EdaB: Need other members experience and guidance

[LotusRising]

@EdaB

 

Is there a time of day when your symptoms are at their worst?

[EdaB]

@Dutchsarah

Thank you for encouragement ♡♡♡♡

I'm up against the task I cannot handle ,It seems. 

Feels this way since my recent weight loss. 

It may not seem like it matters but it really does, it dawned on me that any kind of stress and lack of sleep being one of them , body can use its stored resources to push through,  and mine is disappearing, meds trials used it too , I bearly function now. 

Wish could turn back time , and do things differently,  I think I had a chance to help my anxiety with meds at the very beginning and then taper and stop and go to natural remedies. But things went fast and chaotic and don't have any moves now seems like it :((( 

People with normal or slightly increased weight are doing much better in stressful situations, I see it all the time , and it was always true in my own life.

I'm so scared , not having an opition :(((,,

Thanks again for your opinion♡♡♡ 

 

 

 

 

 

[EdaB]

@LotusRisingLotusRising 

I'm trying to think because things have been very chaotic past few months 

At the moment I'm taking only lorazepam @night 1-1.5-2 mg depends on my mental disposition and outside stressors ( I'm very frail and easily triggered, not stable) I'm basically homebound now, if doctors visit,  very stressful, normal situation can  brings fight or flight response , seems like I never leave f&f mode, it just depends on the situation

I definitely fear night since dropping meds gave me totally unpredictable nights , hours wise and other things like sweats, heart pumping strong with elevated pulse,  happened first time and scary.  

As odd as it sounds when taking meds sleep was more predictable and remeron helped at first giving slight sedation 

To answer Q my anxiety is present all the time and level of stressful situation only increases it . 

Is this helpful at all ?

 

 

 

 

[LotusRising]

26 minutes ago, EdaB said:

As odd as it sounds when taking meds sleep was more predictable and remeron helped at first giving slight sedation

How is  your sleep now that you're only taking lorazepam? What time do you take it?

 

Why do you take different doses of lorazepam? 

 

Edited January 11 by LotusRising
added question

[EdaB]

@LotusRisingI know it sounds odd , but with couple exceptions,  meds were taking the edge off anxiety and more function and predictable sleep and slightly better stress,  but these came with side effects off course. And definitely reaching critical weight made things worse

I feel frail,unstable,  fearing for life kind of feeling, 

That's why reaching out for helpI and  inquiring if I have any options like use remeron for little crutch  to not collapse+ go to the hospital. 

Dr is inexperienced but listens to pt sometimes  

To me it seems like initial anxiety acting out ,too and no moves towards helping myself :(((,,

 

[LotusRising]

4 minutes ago, EdaB said:

That's why reaching out for helpI and  inquiring if I have any options like use remeron for little crutch  to not collapse+ go to the hospital. 

As already mentioned numerous times above, your nervous system is dysregulated and adding more drugs is not a good idea. Also, we are a site for going off medications, so you won't find anyone here that recommends adding drugs. 

 

@FireflyFyte has made a very good point, that your symptoms may indeed be from interdose withdrawal from daily lorazepam use since July. She made a good suggestion to split your dose to twice daily. You might try that and see if you get any relief. If you do, you will need to pick a dose and be consistent with it.

 

9 minutes ago, EdaB said:

To me it seems like initial anxiety acting out ,too and no moves towards helping myself

 

If you're looking for ways to manage your symptoms, we have a lot of resources on our site.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/

 

[EdaB]

@LotusRisingLotusRisingusually I go to bed between 11pm-12:30  am , very rarely 10:45 ish , I try to give myself a chance but since last episode with heart pounding for couple hrs ,not even trying.  Only remeron worked at first , but only  sedating never full nights. 

So I take 1 mg now and past few nights I wake up after abut 2 hrs and take 0,5 and then usually can get few more hours of sleep , 

It's a new thing, cannot figure it out . Right before that I was getting few hrs and did want to add ativan so just lying in bed hoping to fall asleep 

Before holidays I tried to help with sleep and took small dose of remeron 3-4  to get better sleep and help with mood . 

I don't know if it'd work now 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EdaB]

@LotusRisingLotusRisingusually I go to bed between 11pm-12:30  am , very rarely 10:45 ish , I try to give myself a chance but since last episode with heart pounding for couple hrs ,not even trying.  Only remeron worked at first , but only  sedating never full nights. 

