Orbet: First post

[Greatful]

@Orbet You were following up on one of their question on one of your post.  

[Orbet]

1 hour ago, Orbet said:

@altostrata 

I was hospitalized for bad suicidal thoughts.  I had three hospitalizations this spring, one in April, a second in early May and a third in the last week of May.  I didn’t think the seroquel cut had much effect at the time, but I’ve learned from this site that it can take some time for wd to manifest.  I took klonopin during my second hospitalization in early May and then for a week afterward.  All I can remember for sure is that I was relatively ok for a week or so when on the klonopin and 200 mg Seroquel, both of which stopped at about the same time.  It’s hard for me to keep track of the chronology.  But, I became suicidal and went in the hospital for the third time.

 

The digestive issues started with constipation and difficulty urinating about the time I increased seroquel to 200 mg in early April.  Since getting out of the hospital on May 31, I’ve had problems with gas and diarrhea plus uncomfortable urination, though not usually that bad.

 

The anxiety is a disorienting kind that usually manifests most in the daytime, especially the afternoons.  It usually seems to let up a little bit after supper.

@Altostrata

[Orbet]

@Colonial

Thanks for sharing those interactions.  I foolishly thought hydroxyzine was pretty harmless.  It doesn’t seem to do much for me, but I get anxious if I don’t take it.  Could that be psychological?  Getting anxious about getting anxious?

[Orbet]

On 6/29/2021 at 7:07 PM, Orbet said:

I guess my first question is, should I cut seroquel to 50 mg as my doctor has done?  I’ve got a month’s worth of 100 mg pills, and I think he called in 50 mg.  In May I cut seroquel from 200 to 100 mg on his advice.  It didn’t seem to bother me much, but nevertheless I ended up in the hospital for the third time in late May when I became very suicidal. 

 

When I was in the hospital I was tried on vraylar and haldol, both of which seemed to cause great agitation.  The suicidality abated, though, and was replaced by bad anhedonia and avolition, along with continued anxiety and digestive trouble, difficulty peeing etc.  I basically don’t do anything anymore.  It seems like the anhedonia has improved slightly.  I actually laughed a tiny bit last night, but I still can’t cry or feel much of anything except anxiety and fear.  I’m also plagued by ear worms and memories from the past that keep taking over my train of thought.  

I feel like I must do something to try to break out of this so I can get back to work, at least.  Should I go ahead and start tapering seroquel or should I hold it for a while even though I feel terrible.

 

1 hour ago, Orbet said:

@altostrata

@Shep

 

Please forgive me if I’m bothering or annoying you.  I don’t mean to.  I feel like I’ve been butchered by psych meds. I got out the first time with basically nothing but my life in 2011-12.  I swore they’d never get their hooks in me again, but they did when anxiety about the covid epidemic landed me in the hospital in March of 2020.  After failing on latuda I was on sertraline until I thought I was getting serotonin syndrome and stopped.  I was kept on Trazodone and Seroquel continuing through the present.  I have to believe that I can get out of this one more time.  Do you think I can or is it hopeless? How did I end up with this terrible anhedonia and avolition?  Could all the hydroxyzine I’ve been taking be contributing?  I only took 100 mg today. Should I take the other 100 I usually take? 

@Altostrata

@Shep

[Altostrata]

17 minutes ago, Orbet said:

 I took klonopin during my second hospitalization in early May and then for a week afterward.  All I can remember for sure is that I was relatively ok for a week or so when on the klonopin and 200 mg Seroquel, both of which stopped at about the same time.

 

After they were stopped, is this when you started having suicidal thoughts? Did you have any odd physical symptoms as well?

 

How do you feel before and after you take hydoxyzine? 

 

What is your sleep pattern like now?

 

Please continue to post daily notes, 24 hours at a time. Be sure to include how you feel before and after you take any of your drugs.

 

 

[Orbet]

@Altostrata

I had suicidal thoughts before each hospitalization, and definitely after stopping Klonopin and reducing Seroquel in May.  I don’t remember having too many physical symptoms, just being surprised I was able to sleep.  I was only on klonopin for about 10 days and only on 200 mg seroquel for a little over a month.  This past month, my sleep pattern has stayed pretty consistent.  I don’t feel tired at night and can’t sleep during the day, but I turn out the light at about 12:30 and usually get about 6 broken hours of sleep with dreams.  It really scares me that even taking trazodone, seroquel and Benadryl, I don’t feel all that sleepy.  I just lay down and stay there until I fall asleep at some point.

 

I feel anxiety before and after taking hydroxyzine.  If I don’t take it I feel anxiety that I guess is psychological, being anxious about being anxious.

 

Thank you so much for everything you do.  It means a lot to me.  I worry that it’s too late for me and I can’t be helped, but I have to try one more time, and I believe I can recover and get off these drugs.  I’m just worried that this anhedonia is permanent and I’ll never get back to something resembling normal.

[manymoretodays]

Hi Orbet,

You'll get back from anhedonia.  See it, believe it......that will help.  I used and still use a lot of imagery or imagining how it will be, in a positive way.  You want normal???!!!!  Forget that concept.  Thank goodness for the varying nature of humanity.  I know what you mean, something like a before, that you now imagine was really great, and it was, better than this.

 

Okay, on the notes, that Alto would love to see, and they can help guide in suggestions.

This is how they should look, and a bit more about them.

You can post a full 24 hours at a time, or 2 or 3 days worth when you have them done.

Keep notes on paper about your daily symptom pattern and drug dosing

 

Are your symptoms worse at any particular times of day? A symptom pattern that occurs regularly over several days could mean the symptoms are from withdrawal, other adverse effects of drugs, or something else you do on a daily schedule.

 

In the course of discussion in your Introductions forum topic, you may be asked to keep notes on paper of your daily symptom pattern, including when you take your drugs, their dosages, and any symptoms. We ask this because there may be something we can do to reduce the symptoms.

 

What we need to see for every single day over several days is what symptoms you get before and after you take your drugs. If you're not taking any drugs and have withdrawal symptoms, we still need to see your symptom pattern throughout the day:

 

The time of day, dosage, and severity of symptoms are essential information. Include

 

- Time and dosage for all drugs taken throughout the day, psychiatric and non-psychiatric.

- Following each dose, note any symptoms. If you are having a reaction to the drug, it may take hours for a symptom to show up -- that's why we ask you to keep notes all day long.

- If you're not taking any drugs, your symptoms throughout the day.

- Your sleep pattern. Since so many drugs disturb sleep, if you find you're waking in the middle of the night, it could be from a drug you took earlier in the evening. If you're not taking any drugs, there may be ways you can improve your sleep.

And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, looking something like this:
 

Example:

DATE:

 

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

 

An appointments diary is perfect for this and can be bought at stationery stores. They have a page for each day with times for appointments which can be filled in with doses, symptoms etc as shown above. Or, you can copy and paste from a cell phone app -- but make sure the result is easily readable.

 

Please do not use spreadsheets, they are difficult to read online and some of us don't have Microsoft Excel to look at them.  You may link to a Google Doc or spreadsheet if you wish.

Look at it like a brain game, focus activity, and you can do it.  Put everything down, including supplements if you take them.  Some will rate things like anhedonia, or anxiety on a 1- 10 scale.  Just let us know if what each end of the scale stands for, like worst anxiety is 10, or worst anxiety is 1.  Anyway, keep that part simple.

Get the time on the left, and then make sure you name the substance/drug/supplement and note the dose on the right, along with symptoms throughout a 24 hour period.

 

Fear of the fear, or fear of anxiety........that's fairly common with neuroemotions.

You might benefit from reading through this too, and then applying it:  Emotional Spirals

Much more too, in the symptoms and self care forum, that you might like, so spend some time going through some of the top pinned topics there.

Simple things like breathwork, breathing, EFT- or the emotional freedom technique or tapping.  Ice to your face.  So many simple, and easy non drug things for you to learn now, to help cope.

 

This all will take time.  But like I say, if you can start to imagine a brighter future, and lighten up about it all once in a while too.......oh my gosh, laughter is really healing for me.  Sing, gargle, whatever you fancy the most.......as far as funny little polyvagal relief measures WILL help.

 

And okay, best from me.  Do some notes though, like the sample one.  Get one of those posted before you @  the forum founder, our dear Alto.  You won't have to do them forever, it's just that they speak volumes, and really, really help to guide us, in figuring out what might be doing what, and what to suggest.  NOTES!

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays(mmt)

 

Edited July 2, 2021 by manymoretodays

[Orbet]

@manymoretodays

Thank you, I’m trying to do the diaries the next day.  I have to beat this anhedonia thing.  It’s seemed to get slightly better over the last month.  I’ve laughed or at least found things funny a few times, and I still love my family and especially my kids.  I just can’t cry or feel motivated to do much of anything.  Do you think it will get better with time, and could tapering actually make it worse?  I hope you don’t mind me asking these things.

[manymoretodays]

It will get better. 

Let us get a better grip on your current drugs, and then help guide you in what to taper first. 

No, a taper won't make you worse. 

Let's just work on getting your drug combo now safer, and more harm free too.

 

Buckle up though, none of this healing happens overnight.  It really helped me to hear that in the beginning.

I thought oh, a couple more weeks.  It takes time.  And I'm overall happier I got serious, AND more informed/empowered and kept at it.

Learned some valuable skills and have met some amazing people too.

 

Holding your hand.  Giving it a squeeze.

 

[Shep]

11 hours ago, Orbet said:

 Could that be psychological?  Getting anxious about getting anxious?

 

Sounds like it's time to work on some non-drug coping skills. 

 

Dr. Claire Weekes comes highly recommended for helping people learn how to manage and cope with anxiety. 

 

Dr. Claire Weekes - How To Recover (part 1)

 

She has several videos in this series. Please have a listen as you're able. 

 

And this is a great short video on acceptance without adding "second fear":

 

Dr. Claire Weekes: How to accept the physical symptoms of nervous illness video (1.5 minutes)

 

 

This is a great article on "second fear":

 

The Anxiety Monster Feeds on Second Fear

 

It's okay to be anxious. Some of the anxiety is chemical - a side effect of the drugs and / or withdrawal from previous drug and drug changes. But still, it's okay to be anxious in the body, just don't attach your thoughts to the physical symptoms of anxiety. This is what creates the "getting anxious about getting anxious," as you note.

 

 Learning to float through anxious symptoms is important. Try this a few times a day, especially before eating and before going to bed:

 

The Breathing Space by Jon Kabat Zinn video (4 minutes)

 

If you're too anxious to sit quietly for such a video, try going for a walk outside in nature, if possible, and as you're moving, focus on your breath, letting go of anxious thoughts like clouds passing by overhead. Take out your cell phone and take pictures of trees, birds, or anything that catches your eye. 

 

Focus on the beauty in the world, even if only for a second. Then two seconds. Build up slowly until YOU are in control of where your thoughts go. 

 

If you can master this during withdrawal, you'll be a pro at handling stress after you're off the drugs and into the healing spaces. 

 

16 hours ago, Orbet said:

6:00 took hydroxyzine 100 mg

7-12:00 am eat, shower 

12:00 took seroquel 100 mg, trazodone 150 mg, Benadryl 50 mg, go to bed at 12:30

 

anhedonia and avolition all day, anxiety decreased after supper, felt a little better before bed.

 

@Orbet Is dinner the only time of the day you eat? Also, you mention feeling better before bed. Do you feel better before or after you take the seroquel, trazodone, and Benadryl? 

 

The reason I ask is because you may be getting a paradoxical reaction from taking so many sedating drugs. The more your dampen down the nervous system with sedating drugs, the more it fights to stay alert. As you continue to post your daily journal, we can help you set up a game plan for coming off. As @manymoretodayssaid, we want to help you get your drug combo safer. 

 

But do check out the links to the non-drug coping strategies. They will help a lot. 

 

[Orbet]

@Shep

 

July 1 2021

 

11:00 am:  get up, felt anxious but not as bad as it can be, took hydroxyzine 100 mg

1:00 pm:   Lay down in bed, didn’t sleep but just lay there

4:00 pm:  Got up, pulled trash cans to the curb

6:00 pm:  Ate supper

8:00 pm:  took hydroxyzine 100 mg, took a shower

9-12: am:  felt a little better

12:00 am:  took seroquel 100 mg, trazodone 150 mg, Benadryl 50 mg, went to bed.

