ATIVAN Reviews (LORAZEPAM)Average Rating: 3.3 (709 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ATIVAN with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 |
More on ATIVAN: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ATIVAN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | 4 | insomnia, anxiety | Dry mouth. | It was prescribed for me to ease the apparent temporary insomnia I had. Prozac during the day was not enough to take the edge off, even though I felt good. Maybe I felt too good? Anyway, Ativan takes only 20-30 minutes to work, and I take just 1/2 milligram. Due to concern (mine and my doctor's) over possible dependence/tolerance, I only take it when I have a really bad night, or if I have had a few consecutive bad nights. It works faster than Klonopin, which I tried about 2 months. But it takes too long to start working (over an hour). I only wish I could feel that relaxed, all the time, on my own...Because it basically knocks me out, I can only take it at bedtime, and not during anxious times during the day. "Rebound" effect is bad if Ativan taken several days in a row. (Even worse insomnia, but it does settle back down.) | F | 46 | 6 months | 5/10/2008 | 5 | insomnia, anxiety, depression | none | This was a wonder drug for me and I slept good without waking up in the night with fears and anxiety. I have had to increase the dosage over time and the doctor is concerned and wants to switch me to xanax. | M | 76 | 5 years | 5/5/2008 | 3 | Anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia | Sleepiness (not bad if you want to sleep) foggy feeling, lapses in memory, a feeling of being drugged, being a bit "out of it." | This is a POWERFUL tranquilizer. What makes it so tricky, is that sometimes you don't even realize how much it is affecting you and your behavior. Memory problems are pretty bad if you take more than 2 mg a day. If you take more than 1 mg at at a time, you will definately have a few "grey outs" while under the influence of the pill. Yes, it relaxes the hell out of you, and helps you sleep. It slows down your mind. So, if you get those racing thoughts at night, it shuts em down. And it totally punches a hole into a "freak out anxiety attack" episode. I just don't like the feeling I am taking something this strong and addictive. I end up feeling guilty about it! I would say, use this med only for short term stints when you really are having bad, bad anxiety. Don't just take it to "chill out." That's a recipe for disaster. If you use it just once a week or so, you should be okay. DO NOT take it everyday, YOU WILL REGRET IT, and YOU WILL GET HOOKED. I take it | F | 34 | 2 weeks | 5/2/2008 | 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 | 4 | depression and panic | This drug helps in the beginning, it takes edge off. BUT EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE!!! I'm shocked at the painfull withdrawl I am having to endure after only 15 days of treatment. I have been having major life changes and upsets so rather than exploding in hid from the problem and was up to 10-15 mg of it a day over the last couple weeks. You MUST taper off this drug. | I have taken ativan on and off for years in very very low doses, maybe one every few months when stressed. This is crazy, I feel that I have now lost my mind and don't rememebr the last few weeks...guess that was to be expected but wow. It does work, but be carefull. | F | 35 | 15 days | 5/1/2008 | 5 | depression/anxiety | nothing bad | I've taken this as needed for about a year now. when i', having bad days, and it's great, it'll also help me sleep. if i'm having a really really rough day i can take up to 2. usually in the morning or afternoon and one at night to help sleep. | F | 24 | 1 years | 4/26/2008 | 5 | insomnia, anxiety | none | 0.5 mg at bedtime allows me to sleep without torturous dreams. A blessed relief! | F | 74 | 24 months | 4/26/2008 | 1 | depression | addicted taking as prescribed, then became out of control | Detox, hospitalization, for three months. NEVER USE THIS DRUG OR ANY BENZOS. ALMOST KILLED ME. | M | 71 | 12 months | 4/26/2008 | 5 | Muscle relaxant | None. | Doctor prescribed Ativan for spasms due to arthritis in my neck. Valium was the only thing that had worked well years ago, and she preferred I try this. Mostly it just helps me sleep well so the spasm relaxes away, usually in one night. Rx was for 1mg, but I found a half works just as well, and I only take it as needed - 1-2 times weekly - not often enough to worry about addiction (tho "every night" is certainly tempting!) Husband is retired pharmacist and warned me about addiction. Can't imagine a doctor not monitoring the use of Ativan so all of those who have spoken before me would not have all these problems! | F | 60 | 6 months | 4/24/2008 | 2 | Anxiety/Insomnia | Terrible rebound insomnia. | Started taking 1 mg a day at night and felt great. Relieved anxiety and helped me go right to sleep. After about twenty days I noticed a dramatic reduction in effectiveness. Increased does to 2 mg. After 40 days on this drug it stopped working. Quit cold turkey and had night