Urgent - four month taper from .25 mgs Clonazepam - and JOB accommodations!!!!

[[Buddie]]

I finally found a psychiatrist (after 2 failed attempts) and he is filing for 100% paid short term disability for me.  He has me starting on Zoloft as soon as I go get my script. My last work day will be June 1.  Then I will return to work Monday July 11. There will be zero interruption in pay and benefits during this leave.  No lawyers involved yet - doctor seemed very confident that once I return to work, I can get ADA accommodations including work from home (I have debilitating anxiety and social avoidance), no work shifts longer than 9 1/2 hours plus 1/2 hour unpaid lunch (unless they give me comp time for anything over 9 1/2 and lunch, which employer flat out refused in April and May when I was working 11 and 12 hour shifts, saying that I was exempt), no surprise public speaking requests (caused severe panic attacks 3x back in March where I took extra Clonazepam), and ALL communications must be documented and my boss must be copied, because my *supervisor* who is NOT my boss, calls me on the phone and says a bunch of shit, then the official email comes out from my boss and contradicts what she says.  To be continued.... My counselor is.calling in 10 minutes.

[[Buddie]]

OK so this psychiatrist believes lawyers won't be needed at all for the first part of this - the medical short term disability leave.
Since May of 2017, my employer (the HR rep) has known I am under ADA for anxiety and depression.  My general MD sent him a letter stating such.  That continues to the present.   

After the leave, we are going to have to hammer out all of the  accommodations I listed in previous post.  That's when I think lawyers may become involved, although the psychiatrist seems to think I should be able to finish up 2 years and retire at 62 without needing a lawyer.

[[Buddie]]

I'm happy to see you're making progress, I've followed a bit of your progress log and know what a nightmare you've endured with your job.  You're providing a bit of a roadmap here which I'm sure others will benefit from.  It might be helpful if you changed the subject title specifically naming your work related efforts so other members will be able to follow in your footsteps.

[[Buddie]]

Now, here is the key part and the title of my post.  This new psychiatrist has no problem with my plan to reduce to .25 mgs daily of Clonazepam over 2 months in the summer. 

He then wants to taper me off in four months.  This seems a reasonable schedule to me.  By pill weight (.085 grams for 1/2 of a .5 TEVA yellow pill), I can reduce .001 a day in weight for two months, then for the last most difficult part, reduce .001 by weight every 2 TWO days. 

Please let me know what you think of this taper plan!!!! Also comments on the entire short term disability (which is protected by FMLA I may add, my company has to adhere to FMLA rules) and then accommodations for the rest of my time at that job.  I am upset and exhilarated at the same time!!! Finally someone is advocating for me!  I stayed on these stupid pills for so long BECAUSE of the job stress!  I wish I could be a fly on the wall next week when my boss and my supervisor get called into a meeting with HR and hear the news!!!! I begged and begged for ANYTHING from them to alleviate this Director job they dumped on me and they have given me ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.  In fact, I raised the alarm back in August of 2021 when it started, and they just kept dumping more and more on me. 

[[Buddie]]

Just checking ….

Is your current total daily dose 0.375mg?

If so then reducing from 0.375mg to 0.25mg would be a 33.33% reduction in dose over two months (or about 16.67% a month).  Have you been able to tolerate that high of a taper rate in the past?

[[Buddie]]

[...]....I have been able to reduce 10% from current dose and then hold for 15 days.  I try to stick to no more than a 10% cut at any one time, and no more than 20% a month.

[[Buddie]]

Thank you for this additional information, [...].  Tip of the hat for determining what taper rate works for you and adjusting the amount and/or pacing of your reductions accordingly!