ATIVAN Reviews (LORAZEPAM)Average Rating: 3.3 (709 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ATIVAN with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 |
More on ATIVAN: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ATIVAN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | Had panic attacks | Absolutely none | I have taken this medication for over 40 years. I had severe panic attacks that attacked at anytime. I began taking 3 mg. I had to give long presentations which unnerved me. 3 mg I could talk to any crowds. I dropped it down to 2 mg and take both in the morning. I have never had any complications. Very mild. Usually only 1 mg should do it. | M | 71 | 40 years 2 mg | 10/3/2019 | 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 day | 7/1/2010 | 5 | Anxiety | Sleepiness at first but wore of after a few days, otherwise none. Doesn't affect me at all. | I know some people have had big problems with tranquillizers but I honestly believe Ativan has enabled me to live a happy, creative life while coping with a husband with ADD and daughter with ADHD/OCD,and multiple mental health problems. At first I wanted to just take it when I was stressed but was persuaded by my doctor that it would be more effective if I took it daily. I was assured it was not addictive! This was in the 70s.I do get withdrawal effects if I don't take it but I have never had any need to increase the dose from the minimum of I mg daily. My doctors have agreed to leave me on it. Sometimes I get really stressed and knowing that relief will come when I take that pill at about 5.30 is what gets me through. I even feel more creative after taking it! It hasn't affected me detrementally in any way. Having said that it didn't suit my daughter at all and she started increasing the dose and had to be weaned of. It maddens me that because this drug has had a bad effect on som | F | 61 | 32 years | 3/5/2009 | 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 day | 3/19/2011 | 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 day | 8/14/2011 | 5 | Anxiety Disorder | No side effects at prescribed dosage. | I have had an anxiety disorder for most of my life. Ativan helps to keep it under control. I have never developed a tolerance, so am able to keep the dosage low. | M | 71 | 28 years 2 mg 1X day | 10/2/2019 | 5 | General Anxiety Disorder | More than 2 mg is definitely mentally dulling | Have used this drug in varying dosages for 25 years. Dependency not a problem if keep daily dose under about 2 mg. Really bad withdrawal if you let your daily dose get up to 6 or 8 mg. Very versatile and reliable drug once you learn how to use it wisely. properly. Very calming with relatively little sedation. | M | 52 | 25 years | 1/14/2010 | 5 | anxiety | very mild sleepiness-drugged feeling | A wonder drug for the anxious person like myself. My profession would not be possible without it-I panic when I have to chair controversial meetings. But if i dose beforehand with Ativan I am in command and I end up looking cool-calm and very professional. The right dose for me is about 3/4 of a 1 mg tab 3 hours prior to the meeting-1 mg and i'm a little too drugged and 1/2 mg is just not quite enough. Many years of experimentation have led me to these conclusions. Another thing it is good for is sleeping on nights when you have a lot of stressful stuff going on and you want to be rested because the anticipatation disrupts your sleep-also useful for major events in life that create a lot of anxiety. The key for me has been to NOT take this drug everyday and so I have never become addicted to it-weeks may go by when i don't need it but when a big meeting comes up or some other very stressful event I have my little white pill which chokes off the part of the brain that gets all worked up over these things and the real me-the personality shines through and I'll say it again-I OWE MY SUCCESSFUL CAREER PROFESSION TO THIS DRUG I'd probably would have had to quit long ago without it. | M | 57 | 25 years 1X AN | 10/2/2010 | 1 | anxiety/sleeplessness | when i tried to get off of it i found it to be impossible | ativan is wrecking my marriage. my wife states that she feels like she is trying to communicate with a person whos head is full of air. she says i have an inability to relate to her what is truly in side of my heart. she is so sad. i feel nothing is wrong. she cries all the time. she says she feels so alone even though we are together all the time. i've tried to get off the ativan but i can't. | M | 53 | 25 years | 1/21/2007 | 5 | Anxiety and massive panic attacks | No side effects at all | Helps me sleep | F | 58 | 24 years 6 mg | 1/2/2018 | 2 | Seizure Disorder/MR | .2mg PRN. Seizures stop w/in half hr., if not 2mg.more . Sleep 24hr.Ativan stop seizures yet after affects are Jekyl/ Hyde personality changes | 23 years , PRN Ativan for seizure disorder , works well for stoppage of seizures , yet the end outcome with EXTREME personality change is consuming .From peace,love , dove to ...Violent outbursts, hysterical cry, hate all. | F | 23 | 23 years | 8/25/2007 | 5 | anxiety | some sedation-very mild | here is what all people should be TOLD BY THEIR DOCTORS 1. do not take until you try alternatives like therapy/ssri's 2. because the drug is highly addictive if taken daily for a stretch of time-generally more than 3-4 weeks 3. if you only have occasinal anxiety/panic take the drug AS NEEDED if you use it this way it WILL NEVER be a problem as long as you do not take it daily. 