Katy398 Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 Thank you @Onmyway I will send my doctor the link. I expect nothing from my doctor. but she is interested and wants to learn more, that is huge!! She did not prescribe 40mgs of Lexapro to me and even if she had, she herself would have been ill informed and kept in the dark. I can do nothing about the iatrogenic harm I received. On this site I was told prescribing twice the registered dose of an already strong antidepressant, may be bad practice, but however is in fact legal. I feel advocating for change and educating a chosen few professionals will help my recovery and hopefully will support others from having to experience severe withdrawal. I wish you well on your recover, K 3 Lexapro Fast Track/ Cold Turkey Last dose end Dec 2018 Tapered 1/2 a daily dose a week (20mg) for 14 weeks, last dose was a 20 mg pill!! 3.5 times slower than Psychiatrist recommended, I felt proud of myself!! Little did I know!!!!Got too scared to reinstate because I’d left it too long. On ADs for 20 years (Prozac approx 10 years/ Pristiq approx 3 years/ Citalipram approx 2 years/. Lexapro a approx 5 years/. Last two years 40mgs Lexapro day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted September 1, 2023 Mentor Share Posted September 1, 2023 1 hour ago, Katy398 said: 40mgs of Lexapro to me and even if she had, she herself would have been ill informed and kept in the dark. I can do nothing about the iatrogenic harm I received. On this site I was told prescribing twice the registered dose of an already strong antidepressant, may be bad practice, but however is in fact legal. I feel advocating for change and educating a chosen few professionals will help my recovery and hopefully will support others from having to experience severe withdrawal. Good for you!! I too was prescribed 40 mgs of lexapro but when my state's medicaid changed in 2013 I think it was, suddenly they refused to fill that Rx because as I was told, even the company making lexapro at that time, did not recommend a dose higher than 30mgs. That it was excessive and showed no benefit whatsoever. !!! That was the first inkling I had that there was something amiss with the way the psychiatrist I had at the time was prescribing drugs. He typically put me on higher than normal doses of meds, telling me that my long history with psych meds had made the less effective and that these higher doses. He has since been sanctioned by the states medical board for his dangerous prescribing habits and poor record keeping, but they've failed to take away his license because there's such a shortage of drs here... instead he's got another dr monitoring him it's incredible how careless and drs have become. And to a certain extent, always seem to have been~ at least in my lifetime When I was 18 and had a diagnosis of "adjustment reaction to adolescence" a clinic forced me to take a potent first generation anti psychotic every day.... and every dr since, seeing that in my history, believed I had to have had some sort of serious mental illness to have warranted such a drug being prescribed In fact it was commonly given to young adults and teens at that time... as a chemical restraint, frankly. anyway..........good for you for trying to educate those willing to listen. I am sorry for what you went thru. 1 PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content PRESENT DAYS: Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy398 Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 Thank you @Happy2Heal I, like you, have been on an incredible journey through this. Lexapro is a demon either on it, tapering, or having come off it!!! I hope one day it will be banned. Advocating for change is, definitely healing. 1 Lexapro Fast Track/ Cold Turkey Last dose end Dec 2018 Tapered 1/2 a daily dose a week (20mg) for 14 weeks, last dose was a 20 mg pill!! 3.5 times slower than Psychiatrist recommended, I felt proud of myself!! Little did I know!!!!Got too scared to reinstate because I’d left it too long. On ADs for 20 years (Prozac approx 10 years/ Pristiq approx 3 years/ Citalipram approx 2 years/. Lexapro a approx 5 years/. Last two years 40mgs Lexapro day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Onmyway Posted September 1, 2023 Moderator Share Posted September 1, 2023 @Katy398, educating people is a great mission to have. How else will we prevent this scourge from spreading further! I just wanted to make sure that you are not hoping that the doctor will change their mind somehow - they may change but I am keeping my expectations low. Although one of my GPs apologized to me after not believing me and me sending him an article. It was quite nice. Too bad GPs like him are very few now - he retired. "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 2, 2023 Administrator Share Posted September 2, 2023 @Katy398 Framer, A. (2021). What I have learnt from helping thousands of people to taper off antidepressants and other psychotropic medications. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125321991274 1 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy398 Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 10 hours ago, Onmyway said: educating people is a great mission to have. How else will we prevent this scourge from spreading further! I just wanted to make sure that you are not hoping that the doctor will change their mind somehow - they may change but I am keeping my expectations low. Although one of my GPs apologized to me after not believing me and me sending him an article. It was quite nice. Too bad GPs like him are very few now - he retired. Thanks @Onmyway, Actually my doctor believes me fully, she’s just never heard the term kindling. As you may be aware, I’m in protracted withdrawal, so after 4.5 years, I no longer expect anything from the medical profession. I am however finding that the tide is slowly turning. My original Dr said, if that were ever to be true ( Withdrawal) it would be time to retire.She dug her heals in for years then, and I suffered without support. Later I gave her links to the Horowitz/ Lewis