Drug Ratings for ATIVANAverage Rating: 3.4 (576 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Satisfaction from lowest to highest Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ATIVAN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 1 | Some dangerous doctor knew how dang | Horrible anxiety, impulse control horrible , withdrawls lasting 2 years lost my job this is a very dangerous neuro toxin. It causes brain damage. | M | 50 | 1 days O.5 | 5/15/2013 | 1 | Anxiety | This medication was ok at first but I developed tolerance after about a month which in return caused horrible inter dose withdrawal. Needless to say after 3 months of dose adjustments and other benzos tried I ended up severly depressed and had to do a rapid detox. I have been benzo free for almost 5 months and suffer from post acute withdrawal syndrome which haunts me every single day. This medication will destroy your life!!!!! | F | 33 | 3 months 2 mg | 4/27/2013 | 1 | Perimenopausal Anxiety | Anxiety worsened the longer I was on the drug. By month 3 I was suffering headaches, dizziness, coma-like fatigue, body tremors. Check Physician Desk Reference and you will see all of the above are the result of being on the drug. The body builds up tolerance and then demands more. | Avoid this drug like the plague. Once I identified all of my illnesses in January were because of Ativan I began a slow taper. You must not stop this cold turkey or seizures are likely. It will take months before my central nervous system repairs itself. Doctors should not prescribe this drug. PDR says it is short term use only - 2 or 3 weeks. My doctor is still filling the Rx as I taper because they are ignorant. | F | 48 | 4 months 1 MG 2X D | 4/8/2013 | 1 | for situational insomnia. | Panic, anxiety, insomnia, interdose withdrawal, lost all physical sensation, could not feel hot/cold/pain, lost sensation of hunger, no sensation to thirst | Nasty withdrawal. Protracted after taking for 5 months, now 26 months off and not taking any other drugs. Was addicted in less than three weeks, withdrawal beyond description, welcome to hell. Not able to work ever since. | F | 54 | 5 months 0.7 mg 1X D | 4/8/2013 | 1 | anxiety | Hellacious anxiety,constipation, protracted withdrawal syndrome including suicidal impulses, severe depression, severe insomnia, inability to work, rage, inner trembling, hyperacusis, tinnitus, electric shocks, psychosis, and much more...for 26 months severely. Sx became bareable but some still present at 39 months off ct. Drug from hell. | M | 48 | 5 months .5 mg | 4/8/2013 | 1 | Fear of flying, panic attacks | Paranoia, rage, snowballing emotions, loss if short term memory | F | 38 | 3 years | 4/6/2013 | 1 | Anxiety/Stress | Extreme side effects. Stomach, cognitive, panic attacks, seizure | I am convinced that this class of drugs is the most significant addiction problem facing America and perhaps the world today. If you are taking any Benzodiazapine (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin etc) you must do your research on side effects and withdrawal. I'm convinced that the suicide problem for returning veterans can be directly attributed to these drugs and the health care professionals are convinced that they are helping. There should be a major investigation into this. | M | 50 | 8 months 1mg 1X D | 3/19/2013 | 1 | Anxiety | Within in minutes of taking it felt a surge of rage then a floating feeling. Real groggy. After that racing heart rate, fear, anxiety, vertigo, horrible thoughts, agoraphobia, claustrophobia, and the list goes on and on | I actually posted my experience on this drug from hell two years ago but got an email this morning asking me about how I got off of this roller coaster called Ativan. I will say this again... This drug for me was the drug from hell. My situation did not call for medicating any form of anxiety but it was the Doctors that opted for this method. What I got was a boat load of horrifying symptoms that this little pill is suppose to fight against. I begged the Doctors to do research on why I was falling a part after starting this pill but they refused. Within a day I was experiencing severe interdosal withdrawals. In two months time I had lost nearly 40lbs and was a mess. Since the very community that is suppose to help me wouldn't I decided I'd get off that pill myself and did the following... keep in mind although my side effects were severe I'd only been on this for 2 months. I tapered a 1/4 every three days. But I found that 10 mg of inderal once a day just as the withdrawals would get too severe would help me edge off that horror for a few hours. After the final 3 days on the last 1/4 I stopped. For about 7 days the intense withdrawals slowly got less and less. After one week I felt a bit more like myself. I continued to take only 10 mg of inderal in the evening for one additional week and then stopped taking it and there were no continued problems. | M | 37 | 2 months .25 3X D | 2/23/2013 | 1 | Bipolar | agitation, anxiety, psychosis, suicidal ideation, paranoia, seizures, chest pain, crying spells | I think it would