Drug Ratings for ATIVANAverage Rating: 3.4 (576 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken from shortest to longest (with no time reported listed first) Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ATIVAN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 3 | Panic attacks | Very addictive but necessary when panic hits you ! | M | 26 | 2 years 8mg | 1/17/2012 | 3 | anxiety | Profound depression, constant thoughts of suicide, heaviness in my limbs, sleepiness- could sleep around the clock if allowed. Rebound anxiety. | Ativan works beautifully on my aniety. I feel relaxed and pleasant after taking one. It's the after effects that are awful. Deep,deep depression that effects every aspect of my being. I'm currently suicidal, as I type this, and know it's because I took ativan twice yesterday. I wouldn't care if I got run over by a bus. Becase of the rebound anxiety (a jittery over-caffienated feeling) I often feel the need to take another dose. So you see the viscious cycle. | F | 37 | 2 years .5 MG PRN 2X D | 5/26/2010 | 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 | anxiety | sleep walking, insomnia, | F | 51 | 2 years | 10/27/2007 | 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 | depression | Hghly addictive. My doctor kept increasing dosage, mistaking Adivan withdrawal for panic attacks. Got worse and worse. Two months in hospital. | Never use this drug under any circumstances. | M | 70 | 2 years | 10/14/2007 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 5 | Mild, Intermittent Anxiety | None | I've been taking Ativan on and off for 3 years and only take 1/4 mg (1/2 of a .5!) and find that's enough. I don't want to feel euphoric, just "not anxious". Works like a charm. The most frequent I've taken it is 4 days in a row, but only one time each day. I'm one of the lucky ones; don't need it for sleep, don't need it every day. I had already done the research regarding addiction (as I do with any medication) so I use my own coping skills as much as possible to avoid any complications or need to up the dosage. I don't feel any change when I don't take it. If you start to feel high when you take it, then cut the dosage in half. My 2 cents' worth! | F | 55 | 3 years | 5/29/2008 | 5 | Anxiety and Sleep Disorder | No side effects, you want to stop taking it...taper the doses | I am a cancer survivor among other things, and have taken ativan on and off for three years, more on in the last nine months. I am having anxiety issues and am thinking about going on the lowest dose of Paxil, split in half, and going off the ativan all together. I take less then the prescribed dose of Ativan, and it helps. I know that I have to wean myself from one and half mgs a day to .75 mg and so on and so forth, SO WHAT? NEWS FLASH: any anxiety or anti depressant medication is habit forming or addicting and can not be stopped COLD TURKEY, wake up. | F | 51 | 3 years | 5/30/2008 | 5 | Hep C treatment side-effects | None. I fell in love w/ this drug. It got me through the six month Hep C treatment program, which gave me major panic attacks. I continued to take it because I felt the Hep C drugs gave me permanent side effects such as Restless Leg and leg muscle cramps, and Ativan helped relieve me of the discomforts. | After being on Ativan for 3 years without any interruptions, a new doctor is trying to ween me off with Buspar, which has been a nightmare of side effects these past 6 months- and it hasn't helped. Now I'm being weened off Buspar. I'm still taking Ativan twice a day. I see Dr on Thurs. Any advice to get off of Ativan without too much difficulty? (withdrawals) Please respond with subject-Ativan user. | F | 56 | 3 years | 5/10/2008 | 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 | 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 | 5 | Sleep | F | 47 | 3 years | 6/1/2004 | 5 | Panic Attacks | Sleepyness | I am taking this med as a PRN for panic attacks. I don't need it every day, but it is a great help when I do need it. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to take affect. It has really helped me live a happy normal life. | M | 42 | 3 years | 8/19/2003 | 5 | anxiety | No noticeable side effects on this medication. | Taken occasionally over the past several years. Works well at easing my anxiety in as little as 20 minutes. I take 0.5 to 1mg PRN. Taken only when anxiety is excessive. Can be very addictive so I try not to take it often. | F | 36 | 3 years | 11/9/2003 | 5 | Anxiety, Panic Attacks | drowsiness | I can't imagine my life without it. Prescribed 1mg, three times/day. You build up a tolerance to the drug quickly. In order to avoid that, I only take 1 or 2 mg on "normal" days. On days where anxiety/panic attacks will be likely (for me it's public speaking) I will take 3 to 4 mg about 1 hour before the event. It works great if used in this manner. Don't bother taking this medication long term if you can't do this (regulate). You must be willing to use it on an as needed basis, but you will still need to take some each day (lowest possible dose) to prevent insomnia (when I take just 1 mg I take it before bedtime). | M | 49 | 3 years | 12/27/2005 | 5 | Panic Attacks/Anxiety | Sedation, fuzzy feelings, relaxation and some inhabition. | It has helped me during panic attacks, when having problems sleeping and during travel by car and air. | M | 23 | 3 years 1mg 2X AN | 2/25/2012 | 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 | 4 | Severe Anxiety & tension state | No adverse effects | After 3 years of having Ativan keep the anxiety & aggression in check, doc office staff decided I was using it too much and cut me off. Doc told me if I need it more than 3 times a week he wants me on Paxil...HUH? I never abused it, I never sought it from other doctors. Without warning, without a call to discuss it-he cut me off. The aggression and anxiety have returned with a vengeance. The verbal fights with family & loved ones has torn relations apart and cost me a couple of friendships. Why did this ASS &*^E do this to me? I had 3 good years on it, now he ripped it out from under me. I am pretty much non-functional now. VERY short temper, very destructive. I went to this doc for help & he's made me more of a mess than when I started out. DO NOT let a GP give you benzos-they don't know what they're doing & it's not pleasant when they say NO MORE with no warning. A psychiatrist should be the ONLY one with the authority to prescribe these. I was honest, I was responsible and I got kicked in the teeth for it. Now I need to find a psychiatrist to put me back on it and I'm scared to death I'm going to be made to suffer. Why would they withhold a med that allowed you to be functional? I've not left my house since being abruptly taken off it, 3 months ago. | M | 41 | 3 years 1.5 MG 1X AN | 3/12/2010 | 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 | 4 | anxitey | makes food and flaovred drinks taste strange. black outs | M | 27 | 3 years 2mg 4X D | 10/10/2010 | 4 | anxiety | none--works well. | It seems like I have to have it now--definitely can cause a dependency. | F | 32 | 3 years | 7/2/2005 | 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 | 3 | Stress-related stomach pains | A little spacey | I've taken it sometimes in .1 or .5 mg doses to relieve what seem to be psychosomatic stomach pains related to anxiety and stress. It seems to work fairly well although I'm never quite sure. If I take doses over consecutive days I end up feeling a bit queasy but no big deal. | M | 43 | 3 years | 7/12/2008 | 3 | Anxiety | None | Ok...first of all...I really liked my ativan and what it did for me...I first began taking it approx 3 to 4 years ago for anxiety which was something that I had never experienced until then. It did wonders for the shakes and anxiety. It even helped me rest better. For the most part I only take it at night before bed unless I have an attack during the day which is very rare. I would sometimes even skip my dosage at night because I began taking ambien for insomnia. Ive noticed if I go a few days without taking it I become extremely irritable (complete B****) and wake up with anxiety attacks. I believe it has ruined my relationship...this weekend was horrible and I do believe that for the first time I realized that was I was going thru was withdrawals from not taking it for 3 days. I almost came unglued last night...and for some reason now if I dont take it...the ambien doesnt work maybe because the anxiety is too much! I havent slept in two days...LITERALLY! And today Im a wreck at work...I refuse to take the medicine at this point because of how Im feeling...I dont like this...Ive never done drugs and this is much like what I assume drug attacks feel like once they go cold turkey! Im not going to report it to my doctor just yet because believe it or not I feel like I really need to take it and I fear