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 | insomnia | none | Dr prescribed it to get me off the Xanax (1 mg per day) that I was taking every night to go to sleep. Went immediately from Xanax to Ativan, with a few days of dizziness/anxiety inbetween. 2.5 years later, I still take Ativan every night for sleep. Just recently went up to 1 mg from 0.5. Sometimes take 1 mg during the day if I am having a horrible anxiety ridden day. Very rare though. | F | 33 | 2.5 years | 6/24/2009 | 5 | Airplane/flight anxiety and panic | Calm, peaceful, a bit drowzy | 0.5mg does the trick for me. This drug has been fantastic for aleviating my anxiety while flying. It's also been great during times of heavy work related stress. I only take it on an as needed basis and it starts to kick in after about 30 minutes. I would recommend taking the lowest dosage possible to avoid any dependence complications. | M | 41 | 6 months | 6/16/2009 | 5 | anxiety | none really...helps alot! use on and off over the years. | this has helped me through alot. anxiety can be scary. heart can feel as if it 'skips' a beat...ativan takes care of it! | F | 37 | 4 years | 6/14/2009 | 4 | anxiety | slight drowsiness | i have no problems with it. | F | 30 | 13 months | 6/3/2009 | 4 | panic attacks, insomnia | Only drowsiness about an hour after ingestion. Did provide me with a sense of calmness. | Please be careful! I have had episodes of rebound after going off it after taking it for a few days (1-3mg/day) i.e., added anxiety and sleeplessness. Easy to get addicted to this drug. | M | 39 | | 5/30/2009 | 3 | Anxiety-Panic-Phobias | made me tired, dizzy, more anxious when it wore off. | I took this drug for 13 yrs! It made me MORE anxious! I was hooked. When the drug wore off I was a mess! Very anxious and shakey. Moody as hell. I am trying to get off this drug but it's really hard. | M | 40 | 13 years | 5/27/2009 | 2 | stress disorder | none | i didn't have any side effects that were troublesome but i didn't feel that the ativan did anything to relieve my anxiety, if anything it just elevated it. | F | 29 | 7 weeks | 5/18/2009 | 5 | anxiety | Mild fatigue and some loose bowel movements | I was prescribed ativan on an as needed basis for high anxiety situations. It works quickly and efficiently to calm me down. That overwhelming anxiety feeling is a very scary thing to feel and to not be able to talk yourself down is so frustrating. When I am having an anxiety episode I put a pill under my tongue as my psychologist suggested and it does the trick. Besides feeling a little tired and some minor bowel issues, ativan has helped me immensely. | F | 33 | 60 days | 5/13/2009 | 5 | Bipolar Induced Anxiety | Sleepiness. | Ativan is, for me, a wonderful drug. I take it no more than 1 x per few weeks, but when I need it it is there to help those irrational fears die. The fear of flying? Check. Of MRIs? Check. Of clowns in the shower? Check. Of crowds? Check. It has you covered. Don't take it every day - it's addictive and you build a tolerance to it. But at 0.5 mg it's really helpful, an 2 mg for things like MRIs that are stressy. | F | 31 | 3 years | 5/11/2009 | 1 | Insomnia/Anxiety | I took Ativan for 14 years, but the during the last three years after my dosage was increased, I had major problems. I went through living hell. I experienced racing, repetitive negative thoughts about my past constantly that were uncontollable, suicidal thoughts, highly agitated and at times would blow up. This caused major problems for not only me but my family members. I would not recommend this drug to anybody. After coming off the drug, I'm my old self again, and glad to be alive. I have discovered that this drug was not intended for use everyday. Buyer beware. | M | 51 | 14 years | 5/10/2009 | 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 | 1 | Hospitalization | Short tempered, stressed, anxious, thinking about bad things from the past, many more. | Can anyone help me? My fiance was on 12mg a day of Ativan upon being released from hosptial. I dont know what dose the hospital had him on while in for 14 days in a drug induced coma. After coming home, 3 weeks later he killed our infant daughter. Anyone have any knowledge about loss of temper after stopping cold turkey, off 12 mg a day. He had been taking this dose