Insomnia??

Hey Dom,

Why didn’t doc like your ideas? Did she give you a reason for the insomnia? It’s probably cuz of the Prozac. It still causes me some insomnia but I still manage to fall asleep somehow. Got decent rest but ofcourse woke up with lots of anxiousness and still the dizziness. 

Interesting you prefer to be alone. I cannot. Which makes my days hard sometimes. But thankfully I have my people around me at certain times. At least it’s chrifmsd now so I am not alone. Still afraid of going back to work. I hardly have energy and more weight everyday but the doxepin does help with my sleeping and eating just the stupid dizziness. The doc suggested to stop but I think I’ll keep st it just to see if it goes away. 

My anxiety is peaking a little now cuz I woke up a couple hours ago. And I have my therapy “work stress” class I have to go to at 1pm. So I get anxious going anywhere. My work emailed me yesterday asking for specific time off from doctor again so they can tell me if I get paid for the holidays or not. Ugh so annoying. 

So I take it no more running any time soon? Lol. How are you feeling? 

Hello Tina,

I'm all over the place. Not as good as yesterday. I looked at a list of foods to help you sleep and "Dark Chocolate" was listed so ate some but turns out it is full of caffeine! Damn Google Have got Chamomile tea today and will have a cuppa with my Zopiclone.

How long does your anxiety and dizziness last? Your doc was on about quitting just the Doxepin? I get anxious first and last thing. Have been a bit dizzy too today - a bit feint. Did a run, herbal bath and ate some popcorn (definitely good for sleep).

I'm definitely sensing that you are on the mend to some extent Tina. The fact you mention "decent rest". I think the anxiety will recede for you soon. Prozac definitely does that for me.

Hey we're on a right adventure aren't we

Oh the Doc just said the meds I suggested were more addictive. I wanted Ambien but she said stick with the Zopiclone. Seeing her again in 2 weeks time. It's like the Dark Ages here so will be a case of her getting an email from the psychiatrist rather than me actually seeing one I thing.

Hey I am not sure I do want to be alone after all. I'm just all over the place. Oh for a day where my mood stays the same from wakeup to sleep

Wow I'd love to go to a therapy class. Your Prozac will be maxed in your blood by then so you should feel a bit better.

Let me know how your day turns out. Day 27 for me tomorrow

Hey Dom,

Today was ok, When i went to kaiser (my health insurance) for my weekly group therapy9since this all happened again) i always get anxious when i go anywhere. So i take a xanax around 10:30 am which has become my routine. Then i had to do a bit of driving cuz had to go pick up my FMLA report for work and that was more driving so I was driving alot today and with my dizziness it can be tricky so i came home more anxious and feeling gross. 

I asked my sister and bf what to do and they both think i should keep on it at least 2 weeks. But with christmas coming i worry (dont want too many people knowing and with both emotional and physical symptoms its hard to hide). My body is just not at full capacity. too much adrenaline going around that i dont have and still not hungry. And if i have to switch meds i dont know what i will do. Have you every had to switch meds? how did you do it>?

Hope my venting and rambling isnt too much for you. Its very theraputic to find friends that deal with similiar things. 

5pm now i felt more down today almost like crying and being sad. not sure why. Must still be the meds. so hard to be your own doctor and figure out. also i dont see the doc till first week of February (granted she can do it all via email). Does it work that way in the UK? are they as med happy as we are here? I am all about loading up till i feel better then i seem to know when i dont need the as needed ones anymore. I keep asking god for his strength to get through it. Everyone seems to think this will pass and ill be back to normal except me. even tho the last time was much worse i still feel like i wont go back to "normal". I know i should be more positive haha. Im getting sleep, have a little more of an apetite but waiting to see what else.

your doctor is right to not want you to be addicted but at some point you have got to get decent rest. it all depends on how you feel. do you live far away from family? do they keep tabs on you at all?

how much sleep did you get?

hey Dom,

well today is the worst morning by far. Such terrible anxiety and shaking and my vertigo is getting really bad. So bad i had to go back to my bed and sit up. I cried to my sister cuz i cant take the mental suffering and physical suffering anymore. its all just too much. I remember getting worse 6 years ago after starting meds so that i remind myself but i also didnt start 2 at the same time like i did recently. I really dont know what to do as now i feel cray cray. road to recovery?? i dont see it quite yet. feels like 4 steps back.

Im so glad the cammomile worked! 4 cups! my goodness. didnt have to wake up to go pee? do whatever works. sounds like the meds are moving along well. with ups and downs in between. Is your partner supportive of everything? can be hard if they are not. you dont have to answer that if its too personal.

I definitely do not want to stop the prozac more so i want to see what to do about the doxepin i so loved that helped me so much the last time (if thats even the culrpit). it says it causes dizziness but for how long must i feel this way? 

usually wake up around 6 or 7 and watch tv on my lap top till anxiousness subsides somewhat

then take prozac at 8:30

then if i need it xanax at 11

then hope for the best and more xanax later if i need it. 

last night i didnt take any to see if it would affect me. and i was trying to be strong and take less of it.dont know if that had something to do with it.

ALSO i remembered last night that 6 years ago when my doc prescribed the doxepin he told me to take 1 pill (10mg) for a week then increase to 2 pills (equaling 20mg doxepin) I wonder if me only taking 10 now is the reason i feel the way i do. i dont know im just thinking out loud. thats why i emailed my doc to look back on my records.

do you have any pets Dom?

I think your right about camomile im gonna try it.

my mother is coming over today to visit and do her laundry-lord help me. she causes me more anxiety as much as i love her.

thanks for being a far away but good friend Dom. thank goodness for these neat forums huh?

Omg i wrote you this long ass message and my phone crashed haha. 

Morning dom,

Welp doc,s nurse called me back last. Iast night at 5 and we talked a bit. Came to the decision that maybe the doxepin just wasn’t taking to my body this time. Only way to find out is to stop it for a moment . So I did not take it last night. I took your advice and did camomile tea then took my .25mg Xanax and lavendar (feet abs and hands) I slept from 10:45-6:45 and I don’t think I woke up or stirred which is white amazing -but honestly when these episodes happen everything’s a crapshoot.  Woke up with same panic and slight vertigo but it seemed to fade a little quicker just leaving me with my normal unstable anxiousness lately. I still have the equal Librium issue but that’s a given -I want to give it s few days. But it’s not asssssssss bad. I’m gonna see how it affects me. I mean the Prozac isn’t really stopping me panic that much yet and I don’t feel much different yet. The other drug they suggested I researched. Seems like it could be helpful. I am a believer in 2 anti depressants and here everyone does 2 BUT if I can be ok with justness Prozac then I’d be really happy. If I don’t have to add drugs to my body I’d rather not. But we’ll see. 

You have rescue dogs?? I’m a huge animal lover! Especially dogs. However our landlord doesn’t allow dogs so we opted to rescue 2 fat house cats . They are a bonded pair. I’ll try to send a photo. What kind of dogs do you have?? I get that your partner is supportive but doesn’t understand the disorder. It can be frustrating. My bf is very supportive but i think it scares him. He just wants me well.  Well guess what babe I’m scared too! 😂😒.

I think your right about ditching the meds brag don’t consistently help you. Do whatever helps. For sure the tea I think. And over the counter. I think if you still have trouble ask again for ambien. I hear it helps a lot. 

How did you sleep today? Or last night? I think I’m on week 5. 

Way more down than when i started them x

Dom,

I am so sorry you had a bad day. Just know im right there with you. my days are anywhere from decent to suffering. how were you on prozac the last time? begining hard?  when i first started prozac the first time 6 years ago i suffered bad for 8 weeks maybe longer. i even remember going back to work and still taking xanax to survive and the doctor asking me how i was and i told him "ehhh ok but still no apetite and still anxious" took forever. but the doxepin helped. now that i am trying to stop doxepin well see what my next step will be. My bf keeps saying "stop comparing to last time" and in a way hes right and wrong. i like to compare to research myself but also a lot of things i thought i had right didn't have the same positive effect as before. (hence i stopped the doxepin) don't know if any of that made sense to you or if i just rambled. btw my friend melissa who experienced the same thing i am going through (hers lasted 6 months ) she comes over once a week lately for me to listen to these audio CDs. when she first asked me to listen i thought it was gonna be so lame and just make me more anxious or depressed but i LOVE them. Just a suggestion (please feel free to ignore my unsolicited advice) if you were interested at all to add to your regimen of trying to climb the hill like me. Its called "Attacking Anxiety and Depression" Lucinda Basset. again dont have to listen to a word i say but i like getting tips from you and anyone else weather i do it or not. the CDs are expensive but my friend bought them so i listen through her. but i think i will buy her book.

also dont rub the lavendar on your tummy. just hands feet and neck.

 the names of my cats are Dexter milo (hes my chubster 18 lbs) and Tennyson Grey. i love them so but dream of the day i can have my big dogs around. love that you have dogs everywhere. Bless you for rescuing them. I love animals more than humans most of the time. ha.

hey im thinking i might up my prozac to 30. doc told me she usually ups 20 to 40 but because im so sensative she will do 30. so once i hit the 6 week mar i might do just that. but that means i could lose my apetite all over again and have more anxiousness. but maybe in the end it will help us. 

