PCP stopped giving me Klonopin and now i have to cold turkey it

[Aidensmommy2010]

I have a primary care physician and a neurosurgeon. They both have been in contact about my lumbar discectomy I had on June 29th. I am a opiate addict, so I have a medication contract with my pcp. When my neurosurgeon(he also knows about my addiction) took over I assumed that what he gave me for pain would be his concern, until he released me. I was given percocet, diazepam, and tramadol. Nobody told me that I needed to let my pcp know about the prescriptions that my surgeon wanted me on. Well I am now released and i called to get a couple of my meds refilled and one of them being klonopin for anxiety with panic attacks. Come to find out my pcp wont prescribe my klonopin(2mg 3x daily as needed=6mg a day. anymore because my surgeon was prescribing me diazepam for muscle spasms, I didn't even think it had anything to do with my pcps contract. Well I guess it did and he got pissed off and told me he wouldnt be writing anymore Benzos or pain medication. I actually just started last Friday cold turking hydrocodone 7.5mg because I knew in my heart that the scale had started to turn the other way and i was taking them for 25percent pain and 75 percent because of my addiction and it has really sucked. And now this yesterday about the klonopin. I feel as though he could have at least let me taper down, because I dont want to have a seizure over this. I have a 2 yr old to think about and I just feel like what he did was a little unfair, when he knows that I have been detoxing at home from the opiates, Im scared to death and I think my pcp dr is being a bit irresponsible about it. What do I do? I hurt so bad all over and I feel like i am going to fall when I walk. I cant even think about food, I have been chugging water though. Sorry this long, I just don't know what to do, I feel Like i am losing my mind.

[Aidensmommy2010]

This is the first time i have ever posted on a message board. Usually i just read postings and they help. But I am feeling crappier by the day. Yes I did sign a contract about pain medication. I didn't read it close enough and I didn't get a copy of it. I asked for a copy several months ago and the nurse looked through my file, mumbled something and then found a blank copy of it and gave that to me. I was so trying to do the right thing with this Doctor and my Neurosurgeon, as it was the first time I admitted to being an addict, because I wanted to feel like I was finally taking a step in the right direction. Then I found out through an MRI that I had 2 Herniated discs, Degenerative disc Disease, and the start of arthritis the further up on my spine. Thats why I had to start back on pain medication that I did not want to take but the neurosurgeon said that I would need to be on a strong painkiller during surgery and after for at least 2-3 months and taper me down. I am starting to realize as I am reading different stories, benzo's is sounding like a whole new ball game. I started seeing my PCP a year ago and that first appt, he upped my klonopin to the 6 mg a day in return i stopped taking Ambien. He said it would be better to be on the klonopin over the Ambien. So I have been on this dose for a year plus an additional year at .5mg 3 3xdaily being prescribed by my physichiatrist who ended up moving to another state. Right before my surgery my doctor and back surgeon worked together to get me ready for my surgery. Back to the contract, I just want to say that from what I understood was that I was not to go behind his back and see a different Dr to get certain meds, while he was prescribing them also. The last time I saw Dr. C before my surgery, he pretty much told me that my neurosurgeon sent him a letter stating that I would be under his care for the next 3months including any pain medication that I would need. With being an opiate addict, I never knew what it was like to take these types of medication for pain only.(a new concept to me) My PCP knew that i would be getting pain medication during and after my back surgery to help tone down the pain. He never once told me to call him and tell him what medication I was on, He just just said good luck and shook my hand. The surgeon did end up putting me on 5mg Diazepam (1 to 2) every 6 hrs and Oxycodone 10mg/325 same directions as the diazepam, but it also said not to exceed 10 a day. (I am so rambling, im sorry.) I just assumed that my PCP and my Neurosurgeon both knew what was going on. Nobody told me I had to tell my PCP what meds my NSur was having me take for pain. I am trying like hell to keep stepping forward and if I thought that I needed to give my PCP that info, I totally would have. I really didn't put 2 and 2 together. So to my unpleasant surprise, I had to get some scripts filled and one of them was my klonopin that I take strictly for Anxiety with Panic Disorder and it was time to order them, but my PCP's nurse called and let me know that they would no longer be filling any scheduled meds, because I was taking my klonopin like normal(I took the exact dose every day) and also my NS was prescribing the diazepam for my muscle spasms that still occasional hits very badly. So my pcp decided that because i didnt tell him about the diazepam, He won't write anymore scripts for my klonopin which I have now been on about 2years, everyday. He didn't even ask what kind of painkiller my surgeon had given me. He was unhappy about the diazepam. I totally don't know what to do, some of the suggestions sounded like good ideas, because I am SCARED to death about some of things that can happen to you if you cold turkey benzos. I keep looking for home remedies or any kind of help i can try at home. Everything just says go to the "ER" or talk to your dr about tapering. I spoke to him and his nurse yesterday on the phone and told them that from everything I have read about this is that, I could have a seizure, some brain damage, and the withdrawal lasts a long time and that you could potentially die from it. They said that none of these side effects were true.,and my DR. was very adament about there would be no more klonopin in my future from him. I am trying to get into a mental/addiction place, but the waiting lists are ridiculous. I don't know wether I am coming or going. I feel exhausted and then I lay down and my mind wont shut up(I worry all of the time) When i do sleep, my mom has had to come in and wake me up because I was screaming and crying in my sleep. (Again sorry this is so long and is all over the place). This all just *****. I want to get off these stupid painkillers and I would love if a Dr. would allow me to taper my dose down to where I started (0.5mg 3x daily.) I have got to get my life together for my son. Thank goodness that my mom lets me live with her, I dont know what I would do without her help.

[vicki595]

Your only hope is that the neuro surgeon will give you some more Valium to taper with. Otherwise you'll need to hit an urgent care.

[drifter0213]

that is a high dose i took .5mg.xthree/day for anxiety you need to taper off i did

[nursegirl6572]

Well, if you signed a contract, I'm VERY sure that it would have said you had to let your PCP know about scripts you're getting from other docs, that's just standard stuff. As an addict, you should really know that that was something to be sure you communicated with him about.  I just have a feeling you may be kind of "playing dumb" and putting the ball in the doc's court.  JUST my opinion.

Bottom line is, if you signed the contract, and it clearly stated that, the doc has every right to do what he's doing.  I fully agree that you should be tapered, but I am just not sure what your options are at this point.

The other question I have is, were you taking more of the Klonopin than Rx'd?  That's an AWFULLY hefty dose of Klonopin, ESPECIALLY considering you were on Valium too!

The only thing I can suggest is that you try again to ask the doc to at least taper you, so you're medically safe.  Best of luck!