Ativan User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

• Joh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 18, 2013

For Anxiety "After recovery from prostate cancer 8 mos. ago, I began experiencing panic attacks & General Anxiety Disorder. I have tried 3 different therapists (psychobabblers), and 4 different SSRIs, all to no avail. The only effective treatment that resolved my difficulties was Ativan. My prescription is 1 mg up to 3 times a day as needed. 1 mg per day works 90% of the time. It's rare that I need 2, and never 3. Without it I'd be looking for the highest bridge."

• 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
• December 30, 2008

For Insomnia "Ativan is wonderful for dealing with a stressful job, failing marriage, aging parents, and restless leg. My doctor prescribed this medication for me so I can relax at night. I was well-rested, and the next day I felt more energized."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2019

For Panic Disorder "I was put on Ativan after I was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism. I was given Ativan while in the ER and during my hospital stay. After I was released, I was given a prescription for Ativan (with no refills). It helped me tremendously. I didn't take it daily, only when I felt a panic attack coming on or felt my anxiety creeping up. My primary physician prescribed me another prescription after I was out of the one from the hospital. That one had no refills also. She prescribed it to me because I was a mess from PE and was suffering from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and she diagnosed me with PTSD. I was moving out of state, and she said that the new doctors I would be seeing wouldn't prescribe me this again, so that is why she prescribed one more 30-count for me. I only took it when I knew I needed to take it. I never abused the drug, and it helped me so much, it was a life-changer. I never had any issues with Ativan, no side effects, I love it!"

• 197...
• February 21, 2014

For Anxiety "Ativan has made a tremendous difference in my life as my anxiety was out of control, and panic attacks were frequent. I don't find that it makes me tired, and I like how the effects are quickly felt. I used to take 1 mg but now only take 0.5 mg once a day; twice if I need it. I can skip days the odd time if I am at home and things are peaceful. I was put on Valium and couldn't handle that at all - Ativan was a lifesaver for me!"

• Hot...
• July 10, 2018

For Anxiety "I’ve been taking 0.5 Ativan for 15 years. It’s a miracle drug for me. It keeps my mind more stable and calm. Keeps my anxiety under control as well. I sleep like a baby with this drug. I wake up refreshed every morning. I usually take one 0.5 after dinner every night. There are days I do fine without it, but I love knowing it’s in hands reach at all times. I highly recommend Ativan. Keep it a small dose and you will be fine."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 22, 2023

For Anxiety "In 2020, my anxiety was really bad. The doctor kept convincing me to take Ativan when I have anxiety attacks, I refused at first because of the danger I’d heard of using benzos. Once my anxiety got so severe I couldn’t breathe, I went ahead and tried 0.5 mg of Ativan. It took about 30 minutes, and then I became completely calm and didn’t feel anxious. A year comes, I’m taking 1 mg every night to help with my insomnia. My anxiety gets severe at nighttime, and it’s the only pill that has helped me. I also have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), I’m on the spectrum, borderline personality disorder (BPD), and severe anxiety. No antidepressant has ever worked for me. I tell the doctor how I’m taking 1 mg every night to help me, and the doctor tells me I’m only supposed to be taking it as needed. So, he stops giving it to me, and I’m forced to stop taking it, and now I’m back to having anxiety attacks."

• Rob...
• April 9, 2016

For Panic Disorder "I used to get bad panic attacks, and very severe anxiety, and Ativan was the best medication I ever took in terms of completely getting rid of my anxiety. It calmed me down quickly, got rid of my anxiety completely, and made me relaxed and calm. It's very potent and effective. Compared to Xanax, I think Xanax works better for regular anxiety, and Ativan to me seemed stronger. Also, Ativan seemed to considerably elevate my mood compared to Xanax. It's probably best for those occasional severe panic attacks not to be taken too often. Very effective though!"

• Med...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 27, 2012

For Anxiety "I had a great experience with Ativan. It does a great job of heading off a panic attack when you feel one coming on. It works very quickly (5 minutes or less). It doesn't make you feel drunk or high, but more just kind of relaxed and mellow (a bit sleepy). I took a very low dose, as needed, and it's just nice to have something in case I need it, that wasn't real addictive or habit-forming. Like having a spare tire. You don't have to use it very often, but it's comforting knowing you have one, and it will get you through. I didn't notice any side effects at all, to be honest, except for feeling sleepy when I took it sometimes, but that's not always a bad thing."

