Upnorth: reinstating

[Upnorth]

2 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

Perhaps you might think of reinstating a low dose of clonazepam or diazepam.

Might be something to consider, what would you consider a low dose? 

[Upnorth]

57 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

Perhaps you might think of reinstating a low dose of clonazepam or diazepam.

@Altostrata

That might be worth considering.  Would I also continue with the zoloft? 

I don't have any diazepam. Would 0.5 ativan work or is it too strong? 

[Altostrata]

I don't know what dosage of Ativan will "work". Are your tablets 0.5mg? Suggest you start at 1/4 tablet 12 hours apart. You would have to get refills so you can take it regularly and then taper off. @Frogie, what do you think?

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

If you can keep a regular prescription so you can take .25 mg twice a day on a regular schedule that would work.

 

We can taper you off at a later time.

 

 

[Upnorth]

1 hour ago, Frogie said:

@Upnorth

 

If you can keep a regular prescription so you can take .25 mg twice a day on a regular schedule that would work.

 

We can taper you off at a later time.

 

 

@Frogie @Altostrata

 I have some 0.5 ativan. 

Would it be better to get some diazepam cuz it's longer half life? 

What about the zoloft?  Would I taper the 3.25mg?

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata @Frogie

Saturday Mar 27.

10:30pm --- take 3.25mg zoloft, 2 slices of toast. Feel agitated, muscle tension, nausea, vertigo. 

11:30pm-- heart rate up,sweating spell, headache, tinnitus. 

Sunday March 27.

1:00am -- nauseous,  ab muscles tense. 

2:30am--  same. 

3:30am -- 50mg anti nausea, go to bed. Flu feeling. Some nausea. 

4:30am -- laying in bed, still awake. Agitated. 

7:00am -- wake again, cortisol spike, sweating. 

9:00am -- get up and get ice pack,  back to bed. Sore throat, headache, restless, agitated, intrusive thoughts. 

12:30pm-- get up and take 50mg anti nausea,  1 cup coffee,  nausea is bad at the moment. Ab muscles tense,  flu like feeling. 

2:00pm -- bowl of oatmeal, mag 150mg, vit c 250, ptobiotic, ginger pill. 

Nauseous, agitated, flu like feeling. 

4:00pm -- nauseous, agitated,  drinking ginger ale. 

6:00pm -- take 50mg anti nausea,  symptoms are the same. 

7:00pm --  bowl of soup and toast. Mag 250mg, ptobiotic, ginger pill. Nausea is a bit less. mild headache. Flu feeling. Weakness. 

8:30pm --  nausea is medium, mild headache, Ab muscles tense. Some vertigo. 

 

 

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

Diazepam would be better but you need a running prescription, not “just some”. Your body becomes dependent on it on as little as 2 weeks. So you would need to take it for quite a while and then taper off slowly.

[Upnorth]

@Frogie @Altostrata

10 hours ago, Frogie said:

@Upnorth

 

Diazepam would be better but you need a running prescription, not “just some”. Your body becomes dependent on it on as little as 2 weeks. So you would need to take it for quite a while and then taper off slowly.

@Frogie @Altostrata

I can see that will probably be a challenge.  Getting the Dr to agree to a running prescription. No problem getting zoloft but the benzo might be a different story as you lady's have mentioned before. 

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

Usually a dr will give you a prescription for a small quantity. But you may be able to find one that will help you.

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

[Upnorth]

@Frogie @Altostrata

I have a bottle of 30 ativan 0.5mg.  They're so tiny,  how would you accurately cut them and would that be strong enough. ?

Last summer when I was using the ativan,  I was taking 0.5mg once a day,when needed.  I had taken 1mg a day a few times before that,but not often. 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata @Frogie

Sunday March 27..

10:30pm --  3.0mg zoloft, 1 slice of toast. Headache,  medium nausea, ab muscles tense. 

Monday March 28..

1:30am-- symptoms are the same. 

3:30am -- go to bed.  Nauseous. 

6:30am -- wake up, cortisol spike. Toss and turn, restless. 

9:30am -- not really sleeping,  headache. .get up and take 1 325mg aspirin. Ice pack and back to bed. 

12:30pm--  get up,  take 50mg anti nausea,  1 cup of coffee.  Nauseous, dizzy, flu feeling. 

2:00pm-- bowl of oatmeal,  mag 150mg, vit  c,probiotic, ginger pill.  Nausea is medium. Flu feeling.  Air hunger. 

4:00pm -- same. Air hunger and agitated. 

6:00pm -- supper of rice and beans. Mag 250mg, probiotic, ginger pill.  Flu like feeling.  Air hunger. 

8:00pm -- nauseous, agitated, air hunger, ab muscles tense. Heart rate up.

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata @Frogie

Do you want me to continue with the daily reports? 

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

You can’t take Ativan just here and there. Your body will become dependent on it on as little as 14 days. So unless you can get a prescription for quite a while, so you’ll be able to taper off, then no I wouldn’t take them.

[Altostrata]

You might have to get a compounded benzo to take smaller dosages. pharmacy.ca is a compounding pharmacy. But as @Frogie says, your doctor should be willing to continue the prescription and work with you on this.

 

We need to see more daily notes to find out if the Zoloft dosage reduction had any effect.

 

 

[Upnorth]

13 hours ago, Frogie said:

@Upnorth

 

You can’t take Ativan just here and there. Your body will become dependent on it on as little as 14 days. So unless you can get a prescription for quite a while, so you’ll be able to taper off, then no I wouldn’t take them.

@Frogie 

Isn't that the same with diazepam and clonazepam? Would I not be dependent in a very short time?

 

 

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

Yes you would with any benzo. Dependency happens within 14 days.

