ciasim: citalopram up and down in short time - severe withdrawal symptoms

[ciasim]

Moderators ! Help  needed 

Please se previous post 

[ciasim]

MODERATORs please help needed!

[manymoretodays]

Ciasim,

I just sent you a PM.  You'll see a little box up in the right hand corner to open and read.

Do you have any previous skills to use in the way of non-drug coping?  Things you can do to help stay calm, while you wait for further input here.

 

In our symptoms and self care section, there are many to choose from, and I'll give you a couple of links now:

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

Both of those ^ have indexed topics you can just click on to read more or to find some helpful coping skills

 

Do you have anyone to reach out to locally now?  Someone who might provide you with some comfort and understanding?

I often told people I was recovering from adverse drug reactions, early on, when I first understood that my drugs were creating some of my problems.  As well as inappropriate WD's, or uneducated WD's, and then symptoms from that.

 

Try some calming techniques too:

Legs up against a wall, Yoga pose

How to perform the 4-7-8 Breathing exercise, Andrew Weil, M.D.

both are simple practices, that when practiced can lead to some calming

4-7-8 Guided Breathing

^ this one is nice

 

You sound really quite anxious right now. 

If you have youtube access, you might just try to find some easy meditative listening, with nice images to calm as well.

 

And best.

[Shep]

 

On 2/22/2020 at 6:37 AM, ciasim said:

I was switched from celexa to sertraline 10 weeks ago, 

Got know help from sertraline because of celexa withdrawals. 

Unfortunately I accidentally lowered my dose of sertraline from 100 to 50 mg about 22 days ago.

 

Was also put on 300 mg quiatapine 10 daya ago.

Weny back up to 75mg 6 daya ago and all symptoms have gone way worse,  then last 4-5 days Dizziness,  derealisation and disorientation has become unmanageable.

 

Ciasim, please update your signature to reflect these changes and additions. A direct link to your signature is here:

 

Account Settings - Create or Update Your Signature

 

It takes about a month to become dependent on quetiapine, so you may not be dependent on it yet. You may be able to do a rapid taper off it, but I'd like to ask the other mods about that before recommending it. We also need to know your thoughts on this - do you think you need this drug? 

 

There's a "moderate" interaction between sertraline and quetiapine:

 

Drug Interaction Checker - sertraline and quetiapine

 

What time(s) of the day do you take these drugs? 

 

[Altostrata]

On 2/22/2020 at 3:37 AM, ciasim said:

Unfortunately I accidentally lowered my dose of sertraline from 100 to 50 mg about 22 days ago.

 

How did you feel after your sertraline dose was lowered to 50mg and before you started Seroquel?

 

On 2/22/2020 at 9:23 AM, ciasim said:

I am unfortunately also on 300 mg quetiapine since 12 days.

 

How did your symptoms change after you added Seroquel?

 

On 2/22/2020 at 9:23 AM, ciasim said:

6 days ago my doctors updosed me to 75mg. Since 5 days back Ever since i went up to 75 mg my symptoms have become 10 times worse.

 

What symptoms became 10 times worse? How did they become worse?

 

Are you able to make decisions about your drugs independently or are you under court order to take the prescriptions or go to the hospital?

[manymoretodays]

On 2/22/2020 at 11:06 AM, ciasim said:

 

Went on citalopram 11 years ago. 

Have been on a low dose , on and of 10 mg the last 8 years. No problems. 

Then I got a personal crisis summer 2019 and decided to bump up citalopram from 10 to 15 mg. Severe symptoms. I decided to lower the dose 3.5 weeks lager6. Then another hell broke loose.

Frequent panic attacks, which I never have had before. Unstable gait.  Akathisia Songs in head. Extreme restlessness and anxiety. Not my old one.

Waited for 5 weeks until I went to er. 

They put me back on citalopram and added mitrazapine. Saw som6.improvment moodvise every other day. Was deeply traumatized because of doctors disbelief in withdrawals and akathisia. 

Went of mitrazapine after 10 days because of extreme stomachs ache.

After 10 days on a higher dose of citalopram ( 20 mg) doctors told me that they didn't  think I improved fast enough so they more or less forced me to change to sertraline. They made an crosstaper for about 2,5 weeks. So citalopram was out about 27 of December. 