video, RCP Withdrawal leaflet, and the changes to the NICE guidelines, 3 months later she did retire. My last visit to her was mysteriously offered free of charge!! @Altostrata Thank you 🙏 Take care everyone, K 1 Lexapro Fast Track/ Cold Turkey Last dose end Dec 2018 Tapered 1/2 a daily dose a week (20mg) for 14 weeks, last dose was a 20 mg pill!! 3.5 times slower than Psychiatrist recommended, I felt proud of myself!! Little did I know!!!!Got too scared to reinstate because I’d left it too long. On ADs for 20 years (Prozac approx 10 years/ Pristiq approx 3 years/ Citalipram approx 2 years/. Lexapro a approx 5 years/. Last two years 40mgs Lexapro day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 3, 2023 Administrator Share Posted September 3, 2023 On 9/2/2023 at 2:25 AM, Katy398 said: Later I gave her links to the Horowitz/ Lewis video, RCP Withdrawal leaflet, and the changes to the NICE guidelines, 3 months later she did retire. My last visit to her was mysteriously offered free of charge!! !!!!! This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Onmyway Posted September 3, 2023 Moderator Share Posted September 3, 2023 On 9/2/2023 at 10:25 AM, Katy398 said: Thanks @Onmyway, Actually my doctor believes me fully, she’s just never heard the term kindling. As you may be aware, I’m in protracted withdrawal, so after 4.5 years, I no longer expect anything from the medical profession. I am however finding that the tide is slowly turning. My original Dr said, if that were ever to be true ( Withdrawal) it would be time to retire.She dug her heals in for years then, and I suffered without support. Later I gave her links to the Horowitz/ Lewis video, RCP Withdrawal leaflet, and the changes to the NICE guidelines, 3 months later she did retire. My last visit to her was mysteriously offered free of charge!! @Altostrata Thank you 🙏 Take care everyone, K Holy cow. Wouldn't it be awesome if they decided to make it up and start working for the light side now! OMW 2 "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeLiveInHope Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 I’m still not sure I understand what kindling is despite reading all of this. In fact, by the time I finished reading, I was left even more confused. 1 2018 April: Reinstated Paroxetine 20mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) after abrupt withdrawal of 6 months (lots of on off AD and other drugs use for years prior to this this). 2018 August: Began slow taper of Paroxetine. At 10mg severe headaches began, switched to 10mg Fluoxetine. Cont. on Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Occasional but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet. 2018 - 2023: ‘Stable’ on Fluoxetine 10mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Cont. but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet, switched sleeping tablet to manage addiction and achieve sleep. Began very occasional use of benzodiazepines by 2020 (eg. 2 dose of 10mg in a 9 month period, varies according to need and some months can be more). Cont. headaches, developed anxiety and other body pains. 2023 (February) - Rapid 4 week taper in February from Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) to nil (mistakenly!). 2023 (March to present) - very infrequent use of sleeping tablets and benzodiazepines, diagnosed with hypothyroidism (April ish) and currently treated with Levothyroxine (final dose yet to be determined), began taper of Fluoxetine 10mg (June) currently on 8mg of fluoxetine. Also, still invariably take CBD oil, multiple vitamins and minerals including Omega 3, iron etc. Adjusted as needed. Note - Throughout the above years I have been an inpatient and outpatient with decisions made for me regarding drugs inc. abrupt withdrawals. Some were planned by me when unaware of withdrawal affects. Others while I was ‘unwell’ and began by unwittingly missing doses. Like many of us I have experienced many ‘symptoms’ on and off the drugs. Above, I have tried to share my main complaints and history as best as I can and remember. My full drug history can be found in my opening post WeLiveInHope —————————————————— My words are based on my personal experiences and do not constitute medical advice or recommendations, except this: whatever any one else says, from medics to other patients, however informed, listen to your body as the human condition is always evolving, and in turn so is our knowledge on its limitations and capabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Shep Posted September 17, 2023 Author Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 17, 2023 4 hours ago, WeLiveInHope said: I’m still not sure I understand what kindling is despite reading all of this. In fact, by the time I finished reading, I was left even more confused. I think the most important aspect of the "hypersensitivity and kindling" narrative is: The more you abruptly change your drugs, the more damage you do to your nervous system. Taper slowly, letting your symptoms guide you, and you won't have as many symptoms. Your symptoms are your guides. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeLiveInHope Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 6 hours ago, Shep said: I think the most important aspect of the "hypersensitivity and kindling" narrative is: The more you abruptly change your drugs, the more damage you do to your nervous system. Taper slowly, letting your symptoms guide you, and you won't have as many symptoms. Your symptoms are your guides. Thank you. I kind of thought this, but then it didn’t make sense in the context of rescue dose, reinstatement or updosing. I guess it depends on what we consider abrupt and when is more too much? Educated guesswork as always. 2018 April: Reinstated Paroxetine 20mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) after abrupt withdrawal of 6 months (lots of on off AD and other drugs use for years prior to this this). 