So I take 1 mg now and past few nights I wake up after abut 2 hrs and take 0,5 and then usually can get few more hours of sleep , 

It's a new thing, cannot figure it out . Right before that I was getting few hrs and did want to add ativan so just lying in bed hoping to fall asleep 

Before holidays I tried to help with sleep and took small dose of remeron 3-4  to get better sleep and help with mood . 

I don't know if it'd work now 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EdaB]

@LotusRising

I take different doses of lorazepm because it was prescribed to me as needed and with time I figured out how much I need for sleeping.  With switching meds usually required more and last one remeron actually less . 

Problem started when no AD now , I get symptoms like sweats ,heart pounding recently and waking up after 2 hrs , 

It was always meant to be additional to AD 

My understanding was that bigger doses are going to be harder for reduction 

[EdaB]

@LotusRising @FireflyFyte

in link attached it says that reinstatements for symptoms control are different for different people,  is it a way that person can assume, predict in any way in your knowledge (like length of time,dosages etc)or it's always impossible ,no clues  and the only way is to try and risk 

Thank you moderators-♡♡♡I'm so lost and trying  hard to get answers, help, never was challenged this way and now with big weight loss I really fear for my life :(((,,

 

[LotusRising]

1 hour ago, EdaB said:

My understanding was that bigger doses are going to be harder for reduction

It can be harder regardless of what dose you're at. Truthfully, it can actually be more difficult at lower doses, contrary to what most people believe.

 

1 hour ago, EdaB said:

is it a way that person can assume, predict in any way in your knowledge (like length of time,dosages etc)or it's always impossible ,no clues  and the only way is to try and risk 

We are all so individual, that no, we can't predict this. 

 

Is there a reason you were switched around on so many meds over such a short period of time?

[EdaB]

@LotusRising

1. I was told to use as needed,  smallest effective dose 

 

2.When I had uncontrolled anxiety in July 2023, dr prescribed zoloft 50mg, I got very strong side effects and anxiety trippled almost right away, on the 5th day I couldn't eat anything and dr said to stop and wait about a week and start lexapro 10mg. Within fist week anxiety was diminished to tolerable level but still couldn't sleep, then side effects started extreme fatigue, some weight loss ,not a lot couple lb but I was very cold and it was middle of the summer, apathy, and anxiety yo yo's and nervousness in the background,7th week I had full blown anxiety attack ,made me tired. I wasn't sure if it was a good fit for me .After 7th week dr suggested dose upping to 15 mg and I didn't know what to do so I asked dr if starting zoloft 25mg maybe would work better and I did but even lower dose gave me untolerable side effects , so dr suggested we can try another SSRI before switching drug class. So I picked paxil since I had it 20 years ago for 6 months,tapered it without problem. Firts few days were good I even slept better, wasn't constanly cold ,And then really bad things started all at the same time,agitation 1 day only,weakness ,joints pain ,sleep worsened, appetite diminished significantly,low mood , irritability, started loosing weight and anxiety came back, so dr told me to wait 4 weeks and up the dose because this is it . Took 20mg paxil and started gagging and difficulty eating even more but got some relief from anxiety. Dr said he's not changing anything ,I should be ok by now ,so I went to psychiatrist who suggested short taper, wait week or so and start remeron 7.5 for sleep, appetite ,weight gain except never slept ,just got drowsy and still took lorazepam. Anxiety got slightly better but got muscle weakness,constipation,low mood,appetite improved comparing to paxil , I wasn't gagging, but 2 ND day on 15 mg got arrhythmia and pulse 130, that scared me, went back to 7.5 MG . Asked dr what to do,he didn't respond,so I started tapering it . Next apptm when he started adding new meds buspar,  at that point I was sceptical , still had anxiety,weakness never left, weight loss didn't stop. Frankly the whole situation was constant Rollercoaster,  too much for me I guess and since then I've been desperately trying to save myself,found your website and still trying to save myself.  

I'm practically housebound, need rides for apptm,just desperate.  That's why I wanted to know if going back to some meds would stabilize me somehow since my weight is critically low and I fear going to the hospital if it doesn't stop. So, I don't understand it myself . Maybe it was my fault that didn't try longer with lexapro,got stability and taper after few months , like I did with paxil years ago.Maybe doctors at some point...

This time it is a nightmare. Still have insomnia , no stability or stress tolerance , anxiety. Since July this year. Psychiatrist is inexperienced ,willing to switch meds fast, I still can't wrap my head around it ,was so fast,  don't really know what to do. 

