Insomnia

[Junior]

Does anyone think updosing would help?

[Junior]

Copied from my jounal at PP:

2012- 4 Jan-17mg; 13 Feb-16mg; 21 June-15mg;
5 Aug-14mg; 17 Sept-13mg, 18 Dec-12.5mg
2013- 27 Jan-12mg, 11 Mar-11.5mg, 2 May-11mg

I was fine on 14mg. Had trouble with overactive adrenals when I dropped to 13mg and held there until it settled (had help from my NP too) - but it has just become worse and worse since then. My endocrine system is out of whack, mainstream medicine won't recognise it, and my NP is away.

[shel]

I am so sorry you are suffering from insomnia, Junior. I ran into serious trouble last spring while tapering Zoloft during a period of high stress and stopped sleeping - my adrenal system felt all out of whack as well.....I could not relax for the life of me even with zero sleep. I was having major suicidal thoughts as well. Out of desperation I switched SSRIs from Zoloft to Celexa and added 1 mg Klonopin. I am glad you are steering away from the switching idea because that has not helped me at all (the switching part went really well but the aftermath not so much) and now I am stuck on the 1 mg Klonopin to boot. As much as I hate having to deal with being on a benzo, the Klonopin does help me sleep even as I am going through a bad time with the SSRI post-switch deal. I would try to updose on the Paxil before taking a benzo - if it works, then you will have a solution without adding another addictive med. that you will have to contend with as well down the road.

BTW, I am a member of PP as well. I haven't posted in awhile but still read there. I used to post under the name "medsrnot4me). I believe I read that you are going on a cruise soon to Alaska. I am leaving for a similar cruise at the end of this month. I have no idea how I am going to get through the trip as I am feeling pretty unwell but I can't back out now - I don't want to let my friend whom I am going with down. Plus I have hope that somehow it will be helpful for me to experience the change as well as the beauty of Alaska.

Sorry for the long post. I just want you to know I really understand your struggle and hope so much you get some relief soon.

Michele

[Junior]

Thank you so much Shel. I do remember the name from PP. I post more often there than I do here. I think because I'm tapering rather than being in protracted w/d that I feel a stronger sense of belonging there.

Yeah switching doesn't work. Sorry you are having to go through that. I'm sorry all of us are having to go through all this crap. I have actually decided that I WILL updose. I don't know what took me so long to realise it, but it seems the best way. I think I've been too focused on the thyroid thing and putting it all down to that. Anyhow, I'm going back to the last dose at which I felt stable - 14mg. Fingers crossed that it works! I'm also going to revisit the thyroid thing with my GP and see if I can get a referral to an endocronologist.

I hope you can get some enjoyment out of your holiday. I'm scared I won't be able to myself. I still have another 4.5 weeks though so if the updose works I should be in a better position by then.

[shel]

Oh good, Junior - it must feel good to have a plan in place. Updosing has worked for you in the past, yes? So hopefully that will do the trick - and just in time for your holiday! Please keep us posted how it all goes - I have my fingers crossed for you!

[Junior]

Ok so I can't get a referral to an endo. My GP gave me the impression that he believes me but that he doesn't know how to help. He said an endo will only interpret my blood test results the same way. He surprised me when he suggested a wholistic practitioner though. I didn't think he believed in natural medicine!

I am trying a low dose of amitryptline - which I think is preferable to getting hooked on a benzo - and updosing to 14mg of Paxil. If the amitryptline is going to work, it should start doing so either tonight or tomorrow night. No more Temazepam or melatonin though. He said there could be an interaction between the ami and the paxil but because my dose of Paxil is so low, and because I've been on it for so long, he doesn't think there will be a problem. He wants to see me next week to monitor it.

[stan]

i would not updose to 14 mg, only stay on 11 mg the time needed, or updose to 12 mg only and wait there; for me even the updose has to be gradually, 0,5 every two three weeks(not from 11 to 14 brutally)

[Junior]

Thanks Stan but I have decided to go to 13. That is the last dose at which I was stable - before it threw my endocrine system off balance - so it makes sense to go back to that.

The amitryptline definitely helped last night - it gave me 4 hours of solid sleep, same as the sleeping tablets but without the hangover. I was then able to get another 3 hours - broken - with the aid of 2 valerian forte. If the updose works, going by my past history with this drug, it should only be a week or so before I get my sleep pattern back. I then plan to sit there for 6 months or so while I get the thyroid thing settled. Then I will try again, but slower this time.

And I know that I can get off the amitryptline easily because I was on 100mg years ago for depression and had no trouble then. (I'm only on 1/8th of that now. ) It's because I've been on it before that I felt comfortable trying it now.

[Junior]

I am happy to report that the Endep (amitryptline) is working. I got a good 8 hours of sleep last night - a little broken but who cares? I am sure that when the updose of the Paxil kicks in that I will be sleeping better than I have in years. I can't tell what a relief it is.

Thank you all for your support through this incredibly difficult time. It means a lot to me.

[Sheila]

Sending prayers!