A few months ago I went on a trip and thanks to lack of routine and forgetfulness, I didn’t take my head meds for three straight days. My head meds are for my anxiety, so you’d think that forgetting to take then would just make me anxious, right? Wrong. I went into this weird state where I felt like somehow I’d been slipped roofies AND speed. I was grouchy, babbling, shaky, hyper, spazzy and exhausted. And, I didn’t realize I hadn’t taken my meds, so I just was like, “wow, New Orleans does weeeeeeeirrrrd things to me! Maybe I shouldn’t have taken that Children’s Claritin with so much coffee!!!! ZZZZZZZ.” It was Brain Armageddon, but without Ben Affleck, animal crackers or my dad singing in the background.
Once I finally figured out that I hadn’t taken my medicine, I rectified the situation and then told one of my internet doctor friends. She said, “yeah, you don’t want to suddenly stop taking that stuff. Some of the side effects can be irritability, hallucinations, reduced thinking ability, bleeding from the skin, and nighttime urination.” I’m glad only some of those things happened because I had to share a bed in NOLA and I think things could have really gotten awkward.
I bring all this up because I am feeling just like this again, but from jet lag. This whole time zone thing has really messed with me. I’m jittery, easily distracted, and in the time it took me to complete this sentence I fell asleep, then woke with a start and braided a section of my bangs. Then I got out of bed to stretch because my muscles hurt. The logical next thing to do was “draw” a “picture” that makes no sense.
This is just pathetic.
I don’t know what to do. I am not napping during the day. At night, I have brief flirtations with sleep – I’ll fall asleep sitting up, but then when I lay down I am wide awake. When I finally DO fall asleep, it’s for no longer than three or four hours. Frankly, I got more sleep when I had newborns.
I need more than four hours sleep to function. Annabel is a worthy adversary who can sense weakness, and I fear that should I get one more sub-par night of sleep, she’ll somehow have me booking first class tickets for her and her toys on an African Safari.
Just look at that “drawing.” I gave up drawing a butterfly halfway through and made it a moth! If’ that isn’t a cry for help, nothing is.
Molly says:
I remember the day I learned to draw that cool S. It was a very good day in fourth grade for me. Hope you get some sleep soon. x
Carrie says:
Hahaha! I thought the same thing. Hope you are feeling back to your old self soon, Heather!
Jennifer says:
As an expat who’s been going back and forth for 15 years, sadly I have nothing to offer you but: Hang in there. I’ve never found anything that artificially speeds jetlag recovery although lots of people say melatonin helps. The rule of thumb is it takes one day for each hour time change you moved through. Can’t be much longer now, right?
Terri says:
I totally agree. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps but just wearing it off. Try to take it as easy as possible in the meantime. My husband is from Turkey and we go every summer for 3-4 weeks… I’m a zombie for a good 2 weeks after we get back. I know it stinks!! 🙁 Hang in there!
heather says:
My oldest has apnea and a sleep disorder, when her nights are bad for a few in a row, we use a 1/3 dose of Melatonin and a warm shower with a shower cap on.
I wouldn;t worry about it though, if Annie can truly smell weakness today is likely the day she’ll whack you over the head with a frying pan, grab the keys and make a run for Disneyland solo style.
Then you’ll get plenty of sleep.
Jenny says:
I think it is time for an intervention. Are the G-parents available? Sit up, turn on crap TV and get some sleep. ;). Best wishes!
Sue says:
I hope with all my heart that things get better for you, Heather. It sounds like you better have a long talk with your doctor.
Becca says:
As far as the first part of your story – I can totally relate. Once upon a time I decided I no longer wanted to be taking my anti-depressants anymore so I just stopped. What proceeded over the next 48 hours was such misery that I found myself crawling (literally, because I couldn’t walk) around my apartment looking for those last two pills that I didn’t throw away. It was horrible. Yay for weening!
