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Suggest An Alternative For Alprazolam
My insurance company is wanting me to switch my anxiety medication from Alprazlopam to one Of the following; clonazepam or diazepam or lorazepam because Alprazlopam is no longer in In my formulary. Which of the insurance co. recommendations would provide me with the closest remedy For anxiety as Alprazlopam??
Mon, 12 Nov 2018
HI,
The closest option would be lorazepam. The half-life of a medication is the time it takes for the body to decrease of medication in the system to half.
It takes 3 to 5 half-lives for a medication to be completely eliminated.
Alprazolam has a half-life averaging 11 hours (varies from one person to the next).
Lorazepam has a half-life of about 12 hours. Diazepam -20 to 70 hours. Clonazepam - 30 to 40 hours.
It is important to remember that these meds, including the Alprazolam, are not used as first-line for anxiety anymore. They are addictive and dependence forming.
The SSRI such as Zoloft or Paxil or Cymbalta etc is first-line meds.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
The closest option would be lorazepam. The half-life of a medication is the time it takes for the body to decrease of medication in the system to half.
It takes 3 to 5 half-lives for a medication to be completely eliminated.
Alprazolam has a half-life averaging 11 hours (varies from one person to the next).
Lorazepam has a half-life of about 12 hours. Diazepam -20 to 70 hours. Clonazepam - 30 to 40 hours.
It is important to remember that these meds, including the Alprazolam, are not used as first-line for anxiety anymore. They are addictive and dependence forming.
The SSRI such as Zoloft or Paxil or Cymbalta etc is first-line meds.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
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