Drug Ratings for ATIVANAverage Rating: 3.3 (677 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Date Rating Was Added 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 | anxiety | none | I am a very tense person and it really helps to calm my nerves and my racing mind. I'm in college and I usually take a pill before a lengthy project or a stressful test, and it helps me to focus my mind. | F | 21 | 6 months | 4/2/2006 | 4 | PANIC ATTACKS | NONE, BECAUSE I USE THIS MEDICINE AS AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE NOT AN EVERYDAY MEDICINE. | I TAKE THIS MEDICINE ONLY AS A BACK-UP WHEN I AM SEVERELY PANICKING, AND MY REGULAR MEDICINES CANNOT BLOCK THE ATTACKS. I AM ON BUSPAR & VISTIRIL REGULARLY. ATIVAN WORKS FINE FOR THIS PURPOSE. I HAVE HAD BAD EXPERIENCES WITH VALIUM AND XANAX WHEN TAKING IT REGULARLY AS MY ONLY MEDICATION, IT GAVE TO ME SEVERE WITHDRAWL BETWEEN DOSES. BENZO'S ARE NOT GOOD EVERY-DAY MEDS, BECAUSE THEY ARE SOOO TERRIBLY ADDICTING, YOU WILL FEEL THE WITHDRAWL IF YOU MISS A DOSE, OR ARE LATE ON A DOSE. BUT THEY SURE HELP WHEN YOU'RE GOING NUTS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. WITHIN 20 MINUTES OF CONSUMPTION I FEEL RELIEF. DOCTOR TOLD ME TO PUT A TABLET UNDER MY TONGUE FOR A FASTER REACTION. THIS DOES WORK. ALSO WAS TOLD TO BREATHE IN A PAPER BAG FOR 30-40 MINUTES. DOCTOR SAID THAT THE CARBON DIOXIDE PUTS YOU UNCONSCIOUS AFTER 30-40 MINUTES, THUS BLOCKING ANY ATTACKS. | F | 37 | 2 months | 3/28/2006 | 5 | cancer/ anxiety | NONE- This drug is a lifesaver | They give me this with my chemo treatments and I take at bedtime as needed. I don't think I'd be here without this drug. The anxiety is gone in 20 min, and it helps with nausea too! You do build a tolerance though. I only take .5mg at bedtime, and sometimes not every night. I work nights, so it helps me keep my schedule right as well. | F | 27 | 10 months | 3/22/2006 | 5 | Anxiety in social situations | sleepiness, dry mouth, forgetfullness, feel a little bit buzzed or drunk on it. | despite the side effects i mentioned, it has truly been a life saver. especially in situations where i have to speak in front of a group of people. none of the side effects are that out of control that i can't handle them. i will continue to take it, but only when needed. | F | 41 | 1 years | 3/17/2006 | 5 | Anxiety/panic disorder | None | This medication has been a Godsend for me. It stops severe anxiety or panic attack in its tracks. I take it only when needed -- usually a couple times a month. | F | 52 | 5 years | 3/7/2006 | 3 | anxiety/derealization | shakes,insomnia,vomiting. | I have posted earlier with a 5 rating for this drug but in the last few weeks i have been experiencing severe withdrawl symptoms. I wake up at 4 am and have a horrible nervous stomach and I have been throwing up in the morning. I was taking on a as needed basis but made the mistake of taking everyday for 3 weeks and that was enough to get be addicted.This medication helps for the occasional user but please do not use for a long duration. | M | 36 | 3 weeks | 3/3/2006 | 3 | F | 30 | 30 days | 2/28/2006 | 5 | Panic/Anxiety disorder | Not much. Some drowsiness, but that could just be the panic wearing off. It seems to be the miracle cure for everything anxiety related. | There is a lot of warning about ativan being habit forming. I don't doubt that it is. But if you're smart about it you can use it sensibly. I've been on this drug as needed for five years or so now without a problem. You just have to use it only when you absolutely need it. If you find you're taking it regularly you might want to talk to your doctor about changing any other anti anxiety meds you may be on (like Zoloft, or Paxil). Don't compensate for more anxiety by taking more ativan. All you have to do is be careful and this drug can be a great help. | F | 20 | 5 years | 2/24/2006 | 5 | For help sleeping after Migraine | No side affects very good drug if used properly. | Ativan is a very affective drug when used for stress and relaxation... Its very important not to take everyday or even every other day .. space out your dosing and you cant get addicted and wont build up a tolerance ... Its nice to know its there and you have a way to relax but you must be very responsible with this drug.... people that rate this drug bad because of addiction have to hold themselves accountable for not being responsible with the drug.... YES ativan is addictive but so are alot of drugs if you over use them.... BE RESPONSIBLE....If you having anxiety everyday then talk to your doctor and get a new gameplan ... dont take ativan everyday ... its not made for that.... | M | 37 | 15 years | 2/18/2006 | 5 | anxiety and depression | Well, I want people to know, that they need to educate