Seeing my psych. and need some help/tips

[yo0123yo]

I have a 10AM appointment and so far i started good but now is the worst time beccause i have been tapering clonazepam i was at 2 years of taking at least 4 mg or more a day and i've been tapering the first month i went down to 4mg daily, the next month we cut to 3mg daily, then 2 and now i am at 1mg daily which is HARD for me, i havent even been going to work the past 2 weeks the withdrawals are terrible i have been so depressed and unmotivated its really effecting my normal daily functionn, im lucky i have a family owned business so they are there to care for me. its just the anxiety and depression i have been feeling the past 2 weeks feels like is getting worse and worse everyday..i feel as if only a high dose(4mg at least) daily of clonazepam to get me through the day, i have social anxiety disorder and now my program is this:

Clonazepam - 1mg daily
Amitriptyline - 25mg at bedtime - felt SO depressed the next day, helped me go to sleep the first couple days..
Clonidine .1mg daily at bedtime- Doesnt really do anything anymore i will inform him of that tomorow
Zolpidem 10mg - Works to help me sleep which i need (very hard to sleep)

i'm going to ask if we can just stop using the clonidine that really doesn't help with sleep or withdrawals anymore at all...the Amitriptyline made me tired the first 2 days and helped me sleep but didnt help with my social anxiety disorder and i ALWAYS felt depressed the next day or 2 after taking it which i dont want to take it anymore it makes me feel worse..so i have a couple questions if you guys can give any advice i would appreciate it.

Tapering down the clonazepam- now is VERY hard so every month my doctor is tapering me down from 6mg daily to now 1mg daily which has been so hard it has affected my daily routine of going to work and my social life i have taken the last week and a half off because i've been feeling so depressed its horrible i feel like a higher dosage daily would make me through the day but its not good to be on benzos for a long time..so what would you guys suggest doing to taper down?, ive been tapering down for about 5 months now ive been on benzos at least 4 years

clonidine-doesnt do anything for me anymore, we were using it for benzo withdrawals and sleep aid but its not doing anything now so its canceled

Amitriptyline- made me feel so depressed, people suggest Lyrica for social anxiety, what do you guys think?

Zolpidem - Helpful sleeping aid but my tolerance after the first week went from 10 mg daily to 20mg daily easily to go to sleep, would you guys suggest a different sleeping aid? Lunesta? or anything else?

the past month has been the worse for me ive just been feeling a lot of anxiety especially social anxiety which is keeping me fromm going to work people suggest lunesta or anything else or ambien to sleep?i really need a good sleep aid its so hard for me to fall asleep because of my anxiety.....but im also tapering down clonazepam which is really hard on me and effecting my day-to day routing...even going to work(i go just when i feel like it, feel depressed)....so what would you guys suggest i taper down and talk about this with my DR...how much clonazepam to taper down(1mg is REAL hard on me now) or any other way?the withdrawals are HORRIBLE...Should I talk to him about Lyrica for social anxiety and benzo withdrawal and idk what to do about the benzo situation getting by on 1mg daily is real rough for me i feel likei need more? and i just dont kno what sleeping medication to discuss i have ambien 10mg now but my tolerance keeping going up every week..lunesta, anything else?

sorry long post but i appreciate your help guys

 

[halfoz]

wow, i think you need to consider an inpatient treatment program. some place where they would be able to take care of all your medication, therapy, psychiatric, and other needs in an integrated fashion.

you're so focused on the meds, and i totally understand. that's not the healthiest place to be.

heck, print your post out and give it to your psyhchiatrist.

if its so bad that you're missing work and have gotten to the point of having a fairly unmanageable life, you really need help, and help is out there, but you might need to make a commitment to treatment. oftentimes this is a much easier solution than it sounds. good programs know how to help you. they won't leave in the lurch. work on this now in a short term disability fashion before you get trapped in more of a downward spiral.

at the end of the day the solution is not going to be found in the cocktail of meds. it IS possible to sleep peacefully without ambien or lunesta or trazadone or temazepam or xans or k-pins or anything. it is. that might not seem realistic or possible for you right now, and that to me suggests that you need more than medication management, you need healing.

i wish you well. i feel your suffering. suffering is not your destiny though. you can find peace. good luck with your shrink tomorrow. if he/she isn't seeing the severity of your problem, might need to try another one.

ask family to help, if you can.

