Marion was prescribed Valium when her husband died thirteen years earlier. Over the years she was so occupied raising four children that she just kept swallowing the pills. She became so tired, it was an effort to get out of bed and she wondered if it had anything to do with the Valium. Her doctor sent her to a consultant who was helpful and understanding. It was suggested that she came off her Valium quickly in hospital. She was given other drugs to help her symptoms, and was Valium-free two weeks later. She stayed in hospital for a further three weeks. Her physical appearance changed quickly, and by the time she left hospital, her skin and eyes had come back to life.
For a few days in hospital, she had felt overwhelmed by grief for her husband. The pills had suppressed her emotions for so long she was relieved to be able to cry.
She has coped well since she got home, although at first she was depressed. Six months later, she looks very well and is patiently waiting for her sleeping pattern to return to normal. The spaces between the ‘down’ spells are getting longer and longer. Her friends are delighted to see her sense of humour returning to normal.
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