Libra: CT Paxil, citalopram, escitalopram - weight falls

[Libra]

Hello! I'm very glad that I found this amazing site! Many-many thanks to Altostrata and other mod's! You will save lives!
I'm sorry, my English is very very bad...
I was badly affected by taking AD's and I need advice. Now to me 32 years old, on AD's for anxiety disorder. 
April 2011 - December 2011 -  Paxil 20 mg, C/T
December 2013 - December 2014 - Paxil 15 mg, C/T 
Febryary 2015 - June 2016 - citalopram 10 mg, C/T
September 2016 - December 2016 - citalopram 20 mg. He stopped helping and I took escitalopram 10 mg. Escitalopram caused serotonin syndrome and akathisia in Febryary 2017 and I reduced the dose to 5 mg and in 2 weeks left completely. In 5 months from C/T escitalopram my health became very bad. And I restored 5 mg of escitalopram (July 2017), but it got worse. Twitched all the muscles, akathisia, serotonin syndrome, bleeding, extrasystole. I reduced the dose with in 1 1/2 months and left.
Since then I have symptoms:
- electricity in the body
- akathisia (I want to burst from tension, get out ot fhe skin)
- panic attack every day
- loss of emotion, nothing interests
- insomnia
- hypersensitivity to all, to food. 30 minutes after eating, panic begins.
- chills, constantly shaking
- weight loss (I'm 174 sm and 53 kg)
- maculopapular rash on the body.

Now 9 1/2 months from the C/T escitalopram in October 2017. Everything began to deteriorate strongly at around 5 - 6 months. I have panic attack after eating and at night. I' m absolutely dysfunctional. I feel that I'm dying. My weight falls.
It turned out that I have celiac disease. I observe a strict gluten-free diet of 9 months. 
I underwent a complete medical examination and except for celiac disease, all test were normal.
Medicines for the last 2 years: 
1) citalopram 20 mg - stop in December 2016 and repleced by escitalopram
2) escitalopram 10 mg - December 2016 - February 2017, then July 2017 - October 2017.
3) phenazepam (benzo) 0,25 - 0,5 mg periodically for severe anxiety. And also every day in periods from 6 to 13 Aprill and from 13 to 20 Juny 2018. Dose - 0,5 mg - 1 mg in day. Phenazepam has a long half-life, almost like diazepam.
4) Atarax - from 19 May to 12 Juny 2018 every day. Gave an increase in weigh of 1 kg. Dose - 12,5 mg in day. I also use atarax periodically from anxiety. 
5) metoprolol 6,25 mg every morning from tachycardia.
6) propranolol 5 - 10 mg from panic attack.

Also I tried to restore citalopram in June 2018 in a micro dose: 1 day - 0,15 mg, 2 day - 0,47 mg, 3 day - 0,7812 mg, 4 day - 1,094 mg, 5 day - 0,78125 mg, 6 day - 0,47 mg, 7 day - 0,32 mg and stopped. I was scared of the akathisia. 
My main problem now is akathisia and panic attack after eating, and weigh loss. I'm anorexic, I'm obsessed with my low weight.
l carefully studied almost all topics on the forum, including about the weight.
I think to try a lot of Atarax for 2 or 3 weeks at 12,5 mg every day. Last time it helped with weight. But Atarax affected serotonin, dopamine, histamine receptors. Thus it is a violation of natural CNS recovery. I know that the Atarax is similar to the antipsychotic (D2, 5HT-2, H-1 recept.). Atarax increases my jecking muscules and involuntary movements. But I have no choice.
I tried magnesium, valerian, chamomile, fish oil. It seems to me it intensified akathisia. 
Also I think about micro doses of Lamictal. Can he help with akathisia and panic after eating?
Also I think about gabapentin. I read the he can increase weight. 
I hate these drugs and do not want to take anything more, but if i do nothing I think I'm going to die from exhaustion.
What should I do? Pleasе, any advice?

[mammaP]

Hi Libra, welcome to SA.  You are experiencing quit e  severe withdrawal. Your nervous system is very unstable and needs consistency.  It is terrible that you are going through this but we will try to help you. 

