LittleChicken1: Help: Zoloft WD? Now on Luvox, I want to taper and heal on my own. Any help and advice is appreciated!

[LittleChicken1]

Hi, I need some help regarding my psychiatric history with medications and wanting to heal on my own.

 

(29F) and took Zoloft for the very first time when I was 17, when anxiety and depression first appeared in my life. Took it for 1 year, tapered, no withdrawal symptoms. Fast forward, health anxiety and obsessive tendencies appeared due to somatic symptoms of anxiety, this is when my Psychiatrist put me on Luvox for the first time. Honestly I don't know if it was placebo or not, but I felt better after a few months though this feeling did not compare to feeling better on Zoloft. Back and forth between 2019 and 2023 I was on and off Luvox (i don't really recall the dates very well, but i would taper and then come back after maybe 4 months because health anxiety would creep in). I have to say that part of these somatic symptoms I was feeling due to high anxiety was neuropathy, and that is when i started to take Gabapentin on and off, between 300-600 mg a day depending on the severity, then I would taper and maybe need it again after 6 months of tapering. Always the same dose, between 300-600mg and symptoms would subside after a month. 

 

Fast forward to January 2023 when I started Luvox and felt better by April, so I tapered rather fast. By september 2023, i was getting a lot of anxiety and DR symptoms, along with panic attacks and shakiness. I should state that i have always had problems with shakiness, even before AD. My Dr put me on Zoloft 25mg first for a couple of days and then 50mg and after 12 days I was feeling brand new. Continued taking until February 2024 because I felt better and I wanted to start tapering to try to conceive. Fast forward July 2024, neuropathy started again, anxiety, racing thoughts, obsessions, among others and Dr decided I should be on Zoloft again on July 8th. This likely caused kindling because I started on 50mg, which now i know it is too high of a dose. Quit CT after 2 weeks as per Dr's order because the side effects were unbearable: changes in menstrual cycle, diarrea, insomnia, a feeling of my brain/spine wanting to run away, extreme anxiety, extreme thirst, no hunger at all, and burning sensation on my arms and chest which i usually get when i get extremely anxious, also very hypersensitive to sound and light. 

 

On August 3rd I was put on Luvox 25mg for a few days and 50mg then for 3 weeks (now 75mg for about a week and a half), meaning 5 weeks total on this AD, to ease my "relapse symptoms" but things have not gotten better whatsoever. Dr told me to take Xanax as needed because it is a very "noble" medicine, but i don't believe that. I've taken it when I absolutely need to but never daily. After doing my research and advocating for myself I have found this site and now I know what is happening to me. 

My symptoms are: morning cortisol spikes, DP/DR, burning arms and restlessness  when waking up, dizziness, inability to focus, anxiety, inner trembles, constant earworms since waking up to when i go to sleep, dread when waking up, rumination, overactive NS, lack of motivation, muscle twitches, shakiness, diarrhea, low appetite, agitation, constant fear, not being able to deep sleep, irritability, sense doom and hopelessness. 

 

Being this said, I want to taper off the 75mg of Luvox because it's not making difference at all. I've been on it for 5 weeks. My psychiatrist was on vacation for the last two weeks and I was not able to get a hold of him until now. I want to express this to him but I'm afraid he'll try to change the drug or increase the dose. I just want off and I want to let my brain heal. My questions are:

 

1. Am I better tapering of Luvox or staying like this?

2. Was the constant feeling of my brain wanting to run away akathisia (when kindling happened with Zoloft)?
3. Is what I am feeling now likely from the Zoloft withdrawal from back in April/may 23 or from the July 23 kindling? 

4. Will cross tapering from Luvox to Zoloft (low dose) will likely make a difference?

5. Is akathisia also the burning sensation i feel when i wake up or is this anxiety? Are the inner trembles? I use to feel this before all this, but i am panicked about akathisia and i just want to know that what i feel is anxiety and heavy cortisol spikes. 

6. Should i continue taking Gabapentin and Propanolol to calm my nervous system down and avoid Xanax?

7. Is melatonin safe for sleeping?

8. Any success on managing anxiety and achieving a bit of calm with L-Theanine?

 

Thank you in advance. Really looking forward to healing. 
 

 

 

Edited September 2 by Emonda
Name to title

[LittleChicken1]

Hi! @Emonda i'm new to this site and I'm not very familiar of how it works. Basically i'm looking for some advice. Should i tag people for them to see my post?

Thank you.

