Tell me how you did it. I’ve managed to get off every medication but this (I am COMPLETELY dependent on it for sleep. If you read my previous post you’ll see I couldn’t even nap during a 4 day labour). I’ve never successfully managed it. I get down to 25mg and then stop sleeping. I’ve gotten to 6 days without sleep and broke and taken it again at a higher dose.
My psychiatrist is completely unsupportive of me coming off it. I’m not being unsafe but I don’t know how much longer I can look after a baby on it. I still have to sleep 10 hours and don’t sleep AT ALL when I don’t take it. It means on the days I need to do night care for ever reason I don’t get any rest, because I can’t take my medication and care for baby, I’m too drugged and it’s dangerous. It means I’m regularly going 26 odd hours without sleep and then fucking up my routine.
I also can’t cosleep because of it and I’m panicking about going back to work and not being able to help Robert with night wakings and him going mental. And in the long term I’m more and more aware of how lazy and fat its made me, and the health effects. I see myself dying young on this shit.
Is chronic insomnia a given trying to get off? I’ve titrated down to 50mg now. (Higher doses are not less sedating for me, and last time my dose was increased I gained 3 stone in 3 months) Before anyone suggests another antipsychotic, nothing else helps and some were a lot worse (olanzapine for one). Does melatonin help?
I asked my perinatal nurse about this and she suggested a planned admission to the mother and baby unit which I’d like to avoid. Would rather have insomnia and side effects in the comfort of home with Robert here!
Thanks for any tips!
Filed under: Mental health
from The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive http://ift.tt/1FD9UPF