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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can I Safely Cut My Lorazepam In Half To Use As An Emergency Medication For My Epilepsy?

Hi. My Neuro prescribed me 20mg of Lorazepam to help with my epilepsy. I also have a Vagus Nerve Stimulator Implant that controls a vast majority of them. I typically have 1 a year. The magnet I swipe across my VNS device almost always pushes the aura I m having a way. I save these as an emergency med on a particularly bad (rare) seizures. Or if I m having one of my off feeling days. That s normal for epileptics to have. We won t always have seizures on these off feeling days. So an emergency med is a good way to nip the seizure in the bud before it even occurs. My question for you is this. I m a first year teacher in kindergarten this year. Can I cut these 20mg Ativans in half to take if I need the in the classroom? I feel like the full pill would make me sleepy. Although I ll take sleepy over it continuing on into a seizure because I only took half a pill. Does that makes sense? I m 31f. Epilepsy aside I m a healthy person.
Thu, 3 Apr 2025
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hi,

Usually the drugs and dosage in case of epilepsy is to be taken strictly under guidance of your doctor. Hence, it will be better to discuss the things with your doctor, who may guide you properly taking in to consideration benefits vs risks. Just to reduce the dose to half on your own is not recommended in this case.

Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician
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Can I Safely Cut My Lorazepam In Half To Use As An Emergency Medication For My Epilepsy?

Hi, Usually the drugs and dosage in case of epilepsy is to be taken strictly under guidance of your doctor. Hence, it will be better to discuss the things with your doctor, who may guide you properly taking in to consideration benefits vs risks. Just to reduce the dose to half on your own is not recommended in this case. Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician