Drug Ratings for ATIVANAverage Rating: 3.3 (677 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Satisfaction from highest to lowest Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
Charts & graphs: Reviews Summary for ATIVAN | Top 10 Adverse Effects (reported to FDA)
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ATIVAN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 5 | Panic Disorder/Anxiety | Drowsiness, euphoria, memory lapses | When I was 19 years old I went to the ER because I was having panic attacks daily. They gave me 1mg Ativan and it was the best feeling I had, not because the drug got me high, but because it did relieve the anxiety I was having. I've used it as needed for weeks at a time to months at a time. If you were are sensitive to drugs, Ativan is better than the other Benzos as far as being easier to go on...I rate it a 5, the only real issue with benzos is you have to go off them very slowly. | M | 34 | 15 years .5 - 1mg 1X AN | 2/8/2017 | 5 | Anxiety due to alcohol and cocaine | Side effects were minor or almost non existant. It's when you try to stop taking this benzodiazepine that the real problem begins, because your CNS depends on it, in order to function. | Take Ativan only for a short period of time if necesarry. It is a drug (OPIOID) just like what you find on the streets, only legal because it is prescribed by a Dr. Don't let any Dr. tell you that this is a maintenance drug for you, it is not. It is a powerful drug that start at low doses and your body and mind want more..this is why it is a controlled substance. SHORT TERM USE 7 DAYS MAX AND YOU SHOULD BE OK...SAY NO TO BENZOS!!! | M | 44 | 1 years 2 mg a day | 8/12/2016 | 5 | Anxiety | None other then the physiological urge to take the Ativan. | Due to some health issues, I was having a high level of anxiety daily which also led to some depression. Ativan was fast acting and helped calm me down when the anxiety felt unbearable. It did not really help me sleep. I started taking Melatonin for sleep and then I was able to stop taking the Ativan. I'm glad I never started taking the antidepressants the doctors had prescribed. | M | 62 | 2 months .5mg 1X D | 6/6/2016 | 5 | Panic attack | I experienced panic attacks severe at about 30. Worked very well. I am now 68. So I have taken this med for over 35 years. I have over 500 scuba dives, jumped out of air planes, made over 200 speeches and worked on ambulance for two years. No side effects at all. I take 1 mg x day. The only problem is getting off fast. I was on 3 Mg a day now 1 mg. it caused my heart to skip withdrawing. My cardio Doc said "why quit". Really. I have probably been on this med as long as anyone. No ill effects. It does have a bad effect I have seen in about 1 in 10 people I know. They became very agitated. Also I don't use this for sleep. I have no other illness and take no other meds. If you can't sleep try over the counter Unisom. This is an over the counter med and works very well. Give it a chance. | M | 68 | 10 years 2 | 4/19/2016 | 5 | Cancer anxiety | None to think of. | 2 treatments for cancer... Anxiety was brutal. Panic attacks, lack of sleep, fear of cancer return, unable to enjoy my life. Took various ssnri, ssri, off label 8 different ones, only did they do nothing for anxiety but had numerous siicidal ideations, thought I wax crazy, stomachs problems, nausea created more anxiety 4 different psychiatrists 3 of which were not helpful at all except for CBT did help somewhat with aid from Ativan. Without it I'd be gone by now. | M | 71 | 4 years 2 mg | 4/8/2016 | 5 | None it's fantastic | Great med. No Siberia affect whatsoever............ | M | 53 | 6 weeks | 1/31/2016 | 5 | Anxiety, PTSD | Mostly I take it at night to sleep to avoid nightmares. Works great. Makes me sweat a lot. Have to remember to drink water and eat bananas. I do get a little irritated the next day. | F | 54 | 7 years 1 mg | 1/18/2016 | 5 | PTSD/ constant anxiety& panic attac | Dont feel like myself. No desire to eat,now i just want to barrel through work, go straight home and hide under my covers in bed. (which is impossible. I have two small children) Although i get relief from the discomfort of constant severe anxiety, im now terrified being without my meds. Ive ran out 3 times thinking i could be fine. WRONG. the withdrawls are worse than the anxiety and are far more severe. I become dizzy, weakness in arms and legs, tunnel vision, panic attacks that last longer and are HELL, cant sleep because of anxiety, vivid crazy nightmares! I get more anxiety when im running low because i dread what happens when i run out. Because im waiting for my insurance plan to freaking start, i've been to the ER three times for refills this last month 1/2! I never imagined i could be this dependant on medication. The E.R sure likes to send you home with them then expect you to just, BAM! stop taking them knowing how addictive they are, then they question you about why you're back for a refill. It makes no sense! Hello! Yes, im back because i think im dying and ativan is what takes the horrible withdrawls away. Duh! WELL I GUESS I AM AN ADDICT THEN. I need Ativan to literally function and go to work now. Benzo's are the worst to ween off of. And stopping cold turkey could cause seizures. | F | 31 | 2 months 2 mg daily | 1/17/2016 | 5 | To stop seizures | Food taste different | M | 62 | 1 days 20mg | 1/14/2016 | 5 | Panic Disorder, GAD | A bit of sleepiness | I f***ing LOVE Ativan. I've been on EVERYTHING for my panic disorder... all the SSRIs, Effexor, trileptal, gabapentin, buspar, propranolol, lamictal, betaxtol, prazosin with no luck but this medication works. No side effects except some sleepiness. When I took Ativan it was the most normal I'd felt in a long time, and it lasts for a good 8-12 hours too. I was only given it for exams though, and as if now I'm stuck with buspar again which does nothing for me but make me sick to my stomach. My doctor refuses to give to me again because of the risk of addiction, but I've tried everything else and some of the other meds he's put me on have had some dangerous side effects that have almost killed me. Go figure. | F | 20 | 2 days 0.5 1X D | 12/29/2015 | 5 | Panic Disorder, GAD | Dry mouth, some fatigue | If I feel a panic attack coming on, that's when I take an additional 1mg. Otherwise 3mg daily spaced throughout day I take. | F | 27 | 10 months 1mg 3X AN | 12/25/2015 | 5 | whole body ached burned everyday | None | I have been in so much pain everyday all day.Until I was given ativan.It was like a miracle.No more painful wake ups in middle of night.I could actually wake up in morning unafraid of Pain I usually had deal with.Im hoping I can stay on them until.I figure out whats causing me so much pain Daily. | F | 42 | 5 days 1mg | 10/29/2015 | 5 | Anxiety/ Depression | None | Amazing. Ativan helped me through a really tough emotional time when I felt like I couldn't take on basic day to day tasks like showering. 30 mins after taking I was calm and able to focus on work like a normal person. Only downside is that it is addictive otherwise I would take it everyday for as long as I needed. So so helpful. | F | 29 | 4 weeks 1X D | 9/9/2015 | 5 | Chronic GAD | None to speak of | Without out it I'd not be here today. I've tried so many ssri's ssni's mood stablelizers I had suicidal ideations, horrible side effects, no help whatsoever. | M | 70 | 4 years 1 mg 1X D | 8/29/2015 | 5 | Sleep | Meds react differently for everyone but for me this is an excellent med. Worked as needed, no side effects, no tolerance issues even after years of use and an easy taper when quitting it. Highly recommend. | M | 46 | 3 years 1 MG / day | 8/15/2015 | 5 | Help the withdraw affects of opioid | I can't stop going to the bathroom,my rectum is raw. I go 5 times a day.. | They help with the withdraw affects but should I stop the Ativan. | M | 39 | 1 weeks 2mg a day | 1/31/2015 | 5 | ptsd anxiety deppresion | A bit of a chemically feeling | I started taking ativan 3 months ago and it gave me energy i havnt had in a long time and confidence wich i deffianatly didnt have before taking this i take 2 2.5mg a day. I still need a couple of valium before bed. I dont understand why my pharmasist said ativan is the worst medication and hes seen people really fuck up on them. Iam an x addict for pills believe it or not but over the last 3 years have taken them properly. I can feel a kind of chemical feeling and sometimes i feel scetchy like ive been