Two bad mornings in a row

[Shazamataz]

So here's a new thing which has left me both puzzled and quite upset/worried.

Since starting and gradually increasing venlafaxine a couple months ago my anxiety has gradually improved. Still not perfect but a noticeable improvement so I was feeling like In was finally getting somewhere.

The past week my fatigue levels have been pretty bad but I figured that would pass.

I've been on zopiclone for months now as my sleep was a complete disaster. Since the anxiety dropped I've slept better and able to get back to sleep if I wake up early. Something to celebrate!

So psych and I agreed it was time to wean off the zopiclone by a quarter every two weeks. Five nights no problem, slept well, but very fatigued during the day.

Now the past two mornings: Wake at 5, can't get back to sleep but stay in bed trying to relax. 7 am start having surges of feeling incredibly hot all over (it isn't hot), then nausea and some sweating.

Yesterday after that I felt chilled and cold all day, could hardly eat. Felt really unwell. But despite not doing much managed to get off to sleep well last night, until 5 am again.

I'm not really sure what I'm asking here. It's just something new. It's not like the morning anxiety I had where I'd wake early and not get back to sleep and have to pee every 15 minutes and being unbearably thirsty.

The only thing I've changed is taking a quarter less zopiclone.

I just can't keep on like this. I've had 10 months of anxiety and feeling unwell with some really sever patches and then some reprieve where I start to feel better.

The day ahead now is looking frightening as I am so exhausted and this in itself makes me a bit anxious.

Help!

[lotusblossom]

Hi Ihave been at this for 5 years feeling ok and then a blip feeling ok then a blip, no matter how many times I tell myself the blip will pass and it does it dosnt make it any easier when you are going through it. I tell myself that theyre just feelings and wont hurt me I know that I have to be strong and work through the blips but had a bad week or 2 and blip lasting longer than they usually do so off to docs next week to discuss change of meds beenon duloxetine a long time but I don't think it is working now, Hoping new meds will work forme and I can live the life I want, I sending you positive thoughts:flowers:

[Shazamataz]

Thanks Lotus, it's just awful isn't it? Just when you thing things are improving.

I am wondering how much of mine is perimenopause (am 46 soon) but am just fed up with two steps forwards one step back, sometimes two back and so on and when you feel as bad as I do today it feels like it will never end.

Hope you find something to help!

[Mermaid16]

Hi Shaz! I'm so sorry you aren't feeling well. I did have a look at Menopause.org.au if you scroll to the bottom there is a checklist and rating system that may be helpful in determining if it is in fact perimenopause. If it does look like pre menopause, maybe you could speak the the doc about it. I haven't been through it yet, so can't really offer you any advice. I know my Mum gets hot flushes and has been through menopause and took medication for it. It is hard also when you can't pinpoint what's causing it. It will get better Shaz. It's hard and exhausting when it drags on for so long. Maybe it is your thyroid? Thinking of you. Will cross my fingers and toes in the hope you have a better day tomorrow. Xx. Take care of you.:hugs:

[Shazamataz]

Thanks Tracy,

Awake again this morning at 5, stayed in bed and tried but failed to relax until 7.30. Acid tummy/burps, nausea blocked nose so couldn't breathe. Didn't have a hot flash this time but feel overall really ill.

My GP put me on progesterone a few months back as we discussed perimenopause and said that may help things but it really hasn't done anything at all.

Am dreading the day feeling like this. Sitting here resisting the urge to vomit.

If it is 'just' anxiety I don't know why it's rearing it's ugly head so badly again in the mornings. The only change has been cutting quarter off my zopiclone but that was over a week ago now, maybe 9 days, and things should be settling. I'm not going to go back up to see if that helps as determined to get off some of these pills!

I've also been fairly chesty recently. GP changed my asthma meds last time I saw her and am going to ask to switch back. Last few days feel like I can't get a decent breath, but that can also be anxiety can't it!?

[Phuzella]

I feel like that some mornings. I'm putting it down to allergies or night time acid reflux. From what I read reflux can cause all sorts of symptoms

[Shazamataz]

I feel like that some mornings. I'm putting it down to allergies or night time acid reflux. From what I read reflux can cause all sorts of symptoms

It's definitely coming up allergy season except I'm not sneezing or anything during the day.

Not sure that can explain the hot flashes though or the nausea? I had bad nausea in the mornings a few months ago and was really acidy but haven't had it for ages.

I guess my anxiety is just playing tricks on me again :(

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi Shaz,

I think this will be Zopiclone withdrawal. Flushes, sweats, insomnia, day time anxiety, etc are all listed withdrawal symptoms.

Zopiclone can start to become dependant after as little as two weeks! When I started Cit I had terrible insomnia and it hit my mood badly. My GP panicked (it was my first time with anxiety and these meds) and called in the Crisis Team. They just said help me to sleep and my GP gave me 5mg Zopiclone. What he didn't tell me, which the Crisis Team who unhappy with, was that it was for short term use and he kept doling it out for 30 days. After a couple of weeks of was working less, I didn't know why, but it would leave me so tired when I woke it could take me over 1.5 hours of trying to get out of bed and just turning over because I felt so drugged. I couldn't eat more than a few biscuits for about 6 hours when it eased off. Some of this might have been the Cit too.

When he told me he couldn't give me anymore he gave me my last 7 days. The Crisis Team told me that my GP should have advised me to take it one day on, one day off. I obviously didn't need it like you must have done. I used this to get off the stuff and at first I wouldn't sleep at all on the off days. This started to creep to a few hours, then a little more. By the end of those 2 weeks I was on about 5 hours and it took a couple of months from there to get it back up to like 7 hours. As I understand it, Zopiclone can disturb sleep for quite a while after.

Basically, my GP got me dependent on it through mishandling as he had no clue himself.

Maybe the taper needs adjusting? They can also cross over to an equivalent Diazepam dose if it's truly needed so you get the longer half life to taper down from.

[swgrl09]

Is there any chance you could be sick? Maybe a virus?

[Shazamataz]

Is there any chance you could be sick? Maybe a virus?

There i a chance of that too but I have so much going on it's hard to tell what's what!

---------- Post added at 08:20 ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 ----------




Maybe the taper needs adjusting? They can also cross over to an equivalent Diazepam dose if it's truly needed so you get the longer half life to taper down from.

Hi terry, I've replied to this in our PMs, thanks.

It's really impossible to adjust the taper in the sense the tablets only come in 7.5, they easily split in half but even getting quarters is difficult due to their oval shape.

I've worked out that dropping 1/4 zopiclone is the equivalent of 1.5 mg diazepam or thereabouts. When I tapered halfway on the diaz I was only doing .5 mg every week or two so it's maybe too big a jump!

---------- Post added at 08:34 ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 ----------

Interestingly I've just looked up zopiclone withdrawal and it includes fatigue which I have anyway but significantly worse since dropping my dose. I've also been sweating more and having hot flashes, both withdrawal symptoms along with the nausea.

So on a positive note, this WILL pass! Except I'm only a quarter of the way reduced!

Interestingly I actually start off the night okay and fall asleep naturally. A while ago I decided to do this to see if I could and I can so that's an improvement on earlier in the year. I tend to take the zopiclone when I wake up, often about 2 or 3 am. But since reducing, instead of sleeping til about 8, or waking again about 6 but going back to sleep, I'm waking fully by about 5 very dry in the mouth and blocked in the nose. and the physical symptoms start then.

Could I be having withdrawal symptoms only a couple od hours after taking it? Because I'm taking less?

Anyway I will persevere as I need to get off this stuff.