Ruby22: severe pain - need advice about reinstating

[Altostrata]

@Ruby22 When and how did you quit Adderall? You were taking it so often, it's very likely you became adapted to it and might have withdrawal from that, too.

[Ruby22]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

@Ruby22 When and how did you quit Adderall? You were taking it so often, it's very likely you became adapted to it and might have withdrawal from that, too.

August 5. I just stopped it. I felt too activated to keep taking it. I’ll add it to my drug signature. 
 

When I tried reinstating the Prozac, on the second dose I started having symptoms exactly like when I had serotonin toxicity. So she wanted me to stop the Prozac, 5-htp, and hold off on the adderall. I agreed because I got so freaked out. But I’m still having these symptoms that feel so similar to the toxicity even though the Prozac should be mostly out by now. Something you should also know, shortly after the cold turkey, I noticed I couldn’t take an Allegra anymore because it seemed to give me toxicity symptoms, so I might be serotonin sensitive.

 

I thought enough time had gone by and the 1mg reinstatement would be fine. I don’t know how to figure out if what’s happening now is withdrawal, adverse reaction, or serotonin toxicity that won’t go away because I’m still on a serotonergic med. My current symptoms are constant dizziness, vision not accommodating, blurred vision, shaking (badly at times), internal vibration, tachycardia and pounding heart all the time, constant muscle spasms, chills and overheating, POTS-like symptoms, muscle twitching, brain squeezing and head pressure sensations, not sleeping well, nerve pain, brain fog, panic and anxiety, easily overstimulated. 

[Altostrata]

33 minutes ago, Ruby22 said:

August 5. I just stopped it. I felt too activated to keep taking it. I’ll add it to my drug signature. 

 

You probably have withdrawal from the Adderall you cold-turkeyed and the Prozac your doctor told you to quit, and maybe from 5-HTP, too.

 

On 8/2/2022 at 3:37 PM, Ruby22 said:

Out of desperation, I did reinstate 1mg of Prozac with my psychiatrist's approval. I noticed a decrease in anxiety after taking it and I had less pain these last 2 nights.....

 

It appeared that 1mg Prozac actually was helpful to start, but perhaps interacted with the EXCESSIVE ADDERALL you were taking as it ramped up.

 

We asked you to post daily notes. The only daily notes you posted were on August 5.

 

On 8/5/2022 at 6:18 PM, Ruby22 said:

Update: just spoke with my psychiatrist. She thinks I am serotonin sensitive and am having a reaction to too much neurotransmitters/too much meds and is having me discontinue the Prozac. I feel like this is the right choice. 

 

On 8/6/2022 at 4:02 PM, Altostrata said:

Your psychiatrist didn't notice the excessive Adderall?

 

You also quit Adderall on August 5? Did your psychiatrist tell you to do this? 

 

You did know you were dependent on Adderall and would get withdrawal from quitting it, correct? You must have known, because a week earlier, I told you that you were dependent.

 

I don't know what to suggest, @Ruby22 We don't have any miracle cures for when people cold-turkey their drugs repeatedly. All we can do is suggest reinstatement, but that takes a very systematic approach, which you did not follow because your psychiatrist told you otherwise. This is why I've told you several times we can't help you.

 

If you're going to follow your psychiatrist's directions, you need to take your complaints to your psychiatrist. Your psychiatrist is responsible for the outcomes of her directions. She gets paid for this, we don't.

[Ruby22]

On 9/1/2022 at 11:21 PM, Momiki said:

Hi Ruby,

 

I'm quite brainfogged at the moment, so I can't help much. Dizziness can definitely be a withdrawal symptom. Regarding vision, there seem to be quite some mention of "blurry vision" when using the search function: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?&q=vision&type=forums_topic&page=1&quick=1&nodes=3&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy

 

Also at least one mention of accomodation difficulties:

 

The advice I can give would be to read the other sections of this forum, especially the tapering section and the symptoms and self-care section. The pinned topics contain valuable information. They contain overviews with links, and/or explain certain parts of withdrawal. The search function can also help out a lot.

 

For example, regarding symptoms, non-drug techniques for coping, and an explanation of withdrawal:

 

 

 

@Momiki Thank you for these resources. I'm sorry you are brain fogged. I've been dealing with that on and off as well and it is quite distressing.

