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Hypersomnia (sleeping a lot) or profoundly tired -- adverse effect of SSRIs


rapunzel2

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Most of the people suffer from insomnia problems, but are there anybody else besides me, who is struggling with hypersomnia?

 

I need approximately 14 hours sleep per day, and if I can't have that, after a couple of days I end up with suicidal thoughts, and I'm very tired, have bad concentration and memory, etc.

 

I suspect that my hypersomnia is a side effect of antidepressant (prozac), and paradoxically, it also increases when I drop the amount and get into withdrawal.

 

I'm really interested if there are any other people who's sleep is messed up in a way that the result is hypersomnia, and how did it occur, and what do you think is the culprit? Also, if you have found out what helps or what are the patterns of sleep, is there something that influences it (withdrawal, etc).

 

thanks!

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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Have you been tested for sleep apnea? What I thought was withdrawal insomnia turned out to be that condition.

 

I am sorry you dealing with this.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Have you been tested for sleep apnea? What I thought was withdrawal insomnia turned out to be that condition.

 

I am sorry you dealing with this.

 

CS

 

I have been thinking about getting a sleep study, to see what problems there are with my sleep. but if there is sleep apnea, I think my partner would have noticed that?? or is it not noticeable for another person?

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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I think I've been experiencing hypersomnia to a degree since withdrawal started after I did a fast taper off sertraline. I sleep most of the morning as well the night, and sometimes used to go back to bed in the afternoon for a nap then as well!! Now I still sleep in the morning, but don't need the afternoon sleep as much. I am sure it is withdrawal symptom and just try to sleep when my body needs it.

I know if I push myself to do things I get very tired quickly and then need more sleep. Also if my stomach more upset than usual, sleep helps.

I read somewhere that sleep helps the body clear out toxins and heal itself, so I think it is just a sign that I am healing.

 

it seems very similar. when I push myself to wake up earlier or to do more things, I get just so overwhelmingly tired.

 

Interesting thing is that I developed this hypersomnia problem also with sertraline withdrawals. one time I just decreased the dose by 50% and after that I started noticing this problem with sleeping too much. but the worst came after stopping sertraline - 5 months after I crashed very hard and when I started new antidepressants I developed really bad hypersomnia.

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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Try to keep a regular schedule to reset your internal clock.

 

I try my best but it's not actually possible. regular schedule for me means I go to sleep around 11-12 pm, and wake up at 2pm. my work is very flexible, but there are days I need to wake up earlier, to have some meetings. and then I'm just overwhelmingly tired and sleep even more the next day.

 

I understand that it's hard to understand why I'm complaining so much about sleeping too much, but it's not just that. It's accompanied by severe tiredness, memory and concentration problems etc. it means I'm all the time overwhelmed with my responsibilities, because I have so little time and energy to do them. And it means I barely have possibilities to do something nice for me, and even if I have time, I may be just tooo tired to actually feel good about it. a LOT of my relationships have just dead, because I don't have energy to interact. it saddens me deeply.

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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Have you been tested for sleep apnea? What I thought was withdrawal insomnia turned out to be that condition.

 

I am sorry you dealing with this.

 

CS

 

I have been thinking about getting a sleep study, to see what problems there are with my sleep. but if there is sleep apnea, I think my partner would have noticed that?? or is it not noticeable for another person?

 

You might want to check out this questionaire on sleep and if you answer alot of questions in the affirmative, that may indicate a need for a sleep study.

 

http://www.kcbd.com/story/8315307/functional-outcomes-of-sleep-questionnaire-fosq

 

You also might have UARS which isn't as noticeable to partners but can cause just as much disruption.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • 4 years later...
  • Mentor
On 3/19/2018 at 1:26 PM, gallanthero26 said:

After about 2 and 1/2 months of withdrawal, I've been consistently having a problem waking up. My dreams are pretty intense and I can easily sleep 12 hours and still want to rest more. I'm wondering if this is just part of the acute phase of withdrawal or if anyone has noticed this symptom going away after a certain amount of time. It's making it exceedingly difficult to get even normal things done.

