Valium : help please!

[alexm]

Hi Guys and Gals,
My pain specialist finally convinced me to try some meds as my pain recently shot up after a visit to the osteopath. This is the first time that I have taken anything for my PN. He told me to take 6 MG of valium a day but I'm only taking 2mg, which has cut my pain back enormously and immediately. How the hell does this work? My doc gave it to me as a muscle relaxer. Does the pain relief mean that my problem purely is muscular?

Also, being worried about getting hooked, is 2mg a day a high dosage?

Keep on keeping on,
Al
x

[Karyn]

Hi Al,
I wouldn't be concerned about the dosage of valium you're taking. I'm very happy to hear you're finding it helpful!

How the hell does this work? My doc gave it to me as a muscle relaxer. Does the pain relief mean that my problem purely is muscular?

That's an excellent question, Alex. I don't know why, but valium seems to work very well with us. Personally, I can't say I notice any significant muscle relaxation, but it does seem to take the edge off of my nerve pain sometimes. I know it's touted as being highly addictative, but that hasn't been my experience. Maybe someone else here has had that problem? I take 10 mg on an as needed basis, at night only. I don't suffer any ill-effects when I don't take it, nor do I ever find myself craving it. Valium is one of the very few meds I can tolerate. But, everyone is different.
Best regards,
Karyn

[HerMajesty]

It has some kind of central action vs. muscular as I know for 2 reasons:
1. When it worked very well for me too, my doc had me do a trial of soma, which is a more powerful muscle relaxer, and it helped less.
2. I know my problem was not muscular, I was diagnosed with spinal cord pathology.

I also started on a low dose. It is not terribly addictive, although I did build tolerance...to a point. 2mg would no longer do much for me, 5mg at a time is what I take now. But I have been on it for 2.5 years now and it is still effective for me. In fact now that I am recovering post-surgically it is effective for me in lower doses (in total mg/day) than it was pre-op. This is in contrast to narcotics which tend to build more rapid tolerance to the point where they eventually lose their effectiveness.
I think valium, like all benzodiazepines, is known as "highly addictive" because after regular long term use, it causes physical dependence meaning abrupt withdrawl can cause very severe withdrawl syndrome. After taking it regularly on a long term basis, one has to wean off of it. I didn't have any withdrawl when I cut my dose, but when I get to the point where I don't need any at all, I will need to drop the dose gradually or else after a day or so I would expect to have severe withdrawl symptoms. I don't really see that as a problem for a cheap, legal, prescribed medication, because I don't expect to lose access to it so abruptly that I won't be able to wean.
If you take it occasionally instead of regularly, you shouldn't develop tolerance or physical dependence at all - but I encourage you to use what you need to control your pain. Of all the meds I have tried this is the one which has caused me the least side effects and given me the most relief.

[Karyn]

1. When it worked very well for me too, my doc had me do a trial of soma, which is a more powerful muscle relaxer, and it helped less.

Interesting. I had a very poor reaction to Flexeril. Horrible muscle spasms!!!

I think valium, like all benzodiazepines, is known as "highly addictive" because after regular long term use, it causes physical dependence meaning abrupt withdrawl can cause very severe withdrawl syndrome.

I have a problem with this. As you know, HM - this is the ONLY prescribed med I (sometimes) take. I had a very hard time getting anyone to give me a valium script. My requests were denied because of the "highly addictive" nature of the medication. And yet ... I've been offered Oxycodone, Hydromorphone, etc... in it's place.
What the smuck?

Of all the meds I have tried this is the one which has caused me the least side effects and given me the most relief.

Same here. But still ... I wonder why?

[alexm]

Thanks so much guys. I've been avoiding meds for seven years no, so I guess allowing myself 2mg when I need it is not too much to ask. Have any of you tried MYOSTAN?

Much love
Al

[Karyn]

No, Al. I've never tried or heard of Myostan. Have you tried it? What is it?
Hugs,
Karyn

[HerMajesty]

I never heard of MYOSTAN and apparently neither has Google or Yahoo search - is it new? It kept referring me to searches for myostatin but it looks like that is not used in humans yet (?)

[alexm]

Yes, I mistyped. It's myolastan. Forgive me It's a muscle relaxant. I have yet to try it.
much love
Al

[HerMajesty]

I believe that Baclofen is a muscle relaxer and I have heard of combo valium and baclofen suppositories working well for some people with pelvic pain. That's the only muscle relaxer med I've personally heard of, being at all useful for this condition.

[kathyd]

Hi ladies.
About Valium. and pain... very interesting discussion.
I have been taking Clonepazepam in low doses for a few years ...annother benzo type med...Like valium its one of the only meds i tolerate well and that has offered some help.
It helps with sleep so that my bladder doesn't wake me up too much and even during the day it sometimes (but not always takes the edge of the awful anal/perineal throbbing..
One doc ( psycho-pharamcologist) and I have discussed going up on it to help with anxiety and maybe pain as I tolerate it well... unlike some other meds..

I take methadone but am hoping to come off asap as it seems to do nothing for my pain ..we are just looking for something to put in its place.I sure would prefer a non-narcotic med.. (the constipation/laxative cycle has been horrendous..

Would valium be a more effective med for PN pain? either orally or in rectal suppository form?

I would much prefer it to methadone if it could lower my pain..
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thx for posting.