 

Increasing to 100 mg quite fast. 

During the crosstaperinf I had a few good evenings mixed with anxious days. 

 

After 10 days on 100 mg of sertraline , 20 th of January. I was sent back home. The sertraline didn't do much , I like a headless chicken with no aim or purpose. Always on the edge. 

I started soon to feel like my head and body was in someway separated. Extremely distressing. 

When I came home I made the huge mistake to lower myndose of sertraline to 50 mg ( from 100 mg) 

I

My feeling of being outzoned and being on the edge started a few days after that. 

I got suicidal- not because of depression but because of my functioning couldn't read, couldn't watch TV and I just walked around like a robot with body and mind strangely separated and a feeling of my legs " walking themselves"  I had then been on 50 mg for 11 days. 

 

 

I was put back at the psychiatric ward  were my dose was put back to 100 for 5 days.

 

 

I was then moved ro another hospital,  at this time the body mind separated feeling had lessened a lot. 

 

At the new hospital I was put on 300 mg quetiapine,  that was 11 days ago. 

My sertraline dose was lowered to 50 mg again, for 5 days because doctors wanted me to change meds. 

Either go on venlafaxine or back on citalopram. 

I refused and then my sertraline dose was put back up to 75 mg. 

 

Since about 7 days ago I have had severe dizziness derealisation,  feeling spaced out and disoriented,  it has increased and become worse each day up to today. I walk around in a dream land, and my legs feels like they walk themselves. 

It is extremely stressful and I am suicidal because of this. Not because of I don't like life. 

 

I am in this state now and feel hopelessness. It was 11 days ago quetapin 300 mg was introduced and 6 days ago 75 mg of sertraline was upped from 50.

 

Please help! Should I go back to 50? Do something about the quetiapine? 

I am despairing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 2/22/2020 at 11:09 AM, ciasim said:

Thank you so much.  Please take a look at my new post with dates.

I take sertraline 75 mg in 8.30 am 

And 300 mg  quetiapine 8 PM 

 

 

Hi ciasim, @ciasim,

How are you doing today? 

And great posts, so I quoted them here.

Give a try at some daily notes please:  Keep daily notes

(I extracted a sample note out of the link above)

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

 

This time, in addition to your drugs and doses, please note your symptoms as they occur throughout the day, to the right of the time.  Include all drugs(even any that are not prescribed, we call them over the counter drugs here), and any supplements taken, as well as your sleep.

 

And I don't want to overwhelm you, so if you can, please go to AccountSettings/edit update signature and add just the dates, drugs, additions of drugs, and doses.  The signatures are what you see below members posts, unless viewing from some phone devices.  And just a summary of drug history, and most recent changes and additions.  They give us, at a glance, an idea of where you have been and are at presently with medications.

You've got all that information in your longer post that I quoted, you would just need to organize into the 12 lines allotted for signatures.  And if you get to this task, don't forget to hit/push the SAVE button when you are done.

 

So......prioritize the notes, and if you can do both(signature and notes) great, if not, I can walk you through the signature later. 

 

And it looks like Shep and Altostrata have been by as well.  Please attend to any questions asked in their posts too.

I hope it is just a bit easier for you, coping wise, today.

 

Best,  L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by manymoretodays

[ciasim]

6 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

How did you feel after your sertraline dose was lowered to 50mg and before you started Seroquel?

 

 On the edge, headless chicken feeling , walking with feeling of body and mind separated.  As if someone pushing me forward when  walking.  

 

 

Quote

 

How did your symptoms change after you added Seroquel?

 

 

What symptoms became 10 times worse? How did they become worse?

 

Are you able to make decisions about your drugs independently or are you under court order to take the prescriptions or go to the hospital?

 

These symptoms became ten times worse, after about 5 days after going o  300 mg seroquel:  however with regards to many dose changes of sertraline it is impossible to tell if it has to do with sertraline or quetiapine?  

Sertraline was upped about that time as well. 

 

 

 On the edge, headless chicken feeling , walking with feeling of body and mind separated.  As if someone pushing me forward when  walking. Almost like put into an electrical socket. Plus now derealisation appeared. 

