Diazepam

Brand Names : Diastat® Rectal Delivery System; Diazepam Intensol®; Valium®

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is in this leaflet

What Diazepam is used for

Diazepam is used for anxiety. Anxiety or tension associated with the normal stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with medicines.
Diazepam is used to relax muscles.
Diazepam can also be used to treat trembling, confusional states or anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal. It is also used to treat panic attacks.
Diazepam Injection is also used to treat status epilepticus or spasms of tetanus.
Diazepam belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines.
They are thought to work by their action on brain chemicals.
Benzodiazepines are not recommended as the only treatment of severe mental illnesses and should not be used alone to treat depression.
Your doctor, however, may have prescribed Diazepam for another purpose.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Diazepam has been prescribed for you.
In general, benzodiazepines such as Diazepam should be taken for short periods only (around 2 to 4 weeks). Continuous long term use is not recommended unless advised by your doctor.
The use of benzodiazepines may lead to dependence on the medicine.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.

Before you take Diazepam

• you have had an allergic
  reaction to Diazepam, any other
  benzodiazepine medicine or
  any ingredients listed at the end
  of this leaflet
• you have severe and chronic
  lung disease
• you have severe liver disease
• you have temporary stops in
  breathing during sleep
• you suffer from severe muscle
  weakness
• you have drug or alcohol
  addiction
• the packaging is torn or shows
  signs of tampering
• the expiry date (EXP) printed
  on the pack has passed.

If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed it may not work as well.
If you are not sure whether you should be taking Diazepam, talk to your doctor.
Do not give Diazepam to children less than six months old.

Before you start to take Diazepam:

Your doctor must know about all the following before you start to take Diazepam.
1) if you are pregnant or plan to
become pregnant
It is not known whether Diazepam is harmful to an unborn baby when taken by a pregnant woman. If there is a need to take Diazepam when you are pregnant your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits to you and the unborn baby.
2) if you are breastfeeding or plan
to breastfeed
Diazepam may pass into the breast milk and cause drowsiness and/or feeding difficulties in the baby. Diazepam is not recommended for use while breastfeeding.
3) if you have any other health
problems including:

• liver, kidney or lung disease
• high or low blood pressure
• glaucoma (high pressure in the
  eye)
• depression, schizophrenia or
  other mental illness
• epilepsy (fits)

• other sleeping tablets, sedatives
  or tranquillisers
• medicines for depression
• medicines to control fits
• medicines for allergies or colds
  eg. antihistamines
• pain relievers
• muscle relaxants
• cimetidine and omeprazole- a
  medicine used to treat ulcers
• disulfiram - a medicine used in
  alcohol abuse
• cisapride-a medicine used to treat
  gastric reflux
• ketoconazole- a medicine used to
  treat fungal infections

These medicines may be affected by Diazepam or may affect how well Diazepam works. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines. They also have a more complete list of medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Diazepam.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking Diazepam.

How to take Diazepam

How much to take
Take Diazepam exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
Your doctor will tell you how many Diazepam tablets to take each day.
The dose varies from person to person depending on age and the condition being treated. The usual adult dose is between 5 and 40 mg daily. Children , elderly and very ill patients may need to take less.
How to take it
Tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water.
When to take it
The tablets should be taken three times daily, with or without food.
How long to take Diazepam
Usually, Diazepam should be taken for short periods only (for example, 2-4 weeks). Continuous long term use is not recommended unless advised by your doctor. The use of benzodiazepines may lead to dependence on the medicine.
Continue taking Diazepam until your doctor tells you to stop.
If you forget to take Diazepam
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember and then go back to taking it as you would normally.
Do not double a dose to make up for one you have missed.
If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
In case of an overdose
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 1126) for advice or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Diazepam, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.
If you have taken too much Diazepam, you may feel drowsy, tired, confused, dizzy, have difficulty breathing, feel weak or become unconscious.
If you are not sure what to do, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

While you are taking Diazepam

Things you must do
Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Diazepam.
Do not take any other medicines whether they require a prescription or not without first telling your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking Diazepam.
Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed.
Otherwise, your doctor may think that it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.
Tell your doctor if you feel the tablets are not helping your condition.
Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be checked.
Things you must not do
Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how Diazepam affects you.
Diazepam may cause drowsiness or dizziness in some people and therefore may affect alertness. Make sure you know how you react to Diazepam before your drive a car or operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are drowsy, dizzy or not alert.
Do not take Diazepam for a longer time than your doctor has prescribed. Diazepam should be taken for short periods only (for example 2 to 4 weeks) unless advised by your doctor.
Do not stop taking Diazepam or lower the dose without first checking with your doctor. Stopping this medicine suddenly may cause some unwanted effects. Your doctor will explain how you should slowly reduce your dose of Diazepam before you can stop taking it completely.
Do not let yourself run out of medicine over the weekend or on holidays.
Do not suddenly stop taking Diazepam if your suffer from epilepsy. Stopping this medicine suddenly may make your epilepsy worse.
Do not give Diazepam to anyone else even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.
Do not use Diazepam to treat other complaints unless your doctor says to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking Diazepam.
Combining Diazepam and alcohol can make you more sleepy, dizzy or lightheaded. Your doctor may suggest that you avoid alcohol or reduce the amount of alcohol you drink while you are taking Diazepam.
Be careful if you are elderly, unwell or taking other medicines.
Some people may experience side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, dizziness and unsteadiness which may increase the risk of a fall.

Side Effects Diazepam

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Diazepam.
Diazepam helps most people with anxiety but it may have unwanted side effects in a few. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

• drowsiness, tiredness
• dizziness, unsteadiness
• loss of memory, inattentiveness,
  confusion, lack of concentration
• headache, hangover feeling in the
  morning
• slurred speech
• unpleasant dreams

• sudden anxiety or excitation
• restlessness, agitation, irritability
• hallucinations or delusions
• severe sleep disturbances
• difficulties in breathing or
  choking or coughing

These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell, even if it is not on this list.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand anything in this list.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

After taking Diazepam

Storage
Keep your tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the blister pack they may not keep well.
Keep Diazepam in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30 degrees C. Do not store it, or any other medicine, in a bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep Diazepam where young children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking Diazepam, or the medicine has passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any tablets that are left over.
Product Description
What Diazepam looks like
Diazepam 2 mg Tablets are round, white with a score break and Roche 2 on one side.
Diazepam 5 mg Tablets are round, yellow with a score break and Roche 5 on one side.
Diazepam Injection contains a clear liquid.
Ingredients
Active ingredient - diazepam

• each 2 mg tablet contains 2 mg
  diazepam
• each 5 mg tablet contains 5 mg
  diazepam
• each 2mL ampoule for injection
  contains 10 mg diazepam

• both 2 mg and 5 mg tablets
  contain lactose, maize starch and
  magnesium stearate (470).
• the 5 mg tablets also contain the
  colouring iron oxide yellow, CI
  77492 (172)
• the injection contains sodium
  benzoate (211), benzoic acid
  (210), propylene glycol (1520),
  ethanol, benzyl alcohol and water

Diazepam tablets are gluten free
Diazepam 2 mg Tablets come in packs of 50.
Diazepam 5 mg Tablets come in packs of 50.
Diazepam Injection comes in packs of 5 ampoules.

This leaflet was prepared 2 February, 2000