2 hours ago, Healing_s said:

Hello everyone,

This is what I think it’s happening: my nervous system is in red alert when it comes to sleep. As soon as I try to fall asleep e starts to burn all energy I have, this creates the pike of blood sugar, so the body sends adrenaline to keep me awake and “don’t die”.

I feel so exhausted and starting to feel weak.

Any thoughts on this? I don’t like the way this is going.

Hi @Healing_s I have yet to meet a single medical professional who knows, beyond dry facts, how these chemicals synchronize with our complex system, let alone during wd, so your theory is definitely valid.

What is certain is that the system is on red alert during this process and from there any symptom, even seemingly unrelated, is possible, sleep, eating, pain, emotional regulation, everything is affected.

It really sounds like you are doing your best but with the very little control we have, it is important to be kind with ourselves and also know how to let things be until they fade on their own, easier said than done, I know, a work in progress for all of us.

I hope you feel better very soon.

Edited July 24Jul 24 by Fullhealing

@Fullhealing thank you for your support.

I really try to cope with it. But when the level of exhaustion is so high i almost lose it. I’ve been struggling very much these past days, and try to be okay with the fact that it’s ok if a sleep an hour or two. The next day i feel exhausted but somehow there is still energy to go through the day, just to be living this all over again at night in the hope that the system finds some peace.

I don’t guys but in feeling quite down, cause I don’t know how much more i can manage of this.

1 hour ago, Chippy said:

Remind me you were considering a small RI at one point right?

Chippy if i RI, which should be the dose? I was on 75mg, tappered until 37,5. And also with sedoxil, should i RI?

Edited July 24Jul 24 by Healing_s

31 minutes ago, Healing_s said:

@Fullhealing thank you for your support.

I really try to cope with it. But when the level of exhaustion is so high i almost lose it. I’ve been struggling very much these past days, and try to be okay with the fact that it’s ok if a sleep an hour or two. The next day i feel exhausted but somehow there is still energy to go through the day, just to be living this all over again at night in the hope that the system finds some peace.

I don’t guys but in feeling quite down, cause I don’t know how much more i can manage of this.

I know and I'm sorry @Healing_s I wish I could snap my fingers and make it all go away for all of us, but it's a tough process with ups and downs, right now you're on the decline but you'll be back on top eventually, that's how it works unfortunately but please remember that in all of this, the system is healing and you keep moving forward.

Continue with a fighting spirit and survive every moment that leads you to the end of this nightmare, you got it!

30 minutes ago, Healing_s said:

Chippy if i RI, which should be the dose? I was on 75mg, tappered until 37,5. And also with sedoxil, should i RI?

I would start very low to be safe. 2.5-5% of your last dose just to be safe. So perhaps around 1mg.

What format were you taking, a capsule with beads? If so you would need to count the beads in 5-10 capsules and divide that by the number of capsules to give you an average bead count. Let us know that number.

If it’s beads is it a generic brand and are all the beads the same size?

@Chippy i don’t even have any pills anymore, i would have to go to doctor and try to get it. 😔

And so i should try to RI on about 36 mg right?

11 minutes ago, Healing_s said:

@Chippy i don’t even have any pills anymore, i would have to go to doctor and try to get it. 😔

And so i should try to RI on about 36 mg right?

Oh I see. Well it needs to be the same brand as you had before if you do try.

No you want to go for a very small dose so 1mg max which is about 2.5% of 37.5mg.

hey everyone!

So this is the actual state of play:

After 5 days with interrupted sleep and what I now see that can be:

• brain zaps (like a tremor that sticks for about 10 sec, in head, stops, and comes back)

• plus the awaking jumps during sleep

• plus the adrenaline rush which drops my blood sugar;

On Thursday I took 2.5mg of diazepam so that I could at least have some rest, not that I’m agreeing on this, but I was not able to function completely. And I was hyper focusing on this, not being able to control my panic.

So, yesterday I didn’t took nothing, except for the Ergycalm plant based xarope (10 ml) to help me getting more calm. I was able to control most of the symptoms, and even had to windows of sleep, which in total were 5h. I know that this is because the medicine is still in my sistema. Still that’s a major victory.

My doctor told me (months ago) that I could take sedoxil in sos. I didn’t want to and never took it. Except for this Thursday that I took the diazepam.

