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Early-morning waking - managing the morning cortisol spike


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Remember People, DHEA is hormonal and coverts to estrogen.

 

7-KETO DHEA is a metabolite of DHEA and does not covert to testosterone or estrogen. Instead it lowers CORTISOL.

trintellix 1 mg and rexulti .5mg

 

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Remember People, DHEA is hormonal and coverts to estrogen.

 

7-KETO DHEA is a metabolite of DHEA and does not covert to testosterone or estrogen. Instead it lowers CORTISOL.

True about the converting to estrogen, but will also convert to testosterone & progesterone, so need to regularly monitor serum levels of DHEA-S and all hormones when taking it. I've also noticed it will increase serum IGF-1. Some of us need to back fill certain hormones and DHEA can be good at that, but again, needs to be monitored.7-keto does not affect the hormonal cascade and has some metabolic benefits, but has also been shown to be pro-inflammatory:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3066624/

This can include worsening of asthma, allergies, arthritis/joint pains, more frequent colds, etc.

 

As with any supp that affects hormones, one would be wise to take a break, giving the hormones a rest, and cycle off for a few weeks.

 

Here's more on 7-keto: http://examine.com/supplements/7-Keto+DHEA/

MEDS SUMMARY:

1) Valium: 10mg avg prn from 09-06-14 to 10-20-14
2) Xanax: 0.75mg avg prn from from 09-19-14 to 10-16-14
3) Lexapro: 5mg q.d. from 10-06-14 to 10-16-14
4) switched immediately to Clonazepam: 0.5mg average/day for 2 weeks (10-17-24-10-30-14); titrated to 1mg (0.5mg bid) on 10-31-14 to present; started microtaper @ .625% (.0031250mg x 2) from 08-09-15 to 08-15-15; .800% (.0038750mg x 2) from 08-16-15 to present; destabilized 08-19-15 (due to change from original tablet); reinstated, on day 54, and have tapered a total of 14% as of 09-30-15 with zero symptoms (knock on wood)!
5) Lamictal: 100mg q.d. from 10-23-14 to 12-04-14; started tapering 12-05-14, 25mg every 2 weeks; destabilized 01-15-14; reinstated 01-22-15 at 25mg q.d. from 01-24-15 to 02-19-15; cut approx. 3-4mg every 5-10 days until 03-22-15, then cut 2mg every 5-6 days until 05-12-15; holding at 4mg q.d. from 05-13-15 to present.
Detailed Analysis - Lamictal history: https://app.box.com/s/rnermghleue9aemyhd57l1a00gsk2i4u

6) Also taking meds for blood pressure (Coreg @ 6.25mg b.i.d. and Losartan @ 50mg b.i.d.) + for blood clot I had back in 2012 (Xarelto @ 10mg) + for hypothyroidism (Armour Thyroid @ 1grain q.d.)

 

HISTORY & SUPPLEMENT LIST: https://app.box.com/s/mc9mch8za2lbizgs9z8j4mzhz2oswn8l

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I have this of course during this w/d but I had a few times before the meds. I remember a project I was on for 14 months where I was only home on the weekends. I had to drive 5 hours to the project. I left at 3:00 in the morning on Monday, worked all week, and then would not get home until late Friday night. I missed my family terribly and the job was highly stressful.

 

One morning during this project I woke up and started feeling like I was in a war zone, but I was in my quiet company apartment. I was full of dread and horror but could not understand why. Again this was years before meds. It usually subsided after I got ready for work.

 

Now because of w/d I know what it was and I'm sure it was because of the stress I was under. I'm guessing w/d is now the stress that causes it but it's everyday all day for me right now.

40 year old male - First panic attack in May 2012

May 2012 Atenolol (beta blocker)25mg, Ativan 2mg
August 2012 Rapid taper ativan, started zoloft 25mg
Dec 2012... rapid taper zoloft,
January 2013 Xanax 1mg for 1 month
February 2013 Klonopin 1mg
April 2013 to May 2013 Rapid Taper Klonopin to 0.5mg
June 10th 2013 jumped from 0.5 Kpin and Atenolol 25mg
July 2013 two days of Ativan 1mg b/c of hospital visit
September 2013 started Effexor 75mg (this was a mistake i think)
July 2014 to October 2014 tapered off Effexor...

July 2015 - Reinstated zoloft 50mg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Been trialing Lactium (Swanson's Women's Anti-Stress Formula) the last few days and may be too early too tell, but think it may be helping. Thinking of trying a combo of it and 1 cap Seriphos (taken 4-6h BEFORE bedtime instead of @ bedtime) to my old standbys, Vitality C (4g non-acidic ascorbic acid and other beneficial components) + a high-dose myo-inositol forumula that contains mag bis-glycinate called Cenitol to knock down the elevated cortisol (as evidenced by elevated 24h urine cortisol + transient increased levels of anxiety/agitation/insomnia/polyuria during w/d symptoms). Maybe throw in 2g L-theanine and 5g L-taurine for extra bad episodes. And always the standby: 1 gram Magnesium Sulfate IM injectable (or if not injectable, then 300mg Magnesium glycinate/threonate). 

