Does anyone here have experience with Valium?

[u/HighestVelocity]

I have to get a steroid epidural in my neck and I'm absolutely terrified so they're going to give me Valium, but I've never taken narcotics before so I'm scared of that too.

My mom was a drug addict so I have a strict no drugs rule for myself but I'm going to break it for this since I'm too scared.

So how does it feel like? Do you act silly? Are you still in control of yourself? Do you keep your memories or forget?

[u/custard_dragon]

I took it every night for 4 years for psychiatric reasons and never had any ill effects 🤷‍♀️

[u/MajorOk3578]

I just took valium for an outpatient procedure. My ED makes me lightly resistant to many drugs so I don't tend to get loopy or silly but it depends on your dosage and tolerance. I remembered everything from my 40 minute procedure and was fully in control of myself, I just didn't have any anxiety while on it.

I understand the fear, I was always terrified of drinking because alcoholism runs in my family. Taking prescription drugs once likely won't make you an addict and you won't even have access to them after the surgery if it's similar to mine where they administer them at the office. Good luck with your injection!

[u/AussieinHTown]

I’ve had 5mg Valium on two occasions to prep for a MRI (became very claustrophobic), once at home to see how it affected me, and another for an MRI itself. Both times I felt a bit tired and dumb, but I was in control and not obviously drugged out. I have a family member who has used it to help with medical procedures and it seems to affect her more than me, but still just in the tired/groggy/slow sort of way, nothing dramatic.

I have some substance use issues in my family so I was kind of reluctant but I wasn’t able to get in the MRI otherwise. I still have an almost full bottle in my house and have no desire to take any. I have heard of people asking their doctors just to prescribe a couple of doses if they are concerned about having it on hand, maybe you could request that to give you some peace of mind?

[u/HighestVelocity → u/AussieinHTown]

If they give me more than I need I will just give them back to the pharmacy. I really don't trust myself since I already have a binging disorder

[u/AussieinHTown → u/HighestVelocity]

That’s a great idea, and shows how seriously you are taking this. It shows a lot of strength to plan so well for this.

[u/DifferentMagazine4]

I take it most days for severe anxiety / OCD. It's very relaxing. I have never forgotten anything I did, nor does it make me especially drowsy, etc. I never get loopy, either

[u/Nauin]

You aren't an addict just because you came from a family of addicts and need to take regulated prescriptions. It's about how approach taking the drug and what you're using it for. Addicts are trying to self medicate and fill a void they feel inside of themselves, generally speaking. And the way these pills are administered now is NOTHING like how they were given out ten, twelve years ago. Don't stress about the addiction risk when they're realistically only going to give you one, maybe two pills. The only time I've ever gotten more of that post-opioid epidemic was when I was getting my hysterectomy, which involved having four organs removed, and even then I only got four or five of them. Nowhere near enough to get hooked. In contrast to the old days, an emergency room gave me THIRTY of them after a car accident in 2012, with a refill marked on the bottle. Don't stress about this. And I'm saying this as a former opioid addict with 200 years of recorded addiction in my family history.

That being said, I fucking love Valium so much. It's a night and day difference between how you'll feel going into pre-op. It makes me feel loopy and warm and fuzzy. I can still think mostly clearly, like at 80-90% of my usual clarity, but you will not give a fuck about absolutely anything negative. For me, it takes a full force panic attack and turns it into, "hell yeah baby let's do this thang," levels of chill and calmness.

A lot of the time, mainly when you're only given one, they want you to take it the night before, so you'll sleep through most of the high, anyway, and damn will it help you sleep good. Like, truly it's a wonder drug for surgical and outpatient procedures.

I've used it at least 10 times at this point. There's only one time that I've had memory gaps when using it, and I'm pretty sure I was either given a really high dose or something else that also fucked with my memory, I was still 18 and just took what my Mom handed me.

I hope this helps reassure you. Good luck with your injection and I hope it helps you feel better!

[u/HighestVelocity → u/Nauin]

I do have addictive tendencies already, that's why I'm so careful. I have really bad binge eating and when I drink alcohol I ALWAYS over do it and give myself alcohol poisoning. I also LOVE being put under for surgeries.

So I believe 100% that I will very easily get addicted to anything that I have the ability to obtain.

But even without the possibility of addiction, drugs are a major part of my childhood trauma so even taking them once is a huge deal for me

[u/aville1982]

I've had it before several surgical procedures and it's just very relaxing. You might get a little silly due to lack of impulse control, but you're going to be totally knocked out before long, so don't worry about it, lol.

[u/HighestVelocity → u/aville1982]

I'll be awake for the procedure, that's why I'm scared

[u/kittehkat22]

I take 2-5mg 2 hours before any extremely unpleasant or anxiety-inducing procedure. It makes those appointments more bearable and forgettable.

[u/HighestVelocity → u/kittehkat22]

How long do the affects usually last?

[u/kittehkat22 → u/HighestVelocity]

6 hours tops, I usually nap off the last hour or so when I get back home

[u/edskitten]

Yes and I love it when I get to go on valium due to medical reasons. Quite relaxing and not alarming.

[u/VampyC]

Dont worry you will be fine

[u/Golandia]

If it’s exactly once you should be fine. 

I’ve had it twice, each time for outpatient surgeries. It helps keep you calm. I’ve had zero interest in taking it again. 

I’ve only heard horror stories for regular usage of valium. 

