Kristeebee: hi there

[Kristeebee]

Hi my name is Kristy.

 

I am during doing a slow taper of Zoloft (50 mg). Because my system cant handle going higher than that snd gives me more anxiety. At this point, I'm not sure if Zoloft is giving me more anxiety or not. I have tried most antidepressants with anxiety being worse.

I am currently on Clonzasapam, which I really want to come off of but I am scared.

Im looking for support.

I am 2 weeks into the taper and its been tough already and I dont know how I will survive the 10 month plan and beyond that.

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Kristeebee.

 

If your plan is to taper off 50mg Zoloft in ten months, you are are tapering much faster than we recommend, which would account for the difficulties you are experiencing.  We recommend tapering no faster than 10% of current dose every four weeks.  Some have to taper more slowly.  This link explains why:

 

 http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

How fast are you tapering and what dosage are you on now?  

 

VERY IMPORTANT: Please write back with your current drug schedule--the drugs you're taking now, the dosage, and whether you feel better or worse after taking the drug.  If you feel worse, what are your symptoms?

 

Regarding the Clonazepam, what dosage are you on and do you take it every day?  

 

You are correct to be tapering the Zoloft first.  We recommend tapering activating (stimulating) drugs, such as SSRIs like Zoloft, first, leaving the more sedating drugs, such as benzos like Clonazepam, to act as a buffer during the antidepressant taper and to be tapered later.

 

After you've answered my questions and given us your current drug schedule, we'll be better able to help you.

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can answer my questions, post your drug schedule, and ask questions of your own.  We're glad you found your way here.

[Kristeebee]

It is 10% down every 28 days. So, that is what you are recommending. And yup, that works out to 10 months. I was on 50 mg of Zoloft for 3 years - different anti depressants before that since a teenager and now I am taking 45 mg for 28 days - I'm at my 2 week mark until I come down again. I couldn't go higher than 50 mg previously, as it gave me anxiety. The tapering is making me very sleepy. I have no energy and I am dizzy, but that dizziness has come and gone while being on Zoloft. 

I am during taking .25 of Clonzasapam in the morning and .50 at night. I take it daily. With taking this, I cant concentrate.

I hope this is enough information.

 

[Kristeebee]

Also, people may think Im nuts for tapering because I am depressed and anxious but at this point, I'm at a loss as to what to do. I can't work anymore because of this, carry enormous guilt because I used to be able to work for 10 years, have a house I can barely take care of and have 2 dogs that I can having troubles walking because it stresses me out but I am forcing myself to get out and walk 30 mins a day and trying to write gratitudes. And journaling. 

Sometimes I think its the anxiety that causes my depression... sometimes I really don't know anymore. 

I dont see friends hardly and getting out of the house is becoming more challenging. I am seeing a therapist- no help yet but I am trying to practice deep breathing which oddly enough seems to be giving me more anxiety.

I also wanted to add that I was on Cymbalta for 10 years. I tappered off of that. My depression got worse of course and my anxiety so I tried a different anti depressant and BAM, my anxiety hit a whole new level of hell. All the antidepressants did this.

The doctor precribed Clonazepam. I didnt know what it was and I wish I never put it in my mouth. 3 years later, after trying to get better...here I am. Unsure how to get a life back.

[Gridley]

 

3 hours ago, Kristeebee said:

It is 10% down every 28 days. So, that is what you are recommending. And yup, that works out to 10 months

 

You are calculating 10% of original dose every four weeks.  We recommend 10% of current dose.  Big difference.  Your first cut should be 10% of 50mg, which is 5mg.  50mg-5=45mg.  Four weeks later you would calculate 10% of your current dose of 45mg, which would be 4.5mg. 45mg - 4.5 = 4.1.5 mg.   That should be your next drop.  At the high end of the taper, the difference between 41.5mg and 40mg isn't much, but as you get lower, calculating based on original dose , you will be going very fast and risking some difficult withdrawal symptoms.  As you get lower, the 10% of current dose will naturally get smaller and smaller, far less than 5mg a month. 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Gridley

[Kristeebee]

Hi there, im not understanding what you mean by asking what I feel after taking my doses. After I take the clonzasapam, I feel calmer and tired for a while.

After taking the Zoloft, I'm not sure.

