Ativan (lorazepam) dosage for insomnia due to anxiety

Does anyone have experience with taking Ativan (lorazepam)?  I was given the medication for insomnia and was asked to take 0.5-1mg, but it didn't seem to work too well.  Is it safe to up the dosage? Can you take Restoril (temazepam) at the same time if Ativan doesn't work?  Thanks.

[anxietyellie]

I was on Ativan for a while.  I was taking 1 mg.  I don't know how safe it is to up the dosage.  I didn't really see any results with mine either.  It didn't seem to make anything better.  I think it gave me more side effects that relief from symptoms.  Good Luck!!

[socgirl]

hi there,

you should not up the dose without speaking with you doctor about it first.  I have had some clients that take 2mg.  That being said, I wouldn't really reccomend taking ativan if you're having trouble sleeping.  Ativan is great to take as a PRN (as needed basis) for when you're having acute anxiety.  It can make you a little drowsy or a little more mellow, but is generally not used as a sleep aid.  Ask your doctor about trazadone.  Technically, it's an antidepressant, however it's super effective as a sleep aid...it's not all that effective as an antidepressant.  Oh...and I wouldn't reccomend taking restoril at the same time as ativan....one or the other.

[wxguy1]

Thanks for your replies.  I talked to my doctor and she asked me to try taking up to 2mg of Ativan and a couple of tablets of benadryl for sleep last night.  At first, I thought it didn't work, which made me even more anxious.  But I woke up almost 7 hours later without knowing I slept.  Lately, I have been getting this jolt/twitch/falling sensation right before I could sense I was about to fall asleep, which wakes me up.  It sacres and worries me (didn't help with my insomnia anxiety).....almost like I have lost the ability to sleep.  I know sporadic fatal insomnia (not the kind that runs in the faimly) is rare but it has come across my mind.

[rasticle]

A good drug you might also look into is Atarax.  I use that at night when I know I am going to have trouble sleeping, due to anxiety.  It works good for me and it is not a narcodic so you won't become dependent on it or develop a tolerance either.  It works well with panic attacks too.

[MariAAB]

I was recently prescribed 1 mg Antivan as needed.  Does it just make you drowsy and mellow, or does it really reduce your feelings of intense anxiety?  I have an anxiety-inducing situtation coming up and don't want to feel sleepy but still freaked out.

[toasty]

on and off, since the mid 70s, i have been allowed to take
lorazepam - (P R N!!!) - in the 1/2  to 1 mg dosage ranges.
  
usually it was to start a couple days a week with a little
more calm. twenty or so minutes later this little knot in
my tum-tum relaxed. i could _feel_ the change.
  
1/2 mg was just fine with an occassional 1-mg when i was too
lazy to cut the tab into two or felt more anxious than usual.
  
and in about 20 mins, tum-tum relaxed. mid-day anxiety was
(prn) treated approx the same way though _rarely_ on days
that started with lorazapam.

through the 70s and 80s and early 90s things were nominal but
then added grief/stress made me think a bit because my sleep
pattern/cycle changed adversly.

so i changed from wake-up meds to go-2-sleep meds (doc
approved). realize, also, that 2-beers a night (over
3-4 hours) is a diet mandate of mine. the lorazapam  
helped with the sleep but i had to titrate up to  
3.5 mg to get a whole, reliable quality night's sleep.

this surprised me, actually but i'll use that regimen in
the future if the situation seems to suggest it. btw,
4-beers a night was no help. more than that i am not willing
to exceed, and never loraz+beer>2!!

[mackenkie]

lorazepam due to severe panick attacks could not get on with my life.I have been taking them for 20 years these are the only tablets that help me get on with my life. Is ther any other medication I can take that will help me. I tried meditation and antidepressants and natural medication also accupuncture. The only thing that helps is 1mg lorazepam 3 times a day. Would the Dr ever just stop my medication. As I know I could never cope. Not had an easy time.

Yours Sincerely

[nursegirl6572]

I agree that a sleeping pill would probably be more effective than Ativan.  If you try the same dosage tonight...and still have troubles, I would see your doc about other options.

Mack...USUALLY Ativan isn't the best sedative to take long term, because you build up a tolerance and eventually end up requiring a higher dose to acheive the same effect.  There are other benzodiazepines that are more appropriate for long-term use.  

Whatever you do...do not ever stop taking the Ativan abruptly.  You will need to be tapered off of it.  As for if your doc ever decides to not prescribe it for you?  I don't know your doc, but a lot of physicians will only prescribe Ativan for short periods of time (months to maybe a year), for the reasons I listed above.

If it is working for you, and your doc has not given you any indication that he will be pulling the plug anytime soon...I suppose you should just go on as you have.  If it really concerns you, by all means, discuss it with your doctor...a lot of times, for long term use, Klonopin is prescribed.  It is a longer acting benzo, and patients do not develop the same kind of tolerance that they do with Ativan, Xanax, etc.

Good luck to you.

[surfergirl10]

I take ativan about 2-3x a week for sleep.  However, I had to take two .5 tablets this saturday for my attack..which it didn't work. YEsterday, I used one tablet...today I am no tablet and then I am weaning off.  Yes, alcohol may work for a bit, but then it willinterrupt my sleep.  Plus it is calories....which is another problem for me as well. Also, I have a severe headache today....I am not sure if it is the after effect of the attack (3 hours) or if it is the ativan. It feels like both. I am just excited for my appointment at 4 tomorrow. I just don't want to take meds.....I feel so ultra sensitive to everything. I just want to be the way I used to be and rely on exercise and diet. Any tips?

