by NeuropathicGuy » 21 Feb 2011, 16:37
Steve, it's funny (well not exactly funny in the conventional sense) you mention this, because I recently had to reinstate a low dose of Valium because the withdrawal symptoms -- even months out -- were intolerable. And I don't mean the psychological stuff like "I feel bummed because I missed my dose today" ... I mean the physical stuff of tight muscles, headaches, painful nerve impulses all over the body, stomach cramps, etc., that no amount of behavioral treatment can touch. Some people go through a protracted withdrawal syndrome even after being off benzos for a long time and it seems that I'm one of the unlucky few :( Anyway, yes, benzos are highly addictive. Check out benzobuddies.org, non-benzodiazepines.org.uk, etc., to see just how many people unwittingly got addicted to them despite assurances from doctors that the doses and duration of therapy were fine. Individual tolerances and predisposition to addiction vary, but once it happens, it's extremely hard to get off benzos, and the general consensus is that they're hands down the hardest drugs to kick.
Anyhow, short term usage is okay for the most part, so if you're taking them for week or two, I wouldn't worry too much. It's not impossible for addiction to settle in within that time frame, but it's unlikely. Just don't take them any longer than needed and you should be fine.
If I had the choice, though, I'd personally definitely take Vicodin over Valium for post-op discomfort. It always helped me a lot more with any pain, spasms, etc. Also, both are addictive, but in the worst case, opiate withdrawal is almost universally considered to be #1 less unpleasant, #2 less dangerous, and most importantly #3 MUCH shorter in duration compared to benzo withdrawal. The only downside is that Vicodin is more constipating...
Anyway, just my unsolicited 2 cents :)