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MichaelCH: Too much exercise WD BACK with Vengence HELP!


MichaelCH

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Hello,

 

I had been on 20mg of Citalipram for 6 yrs. Last January 2012 the doctor raised it to 40mg because after getting a DUI, I went into a deep fear ridden anxiety filled depressive state.

 

Than in April 2012 because I could not sleep the doctor switched me to 200mg Trazodone. I don't recall how I tapered down nor having any withdrawal symptoms.

 

I started tapering off of Trazodone in late Nov 2012 because I did not like the side affects. 200mg to 150mg after 1 week than 150mg to 100mg after 1 week than down to 50mg after 1week. Then down to 25mg after 2 weeks. I pretty sure that's what my MD told me to do. I should have written it down. So I went from 150mg to 25mg I think in 4-5 weeks. (Now I know way to fast). I can't believe I didn't research this. It would have taken 5 seconds.

 

At the same time of the last drop down to 25mg, I consumed 60 10mg of Norco's (vicoden) in 14 days ending on Monday 1/7. During the second week of that binge (Week of New Year)I was drinking a-lot and taking a small dose of Ambian and xanax to help me sleep. After my binge I started getting the anxiety and insomnia. The insomnia I was expecting but it seemed much more intense but I did not expect the anxiety. I had binges on the Norco's before and never had anxiety. So at this point I'm going through opiate withdrawal and antidepressant withdrawal.

 

On Monday 1/7 I took my last Norco (vicodin) I started feeling crappy and the anxiety / Insomnia started creeping in on Tuesday 1/8. I didn't realize the reason I was getting these symptoms was because of AD Withdrawal until yesterday Monday morning.

 

I had been taking 25mg since just before Christmas. On Friday 1/11 I could not sleep at all. So on Saturday 1/12 at 6:30am I was so freaked and trying to sleep I took a 100mg pill. Saturday night I took 100mg because I wanted to sleep. On Sunday 1/13 I didn't take anything and on Monday 100mg.

 

From 12/25 - 25mg

Friday 1/11 100mg

Saturday 100mg

Sunday 0

Monday 100mg

Tuesday ? Meeting with doctor he already recommended uping to 50mg over the phone.

 

 

 

So I ask, is this dose high enough? Should I go to a higher level to get more immediate gratification and quicker recovery for my nervous system? If I stay at this amount will my body recover to the point where the anxiety and the Insomnia will go away?

 

Also, I had been exercising vigorously during the month of November and December lifting weights and running 6.5 miles every other day. Will exercising hurt me now? I think the couple of days I worked out were the nights that the insomnia was the worst. I'm filled with anxiety thinking I won't be able to so. At this time though, I'm not sleeping much so I don't even feel like it. My head feels funny and my mind is working very slowly. I took the 50mg of Traz before bedtime and it did help me sleep for 4 hours. When I awoke to pee at 4:00am my adrenaline started to kick in. What a nightmare I'm in. PLEASE HELP

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Administrator

Welcome, Michael.

 

Since you've reinstated 50mg trazodone for only one day, you can't tell how well it's going to work. Give it a week and see how you're doing before deciding whether to increase the dosage.

 

Your bouts with other drugs may also have stressed your nervous system. Any of this could affect your sleep.

 

You need to treat your nervous system gently at this point so it will recover. This may take some time. Look around at the other Intro topics to see how others cope with sleeplessness, a very common withdrawal symptom.

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.

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Since I have taken 100mg the last 3 days shouldnt I go on a higher dose? My head was just feeling like it was going to pop so I took a .25 of Traz and it has subsided. Also, what are your thoughts about exercising?

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Administrator

Hi Michael

 

Welcome to the forum. Moderate exercise may actually help regulate your cortisol/adrenaline reaction. Start slowly and monitor your symptoms/reactions. Many of us keep logs of what we changed and how many days we've held the change and what the intensity of our symptoms has been.

 

When do you normally workout? You might try working out in the early evening to see if that helps you settle down to sleep. I am not in a withdrawal state (although I am decrementing off of my medication) but I find that early evening (by 7:00 PM) moderate exercise actually helps me fall asleep easier and rest more soundly ... your experience may be different. Whatever you do, be gentle with yourself.