As my doctor is on parenting leave, I’m trying to find a new psychiatrist which will agree to reinstate the low dose. (Or at least give me the medicine and follow the tapering guidelines)

Until then, I will stick to the plan of just go with it.

Important questions:

• If I RI sedoxil would it make things worse or should I just keep going? And take it separately every now and then?

• As things are so messed up, I’m quite afraid that I’m making things worse if I just keep with these horrible nights, because it affects all systems.

Well that’s the plan. Any thoughts? @Chippy

❤️

Edited July 25Jul 25 by Healing_s

Another important information is that I’ll be 4 months in 14 August. Am I still in the window for RI?

I you look at RI from pure theoretical perspective, your sleep won't be better necessary - velafaxine is an SNRI, so noradrenergic effect can cause you a real adrenaline spike, because noradrenaline is stimulating adrenal glands.

That's the theory. You know very well that for some people RI is not helpful and they sometimes can't find the right dose anymore.

It's up to you, but I share my experience - after quitting everything I experienced every possible symptom, except my sleeping improved. Actually I recognized how bad my sleep was when I was on any drug. Falling asleep and having healthy deep sleep are two different thing. These drugs are "stealing" sleep quality even though you fall asleep easily...

1 hour ago, Healing_s said:

hey everyone!

So this is the actual state of play:

After 5 days with interrupted sleep and what I now see that can be:

• brain zaps (like a tremor that sticks for about 10 sec, in head, stops, and comes back)

• plus the awaking jumps during sleep

• plus the adrenaline rush which drops my blood sugar;

On Thursday I took 2.5mg of diazepam so that I could at least have some rest, not that I’m agreeing on this, but I was not able to function completely. And I was hyper focusing on this, not being able to control my panic.

So, yesterday I didn’t took nothing, except for the Ergycalm plant based xarope (10 ml) to help me getting more calm. I was able to control most of the symptoms, and even had to windows of sleep, which in total were 5h. I know that this is because the medicine is still in my sistema. Still that’s a major victory.

My doctor told me (months ago) that I could take sedoxil in sos. I didn’t want to and never took it. Except for this Thursday that I took the diazepam.

As my doctor is on parenting leave, I’m trying to find a new psychiatrist which will agree to reinstate the low dose. (Or at least give me the medicine and follow the tapering guidelines)

Until then, I will stick to the plan of just go with it.

Important questions:

• If I RI sedoxil would it make things worse or should I just keep going? And take it separately every now and then?

• As things are so messed up, I’m quite afraid that I’m making things worse if I just keep with these horrible nights, because it affects all systems.

Well that’s the plan. Any thoughts? @Chippy

❤️

If you needed to take the benzo as a one off I understand. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Overall I’d avoid taking anything as often the result is making it all worse or prolonging healing.

In terms of RI only you can choose. When we suggest RI we are not trying to treat anything with drugs we are trying to answer the brains cry for a substance it has become dependent on and that is causing wd symptoms. So a low dose of Venlafaxine may be useful, I’d start there if I was to do anything. It’s important to not make lots of changes and do things at once, you can’t know what helped what otherwise.

Timescale wise the window often spoken about is 3 months. Many have ri long after and it’s helped. The longer you leave it the more risk but doesn’t mean it won’t help, equally it doesn’t mean it won’t worsen you. Remember low dose. It mitigates the risks.

Thank you @Chippy and @The Dust

I’m debating with RI. If I can manage to deal with this symptom, I think I can make it without RI.

I also think that this was also caused by the tryptophan supplement stop. I wasn’t sleeping well before but not as bad as now, neither had the brain zaps, or this feeling of muscles stiffness, so it started when stopped it.

Good thing is that DR is not coming to bother me.

Edited July 25Jul 25 by Healing_s

19 hours ago, Healing_s said:

I’m debating with RI. If I can manage to deal with this symptom, I think I can make it without RI.

It is a very personal decision, I think for some RI has been crutial for them, but for others staying off and waiting to heal makes more sense.

19 hours ago, Healing_s said:

I also think that this was also caused by the tryptophan supplement stop. I wasn’t sleeping well before but not as bad as now, neither had the brain zaps, or this feeling of muscles stiffness, so it started when stopped it.

Hopefully your sleep improves soon. The leasson is to treat your nervous system like a small baby, gently. Don't make sudden changes even with supplements imo, gradual gentle and one at a time. Generally keep it all natural where possible.