I think you will feel better tom, because every day is so damn different. let me know how your sleep went???

xx

 

also prozac has a tendancy to cause the opposite affect in the beginning. so depressive episodes will happen . mine was the last two days. so down and cried uncotrollably. omg im on xanax and i suck and typing. sorry. 

talk tom!

Hello Tina,

First time around I didn't have any side effects but that was 20 years ago. This time around I have had all of them. I still have insomnia and yesterday was my worst day ever even though I am in to my fifth week. Now I don't know what to do. It was worse than anything I had before starting Prozac and has scared me.

I'll check out Lucinda Basset but yesterday I just felt like I should be in hospital

Haha yeah you get pure love from animals. They never let you down. They're ace names. Wow 18lbs?! That cat must be huge!

Yeah I feel like upping my dose but won't that make the insomnia worse?

Terrified of today in case it turns out like yesterday

Hope you got 8 hours sleep again. I am on day 30. Let me know how your day went.

Dom x

PS My sleep was rubbish again. Feel so negative about it all.

 

But is the fifth week counted as the beginning? Yesterday was just so bad

Oh dom I completely understand. The other day I was seriously contemplating going to the ER because I felt so s****y. I still have those days. I learned in CBT (congnitive Behavioral Therepy) prentend you see a squiggly line going diagonally upwards some days are low some days are high but even though we feel them it doesn’t mean we’re going back it’s just the roller coaster that is us on Prozac with depression and anxiety. When I heard that I was sitting their with ferribky anxiousness so it helped to just know that. 

When can you see the doc again? Soon i hope. Not like here where it takes a month to see your sphych even tho your in dire need. When you see her make it sound TERRIBLE use all the scary words. That’s the only way they’ll prescribe what you need. And it might be conducive to your needs anyway. Trying new stuff is scary. But something just might work. 

I feel decent since getting of the doxepin which is still so WEIRD. That stuff worked like s charm the first time 6 years ago. Very frustrating but whatever works. I still feel s****y but less panic in morning. I slept well with the tea , Xanax and lavendar. Hope that regimen doesn’t get old to my body. 

After then next week I’m gonna see if I need trazadone. 

Please tell me how you are today? Feeling tiny bit better? I know you don’t want to get addicted but I think Ativan or Xanax would help for time being. Any chance you’d be open to it? 

Yes dom, 100% the 5th week is still the beginning. It takes 8 weeks if not more! I think you and I both know “dawn” she says it’s a super slowwwwww moving drug. also when the doctor prescribed it to me she asked if I wanted to get married and pregnant I answered “yes, why?” She said because Theirs only a few meds that are slow and safe enough to take. 

Hello Tina,

I feel better tonight but still lousy with anxiety. I just thought I'd feel great by week 5. Last night and this morning are the worst that I have been. I want to try Trazodone with Prozac. Apparently that gets you to sleep! Love that you slept well. Yeah it's strange that the Doxepin was a hinderance this time.

Is week 6 going to be any better Tina? Eight weeks is pretty much 4 weeks away for me

I read Dawn's posts today and spoke to her. I am so thankful for meeting new friends like you and Dawn. I don't know how I would cope otherwise.

What did you think of the tea? It does seem to calm me a little.

Can't see doc for maybe 2 weeks. I'm just not confident about Prozac anymore. You sound way more positive than me and I know you're going through this nightmare too.

I never tried CBT. To be honest all I've done all day is search for "Prozac 5th week" and the like I just wish every day would be over

Dom x

PS I will use scary words when I see the doc Tina, and I won't be exagerating x

yes i know...I dont know how id cope if i didnt find people like me on here who experience the same as me. it really is a true relief and a godsent.

well i felt ok this morning then as soon as i left to go to my health insurance to do my weekly group therapy i felt not great. panic set in i was tingly shaky mind was racing and foggy and nauseous all day. I dont know if it was cuz i went to therapy or cuz my bf came over (hes wonderful but i get anxiety over any little thing ) so the rest of today has been pretty crappy. I hope you are feeling a tiny bit better. if it makes you feel better theres someone at my group therapy that was complaining about her prozac and how its making her feel crazy and anxious. I was like welcome to the club. so in a way  that was comforting. week 5 for me and still have extreme panic. but I do think i also pushed myself yesterday by doing too much. my poor bf is sitting around cuz i never feel good enough to go anywhere. oh well this too shall pass like they all say. especially when he spends the night i get more anxious like am i gonna feel crappy when i sleep? will i sleep? will i keep him awake? and hes so sweet and doesnt care but i care! I cant relax! with anything! ahhhhh god. just want to feel normal again. but at least we can be there for each other. 