and higher each day for 5 weeks. Then 3 weeks he was off them. I thought he was stressed out, but I think they messed up his mind and ability to calm himself. Anyone please help? The doctor told him he was fine and to go home and take care of his family. I just found out that a normal does of ATivan is only 2-6 mg a day? Any info anyone can give greatly appreciated? Looking to sue hospital. | M | 30 | 5 weeks | 4/27/2009 | 5 | anxiety | none noticed | I couldn't sleep for 2 days due to anxiety, it made that adjust immediately | F | 47 | 1 days | 4/26/2009 | 1 | Anxiety | Kept me awake; agitation. | Didn't help one bit. Dose was .5 mg three times daily. | F | 40 | 30 days | 4/19/2009 | 1 | Panic disorder. | I experienced really great feelings of releif while I was on this medication but as soon as I got off of it after three weeks use I went into horrible withdrawal. I started out at three miligrams a day. I suffered relentlessly and was taken to the emergency room countless times for cardiovascualr problems. STAY AWAY FROM THIS DRUG! | Awful drug. Please never take this. | M | 18 | 3 weeks | 4/19/2009 | 5 | Panic attacks. | None. | If you have panic disorder and need occasional relief from acute panic, this drug may work well for you. I take it only as needed (30 pills last 6 months or more) in doses of .5 to 1.0 mg depending on the circumstances. It works just quickly enough for me. If you don't want to be addicted, don't take it every day. It's that simple. | M | 36 | 4 years | 4/17/2009 | 3 | tired | | 4/16/2009 | 5 | panic attacks | NONE. | Miracle Drug!!!! The only problems would be withdrawal but if they work, why go off them? I'll be on them forever; they've given me my life back. I spent many times in psych wards with depression, anxiety, etc. Was agoraphobic, depressed, listless, you name it. Not any more.....excellent drug. | M | 50 | 17 years | 4/13/2009 | 1 | Anxiety | Insomnia | I was on this horrible medication 12 years. It quit helping me. I was originally on 2 mg's daily. That was increased to 4 mg's daily. No relief. My new doctor said there is NO point in taking it. So I was weaned from 4 mg's nightly , down to 2 mg's nightly , then down to 1 mg nightly , then down to 1/2 mg. nightly. Now I am completely OFF of it. NO strange withdrawal side effects at all. Other then , I get No sleep at night , or if I do , I only get 1 or 2 hours. 3 if I am real lucky. Don't take this medication , it's addictive and can cause so much grief. I think I am going to have to ask my doctor for some LUNESTA so I can get some sleep at night. | F | 51 | 12 years | 4/12/2009 | 1 | reaction to an antidepressant | AMNESIA, confusion, cognitive problems, dulled senses, loss of muscle tone, dry skin. As I tried to reduce the dose, I had obsessive thoughts, tinnitus, akathisia, suicidal thoughts, rage, sensitivities to light and sound, brutal agoraphobia, etc... | This drug is not meant to be taken every day! It only takes two weeks of daily use to become addicted, and then it's harder to get off of than heroine. Please try alternative treatments for anxiety, such as acupuncture, yoga, chamomille or valerian tea, magnesium supplementation, B12 shots. | F | 33 | 2.5 years | 4/7/2009 | 4 | Anxiety, Panic Disorder | Withdrawl between doses could be intense | Look I do not BELIEVE THAT ATIVAN IS THE CAUSE OF ANY MAJOR NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECT OTHER THAN WITHDRAWL BETWEEN DOSE. Been on it for four years, started out at .5 for a few months than same dosage of 1 mg a day sometimes 2 mgs, noticed when I uped it to 2 mgs, it was quite hard to ween back down to 1 mg but I successfully did it EVERYTIME WITH NO DRASTIC OUTCOME (atleast 6 times). I am confident I can ween off this drug completely if I wanted to.. Yes I would feel intense anxiety but it would dissapear.. If a drug addict can recover from heroine or oxycotton , I think you'll survive weening down a 1-2 mg ativan "addiction" if you allow yourself to. And for those who have ridiculous stories with this drug, I seriously think you have other conditions you are unaware of. THIS DRUG WORKS FOR ANXIETY PERIOD. I DONT KNOW IF ANY OF THE NEGATIVE STORIE TELLERS HERE KNOW WHAT SEVERE AGORAPHOBIA/ANXIETY DOES TO SOMEONE, BUT REST ASSURE IF YOU TAKE THIS DRUG AS NEEDED KEY WORDS "AS NEEDED" FOR