ihadakathisia Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) Hi all. Please help woth some advice.I took a total of 16 20mg pills of Prozac in the course of 1 month for some moderate anxiety - thinking it is an innocent happy pill (10mg/day,then several days with 20mg,then 10 every other day).The first 2 weeks - my symptoms were increased anxiety, up to a level I have never experienced.Then complete insomnia followed. I was so agitated that I could not do a Lego toy/watch a movie. Then a period of apathy followed, with no anxiety.I was still driving/talking to people,eating etc.I am now 2 months after stopping the Prozac.First month:I have experienced muscle twitches ( ocular, jerking while trying to fall asleep, biting my tongue, lower jaw tremor ).Anxiety returned very intense. Depressive feelings - never had them. Emotional instability. Insomnia - 2-3 hours per night.Light head, hard to concentrate. Hard to take care of myself - shopping etc.Started cognitive behavioral therapy. Yoga. Meditation.Month 2:Muscle issues have diminished.Some sleep is back - but agitated.Obsessive reading about my issue occupies most of my time.Emotional instability remains. Anxiety. Depression.Trouble to concentrate. Still hard to take care of myself. Cannot work.Lost ability to meditate.Food appetite is affected.I am terrifed that I have ruined my health and life doing a stupid test with a pill I never needed.Where to now?Thanks,Adrian Edited July 21, 2016 by scallywag tags added December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 9, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 9, 2016 Hi Adrian , welcome to the site. You had an adverse reaction to the pills and it's good that you stopped them when you did. The effect they have had on your brain is evidenced by the symptoms you have as your brain tries to recover. This process will take time , but it sounds like you're doing all the right things. None of the symptoms you have now is permanent. Symptoms will come and go , and vary in intensity. We recommend taking Omega3's (fish oil) and magnesium to assist recovery. See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/ and http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/ Please use this thread as a journal or to ask any questions that come up as you go along. Best wishes , Fresh 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 Thank you, Fresh. Other symptoms experienced: - constant feeling of doom - warm skin, hands burn sometimes - problem swallowing on empty when afraid - headaches - increased pulse I'm already taking the supplements. Question 1: is this as bad as it gets? Question 2: will other symptoms appear? December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 9, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 9, 2016 It may still get worse Adrian. Each person has a unique recovery / journey , and there's no way to predict how long it will take for the withdrawal process to wear itself out. It's not unusual to get new symptoms for up to 12 months. They may come in waves , where things improve for days or weeks , then you seem to go downhill again. See "The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization" http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization/ 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 Question 3: How can I tell which symptoms are because of the prozac side effects and which are from my own anxiety following this traumatic event? My therapist notes that a healthy individual that entertains all my negative thought patterns would feel miserable (example : "prozac destroyed my brain") December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 9, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 9, 2016 Here is list of withdrawal symptoms. There are a whole bunch that are not part of a diagnosis of either situational or chronic anxiety. Once you can acknowledge that what you'e experiencing is attributable to w/d , you don't need to be concerned that it's your natural personality or that you're going to be like this forever. I've just noticed one that isn't on this list that you mentioned: feelings of dread or doom. Perhaps that's covered by "worsened mood". PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS That Mimic Depression 1. Crying spells 2. Worsened mood 3. Low energy (fatigue,lethargy, malaise) 4. Trouble concentrating 5. Insomnia or trouble sleeping 6. Change in appetite 7. Suicidal thoughts 8. Suicide attempts That Mimic Anxiety Disorders 9. Anxious, nervous, tense 10. Panic attacks (racing heart, breathless) 11. Chest pain 12. Trembling, jittery, or shaking Irritability and Aggression 13. Irritability 14. Agitation (restlessness, hyperactivity) 15. Impulsive 16. Aggressiveness 17. Self-harm 18. Homicidal thoughts or urges Confusion and Memory Problems 19. Confusion or cognitive difficulties 20. Memory problems or forgetfulness Mood Swings 21. Elevated mood (feeling high) 22. Mood swings 23. Manic-like reactions Hallucinations 24. Auditory hallucinations 25. Visual hallucinations Dissociation 26. Feeling detached or unreal Other 27. Excessive or intense dreaming 28. Nightmares MEDICAL