Oliver1974: sertraline / Zoloft tapering

[Oliver1974]

Admin note: link to benzo forum thread -  Oliver1974: Benzo withdrawal and backache

 

Are there any support groups specifically dedicated to Zoloft titration and withdrawals.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Shep
added link to benzo forum thread

[ChessieCat]

Hi Stefan and welcome to SA,

 

You've come to the right place.  There is a wealth of information on this site and the members are very supportive.  We have other members who are also tapering Zoloft.

 

SA recommends tapering by no more than 10% of the current dose with a hold of about 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

When we take away some of the drug we can experience withdrawal symptoms.  The tapering protocol we recommend aims to do this slowly enough so that withdrawal symptoms are kept to a minimum.  Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Withdrawal Symptoms

 

This topic explains how to get the dose you need: 

 

Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)

 

 

Please create your drug signature using the following format.   Keep it simple.  NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you.

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

 

This is your own introductions topic where your can ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress.

[ChessieCat]

Here's some additional information which might help you to understand what is happening:

 

Recovery isn't linear it happens in a Windows and Waves Pattern

 

Withdrawal Normal Description

When we take a psychiatric drug, we are adding chemical/s to the brain.  The brain then has to change to adapt to getting the chemical/s.  It might have to change something to do with A and then once that change has been made it affects B so another change has to be made and so on down the line.  It is a chain reaction, a domino effect.

 

The same thing happens when we take the drug away.  That's why it's possible to experience such a vast array of withdrawal symptoms, and they can change, and be of different intensity.

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

These explain it really well:

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

 

On 8/31/2011 at 5:28 AM, Rhiannon said:

When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long.

 

AND

 

On 12/4/2015 at 2:41 AM, apace41 said:

Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR steel structures are trying to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.

It would be like if the World Trade Center Towers hadn't completely fallen - but had crumbled inside in different places.. Imagine if you were trying to rebuild the tower - WHILE people were coming and going and trying to work in the building!  You'd have to set up a temporary elevator - but when you needed to fix part of that area, you'd have to tear down that elevator and set up a temporary elevator somewhere else. And so on. You'd have to build, work around, then tear down, then build again, then work around, then build... ALL while people are coming and going, ALL while the furniture is being replaced, ALL while the walls are getting repainted... ALL while life is going on INSIDE the building. No doubt it would be chaotic. That is EXACTLY what is happening with windows and waves.  The windows are where the body has "got it right" for a day or so - but then the building shifts and the brain works on something else - and it's chaos again while another temporary pathway is set up to reroute function until repairs are made.  

 

[ChessieCat]

We strongly encourage members to learn and use non drug coping techniques to help get through discomfort and tough times.

 

Understanding what is happening helps us to not get caught up with the second fear, or fear of the fear.  This happens when we experience sensations in our body and because we don't understand them we are scared of them and then start to panic.

 

This document has a diagram of the body explaining what happens in the body when we become anxious:

 

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/AnxietySelfHelp.pdf

 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

Audio FEMALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

Audio MALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

Non-drug techniques to cope

 

dealing-with-emotional-spirals

 

Dr Claire Weekes suffered from anxiety and learned and taught ways of coping.  There are videos available on YouTube.

 

Claire Weekes' Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System

 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes

 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

 

Resources:  Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg:  Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying)

 

On 4/28/2017 at 4:03 AM, brassmonkey said:

 

AAF: Acknowledge, Accept, Float.  It's what you have to do when nothing else works, and can be a very powerful tool in coping with anxiety.  The neuroemotional anxiety many of us feel during WD is directly caused by the drugs and their chemical reactions in the brain.  Making it so there is nothing we can do about them.  They won't respond to other drugs, relaxation techniques and the like.  They do, however, react very well to being ignored.  That's the concept behind AAF.  Acknowledge, get to know the feeling involved, explore them.  Accept, These feelings are a part of you and they aren't going anywhere fast. Float, let the feeling float off as you get on with your life as best as you can.  It's a well documented fact that the more you feed in to anxiety the worse it gets.  What starts as generalized neuroemotinal anxiety can be easily blown into a full fledged panic attack just by thinking about it.

 

I often liken it to an unwanted house guest.  At first you talk to them, have conversations, communicate with them.  After a while you figure out that they aren't leaving and there is nothing you can do to get rid of them.  So you go on about your day, working around them until they get bored and leave.

 

It can take some practice, but AAF really does work.  I hope you give it a try.

 

 

[Oliver1974]

From topic title:    What happens if I taper very slowly but stay at the same taper level all the way?

 

Hi my name is Stefan.

 

I have successfully tapered off of 75 mg of trazodone and 25 mg of Xanax. Now I’m about to taper off of 75 mg of sertraline.  

 

Because of sheer ignorance and lack of information, the first two times I tried to taper off Setraline were the most horrific times of my life.  I am quite sure that I received deep PTSD from the experience . 

 

The first time I tried to titrate off Setraline , I dropped my dose by a third in one shot. Within three days I had to reinstate the original dose  due to debilitating fatigue and brain fog. A week later I tried to titrate once more but this time droping my daily dose by only 1mg a day. By the 8th day my mental suffering was beyond excruciating  and I was forced to reinstate my original dose again. Reinstating my original dose was even more painful than the  withdrawl I was feeling! I found out later that I was both withdrawing and acclimatizing to the medication at the same time. A double whammy torture show.

 

I’m getting ready to try this again.  I do not want to live on antidepressants. This time I have engage the help of a compounding pharmacy that has me reducing my daily dose by 0.25 mg a day for a week then keeping me on that does for a month and then again reducing my dose by 0.25 mg a day for a week and then keeping me on that dose for a month etc. etc. until I have titrated fully.  

