anna7887: Please help me with taper plans

[anna7887]

I had a successful taper off klonopin that finished over 18 months ago...I was feeling GREAT for about a year...ZERO anxiety/ depression. In fact I was feeling so great I threw myself into a high stress job, moved to a new city, started drinking socially ( at times a bit too much). Since my taper I have been on 50mg of Zoloft and trazadone ( doses vary but about 25mg for the past yr). About 6-8 weeks ago I ran out of my trazadone and I remember starring in the mirror thinking I should just stop taking it because I was feeling so good. The thought of w/d crossed through my mind but I remember thinking it was almost impossible for some reason. I stopped the trazadone for about 5 days before resuming due to sleep issues. About 2 weeks following I went into acute w/d after a high intensity workout:. Ears ringing, severe derealization, sweating, diarrhea.general feeling of impending doom...I started to panic so much so I took a klonopin. In the last 6 weeks I've taken about 3 .25mg doses of klonopin to cope with this which obviously is the most depressing thing in the world seeing what I went through with my taper. I also discovered the generic manufacturer Zoloft I was taking changed so I thought that might contribute to whatever this was as well. To make a long story short I don't feel any better..in fact some days I feel worse. I've given up alcohol ( haven't touched a drink in 2 weeks)...tried to take 50mg of trazadone per my docs suggestion to stabilize but made me feel super depressed. I tried to increase my Zoloft but again really bad reactions. What makes this scarier than my klonopn taper is there is no end in site...I don't know what is causing this (it seems rare the trazadone cut would have effected me after 2 weeks)...I am so depressed...can barely function at work...I don't know what to do because I'm in so much pain. I am starting to panic. I will do whatever it takes to stabilize..I'm even considering other meds I just don't want to make the situation worse. I'm wondering if I'm feeling a bout of alcohol withdrawal as well ( was drinking 3x/ week sometimes heavily). I will say I'm only 26 and all my friends so is go out and drink!

 

Anyhow...does anyone think the trazadone could have done this? If so, how come trying to stabilize on 50 mg ( took for over a week) didn't help. I am debating on going to a hospital but I don't want to be put on even more drugs...especially since my gut tells me this is w/d. Please help. (p.s. healing and love to all).

Edited December 19, 2016 by scallywag
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[Meimeiquest]

How long have you been on the ADs?

[anna7887]

Setraline 50 mgs for 3 years ( although I would skip a day almost once a week since it makes me feel so hyper active)...trazadone about 2 1/2 years...I was put on the trazadone to help come off the klonopin ( was on .5mg of K daily for 1.5 yrs).

 

These last few weeks I tried to switch to Zoloft brand made me feel way to hyper active...so just last week I finally found the same generic manufacturer I used for over a year. 

[anna7887]

I guess I am panicking because a huge part of me thinks these are miny withdrawals I'm having from the trazadone, alcohol, switch in zoloft manufacturer ... But then the other part of me is so scared I am developing a severe mental illness. I can't stop thinking about death!

 

So I cut out the alcohol 11 days ago... Question is should I go back up to 50mg trazadone to try to stabilize ? I don't know what to do!! I was feeling so so good! Literally overnight I can't touch caffeine , eat much , ugh

Please help:(

[Altostrata]

Welcome, anna7887.I've moved this to our Intro forum as your introduction. Please add your updates to it, as a kind of journal of your progress.Yes, quitting trazodone suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Changing brands of Zoloft can also cause problems for people who are extra-sensitive. And drinking while your nervous system is under stress from withdrawal -- that can make it a whole lot worse.Your system may now be sensitized to any neuroactive substance. It's good you're taking care of yourself by quitting drinking, and steadying the Zoloft dosage.Rather than 50mg trazodone, you might find 12.5mg is more tolerable and helps the withdrawal symptoms. You may wish to stabilize for a month or more, then taper by very small amounts. See our topic on trazodone in the Tapering forum.

[Rhiannon]

It's not at all unusual (in fact quite common) for withdrawal symptoms to kick in, or to change in character, weeks to months out from a CT or quick taper. Many people do pretty well initially and then get hit hard further down the road.

 

Probably your best course of action is a partial reinstatement as Alto describes, followed by a period of stabilization (reduce stress, stay away from the alcohol and caffeine, etc.) until your body's ready for a reasonable taper. Don't expect instant results. You already have a history of withdrawal from Klonopin and years on psych meds, so your CNS may take some time to stabilize.

 

Given your history I think it is highly unlikely that you have come down with some kind of previously-unknown-to-science aggressive instant intense mental illness. :-) Withdrawal's a much more likely explanation.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

[flower]

Anna you make me wonder if my issue isn't the Trazadone too.We have that in common although I didn't try to taper it but I separated from another med and can't get back on track..Hopefully we can fix this ... Hang in there. The ringing in my ears is more like crickets..Have you had any issues with pain ?