SYMPTOMS That Mimic the Flu 29. Flu -like aches and pains 30. Fever 31. Sweats 32. Chills 33. Runny nose 34. Sore eyes That Mimic Gastroenteritis 35. Nausea 36. Vomiting 37. Diarrhea 38. Abdominal pain or cramps 39. Stomach bloating Dizziness 40. Disequilibrium 41. Spinning, swaying, lightheaded 42. Hung over or waterlogged feeling 43. Unsteady gait, poor coordination 44. Motion sickness Headache 45. Headache Tremor 46. Tremor Sensory Abnormalities 47. Numbness, burning,or tingling 48. Electric zap-like sensations in the brain 49. Electric shock-like sensations in the body 50. Abnormal visual sensations 51. Ringing or other noises in the ears 52. Abnormal smells or tastes Other 53. Drooling or excessive saliva 54. Slurred speech 55. Blurred vision 56. Muscle cramps, stiffness, twitches 57. Feeling of restless legs 58. Uncontrollable twitching of mouth 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 Thank you so much, Fresh. Question 4: Why should I have w/d after such a short course of prozac? And me being a fully healthy, slightly anxious under stress, individual. No prior history of anything. Indeed, my side effects were pretty intense. And these 2 months have been difficult. Question 5: Is there any scientific validation to Waves/Windows or just anecdotal evidence from people on the forum? December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 Question 6: Any scientific/anecdotal proof that people actually heal for good at some point - being able to enjoy the waves of life as an average human being? Apologies for my many questions. A new world os opening up to me. Thank you December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 10, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 10, 2016 Your questions are very astute. Other will chip in , but I'll try answer the next ones. "Question 4: Why should I have w/d after such a short course of prozac? And me being a fully healthy, slightly anxious under stress, individual. No prior history of anything. Indeed, my side effects were pretty intense. And these 2 months have been difficult." Dr. Lucire (pharmacogeneticist / forensic psychiatrist / my mentor) might explain it something like this: These drugs are processed by the CYP450 gene , which has 6 allelles , CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4/5. If any of these allelles are damaged or turned off or not working properly , they can't metabolizes things as intended. If the drugs are not metabolized , they float around in your system building up and you become toxic , which results in "side-effects". You had a swift , severe reaction to prozac - it had a significant impact on your brain. It takes a long time for brains to recover from this type of assault. Questions 5 and 6 can be better answered by someone else ... I'm not well-read in the literature. See the thread called "Success Stories: Recovery From Withdrawal" here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/28-success-stories-recovery-from-withdrawal/ and "Papers on Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome " here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/325-papers-on-diagnosis-of-antidepressant-withdrawal-syndrome/ The whole section "From Journals and Scientific Sources" may interest you to look through. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/16-from-journals-and-scientific-sources/ 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
crhawk Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Adrian - you absolutely can have these symptoms after such a short time. Feel free to read through my thread. My journey began after only ONE dose to two different drugs, that were taken within a month of each other. Literally...two doses total. I am in my 6th month since the adverse reactions. You are not necessarily in WD, but maybe an adverse reaction. Either way, the symptoms seem to be very much the same. Be very careful with any supplements or any other medications you may want to take (even OTC). I have discovered that I am so ultra-sensitive now that I literally can take almost nothing. Not even Ibuprofen. The fluorescent lights in stores make me go into a brain fog/confusion, so I am no longer able to go grocery shopping either. If you decide on any supplements, start with just one at a time, and at a very low dose. Take it real slow. History of Wellbutrin, Neurontin, Buspar, Paxil and others in 1990's - teenage years Xanax .5 mg as needed 2010-2015 One injection of Haldol in ER 10/9/2015 - dystonic reaction (ongoing issues) One 50 mg pill Zoloft 10/31/15 adverse reaction/s that are ongoing Xanax .125 mg every 3 hours as needed, .25 mg at bedtime 1/8/16-1/21/16Xanax .25 mg every 3 hours (1.25 mg/day) 1/22/16 - 2/9/16Xanax .25 mg/5 times a day (1.25 mg/day) starting 2/10/16, then tried 6 times/day (2x.25, 4x.1875)Xanax .25 mg/6 times a day (1.5 mg/day) starting 2/19/16 Tapering off of Xanax, switching to Diazepam, starting June 29, 2016, then starting taper soon there after Completed Xanax taper early Sept 2016, crossover to 20 mg/day Diazepam Currently at 2 mg Diazepam/day = 1 mg bedtime, 1 mg morning Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 