 

Does this sound like a good idea to everybody?

 

Edited March 20, 2019 by ChessieCat
added topic title/resized font

[ChessieCat]

Hi Oliver and welcome to SA,

 

When did you finish taking trazadone and Xanax?  Depending on when it was it might be a good idea to hold off tapering sertraline and give yourself a good stable foundation before you commence your taper.  It is better to hold for longer than to risk tapering too soon.

 

SA recommends tapering by no more than 10% of the current dose followed by a hold of about 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Mild withdrawal symptoms may be experienced when tapering following SA's protocol.  When the drug is taken away too quickly we can experience withdrawal symptoms which are more than mild:  Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Withdrawal Symptoms

 

This topic explains how to get the dose you need:  Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)

 

Tapering Calculator - Online

 

 

Please create your drug signature using the following format.   Keep it simple.  NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you.

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

 

I will provide more information in the next post.  This is your own introductions topic where your can ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress.

 

 

[ChessieCat]

Here's some additional information:

 

Recovery isn't linear it happens in a Windows and Waves Pattern

 

Withdrawal Normal Description

When we take a psychiatric drug, we are adding chemical/s to the brain.  The brain then has to change to adapt to getting the chemical/s.  It might have to change something to do with A and then once that change has been made it affects B so another change has to be made and so on down the line.  It is a chain reaction, a domino effect.

 

The same thing happens when we take the drug away.  That's why it's possible to experience such a vast array of withdrawal symptoms, and they can change, and be of different intensity.

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

These explain it really well:

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

On 8/31/2011 at 5:28 AM, Rhiannon said:

When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long.

 

AND

 

On 12/4/2015 at 2:41 AM, apace41 said:

Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR steel structures are trying to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.

It would be like if the World Trade Center Towers hadn't completely fallen - but had crumbled inside in different places.. Imagine if you were trying to rebuild the tower - WHILE people were coming and going and trying to work in the building!  You'd have to set up a temporary elevator - but when you needed to fix part of that area, you'd have to tear down that elevator and set up a temporary elevator somewhere else. And so on. You'd have to build, work around, then tear down, then build again, then work around, then build... ALL while people are coming and going, ALL while the furniture is being replaced, ALL while the walls are getting repainted... ALL while life is going on INSIDE the building. No doubt it would be chaotic. That is EXACTLY what is happening with windows and waves.  The windows are where the body has "got it right" for a day or so - but then the building shifts and the brain works on something else - and it's chaos again while another temporary pathway is set up to reroute function until repairs are made.  

 

[Oliver1974]

SA letter

 

Thank you for all this good information. As it happens, I’ve been on this sight many, many times and have read most of these excellent posts.

 

Here’s my personal story of how I got into this antidepressant mess.

 

A year ago I moved from the US to Spain. My brother had died two years earlier and so had a good friend of mine. I had had it with the U.S and wanted to get back to Europe where I had grown up as a child.

 

My wife and kids did not want to move but I insisted, so we packed up and left.

 

After a month in Spain abusing my body and mind with alcohol etc my digestion slowed. I started belching a lot  and my stool changed consistency. I got Worried. 

 

I went to a doctor and started getting tests to find out what was going on. all the test came back negative. I started to worry more, so went from more tests. All those test came back negative as well. I started to worry even more!!!

 

Fast forward, and I’m freaking out, having panic attacks and suffering from insomnia all of which led me to the office of a neurologist who took one look at me, diagnosed me with OCD Nosephobia and then prescribed me Xanax, Zoloft and Trazodone in one shot!

 

I have never taken benzodiazepines or psychopharmacological medications in the past and suddenly I was on all three!

 

On 22nd of July 2018 I started taking:

 

75mg Trazadone at night.

15mg Xanax spread during the day.

75mg Setraline in the morning.

 

Three weeks later due to excruciating inter dose withdrawals, I switched from Xanax to Lorazepam and then to liquid Diazepam.

 

I did a special blood test that showed I’m a fast  metabolizer. I wish I had done that BEFORE getting on all this junk!

 

I finally taperd off of Trazadone this February the 15th, and have reduced my diazepam dose down to 1mg a day, split 0.5mg in the morning and 0.5 at night. I use a syringe for accuracy.  Then I mix it with some water and drink it. 

 

It’s been an f.ing nightmare. A total chemical prison. I still have Setraline to kick. My first two attempts at titrating from this poison were the night of the living dead times of a thousand! Just excruciating failures. Thank God I had liquid diazepam to stabilize me. It’s just pretty impossible to describe the anxiety and agony, then again I know I’m preaching to the choir.

 

Edited November 3, 2020 by ChessieCat
decreased font size only/ reformatted

[manymoretodays]

Hi Oliver,

Just a note that I moved your most recent post from media back here to your introduction topic.

In general, any information pertaining to your situation.......goes right here.  On this page.

And any questions that you have should go here as well.

Thanks.

And welcome aboard.

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

Edited March 21, 2019 by manymoretodays

[Carmie]

How are you doing Stefan?💚

[Oliver1974]

Hanging in there.

[Carmie]

2 hours ago, Oliver1974 said:

Hanging in there.

 

Glad you’re hanging in there. Could you please fill in your signature so we can see your drug history thanks. Just press on the signature link ChessieCat gave you. 

 

As the links above show it’s best to taper by no more than 10% a month, and the withdrawal symptom list shows some of the withdrawals we can get no matter what meds we are tapering. Antidepressants, antipsychotics and benzos can all cause the same symptoms as they all affect our CNS. 