 

I can make own decisions 

 

My greatest problem now is to stay alive and handle the worry about what to do with these symptoms. I feel despairing. 

 

I don't care about what meds I am on, I care about getting stabilized.

 

 

Question: have you heard about these symptoms before? 

Edited February 24, 2020 by ciasim

[ciasim]

Please help! Moderators 

[Shep]

As Manymoretodays posted, we need you to do a daily drug and symptoms journal.

 

Here is the information we need. At the end in blue, you'll see an example: 

 

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

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. We ask this because there may be something we can do to reduce the symptoms.

 

What we need to see for every single day over several days is what symptoms you get before and after you take your drugs. If you're not taking any drugs and have withdrawal symptoms, we still need to see your symptom pattern throughout the day:

 

The time of day, dosage, and severity of symptoms are essential information. Include

 

- Time and dosage for all drugs taken throughout the day, psychiatric and non-psychiatric.

- Following each dose, note any symptoms. If you are having a reaction to the drug, it may take hours for a symptom to show up -- that's why we ask you to keep notes all day long.

- If you're not taking any drugs, your symptoms throughout the day.

- Your sleep pattern. Since so many drugs disturb sleep, if you find you're waking in the middle of the night, it could be from a drug you took earlier in the evening. If you're not taking any drugs, there may be ways you can improve your sleep.

And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, looking something 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

 

[ciasim]

08,00 wake up, don't want to go up and face the day, as soon as I go up I see how bad I am functioning

08,30 take 75 mg sertraline

9.00 it feels like I am walking on clouds  everything is swaying and I feel wired and as if someone pushing me forward 

plus derealisation. 

All days look the same.

This symptoms last until when I go to bed. 

20.00 Take 300 mg quetiapine 

10.00 feel heavy and more dizzy 

Same pattern every day 

[ciasim]

Please help,  should I stay on 75mg sertraline? 

Should I go of quetiapine? I ve only been on them for 2 weeks. 

 

Symptoms above gotten worse and worse the last 10 days. 

Started quetapin 300 mg for 14 days ago. Went up to 75 mg sertraline 9 days ago.

 

Please, I am having a real hard time. 

Have unfortunately taken Ativan  to be able to deal with panic and suicidal thoughts. 

[Shep]

4 minutes ago, ciasim said:

Have unfortunately taken Ativan  to be able to deal with panic and suicidal thoughts. 

 

Ativan can cause interdose and rebound symptoms, so some of your symptoms may be caused by this drug, too. Please include Ativan in your daily notes. 

 

Questions:

• When did you start taking Ativan? At what dose? How often do you take it?
• Are you taking any other drugs or using any supplements? If so, please list them. 
• How many hours are you sleeping each night? Please include this information in your daily notes. 

Ciasim, it may take two or three days of notes before we can tell how these drugs are affecting you. So you're going to need to stay calm and find ways of distracting through your symptoms. Otherwise, you may end up on a psychiatric ward where you don't have the option of tapering and possibly ending up on even more drugs. 

 

None of the symptoms you've mentioned are life-threatening, just uncomfortable. These symptoms won't hurt you. Find ways of distracting -  favorite TV shows, drawing or coloring, taking a walk every day, listening to calming music, etc. You may not be able to emotionally connect to these activities, but they are calming to the nervous system. And right now, staying calm and learning to breathe through your symptoms is important. 

 

Please let us know more about your Ativan use. Also, please note we are a volunteer-run forum that is only periodically moderated throughout the day by staff who are also going through withdrawal. So we aren't able to respond immediately. So another reason to learn to accept your symptoms calmly and find some distractions to help you cope throughout the day. Here are more ideas:

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

"Change the channel" -- dealing with cognitive symptoms

 

[Altostrata]

What exactly are the symptoms that have gotten worse?

 

In terms of adverse effects from psychiatric drugs, disoriented and dizzy are not that bad.

 

You've made a lot of changes in your drugs, the changes alone can can make you feel disoriented and dizzy. If you continue to go to the hospital, they won't know what to do and they will change your drugs again.

 

Please stop changing your drugs, calm yourself as best as you can, and answer our questions.

