RiFPiG

[RiFPiG]

Hi,

I was put on:

40mg of DexAmphetamine (ADHD)

45mg mirtazapine (Anxiety attacks)

Epilim 400mg (seizures)

200mg carbamazepine (seizures)

temporal lobe surgery

 

I did a very fast taper (less than 2 months) on all these medications and stepped off about 12 months ago. I continued carbamazepine at 50mg until about 6 months ago. 
I had terrible withdrawals but didn’t realise what they were, I thought it was permanent until stumbling across this site. I had terrible insomnia, that has recently eased slightly, I had zero sleep for a months and very little for about 6 months. Now I usually get 3-6hrs of sleep in 1.5hr blocks, but sometimes get some 3hr blocks and twice in the past 12 months, a 4.5hr block. Brain zaps happen, which I thought were micro sleeps from insomnia, or partial seizures, and I have itchy skin on my forearms at night. I had bad panic attacks and thought I had developed several phobias, which have subsided recently. I became allergic to cannabis and many drugs now have the opposite effect, eg cannabis, melatonin and many sleep aids make me wired, Dex Amphetamine makes my hungry and at times is my only hope for sleep. 
I decided to stop because I didn’t like who I had become, but stopping has been a ride. I learnt a second language to B2 level which was a great use of insomnia.

I was curious about my decision to cold turkey all these meds and if I caused perm any nervous system damage as a consequence. 

I had a tumour removed from my temporal lobe in 2021, so this also added further confusion to my withdrawal symptoms, but most symptoms are subsiding so I am comfortable that the surgery is a smaller impact than the withdrawals. I feel like mirtazapine withdrawal is still my biggest struggle.

any comments will be great, thanks

[Altostrata]

Welcome. @RiFPiG

 

Were all those drug prescribed at once? What were they supposed to treat?

 

22 hours ago, RiFPiG said:

Brain zaps happen, which I thought were micro sleeps from insomnia, or partial seizures, and I have itchy skin on my forearms at night. I had bad panic attacks and thought I had developed several phobias, which have subsided recently.

 

When did these symptoms start?

 

What happened after you stopped 50mg carbamazepine?

 

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