 

How much Zoloft are you on? 

 

Have you started tapering it?

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Oliver1974]

Carmie,

 

I’m not sure where to post this?

 

As I mentioned in past posts.

 

I was on:

 

75mg Trazadone 

75mg Zoloft

25mg diazepam 

 

34 days ago I finally taperd off Trazadone and taperd down to 1mg of Diazepam. 

 

I take my 75mg of Zoloft in the morning with 0.5ml of Diazepam. Then at night I take the other 0.5 ml of Diazepam. All was going GREAT. 

 

5 days ago I started feeling a bit axcious, and still do. Excelarated heart rate, back pain, heat, increased urge to urinate and looser stool. What the hell could going on?! I haven’t changed anything in my life that I can think of.

 

Any ideas and advice would be very welcome. It’s quite frightening for this to come out of thin air.

 

kindest regrds

stefan 

Edited March 28, 2019 by Carmie
Removed surname

[Oliver1974]

 Does anybody have any experience with antidepressants such as Zoloft and sleep apnea? 

 

 I just tried my friends machine twice and it looks like I’ve got pretty heavy Apnea.  i’m going for a sleep study tomorrow.  That could be very revealing because I’ve never slept well and because I sleep alone because I’m rather restless then I had no idea that I would have Apnea because no one can look at me and tell me etc. 

[RusTW]

Benzos cause weird sleeping stuff.When I was on ativan just as I would start to fall asleep I would jerk my neck hard involuntary. When I would fall asleep eventually I would snore so loud my mom could hear me 2 doors down.never did this before.had 2 sleep studies nothing found.now I cant nap in the day

[Carmie]

Hi Stefan, 

 

Thank you for your reply. We need dates and your tapering schedule.  How quickly did you taper the 75mg of trazodone? You may be going through withdrawals due to the trazodone taper. We need some more information. Thanks a lot.  

 

I can’t see any past posts on your thread here where you posted the above information before. Did you post it on another thread?

 

If you go back to the first post ChessieCat sent you just click on the Account Settings-Create Or Edit A Signature link. You can put your drug history in there. Thank you. 

 

Take care, sending hugs🤗

[Gridley]

43 minutes ago, Carmie said:

 

If you go back to the first post ChessieCat sent you just click on the Account Settings-Create Or Edit A Signature link.

 

Here is the link to create your signature:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

[Oliver1974]

Thanks Rus.

 

I’m on such a low dose of benzos that I doubt it’s the root cause of the anxiety. My therapist ( I can believe I even have one, considering how anti I was about any of this ) suggests that it could just be me processing things.  It’s just so bloody freaky not knowing what your body is going to do from one minute to the next.  I thought I had total control over my mind and body. I’m going to write down my medical history / signature so everybody can take a look and see what’s the story.

.

Stefan

[Oliver1974]

 can anybody see my signature ?  i’ve posted it I think but I’m not sure if people can see it .

[Carmie]

14 hours ago, Oliver1974 said:

 can anybody see my signature ?  i’ve posted it I think but I’m not sure if people can see it .

 

Hi Stefan, 

 

Yes we can see your signature. It’s in really large letters.😁 I’m not computer savvy so don’t know how to make it smaller. Thanks for doing the signature.

 

How quickly did you taper the Trazodone? How quickly did you taper the benzo?

 

Take care💚

Edited March 28, 2019 by Carmie
Addition

[Oliver1974]

Hello Carmie,

 

The type is big because I wrote it in notes first and then copy and pasted it.

 

It took me about 2 1/2 months to taper off 75 mg of Trazadone. I admit I did it rather haphazardly but I felt manageable.

 

10 of December from 75 to 50mg.

16 of December from 50 mg to 25 mg.

11.01.2019  switch to liquid 25 mg= 2,5 ml
12.01.2019 2,2 ml trazodone
13.01.2019 2 ml trazodone
14.01.2019 2 ml trazodone
15.01.2019 1,6 ml

17.01 1,3 ml
18.01.2019 1,1
19.01.2019 1,0
07.02.2019 0,7 ml 
09.02.2019 0,6 ml

                     0.5 ml

                     0.5 ml

                     0.4 ml

                     0.3 ml

                     0.2 ml

                     0.1 ml

16.02.2019 stopped Trazodone

 

I’m still on 2mg = 1ml of liquid Diazepam.  I take half in the morning when I wake up and half at night when I go to bed. 

 

It’s quite easy to taper off the diazepam when you have liquid at your disposal. You can literally reduce your dose by drops. I was considering titrating off the last bit of diazepam but because I’m going to titrate off Zoloft in the not too distant future, I thought it might be wise to keep that little bit on board. 

 

Regards

Stefan

 

 

 

 

 

[Shep]

On 3/27/2019 at 3:23 AM, Oliver1974 said:

I’m on such a low dose of benzos that I doubt it’s the root cause of the anxiety.

 

It may not be a side effect of the benzo, but rather a benzo withdrawal symptom. And as Carmie mentioned, you could be getting withdrawal from the Trazadone taper.

 

You have 15 MG of Xanax in your signature. Is that correct? That is an incredibly high dose. Do you mean 1.5 MG? 

 

When did you crossover to diazepam? Please give us the details of your crossover, along with the details of your diazepam taper. 

[Oliver1974]

Shep

 

 I’m going to put together my  medication titration history again.  can you please tell me where I should post it so that everyone can see it ?  I don’t want to confuse you guys anymore especially considering your effort and how valuable a resource you are for me .

