Just stopped doxepin a few weeks ago since it did little to help w/ sx. I had a 5 mg. valium rx hanging around and because my sleeping is so problematic, I took one along w/ 1000 mg. tylenol and slept about 6 hours straight!! When I told the neuro, he wasn't surprised that the combo helped since Valium is not only a muscle relaxant, it also is used for seizures. Although my walking is still painful and my legs totally weak, I do not have the stiffness (mornings) & muscle cramps (bedtime).

This may be old news to some but it's been a revelation to me that such an old drug has provided relief that newer drugs have not.

Valium is not used much today, because of its habit forming traits. Also in the older patient (over 60) it can have a cumulative effect since it is long acting and more slowly excreted by the kidneys. It is not really recommended for the elderly.

Benzodiazepines start off working well, then tolerance begins and they lose their effectiveness. This leads to increasing doses, and eventually the decision to discontinue...which is a very hard thing to do. Back when Valium was new and non-controlled, many people had nightmare things happen when they stopped using it. This movie dealt with the problem and is quite famous:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_D..._Fast_as_I_Can
I can recall back in those early days, we would go thru 5 or 6 bottles of 500 a week where I worked ..that is how popular it was. I was interviewed by a stringer for the NYTimes about Valium abuse
then, in fact. (I remained anon--didn't want our patients to see that in the paper). Since Valium there are other benzos, like Klonopin which are even more antiseizure, and harder to discontinue! Xanax is shorter acting and has become the "anxiety" drug of choice, but its problems are similar when used long term. Sudden discontinuance of a benzo used chronically can result in seizures in some people.

Some of your feeling better has to do with a more restorative sleep rather than the drug, I think.
It would be better to deal with the leg cramps another way, than to use Valium every night, IMO. An occasional tablet, which is not every day, usually is well tolerated however. It is when it becomes regular use, that is when you face a painful future.

I have found the muscle relaxer Flexeril very effective for muscle pain. I use it occasionally. Just recently when I had my root canal, and my neck gave me grief for a couple of days.

Here I am, elderly as hell. I know all of valium's downside, unfortunately.

I don't take it every night as I'm well aware of its addictiveness. I first used it when my ruptured disk put me in the hospital 35 years ago. I was on high doses and spent most of the time drowsy & in bed. No physical therapy, even tho I was in an orthopedic facility. That was the rather primitive state of the art.

I think I've posted my bad back history...laminectomy followed by John Sarno care.

I've read good things about flexeril and hope to try it when I see the neuro on 12/16.

BTW, valium causes depression..I've noticed lots of weepy & dark thoughts interspersed w/ feeling much more mobile.

Some of the computer data bases used in stores today will flag Valium use in the elderly. But most pharmacists just override it.

Without access to your renal status, it is hard to intervene. But if you are asked, or stopped, in the future, you'll know why.

Flexeril is pretty strong for me. I only use it very infrequently and it tends to give me a hangover the next day. But for acute things, I take it at night only. I do sleep well on it. Sometimes I take 1/2.

what strength do you use? I'm guessing I'll get the smallest one they make since as I've aged, I've gotten much less tolerant of ALL meds.

Oh the joys of aging!!

I use the 10mg immediate release generic. There is a long acting one now which I will never try! I use this if I overdo at the gym, or somehow trigger some thing doing a big physical project, or recently like the root canal...which was keeping my neck turned toward the dentist as he did this thing..When I got home I was so STIFF and sore everywhere! So it was a Flexeril night. I use less than 30/yr to give you some reference. If I have days of pain, I will take 1/2 tablet for a short burst at bedtime. A full 10mg lasts me 2 days typically if I take it at bedtime (which is my worst time as usual)

People vary in response to drugs. Some are what we all slow metabolizers. I think I fall into this category. Medications typically blow me away... at least the pain ones and Valium type do. I take 1/2 of .25 Xanax for the dentist for premedication when big things are done. This blows me away for the whole day! Others can't believe this works for me.