diazapam - effects of long term use?

Question

I have been taking diazapam for over a year now for back pain, 5mg per day. I have read that long term use is not good for you.

Apart from the addictive side of things what other things can long term use do to your body/mind?

Answer 1

Diazepam is NOT a pain medication and whoever prescribed it to you for pain is very very wrong...The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not approve diazepam for pain management. Diazepam is a sedative, anxiolyitc, muscle relaxant, antiepileptic but not analgesic...The following is a list of the indications for its use:

INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Diazepam is indicated for the management of anxiety disorders or for the short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety or tension associated with the stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with an anxiolytic.

In acute alcohol withdrawal, diazepam may be useful in the symptomatic relief of acute agitation, tremor, impending or acute delirium tremens and hallucinosis.

Diazepam is a useful adjunct for the relief of skeletal muscle spasm due to reflex spasm to local pathology (such as inflammation of the muscles or joints, or secondary to trauma); spasticity caused by upper motor neuron disorders (such as cerebral palsy and paraplegia); athetosis; stiff-man syndrome; and tetanus.

Oral diazepam may be used adjunctively in convulsive disorders, although it has not proved useful as the sole therapy.

Here are the adverse effects associated with its use:

ADVERSE REACTIONS
Side effects most commonly reported were drowsiness, fatigue and ataxia. Infrequently encountered were confusion, constipation, depression, diplopia, dysarthria, headache, hypotension, incontinence, jaundice, changes in libido, nausea, changes in salivation, skin rash, slurred speech, tremor, urinary retention, vertigo and blurred vision. Paradoxical reactions such as acute hyperexcited states, anxiety, hallucinations, increased muscle spasticity, insomnia, rage, sleep disturbances and stimulation have been reported; should these occur, use of the drug should be discontinued.

Because of isolated reports of neutropenia and jaundice, periodic blood counts and liver function tests are advisable during long-term therapy. Minor changes in EEG patterns, usually low-voltage fast activity, have been observed in patients during and after diazepam therapy and are of no known significance.

DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE
Withdrawal symptoms, similar in character to those noted with barbiturates and alcohol (convulsions, tremor, abdominal and muscle cramps, vomiting and sweating), have occurred following abrupt discontinuance of diazepam. The more severe withdrawal symptoms have usually been limited to those patients who had received excessive doses over an extended period of time. Generally milder withdrawal symptoms (e.g., dysphoria and insomnia) have been reported following abrupt discontinuance of benzodiazepines taken continuously at therapeutic levels for several months. Consequently, after extended therapy, abrupt discontinuation should generally be avoided and a gradual dosage tapering schedule followed. Addiction-prone individuals (such as drug addicts or alcoholics) should be under careful surveillance when receiving diazepam or other psychotropic agents because of the predisposition of such patients to habituation and dependence.

As you can see there are some changes in the electrical activity of the brain after long term use but their significance has not be clarified so far...The question of whether long-term use of benzodiazepines (such as diazepam) may cause persisting cognitive impairment and structural brain changes has long been debated.....

Once again, this is NOT a pain medication...You need to gradually taper and eventually stop using it and substitute it with another form of treatment which will be more appropriate...

Answer 2

There are no major long term harmful effects. As you already know it is very addictive. you really have been taking it for too long already. I'll be frank, for the past 15 years I have only used benzodiazepines
( the drug group diazepam belongs to), in epilepsy. I feel that using them in back pain is not acceptable as the risks of addiction out way any therapeutic benefit.

If you want to get off them try dropping a mg at a time at 4 week intervals and it will probably be fine.

Answer 3

I have had 3 back operations. Each time I was offfered Diazapam. I took it the first time and got high as a kite, so refused it after that and suffered in silence.
Diazapam sells well on the drugs market. If it's good enough for druggies - then don't touch it. Tell your doc you want something else. A good doc will switch your medicine from time to time anyway.
Have a good flight!

Answer 4

Diazapam is a type of medicine called BENZODIAZEPINE, used for sedative and anxiety, relieving effects..

DO NOT take it for more than 4 months--chk the website

www.nlm.gov/medlineplus

You may /will need help to get of this drug...