[Shep]

Please keep posting here in your thread. 

 

One question about your signature - please let us know if the "15 mg Xanax" is correct. As I mentioned in my last post, that is a very high dose, so I'm wondering if you mean 1.5 MG. 

 

What you posted in this post here is excellent.  Please do the same for your Xanax and diazepam history. This will be very helpful. 

[Oliver1974]

Excuse me, I was not on 15 mg of alprazolam. I was on .75 mg.  I’ve had to do so much calculating of these goddamn medications that it’s hard to keep track of the numbers.  Here’s a record of my titration from when I started till today .

27.07.2018

I was prescribed 0.75mg Alprazolam (Xanax).

75 mg Trazodone at night.

50 mg Sertraline (Zoloft) in the morning. A week later it went up to 100mg. I didn’t like what was happening to my body so I lowered it to 75mg.

27.07.18-24.08.18

75 mg Trazadone 

0.75 mg Xanax 

75 mg Zoloft

I started experiencing severe intrados withdrawls from the Xanax so I switched to Lorazepam on 24.08.18

24.08.2018

2,5 mg lorazepam 

76 mg Zoloft 

75 mg Trazadone

28.08.2018 - 30.08.2018 

Started titrating over from Lorazepam to Diazepam.

Zoloft 75 mg morning 

2 mg Lorazepam morning 

5 mg Diazepam lunch

75 mg Trazadone night

31.08.2018

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

7,5 mg Diazepam lunch

75 mg Trazadone night

1.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

0,5 mg Lorazepam dinner.

75 mg Trazadone night

2.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night 

75 mg Trazadone

3.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadonenight

4.09. 2018

75 mg Zoloft night

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25mg Lorazepam lunch

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

0,25 mg lorazepam night

5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

5.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft night

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch

2,5 Diazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night  

75 mg Trazadone night

6.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5D mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

7.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5D mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadone

8.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg diazepam lunch

0.25 mg Lorazepam lunch

5 mg diazepam night 

0,25 mg lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

9.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

10.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg diazepam morning 

0,25 lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg diazepam lunch                

2,5 mg Diazepam night 

75 mg Trazadone night

11.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch 

2,5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

12.09.2018

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning          

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

2,5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

13.09.2018

Switched to liquid diazepam but I got the dosage calculation wrong and ended up titrating much faster and with more withdrawals than intended.

75 mg Zoloft morning 

4,5 mg Diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

14.09.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

15.09.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,4 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

16.09.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

17.09.18

75 mg Zoloft morning

1,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

18.09. 28

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

19.09.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,2 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

20.09.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,2 mg diazepam night 

75 mg Trazadone night

21.09.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,2 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

 

22.09.18

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

23.09.18

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

24.09.18

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

25.09.18

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

26.09. 18

75 mg Z

1,08 mg D

75 mg T

 

27.09.18

75 mg Z

1,08 mg D

75 mg T

 

28.09.18

75 mg Z

1 mg D

75 mg T

 

29.09.18

75 mg Z

0,84 mg D

75 mg T

 

30.08.18

75 mg Z

0,84 mg

75 mg T

 

1.10.18

75 mg Z

0,5 mg D

75 my T

2.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,72 mg D

85 mg T

 

3.10.18

75 mg Z

0,6 mg D

75 mg T

 

4.10.18

75 mg Z

0,6 mg D

75 mg T

 

5.10.18

75 mg Z

0,5 mg D

75 mg T

 

6.10.18

75 mg Z

0,5 mg D

75 mg T

 

7.10.18

75 mg Z

0,36 mg D

75 mg T

 

8.10.18

75 mg Z

0,25 mg D

75 mg T

 

9.10.18

75 mg Z

0,25 mg D

75 mg T

 

10.10.18

75 mg Z

0,25 mg D

75 mg T

 

11.10.18

75 mg Z

0,12 mg D

75 mg T

 

12.10.18

75 mg Z

0,12 mg D

75 mg T

 

13.10.18

Finished Diazepam titration. Remained on 75 mg Trazadone at night and 75 mg Zoloft in the morning. It stays like this until 21.10.18

 

21.10.18

Start Zoloft titration by lowering dose from 75 mg a day to 50 mg a day. 

 

24.10. 18

75 mg Trazadone night

First indication of feeling emotional and sad.

 

27.10.28

75 mg Trazadone night.

Zoloft withdrawls are affecting my body really hard with all sorts of withdrawal symptoms.

 

30.10. 18

75 mg Trazadone night.

Withdrawals are extremely intense. Increased Zoloft dose back up to 75mg. Remained on 75 mg of trazodone and 75 mg of Zoloft until 7.11.18

 

7.11.18

75 mg Trazadone night 

Start second Zoloft titration attempt with a 1mg a day reduction. Everything going smoothly until I start feeling unbearably horrible with drawls on 15.11.18.

 

17.11.18

75 mg Trazadone night.

With drawls are so severe that I’m forced to increase my Zoloft dose once again to 75 mg a day.

 

From 18.11.18

75mg Trazadone night.

Feeling acute anxiety for the following 9 days even after putting my dose back to its original 75 mg.

 

27.11.18

75 mg Trazadone night.

Forced to reinstate liquid diazepam to quell the intolerable anxiety. Took 2 mg of diazepam in liquid form.

 

28.11.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

3 mg diazepam morning 

3mg diazepam lunch

3 mg diazepam dinner

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

29.11.18

75 mg Zoloft morning 

5 mg Diazepam morning

5 mg diazepam lunch

5mg diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone 

 

Approximately two weeks later I started titrating my diazepam from 15 mg to 2.5 mg, but I don’t remember exactly when I did this and how long it took me. It was not that stressful.