themselves on WHY they are taking ativan, and if Ativan is harmful using it long term. After watching my dosage continue to rise.. I finally wanted to wean off it. My doctor wrote me a schedule and it took awhile. I'm now at .5 mgs and night and in the am. Tapering has not been as hard as I expected, but I fear that the worst challenge is yet to come... coming off the 1mg and the .5mg. One product that seemed to help me, whether it was a placebo effect or not.. who cares, right!... was Calms by Forte. I was stupid in not checking it with the pharmacist on interactions with Ativan and other meds. Please check with the pharmacist before trying Calms or ANY OTHER herb or whatever to help you taper. Good luck to all of you! | P.S. I don't want to scare anyone, as I am sure for some, Ativan is a great TEMPORARY drug... or maybe if your anxiety is debilitating. I don't k now as I am not a doctor, but ativan is highly addictive and is NOT to be fooled with. | F | 39 | 1.5 days | 1/29/2006 | 5 | anxiety and depression | Well, I want people to know, that they need to educate themselves on WHY they are taking ativan, and if Ativan is harmful using it long term. After watching my dosage continue to rise.. I finally wanted to wean off it. My doctor wrote me a schedule and it took awhile. I'm now at .5 mgs and night and in the am. Tapering has not been as hard as I expected, but I fear that the worst challenge is yet to come... coming off the 1mg and the .5mg. One product that seemed to help me, whether it was a placebo effect or not.. who cares, right!... was Calms by Forte. I was stupid in not checking it with the pharmacist on interactions with Ativan and other meds. Please check with the pharmacist before trying Calms or ANY OTHER herb or whatever to help you taper. Good luck to all of you! | P.S. I don't want to scare anyone, as I am sure for some, Ativan is a great TEMPORARY drug... or maybe if your anxiety is debilitating. I don't k now as I am not a doctor, but ativan is highly addictive and is NOT to be fooled with. | F | 39 | 1.5 years | 1/29/2006 | 5 | anxiety | Obviously I meant 1.5 years... not 1.5 days... sorry! | F | 39 | 1.5 years | 1/29/2006 | 1 | | 1/22/2006 | 5 | anxiety | F | 45 | | 1/19/2006 | 1 | Panic attacks and agoraphobia | Serious addiction, a weird sense of reality, muscle pain when withdrawing, insomnia. | This drug is **HIGHLY ADDICTIVE** much more so than Diazepam (Valium). A few years ago I gave this drug a 5 rating but what I didn’t realise then is how addicted I was. 1mg of Lorazepam is the equivalent of 10mg Diazepam. | M | 18 | 12 months | 1/12/2006 | 3 | Panic Attacks/Depression | It makes me drowsy and effects my short term memory. | I think this drug is GREAT for helping with anxiety and panic attacks. It totally helps me cope with my anxiety. However, this drug is VERY ADDICTIVE. I have been trying to wein myself off because I've been taking more and more over a short amount of time ( up to a hundred in two weeks ) I suffer from bad with drawl symptoms and I'm finding weining myself very hard. I believe I may have to enter detox. I'm hoping it doesn't have to come to that though. Do NOT take this drug for more than two weeks. Highly addictive. | F | 21 | 4 days | 1/5/2006 | 1 | Initially air travel anxiety | Feelings of chronic heart problems. Twice went for heart problem diagnosis. Eventually figured out through the web, benzos.org.uk and this page that Ativan was the problem. This is a very scary drug. Forewarned is forearmed! | I would take 1 mg on a casual basis for travel and anxiety etc. Over the past couple of years I found I would take it for just about every malady - anxiety, insomnia, hangovers etc. I was using about thirty pills every two months. A few months ago one of the doctors at the clinic warned me and said that Ativan is a "bullshit drug" and I should exercise extreme caution. Of course, I thought he was being overly cautious and ignored his advice. Over the past few months I have been plagued by problems associated with heart disease, such as severe left side pain, shortness of breath although I work out regularly and consider myself somewhat fit. Ativan would always restore my sense of well being. This past couple of weeks, I tended to over indulge (to my way of thinking). Took a pill almost every day in the week leading to Christmas, two on Christmeas Eve, two on Christmas Day and because I only had four left and did not wish to be be rebuffed by my doctor, decided to leav | M | 52 | 17 years | 1/3/2006 | 5 | Panic attacks, Anxiety | Sometimes it causes me to be a bit tired but other that that no problems other than it is addictive | This Medication allows me to have a much more normal life. | F | 31 | 12 years | 12/30/2005 | 5 | panic/ high anxiety | sleepy 