I think I'm having a breakdown

[Eek]

I've been withdrawing from my medication for a week now and have not had more than three hours sleep in any one night, sometimes less more like an hour. I'm terrified it's going to make me mad or kill me. I don't feel like I'm ever going to have normal sleep again. I can't take any sleep aids not even valarian as they interact with my other meds so there is no respite. I gave in and took a diazepam today only to find that it interacts with all of my other meds, I can't believe the doctor prescribed it for me, it has major interactions with all three other meds, so now I'm scared about that.

The last couple of hours I've just been sobbing uncontrollably, my poor husband is at his wit's end with me. I don't know what to do, I don't know if it's lack of sleep, withdrawal symptoms - they can go on for four to six weeks with these meds (Zyprexa - olanzapine) or my anxiety doing this to me, but I feel like I'm just breaking down. I don't want to give in and go back on the meds I've come this far but it's looking like that's what I might have to do. I don't know how much more of this sleeplessness I can take, and I'm also still worrying about all my other problems like the night sweats, which are way worse at the moment, the treatment resistant thrush that I have which doesn't seem to be clearing up with the new treatment, my wonky periods that only seem to be getting worse. It's too much for me, i just don't know what to do any more.

[cattia]

Sorry you are having such a bad time. Take some deep breaths. You will come through all of this, none of it is going to kill you. Your body can survive on far less sleep than you might think. Can you talk to a pharmacist about the drug interactions? They are often far more clued up on that than doctors. The withdrawal won't last forever, and you have probably already come through the worst. The thrush will clear up, there are lots more medicines that you can try if this one doesn't work. I know how debilitating the constant anxiety is, I really do. Just don't give up, keep telling yourself it will get better,because in the end it will.

[Eek]

Thanks Cattia. I just don't think I can take this any more.

[Anxious_gal]

When I had my worst anxiety, I was under a lot of stress, but I really think that it was the lack of sleep that made me a 100 times worse.

I even develope this weird fear of falling asleep and not being able to sleep.
I was in a constant state of high anxiety, feeling unreal, racing heart, shaking, racing thoughts. It was like a panic attack that went on for days.

But once I got some proper sleep, ate better and drank a lot of water, it really did help a lot.

Seriously see of there's anything they can give you to help you sleep, hell even if it meant staying a few days in hospital at least you'd get some decent sleep.