Ryder: Zoloft to clomipramine

[ChessieCat]

what-is-the-sleep-cycle

 

[ChessieCat]

If you sleep during the day you will obviously have difficulty sleeping at night.  I haven't read through this but it is from the sleep foundation.

 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/how-to-reset-your-sleep-routine

[Shep]

6 hours ago, Ryder said:

Is it advised to sleep during the day ? I do this as i don't sleep during the night time.

 

 

ChessieCat is leaving great information.

 

I'll just add that if you don't have any responsibilities during the day and you can transition to a nocturnal schedule to get more sleep, that would be a good idea. However, if you have a job or school during the day, you'll likely need to implement a more structured sleep schedule.

[Ryder]

Guys, I had a college course that required me to attend from about 1:30pm to 4:30pm. As i have been tapering on my Valium, i have been unable to attend the course on time and with regularity. I even adjusted my timetable  so that i could attend after lunchtime and onwards. It still has been difficult to attend even though i do like it there the campus, people and all. The commute is 1.5 hours there and back and left me completely exhausted if i had to come back the next day i would be bedridden physically and mentally. Maybe i am a little too soft ?? 

 

For the positives i noticed that when i attended class and got regular sunlight, i did get restful sleep. I was not attending everyday but i noticed it did help with my circadian rhythms for the following few days at a time.

 

I feels a complete waste that i am unable to attend my class. I have so much to give.

 

Edit. I did post this under my Benzo thead but the post was moved here.

[ChessieCat]

18 hours ago, Ryder said:

For the positives i noticed that when i attended class and got regular sunlight, i did get restful sleep. I was not attending everyday but i noticed it did help with my circadian rhythms for the following few days at a time.

 

I have noticed when I am more physically active than usual that my sleep quality improves.

 

18 hours ago, Ryder said:

Edit. I did post this under my Benzo thead but the post was moved here.

 

You posted the previous post about sleep in the Benzo thread (which I moved here to your Intro yesterday).  The above quoted post you made (which was not moved) is not about tapering it is about your experience.  The Benzo forum is strictly for getting tapering information since there are only a couple of mods with benzo knowledge.

[Ryder]

Fair enough Chessiecat. I appreciate the article you have shared about sleep. 
 

I have tried to reset my sleep during evenings But the worries are so bad. I leave it to mornings before I am exhausted and fall asleep. 

 

It almost feels like a trauma in my beingness that I am reliving in my mind. It causes a lot of stress physically and I don’t want to get outside. 

[Ryder]

I am probably going to go back in for treatment. I saw a friend from school today who i hadn't seen in 12-13 years. I was just a shadow of my former self when i saw her and i really felt like i wanted to burst out crying.

 

I haven't been sleeping at all well, my thoughts are going round and round repetitively and it is really painful for me to think of at the minute. I think i just want to avoid people at the moment until i am better atleast and be under the care of people who might be able give me treatment and let me rest.

[ChessieCat]

If they offer any drugs/supplements/treatment I suggest that you do you own research BEFORE taking anything.  If taking supplements it is better to take them individually (ie not a complex), only start one at a time and a small dose.

 

A member posted recently that they had acupuncture and their symptoms got worse.  From reading members' experiences here on SA, many treatments which "regular" people have might be overstimulating for people whose nervous systems are sensitised.

 

savinggrace posted this comment to another member:

 

20 hours ago, savinggrace said:

I just was wanting you to consider not taking a remedy for every symptom because you just don’t know what it will do.

 

[Ryder]

I believe you have posted the above information in the wrong post Chessie. This is not for me ^.

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, Ryder said:

I believe you have posted the above information in the wrong post Chessie. This is not for me ^.

 

No, it was for you.  You said:

 

On 5/22/2022 at 8:35 AM, Ryder said:

I am probably going to go back in for treatment.

 

[Ryder]

Hi Chessie,

 

This is not for supplements. This is basically a private hospital (psych ward) for Benzo treatment.

 

I don’t have a job, I have trouble attending my studies, I have little energy and motivation to get up during the daylight hours, I am friendless, most people on the street avoid me. Lastly, I ruminate a lot which keeps me awake at night. I live with my Dad despite being 31 years of age. I am full of tears when I reflect when I reached out for help, and experienced psychosis when being prescribed, and changed Anti-Psychotics prior to my first stay in hospital in 2014. 
 

I think about booking myself a bed in Hospital because at least I won’t be a burden on my family, and maybe they can help taper me off my Benzodiazepine atleast
Also, I can be left alone in my drunken stupor of taking these drugs and be left alone. 😔 

[ChessieCat]

We all want a quick fix but when it comes to getting off psychiatric drugs, quick is definitely not the best way to go.

 

I think it is possible that you want to be somewhere safe and where you will be looked after.  And part of it might be because it will be fast, easy/easier and it won't require much/any effort from you.  You go somewhere for a while and then step out the other end after a short time and things will be all fixed/better and everything in your life will work out right/the way you want it.  Other members have voiced the same desire to go somewhere.  In reality I think the outcome would be very different.  Firstly being away from your own environment can be very stressful.  You would have very little control on what you do, and when you do it.  Your choices of foods and activities will be limited.  You probably wouldn't be able to go out whenever you wanted to.  And I imagine that it would cost a lot of money.

 

I think it is also possible that they would try to get you off your drug/s much quicker than they should and there is a possibility that they might change drug/s or add something new.

