Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD occurs when a person experiences excessive anxiety or worry for at least six months. Other symptoms include:. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you because you may notice that you feel tired or dizzy. Benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam, are often used for short periods of time only. With input from you, your health care provider will assess how long you will need to take the medicine. Do not stop taking lorazepam without talking to your health care provider first.
Stopping lorazepam abruptly may result in one or more of the following withdrawal symptoms: trouble sleeping, anxiety, irritability, nausea, tremor, dizziness, blood pressure changes, rapid heart rate, and seizures. Withdrawal reactions may occur when dosage reduction occurs for any reason. The use of lorazepam with drugs like opioid medications has led to serious side effects including slowed and difficulty breathing and death. Opioid drugs are medications used to treat pain and include medications such as: codeine, oxycodone, morphine, and illegal drugs like heroin.
Some opioid medications are also found in cough syrup. If you are taking lorazepam with an opioid medication, get medical assistance immediately if you feel dizziness, sleepiness, have slow or troubled breathing, or if you pass out.
Caregivers must get medical help right away if a patient does not respond and does not wake up. If you are planning on becoming pregnant, notify your healthcare provider to best manage your medications. People living with anxiety disorders who wish to become pregnant face important decisions regarding risk versus benefit of benzodiazepine use in pregnancy. Lorazepam can increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight.
It is important to discuss this with your doctor and caregivers. Typically, your healthcare provider will limit the number of doses you should take in one day. Your health care provider will determine the dose and method of taking the medication that is right for you based upon your response.
Lorazepam liquid: Measure with a dosing spoon or oral syringe which you can get from your pharmacy. You may also ask a family member or a friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication. If you miss a dose of lorazepam, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your healthcare provider. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed.
Avoid drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs while you are taking lorazepam. They may decrease the benefits e. Alcohol increases the risk of accidental overdose with medications like lorazepam. If an overdose occurs call your doctor or You may need urgent medical care.
You may also contact the poison control center at A specific treatment to reverse the effects of lorazepam does exist. This medicine, called flumazenil, can reverse the effects of lorazepam but must be given through an IV at a hospital. Only a doctor can decide if you need this medication.
If you experience these side effects after starting lorazepam they will often improve over the first week or two as you continue to take the medication. Call your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects. In older adults, Ativan should be used cautiously or avoided altogether. Many seniors are more likely to experience side effects such as drowsiness or dizziness.
This can increase their risk of falls, which can lead to bone fractures. Lower dosages are often needed for seniors.
Ativan is FDA-approved for short-term use, up to four months. Long-term use of Ativan should be avoided because it can cause serious side effects.
These include:. Ativan can impair your ability to drive. This side effect may go away with continued use of the drug. Some people who take Ativan report having headaches afterward.
Ativan can cause your breathing to slow down. In rare cases, this can lead to respiratory failure. However, weight changes may still occur. Some people who take Ativan say they have a bigger appetite. This might cause them to eat more and gain weight. And other people who take it have a reduced appetite. This might cause them to eat less and lose weight. Some people who take Ativan can have temporary memory loss.
If this happens, you may have trouble remembering things that occurred while you were taking the medication. People with vertigo often feel dizzy. If you have this side effect, talk with your doctor about alternatives to Ativan. The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you.
Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs. The usual oral dosage for Ativan tablets is 2 to 6 mg daily. This dosage amount is usually divided and taken two or three times daily. Intravenous IV Ativan will be given by your doctor or nurse. Your doctor will determine the best dosage for your condition.
Older adults and people with certain physical conditions may need to start with a lower dosage. This might be 1 to 2 mg, taken two or three times daily for anxiety or once at bedtime for insomnia. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. Ativan is approved to treat several conditions. Ativan is FDA-approved for the short-term treatment of anxiety symptoms.
Ativan is also used off-label for other types of insomnia. Ativan is also sometimes prescribed off-label. Off-label use is when a drug is approved for one use but is prescribed for a different use. Ativan is sometimes used off-label for the short-term treatment of symptoms of vertigo.
These symptoms include nausea and vomiting. In some cases, Ativan may be used along with other medications for this purpose. However, some people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety or insomnia. In these cases, your doctor may prescribe Ativan to reduce those symptoms. However, people who have severe, long-lasting pain are often prescribed Ativan or similar medications. This may be because they have anxiety or trouble sleeping due to their pain. People with severe pain are often treated with opioid pain medications.
This is due to the risk of life-threatening side effects such as serious sedation, decreased breathing, coma, and death. Consuming alcohol with Ativan can increase the risk of serious side effects such as:.
Ativan can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements and foods. Different interactions can cause different effects.
For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects. Below is a list of medications that can interact with Ativan. Before taking Ativan, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Taking opioids with Ativan can cause dangerous side effects. These include excessive drowsiness, breathing problems, respiratory failure, and coma. Taking sedative drugs with Ativan can cause excessive drowsiness and breathing problems.
Examples of sedative drugs include:. Taking Ativan with probenecid, a drug that can be used to treat gout, can increase the levels of Ativan in your body.