 

The anhedonia seemed to lessen throughout the day, still can’t cry or feel full range of emotions, motivation still very low.  It feels like I’m so close but so far away, like there’s a membrane between me and my emotions that I can push against but just can’t penetrate.

 

I’ve been basically eating one meal a day at supper since my last hospitalization, whereas I used to frequently have a sandwich for lunch.  My appetite seems cyclical.  I usually feel a little better between supper and bedtime.  I usually feel a little sleepy after taking meds at 12:00 am.  

 

Thank you for kindly sharing those resources with me.  I so appreciate it and everything you do.

Edited July 2, 2021 by manymoretodays
none

[Orbet]

@manymoretodays

 

Thank you so much.  I posted my little diary from yesterday.  I’m very concerned about my drug load and really want to get rid of hydroxyzine and Benadryl.  I think I’m too loaded up with antihistamines and worried what will happen if I stop using them.  @Shepsuggested that I may be having some paradoxical effects, and I’m very curious about that.

  

[manymoretodays]

And okay.  Nice format.  Nice job!  Good focus.

15 minutes ago, Orbet said:

July 1 2021

 

11:00 am:  get up, felt anxious but not as bad as it can be, took hydroxyzine 100 mg

1:00 pm:   Lay down in bed, didn’t sleep but just lay there

4:00 pm:  Got up, pulled trash cans to the curb

6:00 pm:  Ate supper

8:00 pm:  took hydroxyzine 100 mg, took a shower

9-12: am:  felt a little better

12:00 am:  took seroquel 100 mg, trazodone 150 mg, Benadryl 50 mg, went to bed.

 

 

Post today's tomorrow.  And try and get some food in, other than just the one big feed at 6 pm.  Do some healthy grazing, protein, or fresh veggies, during your more awake hours.  You are getting sleep so that's good.

Let's at least see another day or two.

And then retrospectively, go ahead and note something about your sleep in the more concise form of notes.  Like how long until you slept?  If any high anxiety night awakenings........stuff like that.

 

You've seen the main antihistamine thread?  If not, here it is:   Antihistamines for withdrawal insomnia(diphenhydamine, doxlamine, hydroxzine)

Well worth a read through that topic in it's entirety.

 

Usually, members do okay with a greater reduction than 10%, but still a bit of a taper by 1/4 doses at a time.  And with the hydroxyzine you'd be taking the 25% off of the total daily dose, or each dose.......mathmatically it comes out the same.  So a possible plan, based on a couple days notes, might be to either go with hydroxyzine 75 mg at 11 am and hydroxyzine 75 mg at 8 pm.  Or  a Benadryl decrease to 37.5 mg.  Making just one change at a time.  And then if tolerated after a couple days, going down another 25% on one or the other.

 

How long have you been on the Benadryl?

How long have you been on the hydroxyzine?

 

 

And then I can confer too.  If need be.    However,  a good part of the way I like to mod, is to empower you to make the best decisions too, as you know yourself better than any of us. 

 

I do want to help you avoid any more ER visits or Hospital stays though.  And hey, I did the hospital 5 times myself in my psychiatric patient career, as I call it.  It's nothing to be ashamed of.  Been there, done that.......went on a voluntary basis, when I just couldn't take it on my own anymore........all the emotional distress, and disorganized thoughts, and all.  Almost 7 years now since the last visit to the hospital for me.  Any honestly, they came about from adverse effects of medication, and/or WD symptoms, and/or bouncing around on their drugs so ignoramously prescribed.  Just like you.    There was nothing inherently wrong with me......way back when.........no reason for the diagnonsense.  And if only........if someday........we look toward a healing society that takes time to listen and comfort, and understand  our respective traumas.......well...........wouldn't that be grand!

 

I appreciate Sheps more specific suggests too, with links.  While lying there today, if that is the case, today, do a bit of surfing, and watching and/or reading the links.  Put on something positive to listen to.......if you want, kind of directed meditation if you will.  I like Mooji (as does Shep) and I live some of Wayne Dyers stuff too.  Both easily found on youtube, audio and/or video stuff to take your mind off your mind.

