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 |
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| 3 | ER doctor prescribed for anxiety | I went to the ER with heart racing and headaches, blood pressure at stroke level, er doc said headache causing anxiety so he gave me ativan, ativan worked great, but now if i dont take it i get extreme pressure in my chest like someone sitting on it and bad headaches, just trying to push myself through this, i am guessing this is from not taking the ativan, that is all it could be!!! | F | 33 | 4 weeks 1mg 3X AN | 9/6/2011 | 4 | Anxiety | insomnia and anxiety upon withdrawal | For a short-term, as needed thing Ativan is great. when I was freaking out to the point I'd convinced myself I couldn't talk it snapped me out of it in less than an hour. I still couldn't function perfectly on it (I eventually had to go on an SSRI) but it helped in the moment. I didn't get addicted or have any serious withdrawal from it and at one point I was taking it every day for about a month. | F | 19 | 5 months 0.5 mg 1X AN | 8/25/2011 | 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 | 4 | could not sleep | Just a little drowsy | F | 44 | 5 days 2 mg 1X D | 8/15/2011 | 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 D | 8/14/2011 | 2 | Anxiety,Panic disorder | No side effects except when ativan was fading after 6 to 8 hours anxiety would return. If I took two pills in a day , I would feel groggy but still calm. Withdrawl is TERRIBLE. | DO NOT take this medication. I am one who researches on every medication there is and I ignored when everyone said this was a bad drug and only looked for the good in it. I should of had listened! Sure, its fine if you take it once a week but if youre someone who needs somthing everyday to function with work,school people..remember its only temporary until you feel like your life is ran by this medication. Its highly addictive and you tend to feel like you cant function without it. Im on day 3 of tapering off it, 1/2 a pill of 0.5mg and its been HORRIBLE. I just had a major panic attack and thought my paintings and statues with faces were going to come alive. I became scared of them and took everything down. Withdrawl comes with everything you see on Ativan websites. Im trying very hard , if anything this medication gives you more anxiety on the fact that you cant function without it and are scared that once it wears off youre going to panic. DO. NOT. TAKE . IT. By the way, if your psychiatrist says you can take this medication for the rest of your life...GET A NEW PSYCHIATRIST. I should of had known, I study psychology! Try without medication, much safer. | F | 21 | 10 months 0.5 mg 1X D | 7/28/2011 | 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 | 3 | Bipolar 1 with rapid cycling panic | M | 53 | 15 years 1.0 mg 1X D | 7/17/2011 History | 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 | 4 | Extreme anxiety and panic attacks | Tremors when getting off too quickly. Spaciness when first taken. Dry mouth. | I started taking ativan when I had many terrible side effects from anti-depressants. I was very scared to take it at first, but after the first dose, I was convinced. After feeling terrible for months, I took my first ativan and felt awesome. It did not make me too sleepy but just relaxed me extremely and put me in a good mood. Usually this is the effect that I get from it. I also keep it in my purse for panic attacks and take it to go to the dentist, doctor, etc. The only issue I think with this med is that you cannot take it too regularly or your body will become physically addicted. When I tried to get off it too quickly i would sometimes have the shakes very badly. If this happens, you know that you need to ween yourself off of it. Otherwise, it really helps me and I wish I could take it around the clock. | F | 41 | 3 months .5mg 1X AN | 5/28/2011 | 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 | 4 | Anxiety / insomnia | No side effects. | Only took as needed--went for many weeks without taking. Seems to calm things down. | M | 54 | 5 months .5 mg 1X D | 5/12/2011 | 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 | 4 | Panic Disorder | Tired, irritable on occasion. | Great drug for anxiety\panic attacks. Few side effects. But, there are many people who can't tolerate it & get dizzy, nauseous, etc. Alot of the people here telling you how bad ativan is have probably been cut off by their dr.s. & they are bitter. Yes, it would be best if we didn't take any drugs. But many people need this drug the same way another person needs meds for high blood pressure. DO NOT drink while taking this drug. But then, you all knew that..I hope. | F | 57 | 14 years 1 mg 3X D | 4/30/2011 | 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 | 4 | anxiety, insomnia | felt sleepy once medicine wore off | I take lorazepam as needed. I currently take .5mg and usually take it