Dry mouth from Protonix and Lorazapam

[zephir]

After being on Protonix 40 mg. for 1 month plus taking  1-1/2 mg. Lorazapam a day it began to affect my saliva flow.
I lost ten pounds in one month because I did not have enough saliva flow to break down alot of different foods.  I am now eating very healthy but found out that  between the Protonix and Lorazapam they both have done a job on my
mouth.  Anyone else have this problem?  I am going to discontinue the Lorazapm under my doctor's care and I have not taken Protonix for 7 days.  No acid yet or reflux.  I hated Protonix from the start but it did stop my gastritis.

[zephir]

Thank you for your reply.  I am very sensitive to medications.  Not everyone can toss done these powerful drugs and have no horrible side affects.  I was treated for H-Pylori after finding out I probably had it since I was 18 years old and was treated for it twice once over the age of 57 because it was not known for many years to be from bacteria.
It did a job on my digestive tract all those years.  I am eating very health now no junk of any kind.  I do not miss the junk because I want to have some kind of quaility of life.
I went from 1-1/2 mg of Lorazapam to 3/4 mg with no real side affects. I called the doctor today to talk to him about it because I have gone off seizure medication which was not needed, no problems there either.  Were I live there is probably 1 specialist for 10-15 towns and cities.  To get any doctor on the telephone is almost impossible.  I reduced my medication on my own because I know how to safely but I would have liked his input.
It will probably days before he calls.  I have an appointment the end of May with him.  I had one seizure in ten years and was put on medication that gave me Gastritis.  My poor mother went through the same but she really need the medication.  There is a weakness in our family for anxiety and fainting, once in 10 years for a seizure,  medications for these problems were worse for me than the problem it self.  There are other ways of dealing with issues like these without creating more.  My saliva is getting better now that I am reducing the amount and it should be restored when I am competely off.  We have to be heard, no one knows our body better than ourself.  Again I than you for your reply.    Betty

[ggreg]

Dear Zephir,
Yes, I had the same dry mouth from Ativan (lorazepam trade name).  A couple years ago, I was trying to switch from one tranquilizer to another, and was trying Ativan.  I was a water-drinking juice-swallowing fool, and I wound up with IBS from that drug.  No one knew that stuff was the reason.  After endless tests, colonoscopy, going to several docs, I finally sat down and did me some study on the issue.  I thought it might be the Ativan, and it was.  But getting off that drug was a nightmare.  And to this day, my tummy is sensitive to all sorts of foods, usually can't eat a big meal.  

Good thing you're going off it under your doctor's guidance, and you should also notice a big change in your thirst and any indigestion you have.  I'm older, so you may not have the withdrawals I had, but if they show up crashing through your door, hang in and stay in close touch with your doc.
GG