Its Ok to Keep Taking Valium After for Weeks from Having a Facelift?

Question

I had a facelift a month ago and since then I've been feeling very anxious. Can i still take the valium I was prescribed for the day prior to my surgery?

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Sometimes, anxiety and depression figure prominently in the postoperative course following a facelift. Your appearance always figures prominently in your self esteem and sometimes early facelift results are less than expected. I usually advise waiting 3 months before making any determinations about the result.

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

Valium postoperatively works very well in the immediate 4-7 days after the surgery. Its major benefits include anxiety reduction and reduction of activity in order to allow for uneventful healing. As an aside, most of the hematomas I have seen in my practice after Facelift relate to a failure to refrain from strenuous activities, allowing for a rise in heart rate and blood pressure. Severe anxiety 4 weeks after surgery probably requires additional intervention beyond your Facial Plastic Surgeon. Some patients have a high baseline of anxiety which is exacerbated by a stressful event like surgery. A qualified mental health professional will be helpful in guiding use of anxiolytics like valium at this point.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Sorry to hear you are feeling anxious following your procedure. Regarding the treatment of anxiety, it would be necessary to speak with your physician before treating the issue with medication. For anxiety, I typically give patients one of the following prior to surgery:

	1) Valium
	2) Xanax

	I would not advise freely taking anti-anxiety medications without a prescription. Thank you, and best of luck with the rest of your recovery!

Adam David Lowenstein, MD, FACS · Answer

I would be careful with too much valium. Taking this for too long can inadvertently become an addiction problem. The anxiety you feel can certainly happen after surgery, and if this is a persisting problem, I recommend checking in with a therapist to discuss how you feel and some alternatives to valium.

Edward E. Dickerson, IV, MD · Answer

It is normal to be prescribed Valium for pre and post surgery anxiety, but if you are still feeling anxious a month later, I would recommend seeing your general practitioner and/or psychiatrist to decide how to best manage your anxiety. Good luck with the rest of your recovery. “Dr. D”

Robert L. Kraft, MD, FACS · Answer

Sometimes plastic surgeons prescribe valium for preop anxiety. It is not what I would use for postop pain management, however. If you are still feeling anxious a month postop, I think you will need to see a psychiatrist who can evaluate you and make a recommendation as to whether you can stop taking this medication "cold turkey" or need something else instead.

Paul S. Howard, MD · Answer

It is totally normal to have anxiety around the time of your facelift surgery and many surgeons judiciously use anti-anxiety medications such as Valium, or the shorter acting drug Versed, during and shortly after surgery. During the first week postop when there are sutures and swelling to deal with Valium is commonly prescribed. It is uncommon to need these medications a month after surgery and it is usually recommended NOT to keep taking the Valium. At this point in surgical recovery a little TLC and support should be enough.

Its Ok to Keep Taking Valium After for Weeks from Having a Facelift?

Answers (7)

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