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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Simcha on August 21, 2003, at 2:54:56
Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone is using valium anymore. If you are, what are you using it to treat? I'm curious because the most popular benzos on this board are Klonopin and Xanax especially. Is there any place for Valium anymore?
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 21, 2003, at 11:13:10
In reply to Whatever Happened to Valium?, posted by Simcha on August 21, 2003, at 2:54:56
From what I hear, a lot of Aussies use diazepam because physicians down there won't prescribe clonazepam. I can't say for sure why it isn't used so much in the U.S. anymore -- maybe because a single dose only lasts about 2-3 hours? Just a guess... I wonder if they still manufacture Valrelease (the extended-release form)?
Posted by jlo820 on August 21, 2003, at 13:12:24
In reply to Re: Whatever Happened to Valium?, posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 21, 2003, at 11:13:10
I think it is just because there are more efficient benzodiazepines. Valium is a long-acting benzo, and I think Klonopin is given more becuase it has less potential for abuse (for whatever reasons). There are now also the shorter-acting drugs like Ativan and Xanax which are more helpful to patients with certain conditions.
Posted by Simcha on August 22, 2003, at 1:23:14
In reply to Re: Whatever Happened to Valium?, posted by jlo820 on August 21, 2003, at 13:12:24
Ame Sans Vie,
Merci pour le réponse.
jlo820,
Thanks for the response.
Posted by Viridis on August 22, 2003, at 3:46:05
In reply to Re: Whatever Happened to Valium?, posted by Simcha on August 22, 2003, at 1:23:14
Valium still has its place -- for example, I gather that it has more pronounced muscle-relaxing properties than many other benzos. I've certainly known many people who have been prescribed it for back pain, muscle strains, tension headaches, etc. in recent years.
I think that Valium suffered a similar backlash to that which Xanax is now experiencing -- especially in the 70s, it was prescribed so freely and widely that some people were bound to have problems with it, and it gained a reputation for being "addictive" etc. When I was in high school, Valium pills were easily available for a 25 cents apiece, and it was a popular party drug (usually combined with cheap fizzy wine).
Personally, I dislike Valium -- it makes me feel extremely sedated and spacey, in a very unpleasant way. I react much more favorably to Xanax and Klonopin. If this is generalizable to others, it might also explain the greater popularity of some of these more recent benzos.
Posted by think2much on August 22, 2003, at 11:03:04
In reply to Re: Whatever Happened to Valium?, posted by Viridis on August 22, 2003, at 3:46:05
I'm in the UK and I gather it is still prescribed fairly frequently here. I recently got a very small prescription of some for 'panic emergencies', but the doctors are very reluctant to prescribe any benzo-type drugs as they think everyone will become immediately addicted :-?
Posted by Sebastian on August 23, 2003, at 22:14:25
In reply to Re: Whatever Happened to Valium?, posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 21, 2003, at 11:13:10
You can acutaly smoke them. They are very good at making you feel good and out of it but active. Didn't rememeber a thing. They came with a bunch of valium and simalar drugs once.
Sebastian
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 23, 2003, at 23:33:51
In reply to Re: What are the small red pills?, posted by Sebastian on August 23, 2003, at 22:14:25
First of all, it's an extremely bad idea to smoke anything -- especially a pill designed for oral ingestion. But I don't know... the only small red pills I can think of at the moment are hydroxyzine HCl and thioridazine.
Posted by Sebastian on August 26, 2003, at 12:32:07
In reply to Re: What are the small red pills? » Sebastian, posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 23, 2003, at 23:33:51
Crazy days in my adolesents. Just wondered what I had taken?
Sebastian
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 26, 2003, at 13:29:39
In reply to Re: What are the small red pills? » Ame Sans Vie, posted by Sebastian on August 26, 2003, at 12:32:07
Yeah, I gotcha... I've done far stupider things than that, believe me. :-) (Ever emptied your air conditioner of freon during July when the temperature is 102° with 100% humidity just to get high? I rest my case, lol)
This is probably a longshot, but do you remember the inscription on the pills? Were they capsules or tablets? Red or blood red? If you can tell me the inscription, I could most likely tell you exactly what they are, what dosage, and who the manufacturer is. But even just telling me if it was a tablet or capsule will allow me to make an educated guess as to what it may have been. As I said before, the only small red pills I know of offhand are hydroxyzine HCl (an antihistamine) and thioridazine (an antipsychotic) as I've been prescribed both of them, and I highly doubt it was either of those. If you could tell me at least whether it was a tablet or a capsule, I could probably help.
Posted by utopizen on August 26, 2003, at 17:50:44
In reply to Re: What are the small red pills? » Sebastian, posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 26, 2003, at 13:29:39
I think your pill may be described here.
Valium and other benzos were never combined with other medicines in a single pill. That was only done with barbituates, which were commonly combined with amphetamines and even, in one case, an anti-psychotic.
Drug names: Desbutal (Desoxyn Gradumets + Nembutal, or methamphetamine sustained release + phenobarbital) - Dexamyl (Dexedrine Spansules + Amobarbital) - Eskatrol - a few others...
It's novel to combine an upper and a downer in a single pill, but I think they stopped doing it for benzos because it seemed to abusable. I suppose it's better, you have more control over dosing on either end. I happen to take Klonopin and Desoxyn every day. 1mg 3x/day Klonopin, Desoxyn 10mg 2x/day. Unfortunately, Desoxyn Gradumet (12-hour) pills aren't made anymore. Unlike Spansules, which are the most pathetic excuse for an amphetamine, they were unquestionably 12 hours.
Posted by utopizen on August 26, 2003, at 17:51:18
In reply to Re: What are the small red pills? » Sebastian, posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 26, 2003, at 13:29:39
I think your pill may be described here.
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/66aug/pparty.htm
Valium and other benzos were never combined with other medicines in a single pill. That was only done with barbituates, which were commonly combined with amphetamines and even, in one case, an anti-psychotic.
Drug names: Desbutal (Desoxyn Gradumets + Nembutal, or methamphetamine sustained release + phenobarbital) - Dexamyl (Dexedrine Spansules + Amobarbital) - Eskatrol - a few others...
It's novel to combine an upper and a downer in a single pill, but I think they stopped doing it for benzos because it seemed to abusable. I suppose it's better, you have more control over dosing on either end. I happen to take Klonopin and Desoxyn every day. 1mg 3x/day Klonopin, Desoxyn 10mg 2x/day. Unfortunately, Desoxyn Gradumet (12-hour) pills aren't made anymore. Unlike Spansules, which are the most pathetic excuse for an amphetamine, they were unquestionably 12 hours.
This is the end of the thread.
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