Freespirit123: Want off drugs

[ChessieCat]

BTW there are many existing topics on this site.  Either use the site search function or google and add survivingantidepressants.org to your search term.

[freespirit123]

Quick question....I’ve been drinking a glass of organic red wine nightly for sleep. It’s now gone up to 2 glasses of wine nightly, for 11 months. Am I now going to have a hard time stopping? I already feel like I NEED it but I’m worried about my liver! 

[powerback]

56 minutes ago, freespirit123 said:

Quick question....I’ve been drinking a glass of organic red wine nightly for sleep. It’s now gone up to 2 glasses of wine nightly, for 11 months. Am I now going to have a hard time stopping? I already feel like I NEED it but I’m worried about my liver! 

Hi FS google how many units is the recommend daily intake and stick to that ,don't get yourself into a tizzy ,how big are the glasses/units .15 years of binge drinking and my liver is ok from what I know so be careful of your mind/anxiety running wild .

you could be in a phycology of a sleep crutch with the wine [im in one with falling asleep while listen to documentaries] ,cut the wine  down to one maybe for now .if it relaxes you that's a good thing but its a thin line between enough and over doing it and it can creep up on you so just we watchful.

Take care .

[freespirit123]

I know I have OCD and I’m trying really hard to not get back on Celexa but I’m thinking I need some medication.  My question is which is best for OCD? I just have obsessive thoughts, can’t shut off my brain. I was on Celexa and it helped roll things off easier like I wasn’t so uptight but didn’t help I guess with obessive thoughts. 

 

Please offer suggestions on what can help this

[freespirit123]

Nurse wants to put me on it but scared after reading webmd reviews. Thoughts?

[ChessieCat]

31 minutes ago, freespirit123 said:

Nurse wants to put me on it but scared after reading webmd reviews. Thoughts?

 

Your topic title: " Freespirit123: Want off drugs"

 

Q:  What are your current symptoms?

 

Q:  Why are you considering another drug?

 

Q:  How is your sleep?

 

Q:  What non drug techniques are you using to cope?

 

On 9/21/2018 at 4:57 AM, freespirit123 said:

Quick question....I’ve been drinking a glass of organic red wine nightly for sleep. It’s now gone up to 2 glasses of wine nightly, for 11 months. Am I now going to have a hard time stopping? I already feel like I NEED it but I’m worried about my liver! 

 

alcohol-and-beer

 

Some members find that drinking alcohol increases their withdrawal symptoms.

 

Sleep problems - that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

 

Edited January 14, 2019 by ChessieCat

[freespirit123]

My current symptoms are insomnia and anxiety and compulsive thoughts. I take fish oil and a slew of supplements. I’m thinking of either Zoloft bc when i google meds for OCD that comes up

 

[ChessieCat]

On 12/15/2015 at 6:06 AM, Altostrata said:

freespirit, please post your questions about your situation in this topic, your Intro topic.

 

On 1/24/2017 at 11:44 AM, ChessieCat said:

I've moved you post into your Intro/Update topic because it is about your own situation and will keep your history in one place.

 

The first quote is from 2015.

 

This morning I've moved 2 new Intro topics you have created to your original Intro topic.  This keeps your history in one place.  SA works differently to many other forums.  Each member has only 1 Introduction topic, which is the place to ask questions and journal their progress.  There have been other posts which the mods have had to move.  Please do not create any more Introduction topics.  Thank you.
 

Q:  Have you been taking any other drugs or supplements recently?

 

Q:  How long have you been drinking alcohol for?

 

Q:  Was the reason you started taking a psychiatric drug because you suffered from OCD?

 

Q:  If no, when did the OCD symptoms start?

 

ocd-obsessive-thoughts-compulsive-behaviors

 

If what you are experiencing are withdrawal related you will need to find non drug coping techniques to get through the tough times and times of discomfort.

 

Please keep daily symptoms notes for the next 3 days and post them here in your topic so that they can be assessed.  Please include the times you take any supplements and alcohol.

 

Example:

 

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

Edited January 14, 2019 by ChessieCat

[freespirit123]

I take 1mg of Ativan when I absolutely don’t sleep, along with Unisom.....and wine. Yes I know that’s terrible but it’s a last minute resort and then I hate myself for taking it. I took the night before last night and I’m pretty sure it’s why I woke up at 4:30 anxious this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep which means I’m a complete basket case today! I NEED sleep! I’m a completly normal person if I get sleep! 

