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 | | | | |||
| 4 | BP1/schizoaffective/ptsd | none | helped calm the terrible anxiety. I was somewhat hesitant to take this drug as prescribed due to the potentially addictive nature, however, i am taking low doses regularly, and can breathe better because the physical symtoms of anxiety are less. | F | 37 | 1 months | 3/25/2007 | 5 | PTSD, Anxiety | Rapid heart beat upon waking up, rapid heart rate if taking more than 1 MG, loss of appetite, weight loss it is VERY ADDICTING!!! | Seriously, it saved my life. I was given it after going to the hospital for palpitations. However, I am getting a little worried- I have to take it every morning with my prozac to reduce my heart rate and relax. | F | 22 | 1 months | 3/23/2007 | 2 | panic disorder, anxiety | extreme drowsiness, chest tightness, lightheadedness, blurred vision | I was given Ativan intramuscularly in the ER when I had my first panic attack, but it didn't really seem to work even when given straight like that. But I just thought I wasn't giving it a fair chance, so when I began to use it orally I thought it worked somewhat 'cause it made me feel tired and "out of it"...but that isn't what I was looking for. It didn't get rid of my panic symptoms (nausea, sweating, feeling faint, etc...) while I was in class; it just made me feel out of it AND panicky at the same time. Not fun. Good for going to sleep, though. I switched to Klonopin and so far so good with it. | F | 21 | 3 weeks | 3/15/2007 | 5 | bipolar disorder anxiety | Makes you sleepy (depending on dose) | Ativan is aces for anxiety! My former doctor kept insisting that Xanax was the ultimate anxiety med, well it did fuck-all for me. The first time I took an Ativan (while hospitalized) I knew I had found gold. A small dose of .5 mg calms and cools me out; 1 mg gives me a nice night's sleep. Relaxes the body and mind. Plus is available as a generic! | F | 44 | 4 years | 3/13/2007 | 5 | Anxiety Disorder | Increased depression :0( | I'm not a medication taker- I'm very wary of drugs. But this one is amazing! I take .5 mg PRN- usually 2-5 times a week. I get anxiety to one degree or another when I leave the house- sometimes just a low grade anxiety, sometimes full blown panic attacks. I take it in the morning before work and I'm guaranteed to have NO ANXIETY or panic attacks all day! It's like a miracle pill! I also have no noticable side effects- though I do believe it contributed greatly to an increase in my depression. B/c of this and the ADDICTIVE potential of this drug, I really try to only take it when I think I really need it. | F | 33 | 3 months | 3/3/2007 | 4 | panic/anxiety due to sinus congesti | bit tired, and crying bouts | I was prescribed Ativan at a clinic after hyperventilating, feeling unable to breathe due to respiratory infection. I find it somehow has an effect on my sinus congestion and shortness of breath, and relaxes me to breathe better. I'm working with doctors to get at the root of my illness, then I would like to be off this drug. Though, I don't know what I'd do without it right now. | F | 49 | 1 months | 2/26/2007 | 1 | Anxiety | Confusion, loss of memory, headache, hangover, fatigue, feelings of depression. It took about three days to get this toxic drug out of my system. | This helped calm the anxious thoughts but the pain from the side effects do not make it worth taking. | M | 49 | 10 days | 2/26/2007 | 1 | panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia | HORRIBLY ADDICTIVE, DANGEROUS DRUG!! I would give it a 0, if it were an option here. After taking .5mgs per day for 12 weeks I tried to reduce my dosage to .25 and felt like I was going insane for an entire month. | I was visiting this site in October when I was having so much trouble and I saw so many positive comments about Ativan but I knew the hell I was in from trying to cut my dose down. I saw the ONE comment about benzoisland.com and that's where I found the truth. Thank you, whomever posted it!!! My side effects were panic attacks 24/7, constant anxiety, depersonalization, derealization, tremors, heart palpitations, suicidal thoughts, leg cramps and many more. I successfully switched doctors to one who knows the dangers of benzos and I crossed over to valium and I'm currently tapering via The Ashton Method. I thank God I found that one comment here or I would be on much higer doses of Ativan, trying to get more relief. THAT'S THE TRAP! Everyone here should learn about what exactly they are on. Very, very dangerous. I'm not