What are your strongest symptoms

[sophiaaa2]

So.. if you could name your top 5 strongest most prevalent symptoms that have ruled or are ruling your life during withdrawal what would they be?

 

I thought this was just an interesting idea to see what is most common for people and how we can approach them in such different ways.

 

It’s been 8 months since my last dose after fast taper and it’s just a constant change, when you’ve learned how to cope with symptoms, they transform and morph into different things, so for that reason you can never quite get your Bearings, even though you have been making progress all the while.

 

but more to the point we all have those few symptoms that have towered above the rest, for me personally:

 

DP/DR

Brain Zaps

OCD Thoughts / Rituals 

Anhedonia

Mood Swings

 

This period in my life has been hell on earth, and a chapter I am SO READY to close, as many of you will relate, but I know now that it will come to an end, I can now see the crazy overall improvement and I want to thank everyone here for keeping me sane with your stories of struggle and success, you are all amazing!

 

I probably won’t return now until I’m ready to write my pretty lengthy success story, I know it’s coming and it will for you too!
 

Hang in there and be kind to yourself,

 

also some tips for managing the above residual symptoms would be great if you’ve overcome those specific things yourself! 
 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE, 2021, A year for Healing❤️

Edited February 3 by sophiaaa2

[rachie]

Severe Anxiety

Constant feeling of Panic/Avoidance of everything (not wanting to leave house for fear of panic attacks)

Constant Crying

Depression/Hopelessness

Suicidal ideation

 

I can handle the physical stuff. The mental is the hardest for me. I feel so trapped and blame myself for a lot of the above because anxiety was there before I got on AD but this is intense. I've been off of my last dose for almost 4 months. I actually had my first window yesterday for about a half hour. I promised myself when it went away I would not panic. I have not succeeded at that so much.   

[sophiaaa2]

4 months is still super early and great to hear you getting windows, things will improve! I know I needed someone tell me that when I was at my absolute worst, it’s just frightening what these medications can do.

 

you are very right tho, throw any physical symptom my way and I’ll deal with it, but nothing physical compares to the mental torment experienced in withdrawal!

 

find yourself some good distractions, something creative maybe, it’s hard to accept you won’t function or get much done for a while, I guess it just has to happen though, and trying to prepare for another wave is almost impossible, it takes you deep time and time again.

 

soon the windows will become so much longer,

 

sending a hug out into the universe for you, I hope you get it and know you’re gonna be ok❤️

[Jennings]

Severe Anxiety (much worse than before meds)

insomnia

Nausea

intrusive Thoughts

Muscle Aches

 

[sophiaaa2]

1 minute ago, Jennings said:

Severe Anxiety (much worse than before meds)

insomnia

Nausea

intrusive Thoughts

Muscle Aches

 

I feel that proves the point of withdrawal! Like your intensified anxiety, I never had OCD symptoms on or before being on medication! 
 

look at it like a temporary mental illness because essentially that is what it is, what have you done to help those symptoms, lord knows intrusive thoughts are one of most exhausting and upsetting thing a person can experience, 

 

I hope you’re able to see general improvement and more to come

[rachie]

Thank you Sophiaaa, I needed some encouragement today. 💛

[Jennings]

Oh man, I try CBT but the intrusive thoughts are too much to bear.  Sometimes I cry, sometimes I get mad, sometimes I meditate.

 

I practiced CBT for years even before meds so I got pretty good.  Now it feels like I’m intrusive thoughts on steroids.  CBT is no match.

 

 

[rachie]

I feel that way too about the anxiety. I could go about my day and function well enough before the withdrawal and use coping mechanisms including cbt. Now in the middle of this there is a wall of fear that is so huge and My coping skills are no match. It's like I'm frozen and have given up. I feel like I'm waiting for it to get easier and maybe it will. The success stories say it will. I hope it's true!!!!

[rachie]

Now that I think about it during my taper down and soonafter I had constant intrusive memories of all sorts of moments in my life and they would repeat themselves all day long. Sort of dejavou. That has actually stopped for the most part. So hopefully yours will subside in time. It's the first thing I have had to offer in terms of encouragement since joining this site. 

