Diazepam (valium) need some advice

[Upside Down Eagle]

Hey people,

I was hoping someone who has experience with diazepam can help me out.

Diazepam helps me with panic attacks and not to self-harm. Depending on the severity of my panic I take a bit less or a bit more. Considering dependency/addiction I’m careful with how much I dose.

Sometimes, even when I feel mellow the cause of my anxiety still gets to me and it isn’t sufficient to go low dose. My doc has told me I can up the dose if I need it - below the max dose.

I was wondering if there are some members with severe anxiety issues, who found out what works for them and can share their experiences with me.

 

[Sweetleaf]

When my anxiety was still out of control enough to need constant valium, I basically took it the way you describe. I would try to take as little as I needed, but sometimes I would need more to remain calm. I tried to recognize the signs early, so that I would need less valium to bring down/prevent the panic. I imagine each person has their own personal signs of an incoming panic attack or high anxiety state. For me, it was best if I took valium before the sweaty-palms point. If they were only slightly sweaty, like clammy, that was pretty much the threshold. There were other signs too, like my heart rate, physical feelings in my body like tightness in my throat or chest pain, etc.

I would usually try to do some other things alongside taking the valium, like applying scented lotion and using lavender essential oil on myself to overpower my senses, hugging myself, things like that.

I still need valium from time to time but we've gotten my anxiety down to more manageable levels with bupropion. I still have a high baseline anxiety level, but I'm not like panic mode 24/7 like I used to be. It would probably be a good idea for me to go on a higher dosage of bupropion. My pdoc wanted to up the dosage last time but I was hesitant, now I kind of think it would have been a good idea. I see her again later this month so I think I will just do that then.

When I am feeling anxious or panicky I will try to use things other than valium, before I resort to using valium. I use the same tools I used before, like the scents, but I also use tapping (EFT), yoga, exercise, and other things. I think it's best to be able to manage things with non-drug tools. Being on a non-addictive medication to help with anxiety is also a good idea.

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

Thank you Tibergrace, that helps a lot..! :hug:

My problem is, in part, that I’m headstrong and usually my first instinct is to face the anxiety head-on and just “power” through it - even if years of anxiety have thought me that this is stupid, I can’t beat anxiety by being tough. When I’m like that I refuse to take any meds before anything happens. Perhaps I should discuss that with a therapist some time.

I like what you describe about also having other strategies. It’s a good idea - I’ll try to apply those. Normally I run and I do yoga, but I just had surgery a while ago and I moved in to a new place fairly recently too. So I am still adjusting both physically and mentally.

I have never heard of bupropion. Is it an anxiety-regulation medication too? I will take a look online.

Again, thank you so much :)

 

[Sweetleaf]

I'm glad I could be of help.

Bupropion is the generic name for wellbutrin. I don't think it's really marketed as an anti-anxiety medication but it can lower anxiety for some. I think it's used more often as an anti-depressant or smoking cessation aid. It's an NDRI.

 

[hithere]

I take this medication too. I stay way below the prescribed dose and I only take as needed. It helped when the anxiety or emotions spiked and didn't want to be irritable around my children. It actually helped me to start regulating myself and I eventually became aware of myself and that anxiety was starting. I had to learn to talk to myself, "this is not a catasrophe" "I CAN handle this" "I am NOT going to get a beating" and my religion helped me a lot, because it's based on speaking out loud and meditating on truths such as "I am loved" etc. All that self talk helped, but valium helped my body calm down first so I could start learning to practice telling myself the truth. Hope that made sense. I didn't use it for 25 years, But now I use it again. I have taken the maximum dose, but again that's rare. I found wellbutrim to be the only anti-depressant that helped with anxiety even though the doctors didn't (and don't) believe it would since Wellbutrim revs people up. It's not like lexapro or those drugs that are usually prescribed for anxiety. I only took wellbutrim for a year, and that was when it was name brand before there was a generic. It was that long ago. I was working through CSA then. I am now working through other painful events that are "stuck" in there and so I'm using the valium again when needed, when it feels like "too much." as far as what works for me the best and actually is working with really good CBT therapist; not a relational one, just nuts and bolts CBT with worksheets; thought records, "something happened-I thought something-now I feel something" then look at what I thought and tell myself the truth about the situation. There are workbooks that you can buy and use, but having someone trained in it helps. I'm not talking about trauma therapist. I would not use a CBT therapist for disclosing trauma and working through the relational trauma issues (just my personal experience. I would only use a trauma focused therapist especially if you experienced child abuse) But pure CBT and spending the time and effort in examining what my thoughts are and what is a more helpful way of looking at things hands down is superior to meds for relieving anxiety-and it's long solution. At least for me.

 

[PeTerSD]

Diazepam helps me with panic attacks and not to self-harm. Depending on the severity of my panic I take a bit less or a bit more. Considering dependency/addiction I’m careful with how much I dose.

Would you mind telling us how often and what dosage? I used various benzos for years, including diazepam, they helped at the time but had a disastrous effect on my already hindered ability to cope with stress naturally. Quitting for good was absolute HELL but I was on 100mg a day by the end. I now use advanced multivitamins, probiotics, digestive enzymes and amino acids to much greater and healthier effect.

 

[Slushie]

I used to take diazepam until my doctor told me that all meds that end with '-pam' can cause alzheimers and I'm not allowed them any more, since then, I changed my diet and eating healthy has made a world of difference for me. Particularly cruciferous vegetables and brown rice. Valerian tea has helped me too.

 

[Valo]

I have tried many benzos but not diazepam, the one that I have read has the less side effects for long term use, is etizolam. I do not remember the details but is effective for many (for me too) and is somewhat different in action that traditional benzos that make it better for side effects in the long run.

I think in general if you need an anxiolytic in an as needed basis, low doses, and not very often, you should be OK. A few get strong withdrawals even with short term use of benzos, so just check for that, but probably you ll be fine. I ll say it will be best if you have the optional days with an anxiolytic from another class to reduce possible tolerance from diazepam.

 

[EveHarrington]

I used to take diazepam until my doctor told me that all meds that end with '-pam' can cause alzheimers...

Is is just the -pam drugs or is it all benzos?

 

[hithere]

Is is just the -pam drugs or is it all benzos?

I read about this,too. It's the anxiety drugs. However the study is inconclusive because they don't know if people who have alzheimer's disease start having anxiety and start taking valium, xanax, etc. for the anxiety, when in fact the anxiety is the beginning symptoms of the disease, before they know they have alzheimer's. So they can't really say it "causes" alzheimers. It just that people diagnosed with the disease have in common a higher use of anti-anxiety meds beginning on average 2 years before onset/diagnosis of alzheimers.

 

[Slushie]

Is is just the -pam drugs or is it all benzos?

I was told that it was all the - pams.. I don't know if there is any truth in the alzheimers claim but I guess it's best to take their word for it.

 

[EveHarrington]

Oh crap I was confusing trade names with generics. My bad!