shelbytrev Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 They put me on meds for some panic attacks I experienced for the first time in my life which I believe we're related to poor health as a young kid partying and stress related events when I was like 22. So I don't even know what my normal anxiety would be Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 Before the panic attacks I never knew what anxiety was Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 11, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 11, 2016 I changed my sig. So we can't ask other members questions ? I was just trying to explain where I was coming from. Certainly you can, but if a post is interjected with a lot of one's own issues it may get moved to his or her intro. SG Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac. Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002 Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history. Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots! Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off. Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep. June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened! Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015. Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month. 12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18: 2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 Oh ok. I didn't mean to start a big thing about myself. I didn't know how else to answer the response I got. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 16, 2016 Author Share Posted May 16, 2016 Can whining fighting kids cause neuro emotions ? I feel like I'm over reacting but it's super aggravating. Ruins my whole day. I've been really semsitive to people's comments lately too. Takes me like an hour to get over stuff. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 16, 2016 Administrator Share Posted May 16, 2016 Your Intro topic is supposed to save your having to repeat your entire history when you post somewhere else on the site. If you want to ask a question but need to iterate your story for your question to make sense, it probably belongs in your own Intro topic. 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. Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 16, 2016 Author Share Posted May 16, 2016 Are you referring to the post I just made or the one that got moved? Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 16, 2016 Administrator Share Posted May 16, 2016 Just in general, that's what we look for. We don't want someone else's Intro topic going off-topic to answer your question. 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. Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 16, 2016 Author Share Posted May 16, 2016 So I have noticed a lot of the symptoms I have been experiencing are listed on the extensive anxiety symptom list online. Down to heart palps and burning sensations. Like I said I never knew my level of anxiety for too long before they put me on a med for panic attacks a year after my dad passed. I start thinking maybe I'm just an anxiety freak and I need the meds to have a somewhat normal life. Couldn't it be possible that I'm just so sensitive that this is me and not wd. Or is it pretty much wd only 4 months out on top of whatever anxiety Issues I might have? Its just weird how almost everything I am experiencing is chalked up to massive anxiety. I mean I wouldn't question it so much if I had a longer time to gauge my anxiety pre meds. I think growing up and before I had my first panic attacks when I was about 21 I wasn't like that. I probably would have known. I'll still wait it out and see. I just hope i am not meant for a lifetime of crazy anxiety that consumes my life not caused by coming off meds. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Martina23 Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Shelby, I think it is withdrawal because I have also extensive anxiety now and I have not had anxiety in my whole life. 05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free- symptoms OCD Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted May 17, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 17, 2016 We need to remember that psych meds are known to increase both anxiety and depression. This then becomes compounded by cold-turkies or fast tapers. It all amounts to a massive trauma to our brains and Central Nervous Systems. At four months out you are still in that traumatic time-frame, and you need to allow much more time for healing to happen. Some people are more sensitive than others, but I don't believe anybody is 'wired' to be overly anxious for no reason. Life provides us with plenty of reasons to be anxious, so sensitive people like you and me need to learn extra skills and develop more self-awareness. I see it as a positive - I now know myself so much better, and that means I can negotiate situations better and set my life up to suit me. It's really just a process of fine-tuning, and it's one I'm starting to enjoy now that I'm not fighting it or scared of it. Perhaps you can put your energy into discovering just what it is you need in order to feel comfortable in your skin. It can be a really delightful experience. 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 So pretty much at 4 months I should just keep telling myself it's wd? I know I need to be careful and do things to ease anxiety. It's just the things that I didn't have before meds that are super annoying and make think I'm going crazy. Like intrusive thoughts or phrases. Had those come up again today. But they could be gone tomorrow. They almost put me in a trance and then the "what ifs " start. Like what if I'm going psychotic and hearing voices?? And I can't focus on anything but them.. Is that normal ? In the moment of a bad wave I get discouraged and think I'm just crazy now, then it eases or changes a bit and I think I can keep going and rife this out. And if I google all that comes up is I have a mental illness and need medication. So I stopped doing that. I know I have a lot of stress in my life right now. But I can't run away. And I don't want to reinstate unless I get absolutely no good moments since the med wasn't working anyways. Is it at least a good sign that my intrusive thoughts went from everyday to every couple of days sometimes? I feel so stupid coming on here and bugging people and asking the same questions. I guess I just have a really hard time accepting this is wd and not a new illness. And I do have ok days. Just don't need to come on here when I have them ???? Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted May 18, 2016 Moderator Share Posted May 18, 2016 If you didn't have them before your started the drugs then they are WD. If they come and go in waves and windows and they slowly appear to be getting better, then they are WD. People who are crazy or psychotic don't know that they are. It's very hard not to focus on the ruminating thoughts, but that is what you have to train yourself to do. Every time you catch yourself paying attention to them do everything possible to break the spiral. Change what you're doing, force other thoughts, sing, dance, play with the dog. Every moment you can break away from them is gaining you control. At first it can be exhausting to keep it up, but with time it becomes easier and finally second nature. 20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013. Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks. The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better. Final Dose 0.016mg. Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017 "It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general." Stephen Hawking Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 If you didn't have them before your started the drugs then they are WD. If they come and go in waves and windows and they slowly appear to be getting better, then they are WD. People who are crazy or psychotic don't know that they are. It's very hard not to focus on the ruminating thoughts, but that is what you have to train yourself to do. Every time you catch yourself paying attention to them do everything possible to break the spiral. Change what you're doing, force other thoughts, sing, dance, play with the dog. Every moment you can break away from them is gaining you control. At first it can be exhausting to keep it up, but with time it becomes easier and finally second nature. Thank you. That's what my therapist said to do also. But not on the theory of withdrawal. I don't even go there with him and never tried. More that I am not hearing voices but it's an obsession that I revert to, maybe when I'm avoiding something. Who knows , but the only obsession I had before meds was shopping lol . And still on meds. But now I don't really even enjoy that ????. I have a couple obessions now. Non of them are any fun. And one is including this stupid wd. He swears up and down I'm not psychotic, even with all I tell him happens to me from all this. Yes all my symptoms come and go. Get better and then come back , up and down. But there was a time when the thoughts were constant non stop all day for like 2 months. Knock on wood not that extreme right now. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
btdt Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 All withdrawal peace to you WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 Can intrusive thoughts get louder and then quiet down ? Or seem that way ? Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Martina23 Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 By me they are always present but sometimes they are much stronger (most probably in the wave) and sometimes they dont bother me at all. I get sometimes loud thoughts too, mostly when I am reading some text and it feels as if the person really told that. But I never heard real voices, I have only fear that I would one day hear loud voices. 05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free- symptoms OCD Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 By me they are always present but sometimes they are much stronger (most probably in the wave) and sometimes they dont bother me at all. I get sometimes loud thoughts too, mostly when I am reading some text and it feels as if the person really told that. But I never heard real voices, I have only fear that I would one day hear loud voices. I get the thing where I hear someone else's voice when I'm reading a text too or thinking about them. But my friend who is semi normal lol never any meds does the same thing. That doesn't bother me so much. And I get that upon waking or trying to fall back asleep in the morning which never happens like this morning I heard my husband say something in my half sleep mode. Those have also let up. My intrusive thought is mostly the same phrase. So even if I'm not having the thought I sometimes think it in my head and it starts again. So that's what makes me think also it's not voices it my own thought. But still scary. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 And the fact that I can't make it shut up sometimes is what scares me also. Like I have no control so that's what makes me think it's not "my voice". But I guess that's the ocd part of it. Which I never had either so grrrr. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Martina23 Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 https://m.box.com/shared_item/https%3A%2F%2Fapp.box.com%2Fs%2Fea1zlrshroqc3u4gcqydscn0kr1c212t Shelby, I tried to send you a link from Baylissa Frederick about intrusive thoughts per mobile phone, try if it functions when not I will send it per computer. Repetitive thoughts, dialogues from movies or songs are also withdrawal symptom as she writes there. 05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free- symptoms OCD Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 Thank you . I have read her book and it helped me a lot in the start. I just start thinking maybe because she mostly focused on benzos that maybe that info didn't apply to me. It's my anxiety thinking negative and the worst. I hope she's right that it's also Ssri's too. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted May 18, 2016 Moderator Share Posted May 18, 2016 Everyone gets repetitive thoughts, phrases, and bits of music. It's referred to as having an "ear worm". It basically amounts to a muscle spasm or hick up in the brain where the same group of nerves fire over and over again. For us it's part of the brain being rewired but still not working quite right. Like a twitching muscle you can ignore it until it goes away, or you can gently massage it, exercise it and get it to relax. But also like a twitching muscle tensing against it only makes it get worse. 20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013. Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks. The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better. Final Dose 0.016mg. Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017 "It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general." Stephen Hawking Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 So pretty much anything weird or disturbing that happens to me at this point mentally or physically that didn't happen before poopout and coming off I just chalk it up to wd? Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