 

We need to know exactly what you're taking, when you're taking it, and your symptoms before and after you take any drug.

[ciasim]

Thank you, desperat för advice 

 

 

Sertralin 75 mg 8.30

All day derealisation, feeling like I am swaying and as if someone is pushing me feom behind.  Anxiety. Involuntary shivering  mouth and lips. Walking on clouds. 

Quetapin 300 mg at 8 pm

 

Feeling heavy and  unstable,  swaying  , dizzy until sleep.

 

Sleep 7 hours all night 

 

In the morning I don't want to wake up to another awful day.  My feet and hands go  really numb,  when I wake up. 

Take 1 mg ativan  at 9 o clock.  In order to not become suicidal. I am.worrying myself sick. 

I have been on 300 mg quetiapine for 16 days. Since then everything stated above became 50 % worse. I also raised sertraline to 75 mg about 14 days ago, after being up and down in dosage ( 100, 50 , 75) accidentally or involuntary 

 

I don't like the quetapin  - is it wise to taper that of now only been on it for 16 days?  Heard people getting tardi dyskinesia after only using it a short while

Or will it destabilize me further? 

I am nothing but stable, 

Really worried and scared 

 

So thankful for advice  as soon as possible 

Thank you

[Shep]

On 11/24/2019 at 5:02 AM, ciasim said:

Doctors give me minimal dose of Zyprexa for sleep. I gave in, cause was totally sleepless for many days. The Zyprexa make me feel zoned out. 

 

12 hours ago, ciasim said:

I have been on 300 mg quetiapine for 16 days. Since then everything stated above became 50 % worse. I also raised sertraline to 75 mg about 14 days ago, after being up and down in dosage ( 100, 50 , 75) accidentally or involuntary 

 

ciasim, how long were you on Zyprexa? 

 

Please update your signature to reflect these drugs. A direct link to your signature is here:

 

Account Settings - Create or Update Your Signature

 

Please also include when you started taking Ativan. 

 

12 hours ago, ciasim said:

Involuntary shivering  mouth and lips.

 

When did this symptom start? 

 

[ciasim]

Zyprexa  Only a few days Two months ago. 

 

Shivering mouth afternoons since 25 f February 

 

Main issues , got worse after adding 300 mg quetiapine. 

Derealisation,  as if legs and brain is separated, a swaying feeling when I go, as someone putting me forward from behind 

Feeling disconnected,  and as if an invisible force is pushing me forwards. All of these symptoms is extremely distressing,  gives suicidal thoughts that could only be lessened by Ativan. 

 

What do you think about lowering quetapin? 

Would it be unwise to unsettle my already sanitized nervous system? I have been on them for 16 days 

 

I need to get these symptoms lessened,  otherwise suicidal.  

So you think going of quetiapine will  meas up my cns more? 

What is your experience? 

 

MODERRATORS Please help 

[ciasim]

Waking up 8.30 

Wishing I could push a button and disappear. I can't stand another day with all my worries and scared for it to become worse or never disappear.

9 take 1 ativan  1 mg and 75 mg sertraline.

lay in bed , don't want to face all my symptoms and the scare  and terror when  thinking it could be permanent  or getting worse.  

 

11.00 Symptoms : as if I am flying above the ground, someone pushing me from behind, feel like my legs ve their own life. Feel speedy in my body, a speed I cant control. A little derealisation. Anxious. Despairing 

 

11.oo the same as above but ativan has taken some of the anxiety away, but the symptoms are the same. 

 

12 the same as above 

 

13 same as above 

 

14 same as above 

 

15 same as above 

Try to distract by playing table tennis.  Works a little to distract  but anxious and despairing. 

16 same as above 

 

 

 

[ciasim]

On 2/24/2020 at 1:03 AM, Shep said:

 

 

Ciasim, please update your signature to reflect these changes and additions. A direct link to your signature is here:

 

Account Settings - Create or Update Your Signature

 

It takes about a month to become dependent on quetiapine, so you may not be dependent on it yet. You may be able to do a rapid taper off it, but I'd like to ask the other mods about that before recommending it. We also need to know your thoughts on this - do you think you need this drug? 

