Nemet: SSRI cognitive impairment recovery

[Nemet]

Hi all,

I am quite new here but I think I really need help and support. 

I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 18 years old and I was prescribed sertraline 400mg( yes 400) and fluxetine at the same time. I was using them for couple of years and I was literally sleeping all the time. I could not keep my studies or even a normal everyday life. After a few years my OCD turned into severe depression. For which I had to keep using sertraline. Since then I have been using this medicine in at least 100 mg and I have suffered hypersomnia and cognitive impairment. 

Back in highschool I was very good studies with some nationwide medals in science. But since i have been taking antidepressants my mind is not able to learn new things or remember stuff. I have decided to stop the medicine but I feel I have lost a lot of time and I am not sure if my mind will be able to be as sharp as it used to be. Also I have heard that there a risk of dementia. Can you please help me if you have gone through a similar process?

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a peer owned and run forum of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  Yes, I have gone through the process of tapering antidepressants myself.  I congratulate you for coming here before starting your taper.  Many people go off cold turkey or taper too fast, and suffer as a result.  

 

First of all, can you please give us specific information about your drug history?  Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we taper by 10% of the current dose, so that the taper becomes exponentially smaller.  This way, any withdrawal symptoms can be avoided or kept to a minimum.  

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Also, as we are tapering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. 

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

When we recover, there are times of feeling OK mixed in with times of feeling bad.  This is called windows and waves.

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 3 that many of us find helpful are magnesium, omega-3, and melatonin. Here are the links for info about those. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Melatonin

 

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and mull it over, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart.  We in this forum have been through this, and we understand.   

[Nemet]

Dear all, 

Being here and reading your messages I feel I have a new family. There has been stuff I have told doctors for years but they were not able to understand. It's so soothing to see that people in this community can understand it. 

I started with high dose of Sertraline and fluxtine when I was only 18 years old. It's been 14 years now. And I have been mostly on Sertraline. I read papers on internet about the link of antidepressants to dementia. Specailly in long term use.

We do not have dementia in the family but I am very worried because in these years my cognition has been in very low quality. Although in the last two years I have been relatively much better in focusing and learning but it's still far away than how sharp and fast my mind was. For me remembering facts is not difficult but analyzing and reasoning or drawing inferences seem to be really difficult. I am very concerned because I work in science. Is this kind of impairment drug induced? Is it something repairable? Is it related to dementia in any form? Do you have similar experience? I am really freaking out because sometimes I feel I have become very very dumb. I feel I am loosing the power of my brain. 

 

[ChessieCat]

Getofflex responded to your first post in your Introduction topic.  Each member has 1 Introduction topic which is the best place to ask questions and journal your progress.  This keeps your history in one place and means that you do not have to repeat your story.

 

Your topic is here:

 

nemet-ssri-cognitive-impairment-recovery

Edited March 23, 2021 by getofflex
merged to original topic

[getofflex]

It looks from your drug signature like you cold turkeyed off all your meds sometime between Jun and Oct 2020?  Can you possibly be more specific about which month you specifically stopped taking them, and which specific drug?  Please put this in your signature.  And now you are on Sertraline.  Yes, the cold turkeys could cause you to have some brain fog.  Please read this link: 

 

Cold Turkey

 

Your thinking difficulties can be classic signs of withdrawal, and also can be a side effect of the drugs themselves.  This thread talks about that:  

 

Brain Fog/Cog Fog

 

Yes, this is repairable, but it takes time.  Please refer to my previous post for more information. Also check this link: 

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome

[Nemet]

18 hours ago, getofflex said:

It looks from your drug signature like you cold turkeyed off all your meds sometime between Jun and Oct 2020?  Can you possibly be more specific about which month you specifically stopped taking them, and which specific drug?  Please put this in your signature.  And now you are on Sertraline.  Yes, the cold turkeys could cause you to have some brain fog.  Please read this link: 

 

Cold Turkey

 

Your thinking difficulties can be classic signs of withdrawal, and also can be a side effect of the drugs themselves.  This thread talks about that:  

 

Brain Fog/Cog Fog

 

Yes, this is repairable, but it takes time.  Please refer to my previous post for more information. Also check this link: 

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome

Thank you for your response. I edited my signature. I was on 75mg of Sertraline. And I suddenly stopped because I was working on a project that required advanced analysis and creative solution. But I could feel that I am not able to think and it has been like this for more than a decade. 