nz11 Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 So pretty much anything weird or disturbing that happens to me at this point mentally or physically that didn't happen before poopout and coming off I just chalk it up to wd? Pretty well sums it up. Of course if something reeeeally weird happens like you can suddenly play the violin when you couldn't before i don't think that is withdrawal. imo As Breggin says in withdrawal the best rule is 'to expect the unexpected.' Hey Shelby i noticed you only have another 2 weeks and you will be 6 months drug free, i think? Just wanted to say that is tremendous. Good going. You are doing it. nz11 Later ...correction oh yeah 5 months...well only one more month and its 6. wishing you bigger windows Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 So pretty much anything weird or disturbing that happens to me at this point mentally or physically that didn't happen before poopout and coming off I just chalk it up to wd?Pretty well sums it up.Of course if something reeeeally weird happens like you can suddenly play the violin when you couldn't before i don't think that is withdrawal. imo As Breggin says in withdrawal the best rule is 'to expect the unexpected.' Hey Shelby i noticed you only have another 2 weeks and you will be 6 months drug free, i think? Just wanted to say that is a tremendous effort. Good going. You are doing it. nz11 Oh I wish 6 months !! Only 4 1/2 .. So 5 in two weeks drug free. Off Effexor I think more like 7 months. Feels like a lifetime!! I hope I can make it a full year... I'm coping and functioning but the flare ups are discouraging. Hey some bigger Windows could be around the corner ??? Wishful thinking ????just put me in a coma till this is gone already !! Wouldn't that be nice. Maybe not lol Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 I swear when my mind chatter and ocd intrusive repetitive thoughts happen it's almost like a little psychotic episode. I know it's probably just a very massive anxiety type thing. So strange Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
btdt Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9671-intrusive-thoughts-and-increased-panic/ http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9392-intrusive-repetitive-song-symptom-or-ear-worms/?hl=%2Bintrusive+%2Bthoughts#entry164418 I think there are other links about intrusive thoughts I just can't find now if I find them I will link them. WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 If I pay attention to them they get out of control. But sometimes I have no choice and they just pop up. But I think my obsession and that I'm worried about being psychotic and hearing voices that I ruminate on them . And then they keep repeating in my head. Like the parts of songs that so that to me. But my intrusive thoughts come back as a "scary whisper voice". I imagined up after watching a YouTube video about being schitzo. Sometimes it's just one things that will repeat over and over in the "whisper voice". Today I was stressing over the thoughts and they just kept coming and ruminating in the background of my normal thoughts. And they all are based on telling myself I should just die. Kills myself , or my kids. Or calling myself names. It's very strange. They were really calmed down the last week and then boom. Back stronger than ever. Like I can't even hold a conversation without hearing these thoughts. Super annoying. And I feel so guilty for having these thoughts. But then when they finally let up I almost look for them. Or today I kept imagining more things voices would say that are bad. Why would I want to do that to myself?? And that when I get scared they are actual "voices". But my psych and therapist swear they are not. It all started after I read something about a guy having these thoughts and then I went and watched a dumb YouTube video. It messed me all up. I can make the thoughts happen which make me think they are not real voices. But then once they start its not so easy to stop. And then sometimes it's not an issue and I can ignore them easier. My therapist says I'm so scared about being schitzo that it's making me crazy. And some people said they had this issue before meds. I never did. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
btdt Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 There is a book called the power of now..in that book the author starts by waking in bed ready to do away with himself at that point he thought the intrusive thoughts he was having in bed had stopped... he came to the idea there are two parts of his brain one part that drones on... another part that makes decisions like that of dying... when the deciding part is in action mode the other part shuts up... hence peace In his book he had an exercise to get this chattering part of the brain to stop... I had posted this in other threads about intrusive thoughts and was hoping to find it but I can't so here is how it works. Focus intently on the next thought wait for it.. if one comes start over.... that's it simple isn't it... It took some work but it worked for me the intrusive thoughts eventually stopped the more I worked this small gift the better it worked. After the thoughts were gone for a good long while they came back ... I was not looking forward to the drudgery of starting over working the program cause it was a lot of work to start with... but to my amazement first or second try it worked as well as my best results from it previously so once you have this under your belt it could be it remains there ready as a tool and does not rust... The book really helped me at that time I recommend it. wishing you peace WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 Well fortunately the part of my brain that is the doing part is still working correctly. Or I would be really screwed. Then I tried this thing where I try to pep talk myself and that even freaks me out cause I'm talking to myself. I think I was so dumbed down on meds that all my thoughts and brain activity is in chaos. And I scare myself even more with my obsession and playing out the part. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
