Ever taken Valium? What were your results?

[trof]

You can read about why I now have a prescription here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018499637

How did it make you feel?

[intaglio]

1. Not the original but one of the analogues

It felt like someone had bulldozed both my good and bad emotions flat.

Not nice

[trof]

6. Sleepy? Lethargic? What?

I was hoping for euphoric.

[intaglio]

11. Euphoric? Uh-uh

Lethargic and unable to care. Depending on the dose it might function as a sleeping pill.

From the sound of it your MD is attempting to stop panic attacks and TBH I suggest you ask for a second opinion.

Check the linkValium effects from rx list

Additional to the effects there is the problem that diazepam (the actual generic name) takes a long time to clear the system, the half life is 3-7 days.

[trof]

13. Thanks. Yes, this is diazepam.

Thanks for the link.

[rug]

2. Maybe you should just take Amtrak.

[trof]

4. Is that over-the-counter or prescription?

[rug]

10. If this happens, you'll need prescription strength.

[Ptah]

3. My daughter just started taking it for high blood pressure.

She was surprised to see a warning to not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice.

[trof]

5. REALLY?

Nothing I've read about Valium indicates it's for HBP.
I take two HBP meds now.


Yes, grapefruit juice can affect the potency of many drugs.

[Ptah]

8. She also has dizziness that her doctor surmises is related to anxiety.

[womanofthehills]

31. 85 drug warnings - interactions with graperfruit

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/grapefruit-is-a-culprit-in-more-drug-reactions/


.

[tanyev]

7. Only time I've ever had Valium was before medical procedures.

Made everything go very smoooooothly. Don't remember much of a couple of them, in fact.

What I do have a prescription for is Clonazepam. I don't take it all the time, because my anxiety issues are not that bad. The things that set me off are pretty predictable--getting on a plane, public speaking, etc. I take 1/4 of a pill when I know something is coming up and it just dampens the adrenalin reaction. Everything else feels the same. Once the event is over, I do feel some drowsiness. It's been tremendously helpful for me.

[trof]

9. Thank you for some useful information. These are 5 mg tabs.

Says take 1 or 2 one hour before 'event'.
I'm gonna do a dry run tomorrow.
Take one about 10 a.m.

The pharmacist said no booze.
'For how long?'
'24 hours.'
'Before or after?'
'Both.'


I think she was anti-booze.
The printed cautions aren't nearly that stringent.

[tanyev]

14. I discovered that taking a whole pill made me drowsy for about 48 hours,

1/2 a pill for 24 hours, etc., so now I consider how long my "event" will probably last in deciding how much I take. I do not drink alcohol while I need it to be effective, but I've had something to drink once everything is over and I was safe at home with no bad effects. I recall reading somewhere that a lot of people make the mistake while flying to wash down their Valium with a glass of wine and somehow it lessens the effectiveness, or makes you feel like it's not working, so you feel like you need to take more. Then it gets ugly.

[trof]

17. Yes. A doctor friend told me the same thing about alcohol.

She knows I'm a fairly heavy drinker.
5 or 6 Scotches most evenings.
Said that might lessen the effect of the Valium.
Thanks for the info.

[R B Garr]

23. Do you ever feel dehydrated from the drinking?

I ask that because I posted in your other thread about a panic attack I had right after boarding a flight. I think part of my physical reaction was intensified because I may have been dehydrated, which can make you a little light-headed anyway.

[trof]

42. No, quite the opposit.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. Careful - mixing liquor and valium is what killed Thomas Kinkade.

He was a terrible artist, but still. And then there was Karen Ann Quinlan.

[RobinA]

35. LESSEN the Effect

Of the Valium? Alcohol and Valium multiply the effect.

That said. Yes I've taken Valium. 15mg will get me across the country on a nonstop IF nothing goes wrong. I never felt anything but calmer.

[uriel1972]

33. I have 5mg for when I can't sleep....

I can only take 3 per week. It's a drug of dependency so be cautious. You don't need a benzo habit to add to your problems.

[Brother Buzz]

12. Yes

It's like two cocktails without the stupid. It's perfect for stress situations when you're not expected to be in control; just kickback and go with the flow.