 

I would not consider gabapentin, it has many nasty side effects that could make you much worse. When the nervous system is struggling the body reacts to new drugs and many supplements as you have experienced. We have a topic on low dose lamictal here   Lamictal

It is very important that you take good care of yourself. Have a good routine, gentle exercise, fresh food if possible. Caffeine and alcohol aggravate withdrawal. A good sleep routine is very important, no screens for an hour before bed, going to bed and getting up at the same time. Recovery will come in windows and waves, you will feel a little better (windows) then back to feeling bad again (waves).  As time goes by the windows will get longer and the waves shorter. 

 

Here are some topics that will help you to understand withdrawal.

 

What is withrawal syndrome

 

Brain remodelling

 

Windows and waves

 

How long does withdrawal take

[Altostrata]

On 8/3/2018 at 1:57 AM, Libra said:

My main problem now is akathisia and panic attack after eating, and weigh loss. I'm anorexic, I'm obsessed with my low weight.
l carefully studied almost all topics on the forum, including about the weight.
I think to try a lot of Atarax for 2 or 3 weeks at 12,5 mg every day. Last time it helped with weight. But Atarax affected serotonin, dopamine, histamine receptors. Thus it is a violation of natural CNS recovery. I know that the Atarax is similar to the antipsychotic (D2, 5HT-2, H-1 recept.). Atarax increases my jecking muscules and involuntary movements. But I have no choice.
I tried magnesium, valerian, chamomile, fish oil. It seems to me it intensified akathisia. 
Also I think about micro doses of Lamictal. Can he help with akathisia and panic after eating?

 

Welcome, Libra.

 

Are you still taking Atarax?

 

Your akathisia symptoms and panic increase after eating? Do you also get increased heart rate after eating? What times of day do you eat? Are there any times of day that these symptoms are less?

 

What is your sleep pattern?

[Libra]

mammaP, Altostrata thank you very much.

I take Atarax 5 days (beginning of Aug. 3). The dose is 12,5 mg in the morning. Atarax slightly reduces anxiety after eating and tremor.

My symptoms and panic greatly increase after eating. Heart rate increases after eating, also extrasystoles begin.

My day:

9 am - wake up, I take 6,25 mg of metoprolol and 12,5 mg of Atarax.

10 am - breakfast

10:30 am - increased anxiety

11 am - anxiety decreases

11:30 am - snack (gluten-free biscuit 35 g)

11:40 am - increased anxiety, akathisia

1 pm - dinner (chicken or fish with potatoes, fresh vegetables)

1:20 pm - increased anxiety, akathisia

3 pm - snack. Akathisia

4 pm - I'm walking 1 - 1,5 km

5 pm - dinner

5:30 pm - panic attack (pulse 150). I take propranolol 5-10 mg.

5:30 pm - 7 pm - chills, shaking

7 pm - snack

9 pm - the second dinner (chicken soup or fish with vegetables)

9:30 pm - increased anxiety

1 am - I go to bed

1:30 am - wake ap with panic

3 am - 8 am - sleep

8 am - I wake up with anxiety

8:10 am - 9 am - sleep.

My sleep is restless, with bright dreams. The duration of my sleep is from 5 - 6 or 7 hours. Sometimes 2 - 3 hours. 
I can eat a very limited set of products. I have a bad reaction ever to apples and raspberries. A bad reaction is nausea, terrible tremor. I have to eat every 2 hours, otherwise my weight falls. This is horror!

 

I will be grateful for any advice.

[Libra]

Please, I need advice with Lamictal. I'm going to try Lamictal. I want to start with a dose of 0,5 mg. How correctly to take Lamictal? Can I take the whole dose once a day? Or need to be divided into two parts, in the morning and in the evening?

[mammaP]

We can't take responsibility for you trying lamotrigine, but I admit that it is good to see a doctor who is willing to prescribe very low doses. You need to read this topic very carefully. It will tell you how to get small doses. 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1122-tips-for-tapering-off-lamictal-lamotrigine/

 

In case you missed the link, this will explain lamictal at low doses. 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/3769-lamictal-lamotrigine-to-calm-post-discontinuation-withdrawal-symptoms/?do=findComment&comment=11585

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 2018 by mammaP

[Libra]

mammaP, thank you very much!