 

Karma

2007 @ 375 mg Effexor - 11/29/2011 - 43.75 mg Effexor (regular) & .625 mg Xanax

200 mg Gabapentin 2/27/21 - 194.5 mg, 5/28/21 - 183 mg, 8/2/21 - 170 mg, 11/28/21 - 150 mg, 4/19/22 - 122 mg; 8//7/22 - 100 mg; 12/17 - 75mg; 8/17 - 45 mg; 10/16 40 mg
Xanax taper: 3/11/12 - 0.9375 mg, 3/25/12 - 0.875 mg, 4/6/12 - 0.8125 mg, 4/18/12 - 0.75 ; 10/16 40mg;

1/16 0.6875 mg; at some point 0.625 mg
Effexor taper: 1/29/12 - 40.625 mg, 4/29/12 - 39.875 mg, 5/11/12 - Switched to liquid Effexor, 5/25/12 - 38 mg, 7/6/12 - 35 mg, 8/17/12 - 32 mg, 9/14/12 - 30 mg, 10/19/12 - 28 mg, 11/9/12 - 26 mg, 11/30/12 - 24 mg, 01/14/13 - 22 mg. 02/25/13 - 20.8 mg, 03/18/13 - 19.2 mg, 4/15/13 - 17.6 mg, 8/10/13 - 16.4 mg, 9/7/13 - 15.2 mg, 10/19/13 - 14 mg, 1/15/14 - 13.2 mg, 3/1/2014 - 12.6 mg, 5/4/14 - 12 mg, 8/1/14 - 11.4 mg, 8/29/14 - 10.8 mg; 10/14/14 - 10.2 mg; 12/15/14 - 10 mg, 1/11/15 - 9.5 mg, 2/8/15 - 9 mg, 3/21/15 - 8.5 mg, 5/1/15 - 8 mg, 6/9/15 - 7.5 mg, 7/8/15 - 7 mg, 8/22/15 - 6.5 mg, 10/4/15 - 6 mg; 1/1/16 - 5.6 mg; 2/6/16 - 5.2 mg; 4/9 - 4.8 mg; 7/7 4.5 mg; 10/7 4.25 mg; 11/4 4.0 mg; 11/25 3.8 mg; 4/24 3.6 mg; 5/27 3.4 mg; 7/8 3.2 mg ... 10/18 2.8 mg; 1/18 2.6 mg; 4/7 2.4 mg; 5/26 2.15mg; 8/18 1.85 mg; 10/7 1.7 mg; 12/1 1.45 mg; 3/2 1.2 mg; 5/4 0.90 mg; 6/1 0.80 mg; 6/22 0.65 mg; 08/03 0.50 mg, 08/10 0.45 mg, 10/05 0.325 mg, 11/23 0.2 mg, 12/14 0.15 mg, 12/21 0.125 mg, 02/28 0.03125 mg, 2/15 0.015625 mg, 2/29/20 0.00 mg - OFF Effexor


I am not a medical professional - this is not medical advice. My suggestions are based on personal experience, reading, observation and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers

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  • Administrator

Michael, I believe we discussed this in pms etc.

 

Staying on a consistent dose is important. When you jump around in dosage, it becomes difficult to tell where symptoms are coming from.

 

Keep notes on paper every day about your dosage and symptoms to see symptom patterns.

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.

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  • 3 months later...

Well I was doing much better. 3 weeks after my last post I started feeling normal. I'm still on 50 mg of Trazodone. I was intending to begin a slow taper when I got back from vacation.

 

Unfortunately, my addiction to pain killers (NORCO) met me at the airport. I was depressed about returning back to reality after a 2 week vacation and I filled a script. I consumed 42 pills in 11 days.

 

The fall out is much worse than I expected. Ater 3 days off the **** I felt bad but I really didn't feel any withdrawal symptoms. So I decided to exercise and I guess I over did it. The 45 minute run really taxed my CNS and all of the WD symptoms came roaring back but worse. Now, I'm hypersensitive to certain foods,bread, anything with sugar, pasta, potatoes, whey protein and even fish oil pills. When I ingest them I get a headache and I begin to get anxiety. I'm even sensitive to the Trazodone I have to take. I can't sleep either, I fall asleep easily enough but wake up having to urinate and when I do the adrenaline kicks in. Long before daylight.What a nightmare It's been 10 days off the Norco's and 7 days from the run and I THINK? there has been a slight improvement. It may be that I now know what to stay away from so not as to irritate my CNS. I so depressed at mad at myself. I will never touch another pain killer. This is just not worth it. I'm in HELL!

