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Drugs to avoid in withdrawal?


lexhex

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It seems as though I am quickly becoming an"expert after the fact" on how to manage this Lexapro withdrawal since I am apparently my own guinea pig in some bizarre experiment gone awry. As many of you know from my intro, I did a rapid taper off Lex in July/August and am living with the all the physical and (some emotional joys) of the withdrawal process. Yes, folks, I have it all... insomnia, loss of appetite, constant anxiety and body buzzing, agoraphobia, gastro distress and a feeling of being completely out of control. But even then, that wasn't enough. It seems I needed to get a nice big fat cold on top of it all this week. To say I was congested would have been an understatement. So I reached for my usual comforts - the nasonex and the afrin. OMG. After dousing myself in this stuff yesterday to try to get some relief, I sent myself into an even worse panic than I was already feeling. My skin is crawling, I didn't sleep at all, can't relax (worse than the usual), I feel like my chest is on fire, and NOW I go online and find out that these are reported side effects. For someone in withdrawal, they are only 100x more severe. I ony pray that it settles back down to its usual dull roar when the stuff is out of my system for a few days. So here's the beginning of my list of things those of us wth extreme anxiety and agitation may want to SERIOUSLY consider before ingesting and/or spraying:

 

Afrin (an alpha agonist decongestant - that means it makes your body spew ADRENALINE to dilate and constrict your blood vessels)

Nasonex (a nasal corticosteroid)

Flonase (a nasal corticosteroid)

Pseudoephedrine (The "D" in your decongestant that may keep you awake for DAYS)

Benadryl (Diphenydramine - a POTENT anticholingergic with cardiac side effects)

Unisom (Doxylamine - another POTENT anticholinergic)

Melatonin (a mixed bag - may help put you to sleep but give you tachycardia and nightmares which wakes you up every two hours)

Valerian (another mixed bag - may help calm, but also give you anxiety WTH?????)

 

If any of you out there have had hellacious experiences with any drugs to treat your everyday issues, please add them to this list so I know what to avoid. I am definitely tired of the trial and error approach, which is clearly not working for me.

 

Again, thank you for providing a safe space for all of us to exchange info and get support. Sometimes it feels really lonely and scary out here.

Short term low dose Klonopin use back in 2004
Acute, protracted withdrawal after discontinuing
Began Lexapro in 2005 to ease Benzo withdrawal
Took 2 years to stabilize
Rapid taper from Lexapro in July/August 2012
Return of anxiety, insomnia and cardiac issues
Failed reinstatement early August 2012
Acute withdrawal for 9 months; intermittent symptoms for another 6

Relief on February 9, 2014 after addition of Taurine

Almost complete remission of symptoms w/addition of 12.5mg Atenolol daily

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Quinolone antibiotics are very very dangerous especially for those in benzo withdrawal, but potentially for anyone...

 

In some cases they cause an illness just by taking them even a day or two that resembles the very worst withdrawal syndrom imaginable...even in normal healthy people...so when one of us takes them the risks are that much greater.

 

Drugs like Cipro are quinolones...

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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Quinolone antibiotics are very very dangerous especially for those in benzo withdrawal, but potentially for anyone...

In some cases they cause an illness just by taking them even a day or two that resembles the very worst withdrawal syndrom imaginable...even in normal healthy people...so when one of us takes them the risks are that much greater.

Drugs like Cipro are quinolones...

 

Amazed that quinolones have no stronger warnings and are used empirically, 1st line, for many cases that may not even be bacterial.

*shudder*

 

The generic names of quinolones end in "-floxin"

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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I've not looked closely at this website that I link to below but it seems to have a collection of critical info...I have spent some time on quinolone boards...they're like our withdrawal boards...that is where I learned peole were sick a lot like we are...

 

About Fluoroquinolones: by the Quinolone Vigilance Foundation

 

Quinolones (fluoroquinolones) are a class of antibiotics that are currently one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in the world, given out in hundreds, if not thousands, of prescriptions daily. They are very powerful medications prescribed to treat a wide variety of infections but were never meant to be used as a first line of defense against routine infections, which is how they are often prescribed today. Like all antibiotics, quinolones, have the ability to cause side effects. However, what differentiates this class of antibiotics from others is that quinolones can cause severe adverse reactions that can disable the healthiest of individuals creating long lasting injuries.