of been initially ideal to take this drug had I taken it as prescribed but I didn't know what I was doing and blacked out on it cause I took too much. The withdrawal was possibly the worst thing I've ever experienced. Made too many calls to the ER and basically became a junkie. Many psych hospitalizations. Luckily I was put on klonopin and my seizures stopped and was able to smoothly titrate off of it. I'll never take a benzo again. | F | 23 | 3 months .5 1X D | 1/9/2013 | 1 | Anxiety Attack (severe) | Out of world feeling. Feels awesome at first. After you begin to come down, insomnia, really cold feeling in hands and feet, joint pain, numbness (face and hands), muscle twitching and absolute fear. | M | 20 | 6 days .5mgx2 | 12/26/2012 | 1 | Anxiety | Panic attacks brain fog burning sensations all over head Severe Debilitating Anxiety throat tightness chest tightness Doctor never warned me of side effects never have I taken meds like this before had one panic attack in May sent to ER they gave me Ativan that's when it started followed up with doctor two days later gave me prescription for .05 then upped to to 1mg 2xday had know idea what was to come in August I went into tolerance withdrawal too many symptoms to list have tapered down to .75 and jumped Wednesday Nov 14 had tremors and chest pains so far but i was in acute withdrawal all of October cant take it anymore makes me feel worse to take and taper even more is out of the question will have to suffer through this and let the body heal time will tell all I have to say it has turned my life upside down its been Hell mind you I was a super Healthy person before this I had one panic due to stress and losing a loved One Mom when I told PDoc about what was happening he didn't believe me said I shouldn't be having symptoms like I was on such a low dose I guess he doesn't know anything about the medication he's prescribing please do not take this med it will make you worse in the long run and its very hard to come off I don't know how I'm doing it maybe because I'm so angry and have put in my head this is poison doesn't work for me at all Wish I had researched before I took it would have never takin it go on Benzo Buddies and read their stories there true so is mine can't | F | 26 | 6 months 1 MG X 2 | 11/16/2012 | 1 | ordered by misinformed Hospice | closing of esophogus; dry mouth, more anxiety, memory loss, | Back to normal when I took myself off. Esophogus closed for 2 weeks before family physican found solution, almost died from dehydration | F | 82 | 18 days 2.5 2X D | 11/10/2012 | 1 | sleep | Over 50 side effects both mental and physical. Too numerous to list here. | This stuff nearly destroyed my life. It has been just over 1 year since I took it and I am still as sick as a dog 24/7. I had just over 50 side effects and am now down to 20. Avoid this drug and all benzodiazepines like the plague. You have no idea what a horror story this has been. | M | 63 | 11 days 1 mg 1X D | 11/3/2012 | 1 | Anxiety | It was a miserable experience. It calmed me at first but bother my stomach all the time. I started with .5 mg and could drive on it but after a few weeks I stopped and started Xanax for a few weeks which really helped. It was strong at even .25 mg and it wasn't something that could let me drive unless I drank coffee redbull or had an energy pill. So I could drive if I took xanax a few hrs prior. I thought I was going to get a full prescription for Xanax but my doctor said no and gave me Ativan and Zoloft. Ativan didn't work so I upped it to 1 mg and refused the zoloft. Zoloft made me throw up basically... Anyways, the 1 mg worked for a few months until I upped it to 1.5 mg so I took 3 pills at a time. I did this because it gave me terrible tremors and such. Finally doctor gave me .5 mg klonopin and I'm starting to feel much better. Ativan is a hit or miss... It sucked for me personally and if u ever get a doctor recommending it to me I'm gonna scream about it. | F | 26 | 7 months 1 mg | 9/26/2012 | 1 | Panic attacks | Crying uncontrollably, grogginess, morning hangovers when prescribed for sleep aid, brain fog | F | 33 | 1 years 1mg prn | 7/7/2012 | 1 | Insomnia | Didn't work. Started at .5mg, nothing. 1mg, nothing. 1.5mg...you get the idea. I've had the same bottle for over a year cause I usually don't even bother taking it. Sane with Klonopin...no effect. Ambien works for insomnia, about 50% of the time. I think I'm doomed to sleepless life. | F | 28 | 10 times 1mg | 6/26/2012 | 1 | Stressed | Hullucinatons panic sayimg unusual things unable le to make a sound desicion , | M | 52 | 1 days 2 | 6/20/2012 | 1 | Anxiety | Tremors, vertigo, worse anxiety, paranoia, anger outbursts, weight gain ( only about 7 lbs but still a side effect).... Stomach upset, irritability, crying outburts, tage, fatigue...i started on .5 mg then dictor increased to 1 mg which worked but then it stopped working and I've been dealing with these side effects for at least 4 months.... I take Dramamine for the vertigo.... I never had these symptoms before. I tried 1.5 mg once or twice but that just made me sleep. So