@LotusRisingLotusRising If you have any suggestions, please share I would really like to survive this somehow.  

 

 

 

 

 

[jtarchin]

I was given Prozac as a bridge to get off of Paxil. My original prescribing doctor who'd moved away suggested this after I tracked her down. No local docs had any idea. Paxil has a short half life in the body 20 hrs, so it was kicking me into WD every day at 5mg. I took 5mg Prozac liquid for 5 days total, it has a half life of 30 days. This was the suggestion she gave me and so far I'm so much more comfortable. It's been 35 days. I have WD off and on.

Here is my smoothie make: frozen fruit, cherries, mango, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple. I use around a cup of fruit. I add 1scoop protein powder, scoop of dried greens powder and fruit powder. 3 TBS of chia seeds slightly ground, 3 TBS of hemp hearts. With juice, almond milk etc I add enough to make it blend-able. Sometimes I add spirulina powder. Lately I began drinking Ultima electrolytes which has calmed my body down. I also take CALM a powdered magnesium supplement. 

 

I completely understand the feeling that my body was telling me it was dying. The weight loss is very scary. I'm 66 and can't take losing more weight because if I had an illness my current weight isn't enough to manage it. Luckily we have horses and they are very calming to be around tho this past 60 days were so rough I couldn't feel strong enough to ride as much. I do spend time with them every day. 

 

It's really important you expose yourself to things that inspire you or uplift you, whatever those may be. My passion is doing creative projects with stitching, dyeing fabric. It's important to do anything to keep your mind off of worry. I understand the feeling of doom, there are days I still feel that tho its slowly lowering in its intensity. 

[LotusRising]

@EdaB

 

I'm really sorry you've gotten caught up in this merry go round of drugs. It sounds like they've made your anxiety worse each time, which is a common side effect. Since this has been your experience with each new drug, I still think the best solution would be to stabilize on the lorazepam. 

[EdaB]

@jtarchin

Thank you for responding and sharing your story.

Adding Prozac to help with WD is used by Dr's, I came across this method when searching internet ,especially for people with  weight loss. So I was wandering if this could be helpful for me. I did have paxil trial for 7.5 weeks and remeron shortly after that was supposed to help with insomnia ,appetite, anxiety and weight. While it did sti ulated appetite comparing to paxil it didn't feel totally comfortable either, maybe I didn't give it enough time and was focused on other symptoms, too. Since starting with meds in July 2023 it felt like a Rollercoaster ride, so it's hard to connect things and make sense out of it . I try to eat solid meals twice a day with lots of nutrients and snacks when possible, but it doesn't feel like my GI works properly. I was wondering if Prozac has anything to do with stopping weight loss because I came across stories about it . Does Prozac has any influence on GI to manage these problems . My weight keeps going down, it's very distressing. But again I'm not in the process of tapering paxili ,stopped beginning of November, possible dealing with WD from it ,I don't know if adding another med, could go either way for me. But helped some people. 

Another thing , I live in Michigan and it's cold right now and I have spells of cold intolerance and chills even inside, but sometimes, even same day I can be very warm , so body is totally confused and so am I , what's going on. This whole situation is very crushing for me and the whole family.  People don't understand fully especially when doctors  blew these things off . My doc mentioned about WD that can last for some time ,but didn't seem too concerned about it and wanted to keep experimenting , bringing antipsychotics , claiming everything is in my mind,  weak ess, eating, pain etc . Many doctors think that when drug is out of the system this is it .

I was thinking about bringing remeron back for little bit more of appetite but there is side effects to it too . And no guarantee it will do the same this time either 

 

 

 

Yes,weight loss is very scary and I also worry that when I get sick, I won't have enough resources to pull through. I actually go through the stage that I'm trying desperately to improve and deal with many emotions, feel completely lost and down because of this situation .

Because I don't know if weight loss will stop at some point, or it will continue and I will be taken to the hospital for feeding and more drugs. It 's really terrifying,plus I'm weak, don't go out much , almost every day is different for me . Still don't fully comprehend what happened, and loosing hope for improvement.  

You are lucky  to have beautiful animals. I can't find any enjoyment at the moment ,I was , still am focused on what just happened and weakness doesn't help . Everyday is a challenge for me and family and insomnia makes everything even harder . 

I try little house chores as much as I can ,but I question sense of existence like this lately,  I'm not very old,55, had many plans etc 

Just,terrified, don't see the light in the tunnel here and people's, doctors scepticism and untrusting attitudes don't help . 

