Tattyapple: what the heck is happening?

[Tattyapple]

Last night I took 0.5mg of lamotrgiene. Maybe this would have happened anyway but I slept just two hrs at the end of the night.. it’s quite possibly coincidence as I do still have nights of zero sleep or waking hourly. Plus the last few days I have been very low and agitated which always means bad sleep. 

 

i am so desperate to get some kind of life back. 

[Tattyapple]

I have been taking 0.5mg of lamotrgiene for almost 2 weeks. I don’t feel any different and sleep is no better. Do I go up or give up?

i have a very important event coming up I would like to attend it’s very important for my daughter. As an emergency do you think it would be ok to take lorazepam for a couple of days before to get sleep.? I haven’t taken a benzo for 4 years and do not intend to take longer but real life happens while all this is going on and trying to hang on to important relationships is hard. 

[Shep]

23 hours ago, Tattyapple said:

As an emergency do you think it would be ok to take lorazepam for a couple of days before to get sleep.? I haven’t taken a benzo for 4 years and do not intend to take longer but real life happens while all this is going on and trying to hang on to important relationships is hard. 

 

I just read through your thread and from what you've written, your nervous system is very destabilized. I would urge caution with taking benzos again, even for a couple of days. With a sensitized nervous system, you are more likely to experience a paradoxical reaction. 

 

Also, there's a "moderate" drug interaction between Lamotrigine and lorazepam:

 

Drug Interaction Checker Report

 

Are you still taking Propranolol? Please note that the more sedating drugs you add into the mix, the more likely you'll get a paradoxical reaction - the more you dampen down the nervous system, the more it fights to stay alert. 

 

So adding in another sedating drug (lorazepam) may make this more likely. 

 

Are you using any supplements? Fish oil and magnesium can be helpful for calming the nervous system.

 

King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

Please update your signature with your current drugs and supplements. A direct link is here:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

At this point, you may want to try gentle supplements and dietary changes as opposed to adding in a temporary benzo that may cause more problems with your destabilized nervous system. 

 

How is your diet? Are you eating enough protein and avoiding sugar and processed foods? Are you able to do gentle yoga and go for a walk each day outdoors in the sunshine?

[Tattyapple]

Thank you Shep

 

I occasionally take zoplicone and it does help me sleep. I take it once or twice a month. The insomnia has never improved in almost 5 years. Any kind of stress such as something I want to do the next day makes it worse, but I have suffered from this kind of anticipatory anxiety since I was 20. I had it all the time I was on Prozac but not as bad and  because I normally slept so well and deep that occasional nights without sleep were never a problem, 

 

i agree that trying to dampen the system makes it worse as even a tiny dose of mirtazapine I tried left me awake and breathless all night

 

I had severe anxiety before meds and Prozac made life worth living again I think it’s a normal reaction to miss living.

 

iv spent all my savings on therapy and it hasn’t helped. 

 

I spoke to dr Shipko and Iv seen Dr Healy. Dr Shipko said what I described was akathesia and dystonia and it can take 7/8 years to go but I know In my heart that’s even if that goes I will still have severe anxiety and that is depressing 

 

my diet is pretty good and I try and do a little exercise

 

I take 30 mg of propranolol for palpitations.

 

i will update my sig 

[Altostrata]

On 2/23/2019 at 9:27 AM, Tattyapple said:

I have been taking 0.5mg of lamotrgiene for almost 2 weeks. I don’t feel any different and sleep is no better. Do I go up or give up?

i have a very important event coming up I would like to attend it’s very important for my daughter. As an emergency do you think it would be ok to take lorazepam for a couple of days before to get sleep.? I haven’t taken a benzo for 4 years and do not intend to take longer but real life happens while all this is going on and trying to hang on to important relationships is hard. 

 

What time of day do you take each of your drugs, and their dosages?

 

What is your usual sleep pattern? When do you get palpitations?

[Tattyapple]

I take 0.5 lamotrgiene at around 10.30, 

my sleep pattern is erratic and not always the same. I either toss and turn untill 3 then sleep till 6-7 or I fall asleep at around 12.30 then wake every hr untill 7. 

I take propranolol 10mg at around 10am then another 10 in the afternoon and another around 7pm. 