 

Thought this link might be helpful:

https://www.moodcure.com/correcting_cortisol_levels.html

MEDS SUMMARY:

1) Valium: 10mg avg prn from 09-06-14 to 10-20-14
2) Xanax: 0.75mg avg prn from from 09-19-14 to 10-16-14
3) Lexapro: 5mg q.d. from 10-06-14 to 10-16-14
4) switched immediately to Clonazepam: 0.5mg average/day for 2 weeks (10-17-24-10-30-14); titrated to 1mg (0.5mg bid) on 10-31-14 to present; started microtaper @ .625% (.0031250mg x 2) from 08-09-15 to 08-15-15; .800% (.0038750mg x 2) from 08-16-15 to present; destabilized 08-19-15 (due to change from original tablet); reinstated, on day 54, and have tapered a total of 14% as of 09-30-15 with zero symptoms (knock on wood)!
5) Lamictal: 100mg q.d. from 10-23-14 to 12-04-14; started tapering 12-05-14, 25mg every 2 weeks; destabilized 01-15-14; reinstated 01-22-15 at 25mg q.d. from 01-24-15 to 02-19-15; cut approx. 3-4mg every 5-10 days until 03-22-15, then cut 2mg every 5-6 days until 05-12-15; holding at 4mg q.d. from 05-13-15 to present.
Detailed Analysis - Lamictal history: https://app.box.com/s/rnermghleue9aemyhd57l1a00gsk2i4u

6) Also taking meds for blood pressure (Coreg @ 6.25mg b.i.d. and Losartan @ 50mg b.i.d.) + for blood clot I had back in 2012 (Xarelto @ 10mg) + for hypothyroidism (Armour Thyroid @ 1grain q.d.)

 

HISTORY & SUPPLEMENT LIST: https://app.box.com/s/mc9mch8za2lbizgs9z8j4mzhz2oswn8l

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Thought this link might be helpful:

https://www.moodcure.com/correcting_cortisol_levels.html

 

Before you try using Seriphos as suggested in the above article, you might want to read through our topic here because members have had mixed reactions, and there's not really any evidence of long term benefits when it comes to high cortisol which is caused by withdrawal.

Phosphatydilserine, aka phosphatidyl serine (Seriphos or Cortiphos)

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Thought this link might be helpful:

https://www.moodcure.com/correcting_cortisol_levels.html

 

Before you try using Seriphos as suggested in the above article, you might want to read through our topic here because members have had mixed reactions, and there's not really any evidence of long term benefits when it comes to high cortisol which is caused by withdrawal.

Phosphatydilserine, aka phosphatidyl serine (Seriphos or Cortiphos)

 

Thanks for the link. I read the entire thread tonight and added some content to my research. I have used Seriphos and straight PS many times before my latest troubles (pre-psych-meds), since I have had cortisol dysregulation for some time, however, I never tried it 4h before bed. Last night in combination with Lactium and this morning the usual surge was hardly noticeable. One isolated incident is not enough to make an evaluation, so must repeat the experiment to see if it is reproducible, but at least it's an indication. a.m. serum and 24h urinary cortisol remain elevated; serum and 24h urinary catecholamines all within range (no adrenalin spikes). I also test for full thyroid and full hormone panels, CBC, metabolic panel, etc. to see the effects of what these meds and the withdrawal process has on organ function. So far, so good; blood markers, kidney, liver, etc. all within range.  I have been my own human lab rat for some time now lol...I am in the lab for blood draws every 3 weeks.  They should name the lab after me :) . It will be interesting to see the effects on cortisol and catecholamine levels when tapering K in comparison with my Lamictal taper. Lucky me, I happened to pick two of the most potent meds to affect the most prevalent neurotransmitters in the brain and elsewhere (glutatmate and GABA).   

MEDS SUMMARY:

1) Valium: 10mg avg prn from 09-06-14 to 10-20-14
2) Xanax: 0.75mg avg prn from from 09-19-14 to 10-16-14
3) Lexapro: 5mg q.d. from 10-06-14 to 10-16-14
4) switched immediately to Clonazepam: 0.5mg average/day for 2 weeks (10-17-24-10-30-14); titrated to 1mg (0.5mg bid) on 10-31-14 to present; started microtaper @ .625% (.0031250mg x 2) from 08-09-15 to 08-15-15; .800% (.0038750mg x 2) from 08-16-15 to present; destabilized 08-19-15 (due to change from original tablet); reinstated, on day 54, and have tapered a total of 14% as of 09-30-15 with zero symptoms (knock on wood)!
5) Lamictal: 100mg q.d. from 10-23-14 to 12-04-14; started tapering 12-05-14, 25mg every 2 weeks; destabilized 01-15-14; reinstated 01-22-15 at 25mg q.d. from 01-24-15 to 02-19-15; cut approx. 3-4mg every 5-10 days until 03-22-15, then cut 2mg every 5-6 days until 05-12-15; holding at 4mg q.d. from 05-13-15 to present.
Detailed Analysis - Lamictal history: https://app.box.com/s/rnermghleue9aemyhd57l1a00gsk2i4u

6) Also taking meds for blood pressure (Coreg @ 6.25mg b.i.d. and Losartan @ 50mg b.i.d.) + for blood clot I had back in 2012 (Xarelto @ 10mg) + for hypothyroidism (Armour Thyroid @ 1grain q.d.)

 

HISTORY & SUPPLEMENT LIST: https://app.box.com/s/mc9mch8za2lbizgs9z8j4mzhz2oswn8l

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Thought this link might be helpful:

https://www.moodcure.com/correcting_cortisol_levels.html

 

Before you try using Seriphos as suggested in the above article, you might want to read through our topic here because members have had mixed reactions, and there's not really any evidence of long term benefits when it comes to high cortisol which is caused by withdrawal.

Phosphatydilserine, aka phosphatidyl serine (Seriphos or Cortiphos)

 

Well, I should've heeded your advice! I went ahead repeated the experiment and took both 1 cap Lactium and 1 cap Seriphos 4h before bed as I had planned. Total insomnia once I hit the sack (which I never get) and by morning felt an uneasy feeling like I was going to convulse. Paradoxic reaction or these substances somehow are messing with my GABA receptors (I had read that Lactium is a GABA agonist); perhaps not a good idea to be experimenting while still on Klonopin.

MEDS SUMMARY:

1) Valium: 10mg avg prn from 09-06-14 to 10-20-14
2) Xanax: 0.75mg avg prn from from 09-19-14 to 10-16-14
3) Lexapro: 5mg q.d. from 10-06-14 to 10-16-14
4) switched immediately to Clonazepam: 0.5mg average/day for 2 weeks (10-17-24-10-30-14); titrated to 1mg (0.5mg bid) on 10-31-14 to present; started microtaper @ .625% (.0031250mg x 2) from 08-09-15 to 08-15-15; .800% (.0038750mg x 2) from 08-16-15 to present; destabilized 08-19-15 (due to change from original tablet); reinstated, on day 54, and have tapered a total of 14% as of 09-30-15 with zero symptoms (knock on wood)!
5) Lamictal: 100mg q.d. from 10-23-14 to 12-04-14; started tapering 12-05-14, 25mg every 2 weeks; destabilized 01-15-14; reinstated 01-22-15 at 25mg q.d. from 01-24-15 to 02-19-15; cut approx. 3-4mg every 5-10 days until 03-22-15, then cut 2mg every 5-6 days until 05-12-15; holding at 4mg q.d. from 05-13-15 to present.
Detailed Analysis - Lamictal history: https://app.box.com/s/rnermghleue9aemyhd57l1a00gsk2i4u

6) Also taking meds for blood pressure (Coreg @ 6.25mg b.i.d. and Losartan @ 50mg b.i.d.) + for blood clot I had back in 2012 (Xarelto @ 10mg) + for hypothyroidism (Armour Thyroid @ 1grain q.d.)

 

HISTORY & SUPPLEMENT LIST: https://app.box.com/s/mc9mch8za2lbizgs9z8j4mzhz2oswn8l

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  • 2 months later...

If morning dread or cold chill in the head is symptom of withdrawal, it will pass with time right? Just that cold feeling when waking and disappears after 15mins or so.

 

I'm just not too excited to try the supplements posted here but vitamin c. Afraid of adverse effects and i cant easily find some here anyway?

Partner suddenly died 2014. Severe depression AGAIN (had previous episode 10 years ago). I was given escitalopram but could not bear the side effects, so i ask for an ECT (not sure if this helped). During the treatment and my hospital stay I was given Depakote mood stabilizer.  PDOC says I need to take it for two years. After 4-5 months I have a hard time with the Depakote. Hard to get up in the morning. Depression again or Depakote effects? So stopped Depakote (did not know about tapering then)

 

Januray 21, 2015. Severe depression again, started Pristiq 50mg and clonazepam 0.5 mg nightly. Had confusion, suicidal thoughts, thoughts about death, and find it hard to understand the TV, much more type in a computer.

 

Had adverse reaction to most antidepressants: muscle pain/spasms, irritablity, restlessness. Also Tried Prozac, Zoloft, Escitalopram years ago.

Started to taper pristiq and clonazepam after four months:

5th month:

2 weeks - 3/4 tablet PRISTIQ   (deducting the clonazepam also, so hard to cut)

2 weeks - 1/2 tablet PRISTIQ   (crumbs of clonazepam nightly)

2 weeks - 1/8 or less (hard to cut really) (zero clonazepam)

Then jump off pristiq.

