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Vision symptoms: floaters, snow, blurred/dimmed vision, twitching, dry eyes and pain


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Stop doing anything strenuous and make an eye appointment please... there are some things we should not fool around with our eyes that is one of them.  I had a time when I was on drugs where my vision seemed to get bad all of a sudden I did not have a doctor at the time I had them checked by a clinic gp who said they look ok put a light and had a look... but I did not have the real testing that should have been done.  My eyesight did not improve and I have since had to wear glasses  which I need to change a lot.  Others have said they need to change their glasses a lot in wd too... so there is some idea that wd can have vision changes as part of the experience.  Since my experience was that my eye sight changed suddenly while drugged and did not recover... my best advice is to not mess around with it and get your eyes checked by a real eye doctor. This is one time where it may be wd but if it is not you need to be sure... in my opinion. 

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 :)

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I do wear glasses... this was more like a dimming of my vision

40 year old male - First panic attack in May 2012

May 2012 Atenolol (beta blocker)25mg, Ativan 2mg
August 2012 Rapid taper ativan, started zoloft 25mg
Dec 2012... rapid taper zoloft,
January 2013 Xanax 1mg for 1 month
February 2013 Klonopin 1mg
April 2013 to May 2013 Rapid Taper Klonopin to 0.5mg
June 10th 2013 jumped from 0.5 Kpin and Atenolol 25mg
July 2013 two days of Ativan 1mg b/c of hospital visit
September 2013 started Effexor 75mg (this was a mistake i think)
July 2014 to October 2014 tapered off Effexor...

July 2015 - Reinstated zoloft 50mg

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Best to have it checked is all I am going to say and try not to worry or do anything that makes it worse in the mean time... my opinion. 

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 :)

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Effexor has been known to cause some eye troubles being safe is better than not... I came back to check what drug you took and I know this one Effexor was my last drug too... it likely is nothing big but I have had one post on another site that was about E and eyesight that was big dont fool with 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 :)

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I've had that happen a few times when I've over exerted myself. I think it might be part of the exercise intolerance which can happen as part of withdrawal. For me, when it happens I also feel dizzy, weak and feverish. I don't think it would cause permanent blindness, but its better if you pace yourself and don't do things which make you feel worse or cause symptoms like this.

 

If it gets worse or continues, you might want to get it checked out as BTDT suggested.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I am currently tapering sertraline, as well as holding steady at 50 mg Trazodone at night for sleep. I have been experiencing blurred vision for several months now, which I know is a side effect of Traz. It seems to be getting increasingly worse. Has anyone had this problem, then had their vision restored after coming off Traz or any other drug with a similar side effect? I want to hope that I haven't messed up my vision permanently!

Feb-May 2013 Took Setraline (Zoloft) 100mg for extreme postpartum insomnia. Also took Ativan (2mg-2 weeks) and Trazodone (50 mg- 1 month) for sleep. Tapered Traz, then Zoloft.

 

June-Sept 2013 Took Ativan (.5mg off and on) for rebound insomnia after stopping all daily meds.

 

Feb-March 2015 Second episode of extreme, sudden insomnia. Self-medicated with Ativan in order to sleep (.5mg-2.5mg). Started Zoloft (100mg) and Traz (100mg) again Mar 15. Spent one hellish week on Xanax.

 

Took last dose of Zoloft on Aug 3rd 2015 and holding on Traz (50mg). Planning to taper Traz after a while when Zoloft has had time to clear out.

 

 

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My close reading vision went to hell in the past few months quickly at the end of my paxil taper.

Paxil start September 2003 due to Fluoroquinolone adverse reaction that I wish doc. knew what it was. 10mg. most of the time with a few short runs of 20mg. FAST tapered 3 times and finally hit poop out or a reaction to nsaid's in Nov.2013. Started a 10% taper Jan. 2014 and have been ok until Sept 14 and went through a short hell. Now plodding through and looking for the light with unrelenting insomnia and pain, fog, loss of interests....<p>12/20/14 - .8mg.

