Ativan and Insomnia: What Users Say

• ins...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2020

For Insomnia "Ativan ruined my life. My psychiatrist prescribed me 2mg to take every night while trying out an antidepressant. After about 7 weeks, I was addicted to Ativan, and when I tried to stop taking it, I had seizures and panic attacks. I had to keep taking it to stabilize. Then I had to switch to Valium and slowly taper off the benzodiazepines to avoid another seizure. It took me a year and a half to taper off, and I now have chronic fear, anxiety, tinnitus, and insomnia. I wish I never touched this drug."

• Tha...
• September 9, 2015

For Anxiety "This medicine has saved my life on several occasions. I developed physical anxiety issues (severe tingling, losing balance, trouble driving, insomnia, etc) a year after my 3rd child was born. My physician tried several SSRI and tricyclic antidepressants. They all made my symptoms worse. Ativan/Lorazepam helped immediately for all symptoms. In my opinion, it is a miracle and I hate how it is demonized in the media and medical community. When you suffer a month without sleeping hardly at all and can barely function in a normal setting due to crippling physical anxiety symptoms, and something provides relief, you take it. Yes, when you are ready to stop the medicine you have to reduce very slowly over a long period of time. Godsend!"

• Anonymous
• September 4, 2010

For Anxiety "I developed anxiety very fast and didn't know what it was until one day when my heart was beating out of my chest and I started worrying about my life changes. Went to ER twice in a month thought I was going to have a heart attack. I am 25 and I never knew anxiety can be this bad. I started taking Ativan and it's been 4 months now. I started with 2 a day and now I'm taking one a day. It's a great pill not many side effects, a bit disoriented sometimes but I can sleep better and eat more. I am planning on staying on it until my life gets back on track and once everything settles down I will get off of it. Anxiety is a hard thing to deal with on your own. Only if you have it you understand."

• Hyp...
• March 11, 2019

For Anxiety "I was diagnosed with panic disorder at 8 years old, and when I was 13, the panic attacks became severe. My psychiatrist finally prescribed me 15 pills per month of 1 mg of Ativan. I’m now 18, and just went through a really hard time. I relapsed into severe anxiety, had to quit all my schooling. My panic attacks can last for hours, and this is the only thing that provides relief during those sleepless nights. If it weren’t for Ativan, I’d have gone to the hospital 30 times now. It is pretty easy to become dependent. I’m tapering off, went from 0.5 mg per day to 0.25 mg, to skipping days. The withdrawal symptoms are not terrible, but they’re definitely uncomfortable. I suffered vertigo, insomnia, and increased anxiety. Advice to anyone taking this medication: Never cut cold turkey. Although rare, it can cause seizures if you stop the medication suddenly. Also, it’s very easy to become dependent on it. Please be careful."

• Anonymous
• March 18, 2012

For Nausea/Vomiting "This is amazing! It helps so many things. But the 3 main ones are nausea, insomnia, and panic disorder. I also have fibromyalgia. I do try to keep the dosage as low as I can. I am prescribed a 1 mg pill 4 times a day. I take 2 of those at bedtime with a muscle relaxer, and I sleep all the way through the night. I try to keep it to only 3 pills a day. I also take 60 mg of Cymbalta a day. Combined with the Ativan, it keeps me and my husband sane. I also do yoga 2 to 3 times a week and walk. Exercise is a must with fibromyalgia."

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

For Anxiety "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."

• Nut...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 28, 2023

For Anxiety "I’ve been on this medication for anxiety and anger since 2018, it immediately takes away panic rage and lets me think clearly. However, my psychiatrist took me off cold turkey 9 days ago, and I feel miserable!!! I’m having constant blackouts, anxiety, intense paranoia, rage, no energy at all to even get up and use the bathroom, and insomnia. I’m afraid of feeling like this for years or forever, I don't know how to deal anymore. This is so unreal. I’ve had many crying fits and moments of depression because of this awful feeling. Pros: 10/10 Cons: 0/10"

• Dow...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 24, 2021

For Insomnia "I have had severe insomnia for over a decade. I’ve always been a light sleeper, but the past 8-9 years have been horrid. I am 48 years old. Have been prescribed every drug under the sun. After years of horrible sleep, I now have severe anxiety. I have had to go on short-term disability 3 times in 5 years. I usually hinged my insomnia and anxiety on work stress. I was assigned a new project that was very high profile, and I started not sleeping for days on end. I went to the doctor before things got too bad, I did not want to end up on disability again. He prescribed Ativan. I started taking it, 0.5-1 mg a night. Soon I was taking it every night, then after about 6 months, it stopped working. I ended up in the hospital for a week and quit my job. Ativan works, but you better hope it always does. Now on Seroquel and cannot sleep at all without it. Terrified for my family's future as I am so unstable. I have a wife and 3 kids."

