Is Mylan Lorazepam Discontinued? (Page 5)
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My pharmacy told me that they can't buy mylan any more and they do not know if it is discontinued or not. Since Qualitest lorazepam was discontinued, Mylan is the only lorazepam that works (less effective than Qualitest) but works with less side effects than others (Watson, leading pharma, actavis: don't work causing serious side effects). Any alternatives, or another generic lorazepam that works ok? Lorazepam is the only sedative that works for me for anxiety and stiffness due to side effects of levothyroxine. Other medicine such as clonazepam, alprazolam (xanax), cymbalta, zoloft, lexapro, etc do not work.

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Re: Blueray (# 145)

Were you able to get Mylan still? Reason why I've asked is Mylan has been out since last year. Did someone in your area stockpile it? You said you transitioned from it in June. (Mylan)

Also not sure what you're saying about taking 0.25. Are you saying you split the 0.5mgs to get the 0.25? Forgive me if my math is off.

Also not sure how you guys were getting Aurobindo. My understanding was it just hit the market I believe within the last 6 months. I could be off.

But your best bet is if you have private insurance that will pay for brand-name Ativan I'd go that route.

I still feel that we're all feeling drug withdrawals switching from one brand to another.

But again I'd go with the brand name if you have a good insurance policy that will cover it.

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Re: Blueray (# 143)

Brand name Ativan if you can find it. Their patient assistance program says they can't get it. The pharmacy the program uses says they're only allow so much a year. I'm not quite sure how that make sense. So they just put their patients in a tailspin out the clear blue sky. That's where I've been. Been stuck on Watson for 3 months in withdrawals and the quality of my life is going downhill. Wished there was something else I could take but I've been on it all.

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Re: Blueray (# 145)

That's interesting to hear about the variability in the tablets between the 0.5 and 1 mg tablets. It doesn't surprise based on the employee reviews I've read about batch variations for the Aurolife factory. I as well have been in the worst feeling withdrawal of my life. It has felt to me what people describe going off cold-turkey as being like.

If your 0.5 mg tablets work fine, they couldn't your doctor write it out for the same equivalent amount as the 1 mg tablets? So you would take two 0.5 mg tablets at night.

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Re: Marcus (# 144)

I had to transition from Mylan to Aurobindo for the 0.5mg tablet back in June. I take 0.25 mg three times during the day using the 0.5mg tablets. That transition was fine.

The problem is with the 1mg nighttime dose.
When I tried the Aurobindo once I felt like I took nothing and was in severe withdrawal at 4am. I’ve never felt that bad before. When I went back to Mylan 1mg I was fine.

Should I try a slightly higher dose of Aurobindo at bedtime? Maybe 1.25mg instead of 1? I am really nervous about this.

Mylan has worked so well for me for 6 years.

Any advice is appreciated.

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Re: Blueray (# 143)

So far for me it had been the brand name, which wasn't as good but still OK.

Aurobindo seems to be variable quality, as in some pills seem to have potency and some don't and seemed to cause withdrawal in me (though I will say the first month on it I did not feel that).

I am going to try the Teva/Actavis next (the ones that have the Watson imprint on them but aren't actually Watson).

I might try to get my provider to try to convince my insurance to cover brand again if that doesn't work, but my insurance understandably doesn't want to pay thousands for the brand name. I'm pretty sure they're going to deny it because of the plan I'm on now. It used to be covered.

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Re: ed (# 142)

What is the best alternative to Mylan?

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Re: Jamie (# 29)

Yes, Mylan...is the best brand...with no negative side effects. Why, since Trump took office...has the good meds...gone by the wayside? Obomacare...did not stop good meds.

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I found that when Wellbutrin XL was found to be ineffective, it was not discovered by the FDA but by ConsumerLab from consumers contacting them, and they eventually tested Wellbutrin XL and found it wasn't as potent as it should be. The FDA then acted only after that.

There is a form on their site where you can note problems you are having with a generic and they use that to determine which drugs to test:

https:/­/­www.consumerlab.com/­GenericReport.asp

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Re: Marcus (# 139)

Sorry to hear this. It’s scary because the FDA claims what you are talking is “bioequivalent” to brand Ativan. I had very similar issues with Major/Leading and filed a report with FDA Medwatch because it was no better than taking a sugar pill.