2 weeks huh? better than mine. but can you text her/him and or talk to their nurse?

how was your sleep? what meds did you take? 

yes CBT is great. when im not feeling so crappy ill do an example.

x

we will do this together one day at a time.

Tina I am the same, I just want to sit around and do nothing. Week 5 for me too and my main issue is as always insomnia. Terrible sleep again. No way to contact doc until New Year so I'll just have to rough it out. She only works part time too.

Today is better than yesterday. Mood has lifted a bit. But then I took an over the counter med with Zopiclone and Diazepam to sleep so maybe that's why. I still woke up every 2 hours.

How was your sleep last night? You haven't said so I assume it was okay again? Are you still better off the Doxepin? Sorry you are still having panic. Prozac definitely stopped that for me, but my God the morning anxiety sometimes is worse than anything I ever felt off Prozac.

Off to the girlfriend's tomorrow. Worried I'll be anxious but will take all my pills and stuff. I usually get more anxious around her, but then I get anxious around anybody right now. I'll be in the spare room as I don't want to wake her 100 times a night

I heard CBT is good but it is like I cannot be bothered doing anything except reading oter people's experiences on these forums.

Okay so we're in week 5. Do you think we are doing okay for week 5? Hey that means week 6 is only around the corner

Dom x

 

Morning Dom,

Seems like we have the same issue. We don’t want to disturb our people lol.  Sleep was ok. I slept fine I guess the boy didn’t get r best sleep poor guy. So I went to sofa. So he could sleep more.  Woke up anxious just cuz he was there even tho he is so good to me and tries to ease my anxiety but at this point I’m just so anxious I think cuz I got off the doxepin and Christmas is literally around the corner. My nausea is back a littl to since I got off doxepin. We’ll see. Wanna wait till Christmas is over to try any other meds. 

Day 28 for me. Always anxious over weather to stick to it or not but not sure how much more time I will get off work. And now I’m burbing through my vacation hours (already used sick). But I pay into disability (even tho I only get 50% Pay)

How did you do at your girlfriends? I totally get the anxiousness around the people they are closest to us. How was it? So the meds didn’t help you sleep? Maybe just stick to thr tea? Will you (like me) try the trazadone maybe? 

Hello Tina,

I am the same. She is wonderful for support but I have actually been staying away from her as we only recently got back together and I feel anxious with her. It is awful that I feel like that. I go to see her tomorrow and am staying until Christmas day. I am real worried that I will spoil her Christmas as all I can think about is my meds and getting better. I don't want to associate anxiety with her and I'm definitely not the life and soul of the party just now.

I'll wait until after Christmas too. I asked about Trazodone with Prozac but my doc isn't clued up on the combination and is waiting on a reply from a psych, but it sounds like a good combo. I also want to up my Prozac dose but at the same time I am dreading it. Are you going to up yours do you think?

Sleep was awful despite a tonne of meds, but today has been better than last few days and yesterday was beyond dire.

So did you sleep okay again? It seems your sleep is much better than mine. Day 30 for me. It is such a support knowing that we are on similar days in the same boat. I really appreciate your friendship.

Dom x

It’s so interesting they you say that cuz this whole time that I have been struggling I wondered if I should take a break from my man because I feel awful that he’s with not his “normal” person. I can’t do much I can’t enjoy my time with him or go places and even him being here I have anxiety even tho I adore him. But not sure he’d go for the idea of separating till I feel like myself again. And like you I don’t want to associate him with anxiety. But then again work is what gave me anxiety and I have to go back eventually. And my sister has been with me during anxiety and I am still ok with her so I’m gonna try my hardest. But every time I see him he wants me to express how I’m doing and i feel like “ok when I tell you I feel the same and I’m still sick physically and emotionally your gonna decide you’ve had enough” but no. Praise the Lord. (Sorry I’m a Christian but I don’t judge anyone’s religion)

But I still rustle with it tho. Sorry for blubbering on.

