Pollyjay: need support

[Pollyjay]

Hello all.

 

Lost my Mom in 2011 which sent me into a tailspin of anxiety and severe weight loss due to lack of appetite. Was put on Paxil 12.5 mg. It was a nightmare but I was able to taper off using 5% drops. It took a long time but I made it and have had nine  good years of being "normal". 

 

In October 2021 our only son left home to start his first job in another state. He was homeschooled and then home every night from college. The last two years all of his classes were at home online. His leaving has affected me and the anxiety and panic attacks returned along with the lack of appetite. In December my dad was taken into the hospital very ill and subsequently died. He was in England and I'm in the US. He had liver cancer. I've been doing my best for him from so far away. unable to travel due to Covid and responsibilities here (farm animals). My husband was away at the time so on top of the panic attacks I was already experiencing I was having to keep up the farm work and deal with the hospital and then his death. It's been such a trauma. I've gone from 117 lbs down to 96lbs. Still no appetite every day is a struggle to eat. 

 

I don't want to go back on SSRIs. Around January 12th  I asked for something for anxiety and the doc put me on Buspirone 5mg . It hasn't helped. January 20 th she increased the dose to 7.5mg. I started having waves of cold and then profuse sweating. January 28th I called the doctor and she told me to go back to the 5mg dose "for a few days".  

 

I'm having constant anxiety/panic and shake all the time, The lack of appetite is making it worse. I worry about eating all day long. Having to push food down even though I have no interest in it. It's so hard. 

 

I start meeting with an online therapist (local but online for now) tomorrow afternoon.  I hope she can help me. I'm getting to the end of my rope. Can hardly function, Husband is having to do almost all of the  farm chores. I can barely manage to keep the fire going and the dishes washed. THere's also the stress of sorting out my dads estate in England. I do have someone over there to help with that but it's still a huge stressor.

 

I don't want to go back on an SSRI and afraid to increase the dosage on the Buspirone. I just want to get better but don't know how.

 

 

 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to Surviving Antidepressants.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  Congratulations on getting off Paxil in the past!  I can understand you not wanting to go back on an antidepressant.  You (and I) know from personal experience how hard they are to get off of.  

 

You have really been though quite a lot of loss, so it is entirely understandable that you would be upset.  I'm very sorry for the loss of your mother and father.  These are very significant losses!  And, my heart goes out to you that your only son has moved to another state.  It sounds like you are dealing with the empty nest situation.  I've been going through this myself, as my youngest son went away to college in August of 2021, and I went through some grieving.  I'm assuming since he was homeschooled, that you were a full time stay at home mother.  So was I, and I think perhaps it is harder on those of us who stayed home to raise our children.  

 

How did the appointment go with the online therapist?  I hope it went well.  There are many ways to cope with anxiety aside from using drugs.  Have you considered a grief support group?  The anxiety could be related to grief.  

 

Can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Use this format:

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.   This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

After we see your drug signature, we can give you more specific information about your drug situation.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by getofflex

[Pollyjay]

Thank you so much for answering my post.  I'm having a very bad day of anxiety/panic. Not much sleep.  This has been going on since October with hardly any relief. I don't know how long I can go on like this. The Buspirone isn't working. I started taking L-theanine. It helps a little. The therapist suggested that I take that on a regular basis morning and night since it seems to help a little. She wants me to consider antidepressants again because of the loss of appetite and severe weight loss. And unable to function. Just thinking about it makes me worse.

 

Finding it hard to write more. I'll update when I feel able.

[MerryJayneFriday]

PollyJay I am sure sorry you are struggling. I can't offer much advice because I just came over here from the Lyrica group as a mod. I have very limited experience with Antidepressants but I went thru a lot of sleepless nights during my Lyrica withdrawal. I drank a lot of chamomile tea and used a lot of cannabis during that time.  I also used a product called tension tamer tea.  I'm sure someone will be along shortly to answer your questions more.  The anxiety was often pretty bad for me and if it weren't for God and these products and the Lyrica group I was in I do not think I would be here now!  Hang in there I hope you feel better soonest. 

