Taking diazapam for the first time. Handhold?

[PinkLemonadee]

I have a small prescription for diazapam for severe anxiety around my mum's funeral. My GP has advised me to take half (1mg) at home first and I'm freaking terrified of taking it. I'm on my own too which isn't helping.

I once took two 10mg thinking they were 2mg each. I was high as a kite and had the best night sleep ever. This was many moons ago.
if I ever take it (rarely) i usually have 5mg around 8pm. I don’t like to take in the day though.
im sorry about your mum

You won’t notice any difference on that amount really. Don’t worry x

It won't space you out. The effects will be barely noticeable to you (and not at all noticeable to others), though at 2g it should be enough to make you a little calmer.

Unfortunately, its effectivenss drops really rapidly. The second dose will be less effective than the first, and so on. It really is an ultra-short-term aid, perfect for the kind of brief support that you need.

To maximise its effectiveness when you need it, it may even be better not to take the trial 1g - though I completely understand the reasons why you might want to test your reaction to it in advance.

I’ve taken it for when I’ve had an mri scan 1mg and it made me feel calm and peaceful, it will help you relax for a-bit and we’re all here if you need a handhold when you’ve taken it.
you will be absolutely fine.
sorry about your mum xx

I was given 3 days worth for severe anxiety. I can’t remember the dose though. It was amazing, I felt very calm and serene, the giant knots in my stomach disappeared. I wish i could feel that way everyday. After I stopped taking it the anxiety came back but i felt stronger to deal with it.

I’m sorry for your loss.
I took it years ago for back spasms. I did make me very dozy but I was on a higher dose than you. I’d suggest getting yourself comfortable & cosy somewhere, perhaps with a glass of water to hand, in case you do doze off.
I was going to suggest you ask a friend to call you an hour after you’re scheduled to take it if you think that that might reduce your anxiety but, on the other hand, if you have dozed off, you won’t appreciate being woken!

FWIW, I'm quite hefty - 5ft 9 and over 14stones. For me, the Diazepam takes the edge off the anxiety - my prescription is for one 2mg tablet a day as required.

I have long spells now when I don't take any - it's 5 yrs since DH died - but I've had some over the Christmas period and January (when he died) and I'm coming up to the anniversary of the funeral.

Your body does get used to it, though I agree that 5 mg is a relatively small dose compared with many.

Just reiterating that I only took the 1mg until the day of my husband's funeral when I took the full tablet, 2 mg. It did help me cope.

Yes this is my experience

instantly content

OP take it - you will be fine - most people need at least 5-10mg to feel it

It’s bloody lovely stuff!

Its such a worry taking new medication when you have anxiety ! It took me 6 years to take one tablet of medication (forgot the name) for it. With diazepam 1g is very very small. Also it doesnt make you feel drunk or high. It makes you feel normal with the knots in your belly gone.

I hope you have taken it!

It's an amazing drug. Got a bad press. It's like it takes the lid off, let's the stress out. So it doesn't build and overwhelm. Take as prescribed, no more. I take very occasionally.

So sorry to hear the reason for the prescription 💐

That's essentially a placebo dose, don't worry about it.

The problem with Diazepam is once you know how lovely it feels when you've taken it you can understand why it's so addictive.

It doesn't do anything major and you are still yourself just everything feels so much easier and you just feel a deep sense of being ok.

1mg works fine for me, im able to function at work etc. But it still gives the positive effects. You'll be ok OP, best night sleep you've had in a while I reckon.

Sending you hugs and strength OP.

I was given a stronger dose than that for a long haul flight and tbh, made no difference to me. My partner tho pinched his late mums, given for pain, and he was talking nonsense.

OP, try at home. Such a low dose am sure be fine. If not sure, can you ask a friend to come stay for a few hours?

Sorry about your mum and I truly hope you'll be ok.

I'll have it if you don't want it 🤣. It's great stuff...like a large glass of wine.

I'm still waiting for the washer to finish!

1mg won't do a single thing. You'd get more of an effect having a cup of coffee (but in the other direction, of course). 2mg maybe it'd have a teeny effect in the background that would help you calm yourself down. 5mg it'd actually help you calm down. 10mg you might get sleepy but in a 'now I've calmed down I could have a good cup of tea and a rest' kind of way, not in a 'passing out before the laundry is done' kind of way. 20mg you'd feel quite chilled, similar to a few glasses of wine. This is my (considerable) experience anyway.

Don't drink any alcohol or take anything with codeine in it. Diazepam stays in your blood a lot longer than you'd think, so even drinking the next day can be dodgy.

I'm sorry you're in a position to need it at all. Please don't be scared to take it; you'll be just fine.

It's like one teaspoon of wine

I take it occasionally for back spasms. I divide a 5 mg tablet because I very quickly discovered it makes me incredibly sleepy. I now use quarter tablets or 1.25 mg and even that makes me feel a bit spaced out and it's harder to concentrate. Everyone is different.

Used to take 2mg for a bad headache.

I have 10 x 2mg tablets in my drawer. My GP prescribed them for me for when I can’t get a grip on my anxiety/panic attacks when my DH was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I used one, before this prescription and it just helped me feel less tense. I was able to cope better with everything that day.

I’ve never touched them since, just knowing they’re there is enough to reassure me.

If you have this much anxiety you probably need more than 1mg.

Like several other posters have said, I’ve taken it as a muscle relaxant for a back spasm. It honestly worked like magic, with no adverse effects at all.