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.
Does hydroxyzine help with benzodiazepine withdrawal and tapering? Hydroxyzine is a prescription antihistamine that makes most people sleepy. Because it calms without being a benzodiazepine,…
What does a Klonopin tapering success story actually look like? It looks slow. A person who comes off Klonopin (clonazepam) and stays well has usually…
Key Takeaways Nobody can honestly say that niacin eases benzodiazepine withdrawal, since neither the Ashton Manual nor the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines offer it as a…
Does L-theanine help with benzodiazepine withdrawal? Some patients report that L-theanine takes the edge off anxiety or poor sleep during a benzodiazepine taper. The evidence…
Does Benadryl help with benzodiazepine withdrawal? Benadryl is the brand name for diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter antihistamine sold for allergies. The same ingredient is the active…
Does benzodiazepine withdrawal cause weight loss? Yes, it can, and it can also do the opposite. The Ashton Manual, written by Professor C. Heather Ashton,…
Why does a clonazepam taper make a calm person so angry? Irritability, anger, and even rage are recognized symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal. Professor C. Heather…
Do whole foods help during a benzodiazepine taper? Yes, in a modest way. Whole foods are foods that reach the plate close to the way…
Key Takeaways A gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplement does very little during a benzodiazepine taper, because the problem sits in the receptor and not in the…
What is benzo flu? Benzo flu is the name patients give to the flu-like symptoms that show up while a benzodiazepine dose is coming down.…
What does head pressure feel like during benzodiazepine withdrawal? Head pressure is one of the more common symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal, and one of the…
Key Takeaways Palpitations and a racing heart are common and expected during benzodiazepine withdrawal, and in an otherwise healthy heart they are usually not dangerous.…