And for the jetlag? That moth is a cry for help. I don’t know a lot about jet lag relief, could you pop a Nyquil?
Rachel says:
I had the same problem coming back from Australia to the East Coast. I read a bunch on the topic and they say it can take a day for each hour of change to recover from that much time jumping. I decided to go with a few nights of taking an Ambien in order to speed up the process. It worked. After two nights I was back to feeling tired when I was supposed to and back to sleeping all the way through the night. I’m not a drug taker in general, but this is a case where your body may need a little help getting back on track.
Lora says:
Ok, but the African safari comment had me laughing so hard my sides hurt!! I hope you start feeling more normal soon, I would assume it would take a while being back on the meds to have everything even back out. In the meantime you should take advantage of this and make some abstract art to sell for thousands of dollars! lol!
Ali says:
You really must be sleep deprived if you’re drawing the “Stussy” S! Hope it gets better soon, and thanks for taking me back to 5th grade with your doodle 🙂
Mommy says:
LOL, the Stussy S! That is the first thing I noticed too. Sooo old school!!!
Nancy Smego says:
Heather, ambien is the only way to travel internationally and keep any sort of sleep schedule. Ask Dr. Looooooove or someone for a few nights Rx of it now that you’re back. It’ll force you to get a good night sleep and be back on track.
Megan says:
As truly sorry as I am about your sleep problems…you are hilarious and this post had me cracking up.
J says:
Take some melatonin — they even sell it in airports as a ”jet lag cure”. It’s a natural sleep hormone that your brain produces. They sell it in Henry’s, Whole Foods, Target (I think) etc.
And it actually works!
TracyKM says:
I mentioned it yesterday, and several other commenters also mention it…melatonin! It’s cheap, comes in generic, OTC, many forms. However, you’d have to check that it’s okay to take while using Rx meds. If you can’t take that, look on Dr Oz’s website for a pumpkin seed smoothie recipe, and also try sour cherry juice at dinner time. A big turkey dinner. Extra magnesium during the day. Bath with epsom salts.
Andrea says:
This post would have come in handy last week… Somehow in the middle of moving I forgot to refill my prescription for anti-depressants. I was prescribed it post pardom, my baby is four months old. I started feel loopy and dizzy. My first reaction was “oh crap, I am pregnant again” I would love another baby in the future but not so soon, I might just lose my mind! After several home prego tests were negative my next assumption was “oh crap we must have some kind of mold in our new house!” so my hubby cleaned carpets with a steam cleaner. after talking to a friend did I realize the cause. After reading your post I am just glad I didn’t wet the bed or bleed from the skin!
Thanks!
Melissa says:
It sounds to me like benzo tolerance withdrawal. Those drugs aren’t safe to take past 4 weeks (trust me I took Valium for muscle spasms and the withdrawal syndrome that developed even while on a steady dose was the worst thing that ever happened to me). I wasnt an anti-drug person but I am now. I had NO idea that even while on a steady dose your body gets used to get & you get tolerance withdrawal syndrome. I am now tapering valium & i only slept 2 hours last night. The withdrawal symptoms are horrific. I wish I would’ve known. Valium is the easiest benzo to get off by the way. Xanax is the hardest because of the short half life. Check out benzowithdrawal.com or benzobuddies.org. I just don’t want you to go through what I did. If it really is jet lag, I have taken melatonin and it works. It’s not match for my withdrawal symptoms sadly. Not sleeping is the WORST. Good luck:)
Eddy Nalls says:
I travel frequently throughout the world and take “No Jet Lag” It is homeopathic and you can purchase it at health food stores or in some grocery stores like Whole Foods . It works wonders.
It also helps whenever you arrive in your destination to keep moving according to what time it is there even if the thing you wish to do is go to sleep! One time I was so tired when I arrived in New Zealand I went to an acquarium and rode the “walking sidewalk” for an hour going around and around to look at the fish….