once or twice a week when I am feeling anxious or have insomnia. My only complaint with the medicine is I felt very sleepy the next day. This medicine has really helpednd is great when used as directed and not abused. | F | 28 | 3 weeks .5mg 1X AN | 3/10/2011 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 4 | panic attacks | Forgetfulness, sleep hangover | Bottom Line: Ativan has few side effects when taken in smaller doses and if taken WITHOUT other drugs or booze. It has allowed many of us to live a 'normal' life. Of course it's addictive, hello..? When you are truly ready to stop this drug always get help and do not attempt to do it alone. You must wean off very slowly, literally chipping away at the pills until all you take is a crumb. I was taught this by a very good psychiatrist. Panic is a very real and physical condition that can tear your life apart. Taking this drug is no different than taking insulin for diabetes. My advice, stay under 4 mgs. daily, preferably 2-3 mgs. and you should be fine. I hear all this hoopla about how scary ativan is, etc. But many of the people who say this are also drinking or taking other drugs. If the drug doesn't click with you stop taking it but Don't tell others they need to stop too. God Bless and may He give you the Peace you deserve. | F | 57 | 14 years 1 mg 3X D | 2/13/2011 | 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 | 4 | anxiety | Moderate drowsiness. | I have to laugh when I read some of the reviews from people on here who clearly were prescribed this drug for anxiety - they took it once or twice or for only a couple days and then post a horrible, scary rating. You have to give it a chance - when I first started taking it, I was half out of my mind with anxiety, unable to cope at all! The first few days, I didn't like it at all. But now it is a wonder drug for me and made it possible for me to function and get through my anxiety episodes and panic attacks. Yes, it makes you drowsy (it's a sedative) and yes it makes you not as anxious which in itself can be alarming at first - we're used to panicking! It's a strong drug so start out with .25 and work up to what feels comfortable. But don't pan the drug if you've only taken it once or twice - unless you had an allergic reaction or became homicidal!!! | F | 36 | 3 years 1 4X W | 1/13/2011 | 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 | 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 | 1 | stress | dizzy, off balance | M | 65 | 5 times .25 1X AN | 1/1/2011 | 5 | anxiety | None | Ativan has given me the ability to control my very severe anxiety. My quality of life has improved exponentially. | M | 59 | 7 months 1 mg 4X D | 12/30/2010 | 4 | Alcohol Withdrawal | Non thus far | Is anybody else going thru this, I seem to be the only post using Ativan for Detox. Drop me a line and we'll talk. | M | 50 | 3 days 1 3X D | 12/27/2010 | 5 | severe anxiety | none | Had a terrible anxiety problem. This med. helped me tremendously with no side effects or feeling of dependency. | M | 51 | 7 months 2mg 2X D | 12/15/2010 | 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 | 2 | bad nerves | none | I have bad nerves, I have to take care of 6 kids and I get real upset at times. I needed something to help me stay calm. This is not helping me. I have mood swings and crying spells. | F | 27 | 1 months 1 mg 1X D | 12/8/2010 | 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 | 4 | Difficulty Sleeping | Loss of sex drive, discomfort during the day from taking the night before. Wanting to start taking 2nd pill during the day. Dulling of thoughts, poor memory. | You can get very lazy about stopping using this drug. I can see the addictive pattern and I keep putting off the withdrawal that I know will occur. I started with mild anxiety and difficulty getting a good sleep but I can see this is not unusual and should not always be treated with drugs. | M | 41 | 10 months 1mg 1X D | 11/26/2010 | 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 | 5 | Anxiety | none | Due to taking care of my daughter that has Lyme Disease my stress level was raising my BP. Ativan helps calm me down and doesn't put me to sleep, allows me to function like a somewhat normal human being so I can take care of my daughter. | F | 56 | 1 years 1mg 2X AN | 11/12/2010 | 5 | depression/social phobia/anxiety | sedation/elevated mood/calm | This is as close to a wonder drug for my problems as I have used.I have been stopping and starting taking the drug for two years with no withdrawals whatsoever. The longest period of use has been 5 months every day, then with a month break, I had NO withdrawals at all!