Scaredsusie

[Meimeiquest]

Will it go away. I'm scared

I had it briefly while ON Prozac and it went away by itself. When you cover the eyes, is it one eye or both? I'm sorry, that's all I know. Basically, in WD, our bodies turn into playgrounds for capricious mischief, but things usually sort out in time.

[Altostrata]

susie, on the weekends, do you spend less time staring at screens? Are your symptoms worse or better then?

 

Quite often, withdrawal makes people very sensitive to light. If you spend hours on the computer each day, that could be the source of your symptoms.

 

You might want to try using dark glasses (brown or amber are best) or amber glasses at least part of the time that you're looking at a bright electronic screen. See these and other topics in the Symptoms and Self-care forum:
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/304-light-sensitive-try-blocking-out-blue-light/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/397-tv-or-computer-use-in-evening-can-disrupt-sleep/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2519-computer-program-adjusts-blue-light-to-time-of-day/

[scaredsusie]

I'll keep a check, thank you. Do you think I'm doing okay to stay at 10mg now it's been a week. My dr is wondering if I should even go to 20mg which was the dose I took when last on it to see if it would help with the sleep. Is this possible

[Altostrata]

If I were you, I would not increase the Prozac dosage. It may be keeping you from sleeping as it is.

 

Yes, it's very important to keep DAILY notes of symptom patterns on paper. There may be some very easy ways for you to control some of your symptoms.

[scaredsusie]

Alto I wore my reading glasses yesterday most of the day, that have anti glare. It helped a little bit but by the early evening my eyes just seem to give out. It was even tough driving in the night yesterday. I work in customer service and they won't let me wear any other kind of glasses. I am some days off now so I will watch if it's better. My big thing now is sleep. It's sheer insomnia and can't even get to sleep, or stay asleep. I can't keep taking benadryl. My dr is convinced that the timing is the buspar and so am I. It can be a side effect. He said there's nothing I can do naturally to counter act a medicine causing it. It can't be the prozac I've only been on it a week, this has been since buspar started. I know by dropping to a half that the buspar was working for anxiety, what do I do now. The dr wants to just stop it and up the prozac. Please give me advice. It's been 3 1/2 weeks on buspar, do I need to taper. Help

[bubble]

Dear Sacredsusie,

 

I hope you soon get on the right path that will help you stabilise and reduce your symptoms.

 

This is just to let you know that your signature is still not displaying. I just want to emphasise how important it has proved to me to listen to what Alto says (even and especialyl when it contradicts to what doctors are saying). It's strange to tell someone that I'm receiving advice from an online forum and not from a qualified medical professional but I really don't care. My 'qualified medical professional' simply has no clue about how these drugs works. Her profesional ignorance certified by a degree in medicine has cost me so much suffering and agony that I don't even care to ask what she thinks I do about my meds because i my case her opinion is totally irrelevant. I'm not saying the same is true for you but just sharing my experience.

 

If I understand what Alto is trying to say, it is that you are taking (or have reinstated) on a too high dose of Prozac which is too activating for you and is therefore causing your sleep problems.

 

I have no idea about Buspar but just want to say that i would personally take Alto's advice rather than my doctor's (or in my case, my doctor would have no advice, except maybe that I'm very 'mentally ill' since not even those super new generation of drugs can fix me...)

 

It's great you have soem time off so that you can totally focus on yourself and monitor the signals your brain is sending so that Alto can help put you on the right track to recovery.

 

best,

 

bubble

[scaredsusie]

Thanks bubble. I totally agree and that's why I'm asking. I can't trust my drs. I don't know what else to do for my signature, it says it's saved and has all the info on my profile. The insomnia has been going on way longer that the reinstatement of the prozac, it can't be the prozac. This morning I haven't even watched tv and my eyes are struggling. Over all my crying and desperation seem better though. I have to at least concur with my dr that it's probably the buspar because within a day of taking it I couldn't sleep. It is a side effect. Thanks for your thoughts bubble and I am totally trying to listen

[Altostrata]

Susie, look at your Settings (from the drop-down menu next to your name in the upper right of the page) and make sure your signature is there.

 

If you think you're getting an adverse reaction from the Buspar, gradually reduce it until you're off it.

 

Speak to your manager about wearing dark glasses for eyestrain. Wear dark glasses outside and inside when you're using the computer, smartphone, tablet, or TV.

 

You are going to have to take care of yourself. This may mean speaking up in ways and doing things you're not used to.

[scaredsusie]

How much do I reduce by and for how long? I already know anxiety comes back from trying out the half buspar so do I go up on prozac to help like the dr said?

[Altostrata]

How long have you been on Buspar and how much are you taking?

 

(If you would set up your signature properly, I wouldn't have to ask this over and over.)