 

Started having a glass of wine a year ago to ease my mind and it’s now 2 glasses nightly and now I’ve created a NEED for it 

 

I started taking Celexa bc I had a nervous breakdown bc I lead a VERY stressful life and basically lost control of sleep

 

 

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, freespirit123 said:

bc I lead a VERY stressful life

 

You might want to consider whether the stressful life you lead is worth continuing considering the toll it is taking on you and how it is leading you to take drugs and drink alcohol in order for you to "cope".

 

SA is a site for helping people reduce their drugs.

[freespirit123]

I understand limiting my stress and I’ve tried to. I also know this site is for getting off drugs. So if this isn’t the place to get guidance on mental health and what to do can you suggest one for me pls?

[powerback]

HI FS ,find somewhere In your local community that can help and suggest help for Alcohol and stress relief .we absorb a lot of stress from others around us that affect us .we need to curtail this withdrawal or not .

I've cut back my life a lot the last few years and I love it,i even tell my partner that I don't even want to know whats going on in fakebook land .this affects us negatively in the subconscious .  

Get walking or exercise of some kind ,make yourself tired ,google sleep hygiene and find  a solution that suits you .

Theres a good tedtalk about mental health hygiene ,I must find it and get it to you ,do me a favour and remind in the next few days .

Take care .

 

Giving up alcohol was the best thing I ever did, albeit a massive binge drinker at that . 

The next few years im working  on my mental health hygiene like never before .

 

[freespirit123]

Thank you so much for the nice reply and advice. I think I’ve struggled with OCD my whole life and it just shows up in different forms. I also have a family history of mental illness so I’m just thinking meds might be my best way to help along with counseling. Do I want to do meds? Absolutely not and I’m making myself sick trying to NOT be on it. I do have a counselor appt coming up and my husband and I are doing marriage counseling as well. I joined a gym also so I just need to find some ME time. I hate that I have to drink wine to relax and I need to somehow stop but don’t know how to. 

[powerback]

12 minutes ago, freespirit123 said:

Thank you so much for the nice reply and advice. I think I’ve struggled with OCD my whole life and it just shows up in different forms. I also have a family history of mental illness so I’m just thinking meds might be my best way to help along with counseling. Do I want to do meds? Absolutely not and I’m making myself sick trying to NOT be on it. I do have a counselor appt coming up and my husband and I are doing marriage counseling as well. I joined a gym also so I just need to find some ME time. I hate that I have to drink wine to relax and I need to somehow stop but don’t know how to. 

we need to work on moving away from the disparaging attitude that modern society still has towards mental health.

I hate reading rag newspapers ,the wording in them like troubled or they have issues has a negative judgemental connotation behind it .

learn ways to appease your OCD ,get to understand it.

keeping leaning and practicing ,be careful  spending loads of money on counsellors ,you need to be getting tangible feedback from the counsellor ,your employing them for a service ,get your moneys worth .I've been to them myself over the years .keep notes and practice what the counsellor says .

Take care ,I better go to sleep . 

 

[freespirit123]

So I started back on Celexa this morning, 10mg. I felt best on 40mg. I’ve read ALL my post to remind myself how I felt on it and how hard it was to get off. Part of my OCD is that I can never just chill and accept anything. I felt great on 40mg but then I read Celexa can cause health problems so then I freaked out and took myself off. It’s like why did I do that if I was feeling so great???? Why didn’t I just stay on 40mg? 

 

So my question is this....so many of y’all say if you stay on long term at some point it will stop working, then what? 

 

Yes ive been off for about a year and IF I sleep I’m a normal person but if I don’t then I’m bonkers. So I feel like how I’m living my life now is far more determental to my health then Celexa. I can tell I’m starting to become agoraphobic too, so my OCD and weird mental issues are slowly creeping back in. 

So I know this site is for people getting off meds but what about the people that truly NEED meds? 

 

Im all organic and lead a clean lifestyle so it’s very hard for me to accept that I need meds but I want my joy back. I want to laugh again and not worry about things...

 

thoughts anyone pls? 

[Altostrata]

On 6/9/2018 at 2:11 PM, freespirit123 said:

Thanks Alto. Yes I’ve gotten worse in the 2 wks. It’s like a roller coaster. I was down this morning and now I’m ok. 🙄 I’m taking the fish oil and a good probiotic with  Ashwagawnda another things 

 

freespirit, it looks to me like you might have had Celexa withdrawal syndrome since you started changing your dosage in early 2018, and after you went off it in May 2018.