Thank you everyone. I dug into everything posted. So the path to follow now is: 1. Stay away from any serotonin influencing drug. 2. Take Time, be in Nature and try to be stress free. 3. Hope for recovery - but this will possibly be a long process. Should I be encouraged that sleep is coming back and some symptoms have lessened? I feel severely handicapped. I am at a loss as to how to arrange my life now. December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted March 10, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 10, 2016 Hi Adrian, It may be a good idea to learn coping techniques, especially since that is why you started taking Prozac. You might want to check these out. Audio: First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) CBT Course: An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Audio: How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes Resources: Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg: Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying) * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 Thank you, CheesieCat. I had only moderate anxiety when under extreme pressure. Question 7: What to do now when feeling so bad? I lost interest/lack energy/concentration for work, movies, clothes, travel, socializing. I'm forcing myself to cook, go out, walk, go to the office etc. December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
KT38 Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Hi! Please see my signature, I, too, had bad reactions to SSRIs. All of what you are going through is very normal with these type of reactions. I was on them for 2 months. If weird new things come up it is probably part of this. I am in month 12 off this stuff and still struggling with the intense nervous system anxiety/panic/agitation it created, but I am plodding through. Do you have someone to care for you? Stay home with you? Dec 2014 I tried Zoloft 25mg for one week (adverse reaction - extreme anxiety and felt like I was on an amphetamine). Dr. said to quit cold turkey, so I not only quit Zoloft but also 2 weeks of Xanax .25mg -- extreme dizziness, hyperarousal and anxiety began! On Jan. 29, 2015 my psychiatrist put me on new stuff and this is how my next 2 months and 7 days looked like (I was having the same bad reactions to all of these):Effexor XR 37.5mg (3 days) - throwing up, heart palpations, night tremors/convulsions or something where whole body shakes for a second, Prozac 10mg (15 days), Prozac 20mg (7 days) - internal restlessness, electric current through body/brain (not zaps), agitation, intense fear and could no longer nap at this point (still can't today because of this), Lexapro 5mg (4 days) - same as Prozac, a horror show...extreme internal agitation, Lexapro 7.5mg (2 days), Lexapro 10mg (16 days), Zoloft 12.5mg (3 days)...she said try it again since my blood relative does well on it, Zoloft 25mg (7 days) - same as before and getting worse!! Zoloft 50mg (6 days), Zoloft 25mg (4 days and then came off cold turkey on April 8, 2015). I used Xanax .25mg about 7 times per month through all of this until June 30, 2015 (my last benzo dose). Extreme anxiety, nervous system traumatized, mental akathisia, anger triggered by nothing but the brain totally going off on its own, feeling of a pressurized electric current going through me like my brain and body are trying to explode, stress reaction x10000 to everything, waking in terror lasting all day, fear, very sensitive, brain can't keep up, don't know what to do with myself, feeling like everything is going too fast and I can't keep up, helium head, deep depression like something is ripping out my soul, out of my mind, can hardly drive or be alone, cognitive issues, simple tasks are so complex and straining, feel disturbed because the brain can't process anything right even though your brain tries so hard and it makes you go mad, episodes of deep anguish with a sick toxic poison feeling (like you have some unknown virus). Link to comment
Farout Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Hi Adrian, I had an adverse reaction too. You will get better but it may take some time. Take good care of yourself and remember that time is the healer here. March 2003 took two sartroline tablets after a traumatic incident and had a reaction so stopped. I am not sure now whether what I had for the next 18 months was WD after the reaction or the emotional fallout from the traumatic event. Some of it was very similar to WD in hindsight. February 2014 - Took five pristiq (50mg) tablets and three Ativan and had a severe reaction.Extreme withdrawal symptoms for three weeks compounded by visit to naturopath -One week later took 900mg St John's Wort x 3 daily for six weeks - more negative effects and suspected serotonin syndrome - before tapering over three weeks. Last tablet late May 2014.Waves and windows cycle of recovery with longer windows and manageable waves.May 2015 - already in a mild wave, following a usual pattern, I took clarithromicin and amoxicillin for two weeks for a sinus infection which I also seem to have had quite a reaction to. February 2016 - Feeling much better. I still have waves and windows but they are manageable. I'm largely enjoying life again. Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 13, 2016 Author Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hi Farout and KT38. Thank you so much for your reply. Everyone writes here that we all recover, be patient and all. How do we know this? December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Farout Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 We know because so many of us have been through it. I am not yet fully recovered but I am tantilisingly close. It won't be too much longer before I can put all this behind me. I know this because I've had the benefit of watching the vast improvement over time. Back at the start, like you, I thought I was too badly damaged and that I would never feel better again. It's a terrible thing to have to go through (I'm not kidding - the Care Bears cartoon gave me a panic attack!). Without a doubt the worst thing that has happened to me but it's not forever. It does pass and you can educate yourself on things that can ease the symptoms and move you through the waves as they happen. It's really hard work and exhausting but it is possible to come out the other side a better, more empathetic person. I believe that I am. Things that have helped me - Reading up on cognitive behavioural therapy and trying to put it into practice as much as possible including - restraining myself from googling symptoms - giving myself a time limit for symptoms to pass before going to the dr (they invariably have) - recognising and accepting intrusive thoughts for the ego dystonic rubbish that they are - recognising when I'm dwelling and attempt to move myself on or distract myself - saying to myself 'you are catastrophising' whenever I am (or 'it may happen but it most likely won't, with a feigned shrug of nonchalance) Of course all of this takes a gargantuan effort and sometimes it is too much to expect of yourself. Even so, it's worth trying. I also - Avoided caffeine and alchohol Took exercise whenever I felt able but not pushing it to my usual, pre-AD reaction, fitness levels Did counted cross stitch or painted when I felt agitated I found most supplements activating but did quite well on Epsom salts baths. Best wishes with it all. March 2003 took two sartroline tablets after a traumatic incident and had a reaction so stopped. I am not sure now whether what I had for the next 18 months was WD after the reaction or the emotional fallout from the traumatic event. Some of it was very similar to WD in hindsight. February 2014 - Took five pristiq (50mg) tablets and three Ativan and had a severe reaction.Extreme withdrawal symptoms for three weeks compounded by visit to naturopath -One week later took 900mg St John's Wort x 3 daily for six weeks - more negative effects and suspected serotonin syndrome - before tapering over three weeks. Last tablet late May 2014.Waves and windows cycle of recovery with longer windows and manageable waves.May 2015 - already in a mild wave, following a usual pattern, I took clarithromicin and amoxicillin for two weeks for a sinus infection which I also seem to have had quite a reaction to. February 2016 - Feeling much better. I still have waves and windows but they are manageable. I'm largely enjoying life again. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted March 14, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 14, 2016 Thanks for sharing that Farout - it's very encouraging for us further behind you on the path. Some reassuring footprints for us to follow... Adrian - have you read in the Success Stories forum? And seen the story of GiaK's healing? Worth a look. 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 Thank you for the encouragement, Farout. And the advice. I have no problem going through any amount of pain knowing that it is going to stop at some point. I feel overwhelmed with the barrage of symptoms. Although for each of them, I saw some - at least temporary - improvement. Some new symptoms have appeared. 2.5 month mark journal entry. 1. Sleep issues. I do sleep, but fragmented. I wake up in fear or have nightmares. I had perfect 8 hour sleep before. I did have one full night without waking recently. 2. Fatigue Concentration problems Difficult to read long pieces. Sometimes I fall out of conversations. I used to consume hundreds of pages of work-stuff per week. Motivation I have to push myself, nothing comes easy, not even a shower/grocery shopping. 3. Physical symptoms - different muscles twitching (eyes, shoulder, fingers etc etc) - muscles in the knees are always tight - lower jaw tremor (but has almost dissipated) - problems swallowing on empty when anxious - burning palms (sometimes) - severe constipation and inability to empty completely - never had this in my life. - headaches, high pulse, pain in different parts of my body 4. Thought patterns Lots of negative, worrying, obsessive about what's going to happen to me. This is where Farout's advice is well received. 80% of the waking time goes here unfortunately. 5. Emotions. Fear - triggered by my thoughts or sometimes it appears to just be there. Some hopelessness / despair. I do feel happy/optimistic and laugh from time to time. 6. Misc Social life almost gone. I feel I now have a small capacity to tolerate stress (example: movies scare me, can't watch them). I miss my work and my hobbies. I feel shame around other people for my problem. I'm very lucky to have a wonderful family and girlfriend that I love beside me and enough financial resources to ride this out. On the bright side, with all of the symptoms, I did manage a long drive over the weekend and some nice quality time with my girlfriend, visiting a new city. December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
