Is Long term diazepam use safe?

Hi, JD230!
There are many safer and very effective alternatives to manage anxiety disorders. Although benzodiazepines may be safe enough for short term use there is a great deal of evidence that long term use can have serious side effects such as memory loss, increased anxiety and/or depression, and the obvious risk of addiction even when used as directed.
Diazepam has a half life of about 48 hours:
"Because diazepam has a 48-hour half-life, and it takes five half-lives for the body to completely eliminate a drug, diazepam is usually cleared within 10 days. However, since diazepam can accumulate in fat tissue, taking repeated doses can cause the drug to accumulate and increase its half-life."

I'm just over sixty five and have been on 2mg valium for 46 of those years without any harm to myself or others and never had any urges to increase it. I was prescribed valium for seizures and muscle spasms after breaking my neck and compressing a disc at L4/5 . I have had a few more injuries added to that over the years and now take 2.5mg nightly. I used to have a few beers occasionally but I felt it was far better not to as my muscle spasms increased as the alcohol wore off. I never felt the urge or need to increase the amount I think maybe because having the valium helped me to be more active and I mainly kept it for bedtime with occasionally using .5mg during the day for anxiety. I made sure my nutrition and exercise were priorities also.Be aware in your management of it and all the best.

If your doctor prescribes 10mg a day you will get use to it and it will build up in your ststem. So skipping a daily dosage may effect you in a nasty way. Dont drink to cover it up. Just try to cut back on drinking altogether. And have a glass of wine at least 4-6 hours after taking the drug. Remember, the drug is always in your system just a little more after you dose. Might as well take the full 10mg before bedtime. It wont make any difference . youll sleep beautifully and your day will nit be interrupted by taking 5mg in the middle of the day when you may want to go to happy hour. Hope this has helped you.

I have been taking Diaxepam 5 mg for 18 years, the soles of my feet have been burning is this due to taking Diazepam 5 mg for a long time. I take it for tremors in my arm. had a stroke 18 yrs ago I am on no other meds except on rare accosions I take a nexicum

I'm sorry, but taking this stuff every day isn't the answer. I used to take for my 'anxiety' sometimes it worked great, sometimes not at all. Everyone is different. What actually happens is you gain this false sense of confidence and self importance, seeing your self as super slick, when in reality your a slurring mess. Take it, but not every day. In order to really concor anxiety, you need to learn to control it, which these can do. But please stop after a few months because it's good to get a reality check every once and a while, as this can make some people go very out of character.

I have been on 5 mg of valium for over 10 years because of anxiety. It is the only drug I have found helpful over the years. My dosage has not increased, my decision. I do drink on occasion while on it even though it is not advised.

Worry not. I have been taking 2x5mg diazepam daily for 4 years for anticipatory anxiety. I had worries early on about withdrawal, etc- but straight from the lips of two different psychiatrists, the actual risk of withdrawal is low due to the very long half life of diazepam. I sometimes to forget to take one on a weekend and do not notice at all. Acute use is ok, but it's SO much better not having panic attacks in the first place rather than taking one to stop it. Both psychiatrists agreed that I can take this indefinitely.

However, kiss alcohol goodbye. I was never a drinker anyways, but once a year I have half a glass of wine and I am trashed, not in a good way. Just don't drink at all if you are regularly taking diazepam.

Please don't do it!!! I have been dependent on Ativan/lorazepam for more than 32 years now, I was never warned of the dangers of dependency at the time, and when I did become aware it was too late. It's also true your body does build up tolerance to these drugs, having started all those years ago on 1 mg tablet once a day it gradually kept up and I now take 3X5mg tablets every single day, and go into early withdrawal if I miss a day. I am told my dosage would knock out a bull but after 32 years it just maintains me stable. Also with any drug like benzos the effects of both the drug and the alcohol you propose to take increase greatly, so try your very best not to go down that path. Good luck.

Its not a good idea to take benzos long term. Your body becomes dependent on them and sometimes tolerant so you have to keep increasing the dose. Most docs won't write for valium long term. Klonopin is probably better as a long term medication. Have you tried Buspar? This is a medication that is specifically to prevent anxiety, and is not a benzo.