 

for me, I don't know if hypersomnia was a symptom of WD, or a symptom of being overmedicated. 

 

I say that because in the past several years, I attempted to go off the lexapro several times, each time going back on it at the same dose as previously or even, briefly, a higher dose

basically I was all over the place with doses and I had a lot of trouble with oversleeping, and could not wake up for appts etc

My hours were all messed up. I'd be  up in the middle of the night wide awake but fall asleep just as the sun was coming up and not wake up again til the sun was down.


I was very frustrated by this but NOW, now that I've gone thru the opposite problem, severe insomnia, I'd love to go back to when I could fall asleep so easily!
I had no idea what a blessing that was!

I'm almost 6 mos completely off the lexapro and my sleep improves all the time.

 

so to answer your question, it can be  a symptom but personally, If you are able to, I'd sleep as much as your body wants to now, because you don't know if you're going to have trouble sleeping as you get lower in your dose.

Edited to add, I just read your signature, my guess is that the sleepiness in your case is basically for the same reason, it looks like you've been up and down in your doses too, and that seems to be especially hard on our bodies/brains.

I still think you should try to take advantage of this extra rest when you can. I know it's hard to make plans and get things done but I dont think it's going to last, I think you'll be back to sleeping normally soon as you do a slow, steady taper.

 

 

  • pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) 
  •  Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years
  • started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 
  •  2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs
  •  June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until  Sept, then acute WD hit!!  reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106
  • Tapered off to zero by  Oct. 2017 Doing very well. 
  • Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 
  • Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content
  • Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs ;) 
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I have this issue as well. Had it with the Lexapro and now still while getting off it’s a problem but it could be the anxiety keeping me asleep too. 

29y.o.  Started Lexapro, 15mg in 2013 for anxiety and depression.

9/28/15- Started taper, went down to 10mg, then 5mg by 10/31/15. 

1/2016-  anxiety, nausea, fatigue, crying spells, sadness, by January. Reinstated back to 10mg.  Leveled out.   1/1/2018- Began further taper, down to 0mg by 1/31/2018.  Last dose was 2.5mg. Feelings of dizziness during taper recommended by pdoc.  Slowed down taper, but still had symptoms of stomach upset.

2/12/18 - Dealing with symptoms of dizziness, anxiety, sadness, stomach upset.  2/20/18 - Reinstating medication with .6mg.  2/21/18 - Emotionally feeling better.  Dizziness much improved.  2/24/18 - Went to sleep with extreme feeling of chills.  No fever.  Fatigue.  3/19/18 - Increased anxiety.  5/1/18- Began therapy.  Have trouble with anxiety and GI symptoms.  9/22/18 - Decrease to .5mg.  Anxiety, GI, chills.  9/26/18 - back up to .6mg.  10/31/18 - app Curable, feeling distinct change in outlook and anxiety levels decreased.

2/1/19 - not seeing improvement in anxiety.  started 10mg Prozac  2/7/19 - up to 20mg Prozac, experiencing chills, tiredness  2/21/19 - tapering down to 10mg

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  • 1 month later...

Can we trade issues.  I'll take your hypersomnia for insomnia.

 

To be fair I'm trying to go with out any drugs which is the primary issue.

 

I had hypersomnia when 1st starting Zyprexa it still exists some.

My Intro FB Zyprexa 2015-September 2018

1st time I tried to come straight off of 10mg Zyprexa I was hospitalized for insane insomnia.

Current - Abilify Maintena & L Theanine(for akathisia)

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I have hypersomnia too. It got serious when I started to taper off Paxil. I didn’t ascribe it to WD until I read this thread! I sleep about ten hours at night (I used to have insomnia), but stil feel very tired and often take a nap in the fternoon. I’m retired so I can do that—lucky. Sometimes I’m in bed for 12 hours!

Long history with many psych drugs beginning in 1987. Went through two too-fast Paxil withdrawals in the past. Ended up in ER both times. I successfully got off Wellbutrin, and (occasional only) Seroquel, Concerta, and Klonopin over six months. Current supplements: multivitamin, probiotic, D3, magnesium, CBD. Current drugs: Ranitidine 300 mg. for acid reflux, Paxil (tapering off).