 

[yo0123yo]

I have a 10AM appointment and so far i started good but now is the worst time beccause i have been tapering clonazepam i was at 2 years of taking at least 4 mg or more a day and i've been tapering the first month i went down to 4mg daily, the next month we cut to 3mg daily, then 2 and now i am at 1mg daily which is HARD for me, i havent even been going to work the past 2 weeks the withdrawals are terrible i have been so depressed and unmotivated its really effecting my normal daily functionn, im lucky i have a family owned business so they are there to care for me. its just the anxiety and depression i have been feeling the past 2 weeks feels like is getting worse and worse everyday..i feel as if only a high dose(4mg at least) daily of clonazepam to get me through the day, i have social anxiety disorder and now my program is this:

Clonazepam - 1mg daily
Amitriptyline - 25mg at bedtime - felt SO depressed the next day, helped me go to sleep the first couple days..
Clonidine .1mg daily at bedtime- Doesnt really do anything anymore i will inform him of that tomorow
Zolpidem 10mg - Works to help me sleep which i need (very hard to sleep)

i'm going to ask if we can just stop using the clonidine that really doesn't help with sleep or withdrawals anymore at all...the Amitriptyline made me tired the first 2 days and helped me sleep but didnt help with my social anxiety disorder and i ALWAYS felt depressed the next day or 2 after taking it which i dont want to take it anymore it makes me feel worse..so i have a couple questions if you guys can give any advice i would appreciate it.

Tapering down the clonazepam- now is VERY hard so every month my doctor is tapering me down from 6mg daily to now 1mg daily which has been so hard it has affected my daily routine of going to work and my social life i have taken the last week and a half off because i've been feeling so depressed its horrible i feel like a higher dosage daily would make me through the day but its not good to be on benzos for a long time..so what would you guys suggest doing to taper down?, ive been tapering down for about 5 months now ive been on benzos at least 4 years

clonidine-doesnt do anything for me anymore, we were using it for benzo withdrawals and sleep aid but its not doing anything now so its canceled

Amitriptyline- made me feel so depressed, people suggest Lyrica for social anxiety, what do you guys think?

Zolpidem - Helpful sleeping aid but my tolerance after the first week went from 10 mg daily to 20mg daily easily to go to sleep, would you guys suggest a different sleeping aid? Lunesta? or anything else?

the past month has been the worse for me ive just been feeling a lot of anxiety especially social anxiety which is keeping me fromm going to work people suggest lunesta or anything else or ambien to sleep?i really need a good sleep aid its so hard for me to fall asleep because of my anxiety.....but im also tapering down clonazepam which is really hard on me and effecting my day-to day routing...even going to work(i go just when i feel like it, feel depressed)....so what would you guys suggest i taper down and talk about this with my DR...how much clonazepam to taper down(1mg is REAL hard on me now) or any other way?the withdrawals are HORRIBLE...Should I talk to him about Lyrica for social anxiety and benzo withdrawal and idk what to do about the benzo situation getting by on 1mg daily is real rough for me i feel likei need more? and i just dont kno what sleeping medication to discuss i have ambien 10mg now but my tolerance keeping going up every week..lunesta, anything else?

sorry long post but i appreciate your help guys

my dad was suggesting i talk to the psyc today about a ddetox/rehab program but i have no idea how those work, how long they take, or how expensive we dont have insurance..also so when i see him in 3 hours should i talk to him about lyrica for social anxiety and thekpins for tapering down and idk which sleep aid would work best for me since my ambien tolerance is up to 20-30mg to go to sleep..thanks

 

[yo0123yo]

Anyone have any idea or tips on what I shoulf say or do? I'm going in less than a half hr. Should I as for lyrica and some type of sleeping aid besides ambien?

 

[yo0123yo]

I asked about lyrica he said its for restless legg syndrome and some other stuff I'm thinking to go see another psychiatrist what do you guys think

 

[TINK]

Lyrica is being used for a lot of diagnosis. They gave it to me for Fibromyalgia, but the side effects left me unable to function.

