The abuse of benzodiazepine is more rampant than you think because of its availability and misuse. Valium is one of the commonly abused benzos in the industry, and it’s destroying many lives. Abusing this drug even for three months can cause serious withdrawal side effects. Therefore, an intervention must be done as early as today to stop worsening these health damages.
Right now, the effective medications used to treat Valium addiction are prescribed by doctors. Flumazenil is one of those prescription drugs used to counter the effects of Valium. But if you use other substances aside from this benzodiazepine, you can expect a more detrimental impact on your health. That being said, treatment entails a more holistic approach combining medication and therapies.
How does Flumazenil cure Valium Addiction?
This medicine is an antagonist of benzodiazepines, which includes Valium. As it works in your body, it counters the overdose effects and seizures caused by withdrawal. When you or a patient uses benzodiazepines for anesthesia, an amount of Flumanezil is given to prevent seizures.
Valium is a benzodiazepine, so it has a sedation effect. Flumazenil is an antagonist to counter this effect. This medicine can be given to a patient intravenously. Because of the potency of this antagonist, it helps a patient recover from sedation upon the use of anesthesia.
This antagonist is also used for the management of Valium addiction. Whenever a person overdose on large doses of Valium, it can cause a coma. Fortunately, flumazenil has proven properties of reversing the effects of Valium or any benzodiazepine. But one must abide by their doctor’s prescription to avoid abusing this medicine.
How does Flumazenil work in the brain?
Valium and any benzodiazepines work on the brain by attaching themselves to the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Once it attaches there, it slows down brain activity. Now, Flumazenil works oppositely with Valium or any benzos.
It can reverse the effects of Valium, thereby stimulating brain activity. It also can detach benzodiazepines attached to the GABA brain receptors. After detaching them, it encapsulates the receptor site to prevent any benzodiazepines to attach.
After orally taking flumazenil, it starts to work in 1 to 2 minutes. Three minutes after your intake, around eighty percent of the drug is dissolved in the bloodstream. You will start feeling its effects 6 to 10 minutes after intake. The effects of this medicine last 19 to 50 minutes. Avoid self-medicating with flumazenil or any substances.
What are Short-term Medications for Valium Addiction
Valium has a depressant property. If you intake too much, it can depress your breathing and heartbeat which can lead to death. This effect is further worsened when you take another depressant like alcohol. It insanely boosts the depressive effects of the drug.
A fast way to immediately remove excess Valium from your body is to have a gastric lavage. This simply means stomach pumping. By doing this, you are making yourself vomit to flush out those substances you’ve taken.
Another way is to orally take activated charcoal. This compound has a high adsorptive property, so it can absorb large amounts of substances inside your stomach. This is only effective if you have taken Valium for an hour or less. If the drug has dissolved in your blood and affected your brain, then activated charcoal is no longer feasible.
These two methods are effective when you’ve taken Valium within minutes to an hour. If your condition is worse, the best solution is to enroll in a rehab program. There you get evaluated on your present condition so that doctors can recommend a personalized treatment that fits you.
What’s the dosage and administration of Flumazenil to treat Valium Addiction?
Flumazenil is given to patients through injection. A solution to this drug is viable within 24 hours. A solution of flumazenil is mixed with LR, NS, or D5W before injecting into the patient. The intake of this medicine is controlled by doctors to avoid misuse among patients. Below are some guidelines for using this medicine to treat Valium abuse.
The initial dose for adults is 0.2 mg for 30 seconds. After injecting, wait for thirty seconds for it to start working on your body.- If you don’t feel any substantial relief, you can add 0.30 mg of flumazenil for 30 seconds. After that, wait for another 30 seconds for the effect to kick in.
- In terms of increasing dosage, the increment is at 0.5 mg injected for 30 seconds. There is a one-minute interval until you reach 3 mg of flumazenil added to the patient.
- If the 3 mg additional drug is still not enough, you can add 5 mg more and still add that at a 1-minute interval until reaching 5 mg total.
- If the sedative effects of Valium continue to persist, you can add flumazenil every 20 minutes but with the doctor’s approval.
Flumazenil Administration to Children and Young Teens
The dosage for children and adolescents is typically lower than for adults. But you still have the doctor’s prescription for the use of this medicine in treating Valium abuse. Below are some points you need to know for intravenously administering this drug to patients:
- The recommended dose for children is 0.01 mg for every kilogram of body weight. This is injected into the patient for 15 seconds until reaching 0.2 mg.
- If the sedation is not reversed after 45 seconds, you can 0.01 mg/kg every minute until you reach 0.2 mg flumazenil.
What are the common side effects of drugs used for treating Valium Addiction?
Medications used for reverting the effects of Valium still have side effects. That’s why you have to abide by your prescription. You can still feel these side effects even when taking flumazenil or any medications at the right dose. Below are common adverse effects of flumazenil:
- Feeling dizzy
- Slight headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Slight shivering
- Slower thinking
Valium addiction treatment is a challenging endeavor. The success of your treatment depends on your diligence in following your medication and therapies. Medication alone won’t cure your problem since it’s also behavioral. Counseling and therapy can help you correct your wrong behavior, which is vital to your life-long sobriety.