[cmm1180]

I have reactions to most foods as well and lost 20 pounds. What I have found is that if I avoid salacylates I have many less problems. I have been able to put back on 15 pounds by adding sweet cream butter to egg yolks, potatoes, and cabbage. I cannot tolerate many fruits, but mangos are good for me. What I also found is that sometimes it was not the food but my anxiety contemplating a reaction that was the issue. Now, I just try most things small bites at a time and try to talk myself out of the anxiety surrounding food. Butter is not the healthiest way to put on weight but when you loose that much weight in a small period of time, it is scary. And worse than that, you have no energy. Since adding back the weight I physically feel much better.

[Libra]

cmm1180, thank you very much. I also thought about butter.

[mammaP]

Coconut oil is also very good and high calorie, I have to be careful not to lose weight and have a big helping with breakfast. I love butter, grass fed Irish butter and put it on everything 

[Libra]

mammaP,  thanks for the idea, I'll try coconut oil!

[Altostrata]

On 8/8/2018 at 8:32 AM, cmm1180 said:

I have reactions to most foods as well and lost 20 pounds. What I have found is that if I avoid salacylates I have many less problems. I have been able to put back on 15 pounds by adding sweet cream butter to egg yolks, potatoes, and cabbage. I cannot tolerate many fruits, but mangos are good for me. What I also found is that sometimes it was not the food but my anxiety contemplating a reaction that was the issue. Now, I just try most things small bites at a time and try to talk myself out of the anxiety surrounding food. Butter is not the healthiest way to put on weight but when you loose that much weight in a small period of time, it is scary. And worse than that, you have no energy. Since adding back the weight I physically feel much better.

 

Libra, as cmm says, it could be specific foods causing a reaction. Recommend keeping a food diary to see if you can figure out which, or start an elimination or exclusion diet of very mild foods to calm your system down.

 

Common foods such as aged meats, sausage, bacon, liver, cheese can cause symptoms after eating, like those you describe.

 

It would be better for you to figure out if your symptoms are caused by food before you start taking lamotrigine. If your symptoms are caused by food, lamotrigine may not help.

[Libra]

Altostrata,  thank you very much!

[Libra]

Hello, I need advice again, please. Sorry for my English.
I started taking Lamictal 0,75 mg in the morning and 0,25 mg in the evening. I hope that Lamictal will help.
I had too many cold turkeys and I lose hope. It seems to me my CNS is badly damaged. Has anyone recovered from many cold turkeys?
Currently my symptoms are very bad. My anxiety is so strong that I can not eat and sleep normally. I have strong panic attack almost every night (a sharp increase in heart rate and blood pressure to very high digits). I can't leave the house, I can't even wash my head without the help of my husband. I feel very bad after talking with people. I do not have windows and never had windows.. I lost all hope. I have constant suicidal thoughts. 
I think if Lamictal does not help me, I will have to start benzo. Is this a bad idea in my case? Did anyone have a similar survival experience on benzodiazepines and then on a micro-taper?
Thank you very much for any opinions!

[LexAnger]

I'm so sorry libra!

 

i recently had life threatening reactions to everything contains either MGS or artificial sweeteners. They caused 10 times more severe and terrifying and serious symptoms than my original ones from  Lexapro. I just had a serotonin syndrome like episode today after accidentally taking a sulcrolose sweetened supplement drink.

 

Are your food all non- processed?  You can do a quick googling see if what you eat contains any of those. They are in everything including supplements, medication, not only in all snacks, drinks, gum etc.

 

those are extremely toxic and more dangerous than Ssri in some ways.

 

lex

 

 

[Libra]

LexAnger, thank you so much.

My food is natural, except for gluten-free cookies. I have a very limited set of products. I eat stewed potatoes, carrots, cabbage, chicken, fish. In the morning I eat buckwheat. Also I eat a few fruits, these are pears, melons, watermelon, peaches. Gluten-free cookies. And it's all. I do not drink any drinks except clean water. And even from these products I feel bad. The rest was a nightmare.

It seems to me that my body does not want to live, no matter what I do, so I just have to accept.