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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Great topic!

 

Lexhex, you might be having paradoxical reactions to melatonin and valerian because you're taking too much, or if you're taking them together, that's too much. I never got along well with valerian myself, but melatonin has served me very well.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Even at .25 mg, of melatonin, which is very low I wake up with raging heart palpitations after 2 hours. I have avoided valerian completely because I'm terrified to do anything else that will upset the apple cart. I am highly sensitive to chemicals. Apparently my body just wants to be left alone, I think I have to listen at this point to avoid doing any more damage.

 

Hey, do you have difficulty watching movies???? I can't watch anything intense or emotional. I either cry or get panicky, even sappy romantic comedies are impossible to sit through (when I can manage to sit still.)

Short term low dose Klonopin use back in 2004
Acute, protracted withdrawal after discontinuing
Began Lexapro in 2005 to ease Benzo withdrawal
Took 2 years to stabilize
Rapid taper from Lexapro in July/August 2012
Return of anxiety, insomnia and cardiac issues
Failed reinstatement early August 2012
Acute withdrawal for 9 months; intermittent symptoms for another 6

Relief on February 9, 2014 after addition of Taurine

Almost complete remission of symptoms w/addition of 12.5mg Atenolol daily

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I think, in general, it's a good idea to stay away from OTC drugs while in withdrawal because withdrawal makes us oversensitive to so many things, even many ordinary foods and vitamins. A B-complex pill, for instance, upped my anxiety level when I was in withdrawal, and peanut butter upset my stomach.

 

I was "tapering" (far too fast) off of Lexapro about this time last year and had severely swollen sinuses along with tinnitus that was torture all by itself and which I mistook for hay fever. Decongestants of any sort sent me right up the wall and my old standby allergy medication, Allegra, made me nauseous, dizzy, and sleepy.

 

When you feel up to it, please put your drug history in your signature (directions here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/). That makes it easier for readers to understand where you're coming from the better to help you, especially people like me who've suffered through Lexapro withdrawal.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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Even at .25 mg, of melatonin, which is very low I wake up with raging heart palpitations after 2 hours. I have avoided valerian completely because I'm terrified to do anything else that will upset the apple cart. I am highly sensitive to chemicals. Apparently my body just wants to be left alone, I think I have to listen at this point to avoid doing any more damage.

 

Hey, do you have difficulty watching movies???? I can't watch anything intense or emotional. I either cry or get panicky, even sappy romantic comedies are impossible to sit through (when I can manage to sit still.)

 

I agree, listen to your body.

 

Yes, I had difficulty with anything too loud, violent, sad, or jumpy for a long time. A lot of us experienced this. See Movies that won't frazzle your nervous system!

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 1 month later...

okay lets add Remeron to that list. ugh. tried it for 11 days. broke out in a god damn rash. had to c/t that. trying to get back to how i felt before i took it. if you can imagine the horror. when will this ever get better????????

Short term low dose Klonopin use back in 2004
Acute, protracted withdrawal after discontinuing
Began Lexapro in 2005 to ease Benzo withdrawal
Took 2 years to stabilize
Rapid taper from Lexapro in July/August 2012
Return of anxiety, insomnia and cardiac issues
Failed reinstatement early August 2012
Acute withdrawal for 9 months; intermittent symptoms for another 6

Relief on February 9, 2014 after addition of Taurine

Almost complete remission of symptoms w/addition of 12.5mg Atenolol daily

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I try to dodge all of them and those that I can't I still think are doing me harm.

 

What would interest me is the list of medications that people have largely found safe, predictable and helpful.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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okay lets add Remeron to that list. ugh. tried it for 11 days. broke out in a god damn rash. had to c/t that. trying to get back to how i felt before i took it. if you can imagine the horror. when will this ever get better????????

 

lex,

 

I can't tell you when it will get better. I'm sorry you're going through this. I know how it feels and it is terrible, sometimes unbelievable.

 

If I were in your shoes, I'd consider a lengthy moratorium on new psychiatric Rx interventions.

 

Alex

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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If I were in your shoes, I'd consider a lengthy moratorium on new psychiatric Rx interventions.

