Is Mylan Lorazepam Discontinued? (Page 10) (Top voted first)

My pharmacy told me that they can't buy mylan any more and they do not know if it is discontinued or not. Since Qualitest lorazepam was discontinued, Mylan is the only lorazepam that works (less effective than Qualitest) but works with less side effects than others (Watson, leading pharma, actavis: don't work causing serious side effects). Any alternatives, or another generic lorazepam that works ok? Lorazepam is the only sedative that works for me for anxiety and stiffness due to side effects of levothyroxine. Other medicine such as clonazepam, alprazolam (xanax), cymbalta, zoloft, lexapro, etc do not work.

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Re: Richard (# 165)

I've read so many articles about what pharmaceutical companies are allowed to put in with the active ingredient.That the FDA has strict rules that these companies have to meet their guidelines. We all know this. Well most of us do.

Question is do they have FDA staff on each companies payroll watching each batch made. One would like to think so. Or do they visit each facility frequently. I don't have the answer to this. One can speculate a lot of things.

All I know is I'm never taken this Leading brand ever again. Was able to get a fill of Watson/Actavis about 2 hours ago. Just trying to flush the Leading out as best I can till I take it.

I think I read others say they've had their spouse or friend dilute a pill in a small dixie cup and take it. (I've done this without knowledge which one it was to see if I was just imagining the side effects) Each time I was given either Watson or brand when I could get it always had the same results. Watson started showing it's signs. So there's no way were imagining this. That was many years ago when Wyeth was making it and one could afford the cost.

I realize the power of the brain and what it can conjure up but this test was flawless for me.

Thanks for the reply back. Btw what brand are you currently on at the moment if you don't mind me asking and how's it working for you?

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Re: Richard (# 166)

Oh yeah, I know they're terribly corrupt. They've had to change their name just to avoid the bad publicity they had for buying drugs and then jacking up the prices like crazy, which still seems to be their MO.

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Re: Shelby (# 6)

Exactly. A number of smaller pharmaceutical companies (all using Pennsylvania addresses but manufactured in India) have been bought up by SUN pharma. I believe Mylan is one of many. Type SUN pharmaceuticals - accused of and also add FDA in your search. You will find out things that we all should know about the hanky-panky going on.

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Re: Becca333 (# 174)

Pretty sure we all know that Mylan no longer is being made. If you want better results try brand name Ativan. Thats if your insurance company will cover it. That or try Bausch health's patient assistance program.

Only hitch with going through their program is be prepared to not get your meds on time.

Their operators don't know what their left hand is doing less then the right.

They give you a date that you can refill your prescription and 9 chances out of 10 it will never get fill on time or sent out to you on time.

If you call them up about this they'll say they are looking into it and will return your call later in the day or the next. Never happens.

Countless times my doc had to write a 10 day supply to cover me till Bausch health or their pharmacy they contracted to fill their scripts could figure out what was wrong.

The pharmacy they use to mail your prescription out thinks they have a doctor's degree and will question everything your doctor is doing.

My new doctor will not write any more scripts outside of his clinic. This was due to a power hungry pharmacist and tech questioning why I had prescriptions written with a outside pharmacy. (Read above comment and next paragraph)

One of the answers was they ran out of .5 mg and 1mg as well as they only get so much a year to use for their patient system program. (Then they'll accuse you of having multiple scripts written that they were the reason why my doc had to cover me)

I've got every prescription receipts and days I received them. Along with receipts from the postal service on the days my medication got delivered.

If none of you guys know that in the past 4 years if one is on a benzodiazepine you will be put on your states prescription monitoring program.

Another fact that I've spoken about on here. Many doctors, hospitals, mental health clinics as well as the veterans administration are taken folks off benzodiazepines.The reason behind this is they say it cause dementia and other health issues.

Richard you and I have talked about this subject a few times. Trust me when I say this I do hope you'll never havr a doctor retire or the pharmacy you go to decide you're too old to be on what you're on. They will either start cutting you down or take it away soon.

Never in a million years did I think that being on a drug that for the first 25 years taken was told you'll be on it for life. To now going through this roller coaster of dangling a carrot in front of your face.

