Sarahbobear Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Hello Survivors, I am wondering if you could help me shed some light on my symptoms. I would really appreciate any thoughts on my condition as the doctors have not been able to figure it out. I have had a spinal tap ruling out M.S. and 2 mri's of the head and neck, standard blood tests are normal. 9 months ago I had a series of stroke like episodes, intense fatigue and dizziness/vertigo and I ended up in emergency at least half a dozen times. It developed in to persistent dizziness and disequilibrium now going on strong for 9 months. A few months before this happened I was tapering off 15-30 mg of remeron and I also was taking ativan occassionally, perhaps 3-4 times per month on average. I have had severe chronic insomnia all of my adult life (I am 44 years old) and I found that 15mg of remeron was no longer helping me sleep like it did in the past so I stopped taking it or took it intermitently. I figure I ended up sleeping on average 4 hours per night, many times not sleeping at all for days even. But when I had the ativan I was able to get a descent night sleep, which was about once per week. Then the doctor decided not to take away the ativan and I was not getting that one good night per week anymore which I think was keeping me afloat. Most of my adult life I have had chronic insomnia so I am not sure if these new neurological symptoms are related. I started noticing that things did not look or seem right, or there was some spatial distortion and I had a general feeling of malaise leading up the weeks before I would experience the more intense dizziness/fatigue/stroke-like episodes. I also started experiencing tingling in my legs and feet, electric shock like sensations in my head (mostly at night), severe hypoglycemia, muscle contractions, tachycardia, swinging blood pressure (now it's mostly low), intense fatigue and weakness that sometimes felt difficult to breathe, feelings of travelling pressure in my head that sometimes would travel downwards in my body, a pressure in my torso like it was being crushed, heaviness in my legs, feeling like I am on an elevator or a boat, and other sensory distortions like having difficulty locating my feet in space. What made me concerned that it was MS was that my left foot felt like it had less feeling than the right at times I would wake up unable to move it for a few minutes - (it did not have the feeling of loss of blood sensation) but the foot feelings have passed. My doctor prescribed trazadone to help with sleep which has helped initially but I'm up to 150mg and often it doesn't work. When I add remeron it helps a little, but sometimes they both don't work for sleep. So I dont' take them consistently and at there has been days I haven't taken them at all because it seems the drugs don't really work anyway. 9 months later, mostly I am dizzy, like my brain can't catch up with my body movements or my balance and there is a light spinning sensation in my head, but sometimes my balance really gets bad. I have been offered Effexor, but in the past it made me more of an insomniac and I really would rather get off the anti-depressants as I feel like they might be the problem... Even though I feel like I am living in a nightmare I would rather ride out this neurological melt-down and try to heal naturally. Do my symptoms sound like it could anti-depressant withdrawal symptoms at all? And if so, is it possible to have permanent damage? I am concerned as this has no sign of letting up after 9 months. I am still as dizzy as ever. I have been taking remeron for about 7 years. Thanks for reading! Link to comment
nz11 Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Welcome to sa Sarah You might like to checkout the list of symptoms from ads Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist First things first 1. Are you able to do a drug signature listing drugs doses dates taper methods 2. Are you able to run all the drugs you are taking through the drugs interaction checker, this could provide some insight and then copy and paste here in your intro thread. https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html Not many in the medical profession acknowledge psychotropic drug withdrawal and are very dismissive of it. Yet no one knows a drug like the one who has swallowed it. This site is full of very similar stories and experiences, real experience dismissed by doctors. Its interesting that all those physical symptoms manifested after your taper. You havent described how you did it but im guessing it was too fast. And a too fast taper will trigger physical and psychological symptoms including but not limited to sleep issues. So glad you joined sa Yes it sounds like wdl to me. nz11 Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Junglechicken Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 (edited) On 2016-12-26 at 4:15 AM, Sarahbobear said: ... 