BAT: Is it anxiety or withdrawal?

[BAT]

1 hour ago, Rosetta said:

Hi, Bat.  One, I think all these problems will go away.  Two, yes, I've been struggling with fear of eating the "wrong" thing for months.  It's very difficult to deal with the cause and effect issue.  I go back and forth between whether I believe waves can be avoided by avoiding foods.  Today, I feel they can't be.  That does not mean that the wrong food will not make a particular day less pleasant.  We are sensitive.  We are more likely to react to certain foods.  I don't think most foods cause waves, but some do -- the ones that affect hormones and neurotransmitters.  Which foods are you hoping to eat?

 

I just want to eat everything I do before. 

I even get nervous with seasonings/spices. Like I said i was eating whatever up until 5 months off and started reading and that's why I stopped certain things. For instance, I would eat pancakes with blueberries in them and syrup like a few times a week.  I haven't had those.  I would have nutella on my waffles and one day I ate it and felt a little anxiety (but I would eat that a lot) and when that happened I thought it was the nutella so I stored that and the waffles. I just ate waffles yesterday for the first time in a long time abd had anxiety eating them. I used to eat out, now it's only certain places.  What I dont understand is I will get a sub sandwich from one place but not  from another place.  It's crazy, I hate it.  I love food and I just want to eat!! Maybe this is part why I can't gain weight. I drink orange juice but won't drink other juices. I eat pizza. My husband asked me if I wanted some Italian ice the other day and I said no.  He told me this has less sugar then orange juice. I'm so tired of eating the same things.   I also get nervous changing products like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, etc.. It's ridiculous and it makes me cry that I'm like this!

I just want my life back to normal the way I used to feel, eat, look, socialize, go out, work!! Is this ever going to happen??

[DaveB]

On 5/28/2018 at 12:50 PM, BAT said:

Another question, I have read about Windows and waves.  I am not ever symptom free or feel normal so I don't know what I'm experiencing is Windows and waves but there are days where it's a little more tolerable but that seems to change from one day to the next or even hours to hours everyday And it's been like that for a while.  Can anybody relate?

 

Absolutely, this has been my life for the last 6 month (really year and a half). Sometimes I feel better for an hour, sometimes a day, sometimes even a week, but it never lasts. I am never symptom free, but can get to about 70 - 80% normal...not happening right now though. 

[BAT]

1 minute ago, DaveB said:

 

Absolutely, this has been my life for the last 6 month (really year and a half). Sometimes I feel better for an hour, sometimes a day, sometimes even a week, but it never lasts. I am never symptom free, but can get to about 70 - 80% normal...not happening right now though. 

 

Thank you DaveB for your response. 

 

What kind of symptoms do you have?

[DaveB]

Just now, BAT said:

 

Thank you DaveB for your response. 

 

What kind of symptoms do you have?

 

Anxiety and more anxiety. Other symptoms I believe are tied to the anxiety. Hands that shake, IBS, sensitivity to sounds, just uptight and jumpy. Are you currently taking any drugs or drugs free?

[BAT]

20 minutes ago, DaveB said:

 

Anxiety and more anxiety. Other symptoms I believe are tied to the anxiety. Hands that shake, IBS, sensitivity to sounds, just uptight and jumpy. Are you currently taking any drugs or drugs free?

 

I have been off AD's and Xanax everyday for 20 months now but since those 20 months I have taken Xanax 15 other times. 

I don't understand why I'm still so bad.  

What if I need to be on medication??

I know I did not  have any of this before medicines.  

 

Dave are you tapering or are you off?

[DaveB]

46 minutes ago, BAT said:

 

I have been off AD's and Xanax everyday for 20 months now but since those 20 months I have taken Xanax 15 other times. 

I don't understand why I'm still so bad.  

What if I need to be on medication??

I know I did not  have any of this before medicines.  

 

Dave are you tapering or are you off?

 

Waiting to stabilize so I can begin a taper. I am doing this poorly while trying to reinstate an AD, so unfortunately I don't think there really is any answer to this. 

[BAT]

I have now been off AD's and Xanax for 20 months but have taken Xanax 15 times since.  I have a lot of symptoms going om but wanted to ask about this. Last year around the same time the first week in June I was out in my backyard all week walking around in the grass and I notice I had these little bumps on my legs. Some did itch.  After that happen I didn't go out much because off panic, they did eventually go away.  I have been going out in the backyard walking around in the grass (with shoes) and in the front a lot this past month and this past week I have little bumps again on my legs and few on my arms. Some do itch. Two years ago I would be out a lot, cutting the grass, cleaning the pool, etc and this didn't happen.  I just want to know can this be caused by these medicines? It was in the high 80' s and in the 90's this past week.  I would send a picture but I don't know how to attach it from my phone. 

Thank you for any information anyone has or if you have a similar thing going on.