 

See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3210-tips-for-tapering-off-busipirone-buspar/

[scaredsusie]

3 1/2 weeks 7.5 twice a day

[scaredsusie]

 

Paxil withdrawal hell

 

Hi. I'm new to this forum, but I have been searching and searching trying to find what is wrong with me. I was put on zoloft in 1998 for slight post partum depression and was moving half way across the world and the dr felt I may need a little help. I was on it for 3 years and then I had a traumatic event happen and it wasn't helping too much anymore, so I got switched to Fluoxetine 20mg. I was doing great on that and yet went through some rough times, like a divorce and left to raise my children alone and a strenuous job, but was a very strong tough woman. I believe it really helped me and I stayed on until oct last year. This is when I woke in the middle of the night having my first ever panic attack, and yet my life was finally settled and very happy. It came out of nowhere. I went to my dr and he said it was an old med and had stopped working. He gave me xanax and switched me to lexapro. I got so scared of switching my med and this one I really liked not working anymore and I had another panic attack after taking my first dose of lexapro. So dr switched me to paxil 20mg. I felt anxiety gone within a couple of days but I couldn't sleep for 2 weeks and had brain zaps. I went down to 10mg and was doing good. I also made an appointment with a psychologist. After 2 1/2 months I saw the new dr and she didn't like paxil so weaned me down to 5mg and then off in 2 weeks. Tried the lexapro and after 3 days got derealization and so got switched to zoloft. After 6 days I was scared to death and stopped that. 5 days later I went back to my pdoc crying and still with derealization. She reinstated 5mg of paxil and told me to use my xanax. I didn't want to use xanax. After 5 days of the reinstated paxil I was beyond crazy with anxiety. I couldn't stand still, I couldn't stop crying, I wanted to scream and scream and started having suicidal thoughts out of desperation. Used a few .25mg xanax. She stopped the paxil and started me on Buspar 7.5 2X a day. I am 5 weeks post paxil now and it's hardly getting better. Full of anxiety, can't sleep, can't stop the racing thoughts, can't focus at all and worse I can't see properly. Dr now wants to say I'm bipolar maybe. I've never had anything like this in my life. I feel I'm losing everything. I feel I will lose my job, my children. What is happening to me?

 

Zoloft 1998-2001

Fluoxetine 2001-2013

Lexapro 2013 1day

Paxil oct 2013-feb 3rd

Lexapro 3 days

Zoloft 6 days

Paxil 6 days

Buspar feb 26th to present 7.5 x2 daily

Reinstated fluoxetine 10mg mar 12th

[scaredsusie]

Do you think I could try just taking the buspar once a day and in the morning only

[Altostrata]

Thank you for being considerate of my time and not making me read a lot to find the answer to a simple question.

 

Did you read the link I gave you about stopping Buspar?

 

You tried cutting your dosage in half and then you complained about the results. You will need to go off by a smaller amount.

 

I suggest you try reducing each of your daily doses by a quarter and see how that works for a week.

 

I would not increase the Prozac. Increasing Prozac will not help you sleep.

[scaredsusie]

Sorry, I sound like I've offended you. I'm doing the best I can. I'm very sorry

[ladybug]

You're fine, Susie. I'll try and help you with your signature. When you are signed in, go to the very top right corner, and see where it says your username? Click on it, and a box will pop up. Choose "My Profile". It will take you to another page and on the top right you should see something that says "Edit My Profile". Click on that, and it will take you to another page. On the left side of that page you will see a list, choose "Signature." Type your drug history in the post box that shows up and then click "Save Changes" and drug history should now show up below every one of your posts.

 

I hope this helps. I know it's confusing, especially if you're in the midst of some bad withdrawal. Hang in there, you can get through this.

[scaredsusie]

Thank you so much ladybug. I have done this twice now and both times it said it had saved. I don't know what else to try

[scaredsusie]

I've tried again

[Petunia]

Your signature is showing up for me Susie

[ladybug]

It's showing up now.

[scaredsusie]

Thank you for your help and time ladybug. If I reduce my buspar by still taking a full 7.5 in the morning but half in the afternoon do you think this is okay. It adds up to the same as reducing each by a quarter, it's just easier to cut. I took 1.5mg of melatonin last night and got 4 hours sleep. I did read the link alto, thank you, I was hoping as I had only been taking it for 3 weeks the taper wouldn't have to be so slow. I'm sorry I'm frustrating I'm just so scared to mess with these meds now and if I could sleep I wouldn't be so concerned. Do you think I still need to reduce the prozac? Or do I need to stay put on the dose and stabilize

[Altostrata]

scaredsusie, I believe if you read this topic again, we've told you many times not to change the Prozac dose.

 

As for reducing Buspar, it's your choice. You seemed to have a problem with a reduction of 50%. You can try 25% or less. It's up to you how you do it.

[scaredsusie]

I thought you were telling me not to up it any but had still asked me if I had reduced it down to 5mg.

[Altostrata]

We don't recommend changing 2 drugs at once.