Your experience with Diazepam

[Jam]

Just wondering if anyone has taken Diazepam, and interested to know your experience using it.

I've been taking it sparingly, as an when needed. I find it helpful, but not sure if using it sparingly long term is a great idea.

[limey123]

Haven't taken it, but I have occasionally in the past taken what I believe is the very closely related Lorazepam. Benzos are still controversial for long-term use, I believe, but many people take them that way. They can be habit-forming and hard to stop taking, with potentially horrible withdrawals.

My tip from experience: DO NOT mix with alcohol. Remember, I warned you! (I ended up in hospital).

Personally, Lorazepam I found hard to get right. Too little, and there was no effect. But if I took just a little too much, it simply knocked me out.

[alpha]

Yes diazepam/Valium is great stuff, but I wouldn't like to be on it long term. Perhaps if taken sparingly it would be OK (although I don't know for sure). But I believe it can actually worsen anxiety in the medium term which leads people to then take it more often, and need bigger doses due to tolerance. Furthermore your body can become physically dependent on it and it can become medically dangerous to come off of it.

[Mo34]

I've taken it in the short term. I was once told by a CPN that it is better than Lorezpam as you can safely take it (regularly) for 6-8 weeks without getting addicted where as Lorezpam is addictive very quickly.

I had severe anxiety so it was a positive drug for me in that short period. After that I only ever took it now and again in very small doses (Id split the tablets) but I found it made me too sleepy sometimes once the anxiety had passed. It weirdly though helped me too carry some with me and for some reason knowing I had them if I really needed them helped me as much as actually taking them.

They did try and prescribe me it years ago on a regular basis but I refused as I felt they were trying to drug me up rather than actually help me/solve the problem.

[Ian]

I take it as a last resort. If
I know the situation im going in is going to be very anxiety provoking I take a bit, it does help calm you down.
I respect it and dont take anymore than a little bit at a time, I have never noticed any addiction to it.
I have heard long term use can cause dementia though, thats what my Doctor said but i take it very rarely.

[sophie123]

I've been taking diazepam for years but only when I really really need it and it works wonders.

[catlover]

I've been taking a small dose of Klonopin daily for over 20 years, together with a medium dose of Sertraline. They have helped me a lot with my panic disorder and non-bipolar depression.

I've tried several times to cut back on these meds, and in each case, after several months, I had another panic attack. So at this point, I've decided to just keep taking the meds, basically for the rest of my life.

[Whitevanman]

I used diazepam to try and manage my anxiety when my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. I remember being glad to stop using it, looking back I was a bit dependant on it and I think it added to my depression. I had a lot going on in my life, two young children and quite a stressful job. I regret not going to the doctor's and just asking for some antidepressants.
I haven't used any diazepam since, just don't think it agrees with me.

[Kipper]

I was first prescribed Valium way back in 1978 but didn't get myself off them until 1986. Wasn't taking huge amounts, at it's high point about 15mg a day. This gradually reduced down to 5 mg a day by early 1986. The GP wasn't happy at the idea of me coming off them completely and told me to think of them as a vitamin supplementing a deficiency in my system! I gradually reduced the amount I was taking, starting in 1985 and it took me a year to finally get off them. It was tough, but I told myself that I would never find a serious girlfriend as long as I was taking them, as she would not want to have a relationship with someone who was taking tranquillisers. Lo and behold, I did finally find that special person a few months before finally coming off them.A relationship that lasted for 3 years.

[Jam]

Thanks for the replies. Very interesting to read this.

I struggle to know when I should or shouldn't take Diazepam. Basically im worried about getting addicted to them. Basically, I'm pretty much struggling with my anxiety at the moment, it's really at high levels right now, but I don't know if it's wise to reach for diazapam Every time I feel like this, otherwise I'd have had to take it daily over the last couple of months. So far I've taken it on 1 or 2 days per week. I know there are times i do need to take it purely to survive the day. Im just conflicted. I wish there were more solid guidelines I could follow.

I've been given 2mg tablets to be taken as and when. On a day I do take them, I take 2 tablets. But I'm not sure it's having the same effect anymore. Is it normal to build a tolerance by only taking them once, maybe twice a week?

[Kipper]

Jam, I think that's something best discussed with your GP. We are all different and we all have different levels of tolerance to medication. Broadly speaking, taking Diazepam regularly over a period of time does make the body grow used to them and so you need to increase the dose to achieve the same level of effectiveness. As it is , you don't take them every day, so your body will not have grown used to them yet.Also, not taking them regularly will mean that it will be so much easier to stop taking them, with minimal withdrawal symptoms. But best to discuss with your GP. I wonder if you would be better off with a beta-blocker, such as Propranolol?

[jez9999]

My experience with it (and benzos in general) has been very positive. Helped me deal with many an anxious situation. Don't take 'em every day, just from time to time, and I've never gotten addicted.

[Mr. Nobody]

I just threw out a box of them the other day,..
they did have 24 originally, and I'd only used 4 of that,

they were prescribed for muscle spasms, and I only took them at night,

wish I'd known they were so good for anxiety, I might have used more of them before they went out of date

[Mr. Nobody]

^
now my back has gone into a painful sciatica spasm and I've been in pain all day and barely able to move properly,
Wish I had those D-bombs with me now

[Mr. Nobody]

Called doctors as I couldn't go into work due to my back pain being so bad
A GP called me back and basically re-issued my old prescription from years ago when my back was as bad as this,..
Managed to hobble down the local chemist shop and hey presto, back on Diazepam, plus very strong Co-Codimol and Ibuprofen,..

I think it's reassuring having these to hand, and necessary for the time being anyway,..at least it helped me manage back into work again,

I'm taking as few painkillers as I can,..and the Diazepam seems to guarantee a sound deep sleep with no muscle spasms to jerk me awake.

All things being considered though, I'd rather not be in pain and able to do things as normal and not have/need these pills ...back pain is a Mo-Fo for sure