 

 

I second that sentiment...

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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If I were in your shoes, I'd consider a lengthy moratorium on new psychiatric Rx interventions.

 

 

I second that sentiment...

 

Me too .. no new drugs, no new horrors.

 

An aside... it's not a psychiatric drug, but... I just got some bloodwork back with cholesterol that is somewhat elevated. Treatment will be diet modification. Pills NOT!!

As always, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! A proud supporter of the 10% (or slower) rule.

 

Requip - 3/16 ZERO  Total time on 25 years.

 

Lyrica: 8/15 ZERO Total time on 7 or 8 yrs.

BENZO FREE 10/13 (started tapering 7/10)  Total time on 25 years.

 

Read my intro thread here, and check the about me section.  "No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin

 

 

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Most anti- nausea / vomiting drugs have CNS effects and some are older antipsychotics /neuroleptics (antidopaminergics) of the phenothiazine class.

 

Reglan, Compazine, Phenergan are a few. The generic names end in "-azine". I assume the doses for nausea are lower than antipsychotic doses, but not certain.

 

http://www.drugs.com/drug-class/phenothiazine-antiemetics.html

 

Comprehensive list of drugs used as antiemetics from Wikipedia. Included are olanzapine (Zyprexa) and several psych drugs. Remeron is included, a usage I hadn't heard before.

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiemetic#section_1

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Hey, lexhex, I'm so sorry you have to suffer through the guinea pig thing. I think we've all gone down that path, some of us with some horrendous stories. I was on amino acid supplements with my alternative medicine dr for ONE WHOLE YEAR. I kept waiting for something good to happen and all that did happen was a solid year of unbelievable anxiety. I'm STILL trying to recover from that.

 

Over the counter stuff: I just had a cold and the cough was bad enough I took three doses of dextromethorphan and guafenesin. The next two days were very miserable, I had a bladder infection and took macrobid that I'd used before with no problem. Four days of the anxiety were enough for me. Also, I used some cleaning products in an enclosed, unventilated space and was sick as a dog for two days. Nausea, headache, just sick.

 

Question everything,, TRUST NOTHING! Hang in there!

I started withdrawing off remeron in August of 2009, with the help of a holistic physician.The reason for the withdrawal was a year or two of off and on nausea, deterioration in my thinking, and more depression. It took me a full year to work from 135 mg down to 45mg. At that point, more drops were causing more depression. Unfortuately, the nervousness that I was also feeling for the last year continued with the 45 mg. Thirty one days ago, I stopped the remeron. I am still feeling the nervousness every day and the last week, I am feeling what I think is depression but not sure. In bed in the morning, I'm already dreading another day feeling this way. I am intensely unsure of myself and find it very hard to do anything. I was a practicing veterinarian for 29 years until I found I could not practice anymore. First of all I couldn't think, or remember, and I had absolutely no confidence in anything I did. These were things I did with relative ease for twenty+ years. So, this feeling of no confidence has been during the time I was on the AD(the last 2 years) and today. I take no other medication other than my blood pressure meds. I tried supplements with my holistic dr. but they seemed to make the intense nervousness even more intense. Anyway, I truly feel stuck.

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  • 3 weeks later...

just remember everyone is different. Stressing in your experience is a good thing to say. Some people may truly need a med you list, a medical professional and or a pharmacist should be consulted for each and every individual case.

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Even at .25 mg, of melatonin, which is very low I wake up with raging heart palpitations after 2 hours. I have avoided valerian completely because I'm terrified to do anything else that will upset the apple cart. I am highly sensitive to chemicals. Apparently my body just wants to be left alone, I think I have to listen at this point to avoid doing any more damage.

 

Hey, do you have difficulty watching movies???? I can't watch anything intense or emotional. I either cry or get panicky, even sappy romantic comedies are impossible to sit through (when I can manage to sit still.)

 

I remember reading something some years back that melatonin is dangerous when taken by anyone on ADs or with depression. I forget the details by it had something to due with it messing up our sleep cycles and natural rhythms and even circadian rhythms which is not something that we should mess with because there's a proclivity toward hypersensitivity for most of us.