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • 1 month later...

I tapered to fast off of Trazodone last December and had my first wd in January and went back on 50mg after a week off of it.

 

Since then I got better or so I thourht. I was a big jogger up untill this started. I decided to start running again 2 weeks ago The first week went well because I was tentative and them the second week I pushed it to hard and I started feeling bad after running geting headaches and fuzziness in my head but I didn't have extreme anxiety.

 

After two weeks of rest on this last Monday I was out in the heat working in my yard after an hour walk and again I felt I overdid it. My head started aching again.So I took 2 days off and just went for an easy walk for an hour on Thursday & Friday but I quess that wass too much because on Saturday the extreme anxiety started and I'm flat out a mess now. I had to take a half of a .5mg of xanax which helped but I dont want to keep doing that. Please HELP!!!.

 

Should I go back up to 75 or 100mg of Trazodone? Or do I need to go up to 150-200 which is the area where Trazodone is more effectively used as an AD where 100mg and under are used for sleep aid. If I do go back up will this help my CNS heal faster and make me well enough after time so that I can exercise again with out worrying about this happening again? Will I be able to tolerate the heat? Will I be somewhat back to normal again untill I start tapering again? Or is this the way it is going to be always? The anxiety/adrenaline is killing me. I'm freaking out thinking I will never be able to exert myself like working in my yard or going out to the country and clearing trails.

 

PLEASE HELP!

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Michael,

 

I moved your post to your introduction thread as this is where you should post all details about your recovery.

 

Firstly - Don't panic!

 

You're in a wave, brought on by overdoing it with your exercise. You need to wait this out and I don't believe altering your dosage will help.

 

I know you just want to make it all go away - but that's not how it works. You need to take it easy and let your CNS calm down.

 

The exact same thing happened to me about 2 weeks ago when I overdid it with exercise. I was getting better as well and then I decided to go back to doing Bikram yoga, which is an intense form of yoga.

 

Anyway, I've cut and pasted one of my favourite descriptions about how the CNS repairs itself and you might get some comfort from reading this:

 

"It is like a table that had all of its legs damaged. One leg gets fixed but the table still cannot stand up right. Then the leg diagonally across is fixed and the table can stand somewhat, but will fall over with the slightest touch. Then a third leg is fixed and the table is on more even footing- but still wobbly and if something is place on top the table will tilt. Finally the last leg is fixed and the table is able to stand again. However the glue may need time to cure before the table is as sturdy as it was before the legs were damaged. So while the glue is curing nothing heavy must be placed on the table.

 

This is how symptoms go. When two legs are repaired the table may be able to stand for a bit but will eventually fall again. As the body gets some things repaired it may be able to operate pretty good for an hour or day until a stressor of some sort comes along and throws it back off balance.

 

Then 3 legs are fixed but the table can still tilt. Items can be placed on the table, but if placed wrong or if they are too heavy, the table will tilt. Our bodies are now getting far enough along to have longer periods of feeling better- but if a load comes along it can tilt again. Since 3 legs are present the table does not completely fall down as it did before. While waves can be hard further out in your recovery, if you really sit down and compare your waves now to back in the beginning you will see that now you have more of a foundation, just like the table. You may tilt pretty far but do not fall down completely like you did before. However tilts can still bring on strong symptoms. All of the legs work together to keep the table upright. They all depend on each other, no one leg can do it on its own. That is how the body is.

 

Finally when the last leg is fixed you feel like it may be over- now you can stand again. But keep in mind the glue may still be soft and you should not place anything heavy on the table. So beware of high stress situations, medications, or other things that can put a load on your still fragile body.

 

 

The parts of the body affected do not come back on line evenly. Some will be restored before others- but since they all rely upon each other, as in the table analogy, some symptoms will stay steady because that area has not been addressed by the body yet. Some will wax and wane as the legs are repaired. Eventually they will become less intense and fade away. This can happen in a shorter time for some people, and take a much longer time for others. One reason for this is that we are all genetically different."

 

This is the full article:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=77803.0

 

I believe all you can do is wait it out. You will get a window again.

 

Stay calm. Breathe.

 

It will get better.

