Lorazepam 0.5 mg: How long does it last?

Anxiety or tension due to the stress of everyday life often does not require treatment with an anxiolytic. However, sometimes you need a short treatment to improve your quality of life. There is nothing wrong with it; treating yourself with anxiety issues is good. Lorazepam is the drug you need.

Lorazepam, which comes under the brand name drugs such as Ativan among others, is a fast-acting benzodiazepine that quickly takes effect. Lorazepam is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medicine. It is on the list of World Health Organization's Essential Medicines and is a commonly prescribed drug.

What is Lorazepam 0.5 mg used for?

Lorazepam tablets are one of the prescription drugs that belong to a class of medications known as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants that slow down the nervous system. It is a generic drug and helps to treat anxiety disorders, trouble sleeping, treat seizures, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Lorazepam treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms, assisting individuals to relieve anxiety during the recovery process. Doctors prescribe lorazepam oral tablets as a short-term treatment for usually 2-4 weeks. It may also be effective as a sedative before surgery or operative dental treatment.

Lorazepam Tablets are not recommended for more than 4 weeks to treat mild-moderate anxiety or insomnia in adults.

What does Lorazepam 0.5 mg contain?

The active ingredient is Lorazepam. 0.5 mg Lorazepam oral tablets contain 0.5 mg of Lorazepam.
The other ingredients include microcrystalline cellulose, maise starch, sodium starch glycolate Type A, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, povidone, crospovidone, and pollacrillin potassium.

How long does Lorazepam 0.5 mg stay in your system?

The peak effect of Lorazepam oral tablets is seen in 2 hours and lasts around 6-8 hours. The half-life of Lorazepam tablets is 12 hours. Lorazepam may be present in the body:

Blood: Up to 3 days
Urine: Up to 6 days
Saliva: Up to 8 hours
Hair: 30 days or longer

Depending on why you are taking lorazepam oral tablets, the dosing interval may range from once a day at bedtime to 4 times a day. Your doctor may increase the amount of Lorazepam oral tablet in each dosage for optimal effectiveness. Lorazepam stays in our system for about 2.5 days.

How to take Lorazepam 0.5 mg tablet?

Lorazepam 0.5 mg is a prescription medication. Always take Lorazepam precisely as your doctor or pharmacist has prescribed. Lorazepam tablets should be swallowed with water. The recommended Lorazepam dosage is:

Adults (and children over 13 years)

Anxiety: 1-4 mg daily in divided doses. The doctor will tell you how often to take the tablets.
Sleeping Problems: 1-2mg before going to sleep. You should have time to sleep for 7-8 hours before taking the pills.
Before Surgery: 2-3 mg the night before the operation and 2-4 mg 1 or 2 hours before.

Children (between 5 and 13 years)

Before Surgery: The dose is between 0.5 and 2.5mg (depending on the child's weight) at least 1 hour before the operation.
Lorazepam is not recommended for treating anxiety or sleeping problems in children, nor is it for children below 5 years.

Elderly or patients with liver or kidney problems

Doctors recommend lower doses to older patients to treat anxiety. They may prescribe half the adult dose or less.

Lorazepam oral tablets are recommended for short courses of treatment, for four weeks, including a dose reduction. This lessens the risk of physical dependence, Lorazepam addiction, withdrawal effects or adverse effects when you stop Lorazepam treatment. In case of a missed dose of Lorazepam or other medications, take it as soon as you remember or if the time for the next dose is near, then skip the earlier dose. Do not take higher doses without your doctor's approval, as it can increase abuse risk.

How long will I take it?

How long you take Lorazepam tablet depends on why you intend to take it:

Anxiety and sleep problems – it's only recommended for up to 4 weeks. After that, the dose may be gradually reduced to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Before an operation or procedure – you will only need 2 doses.

If you're having a seizure or fit, a doctor will give you a Lorazepam injection in the hospital.

If a doctor prescribes Lorazepam for more than 4 weeks, he will guide you on how long to take it.

Lorazepam withdrawal and detox timelines

During detox, your body will experience symptoms for 2.75 days on average. It is affected by how long Lorazepam addiction lasted, months versus years, how much of the drug was consumed and the severity of physical dependence. The elimination half-life averaged 15.7 hours to 3.59 days. In comparison, other benzodiazepines, like Valium (diazepam), may take up to 30 days to be eliminated from the body.

What you must know before taking Lorazepam 0.5 mg tablet

Do not take Lorazepam 0.5mg tablet:

if you are allergic to it or any other ingredients of this drug
if you have severe breathing issues or chest problems
if you have acute narrow-angle glaucoma
if you have myasthenia gravis, having very weak or tired muscles
if you have severe liver problems
if you have kidney disease
if you suffer from sleep apnea, have breathing problems when asleep
if pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding

How to stop taking Lorazepam tablets?

After you finish your prescribed medication, the doctor will decide if you require further treatment of the prescription drug. The Lorazepam dose is reduced gradually before stopping the drug. This allows the body to get used to being without the tablets and avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them. The doctor will guide you on how to do this.

On stopping lorazepam oral tablets, you might experience symptoms like anxiety, headaches, muscle pain, muscle weakness, mental confusion, tension, depression, restlessness, sweating, confusion or irritability. Your original sleeplessness may also return. Ask your doctor for advice if you suffer from any of these symptoms.

Do not stop taking your tablets suddenly. This will lead to more severe symptoms like feeling unreal, loss of the sense of reality, severe allergic reaction or inability to feel emotion.

Conclusion

Understanding the duration of Lorazepam oral tablets and their effects is vital to an individual prescribed with the drug. The duration can vary according to different factors, including the individual's age, health and metabolism. The drug is intended for short-term or as-needed use for anxiety symptoms. However, the body quickly develops a dependence on it, so only follow the prescribed dose.