gabi: severe Sam-e withdrawals

[gabi]

About 2 months ago, I decided to try supplementing with Sam-E. I have been feeling a bit down and wanted to see if it would make any difference. About 3 weeks in, I experienced a pretty bad panic attack so I went cold turkey and stopped taking Sam-E. Around 1 week later, I started to notice my arms and legs getting numb. I didn't really think much of it until a couple weeks later when I started to experience extreme lightheaded ness which lasted for about a minute. Which then turned into hot flashes, chills and really bad brain zaps which prevented me from falling asleep, it caused vomiting, diarrhea around 2 months in.  After doing research online, it seems like I am going through similar to what people going through SSRI withdrawals. I don't see much online about Sam-E causing withdrawals and am really concerned because it's about almost 2 months since my last time I took Sam-E.

 

Since last week, I started supplementing with 5-HTP out of desperation because I couldn't handle it anymore. I figured maybe I will be able to wean off the 5-HTP instead so I can try to heal that way considering I did go cold turkey. 

 

Before I started taking 5-HTP, the brain zaps were taking over my life. I went to the hospital and multiple doctors. No one could help. I found it hard to sleep for more than 1 hour a night, I could barely eat anything and I am already underweight as it is. I am so fearful and scared. I am going to start tapering off the 5-HTP. Any tips? It is a capsule so I'm unsure if I can break the capsule and just put it in water?

 

I also want to try shrooms as I heard that shrooms can build new pathways in the brain and I figured it may be a cheat code to feeling better.

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by ChessieCat
Resized font

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  Apparently, SAM-e is a neuroactive substance.  Was panic the only symptom you developed while on the SAM-e?  Here is info on it, with links to other people who have had withdrawal from it. 

 

SAM-e

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your supplement and drug history for all drugs and supplements you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of them in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Use this format:

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is some important information about how psych drugs work.  I don't know if SAM-e has the same effect, but it very well may.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are recovering.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

 

Has the 5-HTP alleviated your withdrawal symptoms at all?  

 

On 7/17/2022 at 10:57 AM, gabi said:

I also want to try shrooms as I heard that shrooms can build new pathways in the brain and I figured it may be a cheat code to feeling better.

Psychoactive substances have unpredictable effects on our nervous systems, especially when we are in withdrawal, so you would put yourself at risk of making yourself worse instead of better.  Mushrooms are psychedelics, and put you at risk of going on a bad trip.  My husband, who is a registered pharmacist, was taught in college that they can also trigger schizophrenia in some people.  So the upshot of all this is, it is an unpredictable and risky proposition.  Here is what our founder, altostrata, says about it: 

 

On 10/29/2015 at 6:19 PM, Altostrata said:

Throwing another neuroactive substance into the mix when your nervous system is already made vulnerable by withdrawal is highly, highly risky.

and 

 

On 4/3/2018 at 6:19 PM, Altostrata said:

We here at SurvivingAntidepressants.org do not advocate experimenting with magic mushrooms or any gray-market drug. You never know exactly what you're getting and results are unpredictable even in people whose nervous systems have not been compromised by adverse drug reactions.

 

Try such substances at your own risk. If you take street drugs or gray-market drugs and have an adverse reaction, we may not be able to provide you support as you recover and may ask you to leave the site.

 

Here is a threads on shrooms: 

 

Psychedelic Mushrooms