1/01/15 - .75 mg.

1/15/15 - .42 mg. better sleep now, hope it continues...

2/11-15 - .25 mg. doing really good!! 2 weeks feel 85% of old me!

3/17/15 .14 mg. Knee pain bad!

4/07/15 .05 mg. this is so small now that I am estimating and just licking it off palm small as a "." 

4/13/15 NOTHING !!!! Took my last little micro dose on 4/12/15. 

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At the start of paroxetine, my vision got slightly blurry but I had been told it was a "temporary side effect". It did pass when I was on 20 mg but in the last year I have been developing some nasty ghost images that get worse at night. Truth to be told, I'm already on my 30s and have spent a big amount of my time watching screens, so it could be also due to age.

Name LostInTheWoods evokes both the feeling of getting stranded, forsaken and alone in an alien, hostile environment and the chance to experience awareness, tranquility and self-discovery during the experience. Just call me Lost in the posts.

 

February 2012. After a crisis, a crippling anxiety that culminated in a panic attack. Started 20 mg Paxil and Clonazepam.

Clonazepam left quickly in the 2nd attempt.

About about a year on 20 mg, begin tapering.

June 2014, after several weeks on 5 mg and trying to dose down, went CT.

May 2015.Anxiety came back again, went to psychiatrist back. Fluoxetine was tried and left because of bad reaction, returned to paroxetine. Start tapering in mid 2016.

December 2016. After like 2 months of going 2,5 mg, stopped paroxetine.

Truth to be told, descended into a downward spiral of caffeine, alcohol and masturbation.

January  26, 2017. Wave with some tinnitus that was fixed by a visit to the ENT.

April 21, 2017. Acid reflux at night was a stressor that triggered another wave.Vices have been put into check and only a drink or two a week remain.

By May 7 stabilized with a little anxiety left and some pains.

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Not sure if this is here already or not but came to this accidentally today

 

Effexor - Angle-closure glaucoma

 

Thought it should be here in case somebody needs it

http://www.worstpills.org/public/page.cfm?op_id=84

 

It is a list of drugs that cause eye problems prozac is on it.. prednisone... lots of drugs. 

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 :)

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I have been experiencing blurred vision, dry red eyes and also runny eyes.The blurry vision is for me the worst.

Been taking paroxatine for approx 15 years.Tried a few times yo stop but failed. Am currently on 3.5mg liquid

Jan 2016 been slow tapering paroxatine and i am currently at 2.9 mg and last drop was 5 weeks ago.

Started to feel awful about 3 weeks ago with brain ???? , shakes, blurred vision and dizzyness. ..

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Normal. Because ive had severe visual distortions for 3 years.

 

Still hoping it will get better

Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010

Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks

Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better.

Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION

Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012

Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill 

Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma

Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 

 

6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms

Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Has anyone experienced super dry eyes? I don't have any other allergy symptoms so I have ruled that out. Could it be that the eye muscles are stressed from anxiety and when they are relaxed, they become sore and cause dry eye? Thanks!

Lexapro from October 2012-October 2014

10mg from Oct 2012-Feb 201320mg from Feb 2013-June 201310mg from July 2013-April 2014
Began taper via liquid Lexapro from April 2014-September 2014(Roughly 6 month taper)---0.00 on Oct 1 2014--WD began in December 2014

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinstated to 10mg - 10mg Tablet October 15, 2015 - Stable by Mid-January, 2016

2016 - 9mg 3/26/16....8mg 5/11/16....7mg 7/05/16....6mg 8/26/16....5mg 10/31/16

2017 - 4mg 3/06/17....3mg 6/24/17....2mg 9/07/17...1.25mg 10/21/17....1mg 11/04/2017

2018 - 0.75mg 1/21/18....0.5mg 2/18/18....0.25mg 3/13/18....0.125mg 3/27/18....0.000 4/9/18

 

Supplements - 15B probiotic on and off. Usually helps w/ mood but sometimes is too activating.