July 2001 prescribed 20mg citalopram for depression;
On and off meds from 2003-2006.
February 2006 back on 20mg citalopram and stayed on it until my last attempt at tapering in September 2011.
By far the worst withdrawal symptoms ever. Reinstated to 20mg citalopram
October 2012 - found this forum!
Nov 2012 to Feb 2013 did 10% taper, got doen to 11mg - was going great until stressful situation. Cortisol levels hit the roof, hideous insomnia forced me to updose to 20mg.
March 2016 - close to 100% back to normal!



****** I am not a medical practitioner, any advice I give comes from my own experience or reading and is only my perspective ******

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Did you get the intense anxiety I'm getting? My adrenalin is going nuts. I took a .25 xanax at 12:30pm and I can feel myself getting out of control again. How can I function with this. What do you do to not let it freak you out? I see other people raising there dosage on a set back and it helps. Why dont you think it will help?

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Michael, it's very difficult to stabilize and get better when one is continuing to take these drugs that interfere with the brain's natural healing process. If you keep going up and down on doses and taking this and that from time to time--well, to continue with the analogy of the table, every time you take a bit of something here and there, or go up and down on a dose, you yank a leg off the table and break the glue, and it has to start all over again.

 

Given the history you describe, I would expect you to be feeling pretty much exactly the way you're feeling. Unfortunately there is just no easy fix, no magic bullet, when your brain's chemistry is all screwed up. At this point, in my experience, the only thing likely to help is to just pick a dose of the trazodone and STAY ON IT for a LONG time until you get more stable. That is not something that will happen overnight. It will take time, probably months, possibly many months.

 

I know it feels horrible, it feels like the end of the world, the anxiety and pain are overwhelming and huge and terrible. We do understand. Most of us here have experienced it ourselves, and it was just as bad for us.

 

If you read through the Symptoms and Self-Care section you can find some things that might help, although those won't work overnight either.

 

In my opinion, at this point the only thing that's going to help is time. Time spent on a consistent dose, living a consistent low-stress lifestyle, following a consistent daily eat/sleep/wake/exercise schedule, taking good care of yourself.

 

Over-exercising very often triggers bad waves for people. Waves are something that you just have to ride out and get through as best you can, without making things worse if possible.

 

Everyone who works on this forum wishes that we had an easy solution that we could offer you to give you immediate relief. Believe me, if there was such a thing, we'd have told you.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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Hello Michael,

 

It sounds like distress is crashing over you. I've had this happen to me and I know exactly how discouraging and, honestly, terrifying it can be. I've found that the distress does pass, even if it feels like a permanent affliction. I've learned that nothing is permanent when it comes to withdrawal symptoms, the brain can always unstick itself given enough time and support.

 

So hang in there!

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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Thank you so much for replying. Would uping my dosage give me relief sooner than waiting it out. Isn't my brain wanting more Traz thus the reason the sensitized CNS? What is the rule of when to increase to facilitate stabilizing?

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Administrator

My guess is you need to ride out this wave and not fool around with changing any doses of anything.

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.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

In my opinion, at this point the only thing that's going to help is time. Time spent on a consistent dose, living a consistent low-stress lifestyle, following a consistent daily eat/sleep/wake/exercise schedule, taking good care of yourself.

I couldn't put it better myself.

 

Yes Michael, I had intense anxiety, insomnia and body jerks that kept me falling asleep. I'm still getting them.

 

But there's no way I'm changing my dosage and I agree with Alto, you should stick to your current dose. Changing your dose will not necessarily make things better faster.

 

I totally get that when you feel this way you just want to 'do something' to fix it.

 

But sometimes that 'something' you need to do is NOTHING.

July 2001 prescribed 20mg citalopram for depression;
On and off meds from 2003-2006.
February 2006 back on 20mg citalopram and stayed on it until my last attempt at tapering in September 2011.
By far the worst withdrawal symptoms ever. Reinstated to 20mg citalopram
October 2012 - found this forum!
Nov 2012 to Feb 2013 did 10% taper, got doen to 11mg - was going great until stressful situation. Cortisol levels hit the roof, hideous insomnia forced me to updose to 20mg.
March 2016 - close to 100% back to normal!



****** I am not a medical practitioner, any advice I give comes from my own experience or reading and is only my perspective ******

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Thanks ALTO What are your thoughts on taking zanax? I only plan on .25 per day if needed. Is this amount safe? I know how hard it is to get off of Benzo's

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Administrator

If you take it every day, you will have problems with Xanax or any benzo. It's best to take it very sparingly, not regularly, perhaps every few days.

