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In this Article

• What is diazepam (Valium)?
• What are the possible side effects of diazepam (Valium)?
• What is the most important information I should know about diazepam (Valium)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking diazepam (Valium)?
• How should I take diazepam (Valium)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Valium)?
• What happens if I overdose (Valium)?
• What should I avoid while taking diazepam (Valium)?
• What other drugs will affect diazepam (Valium)?
• Where can I get more information?

What happens if I miss a dose (Valium)?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose (Valium)?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of diazepam can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, confusion, limp or weak muscles, fainting, shallow breathing, or breathing that stops.

What should I avoid while taking diazepam (Valium)?

Do not drink alcohol while taking diazepam. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol.

Diazepam can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

What other drugs will affect diazepam (Valium)?

Before taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, other sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by diazepam.

Before taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you take any other seizure medications, or if you are using any of the following drugs:

• cimetidine (Tagamet);
• ketoconazole (Nizoral);
• omeprazole (Prilosec);
• phenytoin (Dilantin);
• a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
• an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate);
• medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as aripiprazole (Abilify), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol), mesoridazine (Serentil), prochlorperazine (Compazine, Compro), promethazine (Pentazine, Phenergan, Phenadoz, Promethegan), and others;
• narcotic medications such as fentanyl (Duragesic, Actiq), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph), oxycodone (OxyContin), and others; or
• an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), citalopram (Celexa), doxepin (Sinequan), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with diazepam. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about diazepam.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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