[LotusRising]

Hi @LittleChicken1

 

Welcome to SA,

 

 

On 9/2/2024 at 1:31 PM, LittleChicken1 said:

changes in menstrual cycle, diarrea, insomnia, a feeling of my brain/spine wanting to run away, extreme anxiety, extreme thirst, no hunger at all, and burning sensation on my arms and chest which i usually get when i get extremely anxious, also very hypersensitive to sound and light. 

Have any of these symptoms improved since restarting luvox?

 

If it were me, I would not take gabapentin intermittently. This is likely confusing your nervous system even more. And if you can avoid the xanax, I would do that. Tolerance can occur quickly even with intermittent use of a benzo.

 

Are you using any non-pharmacological coping skills?

[LittleChicken1]

Hi @LotusRising yes. Some have but I still have anxiety, tremors, inner shakiness, earworms and racing mind, little appetite and hipersensitivity. 

It's funny because i've almost always had earworms, but after CT zoloft after 2 weeks per my dr's orders my mind went crazy.. It has its ups and downs, but right now the constant music is the one that pisses me off the most. Now I know that this is the result of a dysregulated nervous system.

 

My psych says that i have obsessive tendencies when it comes to anxiety, and i've taken this med befor without any issues, this that it was no different. I've always taken low doses of it, but right now I went up to 100 mg (50 at day and 50 at night) because my dr recommended it.I didn't feel any side effects when updosing. 

 

I've bought melatonin and l theanine, b vitamins and magnesium. I'm trying to do yoga, and walking as well. I'm trying to get into meditation too. Benzos are for emergency only, and sorry for the confusion but Gabapentin is taken nightly. not every other night. 

 

My question is: are there stances where other medicines, in my case Luvox, help with WD symptoms from other medicines, in this case zoloft?

A patter i've come to recognize is that at morning it is when i am more anxious, but at night everything is almost normal, except for the mmusic in my head. I'm sleeping well though, and I have no other physical symptoms right now. Have you heard of people's ways of getting rid of earworms?? 

 

Thanks a lot!

[LotusRising]

4 hours ago, LittleChicken1 said:

A patter i've come to recognize is that at morning it is when i am more anxious, but at night everything is almost normal, except for the mmusic in my head.

Cortisol rises in the morning, which can increase symptoms for some people. It could also just be your pattern of symptoms.

 

4 hours ago, LittleChicken1 said:

My question is: are there stances where other medicines, in my case Luvox, help with WD symptoms from other medicines, in this case zoloft?

It's typically not recommended to replace one with another to help with WD symptoms, but that doesn't mean you won't still stabilize. It can just take more time than we like. Did anything get worse when you started luvox?

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising

 

No, things have not gotten worse but have not gotten better either. I'm considering being off all meds an letting my NS stabilize on its own. I've been on Luvox since August 3rd. Not that long. What taper schedule would you recommend? I'm at 100mg now. Obviously i'll have to consult with my Dr but he'll try to taper me off quickly since i've no been on it for long but i don't want to have sever WD symptoms.

[LotusRising]

@LittleChicken1 how long ago did you increase to 100mg?

 

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising About 2 weeks ago. Also, is the taper the same (10%) when the drug has been taken for 5 weeks only? Ever since starting luvox i havent felt any difference in any dose (either better or worse) I’m certain this is a zoloft wd but i don’t know what to do because my Dr doesnt believe me. Is is too late to reinstate a small dose of zoloft? 

[LotusRising]

@LittleChicken1

 

Since it has been only 5 weeks, you may be able to get away with a quicker taper.

 

If it were me, this is what I would do. I can't guarantee you won't experience WD symptoms though.  You might reduce by 25% and see how you feel after a week, and then continue from there. But listen to your body; if symptoms worsen, you would want to hold.

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising thank you! Also, what do you think about minimal zoloft reinstatement? Do you think it can help? Or is it too late? My worst symptom right now is the intrusive thoughts and the ear worms. My Dr told me “it’s just obsessions cause by your OCD tendencies” but it is not. I have not had this level of mental restlesness before specially the ear worms. 
 

also, have you heard anything about homeopathy helping wd symptoms?

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising I wanted to also ask you for your advice on tapering off Gabapentin 300 mg 1x daily. I've been taking it for 3 months. 

[LotusRising]

On 9/10/2024 at 7:06 PM, LittleChicken1 said:

what do you think about minimal zoloft reinstatement? Do you think it can help? Or is it too late?

You mentioned a kindling reaction when you reinstated? What happened? Did you read our thread on Reinstating and Stabilizing? Might be worth reading through that thread and deciding if your current symptoms are worth pushing through, or not. 