 

Oh, now I understand what you mean about 10% of current doses that you drop. Wow. I don't know if my doctor will be for that. I thought 10 months was going to be a long time to suffer but it sounds like it will be a lot longer. 😔

I need to get better...I cant work and we are losing money. I dont know what to do.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Kristee.

 

It is possible that many of your symptoms after you came off Cymbalta were from antidepressant withdrawal, adverse reactions to other drugs, and side effects of the benzo.

 

Your clonazepam intake might be causing a lot of your problems now. Depression is a common side effect of benzos, plus they have the additional delightful tendency to cause anxiety and sleeplessness -- interdose withdrawal -- when they wear off.

 

To determine if clonazepam is causing some of your symptoms, we need to look at their daily pattern  Please keep daily notes of times of day you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. You can post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, with a simple list format with time of day on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right.  @Shep will help check out the benzo.

 

[Kristeebee]

Well, ok. I take .50 mg at night (9:00-9:30 pm) to help with sleep, which usually helps if Im not too stressed. I awake with my mind usually racing and a but anxious. I get out of bed, usually around 6:30am and take my Zoloft, go for a walk at 8:30 am. I take the .25 mg of Clonzasapam at 9:30 am. It seems to help a little until what I call "primetime" which is around 1-4, I have anxious symptoms. And then usually it settles down again in the evening.

[Kristeebee]

I also can't concentrate on Clonzasapam. But then again, it could be the depression and anxiety. And I feel my memory is getting worse which scares the s*** out of me. I feel its getting harder to leave my house. 

I'm at a loss as to what to do.

[Kristeebee]

Also, i dont seem to do any relaxation activities as I get a delayed reaction of more anxiety afterwards which I read is relaxation induced anxiety.

My therapist doesnt understand why it happens.

[Kristeebee]

Sorry for continuing to post here but I keep forgetting to add things.

I am stuck in my mind all the time. I have no want to do anything. Im not the person I used to be and Im scared. My anxiety has gotten to paranoid levels, which are super scary. I am hypersensitive to most things. I cry most days.

[Giulietta]

Hi Kristeebee,

 

Very sorry about all you are going through. I relate to everything you have said!  I wish I had never put one of these pills in my mouth but when they are prescribed - they give them out like they are candy, minimal or no side effects - let alone the difficulty of getting off them.

 

I joined SA in June/July this year and have been on ADs for 15-18 years intermittently (I honestly can't remember).  It appears that I quit cymbalta (mostly) CT - under MD 'care' in December 2018. I currently have miserable WD effects and it be prolonged withdrawal syndrome. (PAWS). I have seen online that the WD effects can last for more than a year and I do not want the ricochet effect. Alostrata's comments make sense about the taper from cymbalta and now another taper. I know my system is sensitive and needs a lot of time between changes. When I have had to make abrupt med changes in the past (I am a seizure patient too), I was prescribed ativan 4x a day as well. I was able to taper off that fine.

 

I take clonazepam as well (.5 mg a.m./1.5 mg bed) and have for 15-18 years. After this experience with cymbalta I am not interested in changing this anytime soon. I am very anxious about the outcome of the cymbalta,  next steps and time to stabilize and resolve this. 

 

Marching forward as a friend of mine says....    

 

I have some days when I have (more) trouble recalling information and concentrating - and many days I do not.  It was initially frightening - I realize now it is just a bad day (which I think it is!). 😉

 

Why are you afraid to leave your house? I have had issues with panic and agorophobia too. One thing that helped me was to let people know I do/did, and to go places you are comfortable with - with  a friend who knows this and whom you trust. That took a bit of courage and it was my start.

 

On 9/14/2019 at 9:19 AM, Kristeebee said:

I am during doing a slow taper of Zoloft (50 mg). Because my system cant handle going higher than that snd gives me more anxiety.

 

Best thing is not to rush even though you want to, unless there is medical necessity. Generally, I think, that can invite more issues for a great many of us.

 

Good for you on journaling and CBT.

 

One thing that a therapist / NP is helping me with for anxiety and insomnia is having nothing but positive thoughts and positive expectations in the evening. It is less 'thinky' for me to break this down into 3 areas (yourself, the world in general, and others). Under each of these three areas you  write down 2-3 words about each - relive the memory - to realize a positive response.  A positive expectation is that you are going to get through this.

