She took it at 9pm ..she got up at 12 to pee but didn't make it bathroom..But she went right back to sleep and woke at 6am...If she can sleep thru the night, that's wonderful,..But the "blah" sluggish feeling she has now is not good..
I'm wondering if I should give it time, or tell Dr. to try something else,, ie Prozac,lexapro something more for depression, but I want her to be able to sleep better.. We, Dr are just starting with the Ativan to see how it works, but switching drugs to quickly and not giving them time makes me nervous...
Something that doesn't give her the hangover effect...
Although this medication is not usually recommended for use in patients over 65 years, Ativan is at times prescribed for anxiety in that age group. When it is used extra caution needs to be exercised for the very reason your mother has experienced…..drowsiness or what is often called a morning drug hangover.
Ativan (lorazepam) acts centrally in the brain and when the concentration is too high, patients experience bothersome side effects…… drowsiness, sedation, etc. All patients do not respond the same way to the same dose. Patients who are older, female, have lower body weight, poor liver or kidney function, or take more than 5 other medications should always be started on the smaller doses and doses should be increased slowly, if they need to be increased. This is recommended because their body may not be able to eliminate or clear a routine daily of dose of any medication over time, but this is even more of a problem when their health begins to decline.
There is no one recommended dose for patients over 65 years, but starting at the lowest dose would be best, 0.25mg and adjust upward if and when needed. Medications for anxiety are often prescribed to be dosed regularly every day. I recommend that after an initial dosing period (2-5days) that patients be given a drug holiday, (skip one or more doses) to see how they respond not using the medication. Many times anxiety behaviors will improve after patients are able to get a restful sleep and may need only smaller doses every other day, every 3rd day, etc.
Please note that if given regularly for a longer period of time, that patients may not continue to respond to the same dose and may need an increase in the dose. When doses are higher and/or given over an extended period, extra caution should be exercised when this medication is stopped.
If or when this medication is to be stopped, the dose taken should be slowly tapered downward due to the potential of withdrawal side-effects.
Lynn Harrelson, Pharm BS, FASCP
If there isn't an improvement then work with the doctor to try something else.
Is this doctor a geriatrician or a specialist in dementia? Some drugs aren't ideal for the elderly. It is good to have a doctor who focuses on those issues.
We tried lexapro for 8 weeks but it made the panic attacks worse.
We had several weeks of good mornings, but this last week she wakes up every day around 3-4am , anxiety kicks in. She tries to go back to bed but can't stop the panic..I've been making her get up around 7am to have pills and toast. It goes away until the next morning Ugh!! That because I'm awake and she doesn't like to be the only one up!
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