 

If you've been on gabapentin for 3 months, the general recommendation would be the 10% taper.

 

I don't have personal experience using homeopathy while tapering. We suggest to Keep it simple, slow and stable.

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising hello, thank you for your reply. Yes, after i discontinued the 50mg zoloft after a 2 month tapering I did not have any of the immeadiate WD symptoms, no brain zaps not anything, but after 2 months i started feeling anxious again so my doctor reinstated to my original therapeutic dose which is 50mg, but i started feeling horrible by the next day. I did not have an immediate reaction at taking the pill, but I would take it at night and by morning i would be extremely anxious, i felt as if my brain wanted to run off my body, i had diarrhea, i would have anhedonia and i would wake up at 3am, i had a fever, tremors and even had changes in my menstrual cycle, which never happens for me. I pushed through for 2 weeks because my doctor told me it was normal, and then he told me to quit CT, so i did. Things got slightly better so indeed the zoloft was causing it. I'm still not my old self, of course. Then I started Luvox, and things did not get better because I now know that what i was experiencing was a WD, not an onset of original symptoms. 

 

It's been about 4 months since i quit zoloft the first time (the 2 month taper), and it's been almost 2 months since the reinstatement, kindling and CT after taking it for 17 days. It's been 5 weeks since starting Luvox. What would you do? Honestly my symptoms were worse when i reinstated, but it was a very high dose. I don't know if it's too late now and I should not rely in the Zoloft helping with this symptoms since it's been a while since i took it and I'm on Luvox now. Also, I'd have to taper off the Luvox first, so a longer time would pass and the Zoloft would be even less effective. 

 

Also, thanks for sharing the reinstating and stabilizing thread, i just read it. 

[LotusRising]

4 hours ago, LittleChicken1 said:

What would you do?

Hard to answer that, being that I'm not experiencing what you are. But, given the experience you had trying to restart zoloft, it might not be a good idea. And you're right, you would first need to taper the luvox.

 

Falling back on coping skills, clean diet and daily movement would be my focus. 

 

4 hours ago, LittleChicken1 said:

Also, thanks for sharing the reinstating and stabilizing thread, i just read it.

 

You are very welcome!

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising Hi. Thanks for your feedback. 

 

Yeah, I don't think i will be reinstating zoloft, I don't even want to be on AD anymore. I get very nervous on trying to taper Luvox because everytime I want to I feel like "maybe tomorrow is the day I feel better and stabilize so maybe I should keep this dose" But I think that that should've happened a few weeks ago if the case was different (being onset of symptoms and not wd symptoms), I'm scared that if I lower the dose things will somehow get worse but I just want to get off these drugs and I should take advantage of the fact that I haven't been taking Luvox for long. Right? Are there success stories of managing wd with other drugs? Or do people most likely stabilize when they are not on any drug?

[LotusRising]

On 9/12/2024 at 7:11 PM, LittleChicken1 said:

Are there success stories of managing wd with other drugs?

It's not generally recommended on this site to manage WD with other drugs. But, there are many who come to the site having switched to new drugs and then gone on to stabilize.

 

And you said you've noticed no improvement in symptoms since starting luvox?

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising hi, yes. I haven’t noticed improvements, I don’t think so. All symptoms are still here. I have some better days but I’m guessing its regarding waves and windows, not necessarily due to Luvox. Also, I think Im kind of getting used to feeling this way, not as scared, that’s why maybe last two weeks I was crying more and now I’m not crying as much. But i don’t think it is the Luvox because I still cry daily.
 

do you think that tapering luvox could worsen my symptoms? In some form?

[LotusRising]

14 hours ago, LittleChicken1 said:

do you think that tapering luvox could worsen my symptoms? In some form?

I can't say for sure. But, you could err on the side of caution and do only a 10% reduction.

[LittleChicken1]

@LotusRising thanks, I’ll consider this as well. Also, I was thinking just now: one thing has gotten worse with Luvox. The buzzing and tremors in my body. This was not present before, at least not this much. I’ve always been a shaky person but right now it feels out of control.

 

as for the tapering, what should I look out for while reducing the dose?

[LotusRising]

28 minutes ago, LittleChicken1 said:

s for the tapering, what should I look out for while reducing the dose?

Why taper by 10%

 

I would read through the above link. It has a lot of information. I would also keep track of any symptoms in a journal, which will help inform your taper.

 

Let me know if you have more questions.