Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

[OT/follow-up]—It turns out that the change in the generic version of lorazepam was the cause of the problem mentioned in #msg-114361284, as far as I can tell.

I initially thought the change in manufacturer couldn’t be the cause of the problem because I filled the new lorazepam prescription on May 21 and the severe hangover didn’t occur until June 4-5—and it didn’t recur. However, after thinking about this more, I realized that I had combined the new and old lorazepam pills in a haphazard way by adding the old pills to the top of a bottle of the new ones (in order to maintain rough FIFO order).

By sheer chance, June 4 must have been the first time I took three of the new pills (3x1mg). During the past week, I tried taking 3mg including 1, 2, or 3 of the new pills, and I experienced a dose-dependent hangover in all cases. I also tried 2 of the new pills with none of the old pills (i.e. a 1/3 lower dose) and even that caused a next-day hangover. Evidently, the new pills have a significantly longer half-life than the old pills, so that even a much-reduced dose is unworkable.

I’ve returned to taking 3mg of only the old pills, and I feel fine. The old pills are made by Mylan (bought at CVS), and the new pills are made by Watson/Actavis (bought at Walgreens). (In my prior post, I mistakenly said that the old pills were made by an Indian company.)

Thanks again to everyone who weighed in on this matter in reply to my post last week.