affiliated in any way to benzoisland.com. They just helped save my life! | F | 36 | 17 weeks | 2/14/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | sleppyness | It helps lots Not to addicting and lasts a decent amount of time. | M | 16 | 3 months | 2/6/2007 | 5 | Panic attacks, social anxiety | None. | I need a relatively high dose of this medication for my particular symptoms of panic/anxiety. SSRI/SNRI's do not do ANYTHING...and I have an ongoing worry generalised. I take 6 mg everyday. And to be honest, I love it. I'll take 2-3 if I need to calm down before a test, but its so much fun and addictive. I feel all aroused at 10 mg (max), a little loopy, but functional, not drunk in the least. I'll just lie in bed enjoying myself...and then conk out. Word. | M | 19 | 5 months | 1/29/2007 | 1 | akathisia caused by Celexa | This medication causes SEVERE memory loss and cognitive disturbances. I had pseudo dementia on it, which improved noticeably as I reduced the dose. I couldn't even remember my sister's dog's name, and I have a university education. If you want to know what Alzheimer's is like, take this. Also, it dampened my perceptions--colours were dull, food lost its taste and I couldn't smell ANYTHING. I found myself doing stupid things, like walking into closed doors. I would read something and immediately forget the last sentence i read. I was extremely lethargic, my sleep patterns have been altered and I felt numb most of the time. | HIGHLY ADDICTIVE IF TAKEN ON A REGULAR BASIS!!! If you are already addicted (takes as little as two weeks) wean yourself off over a six month period. Buy a pill cutter, switch to Valium or use the titration method to get off it. Please know that you can get through the withdrawal, but do not resort to other psychiatric drugs to help! | F | 31 | 4 days | 1/27/2007 | 1 | anxiety/sleeplessness | when i tried to get off of it i found it to be impossible | ativan is wrecking my marriage. my wife states that she feels like she is trying to communicate with a person whos head is full of air. she says i have an inability to relate to her what is truly in side of my heart. she is so sad. i feel nothing is wrong. she cries all the time. she says she feels so alone even though we are together all the time. i've tried to get off the ativan but i can't. | M | 53 | 25 years | 1/21/2007 | 5 | GAD, anxiety attacks, insomnia | Sleeping through alarm, very slight memory loss, frequent drug cravings (which may be my subconscious response to the fact that it works very well and I am very anxious) | I usually take 0.5 mg orally or sublingually on an as needed basis, though I have also taken 1 mg. I have used lorazepam up to 7 times in one week, but I try to rely on it less. When I have a very bad anxiety attack, it seems to take forever to kick in, sometimes more than an hour. It always works eventually, and it works quite well. I have taken it before final exams and long drives with very favorable results - both of those things used to give me panic attacks, and both of them require an alert mind. It is not really sedating for me, unless I have been unable to sleep for the past 36 hours because of anxiety. The cravings are very troubling but I always successfully resist them, and I haven't noticed any withdrawal effects. | M | 20 | 7 months | 1/15/2007 | 1 | anxiety | The side effects from Ativan, (a benzodiazepine) are horrific sometimes producing paradoxical effects from the symptoms they are designed to treat. I suffered panic attacks, rapid heart beat with arrythmic irregularites, electrical and vibratory sensations, heightened allery, and sinus symptoms, GI disturbance, severe memory and cognitive impairment, extremely impaired judgement, emotinal flatness and many more. See benzoisland.org or benzo.org.uk for a complete list of symptoms, withdrawal schedule and support. | Anyone needing help, information or support due to benzodiazepines, please feel free to email me. I'll be glad to support you, and may be able to direct you to proper care. S4994@aol.com | M | 47 | 29 days | 1/15/2007 | 2 | Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder | In the beginning I only experienced drowsiness... Now I believe I am experienceing withdrawals. | I gave a good rating on Ativan about 6 months ago, and since then I found enough proof that I could be having withdrawals from dependency, tollerance, and or addiction. I was always told that I have panic attacks everday, and I used the ativan to stop the panic attacks, over a period of 7 years. Turns out that after researching Ativan withdrawals, it can cause panic and anxiety withdrawals, which would resemble the actual panic attacks. I am also losing my memory, concentration, and going through confusion, panic and anxiety like symptoms every single day. I have many other symptoms of withdrawals too. So I am left with a choice, continue the Ativan at a higher dosage, or switch to a longer lasting benzo, or try to get off of them period. I want to get off of them or at least try. | M | 35 | 7 years | 1/14/2007 | 1 | Anxiety, insomnia | Addiction | I liked Ativan a little too much and quickly developed tolerance and dependence to it. Within 1-2 nights, I was unable to sleep without it. It took me several months to kick my Ativan addiction. To this day, I cannot take any other benzodiazepine because of my experience with lorazepam. I love Ativan; if I had a bottle in front of me right now, I think I would take it all. | F | 23 | 1 months | 1/12/2007 | 4 | anxiety | none | M | 35 | | 1/5/2007 | 5 | Anxiety/panic attacks | Drowsiness at first. | Ativan is a major help in my life! I have mitral valve prolapse syndrome and a panic attack can strike at any time. I can take up to 2 - 1mg Ativan a day and most of the time I only take 1/2 pill and on average only a few days a month. | F | 49 | 12 years | 1/2/2007 | 5 | panic attacks | I have had no side effects. | I take only .5mg when I feel an anxiety attack coming on.(about twice a month) It calms me in about 15 minutes without feeling drugged. It has made an enormous difference in my life and I am very pleased with the results. | F | 36 | 3 months | 12/19/2006 | 4 | Insomnia,Tension Headaches | No side effects | I found this pretty mild at 2.5mg.Works well for a couple of weeks then becomes like a placebo.Didn't work for my headaches which is the cause of my Insomnia/Depression. They would work very well for Anxiety,and/or Insomnia on it's own. I didn't find them addictive or dangerous as all the hype makes them out to be,and I tapered off in a couple of weeks. better than most of the Psychiatric pills(junk) out their, but still no substitute for healthy living and exercise,and they ain't going to cure anything | M | 4 months | 12/16/2006 | 4 | Insomnia/Anxiety | None | Was prescribed 2mg ativan at bedtime for insomnia. It definitely puts me to sleep. As soon as this med was prescribed to me, I researched it on the web and found out that it was highly addictive after using it for very short periods, so I use it sparingly, maybe once a week or less. I've been using it for about 6 weeks now. It definitely works great for me, but I would advise to use it only when absolutely needed to prevent the possibility of addiction. | M | 44 | 6 weeks | 12/15/2006 | 5 | anxiety | None at all. | Seems to effectively relieve anxiety without feeling drugged. I take it only as needed (maybe a couple of times a month) when I feel stressed and anxious. | M | 47 | 2 years | 12/12/2006 | 5 | GAD/OCD | None | I've written before about how well Ativan works for me. My doctor prescribed .5 mg three times a day, but I never had to take more than two. (so far, I've taken less than a quarter of the number prescribed since mid-October). I haven't needed any for over two weeks. I have TMJ and its finally gotten bad enough to see my doctor. He gave me a prescription for Naprosyn (500 mg); one of the side effects is a racing heartbeat right after you take it. I took my first dose last night and got hit by the heartbeat, whihc triggered an increaser in anxiety, so I took an Ativan this morning and it calmed me right down. An added benefit is that it relaxes ou, which should help me get over the TMJ a little faster. There is no shame in taking it as needed so you can function. I have a wife, child, and a job and they have to come first. I can't afford the luxury of sitting at home a bundle of nerves evey time anxiety hits me. | M | 46 | 2 months | 11/29/2006 | 5 | anxiety/panic attacks | I use .5mg PRN and I love it. It doesn't make me drowsy nor am I "out of it" when I take it. It makes me feel normal. It's almost euphoric going from an anxiety attack to feeling normal. | F | 26 | 8 months | 11/29/2006 | 5 | GAD/OCD | None | I just wrote the entry below. For added perspective, I read an entry on a site for chronic pain sufferers, about the danger of "addiction" to pain killers. The writer pointed out a true addict takes something whether he needs it or not, and will do anything to get more of a drug. I think most of us who take Ativan, even every day, are not addicts--we'd love to be rid