she will take me off of it...am I crazy or is this the lack of meds talking? At this point Im not sure but I know right now I feel like I need it just to function since Ive | F | 37 | 3 years 1 mg 2X D | 5/17/2010 | 1 | reaction to Celexa, akathisia | Too many to list, but three years on and then after a slow taper (if you are tapering please see the Ashton manual, it could save your life) I have: severe memory impairment, both short and longterm memory (I can't remember what someone has said to me within minutes of them speaking, can't remember names of common objects, can't remember proper grammar, etc...); severe balance issues--I can barely walk; severe eye issues--my eyes appear to be permanently out of focus, I see blue lights, they twitch and blur a lot; restless legs; severe caffeinated feeling; I can no longer reason properly or understand even simple ideas a lot of the time; can't read, words appear to move on their own; hair loss; really bad dry skin; feet/hands/body will twitch/move without my control; involuntary swallowing; low vit. D; legs feel like they are made of lead, depersonalization; derealization; obsessive thoughts; profound dysphoria, etc... | I can't possibly list all of the issues this drug caused. This drug destroyed my life and my family. If you have a script for it BE AWARE THAT TWO WEEKS OF CONTINUOUS USE IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE AN ADDICTION THAT IS HARDER TO TREAT THAN HEROINE ADDICTION. BE AWARE THAT THIS DRUG CAN RENDER YOU SENSITIVE TO A WHOLE SPECTRUM OF MEDICATIONS, AND FOR SOME EVEN SUPPLEMENTS AND FOODS LIKE SUGAR AND CAFFEINE. BE AWARE THAT SOME PEOPLE SUFFER PERMANENT EFFECTS FROM USE/WITHDRAWAL OVER AN ABOVE THEIR ORIGINAL PROBLEM; THIS INCLUDES PERMANENT MOVEMENT DISORDERS LIKE TARDIVE DYSKINESIA AND AKATHISIA. BE AWARE THAT MOST DOCTORS WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE EXTENT OF THE INJURIES THESE DRUGS CAN CAUSE SO BE PREPARED TO DO YOUR OWN MEDICAL RESEARCH IF YOU BECOME DISABLED BY THIS DRUG. ALSO BE PREPARED TO BE INVALIDATED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHEN YOU TRY TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE DRUG HAS DONE TO YOU. Many people have lost their families, homes, jobs and dreams to inadvertent addictions. | F | 32 | 3 years | 1/30/2010 | 1 | Blurry Vision, Dizziness, Light Sensitivity, Memory Loss, Trouble Walking, Siezure, Migraines, Muscle Pain, Balance Issues, Motor Skill Imparement, Cognitive Imparement, Exhaustion. | This medicine is fine until your body develops a tolerance to it and/or you try to go off it. Then you wish you would die. This medicine should be illegal. Do yourself a favor and don't ever take this poison. | M | 36 | 3 years 2 1X D | 1/15/2012 | 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 | 1 | anxiety/depression | BE CAREFUL!! I am going into my second week in the hospital, psychiatric ward, for an agressive taper off of ativan...that says a lot | Please please be careful with this med....I always saw myself as a very bright together take care of everything person and now, here I am...with sweats, trouble talking at times, memory very bad, anxiety bouts as I can never remember, and all because I found a Dr that didn't mind prescibing it almost as much as I wanted it, I was up to 10 plus mg,s a day but it just wasn't working as it use to...suicidal thoughts were high, hence my asking my mom and son to take me in because the last thing I wanted to do was hurt my family but I could no longer cope...in reading other posts I see that I got myself pretty darn in doses compared to some and the side effects and withdrawel symptoms were/are enormous...but I'll make it! | F | 47 | 3 years | 10/6/2008 | 1 | Fear of flying, panic attacks | Paranoia, rage, snowballing emotions, loss if short term memory | F | 38 | 3 years | 4/6/2013 | 1 | Anxiety | Addictive Drug It was like functioning on a chemical roller coaster. Severe memory loss as a result of 3 years at .5mg | If you are on Ativan go to a support group or contact benzoisland.org for assistance tapering. It gave me a burst of energy for about an hour (paradoxidal effect) then i would crash and not be able to function til the next dose. | F | 43 | 3 years | 9/21/2005 | 1 | 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 | 1 | anxiety | tolerance, needed to take more, this drug is HIGHLY addictive. It ruined my life. | 52 | M | 3 years | 8/19/2008 | 