Ryguy: protracted 7 years

[ChessieCat]

There are many existing topics on SA.  BEFORE creating a new topic please do a search to see if discussion on the topic already exists.  I like to use a search engine and add site: survivingantidepressants.org to my search term.

 

There is a topic on 5htp.  This search term will find it site: survivingantidepressants.org 5htp

[NoMoreLexapro]

8 hours ago, Ryguy said:

5htp

 

Is it bad to take 5htp even if it makes me feel a lot better...ive heard horror stories about pssd from it and bad side effects when taken long term but i took it for a few days and it actually really HELPED my pssd and sleep....not sure what to do here....

 

So happy youve found something that provides some relief!

[Guest]

2 hours ago, NoMoreLexapro said:

So happy youve found something that provides some relief!

Thanks im just scared to continue it based on the stories....but its been great for me these past two days

[NoMoreLexapro]

10 hours ago, Ryguy said:

Thanks im just scared to continue it based on the stories....but its been great for me these past two days

Have you read The Mood Cure, by Julia Ross?

[Altostrata]

Have you tried ramping up with B12 by starting with a tiny crumb?

 

Did you pursue the excellent suggestion by @lucidity to check zinc levels and perhaps supplement? Low zinc is very common.

 

How much 5-HTP are you taking, when did you start it, what times of day do you take it, at what dosages? What is your sleep pattern?

[lucidity]

5-htp helps me also, so it's not a matter of it working.  I only take it as needed when I'm in a bad way because I've seen reports of others having it stop working and then they're dependent on it.  Plus others say it can lower dopamine long term

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, lucidity said:

5-htp helps me also, so it's not a matter of it working.  I only take it as needed when I'm in a bad way because I've seen reports of others having it stop working and then they're dependent on it.  Plus others say it can lower dopamine long term

 

Thats what im scared about

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Have you tried ramping up with B12 by starting with a tiny crumb?

 

Did you pursue the excellent suggestion by @lucidity to check zinc levels and perhaps supplement? Low zinc is very common.

 

How much 5-HTP are you taking, when did you start it, what times of day do you take it, at what dosages? What is your sleep pattern?

I take 100 mg 5htp a day now, started four days ago, and my multivitamin has decent levels of zinc and b12 ans i take that also everyday.... the 5htp is the only thing thats ever impacted me but i believe my problem is glial scarring of nervous tissue and its not so much serotonin i have an issue with but probably synaptic downregulation and i have no idea how to regrow nervous tissue.... im doing well on this 5htp but super scared about dependency or pssd like others have had, i might end it in a few weeks slowly

[Altostrata]

I see you didn't answer my questions and you're going your own way. Good luck.

[ChessieCat]

22 hours ago, Ryguy said:

my multivitamin has decent levels of zinc and b12

 

B12 specific tablets are not taken orally, they are sub-lingual.  My B12 tablets contain methylcobalamin 1000 micrograms (sub-lingual) whereas my Women's Multivitamin only contains cyanocobalamin 35 micrograms (oral).

 

From methylcobalamin-vs-cyanocobalamin#synthetic-vs-natural

 

"Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic form of vitamin B12 that’s not found in nature"

 

From what-is-methyl-b12:

 

"Vitamin B12 supplements come in several different forms, but there's one type, methylcobalamin, or methyl B12, that's more easily absorbed by the body, especially if you have trouble with a body process called methylation"

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Altostrata said:

I see you didn't answer my questions and you're going your own way. Good luck.

you mean specifically the b12 question? No i havent ramped up yet, i find i get a bit aggressive when i go too high, im at 100 mg i think now but not sublingual, is sublingual necessary?? Also ive taken zinc before and it never seemed to change my emotions, only b12 and 5htp have ever had an impact on me

[Altostrata]

I explained how to titrate B12 at least a couple of times, correct? I have to assume you're not interested.

 

I have a lot to do, take care.

 

 

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, Ryguy said:

you mean specifically the b12 question? No i havent ramped up yet, i find i get a bit aggressive when i go too high, im at 100 mg i think now but not sublingual, is sublingual necessary?? Also ive taken zinc before and it never seemed to change my emotions, only b12 and 5htp have ever had an impact on me

 

There is a lot of information already provided in the SA topic on B12.  I use a search engine and add site: survivingantidepressants.org to my search term.

