Is Mylan Lorazepam Discontinued? (Page 9) (Top voted first)

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: 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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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: 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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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: ed (# 142)

What is the best alternative to Mylan?

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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: Richard (# 138)

Richard did you say that Leading seemed to have been reformulated. I just received a small amount to cover me untill the Watson is back in stock. I tried Leading about a year ago and it just wasn't effective. Still struggling with the Watson. Thought I read a post that you said it was different than what some were getting. When you get a chance could you let me know. Appreciate it.

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I have been taking Leading brand of Ativan due to serious panic attacks. I thought this brand wasn't as effective as what they gave me at the hospital. I had nothing else to compare to. I got drug tested at my Dr's office and it came back negative for benzodiazepines. I just took some yesterday. My doctor is going to send it to a lab and doesn't want to write me anymore scripts because she doesn't think I'm taking my medication now. Leading brand is not effective.

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Re: Becca333 (# 152)

Wow that's a new problem, the bad lorazepam has doctors accusing patients of not taking their medication! How many more ways can we as patients get punched in the face by the healthcare system?!

Becca, sorry to hear you're dealing with this. I would show your doctor this website in hopes they may begin to understand the real problems with these generics.

PS- If possible try to get your doctor to write and get your insurance authorized for the brand name Ativan. Good luck.

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Re: Richard (# 153)

Unless it's changed I believe the name brand is currently made in Germany (the one made by Bausch). Although as I'm learning the name brand varies depending on which country you're in and who owns the right to distribute name brand in that country.

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Marcus (# 154) --

I read on the pamphlet that it is made in Germany as well. But are you saying that in each country it's made the formula might be different?

Reason why I've asked is when Valiant took over the company that bought it from Wyeth they turned it into a generic. That company was Biovail in Canada. The only thing Biovail did was change the Wyeth logo to BP which is still on the tablets. They left the numbers on them like 64 for 1mg.

Years ago I spoke to Biovail directly and they reformulated it into a generic. I was on brand name from Wyeth for years. Worked great. But it's never been the same since. Still very effective but not as well as Mylan.

I'm having a hard time getting a pharmacy to buy it so that I can use my insurance. Most have said it's too costly for them to purchase it just for one patient.

I make too much money to get it from the Valiant patient assistant program. Plus I'm reading here that they can't get it for their program since they're only allowed so much from the company a year.

Honestly, I can't see how Valiant is selling much at all with how much it costs. I'd like to think that one paying out cash for it has to be well off if they can afford it.

I'm taking Leading right now and it's not effective at all. Just don't understand how the FDA allows any medication on the market if it doesn't haven't the same amount of the active ingredient.

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Re: Becca333 (# 152)

A regular U/A will not in some cases show that you have Ativan in your system. If I were you I'd contact the independent laboratory. Explain to them your situation. I can't remember the name of the test to find a benzo in your system. But again a regular U/A doesn't always detect benzos in your body.

I'd talk to your primary doctor about ordering the right labs to see if lorazepam is in your body. Sounds like your psychiatrist is looking for an excuse not to write you a script.

If you've been taking any recently it should be in your system. So contact your primary doctor and see if he/she will do the proper test. Hope that helps.

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Re: Marcus (# 155)

Ativan is indeed made in Germany by MEDA Manufacturing GmbH Cologne, Germany......if you can get it, by all means, hang onto that source. Ativan is also made in Canada by Pfizer but stays in the country. Only two sources told to me by a pharmacist is available in the USA...one from India and the MEDA available through Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC Bridgewater, NJ but Valeant has recently gotten into hot water also distributing illegal meds....but this is all hearsay among pharmacists so I have no idea how valid it is........its a long way from the old Wyeth ativan as told to me by two friends taking it...and recently both noted their prescription bottles changed to a manufacturer in India yet still carried the big "A" on it and was called 'ativan'........for some reason NJ (where I live) has become a hive for manufacturing or distribution of the generics (Leading, Actavis, Major are 3 I know of).....there may be others..... I'd not be surprised to see some made in China in the future......95%+ of American companies have sold their souls in the name of $.

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Re: Henry (# 153)

Have you had any problems with brand name shortages. I've been told 1mgs is on backorder.

I don't have insurance to cover brand. I was getting it through the patient assistance program. But they've said they are short on all strengths. Apparently their program only allows so much a year and once they're out your up a creek without a paddle.

I'm not sure some of you guys are seeing my post. If by any means I've said anything inappropriate to any of you please accept my apologies. I don't think I have but if so I'm sorry.

I'm in the same boat most of you all are. There are things I'd share in more depth but I'm not sure we can get too personal here.

I've tried to be upfront about my knowledge of lorazepam generics and brand names. Also my personal experiences with it.

Richard thank you for letting me know about the Leading brand not being reformulated. I thought it was you that we talked about that on the other blogs.

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Re: Becca333 (# 152)

The type of U/A needed to detect benzodiazepine is as followed. See below.

The most common analytical methods to screen for the presence of benzodiazepines in urine are the immunoassay methods such as enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The immunoassay methods are class specific in that they detect oxazepam, a common metabolite of many benzodiazepines.

As I said earlier I'm wondering if your psychiatrist just doesn't want to write you a script.

If you don't want to be labeled I would get ahold of your primary doctor as I expressed earlier and have this U/A ran.

I do hope this is it help to you.

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Re: Richard (# 159)

What do you mean by illegal? Was it counterfeit? I had some tablets with black specks on them I reported to them, but they never responded. Unfortunately I can't get the brand name anymore. It wasn't as good as Mylan, but it was better than the other generics I've been on since.

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Re: JC (# 156)

When a patent expires on a name brand and generics become available, i do not believe they are held under the same constraints the name brand was.......i believe its now <5% differentiation. However ...to make them more competitive (like we who take these meds really care)..under the Bush II administration generics imported from other countries can now have a 5-20% differentiation in the active ingredient...... hence we have Actavis. Leading, etc...being imported......and many people here dissatisfied with the results.

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Re: Marcus (# 163)

The pharmacist didn't go into any explanation about what was meant by illegal...but it wasn't in reference to benzodiazepines. Google the company and you will find some class action suits being brought against it for other medications...if your meds got affected by humidity, the black specs could be mold but I'm just guessing here...

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Re: Becca333 (# 164)

I do hope that they find it in your system. If they don't, like I said, contact your primary doctor and ask him/her to run the test I spoke of. If your psychiatrist is sending it out to a different lab they'll most likely be doing the proper test. I've seen this before and one has to cover their back. With you taking it regularly it's going to turn up with the test at a high level. That's a good thing. Glad I could help and keep us posted.

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Re: Henry (# 168)

Thanks for the reply back Henry. I did a look up on the GoodRx website and for my monthly cost out of pocket was almost 10k. (That's the RX discount price) Could you imagine what it is regular price. I about fell out of my chair. It's no wonder why insurance companies don't want to pay for it. I have no words I want to use what I think about that. I mean I do but yeah.

The only thing I can say about their shortage is with all the generic companies not making it any more they've had a major increase in sales that wiped them out?

I just don't understand how they only supply their PAP program so much a year. Than they just dump on their patients like they did me. It was about the same time you mentioned 1mgs being on backorder.

Leading was short for sometime my way. Which was just ok with me.This is the first time I've had to be on it for weeks. Watson isn't great but one can manage. Least I can for the most part.

I called Mylan just for the sake of it to see if they have considered remaking it. She said they completely stopped in April. I told her there's many of us that wished that wasn't so. She said she knows. Enjoy the rest of your weekend guys.

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