 

10.12.18

75 mg Zoloft morning

Started titrating of trazodone from 75 mg to 50 mg in one week.

 

16.12.18

Dropped Trazadone from 50 mg to 25 mg in one day.

 

16.12.18 - 11.01.19

I remained on 75 mg of Zoloft 2.5 mg of diazepam

25 mg of trazodone

 

11.01.2019

Switched to liquid trazodone 25 mg= 2,5 ml

75 mg of Zoloft

2.5 mg of diazepam

 

12.01.2019

2,2 ml trazodone

2.5 mg Diazepam 

75 mg Zoloft 

 

13.01.2019

2 ml trazodone

2.5 mg Diazepam 

75 mg Zoloft

14.01.2019

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg Diazepam morning 

2 ml trazodone night

15.01.2019

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg Diazepam morning 

1,6 ml Trazadone night

17.01.19

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg diazepam morning 

1,3 ml Trazadone night

18.01.2019

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg diazepam morning 

1,1 ml Trazadone night

19.01.2019

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg Diazepam morning 

1,0 mg Trazadone night 

My medications remains like this until 2 February.

 

From now on words my titration notes are going to be in milliliters not milligrams because the substances I’m taking are liquid.

2/Feb night .63ml (Diazepam)

                              1ml (Trazadone)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

3/Feb morn 0.6ml (Diazepam)

                                75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

            night 0.6ml (Diazepam)

                          1ml (Trazadone)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

4/Feb morn 0.6ml (Diazepam)

                               75mg (Zoloft)

                                  2 (Omega 3)

                     1 tbs  of coconut oil

              night 0.9ml (Trazadone)

                         0.5ml (Diazepam)

 

5/Feb morn 0.5ml (Diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                    2 (Omega 3)

                      1 tbs  of coconut oil

              night 0.9ml (Trazadone)

                          0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

6/Feb Morn 0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                    2 (Omega 3)

                      1 tbs  of coconut oil

               night 0.7ml (Trazadone)

                           0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

7/Feb Morn 0.5ml (diazepam)

                               75mg (Zoloft)

                                  2 (Omega 3)

                     1 tbs  of coconut oil

            Night 0.7ml (Trazadone)

                        0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

8/Feb Morn. 0.5ml (diazepam)

                              75mg (Zoloft)

                                2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

         Night 0.6ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

9/Feb Morn. 0.5ml (diazepam)

                                75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                    1 tbs  of coconut oil

          Night 0.5ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

10/Feb Morn. 0.5ml(diazepam)

                              75mg (Zoloft)

                                2 (Omega 3)

                  1 tbs  of coconut oil

         Night 0.5ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

11/Feb Morn. 0.5ml (diazepam)

                          75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

          Night 0.5ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

12/Feb Morn.0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                   2 (Omega 3)

                    1 tbs  of coconut oil

          Night 0.4ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

13/Feb Morn.0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                  2 (Omega 3)

                    1 tbs  of coconut oil

          Night 0.3ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

14/Feb Morn.0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                   2 (Omega 3)

                    1 tbs  of coconut oil

          Night 0.2ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

15/Feb Morn.0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                  2 (Omega 3)

                    1 tbs  of coconut oil

          Night 0.1ml (Trazadone)

                       0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

          -TRAZADONE OVER-

 

16/Feb Morn.0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                  2 (Omega 3)

                      1 tbs  of coconut oil

               Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

17/Feb Morn 0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

              Night  0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

18/Feb Morn 0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                              2 (Omega 3)

                1 tbs  of coconut oil

               Night 0.4ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

19/Feb Morn 0.5ml (diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

           Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

20/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

           Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

21/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                  1 tbs  of coconut oil

            Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

22/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

            Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

23/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

24/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

25/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

26/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 2 (Omega 3)

                   1 tbs  of coconut oil

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

        10 min mindful stretching

 

27/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

                                 3 Brazil nuts

                                     Stretching 

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

        10 min mindful stretching

 

28/Feb Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

                                 3 Brazil nuts

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

        10 min mindful stretching

 

01/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

                                 3 Brazil nuts

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

        10 min mindful stretching

 

02/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                  1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

        10 min mindful stretching

 

03/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

        10 min mindful stretching

 

04/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

05/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

       

06/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

07/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

08/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

09/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

10/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

11/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

12/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

13/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

14/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

15/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

16/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

17/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

18/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

19/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

20/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate. 

 

21/Mar Morn 0.5ml(diazepam)

                                 75mg (Zoloft)

                                 1 (Omega 3)

             Night 0.5ml (diazepam)

1/4 tbs of magnesium citrate.

 

I have remained on this dose until now. But I have removed the magnesium citrate because I’ve become aware that I have sleep apnea and magnesium makes hyper Apnea is worse.

 

I plan on my third attempt at Zoloft titration in about a months time. I’m thinking that I will keep my 2 mg of diazepam on board for the journey. I have enlisted the help of a compounding pharmacy that is going to be making me quarter milligram a day reductions of Zoloft. Then I will have up to a month leveling out. Between weekly drops.

Edited March 28, 2019 by Altostrata
changed font size, removed extra spacing

[Altostrata]

Hello, Stefan.

 

Whatever method you're using to post your daily notes, please change it. The large font and spacing is very difficult to scan.

 

Your notes did not include the times of day you took your drugs. For most drugs, taking them off schedule by an hour here or there can cause odd symptoms. Please stick to a regular schedule for your drugs.