 

Please remember that SA, which is staffed by unpaid volunteers, is a very busy site and there are lots of members who need moderator assistance with their psychiatric drug tapering and drug issues, which is the primary purpose of SA.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Altostrata said:

I explained how to titrate B12 at least a couple of times, correct? I have to assume you're not interested.

 

I have a lot to do, take care.

 

 

sorry if it seems i wasn't paying attention, i have listened to absolutely everything you've said, and regarding the b12 i do titrate b12 periodically, its on and off for me, i do it exactly like you say to. my apologies if i become tangential when i type. 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

There is a lot of information already provided in the SA topic on B12.  I use a search engine and add site: survivingantidepressants.org to my search term.

 

Please remember that SA, which is staffed by unpaid volunteers, is a very busy site and there are lots of members who need moderator assistance with their psychiatric drug tapering and drug issues, which is the primary purpose of SA.

i understand that, i will try and search for what I'm looking for and not bombard you guys with these topics too often. desperation can make people do silly things. my apologies. 

[TurkeyCold]

Hey Ryguy,

 

we are in the same age I think and I've been following your posts for a while. First of all I want to say that I feel with you for the long duration of your withdrawal, no being on this planet deserves such a heinous experience but on the other hand all of this is beyond good and bad or fair and unfair - at least that's the conclusion I have come to still being severly impaired.

 

Altostrata's advice to reintroduce B12 seems fine but I think you're on the right way to remain where you are if you're feeling an uptick of symptoms when increasing the dose. Personally, I don't believe in the story of many people having a specific deficiency that causes severe issues and even less in scientifically measuring this. No doctor knows what one's unique constitution is like and when a blood value is too low or not, nobody on earth understand the highly interrelated of this miraculous body. Only the body itself. There are reported cases of people eating one specific meal for decades without developing bigger issues (nothing which I would recommend of course 😏), our bodies are amazing and forgiving a lot.There are exceptions of course when it comes to anaemia or other plausible issues developed after years of malnutrition.

 

In my opinion less is more: How much have you been experimenting with intermittent fasting? For me it came up quite naturally around month 22 to reduce my meals and only eat twice a day with periods of 16 to 18 hours without food. I've been doing this for a year and these days I'm experimenting with one meal a day although I'm not sure if this will be a success or not since it may be to stressful for the sensitized system. Going slow in this process to adapt your body is a must for sure.

 

How much have you been able to cultivate positive emotions? Like you I am unable to work for quite a while now but I feel the urge to give sth. back by helping other people. Therefore I contacted several social instituions to engage myself in light volunteer work, e.g. having a short walk and talk with old and lonely people or by meeting a physically or mentally disabled person. Usually there are many opportunities. Yet, we all need people who are compassionate with us although they will probably never fully understand what's going on in and with us.

 

I wish you a pleasant week, stay strong and curious ...

Cornelius

[Altostrata]

You don't need to increase the dose of B12, just take a crumb of sublingual every day. It gets stored in your liver. Some people can't absorb it in the gut via those multivitamins, which generally contain ingredients of mediocre quality.

[Guest]

On 9/7/2020 at 4:45 AM, TurkeyCold said:

Hey Ryguy,

 

we are in the same age I think and I've been following your posts for a while. First of all I want to say that I feel with you for the long duration of your withdrawal, no being on this planet deserves such a heinous experience but on the other hand all of this is beyond good and bad or fair and unfair - at least that's the conclusion I have come to still being severly impaired.

 

Altostrata's advice to reintroduce B12 seems fine but I think you're on the right way to remain where you are if you're feeling an uptick of symptoms when increasing the dose. Personally, I don't believe in the story of many people having a specific deficiency that causes severe issues and even less in scientifically measuring this. No doctor knows what one's unique constitution is like and when a blood value is too low or not, nobody on earth understand the highly interrelated of this miraculous body. Only the body itself. There are reported cases of people eating one specific meal for decades without developing bigger issues (nothing which I would recommend of course 😏), our bodies are amazing and forgiving a lot.There are exceptions of course when it comes to anaemia or other plausible issues developed after years of malnutrition.

 

In my opinion less is more: How much have you been experimenting with intermittent fasting? For me it came up quite naturally around month 22 to reduce my meals and only eat twice a day with periods of 16 to 18 hours without food. I've been doing this for a year and these days I'm experimenting with one meal a day although I'm not sure if this will be a success or not since it may be to stressful for the sensitized system. Going slow in this process to adapt your body is a must for sure.

