sillylady

[sillylady]

Hi!  I am new to this forum and am having a really difficult time.  I have recently in the past 4 months tapered off Gabapentin and Remeron.  I have been off these two for about 3 weeks.  I also came off of Cortef about 4 months.  I am now tapering off Seroquel (was on 550 mg. per day and am now down to 12.5 mg. per day and 62.5 mg. at night) and Zoplicone (was on 7.5 mg. at night now down to 1.5 mg. at bedtime).  I still suffer from debilitating symptoms:  adrenaline surges, chronic insomnia (no sleep most days and nights), burning throughout my body, anxiety/panic attacks, depersonalization, chills, feeling like I am going crazy etc.

 

In January 2014 I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, Bartonella and Babesia.  I also suffer from hypo-hyperthyroidism, adrenal exhaustion, Candida and gluten intolerance.

 

I am totally alone as my family of origin has completely shunned me and left me to die.  They have not spoken to me in over two years and don't even check to see if I have food in the house or am dead or alive.  In my heart I know they want me dead and have done so all of my life.  My mother and father were very abusive to me and encouraged others to abuse me.  My dad is now deceased but my mother is still being abusive, bullying, lying about me to others to make herself look good, is a pathological liar, narcesessitic and downright cruel to me.  A couple of years ago she even went so far as to phone my Naturopathic doctor in an attempt to turn her against me.  Since then I have had to find another N.D.  My siblings want me gone so that I don't get anything my mother leaves behind.  My older sister died suddenly about 4 years ago and I know that my mother wishes it was me instead of her.  I have been verbally, emotionally and psychologically abused all my life by all walks of life.  I have never felt loved or wanted by anyone and just wish I could die so I could be free from all this suffering.  The only one that would miss me would be my little dog and I am to the point where I just want to find her a new home so that I can leave this planet.  I have nothing else to live for and feel there is no way out of the hell I am going through.  I have fought the good fight and believe there is only one alternative left.  I don't want to die, I just don't want to live like this for another 5 minutes as the symptoms are too debilitating.

[dalsaan]

Hi sillylady,

 

welcome to SA.   I am sorry you life has been so difficult and you are without the support of your family.   You have been on a lot of medication and by my reading, have reduced them way too fast.   I am not surprised that you are experiencing such symptoms given the changes you have made over the past 4 months.

 

Here are some links on what is withdrawal and the keys to withdrawing safely.   Please read them

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/603-what-is-withdrawal-syndrome/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6632-the-rule-of-3kis-keep-it-simple-keep-it-slow-keep-it-stable/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

How have your symptoms changed over the past 4 months?

 

Dalsaan

[Pugknows]

Sillylady, welcome to the forum. I am eight months off gabapentin and am still suffering the same symptoms as you are. It's a rough ride and I am here for you. PM me anytime. Write on my thread. Let's help each other through this. We'll get beyond this withdrawal one step at a time. Love, Pug.

[JanCarol]

Hey Lady (we are all silly at one time or another!)

 

That sounds like a fast and aggressive taper schedule.

 

Please read the articles Dalsaan sent, and please stop tapering.  Hold for awhile.  These drugs restructure your brain, and when you come off of them, you have to build anew - a painful and debilitating process.  Give your brain time to heal before you make any more changes - 

 

these symptoms you are having could be from any of your recently tapered drugs.  Gabapentin, Remeron, Seroquel, all of these have strong withdrawal effects, some of them physical, and some of them emotional.

 

Please put your detailed drug history in your signature, so that we can help you wherever you post:

How to complete your Signature

Complete your Signature from Phone or Tablet

 

and welcome to SA!  You will find people here who have been through what you are experiencing.  It is a good place to realize - you are not alone, and - it only symptoms.  Some of us have a mantra when we are in pain:  "It's not me, it's just the symptoms"

[sillylady]

Hi!  I am fairly new to this forum.  I am just about at the end of my tapering off of four meds (Seroquel, Gabapentin, Remeron, and Zoplicone).  My worst symptoms at the moment are chronic insomnia, surges like bolts of electricity are constantly going through my body whenever I close my eyes to sleep, chills, chronic fatigue, anxiety/panic attacks, loss of appetite etc.  There is no way I will go back on the meds as they only made me worse.  I am getting to the point where I feel I can no longer live like this.  Every day is the same.  I don't enjoy anything anymore and I keep asking God to take me home. 