of the condition that requires us to take it. I've notcied a lot of contributors to this site are seeing therapists, (including me) so obviously we're trying to cure the casues of our problems so we won't need Ativan anymore. If we were truly addicted, we'd be seeking ways to take more, not less! | M | 46 | 3 months | 11/29/2006 | 1 | anxiety and panic attacks | I have been trying to get off of Ativan (all my doctors said I would have no problems doing that)and have been unable to do so. I have been taking .5 3 times per day for 2 years. I have had to recently take 2 .5 to stop the anxiety a couple of times. I wanted to stop this drug and be put on Paxil but so far I am not able to do that. Even my pharmacist said I would have no problem just stopping! | I do not like how I feel on this drug. I think because of my age they say I will not have any trouble stopping and I have tried several times to just take 2 per day and I will feel HORRID and have a panic attack. So start taking 3 per day again. This drug, for me, is highly addictive. | F | 91 | 2 days | 11/19/2006 | 4 | anxiety/panic...agoraphobia | after several years, I have noticed some memory loss, but I have no idea if that is due to this drug or not. | prozac, zoloft, etc, etc, etc, didnt' work...Ativan has always helped. I've taken it for 8 years as needed and have not noticed any addictive traits. After a few years I did change from .5 mg to 1 mg. Tried it on a daily basis and it didn't seem to do anything, but it's still great on an 'as needed' basis. | M | 34 | 8 years | 11/13/2006 | 5 | GAD, minor panic attacks, OCD | Slight drowsiness at first. Went away after a few days. | This is a great drug if taken properly. I started out taking two .5 mg a day--one at night and one in the morning. Then I backed down to one during the mornining, when my anxiety levels peak. Now I'm down to one two or three times a week. I'm also seeing a therapist to work out my anxiety issues. I think you must combine therapy with any anti-anxiety drug for a permanent cure. But I see nothing wrong with taking Ativan as needed, even every day. Should diabetics feel bad becasue they need insulin every day? There is nothing wrong with wanting to feel normal. I hope my therapy lets me stop Ativan totally eventually, but in the meantime its helping me get through the tough times--stops the racing thoughts and just chills me out without making me feel doped up. | M | 46 | 1 months | 11/9/2006 | 5 | anxiety/ocd | Slight drowsiness | I'm thinking maybe some people who dontl like Ativan had an "allergic" reaction. I took Serzone for about a week a few years ago and it casued all sorts of nasty side-effects--vivid nightmares, feeling doped up during the day, etc. I switiced to Ativan and no probelms. If you look at the Serzone section on this site, you'll find a lot "5" ratings--people love it, but it wasn't right for me. I just had a bad reaction to Serzone, just as others may have ahd with Ativan. You have to find what works for you. | M | 46 | 1 days | 11/9/2006 | 5 | pseudo seizures | insomnia, psuedo seizures during withdrawal Do not take this medecine. | Ativan is addictive big time | M | 30 | 11 months | 11/6/2006 | 5 | pseudo seizures | insomnia, psuedo seizures during withdrawal Do not take this medecine. | Ativan is addictive big time | M | 30 | 11 months | 11/6/2006 | 4 | Anxiety, Insomnia | Groggy the next day of taking, felt hungover | Help to relax me quickly and helped me to fall asleep. I took this drug while waiting for the full effects of Effexor to kick it. It served it's purpose and I would recommend it to anyone who wants instant relief from a panic or anxiety attack. | F | 23 | 6 months | 11/2/2006 | 5 | anxiety and panic | Minor drowsoness | I have GAD and Ativan helps calm me down so I can get a grip. I usually take .5 mg in the morning, maybe another .5 at night if necessary, which is rare. I'm also seeing a psycologist to help get rid of underlying anxiety issues so I can stop the drug. But it has been a lifesaver through the bad times. So far, no tolerance issues. I think its great as part of a larger drug/therapy treatment. | M | 46 | 2 weeks | 10/30/2006 | 3 | anxiety, panic attacks, Bipolar II | none really besides being sleepy | It is EXTREMLY addictive. It really helps keep you calm, but try getting off it cold turkey even with a anti- convulsant like Lamictal and you will have nightmarish withdrawals. Like others said, tight muscles, can't think straight, can't eat, can't sleep, I even had hallucinations and feelings of impending