uncomfortablynumb: withdrawal symptoms or anxiety / depression

June 3, 2019

Hi, I found your thread because I related to some of your symptoms. I know you have been asking if anyone recovers from this... I wonder the same thing... but it sounds like you are someone who has recovered from this in the past... so I think you can again. Sorry to hear you are feeling this way though, it is awful.

July 1, 2019

MMMM - how long have you been going through this? Last time I got off Remeron then Ativan I suffered with these symptoms but it didn't last nearly as long. I feel more numb and blank this time around or maybe I forget what it was like. I am scared though. Life has become a non-experience. Can't feel anything. I am almost 40 now. Still pretry young so if this is permanent it is could be a long wait to die.

Do people usually not recover from the depersonalization and numbness? It has been 9 months now of dissociation and being emotionless. Have not felt any happiness or laughed this whole time.

Not sure if this was caused by kindling (alcohol) or trauma/life stress (death in family, moving etc.). Does it matter in regards to recovery? Feel empty and brain damaged.

October 19, 2019

I am still suffering from severe insomnia (never get over 2hrs sleep), head pressure and brain burning, emotional blunting, blank mind, dp/dr, anxiety, depression, and tinnitus. Is there anything I can do at this point? Is this stuff even going to get better? Very difficult to continue on like this.

October 19, 2019

As you know, we're not in a position to recommend drugs for sleep. Have you tried any of songbird's suggestions, or any of these?

We have to think in terms of very gradual improvement. Anything you can do to improve your sleep a little bit is good.

Are you getting at least a half-hour of gentle exercise, such as walking, every day?

Are you avoiding alcohol and caffeine?

On 4/25/2019 at 10:59 PM, Altostrata said:

....

Is your bedroom very dark, cool, and quiet? Have you tried melatonin again, perhaps starting with 0.5mg?

Melatonin for sleep: Many people find it helpful

Tips to help sleep -- so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

What is the sleep cycle?

TV or computer use in evening can disrupt sleep: Bright light signals the brain that it's daytime

Music for self-care: Calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

That soft music might help you in conjunction with Easing your way into meditation for a stressed-out nervous system

....

October 20, 2019

Hi Alto,

I have cut out caffeine and alcohol. I only have had decaf a few times in past few months. Back before Hell broke lose late last year I remember my last time drinking. The alcohol had no effect on me, like no regular inebriated feelings. Strange. Also at the same coffee didn't give me the regular perk up. It is really messed. Wonder if those are signs of a screwed up nervous system.

I have been trying to go for regular walks and get sun. I have taken melatonin over the last few months at low doses up to 5mg. Not sure if it has helped because never have gotten over two hours. Think it might be making me more depressed and head pain worse.

Have tried progressive muscle relaxation in bed and didn't help. Also any audio seems to keep me awake.

I could try and stay away from blue light a little earlier since I have failed at that. I tried using my blue blocking glasses but that hasn't helped.

Is the head pressure and burning some sort of nerve damage like central pain syndrome? This symptom is pretty disturbing. The loss of self and personality is hard to live with too. Feel erased. Do you know of others who have recovered from these things?

I recovered from this situation before. But this time it is not improving and I am afraid of it being permanent.

This is all a nightmare and I probably need some dental work done including removal and replacement of mercury filling and a filling or root canal. Been holding off but I am just not getting better.

October 20, 2019

Those are symptoms of a nervous system destabilized by adverse drug effects and withdrawal.

Please do what you can to improve your sleep environment, if only a little. Melatonin is best taken at nightfall -- around 9 or 10 p.m. at this time of year. Even 0.25mg can be effective. You'll need to take it at the same time each night and turn off the lights for it to do its work. This may not happen immediately.

March 12, 2020

Hi @uncomfortablynumb so sorry to see you suffering so much. I can relate to almost all of your symptoms. Just wanted to see how you are doing?

March 16, 2020

Thanks for asking. I am still struggling as bad. I am sorry if you are in similar shoes. I don't know if these head symptoms, especially the brain burning, are signs of permanent damage. It is just not letting up.

March 16, 2020

45 minutes ago, uncomfortablynumb said:

Thanks for asking. I am still struggling as bad. I am sorry if you are in similar shoes. I don't know if these head symptoms, especially the brain burning, are signs of permanent damage. It is just not letting up.

Sorry to hear. Are you still hardly sleeping more than 2 hours a night?

March 18, 2020

I still am not sleeping much at all. It is ridiculous that it is not getting better. Have you read about insomnia lasting years or head pressure and burning? I need some kind of reassurance that this is not permanent. Went to a neurologist and they didn't do tests. They just wanted to prescribe Topamax before doing any investigation. Topamax sounds horrible if you read about it. I am feeling so lost and defeated.

March 18, 2020

36 minutes ago, uncomfortablynumb said:

I still am not sleeping much at all. It is ridiculous that it is not getting better. Have you read about insomnia lasting years or head pressure and burning? I need some kind of reassurance that this is not permanent. Went to a neurologist and they didn't do tests. They just wanted to prescribe Topamax before doing any investigation. Topamax sounds horrible if you read about it. I am feeling so lost and defeated.

