Setu: Doxepin taper, withdrawing. Supplements?

[Setu]

I have been on 100 mg Doxepin more or less for 18 years treating insomnia. It has suppressed my adrenals enough that it could be contributing to Adrenal Fatigue but even on a sllllloooooowww taper (currently at 90 mg over course of 3 months), my system goes ballistic and I cannot sleep unless I increase my dose or am so zonked from not sleeping well that I get a good night in.

Has anyone taken supplements or other medication to help with the taper?

supplements I have tried but have had digestive of excitatory side effects: Seriphos (cortisol manager), L Theanine, 5 HTP, Melatonin, Magnesium,  Hemp Sourced CBD oil). Melatonin was good but brought on depression. Most of these would have done the trick save for my tummy so perhaps this list will help someone else!

[SkyBlue]

Hi Setu,

 

Welcome to SA.

 

How long had you been on Doxepin? Please help us out by creating a drug signature using these instructions: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/18343-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Generally, tapering and withdrawing from psych drugs makes people very, very sensitive to supplements. Many people can't tolerate supplements at all while in withdrawal. 

 

The only two supplements we really recommend (and they may not work for everyone) are fish oil, and magnesium.

 

How much magnesium are you taking? Perhaps a lower dose would be beneficial. As you may know, magnesium comes in powder form (Natural Calm is one, but there are others) that will dissolve in water and a person could sip a very small amount throughout the day and work up from there. Here is the magnesium thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

Insomnia is very common in withdrawal. Here is a thread with support and information: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/53-tips-to-help-sleep-so-many-of-us-have-that-awful-withdrawal-insomnia/

 

Again, welcome.

Edited August 26, 2018 by SkyBlue
delete extra spaces

[Steve61]

On 8/25/2018 at 12:04 PM, Setu said:

I have been on 100 mg Doxepin more or less for 18 years treating insomnia. It has suppressed my adrenals enough that it could be contributing to Adrenal Fatigue but even on a sllllloooooowww taper (currently at 90 mg over course of 3 months), my system goes ballistic and I cannot sleep unless I increase my dose or am so zonked from not sleeping well that I get a good night in.

Has anyone taken supplements or other medication to help with the taper?

supplements I have tried but have had digestive of excitatory side effects: Seriphos (cortisol manager), L Theanine, 5 HTP, Melatonin, Magnesium,  Hemp Sourced CBD oil). Melatonin was good but brought on depression. Most of these would have done the trick save for my tummy so perhaps this list will help someone else!

Hi Setu. I’m tapering from the same drug. It’s called Dothiepin in the UK.. Not too many of us on this now. It’s obviously one of the older ,tricyclics and I don’t think that they are prescribed much any more, so it’s great for me to find someone withdrawing from the same drug. 

 

I feel your pain, I’ve been on 75mgs for the last 25 years. Withdrawing is proving very difficult. It is changeable though. Sometimes almost unbearable, sometimes not too bad. I never know what I will get. This siite is helping me enormously. Dothiepin sedated me. It calmed me, helped me to sleep etc. So when I taper my whole body seems wired. Sleep all over the place, feeling anxious all the time etc but after a while it seems to calm down. The thing is though, when I adjust to the lower dose, I absolutely love the extra energy and my joints don’t ache like they did and I don’t want to sleep for 2 hours every afternoon.  So lots of positives to get me through the horrors when they come. 

 

I feel like I have been living in a sort of box for years . I believed that I had to take ad’s to control my chemical imbalance. I don’t believe that any more. As for supplements, I seem to be super sensitive. I tried Curcumin the other day and my anxiety went through the roof !!!!! That was 3 days ago and I’m just calming down again.  It could be a sulphur intolerance or it could be just supplements in general. I m going to try Omega3 because it is recommended on here but if I get a bad reaction off that , I will just give up on supplements for now.

 

Good luck. I’m new to this but if I was going to give you any advice it would be to use this site !!! You will find all sorts of info., support, encouragement etc.

 

Steve