You also need to go to bed at the local time a little earlier than you would and get up at the local time. Blocking out light (if there is any by wearing a sleep mask) also works for me.
Amy says:
Heather, I agree with the commentor above — you might want to check in with your doc to make sure this is really jet lag, and not a “withdrawal” symptom related to your meds. Just to be sure.
Lisa says:
I don’t have a magical cure, I wish I did. Jetlag sucks. I felt like I lost my brain and my ability to sleep somewhere over the ocean when I got back from Australia. It’ll get better. One day I just suddenly slept properly and felt like myself when I woke up. Hopefully you’re feeling more like yourself soon.
Becky Mochaface says:
I draw my Ss the same way! Been doing it since middle school at least.
The Woman Formerly Known as Beautiful says:
I forgot my meds for one night and turned into Ronald Reagan during his last year in office. I kept asking for small, tactical nuclear strikes while pissing everywhere but the toilet.
Lilly says:
I heard it takes a day to adjust per every hour of time change! Good luck!
Amy W says:
“It was Brain Armageddon, but without Ben Affleck, animal crackers or my dad singing in the background.” This made me LOL!!!!!
Susi says:
haha yeah me too! love it
Kelly says:
I have no real experience in this. ANY and ALL time changes mess with my head so bad, I can’t even stand it. Every time we Spring Forward, or Fall Back for Daylight Savings Time it takes me months to get right again. Then it’s usually time to change back!
Michelle in MO says:
I take anti anxiety and anti depressant meds. When I forget, I call the resulting symptoms “electric head”.
Linda says:
I take anti-anxiety meds and travel internationally a lot so I can reeeeelllllyyyyyy sympathise.
Jet lag is very bad for me if the flights don’t line up with bedtime at where ever I’m landing. I echo the “just hang in there” of other commenters, it will ease in time but must be so difficult with an active toddler.
As for not taking meds, I managed to forget for a couple of days this week and I’m not traveling! Not taking my “anti-loony” meds as we affectionately call Lexapro results in despondency, irritability and uncontrollable extreme argumentativeness (is that a word?). I haven’t had any more alarming symptoms but I thank god for meds that make me feel normal when I take them regularly, and so do the people around me.
Thinking of you and hoping that all is well soon.
Amy says:
I always try to get into the time of the place I am in.. even if it means an excruciating day awake and sleeping in the next morning. This past trip I dreaded the jet lag coming home as we were 12 hours ahead on vacation and arriving mid morning. Actually stayed up till 10 pm and next day all good. (Except I was super HUNGRY for 4-5 days, me thinks I got spoiled with meals at sisters in Europe 😉
Kristen says:
I am not a pill taker. At all. The last time I took an ibuprofen was three years ago when I dislocated my freaking shoulder, BUT… As a frequent traveler and cornice sufferer of debilitating insomnia I have found Melatonin to be one of the best things in the world for helping to regulate my sleep schedule. It’s non-habit forming and just let’s you sleep rather than puts you to sleep. And it makes mornings more pleasant for me. You can get it at Target or CVS.
Leigh Elliott says:
I have been on Lexapro for over 5 years now for my anxiety, and when I forget to refill my script, I can usually go a day without problems. But two days off my meds…I get dizzy, stomach aches, horrible depression, irritability. It’s really ugly. I just signed up for auto-refills by mail through my insurance company. That has helped tremendously.
Jet lag is awful. I hope you feel better soon! My only suggestion would be to let as much light into your house during the day as possible, and then at night make sure it’s REALLY dark. It might help reset your brain.
I love your moth.
Kirstin says:
I just about peed my pants when I saw the Stussy “S”.
Just the other night, an exhausted hubby and I sat down at the kitchen table that was littered with markers and a really large sketch pad. We both doodle, and mine produced several attempts at the Stussy “S” until I unleashed the knowledge from my elementary school memory storage 😉
I wonder if the S is just a manifestation in the minds of exhausted, unmedicated mothers everywhere?