Lorazepam's Future (Top voted first)

I came across a scary situation the other day that i think most people on lorazepam might be interested in. I take 1.5 mg of lorazepam a day, have been so for 30 years. My doctor has never mentioned any problems with my medication. Then last week i got a call from her that was frantic and uncontrollable, she kept repeating i have to wean down my dosage and kept repeating if you take oxycodone i could die. It was clear that she wasn't listening to one thing i was telling her. Today i called my family doctor to see what's going on with the DEA and he told me that recently they are looking at prescriptions over 1 mg. My first thought is i should get a new doctor. The conversation with the first doc, my shrink, was as unprofessional as i have ever had and if i don't have to ever talk to her that would be fine.

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Thanks for your post. I have had the exact same experience this method with my lorazepam and my lyrica prescriptions. My doctor is retiring and blamed it on not being able to find another doctor that would replace him with the same belief system. I have been through hell with the lyrica and at 63 finally realize I have to have a small amount because of nerve pain and now I have to wean off completely with no replacement. I am finding a new doctor affiliated with a different hospital. This is insanity.

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Well I'll let you know, I have my 3 month follow up with my doctor next week. The dangers of mixing Benzodiazepines with opiates, alcohol or barbiturates was established like 50+ years ago. For a patient that isn't being prescribed opiates there isn't a concern.

I think it's your doctor, and as awful as I sound for saying it, you said "she". I can talk all day of the problems I've had with my female doctors, PA's and NP's; one in particular who discharged me from the hospital with a heartburn diagnosis when I had 3 severe coronary artery blockages.

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Re: Heather (# 3)

Mind blowing really. I remember when Neurontin came out first than Lyrica as alternatives to opiates for pain. Doctors were thrilled when they could prescribe less opioids for lots of chronic pain patients. Since then they made both schedule 5 controlled which is very minimal risk of abuse or dependency. Now to read about how your doctor is making you stop a small dosage for chronic nerve pain is revolting. You have places like Portland that stopped arresting for using heavy drugs so people openly are using hard drugs on the streets. A responsible member of society needs a small dose of non-narcotic lyrica for chronic nerve pain and is treated like a junkie. World is bass-ackwards. I hope you can find a better doctor to help you, it's outrageous what you're dealing with.

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Sounds like something happened with your doctor. Sorry. Some get super hyper and misinterpret warnings as regulations

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Re: Henry (# 5)

Henry I for one appreciate how you've been open lately in the treads. It's a breath of fresh air hearing what you've been saying here.

I just spent half a day looking for a possible new Pdoc. Most of the online bio's are saying no controlled substances are prescribed here. Called a hand full and got the same response.

Most of the mindset is SSRIs, SNRI's, Buspar, some old school antidepressants that help anxiety. I've been there done that. You name it I've probably taking it or tried it with no luck.

I walk, eat well and do other exercising activities and still haven't beaten this thing called free floating anxiety, panic, GAD and all the other names associated with panic disorder.

None of us have asked to be on these drugs. At least I didn't. I fought for years to cope without.To finally hearing you'll be in this medication the rest of your life.

From my experience most of the problem came from those who abuse these meds daily that don't even have our struggle. As in they just use them to get high/doped up.

Hope you keep sharing what you know. Appreciate you as I do the rest of y'all.

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I think most of us have similar experiences through the years with the anxiety conditions we deal with and the long list of medications we tried and failed.

SSRIs made me so much worse that my doctor at the time finally decided to stop giving me drugs that "stirred up serotonin". I was even part of the Seroquel scandal where the pharma co was paying doctors to push it for things like anxiety and insomnia which is illegal for them to promote for anything other that what it's FDA approved for (DOJ went after them and they settled on a 1/2 Billion fine). Doctors can prescribe "off label" within reason though. Anyway stuff in a short couple months gave me akathisia, which luckily cleared up when stopped. I tried everything before my doctor started prescribing daily Ativan.

One thing that might help when looking for a psychiatrist for medication management is to look for one that has a subspecialization of "addiction psychiatry". I know it sounds contrary advice but my last three had this sub specialty by chance and I found them far more open to prescribing benzodiazepines. I think a lot of it is they aren't afraid to prescribe them because they understand them much more due to extra medical school training on the subject. They also are trained to get someone off them. After a thorough discussion and history with them about everything I already tried they were understanding of the necessity. This is in contrast to Joe's (thread starter) doctor who became hysterical over a general letter warning about mixing lorazepam with opiates which he doesn't take.

Still though I worry even we the most responsible of patients may run into increasing difficulty getting this medication we need to function. It's amazing to me that in approx 30 years since Prozac was released for depression there has been no new novel medication specifically for anxiety. Some of the SSRIs got FDA approved for anxiety but except lexapro (which made me really sick) no others even showed halfway decent results for anxiety relief in double blind placebo trials. So it's no wonder we're all here with anxiety taking 50+ year old medications.

Just some thoughts for the night. Good luck with your doc search and do try a couple that subspecialize in addiction psychiatry, you may find a good one. Check Psychology Today's doctor search on their website.

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Re: Jibbs55 (# 8)

I think most of us have similar experiences through the years with the anxiety conditions we deal with and the long list of medications we tried and failed.

