LotusRising: Buspar, Ativan

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

Do you think your ear pain is wd related or the start of an infection? I'd keep an eye on it.

 

Sorry you are mopey, but everyone is allowed to have feelings. You have been so good about being upbeat that it's ok.

 

Glad you got out for a walk. The dog sitting... She's always been a really good dog but for some reason this time all she has done in whine and cry. I hope they pick her up today. I think my dog is ready for her to go home too lol... 

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

I think the ear pain and pressure are definitely wd related. I’m also getting full body pain that comes and goes. My ears have been ringing way more and my neck/shoulders/jaw area have been very tight and sore too, so it all seems related. I dropped one dose instead of two yesterday, to see if it helps me today. I’m really hoping it will pass. 
 

Sounds like your dog needs a break …

 

 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

That is all very common, but sorry you are going through it. Hopefully it will let up soon.

 

Yeah, I think my dog needs her space lol...

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

I sure hope so! My kids have the whole week off of school, so I’m hoping to feel better soon and it’s -24 here, so the kids will be mostly inside! Pain and pressure started up

again though so we will see how it goes …
 

If this is a common symptom, does it make any sense to slow it down at all?

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

I am day 4 with head and ear pressure. It seems to subside during the night, only to return in the morning and lasting all day. Also, lots of tinnitus. 

Did you have this during your taper?

 

As much as I don’t want to slow things down, I’m wondering if I should?

 

I am still reacting occasionally to my doses, but not as frequently. 
 

Ughh, what should I do? I have been feeling really depressed with this new symptom, as it is quite unrelenting. 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I had head pressure and once in a while I tinnitus. I don't remember having ear pressure.

 

You could try and hold a couple of days and see if it resolves.

 

I hope you feel better very soon.

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Do you recall if you had head pressure for a lengthy period of time? I’ve read stories, I know I shouldn’t, of people having it for months 😟

 

I know I should just take one day at time …

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I don't remember exactly how long I had it. I just remember I had it for a while.

 

I hope your's goes away for you soon.

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

Just checking on you

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Not doing that great today. Had a short reprieve from ear/neck pressure this morning. Then I got major neck tightening/ear pain an hour and half after taking my dose. I don’t know if it’s too much drug or too little drug at this point. I had previously been reducing two doses a day up until a couple days ago. I though if I slowed it down the ear pressure would improve. 
 

Feb 23 only dropped one dose, Feb 24 dropped two, today, only one so far. 
 

Any thoughts? I have needed to take ibuprofen and Tylenol every day for the pain in my ears, which I hate to do, but it’s the only thing giving me a reprieve. 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

Maybe hold off tapering any dose for a couple days and see if you see any improvement.

 

If you do, then I would only decrease one dose one day, wait a day and try another.

 

It's ok to take ibuprofen for pain. Just don't overuse it too much.

 

Hopefully that will help.

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Ok, I’ll try that. 
 

I hope it helps. My fear is that my body will start reacting again to the medication. It seems my head is the new “area” it is targeting. 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

Let’s hope it calms down and doesn’t target another area😊

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

Hopefully you are doing better today.

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

I think the neck and head are definitely the new areas. I still have ear/head pressure today, but it has lessened to a certain extent and is gone for very short amounts of time. My neck is tightening and pressure getting worse in ears when my medication peaks, so it seems I am still reacting. This lasts for about 1-2hrs. The same thing happened with my 2200 dose last night - woke at 0145 with neck tightening and ear pressure. I don't even know what to do. I'm feeling really defeated and depressed as it feels like I am having almost constant symptoms at this point. Having a hard time getting positive and even leaving my bed today. I had thought that the abdominal tightening must finally be the last part of my body, but I guess it isn't. 

 

If I am still reacting, should I be starting to taper slowly again?

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I am really sorry that your body is being attacked in another area. Have you tried heat or cold on your neck?