doom or dying. | F | 33 | 9 months | 10/27/2006 | 3 | anxiety, panic attacks, Bipolar II | none really besides being sleepy | It is EXTREMLY addictive. It really helps keep you calm, but try getting off it cold turkey even with a anti- convulsant like Lamictal and you will have nightmarish withdrawals. Like others said, tight muscles, can't think straight, can't eat, can't sleep, I even had hallucinations and feelings of impending doom or dying. | F | 33 | 9 months | 10/27/2006 | 4 | Fibrpmyalgia | Take it 1/2 hour before bedtime so the only effect is a brain fog in the morning. Am fine by noon of the next day. | I am allergic to aspirin (ASA)so Ativan is the only thing that helps stop or slow down my musle spasms when they flare. Particularly when I get them in my chest plate. I only take it when absolutely needed which translates to approximately 1 (.5mg) pill a month. Sometimes 2 a month. | F | 47 | 5 years | 10/20/2006 | 3 | anxiety/nervousness/sleeplessness | A little drowsy. Roller-coaster ride at the end of a dose and prior to the next one. Stopping it is pretty rough. Withdrawal symptoms left me very tense and anxious and could not stop pacing. Woke several times during the night wide awake and kept pacing. Became tolerant (drug did not have as strong an effect as it did o\in the beginning) after just 2-3 weeks. It is very addictive. Because I tried to stop cold turkey and had to go back since I as very nervous without it. Don't stop it cold turkey, taper it. I was taking it .5mg 3/day | This is a very dangerous drug to start on. | M | 44 | 3 days | 10/11/2006 | 4 | anxiety | Not sure of any - maybe slight memory loss (but I can't remember) :) | Works well. Take about 0.5 mg to 1mg/day when anxious. I stop taking it for 2 to 4 day stretches at a time with next to no side effects. | M | 54 | 10 years | 10/5/2006 | 1 | sleeplessness | Stopped working well after 2-3 weeks (developed tolerance). Developed chest pains, painful breathing, fatigued during day. After going off terrible withdrawal symptoms (did not know to taper off) -- still ongoing 3-1/2 weeks later --(ringing in ears, jerking movements, insomnia, painful breathing, anxiety & panic attacks). See www.benzo.org.uk for more details on this drug. | This drug is highly addictive. Not worth the short-term benefit. Do not take it beyond a couple of days, if at all. | M | 44 | 28 days | 9/30/2006 | 5 | anxiety | so far the only side effects i feel are a little sleepy but not so much that i couldnt get thru my day at work. | This is absoluetly a god send for me. I could barel function, drive etc and it just really takes the edge off. I amm seeing a psychiatrist nxt week to get on an anti-anxiety as i know i cant use ativans forever. If i could, i def would. It makes me feel like me again without the terrible horrific anxiety. | F | 27 | 4 days | 9/27/2006 | 1 | axiety caused Lamisil symtoms | I am currently tapering off Lorazepan generic for Ativan after being on it of 6 weeks. At first it was ok with no major side effects but in the last three weeks I developed tremors, muscle spasm on right side of face, neck, back and legs. At first these tremors were infrequent, 2 max, now it is daily. Episodes 1st lasted .5 hour last episode was 2 days ago lasted. 1.5 hours. I also wonder if it has to do that I'm reducing the meds. | I took Ativan for dealing with axiety after taking Lamisil and causing side effects. Before taking these meds I had never taken anything except generic form of Xanax between Lamisil and Adivan to deal with Lamisil issue. I had to stop taking Xanax because I was becoming nauseated all the time, along with tremors. Best advise is to see therapy, support groups but NO Psychiatrist. They will want to put you on more meds. | F | 41 | 6 weeks | 9/25/2006 | 5 | depression and severe panic attacks | When I first started taking Ativan, the only side affect I experienced was getting drowsy. Now I don't have any side effects from it. | The drowsiness side effect only took place during the first few weeks of taking Ativan. From personal experience, be careful about taking cough and cold medicines with Ativan, because the side affects from the other medicines will be twice as bad. Or maybe that is just me... Anyways, the anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, are because I have a hard time dealing with my disabilty, and perhaps partially because I have problems with my spinal cord. (Ankylosing Spondylitis with Osteoporosis, and suspecting also Stenosis). I find Ativan to be a safe drug, and non habit