Valium / Diazapam

[Scout]

Has anyone had any luck with Valium / Diazepam? 

My doctor gave me some and said to try it during my surges, which often are spurred on even worse by my accompanying anxiety disorder. 

I am often nervous trying new medication of any kind - but my surges are getting so severe lately.

Any advice is most welcome. Thanks so much.

[bombsh3ll]

Yes, I love diazepam, it is very helpful for the symptoms of sympathetic excess in POTS. You are very lucky to have such a compassionate doctor who isn't afraid to prescribe a very unfairly stigmatized drug. 

Do you really think you have an anxiety disorder or could it have been misidentification of earlier POTS symptoms? 

[Scout]

Hi there @bombsh3ll

Thanks so much for your reply. 

I definitely have anxiety,  because mentally, I feel it as well. But I do know that there is a lot of overlap between my heart symptoms, and my anxiety. 

My cardiologist said just how difficult that combo can be, because it's the chicken or the egg, type situation. They bounce off each other and make things truly terrible. 

Regardless, it is good to know that Valium should be really helpful. I will start with a very lose dose, and see how I go. 

Many thanks!

[DizzyGirls]

I agree with bombsh3ll, a very helpful med for my daughtes and unfairly stigmatized.  Made a big difference for them.

[WinterSown]

Godsend drug! I first started taking low-dose 2mg diazapam for vertigo but it has helped  me with reading as well. It's a muscle relaxant and helps keep my eyes from jumping about so I can read longer, it's also helped when my hands shake from blood pooling. It takes the edge off of stress nice too. I usually bite my pills in half and start with one mg and that's fine enough, sometimes I take the second half but then I must nap.

 

[Weyland]

I take Ativan for my flares and surges,,works pretty good for me....

[Motherhen84]

Hi Scout what part of the Country are in? Our GP will not prescribe for my Sons Pots it’s the one thing that gives him some sort of quality of life. Did you find Diazepam helped. 

[CallieAndToby]

I've had good experiences with Xanax and Klonopin, valium for me was too next day sedating but it's different for everyone. I think the benzodiazepines have been one of the most helpful things I've used so it's definitely worth a try. If you do have sedation issues, Xanax has a much shorter half life (the shortest in this class). 

[Sushi]

3 hours ago, CallieAndToby said:

I've had good experiences with Xanax and Klonopin

Even a tiny dose of Klonopin almost immediately relieves some of my worst symptoms. It can be hard to find a doctor who will prescribe benzodiazepines though. An integrative doctor prescribed it for me. He thought that it affected catecholamine levels. 

[CallieAndToby]

18 hours ago, Sushi said:

Even a tiny dose of Klonopin almost immediately relieves some of my worst symptoms. It can be hard to find a doctor who will prescribe benzodiazepines though. An integrative doctor prescribed it for me. He thought that it affected catecholamine levels. 

Klonopin is very helpful. I have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and it's been helpful for crashes and all of my friends with ME take it as well. 

Edit add: I have a newish psychiatrist and when I asked for a klonopin refill he screamed and ranted at me for 30 minutes. I've never had a medical professional talk to me like that! He accused me of being an addict even though I've taken klonopin at 1mg for the past 10 years and Xanax before that. I've never abused anything in my entire life. It was a very hurtful exchange. He said he won't even treat patients who take klonopin. I tried to explain the physiological benefits and I told him that all my ME/CFS + dysautonomia friends take it and get a lot of help, he just kept spouting out angry nonsense. My neurologist and oncologist have no issues with my medications! Has anybody else experienced this? 

Edited March 15, 2022 by CallieAndToby

[Guest KiminOrlando]

How are you guys getting Valium? I asked for it because I know it works from the few times I have had it for other things and you would have thought I was asking for meth. They will not write a script for Valium in my part of Florida. 

[DizzyGirls]

I'm in CA and it's not a new rx for my daughter.  Her PCP started it as an off-label treatment for her vertigo.  Her pain doc agreed to take it over about 5 years ago when she started seeing him.  He's been a real lifesaver!  Most docs now won't write a new one.  I'm thankful for each month that it gets approved. Wonder if any of them live in a world that won't stop spinning!