Somewhat concerning side effects

Medications
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Problem is I have no idea which of my meds is causing it. There’s a couple side effects I am concerned about and maybe people here can help me decipher what med is causing what if you’ve experienced it before? Google hasn’t been much help.

I’m on Zoloft, Ativan, Trazodone and Risperdal. The side effects that are concerning to me are 1) Nearly blacking out every time I stand up, or I get “white outs” which is where everything becomes insanely bright, also get dizzy and lightheaded during this and 2) intense sweating while I sleep. I know Risperdal isn’t causing the sweating because that started before I was on it.

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Paging dr. @mortimermouse :wink:

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I’d guess Zoloft for the night sweats. I get them every now and then on Lexapro.

For the blackouts/whiteouts - this could be low blood sugar or low iron or low blood pressure. Could you talk to a gp, get some bloodwork done?

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Low blood pressure from the Ativan on top of that risperdal- causes black outs and dizziness, etc.

As for sweating that may be the Zoloft- like @Rhubot said.

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Well i’m not a doctor but depending on what times of day you take the meds… they could be counter acting each-other. i know that (Trazodone) has made me that way before. idk. you probably take them at night. the med that gave me those symptoms that you’re explaining was (seroquel).
i really can’t tell you. my meds are a different. they made me gain weight… but since then i’ve almost gotten down to my favored weight.

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The lightheaded stuff on standing sounds like postural hypotension. Quite a few psychotropics can cause this. It can resolve on its own over time.

Not sure about the night sweats. Could be meds, could be an infection. Did these symptoms come on when a new med was added?

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No it started happening a little while after I stopped Abilify so I originally thought it was from withdrawal but I’ve been off Abilify quite a while now

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Zoloft, Ativan, Trazodone and Risperdal…

That’s a lot of meds to be on at the same time!

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I’m trying to replace Ativan w Trazodone ;_; hasn’t worked as of yet

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My alarm bells go off when I see that many meds. Are you confident in your psychiatrist enough to be on all of those pills?

I’d be a walking zombie if I was on that many.

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I’m not on any meds and black out almost every time I stand up… but I’ve had issues with anemia before and even since it’s got better, it’s not better. but when I was anemic when I would stand I would black out and get such a horrid pounding pain in my head that lasted only like 10 seconds but it made me fall to the ground sometimes

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One to keep the depression away, one to keep the crazy away, the other two to keep nights and sleep normal and safe. All of them are important though for dependency’s sake I’m going to quit Ativan. With hope once Risperdal starts working I won’t need sleep aids anymore…

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Yeah I’ve been tested for anemia before but I don’t have it, I’m perfectly healthy o.o It’s a pain because I’ve been having that blackout thing since forever, and sometimes I even go into these weird spasms almost like a seizure from them. I’ve fallen and scraped up my knees before. But lately it’s become very prominent, like I never got it every time I stood up.

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it really sucks, and I know there’s other reasons than just anemia but that’s what did it to me… have you been eating okay?
just try to stand up slow and have something to grab onto… when it happens to me I just stand and hold my knees and wait for it to go away

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This thread has 42 hits…is that a little strange?

Anyway, check your labs and blood pressure and pulse.
Low pulse like us aliens causes syncope.

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My friend had this on Trazodone

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may U put this to ur pdoc in next session(visit)…!!!:pray:

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@Anna

Except for the ativan I had the same prescrips. My doctor used artane not ativan.

How long have you been on them together? Don’t just stop taking the ativan - that is to control the eps symptoms ap’s can cause. But it also me causing the seizure type issues if you are allergic to it.

The blackouts/whiteouts probably from zoloft/trazodone combo - how far apart do you take them?

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I take Zoloft during the day and Trazodone at night. Do they both cause low blood pressure?

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@Anna

I would take zoloft when I first woke up and trazodone before bed. I noticed on the days after I went to bed earlier than normal I would get those symptoms. When I stopped the trazodone I didn’t have any more issue. So from my experience the low bp and black/white outs were from how close I took the trazodone to the zoloft.

edited to add: I would bring it up with your pdoc at your next visit, and make sure you are taking the meds at the same time each day.

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