outdamnspot Posted May 28, 2016 Share Posted May 28, 2016 I wasn't sure the best place to post this, and I'm sure a lot of people are anti-AD here now. I am too, but am suffering from severe, suicidal depression. I would often get akathisia on SSRIs, AAPs etc. so never really stuck with them. However, after taking Mirtazapine for a month 3 years ago, I experienced full-blown akathisia that lasted for a year after stopping it. Since then, I will experience the akathisia on-and off: for example, I was trying to treat my thyroid (without success) and my akathisia flared up after stopping the Natural Dessicated Thyroid for whatever reason, and now it's been back for the past 5 weeks. My doctor prescribed me Brintellix to try. It's a bit expensive and I'm very hesitant. I hate it because 2 months ago (before trying the thyroid meds), I had no akathisia and was responding to stuff (herbs etc.) normally. That probably would have been a good time to try the Brintellix. Anyway, I could only find one report on here from a girl who said Brintellix triggered her akathisia. However, has anyone else who has had akathisia or is currently experiencing it tried Brintellix and how did you react? Would it probably just make me worse? Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 28, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 28, 2016 Hello outdamnspot, I tried to search for akathesia and Brintellix and found this person: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7297-cdav-how-to-deal-with-depression-and-interrupted-personalcareer-plans/ I would say that if you have a history of akathesia being your go-to symptom in response to biochemical challenges, then the risk of any other psych med triggering it would be rather high, in my opinion. I will point out that SA is a forum for helping people come off of psych meds, not to find the right med to take. SG Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac. Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002 Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history. Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots! Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off. Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep. June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened! Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015. Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month. 12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18: 2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 28, 2016 Administrator Share Posted May 28, 2016 Welcome, outdamnspot. Some people quickly have bad reactions to antidepressants and suffer for a long time after going off them. It sounds like you are one of those people, who simply don't get along well with the drugs. Like those with prolonged post-withdrawal syndrome, your nervous system has been sensitized to all neuro-active chemicals and is prone to autonomic instability. If I were you, I'd stay far away from Brintellix or any other antidepressant or serotonergic. Help your nervous system settle down with non-drug means. See our Symptoms and Self-care forum http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/for suggestions about how to cope with symptoms. 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
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 28, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 28, 2016 Thank you Alto, very good follow up post - I did not mean to sound as if I was sending you off, outdamnspot, you are welcome to learn here :-) Maybe you could set up an Intro here and explain your history; others will see it and chime in to support you. Instructions for creating an Intro are here: Please start a topic about yourself in this forum SG Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac. Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002 Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history. Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots! Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off. Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep. June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened! Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015. Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month. 12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18: 2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
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