 

How is your weigh,  did it stabilize eventually after Prozac?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EdaB]

@LotusRising

Thank you for your empathy ♡♡♡

I still cannot wrap my head around it ,happened so fast. 

 

Now trying to save myself since weight loss is a serious health hazard for me. Don't know how to stop it, it's possible that paxil cessation causing it . I found few testimonies that some doctors use Prozac to ease paxil WD and I guess it also stops wieght loss ,not sure about it. But , I stopped paxil in November, so I'm not in the process of tapering, unknown if could stop my weight loss., which could also be from lexapro.

One of the members reached out to me with her story but paxil was her only med. If weight loss won't stop I don't think I want to explore NG feeding and more drugs in the hospital, that's worst case scenario,  besides daily challenges with symptoms. This whole experience can give a person PTSD.

 

Lorazepam is not consistent anymore either, depending on the  symptoms de jour,  I guess 

From the perspective, every drug worked differently,maybe lexapro paxil switch activated bad symptoms because my experience with it 20 yrs ago was totally different, just side effects and weight loss were intolerable and doctors advice to up the dose to 30 at that point didn't sound possible, he didn't even ask me how I felt. 

Well I'm still lost ,can't find peace and don't know what to do,don't want to make things worse.  

 

Q 1 since lorazepam is not consistent, what options are there if insomnia persists, because so far doesn't look like it ,and it's not lack of sleep hygiene in my case

Q2 is there anything to help to stop weight loss ? 

I do have solid 2 meals , sometimes snack 

My pre "treatment " meal routine also consisted of only 2 meals and occasional snack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LotusRising]

4 hours ago, EdaB said:

Now trying to save myself since weight loss is a serious health hazard for me.

This was an issue for me as well, so I can relate at least a little bit. My digestion shut down for a period of time and I had very minimal intake. When I was able, I tried to pack in as many nutrients as possible into a shake, so it was easily digestible and nutritive. Have you tried that? I know weight loss is scary, especially if you don't have weight to lose, but the body does seem to prioritize healing in such a way that it will take care of the most important things first. I really believe your digestion will correct itself with time. 

 

4 hours ago, EdaB said:

If weight loss won't stop I don't think I want to explore NG feeding and more drugs in the hospital, that's worst case scenario,

I would try not to project what might happen in the future. Instead, try to focus on what you can control right at this moment. Eat when you can and ensure that when you do, it's healthy. Stay hydrated with soup broths, gatorade for electrolytes.

 

4 hours ago, EdaB said:

1 since lorazepam is not consistent, what options are there if insomnia persists, because so far doesn't look like it ,and it's not lack of sleep hygiene in my case

As hard as it is to accept, time is the biggest healer for sleep. Sleep hygiene lets your body know the routine and will help your nervous system regulate. Do you get outside in the morning for a walk? It's really one of the most important things you can do to help stabilize your circadian rhythm. I would try this every day before lunch, no sunglasses. Other than that, find things to keep you occupied when you can't sleep. I would colour, or listen to sleep meditations. Eventually, sleep will return.

 

Also, as I think I've mentioned, it's important to stick to the same dose of lorazepam everyday, rather than going up and down. The nervous system really likes consistency Keep it simple, slow and stable

 

Please let me know if you have more questions. It WILL get better.

[EdaB]

@LotusRising

Thank you for responding ♡

yes,I have always prioritized solid, nutritious meals and noticed that it was easiest to do while I was taking lexapro,after that, when switched meds was getting harder, with exception for remeron which is known to stimulate appetite, but for me worked very subtle.

And my weight cannot stabilize, in spite of doing what you said,and I deal with painful cramps but still push meals to slow down loss.

It takes sometimes over hour to finish my meal.

I try to keep consistent sleep schedule . Where I live it's cold right now and with poor cold tolerance(weight loss  worsened it)and overall weakness would be hard, I try to move around the house and do some chores most of the days.Shower is a challenge...

 

It's worrisome to me that lorazepam doesn't even work consistently. 

 

I appreciate your insights and time you selflessy spend helping and looking for ways to ease mine and other people's challenges ♡♡♡

As I mentioned before my suspicions are that I'm dealing with consequences of trying too many meds in a short period of time on the top of anxiety issues that I initially started medications for,  hoping to stabilize, go back to regular routines and taper drug as soon as possible. Which puts me in a position that I cannot maneuver from :((((, limited,  if even possible options

to stabilize my anxiety.  