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.

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Thanks Alto, I'm really having a hard time coming to grips with this.

 

Am I now considered to be in acute or prolonged withdrawl?

Will I at least get back to feeling like I was after I first realized I was in withdrawal back in January? It only took me about three weeks to start feeling better then. The symptoms are more severe now though.

 

Are my neurons calling out for more Trazodone? If I had gone up to say 100mg would this have been less likely to have happened? I still don't understand why I don't bump up because I see others here doing it after a set back. Wouldnt it satisfy the neurons and give some ease to my CNS? I know I compromised my systme with the NORCO's

 

I'm really upset realizing that my life is forever changed. Does anyone in WD that has gotten the headaches and Anxiety get back well enough to go jogging again or cut wood and lift it into a trailer again. I'm or was a very physical man and loved working physically hard.

 

Thank you so much for being there for us.

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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Please I need help. I really sensitive. I just turned on the fan to cool me off and after a couple of minutes I started getting anxiety and my adrenaline started picking up.I turned off the fan and it went away. Thats NUTS

 

I think I'm going to go up dose to 75mg. I was on average on 100mg of Trazodone for most of the time before tapering. Isnt my brain crying out for more? Hasn't other people had relief when uping dosing.

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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I've found bentonite clay to be helpful with anxiety and adrenaline. However I mentioned this in another thread and a member took my suggestion, took some bentonite clay in water and felt worse with pain and constipation.

 

But I can not deny this intervention has most noticeably impacted me. I specifically ONLY RECOMMEND the Living Clay brand of clay which is safe to consume and which can be ordered online.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I really sensitive. I just turned on the fan to cool me off and after a couple of minutes I started getting anxiety and my adrenaline started picking up.I turned off the fan and it went away. Thats NUTS

 

That exact same thing has happened to me, when I was at my worst, I put a fan on and couldn't handle the sound and sensation of the air on my skin, it does get better though, not as fast as we would like.

 

You will get back to the way you were before, but will need to be patient and listen to the advice of the more experienced people here. Unfortunately there are no short cuts and no more 'magic pills'

 

I hope you feel better soon :)

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Oh My God, I just walked outside and its only 80 degrees but my brain started swelling up. Has anyone else experienced this?

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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Oh My God, I just walked outside and its only 80 degrees but my brain started swelling up in the back of my head. Has this happened to anyone else? How does it affect you and how long did it take till it stopped doing it to you?

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Well, I wouldn't say I have ever felt my brain swelling up, but withdrawal definitely has made me more temperature sensitive at times.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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Michael did you taper the trazadone that fast? 2 months? Did you cut up the pill? Just curious about the details of tapering traz. Thanks flower. Stay out of the heat.

C/T Celexa and Trazadone on Jan.29th 2014
Prescribed 1mg of Klonopin every 6 hours on Jan.29th
Began tapering Klonopin April 18th..stretching time between doses...at first one hour for 2 weeks then a half hour for app.10 days then another half hour 10days later.
Presently at .25 three times a day..6 2 and 10pm. Trying to stabilize.
Also still taking gabapentin 300mgs 2xs a day..

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There was a post on here recently about Saunas and how alot of people tapering were adversely affected by it.

 

The heat (particularly humidity) can knock anyone for a loop. If you are having those uncomfortable sensations, stay in the A/C. There are days where it may not affect you and days where it will.

 

I can't sit in the sun unless I can jump into water.

 

Nikki

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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Michael did you taper the trazadone that fast? 2 months? Did you cut up the pill? Just curious about the details of tapering traz. Thanks flower. Stay out of the heat.

 

Flower yes I did cut it. As far as the details I cut it 50% every week or two. My GP made it seen like this stuff is nothing to taper off of, Man these GP should not be prescriding this stuff.

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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Can you tell me your symptoms and did they take long to pass with each cut?

C/T Celexa and Trazadone on Jan.29th 2014
Prescribed 1mg of Klonopin every 6 hours on Jan.29th
Began tapering Klonopin April 18th..stretching time between doses...at first one hour for 2 weeks then a half hour for app.10 days then another half hour 10days later.
Presently at .25 three times a day..6 2 and 10pm. Trying to stabilize.
Also still taking gabapentin 300mgs 2xs a day..

