Diazepam

Medically Reviewed by Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Jun 29, 2022

Warnings

What are the risks of taking diazepam (Valium)?

Diazepam can cause serious health problems, especially in certain high-risk groups. Some of the risks of taking diazepam are listed below.

SEVERE DROWSINESS AND BREATHING PROBLEMS: Diazepam and opioid pain relievers are both CNS depressants. Taking diazepam with opioid painkillers or other CNS depressants like alcohol can lead to severe drowsiness, fatigue, respiratory depression, trouble breathing, and even death. If you have been prescribed pain pills to treat chronic pain, ask your healthcare provider whether it is safe to take them with diazepam. The risk of these side effects is higher in people who take diazepam for a longer period or at high doses. If you experience severe drowsiness or trouble breathing while on diazepam, get medical help immediately.
DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL: Diazepam is habit-forming and can lead to physical dependence. The risk is higher in people who take this medication for a long time or at high doses and in those with a history of drug abuse. Take the medicine exactly as prescribed to reduce the risk of addiction. Don't stop taking diazepam without talking to your healthcare provider first. Stopping diazepam suddenly can lead to potentially serious medical problems such as seizures.
EFFECT ON FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION: Diazepam can make you drowsy or sleepy and affect your ability to focus and concentrate. The risk is higher in people on other drugs that can cause drowsiness. Avoid activities that require you to be fully alert, such as driving or operating heavy machinery, until you know how diazepam affects you. Alcohol and some illicit drugs can make the drowsiness caused by diazepam worse.
AGE-RELATED SIDE EFFECTS: In people over 65, diazepam can cause severe side effects, including trouble breathing or sedation (severe sleepiness and trouble waking up). If you are over 65, your healthcare provider will start you on a low dose of diazepam to reduce the risk of dangerous side effects. Tell your doctor if you feel very sleepy or short of breath after taking diazepam.
RISK DURING PREGNANCY: Taking diazepam while pregnant can be harmful to the unborn baby. Women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant should talk to their doctor about other treatment options.

What should I tell my doctor before starting diazepam (Valium)?

Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to diazepam or any other benzodiazepine drugs, such as alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), and temazepam (Restoril). Also, tell your doctor if you have an allergy to any active or inactive ingredients in diazepam formulations. Your pharmacy can provide you with a list of ingredients.

Tell your healthcare provider about all your health conditions. Diazepam may not be suitable for people with certain medical conditions such as open-angle glaucoma (increased eye pressure), seizures, heart disease, depression or other mental illnesses, lung disease, liver disease, sleep apnea, or myasthenia gravis (a central nervous system disorder in which there is severe muscle weakness).

Give your doctor a complete list of all your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid serious drug interactions and adverse effects.

If you are over 65 years of age, talk to your doctor about the risks of taking diazepam. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of diazepam because higher doses can cause serious side effects in older individuals. There are other safer medications available to treat the same conditions, and your doctor may choose one of these medicines instead.

Diazepam can be harmful to the unborn baby if you take it while pregnant. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Also, tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. Diazepam passes into breast milk. You should not take this medication if you are breastfeeding.

What precautions should I take while on diazepam (Valium)?

Keep all appointments with your healthcare provider while on diazepam. Your doctor may need to change your dose and monitor you carefully for side effects.

Diazepam can make you drowsy and dizzy. Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do anything that requires your complete concentration and focus before you know how diazepam affects you. Remember that drinking alcohol while on diazepam can make drowsiness worse.

If you become pregnant while taking diazepam, please call your doctor immediately. This medicine can be harmful to the unborn baby.

Tell your healthcare providers you are on diazepam before undergoing surgery, including dental surgery.

Get emergency medical help if you experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, seizures (convulsions), yellowing of the skin or eyes, severe skin rash, confusion, speech problems, or uncontrolled shaking in any part of the body.

A small number of people who take diazepam can have unexpected changes in mental health, including suicidal thinking (thinking about harming or killing yourself). This effect can occur soon after starting treatment with diazepam, as early as one week into treatment. Your family members or people in your household should call your doctor right away if they notice symptoms such as restlessness, agitation, anxiety, depression, dangerous or impulsive behaviors, aggression, anger, violent behavior, sleep problems, talking or thinking about hurting yourself, withdrawing from friends and family members, or any unusual mood changes.

What are diazepam (Valium) interactions?

Taking diazepam with certain other medications can affect how well both medicines work. A drug combination can also increase the risk of serious adverse effects. Your physician may choose a different medication for you, change the dose or frequency of your medicines, and/or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known interactions between diazepam and any of your other medicines.

There can be interactions between diazepam and medicines, such as:

Antihistamines
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Barbiturates like phenobarbital (Luminal)
Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Disulfiram (Antabuse)
Medications used to treat anxiety, depression, or mental illnesses
Isoniazid (Laniazid)
Ketoconazole
Parkinson’s disease medications
Metoprolol (Toprol XL, Lopressor)
Cold and allergy medications
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (Marplan, Zyvox, Nardil, Eldepryl)
Muscle relaxants
Anti-nausea medications
Omeprazole (Prilosec)
Propranolol (Inderal)
Probenecid (Probalan)
Sedatives, tranquilizers, sleeping pills

This list does not describe all possible diazepam drug interactions. Give your healthcare provider a complete list of your medications, including prescription and non-prescription drugs, vitamins and dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with diazepam.

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