Poke your head and body outside too.....I don't know what your living situation is but find a tree to hug, or some grass to lay in and just observe.  Snap pictures with your phone too......helps one focus on what is......right now.......and may your gratitude and further blessings so to speak just continue to come to your attention.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

[Orbet]

@manymoretodays

 

Thanks, I really want to stay away from the hospital from here on out.  I was in three times this spring and three times last year.  I’ve been in so much that I came to enjoy the food!  Yikes!  

 

I don’t know how exactly to reduce the hydroxyzine as I have it in 100 mg capsules.  For the Benadryl, I can cut a 25mg tablet in two to get a 25% reduction.  I think I may do that tonight unless it’s too soon to taper anything.  

[Shep]

19 hours ago, Orbet said:

I’ve been basically eating one meal a day at supper since my last hospitalization, whereas I used to frequently have a sandwich for lunch.  My appetite seems cyclical.  I usually feel a little better between supper and bedtime.  I usually feel a little sleepy after taking meds at 12:00 am.  

 

I would try to get in 4 small meals a day. The reason I mention this is because it looks like you feel better after you eat, so some of your symptoms are likely the result of low blood sugar. 

 

Please note many people going through withdrawal experience drops in blood sugar. The symptoms of low blood sugar include many of the same symptoms of withdrawal - fatigue and weakness, gloomy mood or irritability, anxiety, etc. So you may want to google information on going on a low blood sugar diet. This diet includes several small meals and snacks throughout the day meant to stabilize your blood sugar. The diet is very low in sugar and carbs and high in protein. I'll start your research off with a couple of links:

 

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) diet

 

Suggested meal plan - hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) diet

 

Diet is extremely important right now while your nervous system is so destabilized. Also make sure you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Dehydration is more common in folks who are skipping meals and dehydration can also cause many of the same symptoms of withdrawal. 

 

 

15 hours ago, Orbet said:

I don’t know how exactly to reduce the hydroxyzine as I have it in 100 mg capsules.  For the Benadryl, I can cut a 25mg tablet in two to get a 25% reduction.  I think I may do that tonight unless it’s too soon to taper anything.  

 

Please see Manymoretodays' post, especially this part:

 

18 hours ago, manymoretodays said:

So a possible plan, based on a couple days notes, might be to either go with hydroxyzine 75 mg at 11 am and hydroxyzine 75 mg at 8 pm.  Or  a Benadryl decrease to 37.5 mg.  Making just one change at a time.  And then if tolerated after a couple days, going down another 25% on one or the other.

 

It will help to know more about your sleep pattern. How many hours of sleep are you getting each night? Are you napping during the day? If so, for how long? 

 

The goal is to remove enough of the sedating drugs at night to reduce the likelihood of any paradoxical reactions and the remove enough of the sedating drugs during the day to reduce the over-drugged fatigue you're getting. The more you can tell us about your daily the sleep patter, the more we can guide you in this.

 

Please don't start tapering until we set up a game plan for you. You may find it helpful to work on your diet and non-drug coping skills first for a few days so you have a better and more solid baseline to start out with before you taper. 

[Orbet]

@Shep

Thank you so much.  I’ve been wondering about low blood sugar.  I’ll try to eat more frequently.  I’ve also had hyponatremia in the past.  I wonder how much of this is due to basically swimming in antihistamines.  Can I go ahead and try to reduce Benadryl and hydroxyzine before the seroquel and trazodone?

 

I typically don’t feel very tired at bedtime.  I just take my pills, read a little bit and then lie down and stay there until I fall asleep, so I think I’m getting six or seven hours of sleep and then staying in bed until around 11 or noon.  It’s ridiculous that I’m so lazy.   In the mornings I have anxiety and it’s usually worse in the afternoon hours.  I’ll do my little diary for yesterday later on.

[Greatful]

@OrbetI am glad to see you are feeling more positive.  Things are going to get better and better.  

 

Talk soon

[Colonial]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:38 PM, Orbet said:

 It doesn’t seem to do much for me, but I get anxious if I don’t take it.  Could that be psychological?  Getting anxious about getting anxious?

 

Part of the WD episodes are that we tend to worry about anything.

Our body is in fight or flight with raised adrenaline, so it's looking for an enemy to fight, so to speak.

