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MedHelp Member's Question

Long term valium use

by Nickmbb, Jan 10, 2002 12:00AM
Tags: Addiction
Thank you for your time. I have been taking 8mg of valium daily, prescribed for a lower back muscle spasm problem, for about 5 years. (I had 2 herniated disks L4-5, L5-S1) and currently, in my neck, a bulge at C6-7. My question is, can someone start feeling withdraw symptoms if ones current dose has become ineffective? I seem to be having ethreal moments (not pleasent) and more nervousness that seems to be increasing in the past few months. I don't know if these feeling are a result of my current neck disk problem, or if my body is requesting more valium? My Doctor does not want me to stop the current dose until i resolve my disk problem through PT, but he also does not want me to increase the dose.
Member Comments (37)

by Durty, Jan 10, 2002 12:00AM
To: Everyone § Nickmbb
Welcome to the forum. I don't have much experience with valium but if your maintaining a regular steady dose it would seem you would just build a tolerance up but not WD's.  Could also be reaction to the valium.  I'm sure others will give you good feedback.



* HIJACK:  since I can never get a question need to jump in here.

Have a question on tylenol & liver damage.  I've been an addict on and off for past 2 years since complications & nerve damage from heart catherazation plus arthitis.  Right now I'm inthe tapper mode once again.  



My fear is any damage I may have done/doing to my liver.  From what I have read 4000mg = 4grams is getting into the damage/danger point.  Not that anything less is good for it either. When I was really abusing the Hydro/tylenol I was getting in the 8000mg a day range.  Can anyone shed some light on this for me.  Some research I did said it helps to take L-cystiene or another called (sp?) N-achencyestiene to heal/protect the liver.  These happen to be in the store right next to the L-trosine!  How convenient.



Thanks everyone.  God bless.   Durty

by kstuebin, Jan 12, 2002 12:00AM
To: nickmbb
Tolerance to any benzodiapine, which valium is, does develop over time and does cause withdrawl symptoms. It means you need more of the drug. What you describe are very mild withdrawl symptoms and indicate you are developing tolerance for your present dose which incidentally is a very small amount.  Your doc is right to advise you not to increase your dose despite this.  I am addicted to Xanax, another benzo, and got that way through a prescription and following a doctor's advice. If I were you, I would tell the doctor you are no longer comfortable taking an addictive drug to which you are developing tolerance and to give you something else.  I don't believe for one minute valium is the only thing you can take for your problem. I have learned through painful experince that these docs are completely in the dark about how addictive benzos are. Your symptoms are only going to get worse.  Do you like them now?  You'll like them even better when they increase. Get out while you can.  Hell is just around the corner.

by AnnieS, Jan 13, 2002 12:00AM
Can anyone tel me if they are expierencing any technical difficulty? My last three post have not shown up??!! Annie

by AnnieS, Jan 13, 2002 12:00AM
To: Everyone/GWH
I have tried three times to write to you about your leg cramps. I had really bad arm cramps. Not really cramps but a constant tension running up and down for hours. I went crazy and got some zanax and trazidone to sleep. Also used The vitimin therapy. The good news is the longer I kept the opiates out of my system the easier the pain got and now after 91 days I am pain free. I consider myself lucky and pray for all of us. Especially those of you who have to deal with cronic pain. I pray for all of us to find some peace. Keep doing the best y ou can. eyery day it's gets a little harder, then all of a sudden it's gets a little easier. Don't give up the fight! Love to all, annie

by Telby, Jan 13, 2002 12:00AM
91 days!  Wow, tell us more - when did it get better and how did you do it?  Telby

by AnnieS, Jan 13, 2002 12:00AM
To: Everyone/Telby
I have been on and off this board for awhile so some of you might already know most of the story. Im am 49 almost 50 and have been crossed addicted for the past 20 years. I started drinking at a young age and then I went to school for art. We all thought Dali and Timothy Leary were our heros. It just spins from  there. I first became addicted to speed.paying my way through college I worked the graveyard shifts so I needed the speed to get to school. Hooked up with the opiates to come down from the speed and I'm sure you can fill in the rest. I was clean for 8 years after many detox and rehab stints, The way I stayed clean was through working a rigid program through AA &NA. I could not have done it without the fellowship. I went out again last year after I had tooth surgery and my boyfriend had heart surgery(he's is also an addict) I started with vicoden he with oxycontin. Before you knew it we were both back on the road to hell. I met him when we were both clean so the relapse was bad for both of us. I got hooked so fast on oxy's that I couldn't believe it. I did a detox and then did Thomas's vitimin therapy. I also went to a addiction Dr, who put me on Rivia. Its a narcotic antaginst which makes uou VERY sick if you use while doing It. It is definately a cruch but it has helped me not to put any opiates in because I got so sick on it I will never mix the two again. I did 90 & 90 and continue to go to as many meetings a week as i can. I know it's not for everyone but I get great strength from the program and can't do it alone. My boyfriend did almost the same , had almost 60 days and went back out last week. J>B> and others helped me keep my head straight through that. He isn't into the major throws yet but watching him all messed up has also kept me clean. It's amasing how disgusting some one thats using looks when you're on the other side. I'll be fifty in March and I don't want to be in that place ever again. I take trazidone to sleep and go to meetings and pray alot. I do it sometimes a day at a time , sometimes a minute at a time. It's hard but the peaceful feeling is better than the high ever was. I pray for all of us addicts and am not trying to push anything on anyone . I am just trying to answer your question an how I did it. What ever works for each individual is the best. We can all only do the best we can, and be proud of yourself each day you do it no matter how you do it. Relapse was the hardest thing for me. I also think we put too much into the amount of time we have clean. 8 days or 8 years or 8 minutes, it's just not using, not the amount of time . Stay strong and think of good things that will happen when that demon has lost his control of you. Peace and Love, Annie