MJF

 

[Pollyjay]

Thank you Merry, 

 

Yesterday was one long panic attack. I'm a little better today after sleeping better. But still so jittery all the time. Can't hold still.

 

Yes, I have tension tamer and chamomile but they don't seem to help.

 

I don't know what to do. I can't have even a few minutes of feeling calm and normal.  My family want me to go back to the doctor for something stronger like ativan.  Someone else mentioned that the blood pressure drug, Propranolol was a great help to them and they only needed to be on it for a short time.

 

My husband is home a lot at the moment but soon he will be back to working full time - and for a few weeks will be working away. I'm not at all in a place where I can cope with everything alone. I can come home every night but it's a very long drive. I'd like to be able to deal with everything. But I'm hardly able to function. Every little thing overwhelms me and sets me off panicking and trembling. 

 

If I went on Ativan would I be able to wean off it? I feel like I need to reset my nervous system somehow but  I'm so afraid after the experience with Paxil. 

[MerryJayneFriday]

I don't have any knowledge of Ativan, I just know that my poor brain was so damaged I hated to out any more new rx drugs into the mix. I was desperate for some sleep when I was tapering off and I asked my dr for a small dose of valium to help me sleep. It had a paradoxical reaction on me and worked like speed, I was awake all night listening to my eyeballs click. 

I had great luck with cannabis and melatonin together in a gummy, and still do occasionally. I don't dare take it all the time lest I get immune to it like it seems I do everything. I'm sure someone who knows more than me will come along soon, I just really wanted to reach out to you and offer what support I could.

Hang in there Polly don't hesitate to holler if I can help. 

MJF

[getofflex]

How was your appointment with the online therapist?

 

There are other ways to deal with and reduce anxiety and panic besides using drugs.  It's your choice whether to use a drug for this, but I just want you to know there are also non drug options.  Listening to relaxing music at a low volume helps me a lot at night, or anytime.  I'll post some links that may help.  

 

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 ...

 

Emotional Spirals

 

Acknowledge Accept Float

 

Music to Calm Anxiety

 

Breathing Technique for Anxiety

 

Meditation

[Pollyjay]

The session with the therapist went well. She was concerned about my appetite, weight loss and the extreme anxiety -could hardly breathe and talk. She thought I should consider an antidepressant:) since I'm not able to function normally at all. Just feeding the cat sends me into shaking like a leaf and panic. It sounds ridiculous but it is very real and frightening. I've never been this bad. And it's day after day after day. I must find some help.

 

I forgot to mention,I  have been approved for medical canabis but it's taking eight weeks for the legal certificates to be processed. I still have about 5 weeks to wait. So that's why the therapist suggested taking the L-Theanine to keep me going until that comes through. Unfortunately most days the L-theanine isn't enough. I'm going to see if I can get in to see the doctor tomorrow and ask her about the Proprapanol.  

 

If you pray, please remember me in your prayers. I'm getting so desperate.

 

Thank you

 

[Pollyjay]

Thank you for the links, getofflex! I've been trying just about everything. My whole life seems to be breathing exercises.   For some reason I just can't handle music at all. And I usually love music of all kinds.

[MerryJayneFriday]

All excellent suggestions. Polly I'm a praying woman and I'll keep you in mine. I used prayer a lot during my withdrawal. 

I too was frightened of things that normally didn't bother me. I think its something in our brains that happens when it's trying to get itself right again 

MJF

[Pollyjay]

Thank you so much. MerryJayne.  I'm not feeling good at all right now. I need to eat and everything just turns my stomach, Also very anxious and shaky. Trying to breathe through it.

[getofflex]

On 2/6/2022 at 3:03 PM, Pollyjay said:

f you pray, please remember me in your prayers. I'm getting so desperate

Yes I pray, and will pray for you as well.  Hang in there, it gets better, but it takes time and patience. 

[Pollyjay]

Thank you.  I'm so worn out from this. Hardly any sleep the last two nights and don't feel good at all. 

I really need something to get this anxiety down. It's 24 /7 day after day. was hoping to be able to get through on my own but none of the OTC stuff is helping and the Buspirone isn't helping either.

