Lorazepam for Insomnia User Reviews (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• November 27, 2008

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."

• Anonymous
• December 30, 2008

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."

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

"The loss of my best friend has changed my world. I have the worst time getting to sleep because I can't deal with not being 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 bedtime because I also take it for anxiety in the day at times. Once in the ER, I was given 4 mg intravenously, and it knocked me out. I had worked a 19-hour shift, and my heart was racing. I love my Lorazepam."

• Zen...
• 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. My 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 you're on this for sleep, don’t worry. I’m at 4 mg, and my body doesn’t need more. I’m taking what works."

• Cat...
• 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 mind 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!"

• 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 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 too long... now."

• Ben...
• July 6, 2016

"DO NOT take benzos for insomnia - they work great, until you reach tolerance, and then you go into full withdrawal unless you up the dose considerably. By then you probably will have already found the dirty underside of this terrible drug, which is agoraphobia, brutal insomnia, loss of motivation and stunning depression. Next, you'll find out that you cannot withdraw from this drug in a reasonable manner, and the required tapering-off methods could take years. During withdrawal you will have the worst insomnia imaginable, for months on end, and nothing will relieve it, except more benzos than any doctor will prescribe. Don't even start on this evil drug. If you think this is an overreaction, Google 'benzodiazepine withdrawal'."

• Hen...
• 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."

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

Lorazepam "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

Lorazepam "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.]"

• pfr...
• July 19, 2013

"I started taking lorazepam 1 mg. and took it for 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 0.5 mg for about 4 months. For some people, this may work. Try reducing the mg gradually."

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

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."

• Bre...
• 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 exaggerating). 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."

• phi...
• 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 mg. Took 1 mg once and had a bad day the 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 mg melatonin. It is hard to get a doctor to prescribe the tablets, but they are worth taking just to get one night's sleep."

• She...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 30, 2017

"42 y.o. female with anxiety and insomnia. Taking lorazepam (0.25-0.5 mg) 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."

• Jes...
• 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, and depression. I've suffered two bereavements this year - one of them was my mom. Lorazepam was my saving grace. I have 1 before bed and 1 before lunch, if during a day too if I feel anxiety getting to fever pitch. Works really well, and 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."

• ktr...
• 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."

• Arg...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 27, 2025

"I have a love/hate relationship with Loraz. I just freak out it will cause Alzheimer's with long-term use, but I have no real evidence - seems 50/50 with any research. Anyhow, I've had insomnia for decades - tried every natural thing and every medical thing. Loraz has been a Godsend for me. My psychiatrist prescribed it when I was in the hospital for three weeks with severe MDD. She said I need to sleep to manage depression long-term and I needed to take whatever worked. It works. I keep going off it and trying other things - currently I'm trying Endep again, but it turns me into a horrible, angry, impatient beast, also hungover and constantly tired even though it makes me sleep. It's a matter of convincing myself it's okay to take it long-term. Reading how some older people have been taking it for 20 years helps me so much. Thank you for posting. Tonight I'm going to go back to the land of bliss and relaxation and decent sleep and feeling awake the next day. Back on the Loraz."

• Ric...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 28, 2014

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 to 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 consists of the normal opiate and muscle relaxants, one to 1.5 grams of Keppra, 555 mg valerian root, 10 mg of melatonin, 25 mg of amitriptyline, and adding up to 4 mg of Ativan, depending on the next day's tasks. It works like a charm every night."

• ben...
• October 19, 2010

Lorazepam "Ativan is a great medicine and I'm 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 it's a godsend."

• Sen...
• July 18, 2015

"My doctor started me off on 1 mg 3 times/day, and I kept trying less (with doctor's permission) and am now down to 0.25 in the afternoon and at bedtime, with an additional 0.25 during the night if needed - it works fine for me and minimal side effects."

• wcf...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 12, 2018

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."

• Kel...
• 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 them to sleep. Years later, I had to increase to 2 mg together with 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?"

• Bkk...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2018

"This is the only medication that has worked wonders for my extreme anxiety and insomnia. I finally feel human again! I have had zero side effects from it. I had been on an SSRI for a decade, and while it helped, it came with a dozen side effects and not nearly as effective."

• Hai...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 9, 2017

"Tried other drugs for sleeping, but Lorazepam works the best! I take it every night, an hour before bedtime, and sleep 6 to 8 hours a night. I have a transplanted kidney. For me, it has worked very well."