ANXIETY/PANIC DISORDER IT CAN SERIOUSLY GET YOU BY... BUILD A TOLERANCE AND DONT JUST POP AN ATIVAN WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE MILD ANXIETY WHILE DISREGARDING YOUR DOSAGE INSTRUCTIONS. NOT EVERY BEER DRINKER BECOMES AN ALCOHOLIC AND IF YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME DRINKING AND SERIOUSLY RELAX FROM IT THAN THERE IS NO HARM, SAME FOR THIS DRUG, TAKE AS NEEDED, DONT ABUSE IT AND YEAH YOU'LL FEEL ANXIETY BETWEEN DOSAGES SOMETIMES, BUT ITS NOT ALL BECAUSE OF THE WITHDRAWL FROM TH | M | 23 | 3 years | 4/6/2009 | 4 | Anxiety and panic attacks | A great "washing over" of the panic thoughts after taking 1mg in the morning. Very very difficult to taper off. Have been on 3-5 mg/day for about 4 years. Some memory disruption; but nothing major. It really works great for stopping my panic attack thinking. | Sometimes causes an increase in sexual desire....strange, but nice. I worry though about comming off of it. My doctor says I am in a constant state of minor withdrawal when tapering off. Sooo be carefull when you decrease!!! Maybe a bit of Valium would help with the withdrawal as it stays in your system longer. | M | 62 | 4 years | 3/25/2009 | 2 | Anxiety | Insomnia | Please take this medicine only as prescribed. I did have a glass of one 2 nights in a row and ended up with 10 days without any deep sleep. I personally will not take this medicine anymore and highly recommend that you strictly follow the instructions and only for a short peiod of time. | M | 34 | 2 weeks | 3/19/2009 | 5 | Panic Attacks | Forgetfulness on occasion. Drowsy sometimes. Can sometimes be irritable a day after not taking it, but that subsides quickly for me. | Tried Xanax and Paxil. Xanax worked sometimes and Paxil made me very irritable. Ativan works great for my minor to major panic attacks. It has been a life saver for me. Works fast, I'd say my panic attack will subside within 30 minutes to an hour depending on the severity after taking my low dose of .5mg. If I have a minor panic attack (throat closing up, chest tight) I split my .5mg pill in half and it does the trick for me. If I have a full out major panic attack (trembling, heart rate goes way up, hot/cold flashes, sweating, etc.) one .5mg pill does the trick for me. This drug has prevented me going to the ER all the time. What a relief! Panic is no fun! This drug also helps me sleep. Be careful, it can become addictive I am told. I got a very low dose and I ususally snap it in half and that works fine. So most of the time I am taking only .25mg on any given day. I also only take it when I need it so a 30 day supply ususally lasts me about 3 months. | M | 38 | 12 months | 3/5/2009 | 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 | Stress. anxiety. Panic | None Really please read my additional comments on why | I truly feel everyone is different. Some say I got so sick to my stomach I threw up. I believe that may be true. What is their tolerance to upset stomachs. I have friends who feel sick to stomach and right away throw up. I have felt sick to stomach for hours and just dealt with it. What i am saying is do not weigh heavy on such things. No way to know unless you YOURSELF try. Infact reading these may manifest unreal symptoms for some...think about it. Anyway I used if 8 years ago and was fine. I am on it now as I have some stress with a family member being pulled from life support as well as a layoff from a fortune 500 company account exec position....give it a try | M | 37 | 14 days | 3/3/2009 | 5 | anxiety/depression | Some evenings, I will take an Ativan for sleep (0.5mg), and it will barely work, if at all. Other evenings, 0.5mg, and I'm literally unable to stand up straight going to the washroom. | I only use Ativan for sleep now, as its basically the lowest strength sleeping medication available in the 0.5mg tablets that has a half-life sufficient to give me 6-8 hours of good sleep without impairing me the next day. Other hypnotics are considerably stronger (in benzodiazepine equivilance) in their available dose formats, or have very long half-lives (ie: diazepam, flunitrazepam, nitrazepam). I need my mind to be 100% during the day, and Ativan is the only sleep aid that can accomplish this. Very happy with the results, and I haven't required any dose escalation whatsoever. This stuff works just as well today, using it practically every night, as it did the first day I used it. As with alcohol, tolerance seems to be related to higher doses. | M | 29 | 3 months | 2/26/2009 | 5 | Anxiety, Insomnia, Mania | sleepiness (which was the main reason I was taking it), some brain fog & minor memory problems Blacked out once because I forgot I'd taken it & then I drank a bunch (didn't pass out, but couldn't remember the rest of my evening the next day, luckily I was out with my husband) | I was on really high doses of Prednisone, which caused me to be alternately irritable, manic, and anxious as well as an insomniac. The Ativan was great at making the whole time a bit easier to deal. I was mostly just taking .5MG as needed and 1MG at bedtime. It was hard to stop taking it because I enjoyed the way it made me feel and I had become dependent on it to sleep, but I don't think I really had any withdrawal symptoms. I tapered down to .5MG before bed for a few days & then stopped. I still use occassionally as needed (I get Remicade infusions & take .5MG for anxiety before my infusion). I will say, however, that you should NEVER drink with this medication, it is just totally irresponsible and I was very ashamed of myself for having done such a stupid thing and I'm very lucky nothing bad happened to me. | F | 30 | 5 months | 2/25/2009 | 2 | atypical facial pain | this drug increased the pain i originally had and its hard to get off after taking for a while so beware... | M | 24 | 2 years | 2/24/2009 | 1 | For Nausa due to Chemotherapy | I was given Ativan by my doctor for nausa due to Interferon treatment. Ativan caused me to be depressed, extremely irritable (almost uncontrolable), anxiety with racing thoughts, confusion and blurred vision. I took this medication for 13 months and stopped completely last December after 4 months of gradually tapering off, I took up to 6 mgs a day at times. After 3 months of being off Ativan I am still withdrawling. I still have depression, still irritable, constant upset stomach, confusion, blurred vision and night sweats, which were really bad in the beginning. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION, unless, like a prior person said, you are close to God, because you will need him, this medication is EVIL and should not be prescribed unless the patient fully understands what the reprecussions can be. I would of rather of been sick during chemo that to be dealing with this a year later. I CAN'T WAIT TO BE BACK IN MY OLD BRAIN......ATIVAN IS PURE HELL. | READ THE SIDE EFFECTS THROUGHLY BEFORE USING, IF IT WORKS FOR YOU GREAT, BUT IF IT DOESN'T IT'S AN EXTREMELY ROUGH ROAD. | F | 44 | 13 months | 2/15/2009 | 4 | Atypical Facial Pain | This drug works for my atypical trigeminal neuralgia. I don't like using it everyday but it is the only thing that works for the pain and does not feel as damaging as nuerontin. I still prefer not to be on it if I had a choice b/c it supresses emotions and causes brain fog. I also hear the withdrawals are pretty rough. | at first I got euphoric from the drug. Found out that when I exercise a lot (like 8 miles a day for a week) I get high off of it again even after chronic use. | M | 24 | 2 years | 2/12/2009 | 5 | pain | slightly slower and drowsy | relaxes my muscular pain without making me seem inebriated. | M | 43 | 20 days | 2/11/2009 | 3 | panic attacks and anxiety | None really until you decide to stop. I take 4mg in the mid morning, for about 2 years. I know,enough to anethesize a horse. But somewhere it just stoppped working. DOes nothing. Is this normal and should I get off it! | F | 44 | 2 days | 2/9/2009 | 5 | Anxiety over flying after 9/11 | Makes me tired, but I have insomnia so that's a plus. Does cause some memory loss, worsens if I drink wine when taking it. | This drug has been great for me. I have to fly across the country twice a month and Ativan (2mg) taken 1 hour before flight allows me to get on a plane with no (or very manageable) anxiety. It also allows me to sleep on the plane and through the night (I have insomnia too). Sometime when I am worried about getting to sleep I will take 1/2 a pill and within 2 hours I am very sleepy. | F | 39 | 3 years | 2/5/2009 | 1 | panic attack | developed interdose withdrawal after 13 years of dosing 1 1/2mg per day, symptoms: intense anxiety-panic attacks, ringing in ears, lightheadedness, nausea, chest pain, intense lethargy. | This drug will fool you into thinking it's your best friend, in reality, this drug is your worst enemy. Check the FDA guidelines on this drug, only supposed to be prescribed for 2-3 weeks for temporary suspension of intense anxiety! If you are dependent on this drug you must slow taper off, fast tapers will likely bring about intense withdrawal symptoms! All benzos should really be taken off the market, I suspect they may at some point, read all the horror stories at various benzo forums. | M | 55 | 18 years | 2/4/2009 | 4 | anxiety disorder/ insomnia | sleepiness | I started using Ativan to help with withdrawl from Ambien which was a nightmare! I was taking 1 mg, twice per day, for about a month. As I began to feel better I tapered off to about 2-3 times per week and eventually was only using maybe 4 or 5 times per month. Didn't have any kind of withdrawl at that time. About a month and a half ago my anxiety started to become debilitating and my insomnia was making it even worse, so I started taking on a daily basis once again. I also started taking Lexapro at the same time which has really helped alot with the anxiety, so I have been taking the Ativan mainly for sleep. I feel like I am becoming too dependent on them though and so last night I didn't take one. I was up most of the night but the couple of times I did fall asleep I had terrible nightmares which resulted in some mild panic attacks. I was hoping I could stop using them without any problem like before, but I guess I will have to wean myself off slowly. Though I plan t | F | 44 | 2.5 years | 1/29/2009 | 1 | sedative for MRI | Worked great during the procedure. I didn't have a care in the world. When it started wearing off, I became VERY violent. Hitting people even. My daughter said to make sure I never take this again! | F | 37 | | 1/28/2009 | 5 | anxirty | none | M | 34 | 22 days | 1/25/2009 | 5 | Panic Attacks | None. Just very relaxed and calm. | Ativan is a miracle drug for Panic. It is fast acting and kicks a panic attack within minutes. It also tends to help with nausea- I find it to be much more effective than valium, clonopin, xanax, or any of the other benzo's. I think its better because it works faster and doesn't make you as tired. | F | 29 | 3 years | 1/19/2009 | 4 | Anxiety / Social anxiety Depression | I'm not sure I've had any real side effects. | I started taking this medication during a battery of ECT as for some reason they didn't want me taking Xanax which I had been on for the same reasons previously. I started with .5mg of Ativan and I think I could have eaten tic-tacks and gotten as much benefit from them. I went up to 1mg while still doing ECT and this didn't do a whole lot for me. After finishing up ECT I went back to my normal doctor and he sortof laughed that the doctors at the ECT hospital had me on such a low dose of Ativan. I had previous to ECT been on 2-4mg of xanax as needed typically 2 times a day. Now I am on a dose that seems to work for me of the ativan 2mg 1-2times a day. I think people need to look at the therapeutic dose of the medication for themselves and not worry about the addiction. I think if you have a competent doctor they should be able to manage your medication. | M | 25 | 3 months | 1/12/2009 | 4 | GAD, Severe Panic Attacks | None | My doctor prescribed .5 mg tablets to take when needed. I was having very intense panic attacks, and I use Celexa daily. The doctor told me to take the Ativan only when I "felt like I was gonna die". My anxiety attacks were characterized by shortness of breath and severe chest pain, so I felt "like I was gonna die" pretty often. However, I decided to use the Ativan only when I absolutely had to, and only after I let the Celxa do it's job. The two drugs have been a lifesaver...I only have to take the Ativan about once a month, and it begins to relieve my anxiety symptoms within about twenty minutes. It doesn't space me out or make me woozy or "high". I have no fear of becoming addicted, and I think when paired with a seperate anti-anxiety medication it can be very effective. | F | 21 | 3 months | 1/12/2009 | 5 | insomnia, anxiety | no negative side effects at all | This medication helped me sleep and