 

Will this ever get better?  I also suffer from Lyme Disease, Bartonella and Babesia.  I have hypo-hyperthyroidism, adrenal exhaustion, gluten intolerance and Candida.  I am totally exhausted from the lack of sleep and I don't know how much more my body can take.  I don't want to die, I just don't want to live like this any longer.  Please any advice would help.  I have tried just about every herbal remedy out there for sleep and nothing works.  Is this the withdrawal/side effects of the drugs?  PLEASE HELP!

[KT38]

Hi! Withdrawal is horrible, but please please hang on. What makes it worse is no one around us can understand our pain and think we can "suck it up." I have never been a complainer, but now I cannot help but try to explain what I'm going through to family. There is nothing fun about this, so please make sure you have a support person who won't make fun of you during this time. Can you leave the house or drive? I can go to dr appts but not stores. I can't drive as my head is totally messed up and on its own emotional time. I am only 2.5 months out but have had moments where I'm enthusiast once again and even enjoying housework. But it will be waves and windows. My internal surge is what kills me the most as I don't know what to do. And my brain can't take the simplest of stress. Sometimes hours are better. I had adverse reactions to the drugs so I can't even go back and taper. I feel psychotic and am doing the best I can to try to have family understand and not put me in a mental hospital. My body is so sensitive I can't even handle an Advil or Xanax. You will be ok. The first few months are the hardest I heard so I'm powering through it.

[Altostrata]

sillylady, I moved your post here because you will be able to find it easier.

[bluebalu86]

Hi Lady,

 

You are not alone and we're all here to support you through this difficult time. Please when you feel a little better consider changing that nickname - you are not silly, you have been through and survived a lot and have to respect yourself for that! Wishing you the best on your road to recovery

[sillylady]

Hi!  Last night was night one of totally being off all my meds.  I was on Seroquel 550 mg. per day, Gabapentin 200 mg. per day, Remeron 30 mg. per day, Cortef 25.5 mg. per day and Zoplicone 7.5 mg. per day.  I have very slowly tapered off these meds over the past 10 months with an organization who specializes in getting people off these poisons.  Last night and all day today has been hell.  I am suffering from chronic insomnia (no sleep most nights and days), burning throughout body, chronic fatigue, adrenaline surges, anxiety/panic attacks, nausea with vomiting (something I rarely do) to the point of not being able to eat and the list goes on.  I also suffer from Lyme Disease, Bartonella, Babesia, hypothyroidism, adrenal exhaustion, Candida, gluten intolerance etc. so I don't know what is doing what at this point. 

 

Is it normal for the symptoms of withdrawal to get much worse when I am totally off the meds and if so how long will they last?  I don't know how much more of this my body can take.  Has anyone else had these symptoms along with Lyme Disease and its co-infections and recovered?  I am terrified that this is as good as it gets and I only have one option left which I don't want to do.  I just can't live like this much longer as I am barely existing and I don't enjoy anything in life anymore.  Please help.

[Meimeiquest]

Whoa. As a poly-drugger myself, I can't even imagine that. 10 months is fast sometimes for ONE drug. Can you write out your tapering schedule, ideally in your signature, so someone can help you?

[Altostrata]

sillylady, I moved your post here because it is an important development in your tapering story. Also, you do not have to keep repeating your history.

 

Also, perhaps you did not see the responses here to your earlier posts. We were cautioning you to taper more slowly.

 

You now have acute severe withdrawal syndrome.

 

Withdrawal syndrome can last for months or years, the date of recovery cannot be predicted. That is why we urge more cautious tapering.

 

Did any of those drugs do you any good? Who prescribed Cortef and why? What organization are you working with?

[sillylady]

No, none of these drugs helped me.  They all were given for sleep and they actually made me worse.

My naturopathic doctor prescribed the Cortef due to the fact that my 4 point saliva test showed that my cortisol level was flatlineing all day and then went up at night.  I felt this was what could possibly be causing me to have ongoing insomnia.

I was working with an organization in Raymond, Alberta called True Hope.  They managed to get me completely off all the meds and after three weeks I was feeling so horrible that I ended up in the psyche ward for a week which was a complete nightmare.  They put me back on Seroquel XR 50 mg. x 2 and Remeron 15 mg. at bedtime.  They also took away my thyroid meds which I had been on for over 12 years.  They also took away my antibiotic prescribed for me by my G.P. for a bladder infection.