I was always promoting natural methods and avoiding meds,but this time I just could not control it, settled on using for a short time and stop. And after 7 months I am still desperately trying to improve my situation and is not happening, even worse, ended up with big weight loss, more digestive GI  issues,  harder to control insomnia and anxiety and stress intolerance still here.

 

I appreciate your efforts @LotusRising♡♡♡means a lot to me.

i don't know if I will manage to find a solution for myself, people say that time heals, but too me it seems that because I never achieved full stability for longer time and replenished  resources. 

Just a human being looking for help and solutions.

 

Your signature mentions that you were on and off diff SSRI for a while short time,  Did you have any issues with switching them , and achieved stability for longer periods of time, if you don't mind answering 

And I also noticed that people who have little weight surplus and are younger, have better outcomes and tolerance,  just my observation.  . 

Forgot to mention that it feels like my body is in constant fight &fly mode , so hard:(

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[EdaB]

@LotusRising

 

 

 

Edited January 13 by EdaB
Error

[LotusRising]

1 hour ago, EdaB said:

And my weight cannot stabilize, in spite of doing what you said,and I deal with painful cramps but still push meals to slow down loss.

It really sounds like you're doing what you can, so I would keep at it. I know weight loss is scar and I remember being very worried as well, but thankfully my appetite/digestion did finally start working again.

 

1 hour ago, EdaB said:

Where I live it's cold right now and with poor cold tolerance(weight loss  worsened it)and overall weakness would be hard, I try to move around the house and do some chores most of the days.Shower is a challenge...

I can empathize with the cold weather. It was -37 here yesterday and really hard to drag myself out. I still struggle with cold intolerance, so I was only out for a very short walk. If all you can do is walk around the house, that's okay too. At one time that's all I could as well.

 

1 hour ago, EdaB said:

It's worrisome to me that lorazepam doesn't even work consistently. 

Yes, this is worrisome. This suggests that you're becoming tolerant to the dose you're taking, which means you will need more of the drug for the same effect. Unfortunately, if you raise the dose, it's only a matter of time before you become tolerant to that new dose as well. The best thing would be to stabilize on your most comfortable dose and then begin tapering the lorazepam.

 

1 hour ago, EdaB said:

Your signature mentions that you were on and off diff SSRI for a while short time,  Did you have any issues with switching them , and achieved stability for longer periods of time, if you don't mind answering

I was only on them very short-term because they didn't help me. I don't recall having trouble, but I was only in my 20's. I'm now in my 40's and my body just said a hard no when I tried the most recent. I was not stable when I started tapering the clonazepam. I believe I was experiencing WD symptoms from buspar and the reinstatement only made things worse. And then of course adding the benzo just frazzled my system. 

 

2 hours ago, EdaB said:

And I also noticed that people who have little weight surplus and are younger, have better outcomes and tolerance,  just my observation.  . 

I'm not sure about this, I can only speak for myself. I did not really have any weight to lose at 125lbs, so getting down to under 105lb was not great, but for some reassurance, my weight did come back and from what I've seen on this site, this happens for others as well.

 

Have you considered splitting your lorazepam dose to twice daily? Are you still taking it every day?

[EdaB]

@LotusRising

Well, I don't think I can split it ,because i will get no sleep at all and I mean it. It was prescribed to me back in July last year as needed and have been using it like that since days I was handling pretty good,but couldn't sleep since the break down. Was supposed to be a temporary help till SSRI starts working anxiety level goes down , but when I switched meds things started going harder and harder :(( 

I'm in my 50' and my coping skills aren't that good,so don't know for how long I can hold the ground if it doesn't ease and trust me ,every decade makes a difference. And I truly am trying really hard,don't want to go to the hospital.  They don't have the best reputation around here and often people come out worse,they switch  meds,it's big business. My dr is just like that too, even though  he's aware of WD,doesn't treat it seriously. 

Weight wise, l'm the same, l don't want to see 100 or 95 and forcing food is not easy,adds to GI discomfort and pains. Mirtazapine helped a little bit with food intake, I was considering trying again ,but don't know if it's worth risking. Meds that are histamine blockers and anticholinergic effects are hard the older you get,too.

It's a very lonely place,scary ,too 

 

What difference will splitting help with ?

[FireflyFyte]

On 1/13/2024 at 9:58 PM, EdaB said:

What difference will splitting help with ?

 

Lorazepam has a short half-life so by taking it only once a day you may be experiencing inter-dose withdrawal as mentioned several times.