 

I do know that @Moonpie has a lot of neck problems after tapering off of Lexapro. You might reach out to her and maybe you could exchange ideas. I told her the same thing, magnesium, hot/cold packs and ibuprofen. I know she has gone to the chiropractor also.

 

If you think you feel like slowing down a few days and see if they symptoms calm down, then my all means do that. You have to listen to your body. I wouldn't taper at all for 3 or 4 days and see if they subside at all.

 

How does that sound to you?

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Yes, I take magnesium and I’ve tried both heat and ice. I had a massage yesterday, but feel like any relief I had has already been reversed by the tightening. 
 

I’m not really sure what to do about the tapering. I’m afraid if I don’t taper, the tightening with doses will only get worse. And if I do taper, the ear and head pressure will get worse. I’m at a real loss. 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I would hold at least one day and see if that helps.

 

Then maybe you should concentrate of the one dose that seems to cause the most problem for you and try and get rid of it first.

 

Go ahead and take some ibuprofen, hopefully that will help with the pressure.

 

 

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Yes, I think holding is my only option 😢

 

If I push forward, the pressure and tinnitus will undoubtedly get worse. The pressure is also increasing in my ears and neck as I approach my next dose and for a while after I take it, so this tells me that my body needs to take a break. I sure wish I didn't react.

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I wish you didn't have the reaction you are currently having either. It just doesn't sound like anything that is controlable even with messages, although that would be nice to have.

 

Hold a day or two and see how you are feeling.

 

Please keep me posted. Take care.

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

How are you today?

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

I'm feeling somewhat the same. The ear pressure diminished a bit throughout the day, but I still have ongoing ear pain with a low level pressure in both. Full body pain today as well, along with pelvic pain, which I think is a dose-related reaction, though I'm not totally sure. The ear pain and pressure remains concerning for me, but the pressure seems to be alleviated somewhat when my dose kicks in, whereas before it was pretty constant throughout the day. I'm assuming this means that my body is slowly adjusting to the dose it's at - hoping this means improvement. I'm not sure what to do about the ear pain, other than to continue taking Tylenol or ibuprofen when it gets bad, usually at night. I don't think it's an infection, but I'm also afraid to go to the doctor about it because I think they'd just prescribe antibiotics and I'm afraid what that will do to my body. 

 

I held doses for the second day today. I'll wait and see how I'm feeling tomorrow before I make any changes. I don't believe I reacted with my 2200 dose, so that's a positive, but I am otherwise still feeling very low mood.

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I'm really sorry you are having all of this going on. I was so hoping a day or so might relieve the symptoms. 

 

If you don't think it is an infection I wouldn't visit the dr either. I waited over a week being sick and was forced to go. But your's sounds more medication related than being sick. You don't have a fever do you? 

 

I'd continue taking the tylenol and ibuprofen and hopefully in the next day or so you'll feel better.

 

I just wanted you to know I was thinking of you.

 

Keep your chin up. Look how much closer you are to being done!

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Thanks frogie   It's nice to know someone is thinking about me that has gone through the process. I've felt super alone over the past week. When I talk to my husband or a friend about the symptoms, they are supportive, but just don't "get it".

 

Yep, I will continue with the painkillers for now - trying not to be too hard on myself about this, but when night time comes, the relief is needed. No, I don't have a fever. And I believe the body aches are a withdrawal symptom, as I've had them before, so I think unrelated to the ear pain. 

 

Yes, I'm more than halfway! Trying to keep it in perspective all the time - such a drag to take a break from tapering, feels like a setback, but my body has very clearly told me to take a break.

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I found that too. My hubby and friend were supportive but they really didn't understand what I was going through.

 

If your ear doesn't clear up, you might have it checked just to be sure it's not infected. My gf that has cancer had fluid on her ear and they said it was allergies, to take a benadryl. You might try a children's dose and see if that might help clear it up. Or try some warm mineral oil in your ear, that may help. But I saw on a post you made you were thinking brain. I can almost assure you it's not brain related because it came on with other symptoms. But it's very easy to have health anxiety. I still have it.

