COBRA costs more than my rent, what did you do? (Pittsburgh)

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. I do not usually post, so bear with me. My old employer will not help with the premium. Is the decision time really that tight?

Check what the notice says about the election period and when coverage starts. Mine allowed a short window to choose.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 11 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.