I have now been back on Seroquel XR 100 mg. and Remeron for about three weeks and am feeling horrendous.  I am not sleeping hardly at all (no sleep most nights and days) and have now been up for about 72 hours.  The symptoms that I am experiencing which I believe are contributing to the chronic insomnia are:  debilitating adrenaline surges all night and day, anxiety/panic attacks, muscle tension, head pressure, burning throughout my body from head to toe, muscle jerking, fear of going crazy, vibrating in my legs, arms and body, depersonalization, extreme fatigue, can't leave my house.

[sillylady]

Correction I am actually taking 87.5 mg of Seroquel (two of the 25 mg. I.R. and then another 25 mg. plus 12.5 mg. of Seroquel).  I was taking this at bedtime, however due to my chronic insomnia and the Seroquel possibly keeping me awake, I have switched to taking them in the a.m.  I will be taking it as follows;  two of the 25 mg. I.R. Seroquel in the a.m. and then  one and a half of the 25 mg. Seroquel in the evening.  I am not taking any Seroquel XR at the moment.  I am also taking Remeron 15 mg. at bedtime.  I am also taking the following supplements\;  (From the Road Back:  Neuro Mini Endure, Omega 3 Supreme TG, Body Calm Supreme Nighttime Relief Melatonin Free, Optimum Solace, JNK Capsules), Lyme Ease (for Lyme Disease Tincture), Tryptophan. Max Relax, Magnesium, Concen Trace, Neuro P.S. Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Selenium, Niacinamide, Eden P.M. Sleep Support.  I am sorry to repeat myself, however my main grave concern is lack of sleep.  I have not slept for three days straight and I am concerned as to what this is doing to my physical and mental heath.

[sillylady]

This morning I was doing a little better. I got about 2 hours sleep last night and was able to stay in bed most of the night. Around noon I started to feel horrible again: depersonalization, head pressure, anxiety/panic attacks, adrenaline surges, muscle tension, burning throughout body from head to toe, scared that I will never recover from all of this, hearing and visual disturbances, sensory overload. I am still feeling this way tonight and as times goes on it appears to be getting worse. I wish I knew exactly what was causing me to feel this way. I am still basically housebound as these ongoing symptoms make it extremely difficult for me to leave.

[sillylady]

I was able to get about 2 hours sleep again last night. However I have this constant 24/7 burning throughout my body. It feels like my body is on fire from head to toe. It also affects my stomach by giving me adrenaline surges. I am notsure where this is coming from. As I also suffer from Lyme Disease, Bartonella, Babesia, hypothyroidism, adrenal exhaustion, gluten intolerance and Candida I am totally confused. I have read that one of the side effects of Seroquel is a burning sensation and this is also one of the withdrawal symptoms. As I am not currently withdrawing from Seroquel or Remeron I am assuming that this could also be a symptom of my previous withdrawal three weeks ago. I realize that I have to take the withdrawal from Seroquel and Remeron very slowly, however I am desperate to get off these poisons as I don'tknow how much longer I can exist like this. Please I desperately need some information on this a.s.a.p. Thank you.

[Altostrata]

We do not recommend True Hope's supplements or withdrawal programs, or The Road Back's.

 

Cortef is a powerful steroid (hydrocortisone) http://www.drugs.com/pro/cortef.htmlthat suppresses the immune system. Is this the appropriate treatment for Lyme's etc??

 

You have a lot of health issues. If I were you, I would not add more drugs to your regimen. With all these health conditions, you need to see a good doctor -- I would look for an MD -- who will verify all your diagnoses and treat you appropriately with the minimum of drugs.

 

More drugs is not better -- it's more dangerous. Same with supplements.

 

It looks like you are taking a bunch of things that are supposed to help sleep. When it comes to sleep and the hypersensitivity brought on by withdrawal syndrome, sometimes the more you pile on, the worse it gets. You need to reduce all your supplements. They could be confusing your condition.

 

If I were you, I would stop taking Neuro Mini Endure, Body Calm Supreme Nighttime Relief Melatonin Free, Optimum Solace, JNK Capsules (from The Road Back). They are all worthless. See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7717-the-road-back-and-their-supplements/?p=175998

 

You may be having a bad reaction to Tryptophan. Stop taking it.

