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Symptoms of high acetylcholine


Pzen

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Anybody feel that this is somewhat familiar?

 

http://mindrenewal.us/page13.html

 

Started Sertralin the spring of -13 and got up to 150 mgs (which was a mistake by my GP)

Decided to taper it form 150 mgs in sep -13 by reducing the dosage by 12.5 mgs every other week.

Got off Sertraline in Feb -14 and started noticing withdrawal after about 15 days off the meds.

Still experiencing withdrawal after 2 years and 5 months off the medicine.

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Symptoms of high acetylcholine
  • 1 year later...

Was reading up on Acetylcholine this morning.  To me, it sounds like some of the withdrawal symptoms experienced by people may be related to a dysregulation of acetylcholine receptors. 

 

https://bebrainfit.com/acetylcholine-neurotransmitter/ . This article states- Drugs that lower acetylcholine levels drugs that start with“anti,” such as antihistamine, antidepressant, antispasmodic, and antipsychotic medications. (maybe that is why benadryl helps some.)

 

We took drugs that were anticholinergic & worked by blocking the effects of acetylcholine (I'm sure the degree to which it blocked varies depending on drug), a substance that transmits messages in the nervous system. So do we simply have too much acetylcholine running around in our bodies right now because our receptors were blocked or pruned out due to lack of use?  

 

This is some other info I found about the topic.

In the brain, acetylcholine is involved in learning and memory (might explain brain fog). In the rest of the body, it stimulates muscle contractions. Acetylcholine doesn’t occur just in the brain and the nervous system, it’s distributed throughout the body. In muscles, for example, it has an excitatory effect, but in the heart, it’s inhibitory. Even though acetylcholine is critical for higher thought processes, it’s not unique to humans. There are two main kinds of acetylcholine receptors — nicotinic and muscarinic. They get their unusual names from two external substances that act on acetylcholine receptors. Nicotine binds to nicotinic receptors, while the mushroom toxin muscarine binds to muscarinic receptors. In the brain, acetylcholine functions as both a neurotransmitter and as a neuromodulator, a substance that dials the action of neurotransmitters up or down as needed. As a neurotransmitter, it helps you learn, focus, and stay mentally alert. It is also involved in functions as diverse as wakefulness, REM sleep, digestion, motor control, attentiveness, anger, aggression, sexuality, and thirst. Acetylcholine is the chief neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system which controls automatic functions such as digestion, respiration, and heart rate.

 

I think this all the links below covers the above info I copy and pasted.

Potential Root Cause of Depression Discovered by NARSAD Grantee | Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Know Your Neurotransmitters: Acetylcholine | UNC Nutrition Research Institute

Explanation of Neurotransmitters | Tuck Sleep

 

 

 

-2005 -2016 60mg Cymbalta

11/2016 abrupt drop to 30mg. Insomnia started (about 2x a week.)

6/29/2017 started aggressive taper. Dosage:6/29 25mg,7/7 20mg,7/10 15mg,7/1713mg,7/18 10 mg,7/22 8mg,7/31 7.5mg,8/1 6.25mg. At 6.25mg insomnia every night (waking 2-4am.) 

8/2017 began up dosing 8/9 7.5mg,8/16 10mg.

Late 2017 new taper from 25mg. Approx 10% reduction per mos (mini-tablets.) 10mg sleep would not stabilize. Cont'd taper meds running out.

Jan 2019 stopped taper at 2.5mg. Using only supplements. Morning 500mg tyrosine, 100mg L-theanine, 600mg NAC. After breakfast 1000mg fish oil, 5mg iron, 2000IU D3, B complex, 500mg ginseng, 50mg ginkgo, probiotics & 50mg zinc. Bedtime 1000mg tryptophan, 500mg gaba, 3mg time released melatonin, 325mg magnesium powder, & 100mg progesterone.

Feb 2019 brain zaps gone. Still have chronic insomnia & anxiety at times.

March 2019-Purchased Alpha Stim

May 2019-sleep still inconsistent.

 October 2019- (Morning) L-Tyrosine, Super B complex, 5mg ferritin,fish oil, vit c, (Evening)200mg progesterone, 1mg Natrol Time Release Melatonin, 325mg Calm magnesium, glycine powder. Alpha Stim only seems to help with anxiety not insomnia. Usually wake up nightly average of 2 hours. *Using 25mg Benadryl or 12.5mg Doxylamine Succinate occasionally

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  • 1 year later...

Has anyone had any luck with a supplement that helps lower 

acetycholine, without doing damage to the WD healing process? The anxiety I'm experiencing is so uncomfortable. Both Omega 3's & Magnesium increase my anxiety, as does exercise.

2004-2012 Lexipro 15 mg (CT'd 4 times during this period. Not sure exact dates).

Dec 2014-June 2017 Lexipro 15 mg CT WD agitation, Anhedonia from kindling while taking Feb 2018-Oct 2019 Lexipro 15mg, more severe Anhedonia while taking, CT WD depression May 2020- Sept 2020 Wellbutrin 300mg, OCD, anxiety, while taking, CT, WD anxiety, depression Dec 2020 Wellbutrin 150mg 3 days stop CT WD anxiety, depression, suicidal durations (seemed to stop once drug out system)

Dec 2020 Buspirone 10mg 2.5 weeks, extreme severe Anhedonia while taking, Anhedonia stopped once stopped buspirone, WD cycling anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations Jan 2021 Reinstated Buspirone 5mg 1 month, tapered from 5mg to 1.25mg, experienced severe Anhedonia while taking, WD anxiety, depression, hyperarousal, photophobia, headaches, hyperacusis, early waking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 3/21/2018 at 4:15 PM, Pzen said:

Anybody feel that this is somewhat familiar?

