☼ crista: can withdrawal symptoms return a year later?

[crista]

I've been depressed and anxious my whole life. I've been on dozens of antidepressants. I got off of Effexor 2 years ago and I didn't think I could feel any more terrible than I did and I cried everyday. Then I felt better for an entire year. Suddenly, 6 months ago, my anxiety and depression came back worse than ever. I am on the verge of a panic attack every single day and I have a full blown attack 2 or 3 times a week for no reason. I don't leave my house and I feel a variety of strange symptoms including hypersensitivity to sights and sounds and brain zaps. I've been to a bunch of doctors and they all run tests but don't give me any answers. Some of my symptoms sound a lot like antidepressant withdrawal symptoms. I am just trying to get through everyday and stay hopeful that I will get better (and stay better) soon but most days I feel hopeless.

 

Here are all of my symptoms:

 

anxiety

panic attacks

depression

uncontrollable crying fits

agoraphobia

dizziness

hypersensitivity to sights and sounds (movement and pattern drive me crazy and sounds are magnified and startling)

double vision

blurred vision

buzzing and ringing

brain zaps

hot flashes

shaking

tongue tremors

i feel pins in my fingers, legs, and feet

confusion

weight loss (30 lbs in 5 months)

palpitations

loss of balance

unsatisfying breaths

numb nose

red nose when I lay down

burning scalp

burning eyes

ear popping

red dots on my arms

loose uvula

 

My question is, can withdrawal symptoms go away and return a year later? Is it withdrawal that I am experiencing or is it something else?

[Nikki]

Hi Crista...

 

I don't really know the answer to your question. I do know that Effexor is a tricky drug. When I looked at your symptoms, the majority of them are anxiety symptoms. When my anxiety was so bad back in '97 I had all of these symptoms except:

 

double vision - brain zaps - tongue tremors - loose uvula - numb/red nose & ear popping

 

All of the others were anxiety/depression issues which stopped when I went in meds.

 

On meds (Paxil/Lexapro) I had a red band around my left arm and it was itchy.

 

Anxiety is so many symptoms rolled into one and yes I lost a huge amount of weight from anxiety.

 

There are alot of people here who have had experience with Effexor and they shold be along shortly to help you out.

 

Take care

[Barbarannamated]

Crista ~

I'm on the 1day at a time schedule also -

Someone else can better answer your question in scientific terms but it definitely sounds like what I've heard referred to as a window or wave -

Im not as far out as you and would love to hear about the better period prior to your current anxious wave -

[Altostrata]

crista, I moved your topic here because it introduces your situation.

 

The co-occurrence of brain zaps is a dead giveaway -- your symptoms are related to Effexor and withdrawal.

 

Have you been under an unusual amount of stress recently? It may have "broken through" a fragile recovery from Effexor a year ago.

 

One concerned doctor prefers to call it "tardive neurotoxic syndrome" -- read this topic Communications with Dr. Stuart Shipko

 

Please join us here -- I believe the coping techniques we use for withdrawal syndrome will help you recover.

[ajnjj]

I'm so sad to read an experience like this. it must be debilitating and discouraging. Try reading "hope and help for your nerves" by Claire WEekes or anything by Pema Chodron. Praying for you ....

[crista]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to help. I think it is wonderful how you are all here supporting one another and getting each other through this. I'm not giving up and I don't want anyone else to. Keep going. You can get through this. Even if you feel like you never will.

 

Your kind and compassionate words and your help mean the world to me! I never heard of a wave or a window or tardive neurotoxic syndrome. I will looking into these things.

 

Here's another question I have... Is there anything I can do to help alleviate the symptoms besides going on another antidepressant?

 

I am going to post some relaxation techniques and a treating Agoraphobia exercise soon. I found them to be a little helpful and I am hoping that they will be helpful to others. I just have to find the appropriate place.

 

Thank you,

Crista

[Altostrata]

After 1.5 years, going on another antidepressant might not help. Generally, once you've had a bad reaction, your system is sensitized and you may react badly to any psychiatric drug.

 

They really don't fix things.