I just wonder why I was cured during the 10 year period (2004-2014) I have no depression symptoms and no meds either. Pdoc said I might be biploar 2 but it is a "grey" area. Aren't bipolars supposed to be on maintenance meds?! Damn this diagnosis. I am tapering Pristiq either way.

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I know this panic in the morning, too. Its very hard to deal with because i have to get up straightaway and run to toilette (diarrhea and nausea), my heart is beating very hard and i feel agitated. If I had a window these symptoms were gone. 

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  • Administrator

Please do not forget that sunrise triggers the normal rise in cortisol. Darkening the bedroom with blackout shades and curtains and wearing a sleep mask can reduce this stimulation in the morning.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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When do you guys take Vitamin c, in the morning or evening?

I have a slow release vitamin C supplement that I take both in the evening and in the morning.

  • 2,5 years of slowly tapering down Cymbalta from 60 mg. Then tried going from 8,44 mg to 1 mg in 8 days. (April 1st 2015). That's when the real hell started. Reinstated. Didn't help. I was added Ativan (2 mg 2 times a day for relentless akathisia that started with jumping Cymbalta). For years had been taking Zopitin 7,5 mg and Stilnox 10 mg for I had not been able to sleep naturally since the 1st day I started Cymbalta). Used to take Xanax occasionally.
  • All of the above were stopped cold turkey when I was hospitalized in the beginning of May 2015.
  • Prior to that I have been on and off the whole spectrum of different AD-s for 15 years (since I was 17).

My introduction.

 

Tapering:

  • Olanzapine (starting point 2,1 mg): Jan 2016  /---/ April 2018 0 mg. (From 2,1 mg to 0 mg in 1y 3mo).
  • Diazepam (starting at 5 mg) : switching to liquid May 2018;  4,6 mg (June 2018) /---/ 0 mg (Feb 2020) (From 10 to 5 - nobody knows, from 5 to 0 in 1 y 10 mo)
  • Valdoxan (starting at 25 mg): switching to liquid (Feb 2019) /---/ 0 mg (July 2020)

 

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  • 3 months later...

Hi guys.  This is my first post on this web site, and I look forward to giving and receiving support on the long road ahead.

 

I read somewhere in this forum that black-out curtains have helped many people with the morning anxiety ostensibly caused by overzealous cortisol.  I am TOTALLY willing to give those curtains a try, but I have a question:  Doesn't using black-out curtains just delay the inevitable?  I mean at some point, I have to go out into the daylight, whereupon the cortisol will do its thing and make me a morning mess like it does for the first several hours of every day... won't it?  There's something I'm missing here, right...?

 

Thanks for any clarification you guys can offer!  I'm only in week 2 or 3 of withdrawal from 25 uninterrupted years of assorted SSRIs and SSNRIs.  Oy... I'LL take strength from YOUR strength and perseverance.

 

As an aside:  anyone have thoughts on the book The Chemistry of Joy?  If there's a thread on this already, just point me in the right direction.  I like some of what it has to say, but it doesn't really address AD withdrawal symptoms or chronic depression brought on by long-term use, so I'm  not really sure how valid it is for someone like me whose brain is already screwed up from decades of AD use. 

 

I've also started meditating in an effort to calm my brain down.  I think I might like it.  =)  I have read in many places that meditation can actually rewire your brain to behave more healthfully.

 

I guess no matter what I try though (or consider trying), I always come back to the same conundrum....  My brain isn't normal anymore.  So... meditation has xyz beneficial effects on a normal brain... what about an AD-abused brain?  And certain supplements have xyz beneficial effects on a normal brain... what about an AD-abused brain?  Is any of the advice and non-Rx treatment ever going to be valid for my altered brain?

 

You can quit smoking, but your lungs are still black.  You can quit drinking, but your liver's still shot.  You can quit drugs/antidepressants, but your brain's still f***ed up.  Does the brain recover?  Should I consider going back on a low dose of Effexor (the most effective AD I was on over the years) just to help balance my moods, keep me on an even keel?  It never made me a happier person per se, but it kept me from wanting to choke everyone who annoyed me!  LOL  For a lot of years, I was on the max dose of 150 mg of Effexor.  Might I benefit from the very small dose (37.5 mg or something like that)?  For years, I was under the misapprehension that ADs were supposed to make me happier, so I kept going on higher and higher doses in pursuit of that elusive happiness (fully enabled by my doctors).  By the time I figured out that wasn't the case, I feared there was no way to drop back down to a more reasonable dose and still retain some positive effects.

 

I have NEVER had a doctor (for mental OR physical health) that I had 100% faith in, and I just don't have the money to go chasing the really highly respected mental health gurus out there, whom I might just HAVE a little faith in.