• Mac...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 10, 2025

"After retiring from the military, I received help I had been dealing with for years. If you are too honest with any mental health problems on active duty, you can lose promotion opportunities or be discharged, so I waited. This drug is a lifesaver for my debilitating anxiety and insomnia. I have taken it for 3 years, and yes, you build up a tolerance, but it’s better than nothing. There were times I didn’t take it for weeks to see if the withdrawal was that bad. Honestly, it was about the same anxiety as I had to begin with. A couple of days you don’t sleep, but it wasn’t as bad for me. I take 3 mg a day, and it keeps me functioning normally. Without it, I’d be a mess. If I have to take it for life, so be it. It is addictive, but the alternative life isn’t worth living, so I’m glad for this therapy. It doesn’t make you loopy or comatose. The first few weeks will be drowsy, but if you are high anxiety, you will feel normal."

• Anonymous
• March 17, 2012

For Nausea/Vomiting "Lorazepam is the only thing that touches my nausea after having chemotherapy and for breakthrough nausea from the chemo. I was not aware that this was a medicine used for nausea until my Dr. prescribed them for me and told me to dissolve them under my tongue for the nausea. It almost always helps immediately and doesn't make me too drowsy to function. I just use 1mg dosage and only when needed for the nausea and that is improving so I am very thankful."

• Vic...
• June 3, 2016

For Anxiety "Works great! Been suffering with anxiety for a while now, was very hesitant on taking any kind of medication. Was given this medication in the hospital, and within 20 minutes, I felt relaxed and calm. Wish I wasn't so hesitant and took it sooner. Great for when anxiety attack comes on."

• Ann...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 18, 2021

For Insomnia "I've always been reluctant to take benzodiazepines, as Klonopin was a nightmare for me. I gained weight and just didn't care what I put in my mouth. Ativan has been a lifesaver for insomnia or severe panic attacks. Though I only take it at night, 2 mg. Sometimes I skip it. Its main use for me is chronic insomnia and nightmares. It's the only one that helps me sleep soundly. I try not to completely rely on it. I understand if I quit taking it, my insomnia may come back due to my stress. If my life was better, I believe it could work short-term as well. I highly recommend it as a sleep aid. I would use it just enough to get your natural rhythm of sleep back. It's long-acting, which makes a dose more effective at continuing to work."

• rip...
• October 25, 2021

For Insomnia "I have been using Ativan for nearly 18 years. I went for years sleeping 4 and a half hours a night. [daytime zombie] About 4 years ago, I was having short-term memory problems. I reduced from 1 mg to 0.5, and memory very much improved, and I still sleep 6-7 hours, but keep extra 0.5s if some nights I need extra, which isn't often. I would suggest that for first timers to start with 0.5, and it might be all you need. As far as 'addiction' goes, I am totally addicted to a good night's sleep. I am grateful to the lucky stars for Ativan. Do not use often for anxiety, although helpful from time to time. I am 78 years old. Only my story, everyone has their own experience with Ativan. Good luck and goodnight, you sleepy heads. Rip Van Winkle [almost twenty years.]"

• Mah...
• November 2, 2016

For Anxiety "I am on Lexapro since I was 16, so for the past basically five years, I've struggled with anxiety. My doctor decided about three weeks ago to give me Ativan as a 'break the glass kind of emergency' immediate anxiety relief. I've only used it twice since then and I don't know how to describe this medicine other than quiet. It makes everything so quiet, and for someone with anxiety, it's a miracle. I've learned what the onset of an attack looks like, and by taking this medicine within thirty minutes, I am calm, collected, and have completely avoided what might have been a mental breakdown. Honestly, this drug is such a lifesaver. It does make you a little sleepy, but nothing at all unbearable. I can take it any time of the day. It's amazing."

