What other drugs will affect Valium?

Before taking Valium, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, other sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by Valium.

Before taking Valium, tell your doctor if you take any other seizure medications, or if you are using any of the following drugs:

• cimetidine (Tagamet);
• ketoconazole (Nizoral);
• omeprazole (Prilosec);
• phenytoin (Dilantin);
• a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
• an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate);
• medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as aripiprazole (Abilify), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol), mesoridazine (Serentil), prochlorperazine (Compazine, Compro), promethazine (Pentazine, Phenergan, Phenadoz, Promethegan), and others;
• narcotic medications such as fentanyl (Duragesic, Actiq), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph), oxycodone (OxyContin), and others; or
• an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), citalopram (Celexa), doxepin (Sinequan), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Valium. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

How should I take Valium?

Take Valium exactly as it was prescribed for you. Never take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

Valium should be used for only a short time. Do not take this medication for longer than 4 months without your doctor's advice. Do not stop using Valium suddenly without first talking to your doctor. You may have increased seizures or withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking Valium. Withdrawal symptoms include tremor, sweating, trouble sleeping, muscle cramps, stomach pain, vomiting, and unusual thoughts or behavior. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely. Contact your doctor if this medicine seems to stop working as well in treating your symptoms.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood and liver function may need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

Store Valium at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Keep track of how many pills have been used from each new bottle of this medicine. Benzodiazepines are drugs of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Valium?

Valium may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Valium should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. You should not use Valium if you are allergic to diazepam, or if you have:

• myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disorder);
• severe liver disease;
• narrow-angle glaucoma;
• a severe breathing problem; or
• sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep).

If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Valium. Before taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• 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 illness, depression, or suicidal thoughts or behavior; or
• a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

FDA pregnancy category D. Valium can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine while you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication. 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.

Valium is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause anxiety.

Valium is used in the management of anxiety disorders. It may also be used to treat agitation, shakiness, and hallucinations during alcohol withdrawal and to relieve certain types of muscle pain.

You should not use Valium if you are allergic to diazepam, or if you have myasthenia gravis, severe liver disease, narrow-angle glaucoma, a severe breathing problem, or sleep apnea. This medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use Valium if you are pregnant.

Before taking Valium, tell 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 illness, depression, or suicidal thoughts.

Do not drink alcohol while taking Valium. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol.

Never take more of this medication than your doctor has prescribed. An overdose of Valium can be fatal.

Valium may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Thus medicine should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.