Valium is a medication to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal symptoms like agitation, shakiness, and hallucinations. It is available in doses ranging from 2 to 10 mg and can be prescribed by a primary care physician or psychiatrist either in-person or online. It is important to use Valium for no longer than a short period of time, to avoid dependence unless advised otherwise by a doctor.
What Is Valium (Diazepam) & How Does it Work?
Valium is a benzodiazepine, an anti-anxiety medication that boosts the activity of two chemical messengers in the brain, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine.1 GABA acts like a natural tranquilizer, reducing the stress response and slowing down heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that elevates mood. Over time, Valium may disturb the production of these chemicals in the brain, causing drug dependence. Valium also causes drowsiness, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.1
Diazepam is the generic form of Valium and may have different inactive ingredients, such as flavoring or preservatives (lactose or a dye), that could cause a reaction. Valium is only available in tablets, while diazepam is available in tablets, solutions, injections, and gel forms. Generic diazepam is generally less expensive and covered by most insurance companies compared to Valium.2
Which anxiety medications can help you feel better?
There are many effective medications for anxiety including Zoloft and Lexapro, which a Plushcare doctor can prescribe. In as little as 15 minutes, you can speak with a board-certified doctor from PlushCare to receive anxiety treatment.
Plushcare DOES NOT prescribe controlled substances, including XANAX.
Side Effects of Valium
When using Valium for anxiety, people may experience some side effects which may vary in severity depending on the individuals’ age, health history, and genetics. People may feel confusion, dizziness, fatigue, and lack of coordination due to the sedative effects of the medication. While some of these side effects may be mild and go away on their own after a few days or weeks, others might persist and require a dose change or discontinuation of the medication, which you should talk to your doctor about for safety purposes.
Common side effects of Valium may include:
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- loss of control of body movements (ataxia)
- Muscle weakness
- Headache
- Tremor
- Nausea
- Constipation
Less common side effects of Valium may include:
- Breathing difficulties
- Hallucinations
- Memory loss
- Slow pulse
- hypotension
- Heart attack
- Coma
Do I Need to Get a Valium Prescription?
Valium is sometimes used to treat anxiety. However, it is crucial to consult with a medical professional before taking the medication as some people may have severe allergic reactions if using it for the first time. Valium can cause dizziness and sleepiness, which can impact your personal and professional life. To avoid accidents, do not drive or operate any machinery while undergoing treatment.
Valium may also be prescribed by a doctor as a temporary solution for severe agitation, tremors, and hallucinations resulting from sudden alcohol withdrawal. Valium generally takes effect within 15 to 60 minutes, providing quick relief from symptoms.
Valium might be prescribed for:
- Sleep difficulties
- Sedation in the ICU
- Severe anxiety before surgical and dental procedures
- Social phobia
- Severe continuous seizures (status epilepticus)
- Altered mental status and hyperactivity due to alcohol withdrawal
- Muscle spasm due to muscle or joint inflammation or trauma, cerebral palsy, athetosis, or stiff-man syndrome
Who Shouldn’t Get Valium Prescribed
Anyone who has had an allergic reaction to Valium or other benzodiazepines should avoid Valium. It is also not advisable to use Valium during pregnancy and breastfeeding as it could have negative effects on the unborn child or nursing infant. Additionally, Valium is not used in infants younger than 6 months.
It should not be used in people with severe breathing problems, muscular and liver diseases, and narrow-angle glaucoma. As benzodiazepines are sedating drugs, they also increase the risk of accidents and falls, especially in the elderly. It is risky when they are mixed with other nervous system suppressants like alcohol or opioids due to shallow breathing and unresponsiveness.
There are several alternative treatments that may provide relief for symptoms of anxiety. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can be effective for anxiety symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and buspirone are commonly prescribed for symptoms of anxiety. 3
People with the following conditions or health situations might have contraindications to using Valium:
- Myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disorder)
- Severe breathing problem (asthma)
- Sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep)
- Narrow-angle glaucoma
- Increased eye pressure (acute closed-angle glaucoma)
- Severe liver disease
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (children)
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Allergies to Valium or other benzodiazepines
- Substance use disorders
How to Get Prescribed Valium
Valium is a prescription drug used to treat anxiety disorders such as phobias, panic disorders, seizures, muscle spasms, and tremors. Only authorized medical professionals can prescribe it. People may also obtain the Valium prescription through online psychiatrist options.
Before prescribing Valium, doctors and other authorized prescribers consider a person’s medical history, allergies, current medications, and age. They are concerned about the potential for drug misuse and addiction so they also ask about substance use and misuse. They also discuss pregnancy and breastfeeding concerns before prescribing the drug.
Follow these steps when considering a Valium prescription:
- Talk to your doctor about your anxiety: Valium dose depends on age, multiple health issues, and current symptoms. Only your doctor can guide you through dose adjustment and inform you of its advantages and disadvantages. They will tell you of its warnings, such as an overdose that could be harmful.
- Describe your symptoms thoroughly: It is important to fully describe your symptoms so that your doctor can closely monitor you because Valium can cause breathing problems, especially if you also use opioids and alcohol.
- Consider costs and insurance coverage: Depending on your dosage and insurance coverage, Valium prices change. The majority of insurance policies and Medicare prescription plans cover generic Valium (diazepam). However, the price of name-brand Valium may be higher without insurance. The cost of generic diazepam is typically lower. It is cheaper to purchase generic Valium, unless there is a medical condition that prevents you from taking the generic version.
- Evaluate long-term effects: Due to its sedating effect and physically addictive properties, people frequently use Valium for longer than necessary. As a result, the likelihood of dependency and addiction rises, increasing the risk of complications from prolonged withdrawal.
- Consider interactions with other drugs: Because Valium may interact with other medications, always let your doctor or pharmacist know what you are currently taking. Your doctor can adjust the dosage so that you can still benefit from it without jeopardizing your other medical regimens.
- Understand important precautions for certain health conditions: Close monitoring and dosage adjustments are required for people with kidney, liver, muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), high eye pressure (glaucoma), and breathing problems. If you have serious breathing and liver problems, your doctor may prescribe different medications.
Who Can Prescribe Valium?
Nurses, doctors, and other mental health specialists may provide guidance when coping with a mental health condition. State law, however, only permits a small number of professionals to prescribe and monitor medications based on their credentials and areas of expertise. To choose the best course of action for each individual, these specialists frequently collaborate.4
Medical professionals who can prescribe Valium include:
- Primary care provider (PCP): Most PCPs ask questions about your mental health during regular check-ups. Even if they don’t ask, take this opportunity to discuss your problems, as you don’t need a separate appointment. They can also prescribe drugs for your condition and refer you to a mental health professional. 5
- Psychiatrists: They can evaluate, diagnose, prescribe drugs, and monitor any mental health condition and substance use disorders.
- Psychologists: They may evaluate a person’s mental health using clinical interviews, psychological evaluations, and testing. After the diagnosis, psychologists may provide individual group therapies (CBT, DBT), and other behavioral therapy interventions.
- Family nurse practitioners (FNP): Some states offer nurse practitioners full practice authority to prescribe drugs for mental health and substance use disorders. Other states allow a restricted practice to help individuals with a specific health condition.
- Psychiatric or mental health nurse practitioners: They can assess, diagnose and provide therapy for mental health conditions or substance use disorders. In some states, they are also qualified to prescribe and monitor drugs. The level of required supervision varies by state.
How to Get Valium Prescribed Online
Using an online prescription service gives you access to professional advice, but may also save travel time. Additionally, multiple generic and branded versions are readily available online. Also, some people may feel more at ease speaking with professionals about prescriptions for their health issues online or over the phone rather than in person.
Which anxiety medications can help you feel better?
There are many effective medications for anxiety including Zoloft and Lexapro, which a Plushcare doctor can prescribe. In as little as 15 minutes, you can speak with a board-certified doctor from PlushCare to receive anxiety treatment.
Plushcare DOES NOT prescribe controlled substances, including XANAX.
Getting Valium Prescribed Online If You Don’t Have a Prescription Yet
The doctor can send the prescription directly to your local pharmacy electronically.
You can use the services of a local provider, an online psychiatrist, or a company like Talkiatry to obtain the prescription without having to wait or visit the doctor’s office in person. Additionally, these doctors provide individualized care plans.
Getting Valium Prescribed Online If You Have a Prescription
his service can be found through either local providers or companies like Hims Mental Health and Hers Mental Health. Many individuals anticipate reasonably-priced, personalized attention, timely medication delivery, and a response from a provider within 24 hours.alium.
What If I Can’t Get a Valium Prescription?
Valium may not be prescribed to some individuals due to health risks.6 However, some people attempt to obtain it by seeing multiple doctors or asking friends and family to share their Valium. This can lead to unintended consequences. Only a qualified prescriber can determine the appropriate medication based on an individual’s health, medical history, and current prescriptions.
Using someone else’s prescription Valium is not safe. Additionally, since Valium is a controlled substance, it is illegal and considered a serious offense to use it without a prescription. Therefore, it is important to avoid doctor shopping to encounter any health-related or legal challenges.
Alternatives to Getting a Valium Prescription
Although over-the-counter (OTC) medications cannot replace prescription anxiety medications, some people use them as an alternative to managing their anxiety symptoms. OTC medications are widely available and can relieve anxiety symptoms without requiring a doctor’s visit or prescription.
Xanapril is an OTC dietary supplement that contains a blend of natural ingredients, including magnesium, ashwagandha, GABA, Korean ginseng, and Rhodiola rosea. These may promote calmness and relaxation, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Many drugstores offer homeopathic and natural remedies for anxiety such as these.
How to Take Valium
Valium is typically taken by mouth, either on a regular schedule or as needed to treat anxiety symptoms. The appropriate dose depends on the diagnosis, age, and overall health. For adults, tablets are available in 2mg, 5mg, or 10mg strengths, and can be taken two to four times per day. For elderly above 65, and those with liver or kidney problems, the starting dose is between 2 and 2.5mg, taken once or twice daily.
Children between the ages of 6 months and 17 years may start with a dose of 1mg to 2.5mg, taken once or twice daily. Valium can be found in various forms, including tablets, solutions, gels, nasal sprays, and injections. It can be taken with or without food.
To achieve a consistent outcome, Valium should be taken exactly as prescribed. If you start to feel better, do not abruptly stop taking the medication, as this can cause rebound effects such as headaches, agitation, and seizures. Before reducing the dose or stopping the medication altogether, consult with a doctor.
If you feel that the medication is not adequately controlling symptoms, or if you require more than the usual amount, talk to your doctor. It is important to avoid consuming alcohol and opioids while taking Valium, as these substances can have an additional negative effect on the brain, causing dizziness and breathing difficulties.
How Fast Can Valium Work for Anxiety?
Valium comes in various forms, including oral tablets, injections, and gel. When taken at home, oral tablets are preferred over injections as they provide a more dependable absorption and controlled effect. When given as an injection in the vein (intravenously; IV), Valium takes effect within 1 to 3 minutes, while with oral dosing, the onset ranges from 15 to 60 minutes. Furthermore, the long-lasting impact of Valium is more than 12 hours.
Can You Overdose on Valium?
Overdosing on Valium can happen for various reasons, such as combining it with opioids, alcohol, other sedatives, or over-the-counter medications, taking more than prescribed, or when misused for non-medical indications. Some individuals may purposefully overdose to feel high or with suicidal intent. Symptoms of an overdose may include falling into a deep sleep or coma while still being able to breathe well enough, stomach upset, drowsiness, slow breathing, fainting, weakness, loss of coordination and consciousness, blurry vision, and tremors.
Using Valium for longer durations and at higher doses than recommended can increase the risk of dependence and withdrawal. Abruptly stopping or reducing the dose may lead to panic attacks and seizures. If someone has overdosed and experiences difficulty breathing or fainting, call 911 immediately and take them to the emergency room.
Addiction to Valium
Valium is usually prescribed for a short period of time when used for the treatment of anxiety or insomnia, but it may be used for longer when used in seizure management.7 The doctor must explain why a limited duration of treatment is necessary by discussing the risks associated with its use. Individuals must be informed about the risks of driving and operating machinery while taking Valium. Long-term use of Valium, including a gradual reduction in dose, can lead to Valium addiction.
If you take Valium for a longer time in larger amounts than prescribed, you may become dependent on the drug. Because it has physically addictive properties, people with a history of drug or alcohol misuse are more likely to become dependent. It is important to know that if they suddenly stop Valium after using it long-term, they may experience unpleasant withdrawal effects.
Drug Interactions With Valium
Valium is broken down (metabolized) by enzymes (CYP2C19 and CYP3A4) in the liver that can be influenced by other prescription drugs. Some medications can speed up or slow down the enzymes’ activity, affecting how quickly or effectively Valium is broken down.
For instance, fluoxetine (Prozac) and ketoconazole can enhance Valium’s effect by reducing enzyme activity. On the other hand, rifampicin (antibiotic) and carbamazepine (anticonvulsant) can reduce Valium’s effectiveness by increasing enzyme activity. To prevent any potential risks, always inform your doctor of any medications and supplements you are taking before starting Valium.