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 | 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 | 5 | SEVERE PANIC DISORDER | CALMNESS, MILD DROWSINESS, COMPLETELY RELAXED | LOVE THIS DRUG!!! I TAKE ONLY AS NEEDED, EVERY SO OFTEN. I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME USERS GO THROUGH WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS BUT THEY ARE PROBABLY USING THIS DRUG TOO OFTEN! USE ONLY AS NEEDED, NOT EVERYDAY!!! THIS DRUG HAS WORKED AWESOME FOR ME AND WOULD RECOMMEND IT WITHOUT HESITATING. WORKS QUICKLY AND MAKES YOU FEEL GREAT! STOPS RACING THOUGHTS, CALMS ME DOWN, AND I FEEL TOTALLY RELAXED, BETTER THAN A 2 HOUR FULL BODY MASSAGE!!!!! | F | 32 | 4 years | 7/21/2009 | 5 | anxiety | none | great for anxiety, but though i take it may be once a month, even after 4 years i think i've built tolerance to it and it doesn't help as much any it used to be. | F | 24 | 4 years | 10/5/2009 | 5 | Anxiety | slight drowsiness within maybe 15-20 minutes after taking then it goes away and I feel fine. | I'm 29 and have had a prescription for Ativan/Lorazepam (generic) for about 4 years now. My script is for only .5 mg. I take it only as needed, when I know I'm going into a situation that is going to make me anxious...maybe once a week. I like how Ativan works for me, in about an hour after I take it the nervous/anxiety I get is gone and I feel like my normal self and not neurotic! I had tried a low dose of Xanax once which I actually slightly prefer more but I think its because of the slight high you get with it. I don't have an addictive personality but I had an additional boost of confidence with the Xanax...probably the "high" effect. My new Dr. wouldn't prescribe me Xanax though. She even informed me at my visit today how addictive Ativan is because of the Valium family it comes from. She would only give me 30 pills and no refills and she expects this to last me 6 months. I guess I'm glad she's proactive and watchful of what she prescribes. | F | 29 | 4 years | 5/1/2008 | 5 | Anxiety | This pill is a lifesaver. It really calms me. The only side effect is a little drowsiness, but I only take .5mg. | F | 34 | 4 years | 6/10/2003 | 5 | panic | none. never been happy until now | i dont care if it is addictive . it was worse living and feeling so much panic | F | 40 | 4 years | 12/7/2005 | 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 | A little groggy at times. Mind a bit foggy too, but that could just be my age. | Ativan has helped me tremendously. My panic/anxiety was horrible and this drug gave me my freedom back. The only thing I dread is the day I have to go off of it. Yikes! | F | 46 | 4 years 1 3X D | 1/19/2012 | 4 | Anxiety | For the most part, sleepy. | Please note that this pill can and will cause weight gain, because it has steroids in it. I gained 15lbs with it. Please ask your Doctor about this. I recently stopped taking this pill cold turkey and lost the weight. | F | 34 | 4 years | 4/17/2007 | 4 | Insomnia | I want to stop taking this drug but withdrawal is horrible. I ordered my refill by mail and ran out before I received it. Like the worst case of flu I've ever experienced. I'm addicted and am afraid to stop the medication. | F | 60 | 4 years | 9/20/2007 | 4 | anxiety and insomnia | drowsiness (this was desireable at night). otherwise no side effects that i know of. | I love this medication! With my anxiety I would like to take more often if it would continue to work the same but just take on a PRN basis. | M | 37 | 4 years | 8/18/2009 | 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 | none | 190lb - barely touched by 1mg in high stress times. Im guessing 3-4mg is going to work for really manic times or act as hypnotic (knock me out). ambien is my hypnotic choice when melatonin doesnt work. | M | 44 | 4 years | 7/6/2009 | 1 | Insomnia due to hyperactive thyroid | I started taking 2 mg per day at bedtime. After about a year, I experienced anxiety during the day, and my doctor thought that my thyroid condition was getting worse, so he doubled my Ativan dose. A few months later, I became anxious again, and it turned out the anxiety was caused by the fact that I had reached tolerance to the Ativan and needed more in order to feel | Ativan should only be taken on a short-term basis. It's actually possible to become addicted to Ativan after taking it for as short a time as a month. It is very potent and highly addictive. Had I known it would