Lorazepam and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 2)

• fox...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2016

For Anxiety "WITHDRAWAL HELL! I was prescribed this medication after extreme anxiety that was not getting better with citalopram. I was only given 2 by GP (I am in the UK), and then it worked so well on my anxiety I went back for more. They shouldn't have prescribed me 2 months' worth because when I was told I wasn't allowed anymore, my body went into meltdown. Over three weeks later, I'm still suffering from the withdrawal symptoms: severe anxiety, insomnia, spaced out feeling, double vision, tremors, sweating, auditory hallucinations! Awful, awful, awful. It may seem great when it's helping you, but when you stop, be prepared to give up your life... This has been the worst time of my life, hands down, and I'm three weeks on and only marginally better."

• Chr...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 8, 2025

For Insomnia "In 2004, I was leaving work and had my first severe panic attack (although I didn’t know it was that at the time). I was fortunate that my ER nurse immediately recognized what I was experiencing and gave me IV Ativan (lorazepam). My PC physician later prescribed Klonopin (clonazepam). It helped, but after taking it for 18 years, its effectiveness wore off. About 15 months ago, I started having “sleep anxiety” and would go four days, at times, with not even a second of sleep. I saw a psychiatrist, who switched me to Ativan, a faster-acting benzodiazepine, and I’ve been taking that for the past 15 months. It helps me with sleep-onset latency, most of the time, but as we tried to taper me off it, I experienced severe withdrawal (rebound insomnia and debilitating anxiety). Ativan might be ideal for short-term or occasional use, but I don’t recommend taking it every day."

• Jim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 29, 2018

For Anxiety "Was prescribed this after a nervous breakdown left me with severe insomnia for 2 weeks, leading to daily panic attacks and severe depression. I took 0.5 mg at night and finally passed out. I still had some residual anxiety for a few days, but I was able to cope. Now, after 7 days of 0.5 mg at night, I started to taper off to 0.25 mg per night to get off the med and am experiencing minor withdrawals. Last night, I had nausea and anxiety attacks, leading to some sleep loss. I plan to fight through it at 0.25 mg per night for the next 4 days, then go down to 0.125 mg for a week, then stop... Be careful with this stuff, it works wonders, but make sure you have an exit in mind. I am frightened to think of how the withdrawal would be had I not started tapering so soon."

• Jim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 29, 2018

For Anxiety "Was prescribed this after a nervous breakdown left me with severe insomnia for 2 weeks, leading to daily panic attacks and severe depression. I took 0.5 mg at night and finally passed out. I still had some residual anxiety for a few days, but I was able to cope. Now, after 7 days of 0.5 mg at night, I started to taper off to 0.25 mg per night to get off the med and am experiencing minor withdrawals. Last night, I had nausea and anxiety attacks, leading to some sleep loss. I plan to fight through it at 0.25 mg per night for the next 4 days, then go down to 0.125 mg for a week, then stop... Be careful with this stuff, it works wonders, but make sure you have an exit in mind. I am frightened to think of how the withdrawal would be had I not started tapering so soon."

• too...
• November 21, 2008

"Without this, I am not quite human, nor quite sane. After my mom passed with an acute illness, I developed a horrible case of insomnia and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A psych prescribed this, and with it, I feel that I can calmly exist and think clear thoughts. Without it, I am a tight jumble of nerves, I cannot think straight, am paranoid, mean, physically ill, and feel like giving up. I tried to go without it for about 6 weeks, and all my symptoms returned to me 10-fold. Taking a few pills a day is a small price to pay for your sanity, the ability to smile again, work, look forward to seeing your family, and actively pursuing life. Although I don't recommend this for everyone for a long time, I will probably take it forever. Excellent."

• Anonymous
• February 15, 2011

For Anxiety "I have been in many situations, but once my company went bankrupt and the bills started piling up, I began to have such severe anxiety attacks that I have lost my vision. Had numbing in my lips and trouble sleeping. I take 0.5 mg when I notice my anxiety coming on. I take 1 mg before I go to bed, it helps me relax enough to sleep naturally without being tired the next day. I started taking some supplements and exercising and noticed that I need less and less throughout the day."

