Steve61: Dosulepin withdrawal

[Gumleaf]

On 12/7/2018 at 9:58 PM, Steve61 said:

Im still in a wave, Carmie. Just not such a big wave. I am settling down, beginning to stabilise. I just have this nagging feeling that everything is not right in my world. An underlying fear of I don’t know what. It is like ‘ I don’t feel safe’. It’s a disturbing feeling. I know it’s the wd’s but sometimes it can be quite overpowering. 

 

G’day Steve,

 

Thanks for posting in my thread last year.  I’ve been following your progress with interest but only now have been able to write because things have been a bit rough, which I am sure you can relate to.  I quoted what you said above because it really resonated with me, with alarming clarity.  After having an awful experience with Valdoxan last year, my Pdoc put me back on Dosulepin in December.  It was not at all like it had been last time, and after being on 50mg for 3.5 weeks I experienced enormous anxiety, which started off with “I don’t feel safe” and then progressed to suicidal ideation.  Terrified, I went cold turkey and since then have experienced all the same side effects you have described— aches, pains, exhaustion, noise sensitivity.

 

You are definitely not alone in this, rest assured.  Although my own experiences will probably not make yours any better, I hope that it provides you with some hope that this too shall pass.  Wishing you all the best on this difficult and frustrating journey and looking forward to your recovery, as well as my own!

[powerback]

13 hours ago, Steve61 said:

Well, this wave is definitely the worst and the longest that I’ve had. I’ve been lucky in the fact that I have had little periods yesterday and a couple of days before that when I felt almost normal but they don’t last and then I’m back to exhaustion and the pounding slow heartbeat. Noise sensitivity is horrendous. I’m sitting here , hearing every noise that next door makes and feeling that I could go around with a big hammer !!  I won’t, I know it’s wds . So I will put some earplugs in.  I just seem so sensitive to everything now. Noise especially but also exercise and supplements. I’ve always enjoyed exercise so that’s a big one for me. I gave up on supplements a while ago. Even Omega3 filled me with anxiety.  I’m just going to wait to stabilise. No intention of tapering again any time soon. 

No tapering is crucial in this wave steve ,your system is very sensitive.what a joke hey to be so low tempered .

Your strong so keep at it .

Take care mate.

[Steve61]

9 hours ago, eymen23 said:

Hi Steve,

 

Sorry to hear you’re in a long wave, but feeling near normal is always encouraging, even if just briefly. Let’s hope you get some more stability soon! 

 

I understand what you mean about the neighbours. Sometimes with my symptoms I’m more aware of stimulus around me and can get frustrated. Ear plugs sound like a great idea. Several deep breaths can also help to feel less overwhelmed.

 

If I ever feel light sensitive, I will often shut my eyes completely and lie down. Of course we can’t always shut our eyes, but I have done this on public transport before, I just pretend I’m dozing off.

 

Thank you Eymen. I appreciate the support. The deep breaths are something that I have been trying to do throughout this wd process. It goes along with the meditation that I am trying to do but it’s hard to do when my whole nervous system seems to be screaming .  I’m not giving up on it though. Meditation has helped me a lot. Just not at the present moment.

Steve

[Steve61]

@Gumleaf I’m glad that you have left a message. It’s always nice to identify closely with someone. Yes the exhaustion, aches and pains linger on. The not feeling safe, almost as if I don’t belong in the world comes and goes. Thankfully I haven’t got that at the moment but it’s gone before and come back again. I try to ignore it the best I can when I have it but it’s very unsettling. I get it a lot at night before sleep. A feeling of dread. Anyway we carry on and wait for this madness to go.

Steve

[Sunnyday]

Hi Steve. Sometimes all that helps is waiting it out if nothing else. And remembering that it is temporary. You already know this but it can be good with a reminder during the worst waves.

Regarding the feeling of dread, when I had that earlier on, or something similar (also usually when going to sleep) I almost let myself become a child again in that I used things to comfort myself that I had used as a child, and it was helpful. It could be an old stuffed animal that I had with me in bed or playing with my hair. It sounds silly but whatever works I think, and whatever makes us feel safer.  And that's what did it for me. I also couldn't sleep in the dark anymore so I kept the lights on. That has gotten better by now though.

 

Can also relate to the noise sensitivity, felt like I was going crazy some days. It's difficult to control but it will get better too. Earplugs or earphones with music in it can be very helpful if it fits the situation.

Hope you'll feel a bit better soon. Take care.

[Steve61]

@Sunnyday Thank you for the advice and suggestions. It’s always nice to hear from someone who has managed to reach ‘the other side’. It’s nice to hear that these horrible wd symptoms do get better. The noise sensitivity can drive me insane at times. Putting in earplugs definitely helps but sometimes,if I am being stubborn , I don’t want to. I think ‘why should I put earplugs in ,it’s them next door making the noise, not me’.  My own worst enemy at times !!! 

[Steve61]

I have three withdrawal symptoms at the moment that have been with me pretty well all the time over the last 6 weeks. Most symptoms come and go but these have been with me constantly. Exhaustion, noise sensitivity and a thumping heart. The first two , although unpleasant, do not overly concern me. It’s the thumping heart that is beginning to concern me. It feels as if it’s high up in my chest almost in my throat. It’s a very heavy beat that I feel through my body. It’s not fast, on the contrary,it feels slow almost as if I’m waiting for it to stop. I don’t know if it is my imagination but sometimes it feels as if it misses a beat. This is beginning to concern me now. I’m wondering if I need to see my doctor. Any advice would be appreciated.