Teva/Actavis is not as bad as Major but I still had significant problems. At this point you may want to discuss these problems with your doctor. Other options are trying a different benzodiazepine like Klonopin or Xanax. K is longer lasting than lorazepam and X is shorter. K has about a 10% reported side effect of depression which was an issue for me. There have also been some complaints of generic effectiveness. X generic works especially the Greenstone generic which is an “authorized generic” and greenstone is the generic drug arm of Pfizer. If I can’t get the brand Ativan next refill I will talk to my doc about switching. Good luck, keep us posted.

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My situation has gotten much worse on the Aurobindo.

I have psychic tension, can't focus, flickering feeling in the head, agitation--in short, withdrawal. I'm not epileptic but I feel that way, and I don't really have a good word for it. But it's all a very bad feeling in the brain.

I did some research. It's made by Aurolife for Aurobindo. Aurolife actually *does* make it here in the United States in New Jersey.

But if you Google Aurolife and look at the Google reviews, look at the Google Q&As, and look at the Glassdoor reviews for the AuroLife plant in New Jersey, people are saying that the tablets are completely watered down, that the quality control is terrible, and several employees on the Glassdoor site said they thought it was a miracle the plant hasn't been shut down.

I kept several of my name brand Ativan on hand as insurance, and I got so bad the other day I took one instead of my scheduled Aurobindo (I take 1 mg 3x a day). I was able to think again, I felt normal and like myself again.

By the next day was back to this new bad state. I've had periods where I've considered calling 911 because the feeling in my head is so bad. At my next fill I guess I'll ask for Teva/Actavis even though I've read the reviews here aren't that good, but I'm not sure it could be worse than this.

I'm wondering if their production is really inconsistent because I honestly felt that the Aurobindo was stronger when I first took it. My bottles come with the lot number so I can see that the change happened when I was switched to a newer lot. Or maybe it's just a delayed effect.

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Re: Jibbs55 (# 137)

I too had a fear of benzos being discontinued which i mentioned to my shrink....he reassured me that there would be so many lawsuits against removal it would put many of the pharmas out of business or least cost them so much it wouldn't be worth the discontinuation....especially considering benzos are one of the most highly prescribed drugs out there despite the claims of articles saying the opposite...for the simple fact...nothing on the market can stop a panic attack so quickly as benzos......and with more and more stress-related anxiety happening these days, they are still being prescribed often. Yes, they are addictive....many have tried to cope with general anxiety or panic attacks without them by using alternative ways...they have failed miserably.

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Re: Henry (# 135)

I'm in the same boat you are. I was getting mine through their patient assistance program and was grandfathered in when they took it off from their carried drugs available for the PAP.

I got laid out in July when they said they didn't have any 1mgs left. So they put me on 0.5 and doubled it up. Went to order it last month and was told they don't have 0.5 left.

I've been taken Watson = Actavis or whatever it's supposed to be. At this time I really don't care who makes what. It still is junk all the way around.

I really think that big brother is closing in on benzodiazepines. But short of sounding paranoid I can't say that's true.

Marcus I'd still like to try the Aurobindo just to see if works better for than this Watson. But I can't get anyone to either order it for me or find it.

It's got to the point that pharmacies won't even answer your question unless you got a written script. They've taken over the doctor's authority.

Yes I understand they have a license that they could lose if something went wrong with a patient. But when they know the meds you've been on didn't work it's difficult to understand. Not to forget that they put us on a prescription monitoring program.

Bausch & Lomb told me they were only short for their PAP program and that I should try local pharmacies see if they can pick it up. I told them I could not afford it cash wise.

The pharmacies that I did get to speak to me said it wasn't available in any strength.

You can thank Leading and Major for causing these major shortages. I sometimes think that's why Mylan and other company stop making there's because theyccouldn't compete with them?

But my gut says benzos are being discontinued. Hope I'm wrong. This is just one big sad ordeal all the way around.

What bothers me the most is not being able to come out here without my email address popping up on this site. And wondering who some of the folks in this thread are. I know a few others have felt the same way.

Many of us need this for support. I know I do.

