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I Have Been Prescribed 2mg Diazepam For Panic Attacks.Can You Tell Me The Best Way To Take It ?
I have been prescribed 2mg diazepam for a flight as i occasionally suffer from panic attacks, more often when preparing to get on or already on a plane. Can you tell me the best way to take it and what effect it is going to have because i have had a panic thinking about taking the medication now too because I have a cold that had settled onto my chest and the information leaflet says not to take if you are breathless. Thanks
Wed, 6 Apr 2011
User's Response
Dr. Abhijeet Deshmukh,
MD,
Psychiatrist's Response
MD,
Psychiatrist's Response
Hello.
First of all, if it is a common cold that you have, it doesn't mean you are breathless. The leaflet probably wants to mean breathlessness when there is increased respiratory effort such as in heart failure, respiratory failure, etc. Common cold rarely leads to a breathless of that kind. You can go ahead with the 2mg tablet about half an hour before boarding.
The tablet needs to be taken orally. If you take it with some food, more of the drug will be available for action. Avoid alcohol, grapefruit juice along with the tablet. The bio-availability of the pill is good, and you don't need to consider sub-lingual or any other way. Just swallow it with plain water. It has a fast onset of action. It will help you relax and prevent physical symptoms of anxiety from appearing.
Hope this helps. You may consider going in for psychotherapy for a long term solution.
Take care.
Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD
First of all, if it is a common cold that you have, it doesn't mean you are breathless. The leaflet probably wants to mean breathlessness when there is increased respiratory effort such as in heart failure, respiratory failure, etc. Common cold rarely leads to a breathless of that kind. You can go ahead with the 2mg tablet about half an hour before boarding.
The tablet needs to be taken orally. If you take it with some food, more of the drug will be available for action. Avoid alcohol, grapefruit juice along with the tablet. The bio-availability of the pill is good, and you don't need to consider sub-lingual or any other way. Just swallow it with plain water. It has a fast onset of action. It will help you relax and prevent physical symptoms of anxiety from appearing.
Hope this helps. You may consider going in for psychotherapy for a long term solution.
Take care.
Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD
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