9 months ago I had a series of stroke like episodes, intense fatigue and dizziness/vertigo and I ended up in emergency at least half a dozen times. It developed in to persistent dizziness and disequilibrium now going on strong for 9 months. ... I have had severe chronic insomnia all of my adult life (I am 44 years old) and I found that 15mg of remeron was no longer helping me sleep like it did in the past so I stopped taking it or took it intermitently. ... I started noticing that things did not look or seem right, or there was some spatial distortion and I had a general feeling of malaise leading up the weeks before I would experience the more intense dizziness/fatigue/stroke-like episodes. I also started experiencing tingling in my legs and feet, electric shock like sensations in my head (mostly at night), severe hypoglycemia, muscle contractions, tachycardia, swinging blood pressure (now it's mostly low), intense fatigue and weakness that sometimes felt difficult to breathe, feelings of travelling pressure in my head that sometimes would travel downwards in my body, a pressure in my torso like it was being crushed, heaviness in my legs, feeling like I am on an elevator or a boat, and other sensory distortions like having difficulty locating my feet in space. What made me concerned that it was MS was that my left foot felt like it had less feeling than the right at times I would wake up unable to move it for a few minutes - (it did not have the feeling of loss of blood sensation) but the foot feelings have passed. ... Do my symptoms sound like it could anti-depressant withdrawal symptoms at all? And if so, is it possible to have permanent damage? I am concerned as this has no sign of letting up after 9 months. I am still as dizzy as ever. I have been taking remeron for about 7 years. Thanks for reading! So another person experiencing hypoglaecemic episodes and heaviness in the legs. I have had many of these, and each time my blood sugar gets tested? Nothing wrong. The legs like lead is really strange, never had anything like that before WD. Sounds like you are having a rough ride. This is a hellish journey, that there is no doubt. Hugs, JC Edited June 13, 2017 by scallywag trimmed quote to relevant portions Dose History: 19 Feb 2014 - Escitalopram 10mg daily June 2015 - Started taper, 5mg every other day July 2015 - 5mg every 2 days August 2015 - 5mg every 3 days September 2015 - 5mg every 4 days Sept 14th - Completed tapering, but at 7 weeks "drug free" I suffered serious WD symptoms as a consequence of "incorrect" tapering. Nov 25 2015 - Re-instated Cipralex @ 2.5mg daily. WD symptoms faded. Held at this dose and experienced "windows and waves". 12 Oct 2017 Reduced dose to 1.25mg. 13 Mar 2018 Reduced dose to 0.625mg (approx.). 16 April 2018 0mg. Windows and waves triggered by stress (IBS/reflux, headaches, sinus issues) Aug 2019 Mirena coil fitted 6 Jan 2020 MAJOR Wave hit 19 months following last dose (protracted WD). Symptoms listed below Mar 2020 Mirena coil removal. Therapy: Nov 15th 2016 Re-started therapy Jan 19th 2017 Started CBT Dec 2017 Started listening to Hypnotherapy CD (self-esteem). Nov 2019 Started couples therapy. Supplements: "Bioglan" Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora 10 billion CFU, live Bacteria, Probiotic, suitable for Vegetarians, with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum. "Pukka" Vitalise a unique blend of 30 energising botanicals. Diet: 16 April 2018 Detox cleanse / anti-candida for 90 days. Jan 2020 Started "small plate" diet (i.e child size portions). Exercise: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Elliptical/upper body workout, walking. Medical Test Results: 4 Jan 2017 Homeopathic Treatment starts 24 Feb 2017 Started weight loss program 24 Mar 2017 Naturopathic Treatment + anti-Candida diet started due to suspected Candida Related Complex (CRC). DETOXED for 7 weeks to "re-set" gut. April 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Comprehensive Stool Analysis NEGATIVE; Full Blood Count (Normal) / Blood Cholesterol: 5.6 (Borderline) / Blood Sugar (Normal) / 28 Jun 2017 FSH 8.2 / 14 Nov 2017 FSH 17.7 Dec 2017 Blood Cholesterol: 3.9 (Normal) / Kidney Function (Normal) / Blood Sugar (Normal). December 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Food panel allergy (bloodwork) analysis - a few "VERY LOW/VL" allergens; Mar 2018 "Genova Diagnostics" SIBO urine analysis: High Level of Yeast/fungal markers found in small intestine but NO SIBO. April 2018 Thyroid (Normal) / Full Blood Count (Normal) / FSH (Normal). 16 April 2018 Started anti-Candida diet - 3 month protocol. 25 March 2020 All test results "Normal". CRP" 5 mg/L (normal range to 0-5 mg/L). Symptoms: Flu-like symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, sinus headaches right-side (severe), IBS issues/reflux (severe)**, tinnitus, fatigue, inner tremor, nausea, chills/hot flushes, pounding heart, muscular issues including stiff left hip flexor, intense anger, PSSD (ongoing). **Histhamine intolerance (suspected). Major Life Events: Re-located to UK from Canada: Jan 2016 My father died: 5:05pm, Monday 5 Feb 2018 Last Lexapro dose: 16 April 2018 (its now been over a year since I quit ADs) Moved house: Friday 23rd February 2018 "Divorced" toxic Mother: Monday 26 March 2018 Starting working again: 19 November 2018 Diagnosed with: 5th August 2021 PTSD/C-PTSD Diagnosed with: March 2022 Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Painful bladder syndrome Link to comment
