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rate of addiction to valium

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psytaco

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Joined
Nov 20, 2005
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I have recently been diagnosed with depression and have suffered severe insomnia on and off for 4 years now. I recently had some very severe side effects to the anti depressant effexor, one such side effect was insomnia and bad suicidal ideation.

To deal with the distress caused by this experience and the insomnia I have been prescribed valium 5mg. My doctor is aware of previous drug use, and I orginally did want many because I know they are addictive, so she only gave me 25. however, my mum has valium for insomnia and backpain so I have access to more (but she dispenses them too me - she caught me sneaking her medicine:(.

I have been taking 15-20mg valium over the space of say 3 hours before I go to bed. i have been doing this everynight since last tuesday (so for a week). I can get given more valium by my mother until my next dr appointment (friday or early next week - yet to make the appointment).

My question is: at the dosages I am taking will I experience withdrawal symptoms if i stop taking it abruptly after 2 weeks.

To be honest I really enjoy it, as it gives me relief from my symptoms. I would like to get another script, but am wary the possibility of addiction may be worse than the depression/anxiety. What are your views on this?

i am going to discuss all this with my doctor (a different one coz I'm returning to melbourne). i am also going to get a referal to a psychologist, to see regularly. I would rather just feel normal and drug free (well psycheatric drug free;)). And I am loathed to try anti depressants again after the horror that was just 3 days on effexor.
 
Everyone is different, but two weeks isn't really long enough to develop serious withdrawal problems. I think you will be fine, but you should try and keep your tolerance down if you want valium to keep working for you.

I really don't think benzodiazepines are a long term solution, eventually you just keep having to push the dose up as your tolerance develops and the WD effects are very nasty as you probably know (seizures, etc).
 
Mr Blonde said:
Everyone is different, but two weeks isn't really long enough to develop serious withdrawal problems. I think you will be fine, but you should try and keep your tolerance down if you want valium to keep working for you.
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Am I likely to experience any withdrawal symptoms. even mild ones?

i know they are different drugs, but i got mild withdrawals off oxy's after using for 5 days in a row (though I was doing like 80-100mg a day). so yeah, I'm just a bit worried about the possiblity it could happen with the benzos.

BTW. the wise person who commented that stealing parents perscription drugs will come around to bite me on the arse. You were right. My mum now hides valium, nurofen plus and even fucking plain panadol. and it is dispensed by her. I feel like I am on a methadone program:\
 
you're likely to have rebound anxiety and insomnia from ceasing the valium after a couple of weeks. it shouldn't be too harsh nor too long in duration but as blondey said everyone is different.

BTW. the wise person who commented that stealing parents perscription drugs will come around to bite me on the arse. You were right. My mum now hides valium, nurofen plus and even fucking plain panadol. and it is dispensed by her. I feel like I am on a methadone program
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lol that was me:p you can't say i didn't warn you;)
 
i know they are different drugs, but i got mild withdrawals off oxy's after using for 5 days in a row (though I was doing like 80-100mg a day). so yeah, I'm just a bit worried about the possiblity it could happen with the benzos.
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As lefty said, you may have some mild symptoms but nothing too severe.

That's quite a bit of oxy, did you have a habit prior to that incident? If you have had an opioid habit before, it doesn't take long to build your tolerance back up and experience mild WD symptoms again if you binge, I'm not sure if this happens with benzos as well though.
 
psytaco said:
I have recently been diagnosed with depression and have suffered severe insomnia on and off for 4 years now. I recently had some very severe side effects to the anti depressant effexor, one such side effect was insomnia and bad suicidal ideation.

To deal with the distress caused by this experience and the insomnia I have been prescribed valium 5mg. My doctor is aware of previous drug use, and I orginally did want many because I know they are addictive, so she only gave me 25. however, my mum has valium for insomnia and backpain so I have access to more (but she dispenses them too me - she caught me sneaking her medicine:(.

