Tigz91: My struggles

[Tigz91]

Hi I am new here,

 

I was on citalopram for 9 years at 40mg and I thought it wasn’t working as well as previous so asked my dr for some cbt to try help but instead he switched me to mirtazapine on a 10 days switch taper(I had no knowledge on tapering at the time). I felt awful for the next 8 weeks so he then switched me back and I had an allergic reaction to the citalopram this time so he switched me to sertraline 100mg which still didn’t help and he then told me to stop with just a 2 week taper. I am now 4 months on nothing and have so many withdrawal/kindling symptoms.

*constant heart flutters especially if I get adrenaline rushes or take any different medications or exercise 
* fast heart rate a lot 
* GI issues.
* off balance, on a boat or drunk feeling
* reactive to some foods and drinks
*chest pains
*brain fog
*anxiety and panic
*eye floaters and blurry vision
*tremors and internal vibrations
*weight lose, no appetite 
And more

 

I just want to know if this is all normal and has anyone else had all the heart symptoms. Fast, fluttering and feeling weird. I get it a lot more if I do anything physical or eat sugary foods.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SurvivingAntidepressants, Tigz91.  I'm sorry you're going through this.  Quick answer: Yes, this is normal--all too normal, unfortunately.  

 

To start:  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.  All the drugs, doses, switches and tapers you described in your post.  A list format--as opposed to a paragraph format--is best.  Use this link and press "save."

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Here's what's happened: All the switches plus the extremely fast taper of Sertraline caused your brain to become destabilized and hyper sensitized.  So what you're experiencing is a combination of withdrawal and kindling.  Withdrawal is caused by going off a psychiatric drug too fast (we recommend no faster than 10% of current dose every 4 weeks).  Kindling is an adverse reaction when we go back on a drug; kindling is also caused by going on and off multiple psych drugs, which you did.  The symptoms you describe in your post are typical of withdrawal and kindling.  

 

 Kindling is explained here: 

 

Kindling

 

Withdrawal is explained here:

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Chest and heart symptoms are common in withdrawal.  I had a bunch of them and went through all the tests and nothing was wrong.  But we recommend you check it out with a doctor to be sure.

 

You will heal, but it's going to take some time, and there's no way to predict how long.  To repeat: you will heal.  Time is the cure while your brain and nervous system recover.

 

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 (glycinate is a good form) 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.

 

We recommend gentle daily exercise (for most of us, strenuous exercise is too much), avoiding sugar, caffeine and alcohol, and minimizing stress as much as possible.  We also suggest non-drug techniques to deal with withdrawal/kindling symptoms.

 

Non-drug techniques to cope

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tigz91]

10 hours ago, Gridley said:

Welcome to SurvivingAntidepressants, Tigz91.  I'm sorry you're going through this.  Quick answer: Yes, this is normal--all too normal, unfortunately.  

 

To start:  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.  All the drugs, doses, switches and tapers you described in your post.  A list format--as opposed to a paragraph format--is best.  Use this link and press "save."

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Here's what's happened: All the switches plus the extremely fast taper of Sertraline caused your brain to become destabilized and hyper sensitized.  So what you're experiencing is a combination of withdrawal and kindling.  Withdrawal is caused by going off a psychiatric drug too fast (we recommend no faster than 10% of current dose every 4 weeks).  Kindling is an adverse reaction when we go back on a drug; kindling is also caused by going on and off multiple psych drugs, which you did.  The symptoms you describe in your post are typical of withdrawal and kindling.  

 

 Kindling is explained here: 

 

Kindling

 

Withdrawal is explained here:

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Chest and heart symptoms are common in withdrawal.  I had a bunch of them and went through all the tests and nothing was wrong.  But we recommend you check it out with a doctor to be sure.

 

You will heal, but it's going to take some time, and there's no way to predict how long.  To repeat: you will heal.  Time is the cure while your brain and nervous system recover.

 

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 (glycinate is a good form) 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.

 

We recommend gentle daily exercise (for most of us, strenuous exercise is too much), avoiding sugar, caffeine and alcohol, and minimizing stress as much as possible.  We also suggest non-drug techniques to deal with withdrawal/kindling symptoms.