• Do...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2017

Lorazepam for Anxiety "My husband was 38 years old and committed suicide while taking Ativan. This medication was administered to him from two different psychiatrists. Ativan was prescribed for his anxiety. He took it in combination with Welbutrin for his depression. He was on Ativan for approximately three months. The medication made his heart race because of the lethal combination mixing with Welbutrin for his depression. He became manic, paranoid, and had extreme body tremors, insomnia, and many trips to the Emergency Room from side effects. This company knows it can cause suicide and writes it on the label. Do not take it."

• mus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2022

For Anxiety "So I was in a bad car accident back in July of 2021. I still am not back to my normal self due to the memory loss, lack of sleep, and overall issues with basic life tasks. It's been causing me major anxiety, frustration, and every emotion under the sun. My doctor put me on lorazepam for 10 days, ten days only to help sleep. My doctor didn't want me to stay on it because this can be an addictive drug. I didn't think it was an issue. It did what it was supposed to do. It was 0.5 mg and it did help me sleep. The first night I took it, I noticed a lot of heavy chest deep breathing, but the other 10 days I was fine. It was the withdrawal for me, which is why I do not recommend it. I do not drink, smoke, or do drugs. I do not have an addictive personality. The first day off of this thing, I cried and cried and cried. So emotional. The littlest things bothered me. I was shaky and irritable. I took everything out on everyone else. I would much rather take something else."

• all...
• March 27, 2012

For Anxiety "My psychiatrist has prescribed this medicine for my acute anxiety for years. Rarely did I ever need it while I was on Paxil. About 3 months after I had weaned myself off Paxil, I started having anxiety attacks again, and rather than get back on it, I resorted to taking 1 mg lorazepam as needed for about a month. I got back on Paxil and found discontinuing lorazepam to be moderately difficult. I had some major sleep disturbances, along with elevated anxiety and paranoia. It took me about 3 days at 0.25 mg for these to go away. I recommend this medicine as a supplement to an antidepressant, but not as a stand-alone remedy."

• Ben...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2016

For Anxiety "The withdrawal of this medicine was very close to my image of hell. It was awful and lasted one whole month. Awful. Sweats. Insomnia. Shakes. Hallucinations. Panic. Spaced out. Pain. Depression. Not worth it at all. So sad humans have to experience such pain."

• Ben...
• July 5, 2017

Lorazepam for Anxiety "You would have to be crazy to take Ativan. I took 1-2 mg 2x a day for 6 months and had withdrawal symptoms for almost 4 years after stopping over a 2-week period per my doctor. If you think your life is bad before taking Ativan, just wait until you experience the withdrawal and aftereffects of this poison. After 2 years, I still had vibrating, hypersensitive vision and hearing. Burning in your nerves, especially in your feet. Forget sleep, all you do is lie in bed awake for me, almost 2 years dreaming while awake. That part was the most torturous part of the med. The FDA needs to remove Ativan from FDA approval immediately."

• SAm...
• July 30, 2018

Lorazepam for Panic Disorder "I was prescribed Ativan sublingual 0.5 mg as needed for panic attacks. It did not do anything for me, usually, my panic attacks come at night while I'm sleeping. So I tried it, and honestly, it didn't do anything, and on top of that, I couldn't sleep after taking it."

• Kat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 20, 2013

For Anxiety "It does help to cure anxiety, for a while at any rate. No side effects, except sleep, but you don't wake up drowsy in the morning. Good!"

• Jea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2016

For Insomnia "In an hour, I felt speedy. I was up all night, like I had a late cup of coffee. Three weeks later, I tried it again. Speedy, jittery, all night, no sleep."

• moa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2018

For Sedation "Works okay for sleep, but did nothing for psychotic agitation for me. I refused it, but unfortunately, I was under a section, so they injected me. Three hours later, I'm still wide awake."