[Upnorth]

1 hour ago, Frogie said:

@Upnorth

 

Yes you would with any benzo. Dependency happens within 14 days.

@Frogie  @Altostrata

If I can get a Dr to agree,  would diazepam be the preferred choice, ?

 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata @Frogie

Monday Mar 28..

10:00pm --  take 3.0mg zoloft, 1 slice of toast. Agitated, air hunger, feel like can't get enough air, ab muscle tension. 

Tuesday March 29..

12:00am. . Nausea is less. Ab muscles tense. Heart rate up a little. Agitated. 

2:00am -- nausea is about the same. Agitated. 

3:30am -- go to bed. 

4:30am -- still awake, restless. Awake off and on every hour. 

9;30am -- wake again.  Headache.  Get up and take 1 aspirin,  ice pack and back to bed.  Restless, agitate 

12:30pm -- get up and take 50mg anti nausea.  1 cup of coffee.  Nauseous, agitated, ab muscle tension. Right eye lid  twitching. 

2:00pm -- bowl of oatmeal. Mag 150mg, probiotic, ginger pill. Nausea is bad today. 

4:00 -- nauseous, air hunger, agitated. 

5:00 pm -- anti nausea 50mg.  Symptoms the same. 

6:30-- bowl of soup and toast for supper. nausea , dizzy, agitated. 

8:00pm --  nausea is a bit better. Ab muscles tense. Agitated. Weak. 

 

 

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

If you can get a dr to agree to a long running prescription I would go with diazepam. It’s longer lasting and easier to taper off of.

[Upnorth]

@Frogie @Altostrata

In your opinion,  do you think a benzo would help with the nausea?  It's brutal and I'm not functioning very well. Spend most of my day on the couch. 

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

A benzo is not going to take the nausea away.

 

I think I gave you some tips, didn't I? If not, I can give you them.

[Greatful]

@Upnorth  Hang in there......Sadly just stopping and letting things settle for a little while might help......You may have to accept that you are going to be spending a lot of your time as down time.......Somedays I was on the couch most of the day........Tell yourself that it's okay to rest, you are doing the best that you can right now and your brain is trying to heal........

 

I went through a time with  little appetite and nausea  ( it still comes and goes)---eat what little you can-----Did you try smoothies-------Maybe get some protein powder -----I have Garden Of  Life ---Organic plant based protein powder---Mix it with milk/almond milk, some frozen fruit and kale  Of course you will need some sort of blender.....

 

You can do this😊

[Upnorth]

That's been my life since last summer.  Hardly functional.. spend most of my day on the couch cuz the nausea is debilitating. 

@Greatful

[Upnorth]

3 hours ago, Frogie said:

@Upnorth

 

A benzo is not going to take the nausea away.

 

I think I gave you some tips, didn't I? If not, I can give you them.

Yes you did.  I just reread them. Thanks

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

Good, I hope some of the tips will help.

[Altostrata]

@Upnorth, you said a benzo helped you before. It probably will have the same effect again.

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata @Frogie

Tuesday March 29.

9:30pm-- heart rate is up. Nauseous, agitated. 

10:15pm --  take 3.0mg zoloft. 1 slice of toast. Heart rate is up.agitated. nausea is medium. Air hunger, feel like I can't get enough air. 

Wednesday March 30. .

12:30 am -- slight sweating, headache, take 1 325 Asa. 

2:00am -- sweating stopped , nausea is moderate. Muscle tension .

3:30am-- take 50mg anti nausea and go to bed. Symptoms are the same. 

4:30am -- not sleeping. Agitated. 

6:30am -- wake up again. Cortisol spike.  Agitated, muscle tension. 

9:00am -- not really sleeping,  get up and get ice pack, 1 Asa, back to bed. Ab muscles tense, nausea. 

12:30pm -- get up and take 50mg anti nausea.  1 cup coffee.  Nauseous, agitated. 

2:00pm-- bowl of oatmeal, vit c 250mg, mag 150mg, ginger pill.  Nausea, dizzy, agitated air hunger. 

4:00pm -- same. 

5:00pm -- take 50mg anti nausea,  feeling nauseous and sick,  agitated, air hunger. 

6:30pm-- tuna sandwich and baked fries for supper. Mag 250mg, probiotic, ginger pill.  Nauseous,  Ab muscles tense,  flu feeling.  Air hunger. 

8:00pm -- symptoms the same. 

[Altostrata]

10 minutes ago, Upnorth said:

take 1 325 Asa.

 

What is this?

[Upnorth]

1 minute ago, Altostrata said:

 

What is this?

@Altostrata

Sorry.   1 325mg aspirin 

[Altostrata]

Do you also have fever with these symptoms?

[Upnorth]

Just now, Altostrata said:

Do you also have fever with these symptoms?

No

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata @Frogie 

I have a question. . Quite often I feel like I can't get enough air,  even if I do deep breathing exercises.  Do you think it could be from the anxiety/ agitation? 

I also can't seem to relax.

[Frogie]

@Upnorth

 

"Air hunger" is a very normal wd symptom. I had it and still sometimes do.

 

It will eventually go away. 

[Altostrata]

Would you want to substitute perhaps 2mg citalopram or fluoxetine for 3mg Zoloft?

[Upnorth]

59 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Would you want to substitute perhaps 2mg citalopram or fluoxetine for 3mg Zoloft?

@Altostrata @Frogie

 I don't have any citalopram,  is it better? 

Would there be advantages to this, ?

The nausea is brutal today.  

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata @Frogie

I spoke to my phyc Dr today and she is giving me a prescription for 30 days of 0.5 ativan, once a day. Tried to get her to give me diazepam and a long standing prescription but she kept saying the ativan would be better for me .felt like I was banging my head on a wall. She also did a refill for zoloft liquid.  Now she is taking a leave and will be gone for who nows how long.