up for two nights. but it gets me through the days quiet well. But ive heard that they are very addictive i hope i can come off them wIth no withdrawals | F | 1 days 2.5mg | 1/20/2015 | 5 | PMS Anxiety | I have taken Ativan sporadically over the years as needed, during times of intense anxiety (usually when my PMS clashes with difficult relationships). I just started taking it again after about 7 years off and I'm noticing some fatigue, lack of ambition...but I think my adrenals and nervous system are already really depleted and Ativan's anxiety reduction is just putting me in touch with how tired I really am. | I absolutely LOVE Ativan. Life can be really hard sometimes. I am an advanced meditator, yogi, and holistiic healing professional, and I know that there are many ways to deal with stress...but sometimes life gets the best of me and when PMS stacks up against PTSD with a big heaping dose of relationship drama or family drama, I have a really hard time keeping my cool. I have had such bad anxiety attacks that I feel like I can't breathe and that I'm having heart palpitations. When I feel the ice cold hit of cortisol hitting my bloodstream in an intense relationship argument or situation, I know that it's all over for the day and I'll be just trying to hang on by my fingernails to be able to cope with the day. Ativan changes all of this for me. I only take a half dose, as needed. My prescription says to take 2 a day, but I only take about 2 or 3 a week during even the worst stretches of anxiety. One half dose just stops the physiological stress reaction in it's tracks, and allows me to process the situation with a calm, cool and collected mind. The heart palpitations and overwhelm vanish, and I can see the problem clearly and deal with it rationally. Lately I've noticed that I seem to be feeling pretty tired after taking a full dose, but it's not any more tired than I would have been had I been dealing with an anxiety attack all day and night. I love Ativan and I like to have it available to me when I need it. I've never been inclined to abuse substances, so for me, it's a wonde | F | 40 | 10 years 1/2 dose 3X W | 12/20/2014 | 5 | Panic Disorder | None | I was on this short-term until my SSRI kicked in. It prevented panic attacks and stopped one that was already occurring in its tracks. If taken before bedtime, it also helped ease me to sleep. | M | 29 | 2 months 0.5MG 3X D | 12/17/2014 | 5 | Anxiety/Panic Attacks | This is my first day on it and I feel fantastic!!! I went from having several full- lown panic attacks a day to have zero today. Plenty of things happened today that would have normally triggered my attacks, but I wasn't even phased. :) I feel cool, calm and collected. First thing that has EVER worked for me in 17 years! I'm hoping it stays this way! | So far, it is AMAZING! | F | 31 | 1 days 0.5 MG | 12/4/2014 | 5 | Social phobia, anxiety, panic | Half mg dose as needed for panic/anxiety Slight "buzz" high as med settles in. The hangover after it wears off causes mood swings, fatigue and grumpiness. | After more than 20 years fighting for the right medication and a second opinion that involved a lengthy dsmv appointment, i am finally satisfied and can control my panic and anxiety moments. I am grateful for this old class of drug! You need a very strong will to not abuse this drug, and need to understand its meant only for the extreme moments.... But i would recommend to those that the ssri type medication really mess them up, to talk with their mental health caregiver about it. | F | 36 | 8 months Half mg | 11/19/2014 | 5 | Panic Attacks | I rated Ativan on this site some 4 years ago. I have taken this medication for some 35 years for panic attacks. For 30 years I took 3 mg a day slowly cutting back to 1 mg. They did the job. Never had a panic attack again. I have never had any reaction at all. I have flown airplanes, jumped out of planes, scuba dived for 15 years with over 500 dives, rode Harley's for 20 years and gave over 1000 presentations, and have been a lead medic on an ambulance and have never had any side affects. I have my blood checked every 6 months and have no ill side affects. I do work out every day running walking and lifting weights. If you have any questions