Lorazepam and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2020

For Anxiety "Ativan worked a little bit the first time I took it, and I only took it in emergencies when my anxiety was really high. But it lost its effect after a while to the point where it did absolutely nothing for me. I didn't have any issues with withdrawal or side effects, no drowsiness. I wonder if I even took the pill correctly! Anyway, I'm on a different medication now, so hopefully that actually works for me."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 17, 2017

Lorazepam "Gave this drug to my mother around noon, an oral syringe form. She was so severely sedated I was afraid to go out to the post office at 2:00 pm. She could hardly eat around 5:30, eyes closed. I thought she'd sleep it off. I stayed near her till midnight. At 2:10 am, she had passed away. To this day, I wonder what the doctor prescribed this for, all she had was a very uncomfortable bedsore."

• Ash...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2022

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I usually tolerate this class of medications pretty well, but not this one. Does it make me drowsy? Lower heart rate? Yes. My instability gets cranked up to 11, though, and I stop making any sense to the people around me."

• Res...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2019

For Anxiety "Lorazepam. Doctor gave me this at the hospital to deal with anxiety. Got a prescription for 8 tablets. I took the first tablet the following night, and that was the worst night of my life. I was dreaming while awake, afraid to sleep for fear I would die in my sleep, having to use the fan in the winter because I was hot. Took 3 more tablets at different times and had the same negative results. Sleepless, with my heart pounding, I took a spoonful of Buckley's, which calmed me down, and I was able to sleep. Meantime, I flushed the other 4 tablets down the drain. I now do my Buckley routine every time I have anxiety. I would rather be addicted to Buckley's."

• Amy...
• November 22, 2017

Lorazepam for Anxiety "Doctor prescribed Ativan super willy-nilly because I've been dealing with panic attacks and told me to take a 1 mg tablet when I need to. Tried a 1 mg tablet while panicking, and the effect is just unpleasant. I definitely feel that there are fewer 'voices' in my head; everything is much quieter. But I'm also extremely drowsy, so much so that I doubt I'd be able to take Ativan at work (where my anxiety actually occurs). I'm also having strange muscle pains; just feels like a really lame weed high. I won't try it again."

• Dro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2021

For Insomnia "Helpful with sleeplessness but very drowsy the whole following day. Feeling spaced out."

• Man...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 19, 2019

Lorazepam for Anxiety "I was put on a low dose of Ativan by my PCP one week ago for an unusual and isolated anxiety attack. He gave me a month's supply (2x a day) plus 20 mg of Celexa for depression. Ativan makes me very, very drowsy (definitely not anxious or depressed!) It's meant to have a calming effect on severely anxious individuals or help ease insomnia. I've read Ativan is prescribed to calm patients before surgery. I may have had it before surgery, but right now I believe it's unnecessary and overkill. I thought the Celexa was causing the fatigue!"

• Sha...
• February 26, 2017

For Anxiety "So I have anxiety all of the time. But it's not the textbook rocking and shaking anxiety... it's the negative and obsessive thoughts that something horrible will come in every situation. I have an as-needed Rx for lorazepam, and honestly, I don't know if I like it. I feel like it makes me groggy enough but never takes the anxiety away. It almost feels like I hover over it, but it's still underlying."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• October 24, 2011

Lorazepam for Anxiety "This medication worked for my anxiety but made me a complete zombie. I would forget things I was doing and just had a drowsy, I-don't-care attitude. It got rid of my anxiety but interrupted my daily work routine because I couldn't think to function. I would only recommend it if you are having extreme, jump-out-of-your-skin anxiety, otherwise, try to do things naturally. I started taking vitamins and working out regularly, and my anxiety has gone down at least 60%."

• rav...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2020

Lorazepam for Panic Disorder "I've had panic disorder for six years, and when I finally convinced my doctor that there was something wrong with me and got a prescription, I was really hopeful! The first time I used it, it worked relatively well. However, I woke up nauseous and groggy, and since nausea is my trigger, I decided that I'd only take it if it was ABSOLUTELY necessary. After two months of going without it, I found myself in one of the worst series of panic attacks I've gone through while not at home. My prescribed dosage didn't do anything, I was taking a high dose, and it didn't do anything. At that point, I stopped and rode it out for another four hours. When I woke up the next morning, feeling the same groggy and nauseous feeling I'd had last time, but worse. Not sure if that was the residue of the panic or not? The same thing happened a week ago, and again it didn't work, but still left me feeling gross the next day. Maybe it just doesn't work for me?"

• mr ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2019

For Sedation "Was a little bit euphoric at the beginning, but this went away fast. Now, only sedation, just pure sedation - you want to do nothing, you can't concentrate or, in particular, you don't have the will to do something. It will waste your time, so stop it."

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 22, 2012

For Anxiety "Effective, but will make you drowsy in the beginning. You have to get used to it. Only used during short periods of time when anxiety seemed to be an issue in my life. Dr. told me it doesn't work as well the longer you are on it."