 

This turned into much more of a self-pitying rant than I had intended.  If anyone can tease out the things I need answers to in all the angsty prose, I'd appreciate feedback.  =)  I hope some of it made sense.  I know we're all in the same boat -- or at least on the same river -- but I still feel bad for vomitting all that on everyone's backseat.  (Sorry for the mixed metaphor.  LOL)

 

=)

Laurie

 

 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Welcome Lovejoy (Laurie)

 

If you start a topic in our Introductions and updates  forum, we will be able to answer all your questions and offer some advice, it sounds like you may be a good candidate for reinstatement and slow tapering, but we need a bit more information about your drug and tapering history first and the intro forum is the best place to provide that. If you wanted, you could copy/paste most of this post.

 

Regarding your question about blackout curtains to help with the morning cortisol. I agree with your prediction that its probably delaying the inevitable, but if you are being woken up at 5am by light triggered cortisol and actually don't need to wake up until later, its better to get that extra hour of sleep if you can.

 

Another thing about keeping your room dark is that you have a little more control and can hopefully prepare yourself before walking out into the light. Another benefit of keeping your room dark is that you have a place to relax during the day, away from bright lights if they are too stimulating.

 

Personally I've used block out paper on my windows, an eye mask and ear plugs, and its helped during my worst times and now it just feels more relaxing to have that lower level of stimulation...I'm still recovering from withdrawal from a too fast taper off lexapro.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Thanks very much for your response, Petunia. 

 

It sounds like I may not necessarily benefit from black-out curtains/shades/paper.  Usually, if I wake up during the night, I don't have much trouble getting back to sleep (though there are a few occasions when anxiety about a specific thing gets me...).  Also, I've been a night owl since about age 10 or 12 (I'm 46 now)... I'm much more likely to still be awake at sunrise than to be woke up by the sunlight.  LOL  However, I've worn earplugs ever since I dated a freight-train snorer back in 2005!  Don't know where I"d be without those. 

 

So... okay, no need for blackout curtains.  That's one thing I can check off my huge list of remedies to look into, and either adopt or ignore. LOL  Now I will take your other advice and go post in the introduction forum!  I will also work up a signature so people can see my AD history when I ask questions. 

 

Thanks!

 

=)

Laurie

 

 

 

 

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This symptom was so strong for about 10 months and than it disappeared. It hasn't been back for at least 4 months. I don't think I did anything it just went away on its own.

Was on 30mg (Lexapro) for 7-8yrs20mg for 3 months (This was my choice my Doc wanted me to drop much faster)15 mg 2week10mg 2 weeks 5 mg 1 week0 since August 24th . PPI Dexlant  30 mg taper has begun. Cutting 20% currently.  using zantac as needed.  Benzo is currently 0.10mg 

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Ive heard a lot of people are taking niacin to help with sleep.  If I already have good levels of b vitamins with that  hurt me to take it?

Started on ad's in the mid 90's.  

Amitriptyline , prozac , Wellbutrin, 'zoloft, effexor, trazodone,   remeron, Paxil, cymbalta 

xanax, buspar, lyrica, gabapentin, sam e, 5htp, L tryptophan, There were other ad's but I cant remember them all. 

Ambien, lunesta, cyclobenzaprine,

levothyroxine

Last ad was  Paxil, 60 mg.  I did a 6mt tapor, 

Only meds at this time is the levothyroxine, fish oil, folic acid, and unisom 

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Here is our niacin topic redangel:  Vitamin B3 (niacin, niacinamide) - Surviving Antidepressants

 

Please read through it to learn about how this vitamin has effected others who are recovering from withdrawal. If you decide to try it, please add your results there.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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I had this go away for a while but now its been back. I wake up with enormous amounts of fear

Was on 30mg (Lexapro) for 7-8yrs20mg for 3 months (This was my choice my Doc wanted me to drop much faster)15 mg 2week10mg 2 weeks 5 mg 1 week0 since August 24th . PPI Dexlant  30 mg taper has begun. Cutting 20% currently.  using zantac as needed.  Benzo is currently 0.10mg 

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Me the same. Today I woke up with horrible feelings inside my stomach... Fear, distressed, nausea, restlessness, unable to stay laying.

Have to work in a few hours and go for a shower.. That makes me feel so bad.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Here is our niacin topic redangel:  Vitamin B3 (niacin, niacinamide) - Surviving Antidepressants

 

Please read through it to learn about how this vitamin has effected others who are recovering from withdrawal. If you decide to try it, please add your results there.

My results:

 

Niaspan (which I've been getting through the VA, though I may get it OTC now), Niacin. 

It does seem to help, somewhat.

 

My blood pressure has been spiking the last few weeks.  The Niaspan, helps in that it helps my blood vessels dilate- ergo- a lower blood pressure.  Since I've been waking up in the middle of the night in a semi-night terror kind of episodic of late, has helped drop down the BP spikes. 