 

I have very low blood pressure sometimes 90/60 and I can’t take anymore than 30mg. The palpitations started in withdrawal and get worse in the evening 

[Altostrata]

Is that 10:30 p.m.?

 

Why are you taking propanolol 3 times a day? No wonder you have palpitations.

 

Please post your entire daily drug schedule, with each of your drugs and their dosages and update your signature, it indicates you're still taking diazepam.

 

 

[Shep]

11 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Please post your entire daily drug schedule, with each of your drugs and their dosages

 

Tattyapple, please use the below format: 

 

On 9/27/2016 at 2:49 PM, Altostrata said:

In the course of discussion in your Introductions forum topic, you may be asked to keep notes on paper of your daily symptom pattern, including when you take your drugs, their dosages, and any symptoms. We ask this because there may be something we can do to reduce the symptoms.

 

What we need to see for every single day over several days is what symptoms you get before and after you take your drugs. If you're not taking any drugs and have withdrawal symptoms, we still need to see your symptom pattern throughout the day:

 

The time of day, dosage, and severity of symptoms are essential information. Include

 

- Time and dosage for all drugs taken throughout the day, psychiatric and non-psychiatric.

- Following each dose, note any symptoms. If you are having a reaction to the drug, it may take hours for a symptom to show up -- that's why we ask you to keep notes all day long.

- If you're not taking any drugs, your symptoms throughout the day.

- Your sleep pattern. Since so many drugs disturb sleep, if you find you're waking in the middle of the night, it could be from a drug you took earlier in the evening. If you're not taking any drugs, there may be ways you can improve your sleep.

And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, looking something like this:
 
6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

[Tattyapple]

24 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

Is that 10:30 p.m.?

 

Why are you taking propanolol 3 times a day? No wonder you have palpitations.

 

Yes 10.30pm

 

the Palps started way before propranolol, I saw a cardiologist, I had a scan and everything was fine and he put me on propranolol which helped a lot, I used to have them all day now only slight flutters at night .

I will update sig 

[Tattyapple]

3.45- woke up felt calm but aka tension in neck 

tried desperately to go back to sleep but anxiety built up

7am- got up vomited from sleep deprivation as most mornings head throbbing

8am- 10mg of propranolol 

9am- cried for a hour as so tired

10am- went to work

12pm- ate half a sandwich 

3am- left work as exhausted 

3.30- 10mg propranolol and some P

paracetamol 

4.30 felt very depressed 

5pm- try to sleep couldn’t. 10mg of propranolol 

7pm- went for a walk 

11pm- 0.5 lamotrgiene and 2 ibuprofen went to bed 

12.30 fell asleep 

3.30 woke with a start 

awake till 6am

6am- slept till 8.20

exhausted 

 

 

[Tattyapple]

Should I increase lamotrgiene? 

[Altostrata]

Please add the date you started lamotrigine and the dosage to your signature.

 

Has your symptom pattern changed since you started lamotrigine in early February? Is the vomiting and headache a new symptom?

[Tattyapple]

Can’t find my signature on my phone will try again.

 

the nausea has been a constant symptom as well as the headache. I think the headaches are from the muscular tension

 

[Tattyapple]

I feel the more time passes the worse I get. The muscles in my neck and jaw are getting stiffer and stiffer. I now can’t close my jaw properly and if I try it trembles and shakes. I have constant unrelenting headache, it never ends, 

 

Sleep is is still not pleasant, and any longer sleeps make me feel so unwell. 

 

Fatigue is is worse than ever every movement is exhausting. 

 

5 years is too long. I don’t know how to end the suffering 

[Altostrata]

Did the nausea start with the lamotrigine? How about the headache?

 

How did you increase the lamotrigine dosage -- dates of increases? Please do not increase lamotrigine any more.

 

Please add the lamotrigine information to your signature.

[Tattyapple]

How do I change the sig on my phone? Sorry can’t do it

 

nausea has been a constant and so has the headache. It’s the muscles in my neck they are solid in spasm. 

 

I haveny increased the lamotrgiene just stayed at 0.5 

[Altostrata]

You'll have to change your signature on a computer.

 

When did the nausea and headaches start? What times of day do you take lamotrigine? What times of day do you have a headache or nausea? Are you making a liquid?

