Diazepam

[Hyperbolic]

Why can't I take large doses of diazepam regularly and continuously for anxiety management?  No website, text book or doctor could or would approve this.  I understand the drug is addictive, and the dosage would need to rise to achieve the same effect but eventually this would level out.  What are the reasons for putting people on short courses of diazepam only (4 weeks max), and what would be the long term effects of self medicating large doses of diazepam continuously + indefinitely for anxiety relief.   Does it clog up the liver?

I'm just curious.

I'm an alcoholic you could say - my Dr reluctantly gave me a big prescription of chlordiazepoxide to (self medicate - details discussed), but said he will never do it again....

I'd just like a logical explanation if anyone would be kind enough to give it.

[opiopdtolerantpatient]

diazes are a fix given to people with many social and emotional disorders,they help to decrees anxiety,and calm the brain,they are addictive,in time your body builts up a physical addiction to them,you need more and more,allot of drs are cautious prescribing them,they are easily abbused,the major side effect when abusing is loss of memory,there is not need for you to be taking large doses of diazapams,unless your looking to abuse them,at one point i was up to 24 mgs per day of lorazapam,or xanax,proper use is temporary for a traumatic event in ones life,prolonged use creates dependancy.i lost the memory of 1 year of my like from taking 24 mgs of xanax per day,follow the directions

[heyjude1]

I think you answered your question when you said you are alcoholic.  You know (and I know too) what it is like to be living with an addictive personality; heck we can get addicted to anything!  Not only is it dangerous to be taking Valium and drinking but it would be another addiction to overcome and make life harder .  I'm not sure if you belong to AA but I am a member of NA and AA and one of the things you learn in a 12 step program is that you are an addict and the addiction is stronger than us.  When you begin sobriety you know your weakness for addiction and that you cannot take chances with anything that could cause your disease to raise it's ugly head again.  I don't mean to come on as strong as this sounds but I am just stating reality for us, addicts.  Please take care of yourself and God bless you.,

[kenneltech]

Where do you get your facts from?  It is not an "old wives tale," as I was addicted to "downers," including benzo's for a few years and when I went to a treatment center, they didn't even want to take me because getting off of downers is one of the most dangerous drugs to get off of.  Everyone else had their own cabins, but I had to have a room in the main lodge where I could be monitored constantly, and actually did have multiple seizures.  YOU may think it hasn't affected you, but maybe you should ask people that have been around you for a long time!!!  Downers are dangerous if you are on them for any length of time, and so is getting off of them unless well supervised.

[offallmeds]

I forgot to add, as a drug to prevent DT's in alcoholic withdrawal Diazepam is indicated in the BNF for SHORT TERM treatment.
Over time, as the above answerer states, this would become a replacement of sorts.
It reduces cognitive function long term,libido,you would not be able to drive some people will lie to thier friends and family AND thier Doctor over thier Diazepam taking habits (as in how much they eventually take as one dose).
I never drank Alcohol to excess, but after massive urological surgery I was given it as a muscle relaxant, I was on it 10 years,10 LOST years.
By all means when coming of booze- it can help,but long term it will mess up your head or you may even o/d on it unintentionally. It can and will cause depression, changes in taste peception,and blood albumin results. It can make you too sedated to cook a decent meal so helping keep a person unhealthy.
Exercise on Diazepam is restrictive and no gym have the time to monitor a Benzodiazepine user over all others under their care.
In those initial 4 weeks it can get you dry and reasinably anxiety free.
It does not manage Anxiety at all, it makes us forget the issues that were causing anxiety and in fact some people have outbursts of anger on diazepam,considered "not consistent with character"
It is broken down hepatically and puts a load on the liver, but some of the quite crude chemicals given off when on Alcohol are not on Diazepam.
4 weeks is long enough- anyone on it longer will beg for it after that if they have no ability to anxiety manage.

It becomes no better than Alcohol as it will control you as you build up tolerance-dosages then get increased by the user and it's not unheard of for someone prescribed 5mg, t.d.s to in fact be binge medicating with Diazepam-some people I've known to get to a dangerous 100mg a day.
Very VERY dangerous and gradual dependence is guaranteed in most long term users

[kenneltech]

You kind of answered your own question when you said that you were an alcoholic.  You're an addict,and you would just be changing your "drug of choice."  No doctor is going to give you unlimited access to diazepam's.  Besides, the dosage would have to constantly be increased due to building up a tolerance, and the chance of overdose would be great.  Plus, if you drink with diazepam, the chance of coma is great, also.

I have heard that Ativan (basically the same type of drug) is better with alcoholism than valium, but the statements I made above still stand.  A doctor isn't going to be liable for you killing yourself with drugs instead of alcohol.

Good luck.

[offallmeds]

Librium (Chlorodiazepoxide) is weaker and takes longer to get in the system,still protects the patient from convulsing and works as an anti anxiety med
The sedation high from Librium (It's debated) is less noticable than that of Diazepam.
Librum is safer in overdose but not without risks.
The idea is to give you something without getting you addicted to that when off alcohol.
Diazepam, (though fantastic at controlling seizures) is really addictive and staying on it as poster "allmymarbles" writes "If you are an alcoholic then you already have an addictive personality and are at increased risk for other addictions"
This is why it's no longer given out on repeat, unless virtually everything else has been tried for anxiety and the person taking it seems to manage on a dose that is well within the safe limits in the BNF - it does still ruin a lot of lives and keeps people agoraphobic and dependent on it in quite small doses.

Also Doctors who prescribe bezos are monitored as to how many people they write scripts for such meds. if they go above a certain limit, people will start to question thier oath of "do no harm".
Diazepam, while it can actually save a life, can destroy the quality of anyones and for decades.
Good luck with your detox.

[jo929]

even tho i told you about valium, it would not be ideal there are  newer meds out that would be more effective if one needed somehing   many people have had better results with the other meds, also valium can make one depressed  luck and forget the valium eventually it does not help and i would never take a larger dose than 5 mg  luck  jo

[jo929]

i had a hysterectomy at 32 broke out with hives or something bled all around stomach and waist upper legs no cream helped i had to take some kind of light treatments they stripped me and so many seconds of light on the parts affeted the dr said i was subconciously worried and they tried lots of meds ending up on valium i have taken it 40 years and have had no ill effects and i will take it until i die as it is in my system but no it cause no problems that is an old wife tale started ny a presidents wife it stated i got hooked on valium somtimes a person has to take a med whether they want it or not and it did help but now i am not sure i just take 5 mg no more it is the cheapest med on market and it used to be the huighest price i know because i had to buy it after the scare most dr quit prescribing it it is addictive but it worked for my they used to also give it to alcoholics but tapered them off so ask the DR   i never was an alcoholic  jo

[allmymarbles]

If diazapam works works like other addictive medication then you would build up a tolerance and require larger and larger does to maintain the same effect. Also, at such time as you no longer needed the medication, weaning you from it would result in withdrawal symptoms. If you are an alcoholic then you already have an addictive personality and are at increased risk for other addictions.