[trof]

15. Thanks, Bro. That sounds about right.

[Taverner]

16. Valium is a great - "Calm Me Down"

For people too stressed to make a decision, it is the perfect solution

[HarveyDarkey]

18. Only time I had it was IV when I had my wisdom teeth out

I can't tell you a thing about it. I remember nothing until waking in the car on the way home.

[eShirl]

25. When I had IV Valium it felt like instantly being drunk.

Good thing I was lying down.

[HarveyDarkey]

26. I don't know what my dosage was, but I was instantly unconscious

[nolabear]

19. Yeah, a few times years ago. It just made me sleepy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. Sleepy, not much else.

[mentalsolstice]

21. I have a script

It's as needed for muscle spasms, however, when I complained to my Dr. of vertigo, she said it was good for that as well. She scripts me 30 pills per month (5 mg), to be taken up to 3 times per day. The script expires every 6 months. I try to avoid taking it unless absolutely necessary. However, when I really need it, a couple of days, 2-3 per day, it works wonders! Yes, during those days, I may be a little too relaxed, but with the muscle spasms that's the whole point. However, after a round, I feel great for several weeks or months. Afterwards, I'm looser, able to stretch, exercise, I just feel great. The secret is to only take it as needed!

[Arkansas Granny]

22. I took Valium many years ago when I was a young mother

in an unhappy marriage. I'm sure that my symptoms would be called depression now, but then I was prescribed "nerve pills".

It made my situation more bearable and I was able to sleep better. I had so much energy that some people thought I was speeding. At any rare, when my husband and I separated, I realized I didn't need them any more.

[Bertha Venation]

39. You've given me a bit of new perspective

My mother was severely depressed. Her psychiatrist prescribed Valium. Looking back forty years later, I have always thought Valium was a tranquilizer (is it not?), and I wondered why he'd give something like that to a depressed person. So now, given what you've written, I have some hope that it helped her. Thanks.

(I'll never know if it did help her. She took her life in 1974.)

[LadyHawkAZ]

27. The blue pills put me right out for 12 hours.

The orange pills just made the anxiety go away. I still get them now and then when I have to fly.

Good stuff.

[Betty88]

28. Well it makes lunch with my family a whole lot better nt

nt

[Gato Moteado]

29. i have used it to take the edge off of anxiety attacks....

...and before boarding planes to prevent anxiety attacks.

it's great stuff. it has always relaxed me with no side effects.

[Tom Ripley]

30. IV liquid Valium is fant-------------

[uriel1972]

32. Pill form, sleepy...

But when I had my wisdom teeth extracted, they gave me I.V. valium.....Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Other people in the recovery room were sick as dogs, but I was floating in heaven.

For the first time in a decade nothing hurt. I was high as a kite and I loved it , bleeding mouth, meh - who cares.

[Taverner]

34. Mellow, relaxed and no med hangover the next morning

Much MUCH better than Xanax

[Iggo]

36. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

Like that.

[justice1]

37. It worked great for my anxiety, was helping me to get my life back, until the Dr. quit prescribing.

[Bertha Venation]

38. It made me sleep. n/t

[ohnoyoudidnt]

40. I find it good for anxiety, to help sleep on rough nights and to relax muscles

after days where I really physically exert myself. It is also used for alcohol withdrawal. Of course, it can be addictive itself. Be careful if you are not taking it prescribed and being treated by a doctor.

[BarbaRosa]

41. My feet seem to get heavy.

[trof]

43. I appreciate all the info, guys. Many thanks.

You've been a big help.
DU is a great resource.

[csziggy]

44. Took it for a week after a back injury

It relaxed all my muscles which helped immensely with the back pain. And I didn't care about anything - back pain, my business, whether I was breathing or not. Just didn't care.

After a week of this, my back pain/spasms were gone and I was so bored I couldn't stand it. I think I had three more days of Valium but I never took them.

[raptor_rider]

45. Just once,

It was for a procedure that I had at 16. Not one that a 16yr old female to go through, however I was able to live my life that I needed to.

[LumosMaxima]

46. Once

Flying makes me very anxious and I tried it once before a flight. Had no effect on me at all.