HopeNeeded Debilitating Withdrawals (Vision, Disequilibrium, Confusion, etc...)

[Addax]

In 2012 I reinstated after being off Prozac for nearly 5 months. I had tapered too quickly and at the time didn't know for sure what I was feeling was withdrawl. I honestly didn't think reinstatement would help, but It worked for me. The first week didn't feel great, but by the third week after reinstatement I knew it was working. Just my experience.

[ang]

Hello and welcome.   I have just gone through a horrible wave, finally  a window.. a window for me is being anything above 15% of normal... and damn I remember normal, and you are so lucky, that you also remember normal,  before SSRIs...   remember, and always remember, that normal.....  you will get there, you are strong.  

 

But CT is not easy  (anything less than a six month taper to me is CT)...., go back on a small amount, and so much wiser, then research, get well (stable) and then taper slowly........     CT people need nerves of steel.  I don't have nerves of steel, but if reinstating doesn't work for me, I will develop nerves of steel, I will have to.  I can, I will, now I have the support of this site.

 

I feel every inch of your pain, and god I wish I could make it go away.  Everyone here is so generous and supportive.....  they are my lifeline......  I would never thought I could find a window,  but I have...so believe it...windows do happen, and they are miraculous....they pass, but always, eventually another window....  it is our healing, they say like solving a rubiks cube, and it is so so true.   

 

I hope you try reinstatement.   It was too late for me to reinstate...... took 6 months for the horrors to hit. Now three months of horrors has worn out my resolve.... I am presently trying to reinstate a different previous medication.... will see if it works.  But small dose, very cautiously.  I have been horribly bitten by side effects .... previously..... and in my very delicate sensitive state, and yours, we move forward with any new trial, whether it be something simple like adding a vitamin tablet, or whether it be reinstating a previous drug, slow small and steady.  

 

Are you still planning on working?  You will have to choose that you may not be well enough, unless you try reinstatement.  But it is your choice.  CT  may take a year or two, unpredictable of course, for you to be well enough to work.

 

I had to make the decision to close a shop, and put everything in storage, going thru WD is a big commitment, especially mine was a 3 month taper, I came to this site too late.  Even then, not to reinstate, is an even bigger commitment.    I wish that I could have reinstated, as soon as possible, but I didn't know.  Doctors dont talk about Withdrawals.

[HopeNeeded]

I have been trying to ride this out... But everything is getting worse. Is it too late to effectively reinstate? Also, what does relief with reinstatement look like for most? An actual feeling or normalcy and/or an ability to function at a normal level? I don't know how people live like this. I truly don't.

[Dan998]

I managed to reinstate after two months. It was a very hard decision for me to take as I too had struggled through all sorts of awful symptoms, going back didn't seem like an option, I just wanted to be free of the meds. I reluctantly reinstated a few weeks ago and am already seeing a reduction in my symptoms. 

 

What is normal? Who knows? I'm not expecting normal any time soon, but where I'm at now is a lot better than where I was a few weeks ago.

[HopeNeeded]

Hi Dan, Thanks for your response. What has been the noticeable reduction in symptoms? Being able to drive, hold a conversation, exercise, etc, would all be pretty ideal for me at this point.

[Dan998]

Since reinstating I have slowly begun to get some mental clarity. During CT my thoughts were all over the place, my language skills were severely impaired and I couldn't concentrate on anything. My anxiety levels were extreme and I had trouble breathing. All of these have improved since reinstating. This is just my experience.

 

Most people seem to benefit from reinstating a small amount. A moderator will be able to advise you about dosage.

[HopeNeeded]

Thanks, Dan. If a moderator could jump in here Id really appreciate it. Thank you -

[HopeNeeded]

Please?

[justwanttobefree]

Jaclyn have you been off around 3 months now? What are your main symptoms? I CT Prozac in October 2014 and it has been a rough road, I've considered RI many times. Have you had any windows or a single improvement?

[HopeNeeded]

justwanttobefree - Yes, I have been off about three months. I have had zero windows or relief - it actually seems to be getting worse. I have all of the symptoms outlined in my original post - the most debilitating are probably the vision blurriness, confusion, constant migraine, brain fog, dizziness, disequilibrium, and fatigue. How about you???

