Keryn: sertraline and Amisulpride

[Keryn]

Hi everyone, new member. 

Since 2004 I've been on an antidepressant. I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality disorder (emotional dysregulation and suicidality) in 2012 and given a cocktail of 150mg Sertraline, Epilim, and 100mg Amisulpride. Last year I gave up Amisulpride cold turkey and had huge anger issues and promptly went back on it 6 mths later. With the idea of having a baby foremost, I weaned off both Sertraline and Amisulpride slowly over this year. From June I had distressing intrusive thoughts, ugly to deal with. In August I stopped Sertraline, and a month later I had one sleepless night which has never happened before. In October i stopped Amisulpride because I got sick of the side effects and stopped at 20mg. Since then I've had bouts of insane insomnia- i've tried meditation, magnesium, exercise, rescue remedy, magnesium cream and melatonin. All which left me sleepless....so I've been down the rabbit hole of depression, INSANE anxiety, suicidal thoughts and distressing crying spells (I don't enjoy the process of release in crying) Throughout my teens and 20s I resorted to alcohol, and I was deeply troubled due to childhood trauma. But nothing like the pain I've been feeling off my medication. I have a good diet, dont drink/smoke, may not exercise that much, take supplements, have had DBt. My life is not what I thought it would be - I want a baby on my own, a house, a job, and I have limited family and friends support. I've been pushed by Drs and therapist to go back on meds. I won't until I'm 100% sure. This pain I'm feeling is the drug taper, I know that. But as an emotionally deregulated person, I feel I've pulled the plaster off my emotions and there is an oozing abscess. I have constant fear of my future, that I will be like this forever. I'm looking into CBt and am participating in an anxiety group.

I feel for the people on this forum, I feel your pain and distress. And your experiences make my journey make sense.

My question is do I push through the distress and take one day at a time or take the edge off by taking 25mg sertraline until I get my life on track by working and saving money. My no 1 fear is weaning off again and being back where I am in absolute distress!!!! It doesnt seem a logical decision, and I'll feel like a failure. I don't want to be on meds for the rest of my life!

Has anyone experience insomnia from stopping meds? What did you do? I'm on sleeping pills which I hate.

Also, has anyone tried CBD oil? That's my next step. Thank you for listening.  

[ChessieCat]

Hi Keryn and welcome to SA,

 

1 hour ago, Keryn said:

Since 2004 I've been on an antidepressant.

 

1 hour ago, Keryn said:

I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality disorder (emotional dysregulation and suicidality) in 2012

 

Psychiatric diagnoses like this cannot be made after a person has started/stopped taking a psychiatric drug.  Had you been skipping doses or stopped the antidepressant prior to the "diagnosis"?  If yes then it was probably caused by withdrawal symptoms.  If you didn't change anything did the symptoms come on gradually and/or you experience a major stressor or some more minor stressors in close proximity?  If yes, then it could be that your drug pooped out on you after taking it for so long.  This happened to me when I was taking citalopram for a long time.  When I experienced several stressors I had a major breakdown.

 

We need some more details about your drugs.  The easiest way for you to do this is to create your drug signature, which we ask all members to do.  Please include ALL drugs/supplements, current AND previous.  We also need to know how you stopped the drug so if cold turkey please add CT.

 

For the sertraline we need to know the dates and the doses whenever you made a change.  This information will help us to work out whether reinstatement might help and what dose.

 

Please follow these instructions and make a post telling us that you have created your signature so that we will be notified (making a signature does not notify us). 

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature
Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Please DO NOT start taking 25mg sertraline because it might be too much.  It is better to start with a small amount and increase by a little bit more.  If you take too much it can make things worse.  Please read Post #1 of this topic.

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Withdrawal Symptoms

 

This topic explains how to get the dose you need:

 

Tips for tapering off sertraline (Zoloft)

 

This is your own Introduction topic and it the best place for you to ask questions and journal your progress.

 

Once we have more information we will be better able to assist you.

[Keryn]

Made a signature. I will add  in the last two weeks I've taken sertraline twice on an isolated day. 23 October 2020 25mg. 5 November 2020 I took 50mg one day. 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Keryn.

 

Thanks for creating your signature. Please add the details about going off amisulpride. With your long drug history, you are probably aware that going cold turkey is unwise. This can upset your nervous system severely.

 

Yes, you have severe withdrawal syndrome. Since you went off more than one drug, we can't tell the source of the symptoms. How did you feel after taking 25mg sertraline? 50mg?

[Keryn]

I felt ok take 25mg the other day, but when I took 50mg I felt so sick.

If I'm in severe withdrawal after 2 months, what natural supplement can I take to feel better? I'm confused what to take as I dont want to make the withdrawal worse - I see on the forum you've advised against using certain supplements. My insomnia is really hard to handle - (I cannot go to sleep at night) without sleeping tablets, and I dont want to be stuck on them too.

If I'm  to go back on Sertraline is 20mg ok?