Michelleanne: Help needed

[Michelleanne]

Hello everyone, just a 43 year old woman looking for advice

 

 I have been on Sertaline 50 mg since 2016 switch from prozac 20 mg by my GP; before that I was on prozac for about 13 years. I was less religious with my use of my sertraline over the past year, and I had an anxiety flair over the fall and reinstated my 50 mg. My anxiety increased and was given ativan 1 mg. I took this nightly for 10 days, then got another Rx from my doctor. I was freaked out for addiction, so took it rarely in .5-1 mg. Eventually my insomnia and depression was so bad that at the urging of my friend I was checked into a hospital this past November. They ended up increasing my sertraline from 50 to 100mg, put me on mirtazipine 15 mg for sleep, and a prn of hydroxyzine. Sertraline at this dose gave me terrible anxiety and intrusive thoughts, so I lowered the dose back to 50mg when I got out of the hospital after 9 days. I also stopped the mirt and all other meds. During this time I experienced muscle tightness and spasms, anxiety, loss of concentration/interest (also I think I had what is akathasia during this time, staying in one spot was difficult and restlessness was real). Eventually after 3 or so weeks, increased my dose to 75mg and have been on this for 18 days. I still deal with spacy/ lack of focus and concentration, anxiety/panic, no motivation, muscle twitches, moderate insomnia (I am taking 25 mg of trazadone), some intrusive thought, dizziness. I have to decide what I want to do but am scared to death to taper now. I have pills that are solid (without beads) but am interested in how to taper with these types of pills, because this drug might be just not working or too much for me now. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist tomorrow, since my GP suggested it. 

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by manymoretodays
name to title

[Sunnyday]

Hi @Michelleanne and welcome,

 

I'm sorry it took so long for us to get back to you. Would you mind writing a signature? That way we can get a better overview of your drug history. It's good to include any drugs you take, even if you only take them sporadically, like with the ativan. Any other drugs or supplements are also good to include. Here's how to do that:

 

How to write a signature

 

The method we usually recommend is to taper by 10% of the current dosage, and to only taper one drug at time.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

 

Here is some information on tapering sertraline:

 

Tips for tapering Zoloft (sertraline)

 

 

I would however take a look at this too:

 

Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel)

 

 

Were there any changes in symptoms when you started the trazodone? It might be an idea to keep daily notes for a while, and then report it back in this topic of yours. 

 

Keep daily notes of drug schedule and symptoms to track patterns and progress

 

 

I will ask what the other mods think of your situation. I would hold off on making anymore changes until you have gotten another response from a mod, but wanted to give you a welcome and some information in the meantime.

Take care and please keep us updated. Me or another mod will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Sunnyday

[Michelleanne]

Thank you,  I will do that. 

 

I've only been using trazadone 1-2 times a week,  first at 50 but then went to 25. Should I continue to take it at this level? Not sure what to do. 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @Michelleanne

 

My interpretation of your account is that you took sertraline inconsistently, got withdrawal symptoms from that -- the "anxiety flair" -- and then 50mg sertraline was too much for you, causing anxiety, for which you received a drug cascade causing its own adverse effects.

 

On 1/17/2021 at 8:13 PM, Michelleanne said:

Eventually after 3 or so weeks, increased my dose to 75mg and have been on this for 18 days. I still deal with spacy/ lack of focus and concentration, anxiety/panic, no motivation, muscle twitches, moderate insomnia (I am taking 25 mg of trazadone), some intrusive thought, dizziness.

 

How are you feeling, taking 75mg sertraline? Do you feel better or worse since the increase? Does 25mg trazodone help you sleep?

 

What is your sleep pattern?

[Michelleanne]

 

 

I can't really tell at this point.  In some ways,  I think it's no better,  but I'm hanging on to do a full 4 weeks of the med at a consistent level. 

I don't take the trazadone constantly,  only when I feel high anxiety or can't fall asleep. 

My sleep patterns range from 0 hours to 4-5 hours per night.  I do notice sometimes when I take the trazadone it doesn't really make a difference in the length of time I sleep.  Although I'm scared to do more. 

I've never had this problem of insomnia on sertraline before,  although I had major stress happen over the fall. 

[Michelleanne]

I'm currently on 75 mg of sertaline and have been for about 5 weeks now.  Before I was on 50 mg with no problems for 4 years.  Around October, ....things started to get more difficult.  I was emotionally exhausted and it seemed to stop working.  I ended up taking ativan .5 for a few weeks intermittently,  no more than 25 doses total. I ended up inpatient in November and was given increased sertaline,  mirtazapine,  and hydroxyzine.  

