feeling anxious if I should be prescribed something else. The ativan does make a difference though but I would prefer the medication to completely eliminate the anxious/scared feeling in my stomach where everything starts.

[cmac21]

Are you taking the Ativan regularly? My understanding of Ativan (based on what my doctor told me) was that it was to be used on an as needed basis- when having a panic attack. I filled the prescription but never took it. Ended up taking Effexor.

[Shoe96]

I take it as needed but if i take it in the late afternoon I won't take again until the next day as I don't want to take 2 within 8 hours of each other. I saw a lot of people are put on antidepressants along with the anxiety meds and was wondering if that might help as I have a history of depression I am used to antidepressants. I was just hoping the ativan would work alone without my anxiety breaking through the pills effect or the pill not even affecting the anxiety sometimes.

[Paxiled]

My own experience is that antidepressants are preferable because if they work they work all the time whereas all benzos only work for awhile, though some last longer than others in theory.  As I think I mentioned somewhere to this post, this med works right away but you need a drug that works for you and this one might not work for you.  Our bodies don't absorb all drugs the same.  I was put on Klonopin at the same time as I was put on my first antidepressant and was told to take it twice a day.  It was a long time ago and back then nobody knew much about this stuff and nobody asked questions and doctors didn't tell us.  They usually still don't.   I don't think the benzo ever did much at the dosage I was given but I'm now addicted to it most likely.  I think the antidepressant was what worked because, when it stopped working, the klonopin didn't help at all.  Only finding a different antidepressant that did something helped.  But nothing helped me all that much.  It was better than nothing.  But there are others on this forum who only function thanks to benzos and for whom antidepressants never did anything at all.  Both are very hard to stop taking when you've been taking them for awhile.  The best thing is to solve the problem without drugs if that's possible, and it very often isn't, but keep trying to find that therapist who can help you find the will to fix it if you ever want to avoid this whole medication merry-go-round.