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Patience and consistency are important.
It may take months or even a year or more to fully taper off
the medication.
Before Beginning a Benzodiazepine Taper
• Before you begin tapering the benzodiazepine medication,
talk to your healthcare provider about:
» The tapering process
» Your options for reducing your dose
» Your concerns about tapering
» What to expect as you reduce your benzodiazepine dose,
including potential withdrawal symptoms
» How to adjust the tapering strategy if you experience
withdrawal symptoms
• Your healthcare provider may also talk with you about
your options for managing the health condition(s) the
benzodiazepines were originally prescribed to treat. For
many conditions—such as anxiety or insomnia—alternative
treatments are available that are safer and may be equally or
more effective longer-term.
• Your healthcare provider may also coordinate with
other healthcare providers who have recently prescribed
benzodiazepines or similar medications for you.
