I have struggled for most of my life from early teens to now aged 55 female with severe anxiety. I had a severe breakdown 15 years ago and diazepam literally saved my life. Before being prescribed them I lost weight weighing 5 stone 10 pounds they were the crutch I needed to bring me back from hell on earth. I still struggle on a daily basis with severe anxiety but when and if I muster up the courage to visit the doctor they are so anti diazepam. I am made to almost beg for them they just say go to counselling. I have been to so many counselling sessions, relaxation, yoga exercise (I also have a very loving and supportive family) but everyday is the same waking to an awful feeling of nerves I think it's so cruel to make anyone suffer the way I have to and it's not fair to my husband and family I have very poor sleep as well. Please tell me why if there is a tablet that can relieve my symptoms why can't I have them I just don't understand why I am made to suffer in this way it's a poor quality of life for me . I understand everything there is to know about diazepam but after reading and responding to this website I hope someone can help.
Why are most doctors anti diazepam ?
Question posted by juju55 on 14 Nov 2012
Last updated on 2 December 2020
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19 Answers Page 2
Its pretty much like kaismama said. Diazepam is an old drug. It is very highly addictive, almost to the point that the risk for addiction is greater than the benefits of the medicine. There are other better medications. Have you tried klonopin (clonazepam)? It is in the same family but is a better drug. The only thing I ever see diazepam used for anymore is for seizures and spasticity and even then it is not used very much-only in people who started using it years ago because, again, there are better newer drugs.
Sorry meant to submit yes. I am willing to try alternatives if they work for me but have never been offered anything other than Citalopram which helps the depression but not the anxiety.
You might ask about Klonopin. As honeydew mentioned, vistaril may help and it is not a controlled substance. Klonopin is a controlled drug but it is in the same family that diazepam is so it will work similarly.
The other medication is buspirone. Its not a controlled medication and you take it every day to prevent the anxiety, not to catch it after it occurs.
klonopin had adverse reactions for me. the most pronounced was difficulty swallowing which I still have after stopping it 5 years ago. I, too, am looking for an alternative to diazepam.
There are alternatives such as vistaril, colonidine, busbar, and the one I have experienced as to be most effective is neurontin. None of these drugs are narcotics, but none of them work nearly as well as benzos do. Certainly worth a try good luck
Hi, do you have anxiety? And what benzos have you taken?? To tell someone to take BUSPIRONE is laughable in every way, buspar eg; BUSPIRONE is garbage my doc and my psych both said it’s used more as a placebo effect for patients who we know are abusing benzos..have you tried it? It’s horribke it induces panic attacks lol. Worst medicine I have honestly had the horrible un pleasure of taking. As far as clonazepam it WAS and I say WAS GREAT until TEVA discontinued the generic brand clonazepam!! Now there is not a brand that touches the TEVA ones. Those were real clonazepam not these actavis garbage ones I got my kpins filled Saturday and with the new switch in brands ended up on 10mg diazepam 2x daily Wich I welcomed with open arms. Nobody gives it out much and it’s rare to find but there’s not one benzo that is better than VALIUM 1. LONG LASTING. 2. QUICK ONSET W/ longest duration of all benzos, 3. IT WORKS 4. MOST EUPHORIC BY FAR, 5.
CLONAZEPAM IS DEAD ALONG WITH THE TEVA DISCONTINUING GENERIC CLONAZEPAM AS A WHOLE. Buspar. For someone who’s obvi been on benzos for a while yah just switch to buspar!! Said nobody... if diazepam isn’t your cup of tea then you won’t kike klonopin, try TEMAZEpam eg; Restoril best benzo next to Valium and yes these are two of the oldest benzos. I have been on every single benzo you can name please listen to this post! I am not a doctor and this is all opinions nothing actual do not do anything I mention as I am not a physician nor do I condone benzo abuse. I am simply telling my experiences!
Hi I am on diazepam have been on clonazepam and alprazolam temazepam lorazepam u name it, I find Valium a rare gem in the benzo world. What are these newer drugs? All benzos came out from 1960-1992? what new ones?