forming even if taken on a regular basis, but it may be habit forming for other people. If I can always forget to take them, that must mean that I am not addicted to them. I was first perscribed .5mg, 3 times a day, now I am pescribed 1mg, 3 times a day. Ativan has kept me out of the emergency room from having severe panic attacks, and it also keeps my AFIB-RVR heart condition in check. I think Ativan has been a life save | M | 35 | 7 years | 9/17/2006 | 5 | Anxiety & related insomnia | None | Very helpful over short-term. Calms anxiety and helps sleep without feeling drugged. I took 1-2 mg./day for 3 months 10 years ago and had no problem stopping when issues were resolved and prescription ran out. Recently I was on 1-1.5/day for 4-5 months and tapered off after reading many of the withdrawal horror stories on the Internet. I would recommend using only as really needed, not on a daily basis and working on the underlying problems with a therapist or other means. Tapering works...I tapered off over a period of a few weeks until I was down to .25 mg for sleep and then stopped completely with no side effects. | M | 51 | 5 months | 9/15/2006 | 1 | sleep | none | took before bed 1mg to help with sleep and was like taking nothing. Did not help at all. | F | 37 | | 9/9/2006 | 4 | gen anx, insomnia, acute panic | Memory loss if I took more than prescribed, somnolence, loss of appetite. When I was on this medication I also had a recurring dream in which I was drinking a bottomless glass of water all night, and I have known others this has happened to. | I have taken this intermittently since I was 17. I found that I needed a higher dose than indicated (7 mg or so) in order to combat anxiety. This drug is powerful and a godsend for people who suffer acute anxiety attacks, but is dangerous because it's easy (and fun) to use recreationally. I've also taken a dose and then taken another dose either because the first hasn't kicked in yet, or doesn't seem to be working. What I found most dangerous about this drug is that I don't feel high or aware that I'm altered or acting oddly. Do not drive while on this drug, even if you feel safe doing so, and taking other depressants can really zonk you out, or kill you. In my experience, taking way too much of this drug can result in extreme agitation, panic, hallucination (not the fun kind), depersonalization, suicidal urges and almost violent extreme emotions and actions. | F | 25 | 9 years | 9/2/2006 | 1 | anxiety & depression | Sweating, palpitations, tremors, feeling of withdrawing from society... curling up and doing nothing. | I had no idea it was so addictive and dangerous. I was prescribed 30, take 1mg at bedtime from a doc in Thailand to help anxiety and sleep, after being diagnosed HIV+. Knocked me out for 12 hours... then I continued taking it for 2 months before I realized that the symptoms (on the left) were from Ativan, not HIV. Now I'm trying to taper off. I'm at 0.5mg, but for how long..? | M | 54 | 2 months | 8/23/2006 | 5 | fear and anxiety and depression | none. Allows good sleep in 30 minutes, if I take it when I cannot fall asleep. But I take 0.5mg in the am, to stop my anxiety and chattering teeth symptom. Then I feel strong and positive. | The best miracle drug for me to solve my life crisis fears. I take many other physical medicines (not for anxiety) | M | 66 | 9 months | 8/4/2006 | 4 | Insomnia/anxiety/post migraine | After about three months of 1mg per night, became quite forgetful. Cognitive abilities seemed to deteriorate the longer I was using. Also noticed occasional morning dizzy spells. After ten months decided to taper--tapered off over three months and the last month was HELL. | Wish doc had advised against using drug daily--withdrawal sickness severe, including all over muscle cramps, high anxiety, flu like symptoms. After clear of drug for two months, began using again to help recover from severe menstrual migraine. If I avoid taking more than 4mg per month, and never two days in a row, this drug prevents the terrible depression and brain fog that otherwise comes after a migraine attack, and I don't have any withdrawal symptoms in between uses. This drug is wonderful as long as used wisely, but maybe too many dox ignorant of what wise use means?? | F | 47 | 10 months | 7/27/2006 | 5 | anxiety/depression | It is very addictive. On the occasional nights I dosed off before taking the medicine I woke up feeling as though I'd been hit by a truck - just from one night without the pill. | It saved my life through the stress of