 

Neuro P.S. is nothing but phosphatidylserine. You may be having a bad reaction to it. Stop taking it.

 

Stop taking Max Relax; it contains contain a bunch of things you might find in an ordinary multivitamin with minerals (as does JNK capsules). You may react badly to the B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6 and inositol, and taurine.

 

Eden P.M. Sleep Support -- you may note its Web site http://www.eden-pm.com/Default.htmdoes not divulge its ingredients. In the supplement business, this is an indication of dishonesty. Here are the ingredients: http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/pure_life-eden_pm.htm This is the same crap, outrageously overpriced, as in your other supplements. Stop taking this.

 

(At some point, when you are feeling stronger, you may wish to try each of these supplements one by one before throwing them out. If you have subscribed to some kind of periodic replenishment, cancel your subscriptions.)

 

Here are the ingredients of ConcenTrace, http://www.traceminerals.com/files/16-TMR_TMD-TMT_lit_5.pdfIf you have thyroid problems, the iodine in it could be making them worse.

 

Several of your supplements contain selenium. You need to get a selenium blood test to check your level of selenium before supplementing with selenium. You may be taking too much.

 

What you might continue taking:

 

Generally, we recommend fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/
 

Omega 3 Supreme TG is nothing but an ordinary, but overpriced, omega-3 fish oil supplement. It's a good idea to take 400IU vitamin E a day with fish oil, it helps it to work.

 

What type of magnesium are you taking, and how much? Magnesium glycinate is probably the best form.

 

Vitamin D is generally good, as is niacinamide, but some people have bad reactions to it. What form are you taking, and how much?

 

I hope you are not counting on Lyme Ease (for Lyme Disease Tincture) to cure your Lyme Disease, if you truly have it. You need to see a Lyme specialist about Lyme disease.

 

If your naturopath prescribed all the above, he or she is an idiot and needs to be fired (by you).

 

How much Remeron are you taking now? At what time of day do you take Seroquel and Remeron? Have your symptoms changed since you reinstated them? The adrenaline surges, etc. sound like withdrawal syndrome. It can take a while for these to settle down. See About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Please put ALL the drugs you take in the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and copy and paste the results in this topic.

[sillylady]

Hi! I was taking Cortef due to adrenal exhaustion. I took it for about two years at 25 mg. per day divided by three. I have been off of it for about 4-5 months.

It is next to impossible to get a good doctor in Victoria, B. C. at the present time. I am currently seeing a walk in clinic doctor and she is only in on Wednesday mornings. I will stop taking all the supplements you have suggested. I did take some tryptophan last night as I was desperate to get some sleep. It didn't help much. I have been taking the concen Trace due to the fact I have been having quite a lot of diarehha. I am attempting to replace my minerals. I only take 200 mcg. of Selenium for helping the thyroid. The type of magnesium I am taking is Magnesium malate and oxide. I take 1500 mg. at bedtime.

I saw a Lyme Literate Naturopathic Doctor in December 2013 and was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, Bartonella and Babesia in January 2014. He did blood work through Igenix Labs in the United States. They are the most reliable lab for Lyme disease and its co-infections. I also had the rash and other symptoms that lead up to the disease. I am currently also attempting to use a rife machine to treat the Lyme Disease but am having to go very very slowly with it as it causes me to herx quite badly.

I am taking 15 mg. of Remeron at bedtime and 50 mg. of Seroquel in the a.m. and 37.5 mg. in the evening. My symptoms have gotten a lot worse since switching from the Seroquel XR to the the Seroquel immediate release. However, I do believe that it is the meds that are causing a lot of the symptoms I am having such as the chronic insomnia, adrenaline surges, anxiety/panic attacks, head pressure, body vibrations, burning throughout body etc. I feel that I am reacting badly to the meds and need to get off them as soon as possible. I don't know how much longer I can go on like this. I am barely eating, hardly sleeping and am ready to die at any time. I had another horrendous night last night and am not able to function at all today.

[sillylady]

Update: I forgot to mention that I also have protein isolate shakes during the day and evening. I am also somewhat leary of stopping all the supplements at once as I am afraid my symptoms will just get worse. There has to be something I can take to help me sleep. I am so super sensitive to pharmaceuticals and don't want to have to withdraw from anymore than I am now. Is there anything in the natural line that could possibly help with sleeping and anxiety/panic attacks? I am getting to the point where I just can't go on like this much longer.

