direstraits Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 so sorry,WT-I guess I shouldn't complain compared to what you're dealing with don't know how you're surviving-go ahead & scream ;you might feel better went on Prozac 1994-99,60mg.poopout ct back on 2001-2002,prozac weekly 2002,not working,Effexor 75 mg.?2003-mar.2004 gaining weight 8wk. taper,wellbutrin 150 mg.mar. -may 2004 ctmedfree til july 2005 back to Prozac gaining weight again,back on wellbutrin jan.2006150-300 mg.bad constipation.also was taking aygestin(hormone)perimenopausal irregular bleeding.back on Prozac around sept,?2006,hysterectomy jan30.2007(adenomyosis)off&on Prozac til 2009,citalopram about 1 mo, April 2010 no effect,Effexor again may -mar, 2011.ct,Prozac aug,-dec, 2011 &sept-nov 2012,paroxetine oct,23 2013-may 4 2014 20 mgs.tapered 6 wks.-failed RI in Oct.2014-in protracted WD.started 10 mgs. Fluoxetine May 25 2021 .Stopped fluoxetine May 2022 at 5 mgs. Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 Thanks Selma, pug and direstraits. You are all so lovely. Thank you. I do hope I'm not triggering anyone. I worry about posting how I am because I don't want to scare people or make anyone worse. It is what it is and it won't stay this bad. I just have to get through this horrendous part which I have no control over. Thank you all for keeping me going xx The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
Pugknows Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 You aren't triggering anyone. We're all in our own hell and truly wish the best for each other. We love you. January 2012 - Prescribed 900mg gabapentin and 30mg Norco for lower lumber spinal stenosis pain. September 2013 - Spinal fusion surgery, 6 levels. Hospital ramped up meds 1500mg gabapentin, 100mg Norco, 80mg Oxycontin, 25mg Fentanyl patch. January 2014 - Sever nausea daily and with back pain every 4 hours. 2 trips to ER. First endoscopy found ulcer. Treated with Sucralfate and PPI. Second endo in May found no ulcers. Doctors said it was the opiates causing the nausea. CT'd Oxycontin, Fentanyl patch. July 2014 - Lost 48 lbs. due to not eating because of severe nausea. GP prescribed Prozac 20mg and Ativan 2mg prn. Tried for 4 days, quit. Two week followup GP said keep taking Prozac. 4 days, quit again. Ativan taken rarely prn for anxiety and appetite. August 2014 - Went to detox. Off opiates. Still nauseous, helmet head, drugged feeling. Doctor CT'd gabapentin. Ended up in ER. Found 2 gallstones. Gabapentin reinstated at 900mg. Tried botched up and down taper to get off Gabapentin. No tapering advice from doctor. Said to just CT again. September 2014 - Coded on table during gallbladder surgery. Developed liver biloma due to CPR by doctor. Had bile bulb inserted for 2 wks to drain. October 2014 - Gallbladder removed. Still nauseous, 3am cortisol surging, drugged helmet head, vertigo, breathlessness, whooshing head, heart palps. November 8th, 2014 - CT'd gabapentin suggested by family and 4 different doctors. Was told no withdrawal is associated with gabapentin. Have been in hell ever since. No windows, just one big tsunami every day with same symptoms for 4 months. December 26, 2014 - Found SA. At least I know I'm not insane. My family thinks I'm doing this to myself. Akathesia has become unbearable. March 10, 2015 - In absolute daily hell with no relief. Currently taking magnesium 200mg before bedtime. Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 Thanks puggie xx The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
Pugknows Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Love you Winning. Really praying for you to get beyond this today and have a beautiful tomorrow. January 2012 - Prescribed 900mg gabapentin and 30mg Norco for lower lumber spinal stenosis pain. September 2013 - Spinal fusion surgery, 6 levels. Hospital ramped up meds 1500mg gabapentin, 100mg Norco, 80mg Oxycontin, 25mg Fentanyl patch. January 2014 - Sever nausea daily and with back pain every 4 hours. 2 trips to ER. First endoscopy found ulcer. Treated with Sucralfate and PPI. Second endo in May found no ulcers. Doctors said it was the opiates causing the nausea. CT'd Oxycontin, Fentanyl patch. July 2014 - Lost 48 lbs. due to not eating because of severe nausea. GP prescribed Prozac 20mg and Ativan 2mg prn. Tried for 4 days, quit. Two week followup GP said keep taking Prozac. 4 days, quit again. Ativan taken rarely prn for anxiety and appetite. August 2014 - Went to detox. Off opiates. Still nauseous, helmet head, drugged feeling. Doctor CT'd gabapentin. Ended up in ER. Found 2 gallstones. Gabapentin reinstated at 900mg. Tried botched up and down taper to get off Gabapentin. No tapering advice from doctor. Said to just CT again. September 2014 - Coded on table during gallbladder surgery. Developed liver biloma due to CPR by doctor. Had bile bulb inserted for 2 wks to drain. October 2014 - Gallbladder removed. Still nauseous, 3am cortisol surging, drugged helmet head, vertigo, breathlessness, whooshing head, heart palps. November 8th, 2014 - CT'd gabapentin suggested by family and 4 different doctors. Was told no withdrawal is associated with gabapentin. Have been in hell ever since. No windows, just one big tsunami every day with same symptoms for 4 months. December 26, 2014 - Found SA. At least I know I'm not insane. My family thinks I'm doing this to myself. Akathesia has become unbearable. March 10, 2015 - In absolute daily hell with no relief. Currently taking magnesium 200mg before bedtime. Link to comment