btdt Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 The act of focusing on the next thought is meant to stop the thoughts. Have you tried it? WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment
btdt Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 What sort of chaos? I think there are different levels of it .. not sure what state I was in when I found that book I know it was bad and the book helped. WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment
shelbytrev Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 Chaos like my brain is doing all kinds of weird disturbing things that have never happened to me before. I just hope one day I can say "oh ya I used to have that but it's much less now or hardly happens". Without going back on an ad. My therapist said ads help control ocd and obsession type things. But I told him I never had these before the ads! I do the thought thing. It just gets tiring sometimes. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years Effexor 75mg approx 9 years Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes. Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg As of 1-8-2016 off everything Link to comment
btdt Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 You will one day say exactly that... I never had that sort of thought process ever till wd... so it will end eventually. I know it is tiresome and wearing but a good part of the power it has is just now you don't KNOW it will end... I got into the habit of taking the power away from it by saying "oh effexor thoughts" and doing my best to engage in something else. One thing may sound silly and I would never have come to it on my own..my sister had surgery and was in bed she had a word find book one where you circle the words very simple for most people. Not so simple for me in wd I tried it and found it helped. You never know what might work keep seeking trying small mundane things that engage your brain. Don't get me wrong I am not making out that this is simple and easy to remedy I know how unsettling worrisome and trying it is, still there are things that help finding them are not always easy doing them after you find them isn't always easy either... I don't know why one would think once I found something that helped I would just do it but I often had to let it get the best of me first then I would try something to end it... I think they latter was caused by apathy another wd thing that comes and goes. I do sincerely wish you peace it is so hard to come by one you have a taste it is the prize to keep. peace WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted May 20, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 20, 2016 Hey ST - You wrote: It's like I'm a kid watching a horror movie. Very strange. I'm assuming that's anxiety. Or (try a perspective shift here) - your body is firing adrenaline, and raising your heart rate, sweating, fight-or-flight reaction, and your BRAIN has been CONDITIONED to interpret these body signals as "fear" or "anxiety." Try - the next time it hits - to see - is it just a physical response? Can you separate your emotions and your brain from the physical reaction? Chessie's posts (on page 3) linking you to Claire Weekes will address this concept further. I had practice for this during menopause - my hot flushes came directly after a shot of adrenaline. I would get cut off in traffic, FRIGHT! and then a hot flush. That taught me it was purely a physical response (though, perhaps the adrenaline made my reflexes just a little better in live traffic) and I was able to let go. Plus - as much as I love a good movie - the movies are really hyped up gladiator fests these days - music too loud - dialogue too low - designed to evoke a physical and emotional response for the viewer. Fast cuts, manipulative music - I just hate the way the movie experience manipulates me. I like to choose my feelings. I watch movies at home, where I have a pause and slow-mo button, and can control the volume. (now if we could just get the dialogue to be clearer than the background music / noise!) If you watch older movies - I watched one from 1968 last night - you will notice that the performance is slower, more evenly paced, almost sedate compared to modern movies. Our world spins faster and faster, and our kids aren't "entertained" if a movie or song doesn't whack them in the limbic system, and then rattle it around. Hunh. So - the feeling you describe here? Sounds human to me. "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment
sollicitudo Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 shelbytrev, we seem to have somewhat similar pre-med stories. In my late teens I was fed up with school, stressed and somewhat depressed. I partied a lot during the weekends and the second time I tried smoking weed it didn't make me feel good at all, but I endured the bad high and pretended I was fine thinking everything would be ok the next morning. I woke up feeling better but not 100%, I didn't think about this anymore until I was hit with an insane panic attack a few days later. I went on to develop an anxiety disorder about my mental health. I had lost a sense of control over my mind that made me feel like I was going to "lose it" any second. I would literally lay awake at night thinking that I would start hearing voices which was a terrifying thought to me. Well, that never happened of course, but the pure exhaustion from this condition and the perceived "failures" in life that it brought with it led up to me starting my medication. If I could go back in time and give myself some advice, it would be to surrender and not try to fight to stay in control. I know in hindsight that all the worries brought on by my strange sensations were much more painful than the sensations themselves. I hope you can relate to this in some way! Take care Effexor 150mg July 2011 - March 2014 Link to comment
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