Mentor Happy2Heal Posted March 4, 2022 Mentor Share Posted March 4, 2022 1 hour ago, Dominique said: Is there anyone else who has been in the same boat with the insomnia and who has improved? I really thought I would start seeing improvements in the sleep after 6 months 😔 sent you a reply to your message yes there are MANY people here who had this insomnia and improved, pretty much everyone, I would guess. I mean you have to read the success stories and not the ones of people still going thru withdrawal but we all pretty much come out the other side eventually and you will too!! try to rest when you can. what are you doing for fun? 1 PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content PRESENT DAYS: Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted March 4, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 4, 2022 2 hours ago, Dominique said: which makes me so upset and panic that this will never improve Audio: First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) Female voice - getselfhelp.co.uk Audio: First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) Male voice - getselfhelp.co.uk Non-drug techniques Sleep problems - that awful withdrawal insomnia * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted March 5, 2022 Administrator Share Posted March 5, 2022 Good to hear you've improved a bit, @Dominique What is your sleep pattern? Here are some techniques to strengthen your sleep: Tips to help sleep -- so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia Path to Better Sleep FREE online for everyone from the US Veterans Administration Music for self-care: Calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep White noise devices for sleep Melatonin for sleep: Many people find it helpful TV or computer use in evening can disrupt sleep: Bright light signals the brain that it's daytime This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Dominique Posted March 5, 2022 Author Share Posted March 5, 2022 5 hours ago, Altostrata said: Good to hear you've improved a bit, @Dominique What is your sleep pattern? Yes @Altostrata, as horrible as it has been (that’s not nearly a strong enough word!), I have been keeping a list of all my symptoms and I do see that some things are getting less intense. Namely the constant anxiety/chest tightness, pain and aches all over my body, tremors, heart palpitations, muscle twitches… these are all slowly improving. Not gone, but not there 24/7 anymore for which I really have to be grateful for. My worst symptom now is definitely the insomnia and accompanying brain fog. I try to stick to a regular sleep routine and good sleep hygiene- Epsom bath after dinner, unwinding, meditation, not blue lights/electronics before bed. I take magnesium throughout the day and also have blackout curtains in my bedroom. I did 2 months of sleep restriction therapy which didn’t help at all and I decided that actually resting in bed and trying to sleep was better than this. I am in bed most nights at 22:30/23:00. Some nights I am exhausted and fall asleep within half an hour, to then be awake 3-4 hours later. Others I feel wired all evening and then lie awake all night and will get 3-4 hours sleep in the early hours of the morning. There seems to be no real pattern to it. Regardless, I always make sure I am out of bed by 08:30/09:00 and just get up. I also walk a minimum of an hour per day no matter how I feel. 1 June 2016-May 2021 sertraline (up to 200mg) Tapered off in 3 months. Crashed in August. Was told it was relapse. August 2021 started 2.5mg Escitalopram for a week, 5mg for a week, then 2mg for a week and then stopped (triggered insomnia and akathesia). From the first dose Escitalopram couldn’t sleep and was given temazepam and zopiclone, 1 week of each (did not work). October 2021 my mother called crisis team as I was in a 24hr panic and hadn’t slept for a month. Given seroquel 25mg. I only took 12.5mg for 2 weeks (gave me 5hrs sleep). Quit QT as I was terrified of taking it. Currently taking: probiotic and 400mg magnesium, fish oil, daily Epsom salt baths and meditation. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus getofflex Posted March 5, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 5, 2022 23 hours ago, Dominique said: The anxiety, tremors, panic attacks are all improving slowly. This is great news. It means you are healing. I'm assuming you did not reinstate the sertraline? 