2018 August: Began slow taper of Paroxetine. At 10mg severe headaches began, switched to 10mg Fluoxetine. Cont. on Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Occasional but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet. 2018 - 2023: ‘Stable’ on Fluoxetine 10mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Cont. but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet, switched sleeping tablet to manage addiction and achieve sleep. Began very occasional use of benzodiazepines by 2020 (eg. 2 dose of 10mg in a 9 month period, varies according to need and some months can be more). Cont. headaches, developed anxiety and other body pains. 2023 (February) - Rapid 4 week taper in February from Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) to nil (mistakenly!). 2023 (March to present) - very infrequent use of sleeping tablets and benzodiazepines, diagnosed with hypothyroidism (April ish) and currently treated with Levothyroxine (final dose yet to be determined), began taper of Fluoxetine 10mg (June) currently on 8mg of fluoxetine. Also, still invariably take CBD oil, multiple vitamins and minerals including Omega 3, iron etc. Adjusted as needed. Note - Throughout the above years I have been an inpatient and outpatient with decisions made for me regarding drugs inc. abrupt withdrawals. Some were planned by me when unaware of withdrawal affects. Others while I was ‘unwell’ and began by unwittingly missing doses. Like many of us I have experienced many ‘symptoms’ on and off the drugs. Above, I have tried to share my main complaints and history as best as I can and remember. My full drug history can be found in my opening post WeLiveInHope —————————————————— My words are based on my personal experiences and do not constitute medical advice or recommendations, except this: whatever any one else says, from medics to other patients, however informed, listen to your body as the human condition is always evolving, and in turn so is our knowledge on its limitations and capabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie23 Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 Can kindling occur years later with the same psych drug? Say a previous cold Turkey rendered little to no symptoms but a cold Turkey of the same drug several years later caused protracted withdrawal? Can psych drugs cause sensitivity? Say one took the aforementioned psych drug with no issue but then had issue while increasing the dose that caused the current cold Turkey. Lamictal 0-100 mg June 9 to august 4 2022 Buspar 10mg august 1 to august 15 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Shep Posted September 18, 2023 Author Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 18, 2023 9 hours ago, Jessie23 said: Can kindling occur years later with the same psych drug? Say a previous cold Turkey rendered little to no symptoms but a cold Turkey of the same drug several years later caused protracted withdrawal? Can psych drugs cause sensitivity? Say one took the aforementioned psych drug with no issue but then had issue while increasing the dose that caused the current cold Turkey. Yes, please see this part of the opening post: On 9/1/2022 at 8:52 AM, Shep said: What causes hypersensitivity? Some people may experience minor difficulty in stopping a psychiatric drug one time, but the next time they start and stop, the withdrawal symptoms are worse. The damage can be worse the more times you start and stop or make large or abrupt changes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Heath Posted September 23, 2023 Mentor Share Posted September 23, 2023 I have had sensitive eyes and ears , come and go as I have tapered. And any medication or artificial sweetener or drink or food that can cause anxiety has but these things didn’t bother me before. So when I search SA hypersensitivity mostly what I find is about food, medication, light and sound. Hypersensitivity to physical sensations or pain that didn’t bother you at all or as much before , but does now. example you cut your foot a band aid would work just fine. But you thoughts go to worst case you are thinking of going to doctor. Worry and overthink a small cut or a pulled muscle or a tummy ache. I mean it could be anything spouse leaving to go visit someone, child doesn’t feel good etc. Stress makes it worse. Is this called hypersensitive nervous system from withdrawals and tapering or is this more anxiety from withdrawals and tapering? Or both just part of withdrawals? 1 2000-2013 Paxil - 1 year fast taper 2013-2018 merry go round zoloft, cymbalta, lamictal, Prozac. Nov. 2018 lexapro 15 mgs, Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 taper to 10mg. Jul 2020 to October 2020 taper to 8.5 ml. Oct 2020 reinstated to 9 ml. Apr 2021 to Jul taper to 7ml. Oct 2021 to Jan 2022 taper to 5.9ml, Mar 5 2022 5.8 ml, Mar 12 5.7ml, Mar 20 5.6ml, Mar 27 5.5ml, April 23 5.4ml, April 30 5.3ml, May 7 5.2ml, Jul 9 2022 5.4ml, Klonopin prn, Allegra 180 for 3 seasons, aspirin 81 mg, plavix , nitroglycerin 0.4 mg prn, 2k mg turmeric Qunol, 4- Trader Joe’s omega 3 -2400 mg, Pepcid 20mg, Prilosec 40 mg, Tylenol arthritis 4 tablets daily, 350mg calm magnesium citrate, melatonin 2.5- 5mg as needed to sleep. Saline spray as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted September 23, 2023 Mentor Share Posted September 23, 2023 45 minutes ago, Heath said: I have had sensitive eyes and ears , come and go as I have tapered. And any medication or artificial sweetener or drink or food that can cause anxiety has but these things didn’t bother me before. So when I search SA hypersensitivity mostly what I find is about food, medication, light and sound. Hypersensitivity to physical sensations or pain that didn’t bother you at all or as much before , but does now. example you cut your foot a band aid would work just fine. But you thoughts go to worst case you are thinking of going to doctor. Worry and overthink a small cut or a pulled muscle or a tummy ache. I mean it could be anything spouse leaving to go visit someone, child doesn’t feel good etc. Stress makes it worse. Is this called hypersensitive nervous system from withdrawals and tapering or is this more anxiety from withdrawals and tapering? Or both just part of withdrawals? some folks would call it anxiety, some