H
Hopeful1s
Member
I used kratom as an anti-depressant for a couple years. Absolutely horrible idea. Coming off that was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life. Not going to get into the details, but that leads me into my current predicament...
I stopped the kratom about seven months ago now, yet still deal with PAWS quite a bit because of it. After months of feeling like I am just drowning, both my psychologist and I thought taking an anti-depressant, at least for a while, would be a good idea until I get more back to normal.
I am taking Citalopram. Took it in the past and it did help. Problem is, I guess because my body is more sensitive to everything now (thanks to the kratom and my brain having to re-wire itself), I am having pretty bad side-effects with the Citalopram. A little over three weeks into it now, and I have had really bad insomnia the last two weeks. It wasn't like this the first time I took it.
The insomnia is making it both more difficult to fall asleep as well as to stay asleep. Depending on the night, it can keep me up for an hour or two later than I should be up. The most annoying part is I wake up anywhere from 1.5-2.5hrs before I need to actually be awake for work and can't get back to sleep. My brain is just running a million miles a minute about everything I need to do, or sometimes just random racing thoughts. I can't shut my brain off at that point and have been getting an average of about 4hrs of sleep a night when I typically need 8.
I don't have health insurance, so another medication isn't financially feasible, especially with the insomnia causing me to miss work some days. Just so exhausted I can't do it.
I was considering supplements that might help, like melatonin, magnesium, or really open to anything that's affordable on the local grocery shelves that might help. I can't take diphenhydramine because it leaves me way too groggy the next day. My body has always been extremely sensitive to that, so that isn't an option, but open to any other suggestions anyone might have.
Also, any idea how much longer I might expect to continue having this insomnia and anxiety? I see stuff on the internet where this can typically last the first 3-4 weeks, but I'm going into the 4th week now and if anything, it's getting worse, not better. Just really frustrated and feeling hopeless here at this point. Open to any suggestions anyone has.
I stopped the kratom about seven months ago now, yet still deal with PAWS quite a bit because of it. After months of feeling like I am just drowning, both my psychologist and I thought taking an anti-depressant, at least for a while, would be a good idea until I get more back to normal.
I am taking Citalopram. Took it in the past and it did help. Problem is, I guess because my body is more sensitive to everything now (thanks to the kratom and my brain having to re-wire itself), I am having pretty bad side-effects with the Citalopram. A little over three weeks into it now, and I have had really bad insomnia the last two weeks. It wasn't like this the first time I took it.
The insomnia is making it both more difficult to fall asleep as well as to stay asleep. Depending on the night, it can keep me up for an hour or two later than I should be up. The most annoying part is I wake up anywhere from 1.5-2.5hrs before I need to actually be awake for work and can't get back to sleep. My brain is just running a million miles a minute about everything I need to do, or sometimes just random racing thoughts. I can't shut my brain off at that point and have been getting an average of about 4hrs of sleep a night when I typically need 8.
I don't have health insurance, so another medication isn't financially feasible, especially with the insomnia causing me to miss work some days. Just so exhausted I can't do it.
I was considering supplements that might help, like melatonin, magnesium, or really open to anything that's affordable on the local grocery shelves that might help. I can't take diphenhydramine because it leaves me way too groggy the next day. My body has always been extremely sensitive to that, so that isn't an option, but open to any other suggestions anyone might have.
Also, any idea how much longer I might expect to continue having this insomnia and anxiety? I see stuff on the internet where this can typically last the first 3-4 weeks, but I'm going into the 4th week now and if anything, it's getting worse, not better. Just really frustrated and feeling hopeless here at this point. Open to any suggestions anyone has.