I've started cutting down on my meds. I've been on:
Hydroxyzine HCL 50 mg 2X a day (Vistaril)
Clonazepam .5 mg 2X a day (Klonopin)
Mirtazapine 15 mg 1X a day (Remeron)
for 11 months or so now, and 3 months ago I started weaning off of the Vistaril and the Klonopin, so I was only taking the 3 meds 1 time a day at night. The problem I have is my insurance company has stopped paying for my therapy sessions, so now I owe them almost $550 as of right now, and it just gets more expensive with every week that I don't pay to make a dent in it. I'm flat-broke as it is; I can barely pay the costs of the meds and the therapy even with the insurance covering it.
SO, since I can't just walk into my psychiatrist's office without forking over the payment IN FULL beforehand (and my meds only have 1 refill left on them), I decided to just cut down on my meds even more by cutting the Klonopin and Remeron pills in half until I'm out of them. I don't like having to rely on these drugs to get by, and I kind of miss feeling "feelings." I'm pretty much a lethargic zombie anymore. If I'm going to have a meltdown, then there isn't anything I can do to stop it from happening other than to rely on the calming techniques I've learned from my therapist.
The problem I'm having is this: I cut these pills up 3 days ago, and today, I feel like I'm dying. Hot & cold sweats, diarrhea/nausea, can't sleep, irritable and I can't concentrate. Is it normal to have these kinds of withdrawal symptoms this soon after weaning off of them?
My psychiatrist warned me that if I quit the klonopin cold-turkey that I would REALLY want to die (quick history; I have PTSD which decided to jump up and ruin my life for things that happened way-back-when because my "coping mechanisms" quit, and I was EXTREMELY suicidal when I first took myself to see the doctors).
So, has anyone else had these kinds of withdrawal symptoms from these particular medications? I know I should talk to him first, but I'm so flat broke right now and I can't stay on these for forever.