[Altostrata]

Who recommended all those supplements?

 

You cannot even begin to unravel all your symptoms, including the sleep problems, while taking all those supplements. You are probably making them worse. More is not better for people who are super-sensitive.

 

The type of magnesium you're taking, at a very high dosage, could be causing diarrhea. Please read the links I gave you.

 

You need to add up the selenium in ALL the supplements you're taking. You may be taking an excessive amount of selenium.

 

I spent a great deal of time looking up all those supplements. If you do not care to follow my suggestions, that's up to you.

[sillylady]

Hi! I appreciate your looking up all the supplements I have been taking. I never said that I didn't want to follow your suggestions. In fact, this morning I have stopped all of the supplements and am just taking the Seroquel, Remeron, Desiccated thyroid and Lyme Ease drops. What I said was I am concerned that if I don't have something else to help me sleep besides the meds that my symptoms may get much worse than they are now and I would not be able to tolerate them as they are totally intolerable now. I am willing to try anything that might help within reason to get me through this torture. I also stated that I believe the Seroquel and Remeron could be causing my insomnia along with the Lyme Disease and its co-infections as I get quite sleepy just before going to bed and then once I am in bed the adrenaline surges, anxiety/panic attacks, burning, head pressure etc. start up and continue all night thus making it virtually impossible for me to sleep. I am unable to sit down or lie down and close my eyes without the dreaded surges attacking me relentlessly. I am not sure what is causing this (withdrawal/side effects from meds or my Lyme Disease and co's). No one recommended all the supplements, I just heard about the Road Back from the internet and it sounded like he might be able to get me off the Seroquel and Remeron by using the supplements. I am desperate to get off the meds as I feel they are doing me more harm than good.

[Altostrata]

Who is monitoring your thyroid tests? Thyroid treatment requires periodic monitoring.

 

You didn't even mention desiccated thyroid before.

 

Please put ALL the drugs you take in the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and copy and paste the results in this topic.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

Lyme disease is a complex illness. I don't know much about it and cannot give you any suggestions for it.

 

It is possible Lyme disease (if you truly have it) is at the base of your sleep problem but it sounds exactly like withdrawal syndrome. See What is withdrawal syndrome?

 

What is your psychiatric drug history over the last several years? To help us out, see these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature
 

Also see Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

You must read the links I and the mods give you.

 

 

[sillylady]

My G.P. is monitoring my thyroid tests. I have had hypothyroidism for the 12 years and my thyroid has been very hard to stabilize all those years. In the beginning I was put on Synthroid and then switched to desicatted then back to Synthroid. I was on Synthroid until about 2011 and then switched back to desiccated which I have been on ever since. Still my thyroid is all over the place. Due to how I am feeling I must have forgot about the desiccated thyroid.

 

Yes, I do have Lyme Disease, Bartonella and Babesia. As stated in my previous post I was diagnosed by a naturopathic doctor in Vancouver, B. C. There is no Lyme literate medical doctor in Victoria, B. C. If doctor's get caught treating Lyme Disease and its co-infections they could lose their license. And yes, you are right, Lyme Disease is a complex illness and its symptoms are very similar to drug withdrawal and side effects. There are thousands of people in B.C. who have it and can't get the proper treatment for it so we just continue to suffer. I had the rash and many other symptoms and as they usually go on symptoms rather than tests I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and co's. The naturopathic doctor also took 10 vials of blood and sent them to Igenix Labs in the United States as they have the most reliable testing. I realize that if you have never suffered from Lyme Disease and its co-infections you probably don't know much about it.I would suggest you going to the ILADS website as they have the most up to date information on it and the treatments.