Dosing twice a day means that you will maintain an even dose of Lorazepam in your system which may help alleviate some of your symptoms.

[EdaB]

@FireflyFyte

Thank you for reply ♡

I understand your point,but I was taking lorazepam mainly for sleep,  doses as needed that were changing with meds switches usually, currently I take 1mg which gives me bearly 3 hrs now, so hard to function. Splitting would mean even lesser dose and no sleep at all. 

Tried melatonin , didn't work and good sleep hygiene is not an issue here . I think

anxiety that was never stabilized, only somewhat curbed and got used to lorazepam I guess 

Don't see many options for myself at this point,  with weigh loss not stabilizing and sleep issues, 

body doesn't have much resources to sustain itself. 

 

[LostInCanada]

@EdaB you are under the impression that these drugs work mathematically and with logic. They do not. A symptom of WD is insomnia so the way you are taking the lorazepam may be causing your insomnia. 

The moderators have had years of experience and are well versed in the data. What you are doing isn't working. I think it would be the course if wisdom to listen to the experience offered here. 

I find it interesting when I think about a quote from Mark Horowitz who said to paraphrase, ' it wasn't the experts helping him but housewives, firemen and engineers'.

In the end it is your choice.

[EdaB]

@LostInCanada

I'm trying to understand this,but as I said I have been using lorazepam for sleep and only occasionally as needed for anxiety attacks, when Iwas taking ADs and it was working for sleep, just recently changing and I don't want to increase the dose . knowing my body responses now , I will not get any sleep at all. I would have to increase the dose at least 0.5mg to have decent amount of hrs of sleep. Currently 1mg gives me around 3 hrs of sleep which is not enough to function. 

So, what is your proposition with splitting the dose? 

Just no upping the dose and splitting existing one (I also mentioned before that lorazepam acting wasn't always consistent, especially changing meds) and then taper this small amount over time, to stop completely? 

I know people here have resources and experience and I would like to know what my options are at this point . I don't want t to up the dose , I can try to divide, taper and stop, but it won't solve my issue with insomnia and anxiety that I've had for many months and was never stabilized for longer time which is my big  disadvantage.

Also weight loss is a big component here,I 'm at my lowest acceptable weight and trying to avoid hospitals.

So what is your advice for me , split the dose and wait assuming that I do get some sleep? 

I tried melatonin , different doses , from small to big , won't work 

Wholistic doctor recommended 20 mg which didn't work just caused groggy feeling, she also recommended 5htp, magnesium and holy basil and psych dr recommended ramelteon to help with benzo reduction, supposed it works as melatonin , but am afraid to try . 

How is 5 htp working in this scenario?

Thank you , I'm really trying to understand it , and choose the least harmful path since my position is very compromised , I m very aware of this and simply scared . 

Never undermined your knowledge or well intentions to help people ♡

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I 

 

 

[LostInCanada]

2 minutes ago, EdaB said:

So what is your advice for me , split the dose and wait assuming that I do get some sleep? 

My advice is the same as stated. Split the dose. More is not better with these drugs. They have the greatest impact in the smaller doses. It could take 2 weeks before you see any improvement. 

Have you implemented any suggestions such as the Dare or Calm app or reading Claire Weekes Hope and Help for Your Nerves? Or listened to any of her YouTube Videos? These will help with the anxiety. 

6 minutes ago, EdaB said:

tried melatonin , different doses , from small to big , won't work 

It is obvious your holistic doctor doesn't have a clue about withdrawal. Melatonin can do the opposite of what it is intended for. Higher doses are worse. I take 0.25 mg... again less is more. Have you tried that small of a dose consistently for 2 weeks? Did you take it just before sleep, I find 30 minutes before bed is good for me. Do you get out for a morning walk consistently to regulate your circadian rhythm? Do you turn off all devices after 6 pm? Do you go to bed at the same time and rise at the same time? 

 

10 minutes ago, EdaB said:

5htp, magnesium and holy basil

Both 5htp and holy basil are not recommended. They are activating instead of calming.

 

As far as weight you should be trying to eat 6 smaller meals a day. That may look like a smoothie or peanut butter on toast, cheese and crackers. It doesn't have to be complicated. I don't know if nausea is an issue but I lost 35 pounds due to dry wrenching and nausea...not fun. The only things I could stomach were chicken soup, roast chicken and eggs so that's what I ate for months. 

