To take co codamol and diazepam together

[BlackTable]

I have severe lower back pain and have been prescribed 30mg/200mg Co-codamol by my NHS GP.

Later that evening, I was still in pain so called a private dr through my work private medical insurance who said I could also take 2mg diazepam. I said I was already on co-codomol and she said it was ok to take 2mg of diazepam with it. I already have 2mg of diazepam at home.

I mentioned this to a friend who said that mixing the two isn't safe. However, some Googling reveals that 2mg is quite a low dose and should be ok. Another friend who is in the NHS says she takes Diazepam for anxiety at that dose and says it's more of a sedative than a pain killer and she takes both.

AIBU to take both drugs?

Any advice would be greatly received! I can't get through to my NHS GP at all.

Thanks

I took both together when my back was bad. I find diazapam more effective for acute pain as it's also a muscle relaxant. So when muscles in spasms, I find it works well. And yes 2mg is quite low dosage but this is what I always took. Only ever took it for 1 or two days max.

i bet you slept well

Done it loads, it's fine in small doses

so one non medical friend said you shouldn’t mix?

The doctor has already told you it's safe, I don't think mumsnet can top that nor can a friend dispel it.

It's not dangerous. I've taken both together. 2mg of diazepam is a pretty low dose anyway.

Obviously they're both sedating so you might have to avoid driving. But you certainly won't die or create a toxic mix.

It's fine. I have both prescribed and my normal diazepam dose is higher than that. I just wouldn't have any alcohol though, or at least no more than a glass.

I'd trust the medical professionals, rather than a non-medical friend!
Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks all, yes I definitely don't have any plans to drive and I'm not drinking at the moment anyway.

Replace 'might have to' with 'definitely should'.

It's fine at those low doses. I've taken much stronger painkillers with a much higher dose of diazepam with a doctors approval (20mg oxycodone and 10mg diazepam).

The warnings about mixing them are more for recreational users who will be taking very high doses of both due to tolerance. If a doctor has signed off on it then I'd listen to them over a random friend or the internet like us. Your doctor knows your circumstances better than everyone else.

The nhs website tells you to speak to the dr if taking diazepam with co coda ok which you have done

therefore I would be listening to the Dr not a friend

Ooh, you aren't going to need a drink, believe me! Get 'em down the hatch and Merry Christmas to you!

A doctor prescribed it for you.
A friend advised not to take it.
Is the friend medically qualified or experienced? Why would their view override a doctor?

Perfectly fine, I've just taken strong painkillers and diazapam in the same mouthful of pills and it's all prescribed by the same doctor. The fact I'm still awake is another matter though lol

Yeah second this. I’ve done all three together. Definitely not recommended .

I take both together for my back, I take a higher dosage of diazepam. Never had an issue. I work in care so I only really take them together at night. When my backs really bad.

It's what I was given a month or so ago.

Do it. But don't drive. Or drink. Or eat too much cake. Only kidding about the cake.

You'll be fine! I take tramadol, naproxen, dexamfetamine, lurasidone and melatonin plus another raft of stuff that you're not supposed to combine and I'm okay. (I do check with the pharmacist each time though, just to make sure.)

The doctor said it was OK. What’s the point of consulting a doctor if you then take the advice of a random friend and some vague google searches instead?

and even the vague google search said it was ok

so the GP said fine
the NHS friend said fine
googling said fine

one non medical friend said not fine

and here we are…

Thanks again to everyone with helpful advice

I'm a nurse and have patients who are on both and are given both as needed. But like someone else said, don't try driving or drinking.

I can drive on them both. But they don't make me at all drowsy.

I'm a bit of an odd fish in that regard. I can drive on morphine, even. The worst of it is that it's impossible to sedate me for any medical procedures. I've had nurses come to stare at me because I'm walking around after having a heroic dose of something. Blessing and a curse!

I have taken both and also tramadol when I had broken bones. Worked very well.