would say they are hyper sensitive, they are all different ways of saying essentially the same thing, and yes, these are ALL symptoms encountered in withdrawal I felt a totally irrational fear of certain corners of my apt! some tiny thing would go wrong and my mind would blow it all out of proportion this is just your brain trying to heal it is sending out strange signals because the drugs we took made changes in our brains over time, and now our brains are trying to get back to where it was BEFORE we took these drugs it is all very strange and upsetting but it is a very common part of withdrawal you are going to be ok! it doesn't hurt to check with a dr for some symptoms just to be sure, there are some things like chest pains and tightness that might warrant seeing a dr, just to be on the safe side but for a cut you know is only minor, just tell yourself your brain is busy healing and is sending out messed up signals, making you think things are worse than they are, and it will all calm down in time does that make sense? 2 PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content PRESENT DAYS: Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Onmyway Posted September 23, 2023 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2023 I call hypersensitivity the idea that something that wouldn't have caused the same effect under normal circumstances suddenly causes a stronger reaction. It can be an emotional of physical reaction. Similar to @Happy2Heal I had two days where I was absolutely terrified of the red buses in London. Not a trauma response, nothing bad has happened to me with these red buses but I just found them terrifying. It went away very quickly. Your brain is literally rearranging itself. I have also had hypersensitivity to sound but it has come and gone. Light hasn't been as big an issue for me but some people are very sensitive to light for a while. If you can remove yourself from the situation and recognize it as a symptom, it helps relieve it a bit. I love this thread: 1 "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Heath Posted September 23, 2023 Mentor Share Posted September 23, 2023 @Happy2Heal yes and thank you ! and one other thing being hypersensitive to what others say or body language. I guess the hypersensitivity in wd could be anything. yes the hypersensitivity and anxiety and crying and everything is not normal. stressful things in life seem to amplify and turn into a worry about future. thanks @Onmyway that is a good way to put it. 2000-2013 Paxil - 1 year fast taper 2013-2018 merry go round zoloft, cymbalta, lamictal, Prozac. Nov. 2018 lexapro 15 mgs, Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 taper to 10mg. Jul 2020 to October 2020 taper to 8.5 ml. Oct 2020 reinstated to 9 ml. Apr 2021 to Jul taper to 7ml. Oct 2021 to Jan 2022 taper to 5.9ml, Mar 5 2022 5.8 ml, Mar 12 5.7ml, Mar 20 5.6ml, Mar 27 5.5ml, April 23 5.4ml, April 30 5.3ml, May 7 5.2ml, Jul 9 2022 5.4ml, Klonopin prn, Allegra 180 for 3 seasons, aspirin 81 mg, plavix , nitroglycerin 0.4 mg prn, 2k mg turmeric Qunol, 4- Trader Joe’s omega 3 -2400 mg, Pepcid 20mg, Prilosec 40 mg, Tylenol arthritis 4 tablets daily, 350mg calm magnesium citrate, melatonin 2.5- 5mg as needed to sleep. Saline spray as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Onmyway Posted September 23, 2023 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2023 That post I linked above explains what is happening in the brain - it really makes things clear. Have a look @Heath OMW 2 "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Heath Posted September 24, 2023 Mentor Share Posted September 24, 2023 18 hours ago, Onmyway said: That post I linked above explains what is happening in the brain - it really makes things clear. Have a look @Heath OMW I can’t believe I haven’t read that before! that is very good ! That is encouraging knowledge, it does help to know what is happening for sure! Thank you OMW! 2 2000-2013 Paxil - 1 year fast taper 2013-2018 merry go round zoloft, cymbalta, lamictal, Prozac. Nov. 2018 lexapro 15 mgs, Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 taper to 10mg. Jul 2020 to October 2020 taper to 8.5 ml. Oct 2020 reinstated to 9 ml. Apr 2021 to Jul taper to 7ml. Oct 2021 to Jan 2022 taper to 5.9ml, Mar 5 2022 5.8 ml, Mar 12 5.7ml, Mar 20 5.6ml, Mar 27 5.5ml, April 23 5.4ml, April 30 5.3ml, May 7 5.2ml, Jul 9 2022 5.4ml, Klonopin prn, Allegra 180 for 3 seasons, aspirin 81 mg, plavix , nitroglycerin 0.4 mg prn, 2k mg turmeric Qunol, 4- Trader Joe’s omega 3 -2400 mg, Pepcid 20mg, Prilosec 40 mg, Tylenol arthritis 4 tablets daily, 350mg calm magnesium citrate, melatonin 2.5- 5mg as needed to sleep. Saline spray as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrazodoneShouldBeIllegal18 Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 @Happy2Heal When did you startrt noticing you felt better after zero? Insomnia is the worst part of all this for me. Not to mention deep chest anxiety. Rumination. Pessimism. Loud Tinnitus. Eustachain Tube dysfunction. Constant muscle twitches. Inner shaking. Hypersensitivity to stress. And intolerance to any kind of neuroacting medications. I have been off since June 2021. And I m still in hell with this. The terms permanent damage scare me...amd promote negative ideation. Celexa 10 mg started (for panic attack) and quickly stopped. From Jan 2001 to September 2001 stopped cold turkey. Celexa 10mg taken for short period of time in 2010; could not take for a long period of time due to side effects, thus only taken for about 2 months. Went through withdrawal symptoms, and protracted symptoms for at least 1.5 years. Restarted Celexa 10 mg in 2013 to 2016 off and on. (never could tolerate anything above 10mg) to due work related stress, and not because of anxiety or depression. Never could consistently take a pill daily for weeks at a time, due to side effects. Restarted in 2019 off and on again for a year, than in October 2020, cold turkey stopped. Did not know about this website, never was told how to stop or to taper since "I was not taking a high dose", suffered insomnia, elevated