My Valium Experiment

[anthony]

For about two weeks now I have been conducting a little experiment with valium...

As I have been unmedicated for many years now, the one problem I just couldn't get past was the residual anxiety that caused that constant pain in the middle of my chest. Had it for years. SSRI's, any type of anti-depressant, only made me more depressed and suicidal, hence why I stopped using meds.

So what I have done is use 2 x 2mg valium's per day, one when I wakeup, one around 2pm, every day. For two weeks, I haven't had that constant chest pain, for two weeks I haven't been enduring the depression caused by that constant chest pain... so mixed still with good daily self management, it seems a viable solution, with zero side effects for me, to remove that last piece of PTSD anxiety.

Future Concern

Whilst it is acceptable to have 4 x 10mg valium per day for worst case scenarios, the problem with all medications is that you body will build a tolerance to it. And already thinking ahead and sucking up this consequence, and being near anti-medication due to all the bad experiences endured with them, I have decided that when the time comes that the PTSD anxiety wins and puts that chest pain back even whilst on 2 x 2mg per day, instead of upping the dose, I will drop them both, as the amounts have no side effects or withdrawals, so dropping them both will see little change other than I will likely feel like shit for a couple of weeks, but dropping them for several months will give my system time to rid it, then start the same process again.

I figure if I get 9 - 10 good months a year that I have zero chest pain due to residual PTSD anxiety, then that has to be a good thing.

Its an experiment, and it works effectively. I am only posting it as those who have healed over many years, yet still suffer that residual anxiety in their chest or such, that just niggles at them constantly, being PTSD... then maybe that is a solution, without getting onto meds. I am personally planning to actually take this for 10 months of the year, and drop it for 2 months, hoping that my body won't even have time to build a resistance to it in that time... preempting the known affects of medications before they occur and countering them by removal.

 

[scott_1971_h]

Anthony, good experiment *BUT*... what about the side effects of the Valium? Huge problems with memory and/or cognition.

 

[Gamereign555]

You know, my last bottle of valium lasted me a long time because I would only take a pill once every 2 days. My body didn't seem to really build a tolerance, I do the same thing with restoril, only restoril is odd in that it doesn't always work no matter what. And it works for ativan as well for me anyway.

Every time I get a prescription of a benzo I always try to find that sweet spot where I get some kind of gain out of it without ruining the effect through tolerance. You wont get as much relief no but its some, just think about those who take huge amounts of them just to get some relief? I often wonder if I get as much relief from taking just the one pill because my tolerance was low. In most cases of my typical daily chest pain/tightness was eliminated for that day and sometimes for 2 or more days by just taking 1/2 to 1mg of ativan or a valium. And for sleep I would use a sleep aid instead of a benzo, this way no extra tolerance and the benzo you take is while you are awake.

Or just taking one before bed, sometimes the pain/tightness is bad for me at night. In that case I won't take one during the day but my body was okay with that usually.
Of course if you are in terrible pain from it, doctors usually try to put on you 1mg ativan 3x daily. Followed by a quick taper. Thats not what I'm talking about though. This would be more for an as needed basis where you are trying to keep tolerance and withdrawal/rebound effects of the drug in check so that you can continue to use it for relief for an extended period. And on those low doses so spread out, I never have any withdrawal or rebound that is even noticeable even from fast acting ativan.

I'm sure there is some build up in a body's system but I didn't notice anything after making 30 pills last about 70 or so days.

Maybe I'm wrong but I have a very addictive mind and benzos really don't give me any room to mess around because of that. Assuming I'm thinking responsibly.

 

[Nicolette]

From the outside looking in, I have seen no obvious side effect from the Valium other than a tremendous improvement.

 

[Gamereign555]

I get some ataxia from it but its only for the first few steps after standing. I can work and drive on the little dose, heck I'm slightly better that way....that sounds so bad but it is what it is.

