Lorazepam and Dizziness: What Users Say

• SID...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 7, 2023

For Insomnia "Lorazepam didn't work for my insomnia, and I found it made me restless and gave me dizziness, with a low energy level. Sometimes I got a headache with it too."

• Ler...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2021

Lorazepam for Anxiety "It didn't work for anxiety at all. It didn't make me feel calm, but anxious. I felt nauseous, dizzy, itchy, and couldn't sleep. It literally did nothing but side effects."

• Jol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2020

For Anxiety "I've been on Ativan for only 2 months. At first, it worked. Then, I had to take more to get the same calming effect. Now, it makes me feel nausea, headachy, and dizziness. I feel awful. And, it hardly takes away the anxiety. I take it to keep the anxiety from coming back --- 2 mg per day. On top of that, I've developed low blood salt or hyponatremia, a potentially very dangerous condition that has been linked with Ativan. I so wish I'd never started it. I see an endocrinologist in 2 days. I so wish I'd never taken Ativan and want my former energy and self back. Instead, I feel dull, depressed, and miserable. I'm going off Ativan (weaning off, which I hear is hard) as soon as possible!!!"

• diz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 20, 2020

Lorazepam for Light Anesthesia "I was prescribed 2 mg Ativan to take 2 hours before a dentist appointment (I’m a 110 lb woman). I took it 2 hours prior, and within a half hour, the whole room was spinning, and I was getting nauseous. I was only not dizzy if I was laying down. It seemed like an impossible task to walk to the car and be driven to the dentist and endure an appointment in that state. I stayed home and immediately fell asleep for 5 hours. I felt nauseous upon waking, and it got better after eating a small amount of bland food. It is now evening, and I feel better, just very groggy and a little slow feeling. I would rather endure the dentist appointment than go through this again."

• Sha...
• May 10, 2019

For Anxiety "Not sure what fillers they are putting in lorazepam now. I have been on it many years and always worked for my anxiety, but now it makes it worse. More fillers, less medicine? Makes me dizzy, lightheaded, and a sick feeling. Maybe need to get off the generic and go to Ativan. But insurances won't cover them. Why make non-generic if no one can get them?"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 30, 2019

For Light Anesthesia "It didn't work at all for me, was given 3 mg to take prior to dental appointment, that appointment has been postponed now. I was unable to stop moving, dizzy, talking extremely fast, felt like I needed to run and run for miles. Was not calm at all. What happened to me is apparently uncommon, but I won't be taking this for dentist appointments again."

• TH1...
• June 26, 2016

Lorazepam for Anxiety "Do your research before taking! Consult with your doctor, but also be aware of the side effects involved. Symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, muscle weakness, slowed speech, muscle spasms, twitching/fidgeting, and nightmares. Not for everyone."

• ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 14, 2023

Lorazepam for Anxiety "The only word I can use to describe how I feel after taking only 0.25 mg of Ativan is 'weird.' It has ramped up my anxiety, but I still feel a calming sensation on top of it. It's making focusing harder, and I'm a bit uncoordinated. I expected some side effects, but I definitely didn't expect it to make my anxiety worse. It's really unpleasant."

• Anonymous
• February 10, 2016

For Anxiety "I took the first 0.5 mg lorazepam, and it got me super sleepy in the evening while watching TV. Lucky it was night because I was zonked. The next day, I right away experienced withdrawal, yuck. I hate that feeling. I would have had to take another one just to get rid of the withdrawal from the first one. And maybe after a few days, the withdrawal symptoms would settle down, but I didn't think I should be getting withdrawal immediately like that. And I certainly didn't want to think about going through it in the future, even stronger symptoms. So the first one was all I took. I wised up quickly and didn't continue taking them. I felt dizzy and crappy for two or three days just from that one pill. Unreal."

• Chi...
• November 16, 2007

Lorazepam for Anxiety "I have an intense fear of going to the dentist, so they prescribed Ativan to me. It didn't do a single thing. I dissolved it under my tongue, as instructed by the pharmacist's note. Half an hour later, nothing. An hour later, nothing. Even now, 8.5 hours after taking it, nothing. It didn't work on me. I was quite upset. The only thing it did was make my cheeks feel slightly poofier than usual. And maybe dizzy once while walking down some stairs a few hours ago."