by skipper, Jan 13, 2002 12:00AM
To: annies
annies:

after being in two 12-step programs i managed to do a 17 year

strech of clean time. (this was before trouble with my neck.) i'm

in complete agreement with you about the "clean time" stuff. i've

always thought about "clean time" on a day at a time perspective.

i got out of bed at 6:45 this morning. if you got up before me and

didn't pick up, then you've been clean longer than i have!



keep an angel on your shoulder

kip

by AnnieS, Jan 13, 2002 12:00AM
To: skipper
This board has bee acting weird. I tried to post back telling you that you beat me today because I slept in till 10. I am so exhausted any more. My boy friends relaspe had drained me. I am so sick of the addicts attitude, lies, excuses, moaning , groaning that I am giving up for awhile. He has to do it on his own. I am feeling too good about myself to let him get me so depressed. It's really hard to let go but some times we have to step back. I'll try this again. I'm an my way to a meeting so I'll try and catch up tomorrow. Peace and Love, Annie

I also wanted to say that there were some sentences missing from the last post. Especially that Revia makes you very sick if you use it and pick up. And that I found alot of help from you J>B> and everyone else on this sight. Thank you all!!!

by OxyDout, Jan 14, 2002 12:00AM
To: annies/kip
hey guys, didn't get one wink of sleep last night, I took a couple of benedryl they make me real drowsy but nothing helps with my leg, I feel like **** this morning, wish me luck!!!haha, hope you all are doing well, annies thank you for your stories, I need to here that I"m not the only one, hope all is well, talk to you soon.



GWH

by fairlight123, Jan 14, 2002 12:00AM
To: GWH
Hi,



Don't know if you saw my other post regarding restless leg syndrome, but it's a real syndrome and may not have anything to do with your withdrawal/addiction.  They even have a restless leg sydndrome foundation.



I urge you to ask your dr. about it, or just research it on the web.



Keep strong.

by AnnieS, Jan 14, 2002 12:00AM
To: GWH
Hi All, GWH I know what you mean, the thrashing etc. Just remember what I said about how it does get easier eventually. It's so fricking hard at first that what anyone tells you you think you'll never be able to do it. But you can, I have faith in you. If the Benedral doesn't help you sleep try some Tylenol PM. It might help the pain and it does have a non addictive sleeping agent. I feel your pain and will pray for you today. Keep up the fight, it will be worth it in the long run. Your doing the best you can which is great. I will post later, I'm trying my hardest to get some work done. I'm having a ruff time today also.....Later, Annie

by OxyDout, Jan 14, 2002 12:00AM
To: fairlight1/annies
thank you both for your comments, its been rough......fairlight I appreciate the comment, however, the restless leg is definitely due to the drug addiction, when I have stopped previously it went away, and whenever I need a fix it comes right back........just need to have the will............. wish you all luck, gotta go.



GWH

by OxyDout, Jan 15, 2002 12:00AM
god help me........this restless leg syndrome is awful, I deal with it pretty well during the day, but when I go to bed, its "off to the races" this sucks, but like I said, atleast I can laugh at myself...........I hope everyone is doing well......sober or not sober......keep up the good work, talk to you all later.



GWH

by skipper, Jan 15, 2002 12:00AM
To: GWH
GWH:

words can not express how happy it makes me to know you are still with us! as far as the restless legs (don't you think that term understates the malady?) go...hang in there, it will get beter. have you given any thought to trying kloopin? it sure seems to help me, even though i will not take it on a regular basis. anyhow, justr wanted to let you know my thoughts are with you and the rest of your forum brothers and sisters.

keep an angel on your shoulder

kip