Tott: Introduction

[Tott]

Hello!

I’m 62 years old, female. 
I first started with antidepressants, Anafranil, in the early nineties. I quit ct after a year and 6 months later I ended up in hospital where I stayed 6 months before they kicked me out with a new prescription of Anafranil and with Rohypnol for sleep issues. A couple of years later I switched to SSRI, can’t remember which, and Rohypnol switched to Zopiclone 7,5 mg. 
No one ever told me I ended up in hospital because of withdrawal syndrome. 
I medicated for years and years. In 2022 I switched Cipramil and had Sertraline instead. The symptoms when I switched  became so bad I had to take 10mg Oxascand 4 times a day. The doctor called it chemical anxiety. 
About three years ago I went off Zopiclone cold turkey. The only thing that happened was that I slept very bad. After about 6 months off Zopiclone I started tapering my 75 mg Sertraline dose. I went to fast. When I was down to about 25-30 mg I experienced hell. I don’t know if it was post-acute withdrawal syndrome from the benzo or if it was acute withdrawal syndrome from Sertraline or both. 
Doctors never said anything about withdrawal syndrome. They said I had to take more pills. 
They prescribed 100 mg Sertraline, 7,5 mg zopiclone, 20 mg Brintellix, 10-40 mg Oxascand and some other stuff I never took. 
Since I quit cold turkey and tapered AD too fast I suffer from agoraphobia and anxiety. 
During the last three years I tapered and quit Brintellix and didn’t get any symptoms. I also tapered Oxascand to 5 mg. And Sertraline from 100 to 75 mg. and Zopiclone from 7,5 to 5 mg. 
In April this year I learned about the 10% method. And since then I tapered 10% off zopiclone ever month and I’ve gone from 5 mg Oxascand to 4,5 mg. Currently I only taper Zopiclone. 

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Tott.  Thank you for completing your drug signature.

 

You wrote in your post that you tapered Zoloft from 75mg to 20-30mg.  Your signature indicates you're now on 75mg Zoloft.  Please edit your signature to indicate when and at what taper rate you went from 75mg Zoloft to 25-30mg Zoloft and when you updosed back to 75mg and whether you increased directly from 25-30mg to 75mg.  A list format (rather than a paragraph format) is preferred.  Here's the link to edit your signature.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Until you've written back with this information, our recommendation for right now is to hold and taper nothing further.  You need to stabilize from the changes in your Zoloft dose.  This can take several months.

 

For future reference, our general recommendation is to taper only one drug at a time and to taper activating (stimulating) drugs first, leaving sedating drugs in place to preserve sleep, to be tapered later.  In your case, Zoloft, like other SSRI's, is activating, while Zopiclone and  Oxascand are sedating.   

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

Our recommendation would be to hold where you are on everything until you've stabilized.  Once you've stabilized--definitely not before--you can begin a taper of Zoloft.  As you're aware, we recommend tapering no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

For future reference, the following link is specifically about tapering Zoloft.

 

Tips for tapering off sertraline (Zoloft)

 

Here's some information on withdrawal and the healing process.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

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) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can edit your drug signature, ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Gridley

[Tott]

Thanks for having me!

I updated my signature. 
it’s about three years since I tapered Sertraline from 75 to 30 in 5 weeks. A couple of months after that I was in hell. I And 6 months prior to tapering Sertraline I had gone cold turkey on Zopiclone. So I don’t know if it was Sertraline or zopiclone that sent me to hell or both. 

[Gridley]

14 minutes ago, Tott said:

So I don’t know if it was Sertraline or zopiclone that sent me to hell or both. 

There's really no way to know.

 

As I said, you've undergone a lot of drug changes and my recommendation is to hold where you and make no further changes for several months to let your system stabilize from these changes.

 

Keep in mind the magnesium and omega 3's I linked to in my previous post.  Many members find them calming.

 

 

[Tott]

Thank you ☺️. 
I have taken lots of supplements including magnesium and omega 3 for a couple of years but I quit all of them, except probiotics, a couple of months ago when I started 10 % method. I will slowly start magnesium and omega again. 

[Greatful]

@Tott  Welcome Tott.  I am sorry so you are going through such a hard time. I really hope all goes go for you to be med free.  It might be a long road ahead of us long time drugged seniors, but we can do it‼️

I am 58 and stated Prozac in the mid 90's.  I tried to get off many times in the years.  Most Doctor's today, let alone 20 years ago, don't know or recognize withdrawal.  I ended up in the hospital 5 years ago, I also didn't know I was in wd .  Now I am trying to stabilize from another unsuccessful taper off meds.  If we had SA back in the day maybe we would have been drug free  manyyyy years ago.

There is a lot of information here at SA.  Look around,  connect with members.  We are all working to  get off of meds or are in some sort of WD.   

We have some very supportive successful recovered members giving helpful support and advice.

 We really need the support of people who are going through the same pain.  

Post often to get helpful ideas on coping, share symptoms, express fears and to get encouragement.

[Tott]

Thanks @Grateful.  
yes, we can do it! 
And thanks for advice, i think it will take a while to learn about this site. I’ve been lurking a couple of weeks an reading stuff but didn’t post until today.  
 

