What Happens at a First Consultation With Dr. Leeds
November 9, 2026
Key Takeaways A first consultation is a one-hour conversation with Dr. Leeds, by video or audio, about your options. A consultation is not a medical…
Dr. Leeds
- Home
- Dr. Leeds
Dr. Leeds
Mark Leeds, D.O. is an osteopathic physician and deprescribing specialist in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He helps patients come off benzodiazepines and sleeping pills with a slow, patient-directed taper guided by the Ashton Manual and the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines. Physical dependence is not addiction, and a careful taper is measured in months, not days.
What the 2020 FDA Boxed Warning Says About Benzodiazepine Dependence
November 2, 2026
Key Takeaways Since September 23, 2020, every benzodiazepine label in the United States carries a boxed warning about physical dependence and withdrawal reactions. The label…
When Should a Benzodiazepine Taper Pause? Holds and Stabilization Explained
October 26, 2026
What is a hold in a benzodiazepine taper? A hold is a decision to stay at your current dose for a while, instead of making…
Why Do Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms Come in Windows and Waves?
October 19, 2026
Key Takeaways A window is a stretch of hours or days when symptoms ease, and a wave is their return, often with no change in…
When Valium Makes You Sleepier Over Time, Even After a Dose Cut
October 12, 2026
Key takeaways Diazepam (Valium) and its active metabolite build up over days to weeks, so drowsiness can keep rising even after a dose cut. What…
What the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines Add to the Ashton Manual
October 12, 2026
Key Takeaways The Ashton Manual taught patients and doctors to come off of a benzodiazepine slowly, and the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines explain why the steps…
Micro-Tapering Benzodiazepines With a Liquid
October 5, 2026
What is micro-tapering, and why do so many benzodiazepine tapers end up there? Micro-tapering is a way of coming off of a benzodiazepine by making…
How Low Should a Benzodiazepine Taper Go Before You Jump Off?
September 29, 2026
Key Takeaways The last step off a benzodiazepine should feel like just another step, not a leap. A practical rule: stop when the dose that…
Can You Stop a Benzodiazepine Cold Turkey After Only a Few Days or Weeks?
September 29, 2026
Key Takeaways A few days of carefully prescribed use, such as after surgery, can usually be stopped without a problem. Withdrawal can follow even several…
How Does a Person Rebuild Work and Identity After a Benzodiazepine Taper?
September 28, 2026
Benzodiazepine injury does not only take comfort. It takes years, careers, friendships, and for many patients the sense of who they were before the prescription.…
Why the Evening Dose Matters Most in a Valium Taper
September 28, 2026
Key Takeaways The evening dose of a Valium (diazepam) taper often matters most, because it covers the longest gap of the day and supports sleep.…
When the End of a Valium Taper Becomes Intolerable: Updosing and Reinstatement
September 27, 2026
Key Takeaways The last few milligrams of a Valium (diazepam) taper are often the hardest part, not the easiest. Tolerance withdrawal can cause symptoms even…