I'd stopped taking it for a while- due to my intense distrust of just about anything prescribed to me by the Medicos. It seems to help now. So- I will take it more often.

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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Been off 2.5 years following a rapid taper (1 month). This is one of the few symptoms I still have to deal with every day. Mornings have always been by far the worst part of the day since the beginning. The brain goes through a number different phases during sleep, many parts go offline, others are amped up. So it's understandable that a nervous system undergoing psychiatric withdrawal would be thrown so out of tune during the sleeping process. 

The feeling I get really isn't anxiety/fear, it's more analogous to depression and despair for me. Hopelessness. A kind of hangover. I'm just in a kind of malaise until I can force myself in the shower and then I'm for the most part fine. I think it's the stimulation caused by the hot water that gets my brain back to normal. Some days are certainly more severe than others. And there are a few days a month where I wake up completely normally. But by far most days this occurs and it's a terrible experience.  

 

Paxil from 2005 to July 2013. 30mg. 

Very short taper. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Has anyone heard of Ashwaganda to help lower cortisol?

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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Intriguing. I searched the web for "i was taking ashwaganda" to get some user reports.  Here's someone who says it makes her sleepy. She wrote to a manufacturer and posted their reply.

http://vataveda.blogspot.com/2010/01/ashwagandha-update.html

 

A long thread about getting off opiates from reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/opiates/comments/2y5w5a/alternate_withdrawal_protocol/

(One person had their cortisol tested on and off ashwaganda and found no difference, but that's not something to rely on)

 

I turned the corner after introducing coconut oil and grass-fed butter to my morning cup of coffee.  I did it hoping to help my memory and thinking, but the morning dread/terror/doom/despair went away as did brutal non-somnia.

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

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  • 3 weeks later...

I find my sleep is usually fine and waking up im usually ok, the anxiety or depression usually doesn't start until at minimum 1 hour after waking up, sometimes upto even 3 or more hours, or not at all. could my anxiety not really be cortisol related?

(November 26 2013) Had a reaction to taking CBD oil and had a panic attack that started this whole thing.

(November 9 2014) 8.6 months on Mirtazapine, started tapering down random amounts.

(January 17 2015) *STOPPED TAKING MIRTAZAPINE* after an unstable 2 month taper.

(February 5 2015) *REINSTATED at 3.9 MG OF MIRTAZAPINE* after nearly 3 weeks of a very unstable windows and waves pattern

(February 5 2015 ) Felt better right away after reinstating, am more stable than i was at 0mg, but am still not as stable as i was PRE-TAPER.

(April 19 2015) After waiting around 2 months from Feb 5 and i started to feel ok enough, i reduced from 3.9 mg to 3.5 mg. then continued to reduce by about .4 mg every 2 or so weeks.

The reductions were going quite smoothly and i wasn't feeling too bad in general... until...

(July 13 2015) Shortly after reducing from 1.9 mg to 1.6 mg i hit a wall and my mood started to become noticeably worse in general

(August 4) after not really improving much i reduced from 1.6 mg to 1.5 mg, and i have been holding ever since.

I feel bad in general these days despite holding, and feel im not too much better than i was during January 17 to February 5 after jumping off at 4 MG.

I am questioning if taking the drug is actually making me worse, i dunno.

 

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Insomnia is the single worst symptom I've enjoyed since quitting paroxetine. Insomnia exacerbates everything else I am going through.

 

I'd be lucky to make it to 4:30. I usually awake in a panic 3-4 hours after laying down, whenever I lay down. I then spend the rest of the night tossing and turning. Part of me wants to get up and start the day; the other part is just so damn tired and wants to go back to sleep.

 

I am not afraid of getting out of bed.

 

I wake up thinking about work. Always thinking about work. I run conversations through my head, over and over, pulling meanings out and trying to assemble a narrative to make sense of the things happening to me during the day. It always boils down to me worrying about how much trouble I am in, how my career is ruined, and how I'm going to lose everything. And, no, it's not all in my head—these are all fears based on a very real and unpleasant workplace I should have left years ago. My anxiety is making a bad situation worse, not inventing problems from nothing.

 

I almost never have any trouble falling asleep initially. I'm often asleep within minutes of laying down.

 

Regular, hard exercise really helps the insomnia. So does summers off, for that matter! But exercise is a genuine balm; problem being that I'm often so tired I can't bring myself to exercise. I can hardly get through my day most times.

 

Regular melatonin can help me sleep slightly longer. Time-released melatonin does nothing; rather, I think it only makes it harder for me to sleep. It lighten my skin. Because I'm an amphibian. Which isn't true. Doxylamine Succinate does nothing for me, but perhaps make the insomnia worse. I believe Diphenhydramine works better; it has put me out for eight or more hours at a time. But that is linked with dementia. So there's that.

