Drs, pharmacists, anyone who knows about drugs ... can I ask you something?

[bibbityisaporker]

I am very anxious/almost phobic about having my smear test.

How many diazepam and nurofen can I safely take beforehand to help me get through it?

Thanks

What's the nurofen for? I get the diazepam because they will relax you (what strength tablets are they?) but I don't understand the nurofen.

what dose of diazepam?

i have a smear tomorrow.

2 nurofen an hour before. and the diazepam will depend on how you react to them, whether you will need to drive yourself home or whether you will need to function or sleep.

I find smears very painful Ninja

Ah, does it help then? I never thought of that before.

I was prescribed a really low dose of 1mg tablets three times a day for a couple of days beforehand for a cystoscopy but it wasn't enough. If I had to go through it again I'd probably take a 5mg dose, but no driving and go home afterwards and sleep it off.

Thank you Bob. Do you happen to know what the maximum safe dose of diazepam is? I won't need to drive to get to and from the GP.

Sorry, x posts with you Ninja!

not really. i've taken a 5mg occasionally for a knackerd back but it leaves me unconscious.

You can usually get the tablets in 2, 5 and 10mg. Usual oral dose is 2-10mg 2-4 times a day.

So you could take up to 10mg, but if you don't usually take it, then that might knock you out a bit, whereas I know that for me 5mg is enough for calmness and a bit of a woozy feeling, but not terrible sleepiness and drunken-type feeling.

But I am no doctor, you could phone first thing and get advice from them.

For anxiety states, the dose is 5-30mg daily in divided doses. It sounds like you already have access to it and don't have to get a prescription. Really you should stick to the lowest effective dose. I speak as a pharmacologist rather than prescriber or pharmacist. Best to get advice from one of those.

This might be helpful:

Doses
Adults
? Anxiety or mental health problems: 5mg-30mg each day, in divided doses.
? To help you sleep: 5mg-15mg at bedtime.
? To help cerebral palsy or other spasticities: 5mg-60mg each day, in divided doses.
? To help control muscle spasm: 5mg-15mg each day, in divided doses.
? To help epilepsy: 2mg-60mg each day, in divided doses.
? To help with alcohol withdrawal symptoms: 5mg-20mg, which may be repeated
after 2 to 4 hours if necessary.
? Before dental treatment: 5mg the night before treatment, 5mg on waking and 5mg
two hours before the appointment.
? Before an operation: 5mg-20mg.

Thanks all. I'm going to try and get a 9am appointment and go for 5mg the night before and 5mg on waking (as per dentist appointment in rathlin's very helpful list!).

Have u taken diazepam before? What strength tablets have you been given? Tbh i'd go with lowest effective dose as it can make you feel tired and spaced out especially if you are not used to it. Neurofen- you can take 400mg about an hour before appointment, also could take paracetamol. Hope that helps. (am pharmacy techncian)

Yes, I have an old prescription for my emetophobia. I don't mind in the slightest bit feeling tired or spaced out for a day. I wouldn't be contemplating taking them at all but I am not just a bit jittery, I am severely anxious!

I understand the anxiety but i would worry about the side effects as its a long acting benzo, personally would reccomend 2mg as a start and see how you feel then you have room to increase the dose if its not enough

You'll be in and out very quickly and so will the practioner.

Practitioner even!

How old is your prescription? They're only valid for six months. Why not just see you GP and get a proper prescription and advice for the procedure you're worried about?

Fluffi - I know, I know. I'm nearly 50 and have had quite a few smears (not as many as I should have, mind you ).

I find them painful. I know this is because I am tense ... its a vicious circle.

I actually have the diazepam in the house. I don't know what mg they are and can't be arsed to go up to the medicine cabinet and have a look, but I have decided to take the highest dose I can.

Thanks for all your replies .

Bibbs I'm a bit older than you and I don't think anyone actually enjoys them. Am I right in thinking that they stop calling you so frequently post 50? Might be your last for a while

BTW I hate taken tablets and would rather suffer pain and embarrassment so I'm just looking at your situation through a different filter, I guess

Fluffi - diazepam are absolutely tiny, like the contraceptive pill. I have no problem taking them (hasten to add I've only taken about 5 in my entire life!).

I'm not saying that I think anybody enjoys smears, btw .

It's not the size, I swallow a huge glucosamine doofer every day, it would be, for me, the fact that I would be swallowing an unnecessary drug for a 30 second procedure, admittedly one that requires me to take my pants off. Can't those things be addictive or am I confusing them? Two of my mother's contemporaries ended up totally addled by tranquillisers. ( iPad wanted to put tranquil losers for that, but I fought it and won!)? Obviously five tiny tabs in 50 years does not qualify as junkie behaviour