I'm CLEAN!

Hi all,

It appears that I've managed to detox from the benzos..

Wikipedia explains it best:

"The benzodiazepines (often abbreviated to "benzos") are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and amnesic properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system. Benzodiazepines are useful in treating anxiety, insomnia, agitation, seizures, and muscle spasms, as well as alcohol withdrawal. Recreational stimulant users often use benzodiazepines as a means of "coming down".

The long-term use of benzodiazapines can cause physical dependence."

Since January of 2007, 4 weeks post-partum, I've been taking some type of benzo medication. I started on Lorazepam and then switched to Clonazepam when I was hospitalized in March of 2007. At one point, I was on 3mg per day. Needless to say, I felt like a zombie (one of the old school zombies that move slow.. not these new freaky ones that run faster than humanly possible.. i could never run..bad knees.) Anyway.. I've been tapering off of the Clonazepam for over a year now.

There have been a few bumps in the road.. like when I decided that I could handle going cold turkey off the med. That put me right back into the hospital. Oops.

My psychiatrist finally agreed to work with me in a serious effort to get off of these meds. While I needed them to deal with PPD (post partum depression) when things were really sucking.. I don't need them now. The challenge is that when you're tapering off of them, the side effects from the withdrawal are almost worse than the original reasons you went on the evil stuff in the first place.

Anyway.. several months ago I changed from Clonazepam back to Lorazepam, which is a shorter acting version of the same type of med. I have continued tapering. The last time I took the med was over a week ago. While I can't say that it will be smooth sailing from here on out.. I can say that I feel like I've gotten past the main physical withdrawal symptoms and I finally feel like myself again.

Especially since I have a cold. *sneeze*

[Edited to add: Oh! I forgot the best part. The movement disorder that I have (dystonia and essential tremor) is becoming more and more irritating each day. Wanna know what the treatment is? Clonazepam. No crap. I was on the stuff prior to trying to get pregnant with Ben and tapering off of the 0.25mg/day dosage was hard enough. Sheesh. I'd rather be intubated and have my brain function correctly than be on that crap and feel like a zombie. ..and no.. I'm not joking.]

[[Edited AGAIN to add: Double crap! I forgot to link to Giovanna.. doh! I'm never going to get through the month of November's NaBloPoMo! ]]