 

Reinstatement of a low dose of Celexa might help, but 10mg might be too high. When you go on and off psychiatric drugs, your nervous system can become hypersensitive to drugs, supplements, and even foods. A little Celexa can go a long way. If 10mg starts to make you nervous, it's too much. 1mg-5mg might be a better trial dosage.

 

Please be aware: You may never have a honeymoon with an antidepressant again. Your nervous system might not react the same way it did before. Keep in mind that less often is more when your nervous system is sensitized. This is also true of benzo dosing.

 

On 9/17/2018 at 9:20 AM, freespirit123 said:

Ugh you’re so right! I’m sure it’s the Ativan! So maybe when I take it once or twice a week I’m causing my issues to worsen! Problem is I get so desperate at night! On top of that I’m drinking 

....

 

What is your Ativan dosing schedule now? Are you still having interdose withdrawal?

Please let us know how you're doing with the Celexa reinstatement.

[freespirit123]

34 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

freespirit, it looks to me like you might have had Celexa withdrawal syndrome since you started changing your dosage in early 2018, and after you went off it in May 2018.

 

Reinstatement of a low dose of Celexa might help, but 10mg might be too high. When you go on and off psychiatric drugs, your nervous system can become hypersensitive to drugs, supplements, and even foods. A little Celexa can go a long way. If 10mg starts to make you nervous, it's too much. 1mg-5mg might be a better trial dosage.

 

Please be aware: You may never have a honeymoon with an antidepressant again. Your nervous system might not react the same way it did before. Keep in mind that less often is more when your nervous system is sensitized. This is also true of benzo dosing.

 

 

What is your Ativan dosing schedule now? Are you still having interdose withdrawal?

Please let us know how you're doing with the Celexa reinstatement.

I take Ativan probably twice a week. So obviously the night after I take it is usually good and then the night after that is usually bad. Is that the Ativan withdrawl? Ugh it’s like a merry go round 

 

and I hope you’re wrong about the honeymoon phase bc I really want to feel good again 

[Altostrata]

Sorry, I cannot assure you that you will feel great on drugs ever again. Your nervous system has been sensitized.

 

If that's your goal, please talk to a physician, we don't do re-medication.

[ChessieCat]

Post #1 of this topic may be helpful:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

[freespirit123]

Alto are you saying that all of this that I’m feeling very well might be “withdrawl” from stopping Celexa in May? So I’m about 7-8 months from stopping meds and your suggesting my brain is still trying to adjust since I was on it for 2.5 yrs? 

 

Ok ill cut the 10mg pill in 1/2 and see how I feel and what do I do if I feel better, keep taking it? 

 

Im hopeful if you believe I’m suffering bc of withdrawl and not that I need to get back on.

 

also I know taking the Unisom wine and Ativan is totally disrupting my sleep but at least I’m getting some sleep with it, but do u think I’m actually causing my problems by taking that crap? How do I stop??? 

 

 

[freespirit123]

Can I pretty please call you Alto? Can I give you my number and you call me? It’d be easier and faster if we can chat instead of responding here. I just need guidance and clarification 

[freespirit123]

I need an answer quick so I thought I’d ask here.....I’ve been off of Celexa for 8-9mos and after researching this site all day I’m thinking my issue “might” be withdrawl syndrome? So I started Celexa 10mg yesterday and took it today, so 2 days on 10mg.....can I just stop tomorrow? Will there be a problem??

[freespirit123]

My husband is demanding I get on meds and “something needs to change” & “you’re getting worse” even my close friends are saying I need something 

 

so I’m assuming I’ll go down this path again 😭

 

I don’t know any other way to fix myself bc I’ve tried it all! I spend $$$ on supplements monthly 

[ChessieCat]

Yes, you can stop it.  However, the other option might be to take less.  Now that you have already taken the drug you might want to consider continuing your reinstatement but reduce the dose.  You could reducing it to 1mg.  You might find that it eases your withdrawal symptoms.

 

Please read Post #1 of this topic:  About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

It is better to start with a small amount and increase if necessary than to risk taking too much.  It takes about 4 days for a dose to get to full level in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.  You will need to patient and stay as calm as possible and try not to panic.  When we panic we can make bad decisions.  Some members have panicked and taken too much and/or increased too soon and ended up making things worse.

 

Please keep daily symptom notes on paper to see how reinstatement is affecting your symptoms.

