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Thijmen87


Thijmen87

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Original topic title:  Sumatriptan has positive effect on mood/depression - Is there anything to learn from this?

 

Hi all,

 

I've been using antidepressants since I'm 24/25.

My doctor prescribed it when I already had severe Irritable bowel syndrome for years and lost 10kg. I got anxiety attacks and didn't want to go to places where there was no toilet available. 

Moreover, years of stress was built up due to the loss of my father at an early age.

 

The first antidepressants (5mg of Citalopram) worked like a charm and all my complaints faded away. Also with the help of intensive therapy. 

Unfortunately, getting rid of AD has been super difficult. I'm 33 now and have been on and off AD for a while now. 

Started with 5 MG citalopram, stopped, started with Venlaxefine, stopped, started with Wellbutrin, got a significant increase in heart pulse, stopped and started with 5mg escitalopram. 

Today I'm using 3mg escitalopram and are super slowly trying to get off AD. But it has been a bumby ride so far.

 

I'm feeling OK'ish but always have this feeling of brain fog, a little bit depressed and most of the times tired. 

Not sure anymore wether this is from 'myself' or from escitalopram.


Over the years I've tried a lot of supplements like NMN, l-tyrosine, 5htp etc. with no significant success.

 

This weekend I had a headache and my wife recommended me to use a half pill of Sumatriptan. 

I woke up the next day, in a good mood, refreshed and for the first time in years with a feeling that I actually slept. 

This is so rare that it must be related to taking Sumatriptan, which has an effect on 5 HTP receptors as I understood. 

 

I tried it again the next day and this had the exact same feeling when I woke up. This hasn't happened in years. 

 

I don't want to promote the usage of Sumatriptan at all nor say that this is a magic pill. I know of the risks of serotonine syndrome.   
But I am interested in what is happening here and why it potentially helps? Are there potential alternative (more safe?) methods that do the same? 

 

Any thoughts on this? 

Thanks for all your help.

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added topic title

2014 –2015 amitriptyline 5MG quit CT - too sleepy
2015 - 2016 citalopram 5MG quit CT - 
2017 - 2017 venlaxafine 35mg and 70mg quit CT

2017 - 2017 Wellbutrin quit after 2 weeks due to heart pulse side effects
2018 - 2020 Ecitalopram 5MG

2020 Jan - March 4.5 MG Ecitalopram Liquid
2020 April - June 4.0 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

2020 July - August 3.5 MG Ecitalopram Liquid
2020 Sept - Jan 3.0 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

2021 Feb - until now 2 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Thijmen87
  • Moderator Emeritus

H Thijmen and welcome to SA,

 

SA is a peer support site for tapering psychiatric drugs.  It is better to reduce your drug slowly to keep withdrawal symptoms to a minimum and to not introduce new drugs to deal with the withdrawal symptoms.  The only supplements which SA recommends are Magnesium and Omega-3 Fish Oil.  Try a small amount, one at a time, to see how you react.

 

We have a member who has experienced withdrawal from stopping triptans.  There are several different triptans and they are meant to be taken occasionally for migraines.  Please read Post #1 of their Introduction topic:

 

frohfroh-triptans-my-lifesaver-and-nightmare

 

SA's recommended tapering protocol is to reduce no more than 10% of the current dose followed by a hold of at least 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.  Many members find that the lower their dose gets the slower they need to go.  If you experience withdrawal symptoms that do not improve during the holding period then it means you are tapering too quickly. 

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Why taper paper: dose-occupancy curves


Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

 

If you are taking more than one drug/supplement we suggest you do a drug interaction check:

 

Drug.com Interactions Checker

 

Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)

 

Please create your drug signature following these instructions.  Include ALL drugs/supplements, current and previous, including the use of Sumatriptan:

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

 

This is your own Introduction topic which is the best place to ask questions and journal your progress.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • Moderator Emeritus
2 hours ago, Thijmen87 said:

I don't want to promote the usage of Sumatriptan at all nor say that this is a magic pill. I know of the risks of serotonine syndrome.   
But I am interested in what is happening here and why it potentially helps? Are there potential alternative (more safe?) methods that do the same? 

 

If SA knew of anything that was safe and worked then there would be no need for SA to exist. 

 

Altostrata is SA's founder.  Please listen to her recent interview (45 minutes):

 

INTERVIEW with Altostrata, SA's founder 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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1 hour ago, ChessieCat said:

 

If SA knew of anything that was safe and worked then there would be no need for SA to exist. 

 

Altostrata is SA's founder.  Please listen to her recent interview (45 minutes):

 

INTERVIEW with Altostrata, SA's founder 

 

Thank you! 

2014 –2015 amitriptyline 5MG quit CT - too sleepy
2015 - 2016 citalopram 5MG quit CT - 
2017 - 2017 venlaxafine 35mg and 70mg quit CT

2017 - 2017 Wellbutrin quit after 2 weeks due to heart pulse side effects
2018 - 2020 Ecitalopram 5MG

2020 Jan - March 4.5 MG Ecitalopram Liquid
2020 April - June 4.0 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

2020 July - August 3.5 MG Ecitalopram Liquid
2020 Sept - Jan 3.0 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

2021 Feb - until now 2 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all,

 

I've been reading a lot about waves and windows on this forum. 

2 weeks ago, I dropped to 2MG ecitalopram liquid and planning to stay on this for at least 6 months. Overall, it is going pretty good.

 

A strange thing however is, that my waves currently change per 24 hours. 

Today (Saturday), I have a bad day with anxiety.
Yesterday (Friday), I felt better then when I was on 3MG

Thursday, I had a bad day. 

This has been going on for a week now.

Anyone had the same experience? 

 

I take 1 MG in the morning and 1 MG in the evening. The reason for doing this is because I think that my metabolisim goes so fast already after a couple of hours the dose doesn't seem to really work anymore. 
I used to take 3 or 4 MG in the morning and already in the evening I felt that it wasnt working. 

 

2014 –2015 amitriptyline 5MG quit CT - too sleepy
2015 - 2016 citalopram 5MG quit CT - 
2017 - 2017 venlaxafine 35mg and 70mg quit CT

2017 - 2017 Wellbutrin quit after 2 weeks due to heart pulse side effects
2018 - 2020 Ecitalopram 5MG

2020 Jan - March 4.5 MG Ecitalopram Liquid
2020 April - June 4.0 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

2020 July - August 3.5 MG Ecitalopram Liquid
2020 Sept - Jan 3.0 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

2021 Feb - until now 2 MG Ecitalopram Liquid

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