 

As a young girl I started having severe anxiety/panic attacks. I was taken to our family doctor who sent me to a child psychiatrist who put me on Dalmane and said he didn't need to see me anymore and left me on it for several years. After that I went through the whole gambit of benzodiazapines and was addicted to them for 26 years. I went cold-turkey off them in 1990 and suffered through a horrendous 2 1/2 protrated withdrawal. I was off all meds until 2003 when I once again started having severe anxiety/panic attacks with chronic insomnia. It took my doctor at the time a year to diagnose me with hypothyroidism. During that time I was put on Seroquel and Remeron for sleep. Once they got my thyroid semi-balanced, I was able to wean myself off both the Seroquel and Remeron over an extended period of time. In 2012 the same anxiety/panic attacks, chronic insomnia, severe fatigue, adrenaline surges etc. came back. This once again necessitated me going back on the Seroquel to help with the insomnia which it never did. Over the past 4 years I have continued to go downward in my health. As things got worse I added in the Remeron, Gabapentin and Zoplicone. Over the past year I attempted to get off these meds as they were just making me worse. I was off all of them for about three weeks when all hell broke loose and I ended up on the psych ward for a week. They kept me on the Seroquel and Remeron and for 4 nights I was also supposed to take Luvox but I only took it once and was able to get rid of it the other three nights by hiding it in my cheek. The discharging psychiatrist said that due to the fact many years ago I had a bad reaction to Paxil I should never have been given that med.

 

I still may have forgotten some information and I will post it as I remember it.

[Altostrata]

If you don't mind, I'm not going to read up on Lyme disease. I have quite enough to do already.

 

Please put ALL the drugs you take in the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and copy and paste the results in this topic.

 

You don't have to recount all the details of your psychiatric drug history. It's pretty clear you have a long history of going on and off drugs and it's highly likely your nervous system is sensitized because of that -- along with the Lyme disease.

 

Please put your current drug intake in your signature, and the dates on which you reinstated the psych drugs.

[sillylady]

I was not meaning you should read up on Lyme Disease and its co-infections, only that if you or anyone you know hasn't had Lyme Disease it is not uncommon for you to not know very much about it. However, if you do get it you will know. (You won't get it until you get it). It is a very debilitating disease.

 

I am sorry I don't know how to copy and paste.

 

It may appear that I have a long history of being on an off psychiatric meds, however, there have been long periods of my being totally off all meds. The only reason I would go back on them is when a physical illness would come up and it would take the doctors months to figure out what was wrong with me and due to the chronic insomnia, anxiety/panic attacks, and many other psychiatric symptoms I had no choice but to resort to meds in order to get that under control. Once that was figured out I would slowly wean myself off them and get on with my life.

[sillylady]

Last night was another horrendous night. Very little if any sleep, however was able to stay in bed. Stopped all of my supplements yesterday except for taking a small amount of Passion Flower as my symptoms were getting to the intolerable level again. Today I am once again feeling the head pressure, burning throughout body, adrenaline surges, anxiety/panic attacks, chronic fatigue, etc. I find it extremely difficult to function to any degree. I feel like I can't think straight, am losing my mind or this will never end. I am making every effort to recover and have just recently started rifing for my Lyme Disease and co-infections. However, as my body is extremely sensitive to any changes, I have to go really slowly at whatever I do.

[Altostrata]

Those may be withdrawal symptoms from the gabapentin, Remeron, Seroquel, and zopiclone reductions.

 

Did you have those symptoms prior to reducing gabapentin and Remeron? When did they start up?

 

Do you find passion flower helps?

 

How is this symptom pattern different from when you were taking all those supplements?

 

How long and how often were you taking Eden P.M. Sleep Support?

[sillylady]

I have had the adrenaline surges, anxiety/panic attacks, chronic insomnia, burning throughout body, etc. ever since I have been on the Gabapentin and Remeron.  I have had it worse since being on the Seroquel for the second time and now it is even more intense.  No, Passion Flower or anything else doesn't seem to help with the sleeping.  I feel I am getting worse and worse day by day and I have been feeling this way even when I was taking all the supplements.  I have only been using the Eden P.M. maybe for about 12 doses and even it doesn't help.  I feel there is no way out of this except suicide.  I am getting weaker and weaker day by day and don't have anything to live for.  I have fought hard and long and the symptoms are just too intense and the lack of sleep is wearing me out.  I can't live another day like this.  I don't want to die, I just can't live like this.

[Altostrata]

Did you go off something else before you went on Remeron and gabapentin?

 

Many of us have been through the grueling insomnia. Hang in there, it does get better.

 

All those supplements may have been too much for your nervous system. Eden P.M. actually contains a fairly strong drug, Pheyl-GABA or phenibut.

 

Are you still taking fish oil and magnesium? How much of each and when?

[sillylady]

No, I am not aware of going off of anything else before going on the Remeron and Gabapentin.