Even the seemingly silliest things, and then we can worry about why we are worrying about worrying.

 

Reading more through your story You seem to be having a very typical reaction to WD and maybe poly drugging interactions.

For what ever my non medical opinion is worth, I don't think Your issue is vaccine related.

 (Although You haven't put in Your timeline if You had symptoms or changes in meds before Your shots or not.)

 

Could the vaccines have given you some anxiety?  Maybe. But it very well may be that You were already suffering from drug changes from 2020.

The mods can help You set up a good game plan based on Your symptom notes and drug schedules.

 

But Your question is a good one to think about:

 "It doesn’t seem to do much for me, but I get anxious if I don’t take it."

Knowing if not taking it is making You anxious because it was helping or if Your just worrying about missing a dose and that is creating the anxiety.

 

The mods can help You decipher better that answer, and the links Shep gave You on non drug techniques are very good.

I just did remember we have had Benadryl cause paradoxical reactions for some, and it does have interaction warning for all 3 of Your meds.

2 hours ago, Orbet said:

 Can I go ahead and try to reduce Benadryl and hydroxyzine before the seroquel and trazodone?

 

The mods will help You formulate a "ONE drug reduction at a time", and what percentage.

Otherwise if You feel worse it is hard to decipher what the issue is.

 

Feel better soon.

 

[Orbet]

July 2

 

11:00 am. Got up, felt anxious, took hydroxyzine 100 mg

2:00 to 4:30. Lay down, didn’t sleep.

6:00 pm. Took hydroxyzine 100 mg, ate supper.

8:00 took a shower,  felt a bit better but still anxious 

12:00 took seroquel 100 mg, trazodone 150 mg, Benadryl 50 mg,  laid in bed until 1:30 am, fell asleep at some point after that.

[Orbet]

@Greatful

@Colonial

 

Thank you both for writing, I’m not having too good of a day.  Anxiety and general weakness bothering me, plus the anhedonia persists. Do you guys or the mods think I’m going through withdrawals?  Maybe from cutting seroquel to 100 mg or because I quit smoking weed?  Could it be because I was tried on latuda, then vraylar, haldol, latuda again and Prozac for a few days?  

I wish I could rule out the vaccine in my mind.  The thought that I might be permanently damaged is horrifying.  But, surely, all these drugs must also have an effect?

 

 I’m a bit ocd so I seek reassurance.  Please overlook it if I’m bothering you.  I just need help getting my thinking straight.

[Greatful]

@Orbet  I know how hard it is to not worry when you feel so many symptoms all the time.  I don't know if anyone can answer what is causing what when you have so many variables.  I wonder what is causing what with me and my husband tells me does it matter.  I guess the symptoms and everything else are going to still be there regardless.  Can you distract yourself?  Tell yourself I made it another day closer to being healed today.  Hug your kids.🤗 

[Orbet]

@Greatful

 

Unfortunately my kids live in a different state, but I would hug them if I could.  I’ll try to distract myself, mainly by reading through other people’s experiences on here.  I don’t understand how some of these drugs are even legal.  They ought to be banned.

[Colonial]

 

38 minutes ago, Orbet said:

I wish I could rule out the vaccine in my mind.  The thought that I might be permanently damaged is horrifying.  But, surely, all these drugs must also have an effect?

 

 

To be honest Your asking great questions but there are gaps in your timeline that could use filling in, especially if your concerned about the vaccine.

 

"2020 sertaline for a few months, tried latuda for about a week, ct sertaline over concerns about serotonin syndrome"

 

To be honest, that is the very recent past in the world of wd syndrome.

This alone is enough to have given you an uptick in your anxiety this spring.

Doctors simply aren't educated enough to know how long a cold turkey can cause symptoms.

However it appears You were on other drugs at the time so it is difficult to know.

Also, the pandemic has led to prolonged anxiety for everyone.

 

While the info in Your signature line is helpful, with dates it may be more helpful, along with answers on the Benadryl and weed. 

Is it possible to fill in your signature a bit more with dates as close as you can remember them??

 

1. What 2 months in 2020 did you take sertaline, and the dose.

2. When did you originally start the seroquel 100 and trazodone?  ( It seems you were on these prior to beginning sertaline to be worried about serotonin syndrome?

