Does Lorazepam Cause Weight Gain
Psychologists have defined several types of anxiety disorders. It is imperative to diagnose the type of the disease first before starting any specific goal-oriented treatment. But one medication can be started right from the beginning as it has mild sedative and tranquilizer property.
The classification of lorazepam comes under a group of drugs named as benzodiazepines. Apart from its tranquilizing property, it has got some side effects also. These are dizziness, clumsiness, lightheadedness and slurring of speech. Atypical side effects of lorazepam include abdominal cramp, alteration in libido, blurred vision, diarrhea or constipation, generalized weakness, headache, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps and difficulty in urination.
As sometimes the side effects can be extraordinarily surfaced, patients taking lorazepam are advised to refrain themselves from driving, operation of heavy mechanical equipments and any dangerous activity that may cause harm to his fellow workers. Abstinence from alcohol when a patient is taking lorazepam is mandatory as jointly they can bring out seizures. While examined by your doctor, you should disclose about the medicines which you are taking.
All these points will be told by your doctor when he prescribes lorazepam. But what is not regularly explained that you may put on some weight after constantly using this medicine. This is because lorazepam increases appetite and as we eat more than our body demand, eventually we put on those little extra pounds.
Lorazepam is not the sole medicine to be cursed for weight gain. Drugs related to lorazepam for the treatment of anxiety disorders can bring about the same effect. This group of medicines is classified as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. Some of the SSRIs are Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft, Paxil and Seroril.
Stop taking the drug is the only way to control weight gain. This is not as simple as the medicine has a typical tendency for habit formation. It is so much so that some of the person who are no longer in need of the medicine, continue taking it. Some of the persons who experience insomnia, nervousness and irritability may even increase the dose thinking that it may make them feel better. The best dose of Lorazepam is 0.5 to 2.0 mg tablet and it should be taken two to four times daily.
The side effect of long term use of Lorazepam include increased sensitivity to pain and touch, irritability, prickly sensation, increase sense of hearing, disorientation of time and space, muscle cramps, excessive sweating, pounding heart, vomiting and increased susceptibility to light.
As Lorazepam is habit forming, doctors prescribe this medicine for a short period of time to get rid of the symptoms quickly. As the symptoms are reduced, the medicine is gradually tapered and finally withdrawn. Only in the case of severe anxiety disorder, the medicine has to be continued for long.
Again, the dose may be reduced by the doctor if the patient is stunned by the side effects.
Earlier, people having anxiety disorder were used to take lorazepam to lose some weight. But after careful study, it was found that Lorazepam actually increases the weight. As the treatment phase with lorazepam ends, patients can shed those extra pounds with balanced diet and regular exercises.
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March 11th, 2010 at 8:19 am
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