 

I was not aware that there was phenibut in the Eden P.M.  I talked to the person who makes the Eden P.M. and asked him specifically what was in it and he never mentioned anything about phenibut.  I know that it is a very strong drug and had bought a product a couple of years ago with it in but I never took any of it when I read about phenibut.  Could I possibly be withdrawing from it now?  How long does it take to get out of your system?

I have been taking 1500 mg. of magnesium at bedtime.  I haven't been taking the fish oil for a couple of days.  I don't find that either one of them is of benefit to me.  I have also been taking a supplement (not recently) called Max Relax and Gaba Max and it looks like they also have phenibut in them.  It is listed as Phenyl-Gaba on both of them. 

 

As the Seroquel and Remeron don't appear to be helping me much if any, could you please help me with slowly tapering off of them so I don't have a horrendous withdrawal and protracted withdrawal at the end.  I find that they are possibly keeping me awake.  I want to do this properly so would look forward to your input in this.  Today, due to the chronic insomnia, adrenaline surges, anxiety/panic attacks etc. I went to a place called the Farmacy to check out cannabis oil.  I briefly saw a naturopathic doctor there and she recommended some hemp capsules (CBD with no THC).  I have tried one and so far I haven't noticed much difference in how I am feeling.  I just need to get some ongoing sleep and I am not sure how to go about it.  I am beginning to think that due to the Lyme Disease and co-infections and the withdrawal/side effects from the meds that I might never recover,. 

[Altostrata]

It could be your entire psychiatric drug history, plus your experiments with psychoactive supplements, plus the Lyme disease, have left your nervous system hyper-sensitive to drug changes. Something happened in 2012, perhaps taking antibiotics?, that caused a reaction from your nervous system.

 

In 2012 the same anxiety/panic attacks, chronic insomnia, severe fatigue, adrenaline surges etc. came back. This once again necessitated me going back on the Seroquel to help with the insomnia which it never did. Over the past 4 years I have continued to go downward in my health. As things got worse I added in the Remeron, Gabapentin and Zoplicone.

 

 

Please allow me to explain paradoxical reactions, as you tend to overdose yourself with drugs as well as supplements. What this means is that something that is supposed to be calming causes the opposite reaction. The nervous system wants to maintain a certain level of arousal. When you pound it down with drugs, supplements, etc. (such as your combination of supplements with Eden P.M.), it will defend itself with even worse surges of anxiety, insomnia, etc.

 

This exacerbates any existing hyper-reactivity. You've been doing this for a long time, plus perhaps going off drugs too fast, which makes it even worse.

 

It was only the beginning of July that you had severe withdrawal symptoms from Seroquel and Remeron (and perhaps other things). Your nervous system needs to stabilize. You may not think the drugs are doing you any good, but going off them too fast can make your condition a lot worse.

 

dalsaan gave you some links in June that you really need to read.

 

Many people come here in a similar state. It can be difficult, but what you need to do is let your nervous system settle down. This means NO DRUG CHANGES OR SUPPLEMENT ADDITIONS for a good while, maybe months. Sleep will slowly come back.

 

1500mg magnesium is an extremely high dose, plus you're taking an amount that might cause gut distress. If I were you, I'd reduce to 250mg and get magnesium glycinate.

 

It would be helpful if you could keep notes on paper about your daily symptom pattern relative to when you take your drugs.

 

If you still insist on going off Seroquel and Remeron at this point, see

 

Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)
 

Tips for tapering off Seroquel (quetiapine)

[sillylady]

Hi!  I am currently taking 50 mg. of Seroquel in the a.m. and 37.5 mg. in p.m. and 15 mg. of Remeron in the p.m.  I had previously been on Seroquel 550 mg. per day for approximately 2 1/2 years, Gabapentin 200 mg. per day at bedtime for about 7 years, Remeron 30 mg. at bedtime for about 7 years, Zoplicone 7.5 mg. at bedtime for about 8 months and Cortef 25 mg. per day for about 2 years.  About 6 weeks ago I was totally off all the psych meds for about 3 weeks and I went into a horrendous acute withdrawal and ended up in the psych ward for a week wherein they put me back on Seroquel 50 mg. ER x 2 at bedtime and 15 mg. of Seroquel at bedtime.  I have switched from the Seroquel ER to Seroquel I. R. and am now taking 87.5 mg. and 15 mg. of the Remeron.  I desperately want to get off these meds as I believe they are making me much worse and causing me to have chronic insomnia, anxiety/panic attacks, head pressure, burning and tingling throughout body, depersonalization, adrenaline surges, blurry vision, ringing ears etc. 