[Altostrata]

11 hours ago, freespirit123 said:

Alto are you saying that all of this that I’m feeling very well might be “withdrawl” from stopping Celexa in May? So I’m about 7-8 months from stopping meds and your suggesting my brain is still trying to adjust since I was on it for 2.5 yrs? 

 

Ok ill cut the 10mg pill in 1/2 and see how I feel and what do I do if I feel better, keep taking it? 

 

Im hopeful if you believe I’m suffering bc of withdrawl and not that I need to get back on.

 

also I know taking the Unisom wine and Ativan is totally disrupting my sleep but at least I’m getting some sleep with it, but do u think I’m actually causing my problems by taking that crap? How do I stop??? 

 

 

 

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

 

As Chessie said, even a half a 10mg tablet might be too much. Read this to find out how to make a liquid to take less Tips for tapering off Celexa (citalopram) You can also get a Celexa liquid by prescription.

 

I do not counsel people over the phone, or I'd have 300 people calling me every day.

[Shep]

Please note that Freespirit has made a new post in her benzo forum thread. Her latest post is here:

 

Freespirit123: Lunesta

 

 

[papaloapan]

On 2/6/2016 at 4:46 PM, freespirit123 said:

Just wanted to give a heads up about my tapering. I have successfully tapered off Sero., 3 wks and going strong!

 

If I can do it, so can you. I took it for bedtime along with Lunesta which I'm still taking. I feel so much better off of it. No more shaky hands or anxiety. It was actually causing more anxious thoughts for me. So glad I'm off!

 

I had a couple of bad nights and has to take Ativan for about 2-3 nights (.25mg) but that's it. I still have early wake up but I've been using Magnesium, Melatonin (1mg) and salt and honey and it gets me back to sleep.

 

I'm here if anyone has questions. You can do it!!!!

 

Hi freespirit123, can you please tell me how did you taper off seroquel?

[freespirit123]

Titled: Trazadone side effects

 

Hi I’ve been on Trazadone (& Celexa) for a year now. It seems in the evening when I’m relaxing, I’ll get an occasional switch of my hands. Like a jerk. It doesn’t happen all the time or everyday but it does happen. It use to happen more but seemed to slow down but it still makes me concerned bc it does still happen. It’s almost like a quick jerk. What is this? I’m on 50mg the f Trazadone, 30mg of Celexa. 

Edited March 19, 2020 by manymoretodays
moved from symptoms and self care

[manymoretodays]

Hi freespirit123, @freespirit123

How are you doing?  It looks like it may have been awhile since you last posted.

 

On 3/16/2020 at 7:13 AM, freespirit123 said:

It seems in the evening when I’m relaxing, I’ll get an occasional switch of my hands. Like a jerk. It doesn’t happen all the time or everyday but it does happen. It use to happen more but seemed to slow down but it still makes me concerned bc it does still happen. It’s almost like a quick jerk. What is this?

 

Is it involuntary, meaning you can't stop it?  Here are a couple topics you can look at too, and see which you think applies to what you have...... tics, twitches, dyskinesia, etc.:

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/6504-occasional-neuromuscular-symptoms-tics-twitches-fasciculations-spasm

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/3726-tardive-dyskinesia-or-involuntary-movements/

 

And probably a side effect/adverse effect of one of your drugs.  That it has slowed down is good.

 

On 3/16/2020 at 7:13 AM, freespirit123 said:

I’m on 50mg the f Trazadone, 30mg of Celexa. 

 

What all are you taking now?  Drugs, names and dosages, and time of day that you take each of them?

 

Then, could you update your signature for us? Dates that new drugs were started.  Dates when old drugs were discontinued, and how.  AccountSettings/signature

 

Including this:  Tips for tapering off trazodone

^ please look at the first post in topic, as there are huge numbers of drugs that interact with trazodone, and Celexa is in that list.

 

Generally too, you can find a fair amount of drug information, in the topics, as well as at Drugs.com and check drug interactions there.  I'm feeling more concerned about your drug interactions than the twitches, to be honest.  You can check out any drug there, at Drugs.com, to see the lists and lists of potential side effects from your drugs too. 

 

And......it appears that there ARE some major interactions between Trazodone and Celexa:

https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=2228-0,679-335

 

Who is prescribing for you?  You might wish to enlighten them to the interactions of your drugs.  You could print that out.  Would you add any additional drugs, if you are on others, and then copy and past that report here.  Thank you.

 

Good to see you back freespirit123,

Best, and L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by manymoretodays