@PatsyN that's good it works for you. As I said it is a wonderful short term drug but it has risks.
I work in the area of mental health and drug and alcohol (and previously on hospital wards and gaols) and have had to assist many a person over the years withdraw from valium. This is more of an issue if taken throughout the day, as I said. People don't intend to develop a dependence but they do. I'm not talking about addiction, that is very different.
Valium works like alcohol and suppresses the central nervous system hense how it works making you feel relaxed. When stopped the anxiety symptoms kick back in quickly. As I said if following the Drs quidelines and taking as prescribed it shouldn't be an issue. Although Patsy having said that you would find now without at night you might struggle not having them as dependence occurs if on longer than 2 weeks. So if wanting to stop taking them you would need to drop them gradually so you don't develop symptoms, but you would do this with the help of your GP as a long reduction time would probably be needed. There are actually specific guidelines in reducing valium to avoid the feeling of anxiety suddenly returning and the people I have cared for have found it quite unpleasant when it was stopped suddenly by a GP.
There are other medications that will help the feeling of anxiety. They don't have the immediate effect valium does but they do assist in reducing symptoms. Beta blockers also stop symptoms such as racing heart etc and dont have dependence risks.
These issues are all best to talk over with your GP and often a referral to a psychiatrist who specializes in appropriate medication may offer an alternative and provide additional advice to your GP. Part of that would probably include learning relaxation techniques also as an alternative or in conjunction with medication.
Here are the new guidelines which is why your GP has reservations about continuing the medication long term.
https://www.nps.org.au/news/managing-benzodiazepine-dependence-in-primary-care