 

I tried to see the doctor but she wasn't there today and the other doctor was booked up. The receptionist was very short with me and put me through to the nurse who told me to go to urgent care! The therapist wasn't there either. I left a message for her to call me. She knows how sick I am but the staff seem to think I'm just looking for attention. 

[mstimc]

Hi Polly.  In many ways, my story parallels yours.  I was put on Paxil in 1999 for anxiety and depression. Our son was homeschooled and attended college nearby, so we saw him all the time.  When my father died in 2006, I was the one who had to order him off life support, which sent me into a downward spiral.  After a year of hell, I decided it was time to get off Paxil.  It took me three years and two false starts, but through effective therapy, using CBT, and support from a group much like this one, I successfully tapered and regained my life.

 

I've been able to handle major life changes much better than when I was on Paxil.  In 2019 my wife and I retired early and moved overseas to travel in Europe.  At the same time, our son left for graduate school in Michigan.  Then COVID hit and put an end to our travel plans.  We could only see our son via Zoom.  It was stressful and often depressing, but I used the tools I learned in recovery to manage my anxiety.  Now that we're back in the States, we're working on a fixer-upper house that comes with its own set of challenges, but I'm handling them, too.

 

You are strong--you can recover too!

[Pollyjay]

On 2/7/2022 at 8:19 PM, mstimc said:

Hi Polly.  In many ways, my story parallels yours.  I was put on Paxil in 1999 for anxiety and depression. Our son was homeschooled and attended college nearby, so we saw him all the time.  When my father died in 2006, I was the one who had to order him off life support, which sent me into a downward spiral.  After a year of hell, I decided it was time to get off Paxil.  It took me three years and two false starts, but through effective therapy, using CBT, and support from a group much like this one, I successfully tapered and regained my life.

 

I've been able to handle major life changes much better than when I was on Paxil.  In 2019 my wife and I retired early and moved overseas to travel in Europe.  At the same time, our son left for graduate school in Michigan.  Then COVID hit and put an end to our travel plans.  We could only see our son via Zoom.  It was stressful and often depressing, but I used the tools I learned in recovery to manage my anxiety.  Now that we're back in the States, we're working on a fixer-upper house that comes with its own set of challenges, but I'm handling them, too.

 

You are strong--you can recover too!

 

Thanks mistimc! 

 

Yes, our stories are very similar. I'm so sorry about your father and the decision you had to make. I'm thankful that my dad was pretty good up to the four days before he died. I had to agree to put him on palliative care but at that point there really wasn't anything else they could do for him.

 

Our son also attended college near by. The the last two years all of his classes were at home, online. He's several states away and calls every night on skype. He's doing great on his own and i know he couldn't live in his room for the rest of his life. I should be happy and excited that he's making his own way in the world. But as long as he was home I felt that he was safe and it was my job to keep him safe. He also has epilepsy so you can imagine, as a parent you're constantly monitoring every little blip in how he's feeling.  He's under Johns Hopkins for that. They have him on a strict KETO diet which has kept him seizure  free for almost nine years now. He's managing his diet very well on his own. I don't know when we'll see him again in real life what with covid and the mess I'm in at the moment. There's no way I could travel.  Even talking to him online is difficult. I don't want him to see me the way I am, Especially, since it was his leaving that set me off in the first place. 

 

Were you on Paxil Progress? That's where I got all my support when getting off paxil. It makes you so reluctant to want to esort to anything like that again. For the last three months I've tried everything from the naturopath to OTC supplements and nothing has brought me back. It's been a nightmare. ALthough one of the biggest problems is insomnia. When I get a nights sleep I feel so much more normal. My interest in things comes back a little and I even start to feel hungry. But for the most part I have no appetite whatsoever. It's all I can do to hang on to this 98lbs.

 

I see the doctor this afternoon. He prescribed Seraquil (?) a low dose for sleep I took the first one last night. Fell asleep but woke up an hour later with rapid pounding heart abt 150 bpm. Husband called the ambulance but it had subsided a little by the time they got here. B/P was 160/110. I slept through tthe night but felt terrible this morning, Very drugged and zombie-like.

 

The doc said he wanted to address the sleep problem first. will see what he say's this afternoon. I just want to feel normal and be able to function and enjoy things again. 

