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Valium (diazepam) Taper
Hello, I’m new here and I joined this particular website because it seems a bit more uplifting than some of the others. Anyway I took benzodiazepines as prescribed for 8 years. In July I switched to 30mg of Valium I’m now down to 10mg. I’ve got terrible agoraphobia and depression. I’m interested in seeing if anyone got any relief from starting an SSRI—I’ve asked my doctor for Celexa—during a taper? Many of the other websites are 100% anti medication. I’m not to that point I just need relief from some of the anxiety and depression I’m experiencing. Can anyone help? Thank you.
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@lisalucier
I’m tapering off 5 mg of Valium I’ve been on for 55 years.
I’m experiencing trouble sleeping; is this common and how long will it last.
It was because it was causing memory issues.
The Dr. has me gradually reducing.
Is this the way to go?
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3 Reactions@daveincanada1944 - hello, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. That is great you are working with your doctor on tapering, as going off many mental health medications can be tricky.
You are asking great questions about what to expect in the tapering process. Your doctor who is administering your taper would be the No. 1 person to ask your questions.
Did not the earlier Benzos help lower the anxiety? I mean when it is acute and you can’t function, Xanax saved me and at least let me take care of ordinary business plus continue to work. Of course it wears off and more needed. 4ng per day for me. But while in control of myself after month, someone should have told me to start planning to taper, try therapy, and try to substitute X with some antidepressant with anxiolytic properties. That was about ‘86 when it started but I just stayed on higher dose. Long-term anti-anxiety drugs never helping. But did actually benefit some from CBT. Still not sure if I really was depressed or afflicted with GAD or other. Think shrinks just thew in depression for good measure. Yes, I have some cause for depression. Tried Ketamine (7 sessions) - could have gone on Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster ride for as much help and spinning
around. ON AN ACTUAL VISIT to Disney about 14 years ago, in morning I began to feel that unmistakable feeling in my left kidney of a possible KIDNEY STONE trying to start to pass. Crap! We’d planned this for our 2 kids, and now I didn’t know what to do. I’d passed painfully several stones in recent years, though one needed the basket method, another lithotripsy.? So I decided to go anyway despite the come and go throbbing which was manageable. At Disneyland felt apprehensive still about Stone. Anyway, 2nd stop was Big Thunder Mountain coaster. A real hairy ride. But all survived and had fun. Then off to the bathroom to pee for me. Stood there at urinal waiting a bit, then let loose. WHAT THE HELL? I felt and then saw the STONE IN THE URINAL! With tiny trace of blood. BUT WHAT A RELIEF AND SURPRISE. I had heard about some instances of people reporting stone passing after roller coaster ride. Dismissed them. BUT IT IS TRUE in may case anyway. (Should have claimed cost of admission as medical on itemized tax that year.
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