 

At what speed do you think they will go?  In your signature you state:

 

Diazepam (V): 25th October 2019, 20mg. 22 Dec 19, 19mg. 04 April 2020: 18mg,  30 September 2020: 17.5mg , 13 November 2020 17mg. 01 January 2021: 16mg, 13th Aug 15mg. 1st November 2021 14.5mg. 1st December 2021 14mg. 13 January 2022: 13.5mg, 11 Feb: 13mg.  11 April 22' 12.5mg, 12 May 22': 12mg
*Have tried to go at faster rate than 0.5mg but is currently too fast. 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by ChessieCat

[Ryder]

7 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

At what speed do you think they will go?  In your signature you state:

 

Roughly 1mg per week, or 1mg every two weeks based on my previous experience. This is because they need the bed at the facility for incoming patients, instead of worrying about their current one.

[ChessieCat]

45 minutes ago, Ryder said:

 

Roughly 1mg per week, or 1mg every two weeks based on my previous experience.

 

So much faster than the rate that you are currently going.

 

Your current rate id 0.5mg every 4 weeks

Your current dose is 12mg

 

A comparison of the percent decreases for your taper rate and their (possible) rates:

 

0.5mg per month (12mg to 11.5mg):    4.16667% decrease

 

1mg per fortnight = 2mg per month:  16.6667% decrease

 

1mg per week      = 4mg per month:  33.3333% decrease

 

Q:  Do you think that this would be a good idea? 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

46 minutes ago, Ryder said:

This is because they need the bed at the facility for incoming patients, instead of worrying about their current one.

 

So very true.

[Ryder]

50 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

 

So much faster than the rate that you are currently going.

 

50 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

 

1mg per fortnight = 2mg per month:  16.6667% decrease

 

1mg per week      = 4mg per month:  33.3333% decrease

 

Q:  Do you think that this would be a good idea? 

 

 

No. The last two would not be good.

[Ryder]

Making a change to 75mg Anafranil in order to get some sleep. 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Ryder,

This is your place to post things like the above.

Looks like you just went down with the Anafranil per your signature.

How long the sleeplessness or poor sleep?

What else have you tried?

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[Ryder]

2 hours ago, manymoretodays said:

Looks like you just went down with the Anafranil per your signature.

How long the sleeplessness or poor sleep?

 

Thanks for finding this as i have two separate forum threads with one for Anafranil and the other for Benzo.

 

I have had poor sleep since i made the reduction to 70mg.

 

I had been going to a part time volunteer job which required me to wash dishes (nothing big). As i went there during the day on 70mg i was alot more alert, however i was really tired from no sleep. I didn't not want to be able to go wash dishes as it gave me a sense of purpose so i thought i would give the meds at 75mg a try again at my previous dose.

 

On 70mg, i would use stretching and a little bit of exercise to sleep.

[Ryder]

Noting down what tends to happen when I decrease to 70mg:

 

- More energy and alertness 

- I Sleep during the day as I haven’t slept the night before. 
- I shed a tonne of weight. 
- I ruminate on events. I’m not working most days (volunteer 1 day per week) and I have a lot of spare time to think. 

[manymoretodays]

Nothing wrong with holding steady with a dose Ryder. 

Did you go up and then back down again already?

I'm still seeing 75 mg, and that is okay, for now.

 

Work on the ruminating loopy thoughts.

Oh so many ways........

Non-drug techniques to cope

see the extensive indexed list in the first post

 

With your Valium, I'd opt for just 0.25 mg tapers when you do those.  And do them independently of the Anafranil too, which it appears that you have been doing.

 

Maybe when the Valium gets a bit lower you'll feel more human and less prone to rumination and stuckage-ness.  And then you can work the Anafranil further.

 

Don't stress beyond each day, nor compare with how or where you think you should be.......looking at others all the time.  I suspect you have plenty of time to get this right, get the life you deserve.

 

New year......it's gonna be great!  Some days will anyway.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[Ryder]

7 hours ago, manymoretodays said:

Don't stress beyond each day, nor compare with how or where you think you should be.......looking at others all the time.  I suspect you have plenty of time to get this right, get the life you deserve.

Thanks MMT. That is a really nice message you have written. 

[Ryder]

Noting that I tried to go down to 50mg for two weeks. I started out with a lot of energy for the first few days. Once again, my mind became wrestless and I struggled with sleep. 
 

Now currently on 70mg. 

[Shep]

10 hours ago, Ryder said:

Noting that I tried to go down to 50mg for two weeks. I started out with a lot of energy for the first few days. Once again, my mind became wrestless and I struggled with sleep. 
 

Now currently on 70mg. 

 

Ryder, is the 50 mg a typo? You went down to 50 mg and then up to 70 mg? In your signature for Anafranil, you have "Dec 22: 75mg, 14 January 23: 70mg."

[Ryder]

It was 50mg Shep and that was not a typo. I had struggled to get out of bed in the mornings.
 

Ryder. 

[Ryder]

Hi guys, I am feeling a wee bit better since the updose to 70mg and my sleep has improved. 

[Shep]

Glad you're feeling better, Ryder. 

[Ryder]

Hi guys, I have increased my Clomipromine to 60mg. I was on 50mg for 6 months, but my sleep was pretty bad and non-existent. I don't think I will be able to taper the Valium (Benzo) without it.

[Chaos9211]

20 hours ago, Ryder said:

Hi guys, I have increased my Clomipromine to 60mg. I was on 50mg for 6 months, but my sleep was pretty bad and non-existent. I don't think I will be able to taper the Valium (Benzo) without it.

Hi Ryder,

 

When you say sleep was bad, does it mean sleep onset was an issue or sleep maintenance, also what was average sleep you were getting

 

You know your situation best but i have found ADs to be more activating even if they put me to sleep.

 

As I have dropped from 75mg anafranil to 50 mg, my sleep has actually improved if i look at the data on a bigger scale and ignore day to day hiccups.