 

[EdaB]

@LostInCanada

 I hope I presented my situation clearly, I'm not a person who was stable on meds for a while, anxiety / depression were under control and now tapering slowly and has challenges with WD l

L

It's different ,my body responded the way it did, mistakes were made on both sides I think and now I'm left to deal with this alone

:(((,

Anxiety is sill here , dealing with effects of drug switches that didn't work for me and lorazepam quitting at current dose. I feel stuck between rock and a hard place and trying to survive it somehow. 

Thank for understanding ♡♡♡

 

 

 

 

 

[FireflyFyte]

@LostInCanada has made several wonderful points and I would advise that you take some time to really digest what they have said regarding splitting the lorazepam dose, how sometimes more is not always better when it comes to these medications, and information regarding meals and calorie intake.

 

23 minutes ago, EdaB said:

I feel stuck between rock and a hard place and trying to survive it somehow. 

 

Our advice still stands that you should try splitting the lorazepam dose into two doses a day as the medication is designed to be taken 2-3 times a day. As mentioned previously, part of what you are experiencing may well be due to inter-dose withdrawal because you are only taking the lorazepam once a day. 

[EdaB]

@LostInCanada

I did try small doses of melatonin not for weeks though.  

 

Best I can do with food is 2 meals but they are solid , like 2 poached eggs with toast, some meat, veggies if tol the amount,  then snack like banana if tol and always dinner with vegetables,  meat , potatoes etc , I noticed that anymore food will cause stomack pain and cramps so at this point I chose to eat what I can tolerate to stop loosing rather then force myself and quit completely.  And if I can I do ha e a cookie or something small . It's also been for me months like this , except everytime  I changed medication was loosing my appetite,  except for mirtazapine that did give me feeling of hunger and more comfortable eating, and it may have slowed weight loss ,don't remember now. But when I got arrhythmia and pulse around 120-130 and asked dr who didn't respond what to do , I went back to 7.5 from 15 mg for 2 days and did short taper . 

So I don't know if what I'm dealing with is the result of meds switches and my original anxiety with physical symptoms that affect GI? That's my guess... Whatever it is priority for me is to stop weight loss. Also GI is very slow, BM also big problem 

 

 

Another thing that I'm dealing with is overall weakness , poor temp control, chills,  cold intolerance, so in winter walks are out of question,  and I'm really, really thin ,I didn't start with high weight to begin with  and keep loosing it 

 

My biggest concern is that original anxiety didn't go anywhere and was severe and I decided to start meds in spite of being very sceptical and cautious not to use if natural methods are possible 

But the way things went brought me to this terrible state and if  I 'm not controlling it by myself with things you mentioned,  what are my choices? 

 

When I say that  I'm at the end of the rope here , I don't exaggerate,  I'm practically housebound , don't want to go to the hospital and have no clue when my nervous system will calm down if ever and what's the next phase. 

I know you you understand the struggle but not possible to implement everything for me, like walking in winter, I try to use my energy on house chores , bedsheets change, dishes, simple meal prep, I need help with shopping.  I'm not doing that well at all and if it wasn't for help I still get, alternative is not good for me.

 

Just want to explain my situation and not trying to ignore solutions being offered. 

 

What would be the sign of nervous system calming down ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[LostInCanada]

You are not using lorazepam as intended. It has a 12 hour half life so your body is constantly in a state of upheaval. Until you start dosing with it every 12 hours you will not see improvement. As has been stated, that simple change may correct your other issues in regard to weight lose, anxiety, insomnia. There is no quick fix here. But the advice is the same. Until you try that there is nothing more we can advise. 

We have all been through this. Many of us to a worse degree.

13 minutes ago, EdaB said:

winter walks are out of question

It is about sunlight...can you sit wrapped in blankets outside on a porch or balcony. It is a matter of adjusting methods so they work for you.

 

15 minutes ago, EdaB said:

what are my choices

As you have found out the drugs cause more issues. The choices are CBT, EFT, etc. These take time, practice, hard work... 

Set backs happen. No easy path unfortunately.

[EdaB]

@FireflyFyte

Trust me I take my meals seriously and eat as much as possible 

 

I split 1-1.5 lorazepam in half and what is my plan with this strategy,  stay like this for how long? 

 I mentioned before that I think that my insomnia, other symptoms are most likely mix of drug switches,and initial anxiety 

Lost appetite and GI symptoms definitely are the effects of meds , I think. When I started my weight was decent and appetite was good . 

