Ativan for Anxiety User Reviews (Page 5)

• Kim...
• September 12, 2014

"I have severe anxiety. It comes and goes. Sometimes I can control it, or sometimes I can't. Up to now, it has been really bad. So my doctor prescribed me Ativan. Just took it this morning. So far, it's helping, but sometimes if my anxiety gets far too worse and I take the Ativan, sometimes it takes a while for it to calm or slow down."

• n81...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2013

"Most subtle of the benzos I have tried. It made me sleepy the first hour or two, but then stabilized my anxiety and mood for about six hours. Much longer lasting than it is given credit for. Good PRN medication. Other benzos cause some moodiness or depression even. Although I think Lorazepam can, it is much smoother than others. It is again too sedating for many people, though. I liked it about as much as Clonazepam, it is better than Valium, in my opinion."

• Jas...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 21, 2018

"This pill has been my safety net for my severe anxiety attacks, panic attacks, and ADHD. I have been taking this pill off and on for 6 years and have never been addicted to it. I take 0.5 during the day, and it actually makes me feel like myself and sometimes even gives me more energy. This pill has been a true lifesaver."

• Owl...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 30, 2016

"Ativan is very good for anxiety. The trick is not to take it too often. I've found that I get used to dosages fast. I've also found that on the day following when I take it, I'm more tired, listless, and depressed. It's something to watch out for."

• Anonymous
• August 29, 2012

"This chills me ever so slightly. I was suffering from anxiety, feeling dizzy, and in a panic that I was really sick. It ruined my summer. I took a half of an Ativan, and it made me feel like myself again. It doesn't make you high, crazy-like, or out of it. It just makes you feel nice."

• Jul...
• April 21, 2017

"I am a nervous flyer, and my anxiety has been getting particularly bad, so I decided to go to my family doc and get a prescription. My doc gave me Ativan and said to take 1 mg 1 hour before the flight. I took 1 mg exactly as she told me and then another 0.5 mg midway through the flight. During the flight, I felt completely calm and at peace, which has never happened before. Highly recommend for infrequent fliers with anxiety."

• ric...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 8, 2022

"I've had bouts of severe anxiety since childhood. After my mother died, I started drinking, which began making me worse. It got to the point I could barely move. My uncle took me to the doctor, and he gave me Ativan. I didn't feel the need to drink and didn't wake up with the horrible anxiety. I never took more than one a day at night and never felt the need to increase the dose, in fact, sometimes I'd cut back on it for 6 years, and then years and years of anxiety were gone. Suddenly, doctors didn't want to prescribe it anymore or had you come in and see them so much that you couldn't afford it. So all the suffering is back again because of politics. At this moment, I suffer. I had another anxiety period so bad I was crippled, they gave me the Ativan, and it took it all away in 40 minutes. I never had problems with it, never had to increase the dosage, but I am made to suffer anyway."

• wor...
• October 27, 2018

"1st time sharing a story or review, but I just think this is so important to talk about and let others know. My mother is only 60 years old and has been suffering from depression and anxiety and also panic attacks for about 15 years. 3 months ago, my dad passed away, so my mom had a breakdown and ever since has been crying, complaining about pain in her chest, palpitations, suicidal thoughts. The antidepressant she is taking doesn't seem to help her at all. So we took her to the hospital because we don't know how to help her. No medication helps her, only Ativan is the medication that makes all the above go away, but the doctor doesn't want to prescribe it to her."

• Anonymous
• November 10, 2009

"Overall, great medication. Keep it at a small dose and use it only when you really need it. First, try fighting your anxiety and then if that doesn't help, use your medicines. This drug has been proven to be addictive. I hope this has helped some out there like me suffering from panic attacks and anxiety."

• Bru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2018

"I highly recommend this drug. It's a miracle worker! I started having anxiety after my boyfriend and I broke up, I would cry at night and have panic attacks. I only take this drug when I need severe relief, and I'm so thankful it's available. Try it just once if you are having bad anxiety, if it's not for you, then switch. I was nervous trying this because I didn't want to feel high when going on a benzo drug. You definitely don't feel high, you just feel tired and oddly 'okay'!"

• Can...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 19, 2017

"Hands down, the best immediate solution for anxiety or panic attacks. I prefer Ativan to other benzos, and it usually lifts my depression too, even suicidal thoughts (well, for the few hours that it works). Just be very careful not to become addicted, but this is extremely helpful as an occasional tool in stressful situations. Do not take every day for many days unless instructed to, but even then do your research."

• EJK...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2018

"Yes, it will stop panic attacks, but good luck coming off it. I was having severe anxiety after a bad spell of taking Lexapro, which made my anxiety worse and gave me constant panic attacks, so my doctor had me taking 0.5 mg three times a day. I was so grateful to have some relief that I didn't question the dose, but the more I read about dependence, the more nervous I became. I started tapering off it after only a month, and I thought I was going to die. Hallucinating, insomnia where I didn't sleep for days, couldn't keep down solid food, crippling depression, and agoraphobia... it was a nightmare, and I was contemplating checking into a hospital. I eventually transitioned to buspirone and eventually Pristiq. Such a nightmare. I can't recommend Ativan to anyone who may be sensitive to benzos."

• Joh...
• February 15, 2016

"Saved my life and made my life manageable. So far superior to numerous SSRIs, SNRIs, off-label gabapentin, Serax, than any of the 10 other antidepressants I tried. Wasted 3 years of my life. May be addictive for addicts and alcohol abusers, but if taken as prescribed, I've had minimal side effects. I'm not dizzy, falling, etc."