[mstimc]

Hi Polly

 

Yes, I was a member of PaxilProgress, too!  It was a great site and I'm so glad SA continues that tradition.

 

This is just my opinion, but taking one drug to help counteract the WD effects of another is dicey at best.  When I was taking Paxil, (which never did much for me), I went through a bad spell and my doctor prescribed something else to take with it--I can't even remember what it was.  But like you, it wiped me out.  Fortunately, I only took it once or twice so I didn't have to deal with withdrawal from that, too. 

 

Poor sleep is one of the most common--and maddening--side effects of anxiety and WD.  But there are a lot of non-drug ways to deal with it.  I've always had a touch of insomnia and I've found sticking to a regular bedtime ritual works for me.  I try to got to bed at the same time every night, and do some light reading or Youtube--nothing stimulating--no news or Facebook, etc.  I also listen to relaxing music with sleep earbuds so I don't disturb my wife.  Racing thoughts at night are a real bear, so I've taught myself some mind exercises to short-circuit them, like naming all the actors in my favorite movies.  No single thing works every time, but having a few calming methods has really helped. 

 

It sounds like your son is doing great.  And really, even when he lived with you, I'm sure you weren't able to watch over him 24/7, so there's no more chance of him being in trouble now than there was when he was home.  All parents naturally worry about their kids, but anxiety takes it to the extreme. 

 

You can feel normal and get back to being you--don't judge yourself too harshly and look at each day as one in a journey closer to recovery.

[Pollyjay]

No not two drugs. He want s to switch to Mirtazapine. But I'm scared to death of it. Sitting here wondering what to do. 

 

[Pollyjay]

Help with Mirt and Serequel

 

Guys, The doctor put me on Serequel 25mg for sleep and loss of appetite. I took the first pill two nights ago. Fell asleep no problem but awoke with a bounding heart 150 bpm B/P 160/110 splitting headache. Very loopy/groggy in the morning until noonish. I had to see him yesterday and told him what happened. So he wants to switch me to Mirt. 7.5mg

 

However, as the first serequel was wearing off I began to feel better and actually had a little appetite. I decided to try again with it. I cut the 25mg tab in half. Had a much better night but still the bad headache in the morning. Loop/groggy etc. 

 

I want to have a plan for withdrawal and after reading here it appears the serequel is very difficult to withdraw from. So I'm wondering would it be best to go to the Mirt and try to stay at a low dose. At least it isn't an anti-psychotic.

 

Advice will be much appreciated.

 

Thank you,

 

Polly

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[Pollyjay]

PS, I'm down to 2.5 mg of the buspirone, once a day. It wasn't doing anything for the anxiety. I've only been on it for about three weeks so hopefully there'll be no problem with the drop. 

[Pollyjay]

Help Mirt or Serequel

 

I posted this in my intro thread but not sure if it will be seen there.

 

 The doctor put me on Serequel 25mg for sleep and loss of appetite. I took the first pill two nights ago. Fell asleep no problem but awoke with a bounding heart 150 bpm B/P 160/110 splitting headache. Very loopy/groggy in the morning until noonish. I had to see him yesterday and told him what happened. So he wants to switch me to Mirt. 7.5mg

 

However, as the first serequel was wearing off I began to feel better and actually had a little appetite. I decided to try again with it. I cut the 25mg tab in half. Had a much better night but still the bad headache in the morning. Loop/groggy etc. 

 

I want to have a plan for withdrawal and after reading here it appears the serequel is very difficult to withdraw from. So I'm wondering would it be best to go to the Mirt and try to stay at a low dose. At least it isn't an anti-psychotic.

 

Advice will be much appreciated.

 

Thank you,

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

I will ask the other staff for their assistance.

[Pollyjay]

18 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

I will ask the other staff for their assistance.

Thank you. I'm in such a state right now. I never wanted to go on these meds again but I'm losing so much weight and need to be able to sleep. The Dr wants to  address the sleep first. As after a good night I can usually eat better. 

 

I feel so despondent. Like I'll never get better or have a life again.

[Onmyway]

3 hours ago, Pollyjay said:

Help Mirt or Serequel

 

I posted this in my intro thread but not sure if it will be seen there.

