Joy65

[Joy65]

Hello, it has taken me a while to figure out what was wrong with me because I thought I was having cardiac problems due to a constant elevated heart rate and palpitations. I am also having insomnia, morning shaking and agitation and anxiety. I didn't associate my symptoms with stopping Prozac initially because I stopped in June and felt fine. They tried me back on Prozac twice in September and January for the anxiety but increased agitation at night and nausea made me stop.  

 

I stopped the Klonopin (at night for sleep) recently because I am afraid of addiction to another drug, and Inwasntbsleeping past 3 am anyway.

 

After another completely sleepless night last night and shaking all morning I am at the end of my rope. They want me to start on Lexapro but I am afraid to make things worse again. 

 

Any advice is welcomed. 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Joy.

 

Thanks for that excellent history in your signature.

 

Did the Klonopin help? How much were you taking, how often? How did you go off? Did you have any withdrawal symptoms from that?

 

Is Benadryl helping?

 

Do you have any Prozac left? 10mg was probably way too much.

[Joy65]

Hello Altostrata,

 

For the Klonopin I was taking .5 mg at night. It helped initially, then I began waking up at 2 or 3 am just like I was before with shaking and a racing heart. I tried then to fall asleep myself and take a 1/2 that dose at 2 or 3 in the morning and get back to sleep which sometimes worked. I am very afraid of getting addicted to the Klonopin so after 3 weeks I stopped taking it. I slept for 2 nights on 50 mg of Benadryl, then had a night with no sleep at all. I took one dose of the Klonopin so I could sleep because I had to drive 2 hours and back for an important meeting the next day, and I did sleep.  Last night I did 50 mg of Benadryl again and slept through the night.

 

My biggest problem has been a high resting heart rate since September with strong palpitations where I feel my heart beat so strong that it keeps me awake. Recently I have begun being shaky when this happens. I am on Metroprolol 25 mg, the 12 hour version. So I monitor my heart rate and dose a full tablet or a half tablet according to how high my resting heart rate is. For example, last night it was in the 60's (had taken 1/2 a tablet in the morning) so I was unable to take any but this morning it was in the high 80's and I was shaky so I took 1/2 a tablet. I still am shaky but my heart rate is lower.

 

Since i started the prozac a few weeks ago I have been extremely nauseous, having difficulty eating, losing weight. I am taking pepto bismol, ginger tea, ginger ale. I have lost about 5 pounds in the past 3 weeks from this. I spoke with the doctor my nurse practitioner had me see a few weeks ago and they think I should try Zofran. I don't know why the nausea hasn't stopped since I have been off the prozac for over a week.

 

The doctor I am speaking with now is a DO specializing in psychiatry. she wants me to try a low dose of Lexapro, 2.5 mg and go up slowly. She thinks my symptoms are re-emerging anxiety that was not shown during my years on prozac. She did say that if it was withdrawal from the prozac the Lexapro should help in a few days.  

 

I am very scared of making things worse, I don't know if I should ride this out or try the medication. I have been having the tachycardia since September so it's already been 4 months of that with insomnia. I've gotten about 4 nights of full sleep in 4 months. I'm also having twitches or jerks as I try to fall asleep that jolt me awake. I have prozac tablets and capsules left, but I am also afraid of making the nausea worse. Both times when I took the prozac again, it would keep me up at night feeling racy, agitated, pacing like I had had 20 cups of coffee.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated, I have already learned so much from the board.

 

Best,

Joy 65