I'm getting off and reducing under doctors care. I wish I never took this in the first place I'm worse than I was before. Don't take this drug ever ever! | F | 26 | 7 months 1 mg | 6/16/2012 | 1 | social anxiety | It did not help me at all. I have been going through social anxiety since I was in school. Then I stopped taking it, I suffered a seizure. Now I'm taking more pills to control my seizures for the next 3 years. My life is ruined. If Ativan helps you, great, but it didn't help me | M | 21 | 2 days 2mg | 4/30/2012 | 1 | Anxiety | Brain fog, insomnia, heart racing, headaches, urinary tract infections, general feeling of illness, sensitivity to light, hearing problems, derealization, depersonalization. | I would not recommend taking this stuff. It caused a lot of problems while I was on it. It did help for anxiety, but the side effects are NOT worth it. This stuff is insanely hard to get off of too. You literally have to taper off slowly or you can have more serious problems. This stuff should not be taken for more than 2 weeks. | M | 22 | 3 months 1 1X D | 3/22/2012 | 1 | PTSD, Anxiety | Hallucinations, Rage, Paranoia. I'm an OIF Veteran. In the midst of divorce. One night I became very emotionally overwhelmed and began to feel panic. Went to the ER at Loma Linda where they told me I wouldn't be able to see the psychiatrist unless I was suicidal or homicidal. They only thing they could do for me was write me a script for anything I've ever taken in the past. I asked then for a sleep aid. Ativan was that "sleep aid" 2mg. I was pretty much blacked out for an entire week, hallucinations, out of body experiences. I went through a paranoid rage and really hurt alot of people. I couldn't understand what had happened to me until reading through the effects of this stuff. They gave me 2mg 3Xdaily I can't believe they'd just hand that stuff out like that with no patient education. | M | 28 | 7 days 2mg | 3/7/2012 | 1 | "anxiety attacks" that weren't | I took this drug very carefully as I knew it was addictive. Over the time I was on it I developed terrible anxiety, fear of being by myself, dizziness and many other weird sx. I didn't know what was wrong with me. 11 doctors/healthcare providers and many normal test results later I figured out myself it was the Ativan. I am now 96 days after I cold turkey-ed off the drug (NOT recommended) and it has been a living hell. Go to benzobuddies.org if you need help getting off this drug. See Ashton manual online for taper instructions. | Do not take benzodiazipines for longer than a few days. | F | 55 | 18 months 0,5 mg 1X AN | 2/10/2012 | 1 | trouble sleeping after amxiety attk | Hot flashes, trembling arms, weakness, mind racing, agitation, increased blood pressure and heart rate. | M | 46 | 2 weeks .5 | 1/28/2012 | 1 | My mother was | Insomnia, paranoia, fits of rage, not thinking clearly, shaking, anxiety...... | I can not believe this drug is on the market. It is a dangerous substance & physicians are prescribing it like candy. There need to be stricter guidelines for physicians to educate their patients before writing the script. Patients trust their doctors. I understand that as a patient you need to be responsible as well, but my mother was given that in the hospital after almost turning septic, & then her doctor continued to prescribe it. I'm so angry right now & watching my father trying to deal with this is heartbreaking. My mother was an active woman and to see her so distraught is beyond sad. I'm absolutely disgusted at how pharmaceutical companies are valued more then the actual patient! | F | 42 | 5 years 1mg 1X D | 1/25/2012 | 1 | ANXIETY | MY ELDERLY FATHER TOOK THIS FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE I KNEW. He was making his own visits to the doctor. I am a nurse and knew about the dangers of it, so when I found out 2 years ago I tried to wean him down with the help of the pharmacist. My father was hooked and refused, but when he started falling I had had enough. We took his ativAn and brought it over to him several times a day and tried to wean him down. He slept 24 hours a day and only got up to eat and take his med. He became so deconditioned he could hardly walk. He became suicidal and very paranoid (the phone, the neighbours, etc) He fell again and we sent him to the hospital where he spent several weeks going through detox. It was horrible to watch! He then went to a nursing home where he fell the first day and developed some serious bloodclots in his leg. Due to this, and his deconditioning he doesn't walk at all anymore. His mind is now clear, he is awake all day, and could be home if he could walk. | M | 82 | 5 years 1 MG 3X D | 1/23/2012 | 1 | Blurry Vision, Dizziness, Light Sensitivity, Memory Loss, Trouble Walking, Siezure, Migraines, Muscle Pain, Balance Issues, Motor Skill Imparement, Cognitive Imparement, Exhaustion. | This medicine is fine until your body develops a tolerance to it and/or you try to go off it. Then you wish you would die. This medicine should be illegal. Do yourself a favor and don't ever take this poison. | M | 36 | 3 years 