nikica: 5 years drug free

[nikica]

Hi all, 

 

Five years ago was the last time I took prozac and this was for anxiety, particularly blushing, shaking and so on. 

 

I had spent three to four years trying different ssris. I spent time mostly on prozac and some time on paxil also. 

 

In 2015, I was taking prozac in the morning, never missing a dose. Suddenly I developed severe insomnia. I must stress, I was not changing anything, not withdrawing. I was taking the med for a while without any issues, and out of nowhere hit with severe insomnia. 

 

I went and saw numerous doctors, none had an answer. My psychiatrist said he'd never seen it before. They tried changing the dose, changing med etc. Nothing worked. 

 

What I really didn't like was being told that it was my anxiety returning. That's just not true. I never had an insomnia problem prior to seeing a psychiatrist. 

 

So, due to feeling like the end is near, I stopped the ssri cold turkey. Nothing got worse. Very very slowly my sleep improved but nothing like it once was. Even 5 years later, I'm still struggling very much. I never feel sleepy, never. 

 

What do you all think of this? I read your withdrawal experiences, awful stuff. 

 

My situation is a bit different because I wasn't withdrawing and have still been messed up now which looks to be very much permanent. 

 

Thank you 

 

 

[Erell]

Hello Nikica 

 

and welcome on SA.

 

Could you please add a signature ? Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. 

• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

I understand that you have given the info in you posts above but this will appear below every post you make, and allow other folks to see your history at a glance.

If you have difficulty just inform me and I will  help.

 

18 hours ago, nikica said:

Five years ago was the last time I took prozac 

 

---> Was Prozac your last psychdrug or did you take other drugs these last 5 years ?

 

 

18 hours ago, nikica said:

My situation is a bit different because I wasn't withdrawing and have still been messed up now which looks to be very much permanent. 

 

what do you mean ? Do you mean that your only withdrawal symptom has been insomnia ?

 

 

i'm sorry to read that you're still struggling with sleep.

Was it also the case before you started psychdrugs ?

 

18 hours ago, nikica said:

Very very slowly my sleep improved but nothing like it once was. Even 5 years later, I'm still struggling very much. I never feel sleepy, never. 

 

How much do you sleep now ? Do you have a bedtime routine ?
Have you found tips to help you sleep ?

 

Poor sleep is a very common issue for people going off psychdrugs.

You might want to take a look to this topic : 

 

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

 

---> Recovery from stopping psychdrugs can be very slow and gradual : perhaps this thread will help you to understand the process : 

 

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

 

 

 

Again, welcome ☀️

 

[nikica]

9 hours ago, Erell said:

---> Was Prozac your last psychdrug or did you take other drugs these last 5 years ?

I took only Valium and a beta blocker in the last 5 years. I don't take it often. 

 

9 hours ago, Erell said:

what do you mean ? Do you mean that your only withdrawal symptom has been insomnia ?

I was taking Prozac every morning religiously. Out of nowhere insomnia developed, whilst taking the drug. The insomnia suddenly appeared, I didn't change anything, I didn't stop the drug and then insomnia appeared, no. 

Later, because doctors were clueless and their suggestions of adjusting doses/new drugs didn't work, I stopped cold turkey and nothing got worse. The insomnia very very slowly improved but only so much. Today it is still very much there after 5 years. 

9 hours ago, Erell said:

i'm sorry to read that you're still struggling with sleep.

Was it also the case before you started psychdrugs ?

Never had chronic insomnia before visiting a psychiatrist. Sure, I'm a very anxious person, I had trouble sleeping maybe 10 - 15 nights in a year, for eg before a big event, exam, interview, new job, anything new etc. Back in those days, after a night like that I'd come home and crash from exhaustion. Since visiting a psychiatrist there in no sleepy feeling ever. Somewhat tired feeling but sleepy feeling never. 

 

9 hours ago, Erell said:

How much do you sleep now ? Do you have a bedtime routine ?
Have you found tips to help you sleep ?

 

Poor sleep is a very common issue for people going off psychdrugs

My sleep is poor and extremely light, I don't know how I'm still alive/functioning. I hate to think of the future when things are the way they are because of my sleep. 

Hard to fall asleep, stay asleep. Probably averaging just under 4 hrs of broken sleep. When I take Valium I get close to 6hrs. 

 

I eat healthy and get exercise every day. I don't drink alcohol or anything with caffeine, I don't smoke. 

 

Not much I can do really, just live like this, live life to the best of my ability. 

 

I found this link online, below. 

 

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Chronic_Insomnia_from_SSRIs_like_Prozac_and_Cipram

 

 

[christianjw12]

Hi, 5 years off SSRI it seems strange that the insomnia can be linked to WD, but it's not impossible I think. The best way to cope with insomnia with drug free method is therapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an effective therapy to treat insomnia. Have a look about it ! Insomnia is very vicious because we don't sleep so we get anxious and when we are anxious, we can't sleep. The only way to break the cycle is to fully accept and not worry about the fact that we might get little sleep or even not sleep at all. Changing the mindset might help reduce the anxiety and thus break the insomnia cycle. Try it ! I was diagnosed with pure O OCD and for two times from the end of 2019 to now, I was awake 5 days straight with 0 sleep... That's why I started antidepressant but now recalling it, it was a bad idea... I should had known more about therapy before treating my anxiety with antidepressant.