This can increase your risk of Ativan side effects. For people who take probenecid and Ativan together, the Ativan dosage needs to be reduced by half.
Taking Ativan with valproic acid Depakene, Depakote , a drug used to treat seizures and other conditions, can increase the levels of Ativan in your body. For people who take valproic acid and Ativan together, the Ativan dosage needs to be reduced by half. Zoloft sertraline can make some people feel tired or drowsy. Ativan can also cause drowsiness.
Taking these medications together may cause you to feel even more tired or drowsy. Both medications are used to help promote sleep. If taken together, they can cause excessive sleepiness and sedation. Taking this combination of medications can also increase the risk of odd behaviors such as sleep-driving trying to drive while asleep.
Taking Ativan with herbs or supplements that have sedative effects can cause excessive drowsiness and breathing problems. Examples of sedative herbs and supplements that can cause these effects include:.
Using marijuana with Ativan can cause excessive drowsiness or sedation. Some people can have bothersome withdrawal symptoms after stopping Ativan. These can occur after taking Ativan for as little as one week. If Ativan is taken longer, withdrawal symptoms are more likely to occur. Talk with your doctor before stopping Ativan. Your doctor may recommend that you slowly reduce your dosage before stopping the drug completely.
If you think you or your child has taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or seek guidance from the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or through their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away.
There are other medications that are often used to treat the same conditions as Ativan. Some may be better suited for you than others.
Note: Some of the drugs listed here are used off-label for treating conditions also treated by Ativan. Some people use certain herbs and dietary supplements to help manage their anxiety. If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, has unusual breathing, or if you have any other concerns, talk to a health visitor or doctor as soon as possible.
Some medicines interfere with the way lorazepam works and increase the chances of you having side effects. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before starting lorazepam if you take any of the following:. There's very little information about taking herbal remedies and supplements with lorazepam.
Do not take herbal medicines for anxiety or insomnia, such as valerian or passionflower, with lorazepam. They can increase the drowsy effects of lorazepam and may also have other side effects. For safety, tell a doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. It works by increasing the levels of a calming chemical, gamma-amino-butyric-acid GABA , in your brain.
Depending on your health condition, this can make you feel calmer, relieve anxiety or stop a seizure or fit. Lorazepam will help you feel calmer and it can help reduce your feelings of anxiety.
It can also make you feel sleepy if you're having trouble falling asleep. Lorazepam tablets and liquid start to work in around 20 to 30 minutes. It reaches full sedating effect after 1 to 1. A lorazepam injection works much faster but also lasts around 6 to 8 hours. If you're having a seizure or fit, you'll only be given a lorazepam injection while you're in hospital. If a doctor prescribes lorazepam for more than 4 weeks, they'll tell you how long to take it for.
Lorazepam is not likely to be addictive if you take it at a low dose for a short time 2 to 4 weeks. You're more likely to become addicted if you have, or have previously had, problems with alcohol or drugs. Speak to a doctor if you've had problems with alcohol or recreational drugs. They may want to try you on a different medicine.
If a doctor recommends you stop taking lorazepam, they will reduce your dose gradually. This will be done by reducing the number of tablets you take and how often you take them. This allows your body to get used to being without the medicine and reduces the chance of side effects when you stop taking it. This is important if you have been taking a high dose or a doctor has prescribed it for more than 4 weeks. For anxiety, depending on your symptoms, you may need a medicine to treat your physical symptoms as well as your psychological ones.
Your doctor will usually start you on a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI , such as sertraline , paroxetine or escitalopram. There are also different types of talking therapies for anxiety, including cognitive behavioural therapy CBT and counselling.
For sleep, your doctor will discuss your condition with you and help you decide which medicine is best for you. Do not drink alcohol while you're taking lorazepam. Alcohol can increase the effects of lorazepam. It can make you go into a very deep sleep. There's a risk you will not be able to breathe properly, and may have difficulty waking up.
Using cannabis, heroin or methadone with lorazepam will increase the drowsy effects of lorazepam. There's a risk you will not be able to breathe properly, and you may have difficulty waking up.
Using cocaine or other stimulants such as MDMA ecstasy and amphetamines with lorazepam can also lead to drowsiness. Talk to a doctor if you think you might use recreational drugs while taking lorazepam. It's a good idea to avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking lorazepam.
Grapefruit juice may increase the amount of lorazepam in your blood. It's best to not have drinks such as coffee, tea and cola, or to eat a lot of chocolate because these contain caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant and may reduce the calming effects of lorazepam. Alcohol can increase the effects of lorazepam and make you go into a very deep sleep. It's important not to drink alcohol while you're taking lorazepam.
Lorazepam will not affect any contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. Some contraceptives may make lorazepam less effective. Talk to a doctor if you're taking a contraceptive and you think your lorazepam is not working very well.
There's no evidence that lorazepam will affect fertility in either men or women. Do not drive a car or ride a bike if lorazepam makes you sleepy, gives you blurred vision, or makes you feel dizzy, clumsy or unable to concentrate or make decisions. This may be more likely when you first start taking lorazepam, but could happen at any time for example, when starting another medicine.
It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive.
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