Really sorry to see you suffering so much. I have all the severe cognitive symptoms, anhedonia, depersonalization, squeezing head pressure, burning brain, etc. I do get windows of improvements every now and then, although waves dominate 95% of the time. I did notice that if I sleep less than 6.5 hours, all of my symptoms are more severe. I can thus only imagine the havoc your brain has been experiencing given how sleep deprived you are. Have you had any slight improvements/windows of improved sleep? I know individuals that suffer protracted benzo withdrawal can go several years with minimal sleep then they recover and all their symptoms resolve as soon as their sleep is normalized.

Regarding Topamax, the neurologist wanted to see if by numbing your neurons he could trigger sleep. However, all those drugs create dependence and worsen the quality of sleep as shown in Dr. Matthew Walker's (world-renowned sleep scientist) novel "Why We Sleep?"

Do you still take ativan? I have no doubt that this you are suffering from severe protracted withdrawal syndrome, with many symptoms exacerbated by lack of sleep which was either triggered by stress combined with intrinsic chemical, synaptic, and structural changes that can occur during withdrawal at any point in time, or the latter alone.

I am confident that you will heal from this but it will likely take many more months.

How many hours of sleep do you get on average?

March 19, 2020

Hi All

Hoe you don’t mind me joining your thread. I’ve been going through hell (six months CT from amitriptyline). I can tick your symptoms in relation to insomnia and particularly head tension/pressure/squeezing etc. The latter is probably the worst, as it contributes to insomnia at night and then communicating and functioning during the day. Sometimes pressure, sometimes numbness, sometimes pins and needles sensation. Pretty 24/7 now.

Other main symptoms are worsening head tremor and nerve pain/numbness/pins and needles in both lower legs. Don’t think I saw these in your blog?

Hope things improve for you.

God bless.

May 8, 2020

Unconfort, how is your sleep?

I getting 15 min sleep the last two days its horrible. My head and fingers keep jerking.

May 9, 2020

Just recovered to baseline sleep. It was getting hard. Tried melatonin and it helped.

May 16, 2020

This is just not getting better. Never sleep over 2hours and go days without. Never feel sleepy still.

Head pressure and brain burning has not changed at all.

Also cannot feel any emotion at all. Stuck with DP/DR. Just depressed and anxious. Can't feel joy, laugh, cry.

Other things that are less concerning, considering the above are awful, include tinnitus and I have become almost completely night blind.

I don't see too many people recovering from my set of symptoms. It seems like if you have a burning brain with a lot of head pressure the chances of recovering go way down. I took way too many drugs and have done too many cold turkeys.

If anyone knows of anyone who has recovered from my symptoms please let me know. Not in a good place now.

May 18, 2020

Hello,

Your symptoms sound like very common symptoms (DP/DR, anxiety, despair, tinnitus...).

Almost all people here have gone through them, and Succes stories show us healing will come

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forum/28-success-stories-recovery-from-withdrawal/

I know how hard it can be, it is so hard to remember that it is only temporary while going through the worse of it. But it will. Slowly, gradually, healing is happening ❤️

May 28, 2020

Unconfort, just wide awake as i AM writting this. My brain simply does not shut down. Tinitus on left side just horrible. Gabapentin sometimes work sometimes not. Having constant head jerks to the left right back, i seem like a stupid robot. Your persistence gives me hope to endure. You are a hero men.

We will win this. We have to.

May 29, 2020

Unconfort, i know it is hard, but can you recall what happened from june to on october 2017? What do you thing that lead you to recover on October 2017? Do you remember doing something different with the meds, tried anything unusual?

Or could it be something is interfering with your recovery? Could you have lyme? Remember Lyme is not diagnosable from blood tests,because they come negative most time? Did you ever had any marks in your skin? Ever had facial palsy in your life? What had lead you to take effexor in the first place? Depression can be a sign of infection «, a chronic infection like lyme or bartonella. Dont give up to rule out every single cause in your entire life since you have born until now, you might find something unusual or something that doctors said to you are normal and you must live with it, dont trust them they might horribly wrong, in fact medical error is on of the main causes of death in the world, be carefull, if there another way, dont rely only on what everyone tells you, go out of the box and dont give up. Not everything is withdrawal, not everything is Lyme, not everything is infection, but it something for sure.

You could try NAC its tolerable and chelates metals from the body and it is used to detox liver toxicity in hospitals. But it has a repair purpose on the brain, it inhibits glutamante wish is the excitatory neurotransmiter in the brain. Research it and find studies about it. It even modulates anxiety and is used for psychiatric disorders.

its not a drug, it even works as an antibiotic.

Please do your own research on it and make your decision, try something else. Dont give up.

May 29, 2020

1 hour ago, Mirthazard said:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320789/

Effect of NAC on sleep deprivation:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316124351_Effect_of_N-Acetyl_cysteine_on_some_behavioral_and_oxidative_Stress_parameters_in_sleep_deprived_mice

May 29, 2020

It even helps to recover from brain injury:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3989181/

August 4, 2020

How are you doing my friend? Tried NAC? Hope you get well. Best of health.