They shy away from if because it is short acting and abusive and also because there are so many other, newer durgs out there now to treat anxiety that actually work better and aren't as likely to be abused.
What are the names of the newer drugs? Thank you for replying
I honestly don't know the names of the newer drugs, but I know that they are out there, the best one to tell you this is kaismama she seems to be well informed about most stuff and I think that she is or was a Registered Nurse.
propanalol (for anxiety) matazapine for depression
Talk to our doctor about prescribing one of the antidepressants that also treat anxiety. There are many though not sure which are available in your country. It may take trying several different ones until you find the one that works for you, but worth the effort. It takes a couple of weeks for the side effects to subside and upwards of a month for it to reach maximum effectiveness so be patient.
I have bipolar disorder, OCD & severe panic attacks. People with bipolar get severely manic on anti-depressants. Therefore, I have to have meds like xanax for the panic/OCD. My psychiatrist tried all sorts of meds & all the anti-depressants made me super hyper manic.
Yes, some people with bipolar disorder, particularly type 1, can be sent into mania from antidepressants.
Have you ever had a doctor try something to treat the the anxiety? There are better meds then diazepam. They shy away from it because its short acting, number one, and also its the most easily abused and addictive of the benzos. I know how you feel, many of us feel the same way about pain control. You know what helps, but they won't let us have it. But truly diazepam is a short term treatment for a long term problem.
Thank you for responding. I am on Citalopram which helps with depression and supposed to help with anxiety but unfortunately doesn't. I appreciate what you say but would just feel safer knowing I have the diazepam to hand it seems to be generic in our family who also suffer with anxiety.
Juju I am with you on that the diazepam is the only thing that helps me too and I have tried a lot of other thugs as well and did not help and Iam currently looking everywhere for a doctor and can not find one its so hard doing without my medicine. My doctor that gave them to me a year ago had moved to a different town that was to far for me to go to so unfortunately I'm without my medicine I took 5milg twice a day worked great for me I hope u find a doctor that will give you your medication because it's not a good feeling at all without good luck :)
I am with you. I tried all types of therapy; cognitive, behavioral, biofeedback, talk therapy. I exercise. My first psychiatrist prescribed a number of meds to treat my problems (bipolar disorder, OCD, panic attacks). ONLY diazepam worked for the OCD & panic attacks. My new psychiatrist (the old one won't take Medicare) is SO against any benzos. I was on xanax for 20 years. At .25 mg/night, the lowest dose possible. I never needed or asked for a higher dose, never had weird side effects. And it calmed the panic attacks & wiped out the OCD (constant checking of locks, etc.) Why are doctors so afraid of benzos?
I am in the same boat. Since 1999 I have been prescribed a plethora of ssri, anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers, trazadone, doxepin, elavil, remron, vistaril, and the list goes on and on and on. No benzos though. The reason? The one you provided about abuse potential. However, I continue to be plagued by social anxiety and debilitating panic attacks which I have had since I was 7 y/o. I am 47 now, have been hospitalized 3 times because I thought I was having a heart attack. I have stopped going to the hospital when they happen now (which is at least twice a week) which concerns me that I may not responsible d to a real heart attack. Cognitive therapy is parlor tricks. A distraction. Very similar to placing a bandaid on a gaping knife wound. I just wonder how dependence on benzos is worse than daily misery.
I know what you’re talking about, the new doctors of today have been taught that bins avoids are no good I have been taking Valium. For almost 40 years I now have a doctor that recommends it it is A very safe sedative Nother words it is really hard to overdose on valiumI have been weaned off of it from my doctor and was awake for seven days went into terrible with draws went back to my doctor and she has given me pretty much a lifetime prescription for Valium it does work I originally took this drug for a lump in my throat the doctors had called it and anxiety lump also for restless leg syndrome and insomniaIf you use the drug as prescribed it works very well these new doctors just don’t know how to cope with older people hope this helps thanks for listening
Pray, what are the better drugs ? I’d really love to know as SSRI’s do nothing for me, and I’m really struggling on propranolol...
Related topics
anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, diazepam, doctor, female
Further information
- Diazepam uses and safety info
- Diazepam prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Diazepam (detailed)
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