 

I am actually dead set against taking any kind of med these days other than my tegretol and klonopin. I feel like I'm risking major setbacks and long wanes. Anything that could even remotely throw my body even the tiniest bit of kilter is something I will not touch or try. The most I do not is fish oil. That's basic and natural. The rest of it, who knows what additives are in it. And even things like reiki, reflexology or acupuncture scare the hell out of me right now. It's like, to me, our balance is so fragile and I see the wanes as our bodies adapting to the most recent healing cycle. Things are different as they heal - they change and then our body tries to function but off an old template. So the adapting to the new template after healing is the way I see a wane. Course corrections. Adding anything in that could mess with how my body adapts to that healing is not something I want to risk.

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Unfortunately, you have to double-check the source of every warning. So often, there's a pharmaceutical company profit motive behind the pronouncements.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just a heads up - I've found that L-Theanine seems to have a nice calming effect. I doubt highly that it would be able to crush a full blown panic attack, but it definitely slows down the crazy. So far, no wierd side effects that I can see. I also had to jump back on non-presciption Pepcid. The GERD I had which was previously quiet while I was on Lexapro came back full force and worse than ever. I was forced to treat since I was so symptomatic. No side effects yet with the Pepcid... we'll see how it goes. Very reluctant to try anything new, and, I trust my body less and less, and the agoraphobia is still a big issue for me. I am torn between wanting to run screaming from this house and wanting to hide in the basement. I've had almost every medical test known to man since this started since I'm pretty sure I have contracted a fatal illness. (What else could make a body shut down to this degree?????) So far, the tests have come back normal. Two more to go, and maybe I can finally put my mind at ease.

 

So... L-Theanine is OK, Pepcid is OK.

 

Happy Trails My Little Peepers. Hope everyone's holidays are joyful.

Short term low dose Klonopin use back in 2004
Acute, protracted withdrawal after discontinuing
Began Lexapro in 2005 to ease Benzo withdrawal
Took 2 years to stabilize
Rapid taper from Lexapro in July/August 2012
Return of anxiety, insomnia and cardiac issues
Failed reinstatement early August 2012
Acute withdrawal for 9 months; intermittent symptoms for another 6

Relief on February 9, 2014 after addition of Taurine

Almost complete remission of symptoms w/addition of 12.5mg Atenolol daily

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We have a discussion of theanine in this forum.

 

Take care with the Pepcid. Try not to take it too long, you'll have to taper off it also to avoid rebound stomach acid.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 5 months later...

Most anti- nausea / vomiting drugs have CNS effects and some are older antipsychotics /neuroleptics (antidopaminergics) of the phenothiazine class.

 

Barbara, how did you know this?  I wish I knew it before I started taking Reglan.  I took it for 3 years, and I believe that is what turned my manageable occasional depression into a clinical one!

2005-2008: Effexor; 1/2008 Tapered 3 months, then quit. 7/2008-2009 Reinstated Effexor (crying spells at start of new job.)
2009-3/2013: Switched to Pristiq 50 mg then 100 mg
3/2013: Switched to Lexapro 10mg. Cut down to 5 mg. CT for 2 weeks then reinstated for 6 weeks
8/2013-8/2014: Tapering Lexapro (Lots of withdrawal symptoms)
11/2014 -8/2015: Developed severe insomnia and uncontrollable daily crying spells
12/2014-6/2015: Tried Ambien, Klonopin, Ativan, Lunesta, Sonata, Trazadone, Seroquel, Rameron, Gabapentin - Developed Anxiety disorder, PTSD, and Psychogenic Myoclonus
7/2015-1/2016: Reinstated Lexapro 2 mg (mild improvement, but crying spells still present)

1/2016-5/2017: Lexapro 5 mg ( helped a lot, but poor stress tolerance & depressive episodes)

5/20/2017 - Raised dose to Lexapro 10 mg due to lingering depression(Total of 2 failed tapers & severe PAWS)

9/11/2018 - Present: Still on 10 mg Lexapro and mostly recovered.(Anxiety still triggers Myoclonus.)

10/7/2022 - 20 mg Lexapro (brand only) Plus occasional Klonopin for anxiety and Ambien for insomnia.