 

There's a "moderate" interaction between sertraline and quetiapine:

 

Drug Interaction Checker - sertraline and quetiapine

 

What time(s) of the day do you take these drugs? 

 

Could you please get back with advice on how to do with the quetapin?

Been on for 17 days. 

 

I was put on it for depression ( which I don't have , it was despair over my situation that made me so miserable) 

 

I am not sure if quetiapine can have a anxiety reducing effect,  if that so- it is good to not be even more anxious. 

But I don't need it for depression. 

 

Since my central nervous system is so decentizied I am scared of going of and create even more trouble  

 

But I am also scared of long term effects of this med and if it actually is making me worse. 

 

Do you understand the dilemma? 

 

Please MODERATORS,  can I have your advice? What is best in order to stabilize? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bunchesofoats]

Hi ciasim, I just read through your topic since I'm also tapering off of citalopram. How are you doing now?

[Altostrata]

ciasim, you are feeling drug effects.

 

Why did you start quetiapine? Why did you increase it? Have you felt any benefit from it?

 

When did you last increase quetiapine, from what dosage to what dosage?

 

Please post daily notes, at least 24 hours at a time. We have to see how you feel BEFORE and AFTER you take each drug, every day.

[ciasim]

Doctors wanted me to  have quetiapine for depression 

But I was only desperate because of withdrawal situation.

Only benefit might be decrease in anxiety

 

Increased quetapin from 75 mg to 300 mg 17 days ago,  doctors advice.

 

8.30 75 mg sertraline and 1 mg ativan

The pushing me forward thing and derealisation a little bit less today 

Feel anxious and scared of my life- urges to kill myself

 

10 same feelings 

 

11.oo same feelings 

 

They want to put me in another hospital,  I am in a psych ward now. 

If they do it will be my death.  But I am there voluntary.

Having a hard time to cope at home as well  - I panic at home and is suicidal 

But hospital will be the death of me if they put me on other meds. 

Feel stuck and despairing 

 

Do you think my symptoms can lessen over a while if I just keep going ? 

 

Please help 

[ciasim]

Moderators,  please se my last post. 

I am really struggling 

What is your experience with holding quetapin or stay on it 

 

I cant afford to become worse. I am feeling helpless and suicidal 

[manymoretodays]

22 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Please post daily notes, at least 24 hours at a time. We have to see how you feel BEFORE and AFTER you take each drug, every day.

 

Hi ciasm,

Can you give another go at daily notes:

I'm not seeing the quetiapine in your first set. 

And thank you for getting your signature more updated.  It helps, it does.

This might help with the notes:

Keep daily notes

 

- Time and dosage for all drugs taken throughout the day, psychiatric and non-psychiatric.

- Following each dose, note any symptoms. If you are having a reaction to the drug, it may take hours for a symptom to show up -- that's why we ask you to keep notes all day long.

- If you're not taking any drugs, your symptoms throughout the day.

- Your sleep pattern. Since so many drugs disturb sleep, if you find you're waking in the middle of the night, it could be from a drug you took earlier in the evening. If you're not taking any drugs, there may be ways you can improve your sleep.

And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, looking something like this:
 
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

 

And I am so sorry ciasim, that you are in hospital, and still struggling. 

Try to do your best, with just posting a day of notes in the above format, as that will really help us to see more.  You may be able to go back down more quickly on the quetiapine.   So helpful to see how a whole day goes.

 

Are you worse since you went up to the 300 mg?  Compared to the 75 mg?  Do you get to give input to your doctors while in hospital?  I hope so.

 

Just give another try at the notes please too, I'm sorry to ask again, as I know it is really tough right now, but that will help us a lot to get a better picture.

 

Sending healing thoughts and comfort now.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[ciasim]

8.30 wake up,  don't want to face how badly I function. Lay there. Suicidal and  feeling helpless 

9. Take sertraline 75 mg 

10.00 go up, this is first day without 1 mg ativan which I have taken every morning for about a week 

11.00 things are spinning,  I feel pushed from behind when walking. Derealisation. Struggle with negative thoughts,  I don't know how I can cope with my endless worry about my situation.