 

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I've just developed sore, itchy eyes, it comes and goes through the day, it started about a week ago. It gets worse if I rub my eyes, so I try not to. I'm assuming this is withdrawal related, although it might not be. I'm expecting this will be another one of those symptoms which hangs around for a while and then goes away.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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I have been on Seroquel 100mg for 15 months after a horrible benzo ct.  I have recently started to get pain in my eyes.  Feels like they are being stabbed at times.

 

Anyone know if this could be related to the drug?

 

Thanks

Klonopin 2mg 2000-2005 Tapered off without bad symptoms

Ativan 1mg 2007-2010 Tapered with moderate problems

 

Klonopin 16 total mgs in Jan and Feb 2014 - got dependent and foolishly updosed by bad doctor to 1.25mg for 4 weeks.  Then horrific detox and placed on Neurontin 100mg, bid, Propanolol 40mg prn, Seroquel 100mg qhs and Remeron 15mg qhs.  Quickly dropped Neurontin and Propanolol.   Stuck on other two meds and still having strong symptoms from klonopin cold turkey.  Want someday to be med free and healed again

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Eye trouble - specifically cataracts - are a risk of seroquel.  I seem to remember a medical study on beagles who went blind on seroquel.  Additionally, many of us in withdrawal have trouble with vision, blurry, sensitivity, perception, it's just a bit haywire while your neurons are healing.

 

I'm not trying to frighten you, it is just a known consequence.  Please get your eyes checked.

 

The LABEL on seroquel says that seroquel patients should see an eye doctor every 6 months.

 

Here is someone who suffered from eye trouble with seroquel.  She is totally off the drug now, and may have permanent damage to her eyes:  http://www.madinamerica.com/2012/06/after-seroquel/

"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!

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I wasn't on Seroquel, but my eyes are messed up by the meds I was on: tricyclics and a benzo

*I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience
**Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not
-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014

-All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness.  It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage.  All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors 

-Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine

-Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey)

-Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011
-Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less)

-Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week

-Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs 

-First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened

-Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD.  Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed.  NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it.

-Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned
-Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia
-Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat
-Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged
-7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia

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I've been having an insane amount of constant eye floaters for 6 months now. No change and no relief. I think this is permanent. 

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I've been having an insane amount of constant eye floaters for 6 months now. No change and no relief. I think this is permanent. 

 

It can take 6 months, sometimes longer for floaters to be absorbed by the eye.  One of mine was particularly annoying, and made reading difficult, but it too eventually was absorbed.... you might want to read here.  "Most people have floaters and learn to ignore them; they are usually not noticed until they become numerous or more prominent. Floaters can become apparent when looking at something bright, such as white paper or a blue sky."

As always, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! A proud supporter of the 10% (or slower) rule.

 

Requip - 3/16 ZERO  Total time on 25 years.

 

Lyrica: 8/15 ZERO Total time on 7 or 8 yrs.

BENZO FREE 10/13 (started tapering 7/10)  Total time on 25 years.

 

Read my intro thread here, and check the about me section.  "No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin

 

 

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It's been a while since anyone has posted in this but I am having these issues now and since its been a few years since these posts in wondering- has anyone had improvement? I'm looking for some encouragement. Thank you!

Restarted Zoloft 1/17/2015 and upped doseage every week to three weeks. Bad response.

Switched from 150 mg Zoloft to 10 mg Lexapro.

Two weeks into 10 mg Lexapro added buspar.

Discontinued buspar

Upped Lexapro to 15 mg and immediately began tapering down

Added Depakote

Switched from Lexapro 5mg  to amitriptyline 75 mg

Tapered Depakote over a few days and discontinued amitriptyline after 6 days use.

Terrible response to all and now on nothing.