Sarahbobear Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 Thank-you for your replies. I wanted to add that over the 9 months I've taken both trazadone and remeron, but it has been a bit inconsistent and I have chronic dizziness, disequilibrium, etc. Could it be that I am experiencing symptoms from the actual drugs themselves? because I haven't actually withdrawn from remeron. I take trazodone occasionally when the remeron doesn't work for sleep. I would like to withdraw from them but I can't sleep without it. (I couldn't sleep before I began taking it 7 years ago either.) I've had severe chronic insomnia since a teen. Remeron has been the only drug that has worked other than ativan. Also when I say I don't sleep, I really mean I don't sleep at all for days... Just looking for some insight into this as technically I don't think I've actually withdrawn from use. Link to comment
Dez Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Hello, Sarahbobear! I don't know much about the medicines that you're on but maybe the inconsistency of taking the meds are the problem? Maybe they're having reactions to each other? I know someone on here will be able to provide answers, so hang in there! I'm sorry this has happened and hope that you will get through it soon! - 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg (no issues, did well)- Mid 2012 Switched to Celexa 20mg (no issues with switch)- 6/16 Stopped Celexa (always took med once every other day, tapered to once every three days for about a week and a half, took one a week for one week, no problems)- 10/20/16 Started Celexa 20mg (next day had panic attacks, stopped after three days, kept having panic attacks and anxiety rest of the month)- 10/28/16 Started Paxil 20mg (took for almost a week, had suicidal thoughts/severe derealization, tapered off to one every other day for a few days)- 12/8/16 Buspirone 5mg twice daily (felt drowsy but kept anxiety under wraps, still taking it)- 12/27/16 Venlafaxine XR 37.5mg (took two days, migraine first day, headache all day second day, third day had severe depression/outbursts of crying, couldn't stop most of the day, bad invasive thoughts, never took third dose because of it)- 1/7/17 taper Buspirone 20% (miscalculation but doing well), gradually slivered off tablet throughout month to almost half each pill - 2/3/17 taper Buspirone 2.5mg twice daily (did fine, listened to body), gradually slivered off tablet throughout month * Aromatherapy 100% oils in diffuser every night * * Morning stretching routine every day * Link to comment
Sarahbobear Posted January 1, 2017 Author Share Posted January 1, 2017 Thank-you! Before the big crash or stroke-like episodes that left me with many chronic symptoms, I definatley tapered off the remeron too fast... but when I ended up in the hospital for a week, they upped my dose of remeron and I went back up to 30mg for a bit. I was not getting any better at this dose over the next month, or possibly worse and I remember asking the pharmacy if it was possible there was a bad batch of remeron. I went down to 15 mg for a couple months, then my doctor added trazodone so I could taper off the remeron. I recently had the stomach flu and I could not get anything down including the trazodone for two days and I noticed I was less dizzy. Then when I took it and wham 40 minutes later all my symptoms and more came back full force. So I am cutting out the trazodone and back on 15 mg of remeron. (back to where I started) Which leaves me wondering if you can develop an adverse reaction to a drug several years later... perhaps my liver just says no now... Link to comment
Dez Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Sarah, How are you feeling? Any better? I suppose in this situation annoying is possible. Maybe you could have a reaction several years later, as the body chemistry does change with age. These medications aren't really studied for years and years so no one really knows the long term effects. Except us, I guess. I was on Celexa many years, then stopped a few months, then went back on it and it became a nightmare. I can no longer touch SSRIs or SNRIs. Each one I've tried to make my symptoms better just make then ten times worse! Now that I'm off of them I'm still stabilizing and healing, but it's not nearly as bad as before. Wishing you healing! - 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg (no issues, did well)- Mid 2012 Switched to Celexa 20mg (no