• cra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2020

For Panic Disorder "I was first prescribed Ativan for debilitating panic attacks. I was very sick with Lyme disease, and my anxiety went through the roof. My doctor gave me only 10 pills and cautioned me against regular use. I should’ve listened. I wound up in the ER a week later, and they prescribed me a month’s worth of Ativan, 0.5 mg 3x daily. At first, I swore this was a miracle drug. I felt so much better. No more panic attacks! However, I’ve now been on them for just 5 weeks and started experiencing interdose withdrawals. After 6 or 7 hours, I start shaking and panicking. It wakes me from my sleep. I’m now tapering down my dose, and I feel horrible. High anxiety, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound, and more. I’m so upset, and I really hope I can go back to normal after this. Please use caution when taking this drug! You CAN get addicted after only a few weeks."

• Fil...
• August 5, 2015

For Anxiety "Extreme weakness, nausea, problems with memory, lethargic, slow reaction times, constant thirst, stays anxious, very sleepy during the day, no energy, wears off quickly, sores at both corners of mouth, dizziness, and confusion."

• dic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2016

For Anxiety "Lorazepam is a good medication in low doses for anxiety. Personally, if I took more than 1 mg, I experienced dizziness, double vision, the exact side effects I have with Ambien, which I use for a completely different reason. However, it does calm you down. If I had to be specific, it slows down your thoughts. It doesn't get rid of them and put you in some euphoric state, but it helps significantly. Unfortunately, this calmness for me came with side effects I'd expect from a sedative, even at low doses."

• Wor...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 24, 2018

Lorazepam for Anxiety "I was prescribed Ativan 1 mg every 4 to 6 hours approximately 6 years ago. This was given to me by my primary care physician as I was randomly shaking and feeling sick without provocation. I am so confused by this drug. You see, the withdrawals are the same as the symptoms it was prescribed for. I fear I am addicted to it. I work every day and am a functional person, could I be addicted to this med? I try to wean off, but it doesn't work. I feel dizzy, sick, and shaky every time I try. This is an awful feeling. I wish I never needed it."

• xdo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 16, 2022

Lorazepam for Panic Disorder "I have very severe anxiety and panic attacks 24/7. It never goes away, and I’m too scared to take antidepressants. I also have a phobia of vomiting, fainting, and having a panic attack, haha. I also have 24/7 dizziness. I’ve only ever taken 0.5 mg of Ativan (under tongue) a few times when I was having a panic attack or when I had to go to the dentist. It made me feel almost more anxious when I left my dentist appointment, and I thought I was going to have a panic attack. That was a little over an hour after taking it. The other times I took it, it worked and didn’t peak my panic attack, but made me feel groggy and more anxious when it wore off. For me, any benzo is a hit or miss, and I never know if it’s going to work this time or not."

• And...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 24, 2019

For Anxiety "Ativan is really good when you’re having a panic attack or you feel like one is about to come on. It works quick, so within 20 minutes, you should feel calm and back to your “normal” ways. The issue with it is that you start becoming dependent on it, meaning it works so well that you start convincing yourself you need to take it going into any situation and not using it for what it’s meant to be used for, which is what I mentioned above. What eventually ends up happening is that when you are not on it, your anxiety and panic get 100 times worse than when you previously started taking it. I literally became one anxiety machine, got dizzy, nauseous, and felt sick all the time without it. Once I stopped taking them, everything went back to normal. This drug, in my opinion, is dangerous! Stay away from it unless you’re TRULY having a panic attack."

• Slo...
• September 1, 2017

Lorazepam for Anxiety "For immediate relief, this drug is great. I take 0.5 mg when I absolutely need it (2-3 times every couple of months), but the only reason I wouldn't give it a 9 or 10 is because I did have a bad experience with this drug. I took it for 7 days straight, 3 times 0.5 mg per day, as prescribed by my doctor for generalized anxiety disorder. I abruptly stopped taking it because I didn't want to have to take it every day, and I ended up going through withdrawal. I then got vertigo for a couple of months, which was absolutely terrible. BUT I think if you use this drug responsibly and do NOT take it for multiple days in a row, it can definitely come in handy. I also have high blood pressure caused by anxiety, and usually get effective relief after about 30 minutes. Hang in there!"