Hope y'all are weathering through this covid-19 pandemic well and safe. I hope that none of you are going through what I am.

Becca by any chance do you work in the medical field? You seem to pop up around the time many of us are struggling. Just a gut feeling you do.

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Re: Richard (# 176)

I just know one thing the VA is getting away with taken Veterans off from them at any cost. My new psych says when I hit 65 the taper will start. I told him so what do I take after 'you try' and take me off?

There was a long pause before the reply. Well SSRI's, SNRI's or other antidepressants that are supposed to help panic disorders.

I said have you taken the time to read my medical jacket yet? Huge pause this time. Well there's cognitive behavioral therapy. Again doc have you read my file? Well we'll figure that out when we get there.

I questioned why he hasn't requested a board approval to get brand name Ativan for me. As I have failed on all the generics but for Mylan and Sandoz. Watson helps but isn't as good. Also failed on everything class of antidepressants along with mood stabilizers.

He said he'd check but that was 7 weeks ago. Now my new fill coming is Leading. "Back to the hell again"

Not sure if any of you have notice that each time were switched back and forth that one ends up in a spiral of withdrawals. This has been going on with me for about 2 1/2 years now since Mylan discontinued making their brand.

I'm all for trying something I haven't already taken. But there's nothing new.

Richard what you said about contacting a lawyer was he/she willing to have your back on this issue if it comes to it? Will he/she find you a doc that will fill your script if it comes to it? Also is this a medical malpractice lawyer or just a family practice attorney.

Please don't read the above that I'm being snarky. But lawyers talk a lot hype till they got to do what they say verbally to their clients.

As I said in my last I was doing fine until Mylan discontinue their product. I qualified for the Bausch health patient assistance program. But every single month I never knew whether I'd get my meds on time. There were times I just broke down from them playing the head games.

I've got a few things I'm working on and I'm in hopes I can reach someone that's seeing this shortage of lorazepam and stigmatizing patients that have been on them for years.

I believe Mylan stopped making their lorazepam because they weren't able to keep up with the competition. Also there was word they no longer wanted to make a class 4 drug that I'm sure they were concerned about legal suits. The second is just word of mouth from folks I've talked to about this issue. Can't say it's true.

Only other avenue for me is to pick up a private insurance and find a doctor that's willing to fill my script. The old school docs are retiring and lots of us will get left in the dust.

Something I forgot the VA isn't the only clinics not wanting to prescribed benzodiazepine. Where I'm at all the mental health clinics are refusing to write scripts for them.

I have family here that's dealing with the same dilemma I am. Even the pharmacies are bulking at wanting to fill scripts.

If you're abusing them i can understand their concerns. But if you're taken it as prescribed it's really difficult to understand. Plus many docs and pharmacist will go to the mat with you that all generics work the same. Wished that was so.

I believe that I've said how I've taken mine with it diluted in water and within 35 minutes or so I knew which one took. (My spouse did the diluting so I had no idea which was given to me)

Thanks for the reply back Richard. Fill us in how you're coming along with your journey.

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Re: Jibbs55 (# 175)

Sorry it took me so long to reply. I am in school for
my Bachelors for clinical/counseling psychology specialization. I just changed my major from social work. I was minoring psychology and enjoyed those courses so much more I decided to major in it.

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Re: Becca333 (# 178)

Hi, don't know why but I just had a feeling you worked either in health or pharmaceutical.

By any chance would you be able to give us your feedback on what is being taught about benzodiazepines.

Also have you ran into any problems having a script written for you under the current circumstances with benzodiazepines.

I would be grateful to hear your take on what works for you and whether you also have run up against doctor's wanting to take patients off. Thanks

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Has anyone heard of Lorazepam shortages in your area? Concerned with spike in Covid there maybe problems. Just want to be prepared. I take 3 mg a day (Actavis)...
In New Jersey
Thanks

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Re: Leebs (# 180)

Teva has a shortage situation presently:

https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages/current-shortages/Drug-Shortage-Detail.aspx?id=480

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For those of you who are taking lorazepam from teva and were waiting for the other shoe to drop, it's happened. Have been on lorazepam for over 20 years, only problems have been when actavis to sold to some gutless company who puts shareholders over people. About ten years ago sandoz bought actavis lorazepam, they immediately watered down the product to the point it was useless. My understanding was they changed the medication but in time had to change it again because word got to enough people that they would not buy their garbage, then last year they shut down for a period of time and now i heard they have come up with another version of the product, i will not touch anything that has the sandoz name on it.