blood pressure, anxiety, stress, but not any real devastating symptoms. Have not swallowed a micro dust of Citalopram since October 2020, and it's October 2021 now. Started trazodone 25mg in April 5th, 2021 for insomnia, horrible choice, recommended by doctor, couldn't tolerate side effects, tapered, every other day for a month starting on April 24th, than every 2 days for 1 months in May as recommended by doctor, until last 25 mg pill swallowed on June 07,2021. What a mistake! No SSRI's or SSNI's or any psycho medications have been ingested by me since June 07,2021. And life has been hell, especially after the Trazodone was introduced. March 17th, 18th, 2022. I took a cough suppressant that contained Dextromethrophan. Took a total of 20 mg over 2 days, to suppress cough. Caused a major exacerbation of previous symptoms. Have suffered 2 Panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, anxiety which had been well controlled for at least 3 months. And also worsen my Withdrawal induced Tinnitus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 @TrazodoneShouldBeIllegal18 I have the same symptoms you listed. I've been without medication for 9 months. I'm much better but there are symptoms that persist. Not only do they persist, but new symptoms emerge. From what I've read and seen, it's very rare for someone to have permanent damage. The recovery process is very slow... It was a mistake to put you on Trazodone , for me it was Trazodone that caused me all this... You will improve, trust me. It takes time. Time is the best medicine. 1 24yMale 2017- Serteline (6months) 2022-2023 Trazodone (1 year): 50mg up to 100mg Stoped cold turkey on 31 of Dececember 2022 Withdrawal Simptons since then: -panic attacks (never had before); -anhedonia (never had before); -erectil disfuntion (never had before); -numbness of the genitals (never had before); -depression; -insomnia; -windows and waves pattern; -claustrophobia (never had before); -neuro-emotions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted October 8, 2023 Mentor Share Posted October 8, 2023 1 hour ago, TrazodoneShouldBeIllegal18 said: When did you startrt noticing you felt better after zero? Insomnia is the worst part of all this for me. Not to mention deep chest anxiety. Rumination. Pessimism. Loud Tinnitus. Eustachain Tube dysfunction. Constant muscle twitches. Inner shaking. Hypersensitivity to stress. And intolerance to any kind of neuroacting medications. I have been off since June 2021. And I m still in hell with this. The terms permanent damage scare me...amd promote negative ideation. My recovery was pretty much ongoing, while I was doing my very VERY messy taper as well as after getting to zero. I had insomnia to different degrees for several years after zero, but it was ALWAYS getting better in increments. One thing that helped ME the most, was to not care about not being able to sleep as much as I wanted to. I had seen my parents getting older and needing less sleep, so part of it was an acceptance that as we age we may not need as much as we had when we were growing and /or more active. Then the other part was finding things to amuse myself when I woke up in the middle of the night. Trying to get back to sleep was futile. What helped me then and what stil does, is finding a book or a podcast or a video or movie, anything that I am REALLY interested in, and trying to stay awake to watch it, listen to it or read it Invariably my mind would relax and I'd fall asleep when I didn't want to! LOL talk about paradoxical reactions LOL I still have this problem, I put on a lecture I want to hear and take notes on, and I'll be asleep 20 mins later, sometimes when it's not even my bedtime LOL oh that's the other thing that happened post zero, I would have some days when I could sleep a LOT and you know, if you're able to, My advice is, DO IT! your body has been thru a lot, if it finally can sleep and you are able to take the time to do so, take advantage of those sleepy days I would feel exponentially better after those long sleeps. All the other symptoms were constantly getting better I had the mindset that I knew they would so I had learned to ignore them for the most part and like, when the tinnitus stopped, I didn't realize it, it didn't sink in for days, that it was gone if you can distract yourself, feel confident that you will heal and argue off any negative thought spirals but instead look for the improvements, no matter how minor, you'll be doing well as far as how long it will take you, we are all different so YMMV of course but you will get there! believing that is half the battle I think. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content PRESENT DAYS: Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepPls009 Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 Hi all! This might be a silly question; apologies if so. Once you are already hypersensitive, can you further kindle yourself by trying out otherwise low doses of supplements (such as the ones recommended here for sleep, I.e. melatonin, magnesium, etc.) or even foods you are hypersensitive to? I’m currently in an acute withdrawal phase and would love some relief, but I’m afraid to put anything else in my system. Additionally, does this apply to normal, non -psych medicines? I have a low dose beta blocker I need to take but I don’t want to further exacerbate any issues. Thanks! SleepPls009 Current – Nothing but Aug-Oct -melatonin 2, nebivolol 2.5, amlodipine 2.5,, rosuvastatin, dayvigo 5mg, nefazodone 1x 25mg July 23 – Nebivolol 1.25 mg, amlodipine 2.5 mg, budesonide, omeprazole, rosuvastatin 5mg May-Jun 23–Nebivolol 2.5, Amlodipine 2.5, Budesonide, omeprazole, rosuvastatin 5mg April 23- Amlodipine 2.5 mg, Omeprazole 40mg, Budesonide nasal rinse 1/day, Feb 23-March 23- Bisoprolol 2.5 mg (1/24-2/1), Atenolol 5mg (2/12-3/1) Nov 22-Jan23 – Metoprolol 25 mg, Ranolazine 500mg (Nov), Coreg 1.125 (Dec-Jan) October 22 – Quviviq 25 mg, Lunesta 3mg, mirtazipine 30mg September22 – Melatonin 1mg, Ambien 5 mg, Ramelteon 8mg, Seroquel 50-125mg June 22 – Sertraline 100mg, seroquel 25-50 mg, Ambien 10mg, Amitryptiline 25 mg, July-Aug 22 –Melatonin 1mg nightly (July), Dayvigo 5 mg, Ambien 5mg ~2002-2022: Luvox 100mg daily until April 12, 2022, May 22: Prozac 20mg – May 12-June 1, Klonazepam, as needed, Trazedone (once) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 20, 2023 Administrator Share Posted October 20, 2023 You probably won't "kindle" by trying supplements, etc., but they might cause uncomfortable symptoms anyway. If you want to try anything, it's wise to try a tiny amount first to see how it makes you feel. 3 hours ago, SleepPls009 said: I have a low dose beta blocker I need to take but I don’t want to further exacerbate any issues. This does not appear in your signature. Why do you need to take it and when was it prescribed? Were you taking it but quit taking it? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepPls009 Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 On 10/20/2023 at 7:49 PM, Altostrata said: You probably won't "kindle" by trying supplements, etc., but they might cause uncomfortable symptoms anyway. If you want to try anything, it's wise to try a tiny amount first to see how it makes you feel. This does not appear in your signature. Why do you need to take it and when was it prescribed? Were you taking it but quit taking it? Ah apologies, hadn't updated my signature in a bit. I've fixed this now. Was diagnosed with microvascular angina last Nov and had to try a number of heart meds to control it. Happy to post a further update in my intro/update post to continue the discussion there! Thx! 1 SleepPls009 Current – Nothing but Aug-Oct -melatonin 2, nebivolol 2.5, amlodipine 2.5,, rosuvastatin, dayvigo 5mg, nefazodone 1x 25mg July 23 – Nebivolol 1.25 mg, amlodipine 2.5 mg, budesonide, omeprazole, rosuvastatin 5mg May-Jun 23–Nebivolol 2.5, Amlodipine 2.5, Budesonide, omeprazole, rosuvastatin 5mg April 23- Amlodipine 2.5 mg, Omeprazole 40mg, Budesonide nasal rinse 1/day, Feb 23-March 23- Bisoprolol 2.5 mg (1/24-2/1), Atenolol 5mg (2/12-3/1) Nov 22-Jan23 – Metoprolol 25 mg, Ranolazine 500mg (Nov), Coreg 1.125 (Dec-Jan) October 22 – Quviviq 25 mg, Lunesta 3mg, mirtazipine 30mg September22 – Melatonin 1mg, Ambien 5 mg, Ramelteon 8mg, Seroquel 50-125mg June 22 – Sertraline 100mg, seroquel 25-50 mg, Ambien 10mg, Amitryptiline 25 mg, July-Aug 22 –Melatonin 1mg nightly (July), Dayvigo 5 mg, Ambien 5mg ~2002-2022: Luvox 100mg daily until April 12, 2022, May 22: Prozac 20mg – May 12-June 1, Klonazepam, as needed, Trazedone (once) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylboy12 Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 12:55 PM, Shep said: I think the most important aspect of the "hypersensitivity and kindling" narrative is: The more you abruptly change your drugs, the more damage you do to your nervous system. Taper slowly, letting your symptoms guide you, and you won't have as many symptoms. Your symptoms are your guides. i think i have basically kindled. if you see my history, I was off everything for about 6-7 months, then 2 weeks ago I stupidly decided to try a small dose of fluoxetine to see if my symptoms were still due to withdrawal. Since then I've been extremely wired, heart pounding, unable to sleep. The wired, heart pounding have both decreased but this week i have had 2 nights of 0 sleep. Its so hard going backwards in my recovery. Do you think the problems now 2 weeks later are because the fluoxetine has such a long half life that its still in me and affecting my body, or is this just due to my nervous system being messed up from taking it? Nov 2020 - Feb 2022 = Sertraline 50mg April 2022 - Reinstated Sertraline 50mg twice for 1 week during this month, terrible anxiety so stopped. May 2023 - Tried Sertraline again 50mg, same thing happened so went to psychiatrist May 2023 - Fluoxetine 20mg 1 week + Risperidone 1mg week (agitated, no sleep, had to stop) May 2023 - 25-100mg quetiapine (6weeks) + 1mg Lorazepam. During this time barely sleeping June 2023 - Stopped all meds, as they were doing more harm than good, led to weeks of no sleep, insomnia and bad anxiety. Took about 4 months to get to 4-5 hours of broken sleep a night. September 2023 - Tried Sertraline 25mg for 2 weeks , led to no sleep again so stopped. November 2023 - Wanted to see if my symptoms were due to withdrawal, licked a tiny bit of Prozac powder (few mg probably), immediately wired and agitated, 4 days now of very little sleep, huge pupils and wired feeling. Hoping this goes when it leaves my body. I clearly cannot tolerate any medication. Hypersensitivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe96 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 Hello everyone, i have a question regarding hypersensitivity. is it normal to be hypersensitive to nicotine? I’m getting severe adverse reaction to it even by just traces of cigarette smoke. Like if i’m walking down the street and I passed by somebody smoking and i smelled it, i get immediate mental reaction to it and it’s really scary. The reaction is extreme depression, suicidal urge/impulse, depersonalization and acid reflux. It’s so weird to be reacting to it even from second or third hand smoke (i don’t smoke). The reaction lasts for just a couple minutes to half an hour. The longer i’m exposed to it the longer the reaction lasts. Has anybody been through something similar? It’s one of the most debilitating symptoms I’m experiencing after having 3 adverse reactions/med reinstatements on top of each other last year (check signature). 