[Rosetta]

Those are probably bites from what are called "chiggers."  They are little bugs -- a type of mite -- that live in the grass.  The scientific name is trombicula alfreddugesi.  They are harmless.  You may want to try to avoid letting the bites get infected due to scratching.  You can wear long pants and socks to avoid the bites.

[BAT]

Can someone please answer this..

 

Do our hormones go back to normal. I wasn't feeling normal but better then what I'm feeling now. I am on my 3rd day of my cycle and part yesterday and today I am feeling so AWFUL!! It's been a while off AD's.  When does this get better where your period doesn't make everything so horrible!! Please anybody?

 

Do I get my hormones check? I asked? Doctor back in March about checking my hormones and  she said no because if they were off she would just recommend birth control pills and she said I know you won't want to take them.

Another doctor did test my progesterone and dhea in December 2016 which at that time was fine. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

Hello, are you pre-menopausal? That can cause cycle irregularities.

 

Many women whose systems are sensitized by withdrawal have increased symptoms at different points in their cycles. Do you take ibuprofen when you feel your period coming on? That can reduce symptoms from menstruation itself.

 

Also, rather than being anxious about what you eat, you might keep a daily food log and track symptoms so you can tell if anything is consistently causing problems. It sounds like your anxiety about eating is creating symptoms that are unrelated to what you're eating, too. A food log would put your mind at rest.

 

Please look in our Symptoms and Self-care forum  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/ for suggestions about how to cope with symptoms.

 

[BAT]

57 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Hello, are you pre-menopausal? That can cause cycle irregularities.

 

Many women whose systems are sensitized by withdrawal have increased symptoms at different points in their cycles. Do you take ibuprofen when you feel your period coming on? That can reduce symptoms from menstruation itself.

 

Also, rather than being anxious about what you eat, you might keep a daily food log and track symptoms so you can tell if anything is consistently causing problems. It sounds like your anxiety about eating is creating symptoms that are unrelated to what you're eating, too. A food log would put your mind at rest.

 

Please look in our Symptoms and Self-care forum  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/ for suggestions about how to cope with symptoms.

 

 

Thank you Alto for your response 

I really wasn't asking about my cycle issues I was asking just overall still feeling bad and having symptoms this far out.  Things do get worse during my cycle but they get worse when it's not my cycle also. So I can't say Im just worse during my cycle because that's not true 

I'm not premenopausal and I do not take ibuprofen.  

I was asking if reinstatement this far off would not be a good decision or it is an option at a very low dose?

 

[Altostrata]

Has this symptom pattern changed at all? What is your current sleep pattern?

 

On 10/20/2017 at 2:54 PM, BAT said:

CheesueCat thank you for replying.

 

Other symptoms are..

Head tightness/pressure headache

Ear pressure, clogged feeling (loud white noise at times)

Muscle/Body stiffness/pain

Muscle twitching

Vision issues

Tingling, burning, numbness

Out of breath doing something

Chest/throat/face tightness

Increased heart rate at times

Very low stress tolerance (if any)

Health anxiety o

Panic/anxiety

Muscle loss

Weight loss (like 7 pounds)

Depressed because I'd still feeling bad

Crying at times

Bad agoraphobia

Think worse case scenario

No energy/motivation

Stomach making noises

Fear of being alone

(Not sure if being cold is a symptom)

 

That's what I can think of right now..

 

I have not tried magnesium. I'm nervous to try anything.. 

 

Not sure what to do. I have tried to stay off medicines but I'm not seeing improvements. I'm worse now then the first 6 months off. 

 

 

 

From your signature, it seems you tried 5-10mg Prozac in 2016. What were the side effects? How did you react to Zoloft a month later?

[BAT]

I still pretty much have all those symptoms still.  Some days are a little less intense and other days are horrible!!

 

When I tried Prozac liquid in the 3rd week I was at 10mg I was dry heaving, stomach upset, bad stomach pains.  Then one evening something really weird and scary was felt in my head.  I can't even explain . That scared me and I stopped the prozac. Went to my Dr and we decided to try Zoloft again.  After 3 weeks on Zoloft 12.5mg  I had bad crying and was feeling rahe when I was taking to my husband that I was clenching my fists and he asked if I wanted to hit him.  After that I stopped that scared me.   I know I have been switched so many times to different medications, on and off several times. 

I feel so stupid that I did that.  Now I want to make the right decision to get better but I really don't know what that is.

 

Thank you for any advice you can provide. 

[Altostrata]

Did the Prozac initially make you feel better?

 

When the nervous system is hypersensitized by going on and off drugs, adverse reactions, and withdrawal symptoms, we recommend trying a very, very small dosage for reinstatement, far less than doctors think is effective.

 

If you initially got relief from Prozac, but it later made you sick, it probably was because initially you had less of it in you and later, after it got to steady-state in your bloodstream, you had a lot more of it in you.

 

If it was initially beneficial, you might find even 0.5mg Prozac reduces your withdrawal syndrome. Prozac comes in a liquid by prescription so you can take a very small amount.