 

Paxil Taper History, 2018/2019

Jan.1: 60 mg. May 1: 55 mg. May 13: 50 mg. June 3: 47.5 mg. June 14: 45 mg. June 21: 42.5 mg. July 5: 40 mg. Switched to figuring by weight. 40 mg. = .704 July 22: .686. July 29: .669. August 5: .652. August 12: .635. September 2: 30 mg. October 2: 25 mg. November 2: 22 mg. December 1: 20 mg. January 6: 18 mg. Now using a digital scale and an emery board to taper. January 16: I decided to go back on the drugs after a year of tapering. I’m more depressed than ever, and do not believe it’s withdrawal. Thank you, everyone, for your support, advice, and kindness. Centime.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

I'd like to post this separately from my other post since I'd like it to be seen by as many people as possible.  I started taking SSRIs as a teenager.  Within a year, I started becoming profoundly tired, and this has been the case throughout my life.  From the literature, it seems that this is recognized as a symptom of SSRI discontinuation, or first starting SSRIs, but not continual use.  I really wonder if this has been caused by SSRI use, though.  The tiredness never went away, as it does with some people a month or two after they start SSRIs.  It's been with me ever since.  Has anyone else had neverending tiredness ever since starting SSRIs?  Thanks.

various SSRI for years

 

20 mg Lyrica 2010

30 mg to 0 mg Prozac 2012

Reinstate 20 mg Prozac 2012

Drop to 19 mg Prozac 2013

Reinstate 20 mg Prozac 1 month later (2013)

Gradual decrease of Prozac dosage starting in late summer of 2015, currently at 11.2 mg/day

 

use of vitamin D3, fish oil, and magnesium at various times

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If you do an internet search for Prozac side effects you will see that drowsiness is a common side effect of the drug.  See:  https://www.rxlist.com/prozac-side-effects-drug-center.htm

 

When I was taking 100mg Pristiq I was having to have a 2 hour sleep during the day most days of the week and I was still sleeping through the night.  The same as for Prozac, drowsiness is a common side effect.  As my dose got lower this side effect went.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 1 month later...

I am, I slept About 10-12 hrs a day for about 3 years on citalopram. I have been saying it to my dr and nurse girldfriend about tiredness, no one believe it was citalopram, it was alllll in my head.. i could take a nap at any time in the day. 

 

Was only on 5 mg, tiredness is one of the reason wanted to quit this living hell.

 

All gone since i'm off anti-depressant..thanks god. 

Escitalopram/lexapro 6 years; 2 years at 10mg, 4 years at 5mg. Been trying to quit, 3 years on and off. 

 

For depression and anxiety

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This is a huge topic for me.

 

I'd been depressed since i was 13 and started feeling tired/lack of focus in my teenage years, and finally got help for depression at 21 in university due to not being able to stay awake in classes no matter what I did, not being able to stay awake reading the course material, even falling asleep in the library after reading the same page 20/30 times not absorbing the information. It wasn't that I found the work boring, I just couldn't focus. My depression was severe, but I mostly wanted to be able to stay awake and work hard and fulfill my potential.

 

Unfortunately while my depression cleared up significantly with citalopram my main problem of not being able to work persisted and I dropped out of university with >20k in student loan debt and basically unemployed since with no prospects for my future. I sleep 12-14 hours a day and have done for over a decade and despite going to so many different GPs about it but none take it seriously and none of the CBT type support they've forwarded me to has really made a difference.

 

I was told the depression was making me tired and that curing my depression would fix the tiredness, but it didn't. Then I was told the tiredness was a side affect of the anti-depressants which is a huge motivating factor for me wanting to taper off and go drug-free. Now I'm reading that tiredness is a symptom of SSRI discontinuation.

 

With next to no support from GP's or other support services for these issues I'm strongly considering self medication at this point. At this point what do I have to lose, I'm 32 soon and my life has been completely slipping away from me.