1st few times | wonderful | M | 25 | 30 days | 12/29/2005 | 5 | severe anxiety / derealization | Only side effect I have noticed is a mild hangover feeling in the morning. | I have been taking Ativan for 9 months on the days I really need them.It has really helped me deal with this derealisation. I am a stay at home dad of a 2 year old and six year old. Ativan has helped me get through those really horrible days. Only using when I absolutely need it has helped me not build up tolerance to the drug.I take 1mg when I require it to bring me back to reality.Iam very thankful I found something to ease the symptoms. | M | 36 | 9 months | 12/27/2005 | 5 | Anxiety, Panic Attacks | drowsiness | I can't imagine my life without it. Prescribed 1mg, three times/day. You build up a tolerance to the drug quickly. In order to avoid that, I only take 1 or 2 mg on "normal" days. On days where anxiety/panic attacks will be likely (for me it's public speaking) I will take 3 to 4 mg about 1 hour before the event. It works great if used in this manner. Don't bother taking this medication long term if you can't do this (regulate). You must be willing to use it on an as needed basis, but you will still need to take some each day (lowest possible dose) to prevent insomnia (when I take just 1 mg I take it before bedtime). | M | 49 | 3 years | 12/27/2005 | 4 | alcohol withdrawal symptoms | the first few days i was extremely drowsy and slept most the day. i was always freezing but sweat so much i soaked the sheets. it did help with the shakes andhelped me to keep food down. i had been throwing up each morning and constant diarrhea although i wasn't eating. this allowed me to stop throwing up and keep down soup. | i was told not too take it more often than every 4 hrs. i take 1mg 3 times a day but i find myself counting the hours until i can take it again. i've only been on it 5 days but still i worry about addiction. i have severe liver damage and i imagine this is better than drinking but i don't need another addiction. also i cry alot. but i want to stay sober. i'll stay on it til the shaking stops but it makes me feel a litle dingy. i need to talk to my doctor again. | F | 49 | 5 days | 12/26/2005 | 5 | panic | none. never been happy until now | i dont care if it is addictive . it was worse living and feeling so much panic | F | 40 | 4 years | 12/7/2005 | 4 | Anxiety and panic attacks | I tend to feel a little nervous the next day. I can sleep through the night. I am just afraid of taking it during the day when i am at work cause i am afraid i will fall asleep at my desk. I get very sleepy when I take it at night. I also was wondering if I get a headache during the day can I take a tylenol and then at night take my ativan? Can someone let me know. Thanks again.. | Is is true that you can develop cardiovacular disease with this drug? I really dont want to get addicted to it so im a little worried about that. I go to my doctor in a couple of weeks so I should talk to him more about it. If anyone can email me about Ativan i would appreciate it. | F | 31 | 6 days | 11/20/2005 | 5 | Loss of wife through illness | None, but looked forward to relaxing or lying down. | If it wasn't for this drug I never would have gotten through the unbelievable stress, grief, pressure, that I endured in watching someone disintegrate in front of my eyes. I look back on it now (4 years ago) and am amazed that I was able to function through it. All the Ativans in the world could not get me to do it again. But as I said at that time there was nothing else I could turn to independently without showing to the rest of my family how really weak I was. I did not realize later how difficult it was to stop the drug, you definitely have to go very slowly or you'll be experiencing other symptoms. Even now, I always keep them around as safety crutch. In summation, thank you Ativan, the side effects were insignificant to the actual benefit I received at the lowest point in my life a truly horrid time. | M | 58 | 6 days | 11/16/2005 | 4 | Tension, stress, fear | None that I could tell. I did notice at times that I looked forward to lying down or napping/sleeping. | This works so well that I would go to it whenever I felt something different. I tried to do without it but once the idea got into my head I gave in to the drug as the easiest solution. | M | 58 | 3 months | 11/16/2005 | 5 | temporary stress | none | I find it helps me have a good nights sleep and stops me worrying.I only take i tablet 5 days a week. not on weekends. | M | 61 | 120 days | 11/8/2005 | 3 | Insomnia, Psychosis NOS | Memory lapses like not remembering where I parked the car and difficulty coming up with words when I speak. I've been taking for years (1mg) to sleep because I'm hypersensitive