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George55: Sleeping all the time to escape


George55

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I'm new here, never written a post before although I often refer to various websites for assistance, SA looks like a great resource centre.

 

I had a breakdown 2 years ago which caused a number of issues, from Sleep apnea (I'm not obese), bad joint pains, even more panic attacks. I can only handle 6 hours work a day, from working round the clock for many years.

 

Started tapering in March as fed up with foggy brain and having to take 2 hour naps to escape my mind swirling out of control. Estimated plan is 20 months to taper off completely. I have spreadsheets with dates and i am using a daily journal to track my feelings rated 5 - 0 (5 being off the chart and 0 being ok'ish and thinking clearly)

 

Motivation to get up and go for a walk is a big deal, but slowly making progress. I know the benefits but easier said than done.

 

I learned 2 years ago to walk away when stress became too high, at which point I sleep. My wife and family are very supportive and understand the pressure I'm under trying to run a business.

 

I hope this is the correct forum to introduce myself, and look forward to any advise / feedback.

Edited by scallywag
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Diagnosed GAD. Aged 44 and was on 40mg to 15mg of Seroxat (Paroxetine) since 1999. High Anxiety, ruminating, and fearing the worst. Started tapering (15mg) -10% per month in March using liquid. Also just stopped Lyrica in March (100mg). (Should have tapered Lyrica but didn't)

4/17 14mg (Seroxat)

5/17 12.6mg

6/17 11.3mg

7/17 10.2mg

8/17 9mg

9/17 8.2mg - Nightmare Anxiety (Off work)

10/17 8.8mg Had to go up! (Off work)

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Hello George55

 

Welcome to the forum.  I found it in February this year after suffering so long alone. I read through lots of threads and all the information and have found it very helpful in understanding what is going on with the meds.

 

One of the moderators will certainly welcome you and help you along your journey.

 

I am down south in the uk too!

Various antipressants from 1991 to 2016, Sertraline and many switches over the years.

Last AD's taken:

Citalopram for two weeks only May 2016  to June 2016, last AD taken and CT'd.

2012 to May 2016 Duloxitine 60mg. Doctor switched to Citalopram 20mg May 2016.

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Hi Waves12,

 

Thank you, its so reassuring to know others are in the same boat (Big Boat!). Just read your posts and can see the same issues, so sorry.

 

Appreciate your comments.

Diagnosed GAD. Aged 44 and was on 40mg to 15mg of Seroxat (Paroxetine) since 1999. High Anxiety, ruminating, and fearing the worst. Started tapering (15mg) -10% per month in March using liquid. Also just stopped Lyrica in March (100mg). (Should have tapered Lyrica but didn't)

4/17 14mg (Seroxat)

5/17 12.6mg

6/17 11.3mg

7/17 10.2mg

8/17 9mg

9/17 8.2mg - Nightmare Anxiety (Off work)

10/17 8.8mg Had to go up! (Off work)

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi George, welcome to SA. How long were you taking lyrica?  It needs tapering and you could be suffering some withdrawal. I would hold the seroxat taper for a while, tapering another drug while in withdrawal can make things much worse. Some people can taper lyrica faster than the usual 10% we recommend but it is better to taper than c/t.  Well done for planning your seroxat taper, it is good to see that you have done your homework.  :)

I would throw away the calender and listen to your body rather than a timetable. Sometimes longer holds are needed and you will learn how your body responds to the cuts. It can be frustrating when the time comes and you are feeling withdrawal, however mild. It is never a good thing to make anothetr cut while still feeling the effects of the last one, which is why it is best to use your body as your guide. When you have been stable for 3-4 weeks after each cut you can consider the next one. You will get the hang of it as you go along.  

 

Thank you for filling your signature.  :)

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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Hi MammaP,

 

Thanks for your response, I've been on Lyrica on and off for 4 years and stopped a few times in the past with only a few wobbly days after. In hindsight not the best move but its done now and I will concentrate on the Seroxat tapering.

 

Interesting note about the calendar, I will listen to my body and state of mind so I will used the calendar to track my feelings if only to gauge my general wellbeing. Its easy to generalise a situation by a few bad days whilst missing the good ones. Even over the last 2 months I'm seeing a pattern emerge of around 50% bad days whereas I would have put money on it being a lot higher.

 

Appreciate your support, SA is keeping me going knowing their is a community of people who know exactly whats going on. Just reading various topics is making it a little easier.

 

G.