12.00 the same as above. I am both within the world and outside, severe derealisation when standing up 

13.00 eat a sandwich,  everything is up side down, feel anxious and despairing. How can I cope with this condition? I am worried and sad.

 

Please moderators = what would you think would be the fastest way for me to stabilize? 

Should I taper quetapin- been on it 18 days, or just let it be? I don't like the drug, but it might have a anxiety reducing effect,  don't know for sure. 

I will finish my notes as the day go by. 

 

Answer to your question about quetapin: yes all cns issues are so much worse since I was put on queatpine. Derealisation showed up. Then the feeling of not being able to walk straight, and the feeling of someone pushing me from behind, and severe dizziness.  And as I am hooked up on a electrical wire, coordinating my every move. Extremely distressing. 

 

How bad is the fact that I will now be ct of 1 mg ativan after about 2 weeks use? I have taken 0,5 per day the first week and 1 mg per day the second. I am no longer at hospital, doctors won't prescribe them to me, but I got diazepam 5mg that I can take. What is best? Taking it or avoid it? I can function without at the moment,  but will they help  or counteract possible ativan withdrawal? Is there a chance I won't get withdrawals from ativan? Really really hope so... 

 

Please come back with advice, really struggling with hope and feel helpless in what to do with the quetapin - hold or taper? 

[ciasim]

Please moderators give me some advice 

Have the feeling of being stuck to an electrical cord,  please help

[Altostrata]

Please post at least 24 hours of daily notes at a time!

 

It seems that staying on a consistent schedule is already helping.

 

When do you feel stuck to an electrical cord? Is this better or worse before or after you take EACH drug?

 

What part of your symptoms are coming from the drugs and what part from your worrying? You will need to calm yourself down. You are having drug reactions. This will change.

 

 

[ciasim]

The electrical cord thing is worst in the afternoon, take sertraline in the morning 

Quetapin at 8 pm.

My brain  feels crocked in a very strange way, as if leaning to the left. Totally disoriented and derealisation. I am feeling horrible. 

Everything got worse since starting quetapin 18 days ago.

What is your advice - taper of quetapin or stay on it? 

I cant get hold of any more ativan,  have three left. 

Will I get withdrawals from them? Taken  1 or 0,5 a day for about 14 days 

I am suicidal 

[ciasim]

Update of y3sterday schedule

 

8.40 wake up. Anxiety is low. But don't want to face another day 

9.00 take 75 mg sertraline

Lie in bed all day 

Feeling worried 

When I walk it is as if someone is pushing me from behind,  and a electrical cord feeling 

 

12.00 eat food 

 

Same as above, stay in bed , cant stand how I am when up 

 

3 pm 

Electrical cord feeling ramps up and continue and intensifies from here

Feeling awful and despairing 

 

Same all afternoon

Lay in bed to avoids horrible feeling when standing and walking 

 

5 pm. My head and brain feels "croocked" or tilted as if leaning to the left, also derealisation and electrical feeling. This crooked / tilted thing seems new

 Awful. 

 

This continues all evening 

 

9, pm take 300 mg quetiapine 

Prettier much the same as above 

Take two benadryl to calm down 

 

Midnight 

Go to bed and after 20 min I get severe burning pain in genitals . Last for 15-20 min. Hurts very bad . Never had this symptom before.

 

 

 

Please come with advice on how to carry on? Should I continue quetiapine? 

It's been 20 days 

I am suicidal, need stabilization 

 

Is there hope for me? 

 

[ciasim]

Please Moderators,  what is the safest way for me to come out of this alive? 

I am severely suicidal. 

 

I have  been on 300 mg quetiapine for 18-19 days 

And 1 - 0,5 ativan a day for 14 days. I am running out of them - out of many bad choices- should I continue without them or replace with diazepam 5mg? 

Don't know if I have become dependent or not. 

Been on 75 mg sertraline for 14 days after much up and down dosage 

 

 

Please help! 

 

 

[ciasim]

One question: benzos seem to be the only thing keeping me alive and not act on suicidal thoughts

, how bad is it to continue with diazepam 5 mg per day ( after my 2 ativan pills is over) ? 

Or is oxaxepam better?

[ciasim]

Sorry for posting so much but really struggling. What is best for me in order to stabilize? 