23 hours ago, Dominique said: I am physically and mentally exhausted. Is there anyone else who has been in the same boat with the insomnia and who has improved? Yes, I have been in the same boat with insomnia. It is miserable, and my heart goes out to you. Here are some things that may help. It will take time for the insomnia to improve, but it slowly will. My Insomnia Tips insomnia has been the worst part of WD for me. Here is what I do to help. 1) don't get overly anxious about it. Realize that eventually, your sleep will improve. Insomnia won't kill you, although it can make you pretty dang miserable. Anxiety about sleep just makes the problem worse. I know, easier said than done. I don't always do this, but I try. Practice acceptance. 2)listen to very soft relaxing music at a very low volume. 3)don't worry about what time it is. Don't look at the clock. 4) I try to stay active during the first half of the day. I take a walk (mine is one hour) after breakfast every day. Then, as the day goes on, gradually slow down. Several hours before bed, I only do very relaxing things, like read, or just sit and relax. This helps to set our circadian rhythm. Try to get outside and get some light exposure during the day, too. 5) Avoid toxic, negative people. Avoid stress when possible, although I know a lot of stressors are unavoidable. For me, this can really help me to relax better. 6) I stay away from MSG and aspartame. These are exitotoxins which overstimulate the nervous system. They are in a lot of our modern processed foods. I try to eat more whole and natural, and not as many processed foods. Also avoid processed meats with sodium nitrate, etc , such as hotdogs, ham, bacon, and sausage. These can keep you up at night too. 7) avoid eating large amounts of sugar and processed carbohydrates. This causes your blood glucose to spike up, which causes your pancreas to create insulin to control your blood sugar, which then causes your blood sugar to drop too low, and then your to create adrenaline to try to regulate your blood sugar. Adrenaline keep you awake because it is an activating hormone. 2 Please do not private message me. Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you. ***Please note this is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one. Lexapro Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg; started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20 0.18 mg; Jul 16 0.17 mg, Aug 23 0.16 mg, Oct 7 0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005, Jul 8, 0.00. Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!! Woohoo!!! other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly Link to comment
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted March 6, 2022 Mentor Share Posted March 6, 2022 On 3/5/2022 at 3:23 AM, Dominique said: Some nights I am exhausted and fall asleep within half an hour, to then be awake 3-4 hours later. Others I feel wired all evening and then lie awake all night and will get 3-4 hours sleep in the early hours of the morning. I know this will sound silly to you but this actually good news, that you can get 3 to 4 hrs of sleep most nights, you are getting close to turning a corner where most of us see rapid improvement in our symptoms just hang in there a bit longer, healing is happening and you are well on your way. 1 PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content PRESENT DAYS: Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment
DutchMaddy Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 💕🌹 1999-2000 1 year Fluvoxamine/Luvox/ stopped CT no witdrawal symtoms maybe 2 days brainzaps 2008-2018 10 years Prozac 30 mg. Stopped bacause I was getting depressed again, went to Pdoc en got Welbutrin cut down 20 % of Prozac after 2 month when felt litlle better cut rest of Prozac. withdrawel set in. 2018- jan 2019 took welbutrin 150 mg, did not work, tapered off with taperingstrips in 4 month. 2 month AD free then started Fuvloxamine again on july 5th 2019 2020 added Lamotrigine 150 because it did not work. march 10 2020 CT lamotrigine April 2020 stop fluvoxamine with a 4 month taper AD free since 29 July 2020 Link to comment
