How To Come Off Of Lexotan?

Posted on Wed, 5 Nov 2014

Question: HELLO I HAVE BEEN LEXOTAN FOR 25 YEARS I was taking 3mg morning and night have reduced by half every second morning for 6 weeks felt much brighter then went onto reducing to half 3mg in the morning but my whole system became very tense I have to come off LEXOTAN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE NOW with the same result this is my 8th week on lower dose my Doctor to stick it out he may have to give something else
to help me come off it I am 71 years and had a fall earlier this year resulting in dislocating my shoulder so
he appears to get me off the lexotand

I am on Effexor l50mg plus l75mg

Answered by Dr. Ravi Soni (33 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Your doctor is doing right for your interest

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for your query.

You must be knowing that Lexotan is a brand name of benzodiazepine. Half life is around 11 to 25 hours, so it is a short acting drug. Short acting drugs have high habit forming potential and so is the case with you.

I feel that at present you are on 1.5 mg two times a day. That is good, that you have reached that. The side effects of benzodiazepines are dizziness, unsteadiness, memory problems, confusion, drowsiness are more marked in older people due to aging. So your doctor must have thought in this line to stop this drugs or to give minimum of it so it can not cause side effects like fall, that you have already experienced.

If you are experiencing the withdrawal symptoms then you must talk to your doctor if they are very distressing particularly. If they are mild then you have to bear it for your best interest.

You are taking effexor 225 mg, it must be for some sort of depression or anxiety that you are having.

If you have predominant anxiety symptoms then I would rather prefer to give a SSRI drug to you. These can be paroxetine, fluoxetine, sertraline etc.

Taking benzodiazepines for long duration is two edge sword, on increasing it causes side effects and on decreasing the dose it causes withdrawal symptoms.

If you are feeling anxiety symptoms then I would have given you xanax [which is short acting, not safe but no option] 0.25 mg.

All these issues you must discuss with your doctor. He is doing right. If you have anxiety due to withdrawal then ask him not to taper the drugs or increase the dose.

Hope I have cleared your many doubts. If you have further query feel free to ask. Wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Ravi Soni (1 hour later)

DR. XXXXXXX Son thank you for answering my question. What is the problem with
Zanax

regards XXXX

Answered by Dr. Ravi Soni (14 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Has same habit forming potential

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.

The xanax [alprazolam] is benzodiazepine drug, which is short acting compare to others and that is why It has high habit forming potential even more than bromazepam. [half life of alprazolam on average is 12 hours].

What I feel here that It may be more useful to you for relieving anxiety symptoms but you can have the same side effects with bromazepam and obviously the same habit forming potential, but you need something to deal with it.

I here suggest you to discuss about xanax with your doctor and do what he will advise.

I hope this will be helpful to you. wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Ravi Soni (5 hours later)

DR. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

AGAIN THANK YOU FOR INFORMATION. DO YOU ONLINE CONSULTANCY ONLY?

Regards XXXX

Answered by Dr. Ravi Soni (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yeah, I am giving online consultation only

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.

I am running my outdoor patient department in XXXXXXX
You can post direct query to or contact me at http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ravi-soni/67402
Wishing you good health. Best of luck.

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju