Valium The wonder drug

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by TJ, Sep 6, 2007.

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  1. TJ

    TJ New Member

    Recently got a Rx for Valium due to what I read on this board. Well last night about an hour into my shift at work I began to get very dizzy. I mean the kind of dizzy where you turn your head and it feels like your brain is sloshing around. So I took a Valium with cautious Optimism and WOW 30 min later Im back to working. no more dizzyness It is very refreshing to have something to combat the dizzyness. Thanks to everyone on this board for all the good advice. ;D
     
  2. charisse

    charisse Been hanging here for 8 years

    TJ,

    I know how you feel, I use a benzo too. it has saved me from a hellish life. Glad it works for you.
     
  3. SamC

    SamC Guest

    NOTE: Charisse has MAV and not hydrops, PLF, Schwaanoma, etc., so Valium is one of the best treatments she can do until something better comes along. Charisse knows what her "Meniere's" is ... MAV. This is the importance of getting a diagnosis, not lack of one as in the generic "Meniere's" label that can be anything.

    The only caution I see is valium is a cover up drug, not a controlling drug. Depending on your disorder this maybe a factor. If you cover it up and it gets worse as in the case of virus, hydrops, PLF, Schwaanoma, MS, etc., then the relief you get now may lead to a life of real hurt. Valium is a useful drug for some disorders, but I think its use for "Meniere's disease" that could be anything or any disorder now undiagnosed, is dangerous. Know what you are covering up. An example is a local woman labeled Meniere's disease and on Valium for years with good results until one day when all hell broke loose and the doctors found a schwaanoma. I have heard many similiar stories and this is why be sure you are undiagnosable and everything has been ruled out before covering up symptoms. Symptoms are your bodies way of telling you what is wrong. Too many doctors think covering up symptoms takes care of the problem ... wrong. Investigate before you cover up.

    All my doctors somewhere around 11 are anti valium. One doc told me he had rather see me on medical pot than Valium. He said Cocanine works better, why not use it?

    Just be sure the Valium isn't covering up a serious underlying disorder or disease and then be aware if your body demands more valium what the end result will be. Many "Meniere's" folks take low dose valium for years with no problems, but again be sure you are not experiencing the calm before the storm.
     
  4. nassman

    nassman Guest

    Excellent post Sam.
     
  5. thornapple

    thornapple New Member

    I don't think anyone can be sure of anything unless doctors are able to diagnose them accurately.

    This is obviously very difficult in the case of vestibular disorders, to the frustration of many of us. From what I can tell, it is frustrating to many doctors, too. Sometimes all they can do is help patients with symptoms.

    Valium is not a treatment for MAV. Migraine prevention is a treatment for MAV. Vertigo is a symptom. Valium is one useful treatment for vertigo due to diagnosed or undiagnosed vestibular problems.

    However, valium can be habit-forming, and should be used with caution by patients and doctors. It can also make you almost as dizzy as vertigo.

    Working with a doctor to determine whether or not valium use is of benefit is an intelligent choice for anyone with a vestibular disorder. Working with doctors on the well-known possible problems due to valium use is wise, also. Being aware of the side effects of any drug you take is smart. Making an informed decision about such drug use is smart. Abuse of any drug is not smart.

    I have a schwannoma, and occasional use of valium is of benefit to me. Nothing can be done about my schwannoma at the present time. I have to live with it. Symptoms telling me something is wrong with my body, extremely unpleasant symptoms that interfere with the quality of my life and ability to work, can be relieved with the occasional use of valium. Since valium can be habit forming, it is smart not to give it a chance make it a habit.
     
  6. charisse

    charisse Been hanging here for 8 years

    I do have mav but also bad cervical problems. I am on the diet which helps but not enough to keep me from being dizzy. I take ativan for the mav dizziness, anxiety and to relax the muscles in my back. I cannot take the seizure, blood pressure, or any other preventive med cause they make me worse.

    I found a Dr who understood my plight and didn't try to lump me with others who could use these meds.
    If you found something that works, take it of course don't abuse it, but I don't think I have to tell you that. I'm happy you found some relief TJ
     
  7. ToniG

    ToniG Guest

    excellent post.
     
  8. SamC

    SamC Guest

    Thornapple, Good post and I aprreciate your opinion and experiences and careful use and advice on valium. No Valium doesn't treat anything including MAV (I used bad wording there thanks for correction), but it does help many MAV folks and others it doesn't. Valium causes me to have vertigo big time. I ended up in the emergency room over it and got a lecture from my doc I will never forget. Borrowed a couple Valium from one of my daughters. Never again. Have you contacted Dr. Brackmann about the schwaanoma? If not, please do so before you try to live with it. I am helping a local gal in our support group that kept putting off seeing Dr. Brackmann until she started having seizures related to it. Now Dr. Brackmann is telling her to get down to LA and let him get it out. Dr. Epley and Dr. Black of Portland both recommend Dr. Brackmann as the worlds best for Schwaanoma tumor removal.

    http://www.houseearclinic.com/brackmannDE.htm
     
  9. thornapple

    thornapple New Member

    My schwannoma is not in the usual place, and will not affect anything except my inner ear, so it is a completely different situation than other people with schwannoma.

    I have consulted to get second opinions from schwannoma specialists all over the US and they agree there is nothing to be done. It is removable, but they see no point to removing it since I have useable hearing and balance in the ear and to remove it would destroy the remaining hearing and balance immediately, whereas the schwannoma will do so gradually, without traumatic (and very expensive) surgery. The schwannoma is contained within the bony labyrinth and probably will not be able to grow into the vestibule to the brainstem. Lucky me (I mean that both sincerely and with a bit of sarcasm). The extremely rare other cases like mine have only lost a functioning ear, and then growth stopped, so there is no reason for doctors to think mine would be different. No reason, thus, to have my skull cut open and my inner ear removed. Other schwannoma patients consider me incredibly fortunate. I know they are right, but this experience of having my ear slowly die is still debilitating.

    The insurance I have currently is from heck and won't let me go out of network, so all I can do is send MRI CDs around to specialists. At least they all agree. I am working on getting a different job, with different insurance out of my HMO, and then trying again to see specialists. I expect to get this confirmed again when I do. If I can ever get to Brackmann I'll let you know what he says. He doesn't do charity work and I have no money to pay my own way.

    It's too bad valium is not helpful for you. It has been an incredible relief to me at times (just last night, for example). But I am healthily scared of it and avoid using it unless things get really bad, which, occasionally, they do. When I take it I can't walk, it makes me so dizzy. But the next day, I am so much better!

    Have you found anything that helps you? do you have a diagnosis?
     
  10. ToniG

    ToniG Guest

    pardonme; had to google it.. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/acoustic_neuroma.htm#what
    No wonder the doctors are at their wits ends with us with so many different dx's.
     
  11. LisaB

    LisaB New Member

    Valium was also a lifesaver for me and got me out and about on so many days I would have been stuck at home with my menieres. Glad it is helping you! Lisa B. :)
     
  12. gtrvox

    gtrvox our pooch Hugo

    Good point but you won't get busted for using Valium :)
    Plus cocaine can play havoc with your heart and completely destroy your nose. But hey, whatever floats your boat, baby!

    NOTE: this post is just a bit of harmless fun - do not activate your flame throwers!!

    George
     
  13. joy

    joy New Member

    GEORGE!! HOW TERRIBLE OF YOU TO SUGGEST WE ALL START SNORTING COCAINE FOR OUR MENIERE'S!!

    hehe ... yeah, I'm trying to stir up trouble agin. ;D
     
  14. twinklenani

    twinklenani Guest

    I am glad you found relief from the Valium. I fought taking it for years, because I hate to be dependent upon "drugs" to live. However, I finally realized that if I had diabetis, I would take insulin every day...but I have MM and I take valium every day. Valium suppresses the vestibular system and allows me to function. Without it, I am stuck on the sofa and/or bed and so I take it without guilt. My doctors have all prescribed it, and it works for me. Of course, it doesn't help the ringing or the nausea...I haven't found much that does help those conditions, but I can live with them if I can move about without spinning! Blessings, twinkle
     
  15. twinklenani

    twinklenani Guest

    George...if I thought cocaine or pot were the solution, I would have my grandkids getting it for me...whatever works to make me "live" rather than "exist"!
     
  16. Rick

    Rick New Member

    ...My wife has an anxiety panic disorder and started was exhibiting Meniere's type symptoms. Her Dr was going to send her to an ent but before he did, he up'd her dosage of ativan (benzo). Within 30 minutes, here symptoms went away.
    ...If Valium worked that fast and that good, hoefully your doctor will use this as a diagnostic tool and start looking at the diffrent possibilities. I've read several reports that talked about the anxiety of an inner ear problem causing the same symptoms. The inner ear problem healed (infection for instance) but the anxiety perpetuated the symptoms. Then taking the antianxiety meds stopped the dizziness and the confidence that the antianxiety meds would work, got rid of the anxiety and thus the dizziness was cured and tehre was no more need for the antianxiety drugs.
    ...Hopefuly this is the case for you. Now that your confidence that the valium will help you if you get in a pinch will rid you of any anxiety and then you wont need to take any more. But if you find that you have to have a maintenance dose to keep the dizzy monster away, then hopefully your Dr will look further because if it is an anxiety related problem, there are better drugs than the benzo such as the SSRI's and I believe there are a few peope here taking those also. My wife takes both but the SSRI's greatly reduce the amount of the benzos she was taking.
    ...There's lots of bad press about the withdrawal symptoms of the Benzos. I read the anti benzo web site and could not believe all the different things that were being claimed as benzo withdrwal. But if you think about it and take into concideration what Sam said about that it just covers up symptoms it makes sense. Keep in mind that what ever your taking the benzos for will still be there when or if you decide not to take them anymore. And there's a chance that the symptoms may even be worse but not any worsethan if you had not taken the benzos.
    ...Hope that last part made sense. Congrats on finding something that worked!!
    Rick
     
  17. nassman

    nassman Guest

    Actually, you can be arrested for having valium on your person without a valid prescription or your name on the container. Many people on here have admitted to "borrowing" valium or ordering it online on sites that are lax on requirements for prescriptions. Technically, these people can be arrested.
     
  18. LisaB

    LisaB New Member

    Of course you should be careful taking valium. Of course you should be careful taking any drug, even over the counter prescriptions. Too much ibuprofen is bad for you and can harm you. I think my doc would think likening valium to cocaine is not a responsible thing to say. The proof is that I KNOW he would never want me to take cocaine for any reason. Valium is an accepted drug to treat menieres. I take insulin also. Too much insulin is also bad for you. Most people are intelligent enough to be careful about the drugs they take. If you're not, it's a good reminder to be careful. Lisa
     
  19. SamC

    SamC Guest

    What my doc was referring to was the addicitive and cover up (feel good) qualities of the Valium and cocaine and that Valium is not a solution any more than cocaine is. Sure Valium is a common drug given for Meniere's, but that doesn't validate it as a treatment. Many as with Thronapple find it useful to give relief to a difficult situation that can't be dealt with any other way at the present. My beef is many folks that find relief from Valium, look no further, neither does their doctor and then when and if the situation develops into a disorder that defies Valium, then they have no where to go. It is too late for conservative treatment to have much effect, so more radical solutions like VNS become a consideration. But there are many that take micro amounts of Valium for years and get relief and their symptoms disappear finally.

    My opinion is find a better way than Valium from the get go. I did and so have many others, but it requires discipline and is time consuming and I won't lie and tell you it is fun. I hate doing the modified hydrops Zone diet, but it works. I hate taking life time anti-virals, but it works as I have a viral problem. I hate taking tegretol, but it is better than the unbearable pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia. I hate, I repeat hate, and double hate, the Bi-PAP I use for sleep apnea, but it may save me from a stroke and helps my sleep. I hate my daily regimen, but it is my life and I can learn to love it or leave it. I choose learn to love it. If Valium would mask all my problems and let me live happy and painless to a ripe old age, I would be taking it, but Valium is not the miracle drug many advertise it to be.

    When I was told I had "Meniere's disease" about 5 years ago by a PCP, he said ask the ENT about Valium. The ENT said no, I don't give it for Meniere's, it is no solution. go back and ask your PCP. Well, I made the ENT mad by asking questions about working and living with this new to me Meniere's disease. He got mad and sent me to a Neuro-otologist in Portland, Oregon. He took my life history, ran me through several test, did a blood test, reviewed my many MRI's, and then diagnosed me ... Endolymphatic Hydrops secondary to Herpes Zoster virus resulting in lost of my right inferior vestibular nerve. He then wrote out a prescript for acyclovir and Valtrex and sent me to his vestibular nurse/dietitian for counseling. She has hydrops also so no trying to explain how I felt to her. This was sure nice, a highly degreed and skilled medical pro that has 1st hand experience. I was also sent to a neurologist to address the MS diagnosis that my Neuro-otologist felt was wrong. After many months of torture testing, the MS was overturned and replaced with Peripheral Neuropathy and fibromyalgia. I take Neurotin for this. I hate taking it also but I hate how I hurt if I don't. Just this last year, I finally gave in to adding another Neurologist/sleep doc to my list. They found I had sleep apena ... bad ... although I rarely snore and not over weigh or any of the sleep apnea profile. Never know until proper test are done. I hate test but they are a necessity.

    Yes, I know Dr. Brackmann isn't cheap. Even if Insurance covers you 100%, the cost of having others stay in LA with you until you are able to travel is over whelming. There has been fund raisers for our lady here and she still is also waiting for SSD to set a hearing. I expect 2 more years. The wait in Oregon is insane and their reasons for refusing her were ludicrous, but they can say anything they want and nothing one can do but wait. This poor lady spends most of her days crying and praying she just doesn't wake up one morning. She has the best doctors and counselors but none of them have agreed to wave their fees or pay other expenses. The tumor just keeps growing and yes the vestibular nerve will be removed, but better than going in a coma and dying. Schwaanomas can be of little concern to life threatening.
     
  20. LisaB

    LisaB New Member

    Hi Sam, I do admire that you seek every solution to help you with menieres, and that you are so well informed. But these threads have happened before, and I think it is great that your path worked for you, but I (and I'm sure others) tried every solution too....with no help. Valium WAS a MAJOR help to me and it also is a major help to others. My doc is also one of the top docs in the field, and he does prescrobe it. You seem to be saying if you just try really hard you can get relief another way, and I take objection to that. I also NEVER thought I'd have surgery for menieres, but 4 surgeries later, I can tell you they were sure the right thing for me. I think none of us considers the more "radical" consequences until life becomes unbearable. I take objection to the arguments that are inferred from what you are saying, that people who take valium don't try other solutions enough.....they are not willing to try harder, and that is just not true and a bit silly to say. If that is not what you're saying then I'm sorry. But I do object strongly to that line of reasoning. Say what works for you, but I am SO losing my patience with people saying something worked for them so everyone should do it. By definition, menieres solutions must vary for people to get help. There is no magic bullet. I personally think valium is a wonderful, helpful drug for menieres, when used with caution and intelligence. I can tell you from other threads that many intelligent, thoughtful people use it too, and have gotten great relief from it. I have never been addicted to valium, or even come close. I want to reiterate that I have much discipline in my life, I also suffer from multiple chronic diseases, and I also have put a lot of time into searching for answers. Your two first lines above just really get me going from the get go. I hope you don't think this is personal, it truly is not. I am so glad you have found help in your own way. All I'm saying is let other people find their way too, without knocking them. Lisa
     

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