 

Just take care of yourself. Keep me posted.

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Good news - no ear pain overnight. I can feel some minor pressure, but much improved. I suspect that the ear pain may even have been nerve-related, as when I reviewed my notes the relief that I thought I was getting from Tylenol/ibuprofen, also coincided with when my dose peaked. Just a theory. I suspect I will need to slow

things down for a bit to minimize recurrence of this and other symptoms …
 

Do you think I should still hold another day? I’ve held for two days so far. 

[ChessieCat]

I had ear pain when I made a reduction right at the start of my taper.  I took some cold medication but it didn't make any difference.  I then updosed by a small amount and after a few hours the pain and the bit of head pressure I had been feeling disappeared.

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

That’s awesome news! I’m so glad holding helped.

 

If you feel like you would like to try a reduction you could try a small one and see how you feel. Otherwise, I don’t think holding one more would hurt.

 

I’m really happy for you!

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

I think I will likely hold for the rest of the day. The pressure is still there, but I suspect it will be with me on and off for a time. I have noticed the adverse tightening reactions I get with my doses are increasing in intensity, so I will maybe try a reduction tomorrow  and see how I do. You had suggested one every other day to start, so I may try that. Much slower than two a day, but if that’s what it takes, then I guess I will have to do it. 
 

It’s so hard to balance the adverse reactions with the actual withdrawal symptoms 😣 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

That sounds good. As you get lower, your body starts fighting harder to keep the medication coming. 

 

I think it might be a good idea to try every other day or every 2 days and see if you can keep the symptoms manageable. 

 

Let me know how you are doing.

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Ok.
 

My day went from good to really bad yesterday. I had almost constant tightening or ear pressure from about 1100 until right before bed. They kind of waxed and waned. Symptoms kicked in about an hour after I took both my 1000 and 1600 doses. I  thought it might be my body reacting again with the build up of the drug, but maybe it is just my body fighting it?

 

So, if I only drop one dose of the four every other day, it would take me another 6 months to get off this medication? 😢 Yikes. That is a tough pill to swallow. I hope I don’t feel like this the whole time. I already feel so hopeless. 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I was so hoping that your symptoms would get a little better.

 

Maybe hold one more day and see what happens, then reduce one of the one's that give you the most trouble.

 

I know it's a hard pill to swallow (no pun intended), but hopefully your pattern of symptoms will let up and you can keep going. My fingers are crossed for you.

[LotusRising]

@Frogie

 

Thought about all of this a LOT today. I really had my heart set on being off this crap by the summer, but after suffering for over a week with this ear pressure and pain, it's clear that my body is telling me to slow down. I really just don't think I'll feel "normal" again until it's out of my body, but hopefully, as I get lower I will start feeling more like myself.

 

With all the tightening symptoms yesterday, I for sure thought my body was reacting again to the medication. It may have been or it may not have been - I still don't know for sure, but I ended up dropping my 2200 dose last night. I'm still so afraid of the nasty adverse reactions 😣 I didn't react to that dose or my 0400 dose this morning, so I'm guessing my body was just really fighting for the drug.

 

Anyway, the ear pressure let up for a bit today, so that was nice, but it's now creeping back up - I held today and will hold again tomorrow. I think I'd like to know how yesterday's reduction is going to play out before making any more. 

[Frogie]

@MedRN

 

I think you are making some very wise decisions and holding. I know you really wanted off of it by summer, but you can't make yourself suffer or have extreme wd symptoms that who knows how long will last because of you getting off too quickly.

 

These meds stink to get off of frankly. But you are strong willed and you will do it.

 

I'm glad that they let up a little for you though. Hopefully you enjoyed some of your day😊

[Greatful]

@MedRN

Sending you encouragement and a hug.🤗

 

[LotusRising]

@Greatful

 

Thanks so much 😊 Having a tough go these days ... 

 

How are you making out?