Stay on quetapin and sertraline same dosage 

Stop benzos all together 

Or exchange the ativan with diazepam? 

Wean  of ativan withdrawal with diazepam? 

I might  not get hold of any benzoz further on, so maybe it's better to stop benzoz altogether? 

 

So thankful for your help

[jozeff]

Hi ciasim,

 

Sounds like you're really really struggling. I'm so sorry for you.it looks like you have been changing medication a lot lately. You have been going up and down quite a bit. I think it is absolutely normal that you feel this way and this will pass eventually.

 

I have been struggling myself and the only thing that helps is taking it slow. No more sudden changes after you decide what to do.

 

I hope the moderators can advise you about the benzos. I've used these myself but with care because they are very addictive. On The other hand, if you are feeling really suicidal and the benzos help you through this it is probably not a good thing to quit them right now.

 

Is there some kind of psychiatrist or mp you can talk to use and who knows a bit about withdrawal symptoms?

 

Most important thing is that you find some kind of stabilisation Right now. If you decide to stay on sertraline I would strongly advise you not to make changes in those too much. My wife started tapering sertraline and she jumped from 50 to 45 mg and she had a couple of tough weeks after being perfectly normal on 50 milligram for two years.

 

Since you've been sensitized this might very well be the case for you.

 

Mods: can you advise about the other medication and dose?

 

I'm just giving some feed back and I wish you all the best in your struggling. My heart goes out to you. Sending digital srengt and hugs!!!

 

 

Cheers

 

Jozeff

 

 

 

[Shep]

On 3/5/2020 at 7:54 AM, ciasim said:

How bad is the fact that I will now be ct of 1 mg ativan after about 2 weeks use? I have taken 0,5 per day the first week and 1 mg per day the second. I am no longer at hospital, doctors won't prescribe them to me, but I got diazepam 5mg that I can take. What is best? Taking it or avoid it? I can function without at the moment,  but will they help  or counteract possible ativan withdrawal? Is there a chance I won't get withdrawals from ativan? Really really hope so... 

 

You may or may not be dependent on Ativan after 2 weeks. If you do switch over to diazepam, please note that 5 mg diazepam is equal to .5 mg Ativan. 

 

You may want to go back to the .5 mg Ativan dose you were on a week ago, which is 5 mg diazepam and see how you feel. 

 

Question - how many Ativan tablets to you have? It's best to crossover gradually from Ativan to diazepam. 

 

On 3/6/2020 at 6:32 AM, ciasim said:

9, pm take 300 mg quetiapine 

Prettier much the same as above 

Take two benadryl to calm down 

 

Please stop making so many changes, ciasim. There's a "moderate" drug interaction between Benadryl and quetiapine. 

 

If you decide to go on diazepam, please note there's also a "moderate" drug interaction between diazepam and quetiapine and between diazepam and Benadryl. The full report for all these drugs is here: 

 

Drug Interaction Report - Benadryl, quetiapine, diazepam

 

Please let us know what you decide to do regarding the benzo (come off cold turkey or switch to diazepam). Then we can discuss the quetiapine. 

[ciasim]

2 hours ago, Shep said:

 

You may or may not be dependent on Ativan after 2 weeks. If you do switch over to diazepam, please note that 5 mg diazepam is equal to .5 mg Ativan. 

 

You may want to go back to the .5 mg Ativan dose you were on a week ago, which is 5 mg diazepam and see how you feel. 

 

Question - how many Ativan tablets to you have? It's best to crossover gradually from Ativan to diazepam. 

I only have 1,5 left 

 

Please stop making so many changes, ciasim. There's a "moderate" drug interaction between Benadryl and quetiapine. 

 

If you decide to go on diazepam, please note there's also a "moderate" drug interaction between diazepam and quetiapine and between diazepam and Benadryl. The full report for all these drugs is here: 

 

Drug Interaction Report - Benadryl, quetiapine, diazepam

 

Please let us know what you decide to do regarding the benzo (come off cold turkey or switch to diazepam). Then we can discuss the quetiapine.

 

I what is your advice? Cold Turkey or switch?  I have 1,5 ativan left . Took the 0,5 now. 

