It's important I sleep. Is mixing Lunesta and Lorazepam safe?

[JarBag]

I accidentally napped. I took 2.5mg lorazepam at 12am for sleep, then 3.5mg lorazepam for sleep at 2:30am. It is now 4:20am and it is important I sleep. But I am almost wide awake. I Do not want to gut this out at all, I need to sleep...

Given this situation, would taking 2mg lunesta at 4:30am be bad? (as far as respiratory depression goes? Can't call my doctor right now obviously.)

Thanks

 

[pasha]

For fatal or alarming respiratory depression to happen with benzodiazepines/Z-drugs they have to be taken in very high doses or mixed with other depressants like opioids or alcohol. Even still, it's never a good idea to take a high doses of any CNS depressant and I think you've already crossed that line. A total of 5 milligrams in 2 and a half hours relatively high I really don't see where another 2 milligrams of eszopiclone is going to change that.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Whether or not mixing Lunesta and lorazepam is safe depends on the dose, the person and their level of tolerance. The drugs will have additive effects, since they both have a very similar mechanism of action. As Chromophobia said, it is not an extremely dangerous mix like benzos + opioids or alcohol, as deaths from z-drugs or benzos alone are rare (although contrary to popular belief not impossible).

If you are not sleeping from 6mg of lorazepam I assume you have a high tolerance?

EDIT: Just realized how long ago you posted this, I guess you already decided what to do.

 

[JarBag]

Yes, the mixing was my fear. I never really mix anything either, that's why I asked this.

I'll go ahead and reply even though I have no recollection of posting this (amnesia).

I wouldn't say 6mg of lorazepam is 'crossing the line'.. I have a high tolerance, as Swimming suggested.

I ended up taking about 1mg lunesta. This wasn't originally an option, but I made it an option.. and that combination had me zonked out within 30 minutes if any of you are wondering.

I woke up feeling insanely tired, just like I knew I would. I went to sleep with my hand\arm resting over my lungs\heart to make sure nothing slowed too much etc. In case I had to make myself stay awake.

 

[shreddedlettuce]

Just to add my 2 cents.
It's best not to use the same drug for anxiety and as a hypnotic.
Do your best to use the hypnotic for sleep and not the lorazepam as you run the risk of pushing your tolerance so high that when needed the anxiolytic (lorazepam) won't work.

I'm glad you are ok even though you still feel "insanely tired".
Hope what I said makes sense.

 

[JarBag]

Just to add my 2 cents.
It's best not to use the same drug for anxiety and as a hypnotic.
Do your best to use the hypnotic for sleep and not the lorazepam as you run the risk of pushing your tolerance so high that when needed the anxiolytic (lorazepam) won't work.

I'm glad you are ok even though you still feel "insanely tired".
Hope what I said makes sense.

It does. I generally don't take lorazepam for sleeping, thanks for the concern though.

I didn't want to take the lunesta since it makes waking up too difficult, so I figured some lorazepam would do the trick. Wrong I was, had I originally known, I would've just taken the sleeping pill.. It sucks that I ended up having to dose the eszopiclone so close before waking up. Not to mention that horrible taste it gives off, way worse than the aftertastes of lorazepam. Tolerance for the lunesta builds insanely fast too I have noticed.

Yeah, and benzo dependence sounds like the worst thing too..

I ended up napping again like 12 hours after dosing too. Oh well.