get through a very tough time. One thing you should be aware of is the reason I was on this medication: NASONEX! As strange as it may seem, if you have been prescribed this RX for anxiety and do not know the source of your anxiety- consider any cortico steroids you may be on. I was shocked and so happy to discover this terrible nose spray caused all of my problems. See this site for more info on Nasonex side effects. | F | 39 | 10 days | 1/7/2009 | 1 | Anxiety/Palpitation | Took this drug for 3 months, small dosage of 1mg. It was fine at the start. Coming of this drug was a nightmare and with terrible side effect. Do not start on this tablets, you will regret it. They shoul be taken of the market with immediate effect. | don't take these tablets. | M | 38 | 3 months | 1/5/2009 | 4 | Anxiety | None. | I've been taking Ativan for 11 years, 3 to 4 mg per day. It has always helped me with anxiety and at the start it helped me sleep. After 2 months I was having trouble sleeping again. The Ativan has been my little friend for a long time now. I too have run out from time to time and agree it is one of the most excrutiating experiences I've had. At first you think, "Oh I can make it a week" then like someone is tightening a violin string in your body you slowly descend into hell. After 2 days and sleepless nights I had to get to the emergency room where I was given an Ativan and ten minutes later I'm perfectly fine. I am now more frightened of running out than any of the anxiety I ever suffered from. Please don't think I didn't suffer either. Since that time I've really tried to wean myself to a point where I wasn't so dependant on them only to fail every time. Someone previously wrote that when she tried to go without her anxiety came back. Well, of course, however, it's not th | M | 38 | 11 years | 12/30/2008 | 4 | anxiety, spastic colon | Took this medicine for over 10 years. Thought it was a miracle drug. Worked for me for years. Then, started having problems about 3 years ago on a permanent basis. Went to many doctors to find out what was wrong. TMJ dentist for teeth grinding, Neurologist for muscle tremors, ENT doctor for ear ringing and pulsative tinnitis, and sinuses stopping up at night; 2 expensive MRI's that were normal. Cardiologist for heart palpatations, General Practitioner for insomnia and felt like I was either getting an ulcer or spastic colon, and of course the Psychiatrist. Have neck/facial tremors/spasms constantly, constant ear ringing, caused pulsative tinnitus, rapid heartbeat, memory loss, trouble concentrating, irritability and extreme insomnia. Got to a point where I was taking 1 mg in morning and 1 mg at night. This isn't even the normal dosage, but was having all these side effects. Had severe anxiety and shaking when I didn't take dose on time and couldn't sleep. | Now I have been on the 'Ashton' slow taper down program for about 2 months. Keep a journal of all I do and medicine I take every day to try to figure out a pattern. Still in the process of just switching from ativan to diazepam and getting the dosage equal. 1 mg ativan is about equal to 10 mg diazepam, which is a generic 'valium', but I have found that for some it is more. Lost 10 lbs. Still have hope that this program will work even if it takes me over a year to get off. Will probably always need some type of medicine for anxiety back up, but DO NOT take this medication every day. YOU WILL GET ADDICTED AND WITHDRAWAL IS HORRIBLE! I HOPE to get off of this medicine and only take maybe diazepam or maybe .25 mg of ativan only in specific situations of panic/anxiety, but not regularly. If you take it regularly you better have faith in God because if you don't you will see no reason to continue living when you become tolerant. Honestly, a lot of psychiatrist don't even realize the ad | F | 50 | 10 years | 12/30/2008 | 5 | Anxiety, AM panic attacks, insomnia | Nothing major | I've been taking Ativan for a number of years and it is the only medication of its category that did not make me dizzy, sluggish, zombie-like. I take 1 or 2 mg. once or twice a day, or sometimes only at night to sleep, or only in the morning when my anxiety/panic is at its worse. I'd be lost without this drug. | F | 66 | 8 years | 12/29/2008 | 5 | Panic Attacks | I only experienced negative effects in the first few months - sleepy, sluggish - until the right dose was created for me. Other than that....nothing. | Wonderful! I had panic attacks for 4 years, everyday. I tried everything - exercise, meditation, psychologist, breathing exercises, support groups..nothing worked. I had no idea why the attacks were happening. Then I read a book on anxiety, and learned about medications to control it. I really didn't want to go that route, but talked to my doctor. We tried Effexor, which didn't work and I had bad side effects. Then we tried Ativan. 