• Mol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 29, 2015

For Anxiety "I took lorazepam for 19 days at .5 mg as needed. I was taking them in the afternoon around 4:30. The doctor only gave me 20 pills for anxiety and sent me home. While taking them, I was feeling even worse, I couldn't sleep, I would wake up shaking and scared, and couldn't eat until I took the pill. I decided to stop taking them because I was getting more anxiety and wired thoughts and was shaking all day. So, I quit cold turkey - I didn't know I was to taper off. On the second day of not taking it, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, walking around feeling like I'm going crazy, a lot of anxiety attacks and panic attacks. I don't feel joy or happiness. The only thing I could think of is I'm having withdrawals. I stopped taking it on December 9, 2015, it is now December 29, 2015."

• Fig...
• January 11, 2017

For Sedation "52 years old, diagnosed with ovarian cancer in July 2016. Received chest mediport in August and went through 12 weeks of chemo. Only side effects were constipation from chemo and sleepless nights from Decadron. While these steroids made me feel strong and allowed me to work while taking chemo, they also kept me wired at night. Only on those days of chemo did I take 1 mg of Ativan at night. So blessed to get some much-needed rest and was at work by 6:00, ready for my workday. Feeling rested and getting that quality sleep is very vital when fighting this disease and taking chemo. I just had IP port surgically implanted into my abdomen today. Starting the next 3 cycles of IP chemo after having surgery December 8th. Ativan has helped me, no side effects."

• Hat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2015

For Anxiety "I took 0.5 mg Ativan 2 times a day for 14 days. I noticed I wasn't getting the same anti-anxiety effect, so I decided to stop taking it. I figured it had only been 2 weeks, so stopping should not have been a problem. I then proceeded into 11 days of HELL. The first 2 days were not too bad, but every day progressively got worse. The insomnia was the worst. I got to the point where I would dread the night. And then the nightmares started. They were horribly dark. I thought I was going to die. I finally would take 0.5 mg every other or every third night just to get some sleep. It took me months to find a doctor who understood how to get off the Ativan. I'm now on a 2.5% taper (40 weeks). I'm on week 9. Not fun. DO NOT TAKE IT."

• mit...
• December 14, 2019

For Anxiety "I literally took one dose of 1.5 mg of lorazepam after being prescribed the drug for panic attacks and anxiety. It worked for the panic attack, but since that first dose I haven't slept in 3 days. Reflecting on it now, I would have rather just gone through the full-on panic attack. This drug is no joke."

• New...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2018

For Anxiety "I was prescribed this to take prior to an MRI. I had been taking Klonopin for my anxiety, which is more slow-acting, so I thought I would try this. It immediately calmed me down before the MRI, and I felt good after. I spoke with my PCP about trying this instead of Klonopin, and she was okay with that at 1 mg twice a day as needed. The first week was fine, and then during week two, I was having a lot of panic attacks, chest tightness, and insomnia. I suffer from MS, so I'm never sure what is MS-related or anxiety-caused problems. I have decided to go back to the Klonopin. It doesn't kick in as fast but lasts much longer, and I feel much better on it."

• Do...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2017

For Anxiety "My husband was 38 years old and committed suicide while taking Ativan. This medication was administered to him from two different psychiatrists. Ativan was prescribed for his anxiety. He took it in combination with Welbutrin for his depression. He was on Ativan for approximately three months. The medication made his heart race because of the lethal combination mixing with Welbutrin for his depression. He became manic, paranoid, and had extreme body tremors, insomnia, and many trips to the Emergency Room from side effects. This company knows it can cause suicide and writes it on the label. Do not take it."

• Ben...
• July 5, 2017

For Anxiety "You would have to be crazy to take Ativan. I took 1-2 mg 2x a day for 6 months and had withdrawal symptoms for almost 4 years after stopping over a 2-week period per my doctor. If you think your life is bad before taking Ativan, just wait until you experience the withdrawal and aftereffects of this poison. After 2 years, I still had vibrating, hypersensitive vision and hearing. Burning in your nerves, especially in your feet. Forget sleep, all you do is lie in bed awake for me, almost 2 years dreaming while awake. That part was the most torturous part of the med. The FDA needs to remove Ativan from FDA approval immediately."

• SAm...
• July 30, 2018

For Panic Disorder "I was prescribed Ativan sublingual 0.5 mg as needed for panic attacks. It did not do anything for me, usually, my panic attacks come at night while I'm sleeping. So I tried it, and honestly, it didn't do anything, and on top of that, I couldn't sleep after taking it."