If I come up with any news that will help any of you I will post it.

Marcus you can call Bausch but I'm sure you'll get the same answers I did. I'm biting me tongue about what I'd really like to say. Good luck y'all!

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Re: Henry (# 135)

My response could be idiosyncratic. It's always hard to know what is causing what. I am on multiple medications. It's just one data point. Obviously Mylan worked well based on the many data points here. I've never been on Xanax. I don't think my doctor would be willing to switch me.

Bausch must really have production problems. You think they'd be highly motivated to get the product to market when they sell it for thousands of dollars per bottle.

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Re: Marcus (# 134)

Sorry to hear that about Aurobindo. That was something I considered trying because the jerks at Bausch now let all strengths of Ativan go out of stock in warehouses. When I called them in August they lied to me and said short term (2-3 month) backorder. When I called Walgreens last week they told me their wholesalers were listing all strengths of Ativan as “long term backorder”. I’ve been getting by getting sent around to the different pharmacies and filling with remaining stock on hand. There is now none left in any strength. I have enough to get me to my doctors appt early next month. If Bausch still hasn’t made Ativan available I will have my doctor switch me to generic Xanax (that drugs generics actually work, especially Greenstone) at least for the short term. Xanax doesn’t work as well for me in how I need a longer lasting anxiety reliever, but it’ll be effective enough and prevent acute withdrawal. Good luck to everyone, the BS never ends with these drug companies!

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I earlier mentioned I switched from the brand name to Aurobindo and was doing well on it. I believe I made the switch on October 2.

For the last week and a half I've been having symptoms typical of withdrawal, which for me are neurological in nature: brain zaps, difficulty focusing, and a bad brain discomfort that is hard to describe (not pain).

I notice it's between the doses, like it doesn't quite last long enough until the next dose.

In the past when I've made drops in my medication, I've noticed that for 2-3 weeks I initially feel sleepier and calmer, and then the problems start.

That's what I'm noticing this time again. At first I actually though the Aurobindo was more potent, but now it seems like I'm feeling the withdrawal symptoms. I've had this before when I've made a cut to my dose where it hasn't shown up for several weeks.

My new insurance won't pay for the brand name. I'm going to try asking Bausch (Valeant) about the patient assistance program again, but the last time I asked they said I wasn't eligible.

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Re: Henry (# 18)

I have the same issue.. did you find Mylan brand of Lorazepam? Nothing else works for me.

Should I try the brand name Ativan? What do you suggest?

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Re: Joyce (# 9)

I have the same issue.. did you find Mylan brand of Lorazepam? Nothing else works for me.

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Re: Joseph (# 1)

I have the same issue.. did you find Mylan brand of Lorazepam? Nothing else works for me.

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Re: D505 (# 129)

Of course that makes sense. Yes, i was wondering why all these people were complaining about lorazepam that was made by other companies...i had been on ativan -name brand...when Wyeth made it..but my wife retired (i was under her plan- she worked for a health insurance company)..so i had to go generic...things were fine for a few years when i noticed my dosage after all these years-no decades..just wasn't doing it for me....also at this time i noticed that my lorazepam suddenly got larger..looked at the bottle and saw Leading...didn't seem to bother me too much.....go forward 3 months..now it was really bothersome.....the anxiety...talked to a doc/pharmacist who told me of how lorazepam was now made in india, etc etc......it takes a few months before my body noticed a change......at times Leading seemed okay....others not...then actavis came along....which was far worse for me...of late its better....i think our brains/bodies require time to adjust..probably at different rates for everyone......Btw.....the name brand is no longer made by wyeth...i've heard it bothers some, not others...sorry for the repetitive stories but i think a background/history of taking a drug is important to what someone has to say about their experiences...

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Re: Richard (# 123)

I've seen other posts of yours switching gears about Leading. You seem to be overwhelmed by products made in India.

I now see what you're saying about the placebo effect. As they aren't making it as strong and some may not notice it.

I don't know about you but I have a difficult time reading the same story over and over again. Kind of what you've been doing for the past year across all of the threads.

For me it makes things non-productive. It's hard enough having the brand that works for you or me and someone is constantly repeating themselves. Does that make sense?

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