[triplewater11]

As someone who works in the field and is usually on the other side of the table, I can safely say I now more fully understand how complex it can be to be prescribed several meds and have to stay on top of them all.

Geez Louise. I had a terrible week last week - panic attack monday night triggered by health anxiety related stuff, and I freaked out that I couldn't get to sleep and took a 1mg lorazepam that I had left over from an ER visit several months ago. Long story short, I took it 3 more nights in a row because I couldn't sleep. I then forced myself to go the whole weekend without it, really just slept a bit on saturday night - but I feel like the not sleeping thing is not all related to not taking that medicine. Anyway, I went in to see my PCP 3x last week and the ER once with heart palpitations. Got put back on a beta blocker (metoprolol) and sertraline. I am also on losartan for high blood pressure, which I tolerate well. And on top of this, I have really awful acid reflux which I think is exacerbated by the sertraline (50mg) so I'm taking nexium every morning now for a few weeks. I am terrified that I am on 4 medications! And to top it off, the not sleeping thing. I think my panic attack set off a cycle related to being afraid to sleep, and then I got briefly psychologically dependent on the benzo because I didn't want to not sleep and go to work. Friday night I didn't sleep at all and it was horrible, but my PCP basically told me to do this to "re set" myself. Weird. Saturday night I fell asleep for a little over an hour, was up in the middle of the night, and finally back to sleep sometime between 3-4. Last night I tried to have really good sleep hygiene, no screens, quiet, dark house etc...took melatonin (dr recommended this or benedryl instead of relying on lorazepam, which i get and agree with). Melatonin did not work, 2 hours later took 2 benedryl. Ended up feeling like i was in a drunken stupor, laying there in bed in the middle of the night just focusing on my breathing. I am not sure if I slept, but at some point I had the sudden awareness that I was all sweaty so I think I did get some sleep (maybe 1-2 hours) and got overheated under the blankets.

I am overwhelmed by all these medications. To top it off, the sertraline and beta blocker both can contribute to insomnia. I have this new phobia of being afraid of dying in my sleep, and taking all these meds does not help this. I was hoping to take a lorazepam to knock myself out tonight, but I am afraid to.

I'm feeling so off right now, I think it's from the sertraline.. keep getting jitters, shakiness, weird cooling sensation in arms, plus my stomach and acid reflux are so out of control.

I know this is a short term bad time for a long term benefit, but I am so overwhelmed. I work at a college and the semester just started last week, this was not a good time to have a semi-nervous breakdown and have to go on two new medications.

Thanks for listening if you made it this far!

[MobiusPsyche]

Sorry to hear you're having these problems. It can even out after a while though.

[triplewater11]

I hope so. Just a few weeks, hopefully.

[ofthevalley]

sorry to hear you are going through such a hard time. Hopefully it all evens out for you. Also have you considered hydroxyzine?

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[triplewater11]

Originally Posted by ofthevalley

sorry to hear you are going through such a hard time. Hopefully it all evens out for you. Also have you considered hydroxyzine?

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Thank you so much! Is that a sleep aid? I think I've heard of it!

[kecanoe]

Hydroxyzine helps me fall asleep also. And cyclobenzaprine helps me stay asleep.

[ofthevalley]

Originally Posted by triplewater11

Thank you so much! Is that a sleep aid? I think I've heard of it!

It does help you sleep and it also helps with anxiety. Good luck!

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[possum220]

Sometimes particular medications will take a while to settle down. Other times certain meds are a bad fit for our bodies and will never be of any great help to our mental wellness. Maybe going back to the person who prescribed you Sertraline and let them you that you are feeling so unwell.

Some individuals are very med sensitive and will find themselves hard pressed to find the right fit.

[triplewater11]

Originally Posted by possum220

Sometimes particular medications will take a while to settle down. Other times certain meds are a bad fit for our bodies and will never be of any great help to our mental wellness. Maybe going back to the person who prescribed you Sertraline and let them you that you are feeling so unwell.

Some individuals are very med sensitive and will find themselves hard pressed to find the right fit.

Thank you so much. I'm going to give it a bit of time and see if it settles down, but this is good to remember.