Upnorth: reinstating

[Upnorth]

On 2/26/2022 at 12:30 PM, Altostrata said:

 

Is staying up until 3 a.m. a longstanding habit or only since you reinstated sertraline? What do you do until 3 a.m.?

 

 

Please put the information about your reinstatement in your signature.

I thought I was ? Is that a different area? 

[OldDodgy]

@Upnorth

Good morning from the U.K. I have had the usual 3 -4 hours sleep max as it’s nearly 3 am. It’s been years and I fully understand. A lot of your symptoms may well be due to severe sleep deprivation.
@Altostrata has recommended a gentle reinstatement dose and I am sure will comment on how long to stay on that if necessary. Stability is the key. 
I do hope you can manage  as the  brain resets itself. 
As for sleep it’s time for breakfast ! —-at 3.30 with the dog and eat some  soothing stuff. The then wait til dawn.  
This is not uncommon post withdrawal and all I can do is accept it at the moment. 
OldDodgy 

[Upnorth]

@OldDodgy

Sleep deprivation is an understatement . I haven't had a decent sleep since I started down this trip from hell . My hope is to stabilize with the help of alto and others on this site . At this point I am just suffering daily with no windows. 

[Altostrata]

You've been on 2mg since Feb. 16. How about trying 2.5mg?

 

If taking sertraline does not seem to make you sleepy, I'd consider gradually moving it to earlier in the day. But let us know how you feel on 2.5mg first.

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Okay. I have taken 2.5 for 2 days now and will let you know.  All of last week on 2mg I seemed to be more agitated and more nauseous.   The reason I dose so late is because origanally I took my pill late at night and thought I would stay on that schedule and late at night is when my system is most comfortable.  That's also why I stay up so late. . I don't think I would ever be able to fall asleep with the nausea I have . So I stay on the couch and watch TV till I'm tired enough to sleep. 

 

[Altostrata]

How has 2.5mg affected you?

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

I seem more agitated and more anxiety on the 2.5 mg. Also feel more nausea and bloated and some dizzy spells and general weakness. I'm sleeping less  and not feeling rested.  No improvement and wondering if I made a mistake. 

Also some brain fog and intrusive thoughts. The fatigue is effecting my thinking. .I just feel so worn out. 

[Altostrata]

On 2/27/2022 at 11:28 PM, Upnorth said:

All of last week on 2mg I seemed to be more agitated and more nauseous. 

 

How does the way you feel taking 2.5mg differ from when you were taking 2mg?

 

How do you feel before and after each dose?

[Upnorth]

21 hours ago, Upnorth said:

@Altostrata

I seem more agitated and more anxiety on the 2.5 mg. Also feel more nausea and bloated and some dizzy spells and general weakness. I'm sleeping less  and not feeling rested.  No improvement and wondering if I made a mistake. 

Also some brain fog and intrusive thoughts. The fatigue is effecting my thinking. .I just feel so worn out. 

 

[Altostrata]

We need more detail about your symptom pattern, including sleep pattern. Please keep daily notes of times o’clock you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. We need to know how you feel before and after taking each drug, and your symptoms in between. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time o’clock on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right.

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Tuesday March 1

11:30 pm  took 2.5mg dose of liquid zoloft and toast. Nauseous. 

12:00am  layed on couch, watch TV, slight nausea 

1:00 watch TV, still nauseous. Waiting to be tired enough to sleep. 

3:30 woke up on couch,  went to bed. 

4:00 still awake, can't sleep, nausea, abdominal pressure. 

7:30  woke up, cortisol spike. 

8:00 back to sleep, off and on.till 12, mild nausea. 

1:00 took anti nausea 50mg, sat on couch, nauseous. 

Drink 1 coffee. 

2:00pm  had oatmeal, 250 mg magnesium, vit c 250,probiotic. 

3 till 4:30 shoveled driveway, nauseous, dizzy, weakness. 

4:30 took anti nausea 50mg, laid on couch, nauseous. 

6:00 had supper, fish and potatoes. Magnesium 250mg, probiotic .ginger gravol.Nauseous .

7:00 sit on couch, still nauseous. 

8:00 same 

9:00 drink ginger ale, sit on couch, nauseous, tinnitus. 

