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Lorazepam

Medication benzodiazepine mental health
Aka: Ativan
Brands seen in Singapore: Apo-Lorazepam, Lorans
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Prescribed short-term for anxiety, panic or insomnia
When to take
HealthHub: with or without food, as the doctor directs
Take with
Water · HealthHub: alcohol can cause excessive sleepiness
Pros & cons
Pros
  • HealthHub: short-term use for anxiety or panic symptoms
  • HealthHub: may be taken with or without food
  • HealthHub: most side effects improve with time
Cons
  • HealthHub: habit-forming at high doses or long use
  • Hh: drowsiness, dizziness, clumsiness, constipation
  • HealthHub: abrupt stopping can trigger withdrawal fits
Sources
  1. HSA — Listing of Registered Therapeutic Products (data.gov.sg open dataset, 5,511 rows, cached in full and filtered locally) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “All 3 registered lorazepam products carry Forensicclassification 'Prescription Only' — SIN03452P APO-LORAZEPAM TABLET 1 mg · SIN03708P APO-LORAZEPAM TABLET 0.5 mg · SIN00967P LORANS 1 TABLET 1 mg”
  2. HealthHub (National Medication Information workgroup, SG) — Lorazepam: what is this medication for · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Lorazepam belongs to a class of medications known as benzodiazepines. It can be used for short-term treatment of insomnia (difficulty sleeping), anxiety or panic symptoms such as: Feeling constantly worried and helpless; Very fast heartbeat”
  3. HealthHub — Lorazepam: how should I take this medication · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Follow the instructions on your medication label and take this medication as prescribed by your doctor. Lorazepam may be taken with or without food.”
  4. HealthHub — Lorazepam: common side effects · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Nausea or stomach discomfort … Constipation … Dizziness … Drowsiness or feeling tired … Feeling clumsy or unsteady. Most of the side effects listed here will improve with time.”
  5. HealthHub — Lorazepam: habit-forming potential · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “This medication may be habit-forming when taken excessively or for a prolonged duration (especially at high doses) … On a short-term basis (2 - 4 weeks); At the lowest effective dose; Intermittently”
  6. HealthHub — Lorazepam: stopping the medication · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “do not stop taking it abruptly as it may lead to withdrawal symptoms such as increased sweating, increased heart rate, tremors, trouble sleeping, increased agitation … and in severe cases, medical emergencies such as fits.”
  7. HealthHub — Lorazepam: what precautions should I take · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Lung, brain, kidney or liver disease; Previous drug or alcohol abuse; Glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes), seizures (fits), Myasthenia Gravis … or sleep apnea … Some of them may cause serious drug interactions”
  8. HealthHub — Lorazepam: what food or medication should I avoid · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Lorazepam as it can cause excessive sleepiness.”
  9. US FDA label for lorazepam tablets, DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, via openFDA (Preferred Pharmaceuticals, effective 2025-07-24) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The usual range is 2 to 6 mg/day given in divided doses, the largest dose being taken before bedtime, but the daily dosage may vary from 1 to 10 mg/day.”
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Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.