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Hi. I'm suffering severely with what I can best describe as severe dysautonomia. I am worried that my extreme withdrawal problems have an underlying agent. That something has made me prone to this dysautonomia and extraordinarily sensitive to drugs, chemicals etc. And that that something might be "visual snow" or "static". I am in contact with one girl from this forum who is having similar symptoms as me, same age as me, was on citalopram like me, and is several years out like me. Turns out she has had visual snow as well since before SSRI's. My visual snow began in my early teens following migraine auras. But it can have many triggers. Some might even have it from as long as they can remember. Basically it is a chronic visual disturbance that looks like constant transparent TV static covering your entire field of vision. It can be mild or severe etc but always there. its a neurological issue and not and eye condition. Anyway, I found out that at least some people with dysautonomia and POTS have visual snow too. This is all very worrying to me.

 

I would like to ask all members here if they have ever heard of visual snow or if they indeed have it. Particularly long term sufferers.

Male

On Citalopram from 2008-2011 (age 19-23) for anxiety

Started on 20mg but was on 60mg at one point

Knew nothing about discontinuation and wasn't given much help from doctor

Tried stopping on my own after being stable on one pill a day (20mg)

Went horribly wrong and had to reinstate

Tried "tappering" on my own as doctor new nothing by taking half pills and skipping days

Managed to quit this way over 3 to 4 months

Had horrible reaction and began withdrawal hell

Found Paxil Progress after a month or so not understanding why symptoms wasn't going away

Mentally better but recently ran into huge fatigue problems after gradual onset. Now homebound

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/3-introductions-and-updates/

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I am almost 3 years out and i have VS. I am on the facebook group and have been since it only had around 500 members. For me it all started when i was on zoloft and it slowly got worse and worse over time after i came off cold turkey. I'm coping with it but generally speaking things have only gotten worse in that department and my problems are not only the static but afterimages, floaters, halos, tinnitus, dr, etc. In relation to other people with this condition i'd say i have a classic case and my symptoms are bad but manageable once you get used to the changes. If you haven't been on the facebook group about Visual Snow you should take a look there is research being done about it. 

Im not sure if i have POTS. I mean i might... but it can't be that bad since i've never noticed it to be a major issue for me. 

2010 - citalopram 10mg 
2011 - 20-40mg, 1 month taper, PSSD & Anhedonia - Elavil 10mg during taper.
Clonazepam when needed after a month of daily use. 
2012 - Off Elavil - Zoloft (sertraline) 25mg - 50 mgs for 6 months + Buspar for a while. Pssd & anhedonia improved on zoloft, now has gotten a lot worse since a year off. 

 

Off all drugs since October 2012.

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I have this too. I've had it for the last 6 months or so and my started while I was on zoloft. I'm one month off of all drugs and I also have the halos and after images as well as trailing.

Restarted Zoloft 1/17/2015 and upped doseage every week to three weeks. Bad response.

Switched from 150 mg Zoloft to 10 mg Lexapro.

Two weeks into 10 mg Lexapro added buspar.

Discontinued buspar

Upped Lexapro to 15 mg and immediately began tapering down

Added Depakote

Switched from Lexapro 5mg  to amitriptyline 75 mg

Tapered Depakote over a few days and discontinued amitriptyline after 6 days use.

Terrible response to all and now on nothing.

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I have had visual snow off and on since I was 18 - I'm 42 now- after my last med increase (after an unsuccessful taper) I got it again, ten fold, it's worse in the morning and it is accompanied by tinnitus-

 

*Currently at 8.2-8.5 mg of my 10mg pill of Paxil (they actually weigh 12.5mg) 

january 2023 I began reducing my med again. I was a 9mg weight for years, I went to 8.9 in January, went to 8.6mg in February, and in March 2023 I went down to 8.5-8.2 mg ( my scale varies, so I stick within that .3 range because of that) 

*No other supplements or vitamins 

*Taper schedule in the pdf 

Blank.pdf

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-5vShtJtwAOGA30OxIP87steLmMdFzD29F0fzAPD564

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have visual snow since I tapered Paroxetine the first time a couple of years ago. It is relatively mild and mostly visible when looking in the sky on a sunny day. It varies and is definitely connected to the dose I am taking or times of withdrawal.