 

As I failed at doing the taper as short time ago, I am somewhat concerned that I will go through another very debilitating acute withdrawal syndrome and end up in the hospital again.  I need to know how others were able to successfully get off these two wicked poisons and stay off them.  Please any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Are there any supplements you could recommend or other treatments that would help with the withdrawal symptoms/side effects etc.  Thank you.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Sillylady,

 

Your introductory topic is here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9324-sillylady/

 

and ALL your posts about your situation go in that topic. The mods have told you this and that is why your posts keep getting moved there. This post will get moved there too shortly. Bookmark it so you can find it easily.

 

The mods and admin have given you links to the information you are requesting and it would be a good idea for you to read back through your thread and find them and read them, over and over if need be. They will not be repeating them endlessly as everyone here is a volunteer and have their hands full helping ALL of the members.

 

If it is not already mentioned in your topic the info is in the Tapering forum and the Symptoms forum. You can search those forums using the site search or google, whichever you prefer.

[Altostrata]

Thank you, cw. I merged the topics.

 

Sillylady, the reason we ask you to put all your questions in one topic is so you don't have to keep repeating yourself and we don't have to keep repeating ourselves.

 

Please read this topic over from the start.

 

It is likely the symptoms you attribute to taking Seroquel and Remeron are due to a hangover from withdrawal before. Going off them again at this point is likely to make the withdrawal syndrome worse.

[Pugknows]

Hi silly lady,

 

I can hear in your posts that you are very scared, and rightly so. This is a daunting process, but try and remind yourself that you are merely experiencing symptoms of withdrawal that, yes, are horrific at times, but cannot harm you and are not permanent.

 

The most important thing to do to feel better, as Alto and others have said, is to keep things that you have control over very steady for your brain to have a consistent environment in which to operate. Don't think of the meds you are taking as "poison." You will drive yourself nuts.

Rather, think of the meds as a means of providing the stability it has come to expect since starting the drugs.

 

When you feel stronger, you can then start tapering. Not everyone achieves stability, especially if their version of stability means no symptoms, rather than a tolerable level of them. That's when your individual stamina and resolve will come into play.

 

Distract, pray, meditate and breathe when things are bad, knowing that they will pass in a few hours or less.

 

I am very slowly, incrementally getting better and I came off drugs CT, which is a white knuckle ride. You will fare better than I doing a slow taper. You will get better and you will heal 100%. The time passes at a snail's pace, but it does pass.

 

Love Pug

[sillylady]

Hi!  I am currently taking Seroquel 50 mg. IM. in a.m. and 37.5 mg. at bedtime and Remeron 15 mg. at bedtime.  I am having horrendous withdrawal/side effects from these meds and possibly from Gabapentin, Zoplicone, Cortef and Seroquel and Remeron that I tapered off of approximately 5 weeks ago but had to reinstate due to debilitating withdrawal symptoms. 

 

The symptoms I am currently experiencing are:  chronic insomnia (no sleep most nights and days), adrenaline surges, head pressure, anxiety/panic attacks, burning and tingling throughout body, feeling like I could pass out or die at any moment, depersonalization, feeling like I am going crazy and that there is no end to this, not wanting to live like this anymore, sensory overload (ringing ears, difficulty hearing, blurring vision, auras 3-4 times per week) and the list goes on.

 

I am wondering if taking some CBD with a small amount of THC  would be helpful for my chronic insomnia and adrenaline surges as I feel if I could just get some sleep on a regular basis I would be able to cope with these ongoing symptoms.  I also suffer from Lyme Disease, Bartonella, Babesia, gluten intolerance, Candida and hypo-hyperthyroidism.  At the present time I am so totally exhausted I feel like my body is just about at its breaking point as I can't tolerate these symptoms much more.    Any information would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you.

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by ChessieCat
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[Altostrata]

SL, you must add to this topic in the Intro section, do not start another topic.

 

Even more important, you need to read the replies to your posts.

 

My impression is that you like to experiment with drugs and alternative remedies. I've explained several times how this can backfire. I don't think there's anything else I can add.