TB1973: Prozac and sleep

[TB1973]

2 minutes ago, Kristine said:

And you can my friend ...I would suggest writing some clear questions to the moderators to assist you with your next step.  Just please don't make any changes until you hear from a moderator and have a clear plan in place. Much Love and hugs K xo

I won't be doing anything - I promise.  This is the worst thing in life I have had to face and I'm not going to let this beat me. xx  I'm not very good at communicating in writing, I'm able to communicate better when I speak to someone.

[Kristine]

3 minutes ago, TB1973 said:

I won't be doing anything - I promise.  This is the worst thing in life I have had to face and I'm not going to let this beat me. xx  I'm not very good at communicating in writing, I'm able to communicate better when I speak to someone.

You go girl!!!  I know the writing is difficult, especially when suffering cog fog.  Sometimes just writing your thoughts/questions in dot points is easier, rather than sentences 

[Shep]

5 hours ago, TB1973 said:

I won't be doing anything - I promise.  This is the worst thing in life I have had to face and I'm not going to let this beat me. xx  I'm not very good at communicating in writing, I'm able to communicate better when I speak to someone.

 

 

TB, we would like to help you, but without a drug and symptoms journal, we won't be able to. 

 

You could speak into a taper recorder or use your phone (there are free and low-cost apps for this) and then write it out here on your thread. There are also voice-to-text apps and programs. 

 

But this really isn't anything complicated - we simply need to know when you take your drugs and how you feel afterwards.

 

Symptoms and drug journal format

 

Below is the format: 

 

On 9/27/2016 at 2:49 PM, Altostrata said:

Keep notes on paper about your drug dosages and daily symptom pattern

 

A symptom pattern that occurs regularly over several days could mean the symptoms are from withdrawal, other adverse effects of drugs, or something else you do on a daily schedule.

 

In the course of discussion in your Introductions forum topic, you may be asked to keep notes on paper of your daily symptom pattern, including when you take your drugs, their dosages, and any symptoms.

 

What we need to see for every individual day over several days is:

- Time and dosage for drugs taken in morning
- Time and description of any symptoms in the morning
 
- Time and dosage for drugs taken in afternoon
- Time and description of any symptoms in the afternoon
 
- Time and dosage for drugs taken in evening
- Time and description of any symptoms in the evening
 
- Time and dosage for drugs taken in middle of the night
- Time and description of any symptoms in the middle of the night (such as waking)
 
And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, such as:
 
6 a.m. Woke and vomited
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Had diarrhea
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. Stomachache
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. Headache got worse
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 with headache

 

An appointments diary is perfect for this and can be bought at stationery stores. 

They have a page for each day with times for appointments which can be filled in with doses, symptoms etc as shown by Alto.

 

 

 

[manymoretodays]

Hi TB1973 and welcome back,

 

Do your best with the drug/symptom journal please.  That's what is really going to help us ascertain just what is what........as far as medication effects  and W/D symptoms. 

. 

Are you sleeping okay now?    I was just reviewing some on your journal/intro.  You've been through some massive medication trials and tribulations.  Please just hold steady now.

 

Much Love, peace, healing/inrecovery thoughts, and growth,

manymoretodays

 

 

 

[TB1973]

9 hours ago, Shep said:

 

 

TB, we would like to help you, but without a drug and symptoms journal, we won't be able to. 

 

You could speak into a taper recorder or use your phone (there are free and low-cost apps for this) and then write it out here on your thread. There are also voice-to-text apps and programs. 

 

But this really isn't anything complicated - we simply need to know when you take your drugs and how you feel afterwards.

 

Symptoms and drug journal format

 

Below is the format: 

 

 

 

 

Ok, I can do this.  I'll keep a drug and symptoms journal today and report this back to you this evening.  Thank you.

[TB1973]

Drug and Symptom Journal

 

Thursday 8 March

7.30pm - 5mg Zyprexa and 20mg Prozac - All day I have felt agitated, no appetite, I have not been able to sit still, my brain was working overtime, I was anxious, shaking, my brain was number and I also experienced heart palpitations. I cried a lot before going to bed.

9.30pm - Bed

 

Friday 9 March

 

6am - Awake (I wake up feeling foggy in the head and a little shaky)

6.15am - Coffee

6.30am - Supplements - 2 x Fish Oil, 1 x Vitamin D, 1 x Vitamin B Complex)

6.45am - Coffee and 1/2 punnet of strawberries

8.30am - Coffee

9.00am - Dull headache, foggy head, agitated

9.30am - Morning tea - Muesli Bar

I haven't really felt hungry throughout the day and have just been eating from a packet of savoury biscuits all day.

2.00pm - 2 x Fish Oil

5.30pm - Throughout the day I have not been able to shake the foggy feeling in the head, my brain feels numb, with some anxiety.  I've also experienced racing thoughts.  I have not been able to achieve very much today.  I have just been lying on the lounge and watching Netflix as a distraction.  My brain is just not allowing me to move and do anything productive.