4. if you have chronic panic/anxiety and alternatives do not work then consider taking it daily AS PRESCRIBED the drug is relatively safe long term as long as you DO NOT SUDDENLY STOP TAKING IT and the anxiolytic effects generally continue to work indefinately 5. if you need to get OFF ATIVAN refer to THE ASHTON MANUAL-a simple google search will work. A MIRACLE DRUG when used properly. A | M | 44 | 22 years 1X day | 11/6/2010 | 1 | antiety/panic attacks | muscle tension, shortness breath, anger/violent thoughts, anxiety, tightness in chest, weight gain, fatigue, memory loss, nerve pain in face, inability to tolerate others, suicidal thoughts | I've taken ativan for 21 years. I never felt I was abusing it (.5mg prn, and I didn't take it every day for many years until recently) and I NEVER did deal with the issues I was taking it for to begin with, (anxiety). I forgot why I was taking it! It made me feel better for many years, that's all that mattered! my doctor who was giving it to me since I'm 17 just retired.. now I'm forced to stop it or go begging like an addict for more. I have a good job and I can afford to DR shop but now that I'm going through this thought process I see my addiction for what it is and has become. This drug will make you feel better,(no doubt about it!).. but, this drug will make you a lunatic on it and if you try to stop it.. consider the worst panic attack imaginable.. all that hell doesn't even compare to what you will feel and how your body will react when you have no more little pills left. It hurts and it doesn't just go away..this withdrawl duration. forwarned is forarmed. I can't express it i | F | 38 | 21 years | 1/14/2008 | 5 | Panic attacks Agraphobia Anxiety | Sometimes makes me feel sleepy | I was 24 when i started having serious anxiety that led to panic attacks and agraphobia. I didn't see any way to recover and ended up a mess at the doctors. He prescribed ativan and the relief was instant. Trouble was i continued using them daily for 6 months or so and realised that i had indeed become addicted to them, and found myself craving them. I became quite worried at this point and stopped them cold turkey. That hurt...big time! but i felt genuinely proud that i was able to kick them. Since then i have always carried a few with me and take them only when necessary (flying for instance)They make me feel wonderfully calm and relaxed, but i am careful not to take them for any longer than 2 weeks at a time. Great drug | M | 44 | 20 years | 5/7/2009 | 5 | anxiety | none | after years of stress induced panic attacks that made a public life all but impossible, and after using several other meds that did nothing to help, Ativan has literally been a life saver for me. Not that it kept me from death, but I sometimes felt as though I might as well be dead because I had no life. I know it doesn't work for everybody, but it has changed my life dramatically. | M | 58 | 20 years | 8/26/2009 | 4 | Anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, OCD | Memory loss over the years. | Very addicting. I have been taking it for about 20 years at the same dose of 2mg. My PMD prescribed several other sleep meds, but none of them helped me with the anxiety and insomnia like Ativan does. Ativan is the only med that shuts my mind off so I can sleep. It has been a Godsend for me. | F | 55 | 20 years | 12/27/2007 | 4 | Sleep aid/panic attack | This medicine may cause tiredness in the morning, diminished libido. Also, one should not consume alcohol within 6-12 hours of a dose (depending on the dose, amount of alcohol and individual response). Still, it has relativelly minor side effects when compared to other drugs I had to take occasionally (propranolol/inderal for example, which can also be used for some of these conditions - less effective for anxiety but less addictive also) | This drug helped me go through difficult periods of stress, when I was not able to sleep or had occasional panic attacks and dealing with anxiety before medical/dental procedures. The lowest dose (0.5 mg) would usually work for me, but during particularly stressful periods I would take 1-2 mg/day. Since it is very addicting, one should learn to use the minimum effective dosage while doing everything else to improve their condition (i.e. lifestyle changes). Widhdrawal symptoms usually appear after 3-4 days and can last for weeks. | M | 49 | 20 years | 8/27/2007 | 4 | Anxiety,Pain,Muscle Cramps,Insomnia | Drowsiness and Fatigue when taking during the day. Taken at night for sleep, it works great. | I take it as needed. Never a problem with withdrawl or major side effects. Used to hear voices in my head telling me bad things. Now we have regular conversations and they finally make sense. I'd be lonely without it. | F | 88 | 20 years .5 - 2mg 2X day | 1/29/2012 | 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 day | 10/28/2011 | 1 | Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia | Worsening anxiety, depression, panic attacks, severe addiction, weight gain, fatigued, slept all the time, stupor, brain fog, severe memory and concentration problems. Had neuro psychological testing and now have permanent brain damage. | Started Ativan 20 yrs ago. Takes several months before you get the full effect. So bad changes take hold of you overtime & you don't even realize it. I explained my problems to the Dr. She stated I was in need of higher doses & added an antidepressant. I'd go back saying I was having side effects but she kept increasing doses. The meds were not helping. They caused more anxiety and depression. I tried weaning off on my own After a year I was down to 1/2 the original dose. That day my world spun out of control! I went through 11 days of severe withdrawal. Pop ups would appear in my head telling me everything I walked past had to be taken out, washed & organized. I had nightmares all night of being gang raped or sticking my grandchildren in ovens. I went to the Dr. & she insisted my body telling me I still needed to take it because it showed how anxious I was. She wanted me to go back up to the original dose. I refused. 2 yrs later I tried weaning down .25 mg, but that is very problematic. If I don't get the med within 24 hrs, I start to go into withdrawal. I still get horrible nightmares. To top it off, the Dr. wants me NOW to go off the Ativan completely. The side effects I have complained about for years, have now been found to be real. NOW they say the Standard of Care is to take this med no longer than 4 months! Lot of good that does me after I have been taking it for 20 years & suffered damage you can't reverse. | F | 61 | 20 years 2 mg 3X day | 4/6/2022 |
ATIVAN (LORAZEPAM): This medication is used to treat anxiety. Lorazepam belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which act on the brain and nerves (central nervous system) to produce a calming effect. This drug works by enhancing the effects of a certain natural chemical in the body (GABA). (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)