Ativan Side Effects
Most people do well when taking Ativan, but problems can arise when being treated with this medication. Many of the common side effects include but aren't limited to unsteadiness, dizziness or vertigo and weakness. Other side effects are constipation, fatigue and nausea. There are some more serious side effects that might require medical attention and should you experience side effects, especially suicidal thoughts or seizures to your doctor immediately.
The Basics of Side Effects of Ativan
You might experience side effects when taking
Ativan; but you may find that you don't experience any side effects at all. This drug is generally well tolerated by most people. In most cases side effects are minor and either do not require treatment at all or are easily treated and remedied.
(While this article provides many potential side effects of Ativan, it does not cover all of them so it's a good idea to talk to your health care professional for a more complete listing of
Ativan side effects.)
Side Effects Commonly Experienced With Ativan
Several clinical trials have been done with Ativan to determine safety, effectiveness and ease of use.
When these studies are done, a group of people take the drug for a designated period of time and the effects that occur are documented and compared to side effects in a control group, who does not take the medication. This makes it possible for researchers to determine what side effects there are, how often people experience them and the severity of them compared to the control group.
In studies done with Ativan, the most common side effects were:
- Loss of memory
- Confusion
- Feelings of vertigo and unsteadiness
- Feelings of sleepiness
- General feeling of fatigue
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Changes in vision
- Headaches
- Trouble speaking or slurred speech
- Problems with Sleep
- Changes in libido
- Problems achieving orgasm
- Nausea
- Trouble getting an erection
- Constipation
- Loss of hair
- Lower than normal blood pressure.
Side Effects That May Be Serious
While serious side effects of Ativan occur infrequently, there are some risks of them. You should immediately tell your doctor about any of the following symptoms or any others that you experience:
- Depression
- Disorientation or confusion
- Thoughts of suicide
- Trouble breathing
- Seizures
- Anxiety
- Light headedness
- Feeling of jitteriness or hyperactivity
- Hallucinations
- Any signs of allergic reactions, such as hives, rash, swelling or itching
Ativan Withdrawal
Ativan withdrawal can possibly cause serious Lorazepam effects including shaking or tremors, convulsions, muscle cramps, vomiting. Patients that abruptly stopped taking the medication were most likely to experience these.
Side effects of Ativan have shown to be more likely among those people who were given higher doses of the drug. Since the side effects of Ativan withdrawal are potentially very serious, it is essential to use extreme caution when weaning patients off this medication.
Even though Ativan can offer temporary relief from panic disorder and anxiety, it is very possible that patients can experience negative side effects including Ativan addiction.
A Few Final Notes on the Side Effects of Ativan
While it is not only possible, but likely that you will experience none of the Ativan side effects, it is also possible that you will. There is no reliable way for your doctor to know ahead of time if you will be affected with any of these side effects so it's important for you to tell your doctor if you begin to experience any side effects if you are taking Ativan. You should also tell your health care professional if you begin to feel "off" or "not right" while being treated with this medication. Your doctor will be able to treat your problem should it be needed.