[itsjackie2003]

i'm triying to get on an handle of my life - it's not that i'm a bundle of nervves all the time, its just i feel totaly lost  I have no drive or desire to get out of bed most mornings.  i've been trying to lose some weight  this past month, and with seeing some results, i'm getting pretty excited.  but on day like this, i feel like i could very well take 4 or 7 of my lorizapans hoping this will give me a kick start...what pathdo iseem to be cgoing down???  someone please answer me...

[pat04064]

Try to remember that this feeling is passing. Taking a lot of Ativan is
not going to make you feel better, and it is not safe. Call a friend, go for a walk. Remember that you have accomplished something you wanted by losing some weight.

[Lodow]

I have been on  lorezapam .05mg for  yrs for  anxiety  due to a mitral  valve  problem. This  o5 mg  helped me to sleep at night for all these  yrs  --After having  some difficult  problems  with  cholesterol and  heart problems  Dr put me on   20 mg of Lipitor and  50 mgs of atenolol. I wonder if the  Lipitor  wrapped itself around the  .05 mg lorazepam and caused  me to  not get the sleeping  effects of it  taking it a t night? What  is the  largest  dose  usually  given  for sleep without  causing  problems? Dr  told me to  up the dose to 2mgs but it still after all these yrs on just .05 does not  help me to go to sleep. Are you saying that (Klonipin (klonopin) which is clonazepam) is safer  and used  more for sleep? I am trying to  work  out the best solution  here-- Dr  has tried  me on  these --  now prescribed  trazadone--which  gave me a migraine  headache--can't take this one--heard of that?
Lodow

[RUGGER257]

Thanks for your input..  Also how long did it take when you first tried it??
I need to give it to my Mother in law before a bath. I need to know how long it
takes to work and what time I should give it to her????

[marlena21]

I found some info here http://www.noprescriptionativan.com/ativan-dosage.htm

[Limonada]

I was prescribed 1mg. of Ativan - as needed to assist with sleeping (I was having health anxiety and panic attacks and this was what I was given first....until I told the doctor that my symptoms weren't getting any better and I was prescribed Citalopram, a SSRI).  The doctor told me to take the Ativan as needed, warning that it was pretty addictive. It seemed to help me get to sleep....but I'd still awaken in a full blown panic attack.  I also didn't feel well rested from the sleep I got that was induced by the Ativan.

I'd speak to your doctor before upping your dosage of this or any other medication.

Good luck!!

[ndhillon]

Hi Limonada,

Did the SSRI help working together with the 1mg of Ativan?

[dragonwisdom]

I have been taking it for about a year now for anxiety at 1 mg/day .  About 9 months ago my anxiety increased and I started to get severe insomnia which continue to today.  I have not taken the medication everyday, but only as need on days when anxiety is severe.   Over the past month my insomnia has gotten unbearable and finally I had to give in and began taking 2mg at night about an hour before bed.  This helped me immensely and I am now getting a much better sleep.  I thought I was going to go crazy without sleeping properly, and at the same time I did not want to rely on medication to help me sleep.  I was fearful of having to rely upon it for sleep.  I would also like to add that I do yoga and meditation daily.  In addtion, I do running in the forest and strength training 3-4 times a week.  I also suffer from periods of depression and feel that exercise is of the utmost important for both depression and anxiety.   Mindfulness practice is also very helpful and you can find many books and tapes on this for depression and anxiety.   I would recommend The Mindful Way through Depression (comes with a great yoga, meditation, body scan CD) by Jon Kabit-Zinn, Zindel Segal, Mark Williams and Jon Teasdale.  I also use the yoga/meditation CDs by Jon Kabat-Zinn which are amazing.   http://mindfulnesstapes.com   I use the Series one CDs almost everyday.  He is a leader in the field of mindfulness and depression.  

[dragonwisdom]

Lorazepam is considered a highly addictive substance so if you have an addictive type personality I would be somewhat cautious of this medication.  I have not had any problems with using it as required and then stopping the medication.  However, the literature warms that it should not be taken for more then 4 months and that one should slowly wean off of it with the help of a doctor.  Everyone has a different personality, dependency and psychology, but I would be cautious with a medication that is considered to be rather addictive.   That being said, when I have had great period of anxiety I am very happy that I have this medication and I can notice the reduction in my mood and anxiety very quickly.  It does work and is effective.    

[dragonwisdom]

An update on Ativan or Lorozepam.  I have had to up my dose to 3mg.  My doctor said that this is the max.   He has prescribe another medication which he said is better for insomnia called Imovane (in Canada) at 7.5 mg (aka Zopclicone in the US).  I have been told that you can combine Lorazepam and Imovane if you need to, but of course it is better not to.  I think the less medication the better.  Studies even show that CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is better for the long term reduction of insomnia then medication.  Also, sleeping medication can have a rebound insomnia effect when you stop taking it and you also develop a tolerance and therefor need a higher dose.   I started at 1mg Lorazepam and now need 3.   I am hoping that the Imovane works much better.    

The bottom line is that sleep is crucial and effect every ascecpt of your day and personality if you are not getting enough.   If one needs the medication then that is a reality, but I would also say try to incorporate exercise, mindfulness training, certain bedtime routines and psychotherapy to try to get to the root of the insomnia.

[jean9852]

I also had the night twitches in my legs and all over my body.  Scared, me.  Don't think I'll try Ativan again as a sleep aid.

[anaya99]

hi,
am not getting sleep regularly so i am using ativan 1mg for every night. what my doubt is it ll affect my future life???? and what are the side effect will come for taking this sleep pills????? pls reply me as soon as