 

 

 

[FireflyFyte]

9 minutes ago, EdaB said:

I split 1-1.5 lorazepam in half and what is my plan with this strategy,  stay like this for how long? 

 

As @LostInCanadastated, stay at the split dose for at least two weeks to see if your symptoms improve.

 

10 minutes ago, EdaB said:

I mentioned before that I think that my insomnia, other symptoms are most likely mix of drug switches,and initial anxiety 

 

This is possible but there is also a high likelihood that a compounding factor is inter-dose withdrawal of your lorazepam.

 

We have given our advice and now it is up to you as to whether you want to try it or not. 

[EdaB]

@LostInCanada

I get it about half life of medicine, it's just my dose if split now , won't be able to control anxiety if I get a bad one, and how I handle things then ,since I don't want to increase the dose of benzo, right?

It happened to me couple times and with tolerance builds, I have no other options.  Don't want hydroxyzine that I used few times because it messes more with GI for me. Uncontrollable anxiety is no fun and sooner or later I will be exposed to trigger and react. 

I know people have their own struggles,  I really do and it's unfortunate for all. I'm just trying to choose the path of least destruction right now 

 

I understand how important sunlight is for our daily rhythm, but Michigan is cold right now , I don't have screened porch unfortunately and even in my warm house I get chills and coldness , could be weight related , don't know,  any clues?

@FireflyFyte

Methods mentioned not familiar with,heard something about mixed outcomes, some risks, too 

[LostInCanada]

29 minutes ago, EdaB said:

split 1-1.5 lorazepam in half and what is my plan with this strategy, 

You have to pick either splitting 1 mg or 1.5 mg. You cannot change the dose daily. It has to be absolutely consistent. So if you do 0.75mg in the morning and 0.75 mg at night, you would do this for 2 weeks and see if any symptoms settle. Daily I record my symptoms and use 1-10 to rate them. It lets me see patterns and improvement.

If in 2 weeks there is improvement, then it is a matter of stabilizing on this dose which can take months. At that point, if you are wanting to taper, we can help with that.

[EdaB]

@LostInCanada

So,if I pick 0.75mg , no matter how bad night goes, anxiety builds up etc , I absolutely can not take more , right.  

I don't even know how long dr will keep prescribing lorazepam, he wants me to try new meds, got remelteon for sleep,afraid to use it , it's another nervous system suppressor supposedly works on melatonin receptors.  He also mentioned abilify, very scary. 

He may not even keep me longer since I'm reluctant to use many meds he offered so far.

 

Stabilizing on the dose you mean no symptoms, sleep returns, no anxiety? 

Does switching to different benzo to achieve stability and "cheat tolerance " so to speak is something safe and helpful or not done or recommended?

 

Thank you for explaining these matters to me ,very helpful ♡

[LostInCanada]

28 minutes ago, EdaB said:

won't be able to control anxiety if I get a bad one, and how I handle things then

This is why you need to find an online CBT app/course or read Claire Weekes. You need to come to terms with anxiety. Fighting it doesn't work, acceptance is the key. Anxiety is necessary but our bodies can overreact. So you need to be able to do some self talk. For example, why is it happening, what thoughts lead me here, just because I have a thought or feeling doesn't mean it is true, etc. Thanking your body for the reaction but then telling yourself you are safe and the reaction isn't necessary. 

It's like a dog barking at the postman. Good dog for warning the household but unnecessary as the postman presents no danger. 

These are things you must learn and investigate for yourself. I have given you some app names and some types of treatment but you need to put in the work. Doing so also gives you healthy distraction.

36 minutes ago, EdaB said:

but Michigan is cold right now

Your adrenal system is affected. There will always be obstacles but time to think of solutions. I too get very cold but I bundle up ridiculously to the point that people laugh but I don't care. Not going outside isn't an option for me as I see the benefits even if it's a short period of time.

 

13 minutes ago, EdaB said:

I absolutely can not take more , right.  

Right... every time you change dosages you cause more destabilization.

 

14 minutes ago, EdaB said:

Does switching to different benzo to achieve stability and "cheat tolerance " so to speak is something safe and helpful or not done or recommended

This has been addressed numerous times. No changes. Please reread your thread as all these issues have been dealt with previously. 

16 minutes ago, EdaB said:

don't even know how long dr will keep prescribing lorazepam

If you are concerned, be proactive and find another doctor. Otherwise let him think you are following his advice, you are not under obligation to fill a prescription.

This is a site run by volunteers. You have to be willing to search the site (use the search icon) and explore what non drug methods work for you