trina1981: Introduction

[trina1981]

Hi 

My name is trina

I was CT off two medications  11 months ago. Wellbutrin 300 mg and Zoloft 25 mg

I am totally buggered up. Severe withdrawals most of the time.

Crazy psychiatrist, thinks I have medical problems

Is there anything I can take to help?

Will restarting these drugs again help? My friends keep telling me to restart them but it they caused this much sickness why would I want to take them. One know it all friend said I would feel better. Like how would he know? 

Any help would be great

I know this is not medical advice, just asking other sufferers

Thanks

Trina

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by FireflyFyte

[FireflyFyte]

Hi Trina,

 

Welcome to SA. Thank you for filling out your signature.

 

Reinstatement generally works best a few weeks after the last dose of medication but sometimes it can work after that period. You can read more about it at About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

 

11 hours ago, trina1981 said:

I am totally buggered up. Severe withdrawals most of the time.

 

Can you describe the withdrawal symptoms you are experiencing?

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

[trina1981]

Hi

Thanks

I read the articles on here about restarting meds. It says some ppl restart ( I guess the term is reinstate) years after. It sounds like a crap shoot, but desperate ppl need to try things. Not sure which medication. 
I feel dizzy, tingling in arms and legs, agitated, irritable, melt downs ( rage over little things) depression, worse than before meds, intrusive thoughts and soul crushing fatigue. 
My family and friends pretty much ignore me. One friend referred to me as “ being tired” a lot. 
Trina

[Altostrata]

Hello, @trina1981

 

On 8/29/2023 at 6:12 PM, trina1981 said:

I was CT off two medications  11 months ago. Wellbutrin 300 mg and Zoloft 25 mg

 

You went off Wellbutrin and Zoloft in July 2022? Please put the date in your signature.

 

On 8/31/2023 at 4:54 AM, trina1981 said:

I feel dizzy, tingling in arms and legs, agitated, irritable, melt downs ( rage over little things) depression, worse than before meds, intrusive thoughts and soul crushing fatigue. 

 

How has your symptom pattern changed in the last 4 months? How's your sleep?

 

You've seen About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms ?
 

 

[trina1981]

Hi

No change. 
My sleep is good. Not sure why. I think it’s because I am always always exhausted. 
I think that is part of the deal. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue after I went off meds CT. Never had fatigue issues before. Just wanted this to end

 I will try to figure out how to change my signature.

Trina

[Altostrata]

Do you want to try a low-dose reinstatement, such as 2mg sertraline, for your protracted withdrawal syndrome? See 

What is withdrawal syndrome? 
 
About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 
 
The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization 

 

 

 

[trina1981]

Thanks, will try that.

[Altostrata]

Please let us know how you're doing. 

[trina1981]

I know I am supposed to add anything to my intro thread. Is this where to add it? At the bottom of my thread?( If this is incorrect please let me know how to do it)

 

 I decided to start with a 2mg dose of Zoloft. Fingers crossed. 
I just read a post “ is kindling permanent “? It scares me. I have read several articles and I am still not clear what it means or how it manifests. 
My understanding is that if you go off and on medication’s, the withdrawals get worse each time. But what if you restart, and get up to a high dose or even your start dose and , it doesn’t work then taper.Are the withdrawal symptoms going to be even worse now?

 I can’t imagine how much worse it could be. 
Thanks

Trina

[Altostrata]

Hello, @trina1981 you have successfully added to your Intro thread.

 

16 minutes ago, trina1981 said:

I just read a post “ is kindling permanent “? It scares me. I have read several articles and I am still not clear what it means or how it manifests. 

 

Kindling occurs when you take too much drug for a nervous system already sensitized by withdrawal or adverse drug effects.

 

16 minutes ago, trina1981 said:

My understanding is that if you go off and on medication’s, the withdrawals get worse each time. But what if you restart, and get up to a high dose or even your start dose and , it doesn’t work then taper.Are the withdrawal symptoms going to be even worse now?

