Diazepam

[azman5998]

what are the effects of taking diazepam for the controll of occasional panic attacks.

[fallingthin]

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); confusion; difficulty breathing; fainting; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; hallucinations; inability to control urination or difficulty urinating; memory problems or memory loss; new or worsening mental or mood changes (eg, agitation, aggressiveness, behavior changes, depression, irritability, rage, restlessness); severe or persistent dizziness or lightheadedness; severe or persistent pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site; slow heartbeat; slurred speech; tremor; trouble sleeping; vision changes (eg, blurred vision, double vision); yellowing of the skin or eyes.

[obsessivelynormal]

Should not be taken for more than a few weeks as very addictive so not suitable for long term treatment. I took it for 2 weeks after I was hospitalized over my panic attacks/OCD/anxiety. Personally, I found them horrible. The panic attacks subsided after a few days but I still felt extremely anxious. In fact , the diazepam made me feel so weird and unreal that it actual made me more anxious.

[alankay]

Little to nothing. I've used valium for years for just that. There's allot of silliness about valium. I've used several since 1981(Serax, Centrax, Ativan, Tranxene, Valium, Klonopin) so let me share a bit about them. Benzos are all almost the same AFTER you adjust for half life and potency(let's not get into whether they bind to lipids or not or how they are metabolized). Some docs like valium since the have a very long half life and basically self taper when you take the last one. Shorter acting benzos(xanax) can result in rebound anxiety(but not always). Then again some think short acters are more likely to be abused because their actions are compressed(this can be corrected by proper dosing), thus it being more apparent to the patient when the drug wears off. Long acters like valium wear off very slowly with active metabolites contributing to that. Some docs feel they don't want their patients under the potential hypnotic(easier to sleep) effect any longer than needed(for driving safety, etc) so lean toward short/intermediate acters(ativan is the most common intermediate acter and very popular). Otherwise all the side effects are only "potential" and are basically the same for all. But those effects(the long list) are more an issue at higher doses and while taken longer term. The question was for occasional use. You won't likely develop much tolerance with occasional use and will likely have very little/no problems. But when you use it, make sure you PAY ATTENTION to how it effects you so driving is safe for you. If you don't know any better and are not aware, you might not be as safe as if you exercised the caution that's recommended. Having said all this lots of drs. seem to follow this guide. Use short acters for panic, long acters for Generalized Anxiety and exercise judgement and opt for ativan(or other intermediate acter) based on the individual case. Also, xanax is often used for older forks as it basically becomes an intermediate acter since they metabolize it slower(as so will also be given a lower dose as well). My rule is use ONLY enough, only when I REALLY need it. I just don't like to see benzos maligned when, if used properly, with restraint on the patients part and monitoring on the drs. part, they have a rightful place in anxiety treatment as well as many other medical disorders/conditions. Be well!!:) And NO offense to anyone who disagrees please. I feel for those who are having a really horrible time but can't get relief. Also, it sure is true that some folks react differently to the various meds in this class or the class in general.