How Long Does Ativan (Lorazepam) Stay in Your System?

Often, someone who is taking the prescription drug Ativan (Lorazepam), may wonder how long Ativan will stay in your system. A common question that we get at AToN Center is, “How Long Does Ativan Last?” The type of Ativan (Lorazepam) that you are taking, for how long and how you are taking it, will all affect the length of time that Ativan stays in your system. Different types of tests do result in different lengths of time that Ativan stays in the body.

At AToN Center in San Diego, CA, US, we treat patients who have been taking Ativan and treat them for addiction. If you have questions on how long Ativan lasts, are having adverse symptoms or need addiction information help with managing your Ativan (Lorazepam) use, contact us for more information on our addiction treatment services.

What is Ativan (Lorazepam)?

What is Ativan used for? Ativan or Lorazepam, which is the generic version of Ativan, is a medical prescription benzodiazepine substance that is used to treat anxiety, anxiety from depression and panic disorders. Someone may also take Ativan to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), insomnia, epilepsy or vomiting/nausea from medical treatments for cancer.

Why do People Take the Drug?

Ativan (Lorazepam) is a prescribed and approved drug for short-term treatment. It is not intended to be used long-term and if it is taken in that way, it might indicate that you need to discontinue using the drug. The main reason for taking Ativan (Lorazepam) is to treat medically diagnosed disorders such as anxiety, panic disorders or anxiety from depression. Ativan may not be detected by a typical drug test, but there are some medically reviewed tests that can detect it in the body.

Symptoms of Lorazepam Use

Common symptoms and side effects of Ativan (Lorazepam) include:

• Drowsiness
• Skin rash
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Tiredness
• Sleep problems (insomnia)
• Muscle weakness
• Changes in appetite
• Vomiting
• Difficulty concentrating
• Constipation
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Forgetfulness or amnesia
• Nausea

Ativan Vs. Xanax

Ativan and Xanax are very similar in the fact that they are both used to treat anxiety, anxiety from depression and panic disorders. The main difference between the two is that Ativan does not stay in the system as long as Xanax.

Ativan leaves a person’s system more quickly, reducing the chance of toxicity or side effects, while Xanax will stay in the system a long time. The difference is that Ativan has fewer withdrawal symptoms, as well as less potential for abuse. Xanax is also involved in more overdoses.

Ativan and Adderall

Certain drugs should not be taken back to back or together due to the negative impacts of the interaction. Adderall and Ativan are prescription medications that are prescribed for opposing purposes. Ativan drug slows the central nervous system response to stress and uncomfortable situations so that a person will have less anxiety. Adderall is used to speed up your central nervous system and treats disorders such as ADD and ADHD.

Mixing Adderall and Ativan is dangerous because it increases the risk of an overdose. Other health problems can be caused by this combination, too. It’s important to be aware of these interactions and consult your physician or MD for more information.

How Long Does Ativan Stay in Your System?

You’re probably wondering, how long does Lorazepam stay in your system or what are the side effects of Ativan: How Does It Feel? The length of time that Ativan will stay in your system is determined by the specific variables and circumstances for which you have taken the substance. For the majority of people who take Ativan, it will stay in your system for about five days long after their last dose.

Factors that Affect the Length of Time it Remains in the Body and Your System

There are many factors that will determine how long Ativan will stay in your body. These factors for the length of time it will stay in your system include:

• Amount taken: The larger the dose, the longer it may take to exit the body. This is because it will take longer for the liver to clear.
• Age: Older people generally clear Ativan about 20% slower than younger people.
• Method of administration: Ativan is usually swallowed as a tablet or liquid, but it can also be injected. Although the drug has similar effects whether it is taken by mouth or via injection, a person’s body may clear the drug differently.
• Frequency of use: The more often someone uses Ativan, the longer it may take for their body to clear the drug.

The Half-Life of Ativan

The half-life of a medication will indicate how long it will take to remove half of one dose from your system. The half-life of Ativan is about 12 hours, and because it takes five half-lives for a drug to be removed from your body, that means it will take about 60 hours (5 days) for it to leave your system.

