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[CLKD]

Wikipedia:

Lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan among others, is a benzodiazepine medication.[2]

It is used to treat anxiety disorders, trouble sleeping, active seizures including status epilepticus, alcohol withdrawal, and chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, as well as for surgery to interfere with memory formation and to sedate those who are being mechanically ventilated.[2][6] While it can be used for severe agitation, midazolam is usually preferred.[2] It is also used, along with other treatments, for acute coronary syndrome due to cocaine use.[2]

It can be given by mouth or as an injection into a muscle or vein.[2] When given by injection onset of effects is between one and thirty minutes and effects last for up to a day.[2]

Common side effects include weakness, sleepiness, low blood pressure, and a decreased effort to breathe.[2] When given intravenously the person should be closely monitored.[2] Among those who are depressed there may be an increased risk of suicide.[2][7] With long-term use larger doses may be required for the same effect.[2]

Physical dependence and psychological dependence may also occur.[2] If stopped suddenly after long-term use, benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome may occur.[2] Older people more often develop adverse effects.[8] In this age group lorazepam is associated with falls and hip fractures.[9] Due to these concerns, lorazepam use is generally only recommended for up to two to four weeks.[10]

Lorazepam was initially patented in 1963 and went on sale in the United States in 1977.[11] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system.[12] It is available as a generic medication.[2] The wholesale cost in the developing world of a typical dose by mouth is between US$0.02 and US$0.16 as of 2014.[13] In the United States as of 2015 a typical month supply is less than US$25.[14] In the United States in 2011, 28 million prescriptions for lorazepam were filled making it the second most prescribed benzodiazepine after alprazolam.[15]

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EDIT BY ADMIN
This topic has been reported several times. Members are concerned about the addictive properties. A quote from the drugabuse.com website:

"Even when taken as prescribed, lorazepam can be abused. Users can quickly develop tolerance and dependence, and soon find themselves struggling with an addiction."

[CLKD]

No one needs to take my advice without consulting a health professional. 

It is totally up to the individual to be made aware of the risks: which is what we have done racjen: people can then go to their GP to discuss.  As Abba Fan and others have found by the threads on here, GPs sometimes reach for the prescription pad without really listening to how their symptoms are impacting, therefore not considering that the lady may require treatment for menopause. 

According to what I've read this morning: it stays in the body effectively 10-20 hours.  Because I know that it works for me within 20-45 mins. and knocks the anxiety out completely, I don't have to worry about it not helping.  This is also by experience and trusting my GP who explained how it works. 

Why would anyone have a seizure Abba Fan.  The drug doesn't stay in the body for very long which is why people feel that they need to take more of them.

"
Trade names   Ativan, Tavor, Temesta, others [1]

Routes of
administration   By mouth, intramuscular, intravenous, under the tongue, and transdermal
   
AU: S4 (Prescription only)
CA: Schedule IV
DE: Prescription only (Anlage III for higher doses)
UK: Controlled Drug (Benz) POM
US: Schedule IV

Pharmacokinetic data

Bioavailability   85% when taken by mouth

Metabolism   Liver glucuronidation

Onset of action   1–5 min (IV), 15–30 min (IM)[2]

Biological half-life   10–20 hours[3][4][5]

Duration of action   12–24 hours[2]

Excretion   Kidney

[CLKD]

I kind of remembered in the back of my mind that it can be used for those with seizures:

"It is used to treat anxiety disorders, trouble sleeping, active seizures including status epilepticus ........... "

Sadly my brain doesn't hold information particularly well so I have to keep reminding myself, looking at different reports as I go along. 

[Snoooze]

I would not take this drug after hearing about so many people becoming addicted to it.

https://drugabuse.com/library/lorazepam-abuse/

[racjen]

I don't really understand why you're giving us all this technical information - it's irrelevant. I have been dependant on lorazepam in the past and getting off it was pretty grim - you have to first switch yourself over to diazepam, which is slightly easier to withdraw from, and then go through the long slow painful process of withdrawal from that.

Gps do prescribe benzos too easily, but all the more reason then for you not to be advocating them on here for women who may not have the formidable self-control you clearly have. The problem with these drugs is that constant anxiety is so debilitating that if someone offers you something that really does work, you take it. And then you find that you have to keep upping the dose to get the same effect, but you can't resist because you can't bear to go back to the old anxiety, and before you know it you're addicted.

[CLKD]

Sorry if that's how you feel racjen.  GPs and the public on the whole are far more aware of the medications that may cause addiction.  My Dad was prescribed it as 'ativan', which is still used as a pre-med in Hospitals, but sadly he fell foul of it being prescribed for too long ....... that was in the 1970s/80s.  I have his letters somewhere from that time  so I am fully aware of the possibility.

Nothing that I post on any Forum is irrelevant by the way.  Anyone can read, decide, speak with a medical professional, being aware that there may be an addictive side-effect.  I said on 12 July 1991 to a friend who was supporting me during a panic attack that I would take heroin had I thought it would save the attacks  , knowing that a) I have an addictive personality and b) that those types of drugs come with their own problems.  He was able to talk me down .........

When I was withdrawing the physical feelings made me fear that I would have to go back on that particular AD.  But when I realised that, after 48 hours the feelings didn't become worse, though it took 3-5 days B4 I dared drop the dose any further, I was able to follow through the guidance of gradual withdrawal.  Which took 9 weeks.  Because most drugs do not stay in the body for very long, I do remember feeling scared that untying I took: which included food: would make me feel worse ......... and what would I do if they didn't work    .  I never want to feel that ill again.

[CLKD]

Also - 'abuse' means what in the context of the link?  Why aren't medical professionals guiding their patients, my GP saw me every 5 days whilst I was trying Valium - initially 5mg x 3 times a day until it was clear that I wasn't going to throw myself off a roof, then 1 a day for a week then 'as necessary'.  Maybe I've been lucky? but that and later Lorazepam, has worked for me.  I have never felt the need to take more than prescribed as both medications have knocked the anxiety out at once. 

I also feel, as a meander, that if in general mental health services were more available GPs could pass patients to those departments for support.  As another meander, the MIND charity helped enormously when I contacted our local Branch following my friend's sudden death when he decided he couldn't face Life any more  . I never realised how his decision would impact on my mental health.  I was scared ........

[Abba Fan]

Withdrawing from AD's is completely different from withdrawing from benzos. I'm so angry I endured what I did with benzos, 2 years on and my brain still gets zaps from this devil drug.

[CLKD]

Those brain zaps are awful.  Enough for me to go 'ouch' then it's gone so difficult to explain.  I get your point about the difference. 

[Emma]

This topic has been reported several times. Members are concerned about the addictive properties. A quote from the drugabuse.com website:

"Even when taken as prescribed, lorazepam can be abused. Users can quickly develop tolerance and dependence, and soon find themselves struggling with an addiction."