 

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Just one of those tidbits I picked up along the way. I'm sorry it effected you badly. It's usually used in low dose and limited time for nausea but can see how it could cause mood /CNS effects.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Most anti- nausea / vomiting drugs have CNS effects and some are older antipsychotics /neuroleptics (antidopaminergics) of the phenothiazine class.

 

Barbara, how did you know this?  I wish I knew it before I started taking Reglan.  I took it for 3 years, and I believe that is what turned my manageable occasional depression into a clinical one!

 

 

They should warn you! I took Reglan when I was like19/20 for a while for severe stomach pain (for what it is worth, it was the only thing that helped), but I didn't know it was affecting dopamine. I hope I didn't hurt my brain. I don't remember exactly when I was taking it so I can't really associate it with any changes to my health then.

Tapering Zoloft, Dec 2014

Started Lamictal

Re-started Zoloft mid-Oct 2014, 25-50mg

Stopped Zoloft end of Sept 2014

Started Zoloft July 2014, 50mg

Stopped Prozac from 3mg May 2014

Stopped Effexor Dec '13 Started 10mg Prozac

Reinstated Effexor 15mg on Nov 2013

Stopped from 21mg on Oct 2013
Effexor 112.5mg, since Dec 2012

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Just want to add tramadol aka Ultram and some other names in other countries to the list. It's promoted as a pain medication but has neuroactive effects.

 

And I agree that this is very much an individual thing. There's a lot of variation in what people can and cannot handle, particularly as far as food and supplements. We all have to listen to our own bodies.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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  • 1 month later...

Sorry to bump such an old thread, but is it odd that I didn't really react to Flonase?

I am off of all meds as of May 20th, 2013, after 5 weeks on Zoloft and a 4 week taper. Still experiencing: moderate anhedonia & PSSD, I am otherwise mostly healed. 

 

2.1 years off of medication. 

 

"If I walk away, don't hate me. I've got to see where the pain will take me.

 

I found no angels...I found myself."

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  • 10 months later...

Just a heads up - I've found that L-Theanine seems to have a nice calming effect. I doubt highly that it would be able to crush a full blown panic attack, but it definitely slows down the crazy. So far, no wierd side effects that I can see. I also had to jump back on non-presciption Pepcid. The GERD I had which was previously quiet while I was on Lexapro came back full force and worse than ever. I was forced to treat since I was so symptomatic. No side effects yet with the Pepcid... we'll see how it goes. Very reluctant to try anything new, and, I trust my body less and less, and the agoraphobia is still a big issue for me. I am torn between wanting to run screaming from this house and wanting to hide in the basement. I've had almost every medical test known to man since this started since I'm pretty sure I have contracted a fatal illness. (What else could make a body shut down to this degree?????) So far, the tests have come back normal. Two more to go, and maybe I can finally put my mind at ease. So... L-Theanine is OK, Pepcid is OK. Happy Trails My Little Peepers. Hope everyone's holidays are joyful.

 

This is very interesting, since after many years of being under control, with a very low dose ppi, my GERD came back full force. The culprit?  Allegra and L-Tyrosine.   It turns out that Allegra and all other antihistamines are anticholinergic, which means that they work by blocking the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is responsible for the motility and peristalsis of the muscles that line the esophagus, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), and the rest of the stomach.  

 

Further research revealed that drugs and/or supplements that promote the production of norepinephrine, like Tyrosine or Sudafed, also diminish and relax the intestinal muscles needed to propel food forward and keep the LES closed tight.  I found this out by reading websites about gastrointestinal motility.

 

The reason our GERD was kept at bay while on SSRI's is because Serotonin is actually a promotility agent.  It enhances esophageal and gastrointestinal motility.

 

Another type of drug that can worsen GERD is Detrol La, or any other drug that is prescribed for incontinence.  It is also an anticholinergic.