• Ste...
• January 19, 2015

For Panic Disorder "Ativan works. I just started getting panic attacks in my 40s, no real reason for it except maybe aspartame, caffeine, sometimes emotional but in all I'm not sure why I have gotten panic attacks. But Ativan works. Sometimes I need three pills of 0.5 mg, or sometimes I just need one. But I only take them as needed. Not sure if my doctor is going to continue to give them to me, but I definitely need a backup of some kind. And it does make you feel better, so thank goodness for that."

• Pam...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 23, 2017

For Insomnia "I rarely have trouble falling asleep so that's not why I use it. I use it to stay asleep if I wake up in the middle of the night for whatever reason. There are times when I wake up 2-3 hours before I want to and my brain shifts into overdrive and I can't get back to sleep, or if I do, it takes me about an hour. This medication eliminates that. I only use it if I've had a few nights in a row like that. Then I get caught up and wake up rested. I would never feel comfortable about using it nightly. Thankfully I don't need to. 0.5mg is all it takes for me. I'm 5'3' about 130 give or take 5lbs. A bottle of 30 lasts me several weeks or a few months."

• Anonymous
• July 20, 2009

For Anxiety "I have been on Ativan or lorazepam for 7 years now. It has saved my life. My now grown children say it is my nice pill. And yes I wasn't a very nice mom when they were growing up. So it is a fair statement. I need it also as an on-the-spot anti-anxiety, for depression, and nervous breakdowns."

• bha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 2, 2012

For Panic Disorder "Excellent experience with Ativan. Have used it for flight anxiety and flew with a smile on my face. Also used it for general panic disorder. Right when I feel a panic attack coming on I take 0.5 mg - very small amount. It kills the panic attack in 15-20 minutes and I feel incredibly relaxed for hours. Only side effect was slight drowsiness but it was not bad at all - even useful if I was trying to go to bed. Highly recommend."

• Noo...
• October 14, 2016

For Anxiety "About a week ago, I experienced a somewhat traumatic event that kept me awake at night. I felt as soon as the sun went down, my anxiety started to gradually rise until I had pain in my chest and was hyperventilating. Nothing could calm me down or get me to sleep. I finally went to see my doctor, and he gave me 10 days of Ativan. Last night was the first time I took one, or any benzo for that matter, and it was like a miracle worker. Within 10 minutes of taking one 0.5mg sublingual tab, it's like all the anxiety in me went out the window. I felt I still needed to control my thoughts to steer away from provoking an attack, but it sincerely helped calm me down to a point where I felt safe and was able to sleep. Definitely recommend."

• Ske...
• October 19, 2014

For Anxiety "I was given a prescription for this 4 years ago when I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. It is the one thing I can count on to help slow spiraling thinking. I have never taken it regularly until recently because of some major life stressors. I would normally take 0.5 mg in the morning once in awhile, but now I have been advised by my Dr. to take up to 0.5 mg three times a day as needed while I adjust to Zoloft. I have not needed it more than twice in a day. It sure helps, and so far I have never had any problems stopping taking it."

• Sa6...
• February 25, 2016

For Anxiety "I started taking Ativan in 1997. My first and only time in a psychiatric ward. I was diagnosed with panic attacks. When I first started taking them, the first 3 days were an absolute nightmare. I was getting more side effects being on them than without. I told the doctor, and he told me to give it a few days and that this side effect would go away. I was literally going to sleep (in and out of sleep?) with a bible in my arms. Finally, the 3rd day it did start to take effect and my panic became less frightening. I started in 1997 @ 0.5 MG 3x a day and now in 2015 I take 1mg 3x a day. It has never given me a problem except for those few days when I started the dosage."

• Sen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 14, 2018

For Panic Disorder "I found this medicine extremely helpful. I felt like I was going to die from panic until the doctor prescribed me this lifesaving drug. Worked wonderfully and without any side effects like other drugs I tried."

• Jas...
• April 25, 2013

For Anxiety "Ativan will definitely help calm you down, but stick to the script! If you quit cold turkey you will have withdrawals for a week. You build a slight tolerance for it and want more. If you give in and take more you will run out before refill time and then come the withdrawals! But it does do its job on anxiety!"

• Kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2013

For Anxiety "I have been in the hospital for 5 days now and today I just received some bad news about my health. I started freaking out and had a panic attack with a lot of anxiety. They decided to give me Ativan through my I.V. It completely calmed me down and helped me. Thank goodness it did!"