 

Non-drug techniques to cope

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for this I really appreciate it. 

[Kostas]

Hi ,

 

I think that recently the 40 mg dose of citalopram, is the highest recommended one ,since higher than that could cause heart problems...

 

so a daily dose of 20 to 30, mg 

is considered more appropriate. 

 

Discuss with your doctor if you should have to do a full cardio check up,

in order to rule out any problems there..

Best regards 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tigz91]

26 minutes ago, Kostas said:

Hi ,

 

I think that recently the 40 mg dose of citalopram, is the highest recommended one ,since higher than that could cause heart problems...

 

so a daily dose of 20 to 30, mg 

is considered more appropriate. 

 

Discuss with your doctor if you should have to do a full cardio check up,

in order to rule out any problems there..

Best regards 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi kostas, I’m not on any antidepressants at all anymore and don’t intend to ever go back on any. I have had multiple ecg’s(around 20+ in the last year) and blood test which have all come back normal. I am also waiting for a echocardiogram and a holter monitor but my doctor isn’t concerned as said my ecgs look good. It’s just a really scary feeling 

[Kostas]

Ok,

 

Glad you have ruled out such possibility..

 

I had also heartbeat abnormalities during wd,checked it out ,and was everything ok ..

 

Gradually they subsided in time ,and now barely notice them..

 

Will eventually feel much better as time goes by..

But you need to be cool and patient in the meantime..

 

Best wishes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tigz91]

1 hour ago, Kostas said:

Ok,

 

Glad you have ruled out such possibility..

 

I had also heartbeat abnormalities during wd,checked it out ,and was everything ok ..

 

Gradually they subsided in time ,and now barely notice them..

 

Will eventually feel much better as time goes by..

But you need to be cool and patient in the meantime..

 

Best wishes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Kostas, I will try but sometimes the anxiety and panic make me feel awful. 
 

this site has been really helpful as it has so much great information. 

[SertralineIssues29]

Hey @Tigz91 yeh I've had these aswell during my withdrawals, eating something and feeling like my heart did a flip flop for a second, I've been told it could be due to GI issues which are very common in withdrawal. I came into to hospital thinking I was gonna die from a heart attack due to the flip flops and found out I just had acid reflux and my heart was perfectly healthy.

By all means get checked to make sure but hopefully that puts your mind at rest a little 

 

SI xx 

[Tigz91]

Hello, 

 

I am really struggling. My heart is constantly pounding and I have been off balance since I stopped my meds cold turkey 4 months ago. My brain feels so foggy and my body just really weak. I feel like I’m going through a really bad wave and just need someone to talk to. 

[Tigz91]

On 3/29/2023 at 8:45 PM, SertralineIssues29 said:

Hey @Tigz91 yeh I've had these aswell during my withdrawals, eating something and feeling like my heart did a flip flop for a second, I've been told it could be due to GI issues which are very common in withdrawal. I came into to hospital thinking I was gonna die from a heart attack due to the flip flops and found out I just had acid reflux and my heart was perfectly healthy.

By all means get checked to make sure but hopefully that puts your mind at rest a little 

 

SI xx 

Hi,

 

I have been checked a few times but always worry about them, once I get a flutter/ flip flop I instantly get a rush of anxiety. 
 

 

[SertralineIssues29]

8 hours ago, Tigz91 said:

Hi,

 

I have been checked a few times but always worry about them, once I get a flutter/ flip flop I instantly get a rush of anxiety. 
 

 

Yeh I get that too, or anytime I get a pain in my back or head it instantly sends my cortisol up, it's probably just the cns reacting in it's overburdened state peircing small things as big dangers 

 

SI xx 

[Greatful]

Hello @Tigz91  I hear your pain...This withdrawal is not easy.  These drugs have made a mess out of our brains.  Sometimes it's all you can do it to tell yourself that I can make it to my pillow tonight. Tomorrow can be better and I am one day closer to healing.  If your like me it is easy to get caught up in the thoughts/mind.

 

How are you doing today?