3. What date in April they were increased.

4. The dates of Your 2 vaccine shots (if you want to see how they may or may not play into this for your own peace of mind.)

5. When the: Doctor cut seroquel from 200 mg to 100 mg

6. When: trazodone raised from 100 mg to 150 mg

7. When: tried on vraylar, 2 days, haldol, 3 days, sent home, took latuda a couple of days, put on Prozac but stopped after two days due to heightened anxiety.

8. When You started the Benedryl and why are you taking it.

9. When You stopped the weed and how long and how often you were using it. This alone can cause symptoms confused as other things.

 

While it was, at least to Me, refreshing to hear that a doctor is willing to admit medical treatments can be the cause of harm, I don't think His taking up most of your appointment blaming the vaccine for Your symptom uptick to have been helpful, unless You were in between shot 1 and 2 but I don't think that was the case.  And I'm also not sure why Your afraid the vaccine damage would be permanent and not temporary. Hopefully He will be just as open minded to learning the same about the meds He prescribes. 

 

 

   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Colonial

[Orbet]

@Colonial

 

Thanks, I’ll try to revisit my signature to see if I can add some more information.  I really appreciate your reassurance on the vaccine issue.  

 

Some of this stuff I just don’t remember.  I know the cut in seroquel was in mid May, but I can’t remember the day.  I was smoking weed for a long time with some breaks when I had my last smoke in early May.  Trazodone was also raised to 150 about that time.  I really don’t know the dates of the sertraline, I just remember coming off it with little trouble except a few brain zaps, not nearly as bad as when I quit Effexor in 2008 or so.  I had totally forgotten the sertraline.  The last time I picked it up was 7/25/20.  I still have the bottle.

[Colonial]

3 minutes ago, Orbet said:

 I had totally forgotten the sertraline.  The last time I picked it up was 7/25/20.  I still have the bottle.

 

That's great to help narrow things down.

So your increase in anxiety began "around" the 8-9 month post cold turkey.

That seems to fit in to a lot of other people's experiences.

Just fill in the best You can with your vaccine dates.

 

[Orbet]

@Colonial

 

March 26 was the first shot, then May 5 was the second.  The doctor did say that he didn’t think the effects would be permanent if that’s what it is.  I don’t know what his basis is for saying that.  The more I ponder my history, the more dismayed I get.  I’m probably lucky to be doing as well as I am.  I can only give myself a little longer before I have to find another job.  That’s stressing me out too.  I feel like the anxiety has been worse today, I’m just hoping it eases up now that I’ve eaten.

[Altostrata]

@Orbet please continue to post daily notes, and indicate the time when the anxiety is at its worst.

 

If you occasionally drink alcohol, that could upset your nervous system. Please avoid alcohol for the time being.

[Orbet]

@Altostrata

 

Thanks.  I haven’t drank in years.  Having a hard time with the anxiety today. It seems to flare up when I eat and then decrease over the subsequent hours.  I’m hoping that will be the case tonight.  I haven’t yet reduced any of my current drugs.

[Altostrata]

You might keep notes of what you're eating. Some people develop sensitivities to certain foods, such as anything aged or preserved (lunch meat, cheeses), coffee, tomatoes. You might avoid these for a while. See 

 

Eating as an activating factor

 

Elimination or exclusion diets for reactions to food (food intolerance)

 

Histamine intolerance

[Shep]

12 hours ago, Orbet said:

It seems to flare up when I eat and then decrease over the subsequent hours.

 

Orbet, Alto's idea of writing down what you eat is a good one. What you're describing could be reactive hypoglycemia. Since you've been eating only one meal a day, it's possible that you're overloading your system with a larger meal than it can handle after a 24 hour fast, this is especially true if your one meal a day consists of too many high glycemic carbs and or contains sugar. 

 

Just a thought. The less you tax your nervous system, the more relaxed you'll be and the better your sleep will become. Try the low blood sugar diet for a few days and let us know how you feel. Several small meals and snacks throughout the day, protein with low carbs and sugar, and plenty of water. 

