Diazepam for anxiety

[Leese16]

Hi. I have been given some diazepam for anxiety.I have had a really rough few weeks. I am scared to become reliant on them. I was told 3 per day as needed but im upset on and off all day long at mo? Is it best to mayb just take one at night or staggered through day, rather than as needed? Thanks x

[HearYou]

Oh, you are havening it rough. Let's go to basics. "Take as needed" does not mean take the medication anytime you want up to three tablets. Call the physician who prescribed the medication and have the directions more clearly defined and placed on your medication container. Advise the doctor of your symptoms and your record each day how many and when you took it. If you are not keeping a diary where you record when you take your medication, perhaps you really should start one. Best luck to you in resolving your medication use.

[Leese16 in reply to HearYou]

Thanks for your reply. All the doctor said was up to 3 per day as needed on the original script. Ive hardly used them because i really dont want to rely on them.

[HearYou in reply to Leese16]

Do you see your doctor on a regular basis? If you have meds to help you, but you shouldn't have to tough it out during bad times. None of us want to take these types of meds, but have not been told by my doctors to just take one only when things are really awful. Rather wants a steady low amount in my system 24 hrs a day. I'm not addicted, but had very bad experience when I thought I really didn't need it...my body reacted. Had no withdrawal symptoms afterward, but several weeks later was told by my doctor about keeping that low dose in my system.

Our body chemistry is different in so many ways from one another.

[Leese16 in reply to HearYou]

Hi. We dont have regular doctors. It was my CPN just asked the on call doctor in that day for the meds x

[jessiejakes]

Hi my diazepam says take one tablet as needed for anxiety.I take 2 mg I only take them when anxiety is really bad .if you are going through a bad patch ,I would take one at night to help you to fall asleep.as you need your sleep to help you cope.think it means you can take up to 3 tablets a day if needed.but you will find taking one at night and maybe one in morning will be enough to calm you down .if you need them take them they do relax you and will help you to fall to sleep.

[Leese16 in reply to jessiejakes]

Thanks for your reply. I hardly used them. Ive been trying really hard to try to avoid them x

[jessiejakes in reply to Leese16]

Hope you are feeling better and you are coping better.I have been away on 2 week holiday to Spain had a great time relaxing in the sun .

[Leese16 in reply to jessiejakes]

Sounds good. Hope u feel more relaxed

[Jeff1943]

Leese16, diazepam otherwise known as valium are a magic bullet, you go from anxious to normal in ten minutes. I've been taking it ' when needed' for over 40 years. Back then in the 1970s nobody knew it could be addictive and I took it 3 times a day for 2 years. It still worked and no side effects. But when I decided to come off it cold turkey I felt dreadful and had to taper myself off it over 10 weeks. Now I only take it 'when needed', -I get 56 5mg tablets a year and break them in half. I never take nore than two 2.5mg tablets a day and never for longer than 4 days. 95% of the days I take one I just take one half tablet.

I think what your doctor meant was a MAXIMUM of 3 a day when needed.

Diazepam has been demonised in the press for years but most undeservedly, but you must be responsible and sparing in their use and not take them daily for more than a couple of months. You must also convince your doctor you are a responsible user of valium and know all the so-called pitfalls if you want follow on prescriptions.

Whilst enjoying the calm that valium/diazepam will bring you might want to explore non medication help for anxiety disorder: the self-help book I always recommend is 'Self help for your nerves' by Doctor Claire Weekes (u.k. version) and also titled 'Hope and help for your nerves' (u.s. version). It will change your life. My anxiety is inherited so I will never be completely free of it but with Claire Weekes book and the occasional diazepam I can function almost normally.

[Leese16 in reply to Jeff1943]

Thanks so much for your reply. It helps knowing people totally understand how you feel because they have been or are there too. I hardly used them because i was so scared. I know they are there tho.xx

[HearYou in reply to Jeff1943]

Hi, Leese16 and Jeff1943. In my part of the US, doctors are requiring urine specimens given in their offices at the time of the patient's app't if certain meds, including this one, had been prescribed a month's supply to be certain they are not selling them on the street. If the patient brings in the rx bottle with many remaining pills to explain the lack of it in their urine, the doctors talk about reducing the amount to rx for the next month. You are absolutely right about weaning off slowly if used every day. My seizure story is old by now, but I didn't think I needed my generic Xanax for two days several years ago, had a seizure, a three day stay in the hospital and a fractured vertebrae from my fall to a wood floor during the seizure.

And the directions on the Xanax bottle stated: "Take as needed." I know to ignore that and take my daily amount each month as orally told by my doctor.

The only "as needed" meds I have are .5 generic Xanax in case of break through during an extremely bad day.

[Hidden]

I am on diazepam I couldn't live without it but it's addictive have to be so careful

[rajsam]

Hi hun,

i was given diazapan a month ago amd refused to take them thinking I would become addicted.. I have read the posts below amd agree with taking one in the morning and one in the evening before sleeping.. you need to sleep... sleep is key with anxiety.

[Leese16 in reply to rajsam]

Hope you are feeling better

[Wyominganxiety]

I am on 40 mg of citalopram and I take 2.5 mg of diazepam when needed, I usually only take it if I have alot to do around town or in social gatherings.