I hope everyone had a good weekend and is ready for Thanksgiving week. I am going to start Thanksgiving week off the same way I start every week off, by talking about mental health medications in my weekly series, Medication Monday. Today we are talking about Librium, which also goes by the generic name chlordiazepoxide.
Librium is a benzodiazepine, which can treat anxiety and alcohol withdrawal. It can also calm acute anxiety that one might experience before surgery. You may recall from last week that benzos work on the neuro-chemical gamma-amniobutyric acid (GABA for short) and that using benzos can come with some potential risks and side effects. One of the risks is that it can be habit forming. There is also a risk with Librium that if it is used for an extended period, it may become less effective and require different dosing. That said, when one comes off Librium, they should use caution and follow their doctor’s advice, as stopping suddenly can cause serious side effects.
Specific side effects that someone taking Librium should be aware of are blurred vision, constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, or nausea. It is also important that someone taking Librium inform their doctor of other benzos that they might currently be taking. As always, you should ask your doctor if you have specific concerns about any of these potential side effects. Medication Monday is merely a brief informative introduction to mental health medication. It is not meant as a substitute for medical advice.
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