 

How are you feeling now? How's your sleep?

 

 

[Oliver1974]

 

27.07.2018

 

I was prescribed 0.75mg Alprazolam (Xanax).

75 mg Trazodone at night.

50 mg Sertraline (Zoloft) in the morning. A week later it went up to 100mg. I didn’t like what was happening to my body so I lowered it to 75mg. 

 

27.07.18-24.08.18

 

75 mg Trazadone 

0.75 mg Xanax 

75 mg Zoloft 

 

I started experiencing severe intrados withdrawls from the Xanax so I switched to Lorazepam on 24.08.18

 

24.08.2018 

 

2,5 mg lorazepam 

76 mg Zoloft 

75 mg Trazadone 

 

28.08.2018 - 30.08.2018  

 

Started titrating over from Lorazepam to Diazepam.

 

Zoloft 75 mg morning 

2 mg Lorazepam morning 

5 mg Diazepam lunch

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

 

31.08.2018 

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

7,5 mg Diazepam lunch

75 mg Trazadone night

 

1.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

0,5 mg Lorazepam dinner.

75 mg Trazadone night

 

2.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night 

75 mg Trazadone 

 

3.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadonenight

 

4.09. 2018

 

75 mg Zoloft night

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25mg Lorazepam lunch

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

0,25 mg lorazepam night

5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

 

5.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft night

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,5 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch

2,5 Diazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night  

75 mg Trazadone night

 

6.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5D mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

 

7.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam lunch 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5D mg Diazepam night

0,25 mg Lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadone

 

 

8.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg diazepam lunch

0.25 mg Lorazepam lunch

5 mg diazepam night 

0,25 mg lorazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

 

9.09.2018 

 

75 mg Zoloft 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

 

10.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg diazepam morning 

0,25 lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg diazepam lunch                

2,5 mg Diazepam night 

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

11.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning 

0,25 mg Lorazepam morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch 

2,5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night

 

12.09.2018

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,5 mg Diazepam morning          

2,5 mg Diazepam lunch

2,5 mg Diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

13.09.2018

 

Switched to liquid diazepam but I got the dosage calculation wrong and ended up titrating much faster and with more withdrawals than intended.

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

4,5 mg Diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

 

14.09.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

 

15.09.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2,4 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

 

16.09.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

17.09.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning

1,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

18.09. 28

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,8 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night

 

19.09.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,2 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

20.09.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,2 mg diazepam night 

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

21.09.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

1,2 mg diazepam morning 

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

22.09.18 

 

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

23.09.18

 

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

24.09.18

 

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

25.09.18

 

75 mg Z

1,2 mg D

75 mg T

 

26.09. 18

 

75 mg Z

1,08 mg D

75 mg T

 

27.09.18

 

75 mg Z

1,08 mg D

75 mg T

 

28.09.18

 

75 mg Z

1 mg D

75 mg T

 

29.09.18

 

75 mg Z

0,84 mg D

75 mg T

 

30.08.18

 

75 mg Z

0,84 mg

75 mg T

 

1.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,5 mg D

75 my T

 

2.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,72 mg D

85 mg T

 

3.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,6 mg D

75 mg T

 

4.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,6 mg D

75 mg T

 

5.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,5 mg D

75 mg T

 

6.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,5 mg D

75 mg T

 

7.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,36 mg D

75 mg T

 

8.10.18 

 

75 mg Z

0,25 mg D

75 mg T

 

9.10.18 

 

75 mg Z

0,25 mg D

75 mg T

 

10.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,25 mg D

75 mg T

 

11.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,12 mg D

75 mg T

 

12.10.18

 

75 mg Z

0,12 mg D

75 mg T

 

13.10.18

 

Finished Diazepam titration. Remained on 75 mg Trazadone at night and 75 mg Zoloft in the morning. It stays like this until 21.10.18

 

21.10.18

 

Start Zoloft titration by lowering dose from 75 mg a day to 50 mg a day. 

 

24.10. 18

 

75 mg Trazadone night

First indication of feeling emotional and sad.

 

27.10.28

 

75 mg Trazadone night.

Zoloft withdrawls are affecting my body really hard with all sorts of withdrawal symptoms.

 

30.10. 18 

 

75 mg Trazadone night.

Withdrawals are extremely intense. Increased Zoloft dose back up to 75mg. Remained on 75 mg of trazodone and 75 mg of Zoloft until 7.11.18

 

7.11.18 

 

75 mg Trazadone night 

Start second Zoloft titration attempt with a 1mg a day reduction. Everything going smoothly until I start feeling unbearably horrible with drawls on 15.11.18.

 

 

17.11.18

 

75 mg Trazadone night.

With drawls are so severe that I’m forced to increase my Zoloft dose once again to 75 mg a day.

 

From 18.11.18

 

75mg Trazadone night.

Feeling acute anxiety for the following 9 days even after putting my dose back to its original 75 mg.

 

27.11.18

 

75 mg Trazadone night.

Forced to reinstate liquid diazepam to quell the intolerable anxiety. Took 2 mg of diazepam in liquid form.

 

 

28.11.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

3 mg diazepam morning 

3mg diazepam lunch

3 mg diazepam dinner

75 mg Trazadone night 

 

29.11.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

5 mg Diazepam morning

5 mg diazepam lunch

5mg diazepam night

75 mg Trazadone 

 

Approximately two weeks later I started titrating my diazepam from 15 mg to 2.5 mg, but I don’t remember exactly when I did this and how long it took me. It was not that stressful.