[Shep]

TB, please eat something more than coffee and biscuits. Some of your symptoms are likely coming from drops in blood sugar.

 

Recommendation:  Eat small, high-protein, low-sugar meals at least 3 times a day with a couple of protein snacks in between. The snacks could include a handful of nuts and a glass of milk or soymilk. It's really important to stayed fueled with clean, nutritious food throughout the day.  Include breakfast, as well, with protein and low in sugar. Early morning low blood sugar can make withdrawal a lot worse. The symptoms of low blood sugar are anxiety, fatigue, agitation, headaches, and a lot of other similar symptoms of withdrawal, so a lot of people mistake low blood sugar with withdrawal. This is why nutrition is so important during withdrawal. 

 

 

 

You may find some helpful ideas here: 

 

Diet Plans for Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

 

How many hours a night are you sleeping? 

 

 

[Gridley]

TB, as Shep says, please be very careful of high-sugar foods.  For me, they really ramp up anxiety symptoms.  I took one sip of orange juice one morning and anxiety surged through me.  Strawberries are very high in sugar, as is a muesli bar. Many foods that are thought of as healthy in undrugged people simply are not good for our recovery.  Simple carbs in biscuits turn to sugar very quickly in your digestion.  Breakfast is especially important, as morning is when cortisol levels are high.  Can you manage to cook an egg or two?  That will really help set up your day on the right course.  

[Altostrata]

tb, thank you for the drug and symptom report. Why do you take Prozac and Zyprexa at the same time, in the evening?

 

On 3/8/2018 at 10:32 PM, TB1973 said:

7.30pm - 5mg Zyprexa and 20mg Prozac - All day I have felt agitated, no appetite, I have not been able to sit still, my brain was working overtime, I was anxious, shaking, my brain was number and I also experienced heart palpitations. I cried a lot before going to bed.

 

 

The interaction of Zyprexa and Prozac produces exactly those symptoms. See the Drug Interaction report at https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=1115-648,1744-1113

 

On 2/10/2018 at 7:16 PM, TB1973 said:

I am in hospital now under my psychiatrist who I absolutely have no respect for. I’m now on 20mg of Prozac which is helping. I have already told him that the 50mg of seroquel for sleep is too much and is attributing to how bad I feel. Although he prescribed this again for sleep and also 10mg of diazepam. I am not functioning today. He is now trying me on 7.5mg of immovain and 10mg diazepam for sleep. I’m in hell.

 

On 2/16/2018 at 11:56 PM, TB1973 said:

Hi Kristine. I’m still in hospital. I don’t have my laptop with me and using my phone and have found it difficult to follow the posts. Im currently on 20mg of Prozac and slowly improving, using 5mg of diazepam during the day to get through the difficult times. I take 7.5mg of imovane at night which is helping with the insomnia. I’m having small windows during the day where I feel ok, it’s slow but I’m ok with that. I’m hopeful this all might work out. I have care 24 hours a day and not panicking any more because I’m being guided and supported. This forum has been beneficial and I’m so grateful for all of the help and support I’ve had. ❤️

 

I don't understand -- if 20mg Prozac, 5mg diazepam, and 7.5mg Imovane were working, why are you now taking Prozac with Zyprexa?

 

On 3/7/2018 at 2:45 PM, TB1973 said:

I was discharged from hospital on Friday 2 March 2018, and now taking 20mg Prozac and 5mg of Zyprexa.  I did feel some benefit from taking this medication together, although now I'm not so sure.  I just can't seem to get my brain working.  I feel agitated, I have brain fog, I just can't get moving, my mind seems delayed.  I am hoping to go back to work soon, although with these symptoms I don't think this will be the case.

 

What benefit did you feel from this drug combination, and when? When did this benefit go away?

 

Since you felt poorly on 5mg Zyprexa, I don't understand why you went down to 2.5mg and then your doctor upped it to 5mg again. This makes no sense.

 

How long have you been on 5mg Zyprexa this time around?

 

It looks to me like you are suffering from Prozac-Zyprexa interaction, and one or the other or both drugs should be adjusted, either in timing or scheduling or both.

 

Keeping daily notes on paper about your symptoms, when you take your drugs, and their dosages will be very important, even if a doctor makes the changes or if you are in the hospital. Perhaps from now on you might decline the changes, since it seems your doctors don't know what they're doing.

