Larazapam

goldie79

Registered User
Mar 12, 2015
11
0
Somerset
My doctor prescribed a small dose (half of a 1mg tablet up to twice a day) for my husband about a month ago. I understood this was only to be used when necessary to deal with his distress and agitation when I had to lock doors so that he wouldn't wander off. Unfortunately, although he did calm down when he first took it, it now seems to energise him, and he paces around and talks to invisible people for hours - into the early morning on occasions. I did mention that he wasn't sleeping well, and was told that he could have the second half of the tablet in the evening, which hasn't helped. Also, I don't really want to get him addicted to tranquilizers.

This morning, following two quieter days when I didn't have to give him any Lorazapam he was very agitated, and I gave him a half tablet about 8am, which has really knocked him out. I feel I am not using this drug properly - is there anyone out there with experience of this drug and its use? Could really use some advice.
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
Can tell you my experiences when my mum was first prescribed Lorazepam. firstly, had a bad night with my mum so today feeling very tired, hope what I type makes sense! Early last year my mum was just not sleeping at night, anxiety and sundowning I guess. At my wits end I talked to gp. Zopiclone was prescribed to help mum sleep and half mg Lorazepam for anxiety. The Zopiclone helped at first, but after a short time this started to effect her moods and she started to do very strange things so stopped taking it and only Lorazepam was being taken at night to aid sleep and keep anxiety levels low. After a few weeks I would find her up doing strange things again through the night and the next day and it seemed to increase her anxiety, next day always unsteady plus a lot of bladder activity. It seemed to be having the opposite effect on her. The instructions that came with this drug from consultant and gp was only use up to 2mg a week, 1 mg would be best and try to give it at the beginning/first sign of anxiety.

Bad times returned around December last year and nothing was helping including Mirtazipine anti depressants, so March this year all meds changed, mum now taking Fluoxetine anti depressant and now for evening anxiety 1-2 mg Diazepam per week both working well.

Conclusion, our experience of Lorazepam not great and I hated to see mum so confused, anxious and very very unsteady after taking it, but as an S O S it worked for a very short time.
 

goldie79

Registered User
Mar 12, 2015
11
0
Somerset
Can tell you my experiences when my mum was first prescribed Lorazepam. firstly, had a bad night with my mum so today feeling very tired, hope what I type makes sense! Early last year my mum was just not sleeping at night, anxiety and sundowning I guess. At my wits end I talked to gp. Zopiclone was prescribed to help mum sleep and half mg Lorazepam for anxiety. The Zopiclone helped at first, but after a short time this started to effect her moods and she started to do very strange things so stopped taking it and only Lorazepam was being taken at night to aid sleep and keep anxiety levels low. After a few weeks I would find her up doing strange things again through the night and the next day and it seemed to increase her anxiety, next day always unsteady plus a lot of bladder activity. It seemed to be having the opposite effect on her. The instructions that came with this drug from consultant and gp was only use up to 2mg a week, 1 mg would be best and try to give it at the beginning/first sign of anxiety.

Bad times returned around December last year and nothing was helping including Mirtazipine anti depressants, so March this year all meds changed, mum now taking Fluoxetine anti depressant and now for evening anxiety 1-2 mg Diazepam per week both working well.

Conclusion, our experience of Lorazepam not great and I hated to see mum so confused, anxious and very very unsteady after taking it, but as an S O S it worked for a very short time.

Thanks, Tin
We are waiting for assessments on myself and my husband, so I am hoping that his medication will be looked at again. But it's a long wait, and I am never sure I am doing the right things for him.
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
I know how you feel when making decisions or trying to do the right thing. I seem to doubt everything because I don't have the knowledge or because I have read too much about dementia, medication etc. And last night was probably bad for us because I realised too late that mum probably just wanted to go to the toilet and not use the commode in her bedroom for a bowel movement.