LoveandLight Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 No don't worry about anything you write. This is so cruel..with normal human emotions smashing something probably would help. I, like, pug, wish you a better tomorow xx 2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare! On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect. Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan. Nightmare that could have been avoided! Link to comment
Pugknows Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Hope you're doing better, Winning. Love you. Pug January 2012 - Prescribed 900mg gabapentin and 30mg Norco for lower lumber spinal stenosis pain. September 2013 - Spinal fusion surgery, 6 levels. Hospital ramped up meds 1500mg gabapentin, 100mg Norco, 80mg Oxycontin, 25mg Fentanyl patch. January 2014 - Sever nausea daily and with back pain every 4 hours. 2 trips to ER. First endoscopy found ulcer. Treated with Sucralfate and PPI. Second endo in May found no ulcers. Doctors said it was the opiates causing the nausea. CT'd Oxycontin, Fentanyl patch. July 2014 - Lost 48 lbs. due to not eating because of severe nausea. GP prescribed Prozac 20mg and Ativan 2mg prn. Tried for 4 days, quit. Two week followup GP said keep taking Prozac. 4 days, quit again. Ativan taken rarely prn for anxiety and appetite. August 2014 - Went to detox. Off opiates. Still nauseous, helmet head, drugged feeling. Doctor CT'd gabapentin. Ended up in ER. Found 2 gallstones. Gabapentin reinstated at 900mg. Tried botched up and down taper to get off Gabapentin. No tapering advice from doctor. Said to just CT again. September 2014 - Coded on table during gallbladder surgery. Developed liver biloma due to CPR by doctor. Had bile bulb inserted for 2 wks to drain. October 2014 - Gallbladder removed. Still nauseous, 3am cortisol surging, drugged helmet head, vertigo, breathlessness, whooshing head, heart palps. November 8th, 2014 - CT'd gabapentin suggested by family and 4 different doctors. Was told no withdrawal is associated with gabapentin. Have been in hell ever since. No windows, just one big tsunami every day with same symptoms for 4 months. December 26, 2014 - Found SA. At least I know I'm not insane. My family thinks I'm doing this to myself. Akathesia has become unbearable. March 10, 2015 - In absolute daily hell with no relief. Currently taking magnesium 200mg before bedtime. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted May 4, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 4, 2015 I just caught up with your thread WT. It was wonderful that you were able to travel to Edinburgh to visit your dad, and even better that your good emotions came back in a nice, long window. Its awful to fee rotten again after having some hope, I know what that's like, but it seems to be this windows and waves kind of pattern for most of us, no matter what we do or don't do. Its good you were able to express some of this current wave in a nice long rant, I hope it helped at least a little. I'm thinking of you and hoping you get another window very soon. I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Dear Puggie, thank u for your beautiful messages. Love u too! Love and Light, thank you. You're lovely and I really appreciate your support. Petunia, thank you for your wonderful message and for reminding me of that window I had. It happened before so it can happen again. The wave continues. I'm reminding myself that my last wave was long and brutal and got even worse before I started going into a window. Perhaps it's a good sign that the intensity is building. My systemic candida levels are still very high but some of the symptoms are dropping off. I have a lot of candida 'die off'. I think in another month the candida will be a lot better than it is now. My migraines seem to have finally gone and the body pain seems better than it was. Supplements ... I am taking magnesium. I don't know how much I should be taking. Mine are 250mg. I seem to do better on 500mg than 250mg but I don't know if this dose is too high. I've started taking vitamin C. The last couple of days I've taken 3000mg. I will see what happens. The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
chicken Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hi winning, Just checking in. I haven't posted in a while. I'm glad to see things are improving for you. Hope the suppliments are helping you. I'm taking 250mg of magnesium and I really believe it helps. I started taking vitamin C about a month ago, then started D. I was having a lot of sinus cough issues until I started the D vitamin and then it cleared up. I think the lack of sunlight in the winter really hurts our immune system. You are still in our prayers. Prozac 1999-2009 quit semi cold turkey. 2012 Placed on Seroquel 25 mg, Tranxene (Clorezepate) 3.75 mg 3x a day, Remeron 30 mg for anxiety/akathesia. Weaned off Seroquel and Tranxene .to Remeron 15 Mg. In May 2014 tried quitting Remeron at its lowest dose. Had severe withdrawals.Reinstated Remeron at 30 mg by doctor. August 5 2014 entered hospital. Doctor pulled the Remeron and bridged it to Pamelor (Nortriptyline) 40mg and Zyprexa 2.5mg.After removing the Remeron all my bad symptoms went away and I am stable. 