Nortonb13: Stuck

[Nortonb13]

So I went cold turkey off of Effexor four months ago. I was prescribed Oxtellar XR (600 mg daily) because of two seizures I had while on it soon after/during cold turkey. The oxtellar seems to actually help but makes me slow and docile. Not long after that I was prescribed Buspar 15 daily. A month after that I started treatment with a psychiatrist for medicine management. He diagnosed me with OCD and has tried two different SSRI medications (Prozac and Lexapro). Each sent me into what felt like a mild psychosis within the first day with tremors, increased muscle spasms, hyperactive reflexes/thinking, motor function impairment (eyes, hands, etc.) I’m thinking my Effexor withdrawal has affected my serotonin sensitivity and I don’t need to be on any medications that affect it at the moment. I can’t seem to get any docs or people in my life to take this possibility seriously. If any more medication is thrown at me, I feel in-patient care at a mental health facility is inevitable. I don’t know what to do or who to talk to.

Edited June 8, 2020 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Nortonb13.

 

You are in withdrawal from the cold turkey of Effexor and as a result your central nervous system is very sensitized.  Your adverse reaction to the Prozac and Lexapro indicates you are not a good candidate for psychiatric drugs.  Adding more drugs to deal with withdrawal puts you on the drug merry-go-round, with more and more drugs being tried at random and your system becoming more and more sensitized.  You will heal (if they don't keep throwing drugs at you) but it will take some time. Time is the healer.  It is your body and you should be the one to decide what goes into it.  

 

By the way, doctors don't believe in the existence of withdrawal, which would explain your difficulty in getting them to see your point that you don't want any more drugs.  Drugs and more drugs is their stock in trade.

 

What are your current symptoms?  Are you still on the Buspar?

 

Here is some helpful information on withdrawal and the healing process.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

When we take psychiatric 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.  

 

These explain the healing process really well:

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

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) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.