Steve

 

 

[powerback]

2 hours ago, Steve61 said:

I have three withdrawal symptoms at the moment that have been with me pretty well all the time over the last 6 weeks. Most symptoms come and go but these have been with me constantly. Exhaustion, noise sensitivity and a thumping heart. The first two , although unpleasant, do not overly concern me. It’s the thumping heart that is beginning to concern me. It feels as if it’s high up in my chest almost in my throat. It’s a very heavy beat that I feel through my body. It’s not fast, on the contrary,it feels slow almost as if I’m waiting for it to stop. I don’t know if it is my imagination but sometimes it feels as if it misses a beat. This is beginning to concern me now. I’m wondering if I need to see my doctor. Any advice would be appreciated.

Steve

 

 

ide keep a note of the issue with your heart thru out the day ,is it worse in the morning or afternoon ,before or after meds .even look at your diet, do you drink much caffeine beverages.

Take care steve .

[Sunnyday]

@Steve61 I think it's a very common withdrawal symptom, I often felt like my heart was fluttering earlier on, but also similar things to what you describe with a slower and harder/heavier heartbeat. But no one can probably say if it's the withdrawal or not for sure for a specific individual, so I would say go with what you feel is best for you.

Powerback had good advice too. You could also read a bit about it online, sometimes I feel I get a better grasp of it when I do. I would not suggest that if you're someone who tend to worry over your health though.

Take care. x

[Steve61]

@Sunnyday@powerback. Thank you both for your feedback and suggestions. I have monitored when it happens and I can honestly find no pattern at all. It can happen in a morning, in bed at night, before food after food, while resting, while walking etc, etc. It helps to know that you had the same thing, Sunny. I will see how it goes for a while and if it carries on I will have to see my doctor. I really do not want to get him involved in this though. Don’t know what he might suggest.

Steve

[Sunnyday]

7 hours ago, Steve61 said:

@Sunnyday@powerback. Thank you both for your feedback and suggestions. I have monitored when it happens and I can honestly find no pattern at all. It can happen in a morning, in bed at night, before food after food, while resting, while walking etc, etc. It helps to know that you had the same thing, Sunny. I will see how it goes for a while and if it carries on I will have to see my doctor. I really do not want to get him involved in this though. Don’t know what he might suggest.

Steve

Yes I'd say trust your gut. And if you feel that you need to go to the doctor I would do that. We always have the right to reject their propositions. Usually if I don't want to reject it right then and there for whatever reason I just tell them I have to think about it.

Hopefully it'll go away or at least get a bit milder soon.

[Carmie]

Hi Steve, 

 

How are you doing?💚

[Steve61]

9 hours ago, Carmie said:

Hi Steve, 

 

How are you doing?💚

Hi Carmie. Not too bad, mentally. My moods aren’t too bad at the moment. Still getting the physical wd’s though. The pounding slow heartbeat is the main one. Sometimes it feels as if my heart skips a beat. Noise sensitivity is there as well. The exhaustion seems to come and go now though so that’s a good sign. I have periods where I do have energy so that’s an improvement.  Keeping on with my meditation, that is helping a lot. 

 

So, overall, better than I have been. I was in a wave for about 6 weeks. January wasn’t very nice at all . In the past I seem to have had a couple of weeks of a wave and then it stops and then I’m in a window for a couple of weeks etc. Clearly defined periods. This has been different. A long wave with little windows that seemed to come and then disappear but they do seem to be getting longer. So I’m optimistic !

Thank you

Steve x

[Carmie]

Hi Steve, 

 

Nice to hear you sounding so upbeat. I’m glad you’re doing okay mentally. Glad to hear your windows are getting longer too.💚

[Steve61]

Time for an update I think  that I have accepted that this is going to take a long time now. I always felt a bit impatient but just recently I seem to have adopted a different frame of mind. I have started doing much smaller tapers and although it doesn’t eliminate all the withdrawals it certainly minimises them. I still get the dizziness, slow pounding hearbeat, my energy levels fluctuate madly ,my sleep pattern is unpredictable  and the most annoying is the noise sensitivity . Fortunately the noise sensitivity has gone for now so that makes things easier.  I seem to have come to an understanding that it is what it is. Acceptance. I sat in peace this morning , watching the garden birds. I still had the physical symptoms but my mind was okay. I seem to have some influence over my mental state but not my physical. The physical symptoms are easier to cope with though. I’m so grateful to this site for all the help. The info is invaluable. I’m meditating on a regular basis. I’m sure that helps my mental well being. Still optimistic 👍👍

Steve

[powerback]

Hope your doing ok mate .

 

[Sunnyday]

Hi Steve, hopefully your symptoms have gotten a little bit milder, and if not hopefully they will soon. You seem to really have got the meditation down and using it as a tool to cope with the situation, which is impressive. I hope I can do the same more often.

 

Take care

[Carmie]

Hi Steve, 

 

Just checking in to see how you’ve been doing.💚

[manymoretodays]

Hi Steve61,

Updates? 

I think I'll try and resurrect the 12 step thread again too! 

As another member had mentioned 12 steps in recovery/healing and was interested.

Keeping in mind that it is NOT a sanctioned AA group at all.  As it states at the start of that thread.

So sorry you were so offended.....or that was my take.

Hope to see you there soon(or not, if that just isn't your thing.....to apply the step work to other things)

Best, L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

[Altostrata]

Steve, how are you doing?

 

What was your experience with Valdoxan (agomelatine) way back? Very few of our members have taken that drug.