[TB1973]

I went to see my psychiatrist on Monday of this week.  She has taken me off the zyprexa and kept me on the 20mg of Prozac due to the interaction between Zyprexa and Prozac.  She has reintroduced 7.5mg of imovane at night as required.  My brain feels terrible today.  I feel that even the 20mg of Prozac is too much, or that I'm withdrawing from the 5mg of zyprexa.  I really haven't been able to do anything today.  I have eaten healthy meals, including eggs, sandwiches and loads of water.  I've also used fish oil and magnesium glycinate and taken paracetamol for the headache I've been experiencing this afternoon.  I've had a very foggy head today and experienced blurred vision.  My psychiatrist said that if I don't improve whilst taking the 20mg of Prozac that she'll introduce 30mg of mirtazapine.  I can see from a previous post that I have made that I felt some improvement when I first went into hospital using 5mg of diazapam to assist when I've finding it everything too much to deal with.  I really want to go back to work next week, although at this stage I'm worried I won't be able to.  My doctor is calling me tomorrow to check in and to discuss whether the mirtazapine should be introduced.  I'm not feeling very optimistic.

 

[ChessieCat]

58 minutes ago, TB1973 said:

My psychiatrist said that if I don't improve whilst taking the 20mg of Prozac that she'll introduce 30mg of mirtazapine. 

 

On 11/03/2018 at 5:27 PM, Altostrata said:

Perhaps from now on you might decline the changes, since it seems your doctors don't know what they're doing.

 

Seems like Alto might be right.

Interactions between your drugs

Major

fluoxetine  mirtazapine

Applies to: Prozac (fluoxetine), mirtazapine

Using FLUoxetine together with mirtazapine can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may already be aware of the risks, but has determined that this is the best course of treatment for you and has taken appropriate precautions and is monitoring you closely for any potential complications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs.

[TB1973]

Thank you for sharing this information with me.  I knew in my heart that adding mirtazapine and prozac wouldn't be good for me.  I'm just unsure of how to proceed.  The doctors are telling me to take this medication.

[ChessieCat]

On 11/03/2018 at 5:27 PM, Altostrata said:

I don't understand -- if 20mg Prozac, 5mg diazepam, and 7.5mg Imovane were working, why are you now taking Prozac with Zyprexa?

 

[TB1973]

When I was in hospital I wasn't doing well at all due to all of the medication changes.  I cried so much to my doctor and he changed the meds again - Chessie cat where you have quoted below, I was doing okay with this medication although I remember crying so much to my doctor when I was in hospital that he took the diazapam and imovane away and replaced it with 5mg of zyprexa.  This worked for a little while. 

19 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

I don't understand -- if 20mg Prozac, 5mg diazepam, and 7.5mg Imovane were working, why are you now taking Prozac with Zyprexa?

I actually changed doctors when I was in hospital because I didn't trust my original psychiatrist any more due to all of the medication changes.  It seems as though my new doctor doesn't really know what to do either.  The new doctor changed the dose of the zyprexa to 2.5mg because I complained of brain fog.  She then increased is back to 5mg because for the 4 days only taking 2.5mg I went down hill.  I had only been on 5mg of zyprexa for approximately 2 weeks.  I ceased taking it yesterday, do you think I could be experiencing withdrawal or some adverse affects now that I've stopped taking it?

[Altostrata]

16 hours ago, TB1973 said:

I went to see my psychiatrist on Monday of this week.  She has taken me off the zyprexa and kept me on the 20mg of Prozac due to the interaction between Zyprexa and Prozac.  She has reintroduced 7.5mg of imovane at night as required.  My brain feels terrible today.  I feel that even the 20mg of Prozac is too much, or that I'm withdrawing from the 5mg of zyprexa.  I really haven't been able to do anything today.  I have eaten healthy meals, including eggs, sandwiches and loads of water.  I've also used fish oil and magnesium glycinate and taken paracetamol for the headache I've been experiencing this afternoon.  I've had a very foggy head today and experienced blurred vision.  My psychiatrist said that if I don't improve whilst taking the 20mg of Prozac that she'll introduce 30mg of mirtazapine.  I can see from a previous post that I have made that I felt some improvement when I first went into hospital using 5mg of diazapam to assist when I've finding it everything too much to deal with.  I really want to go back to work next week, although at this stage I'm worried I won't be able to.  My doctor is calling me tomorrow to check in and to discuss whether the mirtazapine should be introduced.  I'm not feeling very optimistic.

 

 

You made another drastic drug change and now you feel bad. You need to stop making drug changes to figure out where symptoms are coming from.

 

If you'd rather get your solutions from your psychiatrist, that would be fine, but she'll have to fix her own errors. We can't act as auxiliary support for her.

 

14 hours ago, TB1973 said:

I was doing okay with this medication although I remember crying so much to my doctor when I was in hospital that he took the diazapam and imovane away and replaced it with 5mg of zyprexa.  This worked for a little while. 

 

This is exactly what happens when you beg a psychiatrist to fix you. All they can do is experiment with more drugs. If you complain enough, they'll prescribe more extreme things to shut you up.

 

What times of day are you taking your new drugs, and at what dosages? You will need to keep daily notes as usual, or we can't help you.