5 years later, I am still on it. I take 2mg a day. I don't even notice that I am on it. No side effects at all - unless you count not having panic attacks. I have experimented a few times by not taking it (to see if I still needed to be on it), and the attacks come back. I carefully have it controlled with my doctor - and my life is amazing. I can go out with friends, visit family, work well at the office - not having severe panic attacks. | F | 35 | 5 years | 12/28/2008 | 5 | Anxiety | None | After reading some of the silly comments regarding Ativan, it appears that people who claim to have bizarre experiences with this drug probably need to address some issues that Ativan will not help them with. To them I say "Get help now."" Having said that, I've been on this med for 10 years, no side effects, works like a charm, not to difficult to wean off of IF you follow the proper tapering method. DO NOT stop taking this drug cold turkey under any circumstances (the backlash effect is pretty bad). I've run out a few times, and it's not pleasant. Great medicine, highly recommended. | M | 52 | 11 years | 12/24/2008 | 5 | a little sleepy at times , but gave even more anti anxiety releif | an awesome drug for anxiety, have been on and off it for 2 years, no bad side effects. keeps racing thoughts at bay, so you are able to get on with the task at hand. The only problem is trying to get yr psychiatrist to give out the medicine, they seem to think its worse than heroin!!! this can be annoying and it is the only bad side effect i can think of.My advice is to get it through different doctors, and be honest about any side effects that u may have(as it will react differently with some people) For me even if there are bad health side effects , i would rather die 2-5 years early and have a life without anxiety than be a healthy wreck. | M | 30 | 2 years | 12/22/2008 | 4 | Anxiety, insomnia | None. | A wonderful medication. I have used it to deal with two "issues" over the past four years and am starting again after a few months off it. Half a .5mg tablet calms me down in about 20 mins. I don't feel drugged or loopy, just calm; a nice, natural, welcome feeling. After several months, I did develop a tolerance. Stopping was not as difficult as some here say it is. There are concerns, but my psychiatrist says at this low dosage not to worry. For me, this is not the evil drug many make it out to be. It is a welcome relief from anxiety. | M | 51 | | 11/28/2008 | 3 | insomnia and anxiety | addiction, memory problems | Works extremely well for anxiety and insomnia, however you'll have to keep increasing the doses as your body adjusts to the amount you are taking. When it wears off I feel more anxious than I had been before I took it. Highly addictive, be careful. I have very mixed feelings about this drug. I'm currently trying to switch to klonopin, which has a longer half life so you don't need to take it as often. | F | 19 | 15 months | 11/28/2008 | 1 | stress/gastrointestinal issues | no obvious feeling of being high or altered. less prone to anxiety and panic attacks and lessening of insomnia, very little effect on gastrointestinal problems. | took after hurrican katrina wiped me out and with it my job and marriage. doc did not tell me it was meant to be short-term and blithely refilled for 3 years. when i was unable to find him after he relocated i had no choice but to quit cold turkey not knowing how potentially dangerous this could be. it was like kicking heroin except with more psychological symptoms. my (redone) marriage almost ended again and after admitting the reason for my renewed anxiety to my boss she decided to fire me anyway. i fought the withdrawel symptoms with everything in me (including my faith) but only after almost 4 months has it begun