• Anonymous
• June 20, 2009

For Anxiety "For STATUS EPILEPTICUS: This is what I request be given to my husband at the ER because it stops his seizures and prevents the resulting vomiting. For ANXIETY: 1 mg has helped me just enough that I was able to use relaxation techniques and avoid panicking before dental procedures. For PANIC: Doesn't work for me at all. For SEDATION: Doesn't work for me at all, even in the maximum dosage. For NAUSEA: Doesn't work for me at all. MANIA: 500 mcg suppresses manic episodes perfectly for me. RESULT: I don't think that this works very well in people with severe panic disorder w/ agoraphobia."

• 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."

• Jar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 3, 2020

For Anxiety "When I needed it, 1 mg made me more akin to a normal person with no anxiety-induced freak outs. I could function in public. For sleep, 2 mg started knocking me out but left me a little groggy in the morning. After I built a tolerance, even 3 mg wasn’t knocking me out anymore, and I was groggy from drugs and lack of sleep. New Bipolar 2 DX and new pdoc refuses to prescribe Benzos for fear of abuse and addiction. When it worked, it worked great, but high tolerance led to taking more and more and leaving me open for addiction and abuse."

• Tom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 20, 2018

For Anxiety "Lorazepam has helped me a lot compared to other meds with my anxiety, the only reaction I've had to it was a very, very dry mouth and slight drowsiness."

• Mni...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 5, 2020

Lorazepam for Anxiety "Has gotten me through many sleepless nights and panic attacks. I only take it if I absolutely need to, to help me at night time when my anxiety is at its worst and only a dose of 0.5 mg. It almost always makes me sleepy and helps me sleep, and normally I don't feel too groggy the next day."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2019

Lorazepam for Anxiety "I had been having extreme anxiety and panic attacks for 4 or 5 days and didn’t feel like I could handle them on my own anymore. I went to the ER and they gave me Ativan to calm down. I’m not sure what the dosage was but it was in pill form. At that point I had been crying nonstop for 3 hours as I was very scared and my heart was beating very fast. Within half an hour or so I could feel the medication working as it took the edge off of my anxiety. When I went home, I immediately fell asleep and stayed asleep. I also hadn’t been sleeping well, so that was a relief. It worked really well for me, but I only took it at the ER and haven’t taken it consecutively as a prescription. The only downside was I felt very groggy and foggy the next couple of days, but that could be attributed to exhaustion. Overall, it really helped me a lot."

• Spe...
• August 8, 2019

Lorazepam for Anxiety "Lost my husband suddenly right next to me of a stroke during the night. It was a shock. I have PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Use Ativan in tiny dose to sleep. Do wake up very drowsy and super sensitive to meds. Can be addictive but not for me. Calms me while grieving."

• Sco...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 2, 2018

For Insomnia "Works really well for me if only used a few times a week, as tolerance can build quickly. Almost no morning grogginess. I use 1 mg if I wake up and can't get back to sleep."

• akh...
• February 21, 2018

For Anxiety "I have had a history of panic attacks for years. Been to the emergency room feeling like I was dying. Felt almost as if I was having seizures. Couldn't get deep breaths and would get dizzy and feelings of dread, nerves under my eyes would literally ripple. Went to the ER about three years ago and thought I was having a heart attack, and it was a panic attack. The doctor told me to get to a psychiatrist. He started me on a low dose of .5 mg three times a day. Within about 6 months, I was taking 5 mg a day. I was getting 75 2 mg tablets per month (so 2 1/2 pills a day). I know it is a lot, but it does keep my anxiety at bay. The problem is, if I don't take a dose at night thinking I don't need it, I wake up feeling terrible. This is not a medicine that will be easy to ever come off of, I know. At least my life is tolerable again, though. It makes me a little drowsy sometimes, but not too bad."

• bil...
• January 13, 2018

For Insomnia "Have been taking .5 mg for a few years. Used to wake up at 1 or 2 a.m. with all the lights on, so to speak. Am a stem cell recipient because of leukemia. Originally blamed it all on other prescription drugs I was on, especially immunosuppressants. But as I have been slowly removed from all these other meds, I still was experiencing middle-of-night sleeplessness. Have occasionally tried a full 1 mg pill but saw no difference. The .5 mg dose does just fine for me. Remember, in most states it is considered a controlled substance, so DO NOT drive until 8 hours after using."

• CCM...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 17, 2017

For Panic Disorder "I have chronic anxiety, and this has been the only medication I can take that gives me steady nerves yet doesn't make me feel drowsy. I know it can be addictive, however, I believe if you are suffering from this type of constant anxiety in life and something helps that does not include alcohol, which inebriates you, there should not be a problem staying on it. I'd rather be on this for years than turn to alcohol. Physicians and pharmacists should stop the harassment to those of us with PTSD or chronic anxiety. Accusing those on it of selling the drug just adds to the anxiety. Everyone on Lorazepam is not selling or abusing it. It helps. What more is there to say?"