Medical uses for Valium

Medical uses for Valium

Valium (diazepam) is a benzodiazepine drug that works by enhancing the activity of certain neurotransmitters in the brain.

Classification of benzodiazepine family according to the duration of action:

1. Very short-acting such as triazolam.
2. Short-acting such as lorazepam.
3. Long-acting such as Valium.

Medical uses for Valium:

The main use of Valium is to treat anxiety disorders, muscle spasms, and alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

It is also used in combination with other drugs to treat certain types of seizures.

Valium is sometimes used to induce sleep and relaxation in patients before operations or dental treatments. This is known as (pre-med).

Usual doses prescribed when seeking medical uses for Valium:

• Anxiety: 2 mg 3 times a day.
• Muscle spasms in adults: 2 mg to 15 mg a day, this dose can be increased up to 20 mg a day if required.
• Muscle spasms in children: (from 1 month to 17 years ):

The dose varies according to age, usually given twice a day with a 10 to 12 hours gap between each dose.

 

The dose will be lowered for the elderly (above 65 years) or patients with liver diseases, kidney, or severe breathing problems.

You should not use Valium if you have:

• Severe breathing problems.
• Myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness).
• Sleep apnea (stopping breathing during sleep).
• Narrow-angle glaucoma.
• Uncontrolled open-angle glaucoma.
• Severe hepatic deficiency.
• Allergic reactions towards the drug or any of the ingredients.
• Over 65 years old.
• Arteriosclerosis (a condition that causes a decrease in the blood flow to the brain).
• Low levels of a certain protein in the blood called albumin.

To ensure you are safe and have benefited from the medical uses for Valium tell your doctor if you have ever suffered from:

• Breathing problems.
• Kidney or liver diseases.
• Drug or alcohol addiction.
• Suicidal thoughts, depression, or mood disorder.

Some side effects that arise due to using this drug for the medical uses for Valium:

• Severe drowsiness.
• Mood or behaviour changes.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Hallucinations or confusion.
• Muscle weakness.
• Problems with balance.
• Tremors (shaky hands).
• Shallow or slow breathing.
• Amnesia (difficulty in remembering things).
• Felling aggressive or irritable.

Some medications interfere with the way of action of Valium, causing an increase in the chance of serious side effects:

Ask your doctor or a pharmacist before taking Valium if you are taking:

 

• Anticonvulsants (to treat epilepsy).
• Hypnotics (to treat sleep problems).
• Sedating antihistamines such as promethazine.
• Strong pain killers such as codeine or tramadol.
• HIV medicines such as ritonavir.
• Antifungal medicines such as fluconazole.
• Proton pump inhibitors (medicines used to decrease stomach acid) such as omeprazole.
• Muscle relaxants such as tizanidine.
• Medicines to treat bacterial infections as rifampicin.
• Medicines for asthma and other breathing problems such as theophylline.
• Oxybate salts.
• Magnesium sulfate.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding:

There is no enough information about the safety of taking Valium in pregnancy. However, it is not recommended to take Valium for medical uses Valium during pregnancy as the newborn baby may show withdrawal symptoms.

Ask a doctor’s help to recommend a safer drug during pregnancy.

Valium may be used during breastfeeding as long as it is used at a low dose occasionally or for a very short time.

If you use Valium for a long time or in high doses during lactation, it will pass into breast milk causing the baby to be tired or drowsy and highly affect his/her feeding.

General precautions:

1. Never share this medicine with any person, especially with people with a history of drug abuse or addiction.
2. While seeking the medical uses for Valium, be sure that you are using the drug for a short time.

Using this drug for a period longer than 4 weeks will subject you to the risk of tolerance and dependence.

3. This medicine is not to be stopped suddenly; this will increase the seizures and undesired withdrawal symptoms.

Some signs of Valium overdose:

• Double vision.
• Trouble breathing.
• Uncoordinated movement.
• Slow or irregular heartbeats.
• Persistent drowsiness.
• Memory loss.
• Blood in urine or stool.
• Sleeping problems.

Ways of treatment of Valium overdose:

Closely monitor the following parameters: heart rate, blood pressure, liver enzymes, and mental health conditions.

Signs of addiction to Valium include:

• Isolation from family and friends.
• Loss of interest in once enjoyable
• Ignoring obligations.
• Continued use despite warnings and problems caused by the drug.

Mixing Valium with herbal supplements:

There is no evidence that it is safe to mix Valium with herbal medicines to benefit from the medical uses for Valium, this combination is found to cause a fatal increase in the drowsy effect of Valium.

You should avoid the following while using Valium:

• Operating machinery.
• Using opioids.
• Drinking alcohol.

Any side effect of the drug should get better within a few days; if the symptoms don’t improve speak to a doctor as you may need a lower dose.

 

Before you intend to buy Valium, you must be sure that you are buying the drug from trusted websites, or licensed online pharmacies as pharmastores

How long is diazepam in your system

Diazepam 25 mg

Which is better for back pain Flexeril or Diazepam