10:00 same, nauseous and wondering if reinstatement was the wrong decision. 

10:30 take anti nausea 50mg, still nauseous .

11:30 pm .take 2.5mg and 2 pieces of toast . Nauseous and abdominal pressure. 

12:30 headache, nausea, drink a glass of prune juice. 

1:00am  watch TV, still nauseous. 

2:00 watch Netflix , nauseous, waiting to be tired enough to sleep. 

4:00 woke up on couch, went to bed, less nausea, abdominal pressure, dizzy. 

 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Thurs March 3

8:00am  woke up nauseous, got up and took anti nausea 50mg, went back to bed .

9:30 -12:30 laid in bed napping on and off,  nauseous, intrusive thoughts. Wondering if I'll ever get better. Depression seems to be worse since reinstatement.  

1:00pm get up and have 1 coffee, take anti nausea 50mg, nauseous, right rib pain. 

2:00 bowl of oatmeal, vit c,magnesium 150, nauseous.

3:00 went uptown and got a chicken for supper,  nauseous.and weak. 

5:00 took anti nausea 50mg and laid on couch. 

6:00  chicken and potatoes for supper, 250mg magnesium, probiotic, ginger gravol.  Nauseous,  have to force myself to eat. 

7:00 glass of gingerale, nauseous, agitated, frustrated, headache. 

8:00 still nauseous. 

9:00 ginger ale, nauseous, weaknesses. 

10:30 anti nausea 50mg, still nauseous, abdominal pressure.chronic back pain .

11:30 2.5mg zoloft, 2 pieces of toast, glass of prune juice. Nauseous. 

12:30am  lay on couch and watch TV, nauseous .wait to be tired enough to sleep 

4:00 woke up on couch, went to bed nauseous and headache. 

 

 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Friday  March 4 

4:30 am still awake.hopefully fall asleep. 

8:30 woke up, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, try to go back to sleep. .so fatigued. 

10:30  woke up again. Laid in bed to hopefully sleep more. Nauseous, dizzy ,feel like I have the worst flu ever, my sleep is more like a series of naps, so fragmented. 

12:30 get up and take anti nausea 50mg,  1 coffee and sit on couch, nauseous and dizzy.  Eat scotch mints. 

1:30 bowl of oatmeal, 150 mg magnesium, probiotic, vit c, ginger pill. Nauseous, agitated, anxiety. 

2:30 go uptown to get the mail . Nauseous and feeling defeated. 

Talk to Dr and she says to take an ativan to help the nausea and calm my system down but I'm unsure about this. 

3:00 sit on couch, trying to figure out if I made a mistake by reinstating, the chronic nausea is wearing me out but I don't get any restful sleep. 

5:00 take anti nausea 50mg, go to hardware store. 

6:00 bowl of chicken noodle soup and chicken sandwich for supper.  250mg magnesium, probiotic , ginger pill, 

7:00pm lay on couch, nauseous,  fatigued, abdominal tension from anxiety?   Drink ginger ale. 

8:00 watch TV, nauseous, eat scotch mints.  Chronic abdominal tension.

 

9:00  same,  dizzy, feel weak and wanna cry. 

11:30 zoloft 2.5mg, 2 pieces of toast.  Nauseous, abdominal tension, weakness. 

12:30 glass of prune juice, watch TV and wait till I'm tired enough to sleep .

1:00am still awake,  nauseous, watch TV 

3:30  woke up on couch and went to bed, nauseous. 

 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Do you think I made a mistake by reinstating?  I feel worse. 

[OldDodgy]

@Upnorth

Hi. 
Obviously @Altostrata knows your journey well and I bow to her experience regarding reinstatement. 
However I note you take magnesium and though it’s a great supplement for some, I found it a bit activating and nauseating. So you might want to reduce your dose. I had a magnesium blood test and was actually toxic on a low dose!! 
Just a thought. 
Could you add the supplements and the name of your anti nausea pill to your signature?  
yours 

OldDodgy 

Edited March 6, 2022 by OldDodgy
Missed a question out.

[Altostrata]

18 hours ago, Upnorth said:

4:00 woke up on couch, went to bed, less nausea, abdominal pressure, dizzy. 