SSRIs made me so much worse that my doctor at the time finally decided to stop giving me drugs that "stirred up serotonin". I was even part of the Seroquel scandal where the pharma co was paying doctors to push it for things like anxiety and insomnia which is illegal for them to promote for anything other that what it's FDA approved for (DOJ went after them and they settled on a 1/2 Billion fine). Doctors can prescribe "off label" within reason though. Anyway stuff in a short couple months gave me akathisia, which luckily cleared up when stopped. I tried everything before my doctor started prescribing daily Ativan.

One thing that might help when looking for a psychiatrist for medication management is to look for one that has a subspecialization of "addiction psychiatry". I know it sounds contrary advice but my last three had this sub specialty by chance and I found them far more open to prescribing benzodiazepines. I think a lot of it is they aren't afraid to prescribe them because they understand them much more due to extra medical school training on the subject. They also are trained to get someone off them. After a thorough discussion and history with them about everything I already tried they were understanding of the necessity. This is in contrast to Joe's (thread starter) doctor who became hysterical over a general letter warning about mixing lorazepam with opiates which he doesn't take.

Still though I worry even we the most responsible of patients may run into increasing difficulty getting this medication we need to function. It's amazing to me that in approx 30 years since Prozac was released for depression there has been no new novel medication specifically for anxiety. Some of the SSRIs got FDA approved for anxiety but except lexapro (which made me really sick) no others even showed halfway decent results for anxiety relief in double blind placebo trials. So it's no wonder we're all here with anxiety taking 50+ year old medications.

Just some thoughts for the night. Good luck with your doc search and do try a couple that subspecialize in addiction psychiatry, you may find a good one. Check Psychology Today's doctor search on their website.

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There is a concern about taking Lorazepam, or any Benzodiazepine, with opioids, due to the increased risk of experiencing severe respiratory depression, which in some cases could be fatal, especially if someone has other medical conditions that affect their heart, blood pressure, or lungs.

You read the label here: Pfizer Lorazepam Information

Benzodiazepines also carry the risk of being habit forming, and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, headache, irritability, and other mood changes.

However, while the DEA may review some prescriptions to ensure that they are being prescribed appropriately, it isn't necessary to change a person's prescribed amount, unless they are taking too much, or are also taking opioids, or other substances that may cause respiratory depression.

Do you take opiates regularly?

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Joe, forgive me if I'm a little slow here but are you on a pain killer along with lorazepam? I think I read you right on the other thread that you are not.

I'm asking because of the DEA comment that they are looking at patients over 1mg. Is that if someone is taking both that they are looking at patients?

As I said on the other post my Pdoc is adamant about taking me off lorazepam all together. Has me in a total panic. But this is not just me it's all military/veterans. There's a huge right up online about doing away with benzos.

Trying to keep up with the junk generics isn't helping me at all. I explained to him that I could slowly come down if you'd just order the brand that works the best for me. Tells me they will not board approve any medicine at all. As in you get what we have.

Trying not to panic anyone but I think there's a storm coming. I hope I'm wrong.

Fill me in when you have the time.

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Re: Henry (# 5)

I've been taking 115 mg of liquid methadone with 2 1/2 tablets of klonopin daily for 24 years. I was on a much larger dose of methadone and Klonopin for 12 years till I was transferred to its sister clinic then that particular doctor immediately cut my methadone in half and started weaning me off my klonopin. By the way this is a Methadone clinic so of course their rules are very strict. Within a few weeks I was shaking so bad I couldn't even hold the cup of Methadone. I am a 100% service connected disabled Veteran and I have a TBI with a severe panic anxiety disorder. I have PTSD and agoraphobia so my life is let's say difficult. The head doctor that was in charge of all the clinics associated with the one I attend was told by my councilor that I was took off my klonopin and immediately he contacted the doctor where I was going and explained my TBI was what was causing my conditions and to immediately put me back on my klonopin and that the risks combining the two medications was being monitored with blood work level checks and number one would not let me live in that condition if a medication could give me a better way of life. So I guess I'm saying all people are different and if u take your medication EXACTLY as prescribed and dont abuse it then there shouldn't be any problems. He did tell me I was the only person out of ALL THE CLINICS COMBINED that he prescribed klonopin for and that I was in his words a special case due to my head trauma. Without the Klonopin I cant function I shake so uncontrollably not to mention I stutter and my panic attacks are at their peak. I hope everyone gets the medication they need for a better way of life.

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Re: Heather (# 3)

Hi Heather I'm wondering if you might go to see a rheumatologist and get someone to recommend that you take Lyrica that way. I went to a rheumatologist about 20 years ago after I had my first knee replacement because my internist sent me to her. She recommended I start taking Lyrica for fibromyalgia, which, even as a nurse, I wasn't positive was a real diagnosis, I thought I was having muscle pain and stiffness just you to getting old :-) but she prescribed Lyrica and it's very helpful so I wonder if going to see a rheumatologist might help you?

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Re: Henry (# 5)

Well said, sir! And my 94 year old mom agrees with you, also!

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Re: Lynn53 (# 4)

I take Lyrica....helpful for stiffness, not true chronic pain. Thanks.

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Re: Heather (# 3)

It is Insanity!

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Re: Heather (# 3)

Were you ever able to find one that was willing to prescribe your lorazepam?

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