Viggen
11-08-09, 14:18
To start, I have done a search and found a lot of great info on this site about what is happening, but wanted to get a little bit more specific! I have been on low doses of SSRI's for the better half of 10 years (taking a few breaks here and there). I have tapered off 20 mg of citalopram, over a few months, and have been completely off them for a month. Since then I have had a few problems sleeping. I will not have much trouble falling asleep (around 11) but will wake up at around 4. After I wake up, I will slowly start to fall asleep and than have a jerk or spasm that will wake me up. When this happens I am just starting to pass into sleep, but I am very aware and basically waiting to feel my arm or leg jerk. This turns into a cycle, and happens more and more frequently until I awake at 7 (I estimate 10-15 times in total). I get more and more stressed because it seems like no matter what I do I can not get back into that solid sleep that I experience earlier in the night. I worry that I have done permanent neorological damage to my body from being on the medicine so long. As far as health and sleep hygeine I do everything right. I eat extremely healthy, work out 6 days a week, no caffeine, and go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. Why would this be happening just in the early morning?