 

 The doctor put me on Serequel 25mg for sleep and loss of appetite. I took the first pill two nights ago. Fell asleep no problem but awoke with a bounding heart 150 bpm B/P 160/110 splitting headache. Very loopy/groggy in the morning until noonish. I had to see him yesterday and told him what happened. So he wants to switch me to Mirt. 7.5mg

 

However, as the first serequel was wearing off I began to feel better and actually had a little appetite. I decided to try again with it. I cut the 25mg tab in half. Had a much better night but still the bad headache in the morning. Loop/groggy etc. 

 

I want to have a plan for withdrawal and after reading here it appears the serequel is very difficult to withdraw from. So I'm wondering would it be best to go to the Mirt and try to stay at a low dose. At least it isn't an anti-psychotic.

 

Advice will be much appreciated.

 

Thank you,

 

Hi @Pollyjay, 

at Surviving Antidepressants we do not give advice on which drugs you need to take or add or switch to. We are strictly a site to help people come off of drugs in such a way as to avoid or minimize withdrawal symptoms. We don't encourage people to come off of drugs but if/when they want to come off of them, we are here to assist. 

 

We also don't recommend other psychoactive substances such as cannabis, alcohol, St John's Wort etc. as we find that many people in withdrawal are too sensitive to them and can be set further back. 

 

It is up to you what decisions you make about your health, of course, but we can't really help with these choices. 

 

I understand that you are suffering very much and loss/grief are very normal reactions to the difficult things that are happening to you. I am sorry we can't be of much more help with this decision.

 

OMW 

[Altostrata]

@Pollyjay, it does not appear you have withdrawal or protracted withdrawal from going off Paxil 9 years ago. Your history may have somewhat sensitized your nervous system to anxiety and panic after recent traumatic events. 

 

We cannot recommend drugs for treatment in your situation, or counsel you further in treatment. However, for your information, 

 

[Pollyjay]

Thank you. I understand. I'm in such a dilemma. I swore I would never get on meds again but with such sever weight loss and anxiety that just wont quit  I'm in dire straights. I've exhausted all the OTC and herbal options it seems. Nothing is working .

[Onmyway]

Hi @Pollyjay, 

have you tried therapy and other non-drug methods to deal with anxiety? CBT techniques work to at least manage my anxiety when I have it. I worry that in your case adding a substance can cause worse symptoms due to sensitization. Are you sure buspirone has not made your anxiety worse? If we have started and stopped drugs before, changed our doses or skipped doses our systems may be sensitized (kindled) even years later. 

 

And while insomnia does feel awful, it gets better. Have you tried melatonin for the sleep? Magnesium to help with the anxiety - epsom salt baths may help as well? 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

I hope you find some relief, 
OMW

 

[Pollyjay]

Thank you. I don't think so. It's been pretty severe since October. I thought I could get through it on my own, then tried a naturopath. Nothing helped. I've only recently resorted to the doctor as I knew they would want to put me on drugs. but I'm getting very worried about winding up in the hospital due to the weight loss. I've only had one session with the therapist and now she can't see me again for over a month. I need to find one online but have been too out of it to wrap my head around the process.

 

I 

 

 

[Pollyjay]

How should I withdraw from the Buspirone. I've only been on it about four weeks. The doc told me to not take the nightime dose as he was starting the serequel and to take one 5mg tab in the morning. Since I haven't been on it long I didn't give much thought to tapering it. I only have a few pills left (15mg that I cut into thirds) so I started cutting the 5 mg in half. Now I'm wondering if I should go slower. The 5 mg seemed to have no effect on me whatsoever so I thought I could just get off it quickly. 

 

Thank you for any help. 

[mstimc]

Polly, read back some of your recent posts.  You're expending a tremendous amount of mental and emotional energy reminding yourself how anxious and worried you are, and searching for answers, and its adding to your WD symptoms.  As @Onmyway said, give yourself the time and space you need to find non-drug ways of managing your thoughts.  The problem with a med is that it's, at best, a short-term solution that does nothing to address the underlying behavioral issues that got you where you are now.

