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.
If side effects do not improve or become problematic, consult your health care provider. Lorazepam is a safe and effective medication when used as directed. 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. 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. National Institute of Mental Health. Revised October Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.
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Taking lorazepam.
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