Len189: I messed up

[ShiningLight]

Hey Len! How's it going?

[India]

@Len189 In the early days of withdrawal,   I dosed up on passiflora. A “natural” alternative to Valium. It’s up to you if you think it would be helpful in your case. Everyone has a different experience. 

Fish oil and magnesium seem to be tolerated well by a lot of members. I take them. I’m not giving advice rather sharing what worked for me.

[Len189]

Hi @ShiningLight, thanks for stopping by! Still hanging in there. I might as well take this opportunity to write a 3 month status:

 

Akathisia/vibration is better than in the beginning where I would have huge akathisia-fueled anxiety attacks. It's still pretty bad though, and flares up often.

I don't get the burning sensation in my head anymore, but I still get various other neurological head sensations that are very uncomfortable. Intensity has lessened from the early days.

Still get the feeling of burning skin and burning nerves in my body/paresthesia quite often. Maybe the intensity has lessened a bit.

Stiffness in neck has mostly dissapeared I think.

Less abdominal pain but not gone. Very infrequent though.

Flareup of symptoms after eating has lessened. The same for long walks, I think.

Better sleep than in the beginning.

Dizziness is better but still very present.

Anxiety is better but still high.

 

Overall I'm seeing some progress but it is very slow. Maybe I'm being too impatient but some days I still feel I can't take it anymore and considers taking a microscopic dose of Lamotrigine to help with cns hyperactivity. I will probably wait and see how much progress the next months bring before I would try something like that though.

 

@India Thanks for that suggestion with passiflora. Sounds promising, I think I will give that a try! I take fish oil every day and magnesium occasionally, though I think I maybe bought one of the less good variants of the latter (magnesium oxide)

[ShiningLight]

22 hours ago, Len189 said:

Overall I'm seeing some progress but it is very slow. Maybe I'm being too impatient but some days I still feel I can't take it anymore and considers taking a microscopic dose of Lamotrigine to help with cns hyperactivity. I will probably wait and see how much progress the next months bring before I would try something like that though.

 

I'm so glad you're seeing some progress! This really is quite a marathon.   I know you will give it a lot of thought and get advice from the mods if you start thinking seriously about the lamotrigine at a later date. I'm sorry this is taking so long. Maybe one day you'll wake up and have a leap forward? I will put my hope in that direction.

 

I get the buzzing/vibration too and it is unpleasant. Mine has been pretty soft and mild but it's still bothersome. It sounds like yours is much worse.

[Len189]

Thank you, a leap forward would be nice! Yeah, a marathon seems to be a fitting description. I can only hope it's not a marathon that will last 2-3 years (or more) as the "official" description says about adverse reactions in one of the threads. Yeah, I will get advice if I decide I want to try lamotrigine. I hope I feel I can manage without resorting to that.

 

Yeah, the vibration/akathisia can be extremely uncomfortable especially when it´s accompanied by aching/burning nerves in my case. Im sorry you are also dealing with it.

 

 

 

[India]

On 10/11/2019 at 10:16 AM, Len189 said:

@India Thanks for that suggestion with passiflora. Sounds promising, I think I will give that a try! I take fish oil every day and magnesium occasionally, though I think I maybe bought one of the less good variants of the latter (magnesium oxide)

@Len189 My fear levels were  so bad I dosed up on liquid passiflora. It was a bit of a risk but I’d tolerated it well before. Yes, go for Magnesium Malate (Nature’s Answer) or magnesium citrate and also chelated all supposed to aid in absorption . Nordic Oil is a good fish oil supplement.

[India]

1 hour ago, Len189 said:

the vibration/akathisia can be extremely uncomfortable especially when it´s accompanied by aching/burning nerves in my case.

Yes, it’s truly horrid.

[Giulietta]

Hello Len!

 

I'm sorry you're having a rough time. It's amazing how changes in chemicals in our brain can wreak such havoc. We have not done damage as someone on thepost said - but truly shaken things up a bit (think of shaking up a can of coca cola, opening it up - and it fizzes before settling down). A few comments:

 

Don't be calling yourself stupid and did dumb things, etc. Love yourself. Would you treat someone you loved/ friend/family this way? It's a new way to think - I try to remember to do this.  All of us were fed bad information by peolel who didn't know what they were doing (and hadn't taken these drugs I bet).  We march forward (we could not reverse either ). We can learn from it without dwelling on it.

 

I am in protracted withdrawal from another SNRI (cymbalta/duloxetine) - and virtually a CT.  The first few months were horrible and I was unable to function normally most of the time. I felt terrible. I resisted taking more medications. Be determined to stay the course. You can do this. My symptoms are improving and yours will too. It has taken me 10 months.