2 1X D | 1/15/2012 | 1 | Anxiety | Loved it at 1st. Really helped... then... HELL. I was told ativan could be addictive. But I was very careful how I took it. I started having worse and worse anxiety bc of mystery symptoms appearing. This happened for 3.5 years! Bad crazy mystery symptoms! Finally a few months ago I had tolerance w/d! It was like someone opened the gates to Hell and kicked me in. You see.. since I was a yoyo user... I had been going through Benzo w/d off and on for 3.5 years! It also causes anxiety from hell withdrawaling. I had to reinstate the ativan and ween off if it over a 2yoyo month period. Im 50 days Benzo free and still suffering. It could take a year to heal. I was a fool. These pills will bite you in the butt one day guys... they are ONLY supposed to be prescribed for 2 weeks MAX! Thats how fast the gaba receptors gain a STRONG dependency! Do NOT take benzos! Its an epidemic! Drs are handing them out like candy! They say they are harmless. And they will deny you are going through w/d after 50 days clean. Its insane! Do your research folks! There's a 100+ page manual out there called the Ashton Manual how to get off these drugs. And lists over 270 w/d symptoms that can last for years! W/d symptoms wax and wane on and off... its hell. Anxiety, depression .. shocks ... insomnia ... twitching ... grrrrr! | M | 28 | 4 years .5mg-1mg | 12/17/2011 | 1 | For a severe panic attack | Racing heart, extreme body pain, blurred vision, extreme nausea, insomnia, jitteriness, suicidal thinking, shortness of breath, etc. | I was initially given Klonopin when I experienced a severe panic attack. My Dr. kept increasing the dosage of it when I did not improve. I got sicker and felt crazy! I was switched to Ativan as a "milder" choice. Ater 8 mos of taking 3 mgs of Ativan, split into 4 doses, my family insisted that I "detox" as I was threatening suicide on a regular basis. I was going to admit myself to a local psych unit, but no beds were available, so I started to reduce at home with help of my counselor, family, and psychiatrist. (I had to argue with my psychiatrist who wasn't sure I knew my own body well enough) I am on month 9 of my reductions and now only take 1/8 mg per day. My body is totally addicted to this med and punishes me with each withdrawal. I am very sick for at least a week until my body/brain adjust to the reduction. If I reduce by more than 1/4 mg, I fall apart! I lost a full year of quality living on this med. I realize now that had I been given holistic or cognitive methods to deal with the panic attacks, I would not have needed any meds. (I already take a low dose of Citalapragm for anxiety/depression) I would never recommend a benzo for anxiety usage. People may state they tolerate Ativan when they only use it occasionally, but I would say that if they ever tried to stop the drug, they would see how their body would rebel. I can't wait until I am totally free from it. My thinking has cleared and I can now function. I am still battling side effects wh | F | 56 | 18 months 3 mgs 4X D | 11/21/2011 | 1 | Anxiety | Without my being aware of the debilitating impact of this powerful BENZODIAZEPINE, I encountered LONG-TERM side effects, including SEVERE physical, cognitive & emotional impairment. Ativan potentially causes a PARADOXICAL effect....meaning that the reason you are taking it will actually become a PRIMARY symptom to dramatically worsen & complicate the situation. | RED ALERT: If I knew THEN what I know NOW, I NEVER would have taken Ativan. My psychiatrist neglected to inform me the important details of Ativan being potentially ADDICTIVE & HARMFUL after taking the LOWEST dosage for only 7-10 days. Ativan turned my life into a living hell on earth. Within a few short months of taking the smallest dose only as needed, my cognitive function became IMPAIRED to the point where I could not even recall my own telephone number. I am a professional writer and I literally could NO longer function....I was forced to stop writing, due to the damaging cognitive function. In addition, my outgoing personality & positive outlook on life radically changed before my very eyes. Suddenly, I became extremely anxious, irritable, violent, with unexpected rage, depression, suicidal & emotional unstable. The smallest amount of stress or difficulties would instantly send me into a hostile fit, breaking things & screaming like a lunatic. I HATED THE PERSON ATIVAN TURNED ME INTO!!!! My circumstance with Ativan became much more complicated because I was prescribed Cymbalta to treat Fibromyalgia. Without my knowing it, the two medications had SEVERE INTERACTIONS, which contributed to my dramatic change in personality, behavior & impaired cognitive function. In Oct 2010, during a horrifying taper off Cymbalta, I reached rock bottom & overdosed on Ativan. Quite frankly, I should be DEAD.....but by the GRACE OF GOD, I'M ALIVE TODAY T | F | 47 | 10 months 0.5 MG 2X D | 11/13/2011 | 1 | uncle given it in er room | He died and had lung cancer,they gave to him because he was copding. | husband was also given iv for it it in er for breathing