please ask. | M | 66 | 10 years 1 mg | 8/20/2014 | 5 | GAD following prostate cancer surge | None. Very effective as opposed to 5 SSRI's & 2 SSNI's. | M | 69 | 2 years 1mg Dailey | 3/30/2014 | 5 | Lyme Disease to brain | none | I am writing on behalf of my daughter who has suffered from Lyme Disease since the age of 15. I started noticing 3 yrs ago my daughter's mental state changing with high anxiety to the point she would yell and screaml. It was then diagnosed the Lyme had gone to her brain. IV antibiotics started but last year anxiety getting worse and Ativan started, she was more relaxed and it helped alot. Now due to damage to her brain she is on prolixan and ativan. It has made a world of difference in seeing my daughter not as anxiousl. She will never be the same but at least this med is helping her function. | F | 25 | 1 years 1mg 3X D | 3/26/2014 | 5 | anxiety | none | wonderful med | M | 44 | 7 years 2 1X D | 3/3/2014 | 5 | anxiety ans sevear panick attacks | I've never had a problem with addiction or withdrawal from them and I've been on them for a long time there are times when my script rus out and can't get to my dr for weeks I take 4 mg a day . what's weird tho is If I take 2 at once the way I'm supposed to they don't work at all if I take them one at a time it stops my panick attacks :) | F | 31 | 8 years 2 mg 2xday | 1/1/2014 | 5 | i am in anxiety ...... | 1 days 1 | 12/4/2013 | 5 | anxiety | flushing in my face | I have never had to increase my dose | M | 44 | 7 years 1 mg 1X D | 11/29/2013 | 5 | Insomnia | I had no side effects and no withdrawal effects either even after 2 1/2 months of continuous use. This medicine provided me with a good 7 hours of sleep at least. I also abruptly quit taking it since I wanted to know if I could fall sleep without it with no withdrawal effects except for rebound insomnia, but that's normal expectation that only lasted about 3 days. I only have insomnia when my anxiety is too much that I can't turn off my brain at night. I think I am in the category that benzodiazepines don't affect me as far as tolerance/dependence/addiction. | M | 30 | 2 months 1 | 10/17/2013 | 5 | panic attacks/ anxiety | great for panic attacks for short term use but very addictive and harmful for longer periods. I became dependent on this drug for every problem in my life and sleep that i took it more than prescribed. | works great as I said but for short periods of time. | F | 23 | 6 months 0.5mg 3X D | 5/15/2013 | 5 | Epilepsy | Drowsiness, slight fogginess | I've not had any problems with this medication and have been prescribed everything from 2 mg every day to taking the medicine just as needed. I've not had any withdrawal symptoms, but I've generally tried to take one day off a week of this medicine to keep from building tolerance. It helps stop the seizures, but doesn't cure them. | F | 31 | 5 years .5 2X D | 4/19/2013 | 5 | Anxiety/ migraines | Drowsiness, calm, great sleep, no intense feelings or anxiety very good medicine in my opinion.. | I take Ativan along with pain meds which work wonderfully for my constant migraines and neck pain..I only take as needed because of its highly addictive qualities.. Bottom line though, it is a great med when taken as directed and not daily when you really don't need it. Only take it when you need it and you won't get addicted or dependent on it. | F | 23 | 3 months 0.5 mg 1X AN | 1/30/2013 | 5 | Anxiety | I haven't had any of the side effects that is listed here. It is the only medication that has helped me get restful sleep and with Fibromylagia, you really need to sleep well. You do have rebound insomnia when you quit taking it. | F | 58 | 5 years 2mg 1X D | 1/4/2013 | 5 | Anxiety .panic attacks | None....just sleep alot..lol | M | 28 | 1 years 1mg | 12/3/2012 | 5 | anxiety | At little tired at first but after a few weeks I felt great. Totally saved my life. | F | 30 | 6 months 1 to 2mg | 11/16/2012 | 5 | Anxiety | Works great. No side effects. Helps my anxiety. | F | 40 | 1 years .5 | 10/16/2012 | 5 | Panic Attacks/Agoraphobia | Drowsiness until my body got used to the medication | Ativan is a godsend for anxiety issues. I couldn't leave my house for years until I started taking this & it gave me my life back....HOWEVER, I