Short-term valium use and withdrawal?

[Leegh]

The last several years my doctor has been giving me (at my request) a small prescription for Valium (5 mg.) for air travel. I travel by air over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I take maybe about 6 or 7 (5 mg.) Valium total over Thanksgiving week, and about the same amount over Christmas week. I do not take them at all whatsoever at any other time of the year now. After returning, I've noticed that several days after not taking them, I feel depressed. At first, I thought it was jet lag, etc., but this is more of a depression. Luckily, the depression is only short-term, and the depression only lasts a few days. Could taking this small amount of Valium cause me to go into withdrawal? In the past, about 12 years ago, I had taken them a lot for neck pain from a car accident, but stopped taking them. Possibly, my body "remembers" from back then, and that is why I notice the withdrawal symptoms. Does anyone have any experience with Valium? In addition, I DO NOT recommend that anyone start taking Valium.

[Feelin Frisky]

The last several years my doctor has been giving me (at my request) a small prescription for Valium (5 mg.) for air travel. I travel by air over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I take maybe about 6 or 7 (5 mg.) Valium total over Thanksgiving week, and about the same amount over Christmas week. I do not take them at all whatsoever at any other time of the year now. After returning, I've noticed that several days after not taking them, I feel depressed. At first, I thought it was jet lag, etc., but this is more of a depression. Luckily, the depression is only short-term, and the depression only lasts a few days. Could taking this small amount of Valium cause me to go into withdrawal? In the past, about 12 years ago, I had taken them a lot for neck pain from a car accident, but stopped taking them. Possibly, my body "remembers" from back then, and that is why I notice the withdrawal symptoms. Does anyone have any experience with Valium? In addition, I DO NOT recommend that anyone start taking Valium.

 

Yes, there always seems to be a price to pay for using benzodiazepines. I have sleep problems and Xanax is the best for me. But anything more than two or three nights of use and I have to pay with new anxiousness and lucidity at bed time. I have a pinched nerve in my foot than cause inflammation along the nerve all the way up my back. I get a cortisone shot and sometimes ask for a few Xanax to really get some sleep and stay off my feet so the cortisone can work. It's always the same bit--even if I only get 5 half milligram tablets. I didn't ask for any this time. I wish it weren't such a problematic pit but it is.

[ShannonMI]

The last several years my doctor has been giving me (at my request) a small prescription for Valium (5 mg.) for air travel. I travel by air over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I take maybe about 6 or 7 (5 mg.) Valium total over Thanksgiving week, and about the same amount over Christmas week. I do not take them at all whatsoever at any other time of the year now. After returning, I've noticed that several days after not taking them, I feel depressed. At first, I thought it was jet lag, etc., but this is more of a depression. Luckily, the depression is only short-term, and the depression only lasts a few days. Could taking this small amount of Valium cause me to go into withdrawal? In the past, about 12 years ago, I had taken them a lot for neck pain from a car accident, but stopped taking them. Possibly, my body "remembers" from back then, and that is why I notice the withdrawal symptoms. Does anyone have any experience with Valium? In addition, I DO NOT recommend that anyone start taking Valium.

 

Valium is a DOWNER, so yes you could very well get depressed. I wouldn't call it a symptom of withdrawl though. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

It's good you only take it when you fly. Valium is highly addictive, so it's great you don't feel like you need it at all any other time.

[Cee]

It could be withdrawal, but it could also be a side effect of the medication. My doctor told me benzos are "depressogenic" in that they can create depression.

 

I use Xanax for air travel too and I only get 2 or 3 pills at a time. They work great in the short-term, but over time, the chance for dependency is very high.

[Dawnster]

I know a couple of people that used to and still are using Valium. It seems like to me you're developing some of the beginnings of addiction..I could be wrong, but either way I'd promote quitting...Terrible sounding but when my grandmother was young and trying to get off them it gave her terrible mood swings, she had been using a high dosage over a course of years, and found herself deeply depressed partially by them. To be honest, she shot herself in the gut and survived. That made her cut herself off for good. So I recommend slowing down on them, lowering your tollerence, until you can handle life without it.

 

I have a bf that does it too, and it's got me worried sick. He's got moodswings and fatigue up the wazzoo. So yeah, I'd recommend slowing down until a stop. Try to attain happiness, achievement and pain relief through other things, doing things, playing games, being physically active, etc. Best of luck to you, know matter what route you take. Sorry if I wasn't very helpful. Felt like telling you anyway. v_v

[ShannonMI]

I know a couple of people that used to and still are using Valium. It seems like to me you're developing some of the beginnings of addiction..I could be wrong, but either way I'd promote quitting...Terrible sounding but when my grandmother was young and trying to get off them it gave her terrible mood swings, she had been using a high dosage over a course of years, and found herself deeply depressed partially by them. To be honest, she shot herself in the gut and survived. That made her cut herself off for good. So I recommend slowing down on them, lowering your tollerence, until you can handle life without it.

 

I have a bf that does it too, and it's got me worried sick. He's got moodswings and fatigue up the wazzoo. So yeah, I'd recommend slowing down until a stop. Try to attain happiness, achievement and pain relief through other things, doing things, playing games, being physically active, etc. Best of luck to you, know matter what route you take. Sorry if I wasn't very helpful. Felt like telling you anyway. v_v

Back in the 50's and 60's they called Valium "the housewife's little helper." My grandmother used it too. She also had other addiction problems and should've never been prescibed a drug like that, but back then it was given out like candy. She had a very addictive personality. Now I think doctors are more careful when they prescribe it to people. I personally wouldn't take Valium, Xanax or Adivan on a regular basis because I could see myself getting hooked. I wouldn't want to risk it. I did take a few Xanax when I broke up with my boyfriend a year and a half ago, but it wasn't prescribed by a doctor. A friend of mine had a prescription and she gave me a few to calm me down. It calmed me down a little too well. I haven't taken it since and I don't think I would ever take it again unless I was in dire straits. It works way too well and i could see myself getting addicted to it. Drugs like that are very dangerous.

Edited October 24, 2011 by ShannonMI

[Vesna]

I have been taking 10mg of Valium every night for 15 years to get me to sleep. To no avail, I have tried warm milk, meditation, and avoiding stimulants in the evening.

 

I admit I am hooked but if I didn't take Valium my mind would tick over and over. I know I have a problem and I will deal with it when I can effectively deal with what keeps me awake at night otherwise.