The first time I visited a neurologist and had an EEG/EMG and some other tests but all without any result. I didn't do an MRT as the neurologist didn't think that it would have resulted in anything either.

Besides I have some floaters but that is pretty normal I think.

Regarding visual snow I read a lot of posts in a forum dedicated to this problem and some of the people there were also taking SSRI's but not everyone.

- Paroxetine since more than 10years

- 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since

- Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise

- Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems

- Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again

 

04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems)

07/20 5mg (less problems)

08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations)

12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've experienced dry eyes - to the point of having to sleep with an oil-based eye ointment to avoid a sandpaper feeling when moving my eyes in my sleep (resulting in waking up, usually when REM sets in). Often during the day I also often require special eye drops. 

 

I didn't make a connection with SSRIs until I heard a comment made about people who cannot wear contact lenses in their 40s because they have dry eyes and are on SSRIs. 

 

Is there a connection here? Anyone want to chime in with their own experience?

2002 - 2013....................Prozac 60mg/day
Dec 2013........................Stop cold turkey
Feb 2014........................Acute withdrawal (nausea, dizzy, brain zaps, severe flu-like symptoms) - reinstate to 40mg within 24 hours of flu-like symptoms appearing - recover immediately (Within less than 2 hours)
Apr 2014 - March 2015..Taper from 40mg - 0mg over 50 weeks at 0.8mg reduction / week. Taper goes smoothly. No acute withdrawal symptoms.
Feb - July 2015..............Use about 35 doses of 100mg Tramadol for pain. Tramadol contains SSRI and SNRI (unbeknownst to me - probably interfered with taper)
Early July 2015..............Cold Turkey Tramadol the day I discover it contains SSRI/SNRI (at the time thought CT was OK after only 35 doses stretched over 6 months)

Late Aug 2015...............Unbearable chronic/persistent symptoms appear: Extreme anxiety, panic, fear, appetite loss, insomnia, akathisia (7 weeks after zero Tramadol and 5 months after zero Prozac)
Mid Sept 2015.............. Attempted reinstatement - Prozac 40mg for 2 weeks - Symptoms improve but eyes dry out, so drop to Prozac 20mg for 10 days - Symptoms keep improving, until around day 10 with full relapse of symptoms, so Prozac 30mg - been on 30mg for 7 weeks and things appeared to stabilize.

Early Dec 2015 symptoms recur out of nowhere. 

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i have a lot of problems with dryness, including in my eyes.  sometimes i figured it was just the wind or computer screen or something, but it is most patterned around my withdrawal---none of those things used to be a problem, and my eyes can be dry even staying away from them.

 

dry eyes are a widely documented and accepted side effect of SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs and other psych meds, and you can find a lot of references to the symptom and also potential remedies online.

 

i dont know if it is about the antihistaminic effect or anticholinergic effect or the combination or something else.

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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dry eyes are a widely documented and accepted side effect of SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs and other psych meds, and you can find a lot of references to the symptom and also potential remedies online.

 

 

Do you know where I can find this info?  :)

2002 - 2013....................Prozac 60mg/day
Dec 2013........................Stop cold turkey
Feb 2014........................Acute withdrawal (nausea, dizzy, brain zaps, severe flu-like symptoms) - reinstate to 40mg within 24 hours of flu-like symptoms appearing - recover immediately (Within less than 2 hours)
Apr 2014 - March 2015..Taper from 40mg - 0mg over 50 weeks at 0.8mg reduction / week. Taper goes smoothly. No acute withdrawal symptoms.
Feb - July 2015..............Use about 35 doses of 100mg Tramadol for pain. Tramadol contains SSRI and SNRI (unbeknownst to me - probably interfered with taper)
Early July 2015..............Cold Turkey Tramadol the day I discover it contains SSRI/SNRI (at the time thought CT was OK after only 35 doses stretched over 6 months)