[BAT]

How can someone cry almost every day for a year and a half.  

Has this happened to anyone else going through this?

[BAT]

Can someone please reply to this question..

 

If you have healed or PMS has gotten better where you don't feel horrible or worse during it. How long did it take for PMS not to make you feel worse?

 

 

[BAT]

I know healing is not linear, and people  talk about windows and waves but can this happen every other day?  Can you have a window  (not feeling normal but better) one day, then the next day feel horrible, then the next day feel better, next day horrible? How can you feel better one day and get hope then the next day you feel like your dying and this keeps happening everyday. 

[Alice1]

Hey Bunny ,

Good to hear from you ..  sounds like you're healing to me. I know it doesn't feel like it but I've read countless stories about how up and down , day by day it can be .. I was experiencing this type of routine for awhile , but now i'm back to everyday .. 

[BAT]

I have a question...

 

I have had a setback and was wonseeing if anyone has had a setback from either one of these issues..

I had a bad argument and ended up going to the ER because I was having chest pain, bad head squeezing, sick to my stomach, flushed face, sweating.  I was freaking out because it was so bad and I was scared I was going to die.

They did ekg, blood tests, brain CT scan, chest x-ray.  My potassium was a little low so they gave me a potassium drink (mixed the postassium powder with water).  Hours later got home, showered, fell asleep and 2 hours woke up and couldn't go back to sleep.  The next night couldn't sleep. Last Monday I felt like I was back at square one..  This past week I felt like all the symptoms I have had through this have happened this week. I'm scared I'm back at square one.  I'm 29 months of AD'S and 9.5  months since last Xanax.  All my symptoms that were getting better are so much worse and ones that were gone came back.  Has anyone had a setback from a stressful situation or a postassium drink.  These are the symptoms I got or have worsen. 

 

Internal shaking/vibrating

Body (bone/joint) pain

Joints/bones cracking

Swallowing issues

Anxiety

Fatigue

Sleep issues

Body parts moving/jerking when going to sleep

Head tightness/pressure/headache

Jaw tightness

Clenching teeth

Vision issues

Eat issues

Muscle tightening/cramping

Lower pelvic pain

Stomach upset/pain

Bladder pain

Back pain

Skin burning

Muscle twitching 

Heart racing/palpitations/pvcs

Breathing issues

Weak feeling

 

Please let me know if you have had s setback from either one of these issues and how long did it last. Scared im back at square one and any improvements I had are gone. 

 

[Altostrata]

Low potassium alone can cause those symptoms. You should follow up with your doctor right away about your potassium level.

 

If I were you, I'd immediately add high-potassium foods to my diet, see Avoid hypokalemia: Eat high-potassium foods and take magnesium

 

Drinking tomato juice several times a day is a good way to start.

[BAT]

1 minute ago, Altostrata said:

Low potassium alone can cause those symptoms. You should follow up with your doctor right away about your potassium level.

 

If I were you, I'd immediately add high-potassium foods to my diet, see Avoid hypokalemia: Eat high-potassium foods and take magnesium

 

Drinking tomato juice several times a day is a good way to start.

Thank you for your reply.

My postassium level was 3.3 when normal range started at 3.5.

 

I wasn't this bad prior to the argument and postassium drink that's why I was asking. I was having improvements and hope. 

I also got my period this past Friday. Last month my period didn't really make me feel worse. I have had months where I felt a little worse during my period but not like I'm back at square one. 

[Altostrata]

The potassium drink didn't make you sick, it was hypokalemia. Please start eating high-potassium foods right away.

 

Your doctor needs to find out why your potassium was 3.3. This is important.

[Carmie]

Hi BAT, 

 

I’m sorry you had such a stressful time. How are you feeling now?💚

[BAT]

Is there anyone still suffering bad with a lot of symptoms at 33 months off or close to that??

[Alice1]

Geez , I'm 33 months off and at my worst still , but I CTd so I asked for it .. Keep walking forward BAT .. Long way to go yet ..

[Altostrata]

How's the hypokalemia situation?

[Godiswithme]

On 6/6/2019 at 11:18 AM, Alice1 said:

Geez , I'm 33 months off and at my worst still , but I CTd so I asked for it .. Keep walking forward BAT .. Long way to go yet ..

Hi Alice1. I know you don’t have psychic powers 😊 but, when you say “long way to go”, what is your educated guess as to how much longer you think you may have?

[Alice1]

5 hours ago, Godiswithme said:

what is your educated guess as to how much longer you think you may have?

 

Hi Godswithme .. I have no clue , but after all the research I have done (and I have done a lot) my guess is another 7 years added to the 3 I've already done . It might even be more, but It might be less . Right now I'm just trying to live my life the best I can one day at a time .. I live for my windows , however short and few they are .. Most days if I can just make it to the evening I'm good ..I do know that I'll never be who I was before again . That's not necessarily a bad thing though .. I'm going to have to adapt to life a different way from now on , which I'm totally ok with ..