Beenthere is now here

[beenthere]

I had a brain bleed and craniotomy when I was 9 years old. I had an Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) which is a rare birth anomaly. It was in the visual cortex and I did lose more than half my vision. I lived, but never felt like me again. My teenage years were awful, and when I was finally on my own, moved away, got a job, I knew that I needed some help. I was always sad or crying or worrying. I went to a doctor who sent me to a psychiatrist, and that was when Deseryl was prescribed. It is an old antidepressant. That was changed to one of the newer drugs, the SSRIs and SSNRIs. I cannot remember the names of some, but I took Celexa, then Effexor, and now Pristiq. Pristiq is an SSNRI. I have been taking it for at least 5 years. None of these drugs ever did anything for me, or at least I didn't feel better. I sometimes thought they may be helping, but that is what I said to the doctors most of the time. I have told some I never thought they did anything for me, but they all just blew me off. Because there I would be sitting in front of the doctor always crying, but they never seemed to connect the crying to the brain injury. Only depression. I now know a lot of my problems resulted from the brain surgery, not just loss of vision. I got OCD after the surgery, but it is in control now because I somehow stopped. I can't remember when the OCD started or stopped, but no one knew what was wrong with me, wandering the house at night to make sure doors were locked and lights were off. Nobody ever talked about it. I guess when the meds were changed, stopping one and being put on a new one must have stopped some of the withdrawal feelings. I have only felt the withdrawal symptoms when I forget to take the Pristiq. It doesn't take long to feel my brain shivering, and jumping. So then I take the Pristiq, and 1/2 hour later I start to feel like the me I am on these meds. I am scared to stop, and do not know what the psychiatrist will say. I want to stop, but am afraid of seizures. Thanks for listening.

Beenthere

[nz11]

Welcome beenthere hopefully a mod will be in soon to welcome you.

 

Well you have come to the right place cos we have all been there, beenthere..thats for sure.

 

Sounds like you have been sent on the drug merry go round. I cant comment on the physical injury you have suffered but imo i doubt whether these drugs are doing anything helpful.

Did you know that 'crying spells' are classic wdl symptoms. Whats the bet they took you off too fast you started to have wdl symptoms went back to the doc to get answers cos you new something was wrong they then incorrectly labelled you and switched to another drug. With the 'oh maybe this is the one for you' tactic.

 

Here is a link to withdrawal symptoms Glenmullen lists about 58 and guess what is number 1 on the list ?

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

 

Please don't be scared about getting off these drugs if you taper off safely you can. 

 

Did you know the taper method that is giving people the best chance to get free is 10 % of previous dose per month making the next drop if and only if stable.

Here is a link to taper at 10% and why

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

Here is one on tapering pristiq

Tips for tapering off Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)

 

You may not have to tell the psych you want to stop just use them to get the drug. imo

People here can walk you through how to taper.

 

One thing we have all had to do is make a big mindshift away from trusting doctors and taking responsibility for our  own health. Basically we have to do our own research and 'inform' ourselves on the nature of these drugs. They are notoriously difficult to get off dependency is quickly established something not acknowledged by doctors. It well worth your while to spend time here reading the great info available.

 

they never seemed to connect the crying to the brain injury.

As i say this is highly likely this crying is from the drug withdrawal... if it came after they had tried to take you off a drug these are classic wdl symptoms. 

 

I sometimes thought they may be helping, but that is what I said to the doctors most of the time

Sounds like classic stockhom syndrome to me. Nothing like wanting to please our captors...i mean they are kind afterall..and especially when we fear our life may be at risk... they always wish me well. 'Have a nice day'  You even managed to break free of that congenial disposition and conversation and voice unhappiness at treatment only to be arrogantly dismissed. Your concerns were well founded.

 

I want to stop

Great idea ...dont cold turkey though put aside a year or two for tapering and you will be successful. There are people here in there 4th year of tapering and the symptoms are minimised not zero-ized but allowing them to have a life.

 

Welcome.

[beenthere]

Thanks nz11. It is the first time I have ever talked about this, and no one ever told me about the outcome. I have been a crier since the brain deal, always called crybaby. It may be partly due to the meds, and I never connected it. Beenthere

[Altostrata]

Welcome, beenthere.

 

Have you talked to a therapist about your sadness? There could be many reasons. And, yes, it could be what we can a neuro-emotion from the brain injury, see Neuro-emotion

 

Please read the link nz so helpfully posted for you, about tapering Pristiq. It is a difficult drug to taper, but you have options. After you read it, let's discuss a plan here in this topic.

[beenthere]

Hi. Yes many times I have talked to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers over the years, in different places I lived. No one until the current psychiatrist connected the brain bleed with the depression, the anxiety, the fear, etc. i also have PCOS, an inherited and somewhat common female disorder involving infertility, hormones, specific physical symptoms, along with depression, anxiety, and more. I have not looked at me in a mirror unless by mistake, in years. I can only see part of my face when I see it, due to visual loss from brain bleed. I don't think I should ever have taken these antidepressants. I know a bit about neuro-emotions. I will read more about it. I will read nz's information again, and get back to you when I can figure out how.

[beenthere]

Hi again. i read the stuff. It makes it scarier. I have to make an appointment with the shrink and let her know this is what I want to try to do. I think she will be receptive. I am on 100 mg of Pristiq. I have been on it for about 5 years. I went from Effexor to Pristiq easily. any help is so needed and appreciated. Thanks. Beenthere

[Altostrata]

If you didn't have any bad reactions to Effexor, if I were you, I'd switch to Effexor XR, stabilize, and then taper that, see Tips for tapering off Effexor (venlafaxine)

 

Tips for tapering off Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) explains the equivalencies between Pristig and Effexor XR, vague as they are.

 

If you can get the 25mg Pristiq tablets, you may wish to cut them into quarters to taper down to 50mg Pristiq, then switch to Effexor XR.