Beary: Amitriptyline x 3

[ChessieCat]

Anything that is different, especially anything that worsens, or any new symptom.  You could use this:  Keep Notes on Paper

 

As well as Rate Symptoms Daily to Check Patterns and Progress

[Beary]

The steroid pack is a 6,5,4,3,2.1 step down pack. What side effects and what info about how does it work am I looking for? It is called methlprednisolone tablets 4 mg

[ChessieCat]

I don't know anything about steroids or about how they are packaged.  Just do a regular google search and type in methlprednisolone side effects.

[scallywag]

Inform yourself by

• learning about the side effects of methlprednisolone at drugs.com
• running an interactions report for the medication(s) include amitriptyline, your previous medication. (Often "side" effects show up as withdrawal effects)

Reminder, we need you to create a post a signature.

[Beary]

Thanks. So interactions between the two drugs would show that I would have a problem even though I am no longer taking amitriptyline? I can figure out how to do a signature on my phone.

[scallywag]

Include the amitriptyline anyway just to see.

[Beary]

It says unlikelly, minor or non significant, that amitriptyline will decrease the effectiveness of the steroid by altering drug metabolism.

[Beary]

I did. Does this mean anything? See above post

[Beary]

Sleepless nights, down moods and in long term use addisons deseasr which can be fatal. It's only a six day tapered pack though. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylprednisolone

[Beary]

Also an increase risk of catching things while you are on it. It basically says avoid sick people. I think I took this before at a lower dose

[Beary]

What do you guys think. I have never been in this place before in my life.

[ChessieCat]

Unfortunately we are not able to decide for you.  It is up to SA members to make themselves fully information so that they can make an informed decision.

[Beary]

I'm not asking for you to decide, only share your views based on the experiences you have which are greater than mine. I am afraid to take Advil at this point but I have been suffering for six months with this nerve issue

[Beary]

I will make the end decisi N

[Beary]

Do medications ms effect people different after withdrawal? Do you have any examples? Where should I get info about this

[Shep]

Beary, this is a thread on steroids that may help:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2399-steroid-risk-prednisone-prednisolone-etc/

 

You may find more by using the Search feature. 

 

You may wish to get a second opinion and see if another doctor thinks you need the steroids. And if so, weigh the risks against the benefits. Also, you may look want to look into alternative treatment. This is beyond what we can assist you with here, though, but it is an option. 

 

If your nervous system is destabilized from your experience with an antidepressant, than you may have more problems with side effects, as you may be hyper-sensitive to any type of medication.  But knowing this ahead of time is helpful. 

[MNgal1960]

Regarding your PM question:

 

http://palousemindfulness.com/meditations/bodyscan.html

 

Lots of good mindfulness stuff on this site.

[Beary]

Thank you!

[Beary]

Thank you shep! I don't know about the steroids vs another option. I will ask my doctor. The nerve is evidentally inflamed enough to mimic concussion symptoms for 5 months. Again and again and again. But I see what you mean about automatically prescribing steroids. So once this wd happens we are more likely to get side effects? What about increased symptoms of withdrawal? Are other anti inflamitories better? Heavy duty ibuprofen type stuff? I wonder if I can do that instead. They were taking about shots in my neck or even surgery if the oral steroids did not resolve this so I'm a little nervous about not taking the medications too.

[ChessieCat]

 

To search the site I use google and type in survivingantidepressants.org + topic. In this instance type in ibuprofen.

[scallywag]

Beary, my thought about interactions was a bit of a long shot. It might have revealed something. It didn't.

 

We need you to add  a signature. To do that on a phone, you have to switch from the mobile version of the site to the full desktop version. 

 

From Post #8 in the signature topic:

On your screen, after you sign in, go to the bottom of the page and find the words "Full Version" and tap there. ... and wait a bit.

Please take the time to figure this out. Moderators are members who are dealing with their own withdrawal challenges. We want to be of assistance you *and* need you to help us help you.

[Beary]

Sorry MNgal I didn't realize I wa PMing you. I was wondering whether your doc had considered advising you to go back on the medication at a lower dose.

[Beary]

I think I figured out the signature thinf

[scallywag]

Looks good! Thank you.

[MNgal1960]

Beary, I don't even care what my doctors say any more. They told me these drugs were harmless. They don't believe in withdrawal syndrome. They'd be happy to drug me forever. Once I figured out they didn't know what they were doing, I turned to online help, such as this forum. I read and read and read on various forums until I figured out which ones were helpful and reliable. I also read a book about safely coming off psych meds. It's free online somewhere. Now I am careful what I say to my doctors, just enough to get the scripts I need while I withdraw.

 

I'll see if I can find that online book.