9/11/14 - 7.5 mg tranxene, 40mg Pamelor, Zyprexa 2.5mg 12/29/14 - 20mg Pamelor, 1/6/15, 7/31/15 3.5mg, 8/10/15 3.2 mg, 9/15/15 2.2mg, 10/15/15 1.8mg (Feb 2016 - 1.4mg Pamelor only - OFF OF TRANXENE AND ZYPREXA SINCE DEC 2014 BENZO FREE Since 2014. Nortrityline (Pamelor) .8mg Aug 2016 March 2017 DRUG FREE Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Hi winning, Just checking in. I haven't posted in a while. I'm glad to see things are improving for you. Hope the suppliments are helping you. I'm taking 250mg of magnesium and I really believe it helps. I started taking vitamin C about a month ago, then started D. I was having a lot of sinus cough issues until I started the D vitamin and then it cleared up. I think the lack of sunlight in the winter really hurts our immune system. You are still in our prayers. Thanks chicken. Good to hear from you. I really appreciate your prayers. I'm glad the supplements are helping you. X The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Why do these waves have to be so long and intense and get worse and worse? The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
LoveandLight Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 So sorry winning through xxxxx 2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare! On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect. Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan. Nightmare that could have been avoided! Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thank you xx The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
Pugknows Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 ((((Winning)))) Hang on. We're all getting slammed right now. Why? I have no idea. Haven't read anything positive from anyone in awhile, except from those who are tapering and stabilizing. You are due for a huge long window soon. I love you and I keep praying for all of us. January 2012 - Prescribed 900mg gabapentin and 30mg Norco for lower lumber spinal stenosis pain. September 2013 - Spinal fusion surgery, 6 levels. Hospital ramped up meds 1500mg gabapentin, 100mg Norco, 80mg Oxycontin, 25mg Fentanyl patch. January 2014 - Sever nausea daily and with back pain every 4 hours. 2 trips to ER. First endoscopy found ulcer. Treated with Sucralfate and PPI. Second endo in May found no ulcers. Doctors said it was the opiates causing the nausea. CT'd Oxycontin, Fentanyl patch. July 2014 - Lost 48 lbs. due to not eating because of severe nausea. GP prescribed Prozac 20mg and Ativan 2mg prn. Tried for 4 days, quit. Two week followup GP said keep taking Prozac. 4 days, quit again. Ativan taken rarely prn for anxiety and appetite. August 2014 - Went to detox. Off opiates. Still nauseous, helmet head, drugged feeling. Doctor CT'd gabapentin. Ended up in ER. Found 2 gallstones. Gabapentin reinstated at 900mg. Tried botched up and down taper to get off Gabapentin. No tapering advice from doctor. Said to just CT again. September 2014 - Coded on table during gallbladder surgery. Developed liver biloma due to CPR by doctor. Had bile bulb inserted for 2 wks to drain. October 2014 - Gallbladder removed. Still nauseous, 3am cortisol surging, drugged helmet head, vertigo, breathlessness, whooshing head, heart palps. November 8th, 2014 - CT'd gabapentin suggested by family and 4 different doctors. Was told no withdrawal is associated with gabapentin. Have been in hell ever since. No windows, just one big tsunami every day with same symptoms for 4 months. December 26, 2014 - Found SA. At least I know I'm not insane. My family thinks I'm doing this to myself. Akathesia has become unbearable. March 10, 2015 - In absolute daily hell with no relief. Currently taking magnesium 200mg before bedtime. Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thanks pug. I love you too. I'm so sorry you are slammed as well and so many others are too. This is happening to such lovely and good people. It's so awful. I hope this tsunami ends soon for everyone and we all get relief xx The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 11 months off now so I'm heading towards a year off. I thought I'd do an update. I had various blood tests. I got tested for lyme and I'm very glad to say I don't have it, nor do I have any other tick borne diseases. I went to the one place in the uk that does a very thorough blood test, much more thorough than the standard western blot test or whatever it's called. I'm really glad that was negative. I've suspected a low thyroid for a while as I have so many of the symptoms. I also did the Barnes temperature test. That's the one where you take your temperature first thing in the morning before getting out of bed for 3 days. If it's consistently low, there's a good chance your thyroid is low. Mine was consistently low. I only had the standard doctors TSH test so I don't know what my T3 or T4 levels are. I was kind of hoping my thyroid was a little low because then I could have taken kelp and selenium and they might have helped me to feel better. My TSH is in the 'normal' range but it's at the lower end of the scale. I thought this meant I was leaning towards under active but actually I've found out if means the opposite. So I'm leaning towards having an over active thyroid but I have most of the symptoms of a low thyroid. That makes no sense. So I can't take anything for my thyroid. I got my hormones tested. The blood test showed that I'm