 

You felt less nausea, abdominal pressure, and dizziness at 4 a.m.?

 

Are there periods during the day you feel these symptoms less?

 

Do you feel more nauseous or less nauseous after you take Zoloft?

[Upnorth]

   @Altostrata           the nausea doesn't change before or after taking the zoloft. 

Even before reinstatement, I would feel less symptoms at 3 or 4 am. That's the only time of day that the symptoms are not as bad and the muscle tension in the abdominals is less. This tension could be from the chemical induced anxiety?  During the day my stomach feels like i have done 50 crunches and is a constant pressure.That's why I stay up so late, it's how I am able to fall asleep. 

The symptoms don't seem to change much during the day. 

It helps a bit to take anti nausea,  dimenhydrinate 50mg, it takes the edge off. 

That is why the Dr prescribed domeperidone,to help with the nausea but I haven't taken any because it's not recommended by anyone on the site,just add to the problem. 

[Altostrata]

Suggest you move the Zoloft to 9 p.m. and take 50mg dimenhydrinate at the same times each day, but removed from the Zoloft. Does dimenhydrinate make you sleepy? How about 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.?

 

We have people here in withdrawal from domperidone.

 

 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata   March 5 

4:00am went to bed,

6:00 woke up, intrusive thoughts, stayed in bed to go back to sleep. 

8:00 woke up again, body tension, nauseous. 

9:30 woke again, got up and took anti nausea 50mg and back to bed. Toss and turn,  fragmented sleep till 12.

12:30 getup have 1 coffee, nauseous, sit on couch. 

2:00 bowl of oatmeal, 150 mg magnesium, probiotic, ginger gravol.  Still nauseous. 

3:00 go to hardware store. Nauseous, feel weak and unable to deal with normal daily stuff,  overwhelmed. 

4:00 fix toilet at home.  Nauseous,dizzy, abdominal pressure from anxiety. 

4:30 take anti nausea 50mg and lay on couch. Body tension and nausea. 

6:00 supper, eggs, beans and toast.  Magnesium 250mg, probiotic, ginger gravol. Vit c 250mg. 

6:30 do dishes, nauseous, depressed, exhausted. 

7:30 sit on couch,  watch TV, nauseous, abdominal pressure from anxiety, feeling hopeless .

8:30  nauseous, abdominal soreness which  has been constant for several months. 

9:30 nauseous, watch TV 

11:30 take 2.5mg zoloft, 2 pieces of toast. 

12:00 drink a glass of prune juice and watch TV. 

1:00 watch TV and wait till I'm tired enough to go to bed. 

3:30 wake up on couch,mild nausea, dizzy 

4:00 go to bed .

6:30 wake up, nauseous, go back to sleep. Restless. 

8:30  wake again,sweating lightly,  nauseous, take anti nausea 50mg, go back to bed. 

8:30 till 12, toss and turn, try to sleep,  nauseous and right rib pain.  The rib pain is not a new symptom, it has been there for several years, upper right quadrant pain . Have had multiple tests for this and all came back okay. 

12:30 get up, 1 coffee, anti nausea 50mg, pepper mint.  Nauseous and weak, feel depressed cause I'm so fatigued. Sit on couch and read.

2:00pm   2 waffles ,magnesium 150mg,  probiotic, 2 ginger 20mg pills, nauseous. 

3:00 sit on couch and watch TV, nausea feel like I have a flu. So fatigued, wondering if reinstating will help.  

5:00pm take anti nausea 50mg. Nauseous. 

[Upnorth]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Suggest you move the Zoloft to 9 p.m. and take 50mg dimenhydrinate at the same times each day, but removed from the Zoloft. Does dimenhydrinate make you sleepy? How about 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.?

 

We have people here in withdrawal from domperidone.

 

 

@Altostrata

Okay. 

What do you mean by removed  from zoloft?

The dimenhydrinate makes me a little sleepy and sometimes  helps with the nausea but not always.  

[Altostrata]

Removed means not anywhere near the Zoloft, by a few hours.

 

When does dimenhydrinate make you sleepy, after you take it? Please put this in your daily notes.

 

In the meantime, please take Zoloft earlier, such as 9 p.m. If dimenhydrinate makes you sleepy, it would make more sense to take it later.