 

How much have you been able to cultivate positive emotions? Like you I am unable to work for quite a while now but I feel the urge to give sth. back by helping other people. Therefore I contacted several social instituions to engage myself in light volunteer work, e.g. having a short walk and talk with old and lonely people or by meeting a physically or mentally disabled person. Usually there are many opportunities. Yet, we all need people who are compassionate with us although they will probably never fully understand what's going on in and with us.

 

I wish you a pleasant week, stay strong and curious ...

Cornelius

wow really appreciate this, i feel the exact same way, I've been experimenting with b12 for like 8 years now and ZERO results, every now and then i go super high with it and i get a bit aggressive, and i think that's just a sign of overdosing probably. my levels indicate an absorption issue, that i know is related to my overall nervous system, which is severely broken. i dont believe any supplement has helped me, nor we know exactly what is going in this extremely complex body. 10 years of severe acne, in a family that has zero acne, is one of the most devastating symptoms, but the #1 i feel is akathisia/PSSD, this is soul destroying. I completely agree giving back to people in some way or getting involved with a positive social sphere can help heal the body in weird ways, ive been watching a lot of videos about other peoples lives to give me perspective on the world. intermittent fasting seems like something i should try for more than a month, i have tried it but never stuck with it, i will try it again. this 5htp helps me a lot but leads to weird effects the next few days, i can't win with this haha. not being able to work or have friends is extremely hard, especially at age 29. thanks for posting, i appreciate it immensely. 

[Guest]

On 9/7/2020 at 9:21 AM, Altostrata said:

You don't need to increase the dose of B12, just take a crumb of sublingual every day. It gets stored in your liver. Some people can't absorb it in the gut via those multivitamins, which generally contain ingredients of mediocre quality.

im gonna put the multi aside then, and start the sublingual once again and just take it super slow. i respect your knowledge on this. ive done it before, but doing it again exactly the way you say might be my best bet as of now. im gonna keep gradually messing around with 5htp when i get severe symptoms. thanks again for your patience, i might be the most annoying person on this site to you, so i apologize haha. hope your weekend is enjoyable. 

[Mike8989]

Hi 

 

Does anyone have/experienced constant nausea as a withdrawal symptom ?

 

Could it be something else- perhaps intense anxiety causing it after a quick taper?

 

Thanks

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, Mike8989 said:

Hi 

 

Does anyone have/experienced constant nausea as a withdrawal symptom ?

 

Could it be something else- perhaps intense anxiety causing it after a quick taper?

 

Thanks

nausea and serotonin are definitely related, i have it often, have had it for years to be honest, not sure what the mechanism is, but its totally a withdrawal symptom. 

[Guest]

On 9/5/2020 at 8:57 AM, NoMoreLexapro said:

Have you read The Mood Cure, by Julia Ross?

never read it, why?

[Mike8989]

4 minutes ago, Ryguy said:

nausea and serotonin are definitely related, i have it often, have had it for years to be honest, not sure what the mechanism is, but its totally a withdrawal symptom. 

what have the doctors/psychiatrist suggested you take medication wise to relive the symptoms?

 

Did reinstating not work for you ?

[1Day]

3 hours ago, Ryguy said:

but the #1 i feel is akathisia/PSSD, this is soul destroying.

Hi Ryguy,

 

So sorry to read what you have been through all these years.  I have heard of people recovering after more than a decade so don’t give up.  
 

I was just wondering if you have had any improvement with the PSSD in particular?

 

I really hope things improve for you soon.  Like I say I have seen stories of people like yourself, and even longer off the drugs, who suddenly start to turn the corner.  Hang in there. 

All the best,

1Day
 

 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Mike8989 said:

what have the doctors/psychiatrist suggested you take medication wise to relive the symptoms?

 

Did reinstating not work for you ?

i would never reinstate, ive gone ten years in torture, why would i reinstate now? haha. there's no solution to any withdrawal symptoms as far as im concerned. 5htp has been the only thing that gives me a day or two of relief, but it always comes with a price. insomnia and irritation mainly 

[Guest]

On 9/13/2020 at 3:30 AM, 1Day said:

Hi Ryguy,

 

So sorry to read what you have been through all these years.  I have heard of people recovering after more than a decade so don’t give up.  
 