Oh I see so your doing things through your regular doctor? My regular doctor doesn’t give a crap about this stuff I have to do everything through my spychiatrist. But I am gonna see my GD on the 27th so I can ask about my low energy and get my zofran for the nausea.  And perhaps he’ll extens my time off since I’ll see him before my next psych appointment. If he extends my time off I will most likely up my meds to 30mg. If I get extremely anxious and nauseous and insomnia after that I will do trazadone 

 

My stupid new phone cuts me off constantly. 

I struggle with lots of fear cuz I’m slways in my own head. So I think I have too much adrenal and that’s why it takes me sooooo long to calm the F down and will probably take Prozac longer to work. 

I feel as you dom. I’m thankful for our friendship and that we are in the same boat. It’s very reassuring, and relieving and therapeutic and I met a good friend through it. Hopefully we can help each other fully on this journey. Through the trenches and good days. 

Also feel free to message me during Christmas if you want snd are not feeling your best cuz I know I selfishly will go. It sounds like we both have loving partners but there’s nothing like someone who really gets it. And I know you don’t want to ruin Christmas for her I feel exactly

The same way but if they love us they accept us warts and all even if we have to excuse our selves for the rest of the night and leave. But I’m just gonna think about today. 

It’s peobably night over there. How are you? 

Hello Tina,

I only just got back with my GF and then fell apart with the anxiety and panic attacks. As soon as I started Prozac I have kind of had a break fromm her as I am exactly the same. I feel anxious with her and I am not me. She is trying to understand but it is hard for her. I wouldn't recommend it if you have managed so far. I was a zombie when I started Prozac again. Mine knows I am unloving and have less empathy at the moment and I am only seeing her tonight and tomorrow (I'll be back for chats in no time ). Hey I'm a Christian too but no judging here either.

How is your insomnia? Mine is still the same and I just take a cocktail these nights which wont end well if my doc can't sort me out. She's trying to sort me out with a psych. You are so lucky having one. It takes ages here. She never heard of Prozac with Trazodone. I suppose I could self med. We don't seem to have 10mg in the UK. So would be going from 20 to 40.

Yeah I have the fear too. I am my own worst enemy and worry about the future, the past, the present, but when Prozac kicked in last time it all pretty much went away. I need Mindfulness and CBT - will ask my doc.

I already told her I was worried about ruining Christmas. She is very understanding and has set everything up so I can just have time out if I want. And it is only one day so we'll get through.

Hey we're on a journey and it's a bit choppy just now but we're almost one week 6!

How did you sleep? If yours improves then I am hoping that so will mine.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas Tina, but if that isn't possible then I'm wishing you the strength to get through it as best you can, and know that you have a buddy here to take on the New Year with.

Back in a day or two

Dom x

Omg Dom, 

I did not get that good of sleep last night. But it was a couple different Things, one I think I had too much adrenaline and 2 my sister was in the living room wrapping all the presents for today (bless her) and she was wrapping till 1 am. So all the noise kept waking me up. So I kept turning on Netflix (the office is the only thing that calms me down) and I would fall asleep and wake up again finally fell asleep and woke up at  6.40 so I was glad for that. I’m nervous that since I stopped doxepin I might lose sleep again but I won’t think about that now. 

No 10mgs there? Hmm. I’m sure there’s a way to do it and still not go high so fast. Maybe we can get gutsy at the same time and do it together ha. Let’s see. 

I totally get it with the girlfriend. You know what’s best and when you can’t give your all it’s the worst feeling. So I don’t blame you. But is she wanting the break to? Don’t answer if it’s too personal. . 

Woke up with panic. But somewhat subsided. Gonna try to get out of bed to take my prozac. It’s 8am. Then I’m gonna try to stay in bed to rest before tonight. 

Hey, I’m here and praying and rooting for us both today (I say it but I’m scared and anxious). 

I agree if we can’t enjoy it at least let’s try to get through it. Bless your gf for making proper arrangements. Mine is the same. 

Enjoy Christmas is you can. And can’t wait to hear how nice (or awful) it may be. 

X tina 

Oh and when you talk to your psych surely she’ll /he’ll no the combo of Prozac and trazadone -hopefully.  But till then I’ll be researching other ones to -to see how they compare. Im looking at SSRI’s that are preferable for age, gender, nationality , blood type but only thing that has info is just age and gender. 

Hi dom, 

Merry late Christmas. I hope I’m not bugging you. This weekend was half good half bad. I’ll explain more later but I had terrible insomnia last night!!!! It drove me mad. Do you think I can take my Xanax with camomile tea? Have you drank your tea with your anti anxiety meds? 

How was Christmas for you? Did you sleep at all? Feel free to answer whenever you are ready. . Take your time. 

Tina