 

My room has blackout curtains and a noise maker. And a fan. In fact, I also had a ceiling fan on last night. Speaking of which, I often awake feeling like I'm roasting alive. When I should be comfortable, I'm burning up. It's usually best to sleep without sheets reflecting body heat back on me.

 

DHEA has been the best thing I've taken in so far as reducing my generalized anxiety while awake. I don't know that it does anything for me at night; I don't notice it stopping or reducing my late night panic episodes.

 

I've taken magnesium right before bed; I calmed down for an hour or two, then felt like I was high on a gallon of coffee the rest of the night. I take almost every other supplement most commonly mentioned around here. I could write a book about how they make me feel, but I'll just say that none of it really seems to help me sleep. Not at this time in my life.

 

So, it always comes back to regular exercise and getting past this seemingly perpetual exhaustion long enough to form a healthy pattern of self-care.

Began in 1998 at 20mg/day. Dropped from 20 to 10mg/day around 2006. Dropped from 10 to 5mg/day in June of 2014. Dropped from 5 to 0mg/day in June of 2015. Rough times, indeed.

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While Doxylamine Succinate seems to do nothing to help me sleep, Diphenhydramine clearly does help quite a bit. This is unfortunate, as it is the class of medicines linked to an increased risk of dementia. So there's that.

 

Wanted to add as I bought some to compare and can decisively say they do not work the same way on me.

Began in 1998 at 20mg/day. Dropped from 20 to 10mg/day around 2006. Dropped from 10 to 5mg/day in June of 2014. Dropped from 5 to 0mg/day in June of 2015. Rough times, indeed.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Acetylsalicyclic Acid. A.K.A.- Aspirin. It's still preliminary for me- but taking a 325 mg tablet a couple of hours before going to bed seems to eliminate the Panic Attacks during the night.  I've only done it a couple of nights. But- those have been a pair of nights free from panic attacks.

 

Apparently there have been some studies showing that Aspirin mucks about with Cortisol when taken in the evening.

http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/54/5/1136.full

Just a thought folks.

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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At the moment  I'm taking NOW brand C-1000 with Rose Hips and Bioflavonoids from iHerb

 

But I've ordered some other brands of sustained release, because these only seem to work for about 2 hours at a time, for me anyway.

I am curious Petunia, how is the Vitamin C working out for you at this time?

The aspirin I'm taking does seem to be working, but I am beginning to think I"m taking too high a dose. (Last night- 650 mg).

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I'm still taking between 1000 - 2000mg of sustained release per day. I was taking a lot more. At first I thought the higher dose was helping, but not significantly. I've tried lots of different supplements over the last several years and what usually happens is I either get an obvious bad reaction or it seems to help in some way, but then that improvement stops working and I go back to how I was before, this is what happened with the vit C.

 

I've realized that for me, the only thing which has really contributed in any significant way to recovery and the reduction of symptoms is time...and I've spent a lot of money on supplements finding this out the hard way, but we all get so desperate for some relief. When its bad, I guess we will try anything. But having said that, I think magnesium can be useful if you find one, and a dose which agrees with you and you take it at the right time, I still take 200mg of mag glycinate at night and it seems to be calming and improves sleep quality slightly. I also took taurine at night for a long time, that had a slight effect of reducing racing thoughts and also seemed to improve sleep quality, but I don't need that any more. When I stopped taking it, there was a slight rebound effect for a few nights.

 

Nothing has helped with morning cortisol, as far as I can tell, its reduced by itself over time, I still feel worse in the mornings and improve as the day progresses, but I'm much better than I was 2 - 3 years ago.

 

If I'm not in a wave, my morning awakenings and subsequent levels of symptoms are about 75% recovered. But in waves I go right back down to about 40% and I'm still very vulnerable to any stress.

 

Its interesting that you mention aspirin. Whenever I've taken it for pain, I've noticed a reduction of anxiety and other symptoms in general, but I don't take it very often, the ones I have are 300mg.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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What an interesting topic!  I have been trying to read it all the way through, but it is too much! 

 

For years now, it has taken me 2+ hours to fall asleep, sometimes 3 and then I woke every 2 hours and would take 30mins+ to get back to sleep (because I had to do relaxation/breathing exercises to get back to sleep).  lately I have been waking after 1 or 1.5 hours.  Many times at the 2-4am time I will be awake from 1-4 hours.

 

Any way, I think what you have said Petunia probably sums up the whole thing - it is just a matter of time.... but at the same time we do get desperate, fed up and impatient and want to try anything.  Besides, it has been years now!  I felt like racing off and taking all the things mentioned in this thread that I already had in the house in one go, but i saw the advice about not doing that!

 

I did get desperate recently and have Serapax, which I know is not a good idea.  I took 1/4 tablet 3 nights in a row and it helped me get to sleep within the hour and although I still woke every 2 hours I got back to sleep quickly.  The 2nd week I did the same but anxiety was very high and 1/4 did nothing so I took 1/2.  3rd week the 1/4 didn't seem as effective.  Is 1/4 for 3 nights once a week too much?