 

See our Symptoms and What Helps section for tips on coping with symptoms. Taking care of yourself, reducing stress, and improving overall health is very important.

 

Are you taking fish oil, magnesium, vitamin D?

[crista]

OK thank you. I am taking Vitamin D, Fish oil, and a probiotic, going to therapy, and getting acupuncture.

[Whatever]

Hi Crista:

 

I would add some daily walking and drinking a lot of water. Gentle, Restorative, Basic or Hatha Yoga (not Vinyasa) is helpful on many levels.

[crista]

Ok thank you! I will give those things a try!

[crista]

I wish someone could tell me how much longer I'm going to have to live like this. I'm so scared that I'm never going to get better. I'm also scared that I will get better and start living my life and then it will come back and ruin everything. I was actually hoping that these doctors would find a tumor or something that is causing me to feel like this and they would just remove it or treat it and I would be cured and free to live my life.

[Nikki]

I wish someone could tell me how much longer I'm going to have to live like this. I'm so scared that I'm never going to get better. I'm also scared that I will get better and start living my life and then it will come back and ruin everything. I was actually hoping that these doctors would find a tumor or something that is causing me to feel like this and they would just remove it or treat it and I would be cured and free to live my life.

 

Crista if it is any consolation, we could probably all identify with your post. We all just want to feel normal/content and at peace both physically and emotionally/mentally.

 

I just started to pull out of a bout of depression, and I am scared that it will return again. I also understand what you mean about finding something - tangible - to explain and remove these symptoms. The most frustrating part of this process is the length of time it can take, and the good windows vs the really uncomfortable times.

 

Alto said this may just be a 'break thru' in recovery, and if that is the case, it will go away again. You are taking alot of steps to help yourself.

 

I would like to get the book AJ mentioned. Claire Weeks was a pioneer in helping people with anxiety.....

 

Just keep posting to air your feelings. It is a marvelous release and a place to share. Taking another AD, well that is a personal choice, stay far away from Effexor and Paxil. Read, research, talk to other people about their experiences, pray on it.

Bless your heart you have been off Effexor for a long time now. Maybe the further you get away from Effexor the better you will feel...

 

 

Hugs

 

Hugs

[crista]

Thank you so much for your kind and inspiring words. Don't you just wish that they could fix the antidepressants? Make them work better and have no withdrawal symptoms. I know they supposedly help a lot of people but I feel like they just ruined my life.

[Skyler]

Thank you so much for your kind and inspiring words. Don't you just wish that they could fix the antidepressants? Make them work better and have no withdrawal symptoms. I know they supposedly help a lot of people but I feel like they just ruined my life.

 

Hi Crista.. another book recommendation. Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker. If you don't want to read the entire book (it's as enthralling as a suspense thriller, Whitaker is a writer by profession), check out the chapters on depression. All psychotropics eventually cause what they are there to relieve. That is the nature of the beast... ADs, if used more than a few months will backfire.

 

Your post was very moving, I'm glad you shared.

 

Schuyler

[crista]

Thank you! I'll check it out! That means a lot to me. I tend to hold things in a lot. I really feel comfortable pushing myself to share on here.

[ajnjj]

So interesting, that they cause what they are suppose to prevent...I believe that. But what to do after the fact? I will be reading that Robert Whitaker book. Thank you.

[Altostrata]

...what to do after the fact?

Good question. We're stuck here with figuring that out.

 

To be sure, neither Robert Whitaker or Giovanni Fava have taken the possibility of prolonged withdrawal syndrome into account -- I've corresponded with them about this. It could be skewing all the statistics about relapse.

[ajnjj]

Alto,

Seems as if you know more about all this than so called " experts". May I ask, What did you mean by the skewing comment ? And is the book worth reading if they have not considered protracted withdrawal as an option? Its amazing you have had 7 long years of this. Are you healed? Did you ever try to reinstate any med at lowest possible dosage to feel better? You were not depressed or anxious before meds , correct? Has any doc helped you at all?

Thanks,

Aj

[Skyler]

Alto,

Seems as if you know more about all this than so called " experts". May I ask, What did you mean by the skewing comment ? And is the book worth reading if they have not considered protracted withdrawal as an option? Its amazing you have had 7 long years of this. Are you healed? Did you ever try to reinstate any med at lowest possible dosage to feel better? You were not depressed or anxious before meds , correct? Has any doc helped you at all?

