Question on diazepam/vicodin. I've had a horrible med reaction

Hi all,

I've been contending with what the doctors now think is a pinched nerve in my neck. I was prescribed diazepam (valium) and vicodin by my primary care doc to deal with the pain. I had no idea these meds would turn me into a zombie. To make things worse, after being on these drugs for 5 days I started feeling nauseous, dizzy and in a stupor. I had already started cutting back on the dosage Monday morning because I had to go to work. Since Wednesday I've felt barely able to function. Today I still feel weak, but better. My doctor's office told me to stop the meds and I'll be in to see a doc on Monday.

Do any of you have any experience using either one of these drugs, especially the diazepam? Now I am starting to feel itchy all over. Unbelievable. Aside from wanting to go crazy, I am also very emotional and have had some bad dreams.

Any personal experiences with these drugs out there before or after WLS?

Thanks,
MsBlues

I am allergic to vicodin. It made me break out in hives and I itched terribly. It was aweful! I think it is time you went to see a specialist, this is lasting a long time. Have they given you any physical therapy yet? I think the diazepam is probably the cause of the bad dreams! When my DH takes vicodin he can't sleep because he get so jittery. You take care of yourself. It is time to feel better.

Hey there,

Yup, I know exactly what you are dealing with. I have pinched nerves in my neck as well as lower back along with a bunch of ruptured disks and spinal stinosis.  My doctor tried alot of combinations of drugs to help me with the pain and I had reactions to all of them and frankly they didn't help the pain all that much other then to put me to bed because I couldn't keep my eyes open.  Itching is definitely from the Vicodan.  You will probably have the same reaction to Norco, which is basically a stronger Vicodan.  Not only horrible itching from that, but extreme nausea.

My doctor finally came up with a combo that works for me.  Doctors are sometimes reluctant to prescribe one of the drugs because of it's propensity for addiction, but frankly, my pain was/is so severe and debilitating that we had no choice.  I now take a nerve blocker called Neurontin (generic is Gabapentin).  I take 3 100 mg capsues three times a day and 1 20 mg Oxycontin 3 times a day.  Although, most days I only take the combination twice.

When you see your doctor next week talk to him/her about this combination.  I have to tell you, it's given me back my life.  I do get a little sleepy from the Oxy, but it's not enough to stop me from functioning in my day to day activities.  I probably have some physical addictions at this point to the Oxycontin, but I'll deal with that when I have to.  I'm still only taking on most days 2 of them and never more than 3 and I do believe I could ween myself off of them with no ill effects as I have no physical or emotional needs to take more of them.

I hope you find a combination of pain meds that work for you.  I know how much pain you must be in from this.  Pinched nerves are the worst pain I have ever experienced.  At times you just want to die because the pain is so unrelenting.  Please feel better and get the doctor to give you something to get you through this.

Stephanie

Elizabeth & Stephanie,

Thanks so much for the information. I feel like I am going a bit insane. Stephanie, I had a pinched nerve in my neck like this back in 1998 when I was under great strees (law school mid-terms while working full time - WTH was I thinking to do that?) It seemed to have resolved itself, but I thought I had a brain tumor the pain was so bad. This time it seems to radiate down my arm. I see the nerve specialist on Monday.

I also looked up diazepam and I should have never been prescribed that. There are two meds I am taking regularly that shouldn't be taken with diazepam. My PCP saw me at 5:30 pm and I was her 19th patient of the day. I think sloppy doctoring or HMO pressure to see a ton of patients per day resulted in me receiving terrible care. I normally do more homework on what I've been prescribed, but I was in such intense pain, I took the meds the second I had them in my hands.

Steph, I will take your info with me to my specialist appointment on Monday. I will also demand they really review my chart and current meds before agreeing to a course of treatment. I have a feeling when I feel overwhelmed and have major life events happen, my body seems to like reacting by giving me a pinched nerve in my neck.

Thanks so much again for responding and providing so much detail. The support is wonderful.

MsBlues aka Richelle

I am so glad you are going to a specialist. I hope this gets resolved quickly. Take care

Have you been doing any chiropractic?  It's amazing how so many doctors will give you meds without looking at the mechanical fixes that are done with chiro.  Please try that;  there are many good chiropractors, and if you tell them what your problem is, I'm willing to bet that they can help you.

I've had chronic pain from a minor fender bender in 1967 that a good chiro was able to help me with.  It's not overnight, but little by little, they can help.

Good luck.

msblues~
Vicodin makes me have vivid awful nightmares. Like one dream I was in a rstuarant and some men with machine guns walked in and open fired. I could taste the blood in my mouth from being shot in my dream.    Doctor said no more vicodin, thank God! I am pre-op, surgery is on 9/15.

Marie