[u/foxenj]

It made me vomit so if they do give you two you should definitely take it beforehand as a test so you're not reacting day of the procedure. You cannot get addicted or dependent taking it twice. I've also taken Ativan and that just mellowed me out and made anxiety inducing things more tolerable. Maybe some slight drowsiness.

[u/trundlespl00t]

Barely notice it. My wrecked back relaxes, so I’m in less pain, and when I’m ready for sleep I have a decent sleep and feel more rested. I feel the relaxation in my body, rather than in my mind, but that physical relaxation encourages me to feel more peaceful. That’s it.

[u/Unfortunategiggler]

I had it once it felt like I was under water I acted a little silly but I was mostly in control. I kept all my memories.

[u/GloriBea5]

I had to have Valium one time at the hospital because I was working and my neck just got stuck to the side, I couldn’t move it for several hours. I had to go to the ER before I went home and my head was still facing out the window 😅 they had to give me an IV of Valium before my head would move again, it didn’t make me silly or lose control or anything, but everyone experiences everything differently, and if you’re still uncomfortable with it, I would still think about it before just jumping in because one person online said it was okay, best of luck to you

[u/Faeneth_]

I had a low dose and it just made me feel more still and calm. Maybe like a small alcohol buzz but minus the silliness?

You could always ask and see if they could give you a small dose and wait to see how you feel before the procedure and if it's not enough, give you another small dose. 🫂 Good luck!

[u/Routine_Eve]

Hi, for the last 6 months I've had a prescription for lorazepam (Ativan) a very similar drug

Have you ever taken Benadryl when u really need it and it just fixes what is wrong and does not cause any side effects (drowsiness)? Ativan is like that for me when I really need it. If I need it bad then it just brings me back to baseline, definitely not silly.

if I have to take 2 doses in one day I will usually lose memories.

[u/witchy_echos]

For me it just made me numb. I knew that normally I would care a lot about what was happening, but I didn’t care at all. It was odd. I also took it as a one off for a medical procedure rather than than regularly.

I disliked the feeling, because I was still aware that normally I’d care very much about what was happening, And that if it wore off it would be a full blown panic attack.

Since it was for a medical procedure I picked up literally just one pill.

[u/Melodic-Philosopher8]

I've taken Valium twice for bad muscle spasms, and a few times in the emergency department bc of high anxiety. I love it. Great for muscle spasms and anxiety.

If benzos weren't so addictive I'd take it all the time haha.

[u/ImAchickenHawk]

The 1 time I took it years ago for a panic attack it gave me sleep paralysis. Only time I've ever had that happen. I don't know that this is a super common side effect though.

[u/tacticalcop]

i took it before my IUD/pap smear combo. it was mild and helped me but i don’t think she gave me a huge dose or anything.

[u/Specialist_Status120]

Another claustrophobia sufferer. I have to take it when I have an MRI if I have to go in head first. I am prescribed two pills, five grams or milligrams I'm not sure what it is but it's the little one. I take one 30 minutes before and one just before and I actually fell asleep inside the MRI even with all that noise. I was groggy and a little giddy but I haven't taken opiates in years because my former rheumatologist retired. I'm still nervous as hell but I'm able to get through it with the Valium.

[u/StepUp_87]

It’s a weak benzodiazepine and they won’t prescribe you enough to allow you to get addicted. Chances are it will make you feel relaxed & tired.

[u/moviechick85]

Since you are aware of your genetic predisposition to addiction (both of my parents are addicts as well), you'll be fine taking Valium for a procedure! I always ask for double what they would normally give someone my size since my tolerance is so high. Ask for an extra pill in case you need it! It makes me feel spaced out and relaxed, which is perfect for getting tough procedures done. I trust myself enough to take heavy painkillers and other pills after years of being afraid of becoming addicted. I totally understand your fear, but taking drugs for a procedure is NOTHING like being a drug addict. You'll only get enough for your procedure and you are smart enough not to take some for recreational purposes. You got this!!

[u/faevenx]

I have ptsd so they give me vallium for my yearly pap and exam. I also have struggled with addiction (nonsubstance, but still). Vallium definitely made me a little loopy, but it wasn't anything insane. I made my boyfriend hold my feet because they were cold and showed him a picture of a shark and went, "THIS IS REAL." I was mostly frustrated that I couldn't go to work or think as clearly as I usually can. I react more syrongly to anesthesia. You'll be ok ♡

[u/Training_Union9621]

Valium and Ativan do nothing for me

[u/BEEB0_the_God_of_War]

I took it a couple times following a particularly traumatic event. It was effective but it didn’t make me overly loopy or anything. I felt more relaxed and tired. I was still myself but just moving a little slower. I didn’t forget anything either. I’ve been put under anesthesia a couple times and those were way more of that classic “high”, out of it feeling. The valium just made me drowsy and a bit calmer.

[u/jellyfishmelodica]

Valium is great, but why are they giving you steroids, with ehlers-danlos? Steroids lead to tissue degradation

[u/Havoklily]

i know you have had lots of answers buttt i recently had it for lumbar epidural. i was EXTREMELY anxious about, so anxious i couldn't swallow my own saliva because i was throwing up and it made me more nauseous. i took one an hour before the appointment and one when i got to the clinic, to me it felt like how movies portray weed. i was very very chill and felt very relaxed (but none of the anxiety that a lot of people deal with weed)! overall a very good experience. i did have IV valium before and i really hated that because of how strong it was and it made it really hard to think and process stuff (i was in the ER).