• Par...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2020

For Panic Disorder "I took a 0.5 mg dose of lorazepam three times a day almost for 3 years. My doctor retired. The psychiatrist he prescribed me Klonopin, told me it has less side effects. I tried for over a year. I experience headaches, dizziness, lack of energy, extreme fatigue, and cannot think. My eyes are swelling. After a year, I told him to please give me my old medication (lorazepam). He prescribed me a double dose, 1 mg three times a day. I'm doing much better now. I am going to taper this medication when I reach the level of comfort."

• bod...
• May 14, 2014

For Anxiety "On medication for 20 years. Stopped abruptly. Proud I stopped but didn't know I needed to taper. Have been very fuzzy in my head since stopping approximately 3 weeks ago. Dizzy, short-tempered, noise sensitive. Good medication, but people need education on discontinuing medication."

• diz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 7, 2019

For Nausea/Vomiting "I was prescribed lorazepam for anxiety, and while it works fine for that, I have found that it treats my undiagnosed nausea and dizzy spells the best! When the lightheadedness begins, I take one, and 15 minutes later I'm fine. Since it doesn't make me sleepy at all, I can go about my day, no problem."

• MHE...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 1, 2023

Lorazepam "I suffer from hereditary multiple osteochondromas (HMO), which is a rare disabling genetic disorder, part of it is autism and extreme anxiety. The fear is so great that you feel like you are dying. After years of trying SSRIs, SRIs, SIRs, and all those psychological drugs that never worked but gave me horrendous side effects, Ativan answered my prayers. For my first dose, I was required to take half of 1 mg in the doctor's presence. I braced myself for that anxiety-inducing feeling of trying a new medication. Five minutes passed, and nothing happened. Then, instantly, I felt like someone had released me from hell. Ativan was like a release of anxiety in every cell of my body. I didn't feel sleepy, nauseous, sweaty, or unbalanced, and my heart wasn't racing. I looked at my doctor and genuinely smiled. He smiled back, and I said, 'I think this is the miracle I've been looking for.' I am not addicted to it. I did increase my dose to 1 mg when necessary, but some days I don't take any. I always start with half a milligram. I can confidently say that Ativan has given me my life back."

• Pea...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 19, 2021

For Insomnia "I have taken 1mg at night off and on for over 20 years. Only med that works for me. I feel great in the morning. Not dizzy or confused which I am with no sleep! I will be 72 this year and want to keep taking it while I have some active years left. What do you think?"

• Ele...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 16, 2019

For Anxiety "Lorazepam has saved my life on numerous occasions. When I’m doing all the things I should be to look after myself, yet I still become completely overwhelmed, past the point of no return-to the point where my brain is mostly all nasty and mostly thinks about suicide-then even half a tablet makes the world of difference. The anxiety literally melts away, and I’m able to start again and begin the looking-after-myself process again. I also like that I can take it when I need, and I don’t have to take regular SSRI medications, which all made things worse for me and whose side effects were unbearable. At low dosages, I have no side effects with lorazepam, at higher dosages, I lose balance or trip over things easier and can be forgetful and very sleepy."

• Azg...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 21, 2019

For Panic Disorder "I started taking lorazepam 3 years ago after my first panic attack landed me in the ER. I took Zoloft once a day and took lorazepam as needed for extreme anxiety or panic attacks. It did help great for anxiety. However, I started using lorazepam daily for a month after my son passed away, and when I tried to stop, I had the worst withdrawal symptoms. Racing heartbeat, pounding in my chest, nausea, dizziness, and felt like I was dying. I was only on 0.5, so tapering wasn't really an option. I checked out and researched some detox places, and the success rates aren't good with tapering. I finally found a rapid detox in Phoenix, and it cost me 9 thousand bucks, but it beats 30-day inpatient. Beware taking any benzo. I didn't think I was an addict and had never taken a drug, but I became physically addicted to this prescribed med. The withdrawals are horrific."

• Hyp...
• March 11, 2019

Lorazepam 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."