Thanks,

Aj

 

Until Alto shows up.. a resounding YES. There are five recommended sites on the Surviving Welcome Page, the first of which goes to his Psychology Today Blog. You might also be interested in John Whitaker's Mad in America website, and the website that will tell you something about him.

 

You will get a great deal of validation, because he explores the drug industry, how psychotropics work.. in short, all the influences that brought you to the place you are now. I read the book shortly after starting my benzo taper two years ago and had one stunned 'Aha' moment from the first to last page.

 

Schuyler

[ajnjj]

Thank you shuyler,

All of this makes my opinion of the Govt, Pharma cos, and Docs trying to keep America sick so they can keep making us "better" (money in their pockets) from our food to our meds. Some of my acquaintances think I'm nuts....

[Skyler]

Thank you shuyler,

All of this makes my opinion of the Govt, Pharma cos, and Docs trying to keep America sick so they can keep making us "better" (money in their pockets) from our food to our meds. Some of my acquaintances think I'm nuts....

 

You are the sane one. You have the accurate take on this and unfortunately, there is even more than you suspect.

 

S

[Altostrata]

No, ajn, I've had depression off and on from a scarred childhood. When I went on Paxil, though, I think it was because of menopause mood changes. I should never have gone on it.

 

Although I had severe withdrawal symptoms, I never reinstated Paxil because of bad medical advice. They gave me Wellbutrin instead, which made some symptoms worse. I suffered severe withdrawal symptoms for a year until I stopped Wellbutrin, and then I started getting better. I took on too much stress in year 4, though, and I got worse.

 

I am recovering now with the help of a doctor. See this topic.

 

Throughout the years, I've read as much as I could about antidepressant withdrawal. Many of the papers about antidepressant efficacy involve putting people on antidepressants, then taking them off and seeing what happens. If they get "relapse" of depressive symptoms, this is counted as success for the antidepressant -- it shows the antidepressant was keeping depression away.

 

The problem is, none of the hundreds of studies of antidepressant efficacy recognized withdrawal symptoms. They were all counting withdrawal as relapse.

 

If withdrawal at a rate of 20%-80% was taken into consideration, it's likely NONE of these studies would have shown antidepressant efficacy. Many antidepressants probably wouldn't even have been approved by the FDA and other governing bodies.

 

Lack of efficacy showed up in Irving Kirsch's work, but even he didn't correct for mistaken withdrawal symptoms. He attributed whatever positive were shown to the placebo effect. If he also took the skew caused by mistaken withdrawal symptoms into account, he might have found the effect of antidepressants to be negative -- causing more problems than placebo.

 

The results of antidepressant studies that demonstrated relapse after discontinuation also contributed to the psychiatric theory that depression is chronic and therefore needs lifelong medication. It's all a big, disgusting, fallacious pile of dung.

[ajnjj]

Well thats interesting! I have a lot more reading to do, when i canfocus myself, my eyes and my bran all at the same time I actually enjoy reading. Always did! Thanks all! Oh, I finally added my med history and it looks so long! Sorry is there a better way to do it?

[crista]

My eyes are driving me crazy. I see double and blurry all day and my eyes feel extremely overwhelmed. I can't take any movement. I had to stop watching tv (which is unfortunate because I would watch movies to help myself relax) and now I don't drive much either. Is there anything I can do for the hypersensitive eyes and the double and blurred vision?

[Altostrata]

Have you tried sunglasses? See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/304-light-sensitive-try-blocking-out-blue-light

[crista]

Have you tried sunglasses? See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/304-light-sensitive-try-blocking-out-blue-light

 

Yes I read that topic a few weeks ago and I tried them but they made me really dizzy. They helped with the lights but not with the motion.

[Altostrata]

crista's doing a lot better, see crista on the road to recovery

[Altostrata]

crista, I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol

☼

to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

It's time to close this topic and continue the conversation in your Recovery Success Stories topc crista on the road to recovery