Lorazepam for Insomnia User Reviews (Page 2)

• bashb...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 19, 2017

Ativan (lorazepam) "I have been taking 1 1/2 mg every other night for sleep for the past 3 years. I have tried my other drugs for sleep and ativan is the only one that works consistently. Because of its addiction potential I take it only every other night. Also I have not had to increase the dosage in 3 years, which I believe is a result of not taking it every night. It is easier to tolerate my non-Ativan night of insomnia when I know I will be sleeping well the next night."

• Janet...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 4, 2014

"The loss of my best friend has changed my world. I have the worse time getting to sleep because I can't deal with not be able to talk to her anymore. I pray a lot and say thank you Lord over and over like my mantra and sometimes that works. Now Lorazepam has become my close friend as it puts me to sleep and stops the racinG thoughts that are RELENTLESS! I take between 2-3 mg one hour before bed time, because I also take it for anxiety in the day at times. Once in he ER I was given 4mg intravenously and it knocked me out. I had worked a 19 hour shift and my heart was racing. I love my Lorazepam."

• Zends
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 24, 2018

"I have been taking Ativan for sleep for 4 years. I'm now taking 4 mg doctor says that’s all they can prescribe for Ativan but I sleep well he says don’t worry about the long term effects - if you need it, you need it. I appreciate him telling me that if someone needs a medicine is that addiction? No so if your on this for sleep don’t worry I’m at 4 mg my body doesn’t need more I’m taking what works"

• Cathy
• June 16, 2014

"I had real bad anxiety, which put me in the hospital. This medicine saved my life. It calms my soul, and stops my minds from racing to where I can't sleep and I'm exhausted and irritable the next day. When I was not sleeping and stressed out I would sleep for about 3 hours, which did not help my heart, I have bradycardia - slow heart rate. So imagine that on no sleep. I can't say enough about it, except it saved my life. I hope this helps! "

• RickyRX
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 28, 2014

Ativan (lorazepam) "My experience with Ativan (lorazepam) has been one I've come to love and set the bar high when it comes to sleep. I developed insomnia as a result of having to take opioid medication for my CRPS/RSD in addition of the fact that I'm slowly recovering from the death of my best friend who passed in 2010. I have been on every insomnia medicine there is. My current regimen of the normal opiate and muscle relaxants, one to 1.5 grams of Keppra, 555mg valerian root, 10mg of melatonin, 25mg of amitriptyline, and adding up to 4mg of Ativan, depending on the next day's tasks. Works like a charm every night. "

• Mad...
• June 10, 2015

"I've been prescribed lorazepam for six plus years. It started for what I found out was anxiety due to a very stressful work environment and caring for my aging mother...I couldn't manage life. I sometimes I couldn't sleep either. I started taking lorazepam as needed...approximately 20 to 30 minutes before an exceptionally stressful situation and it worked great. I was able to slow down, omit the anxiety so I wasn't reactive and make my points in a clear and concise form. I started taking them for sleep, to stop the committee from meeting in my mind 1 to 2 mg as needed. I never feel sedated in the morning they work great. My physician thought it would be prudent to transfer me to Valium because I've been taking lorazepam to long....now"

• Anonymous
• December 30, 2008

Ativan (lorazepam) "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."

• Anonymous
• November 27, 2008

Ativan (lorazepam) "I have chronic pain and have had difficulty sleeping for many years. I've used several other medicines that work well for a while or leave me with a sleep "hangover". I've been using this medicine for a little over a month and I'm feeling much better, my pain is less and I feel very rested in the morning. I'm very thankful."

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

Ativan (lorazepam) "I've always been reluctant to take benzos as clonopin was a nightmare for me. I gained weight and just didn't care what I put in my mouth. Ativan has been a life saver for insomnia or severe panic attack. Though I only take it at night 2mg. 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."

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

Ativan (lorazepam) "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."

• rip...
• October 25, 2021

Ativan (lorazepam) "I have been using ativan for nearly 18 years. I went for years sleeping 4 and a 1/2 hours a night.[daytime Zombie] About 4 years ago I was having short term memory problems. I reduced from 1mg to .05 and memory very much improved, and I still sleep 6-7 hours, but keep extra .05s if some night I need extra which isn't often. I would suggest that for 1st timers to start with .05 and it might be all you need. As far as "addiction" goes, I am totally addicted to a good nights 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. Goodl uck and goodnight you sleepy heads. Rip Van Winkle [almost twenty years."

• Henry_4
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 12, 2012

"For when my mind won't shut off at night, no matter how tired I am, I have my lorazepam. I cut them in half so they last me longer. I tend to take them after 2-3 days of not sleeping and they work great. You don't feel anything, no sleepiness, grogginess, or tiredness. Just take it an hour before bedtime and you can continue to watch TV or do whatever, knowing that half an hour after you hit the pillow you'll be bored into sleep."

• pfraga
• July 19, 2013

"I started taking lorazepam 1mg. and took it a few months for insomnia. One night I tried taking half. When I woke up the next morning, I realized it worked. Now I've been on 0.5mg for about 4 months. For some people this may work. Try reducing the mgs gradually."