Tapering off Citalopram

January 2009 - 29th March 2017: 40mg Citalopram 

30th March 2017 - 1st November 2017: 30mg Citalopram

1st November 2017 - 1st September 2019: 20mg Citalopram tablet

2nd September - 7th October: Transition to dissolving 20mg Citalopram in liquid

7th October - 4th November: 19.5mg--->19mg--->18.5mg--->18mg

4th November 2nd December- 17.55mg--->17.1mg--->16.65mg--->16.2mg

Other drugs: 15mg lansoprazole daily,  Dymista nasal spray twice daily

Supplements: 2x omega 3 fish oils per day, 2x200mg magnesium citrates per day

 

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On 8/24/2019 at 11:15 AM, Maxime said:

 

They made me believe it was me "I was too lazy," i didnt do enough, they said stop to complain and move, do exercise it'll wake you up.. 3 GPs told me at 5 mg it couldnt be the pills, it was depression or just me. 

 

 

I knew i was right, the minute i took a single dose, i started the feel asleep. 

 

 The 1st week i stopped escitalopram, i was up at 6 am and back to bed around 10 pm. 

Escitalopram/lexapro 6 years; 2 years at 10mg, 4 years at 5mg. Been trying to quit, 3 years on and off. 

 

For depression and anxiety

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When I was taking 100mg Pristiq I was sleeping a lot.  About 3 or 4 days each week I would have about a 2 hour sleep (sometimes more) and still sleep through the night.  As my dose got lower I stopped needing to sleep during the day.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Yes, all my adult life while taking AD, Backwards and forwards to the doctor saying I don’t feel well, tired all the time. I think they thought I was neurotic and put it down to depression. Prescribed a different AD, increase AD’s. But I felt unwell because I was so tired! My mum used to say, why are you always tired; someone else said, we all get tired. This was different. I then thought perhaps it’s my thyroid and asked the doctor to refer me to a thyroid specialist, he did, and he included in the referral letter that this woman is convinced that she is medically ill!! It really has been a miserable life! No I feel I am getting somewhere, thanks to the guidance and encouragement and understanding on this forum. At last xx

Prescribed Venlafaxine 150mg ..........

 19 Feb 2019 stopped Venlafaxine 150mg cold turkey. 06 March 2019 restarted Ven 125mg. 04 April 2019 9 mini pills. 02 May 2019 8 mini pills. 01July 2019 7 mini pills. 18 Aug 2019 6 mini pills. 24 Sept 2019 5.50 mini pills. 11 October 2019 5 mini pills. 5th May 2020 Reinstated Ven 125 mg XR 9 pills.

9th Nov 2020 Update Started splitting dose to twice per day

02/02/2021 can’t stabilise without symptoms. 
03/02/21 9 mini pills @ 10am 

Updated.... July 2021 108mg, Sept 2021 107mg, 

tapering steps to be updated

current dose 14 July 2023 80mg

23.07.23 75mg half way ! 

 

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On 8/28/2019 at 7:27 AM, quads said:

This is a huge topic for me.

 

I'd been depressed since i was 13 and started feeling tired/lack of focus in my teenage years, and finally got help for depression at 21 in university due to not being able to stay awake in classes no matter what I did, not being able to stay awake reading the course material, even falling asleep in the library after reading the same page 20/30 times not absorbing the information. It wasn't that I found the work boring, I just couldn't focus. My depression was severe, but I mostly wanted to be able to stay awake and work hard and fulfill my potential.

 

Unfortunately while my depression cleared up significantly with citalopram my main problem of not being able to work persisted and I dropped out of university with >20k in student loan debt and basically unemployed since with no prospects for my future. I sleep 12-14 hours a day and have done for over a decade and despite going to so many different GPs about it but none take it seriously and none of the CBT type support they've forwarded me to has really made a difference.

 

I was told the depression was making me tired and that curing my depression would fix the tiredness, but it didn't. Then I was told the tiredness was a side affect of the anti-depressants which is a huge motivating factor for me wanting to taper off and go drug-free. Now I'm reading that tiredness is a symptom of SSRI discontinuation.