 

http://mindrenewal.us/page13.html

 

Hi Pzen, I know this is an old post, but I hope my message finds you. After reading about acetycholine imbalance, I'm sure I have it. Fish oil gives me extreme anxiety, & my CNS has a bad reaction to Magnesium Taurate as well. I was wondering if you've seen any improvements to your high acetycholine since this post? I'm feeling discouraged my CNS will always be this way. Do you take any vitamin or supplement that helps you?

2004-2012 Lexipro 15 mg (CT'd 4 times during this period. Not sure exact dates).

Dec 2014-June 2017 Lexipro 15 mg CT WD agitation, Anhedonia from kindling while taking Feb 2018-Oct 2019 Lexipro 15mg, more severe Anhedonia while taking, CT WD depression May 2020- Sept 2020 Wellbutrin 300mg, OCD, anxiety, while taking, CT, WD anxiety, depression Dec 2020 Wellbutrin 150mg 3 days stop CT WD anxiety, depression, suicidal durations (seemed to stop once drug out system)

Dec 2020 Buspirone 10mg 2.5 weeks, extreme severe Anhedonia while taking, Anhedonia stopped once stopped buspirone, WD cycling anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations Jan 2021 Reinstated Buspirone 5mg 1 month, tapered from 5mg to 1.25mg, experienced severe Anhedonia while taking, WD anxiety, depression, hyperarousal, photophobia, headaches, hyperacusis, early waking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm not saying acetylcholine isn't your problem, but high EPA fish oil is known to cause anxiety in some.  I get severe anxiety when I take any.  I am fine with high DHA fish oil, however (500mg/DHA, 250mg/EPA)

 

1997-2019 Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Serzone, Wellbutrin, Amitryptiline, Mirtazapine, Lexapro (mostly, 10-20mg)

Jan 16-Feb 2019 Fast tapered Lexapro after spontaneous kundalini syndrome 

Feb-Jul Used various herbs to deal with severe anxiety (bacopa, gotu kola)

Sept 2019 Developed histamine intolerance and daily panic

Currently taking high DHA fish oil, magnesium.  Occasionally l-ornithine, l-lysine, l-glycine, melatonin for sleep.  Dayvigo for sleep, and l-thp or seroquel (haven't settled on dose) for sleep when in sleep deprivation crisis

 

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2 hours ago, lucidity said:

I'm not saying acetylcholine isn't your problem, but high EPA fish oil is known to cause anxiety in some.  I get severe anxiety when I take any.  I am fine with high DHA fish oil, however (500mg/DHA, 250mg/EPA)

 

Hi Lucidity, Thanks for the response. ☺ I was taking vegan Omega Supplement with 300mg DHA & 150mg EPA. At first when I took it, I almost felt a happy "high." But I noticed as it built up in my system (steady state is about 1 week), I began feeling manic & obsessive, similar to when I took Wellbutrin. I'm giving it a rest for now, unless I'm in a super depressive low & it can help lift me out of it.

2004-2012 Lexipro 15 mg (CT'd 4 times during this period. Not sure exact dates).

Dec 2014-June 2017 Lexipro 15 mg CT WD agitation, Anhedonia from kindling while taking Feb 2018-Oct 2019 Lexipro 15mg, more severe Anhedonia while taking, CT WD depression May 2020- Sept 2020 Wellbutrin 300mg, OCD, anxiety, while taking, CT, WD anxiety, depression Dec 2020 Wellbutrin 150mg 3 days stop CT WD anxiety, depression, suicidal durations (seemed to stop once drug out system)

Dec 2020 Buspirone 10mg 2.5 weeks, extreme severe Anhedonia while taking, Anhedonia stopped once stopped buspirone, WD cycling anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations Jan 2021 Reinstated Buspirone 5mg 1 month, tapered from 5mg to 1.25mg, experienced severe Anhedonia while taking, WD anxiety, depression, hyperarousal, photophobia, headaches, hyperacusis, early waking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

Fish oil raises acetylcholine, so if it’s already high (and sometimes just WD can make it high as ssri’s lower it), then that can cause problems. 
 

Magnesium is supposed to lower acetylcholine, so maybe try a different form. More info: https://men-elite.com/2020/06/26/the-high-acetylcholine-syndrome/

 

This sounds just like me. I’ve even said before that I’m on he opposite side of the spectrum from adhd! 😳

May 2019 started lexapro 2.5 mg; 2020 went to every other day; 2021 beginning of Mar, tried to stop but had insomnia; Mar 30, 2021 reinstated 1.25 ev other day, WD symptoms, not enough

April 19, 2021 started liquid, .85 mg/day; May 1, 2021 .8 mg/day; May 6, 2021 .75 mg/day; June 6, 2021 .7 mg/day, June 20, 2021 .65mg/day, June 30, 2021 .6mg/day, Jul 24 .55 mg/day, Oct 17 .5 mg/day, Dec 5- .45 mg/day; Jan 26, 2022- 4mg/day; April 18- .375 lex; April 24- .35 lex; April 29- .3 lex; Jun 12- .25 mg lex; Jun 28- .2 mg lex; Sept- .15 mg, Nov .1

June ‘23- PPPD started 🙁, Jun- .09, Jul- .08, Oct- .07, Dec- .06, Jan ‘24- .05!

Taking Magnesium, whole foods iron, & natural supplements as needed for sleep

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