 

[anni]

I never thought of this approach, since I do the same dam thing with worrying about the stupid 'what ifs' with the tolerance thing. Gosh. 10 months without that edge would be worth it, wouldn't it? I mean at least getting through those 2 months one would know there's that long stretch of 'ok' to look forward to. I've been so back and forth with Lorazapam all these years it's ridiculous but it's so incredibly helpful in getting out of my own way-getting past that dumb anxiety permeating the whole friggin world.

Could always add 20 miles or so to the morning run for 2 months. :rolleyes:

 

[anthony]

Anthony, good experiment *BUT*... what about the side effects of the Valium? Huge problems with memory and/or cognition.

Not seeing any side effects.... No negative memory or cognition change, in actual fact I would say I have sharpened up in both areas since taking that last niggly anxiety out of my daily life.

 

[cherryblossom]

I take valium on an 'as and when' required basis. I understand all the tolerance and addictive properties. I don't 'rely' on it for anything. I don't take it at a set time each day. Even my Pharmacist questioned whether I had enough for the week. My prescription saying "Take one 3 times a day", but my Doctor prescribes me 10 (5mg)tablets per week. That is more than enough for me, to occasionally take the edge off my anxiety. I take modified release Propanalol (80mg), which has done wonders for my over all anxiety, and palpitations etc. Of all my drugs, that is the one I have found to be most beneficial, and that I'm reluctant to stop. I've completely stopped one of my antidepressants (Mirtazepine), and I'm reducing my SSRI (paroxetine (seroxat)). I was trying to reduce slowly, which didn't really work, because the withdrawal effects are horrible, so I decided to go cold turkey, since the withdrawal effects are much the same but the time suffering is withdrawal effects is reduced (I just need to check this method with my GP).

Perhaps rather than the valium and withdrawals etc, you might look into propanalol (a beta blocker), which may give you the same benefit, without the addiction/tolerance of benzo's.

 

[KP the nut]

I take mine as and when needed. However before I started them a friend here recommended starting with half the prescribed dose and the taking the other half when needed. Although I don't advocate messing with GP prescription instructions. I tried it and it did what was needed. Taking the full dose would have made me out of it.

 

[Tracey081]

I'm curious how you do. I'm an Ativan user (though I've recently halved my prescription on my own from 4mg to 2mg without issue), but my Dad's used 5mg/day of Valium for decades and never developed a tolerance, even though you read all these things about benzo tolerance issues. The VA scripted him 10mg/day, but he never used that whole amount, and they finally started prescribing him just the 5mg/day. He says the 5mg is all he needs, and the 10mg would make him groggy the next day. (Oh, and he's 79, and his mind is sharp as a tack, but he's been using Valium since he was 51 due to the Korean War or something.)

(Of course maybe he has a weird physiology.)

 

[anthony]

So far... 2mg twice a day is giving me the same result... sharp as a tack. The anxiety in my chest might pops it head first thing in the morning before taking the tablet, but once I take one first up, by the time I'm finished having a shower, getting ready, etc... I feel quite well.

Saying this... this is all based on me still managing my overall stress intake. I went to the shops the other day, forgot to take my tablet that morning, and after 4hrs in the shop I was really ready to hurt someone. Got home and checked my tablets, forgot to take it... as the packet had an even amount still, and wouldn't have if I had taken my morning tablet. Completely forgot... the effects where quite interesting just missing one 2mg tablet and going shopping.

Though yes... just like your Dad Tracey, I feel really good on just that one tablet, twice daily. I am also skeptical on whether I will build a tolerance or not, but obviously I must take it for some type of duration first to know whether this will occur or not.

 

[jesse]

Anthony I was wondering if you experienced more agitation on SSRI's? I have had that experience with them and was subsequently misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder for years as a result. I take ativan as needed which I try to limit to every few days depending on the situation. It works well for me but it is really hard to find a doc in the U.S. to prescribe it due to the addictive potential and their scrutiny from the DEA (drug enforcement administration). I get dirty looks from pharmacists sometimes when I fill it too which really irritates me. I even got a pamplet from a pharmacy when I filled it last about alternative ways to reduce stress. I also take xanax every night for sleep disorder and haven't developed a tolerance in 6 years now. I'm glad that is working so well for you.