 

Oh, ruminations. I do same (and many others!). People who are analytical tend to be more anxious and we ruminate more. A couple of thoughts:

a. physical exercise and physical activity of some kind (i might weed - and i focus on that. no thoughts).

b. Being present. Not medidating per se - but focusing on whatever it is you are doing. Coloring can be therapeutic as can knitting. And just focus on that.

 

May not be much help - but I know all your worries. I am also taking a break from work. One of my positive expectations is to go back to work.

 

You are not alone. We're all on the same ship - the U.S.S. AD Survivor!

[Shep]

On 9/14/2019 at 3:37 PM, Kristeebee said:

Well, ok. I take .50 mg at night (9:00-9:30 pm) to help with sleep, which usually helps if Im not too stressed. I awake with my mind usually racing and a but anxious. I get out of bed, usually around 6:30am and take my Zoloft, go for a walk at 8:30 am. I take the .25 mg of Clonzasapam at 9:30 am. It seems to help a little until what I call "primetime" which is around 1-4, I have anxious symptoms. And then usually it settles down again in the evening.

 

Kristee, do the anxious symptoms settle down before or after you take your evening clonazepam?

[Kristeebee]

Both. I have the anxiety highest in the afternoon. If my day wasnt too stressed or I wasnt triggered, it seems to settle down in the evening and it seems to settle me a little at night.

[Shep]

On 9/14/2019 at 3:37 PM, Kristeebee said:

Well, ok. I take .50 mg at night (9:00-9:30 pm) to help with sleep, which usually helps if Im not too stressed. I awake with my mind usually racing and a but anxious. I get out of bed, usually around 6:30am and take my Zoloft, go for a walk at 8:30 am. I take the .25 mg of Clonzasapam at 9:30 am. It seems to help a little until what I call "primetime" which is around 1-4, I have anxious symptoms. And then usually it settles down again in the evening.

 

What time(s) of the day do you take your supplements? 

 

Please note some people find vitamin D to be stimulating and can cause insomnia, even when taken in the morning.

 

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol or calcitriol)

 

From that thread: 

 

On 3/13/2011 at 10:33 PM, Altostrata said:

NOTE: Vitamin D is a daytime vitamin. Even if you take it in the morning, it can keep you awake at night. Be sure to start low and don't take too much.

 

On 9/14/2019 at 11:29 AM, Kristeebee said:

I was on 50 mg of Zoloft for 3 years - different anti depressants before that since a teenager and now I am taking 45 mg for 28 days - I'm at my 2 week mark until I come down again. I couldn't go higher than 50 mg previously, as it gave me anxiety. The tapering is making me very sleepy. I have no energy and I am dizzy, but that dizziness has come and gone while being on Zoloft. 

 

Are you feeling worse since you reduced to 45 mg?  If so, 10% reductions may be too fast for you. You may want to consider switching to a micro-taper.

 

Micro-taper instead of 10% or 5% decreases

 

The Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro-tapering

 

You may want to hold until some of your symptoms resolve. 

 

How many hours do you sleep each night? 

[Kristeebee]

Micro taper? That goes that the same time frame as bigger tappers? Yes i have been feeling worse with the 10%. Very fatiqued. And I was very angry at first. I am using oil but with a syringe that has 1 to 5 ml so it would be hard to tell where to put it to.

So smaller tapers seem to stabilize faster than larger?

 

My sleeping varies. Actually because I was so fatiqued from this, I was sleeping well but waking exchausted. A few nights ago I slept not so well and last night was better. 

 

I take vitamin D in the mornings when I wake. I was deficient in Vitamin D. We have long winters here and I am a redhead, which apparently means its hard for us to up our D up.

 

[Kristeebee]

Micro taper? That goes that the same time frame as bigger tappers? Yes i have been feeling worse with the 10%. Very fatiqued. And I was very angry at first. I am using oil but with a syringe that has 1 to 5 ml so it would be hard to tell where to put it to.

So smaller tapers seem to stabilize faster than larger? I would take the 10% amount and divide it by 4 and do that every week?

 

My sleeping varies. Actually because I was so fatiqued from this, I was sleeping well but waking exchausted. A few nights ago I slept not so well and last night was better. 

 

I take vitamin D in the mornings when I wake. I was deficient in Vitamin D. We have long winters here and I am a redhead, which apparently means its hard for us to up our D up.

 

[Kristeebee]

[Kristeebee]

Perhaps I could buy another syringe to use as well... a 1 ml one. But im so bad at math and I cant think straight so Im afraid I will make a mistake.