 

With next to no support from GP's or other support services for these issues I'm strongly considering self medication at this point. At this point what do I have to lose, I'm 32 soon and my life has been completely slipping away from me.

Hello

This is so sad, that through no fault of your own, you had to drop out of university. Hopefully, now you know the underlying cause, you can start to taper,  and start to feel better. You are still young, and you can feel better and have a good life. X

Prescribed Venlafaxine 150mg ..........

 19 Feb 2019 stopped Venlafaxine 150mg cold turkey. 06 March 2019 restarted Ven 125mg. 04 April 2019 9 mini pills. 02 May 2019 8 mini pills. 01July 2019 7 mini pills. 18 Aug 2019 6 mini pills. 24 Sept 2019 5.50 mini pills. 11 October 2019 5 mini pills. 5th May 2020 Reinstated Ven 125 mg XR 9 pills.

9th Nov 2020 Update Started splitting dose to twice per day

02/02/2021 can’t stabilise without symptoms. 
03/02/21 9 mini pills @ 10am 

Updated.... July 2021 108mg, Sept 2021 107mg, 

tapering steps to be updated

current dose 14 July 2023 80mg

23.07.23 75mg half way ! 

 

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  • 1 year later...

This is my number one reason for getting off escitalopram. Unfortunately, I seem to be even more energy-deprived now during withdrawal. I’m hoping and praying that once this med is fully out of my system, my body can heal and I can start having energy again. I may try an adrenal supplement, but I want to do more research. 

2013-2015: paroxetine, with brief switch to sertraline, and brief combo with bupropion  • 2015: got off all antidepressant meds for approx 9-12 months, felt great 2015: fluoxetine, bad side effects, quit after two weeks 2015: escitalopram 15mg/day Summer 2019: attempted fast taper off escitalopram, reinstated to 15mg/day dose after six weeks • October 16, 2020: begin taper off escitalopram at rate of 1mg per 1 week (sometimes per 2 weeks) using 1mg/ml liquid from pharmacy • Jan 22, 2021: down to 3mg and holding due to worsening of WD symptoms • Feb 4, 2021: updose to 4mg holding • Feb 2021: tapering at 10% every 28 days Jul 2021: begin using microtaper of 2.5% per week Feb 2022: down to 1.43mg and experiencing worsening WD symptoms, updose to 1.45mg and holding • Mar 2022: resume microtaper schedule, lowest dose: 1.34 mg • Mar 2022: extended hold at 1.36 mg •Jul 2022: resume 10% taper • Apr 2-Jun 21, 2023 extended hold at 0.5mg • Jun 9, 2023 massive life stress situation triggered WD wave, Jun 15-16 took 5mg dose, Jun 17-21 back to 0.5mg dose • Jun 22 small updose to 0.58mg • Jul 1-2 tried 2.5mg, suffered adverse affects (anxiety, can’t eat, palpitations, electric jolts in chest) • Jul 1, 2023 - Jan 3, 2024 long hold at 1mg, slowly stabilizing after crash • Jan 4 resume taper  0.98mg Jan 11 0.95mg 

 

Supplements: vitamin D3 with K2, vitamin C, iron, magnesium glycinate, EPA/DHA essentials fish oil, melatonin(as needed)

Other prescription meds: levothyroxine 75 mcg (for hypothyroidism), lorazepam 0.25 to 0.5mg (as needed, which is almost never), zofran 2 to 4mg (as needed) 

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On 3/24/2018 at 6:57 AM, Happy2Heal said:

I'm almost 6 mos completely off the lexapro and my sleep improves all the time.

Hey @Happy2Heal it’s been a while since you posted this. I’m just wondering if your energy levels have improved more? 
 

I’m struggling really bad with exhaustion, low energy, and hypersomnia. It’s affecting my job, my social life, everything. Any advice or encouragement you can provide would be greatly appreciated! 