alteea Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Hi Adrian, I must remind you that this is temporary and at least you are only on it for 2 month, so it likely won't take too long for you to get back to "normal" . Be optimist, look at your problem from another perspective. Let the time heal the body and the brain. Don't analyze you all day, focus on another things. Life is beautiful. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 30, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi Adrian , have you looked at the Symptoms and Self Care section yet? See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/?prune_day=100&sort_by=Z-A&sort_key=last_post&topicfilter=all You can be pretty sure that any symptom that's bothering you has it's own thread , with discussion and ideas of things you can try to alleviate it. Part of the art of dealing with withdrawal is finding activities / things to do , to distract ourselves. You can try colouring in , walking , cooking , listening to relaxation tracks , doing some tai chi , learning cognitive behavioural therapy online ... there are lots of ideas there. Supplements that we recommend are high doses of fish oil (omega 3's) and magnesium , which can be taken in a bath or spray for sore joints and muscles , or in a drink. See the threads on each of these in Symptoms and Self Care. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/ http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/ http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6548-paresthesia-pins-needles-numbness-tingling-burning-sensations/ http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6504-tension-pain-twitches-spasms-in-muscles-and-joints/ You can use this thread to document your progress and ask questions. Fresh 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 Hello everyone, My condition has worsened overall, unfortunately. Some symptoms have disappeared. Symptoms: - extreme difficulties concentrating - reading a paper, writing an email, doing finances - strange headache, head pressure, pain - agitation / fear / anxiety / panic - constant, varies in intensity; some relief when outside, walking - insomnia - frequent waking, falling asleep and waking in fear - can't eat when agitation is high I gathered all info on the forum on lamotrigine and plan to start the ultra low dose. Thanks to Trouper and Alto for the info. I have a doctor monitoring me, but he is not knowledgeable. He did agree to test it based on what I presented. I have 2 questions for Alto, I kindly ask for her assistance : How slow did you titrate up? What time of day did you take the lamotrigine? Thanks for listening. Adrian December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 21, 2016 Administrator Share Posted May 21, 2016 Adrian, One theory of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome contains much detail about my experience with lamotrigine. It can make you sleepy, I started taking it in the evening. Which symptoms have faded and which have gotten worse? If you try lamotrigine, please let us know how you do. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 Hi Most physical symptoms have faded. Agitation, fear, palpitations, head pressure /pain have increased significantly, are almost continous. This affects sleep, eating, basic living etc This is why i decided to take lamo. I took 0.5mg this morning. Made me somewhat sleepy. I've been very agitated since the evening. I cannot sleep at all. Barely drove the car, barely ate. Adrian December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 Alto, how slow did you titrate up the dose? Thank you. December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 I'm now 10 days on Lamotrigine 0.5mg/day. I tried to bump the dosage to 0.7, I had an immediate reaction of agitation/sleeplessness, hot hands, palpitations. I have slept 3 full nights and had a almost 2 day window during this time. It was amazing. The intensity of the states of agitation/fear/confusion/head pressure/palpitations has not diminished. Eating is barely possible when in this state, as well as watching tv/driving or other activities. December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 I understand now that my agitation/restlessness/pacing around is akathisia. I've spoken with dr Lucire about this. I've taken 11 doses of 0.25mg Lorazepam and then switched to Diazepam - 6 doses of 2.5mg in the last 9 days to treat akathisia. Results were so so. Should I assume I have to do a full taper on this? I'm feeling so bad that it is