 

Most often, people don't need to go up to a high dose or their starting dose, a low dose is enough to stabilize them. After they stabilize for a good while, then they can taper of by tiny amounts. Many of our members have done this successfully. See Tips for tapering off sertraline (Zoloft)

[trina1981]

Thanks. What does kindling feel like? Is it a specific feeling? I know akathesia is restless but what is the feeling of kindling?

If the low dose doesn’t help, how long should I give it before I increase it? 
Thanks so much

Trina

[Altostrata]

We ask people to let us know how they're doing so we can assess how the reinstatement is working.

 

Kindling is a very dramatic reaction. We specify a low dose so kindling does not occur.

[trina1981]

I will thanks. Just wanted to know what to look for.

[Altostrata]

You will certainly know a dramatic reaction. We're not talking about a little bump. Please let us know how you're doing. 

[trina1981]

I just came across this video. I assume this is you. Unless there is another Altostrata:)

VERY informative! Thanks. The only thing missing is how long do you wait if it’s not working and you’re feeling OK to increase the dose? I am not in any hurry, but I am in a hurry. 🙂

[Altostrata]

Sorry, cannot see the video.

 

If you have a clear adverse reaction, you would quickly stop. Otherwise, you'd give reinstatement at least a week to see the effect. A slight good effect may mean it's a good dose. No effect may mean it's too low. But we ask to to report what's going on so we can interpret the effect.

[trina1981]

Thank you!

[trina1981]

Last night was day 4 on reinstatement. I was up all night, agitated, severe restlessness inside, tremors. I had to keep rocking, legs shaking. I took choline,and  Inositol ( things that usually calm me) I finally fell asleep around 4 am. Today more calm.

I get these kind of symptoms when I overdo it physically but but not randomly. I haven’t been doing much lately except for resting. Do I need to give it more time since I am OK today? 
Why are symptoms worse at night? ( usually) yesterday they started at 4 PM till 6 PM. I went out and tried to visit with some friends for a couple of hours. I went to bed at about 10 and they started shortly before bed again and lasted all night. I’m afraid to keep taking the 2 mg. Maybe I just have to get used to it. I haven’t noticed any improvement but then it’s only been four days.

[LotusRising]

@trina1981 

 

What time are you taking the 2mg?

[trina1981]

First thing in the morning. Around 7 am

and I am peeing every 15 minutes literally ! I am still shaking. Inside.

[trina1981]

One more thing,,, sorry. Blood pressure is 172/90. Usually 126/72. It was always high when I was on meds. I haven’t been on blood pressure meds for over a year.

[LotusRising]

@trina1981

 

Thanks for the extra info. Could you please add the blood pressure med and any supplements you're taking to your signature?

 

A few more questions:

 

So, you had no issues with high blood pressure prior to taking meds?

 

5 hours ago, trina1981 said:

I was up all night, agitated, severe restlessness inside, tremors. I had to keep rocking, legs shaking.

 

How often does this happen, and did you have these symptoms prior to reinstatement?

 

1 hour ago, trina1981 said:

I am peeing every 15 minutes literally !

 

Are you drinking a lot of water?

[trina1981]

I was taking Mavik 4 mg and Adalat 50 mg? I had been taking them for several years because my blood pressure was high from Wellbutrin That’s what I thought it was from. But after I went off my medication’s, I didn’t need  blood pressure medicine so I haven’t been on anything for over a year. I didn’t put it in my signature because I’m not on it anymore. I just called my doctor and she’s going to order me some propanolol. That’s supposed to help with tremors apparently from all the research I’ve done.
I really was hoping that the reinstatement would help me with all the other symptoms. I’m not sure if I should see if the propranolol will help and continue taking the Zoloft?

my blood pressure is high now, so I guess I’ll have to see. 
I don’t know if the this is going to pass. 
I don’t know if this is normal

No problem with blood pressure before medication. No problem after I got off.

These symptoms can happen but only when I overdo it at the gym. It takes several days to recover then it passes for the most part. 
I usually have RLS from side effects of Wellbutrin. It has gotten way worse since withdrawal. And now worse in the last few days since restarting Zoloft. 
So, not new, just way more intense and constant without going to the gym. 