Diagnosed GAD. Aged 44 and was on 40mg to 15mg of Seroxat (Paroxetine) since 1999. High Anxiety, ruminating, and fearing the worst. Started tapering (15mg) -10% per month in March using liquid. Also just stopped Lyrica in March (100mg). (Should have tapered Lyrica but didn't)

4/17 14mg (Seroxat)

5/17 12.6mg

6/17 11.3mg

7/17 10.2mg

8/17 9mg

9/17 8.2mg - Nightmare Anxiety (Off work)

10/17 8.8mg Had to go up! (Off work)

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Lots of us here successfully stopped drugs but there comes a time when the nervous system just can't take it anymore.  I had lots of short trials with various drugs but never took them for very long and had no problem quitting, then the time came when I couldn't and was very very sick when taking or stopping them. We become very sensitive to them and withdrawal becomes inevitable .  :(

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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Evening MammaP,

 

I will take things really slow. 

 

Had a fantastic week, cant quite believe it, as it almost feel like I've woken up and feel good about things. Just taking one day at a time and enjoying the moment without digging too deep into my thoughts as to why I feel good. 

The more I read the better I feel.

 

Have a great weekend

G

Diagnosed GAD. Aged 44 and was on 40mg to 15mg of Seroxat (Paroxetine) since 1999. High Anxiety, ruminating, and fearing the worst. Started tapering (15mg) -10% per month in March using liquid. Also just stopped Lyrica in March (100mg). (Should have tapered Lyrica but didn't)

4/17 14mg (Seroxat)

5/17 12.6mg

6/17 11.3mg

7/17 10.2mg

8/17 9mg

9/17 8.2mg - Nightmare Anxiety (Off work)

10/17 8.8mg Had to go up! (Off work)

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  • 4 months later...

Been tapering since March, 15mg, now down to 8.8mg (Using liquid). Last month was at 8.2mg but anxiety and fear hit me hard, Worried about everything in my future, problems magnified 10x. Been off work now for 6 weeks. Feel depressed, no drive or ambition which is not me, slowly getting to the point I can go for walks 2 - 3 times a week. Feel lost, this is not me. I don't normally post but any direction would be helpful. Just want to sleep as this way I don't have to think about it.

Diagnosed GAD. Aged 44 and was on 40mg to 15mg of Seroxat (Paroxetine) since 1999. High Anxiety, ruminating, and fearing the worst. Started tapering (15mg) -10% per month in March using liquid. Also just stopped Lyrica in March (100mg). (Should have tapered Lyrica but didn't)

4/17 14mg (Seroxat)

5/17 12.6mg

6/17 11.3mg

7/17 10.2mg

8/17 9mg

9/17 8.2mg - Nightmare Anxiety (Off work)

10/17 8.8mg Had to go up! (Off work)

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

From your signature:  Also just stopped Lyrica in March (100mg). (Should have tapered Lyrica but didn't)

 

You commenced tapering Seroxat at the same time as you cold turkeyed Lyrica.  SA's recommends the same 10% tapering protocol for Lyrica.  It is hard to know if the withdrawal symptoms are from Lyrica or from Seroxat.

 

You have a few options:

  • reinstate a very tiny dose of Lyrica - it's been 7 months since you quit so you would try a very small dose, eg 1mg (one mg) to test to see if it doesn't cause any issues and then if things went okay and you needed to you could increase by very small increments and see if it improves your symptoms
  • updose your Seroxat - we don't know if the withdrawal is from Seroxat, especially since you have been doing an SA taper of 10% every 4 weeks
  • do nothing and hold for several months on your current dose

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Tips for tapering off Lyrica (pregabalin)

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

* 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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Hi ChessieCat,

 

Thanks for your reply, I took some Pregabalin (Lyrica) for 2 days and now I'm in the Priory. Had to up my Seroxat to my original dose of 15mg, 5 months down the drain, but they are suggesting swapping it for another SSRI which is easier to come off later in controlled conditions.

 

More when I get out.

 

G

Diagnosed GAD. Aged 44 and was on 40mg to 15mg of Seroxat (Paroxetine) since 1999. High Anxiety, ruminating, and fearing the worst. Started tapering (15mg) -10% per month in March using liquid. Also just stopped Lyrica in March (100mg). (Should have tapered Lyrica but didn't)

4/17 14mg (Seroxat)

5/17 12.6mg

6/17 11.3mg

7/17 10.2mg

8/17 9mg

9/17 8.2mg - Nightmare Anxiety (Off work)

10/17 8.8mg Had to go up! (Off work)

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