 

I don't really blame doctors for prescribing meds--that's what they do.  If you asked an airline pilot how to get from LA to Chicago, he wouldn't tell you to take the train.  So you can't expect a doctor to recommend anything other than what he/she knows.  But that doesn't mean there aren't other paths you can take.  When I was in recovery, I read that people who adopt and practice CBT have a higher degree of relief from their symptoms and the relief is long-term.  These are life skills, and they have to be learned and practiced.  But you can do it!

[Altostrata]

On 2/1/2022 at 5:41 PM, Pollyjay said:

January 28th I called the doctor and she told me to go back to the 5mg dose "for a few days".  

 

You've been taking 2.5mg per day since January 28?

 

Many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see

 

https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

 

https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you. Please let us know how you’re doing.

[Pollyjay]

I was on 5mg morning and night, from around January 12th, It had no effect on the anxiety so it was increased to 7.5mg. I began having terrible waves of profuse sweating so she lowered it back to 5mg twice a day.  Doc said that since it does nothing for me to cut it down to one 5mg tab just in the morning ( for a few days ) and then stop. I decided to cut to 2.5 mg and hold longer. But I have no idea if that is good or not.  

 

It's only been a month I thought I could get off it quickly.

[Altostrata]

11 minutes ago, Pollyjay said:

I decided to cut to 2.5 mg and hold longer.

 

How did you feel after you did this?

[Pollyjay]

For months I've been  living in one long anxiety attack so it's hard to say. Also the doc had me start serequel a couple of night ago. ( that's when he told me not to take the night time dose of buspirone )  The serequil has had me feeling loopy. I tried it for three nights but can't handle the after effects. I tried taking half the 25mg dose the last two nights but the anxiety overrides it's sedating effects. Last night I had almost no sleep. The buspirone is lost in the mix somewhere.

[Altostrata]

I can't see the buspirone is doing anything helpful. You might slowly go off, see Tips for tapering off buspirone (Buspar)

 

You don't seem to have withdrawal as such. Perhaps your system was sensitized by going off Paxil and somehow has become dysregulated again. We're not able to treat this, but the anti-seizure drugs may help. For your information, read 

and associated topics. Please let us know how you're doing.

[Pollyjay]

Guys, I'm still here living this nightmare. Still trying to find a therapist. Everywhere I call wants you to leave a message then no one gets back to you. I'm down to 92 lbs and getting very weak. Still no appetite. The doctor keeps wanting me to try different AD's and everyone around me tells me that I need to "get on something" They all have so many side effects that I just can't handle. The Mirt was supposed to help me sleep and bring back my appetite but it didn't do anything but drug me up and I was having some akathesia. Checked into the ER as it's the only way to see a psychiatrist here. Thinking a psychiatrist would know more than my GP. She took me off the Buspar and the Mirt and prescribed Seroquel. ( My doc had prescribed it but after the first night, pounding heart and high B/P after taking it, I said "no more".

 

So I caved and went on the Seroquel 25 mg. Bedtime has become a nightmare. I take the pill and as soon as it starts to kick in I get a huge surge of adrenaline/ heart racing that causes me to spring awake. It happens over and over. Sometimes I eventually fall asleep but often times I don't get to sleep at all causing me to be a wreck the next day.  It's been one night of sleep and one night of no sleep. I'm pretty much bedridden. I meet with the doc tomorrow and want to get off this awful drug. Tonight will be my 7th night. This is the only thing I'm taking right now. It does help a little with anxiety but I'm terrified of staying on it. How should I wean from it at this point. Last night I only took 3/4 of the pill.  Can I drop by quarters like that? 

 

I'm praying the doc can give me something for sleep as the next day I feel so much better and able to eat a little. Five months ago I was a perfectly functional human being. I just don't know where to turn. 

 

Today someone recommended a therapist that she said "literally saved my life" I called the practice, but again, had to leave a message and no one has returned the call. 

[Altostrata]

How long have you been taking 25mg Seroquel? Your reaction indicates 25mg is too much for you. If I were you, I'd cut the tablet into quarters and take 1/2 tablet (12.50mg) for a couple of days and then 1/4 tablet (6.25mg). See if that's better.

 

Chaos because of the pandemic has made everything more difficult now.