callemayor: Introduction: describing symptoms

[callemayor]

Hi! This is my first time posting. SA has been a wonderful resource for me to read over the past 4 years I have been tapering. I have tapered 2 medications successfully since 2013: viibryd and lithium. They were long, careful tapers with a prescriber and therapist. This year I'm working on a taper of abilify from 17mg by the recommended 10% with a 4 week hold.

 

I have a few questions for this community:

 

(1) How do you find the the vocabulary to describe withdrawal symptoms?

Every time I taper I feel the same sensation of being physically drained, particularly in my head. It's like a headache, but it's more of a consistent, dull pain. Has anyone experienced this? It's a form of fatigue, certainly, but it's more than that. Please let me know if there's a term for this that I might be able to research. Sometimes I take Tylenol for it, but the dull head pain continues. It's particularly hard in the mornings.

 

(2) I am looking for ways to be healthier in my lifestyle choices. How do you all find what works for you in terms of exercise and nutrition? Is it simply trial and error or do you have a system for measuring success? I get so depressed all I can do is sleep sometimes, and then take a walk for about 30 min. I have joined a gym but don't feel very motivated the days I do get there. 

 

Thank you very much for reading, and please let me know if you have any advice on those two topics.

Best,

Calle Mayor

[Gridley]

Hello, callemayor, and welcome to SA.

 

Congratulations on your tapers of Vibryd and Lithium.  It's great you did it carefully and slowly.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.

• 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. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

You already know about the 10% taper, but I'd like to provide some links to give you more information.  

Before you begin tapering what you need to know
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

Brain Remodelling
Tips for tapering off aripiprazole (Abilify)

 

You asked about vocabulary to describe withdrawal symptoms.  I don't have a specific term for the symptom you describe but here are two links that might be helpful.

What is withdrawal syndrome.

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

You should also Google "SurvivingAntidepressants.org headache" to find a discussion of this topic.

 

Regarding healthier lifestyle choices, much of it is trial error and good sense, and much also is individual.  There is no specific system for measuring success, nor is it really necessary to put pressure on yourself to "succeed"--you're doing well just going off these drugs.  

 

SA doesn't have a specific diet that it recommends, only that you eat as healthily as you can.  It's good to avoid caffeine and sugar, as these can be very activating. This is especially so since insomnia is such a common symptom in withdrawal.  Regarding exercise, there are some members, especially younger members, who engage in strenuous exercise.  Many members, however, myself included, find strenuous exercise to be a stress on an already overstressed nervous system.  A 30-minute gentle walk in nature works best for many members.  The fact that you are not motivated at the gym may be your body protecting itself from stressors.

 

This is your introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community. I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but I am glad that you found us.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by Gridley

[callemayor]

Thank you so much, Gridley! I updated my signature and have been searching for headache threads. I'll keep searching for nutrition and movement suggestions on SA too.

Sending my best to you!

[LexAnger]

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