How Long Does it Stay in Urine

Depending on the size of the dose of the Ativan (Lorazepam) drug, it will remain in your urine for up to six weeks with a test. Urine tests do detect Ativan from one to six weeks and it takes between five and six half-lives from Ativan to be metabolized from your system.

It’s important to understand that a typical drug test will see Ativan in your urine as it can be accessed through your screening. The drug is metabolized primarily by the liver and then eliminated from the body by the kidneys through urine. Urine screening tests can detect Ativan in samples up to six days after the last use. Typically, a urine test will detect Ativan for much longer, but it depends on the person. Ativan is eliminated in the urine for one to six weeks, depending on how much is administered and for how long.

False Positive Tests

Some medications may result in false positive urine tests for Ativan. The antidepressant medication Zoloft (sertraline) and prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Daypro (oxaprozin) reportedly can cause a false-positive urine test for benzodiazepines like Ativan.

Can you Overdose on Ativan?

It is possible to overdose from Ativan if it is taken in combination with other substances such as alcohol or opiate medications such as oxycontin or vicodin. If you are worried or believe that someone has overdosed on Ativan, call 911 immediately. An overdose can be life-threatening if it is not treated by a physician or MD right away. The signs of an Ativan overdose include

• Unusual dizziness
• Unresponsiveness
• Slowed or difficulty breathing
• Extreme sleepiness
• Light-headedness

Detox from Ativan

If addiction occurs from drug or alcohol use, and treatment is necessary, the first step is usually to detox. When you detox from any drug or alcohol abuse, it’s important to understand that there may be withdrawals that last for many hours, which can be quite unpleasant on your body. It may even be necessary to be medically reviewed by a doctor or MD to ensure you are being safe during the detox process.

Certain drugs like meth, can cause serious withdrawal symptoms to occur when you detox. It can also be more common to overdose on particular drugs, such as meth. During an Ativan drug detox, it is generally considered safe and it can be done on an outpatient basis. There are currently no medications that can be used to treat an Ativan detox, and the process is usually done by gradually tapering the dose that you are taking, allowing your system to adjust slowly.

Ativan Addiction

The prescription drug and alcohol addiction problem in the US is getting progressively worse with more and more medically reviewed prescriptions by a physician or MD being given out. With this increase, there is much abuse and addiction in the US as a result, leaving people with the need to go to treatment for a drug or alcohol problem. It’s important to ensure that addiction treatment centers can be accessed by those suffering from these addictions.

Like any drug or alcohol, taking Ativan can result in misuse and potentially Ativan addiction if it is not treated properly. If you do have a problem with Ativan, there is help available at an addiction treatment and recovery center at AToN Center. Visit our page for more addiction information and contact us if you need any additional help.

Getting Help at AToN Center

AToN Center is a premier drug and alcohol treatment center and rehab that focuses on treating abuse with a drug or alcohol. We treat substance abuse, including drug or alcohol in the form of many treatments such as detox, residential treatment and other rehab and recovery services in San Diego, CA, US. Our goal during treatment for addiction, is to help you get your life back, and remain clean and sober from drugs or alcohol.

We take treatment for addiction very seriously at our facility, and we understand how difficult it can be to ask for help for your substance problem. Our facility is like its own “recovery village” and we treat our clients like family. Each “recovery village” is medically reviewed by a physician or MD upon admission to our addiction treatment rehab and our doctoral level, licensed and certified addiction specialists are fit to treat any type of addiction. Once you are reviewed by our addiction staff, they can determine the best treatment possible for your substance abuse problem.

Our staff to client ratio is extremely low, and we are available during all hours to care for you during your treatment. If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms related to addiction, please do contact us at AToN Center for more Ativan addiction information on our rehab.

How Long Does Treatment Last?

You may be wondering how long does treatment last? That all depends on individual needs of our clients and what their treatment plan says. It could be anywhere from 30-90 days depending on the circumstances. The best option is to get medically reviewed by a physician or MD to determine the right treatment protocol.

Contact us to begin the process of being medically reviewed by us. A physician or MD will be able to determine what type of treatment is best for you. We can provide information on insurance eligibility, hours of operation and treatment methods. There is hope, you can get back on track and we are here to help you every step of the way.