December 3, 2020

I actually did the remeron thing for about a month after panicking after my last dose of Prozac. I did not feel any help from it and then had to taper that down. In the end, for me it just seemed like it prolonged the taper process. I would love to be another month down the road free of this and in the rebuilding process. I don't have any opinions on whether or not it is a good idea. Just sharing my experience.

December 9, 2020

Uncomfortablynumb, How are you my friend? Hope you are better

January 12, 2021

Were ever you are my friend, you fought everyday, hope you still fighting, like you, my hope is starting to fade too. At least you were my hope, my friend. Everytime i saw your posts on how you coped so many days without sleep, i got encouraged to endure too, but now i have lost the hope for me too.

I see you around were ever you are.

March 15, 2022

@uncomfortablynumb

How are you feeling?

I have the same symptoms you were experiencing in your relapse!

March 15, 2022

Thank you so much for asking. Anxiety is intense!!! It's been 18 months since my last dose and I'm shocked that I'm still struggling as much as I am. Very limited in my daily activities and work even though I am faking my way through it and scraping by. I freak out and think I need to do something here, throw in the towel or something and then I pick myself up for another day. My husband says he sees improvement. I can totally keep going if I knew it was going to heal one day and give me freedom from this rollercoaster. My wishful thinking is that I wish I could see inside my body a map of where I was, where I am and if this is going somewhere that resembles healed. Like what thechell is going on in there to feel this way after over 2 years total. That for me is the challenge. I really need to work on recommitting to a vision that I am doing this because I intend to be healed and free one day. I'm feeling a little resigned right now. I would love to hear from others on how they stay positive in their vision and commitment. The upside is I'm still here taking it one day at a time and the tiny spark of hope is still outweighing the thought of going back. Blessings to you. Would love to hear how you are.

September 19, 2022

Hi Everyone,

I was med-free and recovered (living on my own, trying different new jobs, building new relationship) from withdrawal for almost 2 years but early this year had stressful stuff happen (changing jobs and not finding a good placement and running out of my savings and some major relationship stresses). I am not sure if this is a bout of depression/anxiety or a withdrawal setback. It started again around July. I have been having the same symptoms of: depression, high anxiety, insomnia, depersonalization, derealization, emotional numbness, and blank mind.

Could anxiety and panic cause all this? I am not working now and will have to go back home and live with my mom until I recover and find work/better work. I had to tell my girlfriend we needed a break so I can figure this situation out. It is all pretty horrible.

I did something I regret, but I was desperate with severe sleep deprivation and got prescribed Remeron yet again (knowing I had a problem with it and withdrawals in the past). I only took it at 15mg for 8 days, then 7.5mg for 3 days, then 3.75mg for 3 days, and then 1.875mg for 3 days. Is this safe? Or will I run into trouble?

September 19, 2022

Merged with existing topic.

Hello, @uncomfortablynumb As you know, we don't provide support for people to ge remedicated, we have enough to do. We cannot tell you if you will run into trouble. You know how to taper off when you want to.

September 21, 2022

At what point after stopping mirtazapine (30hr-ish half life) are you in clear of severe WD symptoms?

I stopped taking mirtazapine 3 days ago (after being on for 2wks) and so far have a bit of nausea, dizziness, and uptick of anxiety.

I am wondering at what point I may be in the clear for avoiding severe withdrawal (extreme insomnia, worse head pressure etc.)? I think I remember the severe insomnia almost came the first or second night after stopping mirtazapine the first time. But since mirtazapine has such a long half life, is it possible to start experiencing severe withdrawal a week after cessation?

I had healed for over 1.5 years and then insomnia (along with my other symptoms of past withdrawals) came back and broke me into taking the pills (have since told my psych I am really done with them this time because it is a dead end). I was cursing myself after starting again.

Edited September 21, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

September 21, 2022

The effect of psychiatric drugs is cumulative. What happened in the past may not be the same thing that will happen this time.

And sometimes withdrawal symptoms can be delayed. When I cold turkeyed citalopram I felt really great for about 2 months and then became bedridden for 2.5 weeks with what felt a bit like the flu but it wasn't. I was not able to eat and lost 8kgs in that time. It wasn't until I found SA (after going onto Pristiq and then trying to get off it) that I realised that it was withdrawal.

What is helpful to understand is that it not to do with the half life of the drug and it "being out of your system". When we take a psychiatric drug the brain makes adaptations to getting the drug. And then when it is taken away the brain has to adapt to not getting the drug, in this case none at all. Generally it can take as little as 1 month for the brain to fully adapt to getting a drug. The process now needs to be reversed. So being on it for 2 weeks your brain will have been part of the way there. It will depend of how much your brain had adapted to getting the drug and how your nervous systems reacts to not getting the drug which will be affected by your past drug history.

You've been a member here 1 year longer than I have so I would have thought by now that you understand how it works.

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uncomfortablynumb: withdrawal symptoms or anxiety / depression

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