 

MNgal

 

 

Here it is:

http://willhall.net/comingoffmeds/

[Beary]

MNgal I don't know what to do NOW though. I have this tingling in my body that is driving me crazy! I don't know if it will ever go away. It gets worse with stress but I can't stop panicing. Can I reinstate the medication? But I don't have any of the pills. I threw them away. Will this ever go away! I have a physical problem and need steroids to fix that but need to take steroids to fix that and I am afraid to aggravate the tingling with the steroids because I don't understand how this works.

[keepinghope]

Hi Beary, 

 

Is the tingling you're experiencing due to a trapped nerve in your neck or spine somewhere, and where do you get the tingling? 

I've got a herniated lumbar disc which is trapping my sciatic nerve, so I've had nerve pain and a pins and needles type feeling in my right leg for months now. I was offered Amitriptyline too, as I think it's often prescribed for nerve pain at a low dose. I didn't take it because I'm 14 months off a Prozac cold turkey and was worried about further withdrawal effects. 

 

This may be no help to you if your tingling is not due to a trapped nerve, but what I've found has helped with mine is lots of rest, bodywork (I saw a Bowen therapist but other people have success with chiropractors, osteopaths, myofascial release therapists etc) and heat packs (the wheat bags you heat up in the microwave). I was on strong anti-inflammatories for a while too and they didn't affect my withdrawal symptoms at all, but did ease the pain a bit. I'd be cautious taking steroids but because of my prozac withdrawal I seem to be sensitive to lots of meds now - this may not be the case for you. 

 

Hope you're feeling better soon. 

[scallywag]

That tingling is a withdrawal symptom. It will almost certainly disappear as your CNS (central nervous system) stabilizes and recovers from the amitriptyline.

 

What non-drug coping skills are you using to relieve your symptoms and to distract yourself from them?

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

[Beary]

I get the tingling mainly in my legs and base of my spine. The inflamed nerve is in my cervicle spinal area. They want me to take a Medellin dose pack for it. That is a six day course of steroids.

[Beary]

Medrol dose pack that is

[Beary]

They think some of the tingling could be the nerve and some the stress I have been under

[keepinghope]

Beary, you said above you've been having issues with this nerve in your neck for 6 months - so before you took the amitriptyline? Sorry if you've already explained this but what were your symptoms before you were prescribed the amitriptyline? 

 

You said the tingling only started after your stepmom hit the brakes hard while you were in the car, jolting you, is that right?

[Beary]

Nausea, dizziness, headaches, visual issues, ringing in my ears. Just diagnosed with the neck issue. I was being treated for a concussion over and over but my neck was never examined. Tingling occurred when my step mom braked quickly in her car after my most recent injury to my neck. This was also about 36 hours after the last amiltriptyline pill

[Beary]

Tingling started as intermittent. I was doing PT and as time went on it seemed to be worse or happen all the time. Then it seemed to lessen - just in my legs at the time - when I Reinhard myself again be twisting my neck

[keepinghope]

So out of the symptoms you've listed above the only one that started after the amitriptyline was the tingling, and that was after the jolt in the car? Or the tinging started before but got worse after the jolt when you reinjured your neck? 

 

I'm sorry for all the questions but I'm really confused which is easily done at the moment! Were you in an accident which started this all off? 

 

Trapped nerves can cause tingling, I know that from experience. At it's worst I'll also get little muscle twitches in my legs, usually at night. That's also common when the nerve is being compressed somewhere. I'm not a doctor though, and I would've thought they'd be sending you for an MRI scan to check what's happening with your neck, and whether you have a slipped disc or something that is compressing the nerve. 

 

The mods here are also very experienced so they're very used to withdrawal symptoms etc. But I think given your injury it might be worth ruling out physical causes first before starting to worry about an amitriptyline withdrawal? Scallywag, I'm sorry if I'm out of line here, I may not have understood all of this thread as well as I should. 

 

Ps, physiotherapy can aggravate trapped nerves, it did for me and made my symptoms much worse. But for others it helps. 

 

If you're worried about the steroids I'd try taking some OTC anti-inflammatories and seeing if they help first. And getting on at the doc to send me for an MRI scan to properly diagnose what's going on in your neck. 

[Beary]

I got so me muscle jerks which are now almost only at night when I am going to sleep. But yes you are right. The tingling started after I stopped the drug after the jolt in the car - a minor jolt but still we went forward and back with our necks. This occured 38 hours after I stopped the drug and prior to a period of muscle jerking and heart racing that started maybe 8 to 10 hours later. Those symptoms got a lot better in a day and continued to get better over the week. For a couple of days before I took the drug and for the week after I was so stressed out that I barely slept and was in constant anxiety.