• Ana...
• September 11, 2009

"Ativan has a troublesome history of abuse and ignorance associated with it. People expect some magical pill to solve all their problems on a daily basis, following the advice of a doctor rather than their own body. I lead a stressful life, and sometimes there's no amount of relaxing, watching movies, etc., to get my body to calm down. I always want to get up and run, work out, etc. If used properly, it's a lifesaving medication for me. Losing my hair from stress, Gilbert's syndrome, etc., finally I am able to enjoy my life again, enjoy movies, etc. Used properly, it's a tool I wish to have at my touch at all times available. Responsibility and moderation to all."

• JR1...
• February 15, 2016

"I recently started getting anxiety. It started very slow and began to get worse. I went to the hospital very anxious one day. They did all tests and, as I already knew, found nothing. I asked for something to calm me down. They gave me 1.0 mg Ativan IV. The minute the nurse pulled the needle out, I was ready to go home as if nothing happened. Slept like a baby that night. I was good for like 4 days until I started to feel anxious again. I just started Zoloft today, which takes some 1 or 2 weeks to work, and Ativan for in case I get another attack before Zoloft kicks in. For me, Ativan has been great."

• AnS...
• August 1, 2016

"I started off at 0.50 mg, then to 1 mg before bed. I had many issues going on in life, and I was having trouble falling asleep. This helped in the beginning, but my dose is going up and up. I admit, I take this more than I should, so I understand there's an addictive nature to this. Just be careful and talk to your doctor if you notice that. The best part of this drug: I get a good night's sleep, and I'm not waking up 3 times a night."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 30, 2021

"I have been on Ativan in varying dosages for a few years now. I had a terrible bout of anxiety after an illness years ago, and I was unable to eat anything for weeks due to extreme stomach pain. If I wasn’t prescribed Ativan, I don’t know if I would have survived. I don't think that benzos have such a stigma, but for those living with anxiety and all the terrible things that come along with it, it can make living so much better. At my highest anxiety, I was taking 3 mg/day. I could finally eat and get through the day without pain. When I am not having issues, I take 0.5 mg at night to sleep. If I don’t have it for more than 24 hours, I can tell because I will wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety. I don’t love the fact that it is so addictive, but I don’t know where I would be without it."

• Wen...
• January 14, 2016

"I had a stroke, and so I had to have an MRI. This is something I had feared my whole adult life (because of claustrophobia) and wondered if I would even consent to it. They gave me an Ativan, and the whole experience was easy and uneventful. It was not prescribed long-term, just for that single event. Under those circumstances, I would rate it a 10."

• Don...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 10, 2015

"My husband was hospitalized for 10 weeks before passing away. I could not sleep - my thoughts were spiraling and racing. I had an anxiety attack in the intensive care unit and thought I was having a heart attack. I hadn't slept in 5 days. My doctor prescribed 1 mg Ativan taken 30 mins before bedtime. What a godsend. I sleep straight for 6 hours every night. I've tried sleeping without it and I'm awake all night. I worry about tolerance. So I go without it on weekends and lay awake for two nights. I can't wait 'til Sunday night so I can take the Ativan and get some sleep. I've been on it for 6 months now."

• Anonymous
• May 2, 2012

"After several failed attempts at using SSRIs to help with my panic attacks, my Dr. prescribed me 0.5 mg of Ativan to use when needed to 'break the cycle' of panic. Along with everyone else, I'm telling you to use with caution if you are taking Ativan, because it is very addicting. I'm a 21-year-old female who has suffered from panic attacks since I was 15. Ativan is a great safety net when needed, no side effects except some small cloudiness. Use with caution and be knowledgeable. Learn what panic is, what sets you off, and how to use coping mechanisms before using medication. And always do research on what medications you are being prescribed and be the judge if this medicine, in the long term, will benefit you. Knowledge is the key to beating panic."

• y-t...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 7, 2016

"I've been taking a low dose of Ativan for years. It worked well for my anxiety, although it seems to wear off extremely fast. I actually split the pill in two, take a half before bed, and take the other half when I wake up at night. The only problem is after my old doctor retired, I found nobody would prescribe it. All the newer doctors would rather give out antidepressants. I had to quit taking it cold turkey last month. Now I'm on an antidepressant and some strong sleeping pills in order to get enough sleep. The results are inconsistent. Some nights I get only 3 or 4 hours, some nights I sleep 10 hours and still feel tired. I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble. Ativan was so cheap that it didn't matter, I don't have insurance."

• Pol...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 28, 2016

"An excellent medication, out of all meds I tried, none were as effective for managing my PTSD symptoms. Completely prevented flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety at night, and allowed me to fall asleep very calmly. However, I can't give it a 10 because I gained tolerance to the doses incredibly quickly, meaning I had to keep raising the dose to get the same effect, which is dangerous because it is a drug you can become physically addicted to. I would highly recommend this med to those seeking a short-term fix while they are becoming stable on another long-term med, but would not recommend it as a long-term fix due to tolerance and addiction possibilities."

• BWi...
• May 30, 2013

"Though I've rated this medication an 8 (when I first started taking it, I would have rated it at 12!). I must caution anyone who uses it to use it strictly as directed by your (presumably responsible/knowledgeable psych/med doc)."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 15, 2023

"I was given seven 0.5 mg pills for the extreme side effects of a high Latuda dose. It helps so much. It's like the rain cleared. Oh my God. I love Ativan. I see why it's so controlled, I'd love to replace all my medications with Ativan."

• Yek...
• August 18, 2012

"Of all the medicines I have tried for alleviating anxiety, this was the ONLY one that really worked. I suffer from the co-morbidity of depression as well as mild ADHD and am now trying 1-3 mg (as needed), usually 1 mg in the morning and 2 mg if I experience panic attacks. It has helped me function normally during periods of unbelievable stress (divorce, bankruptcy, separation from my beloved kids) and ongoing emotional trauma. It doesn't interfere with other medicines (Zoloft and Concerta) and is wonderfully calming."