☼ Romido: Sam-e gave me withdrawals

[Romido]

Milkteeth, I was taking NatureMade brand Sam-e exclusively as I had also read about how extensively they tested. I have posted my story as a way for others to read about what can happen.i also did quit cold turkey, which may have been a contributor. There are other stories on the web of people having withdrawal problems like mine from Sam-e,I am not alone though I think I am probably one of the only folks to fully document the year plus it has taken me to get over it. You can find a similar story to mine on a Paxil related website, and a st John's wart related website. I think everyone's body has different times to when they are vulnerable to a full nervous system overthrow that withdrawal put me through. If one person can avoid the hell I have been through from Sam-e by not "taking it with a grain of salt" then my work is done here.

 

I should also note that some of my attempts to post information about my withdrawal experience in other websites have been censored, so perhaps there are more of us who have not been able to tell our story. There are a couple more experiencing Sam-e withdrawal and telling their story on this site too.

 

As with much of life, proceed with caution.

[johnson]

Hi Romido,

 

Just wondering how you are doing these days? I read your story. I am going through withdrawal from taking 5htp.

I took my last pill of 5htp on Nov 27, 2012.

 

Thanks

[Burf]

Just wanted to add that I've experienced severe withdrawals coming off of Sam-E.  It may not be as difficult to come off of as a regular SSRI, but after taking it for 4 years I did a 2 or 3 month improvised taper by cutting from 400mg to 200, then 100, skipping days for a couple weeks, then quitting it altogether I had all the classic SSRI withdrawal symptoms.  Now I'm trying to figure out how to properly taper off this stuff since the lowest dose is 100mg and the pills are enteric coated which makes them difficult to cut.  So I wouldn't automatically assume that just because something is over the counter that it's safe to use, especially long term.

[Jenk]

HI Romido. I am currently going through Sam-e withdrawal. Here is some of my story :2 days after discontinuation of 800 MG of Sam-E taken over the course of 2 and a half months with a 3 week wean I started experiencing the following symptoms hallucinations in the side of my vision, blurred vision, severe dizziness, fatigue. I have continued to have these symptoms the last 4 weeks along with severe cognitive function(misspelling words, reversing letters, slurred speech, trouble with word finding). I have also had perceptual disturbances(for instance, when I'm switching lanes I get a feeling like I'm going to fall over a cliff.) Also experiencing joint pain and pins and needles in my face, hands, feet and toes. I had a brain MRI, blood work and an exam by a neurologist and my tests are completely normal. Each day the symptoms can change however, the dizziness remains all of the time. I feel like I'm dying. Hope to hear from you Romido!

[Altostrata]

Hi, Jenk. Please start an Introductions topic for yourself, to track your progress recovering from SAM-e withdrawal.

[Altostrata]

Very happy to hear you're doing better, Romido. I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol

☼

to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually!

[mattom75]

I am so thankful to find this forum. I also am suffering from SAM-E withdrawls. I did lots of research before trying it, and almost all of the information I could find was positive. I couldn't find anything about serious withdrawl symptoms.

 

I took SAM-E for about three or four weeks. Beginning mid October 2016 and stopped early November 2016. I began with 200mg for two weeks then increased to 400mg for another week or so. I can't remember if my symptoms began before or after I stopped taking it cold turkey.

 

I started feeling lightheaded, I wouldn't say that I feel dizzy. I don't feel like anything is spinning or that I am going to fall over, I just feel lightheaded 24/7. I notice that if I drink three or four beers the next day the lightheaded is much worse. I am also now having moderate social anxiety. I have always had very mild social anxiety but nothing that prevented me from living a normal life.

 

Since stopping the SAM-E I was out with a friend and had my first ever panic attack. It was very unsettling to say the least.  The worst thing about having a panic attack is now I am worried that it will happen again so I just want to avoid any and all social situations and that is not how I want to live. I do not take and have never taken any other types of anti depressants. I have been considering it though to help ease the withdrawl symptoms of SAM-E but after doing a lot of research on the side affects I have no desire to be on any anti depressants.

 

I am hoping that since I was on such a low dose for only a few weeks that it will not take me twelve or more months to feel normal again. I have been very depressed lately thinking that my symptoms might be permanant.  It is very reassuring to hear from people that going through the same thing and to know that it will get better with time.  

Edited January 22, 2017 by ChessieCat
added paragraphs

[Burf]

I posted a while ago about Sam-E and wanted to give a little update.  What happened with me is I kept taking Sam-E since I posted about it because I was tapering Valium and Suboxone at the same time.  Then a little over a month ago I decided to really try and get off of it so I started alternating days of taking it and not since you can't cut the pills because they're enteric coated.  I felt some withdrawal symptoms but they weren't too bad.  Then a couple weeks ago I made the leap and stopped taking it altogether.  Around day 3 I started to notice anxiety, nausea and a bloated stomach, achiness, sweating, and a constant horrible headache that would not go away.  Finally around day 6 I couldn't handle the symptoms so I took a 100mg Sam-E pill and the symptoms completely went away within 2 hours, but it also gave me super bad anxiety which is the main thing I hear from people when they first start taking it.  So I was kind of in a tough spot having withdrawals but no wanting to take Sam-E because it gave me bad anxiety.  Now I'm on day of no Sam-E except for that one pill, and I'm feeling better than I was a few days ago but still definitely struggling.  From what I've read the withdrawal is very similar to an SSRI one which makes sense because Sam-E is needed to synthesize serotonin in your body.  The withdrawal is also almost identical to benzo withdrawal, just more mild.  It sounds like the healing is going to take awhile, but it's encouraging that I already feel a little better.  Sam-E is only available by prescription in Europe, and I believe it should not be over the counter here.  There are no long term studies about it, and anytime you take something that tinkers with your brain chemistry you're asking for trouble.  Trust me, the withdrawals I'm feeling are very real, and while it's not as intense as benzo or opiate withdrawal it is not fun at all.  I'll give an update in a few weeks.

[tony2]

romido - do you think that you benefited anyway from the SAM-e?

 

I am currently have bad withdrawl symptoms,all day, a situation that might be slighly stressfull for me now makes me nearly faint, bad tremors in one hand all the time, head like in a vice - I took 200mg for 6 weeks then went cold turkey 2 weeks ago. Really bad so started to cut the pill in half and going to try tapering for a month or so.

 

Are there any supplements that can help with the withdrawal? I think somebody mentioned high doses of B12 or Omega oil? I don't want to make things worse but wondered what might help with the taper. What about Diazepam...that seems to sort out the anxiety a little.

 

I took this to help avoid lower back pain..but to be fair i wish i hadn't started.

[ChessieCat]

@tony2

 

Please start an Introduction topic for yourself so that we can provide you with information and you can be supported by the SA community.

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Romido, how are you?

 

If you have a chance, please follow these instructions summarize your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.