made the mistake of taking it a few times per day & I had withdrawal symptoms from hell when I tried to get off of it. If you start taking this I would recommend it as needed and NOT daily, if you need something for daily use trying another medication would be your best bet. | F | 23 | 2 years 1mg 4X D | 9/19/2012 | 5 | partial seizures | none | i was given 1mg ativan iv for a partial seizure in the er approximately a year ago, it worked within a minute or two to stop the seizure. was given a prescription for 9 (total) 1mg pills. i just finished the pills about 2 weeks ago. i take .5mg when the partial seizures are uncontrollable. my seizure doc was hesitant to prescribe them because of the addictive properties of benzos. however, my neurosurgeon was willing to take the risk based on my medication history. he made sure that i was very clear on the fact of how addictive this medication is, and that he would be watching very closely how many i was taking. i haven't cracked the new bottle yet, as i only take this under extreme circumstances. it works very well for the partial seizures taken in small doses. it doesn't make me sleepy or loopy, just stops the seizures. | F | 47 | 1 years .5 1X AN | 8/25/2012 | 5 | Occasional Panic Attacks | None | I've suffered with anxiety for 40 years. In the 70s I was taking Valium, quit cold turkey (which they didn't know was a no-no) which increased the anxiety. I learned how to cope with it without medication. I was given Ativan 7 years ago while in the hospital dealing with ulcerative colitis. I break the .5 in half and never take more than that. Ever. I don't take it every day. Mild anxiety is a normal human condition; every gets it now and then. One should be able to cope with that using one's own inner strength. Many people commenting here could be on other meds that are contraindicated for Ativan. And, I have to say, I am shocked at some of the dosages. But to each his/her own. For me, .25 PRN works. I've gone months without taking it. No problems. I take no other meds. | F | 60 | 7 years .25 PRN 1X AN | 7/7/2012 | 5 | Aniexty | none | works great! | F | 51 | 10 years 2X D | 5/9/2012 | 5 | Panic Attacks/Anxiety | Sedation, fuzzy feelings, relaxation and some inhabition. | It has helped me during panic attacks, when having problems sleeping and during travel by car and air. | M | 23 | 3 years 1mg 2X AN | 2/25/2012 | 5 | Anxiety | I had no more anxiety. | I have been using Ativan safely for well over 2 years. I use as prescribed by using it when needed for things like an anxiety attack. I don't really anxiety attacks that much anymore however, after reading everyone posts about this drug, I am having one and think I will go take an ativan right now. I may have to double the dose to get through this one. (Seriously people, you are shocked that you have anxiety when you stop taking the pill that helps control anxiety? Perhaps its not the pill causing it but rather the condition that caused you to be prescribed it in the first place) This drug is an amazing drug and if used as prescribed you should not get addicted and it is impossible to continue having withdrawal symptoms from a drug after it is out of your system which certainly doesn't take a year as some people have described. | F | 36 | 2 years .5 3X AN | 2/13/2012 | 5 | Anxiety | None. | I have panic attacks out of nowhere. My heart starts to race, it's hard to breath, my whole body tremors, I get a bad headache and my hands/feet get so cold! My doctor prescribed me Ativan to make sure that it was actually anxiety that I was experiencing and not another condition. I take Ativan as needed (not very often). My doctor originally gave me 5 pills on December 30 and I just took my last one yesterday on February 9. I am not scared of becoming addicted because I will not allow it to happen! When I get a panic attack, I wait a while to see if I can calm myself down on my own first and then decide if I need to take a pill. I can usually calm myself down but Ativan is my fall back if I absolutely feel that I need it. It works very well. It takes about half an hour for me to completely calm down. It makes me feel relaxed and drowsy but not to the point where I feel like I need to sleep. | F | 24 | 1 months 1 