michellec: Trying to get through to the other side

[michellec]

Trying to get through to the other side

 

Lamotrigine - January 2019 to present 

Dose: started at 100 mg down to 25 mg 

Seroquel - may 2016 to January 2019

Dose: 225 mg 

Citalopram -October 2006 tof March 2019

Dose: 40 mg

 

I'm 40 years old and have been on psychiatric drugs since I was 27.

In January I had another break down but this time was different.  I saw an urgent psych doctor. He decided to put me on lamotrigine and take me off citalopram and seroquel. 

I never realized that the hell I was living in was severely withdrawal symptoms. I was also having a really bad reaction to the lamotrigine.  I went back and was reassessed by my family physician and he sent me back to urgent psych. 

I told the psychiatrist that and he ignored me. He said the symptoms were from depression and bipolar .

The next time I saw him because I was still not better he decided that olanzapine would be a good idea. 

I believe and so does my family physician that I've been over medicated. 

Needless to say I am not taking the olanzapine and am currently trying to wean off lamotrigine. I feel like emotional crap. My brain won't stop, it feels like I'm hyper alert, huge anxiety, depression is startingto kick in, irritable,  insomnia. I'm so worn out with this and don't know how to cope with the frequency and intensity of emotions that comes with it. Feeling lost and overwhelmed with it all. Does anybody have any tips on how to deal?

 

Edited May 11, 2019 by ChessieCat
added topic title

[michellec]

Insomnia

 

Since coming off the citalopram, seroquel,  and weaning from lamotrigine I have been dealing with insomnia. From sleeping 12 hrs at a shot to sleeping five or six hours (if I'm lucky ) has been a hard adjustment for me. 

I sleep well for four hours and then I start waking up and struggle to stay asleep after that. When I wake up in feel like I've only slept a couple of hours. I'm tired so I try to nap during the day but I can'tsleep. 

Part of the problem is that it my brain won't shut down and the other part is that I feel the need to urinate more frequently then before.

How do you cope with the continual lack of sleep?  Is there something I should be doing and I'm not? Any ideas or suggestions? 

 

Edited May 11, 2019 by ChessieCat
added topic title

[Gridley]

Hello, michellec, and welcome to SA.  Insomnia is a very common symptom of withdrawal.  I have some suggestions that might help.

 

First, to give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.  Please include supplements and the rate at which you tapered the citalopram and seroquel and the date you stopped taking them, as well as the rate at which you are tapering the lamotrigine.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

How fast are you tapering the lamotrigine?  We recommend tapering no faster than 10% of current dose every four weeks.

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Tips for tapering off Lamictal (lamotrigine)

 

Regarding insomnia, we recommend not using electronic devices after 6pm and getting blackout curtains and/or a sleep mask.  

Some members have found Melatonin helpful.  It's best to start with a very low dosage, such as .25mg and gradually increase if necessary to the lowest effective dose.

 

Melatonin for sleep  

 

These links contain tips that can help with insomnia.

 

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

 

Relaxation exercises, guided meditations, calming videos, sleep hypnosis

 

Trick and tips to fall asleep faster

 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/02/16/tips-tricks-fall-asleep-faster.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20170216Z1&et_cid=DM133787&et_rid=1889748952

 

This link contains helpful information, including insomnia and also non-drug coping skills.  

 

 Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

This is your introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.  Please do not start any more Introduction threads--only one Introduction thread per member is allowed.

 

I hope you’ll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation.  I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but I am glad that you found us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gridley]

3 hours ago, michellec said:

weaning from lamotrigine

 

Since you recently went off two drugs, Seroquel and Citalopram, I suggest you stop your taper pf Lamotrigine and allow your system to stabilize, perhaps for 6 months.  The symptoms you're describing are very likely withdrawal symptoms from what was likely a too-fast taper of the two drugs.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Please research all supplements first and only add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.