Off Clonazapam 4 months today after Rapid Detox at Coleman Clinic, Richmond VA

Hello Fellow BB,

 

Not really sure where I should put this? Guess I'm in the right spot? Today I am 4 months (120 days) off Clonazapam (.95mg) and I am so grateful to be free. On the morning June 3rd, while sitting in a patient detox room at Coleman clinic, I took my last dose of the Clonazapam poison. It seems like it has been a long 4 months, filled with ups and downs and many withdrawal symptoms, but here I am and things are slowly getting better. I have no cravings or desires to take any benzo ever again! I can't explain why this seemed to work for me, I have some theories but I am no scientist so anybody's guess is as good as mine. I'll share a bit of my detox story and if anyone has questions I'll try to the best of my abilities to answer your questions.

 

My husband and I flew into Richmond,VA on Saturday June 1,2019. I had arranged ahead of time to rent a house (in the Fan district) approx 6 blocks from the Coleman Clinic (4 blocks from a hospital as well) for 11 days. (This was a completely outpatient detox experience)We also had a rental car as well to make getting to and from easy. We spent the day on June 2nd visiting family and grocery shopping, stocking supplies for the stay bc I had no idea how this would go for me and well, my husband would have to eat even if I wasn't.

 

June 3- Checked in at clinic, met with intake clinician, EKG, blood work, urinalysis in A.M. Met with Dr. Coleman and discussed my past history of being on a benzo, family history. We also went thru the entire procedure over the next 7 days and what to expect, possible issues, discussed adjuct meds and when to use them. Dr Coleman hooked me up to a Curlin Medical (6000 CMS) pump and that was the beginning of my detox. Over 7 days I would receive 2mgs per day of Flumazenil via a lactacted ringer(spelling?) for a total of 14mgs over 7 days. Everyday we had a scheduled morning appointment to check vitals and discuss how I was progressing with Dr Coleman. Lyrica 75mg 2x dailyeach day

June 4- mild headache and a little dizziness

June 5- mild headache and a little dizziness,mild nausea after eating in a.m.

June 6- mild headache, mild dizziness, mild nausea. 1st Panic attack at 9:30p.m. lasted 5 hours, took propranolol as prescribed- hated it and didnt think it helped much. Did not sleep well that night.

June 7- Appetite is gone, felt nauseous, dizzy, blurred vision, headache comes and goes, several mild panic attacks with elevated blood pressure. (BTW The clinic loans you a digital blood pressure cuff to monitor your BP with, if it gets to a certain level they want you to call their emergency number to discuss what is going on with the doctor on call. I never called, my BP never went up enough to warrant it.)new IV bag of Flumazenil hooked up to finish treatment. Lyrica 75mg 1 time. Walked the block and tried to move as much as possible.

June 8-Felt like crap, diarrhea, more of the same from the day before and I hardly got any sleep, maybe 2 hours. Each day you visit the clinic, you are given a symptom survey to fill out and you give it to the Dr. they keep these as a medical record in addition to the daily visit, etc. Lyrica 50 mg 1 time

June 9- Felt like garbage,dizzy, tinnitus,nausea, diarrhea, benzo flu but no fever, 4 hours sleep, no Lyrica-felt better not taking it. Took short walks outside and felt a little bit better for it.

June 10th- Longer dr appt. unhooked from the pump(thank god!) Long discussion with Dr Coleman about 12 step-programs, continued counseling, discussed trip home and follow ups with drs at home. Slept 7 hours this night.

June 11th-  Woke up feeling like I had legs made of Jelly! Ate a light breakfast, some nausea, got out and walked a mile, felt dizzy the entire time. Showered, packed, flew home (8 hour trip) not much appetite but ate anyway.

 

After arriving home, over the next few days acute withdrawl gradually set in. Fatigue, insomnia,tremor, muscle weakness, reflux(BAD), felt like i was underwater, panic attacks, night sweats, muscle tension, muscle numbness, constipation, diarrhea, tinnitus, humming in my ears, cough, chest pain, muscle twitching, constant dizziness, memory issues, joint pain, back pain, insomnia, throat pain, and list just goes on and on.

 

Slowly things have improved, at 4 months I am still pushing thru some withdrawl symptoms such as: Broken sleep (I usually get 5-7 hours but last night only 4. Still have reflux problems, neck pain, back pain, weak/fatigued leg muscles at times if I have really poor sleep (if I have a really great night of sleep my muscles feel much better, but I will feel hung over when I wake up....go figure?!) mild headaches, poor short term memory at times, I have to get up to urinate a lot at night.