[Libra]

Hello! Altostrata, I really need your advice on the use of Lamictal. There are no good psychiatrists in my city. My doctor prescribed Lamictal 25 mg twice daily. 

I take it according to your recommendations in a small dose of 0,75 mg in the morning and 0,25 mg in the evening.

I already have a maculopapular rash for a long time, perhaps it's Duhring's dermatitis associated with celiac disease. 

It is known that Lamictal often causes a rash, which means the need to cancel this drug. I'm afraid that I have a high risk of this rash.

Therefore, I had a very important question. If I develop a rash from lamotrigine, how do I cancel this drug? Cold turkey? How do I proceed in the situation if there is a rash? Doctors, of course, believe that you can simply stop from any dose. 

 

 

[Libra]

Hi! 

I really need advice, please! Has anyone used Atarax/Benadril for a long time to help AD WD? I mean daily intake.

Lamictal strengthened akathisia, so I stopped. Took him 12 days.

[ChessieCat]

6 minutes ago, Libra said:

Atarax/Benadril

 

SA's topic:  antihistamines-for-withdrawal-insomnia-diphenhydramine-doxylamine-hydroxyzine

 

 

[ChessieCat]

Sleep Hypnosis, Guided Meditations, Calming Videos

Sleep problems - that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

melatonin-for-sleep

 

[Libra]

Thank you very much! My main problem is anorexia and torment after eating. 

[ChessieCat]

https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Disordered-Eating

[Libra]

Sorry, I meant that I have dystrophy, but I eat more than 1800 kcal a day and continue to lose weight and I have constant dehidration, althought I drink 2 liters of pure water.

My akathisia is now very bad and I cannot eat, and I am afraid that I will die of dystrophy and hunger.

 If I take Atarax 2 time a week to eat normally, will this not prevent my healing?

[Libra]

Hi!

Can a dependency on propranolol with subsequent WD be formed if I take it 1 time in 3 days at about a dose of 5 - 7 mg? I have been taking it this way for 5 months now. Can I have a dependency and WD in between receptions? I also constantly take 6.25 mg of metoprolol every morning for tachycardia and ventricular extrasystole. Propranolol helps against panic attaks and akathisia, that is, I use its anti-anxiety affect.

[Altostrata]

Many people use propanolol for withdrawal symptoms. It needs to be tapered, but not as slowly as psychiatric drugs, to avoid blood pressure rebound.

 

On 8/20/2018 at 10:22 PM, Libra said:

LexAnger, thank you so much.

My food is natural, except for gluten-free cookies. I have a very limited set of products. I eat stewed potatoes, carrots, cabbage, chicken, fish. In the morning I eat buckwheat. Also I eat a few fruits, these are pears, melons, watermelon, peaches. Gluten-free cookies. And it's all. I do not drink any drinks except clean water. And even from these products I feel bad. The rest was a nightmare.

It seems to me that my body does not want to live, no matter what I do, so I just have to accept.

 

Libra, if you have histamine intolerance, pears, melons, watermelon, peaches, fish, and buckwheat could cause symptoms. Please see

 

https://www.aha.ch/swiss-allergy-centre/info-on-allergies/-allergies-intolerances/food-intolerance/histamine-intolerance/?oid=1472&lang=en

 

https://www.histaminintoleranz.ch/en/therapy_dietarychange.html

 

Food sensitivities
 
Histamine food intolerance

 

Elimination or exclusion diets for reactions to food (food intolerance)

[Libra]

Altostrata, thank you so much!

[Cari]

On 8/7/2018 at 9:07 AM, Libra said:

mammaP, Altostrata thank you very much.

I take Atarax 5 days (beginning of Aug. 3). The dose is 12,5 mg in the morning. Atarax slightly reduces anxiety after eating and tremor.

My symptoms and panic greatly increase after eating. Heart rate increases after eating, also extrasystoles begin.

My day:

9 am - wake up, I take 6,25 mg of metoprolol and 12,5 mg of Atarax.