MG 1X AN | 2/9/2012 | 5 | Generalized Anxiety Disorder | None that I know about | Helps a lot. | F | 46 | 5 years .5 1X D | 1/28/2012 | 5 | Anxiety | A little groggy at times. Mind a bit foggy too, but that could just be my age. | Ativan has helped me tremendously. My panic/anxiety was horrible and this drug gave me my freedom back. The only thing I dread is the day I have to go off of it. Yikes! | F | 46 | 4 years 1 3X D | 1/19/2012 | 5 | None | M | 68 | 1MG 1X AN | 12/2/2011 | 5 | Anxiety | Light sedation | Helped with my anxiety attacks following a trauma. Nothing bad to say. The key to this drug is the AS NEEDED part, not gobbling it daily and then being shocked that it is addictive. | F | 44 | 2 months 1mg 1X AN | 11/11/2011 | 5 | Panic attacks | Ativan is a fantastic drug. It calms you without knocking you out like Xanax. I take .5mg every night because I would have horrible panic attacks in the middle of the night, but none since I've been taking it. I have a severe dental phobia and took 2 mg yesterday at the dentist and was able to get a shot for the first time in ten years! I was not "out of it" just calm and able to get done what I needed to get done. I don't recommend driving on anything more than .5 mg because it does make you drowsy. This drug has been a life saver for me! | F | 49 | 2 years .5 1X D | 9/25/2011 | 5 | Agoraphobia, Emetophobia, OCD, PTSD | Drowsiness for the first week | Ativan is my LIFE SAVER! I had it for a few months just sitting in the bottle because i'm not a fan of taking meds as I am scared of side effects because of my emetophobia, but once I took it I was so glad I did! I had agoraphobia and was housebound for 2 years, I was taking 0.5 MG when I would have mild panic attacks at home, drowsiness was the only side effect I had, but after a week or so it went away. One day my family decided I needed to get help so they gave me 2 MG of Ativan and, after 2 years of not leaving my yard, I was able to drive myself to the hospital and check myself in to get therapy. That was 2 months ago, now I take 1 MG 3 times daily and I have not had a problem leaving the house since, its a miracle drug for me and I thank God for the doctor who prescribed it to me. I will take it daily for as long as I need to, until I feel comfortable without it through the help of therapy. People will try to tell you not to take it daily, but i'm here to say from experience it works and if thats what you need to live a fulfilled life go for it! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ATIVAN!!!! | F | 22 | 1 MG 1X D | 9/20/2011 History | 5 | Panic Attack | None | In my 30s had severe panic attacks when having to give speaches..I had never had this problem before..my job was giving speeches..so I found Ativan..this drug kept me from having panic attacks for 30 years. I watched the amount I took and was careful never to exceed 3 mg 3 pills in the morning. I never fet I had to take more than that. It takes sometime to get off Ativan. It does not cure panic attacks. It keeps you from getting them. After 30 years I decided I wanted off these pills and I would drop the dosage down to 2 then 1 then off..I had no more panic attacks maybe due to my system changing over the years. The problem that it did cause was that after stopping this drug I would develop heart dysrhythems. They felt pretty severe so I went to the cardiac Dr had many tests and nothing was found..the skipping stopped as soon as I began the Ativan. So now I take 2 mg to 1 mg every day. This will stop your panic attacks..I found nothing else that did the job. I run 3 miles a day and have for years..no adverse affects..good luck with your panic attacks..they themselves can be life wrecking.. | M | 63 | 30 years 3 mg 1X D | 8/14/2011 | 5 | Anxiety/insomnia | We all know this stuff is physically addictive, so only take low doses and do not take it every day. If you follow this advice, there should be no problem whatsoever. That said, this drug worked miracles for me: it dispersed anxiety so I could work, assisted with social anxiety, insomnia, and shut my mind off when it wouldn't quit. I have a history of drug addiction and have had no problems with abuse, for one simple reason: it doesn't get you high. Rather, it's medicine, and