[Tigz91]

On 4/1/2023 at 7:38 PM, Greatful said:

Hello @Tigz91  I hear your pain...This withdrawal is not easy.  These drugs have made a mess out of our brains.  Sometimes it's all you can do it to tell yourself that I can make it to my pillow tonight. Tomorrow can be better and I am one day closer to healing.  If your like me it is easy to get caught up in the thoughts/mind.

 

How are you doing today?

I’m still very much the same and not I’m a great place, especially with the excess anxiety which just comes from nowhere, it brings so many symptoms. How are you? 

[Onmyway]

@Tigz91

I've moved the thread you created in the S&S forum to here. The S&S is to discuss specific symptoms and what people have done for it. It is not for personal stories which belong here. We like to keep your story here all in one place. 

OMW

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Tigz91, how are you doing?

[Tigz91]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Hello, @Tigz91, how are you doing?

Hi Alto,

 

I think I'm starting to have windows, the last few weeks I'm having a couple of days where I feel about 60-70%. I notice I worry about my health more now though especially heart stuff. How are you doing? 

 

[Altostrata]

I'm fine, thanks. Good to hear about the windows! Please let us know how you're doing.

 

Have you tried these? Many people find them to be helpful:

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

You might try a low dose of one at a time to see what it does for you.

[Tigz91]

11 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

I'm fine, thanks. Good to hear about the windows! Please let us know how you're doing.

 

Have you tried these? Many people find them to be helpful:

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

You might try a low dose of one at a time to see what it does for you.

I haven't tried them yet, I currently take verapramil which is a calcium blocker but I will definitely look at getting these 2 supplements and giving them a try.

[Tigz91]

Hi all, not posted in a while and thought I'd give an update. I'm 7 months on from CT and I am still really struggling. I get a lot of physical symptoms that seem to cause more health anxiety now. I think I get little windows where mainly the anxiety lifts but not so much the physical sensations. Does anyone else have more problems with the physical sensations? 

[Chompoo]

@Tigz91 what physical sensations are you experiencing now?

[Tigz91]

Ooh where to start, heart palpitations(flutters) worst if I eat certain foods or take some medications/supplements and exercise. Histamine intolerance, GI issues. Gastritis and duodenitis. Nausea, off balance like I'm on a boat, internal tremors, head pressure, brain fog, blurry vision, eye floaters, random anxiety and cortisol spikes. Oh and weight lose. I could probably add more but they are the ones that are constant.

[Chompoo]

Such a long list of physical symptoms. No wonder you have health anxiety. I can totally relate on the histamine intolerance and weight loss. It's so frustrating isn't it, when you are losing weight and there're limited things you can eat to gain it back.  Have any of these symptoms improved over time?

[SertralineIssues29]

Hey dude, I'm nearly 7 month out myself and I have the same thing, I get my waves of anxiety and stuff but still have the physical stuff in my windows, at least we are noticing improvements and at this early in that's a great sign mate. Keep that head held high and keep ploughing through! 

 

Trai xxx

[Tigz91]

20 hours ago, SertralineIssues29 said:

Hey dude, I'm nearly 7 month out myself and I have the same thing, I get my waves of anxiety and stuff but still have the physical stuff in my windows, at least we are noticing improvements and at this early in that's a great sign mate. Keep that head held high and keep ploughing through! 

 

Trai xxx

Hi man, thanks for your reply. I will definitely keep pushing and fighting this. 

 

[Tigz91]

On 6/16/2023 at 11:51 PM, Chompoo said:

Such a long list of physical symptoms. No wonder you have health anxiety. I can totally relate on the histamine intolerance and weight loss. It's so frustrating isn't it, when you are losing weight and there're limited things you can eat to gain it back.  Have any of these symptoms improved over time?

I've tried to gain weight but it's very hard, the only thing I've found that helps me to eat more foods is Quercetin.

[Chompoo]

@Tigz91 I have the same struggles with weight. I wasn't prescribed the antidepressant for depression or anxiety. I was given it to help with weight loss after a major surgery. The only thing I found I could eat and helped in my weight gain is fatty fish like salmon, avocado oil (can't tolerate many other oils), and coconut milk. Does Quercetin make you hungry? Or increase your tolerance to high histamine food?