2005-2008: Effexor; 1/2008 Tapered 3 months, then quit. 7/2008-2009 Reinstated Effexor (crying spells at start of new job.)
2009-3/2013: Switched to Pristiq 50 mg then 100 mg
3/2013: Switched to Lexapro 10mg. Cut down to 5 mg. CT for 2 weeks then reinstated for 6 weeks
8/2013-8/2014: Tapering Lexapro (Lots of withdrawal symptoms)
11/2014 -8/2015: Developed severe insomnia and uncontrollable daily crying spells
12/2014-6/2015: Tried Ambien, Klonopin, Ativan, Lunesta, Sonata, Trazadone, Seroquel, Rameron, Gabapentin - Developed Anxiety disorder, PTSD, and Psychogenic Myoclonus
7/2015-1/2016: Reinstated Lexapro 2 mg (mild improvement, but crying spells still present)

1/2016-5/2017: Lexapro 5 mg ( helped a lot, but poor stress tolerance & depressive episodes)

5/20/2017 - Raised dose to Lexapro 10 mg due to lingering depression(Total of 2 failed tapers & severe PAWS)

9/11/2018 - Present: Still on 10 mg Lexapro and mostly recovered.(Anxiety still triggers Myoclonus.)

10/7/2022 - 20 mg Lexapro (brand only) Plus occasional Klonopin for anxiety and Ambien for insomnia.

 

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Anything with hydrocortisone in it... provoked a really bad wave for me after having gotten much better.

 

Metronidazole (flagyl)... this made my withdrawal completely nightmarish. Only found out later it can provoke anxiety, dread, insomnia, and other nervous system alterations even in "regular" people. Also found this link that says it can act like fluoroquinolones:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=68558.0

'94-'08 On/off ADs. Mostly Zoloft & Wellbutrin, but also Prozac, Celexa, Effexor, etc.
6/08 quit Z & W after tapering, awful anxiety 3 mos. later, reinstated.
11/10 CTed. Severe anxiety 3 mos. later & @ 8 mos. much worse (set off by metronidazole). Anxiety, depression, anhedonia, DP, DR, dizziness, severe insomnia, high serum AM cortisol, flu-like feelings, muscle discomfort.
9/11-9/12 Waves and windows of recovery.
10/12 Awful relapse, DP/DR. Hydrocortisone?
11/12 Improved fairly quickly even though relapse was one of worst waves ever.

1/13 Best I've ever felt.

3/13 A bit of a relapse... then faster and shorter waves and windows.

4/14 Have to watch out for triggers, but feel completely normal about 80% of the time.

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  • 4 years later...

Benadryl and really anything off label for sleep in my opinion is a really bad idea.  We are a site for getting off drugs so I would kinda be surprised if anyone resorts to the following but I would avoid these for sure unless it is last resort.

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My Intro FB Zyprexa 2015-September 2018

1st time I tried to come straight off of 10mg Zyprexa I was hospitalized for insane insomnia.

Current - Abilify Maintena & L Theanine(for akathisia)

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Could Dramamine cause a wave? I took it twice last week before flying. I seem to be in a deeper wave than I’ve hadn’t in months....I’m healing from a severe reaction to antidepressants. I’m about 2 years out in the process. Just trying to figure out what I’ve down to trigger negative, unwanted intrusive thoughts. I’ve been doing so well with occasional ocd, but not like this in a really long time. Thoughts? I found an article online that said Dramamine could trigger your central nervous system....

mFrustrated

 

Celexa- 2 days (February 2016)

Paxil- 5 days (February 2016)

Zoloft- 11 days (February 2016)

BuSpar-2 days (June 2016)

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I realize you posted this awhile ago but thank you for sharing your list!

 

I've taken unisom (doxylamine) twice in the last few weeks and have had absolutely atrocious days afterwards. It's good to know the ingredients in a lot of OTC cold meds can be so problematic!

December 2013- zoloft 100mg, tapered off in April 13

January 2015- zoloft 100mg for ppd

March 2016- switched to celexa but tapered quickly April 2016 after significant new SE

August 2016- prescribed buspar but September 2016- switched from buspar to wellbutrin, then again to Effexor xr 75mg because of SI

July 2017- failed tapered off 75mg effexor and reinstated September 2017 effexor 37.5mg 

June 2018- too quickly tapered effexor 37.5mg, reinstated at 18.75mg,; april 2019 started taper using brassmonkey sliding scale 

**currently at 7.9 7/31/2020 , still tapering! 

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  • 9 months later...