[Orbet]

@Shep

 

Thanks, Shep,  that’s a very interesting idea.  I’ll try to eat more often.  I’ve been feeling weak in my body and having that think where you stand up and you get dizzy due to the sudden blood pressure change.  Same morning/afternoon anxiety and same anhedonia throughout the day.  I’m hoping I can break myself of the habit of going back to bed and just laying there in the afternoons this week.  I’ll see what I can do to change my eating habits.  I don’t typically eat too many carbs or sugars, but I’m somewhat limited to eating whatever we happen to have and have basically no volition to do anything about it.

[Orbet]

July 3 2021

 

11:00 am. Got up, took hydroxyzine 100 mg

felt seemingly increased anxiety 

2:00-4:30.  Laid down, still felt increased anxiety, got up, ate a snack

6:00 ate supper

7:00 took hydroxyzine 100 mg

8:00-12:00 felt slightly less anxiety, took a shower

12:00 am. Took seroquel 100 mg, trazodone 150 mg, Benadryl 50 mg,Went to bed, read for a few minutes, fell asleep sometime after 1:30 am.

 

Really bothered by feelings of weakness all day plus anhedonia/avolition.  It just continues and doesn’t seem like it will ever go away.  I feel like the daily anxiety is chemical in origin.  I’m still worried that the vaccine started all this or that I took too many drugs in rapid succession and permanently damaged my brain.  I just want to quit my drugs and see what happens.  I don’t know what I have to do to recover from this.  I’m not very suicidal, though, so that’s good.

 

[Altostrata]

Is supper your only meal?

 

I must ask you to eat some protein and complex carbohydrate every morning. It's very possible your symptom pattern is due to your eating habits, particularly the weakness and listlessness, because of poor nutrition. Low blood sugar can cause the release of adrenaline, which can cause sensations of anxiety. If you are reacting to foods, you should limit yourself to the foods in the exclusion diet for a while.

 

Please post daily notes 24 hours at a time, not 12 hours at a time.

[Greatful]

@Orbet Hi Happy 4th.  I get weakness in my arms and legs.  These WD symptoms are really crazy. 

No your brain is not damaged.  It must be a WD symptom.  I have been trying to convince another member the same thing.  I know how easy it is to go down that rabbit hole when our brains are not thinking clearly.  

 

Do you get outside at all?  Go for a slow walk.  Do you have a friend in the area that you can talk to?  

Try to find little things to distract you so you don't spend so much ruminating.

Be kind to yourself😊

 

[Orbet]

@Altostrata

I’ll try.  I’ve only been doing the one meal a day think since I got out of the hospital on 5/31.  I’ve had appetite problems since last April, but typically ate at least two meals a day prior to this last hospitalization.  Then, when I got out, I gradually gained hunger centered around that one meal a day, though lately I’ve also been snacking.  Keep in mind, I’ve gone through several periods in my life of only eating once a day.  So, it didn’t strike me as being too significant, but I guess that was wrong.

[Shep]

22 hours ago, Orbet said:

I’m hoping I can break myself of the habit of going back to bed and just laying there in the afternoons this week.

 

17 hours ago, Orbet said:

Really bothered by feelings of weakness all day plus anhedonia/avolition.  It just continues and doesn’t seem like it will ever go away.  I feel like the daily anxiety is chemical in origin.  I’m still worried that the vaccine started all this or that I took too many drugs in rapid succession and permanently damaged my brain.

 

17 hours ago, Orbet said:

11:00 am. Got up, took hydroxyzine 100 mg

felt seemingly increased anxiety 

2:00-4:30.  Laid down, still felt increased anxiety, got up, ate a snack

 

Just a thought, Orbet. Once you get your diet straightened out and you have a solid baseline of symptoms before starting to taper, you may want to reduce your morning hydroxyzine first. 

 

From your symptom pattern so far, you're getting out of bed and taking a rather sizable dose of a sedating drug on an empty stomach, which is making you tired and anxious. 

 

Eating something healthy with protein, such as eggs, first thing in the morning and then reducing he sedating drug you take at 11 AM will likely help you feel more energetic and able to stay out of bed all day. 

 

I don't think you're dealing with the vaccine side effects or even the "too many drugs in rapid succession" but rather,  drugging yourself silly all day on an empty stomach. That's not permanent damage. Quit telling yourself that!