perimenopausal. I haven't had a period for nearly two years and my menopause seems to have been going on forever. I've been having hot flashes for at least 3 years. I can't remember exactly when they started. I think it was early 2012. I don't know when I will be classed as post menopause. Prior to the hot flashes I'd had perminenopausal symptoms for ages including severe night sweats several times a night and my periods were all over the place, sometimes going on for weeks on end, sometimes missing them, sometimes getting them every two weeks. That stuff, and other peri symptoms, went on for ages. Before the hot flashes started I began to not have a period for a few weeks or months and they slowly petered out. It's a slow process for me! I wasn't tested for progesterone which is very disappointing as I'd really like to know what my progesterone levels are. I was tested for testosterone. It's in the normal range but at the low end of normal. My oestrogen is very low, way below the lowest end of normal. At this stage I'm seriously considering oestrogen. Bio identical oestrogen. I think I'm having a very bad menopause. It could all be withdrawal but I was having a bad menopause before all this started. Back then I should have just gone on oestrogen! And saved myself the drug nightmare. Either the drug induced illness is making my menopause worse or the menopause is making my drug induced illness worse, or both. I have so many symptoms of the menopause. It could be withdrawal but the fact is, I'm very low in oestrogen. Symptoms which are likely to be the menopause and which cross over with withdrawal include .. Very severe and frequent hot flashes and all over sweats with massive agitation. These are far more extreme than the hot flashes I had before the drugs. Sleep problems, waking frequently in the night boiling hot and sweating and often not being able to get back to sleep (I know this is a common withdrawal problem too) Very, very severe constipation Skin issues like dermatitis and eczema. Very dry skin everywhere Hair falling out Interstitial cystitis (if only I had realised this was probably down to the menopause before I took the antibiotics which started all this) No libido (not that I'd have one anyway with raging akathisia!! It would be impossible!) Extreme fatigue Memory and concentration problems (although these are definitely attributable to the drugs because they royally screwed me up in these areas) Dizziness Frequent and severe migraines Electric shock sensations (I have a big problem with drug induced brain zaps but apparently some women get shock sensations in perimenopause too) Gum problems Anxiety and panic .. Well mine is definitely drugged induced .. Akathisia is like the most severe form of panic disorder known to man but I did have bouts of anxiety before the drugs, particularly just before a hot flash. Muscle pain Itchy skin Tingling extremities And probably more. It's complicated because the drugs can cause all these things as can my candida and chronic fatigue. Plus I recently ate gluten accidentally and didn't realise. I'm absolutely dreadful with gluten. I may even be celiac, I don't know. Three times in the last couple of months, I ate something that was packed with gluten and I didn't realise it was. It really did a number on me. I ate something with gluten in it the day after I'd had my 'window' and after that I went into a terrible wave. The question is, do I take oestrogen? Some people say leave hormones well alone and others say they couldn't have got through withdrawal without them. I previously bought into the whole progesterone cream thing. I'd read and believed that hormone symptoms were caused by oestrogen dominance and that progesterone was the magic formula. So I used bio identical progesterone. My hot flashes and interstitial cystitis got worse. I now know that I'm very low in oestrogen. I think it's worth a try. It may make a big difference. I have no idea when or if all these menopause symptoms will calm down and I think I need assistance. I'd like to try to get my progesterone levels checked too. My neutrophils are low as always but have fallen into the moderate level. Before this I mostly had mild neutropenia. It became moderate twice before and I had to see a haemotologist. I sincerely hope I don't have to this time. I also have a slightly high haemoglobin count and I don't know what this means. I've never had this result before. So that's me. I avoided going to the doctor for over a year but I thought it worth getting a few things checked out. I keep hoping oestrogen will help me, even if it just makes this whole experience a bit more bearable. The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
Frustrated Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Wow I have every symptom you just listed and more. I find that since going on the candida diet and taking coconut oil and a probiotic, My muscle pain and bladder urgency and pain have eased a bit, although it is bothering right now. Figures. I ate a few chips last night though. That may be the reason. OOPS.. This diet is so hard. I will pick up pau darco tea soon, and the caprylic acid is coming. Do you have any suggestions for the bladder issue because it is truly horrible and I have to be at my daughter`s graduation on the 12th. I don`t need an accident. Sometimes the burning and spasmy type feelings cause me to lose urine. Have to make sure my bladder is empty but I won`t be able to do that if I am stuck in a church for hours. OH ya I am also at 11 months now. Congrats on that! Hope the estrogen helps you. I have not had to deal with menopause yet thank God. Sorry you are stuck dealing. Wishing you well. 2002-put on amitryptiline for fibromyalgia. 10mg.2004-stopped abruptly. Didn't think it helped.2006 approx.-put on Paxil for mild anxiety 20 mg.2007 upped to 40 mg. not sure why.2011- tapered from 40 to 10. went nuts and went back to 20mg2014- tapered from 20mg to 0 from April to The end of June.current meds- Metformin(type 2 diabetic) and low dose aspirin.Take multi vitamin and vit b12, vit. D and magnesium. 5 months off Paxil. Still suffering.recently added 1.2mg of Paxil to alleviate withdrawals.(Nov 30)Dropped to .9mg because having symptoms from reinstatement.(dec 23)<p>taper to .76mg-.8mg (Feb 3) approx. weight .010 to about .008-.009 on scale..6mg (march 19th.) .5mg(April 19th).4mg(April 27th).2 (June 27th) 0mg. done taper at beginning of August. Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Wow I have every symptom you just listed and more. I find that since going on the candida diet and taking coconut oil and a probiotic, My muscle pain and bladder urgency and pain have eased a bit, although it is bothering right now. Figures. I ate a few chips last night though. That may be the reason. OOPS.. This diet is so hard. I will pick up pau darco tea soon, and the caprylic acid is coming. Do you have any suggestions for the bladder issue because it is truly horrible and I have to be at my daughter`s graduation on the 12th. I don`t need an accident. Sometimes the burning and spasmy type feelings cause me to lose urine. Have to make sure my bladder is empty but I won`t be able to do that if I am stuck in a church for hours. OH ya I am also at 11 months now. Congrats on that! Hope the estrogen helps you. I have not had to deal with menopause yet thank God. Sorry you are stuck dealing. Wishing you well. I'm so very sorry Frustrated. I have loads more too but those I listed are the ones associated specifically with the menopause. Depression is another although the stupid drugs caused that. I'm glad your muscle pain and bladder urgency have eased a little. Chips can be tricky. I ate chips recently. I figured they would be ok because I thought they would just be potatoes and oil but I later discovered they were laced with gluten and other nasties. The bladder issue is tricky. The diet can take quite some time to work but over time things should start to ease and you can start crossing off symptoms. I imagine you've tried cranberry tablets? Allicin Max is another supplement which can help if you can tolerate garlic. Colloidal silver is another thing you can try. D-mannose powder is meant to be very good although it's a sugar, I think. And, or course drinking lots of water. Baking soda stirred into a glass of water is meant to be very good too. Congratulations to you on being 11 months off too. When we get to a year, we will have to do a withdrawal dance. The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
Skylarblue75 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Hi WT, I have all those symptoms and more, my fsh is in the post menopausal range and has been for 2 years now. My periods were really off after having the baby, but after my benzo detox I had a very heavy period every 10-14days for over a year straight, then it evened out for a few months, now since February their light lasting longer or shorter, my last cycle went 41 days. I know my progesterone is in the toilet. I tried HRT in 2014 and it caused me a lot of problems. I was told few weeks ago at the age of 39 it looks like I'm going into menopause. I'm in such misery an don't know what to do. I never had half of these issue before taking meds. I'm over a year off my last med and not seeing any changes. I would like to try HRT again but I'm afraid, so stuck and don't know what to do. And also having problems with my thyroid as well along with my adrenals. I wish you well Spring of 1998 place on birth control pills for irregular bleeding, high testosterone and one ovarian cyst, stayed on until April 2004, told to take hormone holiday, conceived first son 4 months later-VERY BIG SUPRISE, was told wouldn't be able to have childern or would need reproductive doctor to help. Got pregnant again 2006 with second son easily, then was on/off birthcontrol again until October 2011, concieved 3rd son in October 2011(tried many times to get pregant again when 2nd child was close to 2yrs, hormone problems started again after 2nd child, along with thyroid enlargement. Spring of 2001 celexa 10 mgs-rx'd by pcp for complaints of chronic fatigue, irritability and weight gain, stayed on until June 2005, switched to Lexapro 20mgs for PPD, stayed on Lexapro 6-7 months, couldn't afford to see psyh dr. and Lexapro, saw PCP switched back to 20mgs celexa in 2007, remained on until November 2011, was c/t off due to 3rd pregnancy, baby had umbilical cord defect, seemed ok during pregnancy, except for crying jags here and there. Our miracle baby was born July 20th 2012, healthy except with reflux. One month later the anxiety,restlessness,horrible crying, insomnia and the deepest depression ever. That started the psyh drug nightmare-benzo's,antidepressants, sleeping pills, mood stablizers. Nothing help made me worse, doctors just kept changing the meds frequently. 4 mental health hospitalizations, rapid detox off benzos Jan 2013, horrible withdrawal and still suffering withdrawal symptoms NO ONE BELIEVES ME, I feel like ive been on one consistant drug withdrawal for the past 2 years January 2014 slow titrate up of lexapro to 20 mgs-horrible side effects!!, was just rapidly taper by current pysh off to pursade me to try an MAOI-no way!!! Was told should consider ECT Link to comment
luv2knit Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Stopping by to say hello, WT. I can't read to catch up on your thread right now, but wanted you to know I am thinking of you. Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Hi WT, I have all those symptoms and more, my fsh is in the post menopausal range and has been for 2 years now. My periods were really off after having the baby, but after my benzo detox I had a very heavy period every 10-14days for over a year straight, then it evened out for a few months, now since February their light lasting longer or shorter, my last cycle went 41 days. I know my progesterone is in the toilet. I tried HRT in 2014 and it caused me a lot of problems. I was told few weeks ago at the age of 39 it looks like I'm going into menopause. I'm in such misery an don't know what to do. I never had half of these issue before taking meds. I'm over a year off my last med and not seeing any changes. I would like to try HRT again but I'm afraid, so stuck and don't know what to do. And also having problems with my thyroid as well along with my adrenals. I wish you well I'm so sorry SB. I have shed loads of other symptoms too but I listed the ones that are specific to peri menopause. I'm so very very sorry this is happening to you. You're about the same amount of time off the drugs as me. It's possible that as you recover from the drugs, your FSH levels could come down and your hormones could start normalising. If you were to look at hormones, it might be worth researching bio identical hormones rather than synthetic HRT. I think it may be a question of getting the right balance of hormones. Some doctors specialise in bio identical hormones and test each hormone level individually. Things will start to normalise for you. The first year off drugs is dreadful. Take care SB x The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Stopping by to say hello, WT. I can't read to catch up on your thread right now, but wanted you to know I am thinking of you. Please don't worry about catching up on my thread. I'm finding it very difficult to take in anything I read just now and really hard to write on any threads. It's really kind of you to visit. Thinking of you x The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 I'm just coming up for a year since my last med so I thought I'd do an update. This will be long!! During the last year I have had some improvements. In early withdrawal, I was 0%, even -0%! Now I would say I'm somewhere around 10% so there's been healing, albeit slow. Drug induced symptoms which have improved or gone are: - Major crying spells. I had these for almost a year. At the end of February this year, they stopped and haven't come back since. - Brain zaps..these were horrendous when I first got off the drugs. I had one every few seconds and every time I moved my eyes. I could actually hear my eyes! I still have brain zaps..15 months now. But they are better than they were. They disappeared for a week but came back. Some days they are worse than others but are definitely not like they were. - Problems moving my eyes from side to side and circling them - that stopped. Problems closing my eyes..that stopped. - Double vision - thankfully this stopped. It was horrible. I still have drug induced vision problems but at least the double vision stopped. - Feeling of a ball in my left eye and nose with an akathisia like feeling to it. This was horrible and lasted a while but it's been gone for some time now. Akathisia on the bridge of my nose..that stopped too. - Waking up with strange toxic breathing. This got better. - I was in bed all the time at the beginning. Now I'm not. - Feeling like my legs and arms weren't attached to my body. I literally used to sit on the couch and feel like my legs were on the walls and my arms were on the ceiling. It was horrific. That disappeared so gradually I didn't even notice it had gone! - Internal shaking - better - Tremor - a lot better - One of my eyes looked lower down on my face than the other. This is ok now - Numb bladder and numb arm - this went There are probably more but I can't think of them at the moment. That's quite good healing though. I still have akathisia, severe depression, terror, feeling like my house and body are haunted, adrenaline surges, agitation, anxiety, brain zaps, dizziness, my tinnitus has got worse, buzzing at the top of my head, dp, dr, no good emotions and can't feel love, loss of connection (dp?), blurred vision which isn't the same as needing glasses, problems focusing my eyes, memory issues, racing thoughts (a little easier to control than they were), extreme difficulty functioning on any level and other stuff. My fatigue is overwhelming .. Wired but tired. I've been rigid with my candida diet and my tonsil spots and gland pains have gone. The pain on my thyroid has gone. My thick white furry tongue is much better and almost pink now. My ringworm is improving. Interstitial cystitis is better. My digestion is still dreadful and non functional. Other symptoms that have improved which could be candida/being accidentally glutened/accidentally eating corn which I'm highly intolerant to and/or part of drug withdrawal/menopause are: - Migraines, neck pain and all over body pain. I recently did a round of all this. I think it went on for around 2 months and it was really, really bad. Well, all that seems to be a lot better. That could be due to adherence to my diet/abstinence from gluten, but who knows. Now onto the menopause. It's so hard to know what's causing what when we are in this because withdrawal makes everything so much worse. But it's clear I'm not having a good menopause. I wasn't before the drugs. The hot flashes have been frequent and ridiculous and the agitation with them has been so bad. Much worse than pre drugs. They last much longer now too. Night times have recently got worse and sleep has been very bad with staying awake nearly all night feeling like I'm stuck in one big hot flash with all the wonderful drug induced hell to go with it. Sleep would be either a couple of hours during the night or a few hours of broken sleep, half an hour then awake, another half hour then awake, awake for 3 hours and then maybe 2 more hour's sleep. That sort of thing. My oestrogen was recently tested and I practically don't have any at all. I've just started trying a very gentle, natural, bio-identical oestrogen cream. It's estriol which is the gentlest and safest oestrogen. I'm applying a little to my wrists at night. It's way too early to say whether it will help as I've only used it the last 2-3 days but since using it, my sleep's been better. I still wake a few times in the night but I'm getting longer and much better quality sleep between the wakings and then getting straight back to sleep. My skin has been a lot better. The dermatitis round my eyes is much better. My skin feels generally softer. I haven't been waking in the night severely thirsty or wanting to gulp down gallons of water so that's a good improvement. The first night I used the cream, I woke up, got up to go to the bathroom and noticed I didn't have brain zaps. I felt less depressed. I didn't have a hot flash. I wasn't thirsty. This could all be the placebo effect! I will watch this space over time to see what this cream does, if anything. I think it may help. I'm not afraid of it. Other news .. I've been doing some neuroplasticity work over the last 3 weeks or so. I'm doing brain training exercises and so on. Since doing this, I've started doing jigsaw puzzles again and I've been playing the piano a bit! I couldn't do either of these things for about 20 months. I've also been making myself get dressed every day and water the plants in the garden. I'm doing more housework. I've been seeing friends here and there. None of these things are easy .. Very far from it. But somehow doing this neuroplasticity work is giving me the fight to do them and helping me feel more positive. It's getting me through the days in a better way too. One way or another, I will slay this beast! I'm 10% stronger than I was so I'm gaining some ability to fight. The beast is 10% weaker than it was so it's losing strength. One day, I will be stronger than the beast. I can do this. The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
LoveandLight Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Winning through, I think you are just amazing..so strong and your healing! Your such an inspiration. Cxx 2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare! On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect. Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan. Nightmare that could have been avoided! Link to comment
LexAnger Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Winning though, thanks for updating! Nothing else I can say but great admiration to you and your extraordinary strength! Wish you continuous and faster healing!! Love and hugs Lex Drug free Sep. 23 2017 2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks. 2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg 2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain 2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain; 2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain 2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg, 2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on 2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks. 2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR 2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg，8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg， 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg 2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg, Link to comment