• ms lo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 16, 2023

"I have been taking Lorazepam for 20 years, 0.5 mg at bedtime. It has been effective and never been an issue. Never increased dose, never abused this medication. I was prescribed this medication when I was 46 because I could not eat nor sleep and my mind would not stop racing. I was physically violated at the age of 15 and don't think I ever recovered from the emotional effects. This medication saved my life. I only take one prescribed medication. Thank goodness for Lorazepam."

• phildar
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 1, 2014

"Have taken lorazepam now for a year only on and off when insomnia becomes unbearable. They are little life savers only take 0.5 mgs, took 1 mg once and had a bad day next day depressed and drowsy the whole day. Menopause is a challenging time with the awful insomnia. I have also taken night nurse and sometimes 3 mgs melatonin. It is hard to get doctor to prescribe the tablets but they are worth taking just to get one nights sleep."

• Brett
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 18, 2015

"Took this with zoloft to get me out of a black hole of anxiety and insomnia after a terrible few weeks trying remeron. Withdrawals from remeron were terrible and I didn't sleep for about 6 days (I'm not exagerating). Was about to give up but my dad convinced me to try another med since I had an obvious chemical imbalance that wasn't correcting itself. Despite not wanting to rely on a benzo for sleep I really didn't have any alternatives and I needed help fast. Zoloft combined with this for a few months got me out of the hole I was in. Tolerance did set in eventually (about a year) but I'm working on finding something safer but this med essentially saved my life."

• Sherry
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 30, 2017

"42 y.o. Female with anxiety and insomnia. Taking Lorazepam (0.25-0.5mg) before bed. Works very well for me. No side effects, lowers anxiety level and helps me to sleep. Never had a need to take more, only less and all depending on stress levels at home. Went for a long trip and forgot it, no withdrawal symptoms. 3 years and not planning to stop unless something better comes around."

• JesseP
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 6, 2018

"I've had various meds over the past 31 years, on and off, for anxiety, insomnia & depression. I've suffered two bereavements this year - one of them was my mom. Lorazepam was my saving grace. I have 1 b4 bed and 1b4 lunch if during a day too if I feel anxiety getting to fever pitch. Works really well & I still function at work etc. You can certainly come off it but always under your Doctor's direction. Little by little. You may feel a bit bad as your body and brain adapt. Sort of anxiety/insomnia symptoms as side effects. They do lessen. You can do it. I did. And I have the willpower of a cushion !! Good luck."

• Jay
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 8, 2020

Ativan (lorazepam) "I have a fairly high medication resistant (or I'm allergic or develope tolerance after using meds .. yes it's been hell and still is .. I'm writing this while admitted to the hospital psych ward) I have severe insomnia and not one sleeping medication has worked for more then a week! I took ativan sublingual and was up to 8mg in a week .. and it stopped working!! Now I'm on injections at night .. it worked for 2 nights amazingly!!! I don't have withdrawal symptoms like others have described on here ... I guess for me it's a great short term solution but then I build a tolerance.. sigh!!"

• wcforan
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 12, 2018

Ativan (lorazepam) "I used to take sublingual ativan for sudden anxiety and panic attacks and it worked well and quickly. I did find it calming, and so I didn't ever use it for insomnia per se, I did sometimes take it in the evening to relax and it did a fine job of that."

• Keli
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 6, 2018

"I started on Ativan quite innocently. About 10 years ago my doctor prescribed 1 mg a day for anxiety. But I had problems with falling asleep. I was told to take them at night. Then I became dependent on the to sleep. Years later I had to increase to 2mg together the benefit. Now, I guess I have become immune again as I am not sleeping well. So I am trapped. I don’t want to increase the dose, don’t even know if I could. No other sleep aids I have tried work. Don’t know the answer, but know I need sleep. What to do? ..,"

• ktracy
• January 11, 2012

"Lorazepam was an answer to my severe insomnia prayer. I've been taking it for a couple of years now and only had to stop when I was pregnant. It really works for insomnia. I take it about 45 minutes before bed and fall asleep and stay asleep. I do not feel groggy in the morning or sleepy during the day. Nothing else has worked for me. I have no side effects from it, that I know of. Talk to your doctor about it if your insomnia hasn't been helped by other medicines/therapies and you need relief."

• benzo...
• October 19, 2010

Ativan (lorazepam) "Ativan is a great medicine and glad my psychiatrist prescribed me 1 mg 2 times a day. Though I use that as well as Klonopin but Ativan gets me to sleep sometimes and Klonopin keeps me asleep. Overall I believe its a God send."

• Senior
• July 18, 2015

"My doctor started me off on 1mg 3 times/day and I kept trying less (with doctor permission) and am now down to .25 in afternoon and at bedtime with an additional .25 during night if needed - it works fine for me and minimal side effects."

• johnA...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 31, 2018

"As with all benzos and opiates.. this drug was amazing at first. Solved all my problems.. then became a big problem. A problem worse then the one I initially had. Trust me, be careful.. after a benzo withdrawal you will be begging for the little bit of insomnia that started this in the first place. Whatever you do.. do not view this medication or any benzo as a means of maintaining or managing your condition.. it's a bandaid.. and any long term use should be done only as a last resort."