affect me in the way it did, I never would have taken it in the first place. I tried to wean myself off Ativan, but was unsuccessful in doing so because I suffered from severe interdose withdrawal symptoms. A kind, caring doctor in an attempt to wean me off the Ativan switched me to Valium so that I could taper myself off that drug. Valium has a longer half-life, so it's much easier for people who are addicted to Ativan to get off Benzodiazepines by switching to Valium. The website, www.benzo.org.uk contains a copy of the Ashton Manual, which is considered the best resource to use if you're considering tapering off a Benzodiazepine tranquilizer, such as Ativan. I am 58 years old. I never took recreational drugs in my life, and I discovered at age 55 that I was a geriatric junkie because of the Ativan. Patients should exercise extreme caution before taking this drug. It took me three years to beat this addiction. | F | 58 | 4 years | 4/15/2005 | 1 | Anxiety | Loved it at 1st. Really helped... then... HELL. I was told ativan could be addictive. But I was very careful how I took it. I started having worse and worse anxiety bc of mystery symptoms appearing. This happened for 3.5 years! Bad crazy mystery symptoms! Finally a few months ago I had tolerance w/d! It was like someone opened the gates to Hell and kicked me in. You see.. since I was a yoyo user... I had been going through Benzo w/d off and on for 3.5 years! It also causes anxiety from hell withdrawaling. I had to reinstate the ativan and ween off if it over a 2yoyo month period. Im 50 days Benzo free and still suffering. It could take a year to heal. I was a fool. These pills will bite you in the butt one day guys... they are ONLY supposed to be prescribed for 2 weeks MAX! Thats how fast the gaba receptors gain a STRONG dependency! Do NOT take benzos! Its an epidemic! Drs are handing them out like candy! They say they are harmless. And they will deny you are going through w/d after 50 days clean. Its insane! Do your research folks! There's a 100+ page manual out there called the Ashton Manual how to get off these drugs. And lists over 270 w/d symptoms that can last for years! W/d symptoms wax and wane on and off... its hell. Anxiety, depression .. shocks ... insomnia ... twitching ... grrrrr! | M | 28 | 4 years .5mg-1mg | 12/17/2011 | 5 | Generalized Anxiety Disorder | None that I know about | Helps a lot. | F | 46 | 5 years .5 1X D | 1/28/2012 | 5 | for sleep | I felt a little sleepy when i first started taking ativan, But now I have no side effects to report. | In my opinion this is a mild relaxant that would work well for alot of people. | F | 49 | 5 years .05 1X D | 3/19/2010 | 5 | Panic/Anxiety disorder | Not much. Some drowsiness, but that could just be the panic wearing off. It seems to be the miracle cure for everything anxiety related. | There is a lot of warning about ativan being habit forming. I don't doubt that it is. But if you're smart about it you can use it sensibly. I've been on this drug as needed for five years or so now without a problem. You just have to use it only when you absolutely need it. If you find you're taking it regularly you might want to talk to your doctor about changing any other anti anxiety meds you may be on (like Zoloft, or Paxil). Don't compensate for more anxiety by taking more ativan. All you have to do is be careful and this drug can be a great help. | F | 20 | 5 years | 2/24/2006 | 5 | insomnia | None | Can take 1mg at night and sleep all night!! Wonderful drug!! | F | 53 | 5 years | 4/26/2006 | 5 | Anxiety/panic disorder | None | This medication has been a Godsend for me. It stops severe anxiety or panic attack in its tracks. I take it only when needed -- usually a couple times a month. | F | 52 | 5 years | 3/7/2006 | 5 | Anxiety | I haven't had any of the side effects that is listed here. It is the only medication that has helped me get restful sleep and with Fibromylagia, you really need to sleep well. You do have rebound insomnia when you quit taking it. | F | 58 | 5 years 2mg 1X D | 1/4/2013 | 5 | sleep | helps tremendously with sleep. no side effects for me and i've been on the same dose for several years. | M | 41 | 5 years | 3/9/2005 | 5 | anxiety, trouble sleeping, nausea | sleepiness | Works great even at very low doses (like .5 mg). I've been taking it off and on for 5 years now, and have never had to increase my dose, and have never had any | F | 37 | 5 years | 6/22/2003 |