 

10.12.18

 

75 mg Zoloft morning

Started titrating of trazodone from 75 mg to 50 mg in one week.

 

 

16.12.18

 

Dropped Trazadone from 50 mg to 25 mg in one day.

 

16.12.18 - 11.01.19

 

I remained on 75 mg of Zoloft 2.5 mg of diazepam

25 mg of trazodone

 

11.01.2019

 

Switched to liquid trazodone 25 mg= 2,5 ml

75 mg of Zoloft

2.5 mg of diazepam

 

12.01.2019

 

2,2 ml trazodone

2.5 mg Diazepam 

75 mg Zoloft 

 

13.01.2019

 

2 ml trazodone

2.5 mg Diazepam 

75 mg Zoloft

 

14.01.2019

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg Diazepam morning 

2 ml trazodone night 

 

 

15.01.2019

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg Diazepam morning 

1,6 ml Trazadone night 

 

 

17.01.19

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg diazepam morning 

1,3 ml Trazadone night 

 

18.01.2019

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg diazepam morning 

1,1 ml Trazadone night

 

19.01.2019 

 

75 mg Zoloft morning 

2.5 mg Diazepam morning 

1,0 mg Trazadone night 

My medications remains like this until 2 February.

 

From now on words my titration notes are going to be in milliliters not milligrams because the substances I’m taking are liquid.

 

 

2/Feb night 

.63ml (Diazepam)

 1ml (Trazadone)

                               

 

3/Feb morn 

0.6ml (Diazepam)                      75mg(Zoloft)

                              

night

0.6ml (Diazepam)                   1ml(Trazadone)

 

 

4/Feb morn

0.6ml (Diazepam

75mg(Zoloft)

  

night

0.9ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml(Diazepam)

 

5/Feb morn

0.5ml (Diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                                   

 night

0.9ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

6/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                                   

night

0.7ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

7/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                                 

Night

0.7ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

8/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                               

Night

0.6ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

9/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                                

 Night

0.5ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

10/Feb Morn. 0.5ml(diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                               

 Night

0.5ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

11/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                                

Night

0.5ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

12/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

               

 Night

0.4ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

 

13/Feb Morn

0.5 ml diazepam 

75mg (Zoloft)

                                  

Night

0.3ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

 

14/Feb Morn

75mg (Zoloft)

0.5 ml diazepam 

                                  

Night

0.2ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

 

15/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)

                                 

                   

Night

0.1ml (Trazadone)

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

 

          -TRAZADONE OVER-

 

16/Feb Morn

0.5ml (diazepam)

75mg (Zoloft)I

                                 

 Night

0.5ml (diazepam)

 

I have remained on this dose until now. But I have removed the magnesium citrate because I’ve become aware that I have sleep apnea and magnesium makes hyper Apnea is worse. 

 

I plan on my third attempt at Zoloft titration in about a months time. I’m thinking that I will keep my 2 mg of diazepam on board for the journey. I have enlisted the help of a compounding pharmacy that is going to be making me quarter milligram a day reductions of Zoloft. Then I will have up to a month leveling out. Between weekly drops.

 

 

 

[Oliver1974]

Is this better?

[Oliver1974]

 This is all been such an insane learning experience/nightmare.  Like I’ve had to invent the learning curve along the way.

 

 I take my 75 mg of Zoloft at about 7 o’clock in the morning  along with 0.5 mL of diazepam.  I take the other 0.5 mL of diazepam at about 10 o’clock at night .

 

 i’m going for a sleep study in a few weeks to see whether in fact I have sleep Apnea. Out of curiosity I tried my friends machine because I was waking up several times a night every night. His machine said that I had considerable Apnea which could be the root problem of so many things in my life.  me and my wife sleep in different rooms because I’m a very light sleeper and I suppose she would never know if I was breathing correctly or not because she’s not laying down next to me. 

 

 

regards

Stefan

[manymoretodays]

Hey Oliver 1974/Stefan,

I've got your Stefan introduction post merged with the Oliver1974 introduction now.  Please continue to post in this introduction with the user name Oliver1974.  Thank you.

8 hours ago, Oliver1974 said:

Is this better?

What I'm viewing is this lengthy, lengthy list of many days and just dosages of medications.  The font size is decent now though.......so hurray!

What we need to see, that really helps with getting a feel for what is going on in regards to your meds/drugs is much simpler and more succinct.

Basically just the date, and just try to include perhaps just 1 or 2 recent days of logs for us, for starters.

Note the time on the left, then on the right note any drugs by name and the dose.  Also on the right side of the time, briefly note symptoms, when they occur.  Please include any supplements and a brief note about your sleep pattern.

 

Here's a sample of what we are looking for and also a link that you could refer to as well:

Daily symptom and drug dosing logs

This is just a sample but should help you to do even one days log for us.

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

I hope this helps.  The last list you did is way too long.......and is lacking in the time of day on the left completely, as well as any symptom notes and the time of day that those occur.

Again.......just try for one day only for starters.

Please just ask if you are still unsure.  Okay.  You'll get it.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2019 by manymoretodays

[Oliver1974]

Thank you 😊

[Shep]

17 hours ago, Oliver1974 said:

I plan on my third attempt at Zoloft titration in about a months time. I’m thinking that I will keep my 2 mg of diazepam on board for the journey. I have enlisted the help of a compounding pharmacy that is going to be making me quarter milligram a day reductions of Zoloft. Then I will have up to a month leveling out. Between weekly drops.

 

Please STOP tapering. 