Once I was on lithium 900mg, paxil 20mg, clonazepam and methylphenidate (similar to concerta, for ADHD) all at the same time, and I had a headache and fever and I took a medication to cure my headache and fever that had a mix of these 3 ingredients: amantadine, chlorphenamine and paracetamol and when I took it I felt MUCH WORSE, the same symptoms but much more intense, it was HORRIBLE

In 2008 I was 16 years old. 2008 - 2010 paxil, clonazepam & semisodium valproate. 2013 - 2017 many psych meds with cold switches and CT's prescribed by psychiatrists.

Nov/30/17 started quetiapine IR tablets 100mg 0-0-1. Dec/1/17 started pristiq 50mg tablets 1-0-0. Jan/14/18 started 1.5mg melatonin 0-0-1

Tramadol: 2 year well done (slow and gradual) taper: from Mar/12/18 to Feb/11/20 

Pristiq taper: Jun/15/20 Converted from pristiq 50mg to efexor xr 75mg for 57 days (felt good).  Aug/11/20 weaned to efexor 37.5mg and stayed there for 2 months with 26 days (felt good). Nov/6/20  CT 0mg of efexor xr (felt good). Total time in tapering pristiq 50mg by converting to efexor xr 75mg: 4 months with 22 days: Jun/15/20 to Nov/6/20. (felt good)

Efexor 0mg and quetiapine 100mg (Nov/6/20 to Dic/11/20) (felt good being without effexor and taking 100mg quetiapine)

Dic/11/20 quetiapine 75mg, so 75mg from Dic/11/20 to Jan/4/21  25 days. Jan/5/21 quetiapine 50mg (1 day in 50mg).

Jan/6/21 1st CT of quetiapine. Mar/1/21 CT melatonin. Felt terrible so Mar/25/21 reinstated 100mg quetiapine. 

100mg quetiapine 19 days (Mar/25/21 - Apr/13/21) Felt good while in quetiapine 100mg. 75mg quetiapine 55 days (Apr/14/21 - Jun/8/21) the 55th day (Jun/8/21)  felt hellish so CT'd quetiapine for a 2nd time on Jun/9/21. 

Jun/9/21 - Nov/16/21 1st days insomnia, anxiety, took cbd and felt very good many days (healed insomnia & anxiety), CT'd ginkgo which made me felt terrible so reinstated ginkgo. Started intolerable back pain (spasm) so tried other herbs along with cbd, then started derealization, panic, indecisiveness, nostalgia & others. Stopped taking cbd & herbs, reinstated quetiapine 75mg Nov/17/21, immediately after taking it, had severe heart palpitations, so Nov/18/21 back to cbd (no quetiapine). Nov/20/21 reinstated 75mg quetiapine (stopped cbd & herbs), severely couldn't breathe for 5 seconds after taking quetiapine 75mg so reduced to 50 mg on Nov/28/21 had new and worse and very severe adverse effects, got indecisive if CT or keep taking quetiapine because I was terrified of CT, but since the new severe adverse effects were very severe I CT, and because of indecisiveness and panic to CT, I reinstated again, then CT'd and reinstated many times, last time I was taking quetiapine it was 25mg and had severe TD, hellish anhedonia, suicidal, intrusive thoughts of imagining myself running into a wall and crashing into it and I was feeling the pain as if I was doing it in real life, involuntary thoughts of punching my face or head and shashing it against the wall and some times I did punch my face, and when I didn't, I also felt the pain just by imagining it, so definitive CT on Jul/15/22. 

Free from quetiapine and psych meds since Jul/15/22.

MY BEST ADVICE: FOLLOW SA'S GUIDELINES, DON'T CT BECAUSE IT IS HORRIFIC AND BE PATIENT TO WAIT A LONG TIME TO DO VERY SLOW AND GRADUAL TAPERS IN ORDER TO GET OFF OF YOUR MEDICATIONS, IT IS WORTH IT. THE ONLY MOMENTS WHERE IS RIGHT TO CT IS AFTER YOUR 1ST CT THAT YOU DID BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE OR IMPATIENCE, IF YOU REINSTATE AND FEEL SEVERE ADVERSE EFFECTS LIKE TD, ANHEDONIA, FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DROWNING, OR THE ONE'S I HAD, IT IS BEST TO CT IN MY EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WHEN I REINSTATED I GOT MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN I WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CT. I'm not a doctor.

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