[Tigz91]

10 hours ago, Chompoo said:

@Tigz91 I have the same struggles with weight. I wasn't prescribed the antidepressant for depression or anxiety. I was given it to help with weight loss after a major surgery. The only thing I found I could eat and helped in my weight gain is fatty fish like salmon, avocado oil (can't tolerate many other oils), and coconut milk. Does Quercetin make you hungry? Or increase your tolerance to high histamine food?

Sorry to hear that, it helps increase my intolerance but I have gastritis so need to be careful with what I eat too. I eat salmon twice a week but still trying to add more foods to my diet. It's such a hard thing to go through as the symptoms for me are everyday and some might be reduced some days but then the others seem more heightened. 

[Chompoo]

@Tigz91 I can totally relate to your food struggles. I tried to expand the list of things I could eat and recently ended up in a wave because I ate some rice crackers with MSG. I'm so sorry your symptoms are causing you such distress. I hope your windows will get longer and your waves more shallow soon.

[Tigz91]

2 hours ago, Chompoo said:

@Tigz91 I can totally relate to your food struggles. I tried to expand the list of things I could eat and recently ended up in a wave because I ate some rice crackers with MSG. I'm so sorry your symptoms are causing you such distress. I hope your windows will get longer and your waves more shallow soon.

Thank you and I hope yours do too.

[Tigz91]

Numb body

 

Does anyone have numbness all over their body, I get it more in hands and feet but when I touch my body with my fingers I can barely feel it or it feels like my body is less sensitive to touch. I can also pinch myself hard and not feel it as much,this is the same with my muscles too and wanted to see if anyone else has had this.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Shep
added title after moving from another forum

[Shep]

@Tigz91 Please note I moved your post from the Symptoms and Self Care section because we already have a thread for this symptom. 

 

Paresthesia: pins & needles, numbness, tingling, burning sensations aka neuropathy

 

This is a common symptom during withdrawal and recovery. 

 

You mentioned that you might give fish oil and magnesium a try - did you already add those in? If not, you may want to add them in, but only one at a time and at a low dose.

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

The rule of 3KIS: Keep it simple. Keep it slow. Keep it stable.

 

 

[Tigz91]

1 hour ago, Shep said:

@Tigz91 Please note I moved your post from the Symptoms and Self Care section because we already have a thread for this symptom. 

 

Paresthesia: pins & needles, numbness, tingling, burning sensations aka neuropathy

 

This is a common symptom during withdrawal and recovery. 

 

You mentioned that you might give fish oil and magnesium a try - did you already add those in? If not, you may want to add them in, but only one at a time and at a low dose.

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

The rule of 3KIS: Keep it simple. Keep it slow. Keep it stable.

 

 

Thanks Shep,

 

I have ordered some that will arrive tomorrow and see how I get on. 

[Tigz91]

@Shep hi, I've only just found this section and I thought I was going through normal withdrawals (severe), but now I believe I was kindled as I was switched to different ADs around 5 times in 8 months with maximum 2 week tapers. I am 8 months off everything but very sensitive to most meds, supplements and food. I don't touch caffeine, gluten or dairy as well. Would you say this sounds like kindling and should I still try the magnesium and omega 3 supplements. Thanks 

[Shep]

@Tigz91 I moved your last post from Kindling thread to your own intro/update thread. Please read Gridley's post earlier in your thread - he explained kindling. It's fine to try magnesium and omega 3, starting one at a time and at a low dose. 

[Tigz91]

So I've tried the omega 3 for 5 days and since yesterday I've had the air hunger return. It's like I can't get a full satisfying breath. I've had something similar a few times and it's one of the symptoms that really set my anxiety off.

[gn11]

Hi I repnied to your thread  on pins and needles but i was checking your introductión. I've had many of the symptoms you have had. Many have improved over time but still have some. Just wanted to reassure

you that there is improvement albeit slow. In the early time I tried acupuncture and Qi Gong for anxiety. Right now I m doing emdr  for health trauma

but can be tricky.