Librax - will my dad suffer withdrawal symptoms if Librax is stopped. He has taken it for years?

lindadrn laurie always has great advise about medications. i just wanted to say im so srry about your dad. make sure you tell hospice you dont wanna stop his meds cold turkey so if they give him a different med that counter acts with it. I know hw hard it is to deal with a parent that is under hspice care and how stressful and depressing that can be. So my heart goes out to you and your dad and family. Please don't stop taking care of yourself as well. I pray god will you you all stregnth to get through this hard time. Jaime I'm sending you a big hug as well{{{{{{I}}}}}}}

Ask the doctor what he's going to use to replace Librax. Why was your father put on Librax? Usually some of the reasons that a person is taking Librax for long term is a spastic stomach, without Librax-the patient can have severe diarrhea. Librax and the generic forms aren't on the medicare pharmacy formulary, which means that the only reason for stopping Librax is that HMOs and insurance companies don't want to pay for it, and don't have to pay for it. Other reasons for being on Librax are to control spasms, anxiety, even mild seizures. If I were in your father's place, I'd want to continue taking Librax. Being in the end stages of Alzheimers doesn't signify that he won't feel pain; it only signifies that he might not be able to verbalize pain.

Hey lndadrn,

Librax actually contain two medicines one of which is chlordiazepoxide, the other is clinidium. The chlordiazepoxide is a benzodiazepine and should not be stopped abruptly. The prescribing literature includes the following:

Withdrawal symptoms, similar in character to those noted with barbiturates and alcohol (convulsions, tremor, abdominal and muscle cramps, vomiting and sweating), have occurred following abrupt discontinuance of chlordiazepoxide. The more severe withdrawal symptoms have usually been limited to those patients who had received excessive doses over an extended period of time. Generally milder withdrawal symptoms (eg, dysphoria and insomnia) have been reported following abrupt discontinuance of benzodiazepines taken continuously at therapeutic levels for several months. Consequently, after extended therapy, abrupt discontinuation should generally be avoided and a gradual dosage tapering schedule followed.

I would definitely discontinue slowly over time so to avoid any withdrawal symptoms.

Best wishes,

Laurie