HopeNeeded Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Winning Through - I just read through some of your thread (struggle with reading and concentration at the moment) and wanted to tell you how inspired I am by you and your progress. I wish you continued healing. xo Diagnosis: Anxiety, Situational Depression March 2016: So debilitated that had to leave my home/job/life to move in with my parents. Hopeless. July 2015: Reinstated 2.5mg to 5mg Prozac - Got worse so stopped the reinstated Prozac Middle of February 2015: Prozac 20mg every other day for one week and discontinued on February 18th or 19th Beg of February 2015: Stopped Pristiq, continued on 20mg Prozac for 2 weeks End of January 2015: Use Prozac to wean off of Pristiq (Added 20mg of Prozac to the 50mg Pristiq - took both for 1 week) January 2015: Decide to stop Pristiq due to negative side effects Beg of November 2014: Switch from Zoloft to Pristiq 50mg August 2014: Reinstate Zoloft 100mg March-June 2014: Weaned off of Zoloft 100mg January 2012: Begin Zoloft 100mg (6 month period at the end of 2012 where I discontinued the Zoloft - reinstated for situational depression) 2008-May 2011: Cymbalta and Topamax for Migraines -- May 2011: Weaned off of Cymbalta and Topamax Link to comment
luv2knit Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 WT--Thanks for the update. I am LONG through menopause, and I cannot even imagine having to deal with that on top of WD. Your sleep schedule sounds very much like mine has been lately. I had no sleep issues in menopause, but it definitely sounds like it is contributing to yours. Wishing you some significant healing and/or some long clear windows. XOXO Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Winning through, I think you are just amazing..so strong and your healing! Your such an inspiration. Cxx Aw, thanks loveandlight! What a lovely message. It gives me strength x The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Winning though, thanks for updating! Nothing else I can say but great admiration to you and your extraordinary strength! Wish you continuous and faster healing!! Love and hugs Lex Ah, thank you for your kind words LexAnger. That's lovely and it means a lot to me. X The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 WT--Thanks for the update. I am LONG through menopause, and I cannot even imagine having to deal with that on top of WD. Your sleep schedule sounds very much like mine has been lately. I had no sleep issues in menopause, but it definitely sounds like it is contributing to yours. Wishing you some significant healing and/or some long clear windows. XOXO Thank you Iove. I wish the same for you. I just wondered, did you take anything or use any creams to help you through the menopause? X The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Winning Through - I just read through some of your thread (struggle with reading and concentration at the moment) and wanted to tell you how inspired I am by you and your progress. I wish you continued healing. xo Jaclyn, thank you for reading through my thread. I totally understand the struggle with reading and concentration and really relate to that! I will take a look at your thread. Thank you for your lovely message. Wishing you healing too x The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
luv2knit Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 WT--Thanks for the update. I am LONG through menopause, and I cannot even imagine having to deal with that on top of WD. Your sleep schedule sounds very much like mine has been lately. I had no sleep issues in menopause, but it definitely sounds like it is contributing to yours. Wishing you some significant healing and/or some long clear windows. XOXO Thank you Iove. I wish the same for you. I just wondered, did you take anything or use any creams to help you through the menopause? X Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
luv2knit Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 WT, I guess I was "lucky". The main thing I had was hot flashes, which were of course worse in the summers. Spent a couple of REALLY miserable summers, but never really found anything that helped. (Never really tried too hard!) I never skipped periods like a lot of (most) people. Mainly just a few years of hot flashes and then my periods just stopped. Hope you're able to find something that helps! Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
AliG Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Just catching up on your thread. Reading through your "list of symptoms", makes me soo mad. they're similar to mine, but when you see them "listed" there, it's "mind - boggling". We get so used to reading this , I think we become almost immune to it. However, it's "outrageous". Keep up "the good fight". Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
WinningThrough Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 Just catching up on your thread. Reading through your "list of symptoms", makes me soo mad. they're similar to mine, but when you see them "listed" there, it's "mind - boggling". We get so used to reading this , I think we become almost immune to it. However, it's "outrageous". Keep up "the good fight". AliG thank you so much for visiting and for your words. I'm so sorry you are suffering like this too. I wish you healing x The only way out is through. Aug 2013 - Augmentin leading to akathisia Sept-Nov 2013 - Citalopram 20mg, severe reaction, off at 5mg. Valium 4mg, prn Oct 2013 - 5 zopiclone tablets, 7.5mg End Nov 2013-end Feb 2014, Seroquel, top dose 150mg, off at 25mg End Nov 2013-early march 2014, Zoloft 100mg top dose, off at 25mg End Dec-2013-early April 2014, lorazepam 1mg prn April 3rd 2014 zoloft 5mg for a few days. 18/4/14 - zoloft, 1mg. Came off at 0.35 mg,14th June 2014 29 June 2014 - 1mg lorazepam, last ever 29 June 2014 - med free Link to comment
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