Diazepam opinions.

[Emmapony]

What is everyone's opinions/ experience of using diazepam when your experiencing strong symptoms. Is it too risky with dependence and addiction etc? I was prescribed it for a fear of flying and was wondering if people have any experience with it for when they're feeling very out of control and anxious. Thank you :)

[Dazza123]

You need to be on it at least a while before any dependency can occur. Not everyone becomes dependent.

[pianoplayer]

Please don't go on Diazepam. My life is hell because of withdrawals from it. It is the worse anxiety I've ever experienced. I came off Lorazepam fairly seamlessly years ago. Addiction can occur very quickly. My advice is to steer clear. I have daily panic attacks. I didn't before Diazepam.

[Davit]

Pianoplayer, are you sure you don't have those backwards, Lorazepam is Ativan and a very addictive dangerous drug. Diazepam is valium and quite safe PRN and in small doses. I've had no trouble quitting it cold turkey after a year, Lorazepam took me a year to get off and I was dependent on it. I would not hesitate to use Diazepam but lorazepam I won't touch ever again. I do not have any panic attacks.

[swgrl09]

I was prescribed 2 mg diazepam to use when I cannot sleep and when I am having really bad anxiety, as you described. I use it maybe 1x per week for sleep, sometimes 2x if I have a really stressful week. I haven't had any issues with not taking it for extended periods either.

[swajj]

My psychiatrist told me that it takes 2 weeks to become addicted to Diazepam. He has been practising for over many, many years so I believe him. However, I also think some people are less prone to addiction than others. I have Diazepam but I take them only on rare occasions. I think if I took them every day then I would be come addicted so I am very careful not to rely on them.

[dally]

Hi
Valium is a useful drug. It works within 20 mins and each side lasts for 4-6 hours.
BUT
The drug stays in your body for 8days from ONE DOSE.
so if you take another dose within 8 days your body is never without it in your system and so tolerance and addiction CAN, NOT ALWAYS build up
It has its place as an anxiety med, but educate yourself with its drawbacks and make an informed decision. X

[MyNameIsTerry]

The advice on using Loraepam was given out, I think, in 1998. It didn't include flying in this and its obvious that some GP's are now refusing to issue it from threads in here.

Sadly, as ever with the NHS, the more you dig the more you find contradictory documentation:

http://www.hey.nhs.uk/herpc/guidelines/prescribing-guideline-benzodiazepines.pdf

http://www.dorsetccg.nhs.uk/Downloads/aboutus/medicines-management/Useful%20Resources/Benzodiazepines%20Support%20Pack%20Mar14.pdf

Diazepam is really quite general so I suspect GP's see it as an easy one to get away with as its justifiable in the short term. Lorazepam was quite specific from 1998 from what I saw yet we can see a fairly recent NHS document above saying its ok for flying! There was a thread on the Meds board not long ago where a poster's GP said no chance and only offered Diazepam stating the NHS had changed its guidelines (good luck finding that!)

The British National Formulary (BNF) show both Diazepam & Lorezapam as for short term anxiety. Without accessing their database (needs a registration to do this) I can't see evidence to separate them. Since GP's seem to have different opinions, its hardly easy to work it out either!

One from the experts though:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/treatmentswellbeing/benzodiazepines.aspx

[Dazza123]

I took upto 10mg daily for almost 2 years due to a swallowing disorder, I couldnt eat, drink or swallow unless I had it in my system, then I stopped taking it because things started to get better, I suffered no withdrawal or ill effect. Addiction is when you need more and more of it to get the same hit and feeling of calmness. I have a packet in my cupboard which I use incase of a panic attack but I dont feel the need to use it unless absolutely necessary, which is usually maybe once or twice a month.

Some people are more prone to addiction than others. I am totally the type to become addicted to it because of the amazing calming effect it has on me, but Im not addicted and never was because I am sensible and know how to use it.

[Davit]

Don't tell your GP you are flying.

Air ambulance here gives gravol and Ativan by injection, they don't like cleaning planes, I got gravol and Ativan ever time I got in an air ambulance, 5 times maybe six. including lear jet.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've taken 2mg in my relapse on 2 occasions when the side effects became just too unbearable. They helped calm me down for a couple of hours. I do tend to get headaches from them though.

In my first breakdown I was given 5mg before an SSRI was suggested. These helped at first but after taking one a night after about a week I started having the opposite effect. I moved onto Citalopram from there though so didn't take them again and I resisted taking them for as long as I could in my relapse until the above happened.