[Mama Char-Lee]

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.

[sweepy62]

Yes I have ptsd bipolar bpd had and I stopped cold turkey I have the pills to a friend of mine last yr and she went on vacation for 7 days and I wanted to die I was NAUSEAUS cold hot irritable stomach cramps headache profuse sweating ect.

[-jimi-]

Yea, take it seriously. You can get suicidal. Both Klonopin and Remeron can cause withdrawals. You shouldn't stop both at once.

You could ask to switch to the "same" amount of the cheap and long acting valium and taper it out (if you tolerate valium).

A doc would proably suggest to start at 15-20 mg a day. Can you talk to the psych about it?

[splitimage]

Klonopin withdrawal is evil. I successfully tapered off it over a 10 week period, but I was on a much higher dose. But I was really sick the week after my last pill. Headaches, earache, dizziness, cold sweats, nausea, diarroeha, shaking, racing heartbeat, and blood pressure spikes. On a bout day 4 I just wanted to die. It took me about 10 days to feel human again.

Good luck.

splitimage

[Mama Char-Lee]

Originally Posted by jimi...

Yea, take it seriously. You can get suicidal. Both Klonopin and Remeron can cause withdrawals. You shouldn't stop both at once.
You could ask to switch to the "same" amount of the cheap and long acting valium and taper it out (if you tolerate valium).
A doc would proably suggest to start at 15-20 mg a day. Can you talk to the psych about it?

I could, but not without dropping the $550 in his hand first; and that's cash I won't have for at least another 4 weeks.
As far as my withdrawals go, I'm coming up on a week now of cutting everything down by half. I'm not sick to my stomach anymore, which is good, but the insomnia has come back with a vengeance. I'm taking some melatonin to counteract it. I'm getting "weepy" again, which I haven't been in a long time. I'm losing my patience a lot quicker, so I've warned my family and coworkers that anything I might say or do, I don't really mean it, just in case. Then again, they all know me and how I am, so that's a relief (I think).

Splitimage - the doctor originally wanted me to be on a higher dose for all of my meds, but I refused. I have almost ZERO tolerance to medications of any kind (heck, half a beer and I'm done for the night), so we figured the lowest dosages for me would be better to work with. I am not looking forward to ending this, but at the same time, I'm kind of relieved to know that once the general withdrawal yuckiness passes, I *should* be back to "normal."

[-jimi-]

I feel sad for everyone who is in that crap medical system and suddenly have to drop their meds. It's way too common.