[HopeNeeded]

I have reinstated. I can't take it anymore. It has been one week on 5mg Prozac - so far no relief. Can someone please tell me it will get better with the reinstatement? How long until I feel some relief of symptoms? Please, please, answer. I feel so alone and helpless.

[HopeNeeded]

PLEASE? What do I have to do?

[HopeNeeded]

Struggling to think/type - but will try to give some more info, in hopes that someone will care/respond if I do...

 

May 27th - reinstated 5mg Prozac (felt like I was slowly making progress until I hit a wall and symptoms seemed to be worse). 

June 7th - increased to 10mg Prozac (no relief)

June 11th (today) - Symptoms have been the worst they've ever been, with addition of constant nausea and increased body temp/sweating. These additions have caused my psychiatrist to believe that the Prozac has given me Serotonin Syndrome and instructed me to completely stop it. 

 

ADVICE, please please please!?!?

[clearday]

Sorry to hear that your reinstatement is not going well -

 

I never reinstated, so I can't advise you on that.

 

I do know that reinstatement helps some people, and reinstatement sometimes makes things worse for others.

 

Hopefully someone with reinstatement experience will stop by.

[Altostrata]

Jaclyn, if I were you, I'd go back down to 5mg. It sounds like 10mg is too strong for you.

[HopeNeeded]

Thanks clearday and altostrata for your replies. Do you recommend staying at the 5mg or stopping the Prozac completely? Also, what do I have to do to get more users to answer me/care? I feel scared, alone, and doomed...

[clearday]

HI Jaclyn -

 

Sounds like Alto is suggesting to go to 5 mg, see if you can stabilize, and hold at 5 mg.   

 

Many of us feel scared, alone, and doomed -

 

Plenty of people care, just sometimes we don't know what to say, or how to help. 

 

We are often in our own little hell-world too, so we are dealing with our own problems.

 

If you want to get more responses, try to read recent posts, look for people who sound like they have reinstatement experience, or whatever topic you are asking about, and post on their thread. The more you put in here, the more you get out of it -

 

It also depends on the day, sometimes there are a lot of people here reading and posting, sometimes not many are around.

 

The moderators have a lot of work to do, and they have their own problems and lives to attend to. It's great that we even have this wonderful website! 

 

But I get it, when we're scared and desperate, it seems like we can't get our answers fast enough, and that we're being ignored.

[Flowers]

Hello Jaclyn

 

Clearday has written the same as I would have done to you.

 

I am sorry you are not getting many posts on your thread. I am in a completely different time zone to you so may have missed your posts in the past!

 

It looks like you have had a lot of changes to your drugs over the past 6 months but you seemed to have felt some benefit reinstating at 5mgs. That is a good sign.

 

I crashed last November after a too quick taper from 40mgs to 10mgs of Citalopram. I ended up updosing to 30mgs. I hadn't found this site then or I wouldn't have gone quite so high. I did feel the benefit straight away but it has been a bumpy ride since then whilst I am trying to stabilise. I have had ups and downs but have managed to stick it out and keep the dose the same. During the worst times I have been so tempted to alter the dose or even take another AD!! Crazy I know but I was desperate. I am now just about feeling better and contemplating starting the long slow taper off.

 

I don't think there is a quick fix unfortunately we just have to be patient.

 

If you go back to 5mgs I hope you feel some benefit soon. No one can predict how we will feel changing doses. It is all trial and error isn't it?

 

Hope you feel better soon.

 

Love from Flowers x

[HopeNeeded]

Thanks, Flower and Clear Day... I have been trying to participate a bit more. I really hope that will bring me more support. Hate feeling like this is just one more place I can't be heard/understood.

[Flowers]

We all understand - we are going through the same things as you.

 

Let me know how you are doing. I will be thinking about you.

 

xxx

[HopeNeeded]

Thanks for your caring and kind words, Flowers. I am not doing well - wondering how to go on like this. How are you?

[Flowers]

So sorry that you are struggling with all of this. Did you drop back to 5mg?