[Ruby22]

Hi @Altostrata, I was wondering if I could get your advice. My doctor had me taper and and do a 2 week trial off of my Xywav to see if it was related to my nerve pain. I had no difficulty lowering and stopping the med except for a return of my usual narcolepsy symptoms. I found that the nerve pain did decrease some but did not go away off of the medication so he wants me to try being at a lower dose. I recently reinstated at 1.75g twice a night 7 nights ago (I was originally on 3g twice a night). Since then, I have had 24/7 extreme head pressure, and recently started having dizziness and nausea. I was on this med for a year without these issues so I am not sure why I’m having trouble with it now especially because it is out of my system within a few hours of taking it. My options are to try to wait this out or go down to one dose a night and see if I do better there. Do you have any insight or recommendation? I haven’t talked to my doctor yet because he doesn’t know anything about protracted withdrawal and I think this is related. 

[Altostrata]

I cannot advise you on your drug therapy. Please talk to your doctor.

[Foxclover6]

When your cns is sensitized to the extreme yours is, nothing you introduce is going to be the way it used to. I was just reading your post because I've been off for over a year now. I knew at some point I couldn't take anything even though I wanted to,  we have all these symptoms that are terrifying, the pain is awful,  the anxiety,  tachycardia,  all terrifying.  Inflammation goes through the roof.  Reading your post it all just sounds like withdrawl not seratonin syndrome, I'm just saying my thoughts after reading..I had/ have all this.  I can't believe people's own parents who are doctors don't acknowledge withdrawl, or protracted, essentially,  cns injuries, that's deeply depressing.

[Ruby22]

At a loss. I’m over 9 months off and feel like I’m not making progress. Most of my symptoms don’t really come and go. Everyday seems to feel the same, there’s no windows. I eat well, sleep well, and go on walks everyday. I don’t know what else to do. My nerve pain is becoming truly unbearable, my vision can’t seems to stabilize for more than a few seconds at a time, and I have an internal tremor that is driving me nuts. I think my Xywav is making some of my symptoms more intense but I also can’t function without it. Supposedly it can cause a glutamate rebound effect when it wears off which would explain why it exacerbates my nerve pain. I’m considering consulting with my doctor to try a microdose (0.5-1mg) of lamotrigine to see if it could help calm the pain a little and stabilize my cns. I’m desperate for some relief. I’m not sure if anyone will read this but happy to hear any input, advice, or even some reassurance that this may all go away someday. Wishing everyone else on this site well and healthier times. 

[Foxclover6]

I'm with you... same

[Altostrata]

On 9/2/2022 at 3:47 PM, Altostrata said:

You probably have withdrawal from the Adderall you cold-turkeyed and the Prozac your doctor told you to quit, and maybe from 5-HTP, too.

 

On 9/2/2022 at 3:47 PM, Altostrata said:

It appeared that 1mg Prozac actually was helpful to start, but perhaps interacted with the EXCESSIVE ADDERALL you were taking as it ramped up.

 

We asked you to post daily notes. The only daily notes you posted were on August 5.

 

On 9/2/2022 at 3:03 PM, Ruby22 said:

My current symptoms are constant dizziness, vision not accommodating, blurred vision, shaking (badly at times), internal vibration, tachycardia and pounding heart all the time, constant muscle spasms, chills and overheating, POTS-like symptoms, muscle twitching, brain squeezing and head pressure sensations, not sleeping well, nerve pain, brain fog, panic and anxiety, easily overstimulated. 

 

On 9/2/2022 at 3:47 PM, Altostrata said:

If you're going to follow your psychiatrist's directions, you need to take your complaints to your psychiatrist. Your psychiatrist is responsible for the outcomes of her directions. She gets paid for this, we don't.

 

Strongly suggest you review amphetamine withdrawal syndrome with your doctor.

[Ruby22]

On 1/24/2023 at 9:10 AM, Foxclover6 said:

I'm with you... same

Seems like you stopped a while ago. I’m so sorry you’re still suffering.

[Foxclover6]

11 hours ago, Ruby22 said:

Seems like you stopped a while ago. I’m so sorry you’re still suffering.

Yeah. Pretty awful. Thank you