It does seem you are pretty scattered. I would recommend making one change at a time. Since you are on so many different medications (which I am too). I always write everything down. All my questions, all my thoughts, everything so when I am there I have it.

As far as the doctor goes, if you liked them build a relationship, if you guys did not click get another one. They are like shoes, you have to try them on. Not all will fit. I personally went through about 4 before I found the one that worked for me.

Remember they are working for you. You are the customer. You need to be an advocate for yourself because the Doctor that sees 10 patients a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year does not have to live your daily life.

 

[Alex000]

Another psychiatrist might be better for you, but only you can tell that. Perhaps, switching to Valium slowly, and then tapering off that would be eaiser than a straight Klonopin taper. Just a thought.

 

[Warm'nFuzzy]

^yeah i was thinking that. usually they give people valium to taper from benzos.

 

[TINK]

I used magnesium to taper off my xanax. Not sure if is something that just worked for me or not. But when I started magnesium supplements, I was able to almost elimate my xanax intake.

 

[yo0123yo]

I used magnesium to taper off my xanax. Not sure if is something that just worked for me or not. But when I started magnesium supplements, I was able to almost elimate my xanax intake.

Yea I think I'm going to a different doctor, he told me to stick with the clonazepam taper down and the clonidine(he said it will help some of the withdrawals) but I told him it hasn't been helping I suggested trying lyrica and just do the clonazepam taper down but he wants to stick with me taking clonidine and clonazepam and wants me to see him in a week to see if this helps a bit so now I'm stuck..do I see him next week or do I just find a different psyc?

 

[BrokedownPalace]

^I would go and see him one more time, and maybe if he sees that clonidine is not helping at all, he will make some changes. A lot of doctors take things real slow, and it is hard to just suggest medications to them and have them just say OK. They don't realize that some of us actually know something, and may have a good idea what will help us.

I would go back next week and if he is still floundering around after that, I would then promptly get on the horn and find someone else.

I know how much it sucks not having a worth psych doctor. But once you DO find the one that you jive with, it is great. Good luck.

 

[unsettled]

my psych has repeatedly told me she's not legally allowed to make me taper any faster than what is comfortable for me, you shouldn't be that uncomfortable, I'd suggest a more understanding psych. If you can taper on your own however slow you don't need an inpatient program, it can take years to get off these things.

btw, you are tapering WAY too fast, the standard is .25mgs every three weeks, and that's when you're going faster. Tapering too fast is hell, just thinking about it makes me feel nervous and scared. Don't rush your taper, there is no real need to.

Drop down .25mgs and stay there till you're comfortable the drop the same amount again, it's tough to stick to but hopefully you're in therapy learning new ways to deal with your anxiety or whatever it was that caused you to be put on them in the first place.

I feel your pain, believe me, I'm rx'd 2mgs of Klonopin a day and the thought of running out early is enough to bring on an anxiety attack.

So go slow, find another psych if the psych is the one forcing you to go down so quickly. Preferably get a psych who understands benzo dependence, even if they just have a friend who went through it they are more likely to be sympathetic. Too many people from Pharmacists to Doctors don't understand how dangerous benzos can be, it's amazing to me the amount of ignorance I've come across regarding benzos from so called medical professionals.

I was in a car accident as a result of a pharmacist who refused to refill my script in a timely fashion after my doctor called it in, I had a seizure behind the wheel from xanax wd. You can't afford to fuck around with benzos, especially when tapering.

 

[Alex000]

Your are dropping down with big drops (1 mg at a time every month). Unsettled is right. If you really want to do a straight clonazepam taper, it needn't be rushed like that. Often though, as I said before, clonazepam (or any other benzo) is slowly replaced with diazepam, and then you taper off of that, which is supposed to be easier.

 

[yo0123yo]

I asked him to try lyrica for SAD/GA and he said no because its not approved for use in the US for anxiety disorders so he put me on celexa has anyone tried this or have any experiences? Also he re upped my daily clonazepam dosage to 2mg daily instead of 1mg..I've never tried this celexa before..