[Tattyapple]

Nausea started when I stopped Prozac. It’s just in the morning usually. Headache is constant im not exaggerating when I say it’s been everyday since 4 months after I stopped the Prozac.

 

i take the 0.5mg at 10pm daily. I take propranolol 3 times a day for palpitations. Very occasionally I take 3.75 of zoplicone but I mean occasionally once a month if that 

[Altostrata]

Have you noticed any effect of 0.5mg lamotrigine?

 

Do you have any Prozac left?

[Tattyapple]

I don’t feel any different at all. 

 

I have liquor Prozac but I don’t want to try it again, I tried last year and got so anxious and agitated  I almost got sectioned. 

 

Do do you think increase the lamotrgiene slightly? 

 

 

[Altostrata]

On 2/3/2019 at 4:46 AM, Tattyapple said:

When I tried Prozac I only took 5mg for 4 days and it made me much more agitated and depressed.

 

This may have been too much Prozac. 0.5mg Prozac might work. Look on your bottle, is the liquid still good? If it has expired, you cannot use it.

[Tattyapple]

It has expired but I think my dr would maybe give me more. 

Do you think that would be better than increasing lamotrgiene 

[Tattyapple]

Would it not be better to try increasing the lamotrgiene than trying Prozac? I’m willing to try both but are you saying to stop lamotrgiene and try Prozac? I’m confused 

thanks

[Tattyapple]

Last night was horrible again. Waking every hr adrenaline surging through my body, teetering on the edge of sleep but can’t quite reach it. My legs tingling with adrenaline or whatever it is. This happens most nights but was bad last night.

 

indo everything right, I eat healthy, walk even though every step hurts. Spend time in the sun etc. I just don’t understand why my nervous system will not calm down after 5 years. It has literally destroyed me

 

 

 

 

[Lloyd]

Hi Tatty, sending best wishes & hope you get some rest soon!

[Tattyapple]

Thank you 

[Tattyapple]

Can someone please advise if I’m stopping lamotrgiene and starting the Prozac or increasing the lamotrgiene 

[manymoretodays]

On 3/8/2019 at 1:03 PM, Tattyapple said:

How do I change the sig on my phone? Sorry can’t do it

 

Hi Tattyapple,

Try this link:  Account settings
Then > signature and update your information in this kind of format:  Short version of recent drug history

If you still have difficulty, just post it here, on your introduction page,  and I can try and put it in your signature for you.

 

Give it a try.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays

 

 

[Altostrata]

Tattyapple, if I were you, I'd get a new prescription for liquid Prozac and try 0.5mg to start. I'd keep lamotrigine as is. Please let us know how you're doing.

 

It will take Prozac about a week to reach full effect. Be sure to keep daily notes about when you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptom pattern.

[Tattyapple]

My gp won’t give me Prozac, I became quite suicidal last time I tried it, but I don’t know if it was the stress of trying it.

 

she has given me hrt to try. I’m 41 but my periods are irregular

 

im going to try again to get get prozac. I am so irritable lately, I really find it hard to be around anyone as I’m so moody, it’s such a horrible feeling 

[Tattyapple]

I can’t get Prozac. I have a choice of mirtazapine or cirtralopram

 

I seriously need to improve my depression before it finishes me off. The tinnitus, fatigue, dizziness, stiff jaw and neck are all vile but the depression and moods ruin every second of being on this fantastic planet. 

[thecowisback]

you're going through a terrible time and lack of sleep makes everything a million times worse. i hope you get some relief soon xxxx 

[thecowisback]

i can't believe your doctor prescribed hrt!! (well i can actually, they don't seem to have a clue what they're doing!). they never seem to even try to get to the bottom of what problems people are having  😫

[Tattyapple]

I don’t mind being on hrt if it helps my mood but I suspect it won’t.

 

I just want back on Prozac and to be happy and calm and funny and not a miserable horrible b*tch that sucks the life out of everyone

[thecowisback]

i know that feeling!

[Tattyapple]

Can I get some advice

p

i cannot get Prozac again. I have tried 

I can get other ads but not prozac after what happened 

 

do do you think It wise to try another ad ? 

 

Im extremely depressed. Yes I still have a lot of the other symptoms of withdrawal, tinnitus, stiff neck and jaw  but this deep depression is scary. More than I had handle