Diazepam tolerance

[decca]

Hi,
Has anyone taking Diazepam developed a tolerance to it rendering it inefective,how long did it take to develop the tolerance and what alternative medications were given ?
Decca.

[joy]

Does that mean its not working any more for you Decca

Joy

[decca]

Hi Joy,
Yea it is at the mo, on 2mg each morning and half of one ocassionally at night but I'm just wondering what happens if I do build up a tolerance and they do stop working at that dose, I wouldn't want to take more than 4 mg each day.
Decca.

[lindadiana]

hello,im on diazepam i have been for ten years its highly addictive hence why im still on it,i first went on it when i was 19 due to my sisters son dying and got hooked on it.i came off it when i was 30 and remained off it for eight years until i started feeling very anxious around the time i was going through my divorce,dr said all he could suggest was going back on it,i was in such a state i pondered it for a few days then decided to take them.then my son died and i stepped up to a higher does for a couple of months then went back to the 2mg which im still on.in answer to your question yes your body will get used to them and crave more and more they are great for anxiety but do not work like they used to now i get very panicky if i dont take them,but from last time i do know if i persivered i can get off them its a vicious circle one i wish i hadnt gone back into.but you can get off them if you have peace of mind in your life and support.my lifes so upside down and has been for years so i wont be trying just yet,but i will one day hopefully again like i did before best wishes linda

[joy]

you may never need more than you are taking. its such a low dose anyway its unlikely

Joy

[nomorepanic]

Decca

Do NOT get dependant on them as it will be hard work coming off.

Only take them when you really need to and not as a matter of course.

Please heed this warning

[decca]

Thanks everyone,
I've tried the "when required" treatment IE; 1 or 2mg every other or third day, which unfortunatly didn't work and I was advised by two Drs independantly that I was getting problems because I was not taking them in regular doses, so now I take take 2mg each morning and it's working well.
I'm not woried about weaning myself off of them, as I said before I did it years ago when I was on 30 mg Phenobarbitone 3 times a day.
I'm just thinking there must be times when someone has taken them for a long time then develops a tolerance to them ? is there other meds they put you on or what ?
Decca

[nomorepanic]

My advice - stay off the meds completely!

They change your mind and do NOT cure you.

[kazzie]

What Nic says is true

Best avoided

Kaz x

[Bill]

Hello Decca,

I think I ought to share my experiences of diazepam with you.

I was prescribed them when my anxiety became really bad but I wasn't told at the time that they were addictive.

I took them daily morning and night, and gradually the mg's were raised because the benefits of taking them wore off because like you say, my body became used to them.

I actually found that my panics were worse while I was on them too!

Eventually after 3 years I decided I wanted to come off them but it took me 6 months as I had to reduce very slowly because if I reduced too quickly, my anxiety shot through the roof because of the withdrawal symptoms. I was then prescribed safer non-addictive ad's.

My wifes mother has taken them for So many years that the doctors have advised that she never attempts to come off them even though taking them is of no actual benefit to her anymore as her body is so used to them.

I feel diazepam helps most when it is taken "one off" for bad episodes but no one should ever be left on them to take daily because as Nicola says, they then do more harm than good because they become ineffective.

There are far safer modern medications available these days which can help ease symptoms without any addictive qualities. I would talk to your doctor about these safer alternatives together with asking what therapies are available so that one day, if you wish, you no longer need to take anything.