problems and went incoherent and sent on a breathing machine,this drug kills people luckily husband was ok.uncle wasnt i notice er with both of them wanted to know if they need a breathing machine would it be ok to hook them to one,now i think to myself,wtf they know its bad but 1 nurse told me its all the got in er room for lung situations thats bull in my opinion. | M | 69 | 1 days iv 1X D | 11/3/2011 | 1 | labrynthitis | At first, all I did was sleep. I was given this drug for labrynthitis, which it was found later I never had. The ent told me nothing about this med. Several times I did not take it to see how my labrynthitis was, I got extremely ill, but did not know it was due to withdrawal. After 6 weeks I was dependent but had to stop it for tests. I got deathly ill, shakes, couldn't walk without holding on to the wall, diarreah, anxiety, mood swings. | After 2 weeks off the drug, my doctor told me it couldn't be the withdrawal causing my issues and I was subjected to numerous tests which all came back normal. This started me on a downward spiral of being handed so many medications to deal with my "anxiety", with many horrific side effects. It wasn't until after much research and study that I found out my health problems were due to taking benzo medications. I am still in the healing process today, 20 weeks off benzos. | F | 61 | 6 weeks 1mg 2X D | 10/29/2011 | 1 | Insomnia | IBS,Parathesias & nerve pain,Cog Fog,weakness,memory problems,muscle cramps/spasms,urinary freq/incontinence,blurry vision,no saliva,anxiety,ear & sinus pain/pressure,hair loss | I was sent to many specialists and all tests came back normal. Not one doctor suspected the Ativan was causing all these symptoms. I found out through my own research, and also, that the same thing has happened to many other people. | F | 48 | 20 years .5 mg 1X D | 10/28/2011 | 1 | insomnia, anxiety | anxirty, fear, insomnia, bad thoughts, derealization | Dont let the "seemingly"low dosage (.5, 1 or 2 mg)tablets fool you. And dont think "oh ill just take this now and then" THIS STUFF CREEPS UP ON YOU.It is strong and quickly addictive. RESEARCH IT! at first it was very relaxing but sooo gradually that I didnt even notice i became more and more anxious and fearful. I didnt put it together in time to know that it was the medicine itself that had "turned on me" and was actually causing the things it was supposed to stop but by then it was too late, if I didnt take it the symptoms were even worse and now im STILL trying to get off of it 3 years later (lost years)THIS AND OTHER BENZOS LIKE XANAX AND KLONOPIN and even VALIUM ARE THE HARDEST DRUGS TO QUIT AND THE MOST DAMAGING!. DOCTORS WONT TELL YOU THIS, ITS LIKE THEY DONT KNOW OR WONT ADMIT IT. IF you havent started it yet then DONT! Find out about NATURALor NON BENZODIAZEPINE ALTERNATIVES or COUNSELING.If you have then take heart, go to Benzo Buddies.org or other sites for support and advice on how to quit. theres hope. | M | 50 | 3 years 1 3X D | 8/19/2011 | 1 | anxiety | Worked fine at first, but tolerance quickly sets in! Spent a few years thinking I was going crazy, only to find out that interdose withdrawal and tolerance brought on the worst anxiety I have ever experienced along with a ton of other side effects! It took me over 2 years to withdraw and every step of the way was HELL! Do not take!!! Do not take ANY type of benzodiazepine as they all work the same way!!! | I lost 5 years of my life!!! A few months of relief at the beginning is not worth many years of a totally ruined life!!! Do not take!!! | F | 54 | 5 years 1mg 3X D | 7/27/2011 | 1 | panic attacks | it just did nothing for me at all, NOTHING!!! | i felt that it was just too weak for me | M | 29 | 1 months .5 mgs 8X D | 7/25/2011 | 1 | Anxiety Attack | This is the worst thing I have ever taken before. After taking the drug about 2 minutes later I was feeling very funny and out there. I could not feel my legs for about 3-4 minutes. I felt like I was going to throw up. I could not hold off for a short period of time to go to the bathroom. For 2 hours I walked my house till that funny feeling went away and I was finally tired. It was terrible. | F | 43 | 1 weeks 1MG 1X AN | 6/20/2011 | 1 | anxiety | Was very relaxing when I took it, but 12 hours later anxiety was very extreme.....I have to definitely add that the anxiety was far worse than what I'd ever come close to experiencing prior to ever taking the drug. Then I realized this was in fact withdrawal. And this was after only 20 days on a low dosage...........Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry additictive. | I went off of it cold turkey. Should have tapered.......First month was terrible......Four months later it was still tough. 