 

Please help- I feel like my legs are walking by them selves, have you heard about this symptom before? 

 

[manymoretodays]

46 minutes ago, ciasim said:

Please help- I feel like my legs are walking by them selves, have you heard about this symptom before? 

 

Yes.  Sounds like restless legs ciasim.  If it's not under your control, or involuntary, it might be tardive dyskinesia,  if you can control it, it may be dystonia,  and oftentimes are adverse effects of drugs like quetiapine.

Tardive dystonia: news to me

Tardive dyskinesia or involuntary movements

 

*Non drug treatments for restless legs

weighted blankets can help, as can magnesium, used topically, both are mentioned in this link

 

And magnesium is one of the only 2 supplements that we do endorse for WD.

Please see: Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

1 hour ago, ciasim said:

Please let us know what you decide to do regarding the benzo (come off cold turkey or switch to diazepam). Then we can discuss the quetiapine.

 

Please keep the notes coming now too, ciasim.  I don't see any since 2 days ago now.  Do the whole 24 hour segment, and include all drugs by name, and dosage, symptoms, and any supplements or OTC(over the counter, not prescription) drugs too.  Thank you.

My best advice for now, stay off the benadryl !  Or any other new additions, other than some magnesium, if you have some or can get some.  Either topically, or a trial of a small dose by mouth.  Do look through those links though before proceeding.

 

I'll include our topic on Seroquel(quetiapine) now too:

*Tips for tapering off Seroquel(quetiapine)

do try to take a look at this one ^

What are you working with now, ciasim, as far as your quetiapine?  Is it one 300 mg pill/tablet?

 

And best.

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

 

[ciasim]

53 minutes ago, manymoretodays said:

 

Yes.  Sounds like restless legs ciasim.  If it's not under your control, or involuntary, it might be tardive dyskinesia,  if you can control it, it may be dystonia,  and oftentimes are adverse effects of drugs like quetiapine.

 

It is not like a involuntary movement, it is a feeling of my legs being pushed forward when walking. As a glitch in coordination and perception. As if my legs are under the control of a remote control,  hard to describe but verry distressing. It doesn't show from outside. 

 

 

Quote

Tardive dystonia: news to me

Tardive dyskinesia or involuntary movements

 

*Non drug treatments for restless legs

weighted blankets can help, as can magnesium, used topically, both are mentioned in this link

 

And magnesium is one of the only 2 supplements that we do endorse for WD.

Please see: Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

 

Please keep the notes coming now too, ciasim.  I don't see any since 2 days ago now.  Do the whole 24 hour segment, and include all drugs by name, and dosage, symptoms, and any supplements or OTC(over the counter, not prescription) drugs too.  Thank you.

My best advice for now, stay off the benadryl !  Or any other new additions, other than some magnesium, if you have some or can get some.  Either topically, or a trial of a small dose by mouth.  Do look through those links though before proceeding.

 

I'll include our topic on Seroquel(quetiapine) now too:

*Tips for tapering off Seroquel(quetiapine)

do try to take a look at this one ^

What are you working with now, ciasim, as far as your quetiapine?  Is it one 300 mg pill/tablet?

Yes one 300 mg quetapin slow release 

 

9 am wake up. Not anxious but worried and scared. Don't want to go up and face the frightening leg-thing and disorientation. Feel some kind of detachment to my own thoughts and as if my head is spinning. 

Lay in bed, scares and anxious. Don't know how I will be able to cope. Endless worry about whether the quetapin is making things worse and should be tapered or ir it's best to stay put 

 

11.00 take 75 mg sertraline ( a little bit later today)  Feelings of legs moving by themselves. Feel amped up,  as if I am connected to an electrical cord. Very distressing. 

Today everything is worse. I have derealisation and a feeling of the brain being tilted to the left. Feel disoriented even though I find my way. 

 

13.00 same thing as above. Extremely distressing. As if my body is out if control. Powered by a remote control. 

 

This continues all afternoon. 

 

15.00 take 0,5 ativab in order to lessen thoughts of despair 

Dosent take away symptoms,  but lessen feelings of doom and hopelessness

 

To be continued...

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

And best.

L, P, H, and G,

mmt