college. Although I still felt anxious about normal things, it certainly lessened my anxiety overall and eliminated the physical manifestations (hives, weak stomach, etc.) of stress. | F | 22 | 2 years | 7/20/2006 | 5 | Fear of flying | Mild sleepiness | I only take this to fly; it is the ONLY thing that gets me on a plane! | F | 36 | 4 times | 7/17/2006 | 4 | GAD | Terrible withdrawal symptoms after stopping cold turkey. diarhea,stomach pain, horrible back pain, panic attacks and could not sleep for 17 days. | Other than the withdrawal symptoms, this medication is great and I got so addictive to it, that I would I am not ever planning to go off of it, not after trying to quit unsuccessfully for the past 5 years. | F | 34 | 5 years | 7/15/2006 | 5 | Anxiety..Clinical Depression | None | It gave me back my life..a wonderful drug..like a pillow and comforter in the middle of a war zone..I can cope again..this drug saved my life! | M | 45 | 6 years | 7/8/2006 | 5 | anxiety/panic disorder | None. | Works great and doesnt make me feel groggy or out of it. It just makes me feel normal, while taking away the panic attacks. | F | 24 | 1.5 years | 6/30/2006 | 5 | Insomnia due to Anxiety | None | If you're using these to sleep they are a God-send. I kid you not, I love, love these little guys. I'd take 1mg and it would knock me out in three minutes flat. I try not to take them too often, since they can be addictive...I only take them when I HAVE to. | F | 19 | 2 days | 6/6/2006 | 4 | anxiety/depression | At first I couldn't take it during the day because I felt too stoned, even after .5mg. This went away as I built some tolerance. Some slight rebound anxiety. | Excellent for anxiety, it's unfortunate that tolerance builds so quickly. I take 1mg at bed time and very occasionally during the day if my anxiety gets on top of me. I am about to taper off it, as my antidepressant has started to become highly effective at controlling my anxiety. A great drug to use while you're in an acute state and are waiting for an antidepressant to take effect. I have no idea how you could use it on its own though, as you get used to it so quickly. | F | 29 | 4 months | 5/3/2006 | 5 | insomnia | None | Can take 1mg at night and sleep all night!! Wonderful drug!! | F | 53 | 5 years | 4/26/2006 | 1 | extreme emotions, suicidal impulses | VERY agressive behavior. additionally, i was given it to prevent siezures during a week in the icu after an attempted suicide. i would rip out my IVs and was verbally and physically violent to the point i had to be restrained. (i have no memory of any of this.) | apparently this is a very rare side-effect. my psychiatrist tells me that she's only seen a handful of patients react in this manner — and she has been practicing for decades and has previously held a prominent position at one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country.
i took the drug as needed. it took a while before i made the connection of taking it and the affect on my mood. | M | 26 | | 4/24/2006 | 1 | panic attacks, anxiety | drowsyness, sleepnesness, as almoust any other drug doen't cure, just give a reliefe from your disorder | I took this drug just in extreme cases because a doctor told me that this drug is addictive. After learning how to control my anxiety (deep briething exercise, avoiding diary products, sugar and caffeine and taking hot and cold shower), I did not need to take Ativan any more. Then I cured my anxiety disoder with TAAT (targeted amino acid therapy), cranial electrotherapy and some herbal supplements. | F | 20 | | 4/20/2006 | 5 | Anxiety & Akathisia | None | This drug has changed my life. Akathisia and anxiety is gone. I now only use it as needed so I don't get hooked. | M | 38 | 14 days | 4/18/2006 | 1 | food allergy reaction = depression | addiction( in 4 days) with severe withdrawel symptoms , inability to sleep , tight chest with difficulty breathing, shaking for 48 hours continously, SEVERE depression for 3- 8 years following the 5.5 weeks prescription, vice-like grip on head, crawling skin; anxiety, paranoia and panic 'attacks'. ie. one of the worse things ANYONE would have to endure. worse 'illness' i have had. | i would have thought a seriously bad medicine for people who already have mental health problems or maybe the elderly. CAUSES the symptoms intended to treat. causes rebound anxiety with ONE dose (as in wyeths first drug trial). this can be one of the WORSE things to do to another human being !!!!****!!!! Chamomile tea might work better. | F | 42 | 5 weeks | 4/18/2006 |