- it takes the edge of racing thoughts/anger/frustration- Do not let idiot doctors or psychiatrists tell you how bad it is.Worst case scenario-you get addicted- who gives a F++K if you have had any serious mental illness-addiction is better than the illness its self. I will try to get scripts for this med for life or until i feel better. PS. if you suffer social phobia-and live in a liberal state/country, consider medical cannabis it is also a wonder drug for panic/anxiety/phobias. | M | 32 | 2 years 1mg 2X D | 11/12/2010 | 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 D | 11/6/2010 | 2 | Depression, anxiety, agitation | Lorazepam was prescribed to me by the Home Treatment doctor. When I took it, I fell to sleep almost instantly. However, if I needed to stay away, I would start hallucinating. I saw little men on my hands talking about apples.... | F | 21 | 7 days 0.5 2X D | 11/1/2010 | 4 | claustrophobia on airplanes | Well, I expected to feel sleepy, and I was def hungover the next day. Constipation short term also. | My mother took ativan and it was bad for her. She was 70. | M | 55 | 5 years 10 4X D | 10/17/2010 | 5 | anxiety | none. | This is a wonderful drug for anxiety, depression, insomnia...all of that stuff. My advice to someone who just started using this drug: start with a very low dose, don't increase it unless you absolutely need to, and try not to take it every day. My doctor started me on a high dose, told me to take it everyday, and I became addicted. There's nothing wrong with being addicted to this particular drug, but it's a lot easier if you're not. So just be careful, and it will work very well for you. | M | 28 | 2 years 2 MG 1X D | 10/14/2010 | 4 | anxitey | makes food and flaovred drinks taste strange. black outs | M | 27 | 3 years 2mg 4X D | 10/10/2010 | 5 | insomnia/anxiety | somnolence, drowsy | Okay.....here's the bottom line: Ativan (lorazepam) is a great drug if you're someone who isn't cursed with an addictive personality or substance abuse issues. I was prescribed Ativan (15 1 mg pills) after experiencing insomnia and anxiety because of work and family related matters, and it worked like a charm! My doc. prescribed some more back in 2007 after my anxiety and stress flared up again. If you treat this drug with respect and only use it a couple of times a month you'll uncover that this is indeed a miracle drug since it will restore peace of mind during situations when racing thoughts and anxiety have hijacked your thought pattern. It works wonders right before bedtime when your mind refuses to relax. | M | 45 | 3 weeks 1mg 1X AN | 10/9/2010 | 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 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 | 5 | Insomnia, Restless Leg Syndrome | None | I love this pill. I always had trouble sleeping. Not only would I 'turn myself around' but I would sometimes get no sleep once I was too turned. I was originally prescribed this for anxiety and immediately noticed how great it was for sleeping. It is stupendous for sleeping. It helps me get to sleep and I don't wake up with any groggy feeling or side effects. I have never had a problem with needing a higher does, and .5 DOES work, like clockwork, every night. Plus it is wonderful to have on hand for the occasional anxious day. My mom had real trouble with Ambian and Lunesta - why take those when this is available. The only problem with this pill is getting it. I don't know why but all doctors are hysterical about it and my pharmacy is too. Don't dare lose any pills down the sink my pharmacy will call the DEA if I show up 2 days early for a refill. | F | 38 | 8 years .5mg 1X D | 9/4/2010 | 3 | Anxiety | Blurred Vision! Severe Headaches when not taken every day, tingling sensations, light headed, dizziness | I really loved how well this drug immediately cured my anxiety when I was first prescribed to it. Then I started getting use to the feeling of calmness all of the time. Pretty soon just .5mg wasn't enough for me. I took it when I woke up, during the day, and even before bed to help me stay asleep better. This drug works great, but after a while I felt I was getting dependent on it. I tried to stop taking it, but I needed good sleep while I was in school full time. On spring break I attempted to ween myself off of it, but I got TERRIBLE mood swings. I was angry all the time, and I thought I could feel my blood flowing through my veins. The withdrawal feeling was similar if not worse than quitting smoking. I felt physically sick if I didn't take the Ativan daily. This is a highly addictive drug that gave me many unwanted side effects. Even 5 months after being off of the drug, I still keep the left overs stashed around just in case. It's like my security blanket. I continue to have blurred vision since I stopped taking this medicine,(which is why I don't take it anymore) and I feel like I have nervous twitches now that I didn't have before taking this med. I would strongly suggest anyone who is sensitive to medicine, to skip this stuff all together! I wish I could have gotten on an anti depressant that actually worked, so I didn't ever have to take this stuff. | F | 23 | 1.5 years .5mg 4X D | 9/1/2010 |