Patients should not take Valium without prior guidance from a prescriber if they are taking medications such as:
- Opioids: Opioids, such as fentanyl, may be used for pain (injury, surgery, cancer), palliative and end-of-life care. Using opioids with valium may increase the risk of respiratory depression and sedation.
- Alcohol: Using Valium while drinking alcohol can interfere with your judgment, thinking, and body coordination. It can also make you drowsy and cause your breathing to slow down or stop.
- Antipsychotics: These medications may be used to treat bipolar disorder and psychosis, which can occur with schizophrenia. Using Valium with antipsychotics may increase Valium levels and cause drowsiness and breathing difficulties.
- Antidepressants: Using Valium with some antidepressants may lead to increased levels of Valium in the blood, enhancing its effects. This may cause drowsiness and breathing difficulties.
- Anxiolytics: Using Valium with anxiolytics, such as Ativan or Xanax, may increase Valium levels and cause drowsiness and breathing difficulties.
- Antiepileptics: Antiepileptics, such as Tegretol and Carbatrol), are used to treat seizures. Using Valium with these medications can interfere with the level or effect of Valium.
- Antihistamines: Antihistamines, such as Benadryl, are used for allergies like hay fever, hives, and insect bites. Using Valium with antihistamines may cause drowsiness and breathing difficulties.
- Anesthetics: Anesthetic medications are used to induce drowsiness or make a person lose consciousness during a surgery or medical procedure. Using Valium with these medications may potentially cause excessive drowsiness and breathing difficulties.
- Antifungals: Antifungal medications are used to treat fungal infections. Using Valium with these medications may cause drowsiness and breathing difficulties.
- Antiacidic: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole or esomeprazole, are used to reduce stomach acids. Using Valium with these medications may prolong its sedative effect.
- Oral contraceptives: Taking Valium does not impact the effectiveness of birth control medications (oral contraception). But using Valium with these medications may alter the effect of Valium.
- St. John’s wort: St. John’s Wort is a supplement used to treat depression. When taken with Valium, St. John’s Wort may impact the effects of Valium.
Questions to Ask Your Health Team About How to Get Valium
Healthcare professionals help you with a personalized treatment plan that meets your needs. They can provide guidance on the proper way to take your medication, potential side effects, necessary precautions, and how to taper your dosage. Your progress will be closely monitored, and drug doses can be adjusted as needed. It is important to discuss how your mental health impacts your work, home life, and relationships. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have.
Questions to ask your care team about getting a Valium prescription include:
- How often should I come for checkups?
- What common side effects will I likely experience when I start my Valium medication?
- How long will the medication’s side effects last?
- Should I be concerned about addiction and withdrawal symptoms of the medication?
- What are the best online psychiatry options?
- What are some alternatives to Valium?
- What should I do if Valium does not work for me?
- What will happen if I stop my medication abruptly?
- How long does Valium take to show its effectiveness?
- Is there any lab work or other medical tests needed before or during the treatment?
- What are the precautions I must take during the treatment?
- What if I have never used Valium and found myself allergic to it?
- Can you provide any resources to learn about Valium?
Meet with an online doctor today about Anxiety diagnosis and treatment. Prescriptions as appropriate.
All prescriptions are based on necessity determined by a medical professional. Diagnosis and prescription over video. Insurance accepted. Same-day appointments.
In My Experience
In my experience, the first step is to talk to your doctor about your symptoms. It is important to start the conversation early to begin treatment and prevent further health problems. Your family doctor is a great starting point, who may ask about your thoughts and feelings to help understand your situation better. They may refer you to a specialist and community resources available online or in your area. To ensure your doctor understands your situation, make sure to write down all your worries and questions.
Be honest and open about your stressful situations and traumatic experiences in life since doctors are trained professionals to deal with sensitive issues. Remember to take charge of your health, set reasonable goals, and see the benefits in the areas of your life that matter most. It is also important to stick with treatment, even when you start feeling better, and get advice on tapering the drug dose.
Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
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Rubinchik SM, Kablinger AS, Gardner JS. (2005). Medications for panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder during pregnancy. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 7(3):100-5. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1163270/
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National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2020). Types of Mental Health Professionals. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Treatments/Types-of-Mental-Health-Professionals
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National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Tips for Talking With a Health Care Provider About Your Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/tips-for-talking-with-your-health-care-provider
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Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2012). Doctor shopping: a phenomenon of many themes. Innovations in clinical neuroscience, 9(11-12), 42–46. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3552465/
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Brett, J., & Murnion, B. (2015). Management of benzodiazepine misuse and dependence. Australian prescriber, 38(5), 152–155. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4657308/
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