1 year later it was pretty good....Take heart. Time and the Grace of God can heal you......Now it's been 20 months.........And everything's back entirely to normal. Entirely, 100% back......My advice, Pray, taper off slowly, stick with it, you won't feel better in a month, but you will in a year, absolutely. | M | 56 | 20 days 1X D | 6/10/2011 | 1 | Went to ER for PVC's | Tachycardia, Panic attacks, Horrific thoughts, Agoraphobia, crawling out of skin, severe weight loss. | For me this became the drug from hell. What started out as a trip to the Dr's to deal with some harmless PVC's became a living nightmare. For some stupid reason instead of just letting me see a cardiologist to ease my mind he decided it was likely these premature ventricular contractions of the heart were caused by anxiety so he prescribed Ativan. Within 24 hours I was experiencing a racing heart along with a feeling of doom and gloom. In 48 hours I was experiencing horrible thoughts, vertigo and claustrophobia. In three days time I had become so agoraphobic I was hiding in my home and had to call friends to drive me back to the E.R. because I couldn't even drive. I felt like I could burst out of my skin. When I explained to the Dr what was going on all he said was to stay calm and just take my new little med. When I started researching this stuff on line I found that for some they can have an odd adverse reaction and actually acquire all the symptoms it's suppose to fight against. I told the Dr this and he said stop looking on the internet and just keeping taking the med. He could see my heart was racing at 132 resting and did nothing. So for an entire month I begged for help. By then I had lost 35 lbs. I looked like I was dying and felt like I was dying and had begun making out my will. I was scared to death to give it a try but I weened myself off breaking it down a 1/4 of a tab every three days. The withdrawal is so vile I wouldn't wish it on anyone. | M | 35 | 30 days 3X D | 5/3/2011 | 1 | ER doctor said I had anxiety | Tinnitus, brain zaps, psychosis, insomnia, muscle twitches, muscle cramping, numbness, confusion, shakes/tremors, paranoia, anxiety, suicidal/murder thoughts, fear, panic, seizure | Taking the drug feels great, it's amazing how at ease this stuff makes you feel. Being on the drug was not a problem for me, coming off of it was and I only had TWO 1mg in 2 week period, two 1mg doses which even still a year later is messing with me as far as side effects go. I went to the ER for anxiety, a near panic attack because of a traumatic event. The ER doctor gave ativan, it felt great. A few days later the ativan started to wear off and I woke up in the night covered in sweat as if I had been swimming in a pool, was shaking, dizzy, paranoid, scared and felt insane, like nothing I had ever experienced. IF you experience this I suggest soaking your feet in warm water to calm down, rub them and maybe eat some chocolate (It helped me, it sounds silly but TRY IT) I was rushed to the ER again and they gave me 1mg ativan. I was then evaluated by a shrink at the ER and diagnosed with generalized anxiety (WHICH IS ABSURD!) I have never had anxiety panic attacks before this and now I have random panic attacks all the time which are gradually tapering down as I am recovering from Ativan. Coming off Ativan is hell, literally hell! being on it is heavenly and what goes up must come down. I suggest not taking this unless it is a medical emergency and you are panicking beyond reason to start with. The withdrawal effects of this drug aren't worth it. There's more, too much I can't fit it all here. | M | 28 | 2 weeks 1mg 1X AN | 3/4/2011 | 1 | stomach problems | Dizziness, lethargic, heart palps, muscle twitching, brain fog, shortness of breath,agoraphobia,insomnia.....many many more!! | This drug is horrible. At first it was great, but after only a few weeks of taking it, I was having all kinds of crazy symptoms. Now, 5 months after stopping it, I am still struggling with absolutely horrific symptoms!! I wish i had never taken this drug and strongly advise anyone against ever taking it!!!!!! | F | 43 | 3 months .5 mg 1X D | 3/3/2011 | 1 | Dementia Anxiety | Halluciations, aggresive, | NEVER give this to a dementia patient that is on other dementia and anxiety medication. Father is currently taking Excelon and Seroquel. Hospital did not read med chart and did not continue with those two meds. Instead the P.A. ordered the Ativan and my dad became a completely different person. He saw green bottles on the ceiling, a little child that wasn't there and became aggresive with family members and nursing staff. If the medical staff had done their job and continued his regular daily medications, they never would have needed to give him Ativan. His charts now state to never give him this drug again and I intend to have a Med-Alert bracelet stating this as well. His Seroquel should have taken care of any anxiety he might have been feeling...stupid move by med staff. | M | 83 | 1 days 1X D | 1/24/2011 | 1 | Anxiety | I'm very sensitive to all drugs and this seemed like a lifesaver at first. Very calming (for me) and I was able to sleep well at first. | I took extra pills on a couple of high stress days and ran out. I was not able to get a refill for four days. On day two I had the first panic attack I've had in over 30 years. I felt incredibly terrible and didn't understand why. It suddenly occurred to me that I was hooked on this drug. I also realized that the "passing out" event I thought was brought on by a stressful event a month previously was in fact a seizure caused by not taking Ativan for a number of days. My legs were cramping. My face and neck were cramping and contorted and I was sweating profusely. I was taken by squad to hospital and was treated as a cardiac patient. ALL normal test results. After I was given Ativan I felt fine. All of this is just coming together for me as I reflect on events of the past few months. I'm off the drug now (5 days cold turkey) but this is very difficult. Lots of anxiety, brain fog, trembling and I can't sleep at all. I like many others I've read on this site WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS DRUG!!!! Very addictive and in my mind dangerous. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG! I was only taking .5 mg per day... | M | 58 | 1 years .5 mg 1X D | 1/21/2011 | 1 | panic attacks | side effects suck | i started these meds cuz i had a panic attack when taken to the er. abt a year & half goes by i started getting numbness in my legs when going to bed i thought nothing of it but as time went by i couldnt sleep. i went back to the doctor and she put me on pristiq for my anxity/panic attack its been a year now and im still having SIDE EFFECT from ATIVAN. THIS REALLY SUCKS. | F | 41 | 24 months .5 1X D | 1/12/2011 | 1 | stress | dizzy, off balance | M | 65 | 5 times .25 1X AN | 1/1/2011 | 1 | Being transported to hospital | Psychosis, Hallucinations, Aggressive Behavior, Complete Change Of Personality | DON'T TAKE THIS DRUG! Unless you want to spend the rest of your life in some type of hospital. It completely changed the behavior and mindset of 2 relatives, prolonging their hospital stays. One of these relatives without anxiety was given a "routine" shot of Ativan at the hospital and was unable to ever come home afterwards. If the doctor thinks your elderly relative has suddenly lost their mind, ask if they've been given Ativan. The side effects mimic those of Dementia/Alzheimers. Make it known that you don't want this drug, or you may also be given a "routine" shot of Ativan while staying at or being transported to a hospital. | F | 93 | 1 days once 1X O | 12/10/2010 | 1 | anxiety | 46 | 10 days 1mg 1X D | 12/5/2010 | 1 | doctor recommened | all side effects, confusion, memory loss, can't work, blurred vision, agitation, paranoid, body pains, loss of weight to the point of see rib, pure agonary | M | 45 | 10 months 1 1X D | 11/30/2010 | 1 | Stress related to a bad experience | Inosomnia, panic attacks, loss of appetite, cravings for more dosage, depression, mood swings. | I wish I knew how addictive it was before I started taking it. A day does'nt go by that I don't crave it to ease out the anxiety but i feel it has control over me now. | F | 28 | 400 days 2.5 3X D | 11/28/2010 | 1 | Anxiety | All I can say is that I am slowly coming off this, and will never take it again. I had severe crying fits 3 nights in a row where I almost had to be hospitalized. In addition, I had EXTREME fatigue where I couldn't even get out of bed in the morning, and terrible muscle aches where I couldn't even walk/life my arms. I still feel like crap, and my anxiety is even worse. Next time I am just smoking pot... | M | 32 | 5 days 5MG f 1X D | 11/25/2010 | 1 | Anxiety disorder | Hallucinations after a year! w/d=hell! | I have no interest about any of the other ratings, I, myself knows what this med does! | F | 24 | 1 years 1mg 1X D | 11/18/2010 | 1 | ANXIETY WHILE HOSPITALIZED | MY MOTHER EXPERIENCED SEVERE HALLUCINATIONS AND WAS NOT PERMITTED TO BE LEFT ALONE. SHE IS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. | THE WORST SIDE EFFECTS, I WOULD REFUSE TREATMENT WITH THIS DRUG, IT SHOULD BE PULLED OFF THE MARKET. | F | 78 | 1 days ? 2X D | 9/30/2010 | 1 | panic | Seizure! should I say more? | M | 23 | 1 days 0.5mg 1X D | 9/14/2010 | 1 | anxiety, restlessness | complete shutdown, virtually comatose | 4 months after being given 3.75 mg (total over 48 hours), our father still can not walk. | M | 82 | 2 days .25-1 mg 2X D | 9/11/2010 | 1 | panic attack | hallucinated | ran out of my meds early (lyrica, baclofen) was having severe panic attacks. went to hospital and they gave me ativan to stop the panic attacks. kinda worked - panic attack stopped but i started hallucinating instead. my fingers starting melting, felt like I was slipping off my chair, slurring. Really bad side affects for me, do not like, will not take again. | F | 29 | 1 days 1X D | 9/7/2010 | 1 | insomnia. | abnorm bruxism, impaired speech. | the worst BZD to treat insomnia because of its side effects. horrible drug. | M | 24 | 2 days 1 mg 1X D | 8/12/2010 | 1 | anxiety and insomnia | Initially I thought this was manna from heaven. In fact I have thought that until last year when I learned it is a cause of cognitive impairment...a slowing of mental function. There I was, building my career, when things starting going downhill. I began to notice I couldn't concentrate and couldn't perform at work so well anymore. Then I started getting negative feedback at work. My