Fast forward to now,  I'm only taking the sertraline and occasionally trazadone 50 for zleep.

Right now I feel incredibly frazzled.. restless,  unable to leave my residence,  unable to sleep more than 2-4 hours at a time.  Muscle pain,  fasticulations,  muscle jerks before sleep . My psychiatrist wants me to change to Lexapro but I am scared as I don't feel stable.  Today my arms feel tight and like they're burning. I've also had electric shock sensations throughout my body and inability to fully relax.

I need help,  I feel like I'm losing it

[ChessieCat]

Only one Introduction topic per member.  That way your history is all in one place and you will not need to repeat yourself.

 

Your Introduction topic is here:

 

michelleanne-help-needed

 

I suggest that you "Follow" it and/or make it a favourite.

 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Michelleanne, @Michelleanne

Welcome back to your Introduction page.  I've merged some of your recent posts back here.  This is absolutely the best place for you to post your questions and concerns, around your specifics.  That way, everything is in one place, and now you can see some of the replies given to you already or questions asked too.

We just allow one Introduction topic per member, and this is yours.  One new topic, that I just merged was a second Introduction post, so that too, is now here.  It also saves you from repeating yourself over and over.

And thanks for getting your signature done!  Yay.

 

On 2/8/2021 at 2:34 PM, Michelleanne said:

I'm currently on 75 mg of sertaline and have been for about 5 weeks now.  Before I was on 50 mg with no problems for 4 years.  Around October, ....things started to get more difficult.  I was emotionally exhausted and it seemed to stop working.  I ended up taking ativan .5 for a few weeks intermittently,  no more than 25 doses total. I ended up inpatient in November and was given increased sertaline,  mirtazapine,  and hydroxyzine.  

Fast forward to now,  I'm only taking the sertraline and occasionally trazadone 50 for zleep.

Right now I feel incredibly frazzled.. restless,  unable to leave my residence,  unable to sleep more than 2-4 hours at a time.  Muscle pain,  fasticulations,  muscle jerks before sleep . My psychiatrist wants me to change to Lexapro but I am scared as I don't feel stable.  Today my arms feel tight and like they're burning. I've also had electric shock sensations throughout my body and inability to fully relax.

I need help,  I feel like I'm losing it

 

And okay, I'm seeing that your recent posts, as of Monday, are the same, so may just hide the duplicate.

 

And how was the trazodone prescribed?  Most of the drugs we deal with here, do need to be taken on a daily basis, and so I wonder how your symptoms relate to the somewhat erratic dosing of the trazodone.  The other problem is that trazodone has major interactions with a number of other drugs, of which sertraline is one.

You'll see more about that in the tapering topic on it:

Tips for tapering off trazodone(Desyrel)

 

Please put your drugs into the Drug Interactions checker here:  Drug Interactions-Drugs.com, and then link us to the results, or copy and paste them here, in a response

 

Who is currently prescribing for you?  Is it a regular doctor or psychiatrist?

Do you have a choice in who you see?

 

Oh and Michelleanne, please hang in there.  Some of the symptoms you describe are so familiar, as WD(withdrawal) symptoms, and the kind of nervous system dys regulation ,that often occurs when there are a lot of psychotropic drug changes done, in a short period of time.

On 1/22/2021 at 5:32 PM, Altostrata said:

My interpretation of your account is that you took sertraline inconsistently, got withdrawal symptoms from that -- the "anxiety flair" -- and then 50mg sertraline was too much for you, causing anxiety, for which you received a drug cascade causing its own adverse effects.

 

And then, here's what Altostrata thought as well.  And now you can see that too, above this response, as we've got you're information all gathered in one place now.

 

I don't think that I would switch to Lexapro either.  So that was a good move on your part not to make yet another switch.

Are you able to get a couple stretches of the 2-4 hours sleep in, in one day?

 

And all for now, from me, some more questions for you, and hoping you find your way back here too.  To your Introduction.  Welcome aboard.  This is the best place for you, to post questions right now, and look for replies.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays(mmt)

[Altostrata]

Michelleanne, how often are you taking trazodone?

 

What time of day do you take sertraline?

 

You've been taking 75mg sertraline for about a month. How have your symptoms changed in the last 2 weeks?