Late Aug 2015...............Unbearable chronic/persistent symptoms appear: Extreme anxiety, panic, fear, appetite loss, insomnia, akathisia (7 weeks after zero Tramadol and 5 months after zero Prozac)
Mid Sept 2015.............. Attempted reinstatement - Prozac 40mg for 2 weeks - Symptoms improve but eyes dry out, so drop to Prozac 20mg for 10 days - Symptoms keep improving, until around day 10 with full relapse of symptoms, so Prozac 30mg - been on 30mg for 7 weeks and things appeared to stabilize.

Early Dec 2015 symptoms recur out of nowhere. 

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If you google antidepressants and dry eyes, there are a gazillion connections. My ophthalmologist told me that is why mine is so painful. Have tried lots of remedies. Also Google treatment for dry eyes, there are a gazillion home remedies, scrubbing your eyelids with. Baby shampoo seem to help and warm eye compresses. Best of luck to you. Simmering

150 Trazodone

Crossed over to Valium from Klonopin

Now at 20mg Valium from 40

5-16 taking 8 6 6 in pill form, reducing 1 mg every 20 days using liquid

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Yes, had that too. In the beginning of ssri poisoning and in WD but ok in between.

Paxil start September 2003 due to Fluoroquinolone adverse reaction that I wish doc. knew what it was. 10mg. most of the time with a few short runs of 20mg. FAST tapered 3 times and finally hit poop out or a reaction to nsaid's in Nov.2013. Started a 10% taper Jan. 2014 and have been ok until Sept 14 and went through a short hell. Now plodding through and looking for the light with unrelenting insomnia and pain, fog, loss of interests....<p>12/20/14 - .8mg.

1/01/15 - .75 mg.

1/15/15 - .42 mg. better sleep now, hope it continues...

2/11-15 - .25 mg. doing really good!! 2 weeks feel 85% of old me!

3/17/15 .14 mg. Knee pain bad!

4/07/15 .05 mg. this is so small now that I am estimating and just licking it off palm small as a "." 

4/13/15 NOTHING !!!! Took my last little micro dose on 4/12/15. 

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I am plagued with it even now 4 months off...was just tested for Sjogrens

 

I have not been able to wear contacts for 3 years...its horrible

2006-2012 50mgs zoloft
skipped doses every other day for a year and started having anxiety again in March 2012
back on at 50mgs Dec 2013
started taper from benzos April 2014 per Heather Ashton method (c/o from kpin to diazepam)
March 2015 started 1.25mg lorazepam
Tapered off Zoloft in May off in 4 weeks...5 weeks later crashing AGAIN. Dr wanted to start Gabapentin tried it 7 days
Symptoms :burning eyes, anxiety, pounding heart, dizzy, strange head feeling, internal shaking, Overall UNWELL
Taking lorazepam 1.25mg daily

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone else see pinpoint black dots floating in and out in vision?  I'll think that I'm seeing a a tiny flying insect and have actually swatted at it only to realize its one of those "dots".  It increases with stress or if I'm outside.  I had this much earlier when I was really bad but it went away.  Now back again.. 

1971-81  Valium 5mg c/t PAWS     1992- through now Zoloft 25mg    2003-05 Valium 12mg Slow Taper Off

2013 Afrin Exposure to CNS    2013 O/D Val 230mg    2013 Doxepin 50mg Clonidine 2mg Zoloft 25mg

3/15/16  Doxepin 49mg Micro Tapering  Zoloft 24.3mg Holding taper

3/15/16 Clonidine mg 0.1 1/2 -    Decreasing incrementally.  DISCONTINUED

10/9/16  Doxepin 48.9  Zoloft 24.3  Clonidine  01.10  Continuing micro taper on Doxepin.