performance reviews were about some other person I did not recognize. My personality changed. I became emotional at every little thing. I took things personally. I got paranoid. My stress increased, my blood pressure went up. I gained weight. I felt sick all the time. I finally had to quit my job...in shame...and have since lost my home, my income, even my ability to carry on an intelligent conversation about things on which I used to be an expert. This drug has destroyed my life. I am currently using cannabis (strong indica, which is relaxing) to help me relax so I can sleep. My plan is to get to where I | When I expressed my concerns to my DOCTOR about my "addiction" to ativan, he seemed unconcerned and told me it was safe. He also corrected me and explained I wasn't addicted; I just had a dependency. Well, regardless, I don't want to be dependent on ANY drug. And that includes cannabis. (But it's a good workaround!) | F | 59 | 12 years 1 mg 1X D | 7/26/2010 | 1 | insomnia | It worked great for me until recently. I slept really well and felt good as a result. In the last month I have steadily been getting diarrhea. Two weeks ago I had an irratic heart beat for 4 hours. I think it is the Ativan. I got an irregular heart beat from cold decongestant medicine and the "horse linement" I got from the health food store. I took a sleep med called Sonitta or something of the sort at one point----it worked until I started getting diarrhea from it. | I quit taking it Sunday cold turkey after a day with 3 bouts of diarrhea and a really "green" feeling of a day. It is day 3 without the Ativan. I feel dizzy and weak. My thoughts are just a little confused. My appetite is down. Sleep is restless but better than the first night without. I don't think that Ativan is worth taking for insomnia. | F | 48 | 1.5 years .5 mg 1X D | 7/21/2010 | 1 | Prescribed for laser procedure | Memory loss. Sleepiness. | I was prescribed 4 mg of Ativan prior to a laser treatment I received from my dermatologist. I have never taken a medication for anxiety, and do not suffer from anxiety. Apparently, it is standard procedure for this dermatologist to prescribe the anxiety reducing drug prior to laser treatment. I was informed I should not drive home, but not informed of the impairment I would suffer for nearly 24 hours after taking it. Anyone taking this medication, even if just for a one time treatment, should be aware that they should not be left alone! The day after taking the drug I found that I had multiple conversations with people that I could not even recall, at all. I apparently decided to take a bath, fell in the tub and my husband came home to find me this way. We had no idea that I'd respond so severely to the effects. What could have stopped me from getting my car keys and driving to the store? I'm sure if it had crossed my impaired mind, I would have done so. Scary! If you or someone you love is taking this medication, please be aware that it can have strong effects and direct supervision is advised. | F | 48 | 1 days 4 mg 1X D | 7/10/2010 | 1 | akathisia from trazodone/restoril | HORRENDOUS--BRAIN SLOWNESS/DRUNKENNESS/CAN'T CONCENTRATE/EVERY LITTLE THING IS OVERWHELMING/PHOTOPHOBIA/CAN'T FOCUS EYES/ DARTING EYES | Was given ativan when desperate because trazodone literally made me feel like I wanted to drive off a cliff and I've never been suicidal! have been tapering off the ativan for months now and the withdrawal effects are an absolute nightmare--all of a sudden I am mentally retarded, unsteady, dizzy, can't focus, can't work, can't drive, can barely see, anything that moves in my field of vision is dizzying. DO NOT THINK FOR A MINUTE YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS FOR MORE THAN A WEEK--Please listen to me because I was a very successful professional and now I can't get off my couch. Have connected with many other withdrawal sufferers--don't think you will be exempt--the horror of withdrawal is 10 times worse than anything you could face that would make you desperate enough to take this. Don't listen to the doctor who will tell you it's no big deal. | F | 44 | 7 months 1 mg. 4X D | 7/7/2010 | 1 | Anxiety | Ativan is one of the most problematic benzodiazepines. I became addicted in 1975 and could not discontinue due to the horrific withdrawal symptoms. I finally managed to withdraw completely this year using a Diazepam taper as recommended in the Ashton manual. I have now been benzo free for 4 months and feel 100% better but still have many withdrawal symptoms some of which I believe may last longer than I anticipated. I now campaign in the UK in order to help others addicted to benzodiazepines. | Ativan, made initially by John Wyeth and Brother Ltd, is one of the most addictive benzos and has been shown to cause epileptic seizures on withdrawal from therapeutic doses after as little as 3 weeks ingestion. It has also been shown to cause up to 200 side effects and withdrawal symptoms. If you are on it then look up the Ashton manual online for advice and information regarding discontinuation. | M | 55 | 35 years 1mg 1X D | 7/1/2010 |