Terry4949: withdrawal help

[Bruin]

Hi Terry....am not sure if you are checking in on this site at the moment but am just stopping by to ask how you are doing.

I know it has been an extremely tough time for you. Sending all Best Wishes.

 

Bruin

[Terry4949]

things have gone from bad to worse , after speaking to my doctor and saying I was feeling suicidel he had me go in to a mental health hospital for my own safety, in which they took me of my 90mg of pregablin c/t and we're going to stop my mirtazapine as well , as they said that the drugs are not working so we might as well stop them all , I had to beg to stay on the mirtazapine , 4 weeks I have been in there and now at home , but the physical side effects are horrible , headaches constant shaking , severe sweating ,chills lack of appetite , fatigue of the scale , what can I do to ease these , I have not had much luck with magnesium , and vitamins Mack my anxiety worse , I went to see my doctor and he won't give me any pregablin , wants me to go on clorazapam to help with the anxiety but I'm not going on any more drugs especially a benzo, but so need some relief

[leahy]

I'm so sorry that happened to you, Terry! That is my biggest fear - say the wrong thing to the psychiatrist and they "hospitalize you for your own safety."  (I am very careful about what I say to my pdoc.) Then things go from bad to worse. I've seen this before. That treatment is criminal and should be prohibited. Sorry, but hey have NO CLUE about what they are doing in the hospital. Of course you feel terrible with headaches, constant shaking , severe sweating, chills, lack of appetite, fatigue. It's mean and cruel to treat someone like that and makes me very angry to hear about it. My heart goes out to you.

 

I know clorazapam is bad and it scares me too. But it could help temporarily and provide some relief. In my humble opinion.

 

I hope someone else comes along here with some better advice for you than I can come up with.

 

Hugs.

Leahy

[Bruin]

Such a difficult spot Terry.......I found the WD from Lyrica to be horrible and just how you describe.

I do not think it responsible of your Doctor to CT you. I do hope that one of the Mods can help advise.

I am so glad that they did not CT you off the Mirt as well.

 

I did get past the Lyrica but like you, being in protracted WD from Effexor, I found it both bad to be on and bad to WD from.

It will pass Terry even though it really does not feel like it. We are all different but I relate to your experience with Pregabalin.

It took a while but slowly the more extreme symptoms improved. 

 

I did take Valium at 6 mg a day for a Month during the worst of my Lyrica WD .....It helped get me through the worst 

but of course I have to deal with some consequence from that...

[Terry4949]

As I am struggling with withdrawel anxiety amongst many other things , if I take klonopine for a short while let's say 2 weeks will it affect my protracted withdrawel , and as I am suffering with depression will it make my depression worse , I'm hoping to hear from a moderator , as I have had my lyrica cut c/t I have been suffering big style

[Hibari]

Terry I am so sorry for how you are suffering, it's horrible what your doctor did to you and unfair.  The only non benzo thing I have taken for anxiety that worked is something called L-Theanine.  It's an amino acid and I have taken up to 200mgs 3 x a day when the anxiety was bad.  It was recommended to me by my psychiatrist.  

 

I know it may be hard to get out and get some at this time but it's the only thing I have taken that has helped with anxiety.  I know other people have tried other things so there may be more suggestions.  

 

I am hoping a moderator will be able to advise you on whether taking a low dosage of a benzo to would help with your wd anxiety.    You have been thrown into this kind of severe wd you may need some medication help to get you through the worse.  None of this is your doing.

[scallywag]

Terry, I'm sorry that you are in this difficult spot.

 

About the Klonopin, a benzodiazepine: Some people can become dependent on a benzo in as little as 2 weeks of taking one. It's almost impossible to know what your "line" is until after you've crossed it. The Klonopin may help your anxiety; if it doesn't then you would increase dose risking new symptoms and longer taper off it.

 

Again I'm sorry that you're having to make such awful decisions.

[Terry4949]

Thanks scallywag for your reply , I have decided that I am not going to try the klonopin , and will try and tough it out , just what with withdrawel and the doctors stopping my pregablin it's a tough ride , I don't know how long this is going to set my recovery back ,

[Bruin]

Good for you Terry.......I am so sorry that you are in this tough spot ....Sending all best wishes Wishes. 

[Terry4949]

What do you do when you are getting worse , I am bedridden have been for four days , I can't eat ,sleep , I have no energy , I am so hot all the time , I want to cry all the time , depression is bad and anxiety as well , I have given up on life , it's been 2 years now and it's been relentless but I am definitely far worse now than I was 12 months ago , at least then I was able to mobilise myself , even to drink water is a effort , I can't work I have no income , I have had no windows just months and months of feeling so unwell a sickness that is so bad I wouldn't wish it on anyone , no supplements seem to work , tried fish oil magnesium etc , at what point do you start to feel better or get some hope , doctors cannot help me as I won't take medications , my life is slipping away from me fast now , but it is definitely getting worse , I thought that by now I would have seen some kind of improvement , where do we go from here

[Bruin]

Oh Terry.....am sorry that you are suffering so. 

