Is 0.5 Twice Daily Of Ativan Too Low Of A Dose Or A Normal Dose For BPD?

Hi: There are really two issues involved in using Ativan for BPD.

From what I saw online, the average dose is 2.0 to 6.0 mg daily, divided into smaller doses. In other words, a person doing 2 mg would take 1 mg twice a day. Someone taking 6 mg might take 2 mg three times a day. People take anywhere from 1 mg all the way up to 10 mg daily.

This info did not mention BPD. It was directed for people with anxiety or insomnia. Please remember that shrinks generally start a patient off on a small dose. Afterward, the dosage can be upped if necessary.

If you have any history of abusing drugs, the shrink will really want to keep the dosage as low as possible. Remember that Ativan and other anti-anxiety meds can be addictive. You gotta taper off slowly or you can get real nasty withdrawal symptoms. I speak from my own experience.

By the way I hope you are seeing a psychiatrist. They know much more about psych meds than a general practitioner. Here is the link: http://www.psychtreatment.com/ativan_dos…

The 2nd issue is that some doctors don't think Ativan and the other anti-anxiety meds should be used for BPD. Here is what About.com says:

Because individuals with BPD also often experience intense anxiety, medications to reduce anxiety are sometimes prescribed. Unfortunately, there is very little research to support the use of anti-anxiety medication to treat BPD. Also, there is some evidence that use of a particular class of anxiolytics, benzodiazepines (e.g., Ativan, Klonopin), may actually cause a worsening of symptoms for some individuals with BPD, and should be prescribed with caution. Benzodiazepines are particularly dangerous for use by individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders because they can be habit forming. Buspar, an anxiolytic that is not habit-forming, is an alternative to medications from the benzodiazepine family.

http://bpd.about.com/od/treatments/a/BPD…