NataliaD: Cipralex withdrawal

[NataliaD]

Hello 

My name is Natalia, English is not my native language so I am sorry about mistakes.

My story began with birth control pills, i took it for 6 months then stopped and next month I had my first full blown panic attack. It was 2,5 years ago.

At first I couldn’t realize what is happening with me. Everything changed, i had something happenening with my vision, i had horrible anxiety couldn’t sleep and eat. Then I found many info online about same symptoms after going off those pills. I was coping for one year, interesting that it has the same pattern with waves and windows, mine were subsiding but then during one of the waves I had stupid idea that I should do something about it and went to psychiatrist. And hello Cipralex.

After one month on Cipralex I started to feel so good, perfect. Life started to be just perfect. I was happy.After 6 months on it my doctor said that I should stop it as I feel good so no reason to continue.So i stopped cold turkey exactly 1 year ago (January 2017). I asked if I will have any withdrawal- he laughed and said of course not, go and live your life. So I did.

First 2 months I had tremors, nausea. But I never thought it is connected with meds.I thought i have virus or something. Then in summer. insomnia started. I started to wake up 5 am with dread. Bad appetite.Some strange sensation in my head, panick attacks. Then depression and anhedonia, I felt nothing, no emotions.Then i found this forum and realized probably it is withdrawal.

I still doubt if it is withdrawal or just me.I have my ear clogged for several days and now I am in the middle of horrible anxiety wave with that ear stuff.

it is hell, bad bad feeling. When my anxiety will pass probably I will be able to write more.

hoping it will pass.

Natalia

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, NataliaD.

 

What is your current symptom pattern? Did some symptoms go away since last spring?

[NataliaD]

Just now, Altostrata said:

Welcome, NataliaD.

 

What is your current symptom pattern? Did some symptoms go away since last spring?

 Hello Altostrata!

I had many symptoms that come and go.

Bad appetite come and go, anxiety waves, depression come and go too.

All the symptoms didn’t last but every new one gives me horrible anxiety. When I started to be used to it - it disappeares and new one appears.

Now the clogged ear gives me idea that I have brain tumor. I had MRI 2 years ago and it was fine. I think if i should do it again. I am so desperate and anxious ((

 

[NataliaD]

What I had during last year:

tremors (full body)

loss of appetite

nausea

itching

joint pain

headaches (very mild but strange- quick and different spots of my head)

tinnitus

pain in the eyes

dizziness

insomnia

short menstrual cycle

stiff neck

 

emotional:

no libido

no emotions (bad or good, nothing)

anger

no motivation

panick attaks

depression

 

Good things: menstrual cycle normalized (almost), I sleep good (if no anxiety like today), i started to have motivation to work, some emotions returned, appetite sometimes very good, neck is better (at least i can turn my head)

 

bad things: new symptoms appear-those headaches and ear clogged, anxiety waves (strong), no libido

 

In the late October i took antibiotics for UTI and also stupidly made an injection of dermal fillers in my face (which can show us that i felt pretty good and stupid).Right after that I started a horrible wave with nausea for 1 month and all the recent symptoms (listed in a “bad things” column)

[Altostrata]

2 hours ago, NataliaD said:

All the symptoms didn’t last but every new one gives me horrible anxiety. When I started to be used to it - it disappeares and new one appears.

 

^This is a normal pattern for withdrawal syndrome.

 

2 hours ago, NataliaD said:

Good things: menstrual cycle normalized (almost), I sleep good (if no anxiety like today), i started to have motivation to work, some emotions returned, appetite sometimes very good, neck is better (at least i can turn my head)

 

This is good. Do your symptoms, such as the waves of anxiety, occur at any particular time of day? Are there times when they're better or worse?

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
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/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

If you can get magnesium citrate powder, you might find that if you put the powder in cold water and sip throughout the day, it will diminish your anxiety.

 

It's very possible the antibiotics or the anesthesia for the facial procedure triggered a wave of bad symptoms. They should very gradually go away, but you will need to treat yourself very gently for a good while -- don't take any chances on drinking alcohol, doing stressful things, or pushing yourself too hard.

[ChessieCat]

Hi Natalia, and welcome from me too,

 

We ask all new members to create a signature using this format so we can see your drug history at a glance:

 

A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature - ALL drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly?

• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses.
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 

• Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago)
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016.
• Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

This is your own introduction topic where you can ask questions and journal your progress.

[NataliaD]

Thanks a lot, Altostrata!

I had alcohol 2 days ago, maybe it could trigger anxiety(

In the evening anxiety usually worse but some days are completely without it.

usually it is triggered by some new physical symptom. I am trying to control my thinking, taking CBT consults. It was working for sometime but today no, one clogged ear made me crazy. Now it is better already- ear and thinking.

interesting i spoke with my friend who had brain cancer many years ago. I asked if she had those panick attacks, dread, all this psycho misery that many of “us” have. She said no and that she thinks that i am in far worse emotional condition with my “ears, itching and other stuff” than she had with her disease.

 

chessieCat

Hello

I think I made a signature, thanks

 

 

 

[Jony]

15 hours ago, NataliaD said:

After one month on Cipralex I started to feel so good, perfect. Life started to be just perfect.

 

This statement remember me Peter Breggin's videos I had see...

 

He said something like " The only biochemical imbalances in the brains of people who see psychiatrists are the ones put in there by the psychiatrists".

 

He also said, concerning the drug effects, " If someone starts to felling better than ever it´s not a good sign"...

 

It makes a lot of sense...how could we ignore this before? 

[NataliaD]

On 16.01.2018 at 2:48 PM, Jony said:

He also said, concerning the drug effects, " If someone starts to felling better than ever it´s not a good sign"...

 

Yes! But I miss those happy days, miss the feeling of happiness and feeling that I can cope with anything. Now every little symptom takes me to a panic mode. Anyway I do not consider coming back on drugs of course.

 

I have been in a panic for 2 days, not eating, no sleeping. Trembling in my bed thinking that I am dying with a tumor (that idea i had concerning my ear clogged). Then I went today to make a CT scan of my brain and ears, everything is fine.

No more panic, I feel happy about it, but ear still clogged and some strange strong sound in it, not like a usual high pitch tinnitus, more like water in it. Doctor said it can be otitis, strange.

 

also I am having regular appointments with psychotherapist, he is very skeptical too about antidepressants. He helps me to adopt daily relaxation techniques, changing thinking habits, but he also says that it is not quick change like meds. 

 

[Madeleine]

Hi Natalia:
Welcome to the forum.  It definitely sounds like withdrawal. It sounds like the CBT is helping you and in time you will be fine.  Believe that everything will be back to normal, or even better than before, in time; you will be stronger having gone through this experience.  Have faith and hope!  

With very best wishes,

Madeleine

P.S.  It's good to avoid alcohol and to limit caffeine -- they can both can make withdrawal symptoms worse.

[Jony]

On 17/01/2018 at 6:12 PM, NataliaD said:

Yes! But I miss those happy days, miss the feeling of happiness and feeling that I can cope with anything. Now every little symptom takes me to a panic mode. Anyway I do not consider coming back on drugs of course.

 

I have been in a panic for 2 days, not eating, no sleeping.

 

I know what this is...

 

I've been in this situation a few years ago. Terrible...

 

Sometimes it seems that we can´t do nothing to stop these feelings, but it´s not true. 

 

It works pretty fine to me...it seems so simple but really works with my anxiety.

 

For sleeping I do not found already a way to cope with...