2013-2015: paroxetine, with brief switch to sertraline, and brief combo with bupropion  • 2015: got off all antidepressant meds for approx 9-12 months, felt great 2015: fluoxetine, bad side effects, quit after two weeks 2015: escitalopram 15mg/day Summer 2019: attempted fast taper off escitalopram, reinstated to 15mg/day dose after six weeks • October 16, 2020: begin taper off escitalopram at rate of 1mg per 1 week (sometimes per 2 weeks) using 1mg/ml liquid from pharmacy • Jan 22, 2021: down to 3mg and holding due to worsening of WD symptoms • Feb 4, 2021: updose to 4mg holding • Feb 2021: tapering at 10% every 28 days Jul 2021: begin using microtaper of 2.5% per week Feb 2022: down to 1.43mg and experiencing worsening WD symptoms, updose to 1.45mg and holding • Mar 2022: resume microtaper schedule, lowest dose: 1.34 mg • Mar 2022: extended hold at 1.36 mg •Jul 2022: resume 10% taper • Apr 2-Jun 21, 2023 extended hold at 0.5mg • Jun 9, 2023 massive life stress situation triggered WD wave, Jun 15-16 took 5mg dose, Jun 17-21 back to 0.5mg dose • Jun 22 small updose to 0.58mg • Jul 1-2 tried 2.5mg, suffered adverse affects (anxiety, can’t eat, palpitations, electric jolts in chest) • Jul 1, 2023 - Jan 3, 2024 long hold at 1mg, slowly stabilizing after crash • Jan 4 resume taper  0.98mg Jan 11 0.95mg 

 

Supplements: vitamin D3 with K2, vitamin C, iron, magnesium glycinate, EPA/DHA essentials fish oil, melatonin(as needed)

Other prescription meds: levothyroxine 75 mcg (for hypothyroidism), lorazepam 0.25 to 0.5mg (as needed, which is almost never), zofran 2 to 4mg (as needed) 

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I had hypersomnia after taking SSRIs. Would sleep 15 hours on weekends.

Doctors did not accept that SSRI can be the cause. Received diagnosis of sleep apnea instead.

CPAP treatment did not help.

It eventually went away several months after stopping medication.

But then I got depressions again

2013 - 2021 various ADs among others Brintellix and Venlafaxine

 

My last prescription since February 2021: 50 mg Sertraline, 75 mg Trazodone, 5 mg Olanzapine

 

March 2021 - October 2022 Sertraline tapper (largely uneventful)

Since October 2022 Olanzapine tapper by 0.5 mg monthly

4.4 2021 => 4.5.mg, 4.5.  2021 => 4mg, 19.11. 2022 => 3.5 mg, 24.12. 2022 => 3mg, 25.1. 2023 => 2.5mg, 24.2. 2023 => 2mg, 23.3. 2023 => 1.5mg

24.4. 2023 => 1 mg

6.5. 2023 back to 1.5 mg

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi jipavl,

We'd love to hear more about you, and your story too.

How have you managed the low periods or "depression" ?

Have you managed drug free?

 

I've always wondered about some of the diagnoses of Sleep Apnea and the relation to the drugs that people are on.

And I also noticed, slowly, over time, that many of the problems that were secondary to the AD's(antidepressants) went away, after I came off them.  As well as when I came off some of the other drugs from different classes.

 

 

And I wonder if you would like to start an Introduction topic, and do a signature for us as well.  That would be most helpful. 

Would love to hear more about your experiences, and goals for living.

 

Thank you.

 

See:

 

Introductions and Updates

and:  Please put your withdrawal history in your signature

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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  • Altostrata changed the title to Hypersomnia (sleeping a lot) or profoundly tired -- adverse effect of SSRIs
  • 2 months later...

Hi

 

I wondered if anyone in this thread has recovered from hypersomnia? 

 

Is it possible that this is a sign of healing?

 

Only in my acute stage did I suffer with insomnia so 3 -6 months. Then 6-12 months trouble falling asleep.

 

Now 18 months my trouble is staying awake. I'm exhausted all day and could easily sleep the day away. 

 

I hope this is some sort of healing mechanism. Almost 20 months out from a severe adverse reaction and I am yet to experience one window or period of feeling almost normal again.

 

Thanks

 

Citalopram 20mg september 23 2019 - 29th September 2019

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