I have a question. Does doing it this long help with the final jump off?

[Shep]

Yes, if you're experiencing lots of withdrawal symptoms, going slower can help minimize these symptoms. 

 

Please see these links regarding doing a liquid taper:

 

How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

 

Questions and answers about liquid medications

 

Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques

 

How are you making your liquid? Are you dissolving a pill in water or do you have a prescription liquid? 

 

 

[Kristeebee]

Thanks. I have a precribed oil that was made.

[Kristeebee]

I think I am in chronic stress mode for some reason. Maybe all the meds that was put in and out of my system for the last 3 years. So, withdrawaling is adding more stress to my system, making me dizzy and tired and irritable. And the overwhelm of life is getting higher. Sometimes I wonder what getting off these drugs will do for me but its not helping me now. I wish I knew how to decrease the stress in my body. I have tried relaxation exercises, which makes it worse. Has anyone had this as well? Please tell me you got through it. Please tell me there is healing. I think I'm a Highly Sensitive person.

 

[Shep]

23 hours ago, Kristeebee said:

Thanks. I have a precribed oil that was made.

 

Please post the ratio of milligrams (mg) to milliliters (mL). This information should be on the package or bottle or you can ask your pharmacist. 

 

 

[Kristeebee]

For every 1 ml, its 10mg of Zoloft.

 

[Giulietta]

On 9/16/2019 at 12:07 PM, Kristeebee said:

Perhaps I could buy another syringe to use as well... a 1 ml one.

 

I had the pharmacist tape mine so the numbers wouldn't wear off. He used (apparently) the tape that is used to adhere the label to the bottle. In the case of an oil-based suspension - the numbers and lines wear off in no time.

 

I purchased some syringes on Amazon and they were terrible. I ended up tossing them all. The pharmacy taped and gave a bunch to me. The orange one in the picture (Is this 'Exacta Med')? is a good quality and holds up well.

[Kristeebee]

Im not sure what kind it is as I got it from the pharmacist. Actually, it fell on the floor and broke so I had to go to another pharmacy and get a different one

[Shep]

On 9/16/2019 at 11:48 AM, Kristeebee said:

So smaller tapers seem to stabilize faster than larger? I would take the 10% amount and divide it by 4 and do that every week?

 

 

Yes, reducing by a smaller amount can help you stabilize faster with each reduction. The slower you go, the gentler it is on your nervous system.

 

Taking 10% and dividing it by 4 each week would give you a 2.5% reduction each week. However, if you are struggling with a lot of symptoms, you may want to reduce by 1.25% each week for a total of 5% per month. 

 

Please remember to hold for at least 2 weeks in between reductions. If you have a lot of symptoms, you may want to hold longer. There's not rush. 

 

20 hours ago, Kristeebee said:

For every 1 ml, its 10mg of Zoloft.

 

How many mL are you taking now? Please let us know if you need any help with the math. 

 

[Kristeebee]

Hi, thanks so much for the help.

You were saying that by doing it micro dose like this may lower the symptoms, though?

I'm surprised the body gets used to the amount in a week, maybe because it is lower? 

You say there is no rush but actually the longer I am on the benzos (which I desperately want to get of off), it will make it harder to get off, so I feel there is a rush and I am not a patient person. I just want off of this stuff, as scared as I am to do it because I dont know if I can cope off of them. The main withdrawal symptom I am experiencing is extreme fatique and dizziness because I believe its adding stress on my already stressed out system. 

Okay, so I am about 3 weeks into the first drop and I am currently at 45 mg.

Actually, I dont know about you guys, but as I have other symptoms daily similiar to this withdrawal, its hard to know what are symptoms from withdrawal and what are my regular symptoms. For most of you, I'm sure these medications helped you stabilize but for me, thats not entirely true. I'm still depressed and anxious even on these medications. But I think the withdrawal symptoms have eased a bit from starting.

The plus from the fatique I got from withdrawal was I was actually sleeping throughout the night but I was still waking exchausted.

Now, my sleep is lighter as it was before and I have a bit more energy back.

Shep I'm going to private message you. I hope you don't mind.

Thanks everyone for your support.

I feel so alone and scared in this.

