In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:. Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines.
Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals.
For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of lorazepam tablets and oral liquid in children younger than 12 years of age and extended-release capsules in children. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of lorazepam in the elderly.
However, elderly patients are more likely to have unwanted effects eg, severe drowsiness or unsteadiness and age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose. Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.
In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended.
Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you.
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine.
Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:. Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or for a longer time than your doctor tells you to.
Tell your doctor if you have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, if you use or have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications. Do not drink alcohol or use street drugs during your treatment. Drinking alcohol or using street drugs during your treatment with lorazepam also increases the risk that you will experience these serious, life-threatening side effects.
Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness. Lorazepam may cause a physical dependence a condition in which unpleasant physical symptoms occur if a medication is suddenly stopped or taken in smaller doses , especially if you take it for several days to several weeks.
Do not stop taking this medication or take fewer doses without talking to your doctor. Stopping lorazepam suddenly can worsen your condition and cause withdrawal symptoms that may last for several weeks to more than 12 months. Your doctor probably will decrease your lorazepam dose gradually. Call your doctor or get emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the following symptoms: unusual movements; ringing in your ears; anxiety; memory problems; difficulty concentrating; sleep problems; seizures; shaking; muscle twitching; changes in mental health; depression; burning or prickling feeling in your hands, arms, legs or feet; seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear; thoughts of harming or killing yourself or others; overexcitement; or losing touch with reality.
Lorazepam is used to relieve anxiety. Lorazepam is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by slowing activity in the brain to allow for relaxation. Lorazepam comes as a tablet and concentrate liquid to take by mouth. It usually is taken two or three times a day and may be taken with or without food. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Take lorazepam exactly as directed. Lorazepam concentrate liquid comes with a specially marked dropper for measuring the dose. Ask your pharmacist to show you how to use the dropper. It's used to treat anxiety and sleeping problems that are related to anxiety. It can be taken to help you relax before an operation or other medical or dental treatment. This is known as a "pre-med". Lorazepam is available on prescription only. It comes as tablets and as a liquid that you swallow.
It can also be given as an injection in hospital if you're having a seizure or fit. Take our survey. Lorazepam can be taken by adults and children aged 13 years and older for anxiety. It can also be taken by adults and children aged 5 years or older as a "pre-med". To make sure it's safe for you, tell a doctor before starting lorazepam if you:. Lorazepam tablets come as 0.
The liquid contains 1mg of lorazepam in each 1ml. If you're older than 65 years or have liver or kidney problems, a doctor may recommend a lower dose. Lorazepam is usually prescribed for a short time, from a few days to 4 weeks. Your dose may go up or down until your doctor is happy you're on the right dose. Your doctor may gradually reduce your dose at the end of the course of treatment before stopping completely. If you forget to take lorazepam, never take a double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet.
Go to Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. Take the lorazepam packet or leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine, with you. Like all medicines, lorazepam can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones. If you get these side effects, keep taking the medicine and speak to a doctor:. It happens rarely in less than 1 in people, but some people have serious side effects when taking lorazepam.
Mood changes can become serious and are more likely in children or if you're over In rare cases, lorazepam may cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis. You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. These are not all the side effects of lorazepam. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme.
There's not enough information to know if lorazepam is safe to use in pregnancy. It might mean your baby is born with withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor can explain the risks and the benefits of taking lorazepam and will help you choose the best treatment for you and your baby. You may need to keep taking lorazepam during pregnancy as it's important for you to remain well.
If a doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can use lorazepam during breastfeeding. It's recommended that you only take a low dose occasionally or for a very short time.
If you're breastfeeding or want to breastfeed, talk to a doctor or pharmacist, as there might be better medicines for you. It will depend on what you're taking lorazepam for. Can I take it if I am pregnant or breastfeeding? Pregnancy Lorazepam can affect the developing baby, and cause symptoms in a newborn baby. Post-natal Your baby may be less active than other babies, have a low body temperature, be floppy, or have breathing or feeding difficulties for a while.
Your baby may develop withdrawal symptoms after birth. Breastfeeding Lorazepam is passed to the baby in breast milk in small amounts. Breastfeeding can reduce any withdrawal symptoms the baby may have from lorazepam. Will it affect my sex life or fertility? Sex Lorazepam can have side effects that affect your sex life.
Fertility There is no evidence that lorazepam affects fertility. Will it affect my ability to play sports? Lorazepam is not a banned substance in sport. Will it affect my ability to take exams? Try not to take lorazepam for the first time just before your exams.
Lorazepam might make you forgetful and make it difficult to concentrate. After the first few days you will know how it affects you. Your doctor should know. You need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment with lorazepam if any of the following apply to you: you have severe breathing or chest problems you are allergic to benzodiazepines or any of the other ingredients in lorazepam tablets or liquid you have myasthenia gravis very weak or tired muscles you have sleep apnoea breathing problems when you are asleep you are breastfeeding, since the drug may pass into breast milk you are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant you have ever misused drugs or alcohol you have a personality disorder you have a greater chance of becoming dependent on lorazepam you have any kidney or liver problems you have depression , as lorazepam may increase any thoughts of harming yourself or taking your life you have had depression before it could come back during treatment with lorazepam.
Uses, warnings, safety and side effects. Taking lorazepam Warnings and safety Side effects Taking lorazepam How long will I need to take lorazepam for?
It is not recommended to take lorazepam for more than four weeks at a time. You should only take lorazepam as agreed with your doctor. You may have to take lorazepam a few times each day.
If you are taking it to help you sleep, you should take it an hour before bedtime. You can take it before or after food.
Swallow the tablet with a drink of water - if you chew it, it tastes bitter. What if I miss a dose? If you remember later during the day, take it as soon as possible. Do not take a double dose. What will happen if I forget to take my lorazepam? Stopping the use of lorazepam. Do not stop taking lorazepam all at once. This could lead to serious symptoms, including: feeling unreal or detached from life, and an inability to feel emotions numbness or tingling of the arms or legs tinnitus ringing sounds in the ears oversensitivity to light, sound and touch uncontrolled or overactive movements twitching, shaking feeling sick, being sick, stomach upsets or stomach pain loss of appetite agitation, panic attacks fast heartbeat dizziness or feeling that you are about to fall memory loss feeling stiff and unable to move easily feeling very warm having seizures fits - this is more likely in people who have epilepsy Depending how long you have been taking lorazepam, your doctor will help you to reduce the medication slowly over the course of several days or even weeks at the end of your treatment.
Even when you do this, you may get some symptoms, including: headaches muscle pain anxiety , tension, depression , restlessness, irritability or confusion sweating your original sleeplessness may also return If you suffer from any of these symptoms, go back to your doctor for advice. Warnings and safety Safety headlines. When to go to the hospital. Your breathing might get very slow, and you could fall into a coma. Side effects Side effects. Very common side effects of lorazepam affecting more than one in ten people include: daytime drowsiness and tiredness Common side effects of lorazepam affecting up to one in ten people include: dizziness, feeling less alert poor muscle control, muscle weakness Go and see your doctor but do not stop taking the tablets if you notice any of the following: feeling that you are becoming reliant on lorazepam and finding it difficult to stop a feeling of wellbeing for no reason memory loss or forgetfulness.
Taking lorazepam Taking lorazepam How long will I need to take lorazepam for? Warnings and safety Warnings and safety Safety headlines. Side effects Side effects Side effects. About this information. College of Mental Health Pharmacy. More information and advice. Getting support with your medication. Website by Element78 opens in new window. Close this dialog window Youngminds - fighting for young people's mental health.
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