Re: Diazepam taper
Yes, diazepam is notorious for this breathing/chest bullshit. I only tapered from 2mg to 1 to 0.5 and it was brutal. It was the anxiety I had before taking diazepam amplified by 10000. Sorry for the negativity. I jumped off it 6 days ago and today I had the paramedics around! I've never had heart palpitations with a crushing feeling in my chest, ever. Plus dizziness and shortness of breath. All classic heart attack symptoms. I had to take the whole 2mg just to calm down.
I was taking 0.5mg for 3 months before this and the feelings you're describing is what I experienced too. I'd describe it as being underwater with a brick on my chest. And it would just happen out of nowhere but often before bed just to be sure I wouldn't get a good nights sleep.
What helps? Light exercise to ease tension because that's generally what it is. Diazepam is a powerful muscle relaxant so reducing it will naturally make us feel more tense.
Inhale for 4, hold for 7, blow breath out hard for 8. Again, eases tension but also helps regulate breathing.
Crying. Ha, Honestly!
Benzobuddies.org has a great forum of people going through the same thing and has helped me a lot.
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Do it afraid. All fear is but the notion that God's love ends. "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Psalm 94:19