You are still only 3 months out from the Lyrica CT. which can be a brutal experience particularly when  affected by the Effexor WD.

Are you on Remeron still ? 

 

My guess is that you are worse because of the Pregabalin experience. As you know I came off it quickly and also suffered badly for a few months.

It will pass eventually however much it does not feel like it......Many people have difficulty coming off Pregabalin and it is harder when compounded by 

protracted WD from Effexor.

 

Do you best to practice a little self care.....every little bit counts. 

 

Sending all best wishes to you Terry.

[scallywag]

Terry, I'm sorry to read that symptoms haven't yet improved for you. I wish there was something we could suggest other than riding out the symptoms as best you can.

 

What non-drug techniques are you using to deal with symptoms?

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

Change the channel - dealing with cognitive symptoms

Non-drug techniques for dealing with physical pain

[KarenB]

Hi Terry,

 

I was just reading your signature.  Can you pin-point when things started to move from steady-ish to getting worse?  Was it after a specific drug change or other event?  What happened after your doctor c/t'd your pregablin? 

 

I imagine you would still have been dealing with the effects of that when you did your latest reduction of remeron.  (Have things continued to worsen since then?)  So in some ways there are logical reasons for why you are feeling so bad now.  And if we can see why/how things have gone badly, then it stands to reason that with time and the body's natural bent towards healing, those things will eventually get better. 

 

At any time since you first began tapering have you done a long hold?  They can make an immense difference in how a person stabilises - I've experienced that first hand. 

 

I was re-reading some notes I made while reading Dr Gabor Mate's book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and found this quotation:  'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  It really resonated with me, so I thought it might be worth sharing here too. 

 

What are your thoughts on holding for a good long while? 

[Bruin]

Hi Terry,

 

Just stopping by to say hi and to wish you well. 

I like the quote from Dr Mate's book which Karen posted on your thread.

Renewal is not only possible it is inevitable if we keep on walking...however it is so incredibly tough at times. 

Our minds tell us that it will be like this forever and probably get even worse. 

 

All the very best Terry and do let us know how you are getting on.

 

Bruin

[Martina23]

Hi Terry, how are you feeling? Which symptoms do you have and how long are you off pregabalin?

[safeone]

Hi terry.I'm going through the exact same thing...I'm waiting for a reply about reinstating...as it's all unbearable...I dread going to bed at night becasuse I know when I wake up....it all starts over again!

[Terry4949]

I know I keep going over old ground , but I am desperately getting worse , I have made no more cuts to my meds , I have been suicidel for about 8 weeks now , depression is so deep , can't be bothered to eat sleep wash no motivation lost all interest in everything , life ,to , even music , can't even get the strength to walk my dogs , don't want to talk to anyone even family and friends , I am starting to worry that this is actual depression and not withdrawel and I am leaving it to late to seek help , doctor wants me to have ect , I don't no how much longer I can go on , and I wake up every morning crying wishing this day would be my last , 3 long years and I have still to get of mirtazapine which I hate , how I would love a window

[Martina23]

Terry, if you stopped pregabalin c/t in November, it is still early days for any improvement. For me after c/t it took four months until akathisia stopped by me and I was able to sleep. The depression held much longer - maybe eight months. The intrusive thoughts I have still - sometimes they are better and I can normally live but sometimes they are still brutal.

 

Please try to go on. Please dont do ECT - because you can get really permanent brain damage, by ECT the people are losing their short term memory. Look at  Dr Breggin´s website, he wrote about ECT.

 

Please try to wait until the intensity calms and then taper off mirtazapin and afterwards (after some months) you should already see some improvement. Now when you are still taking mirtazapin it is hard to say if you have any improvement as Mirtazapin changes you always brain chemistry, so you dont even know what is withdrawal effect and what is side effect of taking the drug.

[Martina23]

And try to find something what you love - some hobby or anything like that what will hold you through the worst time that you feel that the life has a purpose even if you are struggling in one way.

[Martina23]

And if you feel the worst, then rather post here and dont keep it in yourself, because here the people can understand you and support you but if you will keep it only in yourself, then you will fall only in deeper depression.

[scallywag]

Terry: Please reach out for local support, or at least by phone to distress lines available in the UK:
 

In the UK:
 
Samaritans 08457 90 90 90
 
-- or --
 
Maytree is an organisation offering respite for people who are suicidal. It is not a hospital or medical facility so they would not be offering drugs. It is free of charge.  There are criteria to meet but I don't know what they are at present. 
http://www.maytree.org.uk/index.php

[Terry4949]

I am in big trouble , I have been really suicidel everyday now for about 12 weeks , and 6 weeks ago I was put in a mental health facility for my own safety , they have stop my mirtazapine even though I beg them not to and have put me on fluxotine , I have been on fluoxetine 6 weeks I feel worse than ever , I feel suicidel every minute of the day , now they have said they want me to go back on Effexor which started all this problem in the first place. But now I am refusing to take the meds they say they are going to section me and they can force me to take drugs of their choice . I am truly stuck , I am just on my bed all day crying wishing I was dead , I have not slept since going on fluoxetine can't eat have lost so much weight, feel empty inside , just don't want to be here anymore , but I feel I am going to be force fed more drugs , doctor won't hear of protracted withdrawel , just says I'm severely depressed ,but I can't take no more of these suicidel thoughts constant all day long , what do I do

[Madeleine]

Hang in there.  I will pray for (((you))).  Best is to try to stabilize on a dose. You will get better. I was in a similar place, in hospital, not too long ago. I also did not want to go on drugs but had no choice. I thought I would not get my mind back. I stabilized and am now back home and back to functioning.  Right now, focus on getting stabilized.  And, keep telling yourself that you will get better because you will.
Thinking of you,
M.

