Drowsiness as a long term symptom or maybe withdrawal symptom?

[Amani]

I know it's common for Valium to make you drowsy but have been on it for a couple of weeks and have never felt particularly drowsy with it. Then today when I was on the bus back home I became conscious that my eyes kept closing and I felt like I needed to sleep asap, which is very unusual to me as I'm someone who can't even nap. I even had to stay on the bus longer so it could take me nearer home and skip my food shopping because I was feeling so out if it and drowsy I was scared I would black out if I did to much, and just wanted to rush into bed. But what's weird is the drowsiness happened in the afternoon and my last Valium was 8pm last night (I hadn't taken one yet at this point). It was also suggested to me that it could actually be a withdrawal for not taking Valium for 20 hours. Other than feeling drowsy I felt very zombie like and weird and over sensitive to noise/other sensations. I also started panicking a lot on the way home because I felt like I wasn't going to make it for feeling so drowsy/out of it. Can anyone make any sense out of this? Thanks

[unfitwellhappy]

It's unlikely to be withdrawal. The active metabolite of Valium is longer than 20hrs.

It's a well known effect that Diazepam can make you sleepy the next day - it might be worth dropping your dose slightly..

I wouldn't really overthink it - just don't drive or operate heavy machinery!

A

[Amani]

Thanks for the the response. I am weaning off currently and the day I felt drowsy was the day after the lowest dose I've had yet, so it seemed odd for me to experience drowsiness then for the first time when I hadn't before. But yes, I probably shouldn't over think it, but was just another thing that made my panic at the time because I felt quite out of sorts

[sandie]

If you have started another med, it could be a side-effect. I think you have just started Sertraline ? it is possibly due to this ......

[MyNameIsTerry]

Maybe a drop in blood sugar? Dehydration?

I've just noticed you're weaning off Diazepam, I thought you were just going on it so the side effects issues are not quite what I was saying as you would know by now.

But with the Sertraline having similar interactions, it could be too much combined? Maybe? Out of that and Diazepam in terms of sedation effects you would expect the Diazepam to be the stronger of the two. But combining all these together could increase this from the Diazepam perhaps so worth asking about this event too in case they can spot anything.

[Amani]

Well I have only been on Diazepam for about 2 weeks so I'm new to it in a sense. I was given another week's worth of Diazepam with the intention of weaning off now. And this episode was actually before I started the Sert, I took my first Sert yesterday afternoon and this episode was a bit earlier. It was weird because other than extreme drowsiness I sort of felt feelings of derealization and was sensitive to sight/sound, so it felt to be some sort of side effect.

Also annoyingly I wasn't able to get hold of my doctor today so will have to wait another day

[unfitwellhappy]

Well I have only been on Diazepam for about 2 weeks so I'm new to it in a sense. I was given another week's worth of Diazepam with the intention of weaning off now. And this episode was actually before I started the Sert, I took my first Sert yesterday afternoon and this episode was a bit earlier. It was weird because other than extreme drowsiness I sort of felt feelings of derealization and was sensitive to sight/sound, so it felt to be some sort of side effect.

Also annoyingly I wasn't able to get hold of my doctor today so will have to wait another day

It's worth starting to taper the Diazepam now before you potentially build tolerance (especially if you don't need it)..

It could have been anything to be fair (blood sugar etc etc)... Really, I wouldn't worry about it :)

[Amani]

I have been tapering down on my Valium the last few days, I think I may have failed to mentioned that in my original post! The same sort of thing happened today and it seems to get better when I take my first Valium in the afternoon (though a lower dose now) so I feel it's related to me coming down

[unfitwellhappy]

I honestly don't think it's related to the Diazepam - unless you have been abusing them or taking a larger dose regularly (10mg+ per day)

If that's the case then your taper needs to be really really slow (no more than -2mg per week)

I would expect you to have perhaps a bit of rebound anxiety which is completely normal.

[Amani]

Okay my drowsiness is getting a lot worse now, though I'm now only on 2.5mg a day (but took 5mg yesterday). I keep falling asleep before midnight (I used to sleep a lot later) with my make up still on and my head in my laptop, lights on. This morning I woke up at about 10.30 but felt like it was impossible to wake up fully, I felt sedated. When I finally was fully awake it took my 5 hours to get the energy to get out of bed. Now it's 8pm and I can feel myself wanted to fall asleep again, this is very unusual for me as I'm normally a late sleeper. Bear in mind I also take a high dose of antihistamines every day which could be interacting, but I find it weird that I had no drowsy symptoms in my first 2 weeks of valium, even at a higher dose. This is now affecting my university work cause I can barely get anything done. I'm planning to come of the valium tomorrow.

Also I'm slightly worried, can anyone reassure me?

[unfitwellhappy]

Yeah I can try...

Withdrawing from Diazepam doesn't really make you that sedated that you are hitting 9+hrs of sleep...

The 'high does of antihistamines' however does exactly that - especially if they contain promethazine or diphenhydramine...

[Amani]

I've been on a high dose of antihistamines for 2 years without this problem

[unfitwellhappy]

I've been on a high dose of antihistamines for 2 years without this problem

Okay - so that's likely not it then :)

People who generally get withdrawal fatigue from benzos are withdrawing from the higher end of the scale (which you aren't)..also it's usually related to an increase in depression..

If you are concerned though - pause your taper and to speak to your GP

It could be as simple as you are coming down with something, please try to relax - I genuinely don't think it's related to the benzo - i'm not a psychiatrist, but I have tapered from exceedingly high doses of benzos - they're a bit moreish to me ;-)

---------- Post added at 20:55 ---------- Previous post was at 20:50 ----------

Also - I forgot to mention.

You really should NOT be taking diphenhydramine/promethazine etc with benzos as they act as CNS depressants...

[Amani]

I'm on Piriton and Cetirizine. Not sure if those are what you are mentioning, but I confirmed with the pharmicist that the combo is fine. I've never felt this drowsy in my life and I've also never taken Valium before so I can't imagine that they're not connected. My theory would be the antihistamines and Valium together causing it but just not sure why it wouldn't happen from the start

Also it hard not worry if you say my combo can cause CNS depression as I just read that can result in a coma/death :/

[unfitwellhappy]

Nah cetirizine etc are fine as they only slightly cross the blood-brain barrier so aren't sedative as the ones I mentioned.

My apologies if I worred you - I was merely trying to mitigate risk..

The problem with diazepam is that it has a really long half life, so as you take it your body already has maintained some of (or the majority of) your previous dose (the active metabolite anyway..)

Your GP may suggest switching you to a different benzo (which has a shorter half-life).

[Amani]

I see. I'm supposed to completely stop on Tuesday anyway. Thanks for your help

[MyNameIsTerry]

I'm on Piriton and Cetirizine. Not sure if those are what you are mentioning, but I confirmed with the pharmicist that the combo is fine. I've never felt this drowsy in my life and I've also never taken Valium before so I can't imagine that they're not connected. My theory would be the antihistamines and Valium together causing it but just not sure why it wouldn't happen from the start

Also it hard not worry if you say my combo can cause CNS depression as I just read that can result in a coma/death :/

I would suggest going back to the interaction warnings on the other thread. If that is what you are feeling, then it's possibly the reason.

The pharmacist said they were ok, which is the right thing to do as they know more than GP's anyway, but that doesn't mean it won't happen as there are documented cases to have an interaction warning. It just might be it is happening to you and something needs withdrawing.

If you have started your SSRI too, it may cause it or increase it because the interaction is similar. So, maybe a compounding effect.