Lamb: Intro

[Lamb]

Hi everyone,

Almost 27 months ago. I quit Prozac 40mg after tapering over the course of two months (Took it for about 7 years). I was feeling alright until about two months later, when my brain seemed to completely shut down. I’ve experienced some weak windows, but overall, I’m almost as brain dead as in the beginning. Some of my symptoms are:

Physical:

Jaw pain (has gotten better)

Nerve pain in feet and legs (less frequent)

Tension in spine, arms and legs (this fluctuates in intensity)

Head pressure

 

Cognitive:

Total disconnection from environment (feels as if I’m not alive or do not exist)

Trouble with reading and speech comprehension, difficulty speaking

Inability to reason, process, or understand much of anything

Short term, long term, working memory issues

Poor coordination

Every task, however simple, is very mentally demanding, and all my mental processes degenerate within a short span of time.

Difficulty thinking about something deliberately

 

A short summary of my history with antidepressants:

When I was around 11-12, I had problems concentrating on my homework, and my parents gave me medication (which apparently was an antidepressant) that might help with that. I don't recall being told much else other than it might change my personality. I took it for probably 1-3 weeks and stopped, because I was not experiencing any benefits and was worried it might indeed change my personality. Shortly after I started experiencing numerous physical and mental symptoms with the worst being a total inability to feel pleasure. I did not realize I was going through withdrawal, and after a couple years of suffering I decided I needed an antidepressant. My mother gave me some of her Paxil, and I took that for probably a year. Later I went on Prozac + Buspar with a doctor’s supervision. My withdrawal was not reversed when I went on Paxil, and I’ve  been having withdrawal symptoms throughout my whole time on these meds, probably with side effects as well. I started this horrible journey just as I was entering puberty, and I don’t believe that my brain has developed properly, if much at all. I gradually became emptier, and mentally slower on these meds and stopped developing intellectually or emotionally. 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Lamb.  I'm sorry you're having these unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.  It is encouraging that at least two of your symptoms are improving.

 

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.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

To help you understand the symptoms you are experiencing, here is some information on withdrawal.  These drugs alter the architecture of the brain, and the time necessary to heal the brain and return to homeostasis is, unfortunately, impossible to predict.  

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

 The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

Youtube video, 4 minutes: Healing from antidepressants

 

Sometime withdrawal symptoms don't appear immediately after a too-fast taper.  This appears to be the case in your instance, with the symptoms showing up two months after your rapid taper.

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Please research all supplements first and only add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

We have other members who were drugged as teens or children, and they have recovered.  Because you may not have developed coping skills due to the drug, the techniques in these links might be of particular help to you in dealing with withdrawal.

 

The Dr. Claire Weekes Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lamb]

Thank you Gridley.

 

I forgot to mention another symptom which has improved. For the first 2 years, I regularly had intense, uncontrollable emotions (mainly triggered by anger toward what has happened to me). It felt like my body was overwhelmed by a powerful force. During these episodes, I would experience things like: a desire to throw and kick objects,  thrashing on the floor and wailing, and a desire to die. I haven't had these emotions for two months now. I still have the thoughts, but the emotional response does not escalate beyond normal levels.