Shaye: Panic and fear of dying.

[Shaye]

I have been off cyprelex for 6 months now and it’s been dreadful ever since my husband had an affair on me and told me I needed meds when I suspected it so I took them for a year and then found out about him so I decided to go off. I went from 20 to 10 to 5 mg in 3 months and had severe reactions . Almost immediately my panic came on fast and hard and the fear of dying was all day everyday. I called ambulances was put on monitors to check heart everything was ok. Here I am 6 months later though and everyday I fear death ! I can’t stop googling symptoms . Tingling in arms legs feet and hands , panic attack feeling of losing control. I don’t want to go back on them but I can’t so this anymore . I can’t be happy I feel like a ticking time bomb never knowing when I’m going to explode and die. I’m 40 and over the last 6 months I have taken my health seriously . Switched up to keto diet lost 40 lbs eat one meal a day and my blood tests show significant improvement in sugars , blood pressure , cholesterol and liver enzymes rare back to normal. My body is healing but I feel tingly everywhere almost all the time some times I feel like my legs are going to collapse under me. I should feel healthy but I don’t . Wondering if after 6 months of being off the meds if they could still have an effect ? I’m doing everything I can and nothing is making this dreaded feeling and like vibrating in my body like I’m on high and there is no off switch kind of . I’m scared . Any advice ? 

[Shep]

Hi, Shaye.

 

It can take a very long time to heal from withdrawal. For many people, it's in the years, not months. So that may help your health anxiety a great deal, knowing that your symptoms are simply part of the healing process. 

 

Please see:

 

Are We There Yet? How Long Is Withdrawal Going To Take?

 

For help with health anxiety, please see:

 

Health anxiety, hypochondria and obsession with symptoms Rate this topic

 

Here is more information on withdrawal:

 

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain

 

Healing from antidepressants. Patterns of recovery video (4 minutes)

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

At 6 months out, reinstatement is generally not recommended. Reinstatements work best within a few months of coming off. 

 

On 1/3/2021 at 6:35 PM, Shaye said:

Switched up to keto diet lost 40 lbs eat one meal a day and my blood tests show significant improvement in sugars , blood pressure , cholesterol and liver enzymes rare back to normal.

 

This is great that you're seeing so many health improvements. 

 

One meal a day may be problematic during withdrawal. Many people report drops in blood sugar, so if your symptom pattern is such that you feel more anxious hours after you've eaten this one meal, you may want to add in a healthy keto snack or small meal and see if that helps. Dividing out your keto foods throughout the day may help if this is the case. 

 

You may find some helpful information to handle your symptoms here: 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements, as many members report their nervous systems are simply too fragile to handle them. However, magnesium and fish oil tend to be calming to the nervous system and many people report they do help. Please only add in one supplement at a time and at a small dose. For more, please see:

 

 King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

Are you taking any other drugs for other health conditions or any supplements? If so, please list them. That way we can check to make sure you're not getting side effects or adverse reactions that could be misinterpreted as withdrawal symptoms. 

 

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

• Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Please continue to use this thread to update your progress and to ask questions.