 

Zoloft will likely be the last drug you taper. We'll go through the reasons why and help you make the right decisions for your taper own personalized taper strategy. 

 

18 hours ago, Oliver1974 said:

16.12.18

Dropped Trazadone from 50 mg to 25 mg in one day.

 

On 3/26/2019 at 9:19 AM, Oliver1974 said:

34 days ago I finally taperd off Trazadone and taperd down to 1mg of Diazepam. 

 

How did you feel with the 50% reduction in Trazadone in December? How did you feel 34 days ago when you came off Trazadone completely and reduced the diazepam? 

 

Please see this thread, as it explains our protocol on deciding which drug to taper first. 

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

Please note the concept of "brakes and accelerators".

 

It's best to stay on the drugs that cause sedation the longest in order to preserve sleep. 

 

Please post your drug and symptoms journal in the format that Manymoretodays provided in her last post.

 

And we'll walk you through setting up a safe and careful taper. 

[Oliver1974]

Shep,

 

I think I felt OK when I dropped my Trazadone down 50 % in December and I felt some anxiety when I came off of it 34 days ago. Not enough to stop me though. My diazepam taper was going fine until I hit the 2 mg mark. Then I felt a twinge of anxiety so I stopped titrating. 

 

Now 36 days later for some reason I’m experiencing morning anxiety!!!!!!! I don’t understand why? According to my Apple Watch I’m getting 8 hours of sleep. I go to bed calm but when I whake up I soon feel anxious. I woke up at 6:30 and I’m still anxious at 10:33. It SUCKS!!!

 

I started exercising midday 2 days ago to see if that would help. Could it be the disturbing T.V series I watch at night with my wife?  My sleep patterns have changed a bit. I was being more diligent with keeping on a sleep schedule. Could that do it? 

 

I’m really bummed out.  After all this damn suffering, I thought I had this in the bag 😞

 

 

[Oliver1974]

To be honest, (and I really hate to even consider it) but I’m wondering if I should up my diazepam a little bit to see if I can quell this anxiety? I’ve worked so fing hard to get off all this junk. 

 

Shep, which drug should I stay on and which should I taper first.  My doctor doesn’t know his elbow from a hole in the Ground. This has all been excruciating trial and error for the last year.  I just want more than anything else to get off this goddamn Zoloft!!!!!!!!!!!  I hate being on these medications. I want my life back.

I’ve been clean and sober for a year now. No alcohol no tobacco no caffeine no  cannabis, NOTHING!

 

 

 

 

[Oliver1974]

I stopped tapering 36 days ago. I’ve been on the following since then:

 

0.5 ml liquid diazepam - morning 

75 mg Zoloft.                 - morning 

 

0.5 ml liquid diazepam - night

 

Total diazepam 1 ml = 2 mg

 

If I had to put my finger on it, it feels like a benzo withdrawal, but how the hell is that possible after feeling OK for 34 days !!!!!

[Shep]

On 3/30/2019 at 5:40 AM, Oliver1974 said:

Not enough to stop me though. My diazepam taper was going fine until I hit the 2 mg mark.

 

On 3/30/2019 at 6:05 AM, Oliver1974 said:

If I had to put my finger on it, it feels like a benzo withdrawal, but how the hell is that possible after feeling OK for 34 days !!!!!

 

Benzo updoses and reinstatements work best within 2 - 4 weeks of the last change. Since it's been 36 days since your last reduction, you are few days beyond that mark, but still close. 

 

You might try increasing to 2.25 mg diazepam and see how you feel. 

 

Please note that diazepam has up to a 200 hour half life, which is about 8 days. 

 

34 days is 816 hours. According to the half life calculator, you have the below amount left in your system: 

 

200 hours - 50%
400 hours - 25%
600 hours -  13%
800 hours -  6%
1000 hours - 3%
1200 hours -  1%
1400 hours -  0%

So at the 816 hour mark (34 days), you would have about 6% of the drug still in your system. 

 

It's possible you're a slow metabolizer of diazepam and your past reductions are catching up. 

 

You may want to try a slight updose to 2.25 mg and see how you feel. 

 

On 3/30/2019 at 5:40 AM, Oliver1974 said:

According to my Apple Watch I’m getting 8 hours of sleep. I go to bed calm but when I whake up I soon feel anxious. I woke up at 6:30 and I’m still anxious at 10:33. It SUCKS!!!

 

This is early morning cortisol. 

 

Waking with panic or anxiety - managing the morning cortisol spike

 

On 3/30/2019 at 5:40 AM, Oliver1974 said:

Could it be the disturbing T.V series I watch at night with my wife?

 

It would be a good idea to get some better sleep hygiene going to calm your nervous system. The more you can do to calm your nervous system, the better.

 

Please see:

 

Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Try out some of these tips, such as not watching tv close to bedtime and other ideas listed. If you wake up calmer, it may be worth the effort.

 

However, early morning cortisol spikes are notorious for people going through psychiatric drug withdrawal. 

 

On 3/30/2019 at 5:56 AM, Oliver1974 said:

Shep, which drug should I stay on and which should I taper first.

 

You're already off Trazadone. I would make a slight updose in the diazepam and then go into a very long hold until you stabilize some. This is the goal to reach, also known as Withdrawal Normal: 

 

WDNormal

 

Zoloft will likely be the first drug to taper off, as antidepressants, especially the SSRI, are usually seen as stimulating drugs. The sedating drugs like diazepam are the last to taper, as they will help preserve your sleep. Since your currently getting 8 hours a night, let's aim to keep it that good all the way through your taper.

 

The last drug to taper will be the benzo. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Shep
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