 

Unfortunately if the reinstatement is going to work it might take some time for you to feel any better. We are all different so there are no set guidelines on this.

 

When I was in the worst of it I found trying to distract myself from my symptoms really helped. All I could manage was maybe a very short walk outside or a potter around the garden. Do you feel well enough to try something like this?

 

Do you have any coping techniques? I am using mindfulness and it has helped me immensely and has calmed my mind. Also progressive relaxation helped with any muscle twitching  and calmed my body.

 

Hope things improve and in the meantime I hope you find strength and patience.

 

Flowers xx

[Altostrata]

Jaclyn, have you changed your Prozac dosage? Please update your signature.

[HopeNeeded]

My doc advised that I try 2.5mg. Thoughts? I will try to update my sig now. Thank you --

[Altostrata]

Did you try 5mg? What happened?

[HopeNeeded]

Alto - Yes, my doc originally reinstated me on 5mg (5/27/15)... I think I was making some progress. Hard to explain what that progress was - but I could just feel the slightest bit of progress (if symptoms are usually at a 9-10 in severity, they were moving toward the 7.5-8 range). The progress was slow and seemed to stop, so my psychiatrist increased the dosage to 10mg on 6/7/15. Within 3 days my symptoms were at their worst, with the addition of severe nausea and increased body temp/sweating. On 6/11/15, my psychiatrist said it seemed I had serotonin syndrome from the 10mg reinstatement, and instructed me to cease taking the Prozac for a few days... I took nothing from 6/11-6/13. On 6/14/15, my psychiatrist advised trying the 2.5mg. That is where I am... So far no relief. Is that helpful? What should I put in my signature?

[Altostrata]

It takes at least 4 days for the drug to reach steady-state in your bloodstream.

 

It sounds like 5mg might have worked for you, but now you may be sensitized because of the jump to 10mg and bad reaction to that.

 

You'll have to give the 2.5mg time to see if it can reduce the intensity of symptoms. If it helps only a little, that's a good sign.

 

I would monitor for a week at least before making any decisions. Be sure to take at the same time each day.

[HopeNeeded]

So you recommend staying at the 2.5mg for now? How long until I should go up if it's not doing much? What do you mean, "if it helps only a little, that's a good sign"?

Really appreciate your help.

[Altostrata]

What we have seen is that it can take some time for a dosage adjustment to help. If the initial effect is a good one -- like you had with 5mg at first -- over time it can help your nervous system settle down.

 

Once your nervous system is sensitized by drug changes, you cannot expect a silver bullet of a pill to set everything right again. You have to let your nervous system adjust.

[HopeNeeded]

Thanks, Alto. My doc is now saying to stop the Prozac (2.5mg) again... He wants to try Cyproheptadine (4mg 2x/day). Have you, or anyone on here, ever heard of that medication/treatment? Would you recommend staying with the 2.5mg of Prozac, or stopping - per his suggestion? I NEED HELP. Thanks so much. 

[HopeNeeded]

PLEASE

[Altostrata]

I would not jump around on other drugs. I would stay with the Prozac, be patient and give it time to work.

 

About cyproheptadine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyproheptadine

 

You should Google to find information about any drug that is prescribed to you. At the least, look at Wikipedia.

 

If you keep on asking a psychiatrist to help you, you will end up with many prescriptions. That's what they do.

[HopeNeeded]

Thanks for your response, Alto. I will continue with the 2.5mg Prozac, for now. How long until I know if it's working?
 

[Altostrata]

It takes at least 4 days for the drug to reach steady-state in your bloodstream.

 

It sounds like 5mg might have worked for you, but now you may be sensitized because of the jump to 10mg and bad reaction to that.

 

You'll have to give the 2.5mg time to see if it can reduce the intensity of symptoms. If it helps only a little, that's a good sign.

 

I would monitor for a week at least before making any decisions. Be sure to take at the same time each day.

[HopeNeeded]

Sorry. Just really scared and debilitated. Wish others would respond, interact with me on here -- but I seem to be an outcast.

[Altostrata]

Visit on others' Intro topics and they will visit on yours.