It may be used as part of a combination therapy. That means you need to take it with other drugs. Diazepam belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. A class of drugs refers to medications that work similarly.
They have a similar chemical structure and are often used to treat similar conditions. Diazepam increases the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA , a special chemical that can send signals throughout your nervous system.
This will help decrease your anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures. There are additional effects that you should also be aware of. The following list contains some of the key side effects that may occur while taking diazepam. This list does not include all possible side effects. For more information on the possible side effects of diazepam, or for tips on how to deal with a troubling side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:. The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. But be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. The standard dosage is 10 mg taken by mouth three to four times during the first 24 hours.
This will be reduced to 5 mg taken three to four times per day as needed, based on withdrawal symptoms. Diazepam oral tablet is used for short-term treatment.
Never try to catch up by taking two doses at once. This could cause toxic side effects. If you take too much: Taking too much of this drug can cause depression of your central nervous system CNS. Symptoms include:. This may even be fatal. You may be given the drug flumazenil to reverse a benzodiazepine overdose.
This drug may increase your risk for seizures. Your doctor will regularly reassess your condition to see if diazepam is still appropriate for you to take.
This drug may cause more frequent and more severe seizures. If you suddenly stop taking diazepam, you may temporarily have more seizures. Taking it a second time after an allergic reaction could be fatal.
It may stop your liver from processing this drug correctly, causing more of it to stay in your body for longer. This may increase your risk for side effects. This drug can interfere with your judgment, thinking, and motor skills. It can also make you drowsy and cause your breathing to slow down or stop.
Also, your body processes alcohol and this drug in similar ways. That means that if you drink alcohol, this drug might take longer to leave your body. This may cause worse side effects. For people with kidney disease: Diazepam is removed from your body by your kidneys. If you have kidney problems, more of the drug may stay in your body for longer, putting you at risk for side effects.
Your doctor may adjust your dosage and monitor you more closely. For people with acute narrow-angle glaucoma : Talk to your doctor if you have glaucoma. You may have a higher risk for becoming addicted, dependent, or tolerant to diazepam. For people with liver disease: Diazepam is processed by your liver.
Diazepam tablets and liquid can be taken by adults aged 18 years and over. It's not suitable for everyone. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor before starting diazepam if you:. Diazepam rectal tubes or rectal diazepam can be used if you or your child is having a fit. If you have been prescribed rectal tubes, it's important that a family member, friend or carer knows how to give you this medicine.
If you're having a fit, they also need to know how long to wait before giving you rectal diazepam. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you or your child according to your weight, age and general health.
Take diazepam tablets or liquid with a drink of water. You can take them with or without food. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you. It's important to take diazepam exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your dose might be lower if you're over 65 or have kidney, liver or severe breathing problems. If you're taking diazepam regularly and forget to take a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose.
In this case, just leave out the missed dose and take your next dose as normal. Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one. The amount of diazepam that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person. If you take too much diazepam by accident, you may experience symptoms including:. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. Take the diazepam packet, or the leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine with you.
Like all medicines, diazepam can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones. If you get these side effects, keep taking the medicine and speak to your doctor:. It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects when taking diazepam. On very rare occasions, some people may experience unusual mood changes. These can become serious and are more likely to happen in children or if you're over In rare cases, diazepam may cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis.
You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. These are not all the side effects of diazepam. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme.
If you feel sleepy or drowsy, do not drive or use tools or machinery until you feel better. Do not drink any alcohol. This side effect should get better as your body gets used to the medicine. If your symptoms do not improve after a week, speak to a doctor as you may need a lower dose. There's not enough information to know if diazepam is safe to use in pregnancy. But it can give your newborn baby withdrawal symptoms. You may need to keep taking diazepam during pregnancy as it's important for you to remain well.
Your doctor can explain the risks and the benefits of taking diazepam, and will help you choose the best treatment for you and your baby. If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, diazepam can be used during breastfeeding as long as you're only taking a low dose of diazepam occasionally or for a very short time.
Diazepam passes into breast milk. If you take diazepam for a long time or in high doses, it can build up in your milk. This can make your baby drowsy or tired and can make it difficult for them to feed. If you're breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, as other medicines might be better while breastfeeding, although this will depend on what the diazepam is being used for.
If you do take diazepam while you're breastfeeding and you notice that your baby's not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, has unusual breathing, or you have any other concerns about them, talk to your health visitor or doctor as soon as possible. Some medicines interfere with the way diazepam works and increase the chances of you having side effects.
Before you start taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you're taking :. There's very little information about taking herbal remedies and supplements with diazepam. Do not take herbal medicines for anxiety or insomnia, such as valerian or passionflower, with diazepam. They can increase the drowsy effects of diazepam and may also have other side effects.
For safety, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. Depending on your health condition, this can make you feel drowsy, relieve anxiety, stop seizures or relax tense muscles. Diazepam will work quite quickly or more slowly depending on what you're taking it for:. Diazepam is usually only recommended for a short period of time of up to 4 weeks. If you're prescribed diazepam for more than 4 weeks, your dose may be reduced gradually to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
If you're prescribed diazepam for more than 4 weeks, your dose may be reduced gradually when coming off it to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Diazepam is not likely to be addictive if you take it at a low dose for a short time 2 to 4 weeks. You're more likely to get addicted if you have, or previously had, problems with alcohol or drugs. You should take diazepam tablets for as short a period of time as possible. If you have been taking a high dose or have been taking it for a long time, your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually.
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