ATIVAN Reviews (LORAZEPAM)

Average Rating: 3.3 (709 Ratings)

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 SEDATIVES HYPNOTICS ANTIANXIETY    DEA Schedule IV   

 Type: Rx Drug

  

ATIVAN  (LORAZEPAM):  This medication is used to treat anxiety. Lorazepam belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which act on the brain and nerves (central nervous system) to produce a calming effect. This drug works by enhancing the effects of a certain natural chemical in the body (GABA).    (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR ATIVANCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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