Not to long ago teva bought out the watson/actavis version of lorazepam, the product barely did the job but the others were worthless. I moved to nevada recently and got a new prescription and sure enough pure garbage. We have to go back to the fda. I realize they are as worthless as many of the lorazepam on the market but i believe we will be able to sue the government as well as big pharma for looking the other way when it comes to putting garbage onto the market and doing nothing about it, please take the time to report your findings

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Re: Richard (# 182)

Thanks Richard from a fellow Jersyan. Let me know if you hear anything and I’ll do the same. Love to compare notes... read some of your other posts. Very knowledgeable.

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Re: Henry (# 181)

They have no shortage of garbage, I just got some.

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Is Mylan the most effective generic? I used to take 0.5 mg of brand Ativan for years until it became cost prohibitive. The generics do not appear to be effective even through I’m taking 2 mg to try to get the same effect as the 0.5 mg of Ativan.

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Re: Lola (# 186)

It was, but was discontinued three years ago. You may want to talk to your doctor about switching to Xanax (alprazolam generic) or Klonopin (clonazepam) as those generics seem to be better.

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Re: Richard (# 159)

I noticed the Bausch brand name Ativan is now made in Canada. Looks like the old manufacturing site by Meda shut down.

It doesn't say who manufactures it for Bausch now. I don't think Bausch does their own manufacturing. They have a 72% margin I just read from their financial report. No wonder when they sell drugs many decades old for thousands of dollars.

Have you heard anything about who manufactures it for them now?

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Re: Marcus (# 192)

I meant to say Qualitest instead of Vintage. I think they were the same thing.

And actually I did well on the original Watson, back when it was made in California. Watson got bought so many times over I can't remember what happened to it. I know there are still some pills that have the Watson imprint, but it's not the same thing.

Can you imagine any other industry doing this? This is just a stock market game, like they're selling pork belly commodities or something.

We're the ones who feel it because these are neurologic agents. It probably exists across all pharmaceuticals but would be less noticeable for a lot of other issues.

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Out of curiosity, has anyone else on the brand name (Bausch/Valeant) noticed that the tablets sometimes almost instantly melt? I noticed this both when they were made in Germany and now also with the Canadian made.

I have oropharyngeal dysphagia, and you would think fast dissolving would be easier to swallow, but it's actually not. And it makes me wonder if I'm getting it all down.

I had batches where they stayed hard no matter how long I left them in my mouth and the ones like now where it's melting as soon as it hits my tongue before I can get water, and I swallow a slurry. (I swallow a slurry in a hurry.)

To be clear, these are not sublingual. There are no sublingual forms available in the US. It just seems to be a variation. I was actually looking at getting gel caps to put them in because with my dysphagia I get smaller particles stuck on my upper esophagus and have to clear my throat constantly. Harder normal tablets I do fine with.

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I was just thinking, as I was trying to very quickly swallow my $33 Ativan tablet before it melted on me to make sure it got down, that there has got to be some way to incentivize one generic manufacturer to make a decent lorazepam product.

So, I thought why not go to mylan.com and just write a nice note. I know it probably won't help, but why not? It's the middle of the night, and I can't sleep, so why not?

Well I went to Mylan.com and found out Mylan no longer exists and is part of some space-age sounding monstrosity called Viatris.

What is it with pharmaceutical companies constantly buying each other?

Here's what they say:

"Mylan is now part of Viatris, a new global healthcare company committed to empowering people to live healthier at every stage of life. We encourage you to learn more about our commitment to increasing access to quality medicines for patients when and where they need them."

I'm sure.

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Re: Marcus (# 195)

My Dr wrote for name brand and the price was outrageous. Even with an approved pre authorization the co pay was still over a $1000. Are they really that much better?

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Re: Richard (# 194)

Where in NJ are you able to find Actavis? They’ve been out at Rite Aid for a few months...

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