issues with switch)- 6/16 Stopped Celexa (always took med once every other day, tapered to once every three days for about a week and a half, took one a week for one week, no problems)- 10/20/16 Started Celexa 20mg (next day had panic attacks, stopped after three days, kept having panic attacks and anxiety rest of the month)- 10/28/16 Started Paxil 20mg (took for almost a week, had suicidal thoughts/severe derealization, tapered off to one every other day for a few days)- 12/8/16 Buspirone 5mg twice daily (felt drowsy but kept anxiety under wraps, still taking it)- 12/27/16 Venlafaxine XR 37.5mg (took two days, migraine first day, headache all day second day, third day had severe depression/outbursts of crying, couldn't stop most of the day, bad invasive thoughts, never took third dose because of it)- 1/7/17 taper Buspirone 20% (miscalculation but doing well), gradually slivered off tablet throughout month to almost half each pill - 2/3/17 taper Buspirone 2.5mg twice daily (did fine, listened to body), gradually slivered off tablet throughout month * Aromatherapy 100% oils in diffuser every night * * Morning stretching routine every day * Link to comment
Sarahbobear Posted January 14, 2017 Author Share Posted January 14, 2017 Thank-you. I just went 4 days with absolutely no sleep. I finally got 2 hours last night. I ordered some phenibut and took a small dose, then added 7.5 mg of remeron at 2am and that wasn't working until I took 300mg of benadryl at 7am. I woke up at 10am. Before the 4 days of sleep I was not sleeping either. I probably went that long before I took 15mg of remeron. A year ago when I was taking remeron at 15mg to 30mg, I would get 2-3 hours of sleep. For 7 years, Remeron saved my life, now it's not working. Before remeron I had no life... severe chronic insomnia, now it's worse. Ilast year I started only getting 2 hours of sleep per night, so I was tapering off it, then the massive withdrawal symptoms set it, so I went back on it for 9 months, but as I was taking it, I realized it was the drug causing adverse effects. I've been dizzy for 10 months, plus a host of other neurological effects. I know now it's the remeron, because if I don't take it my dizziness gets better, but I can't sleep at all. Last time I slept more than 2 hours was before Christmas. I am really scared. Everytime I get near to the threshold of sleep I am super aware and cannot go beyond it. I am like that all night. Anybody has suggestions for sleep. I've been a severe chronic insomniac my whole life, but this is a whole new level. I am not sleeping at all and now my heart it starting to kick out a bit and I'm hallucinating. I've been to emergency. I was offered zopiclone 7.5 mg and it doesn't work. It never did work before I started remeron. I know I have extremely high histamine levels according to a blood test from a naturopath when I got tested several years ago. This may be my problem. I've been trying to get a doa blocker, but everywhere is consistently out of stock. I've been trying for months, it's so popular now because everybody thinks they have histmaine intolerance. But I can't get my hands on some. I'm not sure if it will work anyways. I've tried every sleep aid known to man at huge doses as regular doses don't do anything. I've downed a whole bottle of extra strength valerian tincture in the last few days few days to no effect. I've tried restricted sleep therapy to no effect. On top of histamine I think I have way too much glutamate. I probably have a methylation problem that doesnt convert to gaba. That's what I'm guessing. I thought perhaps I have sporadic fatal insomnia but I've had it my whole life, so it can't be that, but I've never heard of anyone that has this severe insomnia. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted February 14, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 14, 2017 Hey Sarabobear - I'm so sorry that a moderator hasn't gotten with you before now. Are you feeling any better? Yes, your symptoms, as NZ11 pointed out, could be from withdrawal. It is more likely to be withdrawal (especially since you took the drugs irregularly) than side effects of the drugs themselves. Once you get into this destabilized state, it is difficult to stabilise, as you have noticed. The best thing to do is to pick a dose of the drugs, and stay there. Don't increase or decrease for 1-3 months. Then, hopefully, you can stabilize and taper and heal from there. Please, put your current doses in your signature, and your best estimates at what drugs and doses you took in the past year. When we have your signature and history in one place, it is much easier to help you. Please Put Your WIthdrawal History Into your Signature Here are some explanations of how withdrawal and these drugs work. There are many people here tapering remeron and trazadone, so you are not alone. Intro to Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome Withdrawal Dialogues - cartoons to encourage you and here is a short video which explains it very well: Healing from Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery (by Toxic Antidepressants) We recommend tapering by 10% per month. Why taper by 10% of my dosage? Here are topics about your specific drugs: Tips for Tapering off Remeron / Mirtazapine / Avanza Tips for Tapering off Trazodone Please let us know how you are going, and if we can be of further help! I hope you see the sun today! "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment
Bluebird2009 Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 Hello Survivors, I am wondering if you could help me shed some light on my symptoms. I would really appreciate any thoughts on my condition as the doctors have not been able to figure it out. I have had a spinal tap ruling out M.S. and 2 mri's of the head and neck, standard blood tests are normal. 9 months ago I had a series of stroke like episodes, intense fatigue and dizziness/vertigo and I ended up in emergency at least half a dozen times. It developed in to persistent dizziness and disequilibrium now going on strong for 9 months. A few months before this happened I was tapering off 15-30 mg of remeron and I also was taking ativan occassionally, perhaps 3-4 times per month on average. I have had severe chronic insomnia all of my adult life (I am 44 years old) and I found that 15mg of remeron was no longer helping me sleep like it did in the past so I stopped taking it or took it intermitently. I figure I ended up sleeping on average 4 hours per night, many times not sleeping at all for days even. But when I had the ativan I was able to get a descent night sleep, which was about once per week. Then the doctor decided not to take away the ativan and I was not getting that one good night per week anymore which I think was keeping me afloat. Most of my adult life I have had chronic insomnia so I am not sure if these new neurological symptoms are related. I started noticing that things did not look or seem right, or there was some spatial distortion and I had a general feeling of malaise leading up the weeks before I would experience the more intense dizziness/fatigue/stroke-like episodes. I also started experiencing tingling in my legs and feet, electric shock like sensations in my head (mostly at night), severe hypoglycemia, muscle contractions, tachycardia, swinging blood pressure (now it's mostly low), intense fatigue and weakness that sometimes felt difficult to breathe, feelings of travelling pressure in my head that sometimes would travel downwards in my body, a pressure in my torso like it was being crushed, heaviness in my legs, feeling like I am on an elevator or a boat, and other sensory distortions like having difficulty locating my feet in space. What made me concerned that it was MS was that my left foot felt like it had less feeling than the right at times I would wake up unable to move it for a few minutes - (it did not have the feeling of loss of blood sensation) but the foot feelings have passed. My doctor prescribed trazadone to help with sleep which has helped initially but I'm up to 150mg and often it doesn't work. When I add remeron it helps a little, but sometimes they both don't work for sleep. So I dont' take them consistently and at there has been days I haven't taken them at all because it seems the drugs don't really work anyway. 9 months later, mostly I am dizzy, like my brain can't catch up with my body movements or my balance and there is a light spinning sensation in my head, but sometimes my balance really gets bad. I have been offered Effexor, but in the past it made me more of an insomniac and I really would rather get off the anti-depressants as I feel like they might be the problem... Even though I feel like I am living in a nightmare I would rather ride out this neurological melt-down and try to heal naturally. Do my symptoms sound like it could anti-depressant withdrawal symptoms at all? And if so, is it possible to have permanent damage? I am concerned as this has no sign of letting up after 9 months. I am still as dizzy as ever. I have been taking remeron for about 7 years. Thanks for reading! This sounds like exactly what I started to go through while still on Prozac, and it started to get to the point other drugs where having no effect. It does sound like withdrawal as I'm now off 10mtha and suffering terribly with lots of symptoms. Take care Prozac for 18years with break in 1999 for pregnancy. Started to feel unwell with numerous problems 2015 and think I was in a tolerance to drug. Started to come off May 2016 and by June 2016 wasn't able to tolerate any medications at all. Was on Lansoprazole as and when need from 2001 but haven't had to take and wldnt have been able to take since June 2016 GP gave sertraline 25mg 6/04/17 loss of appetite, gut pain and then following morning whole body shaking and vomiting. Stopped tablet. Link to comment
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