I have done cold turkey quitting 3 times in 15years and each time I have got anxiety attacks after a while and gone back to the doctor. I am surprised they have never mentioned anything about withdrawal symptoms.then They have put me on higher doses. I hqve lost my skills of problem solving and analysis that sometimes I wonder how people can do it. I feel really sad and I am so disappointed that I can not believe it will come back one day. 

Two months ago I told my doctor that I can not learn anything. And I asked if he knows the possible reasons...he said it's because I am aging. I thought this is dementia and I felt so down...

[getofflex]

Unfortunately, most doctors know little about withdrawal from psychiatric drugs.  These drugs are a huge cash cow for the drug manufacturers, and the drug companies have marketed heavily to doctors about how wonderful and necessary these drugs are, but say very little about the down side of them.  

 

So from your drug signature, it looks like you are no longer on any psych meds.  You quit Sertraline cold turkey between June and October of 2020, but then went back on 75mg, and then cold turkeyed that in Oct 2020?  I'm confused because you put "Oct 2020 - 2021" which doesn't make sense to me.  We are only in March 2021.  What specific date did you quit Sertraline most recently?  Please put that in your drug signature. 

 

I would like to reassure you that your chances of a recovery are very high.  Try reading some of the success stories on this website.  I'm almost 60, and my cognitive function is slowly getting better.  Here is a thread with some ideas about improving cognition: 

 

Improving Cognition During Healing

[getofflex]

@Nemetcognitive brain function can be affected both by being on these drugs, and also by withdrawing off of them.  I still suffer from cog fog myself.  If it were me, I would wait until I stabilize on my current drug regimen (75 mg Sertraline).  Then, I would begin very gradual and cautious tapering program to get off - 10% every 4 weeks, if not slower, depending upon how I felt as per the link I gave you above.  

 

Please keep us posted and hang in there. 

Edited March 26, 2021 by getofflex

[Nemet]

Dear Getofflax,

Thank you so much for your response.

I have recently moved to Portugal, I went to meet psychiatrist today to start my tapering under his supervision. But it was a horrible meeting. He told me to stop my medicine cold turkey and he prescribed an Opioid called Vicodin.I told him I would prefer supplements and I do not want other medicine but it was useless. I told him the reason to go off medicine is the cognition problems because I am in science and I need my mind to be tact. But he told me maybe I am not trying hard enough otherwise the medicine has nothing to do with cognition. That was the time I decided to leave that room.

I am really tired of being called tired or lazy for more than a decade.This made me cry today. I did not buy the medicine he prescribed. But I do not have access to another psychiatrist for supervision of my tapering. I am in a small town where he is the only psychiatrist.

What can I do? Can I start reducing the doses without a psychiatrist?

The only thing that scares me is that using antidepressants for this long without being cautious, Have I made a permanent damage to my brain?

I feel very guilty and ignorant.

[Nemet]

Hi again. 

I went through the whole thread of Brain fog discussions and read all the messages. 

I was wondering if there is any way to check for the damage in the brain. I recently had an MRI because of a problem in my neck. The results show "non-specific" white matter change in subcortical region. I was wondering if anyone knows if this can be the result of drugs I used over the years. I am not even sure what it indicates. Neurosurgeon did not say anything about it. 

