Diazepam and me

I saw this article yesterday about people overdosing on certain meds and thought to myself, I know exactly why that's happening.  It's their primary physicians.  I know this because I am the perfect example, not that I overdosed, but... well....
Almost a year ago I developed a recurring back ache.  I figured I'd been hoisting too many 5 gallon buckets of paint, still I thought I should go see my primary physician.  They guy I'd seen for years had retired and I ended up with someone who didn't know me.  She prescribed Diazepam as a muscle relaxer and me, not knowing what it was, filled the prescription.  Now I don't do drugs, meds or otherwise; no wine, no cigarettes, no booze - nada, and I told her this and she smiled.  The first tablet I took was fine, however, about three hours after taking the 2nd, I started falling down.  I would just fall over; standing one minute, on the floor the next.  I scared the shit out of the dogs.  One of my first falls was out the back door, down three stairs and shoulder first on to the concrete patio.  This was not a good thing.  I fell 6 times in one day - a very bad thing.
And then I lost all of the strength in my right leg.

I ended up going to an Orthopedic Specialist who, after lots of testing, diagnosed me with severe arthritis in my back.  Diazepam is a head drug and should not be used a a muscle relaxer.  In fact, it should be used sparingly since, it, and Valium, it's name brand, are very addictive.  And stupid doctors prescribe them for everything.  Cut back on the number of prescriptions you write and then number of overdoses will drop.

Today I am fine, though it seems I now will have a lifetime prescription to Naproxin (Aleve).  If this doctor had simply prescribed that a rest, I wouldn't have missed 3 months of work, I wouldn't have had to spend around $15,000 of my own money.  This is not a miracle med.  It is addictive.  And if you get drunk on it, you may accidentally overdose.