I have Bipolar Disorder/Psychosis NOS and PTSD 4, and must tolerate ceaseless loud Meniere's Disease along with serious hearing loss ongoing. I've been sedated/maintained on 6 mg. Ativan per day for over a decade - Will this be cut off/reduced ?
My doctors agree with me about NEVER increasing Ativan, (I am a former Psych nurse and know how abused this benzdiazapine is, but it is crucial to support my heart status (r/t noise + etc.). So anyway, on and on...Will they be likely to deny me - and others in severe, needful medical status? Why should truly needy med patients pay a price for abusers? Also, I HAVE to note that I believe that NO gov't employee with any status is ever denied what they want (including better care/insurance). They are special, right?
Puffbucket, talk to your prescribing doctor about these very stressful worries and find out what s/he is thinking. If there are going to have to be changes, the sooner your doctor starts working on a new strategy with you the better. What you don't want is to fall off a cliff.
Hydroxyzine and other non habit forming anxiety meds are still being Rx'd. There are tools available, just perhaps not the ones that have side effects that counter their value as a long time treatment. I'm sure there are numerous psych docs still out there that will Rx any amount of benzos you want, though.
Just some thoughts. I feel for ya, very much so. I weaned off a 2-year, daily Klonopin regimen a few years ago. There are guides online, like The Ashton Manual, for how to do a withdrawal and also there are online support groups specifically aimed at benzo withdrawal -- in case you want to check them out. :-)
As my hearing gets worse - and I have experienced a profound loss of hearing over the last year, the unending loud noises of Meniere's will be all I hear. 24/7, forever. - You can well imagine what pure hell life will be if Ativan is cut off.
Your words gave me great comfort.