Who knows anything about Diazepam?

[Saltire]

Am currently on Diazepam for a really bad back. I take co-codamol and diclofenic anyway, so am tkaing all three. Doc said to me last Friday "by next Friday you should be able to stop them completely, start reducing the dose to 1 a day after Tuesday". Which I did, but yesterday was in agony, and today really bad, and jsut tkaing 1 diazepam. I feel like I maybe need to increase the dose, but am worried about ending up reliant on them

[sdr]

Can sympathise - have had to use co-codamol and diclofenic for bad back (not all 3 though). If you're worried, could you ask Doc or nurse to call you. Ask them if you could get some emergency Physio.

[weegiemum]

Couple of things: (previous chronic pain sufferer - now fine!)

could you ask for a referral to a pain clinic/physio specialising in back problems, who will give you other ways of dealing with the pain.

diclofenac - do you find it helps? Its just that for all the non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like this, there is 40% of the population that it doesn't work for! I have had this problem with diclofenac - it just makes no difference to me. But high dose ibuprofen and a couple of other more obscure ones are great. You might find that the GP doesn't know this, however - I've had real trouble with people not believing me when I say it doesn't work.

What dose are you on? Say if you are on 5mg, could you get that in a smaller tablet (I think diazepam goes down to 2mg) and take a smaller dose more regularly.

You can get hooked on the diazepam, and also on co-codamol (are you on the OTC ones or the strong ones you can get from the doctor? - 8mg or 30mg of coedine?) Talk to your doc about your concerns over addiction - hopefully they will be able to help.

Hoep the back starts to feel better soon.

[Saltire]

I have the 30/500mg of co-codamol, Irecently started back ont ehm for my Fibromyalgia. Then they started me on dicolfenic for them and on teh advice of the physio I saw for my Fibro I take them at the maximum daily dose. They don't work in that they don't take the pain away they just make it slightly more bearable, however, WRT to the back pain they do ease it as well

So then I hurt my back, and because I was already on strong painkiller they just gave me Diazepam 2mg to take 3 x a day, but last friday upped my dose to 4 mg 3x a day, over the weekend to enable me to travel back from Scotland, and then I went back to 2 mg 3 x a day, then on Tuesday started reducing it

I just feel that taking the painkillers long term isn't ideal anyway but to function with a chronic condition like I have it's the only option, I just don't want to end up taking the diazepam long term either to help my back

[JoesMummy09]

Took Diazepam (Vallium) for a neck spasm. Was really good. Relaxed the muscles a bit and made me feel human. But not spacey, drowsy or drugged. However doc would not let me take it for more than 5 days in case I got addicted despite being on about 1 tablet a day

Then on Co-dydramol (contains codeine I think... which is also addictive) and Ibuprofen for an age. And in pain.

Next time I had a back problem took same pills but also had private physio massage. That made a big difference and would highly recommend.

[browneyedlou]

I hurt my back nearly a year ago and was on the same combination as you - make me feel sick, but only lasted a couple of weeks. You do have my sympathy - I couldn't believe how painful it was!

I don't really have any advice on the painkillers though. IIRC the diazepam was given as a muscle relaxant to get me moving again, so was only on it for a short time. I would be wary of upping the dose as I know it can be addictive.

I know you may not want to go down this route but going to the chiropractor did really help me. She was able to give me some initial relief and also explained what I had done, why it was painful and gave me exercises etc to do to help, unlike the GP, who just signed the prescription and sent me away.

[Saltire]

The thing is, the diazepam is the only thing which is making my back pain bearable - and I don't want to have to cope with it and the Fibro (which is a long term thing). I am jsut worried about tkaing it , that's been 10 days now.
I forgot to add that I also take 20mg of Amitryptiline atnight for nerve pain and to help with sleep, I'm like a walking hparmacy.
I have actually told my mum that I'm not taking the diazepam or co-codamol anymore because she read ont eh back of a Solpadiene box that codeine can be addictive and so can diazepam, and she rings me 10 times a day and goes on and on and on and on about it.
I tried telling her that paracetamol does nothing for my Fibro but she won't listen so in the end I said "oh mum I've stopped tkaing them now" and will hide the packs when she is fdown