 

 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Okay. .thanks .

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Sunday 

5:00pm..take anti nausea 50mg, feel nauseous. 

6:00pm..chicken and baked potato, probiotic, ginger pil. 

6:30..sit on couch, watch TV,  drink ginger ale, nauseous. 

7:30..have a shower, sit on couch, nauseous. 

8:30..sit on couch, writing notes,  nausea is not as bad but feel weak and fatigued,  frustrated .

9:30. .nausea is the same, anxiety, muscle tension in abdominal which is also there all day. Is that from chemical induced anxiety? 

Feeling hopeless. .

10:30. .zoloft 3.0mg, 2 pieces of toast, nauseous. 

11:30.. drink a glass of prune juice. ate some chips, nausea is a bit less, watch TV till I'm tired enough to sleep. Muscle tension in abdominal. 

Monday  Mar 7...

12:00 watch Netflix, waiting to be tired. Nauseous,but not as severe. 

3:15. .go to bed. Slight nausea. 

6:00 am. Woke up nauseous, sweating, cortisol spike, lay in bed hoping to get more sleep. 

8:30.. get up and take 50mg anti nausea, back to bed. Sleep is so fragmented . Toss and turn till 12.

12:30. .get up, 1 cup of coffee. Nauseous. Feel like I have the flu,so fatigued.  Air hunger, like I can't get enough air. 

2:00.. bowel of oatmeal, probiotic, magnesium 150, vitamin c 150mg, ginger pill.   I'm nauseous and some mild sweating . This is usually the worst part of my day, suffering through this ever day and no relief is debilitating. 

3:45..took  50mg anti nausea.  Dizzy,nauseous, lay on couch, abdominal muscles are tense as usual. Agitated, feeling hopeless and wondering if I'll get better,  so worn out. 

5:00pm  3 pieces of pizza, probiotic, magnesium 150mg, ginger pill.  Feeling really sick.  Nauseous, flu like feeling. Abdominal muscle tension. 

7:00.. feeling pretty awful, hopeless,  don't feel like myself at all, wondering if I made a mistake by reinstating?  

8:00.. still sick to my stomach, anxiety, sadness. 

Will I ever get better?  

[Altostrata]

How long has the sweating been going on?

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

 

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

How long has the sweating been going on?

Off and on since Friday. 

Nausea seems worse as well. 

[Altostrata]

Since Friday, has the sweating gotten more or less frequent?

[Upnorth]

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Since Friday, has the sweating gotten more or less frequent?

About the same.  So far today has been less. 

[Upnorth]

 

@Altostrata

Monday Mar 7

8:00pm-still sick to my stomach. Anxiety, sadness, agitated. Wondering if I'll get relief. 

10:00- nauseous, ab muscle tension, 

10:30- zoloft 3mg liquid, 2 pieces of toast.  Nauseous, ab muscle tension is constant ,brain fog, fatigue. 

11:30- noticed my heart rate has increased a bit. Nauseous ,dizzy exhausted.

Tuesday Mar 8

1:30am- watching TV, waiting to be tired. Still nauseous, ab muscle tension. 

3:30- take 50mg anti nausea and go to bed.  Less nausea at this time. 

4:30- woke up but went back to sleep. 

7:30am- woke up, went to the washroom and back to bed. Cortisol spike.  Toss and turn trying to get more sleep,  intrusive thoughts. 

12:30-get up, half cup of coffee, nauseous, ab muscle tension. 

1:00pm- take 50mg anti nausea, dizzy, nauseous. 

2:15- forced down a bowl of oatmeal, 150mg magnesium, vitamin c250mg, probiotic, ginger pill.  Sit on couch, nauseous, brain fog. Don't feel myself, agitated. 

3:30- nausea, stomach muscle tension. Dizzy. 

5:00- took anti nausea 50mg, nauseous, dizzy, feel weak, brain fog. 

6:15- force down a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a piece of pizza,.probiotic,magnesium 150mg. Ginger pill .

Nauseous, dizzy, weak, abdominal muscle tension, mild headache .

7:15-sit on couch drinking ginger ale, nausea is not as bad at the moment but still dizzy.  Right eye lid is twitching, which usually happens when I'm fatigued. Ab muscle tension continues. 