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I get alot of pressure in my head and alot of adrenaline/Anxiety

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Administrator

Michael, as I understand it, your reinstatement to 50mg worked well (for how long?) before this bad wave?

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.

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Alto it was 2 months. Unfortunetly they came back when I stepped up my running way to fast and they came when I ran 5 miles two days in a row. My symptoms were headaches but did not have anxiety. I waited for a couple of weeks and the headaches subsided and went for a hour walk and worked in my yard out in the heat and they came roaring back. I took a couple of days off and went for a slow but a long 1 hr walk on Thursday and Friday and did not feel well and had headaches with a lot of pressure. On Saturday I hardly did anything and suddley I got the anxiety it lasted all day. I was able to fall asleep but it came roaring back a couple of hrs later and it has been that way every night this week. The all night anxiety and adrenaline is is kicking my butt.

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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I get alot of pressure in my head and alot of adrenaline/Anxiety

 

I certainly know what thats like. Do you remember how long this took to pass or did you drop a dose anyhow.

C/T Celexa and Trazadone on Jan.29th 2014
Prescribed 1mg of Klonopin every 6 hours on Jan.29th
Began tapering Klonopin April 18th..stretching time between doses...at first one hour for 2 weeks then a half hour for app.10 days then another half hour 10days later.
Presently at .25 three times a day..6 2 and 10pm. Trying to stabilize.
Also still taking gabapentin 300mgs 2xs a day..

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  • Administrator

This is a bad wave. Are you taking fish oil and magnesium?

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.

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Alto, I think I may be wrong it may not be Traz that has caused my latest WD. It may be due to xanax. I was taking them periodically to help me sleep in late Dec & Early Jan and then again in the first 2 weeks in April when I was going through a Norco (Vicodin) binge.  I would usually take .25 but only every couple of nights and both times not more than a couple of weeks I think. I remember I kept thinking I sure dont want to get hooked on these.

 

Unforthunaelty I went off of the  Norc's (Vicodn) cold turkey each time . And I therefore may have exposed myself to the Kindling afferct and may have exposed myself to Gludimate Hypertoxicity. My head started feeling really weird since my last binge in early April and every time I exert myself or If I'm in a stressful spot my brain begins to boil and I get a feeling of pressure build up. Could this be the Gludimate Hypertoxicity going to work?. Even if I didn't get hooked enough on the Xanax but was going through withdrawl from the Norco's could there still be that cross contamination because my CSN was in a WD state?

 

I don't know what to do. I took a .25 xanax on Monday a .25 on Thursday and a .5 yesterday Sunday. Should I just leave it alone and not continue a very small amount to try and stabilize or continue to ride it out? This anxiety is much worse than it was in January when I thought it was the Trazodone that I had been tapering off of. Thank you for being there for us all.

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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Please help I don't know which way to turn. Should I start a baseline amount of Xanax and how much?

In January I was only getting insomnia which I believe was truely the Trazodone WD which matches other peoples symtoms. Now I believe I'm in the nightmare that is Benzo WD. I can't believe it! I'm so distraught.

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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  • Administrator

Sorry, I can't say.

 

If it is rebound from the benzo, it will go away after a while off them.

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.

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Thaks for responding Alto; Unfortunately yesterday I may have made a unwise decision. I was getting an MRI done on my brain and I took a .25 of xanox to calm me down because im claustiphobic. at 3:00pm I'm worreid now because last night the headaches and fuzziness in my brain seemed to go away. I also had a good night of sleep 5 hrs straight which is alot for me. The night time adrenaline never came. Does this mean that It was the xanax causing my withdrawl symtoms. Since it relieved my symptoms should I continure to take .25 xanax and taper from there?

20mg Citalipram 2003
upted it to 40mg Jan 2012
June 2012 I could not sleep so doctor switched me to 200mg of Trazodone
I dont recall tapering much off the Citalipram. I remember a coulple of head zaps
Tapered all the way down in 2mo's to 0mg by the end of Dec 2012
Jan 11 2012 started back on 50mg

4/28 2012 Was using .25mg Xanax to help me sleep for a couple of weeks every other night on 5/26 I started getting  huge surges of anxiety. I first thought it was the Trazodone but looking back in January I was only getting insomnia. I believe I'm now in the nightmare that is Benzo WD 

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