[anna7887]

I am having so much trouble stabilizing I am at a loss and I could really use some support.

 

Brief history: took .5mg klonopin (along with 50 mg of Zoloft) everyday a few years back...tried to stop the klonopin suddenly and got very bad withdrawals. I tapered over a year very slowly and finished Feb. 2012. I started taking 100mg of trazadone to help with the sleep during withdrawals. I felt good and strong until a few months ago.

 

Currently taking: 25mg of trazadone (on that dose for a year now) and 50mg of Zoloft. 9 weeks ago I ran out of trazadone for 5 days..upon getting it refilled I immediately started taking it again. 2 weeks later I was SLAMMED with withdrawal like symptoms ( I know w/d due to my klonopin experience)....ear ringing, cog fog, inability to tolerate caffeine (was drinking 2-3 cups a day), feeling of impending doom, etc. However, these withdrawals were so severe I panicked and took a very small amount of klonopin I happened to still carry on me.

 

The past 8 weeks have been a roller coaster. I tried to take 50mg of trazadone for a week to stabilize...made me feel so depressed and out of it so I went back down to 25mg. I've had 4 more episodes of extreme w/d I had to take klonopin ( I can feel my body trying to latch onto to it so I've sworn I'll never take them again) I've tried to increase my Zoloft dose but made me way too hyperactive/ sick...some days I feel like I'm finally getting better, I can workout, etc. but then I have days like today where I can't get out of bed because I am so sick to my stomach...my ear is ringing etc. I am starting to become so depressed because I can't get this under control and I don't know what is causing it!

 

Is it possible I am suddenly having a bad reaction to the trazadone? Or maybe to Zoloft? My gut is telling me my body is starting to reject the trazadone. I am so so scared. I'm losing all this weight...my doctor thinks I need to cross taper the trazadone to a different med but I am so scared of even more reactions. I know if I go to a hospital they'll just put me on more benzos. What would you do if you were more?

 

Love and healing.

Anna

[Altostrata]

anna, do your symptoms have a pattern? Keeping notes on paper is a good way to track down potential causes.

 

What other medications are you taking?

[mtnbkr]

Hang in there, Anna!  I know that you're going through a miserable and tough period with these WD symptoms.  Try not to blame yourself, and try to give yourself the time and space your brain and body need to heal.  You say that some days are better - that's encouraging. Know that there will be more. 

 

Sending you courage and hope.

 

-Mtnbkr. 

[Rhiannon]

Don't expect instant results. You already have a history of withdrawal from Klonopin and years on psych meds, so your CNS may take some time to stabilize.

 

 

Given your history I'm not surprised you're having trouble stabilizing. Every time we change meds/doses, it destabilizes things further. If you can possibly see your way to just picking something, somethings, some combination of meds and dosages, and then just not changing anything for as long as it takes--that is usually what seems to work best.

 

I know it's hard not to panic, but it can easily take several weeks or even a month or two to get stable once our CNS has been thrown for a loop. And it won't get stable while you're changing meds.

 

Which is not to say don't try a change if you want, but just that it's best to stop making changes ASAP and you're not likely to feel better for a while even once you do stop changing things.  I know it's hard to be patient, but it just seems to take time. (For me, even on my very slow tiny taper, it can take me a month or two sometimes if I've gotten off balance.)

 

anna, do your symptoms have a pattern? Keeping notes on paper is a good way to track down potential causes.

 

What other medications are you taking?

 

When in withdrawal our brains don't work so great and it can be hard to see patterns. We end up reacting and overreacting, assuming that how we're feeling right now is caused by the last thing we tweaked even though normal withdrawal is actually very unpredictable and roller-coaster and how we feel now often doesn't really correlate to any specific recent change.

 

So that's why it's good to keep a journal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLuHEjmuv1Q&list=TLEWCb4M9Sve4

 

It doesn't sound like I really need to warn you about the trickiness of benzos. Be careful with the Klonopin. If you find yourself taking it pretty often, you might be better off taking a very small amount daily to keep blood levels smooth and reduce the roller coaster withdrawal effect, rather than rescue-dosing every few days.

 

Them's my thoughts...

[anna7887]

Thanks for the responses. I am just getting so frustrated. I have tried to stabilize now since mid-July and I'm still not feeling better ( granted I took klonopin every 2 weeks since this started and recently cut out all alcohol..I've committed to not taking any benzos anymore)...I just don't know how much time to give it. I feel like I have 2 options.