hard to notice withdrawal symptoms from the benzos. I've switched to other meds for akathisia : clonidine, propranolol, cyproheptadine. This symptom is far worse than anything I could have imagined. Wishing healing and good thoughts to all. Adrian December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 Hello everyone. At the advice of dr. Lucire, I will also try "lick of a pill" of Pristiq, to stop the akathisia. I will let you know. Best, Adrian December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 Another month has passed. Short version: Sleep Great. Akathisia improving. Multiple good functioning days. I was able to work 1day/week. Long: With the help of lamotrigine, melatonin and the other very helpful advice I got here.... I am able to sleep a normal full 8 hours of sleep every day. During this past month I've been debilitated by "akathisia" type symptoms (inner restlessness, terror, agitation). This horrible symptom appeared around month 5. It's showing signs of improvement now on month 7. But by God, this is worse than any pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue that I've experienced. Its intensity varies. It is not anxiety as doctors misdiagnose. When intense, I would do anything to escape it. I'm on a daily dose of Valium of 1mg. It has helped during the horror of akathisia. I've taken 2-5mg twice to make akathisia bearable. I've tested Propranolol, Clonidine, Cyproheptadine, Alcohol for akathisia. Limited results. Benzos worked best, but the others seem synergistic to benzos, helping me take a lower dose. I'm working my lamotrigine dose up (very slowly!). I have some intuition/research (and some anecdotal evidence from the web) that it might help akathisia, along with benzos. The course of my neurotoxic reaction to Prozac is in line with Shipko's description. An acute phase in months 1-5, with physical and mental symptoms (pain, depression etc). Starting month 5, mostly only akathisia. Talk soon, Adrian December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
downtongirl Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Hello Adrian...how are you doing now? 1995 - 2015 antidepressants and antianxiety medicineMultiple failed attempts to quit/taper anti d/anti anxiety meds since 2008 June 17, 2016 began prozac bridge to get off of effexor xr, stopped effexor xr on June 24, 2016, could not tolerate prozac due to severe side effects so I had to stop it Currently...300 mg ER of lithium, 1 mg of estradiol, 60 mg propranolol ER, Fish oil 2 x a day, Magnesium Glycinate, zinc, vitamin c, vitamin d, NAC Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share Posted August 13, 2016 Hello everyone, What does the SA community know of or has experience with this drug? I am being recommended this for Akathisia. Wiki page below: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trihexyphenidyl Adrian December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted August 13, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 13, 2016 Adrian, I've moved your question to your Introduction topic so that all questions about your situation are in one place. In the last year, you've started at least 3 psych meds and made changes in dosage. What you're experiencing now (symptoms grouped together and called "akathisia") is most likely an indication that your CNS (central nervous system) is working furiously to adjust to the changes. Our bodies like stability and fight to maintain this homeostasis.How your brain responds to psychiatric drugs - aka "Brain remodeling" Adding a drug, hoping to suppress a symptom, complicates your situation and risks further destabilizing your CNS (central nervous system). I don't know anything about trihexyphenidyl. If I'd had your response to neuro-psycho-active meds, I'd be extremely reluctant to try another one. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) Hello downtongirl,Update 7.5 months.I had one week of almost normal, feeling like myself (21-28 July).Then akathisia returned in episodes, affecting mood and cognition. An episode of akathisia is a horror of mental torture and pain, almost always coupled with endless pacing. I also often feel extreme terror(100x fear). Eating is hard during the episode. My chest and torso cringe and muscles contract.I pray it will end. I'm minimally functional outside the episodes.I met an akathisia specialized psychiatrist. I use a cocktail of ultra low dose drugs to manage withdrawal (only symptom is akathisia now). I detailed the drugs in a post above.The psychiatrist knows of lamotrigine to help withdrawal / adverse reactions / akathisia. In addition to this, he recommends Remeron(Mirtazapine) for Prozac withdrawal and generally Akathisia. Unfortunately, I understand he uses manufacturer recommended (low) doses and dissmisses ultra low doses.I spoke with dr Lucire and she explained some patients had results with 1mg Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for akathisia.I'm weighing my options as I'm facing this horrible iatrogenic torture.a -- increasing lamotrigine slowly and Time, tough it outb -- introducing ultra low dose Mirtazapine (0.1 - 0.5 mg)c -- introducing ultra low dose Artane (trihexyphenidyl) or Cogentin (benzatropin) or Benadryl (diphenhydramine)Never in a million years did I think that 16 pills of a "medicine" sold worldwide would subject me to such misery and pain. And I never had a mental issue, just minimal work stress.It's hard for me to grasp even now this cynism : $4 earned by EllyLilly for 1 box of Prozac pills, in exchange for my life and that of 7 others family members. Edited August 13, 2016 by scallywag delete opening parentheses to remove auto-characters such as copyright December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