[sophiaaa2]

Rumination and Obsessive thoughts especially over memories, isn’t fun! I’m so glad that has subsided for you😊

[Surfchick]

ONE and only symptom---extreme IBS like GI issues, explosive diarrhea last 4 months. I have never had GI symptoms. Always so healthy. I feel this will never end. Im stuck at 5mg zoloft. Slow taper last 2+ years from 50mg.

[Onmyway]

Physical:

1. Nausea

2. Extreme insomnia (3-4 hrs/day)

3. Brain fog/ forgetting words

4. Brain zaps for a short period of time (1 month)

5. Paresthesias

6. Dizziness (occasional)

 

 

Psychological:

1. Wake up terrors

2. Extreme OCD

3. Personality changes 

4. Constant feelings of disgust

5. Derealization (mild form)

6. Anger spirals

7. Constant mood changes

8. Strange feeling of nostalgia and sadness (hard to explain outside of WD, someone here had coined the term distalgia... Very descriptive)

 

Most got better on a one year hold but I need to start cutting again and am terrified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lucy1983]

My worst WD symptom started in 2013 when my dr told me to stop taking an SSRI due to intense body/muscle pain and switched me to a different one.  I had no WD side effects until  3 mo later. That's when the "horribles" began and they lasted for 2 solid years and then just disappeared. I had intense self guilt about every thing and every thought I had had ever experienced.  I was consumed with doom and dread. I couldn't get away from the thoughts. That time period still haunts me. 

 

This go around of WD my worst long term symptom is anger. Over 9 mo and going. Especially toward my husband. There is nothing he can do that doesn't completely irritate me. He must be going through hell. I am trying though. Trying to be polite when I really just want to scream. The first few months I screamed. I am getting better.

[Kimono58]

My strongest symptom is dizziness. I’ve had it for 14 months everyday. I also have sensitivity to sound, especially low sounds like a car engine. I also have stomach problems, heartburn and nausea. I have severe constipation. And suicidal ideation. 
1. dizziness (worst)

2. Heartburn & nausea 

3. Sensitivity to sound 

4. Constipation 

5. Suicidal ideation (not so often) 

[hennie86]

Physical:

1. Internal akathisia, feeling too agitated

2. Internal vibrations/tremor

3. Dizziness

4. Feeling like body stuck in flight or fight

5. Muscle tension 

6. Uncomfortable RLS type of inner itching sensations inside my legs

 

 

Psychological:

1. Night terrors

2. Derealization

3. Fear of these symptoms not ever stopping and healing

4. I also feel those strange feelings of nostalgia and sadness and I go through every day same thoughts : Has this really happened, I cant believe my life is like this. Missing the old times when things werent like this and constantly thinking about old times.

5. Mood swings. Get hopeful again when symptoms a bit better and then they come back full force, I have difficulties to deal with it. 

6. Racing thoughts

 

[Hellbutrin]

Physical-

Dizziness

Fatigue

Constipation

Muscle pain

Eustachian tube dysfunction

Insomnia (sometimes days at time, and then it will go away for a couple of weeks)

 

Psychological-

Extreme memory impairment

anhedonia

suicidal ideation

depression

anxiety (particularly health anxiety)

DP/DR

 

44 months out

 

 

[Rapini]

Dizziness

Temperature Deregulation

Insomnia

Burning Feet

Brain Fog

[Mutfael]

Please understand what you mean by this (WD)

[catmama]

For me it’s been: 

- nausea (which is real torture bc I have emetophobia)

- dizziness/lightheadedness 

- fatigue  

- intrusive thoughts 

- not a symptom necessarily, but just having to cancel things or rest when I’d rather to go for a bike ride or have to try explaining to others why I feel like sh*t all the time 

 

I just feel robbed of my life because of the process. It’s so disheartening. I appreciate this community because we all understand each other’s pains.