New member intro/ Rapid forced taper / looking for support

[[ch...]]

Hello,

 

My story is similar to many others out there, i was put on klonopin exactly 1 year ago today (got to love coincidence) by a doctor that did not tell me about the dangers of this drug. I started on a dose of 1 mg a day "as need for anxiety" , which i took everyday for 6 months with my zoloft, which I discontinued about 4 months ago. After 6 months at 1mg a day, my doc bumped me up to 2 mg of klonopin a day, which i took all the way up till November of this year, which is where my struggle starts.

 

I lost my Job in late october to a layoff, up until that point i had great insurance and a doctor who was willing to hand me pills willy nilly whenever i needed them. After i got layed off, i moved to a different state to be closer to family. I planned somewhat ahead and spoke to my previous doctor and got 2 months worth of refills of my klonopin , thinking i could just get a new doctor in the new state and things would be just peachy, boy was i wrong. About 2 weeks ago, i ran out of pills for the first time (I worked my way down from 2mg everyday to 1mg a day, but with the holidays i didnt feel comfortable reducing any further). The day i ran out of pills, i decided to try to find a new doctor thinking that it shouldnt be to difficult to find someone to help me get off and plan  a taper. Trouble is, all of the doctors in my area seem to be afraid to prescribe me more, the one doctor i could find who was willing to write me a script told me that "only licensed psychiatrists" were allowed to perscribe more than a certain amount, gave me a script for a total of 12 mg klonopin and a referral for a psychiatrist , and sent me on my way. I do not have insurance at this time, and the closest appointment i could get for a psychiatrist is still three weeks out. Last week, i tried to start an aggressive taper going from 1mg a day to 1mg every other day. By the 4th day i was in hell and couldnt continue. I am now down to just 3 mgs left, with no doctor to help me and no insurance to go to the emergency room.  I am here ultimately looking for support, a place to document my progress, and any suggestions people may have to curb the side effects. I will post my current regimen and plans in the rapid taper forum once approved to do so. 

 

[[me...]]

Welcome to the forum!  We're glad to have you as a new member.  I'm sorry you're in this situation, I've been in a similar one in the past and so have many other members.  This kind of thing is fairly common and it's a major reason people decide to get off benzos.

 

You'll find plenty of information and support here.  Our members have gone through all aspects of withdrawal, and you're likely to see  people who understand what you're going through and can tell you what has worked for them.  For those who are currently tapering, we suggest reducing no faster than 5-10% every 10-14 days, and some taper even slower than that.  One exception: very short-term users of a few weeks or less may be able to taper faster than that.  Having some withdrawal symptoms is normal, especially near the end of a taper and for a month or so after discontinuing the medication.  The most common symptoms are anxiety and insomnia, but these are temporary and will go away in time.

 

Here are a few links you may find useful:

 

Withdrawal Support Board

 

The Ashton Manual is an authoritative source on what to expect in withdrawal and recovery.  Dr. Ashton is an expert in the field.  She describes and explains withdrawal symptoms in Chapter III, and there is also a section with withdrawal/taper schedules.

 

Please take the time to Create a Signature.  This will allow others to see where you are in the process so they can better support you.

 

Again, welcome!