 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Do you still want a 24hr report? 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Tuesday Mar 8

9:00pm- abdominal muscles are tense,feel bloated. Nausea is not as bad. 

10:30pm-ab muscles are still tense. Taking 3mg zoloft, 2 slices of toast, a bit dizzy. 

11:30pm- feeling bloated, abdominal tension. Heart rate is up a bit. 

Wed March 9

1:00am ... watch TV  and wait, nausea is lower at the moment. 

3:30am- wake up on couch, take 50mg anti nausea, go to bed. Nausea is lower, a bit dizzy 

6:30am - wake up to cortisol spike, lay in bed hoping to get more sleep. 

Toss and turn., fragmented sleep. 

9:30am - wake again, sleep is fragmented ,headache.

Intrusive thoughts. 

1:00pm-get up, 1 cup of coffee, take 50mg of anti nausea, sit on couch, nauseous, ab muscle tension. 

2:15pm- force down a bowel of oatmeal, probiotic, magnesium 150, vitamin c 250,ginger pill.   Nauseous, ab muscles tense, 

3:15pm - nauseous, ab muscles tense, dizzy, agitated. 

6:00pm-take anti nausea 50mg, really nauseous at the moment. Dizzy. 

6:30pm- had supper, Mac and cheese. Nauseous. 

7:00pm- nausea is less but dizzy, ab muscle tension. 

8:00pm- sit on the couch to stay still.  Nausea is less severe at the moment. Slight headache. 

[Altostrata]

It looks to me like 3mg sertraline has relieved the nausea a little bit. 

[Upnorth]

4 hours ago, Altostrata said:

It looks to me like 3mg sertraline has relieved the nausea a little bit. 

@Altostrata

Possibly. .quite nauseous at the moment and abdominal muscle tension. Slight headache.  Ears are achy. 

[Upnorth]

@Altostrata

Wednesday March 9

9:00pm -nausea is less at the moment, abdominal muscle tension and dizzy/vertigo. 

10:30pm nausea is less severe.  Took zoloft 3mg,  2 slices toast.  Dizzy.  Weak. 

11:30pm-nausea increased, dizzy /vertigo 

Thursday March 10

12:30am -nausea is a bit less. Ab muscles still tense. 

1:30- lay on the couch and watch TV 

3:30am  take 50 mg anti nausea and go to bed. 

4:30  still awake,  restless, abdominal muscles tense. 

8:30am- wake up,  cortisol spike, intrusive thoughts.  Go back to sleep,  toss and turn, try to go back to sleep. 

12:30 pm - get up and take 50mg anti nausea.  1 cup of coffee . Nauseous, Ab muscle tension, ears ache. 

2:00pm bowl of oatmeal, magnesium 150mg, vit c 250mg, probiotic, ginger pill.  Nausea is less but dizzy/vertigo. 

4:00 nauseous, lay on couch, dizzy. 

5:00pm -drink ginger ale , nauseous. 

6:00- take 50mg anti nausea,  nauseous, Ab muscle tension, ears ache. 

7:00pm -scrambled eggs for supper. Nauseous, dizzy, weakness. 

8:00pm  less nausea but still dizzy and general flu feeling, fatigued. 

[Altostrata]

You increased to 3mg on March 6? It's just taking full effect now.

 

I'd give it a few more days to see what baseline is at 3mg and assess whether to increase to 3.5mg or more.

[Upnorth]

10 hours ago, Altostrata said:

You increased to 3mg on March 6? It's just taking full effect now.

 

I'd give it a few more days to see what baseline is at 3mg and assess whether to increase to 3.5mg or more.

@Altostrata

Yes, March 6.

Do you still want daily notes? Symptoms seem to about the same daily. The nausea changes from day to day but has not gotten worse.  My ears have been achy but seems to be settling somewhat. The sweating has diminished as well.  I don't notice much difference before and after I take the dose.  The muscle tension in my abdominals is fairly constant but I think it's starting to ease up. Probably from the chemical induced anxiety?  Hopefully this is a good sign.  Thanks for your help Altostrata. 

[Altostrata]

You are describing slight improvement. We don't expect a dramatic change. 

 

Yes, continue to post daily notes, please.