I was just wondering if you have had any improvement with the PSSD in particular?

 

I really hope things improve for you soon.  Like I say I have seen stories of people like yourself, and even longer off the drugs, who suddenly start to turn the corner.  Hang in there. 

All the best,

1Day
 

 

Im on my way , super super super slow, maybe im 60 percent improved after 10 years 

 

my pssd has improved by 60 percent too i guess . 5htp has actually given me more therapy than anything else , trying not to overdo it , i do days where i take a small 15 mg tablet then skip two weeks , those days i get to about 85 percent, its a miracle 

[Guest]

can someone tell me what "poop out" means 

[ChessieCat]

On 9/5/2020 at 7:45 AM, ChessieCat said:

please do a search to see if discussion on the topic already exists.  I like to use a search engine and add site: survivingantidepressants.org to my search term.

 

You've been an active member of SA since the start of 2019.  Please make an effort to find out information for yourself.  Using the above instruction and searching for poop out will find a topic about it.

 

1 hour ago, Ryguy said:

can someone tell me what "poop out" means 

 

[Guest]

On 10/14/2020 at 7:16 PM, ChessieCat said:

 

You've been an active member of SA since the start of 2019.  Please make an effort to find out information for yourself.  Using the above instruction and searching for poop out will find a topic about it.

 

 

Sorry i did try that but couldnt find the exact definition but i eventually did, sorry again, youre right ill do longer research from this point on. Thanks 🙏🏻 

[ChessieCat]

I've merged your new topic with the existing topic:

 

protracted-withdrawal-or-paws-post-acute-withdrawal-syndrome-how-long-does-it-last

 

[AJ716]

Hi Ryguy,

 

I followed you here from the Cypro thread.  I hope you don't mind.  You posted that your experience was similar to mine.  So I was looking at your signature medications but it wasn't specific regarding anything you currently take, but here you mentioned using 5htp.  Can you share your experience with that and how it helps you?  

[ChessieCat]

13 hours ago, AJ716 said:

but here you mentioned using 5htp.  Can you share your experience with that and how it helps you?  

 

Ryguy has posted in the 5htp topic:

 

5-htp-5-hydroxytryptophan-and-l-tryptophan

 

[Guest]

Losing all hope

 

please someone for the love of god tell me I'm just in a wave or im just being irrational because i cant take it any longer, its been 10 years and things have gotten worse, not better, I've had brief momentary fleeting windows that weren't even strong, but this withdrawal has caused holes and scars in my skin, hallucinations constantly, fainting constantly, nutritional deficiencies , complete loss of genital function and feeling, pain all over my entire body, anger and rage fluctuations, extreme emotional instability, loss of money friends job etc, constant stabbing sensation in my gut, ive said things to my parents that are truly unforgivable....i just cant believe 2 years of taking Zoloft could ever do this, ill never believe such a thing is possible.....im feeling like this might be it for me, i just feel not being here anymore is far more reasonable then enduring this much agony. i mean when they assist the elderly in suicide, most people agree its ethical , because its about limiting pain and suffering in the world, isn't it just sadistic to allow myself to go on this way? i feel like my withdrawal has also been worse than a lot of people ive read about it, so far mine seems like the worst. 

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by Guest
added topic title

[ChessieCat]

  

On 9/2/2019 at 5:48 PM, Altostrata said:

Ryguy, have you seen doctors to investigate your digestive issues? Maybe you do have a parasite, or a common infection such a h. pylori.

 

Q:  Did you ever get tested for the above?

 

The staff here at SA do understand how desperate some of the members can get and we'd like to help, but we're only an Internet discussion forum.  If you're really serious, please find help closer to you.

 

for-those-who-are-feeling-desperate-or-suicidal

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

  

 

Q:  Did you ever get tested for the above?

 

The staff here at SA do understand how desperate some of the members can get and we'd like to help, but we're only an Internet discussion forum.  If you're really serious, please find help closer to you.

 

for-those-who-are-feeling-desperate-or-suicidal

Theres no way those gut issues can lead to what im feeling...theres just no way . I got tested for a parasite, not sure what the other thing is but no way it can lead do the type of madness ive gone through

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, Ryguy said:

nutritional deficiencies

 

I noticed this in your post.