Dominique Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 3/5/2022 at 8:18 PM, getofflex said: On 3/4/2022 at 8:27 PM, Dominique said: This is great news. It means you are healing. I'm assuming you did not reinstate the sertraline? I really hope so. My symptoms don’t really have a pattern… some days I feel wired all day with high anxiety and restlessness… the others I have incredible fatigue/brain fog/pressure in my head and nausea and feel like I have lost half of my IQ. It really feels like a snail race with healing… but when I look back at my list of symptoms I do see that some aren’t there anymore and that the others aren’t there 24/7 all the time, like the anxiety and panic attacks. No, I did not reinstate the sertraline. Not because I didn’t feel like my symptoms were bad enough, because believe they are and I have been house bound with all this, but now I know the damage these drugs did I am too terrified to put anything back in my body. June 2016-May 2021 sertraline (up to 200mg) Tapered off in 3 months. Crashed in August. Was told it was relapse. August 2021 started 2.5mg Escitalopram for a week, 5mg for a week, then 2mg for a week and then stopped (triggered insomnia and akathesia). From the first dose Escitalopram couldn’t sleep and was given temazepam and zopiclone, 1 week of each (did not work). October 2021 my mother called crisis team as I was in a 24hr panic and hadn’t slept for a month. Given seroquel 25mg. I only took 12.5mg for 2 weeks (gave me 5hrs sleep). Quit QT as I was terrified of taking it. Currently taking: probiotic and 400mg magnesium, fish oil, daily Epsom salt baths and meditation. Link to comment
Dominique Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 3/5/2022 at 8:18 PM, getofflex said: Yes, I have been in the same boat with insomnia. It is miserable, and my heart goes out to you. Ohhh I am so sorry you also had this. My heart goes out to you too! This and the anxiety are the worst… I feel like with even ONE decent night sleep I would feel in a lot better state to deal with all the other horrible things. Have you noticed an improvement with your sleep? Thank you so much for the tips. I will take these on board for sure ❤️ 1 June 2016-May 2021 sertraline (up to 200mg) Tapered off in 3 months. Crashed in August. Was told it was relapse. August 2021 started 2.5mg Escitalopram for a week, 5mg for a week, then 2mg for a week and then stopped (triggered insomnia and akathesia). From the first dose Escitalopram couldn’t sleep and was given temazepam and zopiclone, 1 week of each (did not work). October 2021 my mother called crisis team as I was in a 24hr panic and hadn’t slept for a month. Given seroquel 25mg. I only took 12.5mg for 2 weeks (gave me 5hrs sleep). Quit QT as I was terrified of taking it. Currently taking: probiotic and 400mg magnesium, fish oil, daily Epsom salt baths and meditation. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus getofflex Posted March 9, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 9, 2022 (edited) Yes I have had some significant improvements with sleep! I actually slept between 7 and 8 hours last night. The improvements in sleep have been gradual and nonlinear. Meaning that there are ups and downs, with still some nights of poor sleep. Be assured that your sleep will slowly get better as long as you stay away from mind altering substances and psych meds and take good care of yourself. Recovery happens at a snails pace but it does happen. Edited March 9, 2022 by getofflex 1 Please do not private message me. Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you. ***Please note this is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one. Lexapro Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg; started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20 0.18 mg; Jul 16 0.17 mg, Aug 23 0.16 mg, Oct 7 0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005, Jul 8, 0.00. Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!! Woohoo!!! other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly Link to comment