to get better. i had almost all withdrawel problems (before i had seen what they were). do not take this drug without being extremely informed and do not consider it long-term. | F | 48 | 3 years | 11/28/2008 | 5 | anxiety,cardiac arrythmia | none noted | works in about 10/15 minutes when when palpatations are noted 1 or 2 .5 milligram doses / day | M | 69 | 14 months | 11/12/2008 | 5 | anxiety, rages | slight euphoria | I am taking .5mg up to twice a day. This has helped me so much. My rage is gone, and my mind has slowed down enough to evaluate what is making me anxious, instaed of having thoughts running around my brain like a rabid weasel on speed. | F | 33 | 45 days | 11/8/2008 | 4 | Anxiety Attacks | Tiredness, slight increase in Libido (which is good) nauseau if taking on empty stomach. Slurred speach if I take 3mg. Memory loss. | The addictiveness, but at this time - it benefits the anxiety attacks, and I can deal with that later. I'm taking it in combination with Celexa for mild depression. | F | 34 | 2 months | 11/3/2008 | 5 | severe panic attacks | none | This is my miracle drug- it is fast acting so its great for panic attacks- it also helps withdrawls from other medications. it just creates a strong calming effect. Be careful though- it can be addictive. | F | 29 | 2 years | 10/25/2008 | 1 | nocturnal seizures | I was taking 2mg of ativan at bedtime for 2 years because I had seizures when I slept.After being seizure-free for a while,I weaned myself off(I am a nurse,and knew I needed to) and have been unable to sleep,with terrible night sweats and headches.Please consider another medication,and be aware of the physical addiction when quitting. | F | 46 | 2 years | 10/25/2008 | 1 | Insomnia, anxiety | Severe depression, muscle weaknesses. | Confirm this is very insidious, addictive stuff. First used about 4 years ago for anxiety, but quit and did not use again until past summer. More recently started taking 0.5 mg at night prior to bed off and on for about 2 months for insomnia with no notable side effects. Started taking more frequently in Sept, and moved up to taking 1mg during day and 0.5 mg at night. Took about 2 weeks to realize I was getting hooked. Started having very high levels of anxiety when I did NOT take it. Stopped taking it completely and had about the worst week ever with horrible depression and what I think was probably borderline panic state. This absolutely was the scariest thing I have ever experienced and there is no way I would take this stuff again. | M | 54 | 2 months | 10/23/2008 | 4 | Panic Disorder | Euphoria; occasional disconnected feeling; blackouts; clumsiness. | Ativan helped me a great deal when I was first diagnosed with panic disorder, a little over a year ago. It worked very quickly and effectively, and I took 1.5 mg/day for the first month until my SSRI (Lexapro) started to kick in. I later lowered the dosage to 2x/day, but often took less. I eventually switched to Klonopin, but after several attempts to wean myself off I'm still taking about .5 mg/day (=1mg Ativan) 6 months later. I plan to switch to Valium soon so I can cut my dose further. A great drug but be careful, it is habit-forming and physically addictive. | M | 20 | 7 months | 10/22/2008 | 4 | OCD, GAD, PTSD | None, except additcion. | First, my history: I was diagnosed with anxiety disorders in 1990. I was given the usual SSRIs but had to come off of them because I couldn't tolerate the side effects. I was given Valium 1mg as needed for the next fifteen years or so. Didn't work very well. Finally the anxiety got so bad my doc put me on Xanax 1mg twice a day. Worked great until I had another episode of anxiety and was hospitalized. Was put on 2mg Ativan 7 times a day. Quickly reduced that to 2mg once a day with the same effect. Problem is, I was still taking the Xanax. So right now I'm taking 2mg Ativan during the day, and 1mg Xanax at dinner. Trying to stop the Ativan and was okay until another bout of anxiety hit. So here I am at 2mg Ativan and 1mg Xanax per day. That is drug abuse (neither of my docs know about it) but it happened by accident and I know I'm addicted. Okay, the good part: they work! Well, except for the most severe of anxiety episodes. But Ativan seems to even me out for the day, then Xanax takes m | M | 51 | 2 months | 10/19/2008 |