sweats. Rebound insomnia has been unbearable, after 7 days off this drug, I need Ambien to go to sleep. Stay away from this addictive drug. | M | 40 | 32 days | 4/14/2008 | 1 | Anxiety | Severe panic attacks, very nervous, My mind is going crazy thinking about anything and everything. Every nerve ending in my body is tingling. Could not sleep at all. I was only on 1 mg twice a day for for 10 days and the side effects started at about 36 hours after not having it. I am currently going on about 72 hours and still am feeling horrible wondering how much longer these side effects or withdrawal symptoms are going to last. I actually felt like I was going to die the first 24 hours of the side effects starting. Now at about 72 hours off the drug the effects are not as intense. I do not feel like I am going to die although I am still very nervous with lots of tingeing sensations, my mind is still wondering. I also went to the gym and worked out thinking that the exercise would help relieve the effects which actually had an reverse effect and made it worse. This is a horrible drug to come off of and will never take it again. This has been the worse experience in my entire life | The drug did work for the time that I took it. I was very calm, mellow and able to function. I was still depressed but it for sure took away the anxiety and allowed me to sleep. All in all the withdrawals after not taking the drug are for sure not going through. I would rather deal with the anxiety than go through feeling like your gonna die. | M | 42 | 10 days | 4/8/2008 | 1 | Made Me Crazy | The side effects I got from this medication where: disinhibition, confusion, disorientation (which made me behave abnormally wild and violent) amnesia, memory impairment, (I couldn't remember behaving wildly) depression (made me horribly depressed. tried to kill myself 3 times) | DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION. IT COULD POSSIBLY RUIN YOUR LIFE. If you have anxiety try Bendryl. It may make you sleepy but at least you won't be going nuts. See a complete list of the side effects at http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/loraz_ad.htm | F | 31 | 365 days | 4/7/2008 | 2 | Dizziness & Vertigo | MORE dizzy, out of sorts, trouble focusing... sort of drunk feeling. sick to my stomach from the resulting increase of vertigo. | My doctor decided to give me this after i asked for a valium refill, which i wasn't abusing... i only was giving 30 and i spaced them out 5 months. I tried it and i'm not sold, this doesn't make me feel any better! | F | 28 | 1 weeks | 4/2/2008 | 5 | Migraines | It worked GREAT, immediately and I didn't feel "doped up" at all. It got rid of the migraine and I could even work! Take only PRN. | My doctor prescribed this when long-term migraines didn't respond to Imitrex. Of course, I only take as needed and only if the Imitrex doesn't work first. Benzodiazepines are too easily addictive. | F | 40 | 1 days | 3/14/2008 | 3 | Anxiety | Relieves temporary anxiety. Has a numbing effect. like drinking a couple beers without the down. Xanax is a similar drug but gives you a high. Don't take with alcohol, you'll black out and/or vomit. Pro: reduces anxiety, Con: addictive, lasting effects. | I started taking ativan/lorazapam(generic) at 19 yrs old. I was in college and experiencing anxiety. Took small doses (0.5mg) on and off for several years. Good part is that it'll get thru that nerve wrecking ordeal. You still have to get rid of the underlying issue. Im no longer on ativan, but I still get anxiety. This pill is addictive. After I stopped, my body twitches at times. I also have jaw/ear problems. Neck strains. Recommend being weened off. | F | 27 | 2 years | 3/11/2008 | 5 | Work stress. | Slight balance loss the first week, then it was fine. Slight short term memory loss, but that is fine now too. | I take Ativan for eye twitching and heart tightness due to job related stress. I quit my job. Just wean yourself off little by little and never take more than the doctor tells you too. It is a life saver. | F | 43 | 4 months | 3/3/2008 | 3 | Anxiety | Being very tired. This would continue all day. I thought maybe the effects of tiredness would wear off but it didn't.Since I switched to Xanax which acted a lot better for me without the side effects of Ativan. | Activan is sometimes used before dental extractions also other than anxiety. I would say it's not has powerful as Xanax but close. And of course that big word that's used quite a bit on this forum...ADDICTING! Most benzos are addicting but "SO WHAT!" If they help you and you follow your doctor's recommended dosage, I could care less about that big over "Abused" word "Addiction." If any thing is addicting it's the over used word..."ADDICTION!" Dicipline yourself with these medications and you'll find yourself that these medications will indeed help you with your health issues. For me Ativan just didn't work for me. Xanax works much better for me. See how simple it was to say that without using that addicting word "Addiction?" I quit taking Ativan since Xanax works so much better for me. | M | 53 | 3 months | 2/28/2008 |