[LotusRising]

@trina1981

 

So, are your symptoms better or worse since you started the reinstatement? Have any symptoms improved?

 

Please see below information on reinstatement and stabilizing:

 

Also, sometimes better to go with gentle exercise. Withdrawal zaps a lot of our energy for healing and hard cardio can increase stress (cortisol), which as you've seen, can make symptoms worse. I know it sucks, I had to learn the hard way that I just couldn't tolerate anything more than walking. 

 

Please read through the above post and let us know if you have further questions. 

 

Could you please also add the blood pressure meds and supplements? - I know you're not on the BP meds anymore, but it gives us a clearer picture and it's easier if we can just take a quick glance at the signature, rather than reading through the thread. Thanks!

[trina1981]

Worse, but I was expecting that. I was told that would happen.

That it would get worse before it would get better.

Not sure how long it will take to get better. 

[Altostrata]

Did you start taking 2mg sertraline on September 10? What changes in your symptom pattern have occurred in the last 4 days?

 

After you take 2mg sertraline at 7 a.m., how do you feel?

 

20 hours ago, trina1981 said:

I was taking Mavik 4 mg and Adalat 50 mg?

 

What are these drugs? Please use the pharmacy name rather than the sales name. When did you go off them?

[trina1981]

Mavik is Trandolapril

Adalat is Nifedipine

I feel fine after taking it, until about 4 pm. That’s when it had been starting 

Thanks 

Trina

stopped all in October 2022. I take my blood pressure regularly, still

[Altostrata]

2 hours ago, trina1981 said:

I feel fine after taking it, until about 4 pm. That’s when it had been starting 

 

What has been starting? Please describe what happens in the afternoon.

[trina1981]

It starts with a feeling of tightness inside my chest and head , my legs start getting really restless and jerking. It’s really uncomfortable. My legs get pins and needles in them. It’s a sense of inner agitation. Like right now it just started at 4:30 PM, I felt like I had my best day ever in a long time. I’m in a long time. I felt normal all day. Then I sat down on the couch and I started getting super tense inside. Now I’m rocking and shaking my legs up and down like a sewing machine needle. If I don’t move them, they feel uncomfortable. Part of it feels involuntary, but then the faster I move them the better it gets .  This usually goes on all evening and night.  

[Altostrata]

Does this happen every day at the same time? Is it more or less intense since September 10, when you started taking 2mg sertraline?

[trina1981]

Every day since I started it. It’s weird, because I felt this was ( much much more mild) when starting Wellbutrin. Maybe it’s a residual nervous system damage that would happen with any neurotoxic drug.

Not sure if I should quit it or ride it out?

[Altostrata]

Is it getting more or less intense? How long does this feeling last?

[trina1981]

More. From 4 pm and all night. . I just got Propranolol yesterday because I read it works well for akathesia. It is helping and last night I slept well, but I have to take it earlier. Today I took it after I started getting crazy restless ( 4 pm) but tomorrow I will take it in the morning and 330 pm. I want to see if this will go away and if this reinstatement will help. That’s my only hope right now.

today I was calm all day, and I thought I had the best day ever. And then all the sudden just started. I don’t know why 4 PM is the magic number.

[Altostrata]

Suggest you reduce to 1.5mg. Please let us know how you're doing. 

[trina1981]

Thanks.! Good call!

[trina1981]

I dropped to 1.5 mg. Now I am having only what I have read is “nocturnal akathesia “ ( self diagnosed) I start getting super tense inside starting at around 10 pm. Then it gets worse throughout the night. I rock and get up and pace and rock some more. It’s hell! I’ve read that Benadryl can help but it doesn’t. Propranolol doesn’t help. I used to take Pramipexole for medication induced RLS (which got way worse in withdrawal) I just took 300 mg of my dogs’ Gabapentin. Didn’t help . I am averaging 3 hours of sleep per night. I HATE this. 
Is it the reinstatement of Zoloft? I didn’t take any today. What can I do? 
Thanks

Terrie