if you treat it with respect, it will help you. | M | 34 | 7 months 1-2mg 1X AN | 5/14/2011 | 5 | anti-anxiety/ anti-nausea | A bit foggy and dizzy, slept well, refreshed in morning. | I was prescribed Ativan for insomnia and anxiety after a breast cancer diagnosis. This just helped me calm down enough to sleep, clear my head and forge on. No side effects but I took it maybe once or twice a week at the most. | F | 38 | 2 months 1 1X AN | 3/26/2011 | 5 | Nothing but slight sedation | Don't listen to fools who abuse this drug and then come on here and complain about it! Dont take it everyday-period!!! Lorazepam like many drugs causes the body/brain to become dependent if taken all the time. This stuff is GOLD for those of us with anxiety/panic disorders-but please treat this drug with the respect it deserves-learn to only use it when absolutely necessary not because you feel a little edgy. And to the docs out there- please tell your patients to use this drug properly. | M | 60 | 30 years 1 1X D | 3/19/2011 | 5 | general anxiety | Great as an alternative to anti-depressents. Takes the edge off gently. React poorly to many meds. xanex makes me sleepy and anti-depressents cause too many side effects | Highly recommend to people with drug sensitivity | F | 36 | 1 years .5 1X D | 3/11/2011 | 5 | anxiety | None | Has helped me manage..I became a new mom at 52 and I have twins | F | 56 | 3 years 1mg 3X W | 2/28/2011 | 5 | Sleeplessness/anxiety | Drowsy. Calming. Addictive in that it is so wonderful and easy for bringing relief for my sleeplessness and occasional high anxiety. | I am highly sensitive to drugs and this is the only medicine prescription I currently have filled. I love being able to take .5 to 1mg Ativan before bed, sleep well all night, and wake up refreshed. For my occasional PTSD type symptoms(self diagnosed)this helps me be calm and helps me put out the sudden fire of thoughts. I am going off caffeine, don't drink alcohol, and will stop late night dining to see if I can sleep without Ativan because I have been taking it more regularly this month. I don't want to depend on any medication that becomes addictive and my Dr advised me to be aware of this possibility. However Ativan works and I will continue to take .5 to 1 mg when necessary. I prefer a regime of good nutrition, herbs, teas, and yoga but since perimenopause/menopause I have needed more help for sleep and anxiety. I am grateful for this drug's availability and affordability. | F | 53 | 2 years 1mg 1X AN | 2/15/2011 | 5 | Anxiety | Mild drowsiness | I took this medicine as needed after my mother died. I only used it a few times a week. It worked great to make life more manageable and help my mind and body relax. My doctor warned me though to only take it when needed and I listened. | F | 42 | 1 1X AN | 2/14/2011 | 5 | Anxiety | Mild drowsiness | I took this medicine as needed after my mother died. I only used it a few times a week. It worked great to make life more manageable and help my mind and body relax. My doctor warned me though to only take it when needed and I listened. | F | 42 | 1 1X AN | 2/14/2011 | 5 | Anxiety | Drowsiness | I was prescribed Ativan to help with anxiety, and told to take it only as needed for an anxiety or panic attack, along with an antidepressant. Since then, Ativan has been a comfort just to even have the bottle in my purse! It helps immensely with my anxiety and I have hardly any side effects. I don't worry about the habit-forming properties since I only take it as needed, which is usually only 1-2 times a week. Ativan, along with my anti-depressant (Lexapro) has made my life manageable again! | F | 27 | 2 months 5 MG 1X AN | 2/14/2011 | 5 | Panic Attacks and Insomnia | No SIgnificant Side Effect of ANY Kind! | This is an extraordinary medicine, with absolutely no noticable side-effects at all. The "panic attacks" run in my family, as does severe insomnia. My Mother and all of her sisters took this as well and for over 20 years easily. I would have to say (my personal opinin of course -- just to be clear I am no MD but I am a scientist and am no lightweight at objective analysis) that this is a truly magnificent drug with a long history of success! | M | 41 | 2 years 1MG 2X D | 1/10/2011 |