Why is Lorazepam not good for long-term use to treat anxiety?

Question

I have been taking this medicine since may of this year, and while it has helped to control my anxiety, the physical affects are hard to deal with. I have been trying to get my doctor to help me get off or switch the medicine....but I havent had any luck. I have been doing some research on my own, and found that lorazepam should not be taking for longer than 4months...y is that? Is there anyone out there that been in my shoes....please share your advice. I really to need to get off this medicine.

Answer 1

Get off it as soon as possible but don't go cold turkey, as sudden withdrawal can lead to seizures. Lorazepam is a brutal drug- here's a link to a professor of pharmacology in England:
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm

It is a fantastic site with everything you need to know about this area.
There are two routes- titrating doses until you can stop, or supplanting it with another benzo like Valium, which is far weaker and therefore easier to cut down.
are you certain that you need an anxiolytic? I'm not asking what your doctor thinks; what do YOU think? It is your body. Are you a danger to yourself or anyone else? Might good cognitive behavioural therapy give you the tools to deal with your issue?
Meds are so easy to deal out- they halt the symptoms. Until something else rears its head, like the stuff you will read about on Professor Ashton's site.
I wish you good luck with this, as Lorazepam is a particularly difficult one to break- the withdrawal can be physically very tough. But you can do it; it just takes time.
BTW, I personally disagree with the term "medicine". Medicine makes you better. Ativan is a drug.

If you need more info or would like to contact me personally, please feel free to use my contact.
Best wishes!

Answer 2

Long Term Effects Of Ativan

Answer 3

Tolerance and dependence
Tolerance to benzodiazepine effects develops with regular use. This is desirable with amnesic and sedative effects, undesirable with anxiolytic, hypnotic and anticonvulsant effects. Patients at first experience drastic relief from e.g. anxiety or sleeplessness, but symptoms gradually return, relatively soon in the case of insomnia but more slowly in the case of anxiety symptoms. After four to six months of regular benzodiazepine use, there is little evidence of continued efficacy. If regular treatment is continued for longer than this, dose increases may be necessary to maintain effects, but treatment resistant symptoms may in fact be benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms.[38]

On abrupt, or overly rapid discontinuation of lorazepam, anxiety and signs of physical withdrawal have been observed, similar to those seen on withdrawal from alcohol and barbiturates. Lorazepam as with other benzodiazepine drugs can cause physical dependence, addiction and what is known as the benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. The higher the dose and the longer the drug is taken for the greater the risk of experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can however occur from standard dosages and also after short term use. Benzodiazepine treatment should be discontinued as soon as possible via a slow and gradual dose reduction regime.[39]

The likelihood of dependence is relatively high with lorazepam compared to other benzodiazepines. Because of lorazepam's relatively short serum half-life, confinement mainly to the vascular space and an inactive metabolite, with resultant interdose withdrawal phenomenon and next dose craving, which may reinforce psychological dependence. Because of lorazepam's high potency, the smallest tablet strength of 0.5 mg is also a significant dose reduction (in the UK, the smallest tablet strength is 1.0 mg, which accentuates this difficulty). To minimise the risk of physical/psychological dependence, lorazepam is best used only short-term and at the smallest effective dose. If a benzodiazepine has been used long-term, the recommendation is a gradual dose taper over a period of weeks, months or longer, according to dose and duration of use, degree of physical dependence and the individual. Coming off long-term lorazepam may be more realistically achieved by a gradual switch to an equivalent dose of diazepam, a period of stabilisation on this and only then initiating dose reductions. The advantage of switching to diazepam is that dose reductions are felt less acutely, because of the longer half lives (20-200 hours) of diazepam and its active metabolites.[40]

Answer 4

DO NOT TRUST ANY DOCTOR THAT IS WILLING TO GIVE YOU LORAZEPAM FOR MORE THAN 2 TO 4 WEEKS!!! IF A DOCTOR IS THAT STUPID, GET ANOTHER DOCTOR!!!! My family doctor had me on it for 35 months, with doses of 6 to 8mg/day for the last 14 months. Needless to say, I am disabled, cannot think clearly like I used to, and deal with chronic pain and chronic fatigue every day. Just stay away from Lorazepam if at all possible!!!!

Answer 5

becase it is like the diazepams and is highly addictive