Valium

Valium

Valium is used to treat anxiety disorders, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or muscle spasms. Valium is
sometimes
used
with
other
medications
to
treat
seizures.
Valium (diazepam) belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. Diazepam affects chemicals in the
brain which results in unbalance and cause anxiety.

Description
What is Valium?
Valium is used to treat anxiety disorders, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or muscle spasms. Valium is
sometimes used with other medications to treat seizures.
Valium (diazepam) belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. Diazepam affects chemicals in the
brain which results in unbalance and cause anxiety.
Important information about Valium
Valium must be taken strictly under supervision of medical experts .Valium should be avoided if you do
have myasthenia gravis, severe liver disease, narrow-angle glaucoma, a severe breathing problem, or
sleep apnea. Do not use Valium if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Before taking
Valium, tel your doctor if you have glaucoma, asthma or other breathing problems, kidney or liver
disease, seizures, or a history of drug or alcohol addiction, mental il ness, depression, or suicidal
thoughts.Avoid taking Valium while drinking which wil increase the effect of alcohol
Before taking Valium
Valium must be handled with care which in failure wil result in fatal conditions.Valium may be habit
forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Never share Valium with another
person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place
where others cannot get to it. You should not use Valium if you are allergic to diazepam or similar drugs
(Ativan, Klonopin, Restoril, Xanax, and others), or if you have:
myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disorder);severe liver disease;narrow-angle glaucoma;a severe
breathing problem; orsleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep).
Do not give Valium to a child less than 6 months old.
To make sure you can safely take Valium, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
open-angle glaucoma;asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD),
or other breathing problems;kidney or liver disease;epilepsy or other seizure disorder;a history of mental
il ness, depression, or suicidal thoughts or behavior; ora history of drug or alcohol addiction.
FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use Valium if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use
effective birth control, and tel your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Valium may cause
low blood pressure, breathing problems, or addiction and withdrawal symptoms in a newborn if the
mother takes the medication during pregnancy. Diazepam can pass into breast milk and may harm a
nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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The sedative effects of Valium may last longer in older adults. Accidental falls are common in elderly
patients who take benzodiazepines. Use caution to avoid falling or accidental injury while you are taking
this medicine.
How should I take Valium?
Fol ow the directions on your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasional y change your dose to make sure you get the best results.
Measure liquid medicine with a special dose measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table
spoon. If you do not have a dose measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
Valium should be used for only a short time. Do not take this medication for longer than 12 weeks (3
months) without your doctor's advice. Do not stop using Valium suddenly without first talking to your
doctor. You may have increased seizures or unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking
Valium. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely. Call your doctor at
once if you feel that this medicine is not working as well as usual, or if you think you need to use more
than usual.
To be sure Valium is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested often. Your liver
function may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.
Store Valium at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Keep track of the amount of medicine used from each new bottle. Valium is a drug of abuse and you
should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.
See also:Valium dosage (in more detail)
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if you are near to your next
sechdule. Avoid Taking extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
An overdose of Valium can be fatal. Which causes Extreme drowsiness, confusion, muscle
weakness,loss of balance or coordination, confusion, limp and fainting.In such cases Seek emergency
medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-122
What should I avoid while taking Valium?
Avoid Valium if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.Drinking alcohol wil affect your
thinking and reactions
Valium side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Valium: hives;
difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Valium and call your doctor
at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
confusion, hal ucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;unusual risk-taking behavior, decreased
inhibitions, no fear of danger;depressed mood, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;hyperactivity,
agitation, aggression, hostility;new or worsening seizures;weak or shallow breathing;feeling like you
might pass out;muscle twitching, tremor;loss of bladder control; orurinating less than usual or not at al .
Less serious Valium side effects may include:

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drowsiness, tired feeling;memory problems;dizziness, spinning sensation;feeling restless or
irritable;muscle weakness;nausea, constipation;drooling or dry mouth, slurred speech;blurred vision,
double vision;mild skin rash, itching; orloss of interest in sex.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about
side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs wil affect Valium?
Before taking Valium, tel your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as
cold or allergy medicine, other sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pil s, muscle relaxers, and
medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by Valium.
Tell your doctor about al other medicines you use, especially:
cimetidine (Tagamet);omeprazole (Prilosec);phenytoin (Dilantin);an antibiotic such as clarithromycin
(Biaxin), dalfopristin/quinupristin (Synercid), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin,
Pediazole), or telithromycin (Ketek);an antidepressant such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) or fluoxetine
(Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax), and others;antifungal medicine such as itraconazole (Sporanox),
ketoconazole (Extina, Ketozole, Nizoral, Xolegal), miconazole (Oravig), or voriconazole (Vfend);heart or
blood pressure medication such as amlodipine (Norvasc, Caduet, Exforge, Lotrel, Tekamlo, Tribenzor,
Twynsta), diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), nicardipine (Cardene), quinidine (Quin-G), verapamil (Calan,
Covera, Isoptin, Verelan), and others; orHIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine
(Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), saquinavir (Invirase), or
ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra).
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with Valium. Tel your doctor about all medications
you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new
medication without telling your doctor.

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