Mentor Greatful Posted March 19, 2022 Mentor Share Posted March 19, 2022 @Dominique How are you doing? https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24894-greatful-is-this-withdrawal-or-to-many-med-changes-at-once/ 1995? Prozac, tried several Paxil, Serzone, St John's Wart back to Prozac and Trazodone ct:d Traz Lexapro. Tried to stop Crash in 2015 Kindled Hospitalized, Vybrid, Seroquel, Effexor, Abilify Pristiq, Wellbutrin-- 2016 ended back on Prozac and Lamictal 200mg 5/2020 thru 12/2020 taper from 20mg Prozac down to 3mg. Crashed 12/13/2020 Zoloft 50mg 1/29ct 1/29/2021 Seroquel 50mg ct 2/12/2021 Wellbutrin 75mg. Became hypo manic 2/1 6ct Trazodone 50mg 4/25 25mg 2/5/ 2021 Lamictal 150mg. 2/24 100mg 4/9 75mg 4/21 37.5 2/16/2021 Seroquel 50xr 3/3 100mg 3/17 150mg side effects ct 4/3 2021 Lexapro 5mg 4/14 7.5mg 4/30 10mg 5/10 7.5mg 2021/ 5/16 5mg Lexapro 37.5 Lamictal 25mg trazadone, xanax .0625mg 3x a day Lexapro Taper> Sept/01/2021 4.90mg> Sept/25 4.75mg> Oct/19 4.69mg > Nov/14 4.2mg Jan/30/2022-- Split dosing 2x a day All liquid 4.2mg (2.20mg at 8am & 2mg at 4pm) 2/17 4mg> 2/24 3.8mg slow taper to Aug/12/2022 2.04mg 2023> 2mg, 1.90mg, 1.80mg, 1.70mg, 1.5mg, 1.4mg, 1.3mg 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg 0.65mg, 0.6mg, 0.55mg, 0.5mg, 0.45mg, 0.4mg, 0.35mg, 0.3mg, 0.25,mg, back to once a day dosing 0 .1mg, 0.07mg , 0.05mg 4/1/2024 0 Lamictal taper 4/17/ 2022 25mg, 9/9/ 22 -20mg, 9/25/22- 15mg , 10/20/22- 0 Trazodone..2023.>down to 14mg, 7mg, 6mg July 2023 0 Xanax 0.0625 3 x a day, 2023> 0.042 3x a day Supplements Magnesium glycinate, Omega 3, D3, vitamin c , zinc, NAC Link to comment
Fosca Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Hi Dominique, I noticed that you followed me, and I have followed you back. I'm sorry for all that you are going through, but I'm positive, especially looking at your history, that you will continue to improve in the "waves and windows" pattern. Hope you are hanging in there ♥️ 1 2009-2021: Fluoxetine (20-40 mg) on-and-off many times, would reinstate after 4-6 months off. Aug 2021: Tapered off 20 mg fluoxetine over 6 weeks. Dec 2021: Reinstated 10 mg fluoxetine for 12 days, then stopped for three weeks. Jan-Feb 2022: Reinstated 10 mg fluoxetine again for 3.5 weeks, had severe side effects due to kindling, stopped and went into severe withdrawal. March 2022: Tried a botched reinstatement of fluoxetine - 2.5 mg one day, 1.25 mg the next day, stopped 4 days(?), 0.5 mg for 3 days, then stopped due to burning sensations. July 2022: Loud movie significantly worsens ear symptoms (tinnitus, hyperacusis, TMJD etc.) Nov 2022: 1 mg of Lexapro for 3 days, stopped due to strong side effects. Link to comment
Mentor Greatful Posted March 29, 2022 Mentor Share Posted March 29, 2022 @Dominique How are things going? I can relate to feeling physically and mentally exhausted.....It is very tiring to stay positive plus the body is working so hard to heal, you not getting much sleep makes us tired all the way around.....Remember this is a good time to learn self love and compassion♥️ You have gone 10 months that is an accomplishment😊 1 https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24894-greatful-is-this-withdrawal-or-to-many-med-changes-at-once/ 1995? Prozac, tried several Paxil, Serzone, St John's Wart back to Prozac and Trazodone ct:d Traz Lexapro. Tried to stop Crash in 2015 Kindled Hospitalized, Vybrid, Seroquel, Effexor, Abilify Pristiq, Wellbutrin-- 2016 ended back on Prozac and Lamictal 200mg 5/2020 thru 12/2020 taper from 20mg Prozac down to 3mg. Crashed 12/13/2020 Zoloft 50mg 1/29ct 1/29/2021 Seroquel 50mg ct 2/12/2021 Wellbutrin 75mg. Became hypo manic 2/1 6ct Trazodone 50mg 4/25 25mg 2/5/ 2021 Lamictal 150mg. 2/24 100mg 4/9 75mg 4/21 37.5 2/16/2021 Seroquel 50xr 3/3 100mg 3/17 150mg side effects ct 4/3 2021 Lexapro 5mg 4/14 7.5mg 4/30 10mg 5/10 7.5mg 2021/ 5/16 5mg Lexapro 37.5 Lamictal 25mg trazadone, xanax .0625mg 3x a day Lexapro Taper> Sept/01/2021 4.90mg> Sept/25 4.75mg> Oct/19 4.69mg > Nov/14 4.2mg Jan/30/2022-- Split dosing 2x a day All liquid 4.2mg (2.20mg at 8am & 2mg at 4pm) 2/17 4mg> 2/24 3.8mg slow taper to Aug/12/2022 2.04mg 2023> 2mg, 1.90mg, 1.80mg, 1.70mg, 1.5mg, 1.4mg, 1.3mg 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg 0.65mg, 0.6mg, 0.55mg, 0.5mg, 0.45mg, 0.4mg, 0.35mg, 0.3mg, 0.25,mg, back to once a day dosing 0 .1mg, 0.07mg , 0.05mg 4/1/2024 0 Lamictal taper 4/17/ 2022 25mg, 9/9/ 22 -20mg, 9/25/22- 15mg , 10/20/22- 0 Trazodone..2023.>down to 14mg, 7mg, 6mg July 2023 0 Xanax 0.0625 3 x a day, 2023> 0.042 3x a day Supplements Magnesium glycinate, Omega 3, D3, vitamin c , zinc, NAC Link to comment
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