to noise from neighbors. I've become unable to make major decisions in my life and think that this drug may be the reason why. Now I've read that the damage it causes to the brain is often permanent. | Wow, it sure does help me sleep and I haven't found a replacement. Am hopefully going to see an Orthomolecular Doctor because I've tried enough of the anti-depressants and anti-psychotics to know that I have no confidence in them. I was anorexic for years and suffered various malnutrition problems which I think hurt my nervous system. I sort of have an ability to feel when the electrical wiring is overloaded or the wires are crossed in a building. I guess this is an official disease in Europe but the American Doctors think I'm hallucinating. | F | 46 | 5 days | 10/18/2005 | 4 | anxiety, panic attacks | nothing, other than puts me to sleep | Even though I don't take it for sleeping problems, I can always count on a thorough sleep when I take one. I sleep longer than 4 hours and awake more refreshed than normal. I don't take it regularly, only when needed and usually 30 tablets last me over a year. | F | 52 | 5 years | 9/29/2005 | 2 | Panic Attack | Painful nausea after first dose of the day, lasts until late afternoon. Dose is .25 mg. If I take .5 mgm doses, makes me stagger. | Addition of Atenolol for heartrate helps reduce attacks. | F | 59 | 2.5 months | 9/29/2005 | 5 | insomnia, nausea, anxiety | One of the only drugs I know that has no noticeable side effects. | I'm taking this for problems associated with breast cancer treatment. It is pretty much the friendliest drug I take. | F | 44 | 8 months | 9/25/2005 | 1 | Anxiety- work stress | Very ADDICTIVE medication and I was in Tolerance withdrawal for almost a year before I learned that the symptoms were caused by the ativan. | ADDICTIVE even at the .5 doses. If you think you are not addicted just try to get off the stuff. You will be in for the ride of your life. Please email me if you need links on tapering. | F | 43 | 3 days | 9/21/2005 | 1 | Anxiety | Addictive Drug It was like functioning on a chemical roller coaster. Severe memory loss as a result of 3 years at .5mg | If you are on Ativan go to a support group or contact benzoisland.org for assistance tapering. It gave me a burst of energy for about an hour (paradoxidal effect) then i would crash and not be able to function til the next dose. | F | 43 | 3 years | 9/21/2005 | 1 | Sleeplessness | Drowsiness, a 'high' feeling. | Extremely addictive drug. DO NOT take for more than one week. If you don't think it's bad, and you've been taking it for more than 3 months or so, just try to stop! You will have life threatening reactions. Check benzo.org.uk if you don't believe me. | M | 54 | 11 months | 8/31/2005 | 5 | For Panic/Anxiety Disorder | None | Well, the GOOD thing about this drug is that it literally saved my life with respect to moving on with my life. I started with SEVERE panic attacks almost 14 years ago and suffered for about a year before I demanded help (i had to care for my 2 year old with a military husband away a lot) The problem? I cannot for the life of me get off the stuff. I've tried to switch, but they never know how to make the adjustment. Switching I don't see as a good option, but at the same time, I'm just maintaining the dose 2mg 4xday (8mg) but really, it no longer touches me; ( Not sure what to do, but would realllly like to eliminate it. I DO recommend it if you need to move on with your life like I have, but NEVER get up to such a high dose... very hard to get off of... | F | 42 | 14 years | 8/24/2005 | 4 | Panick attacks | Hangover,if taken regularly, which can lead to more anxiety and panick. | In my early 30's I was prescribed l mg Ativan 3-4 times a day. I became hopelessly addicted and experienced violent withdrawal symptoms and I had no choice than to take more Ativan and it became a vicious cycle. Luckily I found a doctor who guided me to gradually cut down on the dose and it took me appr. 3 months to | F | 58 | | 8/22/2005 | 4 | Anxiety | anxiety is a crazy drug. it can be so addictive its almost like a narcotic. but, if you use it right, it can be very helpful. i had a head injury that left me with severe bipolar mania and anxiety attacks. i felt immobile and in pain all the time. the ativan helped me to think freely and move around more easily, however, you must adjust to the drugs effects very carefully, and not get confused by its addictive feeling. i think that 2 mg a day is a high dose, so, id try 1 mg a night first, but, thats just my opinion | ativan is ok, is VERY difficult to get used to because it can be addictive | M | 22 | 1 years | 8/21/2005 | 1 | panic attacks, anxiety | sleeplessness, depression, the list could go on and on... | i think my physician