 

I am currently taking Melatonin 10mg (down from 13mg and tappering slowly) Hormone replacement therapy, Tylenol and mylanta. I am out walking with my dogs every morning about 1.5 miles and I try to get 10,000 steps in on my fitbit each day. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I dont. I try not to stress when I sleep poorly, bc there is always the next night. I try to eat well, but right now I LOVE CARBS!! I just try to keep it all in perspective and stay away from drama, and when I need to relax I pick up a book.

 

I am grateful to have gotten off of Clonazapam the way I have so far. 12 years and 4 months on this poison, 2.5 years of which was spent tapering and almost killed me (much thanks to my pcp who was of NO help during the process). 

 

I am taking things slowly....very,very slowly. Ill probably never fully trust a doctor again but I am thankful I pursued this option and that it has worked out for me.

 

One step at a time....Baby-steps

 

Good for you! I, too, spoke with the Coleman Clinic, as I'm from that area. My psych advised me against it. I'm glad to hear you've had a mostly positive experience. I made the decision this morning to go to a 28 day facility. I have only been on benzos for one year, but my new psych (not the original prescriber), since I've known her since June has put me on a high dose of Prozac, a medium high dose of Seroquel and I've only been allowed by her to taper by five percent and that's just been over the last week. I woke up this morning and just felt like I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't wake up in the morning again, force myself to go exercise myself silly to get my endorphins going and try to have a positive attitude. I've been doing that for almost a year and I need help. Your story inspires me. I wish you the best of luck.

Keep us posted

Please keep posting.  Interesting.

Nothing magical about the flumazenil detox. Its basically the same as a regular detox only more expensive. But the OP got off and that is all that matters. Congrats. I had a hospital detox After a couple years of ineffective tapers. You will get better!!!

Nothing magical about the flumazenil detox. Its basically the same as a regular detox only more expensive. But the OP got off and that is all that matters. Congrats. I had a hospital detox After a couple years of ineffective tapers. You will get better!!!

 

 

Was it debilitating?  Intolerable protracted side effects?  Why is it so discouraged?

  Thank you for your information.

Nothing magical about the flumazenil detox. Its basically the same as a regular detox only more expensive. But the OP got off and that is all that matters. Congrats. I had a hospital detox After a couple years of ineffective tapers. You will get better!!!

 

 

Was it debilitating?  Intolerable protracted side effects?  Why is it so discouraged?

  Thank you for your information.

 

Generally a taper is best, but if one is unable to handle it, more unpleasant options may be better in the long run. My hospital detox was relly nasty, but I was treated comprehensively including AD's, which benefitted me. I was in bad withdrawal when I got home, but not so bad that I couldn't basically resume my life despite feeling lousy. It took 7 months before my first window of normalcy which lasted maybe an hour, but I got better over time. Got used to the brain fog and slept, ate worked etc. Probably took a total of 3 years for all of it to go away, but I was basically Ok for almost that entire time.

Hello All,

Thank you so much for the congrats! Still going good, staying as positive as I possibly can. The tinnitus is still with me, mine sounds like a low level white noise, I don’t notice it much during the day as I stay as busy as possible. It’s very much in the background, I hear it more at night but can still sleep. Occasionally I have a higher pitched squealing noise but I pop my ears with pressure and stick my finger in the offending ear, pull down on the canal with my finger and it stops. This is almost always my left ear producing the loud squealing. The left side of my body seems to cause my most of my aggravation, pain and annoying side effects. Fatigue however, is in my legs only, comes and goes and worsens when I don’t sleep well the night before. My biggest issue for now is reflux and throat weakness, pain, burning and now swallowing at times. Seems to come and go, I’m now taking Nexum for the acid reflux and pressure. Sinus pressure, some congestion, still some nights with broken sleep, 1.5 hours of sleep last night....grrrr. Ugh!!! Fingers crossed this ends soon!!!! Stay positive!!!

 

One step at a time....Baby-steps

Congratulations, Baby-steps!

 

You researched, made a plan and followed through. You are very brave for trying this treatment to get off the benzo. I don’t know anything about Dr. Coleman’s strategy but it sounds like it got you off the benzo rapidly but effectively. I mean, you didn’t have to taper for years.

I’m very interested in following your progress as well.

 

I wish you all the best with your recovery. Know that it could take time and there may be lots of ups and downs but you are doing the best possible thing for yourself by persevering through this.

Hugs to you, friend.

Thank you so much!!! On clonazepam 12 years 4 months, tapering the last 2 years of the 12. Just couldn’t tolerate it any longer, wasting away in my own skin. So far Coleman has worked well for me but everyone is different, no linear path to wellness with benzos. Thank you so much for your support!!! Encouraging words are power....

 

Baby steps