[Hibari]

Oh Terry, what a horrible time you have had.  Madeleine sounds like she has had a similar experience and is coming through.  Your body has gone through such shock and coming off the Mirtazapine so quickly causes that deep depression.  Getting stable is the key and it sounds like it may have to be, at least temporarily, with medication. 

 

I am praying for you as well.

[JanCarol]

Terry, I'm horribly sorry to hear that you have fallen into the grips of the drug prescribers, drug changers, cold switchers and sectioners.

 

I've been taking great comfort in Jon Kabat-Zinn, who says, "That you are breathing, means there is more right with you than wrong with you in this moment."

 

Here are 2 of his videos:

 

 

and

 

 

Maybe you can upload them to MP3 and listen to them over and over.  I find I can listen to them repeatedly, and gain new knowledge each time I listen and explore my feelings as he speaks.

[Madeleine]

Terry: still thinking of you. Still praying for you. Hope you feel a little bit better.

[Altostrata]

Terry, you've tried everything but Effexor, with no relief. Why not Effexor, if you can get them to agree to a low dose, maybe 37.5mg or less?

[Terry4949]

Terry, you've tried everything but Effexor, with no relief. Why not Effexor, if you can get them to agree to a low dose, maybe 37.5mg or less?

do you think it's worth a try altostrata , I think the flouxetine is to strong for me , I have got akathesia from it just can't settle ,

[Bruin]

Oh Terry....am so sorry that you are going through this hell. Perhaps Effexor might be the thing to do. Sending so many prayers and good wishes.

[Shep]

Hi, Terry.

 

Just so everyone is on the same page, I'm linking to your new benzo thread here:

 

Terry4949: 2weeks of diazepam

 

This will let the antidepressant moderators know that you are also dealing with benzo withdrawal at this time.

 

I hope you feel better soon. I can tell you from my own experience, the suicidal feelings and thoughts are temporary. They are awful, but you will feel better. Hang in there. 

[leahy]

Terry,

 

You are in my thoughts and prayers, Terry. Listen to Alto. She has a great deal knowledge and experience. I am positive her guidance will help you.

 

Hugs.

[Terry4949]

As you no I am having emended trouble at the moment . the hospital have stoped my mirtazapine was on 13.5 mg and started on Prozac 20mg 6 weeks ago , but I have got the shakes so bad , never had them before Prozac or is it the withdrawel of mirtazapine , I have taken diazepam for the last 2 weeks 4mg a day but I am going to stop them . I think the Prozac is to stimulating for me , also I have now got insomnia , the one thing about the mirtazapine was I got 7 hours sleep and the Prozac can cause it , any suggestions as what I can tell the doctors in here as they seem to have made their minds up , more drugs , I am in protracted withdrawel and I don't think anything is going to help , but they won't let me go as I have been suicidel for so long and they insist on treating me with drugs , how do I get out of this mess , I feel a lot of suffering has been undone , and I am back to how I was 2 years ago

[scallywag]

Terry, I wish I knew what you could say that the doctors would listen to. I hope other members have something useful to add.

[leahy]

I found Prozac way too stimulating also. I told my doctor "I cannot take this (prozac). I will lose my job. It makes me feel wired." It was awful.

 

The only way to get around doctors is to tell them what you need to tell them to get what you want/need from them. Many of us USE doctors for that purpose only.

 

As Alto suggested "Why not Effexor, if you can get them to agree to a low dose, maybe 37.5mg or less?"

[Hibari]

Hi Terry  Prozac sent me through the roof as well.  It was too stimulating for my system.   So many of those medications had me shaking from head to toe.

 

You may need a medication that helps stabilize your mood without overstimulating you.   I am not qualified to make a medication recommendation but can only share from my experience.  The only medication that calmed me down when I had anxiety and depression was Lamictal.  It helped with my depressive, ruminating thinking.  It is a mood stabilizer that my psychiatrist prescribed for unipolar depression (it's often used for bi-polar depression but also for just depression).  He said that not all depression is the same and there are some people that can't handle the SSRI's,   Again, you are just looking for something to stabilize you and get you out of the hospital if you want to leave.   

 

Alto's suggestion maybe a way to go as well. 

 

People here are on your side and wishing you well. 

[ChessieCat]

Here is SA's discussion on lamictal-lamotrigine  Especially see Alto's comments in Post #5.