[Tott]

@Gridley

I’m not sure I’m in withdrawal from going straight from 100 mg Sertraline to 75, my recent symptoms started when I started tapering zopiclone in April. When I cut Sertraline I only had brain zaps for three weeks then nothing. 
its so hard to know what’s what. 😰. 
The reason I chose to taper zopiclone before Sertraline is that I have no deep sleep. I track my sleep with two different devices, Oura ring and Beuer sleep expert. According to them I have no deep sleep. Max 5-7 minutes every night, but most often zero minutes.  That’s scary because that can cause Alzheimer’s, and I’m not young anymore and I’ve no family to care for me, which makes it more scary. I assumed that the lack of deep sleep is due to Zopiclone and that’s why I started to taper them before Sertraline. The increased symptoms I have since I began taper are: fear, dread, increased anxiety that comes and goes. This month I’m doing brassmonkey micro tapering with 2,5 % each week and that helped the symptoms.   I know what you are saying about starting with Sertraline instead of zopiclone, but at the same time I’m horrified because I have no deep sleep. 
I don’t know what to do. I’ll guess I have to sleep on it 😉. 

[Tott]

I’m tapering zopiclone. I’m also on Oxascand 4,5 mg and Sertraline 75 mg. 
I need to get my second COVID-19 vaccine, but because of meds I suffer from agoraphobia (can go outside but not far), and I can’t go to the vaccination center. I could for the first shot (with 4,5 mg oxascand) but now it’s impossible. My doctor says I should updose oxascand to get there. I say no. What do you guys say?

[getofflex]

Previous post moved to your intro topic to keep your history all in one place.  Please post questions and discussion about your situation in this one thread, to avoid confusion and duplication of efforts.  Thank you.  

[getofflex]

Personally, if it were me, I would find a non drug way to try and deal with the agoraphobia.  Would taking a friend or relative along with you help?  Here is our thread on agoraphobia: 

 

Agoraphobia

 

Here are some simple techniques to help reduce anxiety.  I find the third one (Claire Weekes) especially helpful.  

 

Audio:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)
 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes
 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

 

 

[Greatful]

@Tott  This withdrawal sure does make a mess out of us🙄  I am dealing with social phobia do to ocd right now.  I never had a problem going out in public until this.  Part of it is I get over simulated easy.  Sounds and commotion can set off my buzzing brain. 

I am so sorry.    

[Tott]

@getofflex Unfortunately it doesn’t help to bring someone. I got the agoraphobia when I quit zopiclone ct about three years ago. Thanks for the link on agoraphobia  ☺️

[Tott]

@Greatful yes, this sure isn’t easy. 😞 But we will get there eventually ☺️  

[Greatful]

@Tott  Hi, I wanted to stop by and see how you are doing.  I know how hard obsessing symptoms are.  How are you feeling other wise?

 

[Tott]

@Greatful Thanks for stopping by. Friday-Sunday has been kind of hard I’m afraid. I’m doing brassmonkey tapering but I think I will hold a week and not taper 2,5% this week. 
I hope you have had an ok week. ☺️

[Greatful]

@Tott   What is  Oxascand?   Were you taking Zopicione for sleep?  Boy these meds really mess us up!  It is probably a good idea to hold a week and see if it helps.  What are you symptoms you are having?  Sounds like you are using common sense and listening to your body.

Hang in there.  

Let me know if you need a shoulder to lean on☺️

 

[Tott]

@GratefulOh, I have to edit my signature, oxascand is oxazepam, it’s a benzo.
Yes, I’m taking zopiclone for sleep. 
My current symptoms from tapering are anxiety that comes and goes, sweating, strange feeling in my hands that comes and goes and sometimes insomnia. The anxiety is the worst. Some days are ok, other harder. 
☺️🤗

[Greatful]

@Tott  Stopping by to see how you are doing?

[Tott]

@Gratefulthank you 🤗

I’m still holding. But I’m better. 
How are you?

[Greatful]

@Tott  How are you doing?  It has been pretty quite over here.

[Tott]

Hello @Grateful and thanks for stopping by! Everything is better since I started the brassmonkey sliding method. The symptoms are not as strong. 🤗

[Greatful]

@Tott  It's good to hear things are getting better.  Are you still struggling with agoraphobia?  I really hope you can work your way through healing from it.

 

Hang in there.

Let me know if I can help in anyway, encouragement, a listening ear what ever you need.

[Tott]

Yes, I’m still struggling with agoraphobia. I’ve had it since I tapered to fast about 3,5 years ago. I can walk about half a mile from my home. If I get to far from home I’m like a horse who’s afraid to jump a hurdle. My body just stops. 

[Greatful]

@Tott

14 hours ago, Tott said:

I can walk about half a mile from my home. If I get to far from home

That's awesome you can leave the house, a half a mile is great.  Now just add in 20 steps every few weeks.

Did you have agoraphobia before?  It is crazy what are brains (thoughts) can tell us and we believe them.  After all thought are just thought  but so convincing.  I have to deal with some of this myself.  I am working real hard to get past it.

[Greatful]

@Tott  Hi,  stopping by to see how you are doing?❤️

[Greatful]

@Tott  You are pretty quiet over here.  Are you okay?

[Tott]

@Grateful Sorry, and thanks for checking in. It’s all good, I’m tapering and having some issues but nothing big. ☺️

[Tott]

@Altostrata. @Grateful

im looking for the discussion between altostrata and rhi about tapering more than one drug at the same time. I’ve read it twice and now I want to read it again but can’t find it. Can you please help me? 

[Altostrata]

Taper more than one drug at a time?
Try this only if you know your withdrawal symptom pattern and know how to control your taper with various tapering techniques.

 

We do not recommend this.
 

[Greatful]

@TottHi stopping by to see how you are doing?