 

Note about meds: I already take lamotrigine/lamictal, gabapentin at high doses (for seizure control) and clonazepam - so I don't know if they may help you or not at low doses. Getting off lamotrigine and gabapentin at higher doses certainly are not easy to get off for many people.

 

Maybe we can chat more and be helpful and supportive. I feel terrible for you. You are not alone and we understand.  I am glad you found SA.

 

 

Giuilietta

 

 

[Len189]

Thanks for the suggestions India, I will try some of those supplements!

 

Thanks for the kind words and support Guilietta. I like your analogy of shaking up a cola Yeah, we have no choice but to move forwards and I have definitely learnt my lesson from this experience! So sorry to hear you are in protracted withdrawal from a CT, but great that your symptoms are improving! We will all continue to get better if we stay the course, slowly but surely. So glad this site exits!

[Len189]

Passion flower tea seemed to be too activating in my current state. Nerve pain increased shortly after drinking it. Will try it again at a later date to make sure it really was the tea.

[ShiningLight]

I had a similar experience with lavendar essential oil. Too much, even a few drops in the bath.

 

Although you are still struggling a lot, it is nothing short of wonderful to hear the hope in your words. You sound increasingly balanced, which in itself is a sign of healing even if the body isn't quite with the prpgram yet! 😀

[Giulietta]

On 10/12/2019 at 1:40 PM, Len189 said:

I like your analogy of shaking up a cola Yeah, we have no choice but to move forwards and I have definitely learnt my lesson from this experience!

 

Hello Len

 

Ack! Look at the date. Sorry not to have responded sooner. I need to adjust mysettings. 😉

 

Every day is a step toward full recovery - even if on the 'outside' we feel crummy from time to time.

 

I am so thankful for this site. I have learned some lessons myself. My CT has let me know that I should never trust the medical industry again. This is a pity because I don't like investing my time in being an MD or pharmacist myself. No one pays me $500 for 15 minutes. 😁

 

Have a good one.

 

Giulietta

[Len189]

ShiningLight: Interesting. We have to be real careful with these things, it seems. Thanks for your encouragement I wish I would feel more hopeful though, rather than just lost most of the time.

 

Guiletta: No problem, thanks for your response! Yes, I try to remind myself of that. One day at a time... The medical industry should be forced to hire us as very expensive consultants for all the suffering they have put us through You have a nice day too!

[ShiningLight]

Hi Len, how are you doing? Been thinking about you.

 

Best wishes for a happy new year!

[ShiningLight]

Len, you out there? Still thinking of you.

[Len189]

Thanks for checking up on me, that's kind of you. I don't use the site as much anymore. Still struggling a lot with various neurological aches and jolts but it is getting better ever so slowly. Sorry for not responding to your previous post, I really hope you are well!

[ChessieCat]

Hi Len,

 

Thank you for coming back to update us on how you are.

 

It would really be appreciated if you could update your Introduction topic every now and then please.  Thank you.

 

This is SA's mission statement:

  

On 5/15/2011 at 5:22 AM, Altostrata said:

 

MISSION OF SURVIVINGANTIDEPRESSANTS.ORG

 

Surviving Antidepressants is a site for peer support, documentation, and education of withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal syndrome caused by psychiatric drugs, specifically antidepressants.

The participants on this site have all experienced or are experiencing difficulty in withdrawal from psychiatric medications. We offer peer support to those who are similarly suffering, drawing from our personal experiences.

(No posting on this site should be construed as medical advice. For medical advice, consult a trusted medical caregiver.)

This site is also a research project. The personal stories on this site are documentation of an iatrogenic condition -- suffering caused by medical treatment -- that is almost always ignored, misdiagnosed, or denied by the medical establishment. Given the widespread prescription of antidepressants to tens of millions of people worldwide, withdrawal syndrome probably affects hundreds of thousands if not millions -- including newborns and children.

Antidepressant withdrawal syndrome can last weeks, months, or years. It can be distressing, debilitating, or even disabling. It may be adding to an increase in what is termed disabling mental illness.

With our documentation of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome, we hope to educate the medical establishment about this problem. Case studies are essential; they are evidence understood by doctors, the psychiatric industry, and government regulatory agencies. The have already informed numerous articles in major publications and scientific papers.

Our hope is, eventually, antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs will be prescribed rarely, and only in cases of extremely severe mental illness after less invasive treatments have been tried.

Please join Surviving Antidepressants in its mission to support, document, and educate about psychiatric drug withdrawal syndrome.

 

 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

This topic was updated recently:

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

[ShiningLight]

Happy New Year Len! How are you?