is not caring about my health, i've been having severe panic attacks and constant anxiety...so he ups my dose....i don't know if he thinks my past drug addiction is a factor, but i do. i haven't been taking it everytime i feel i need to, i just try to breathe, looking to dodge the feelings like restnessness, confusion, blurred eyesight, crying/sobbing, depression, dizziness, and severely sensitive to alcohol. AVOID THIS DRUG!!! it's a depressant!! | F | 23 | 2 weeks | 8/21/2005 | 5 | insomnia starting w/peri-menopause | may have developed a tolerance | Insomnia started for me at the same time as obvious peri-menopause symptoms. I need at least 7 hrs. of sleep a night to feel OK. For 10 months after the insomnia started, a | F | 46 | 1.5 years | 8/14/2005 | 5 | panic attacks | No side effects. Just when I first started taking them I got sleepy. | Calms me down so that my panic attacks are under control, especially when I have to do something that makes me nervous and helps me to sleep at night. | F | 58 | 10 days | 8/8/2005 | 5 | anxiety related to PTSD | None. Not at all addictive. | This is a fabulous medication. When that intensity starts to crank up I can take one of these pills and be pulled back to reality w/ in 20 minutes. I have taken up to 2 mg/ day but have over the last year gotten down to a couple pills / week. Average 1x / week for trouble sleeping and 1x for anxiety. | F | 33 | 8 years | 7/19/2005 | 3 | Anxiety/Insomnia | none | This medicine does nothing to help me sleep. I've taken up to four pills at a time to try to get to sleep, but it really doesn't help at all. It does take the edge off of my anxiety though. I can take one .5 mg pill at work and have no problems. I don't feel drowsy or like I'm drugged at all. It's a very subtle change, but it makes a difference. | F | 33 | 1 months | 7/17/2005 | 4 | anxiety | none--works well. | It seems like I have to have it now--definitely can cause a dependency. | F | 32 | 3 years | 7/2/2005 | 1 | Anxiety | Chest pain, weird feeling like I am dying, confusion,short term memory loss | This drug worked wonders in the beginning when I went to my doctor complaining for chest pains. She said it might be anxiety and gave me Ativan. It was wonderful, no more chest pain, calming effect. Later on when she told me 20 days later that it is addictive, I wanted to only use it on needed basis. This is when nightmare began. The chest pain and cunfusion became so bad that I called ER. I concluded finally that it was withdrawal symptoms. When I took it I was fine. It took me exactly 9 months to come off of .5 mg twice a day. I broke the pills in 2 piece , then 4 and basically tapered myself. It was the scariest feeling I had im my life. I felt like I was dying from heart attack. Never again I would take this. It works wonders but not worth it. Withdrawal is nightmare. I wanted to use it only on needed basis | M | 40 | 9 months | 6/30/2005 | 3 | | 6/24/2005 | 3 | | 6/24/2005 | 5 | Hiatal Hernia, Panic Disorder | Mild depression, muscle fatigue, heartburn. | I've tried just about every drug out there for panic disorder and Ativan is the only one that really works for me without any significant side effects. So what if it is addictive, the benefits are outstanding. I can live a normal life without the fear of having a panic attack or insomnia. It is a real life saver!!! Anti-depressents were horrible in treating my panic disorder. I hate those type of medications. | M | 45 | 21 days | 6/13/2005 | 4 | meniere's disease and anxiety | minor dry mouth, fasciculations and numbness in feet upon discontinuation if used for a few days in a row. Some rebound effects, insomnia and anxiety. | taken on as needed basis. Always have been reluctant to use, but the drug just plain helps. There are periods of several weeks where I don't use it at all. I have 2 mg tabs, but general dosage has been .5 to 1 mg only as needed. There have been two or 3 occasions of perhaps near panic episodes where I'd need 2 or 3 mgs. | M | 57 | 7 years | 6/3/2005 | 3 | Generalized Anxiety Disorder | Have been taking for more than a decade, my medical records don't go back further than that. Have since been told I was mis-diagnosed and have BPD and have to go in hospital next week for rapid detox off the Ativan before I can begin the appropriate medication! Am very fearful............. | I currently take 2 mgs. 4 x a daily, and have been taking Ativan for more than 10 years, probably closer to 15. | F | 45 | 10 years | 5/27/2005 | 1 | anxiety, insomnia | first few days grogginess during day; withdrawal symptoms: extreme anxiety and insomnia (unable to sleep for 3 days), panic attacks, flu-like symptoms, headache | I knew ativan was addictive, but Dr. told me nothing about side effects, or how quickly