[aphid360]

I'm thinking about starting to take it regularly and had a few questions. Slight background on me: I'm 18, I've been diagnosed as bipolar II, and I've been on a couple of different SSRIs and a few antipsychotics in the past, up to five medications at a time. Right now I'm prescribed to take (daily) Effexor XR (150mg), Depakote ER (1000mg), and Remeron (30mg), but I still have a lot of anxiety.My grandfather took Valium everyday of his entire adult lifeand it seemed to help him. So here's a bunch of random questions, I'd be glad if anyone could answer any of them.

• Have any of you been prescribed Valium legitimately? What dosage/how often?

• What do you think is the usual prescription written for someone with mild anxiety? (2mg twice a day? 5mg once a day?)

• If I started taking a low dosage of Valium daily for a long while, how difficult would it be to stop?

• Are there other benzodiazepines that would be better for low dosage, long term treatment of mild anxiety? I chose Valium originally because of its long half-life.
  

I know it seems like a long post/lot of questions, but if anyone could give me any info on anything here I'd appreciate it.

[3discsoutofwhack]

hello, I have no experience with bipolar 2 but I have taken valuim in the past and it has led me to harder drugs. If you want to feel better, stick with what your DR perscribes you. You don't want to get cuaght in th world of addiction

[josycat]

Originally Posted by 3discsoutofwhack

hello, I have no experience with bipolar 2 but I have taken valuim in the past and it has led me to harder drugs. If you want to feel better, stick with what your DR perscribes you. You don't want to get cuaght in th world of addiction

as well, it only works for so long and then amazingly does the opposite of what its taken for in the first place, i.e., sleeplessness, anxiety, leg cramps, etc. my dr. warned me that this occurs and i went on them anyway and its been approximately 5 months and sure enough i have all these symptoms again. just fair warning. josycat-

[mpvt]

These people are right.Valium is a benzodiazepine and is supposed to be used for short term anxiety.This drug can destroy people very quickly because they get addicted to it and walk around in a narcotic blackout for days and weeks at a time.Do yourself a favour and don't even try the benzo family of drugs.Your grandfather was lucky that he didn't suffer adverse affects that you are aware of but back when he was younger they thought that benzo's were safe.They developed benzo's because so many people were falling to addiction with barbituates.When benzo's came on the market doctors thought "wow, we have a new class of non-addicting drugs for anxiety dissorders". They found out years later that benzo's were just as bad as barbituates.Try and find a non drug related way to deal with your anxiety as drugs will just turn you into a zombie eventually.Good luck to you....Dave

[Draginon]

I do know anything about bipolar but i did use to take effexor.Ive taken depression/anxiety meds for 15 years..almost half my life.I tried valium first but it was too strong so then i tried xanax and that works great for me.(valium 5mg knocks me right out --xanax 5 mg is just right...some people are the opposite.its just depends on you)No panic attacks,no anxiety as long as i take it before all that happens.i have been taking xanax for 7 years.As needed.I do not take it everyday.I take it when im feeling anxious or to go to sleep at nite.It is addicting.But panic attacks and anxiety are debilitating.I prefer to live as close to a normal life as i can and thank god there is a med that works for me.(Ive tried hypnosis,self help books,i also go to counseling)I have a script for Xanax/45 count sometimes he'll give me more like during holidays or more ztressful times.I sometimes run out and i sometimes have almost a full bottle at the end of the month.

[Sleepnumber]

I am prescibed valium but dumb ass me decided to order it on the internet. I received some blue pills that have z/d on one side and M< on the other they are round and look like the size of a a generic valium. Came from Costa Rica. Anyone ever get any of these? Valium is addicting or I wouldn't be ordering it on the internet.

[skevic]

I took valium for a lot of years and it never made me want to do harder drugs. I think you have a pretty good head on your shoulders or you wouldn't have asked about the effects first. I know that valium interrupts your dream cycle. Other than that I didn't have any problems with it. When I wasn't prescribed it anymore it was a little hard to sleep for a week or so but after that I didn't really miss it. I was given 4 10mg pills to take a day. That is a lot but my prescription was for major back spasms after a car wreck. For slight anxiety and only being 18 my opinion would be that you not take more than 5 mgs a day. But I'm no doctor just someone that read your posts and the unintelligent answers you received. Good Luck.