I have been taking 15-20mg valium over the space of say 3 hours before I go to bed. i have been doing this everynight since last tuesday (so for a week). I can get given more valium by my mother until my next dr appointment (friday or early next week - yet to make the appointment).

My question is: at the dosages I am taking will I experience withdrawal symptoms if i stop taking it abruptly after 2 weeks.

To be honest I really enjoy it, as it gives me relief from my symptoms. I would like to get another script, but am wary the possibility of addiction may be worse than the depression/anxiety. What are your views on this?

i am going to discuss all this with my doctor (a different one coz I'm returning to melbourne). i am also going to get a referal to a psychologist, to see regularly. I would rather just feel normal and drug free (well psycheatric drug free;)). And I am loathed to try anti depressants again after the horror that was just 3 days on effexor.
Click to expand...

I have gone through phases where buying 200 10mg diazepams (valium) at a time was common place and exhausting the stash would take 2 weeks or less. While I experienced some mild withdrawal (generalized anxiety) it was nothing too bad--some psychological dependence and mild physical cravings--mild). Not nearly like withdrawing from most opiates.

The one major concern I have found with stopping taking benzodiazepines (aka valium, xanax, klonopin, nitrazepam, lorazepam etc etc) is that the short acting benzos (xanax and klonopin to name a few) can more readily cause seizures after extensive use followed by abrupt cessation and must be stepped away from cautiously. Often long acting benzos like valium with be administered to curtail the seizure risk of short acting benzos.

THAT BEING SAID: the extremely moderate dosing and quantity you mentioned should not be cause for concern and I wouldn't expect many if any appreciable physical detriments to finishing your prescription.

I'm not a doctor though so if you are uncertain about what you read here or elsewhere online you cant go wrong checking with your physician.

Hope this helps,

Knox Harrington
 
Mr Blonde said:
As lefty said, you may have some mild symptoms but nothing too severe.

That's quite a bit of oxy, did you have a habit prior to that incident? If you have had an opioid habit before, it doesn't take long to build your tolerance back up and experience mild WD symptoms again if you binge, I'm not sure if this happens with benzos as well though.
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No, no real previous opiate use. I just had a very plentiful and cheap supply of oxy80mg tablets at my disposal. For better or worse, that source is no longer available.

i just really like oxy. I loved the euphoria, the fact I could either sit or lie there in absolute bliss, or take a smaller dose and feel content as all hell and go about my everyday routine. It also takes away all care and worry. I would take it once I got up and throughout the day, I would even take it upon waking up in the middle of the night because I love the sleep opiates give me. At its peak, I would do almost two full 80mg tablets in the course of a day. but at this level, I would have incredibly bad itching (like tearing at my skin) and pretty bad nausea.

i pray I never try heroin because I think that I would have no way of controlling myself with it.
 
I hope your praying to joe pesci mate.. he know's how to get shit done.
 
Most doctors will not prescribe you more than two weeks (if you're lucky).

I don't know what wihdrawl is really like since I have been on diazepam for the last 9 years or so, self medicated (I know foolish).

I can comment tho that I did stop briefly and it was not nice (to say the very least).
 
psytaco said:
No, no real previous opiate use. I just had a very plentiful and cheap supply of oxy80mg tablets at my disposal. For better or worse, that source is no longer available.

i just really like oxy. I loved the euphoria, the fact I could either sit or lie there in absolute bliss, or take a smaller dose and feel content as all hell and go about my everyday routine. It also takes away all care and worry. I would take it once I got up and throughout the day, I would even take it upon waking up in the middle of the night because I love the sleep opiates give me. At its peak, I would do almost two full 80mg tablets in the course of a day. but at this level, I would have incredibly bad itching (like tearing at my skin) and pretty bad nausea.

i pray I never try heroin because I think that I would have no way of controlling myself with it.
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It kind of sounds like you should be careful. Can u solve your sleeping problems on less then that dose?

And there is always weed. Ahh weed. Effxor is a fucker of a drug, be careful cause the WD's from that are only going to be a little less then the valium..
 