I could experience withdrawal/tolerance. I am only realizing from this web-search that what I am experiencing is related to the Ativan. Dr. prescribed 2 mg nightly for a 1 week period. I am very sensitive to most meds, but was told this dose and time period was not a concern. But, I am practically climbing the walls from anxiety and lack of sleep, much, much worse than before I began the ativan. Not worth the one week of sleep at all! | F | 28 | 7 days | 4/23/2005 | 1 | Insomnia due to hyperactive thyroid | I started taking 2 mg per day at bedtime. After about a year, I experienced anxiety during the day, and my doctor thought that my thyroid condition was getting worse, so he doubled my Ativan dose. A few months later, I became anxious again, and it turned out the anxiety was caused by the fact that I had reached tolerance to the Ativan and needed more in order to feel | Ativan should only be taken on a short-term basis. It's actually possible to become addicted to Ativan after taking it for as short a time as a month. It is very potent and highly addictive. Had I known it would affect me in the way it did, I never would have taken it in the first place. I tried to wean myself off Ativan, but was unsuccessful in doing so because I suffered from severe interdose withdrawal symptoms. A kind, caring doctor in an attempt to wean me off the Ativan switched me to Valium so that I could taper myself off that drug. Valium has a longer half-life, so it's much easier for people who are addicted to Ativan to get off Benzodiazepines by switching to Valium. The website, www.benzo.org.uk contains a copy of the Ashton Manual, which is considered the best resource to use if you're considering tapering off a Benzodiazepine tranquilizer, such as Ativan. I am 58 years old. I never took recreational drugs in my life, and I discovered at age 55 that I was a geriatric junkie because of the Ativan. Patients should exercise extreme caution before taking this drug. It took me three years to beat this addiction. | F | 58 | 4 years | 4/15/2005 | 1 | insomnia and anxiety | After 5 years at the same dose, I began to unknowingly experience tolerance withdrawal. No doctor I went to could figure out what was wrong with me. I was sick for one year until a therapist finally figured it out. | I was precribed this drug for six years without being told it is addictive and builds tolerance. When I tried to get off it in a reasonable amount of time, over several weeks in detox, I had a complete physical and mental breakdown. I had to reinstate and am now coming off it at such a slow pace, it will take years to get off. This drug should never be prescribed for longer than 2 weeks, EVER. | F | 48 | 6 years | 4/11/2005 | 1 | M | 66 | 13 years | 4/11/2005 | 1 | Anxiety caused by other drugs | At first the Ativan helped control the anxiety at a very low dose, but after a while I became tolerant to it and had to increase both the dose and the frequency of taking it since I was starting to suffer severe interdose anxiety. Then it reached a point where it no longer controlled the anxiety, but caused severe anxiety and depression. | It is extremely powerful addictive drug that sneaks up on you and destroys your life. It takes all the pleasure and meaning out of your life. It is very difficult to stop taking. Withdrawal from it is incredibly painful both physically and emotionally, causing anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations, hopelessness, paranoia, panic attacks, obsessive negative thoughts,depersonalization and a number of physical symptoms ranging from dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, flu like symptoms to even seizures. Even though in total I have taken the Ativan for 1 year, I used it sporadically for the first 6 months. | F | 47 | 1 years | 4/10/2005 | 5 | Panic attacks/ Insomnia | None. | It's been a cool drug so far. i take 2mg's of it a night to sleep and 2 mg's whenever i get a panic attack....it instantly knocks me out.. | M | 27 | 9 months | 4/6/2005 | 5 | anxiety attacks | sleepiness | F | 70 | 4 months | 3/31/2005 | 5 | insomnia | it let me sleep at night | dr. warned me against taking it for more than 5 nights in a row, I'm on night 3 but it's helped me sleep at night. No problems waking up in the morning. | F | 18 | 3 days | 3/31/2005 | 5 | sleep | helps tremendously with sleep. no side effects for me and i've been on the same dose for several years. | M | 41 | 5 years | 3/9/2005 | 5 | anxiety | drowsyness | This drug is very good for anxiety and insomnia. However it is addictive and should be used with caution. | F | 57 | 5 days | 3/8/2005 | 3 | sleep disorder, anxiety | None | This is a great medication for anxiety, but not so great as a sleeping pill. | F | 37 | 2 years | 3/8/2005 |