 

[manymoretodays]

On 9/14/2019 at 9:29 AM, Kristeebee said:

It is 10% down every 28 days. So, that is what you are recommending. And yup, that works out to 10 months. I was on 50 mg of Zoloft for 3 years - different anti depressants before that since a teenager and now I am taking 45 mg for 28 days - I'm at my 2 week mark until I come down again. I couldn't go higher than 50 mg previously, as it gave me anxiety. The tapering is making me very sleepy. I have no energy and I am dizzy, but that dizziness has come and gone while being on Zoloft. 

I am during taking .25 of Clonzasapam in the morning and .50 at night. I take it daily. With taking this, I cant concentrate.

I hope this is enough information.

 

 

On 9/14/2019 at 9:49 AM, Kristeebee said:

Also, people may think Im nuts for tapering because I am depressed and anxious but at this point, I'm at a loss as to what to do. I can't work anymore because of this, carry enormous guilt because I used to be able to work for 10 years, have a house I can barely take care of and have 2 dogs that I can having troubles walking because it stresses me out but I am forcing myself to get out and walk 30 mins a day and trying to write gratitudes. And journaling. 

Sometimes I think its the anxiety that causes my depression... sometimes I really don't know anymore. 

I dont see friends hardly and getting out of the house is becoming more challenging. I am seeing a therapist- no help yet but I am trying to practice deep breathing which oddly enough seems to be giving me more anxiety.

I also wanted to add that I was on Cymbalta for 10 years. I tappered off of that. My depression got worse of course and my anxiety so I tried a different anti depressant and BAM, my anxiety hit a whole new level of hell. All the antidepressants did this.

The doctor precribed Clonazepam. I didnt know what it was and I wish I never put it in my mouth. 3 years later, after trying to get better...here I am. Unsure how to get a life back.

 

On 9/14/2019 at 1:27 PM, Altostrata said:

Welcome, Kristee.

 

It is possible that many of your symptoms after you came off Cymbalta were from antidepressant withdrawal, adverse reactions to other drugs, and side effects of the benzo.

 

Your clonazepam intake might be causing a lot of your problems now. Depression is a common side effect of benzos, plus they have the additional delightful tendency to cause anxiety and sleeplessness -- interdose withdrawal -- when they wear off.

 

To determine if clonazepam is causing some of your symptoms, we need to look at their daily pattern  Please keep daily notes of times of day you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. You can post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, with a simple list format with time of day on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right.  @Shep will help check out the benzo.

 

 

1 hour ago, Kristeebee said:

I'm surprised the body gets used to the amount in a week, maybe because it is lower? 

You say there is no rush but actually the longer I am on the benzos (which I desperately want to get of off), it will make it harder to get off, so I feel there is a rush and I am not a patient person. I just want off of this stuff, as scared as I am to do it because I dont know if I can cope off of them. The main withdrawal symptom I am experiencing is extreme fatique and dizziness because I believe its adding stress on my already stressed out system. 

Okay, so I am about 3 weeks into the first drop and I am currently at 45 mg.

Actually, I dont know about you guys, but as I have other symptoms daily similiar to this withdrawal, its hard to know what are symptoms from withdrawal and what are my regular symptoms. For most of you, I'm sure these medications helped you stabilize but for me, thats not entirely true. I'm still depressed and anxious even on these medications. But I think the withdrawal symptoms have eased a bit from starting.

The plus from the fatique I got from withdrawal was I was actually sleeping throughout the night but I was still waking exchausted.

Now, my sleep is lighter as it was before and I have a bit more energy back.

Shep I'm going to private message you. I hope you don't mind.

 

Hi Kristeebee,

Hello and welcome from me too.  I just did a bit of a quote selection here above, as you can see.

What Shep will need to see is a timeframe to your current dosing.  Looks like you are currently taking Zoloft 45 mg, after your first taper down from 50 mg.  And then you take clonazepam .25 mg during the day, as well as clonazepam .50 mg @ night.

 

Can you put that information into a simple format like this:

Example:

DATE:

 

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

 

Then just post that, in one post here on your introduction.  Date.  Time on the left.  Drug by name and dosage on the right.  And supplements taken(such as your Vit D, with again, name and dosage on the right).  On the right of the times, note symptoms throughout the day.  You can rate things like fears/anxiety on a 1-10 scale.  Just go for brevity.  Longer descriptions and narratives can go below or in another post.

