Lorazepam may cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems, drowsiness, or coma if used along with certain medications. Tell your doctor if you are taking or plan to take medications for cough or for pain. Call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical care if you experience: unusual dizziness, lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, slowed or difficult breathing, or unresponsiveness. Be sure that your caregiver or family members know which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor or emergency medical care if you are unable to do so.
Lorazepam may be habit forming. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or for a longer time than your doctor tells you to. Tell your doctor if you have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, if you use or have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness.
Do not stop taking this medication or take fewer doses without talking to your doctor. Your doctor probably will decrease your lorazepam dose gradually. Call your doctor or get emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the following symptoms: unusual movements; ringing in your ears; anxiety; memory problems; difficulty concentrating; sleep problems; seizures; shaking; muscle twitching; changes in mental health; aggression; depression; burning or prickling feeling in your hands, arms, legs or feet; seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear; thoughts of harming or killing yourself or others; overexcitement; or losing touch with reality.
You will be given the Medication Guide. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm to obtain the Medication Guide.Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking lorazepam.
Why is this medicine prescribed?
Lorazepam is used to relieve anxiety and treat insomnia. Lorazepam is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by slowing activity in the brain to allow for relaxation.
Are there other uses for this medicine?
Lorazepam is also sometimes used to treat nausea and vomiting from cancer treatment and to control agitation caused by alcohol withdrawal. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
How should this medicine be used?
Lorazepam comes as a tablet, an extended-release capsule, and concentrate (liquid) to take by mouth with or without food. The tablets and concentrate are taken with or without food two or three times a day. If lorazepam is used to treat insomnia, take at bedtime. Take the extended-release capsules with or without food once a day in the morning.
Take lorazepam exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Swallow the extended-release capsules whole; do not chew or crush them.
If you are unable to swallow the extended-release capsule, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the entire contents onto a tablespoon of applesauce. Swallow all the mixture without chewing. Then drink water to wash down the mixture and be sure that you have swallowed all of it. You may prepare the mixture in advance and store it for up to 2 hours. Do not store the medication mixture for future use.
Lorazepam concentrate comes with a specially marked dropper for measuring the dose. Ask your pharmacist to show you how to use the dropper. Mix the concentrate in water, juice, or carbonated beverages just before taking it. It also may be mixed with applesauce or pudding just before taking the dose. Stir the mixture gently for a few seconds. Take the entire mixture immediately; do not store it for future use.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking lorazepam,
- tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this drug, any part of this drug, or any other drugs, foods or substances. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- tell your doctor if you have glaucoma (a serious eye condition that may cause loss of vision). Your doctor may tell you not to take lorazepam.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had seizures, sleep apnea (condition in which a person briefly stops breathing many times during the night), lung problems or any condition such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or heart or liver disease.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking lorazepam, call your doctor.
- you should know that this medication may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
- talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medication if you are 65 years of age or older.
- talk to your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages during your treatment with lorazepam. Alcohol can make the side effects of lorazepam worse.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
What should I do if I forget to take a dose?
If you miss a dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
What should I do in case of overdose?
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help . If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
- drowsiness
- confusion
- extreme tiredness
- slowed breathing and heartbeat
- problems with coordination
- loss of consciousness
What side effects can this medicine cause?
Lorazepam may cause side effects. Call your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- drowsiness
- dizziness
- weakness
- unsteadiness
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNINGS section, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:
- rash; hives; itching; swelling of the face, eyes, or mouth; wheezing; or shortness of breath
- yellowing of skin or eyes
Lorazepam may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online ( https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch ) or by phone ( 1-800-332-1088).What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).
Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant. Always lock safety caps. Place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org Dispose of unneeded medications in a way so that pets, children, and other people cannot take them. Do not flush this medication down the toilet. Use a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist about take-back programs in your community. Visit the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for more information.What other information should I know?
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor mayorder certain lab tests to check your response to lorazepam.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.