10 am - breakfast

10:30 am - increased anxiety

11 am - anxiety decreases

11:30 am - snack (gluten-free biscuit 35 g)

11:40 am - increased anxiety, akathisia

1 pm - dinner (chicken or fish with potatoes, fresh vegetables)

1:20 pm - increased anxiety, akathisia

3 pm - snack. Akathisia

4 pm - I'm walking 1 - 1,5 km

5 pm - dinner

5:30 pm - panic attack (pulse 150). I take propranolol 5-10 mg.

5:30 pm - 7 pm - chills, shaking

7 pm - snack

9 pm - the second dinner (chicken soup or fish with vegetables)

9:30 pm - increased anxiety

1 am - I go to bed

1:30 am - wake ap with panic

3 am - 8 am - sleep

8 am - I wake up with anxiety

8:10 am - 9 am - sleep.

My sleep is restless, with bright dreams. The duration of my sleep is from 5 - 6 or 7 hours. Sometimes 2 - 3 hours. 
I can eat a very limited set of products. I have a bad reaction ever to apples and raspberries. A bad reaction is nausea, terrible tremor. I have to eat every 2 hours, otherwise my weight falls. This is horror!

 

I will be grateful for any advice.

I also have seemed to have a reaction to many foods, I'm afraid to eat food in fear of a reaction. And some foods that I thought my body were tolerating suddenly seem to be bothering me. I try to stick to foods that I know are safe. But it can change!! I have lost a lot of weight due to this and loss of appetite.

 

I also notice that I have extra anxiety after every time that I eat, and w/d sypmtoms show up more... so I use to just try to avoid food for as long as I could because I would feel better. But I have to EAT!! I feel like every day I am experimenting and not sure which food will suddenly really bother me. I coukd eat apples before and now noticed the past few days I get tingling in my face and hyped up. I've been living on lots of bananas and milk. I want FOOD!

 

So sorry you are going though this I can totally relate!

[Libra]

Hello, Cari! I'm also afraid to eat. Hope it won't last forever.

[Libra]

6 years have passed since I stopped taking antidepressants. The damage to my nervous system actually occurred while taking these drugs, and the greatest damage was done after increasing my dose of escitalopram in February 2017. After taking the higher dose, I had an unbearable headache, and the next morning I woke up with a strong electric sensation throughout my body, and the left side of my body was literally vibrating. I could not tense the muscles of my left arm and leg - my limbs began to shake. The eyelids were shaking, the jaw lived its own life and moved back and forth. There was a feeling of universal grief and anxiety, I could not find a place for myself. I couldn't do anything but walk from corner to corner and cry. My life divided into before and after. Since then my life has been a painful existence. 6 years have passed. Yes, some symptoms have subsided. This is the same acute anxiety and mental pain, it has become much less. But! My nervous system, all regulatory mechanisms and adaptation systems have been destroyed and have not been restored for the seventh year. My left side of the body still vibrates and shakes, and according to electroneuromyography, a decrease in conductivity of the left arm and lower extremities is recorded at the level of the radicular medulla, and since I do not have radiculopathy, this means damage to the motor neuron at the level of the spinal cord and/or brain. . I have increased sensitivity to all environmental irritants - emotional overload, intolerance to heat, cold, humidity, lack of oxygen, odors, medications and vitamins. I have multiple food intolerances and the negative reactions come in the form of fight or flight. I often wake up at night with terrible tachycardia and sweat. I have some gastrointestinal diseases that are not related to the nervous system, but it is clear that they should not cause such symptoms. It's just that my autonomic system, immune system and all the adaptive and regulatory mechanisms were destroyed by the SSRIs. Over all these years, I have tried probably all possible ways to restore the body, but to success it didn't work. I'm tired of living like this. I am essentially disabled. My body triggers a violent “fight or flight” reaction to any irritant. And it continues unabated. I cannot work, be in a group, communicate normally with people, eat normal food, travel, etc. All that remains for me is confinement at home and walks in the nearest park or near home. No joys of life, even hobbies cause severe exhaustion and I pay for it with night attacks. I'm afraid it will get worse. It feels like it's some kind of pit that has no bottom.
Sorry to be so pessimistic. But this is my truth. 

[Doctorsrcrap]

I'm so sorry to hear of your suffering. 

Please continue to have hope. The sites founder didn't recover until 11 years passed so there is still hope for you