1) Try to cross taper the trazadone to something else ( I believe this is what is making me sick) or taper off of it...I'm just so nervous because I don't know if it's smart to do either of these if I feel so horrible But as my parents say, doing nothing won't help either.

2) Try another ssri  that makes me feel stronger enough to taper..again very risky.

 

If you were me..what would you do? I am so so depressed over this:(

[flower]

switching the generic Zoloft on you a couple weeks ago probably isn't helping.

[anna7887]

Feeling so bad today. My ear is plugged, I feel so sick and out of it. Is this withdrawal or did my ssri stop working ? Should I go to the hospital? I want to start a taper off the trazadone but if I can't stabilize what are my options. Please help.

[anna7887]

I can't stabilize .. I stopped 25 mg of trazadone 9 weeks ago for 5 days and immediately reinstated. 3 weeks later my life turned into complete hell... The most severe withdrawals I ever experienced & I just can't seem to stabilize. Have other people experienced this? I almost feel like everytime I take the trazadone I have a paradoxical reaction ( feel like I'm taking poison, so depressed, etc.) is this possible? If I'm the verge of suicidal thoughts should I try to switch meds? Continue to hold ? Or switch meds?

[Altostrata]

Please add your withdrawal history to your posting signature so we can better understand your questions, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/246-how-to-use-this-site-questions-and-answers/?p=62714

 

We can't tell you for sure what your symptoms are from. If you keep notes of your symptom pattern, it would help.

 

Your prior benzo withdrawal may have made your nervous system vulnerable to changes in dosages of your other neuroactive drugs and your alcohol use.

 

If you go to the hospital complaining of psychiatric symptoms, they will give you psychiatric drugs. If you think you have an ear infection, you might want to get that checked.

[anna7887]

I just added my sig line! I keep a journal daily & honestly can't find any notable patterns. It doesn't help I've been trying different Zoloft generics / doses. I am at a lost what to do from here. I would do anything to stabilize so I cant focus on tapering. I can try to take more trazadone but it makes me feel so depressed. Each day is such a struggle...and what makes this harder is this past 1.5 year I felt GREAT. My parents are suggesting the hospital...

[Altostrata]

I would not take more of anything. Rather, take the same dosages of each and at the same time of day.

 

Do your symptoms get worse in the afternoon?

[Altostrata]

I merged your new topic with this one since it's so particular to your individual situation.

 

Reinstating does not always work. But, anna, you have other factors complicating your trazodone withdrawal and reinstatement.

 

We can't advise about switching meds. We don't know of any silver bullets for withdrawal syndrome or nervous system destabilization from going up and down on psych drugs.

 

When you take trazodone, do you have any symptoms you can attribute to it? Is it doing you any good? What do you mean by a paradoxical reaction??

[anna7887]

The ear clogging &other symptoms are exactly what I used to experience after too big of cut during my klonopin taper... After I take the trazadone I feel calmer but I feel so weak/ tired now it knocks me out so quickly. I usually wake up after a few hours in complete panic but then fall back asleep. Mornings are often better but this past week almost the entire day has been bad. I'm concerned the updosing helped hence why I felt better 2 weeks ago& the reduction subsequently hurt . I think the increases or reductions take a few weeks to take effect so it is hard for me to know which way to go. Although I'd like to stay put on my doses my concern is I've built up a tolerance to zoloft and or trazadone and the current doses is what is making me so sick. I'm also thinking playing around w the trazadone ( starting and stopping ) created an adverse reaction (or paradoxical) whereas my body is rejecting it so I feel like crap all the time. Anyhow I think my pms is also contributing to this. thx for your help.

[Altostrata]

I don't understand why you think your body is rejecting the trazodone. It sounds like it's helping you sleep. That's what it's for, right?

 

At what time of the day do you take your Zoloft and trazodone doses?

 

Being inconsistent with your psych drugs interferes with stabilizing. You can't tell where the symptoms are coming from. Are you taking any other medications?

[anna7887]

Those are the only two medications...& I take them both at night. I've taken tiny amounts of klonopin (4xs in 6-8 weeks) & last dose was 2.5 weeks ago. Flushed the rest down the toilet.

 

Yes , I guess saying the trazadone isn't working doesn't make sense. But it feels like I'm having a bad reaction or bad side effects . I guess I'll stick out another week or so and see if it gets better:(

[Altostrata]

When do you have the bad reaction or bad side effects? Or are you talking about feeling lousy generally?

[anna7887]

Generally feeling lousy. It feels like I used to feel on klonopin when I experienced tolerance withdrawal. I have windows like this morning for 1 hour I felt great but then the ear pressure starts, I feel weak, start having really neg thoughts etc.