 

More on this format here:  daily symptom pattern and drug dosing notes

 

This should help Shep to further advise, suggest, and support you now. 

 

And oh yes, it is very hard to concentrate when one has experienced not only previous acute withdrawals, treated with more medications, which you may now be pretty sensitive to, and while one may still be in protracted withdrawal to boot.  Your poor nervous system, is in a great deal of chaos right now.  And Kudos for some of the non-drug coping that you have mentioned that you already do, despite how you are generally feeling.  I hear your frustration and (((((Kristeebee))))))......those are your hugs if you need some and butterfly wings.  I'm glad you've joined us, at this point in your journey off drugs/meds.  My own focus and concentration have improved greatly.  It did take quite a bit of time and patience, for me, after some 30 years and 30 medications........and then finally veering away, in my own journey, from the usual quick fixes, and quick diagnonsense that exists today.  I guarantee you, that things do improve and you too, will continue with further healing and recovery.

 

So......I'm going to give you some more links to information here too.  I think I'll do it in my next post, so this one won't get too very lengthy. 

And I'm so sorry for your past couple of years, of struggle with subsequent job losses, and limitations in not only how you feel, but what you can do.  Many of us have been through the same.  And one thing that really truly helps, is to keep, as much as possible, an upbeat attitude toward your recovery and healing.  It isn't going to come about all at once, in other words.......yet, I think you will begin to find yourself empowered as you learn and grow and it will get easier.  Patience will come, I believe and I'll send you some now.......virtually that is......

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays(mmt)

 

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by manymoretodays

[manymoretodays]

And okay.  Just some links to basics information around tapering and WD(withdrawal) here for when you get a chance.  In case you haven't been able to peruse the site much on your own yet.

 

Before you begin tapering-what you need to know

some really good stuff there 3-4 posts down around WD

 

You've got the why taper by 10% link, from Gridley above.

Here's:

Tips for tapering off Zoloft(sertraline)

this will be really helpful, when you are able

 

*What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain- "Brain Remodeling"

 

Dr.Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

So.....basically,  when we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made.  The CNS likes stability. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

And then, in general, good rule of thumb is to never make more than one change or addition at a time.  Always start slow, with a low dose trial.  Keep personal notes as well.

Keep it simple, slow, and stable

Okay, many healing vibes sent as well,

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[manymoretodays]

1 hour ago, Kristeebee said:

You were saying that by doing it micro dose like this may lower the symptoms, though?

I'm surprised the body gets used to the amount in a week, maybe because it is lower? 

 

And oh.  Yes, it may help lower subsequent potential WD symptoms.

In general, most of the drugs we deal with here, will reach a new steady state, after a taper change within 4-7 days.

 

[Kristeebee]

20 hours ago, manymoretodays said:

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

So this is interesting.

I went out and bought magnesium magnesium bisglycinate 300 mg.

I had taken magnesium in the past and have even tried epsom salt baths so I thought nothing of it. I took 300 mg 2 hours before bed. It calmed me. And then I went to bed, it really helped me fall asleep better and I slept more throughout the night. I woke up with less mind racing and was actually smiling.

But as I woke, eating breakfast, I noticed nervous energy was building. I liked the energy boost, as I'm always so tired and it makes me feel happier, the nervousness is so uncomfortable. It seems to be reacting as a stimulant and maybe because I was also able to get a good sleep. So, I have a dilemma here. Do you think spreading out the magnesium throughout the day would be a better plan or should I take less? Damn my nervous system. This is so frustrating. It isn't causing any digestive discomfort either. Could it be that my body has to get used to it? Not sure what to do.

Thoughts?

[Gridley]

4 minutes ago, Kristeebee said:

Do you think spreading out the magnesium throughout the day would be a better plan or should I take less

 

I have seen it advised here to spread it out through the day.  You could try that and see how it works.

[Shep]

On 9/20/2019 at 9:57 AM, Kristeebee said:

But as I woke, eating breakfast, I noticed nervous energy was building.

 

Did you have coffee or eat anything with sugar that might have been stimulating? 

[Kristeebee]

4 hours ago, Shep said:

 

Did you have coffee or eat anything with sugar that might have been stimulating? 

 

Nope, I gave up coffee and sugar a long time ago into this anxiety dilemma.

[Shep]

That's good, Kristee. Perhaps spreading out the magnesium as you and Gridley discussed will help the most. Let us know how it goes.