downtongirl Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Hello Adrian...so sorry you are suffering so. I am getting these adrenaline surges that make me very anxious....they are like the following.... all of a sudden I get this energy feeling in my legs and torso....and then I feel this jolt like I need to jump up out of the chair....it makes my knees feel weak and restless...then it is followed with an intense heart wave with sometimes sweating.....it can last usually about a minute at the time but I usually have one in the late morning, one around 3 pm, one around 5 pm, one around 6:30 pm, one around 8:30 pm, one around 9:30 pm. So far I don't have to get up and pace yet but I am afraid it is going to lead to that. It is an intense very sudden surge of fight or flight feeling. My doctor is trying me on a small dosage of propranolol 10 mg 2 x a day. I took my first 2 dosages yesterday and it helped my heart rate during these episodes but have not stopped the episodes yet....I am hoping they will. Plan B is if propranolol doesn't help then maybe look at clonidine or lithium. The reason for the lithium which would be a very small sub therapeutic dosage is because it is supposed to lower norepinephrine which is what we believe is very abnormally high for me. My doctor also wants me to try klonopin....I was on it for about 15 years but I don't want to. My plan is to try hydroxyzine before I default to klonopin. I hope your akathisia goes away and never comes back! 1995 - 2015 antidepressants and antianxiety medicineMultiple failed attempts to quit/taper anti d/anti anxiety meds since 2008 June 17, 2016 began prozac bridge to get off of effexor xr, stopped effexor xr on June 24, 2016, could not tolerate prozac due to severe side effects so I had to stop it Currently...300 mg ER of lithium, 1 mg of estradiol, 60 mg propranolol ER, Fish oil 2 x a day, Magnesium Glycinate, zinc, vitamin c, vitamin d, NAC Link to comment
ihadakathisia Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share Posted August 13, 2016 In the last year, you've started at least 3 psych meds and made changes in dosage. What you're experiencing now (symptoms grouped together and called "akathisia") is most likely an indication that your CNS (central nervous system) is working furiously to adjust to the changes. Our bodies like stability and fight to maintain this homeostasis.How your brain responds to psychiatric drugs - aka "Brain remodeling" Adding a drug, hoping to suppress a symptom, complicates your situation and risks further destabilizing your CNS (central nervous system). I don't know anything about trihexyphenidyl. If I'd had your response to neuro-psycho-active meds, I'd be extremely reluctant to try another one. Thank you so much for your help. Your advice is important and I think of this often. I would never touch psychoactive drugs unless I felt my life depended on it. I only use micro doses now. After stopping Prozac, I toughed it out, not touching anything, for 5 months. I would have continued to do so. But I developed akathisia - unstoppable walking (7-10 km/day). I could not eat and other symptoms explained above. Thus, I feel I was forced to use other ultra low dose meds, to survive... December 2015 One month Prozac at 10mg/day and every other day for MILD Anxiety ( What the hell??? No prior illness of any sort.) Horrible side effects. Finally Cold Turkey.May 2016 - Lamotrigine 0.5mg. Going up slowly. Sleep back to 8-9 hours normal (complete insomnia after Prozac).June 2016 - 2 weeks 2.5mg Diazepam for Akathisia. Then lowered to 0.6mg/day. Also Propranolol, Clonidine, occasional antihistamine, magnesium, B6 - for akathisia. Experiencing severe protracted withdrawal. Symptoms got worse and changed each month. Last symptom remaining - Severe Akathisia since May with (mostly) waves and (some) windows. (When worse: pacing, can't concentrate or even speak, difficulty eating, driving, getting out of the house, horrible pain, restlessness, headache, exhaustion) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted August 13, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 13, 2016 Adrian, your post after mine says that you're discussion your situation with an "akathisia specialized psychiatrist" and with Dr. Yolande Lucire. It seems that the unnamed psychiatrist is familiar with withdrawal symptoms and effective treatments. Is this psychiatrist someone you see locally or are your consultations over the phone/skype? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
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