[Altostrata]

anna, have you read this topic about trazodone http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2883-tips-for-tapering-off-trazodone-desyrel/

 

You may have a reaction between Zoloft and trazodone, causing trazodone's metabolite MCPP to adversely affect you in the daytime. Increasing the Zoloft dosage would make this worse.

[anna7887]

I read through this but both were working fine for 3 years . I'm honestly at a lost of what to do. I have no desire to go out with friends, stay up past 9, I have so many negative thoughts, the dizziness and ear pressure is so bad, I feel ill most of the day. I don't know if I should just start tapering??? I am 26 and have my whole life to live... I feel like this is ruining me

[Altostrata]

What were your earlier dosages of Zoloft and trazodone?

[anna7887]

I have always been on 50mg of zoloft since day one.

 

When I first started trazadone I think I was taking 100mg... But reduced to 25mg once off the benzo w no problem whatsoever. Been on 25mg for the past year.

[Altostrata]

From your signature "Upped Zoloft to 75mg and trazadone to 50mg for 1.5 weeks ...felt suicidal & reduced dose. Switched to brand of Zoloft for 2 weeks and I felt ramped up..."

 

I guess it's possible you became sensitized to trazodone's metabolite MCPP when you increased both trazodone and Zoloft. This would affect you the next morning after you take trazodone. You might feel "ramped up" from it.

 

One way to find out if MCPP is your problem is by reducing trazodone slightly.

[Petunia]

..... I felt good and strong until a few months ago.....

 

....... 9 weeks ago I ran out of trazadone for 5 days..upon getting it refilled I immediately started taking it again. 2 weeks later I was SLAMMED with withdrawal like symptoms ( I know w/d due to my klonopin experience)....ear ringing, cog fog, inability to tolerate caffeine (was drinking 2-3 cups a day), feeling of impending doom, etc. However, these withdrawals were so severe I panicked and took a very small amount of klonopin I happened to still carry on me.

 

The past 8 weeks have been a roller coaster. I tried to take 50mg of trazadone for a week to stabilize...made me feel so depressed and out of it so I went back down to 25mg. I've had 4 more episodes of extreme w/d I had to take klonopin ( I can feel my body trying to latch onto to it so I've sworn I'll never take them again) I've tried to increase my Zoloft dose but made me way too hyperactive/ sick...

 

 

Hi Anna,

 

I'm sorry you are having a rough time at the moment.  It looks to me like your current situation started soon after running out of Trazadone for 5 days, then taking it again..... exacerbated by irregular use of klonopin, increasing trazadone then reducing it again.  Then increasing Zoloft and reducing that again.

 

Too many sudden changes, I would expect that your nervous system has become unstable and its struggling to find balance again.

 

It may take a while to settle down again.

 

Hang in there.

 

Petu.

[anna7887]

Thanks. I would like to believe that but it feels like its getting worse. I took slightly less trazador Friday night and felt somewhat better yesterday. But had to take slightly more last night and feel just awful today. It's been 12 weeks since I stopped then started my trazadone and I don't feel any better. Everytime I take that damn drug I feel like I'm investing poison & it makes me feel like I'm taking a benzo. Should I just start my taper?

[anna7887]

I meant ingesting (sry for the typos)

[Jemima]

In my opinion, this is definitely not the time to start tapering. You've changed your dosages so many times I'm not even sure of what you're taking right now.  I'm guessing it's 75 mg. Zoloft, 25 mg. Trazadone, and no more Klonopin. Is that correct?  (You might want to clarify this in your signature.)

 

There is no quick fix.  Changing the doses of any of your current drugs is just going to make matters worse rather than give you the instant relief you seem to expect. Believe me, if there were any way to make people feel good right away all us mods and admins would be off enjoying our millions from book royalties instead of hanging out here trying to talk people out of changing doses or getting a different medication. In withdrawal we often have to just put up with not feeling very well for weeks at a time.

[anna7887]

Thanks...that's what I want to believe but is it possible to actually develop severe side effects to a medication? Every time I take the trazadone I feel like it's tricking my brain into thinking I'm on a benzo. I wake up feeling how I used to with klonopin..it's very odd. My gut is telling me I am having severe reactions to it and need to get off of it. I know it doesn't sound logical but the feeling of w/d , depression, suicidal thoughts are so severe I'm on the verge of going to the hospital. I guess I know there isn't a magic pill but I also don't know if continuing to take trazadone at that dose until I stabilize is my answer either. I mean, some people just can't stabilize, right?

[Altostrata]

Yes, your reaction to a drug may change over time, especially if you've done something to sensitize your nervous system.

[anna7887]

So , if the reaction is severe ...what are my options?