11/16/16 Doxepin 48mg  Zoloft 24.3mg  Clonidine 1.30mg

5/4/17  Doxepin 45mg  Zoloft 24mg  Clonidine 1.20mg   Micro taper of Doxepin  , Clonidine

01/13/19  Doxepin 45mg   Zoloft 21mg   Will start Micro taper of Doxepin 2/19

12/21/21  Doxepin 20 mg ?  Reducing using water micro taper--Pulling 24ml from 75ml

12/2121   Zoloft .060 grams by weight--HOLDING (info from post added by CC: On 12/21/21 my dosage was .060grams by weight or 20mg. )

26 Apr 2022 - Zoloft at -0-

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

I just found out that those transparent wiggly lines I see, when looking at a bright sky are actually floaters. I first noticed them shortly after stopping Lexapro.  Seeing as I don't spent much time staring at the sky, it doesn't bother me, but I did wonder what they were, now I know.

 

I did a google image search for floaters and was surprised to see mine, I thought they always appeared dark, but apparently not.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Eye trouble - specifically cataracts - are a risk of seroquel.  I seem to remember a medical study on beagles who went blind on seroquel.  Additionally, many of us in withdrawal have trouble with vision, blurry, sensitivity, perception, it's just a bit haywire while your neurons are healing.

 

I'm not trying to frighten you, it is just a known consequence.  Please get your eyes checked.

 

The LABEL on seroquel says that seroquel patients should see an eye doctor every 6 months.

 

Here is someone who suffered from eye trouble with seroquel.  She is totally off the drug now, and may have permanent damage to her eyes:  http://www.madinamerica.com/2012/06/after-seroquel/

 

What an unfortunate tale.  From what I understand, Nancy is doing MUCH better now after all this time.  It does seem like there is evidence that toxic neuropathies can heal - so although it sounds horrible, thankfully it's not necessarily a permanent horror.

 

The more and more I read about withdrawal and side effects from these drugs, the more I become convinced these side effects/adverse effects/withdrawals are related to toxic neuropathies.   A number of the symptoms people complain about during protracted withdrawal are more consistent with neuropathy than any other plausible explanation I have read.  It's certainly not JUST neuropathy, but it certainly seems to me that any realistic hypotheses that is proposed should not exclude this as a likely contributing factor. 

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I see floaters ALL the time. I first got them when withdrawal hit me in February. There has been no improvement for 10 months. I haven't been to the eye doctor about it. I hope they go away. They certainly aren't the worst symptom, but they're annoying. 

When I made the 50% cut off Fluanxol I had other vision problems which are hard to describe. I lost focus in my eyes and couldn't read or write and I experienced something like white flashing disco lights when looking at my computer screen. So definitely withdrawal related.

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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my eyes have been terrible lately,blurry ,burning,sometimes I can hardly read this site.I know I've had times where they've been much better(few and far between tho :( ) so must be WD related I guess.

went on Prozac 1994-99,60mg.poopout ct  back on 2001-2002,prozac weekly 2002,not working,Effexor 75 mg.?2003-mar.2004 gaining weight 8wk. taper,wellbutrin 150 mg.mar. -may 2004 ctmedfree til july 2005 back to Prozac gaining weight again,back on wellbutrin jan.2006150-300 mg.bad constipation.also was taking aygestin(hormone)perimenopausal irregular bleeding.back on Prozac around sept,?2006,hysterectomy jan30.2007(adenomyosis)off&on Prozac til 2009,citalopram about 1 mo, April 2010 no effect,Effexor again may -mar, 2011.ct,Prozac aug,-dec, 2011 &sept-nov 2012,paroxetine oct,23 2013-may 4 2014 20 mgs.tapered 6 wks.-failed RI in Oct.2014-in protracted WD.started 10 mgs. Fluoxetine May 25 2021 .Stopped fluoxetine May 2022 at 5 mgs.

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