FacedAgain said:
It kind of sounds like you should be careful. Can u solve your sleeping problems on less then that dose?

And there is always weed. Ahh weed. Effxor is a fucker of a drug, be careful cause the WD's from that are only going to be a little less then the valium..
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i don't take effexor anymore. I only took it for 3 days and have extremely severe effects - ended up needing to call the triage nurse at the psych unit. luckily my mum had valium which knocked me out, and I did not contiue to taking it after that.

the insomnia and my anxiety/depression are all related. i normally take zolpleclone for insomnia (its like stilnox) but have stopped due to not wanting to have to take medication to sleep (also apparently with alot of sleeping tablets you never enter REM sleep, so you are not mentally rejuvinated or psychologically rested).

i used to smoke alot of weed, but now it makes me incredibly anxious and paranoid.

Oh and I don't do oxy anymore. Just codeine (though I shouldn't be doing that) - maybe a CWE of 200mg once a week, or 100mg a few times a week. It doesn't help my sleep, but does help my anxiety.
 
psytaco said:
the insomnia and my anxiety/depression are all related. i normally take zolpleclone for insomnia (its like stilnox) but have stopped due to not wanting to have to take medication to sleep (also apparently with alot of sleeping tablets you never enter REM sleep, so you are not mentally rejuvinated or psychologically rested).
.
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you don't want high levels of benzo's in your blood for prolonged periods. It interferes with and lessons deep slow wave sleep. You're better of with temaze or xanax than diaz due to shorter 1/2 life and more of a chance to be sleeping naturally by the time you wake.

Although dr's do sometimes prescribe diaz for sleep prob shouldnt' take it for long periods of time at high doses. Diaze with it's long 1/2 life would be the worst choice.

Based on what dr's tell you anyway & is likely theoretically right, but it's still better than no sleep i'm sure.
 
bobbydarren said:
you don't want high levels of benzo's in your blood for prolonged periods. It interferes with and lessons deep slow wave sleep. You're better of with temaze or xanax than diaz due to shorter 1/2 life and more of a chance to be sleeping naturally by the time you wake.

Although dr's do sometimes prescribe diaz for sleep prob shouldnt' take it for long periods of time at high doses. Diaze with it's long 1/2 life would be the worst choice.

Based on what dr's tell you anyway & is likely theoretically right, but it's still better than no sleep i'm sure.
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thats some good advice. and something i didn't know about benzos. I have a meeting with my doctor on friday - so I'm going to have a frank discussion about all these issues.

Thanks for the advice everyone

much<3
 
An update:

well i decided to be completely honesty with my doctor about my substance use (you guys might think this was stupid but it in a larger sense it is probably for the best), because I am suffering depression and wanted to get better.

He was not impressed to say the least. He said if I keep up being a poly drug abuser (even though i do it recreationally), eventually i am going to get bitten in the arse and wind up in hospital.

I am now on a valium discontinuation program (he said he would only prescribe 20mg valium a day for people undergoing alcohol withdrawal), because I am clearly abusing it.

He also had strong words to say about the doctor who prescribed me effexor, considering my issues with insomnia and that she knew I used serotonin releasing drugs. he actually believes I had an episode of serotonin syndrome (which I can assure you is no fun!).

So there you have it! some tough love, but probably good advice.
 
Hey hope u get better soon, i was addicted to valium and dihdrocodeine for four years an went cold turkey last sept wen i was planning my year lon trip to oz(as i knew i would rattle bcoz i couldnt score) I am so happy i did quit(tho it was tourcher)Anyway, i went to thailand in may and relapsed on the valium, and FUCK ME, wen i got back to oz i was suicidal again, for the first time in 9 months.I am going home to scotland in 10 weeka and i know i will go back to the dihydro(even tho i was suicidal on it and valium) just cant seem to shake these craving, can any1 tell me, do they ever ease, been clean 10 months and still cholking like fuck!!!
 
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