08/2016-05/2018 Effexor 250mg 05/2018-04/2019 Paxil 40mg05/2019-08/2020 Effexor 150mg 05/2019 (risperidone for 4 days)12/2020-12/2021 Effexor 150mg12/2021-04/2022 Prozac 40mg (cross tappered for 10 days)02/2022 Abilify 10mg (2 weeks)04/2022-05/2022 Anafranil 50mg (one month)05/2022-06/2022 Strattera 40mg (one month), 07/2022 Bupropion 150mg (2 weeks)07/2022-11/2022 Duloxetine 90mg (with Concerta 54mg and Ritalin 10-20mg) 10/2022 - 11/2022 Quetiapine 25 mg for sleep02/2023 prozac 20 mg (3weeks),05/2023 Anfranil 25mg (2 days), 06/2023 Effexor (1 week 37,5mg, 4 days 75mg) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PortugueseSea Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 On 2/1/2024 at 7:48 PM, Moe96 said: is it normal to be hypersensitive to nicotine? I’m getting severe adverse reaction to it even by just traces of cigarette smoke. Like if i’m walking down the street and I passed by somebody smoking and i smelled it, i get immediate mental reaction to it and it’s really scary. The reaction is extreme depression, suicidal urge/impulse, depersonalization and acid reflux. It’s so weird to be reacting to it even from second or third hand smoke (i don’t smoke). The reaction lasts for just a couple minutes to half an hour. The longer i’m exposed to it the longer the reaction lasts. Has anybody been through something similar? It’s one of the most debilitating symptoms I’m experiencing after having 3 adverse reactions/med reinstatements on top of each other last year (check signature). What we are hypersensitive to is often random and varies wildly from person to person. As we heal, those reactions will calm down! Take heart friend! 1 December 2021 - Metoclopramide started. Akathisia symptoms start; Metoclopramide gets changed to PRN. March 2022 - Akathisia diagnosed; Metoclopramide stopped; Propranolol 10mg x twice a day. Biperiden PRN (0.5mg to 1mg). April 2022 - Tandospirone 30mg (10mg 3x day), Quetiapine 25mg (only taken once, immediate adr). Mirtazapine 7.5mg. . Discontinued Propranolol. May 2022 - Mirtazapine upped to 15mg. Tandospirone cut to 2x 10mg. Low dose Depakote for the month; 100 to 200 to 100 to 0. Mirtazapine cut back to 11.75mg (3/4 of a 15mg pill).June 2022 - Mirtazapine updose to 15mg. Tandospirone, Biperiden discontinued. Klonopin started PRN (0.5mg). September 2022 - Akathisia slowly starts improving, WD/ADR normal sets in in mid September. Hold for 4 months.March 2023 - Off mirtazapine; no Klonopin for 5 months either! Started quercetin (250mg x 2) to soften the histamine rebound. May 2023 - Stopped quercetin and changed from magnesium carbonate to oxide - reacted badly. Reverted back to carbonate. June 2023 - Added fish oil.Current regimen: CALM Magnesium (Carbonate into Citrate) 175mg x2; Vitamin E 268mg x2; Fish oil (100mg Omega3; EPA 30mg; DHA 37mg)x2 Intro thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/27095-portuguesesea-metoclopramide-akathisia-and-mirtazapine/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylboy12 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 7 hours ago, PortugueseSea said: What we are hypersensitive to is often random and varies wildly from person to person. As we heal, those reactions will calm down! Take heart friend! Is exercise included in this? Any time I even go for a walk and exert myself I am unable to sleep that night. My body is overstimulated and hypersensitive to exercise currently Nov 2020 - Feb 2022 = Sertraline 50mg April 2022 - Reinstated Sertraline 50mg twice for 1 week during this month, terrible anxiety so stopped. May 2023 - Tried Sertraline again 50mg, same thing happened so went to psychiatrist May 2023 - Fluoxetine 20mg 1 week + Risperidone 1mg week (agitated, no sleep, had to stop) May 2023 - 25-100mg quetiapine (6weeks) + 1mg Lorazepam. During this time barely sleeping June 2023 - Stopped all meds, as they were doing more harm than good, led to weeks of no sleep, insomnia and bad anxiety. Took about 4 months to get to 4-5 hours of broken sleep a night. September 2023 - Tried Sertraline 25mg for 2 weeks , led to no sleep again so stopped. November 2023 - Wanted to see if my symptoms were due to withdrawal, licked a tiny bit of Prozac powder (few mg probably), immediately wired and agitated, 4 days now of very little sleep, huge pupils and wired feeling. Hoping this goes when it leaves my body. I clearly cannot tolerate any medication. Hypersensitivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe96 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Thank you, @PortugueseSea. I was afraid i was getting re-kindled every time i’m exposed to it, and that i would never recover due to this sensitivity because it’s extremely difficult to completely get rid of second handsmoke when you live with smokers, and in the city. But hopefully as you said it will calm down as my body heals. Sometimes spices give the same reaction too. One time i had a meal that contained turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, oregano, and black pepper all at once…the reaction was a DISASTER !! I went into a deep (indescribable) dpdr state with intense depression and SI that lasted like for 16 hours . As a result, i’m terrified of food now 😣 i just can’t wait until this adverse reaction crap resolves because it’s been extremely traumatic for the last 7-8 months… 08/2016-05/2018 Effexor 250mg 05/2018-04/2019 Paxil 40mg05/2019-08/2020 Effexor 150mg 05/2019 (risperidone for 4 days)12/2020-12/2021 Effexor 150mg12/2021-04/2022 Prozac 40mg (cross tappered for 10 days)02/2022 Abilify 10mg (2 weeks)04/2022-05/2022 Anafranil 50mg (one month)05/2022-06/2022 Strattera 40mg (one month), 07/2022 Bupropion 150mg (2 weeks)07/2022-11/2022 Duloxetine 90mg (with Concerta 54mg and Ritalin 10-20mg) 10/2022 - 11/2022 Quetiapine 25 mg for sleep02/2023 prozac 20 mg (3weeks),05/2023 Anfranil 25mg (2 days), 06/2023 Effexor (1 week 37,5mg, 4 days 75mg) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe96 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Same thing with me, @dylboy12. I think right now our bodies are sensitive to stress whether physical or psychological. I feel like the waves intensify the day after i go on long walks too. 08/2016-05/2018 Effexor 250mg 05/2018-04/2019 Paxil 40mg05/2019-08/2020 Effexor 150mg 05/2019 (risperidone for 4 days)12/2020-12/2021 Effexor 150mg12/2021-04/2022 Prozac 40mg (cross tappered for 10 days)02/2022 Abilify 10mg (2 weeks)04/2022-05/2022 Anafranil 50mg (one month)05/2022-06/2022 Strattera 40mg (one month), 07/2022 Bupropion 150mg (2 weeks)07/2022-11/2022 Duloxetine 90mg (with Concerta 54mg and Ritalin 10-20mg) 10/2022 - 11/2022 Quetiapine 25 mg for sleep02/2023 prozac 20 mg (3weeks),05/2023 Anfranil 25mg (2 days), 06/2023 Effexor (1 week 37,5mg, 4 days 75mg) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz91 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 1 hour ago, Moe96 said: Thank you, @PortugueseSea. I was afraid i was getting re-kindled every time i’m exposed to it, and that i would never recover due to this sensitivity because it’s extremely difficult to completely get rid of second handsmoke when you live with smokers, and in the city. But hopefully as you said it will calm down as my body heals. Sometimes spices give the same reaction too. One time i had a meal that contained turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, oregano, and black pepper all at once…the reaction was a DISASTER !! I went into a deep (indescribable) dpdr state with intense depression and SI that lasted like for 16 hours . As a result, i’m terrified of food now 😣 i just can’t wait until this adverse reaction crap resolves because it’s been extremely traumatic for the last 7-8 months… I’ve had exactly the same reaction with food. I’m 15 months out and still get so many reactions to foods, supplements, medications, stress and even light exercise. I now worry it’s messed up my mast cells because what I experience sounds exactly like mcas. Citalopram 10mg sep14-nov14, cit 20mg nov14-jan15, cit 40mg jan15 -jan22, tapered cit 40mg-0mg in 10 days. mirtazapine 15mg then 30mg jan22-Mar22, tapered in 1 week. citalopram 20mg apr22- may22( had a reaction this time, hives everywhere), no taper cold turkey sertraline 50mg then 100mg may22-nov22, tapered in 2 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylboy12 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 1 hour ago, Moe96 said: Same thing with me, @dylboy12. I think right now our bodies are sensitive to stress whether physical or psychological. I feel like the waves intensify the day after i go on long walks too. Yes!! It's a hard balance to strike because if i dont do any exercise or walking all week then mentally im in such a bad place. If i go for a 1hr walk once a week, i generally feel better mentally and physically for a couple of days but my sleep suffers hugely for 2 days. I'm hoping that my body will adapt to this frequency and the week in between walks gives me time to recover enough before the next one. Nov 2020 - Feb 2022 = Sertraline 50mg April 2022 - Reinstated Sertraline 50mg twice for 1 week during this month, terrible anxiety so stopped. May 2023 - Tried Sertraline again 50mg, same thing happened so went to psychiatrist May 2023 - Fluoxetine 20mg 1 week + Risperidone 1mg week (agitated, no sleep, had to stop) May 2023 - 25-100mg quetiapine (6weeks) + 1mg Lorazepam. During this time barely sleeping June 2023 - Stopped all meds, as they were doing more harm than good, led to weeks of no sleep, insomnia and bad anxiety. Took about 4 months to get to 4-5 hours of broken sleep a night. September 2023 - Tried Sertraline 25mg for 2 weeks , led to no sleep again so stopped. November 2023 - Wanted to see if my symptoms were due to withdrawal, licked a tiny bit of Prozac powder (few mg probably), immediately wired and agitated, 4 days now of very little sleep, huge pupils and wired feeling. Hoping this goes when it leaves my body. I clearly cannot tolerate any medication. Hypersensitivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peaceandlove Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 On 2/1/2024 at 3:48 AM, Moe96 said: Hello everyone, i have a question regarding hypersensitivity. is it normal to be hypersensitive to nicotine? I’m getting severe adverse reaction to it even by just traces of cigarette smoke. Like if i’m walking down the street and I passed by somebody smoking and i smelled it, i get immediate mental reaction to it and it’s really scary. The reaction is extreme depression, suicidal urge/impulse, depersonalization and acid reflux. It’s so weird to be reacting to it even from second or third hand smoke (i don’t smoke). The reaction lasts for just a couple minutes to half an hour. The longer i’m exposed to it the longer the reaction lasts. Has anybody been through something similar? It’s one of the most debilitating symptoms I’m experiencing after having 3 adverse reactions/med reinstatements on top of each other last year (check signature). Hey you’re not alone last summer just the smell of weed caused those same mental symptoms & extreme anxiety you talk about… extremely scary. Mind you I’ve been around the smell of weed a billion times & never had this happen. This also happens with chemicals, candles etc @Moe96 April 2022- Only 1 celxa pill 10mg had an adverse reaction & never took anymore again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe96 Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Hi, @peaceandlove, i don’t mean it in a bad way at all, but i’m a bit reassured to not be the only one who experiences that. Did it go away for you though? How long did you suffer with it? 08/2016-05/2018 Effexor 250mg 05/2018-04/2019 Paxil 40mg05/2019-08/2020 Effexor 150mg 05/2019 (risperidone for 4 days)12/2020-12/2021 Effexor 150mg12/2021-04/2022 Prozac 40mg (cross tappered for 10 days)02/2022 Abilify 10mg (2 weeks)04/2022-05/2022 Anafranil 50mg (one month)05/2022-06/2022 Strattera 40mg (one month), 07/2022 Bupropion 150mg (2 weeks)07/2022-11/2022 Duloxetine 90mg (with Concerta 54mg and Ritalin 10-20mg) 10/2022 - 11/2022 Quetiapine 25 mg for sleep02/2023 prozac 20 mg (3weeks),05/2023 Anfranil 25mg (2 days), 06/2023 Effexor (1 week 37,5mg, 4 days 75mg) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peaceandlove Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 3 hours ago, Moe96 said: Hi, @peaceandlove, i don’t mean it in a bad way at all, but i’m a bit reassured to not be the only one who experiences that. Did it go away for you though? How long did you suffer with it? I still have this unfortunately. My sensitivity to smells comes & goes. The symptoms cycle @Moe96 April 2022- Only 1 celxa pill 10mg had an adverse reaction & never took anymore again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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