 

I have tried magnesium in the past about half a dozen times and it seemed to upset my guts which is crook anyway from gall problems to start with then surgery and only just recovering from that after 7 months, so I might give it another try.  I will start with 1/4 tablet which i usually dissolve in lemon juice first, then put in 1L water and sip throughout the day.

 

I have always taken vit. c 1/4 four times a day.  I took extra at bedtime last night and when I woke up, but it didn't make any difference.  Do you need to do it for months on end to work?

 

In the past, I was sure that lemon balm helped and since my anxiety has ramped up recently, I have been having that again, but this time to no effect.  My pulse has been very high for some time now (in the 100's) which is unusual as it used to occur maybe 3 times a week in the 100's and the rest of the time n the 90's.  Do others here have high pulse?

1995-2007      20mg Aropax/Paxil for pain.  Years of up and down doses

2008                Endep, Lexapro and then Esipram (hell!) CT (oh dear!)

2009                20mg Aropax.  Tried skipping doses for a year (more hell!)

                        2010                10mg.  10% taper.  Lasted 4 months. Crashed again

2011                5% taper. 9mg-7mg (hell got even worse!)

2012                2.5% taper.  6.6mg – 5.6mg (worser still & unbearable)

2013                5% taper.  Big mistake.  5.5mg – 4.6mg  (even worserer)

2014                2.5% taper.  4.9mg – 4.5mg;    2015 2.5% taper 4.4 - 4.0mg

2016                2.5% taper.  3.9mg  Feb 3.8   Mar 3.7  May 3.6   Jul 3.5

2017                2.5% taper.  Jan 3.4;   Mar 3.35;  Apr 3.3; Oct 3; Dec 2.9;

2018                2.5% taper. Jan 2.8; Mar 2.7; Mar: 2.75; Jun 2.7; Aug 2.6; Oct 2.5; Nov 2.4; Dec 2.3

2019                Jan 2.2; Feb 2.1;

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I knocked my aspirin down to a single 80mg (Baby Aspirin) tab. It still seems to have the same affect (for now). Just not as much fatigue the next day with the higher dosage I was trying. I took the 80mg as I was going to bed.   

I shall see what happens over the long time. Right now I've got a reoccurence of skin burn but I've been having that for some time anyways. The SX come and go.   And I shall report about what happens.

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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The aspirin is keeping the cortisol down, but not eliminating it. But it feels like the cortisol is fighting back. Night before last I wake up at 1 in the morning and stare at the ceiling for hours. Last night I wake up at 11:30 with a pounding heart....I take another aspirion at 12 and I get some more sleep until 1 in the morning and then stare at the celing...

I take the aspirin and most of the anxiety goes away, but I'm tired, dog tired all of the time. With anxiety I have a super appetite, without it- nothing. I have to force myself to eat. I find myself looking back to even just a few days ago when I'd wake up with cortisol attacks in the middle of the night and manage to suppress them within a short while in an attempt to get more sleep (and failing).

I don't know how much longer I can go on with this. Endless torture.

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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More info on aspirin.

 

Treatment for one week with aspirin or salsalate decreased total T4, free T4 (salsalate only), total T3, free T3, and TSH.

Thus, this study confirms that aspirin, salsalate, and meclofenamate affect total and free thyroid hormone measurements.

http://thyroid.about...our-thyroid.htm

 

In other words- my aspirin therapy to reduce cortisol worked in reducing cortisol, it also resulted in reducing all of my thyroid hormones as well. Scylla or Charybdis.

 

I know I have to keep going AliG, but I'm also working full time. Many are the times I think of Death as the great release. 

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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I understand. Believe me. Just trying to stay positive.

Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014

 

                                                  Psych Drug - free since May 2014
.
         

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Thanks AliG. Someone has to stay positive. Cause all we get at times is a whole bunch of negative.  It's like we're asking for too much- a decent night's sleep, some semblance of normality, anything.

I was doing a baby aspirin every 8 hours. It worked in getting rid of the cortisol spikes but it also seemed to depress my thyroid too. Wednesday I went home, and my body temperature was 95 degrees F. I just couldn't get cold. That night I tried a melatonin, and got some sleep, but then most of the next day I'm dragging and I get the nasty fatigue day.

 

One cant win without losing more.

 

I will keep going, after all, what choice do I have. Someday this will all be gone. 

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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One cant win without losing more.


 

Sure seems true to me. 

 

I took advil the lowest dose you can buy and it had to be brand name one every morning for morning roughness... severe brain fog.  I felt so bad in morning I ignored the fact that I was not to take any nsai as I have had a gastro bleed in the past....but I did it for months as I could not stand the mornings... 

 

I tried baby asprin too for some reason it caused one side of my head to buzz it felt like it was full of pop fizzing. As such I went the advil route as it did not cause the same issues.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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