19 hours ago, Healing_s said:

Good thing is that DR is not coming to bother me.

That is good. I found it came and went and varied in severity until it doesn't really happen now.

Guys I’m freaking out.

I wasn’t able to sleep again, I’m losing my mind. I feel like I’m hearing my body working. I tried to put some white noise sound to help me sleep. Nothing. I’m getting crazy.

@Chippy please help.

4 minutes ago, Healing_s said:

Guys I’m freaking out.

I wasn’t able to sleep again, I’m losing my mind. I feel like I’m hearing my body working. I tried to put some white noise sound to help me sleep. Nothing. I’m getting crazy.

I am sorry to hear this. You will sleep enough, it might not be enough to feel good but your body will get what it needs. I had horrible insomina in the first few months of stopping, slowly it improves. You must make sure you keep the room cool, light blanket, ear plugs, eye mask and most importantly stay out of your head, don't get frustrated or scared, just accept the sleep you do or don't get. You have to learn to almost not care if you sleep or not. I know that sounds crazy but it really helps keep second fear at bay. Stay in bed for a set period of time without getting up. Give yourself a little longer than you would want and go to bed at the same time each night. When in bed don't get up and move around or go downstairs, just rest. Resting is good. Even if you are not sleeping, resting is good. When you are resting you get 'secret' sleeps. They add up. Eventutally it will start to get a little better. You've got this.

I don’t feel I can. It feels like I’m paranoid. I feel like I’m losing the battle. It feels like a total breakdown. And even if I can stay in bed, I know I’m calm, but my mind is just looking at everything trying to see if things are better. It feels like a breakdown.

37 minutes ago, Healing_s said:

I feel like I’m losing the battle.

Youre not, that is just your mind telling you otherwise.

38 minutes ago, Healing_s said:

I know I’m calm, but my mind is just looking at everything trying to see if things are better.

This is very common. The brain is a very powerful thing. When it is dysregualted it loops and fixates and stays highly activated. First thing is to recognise this is WD not a break down. Accept that this is the case. Then when it seems you can't shut it down, stop trying too, just accept and work on floating over it. It won't be easy especially if things are very severe, but keep up the practice, eventually it will get easier and things will ease naturally for you.

This is not you, this is just WD.

30 minutes ago, Chippy said:

Youre not, that is just your mind telling you otherwise.

This is psychological terror, and it feels that I’m doing this to myself. Nights and mornings are the worst. Usually at the end of the day I can have some mental clarity. But then the night comes and makes me feel like I don’t even know what’s real or not, I’m so confused, or what to believe.

And my heart is not racing, but I feel panic everywhere.

Did you noticed any pattern in relation to eating. Does your panic appear after eating?

@The Dust not that I’m aware. I cannot relate.

I don't know, I can't be sure, but I have/had this and later I recognized that reddit is full of that kind of stories. And of course... Everyone "knows" that it's gluten or sugar and so on...

2 hours ago, Healing_s said:

This is psychological terror, and it feels that I’m doing this to myself. Nights and mornings are the worst. Usually at the end of the day I can have some mental clarity. But then the night comes and makes me feel like I don’t even know what’s real or not, I’m so confused, or what to believe.

And my heart is not racing, but I feel panic everywhere.

I’m sorry that sounds terrible. You are not doing it to yourself. I think it’s really important that to accept this. It keeps the second fear at bay. Learning to allow the symptoms is so very hard I know, if you keep doubting this is you or wd you’ll be stuck in a loop and that doesn’t help you. You’ve got this.

5 hours ago, The Dust said:

Did you noticed any pattern in relation to eating. Does your panic appear after eating?

Yes ive had this. I read its because it makes our nervous system work (why a lot of us have no appetite when we're bad) and so it throws it all out of whack while it digests your food. Heavy meals and harder things to digest make it worse (just what ive read)

@cherrysquid It's great that someone confirmed this. Reddit is full of testimonies like that, but for people it's not always easy to find out this association. Years ago i also didn't have any idea where these "panics states" were coming from.

In my case it is chemical sensitivity, because I can have practically the same reaction if if inhale, intentionally or unintentionally, things like hand sanitizer or chlorine. I also know that for myself because I was trying different organic food labels or farms and - the things are not the same...

But still, you are still right by saying that nervous system works. If feels like somewhere something is overworking, maybe related to digestion.