 

[arbor]

Hello @Nemet  There are studies associating use of AD's with changes in white matter in the brain which I believe you can find at Pubmed.org online.  The good news is that there also appear to be studies showing that neuroplasticity is possible, especially when one includes good diet and exercise in one's daily routine.  (Wheeoo--perhaps damage doesn't need to be permanent.)

 

I'm really sorry you had such a bad time with your doctor.  I've also had discouraging conversations with doctors.  In the meantime, I hope you are doing ok.

Best wishes to you,

Arbor

[Gridley]

On 3/30/2021 at 5:56 PM, Nemet said:

Can I start reducing the doses without a psychiatrist?

The vast majority of psychiatrists know nothing about tapering and don't believe in the existence of withdrawal.  The advice given to you by your psychiatrist is proof of this.

 

Getofflex gave you good advice on March 26.  

[Nemet]

Hi again.  

But I am facing horrible brain fog. It scares me . Have you seen any progress if you had this problem before? How long it might take...what can help... 

 

 

[getofflex]

Hello @Nemetare you still on the 75 mg of Sertraline?  I can understand how scary it is when our brains don't work properly.  I do believe you will eventually see progress.  Our nervous systems are highly complex, and it takes months, if not years, for them to recover properly.  That is assuming that we take good care of them and don't jump around on and off drugs and other mind altering substances.  Going off the Lexapro in Jan 2020 and doing the attempted CT of sertraline back in October was probably a big shock to your system, and it takes a while to heal from things like this. The good news is, that given time, and proper self care, you should eventually heal.  

[Rusty1]

3 hours ago, Nemet said:

Hi again.  

But I am facing horrible brain fog. It scares me . Have you seen any progress if you had this problem before? How long it might take...what can help... 

 

 

Brain fog is a common symptom while on SSRI's and coming off them.  I experienced both.  I had worsening brain fog while on them, one of the reasons I decided to get off.  At first in my withdrawal this started improving, then I had a setback and had a bad wave - this made my brain fog extremely bad.  My CNS was all out of wack.  As I have settled into a long window and continue to make progress my brain fog has improved greatly.  I don't think I am at 100% yet, but feel mostly there.

 

You will recover from this.  There are plenty of success stories of people here who as their bodies recovers back to normal the brain fog does as well.

From your signature it looks like you have bounced around on doses the last couple of years.  It would be no surprise to have brain fog from that and see it get better as you continue to stabilize.

[Nemet]

4 hours ago, getofflex said:

Hello @Nemetare you still on the 75 mg of Sertraline?  I can understand how scary it is when our brains don't work properly.  I do believe you will eventually see progress.  Our nervous systems are highly complex, and it takes months, if not years, for them to recover properly.  That is assuming that we take good care of them and don't jump around on and off drugs and other mind altering substances.  Going off the Lexapro in Jan 2020 and doing the attempted CT of sertraline back in October was probably a big shock to your system, and it takes a while to heal from things like this. The good news is, that given time, and proper self care, you should eventually heal.  

Dear getofflex,

I did a pretty quick taper in the last few months. While on medicine I was suffering hypersomnia and brain fog as well. After tapering I have not have had bad windows emotionally. But I suffer brain fog and acid reflux in my stomach. I do yoga every day and acupuncture 3 times a week. It has helped a lot. In the first weeks I had stuttering and dizziness but they faded away. But the brain fog is still here. The good thing is I do not feel fatigue or sleepy anymore. 

You are right. I have not been good to my nervous system for over a decade. .. I really regret and sometimes grieve for that ...

[Nemet]

3 hours ago, Rusty1 said:

Brain fog is a common symptom while on SSRI's and coming off them.  I experienced both.  I had worsening brain fog while on them, one of the reasons I decided to get off.  At first in my withdrawal this started improving, then I had a setback and had a bad wave - this made my brain fog extremely bad.  My CNS was all out of wack.  As I have settled into a long window and continue to make progress my brain fog has improved greatly.  I don't think I am at 100% yet, but feel mostly there.

 

You will recover from this.  There are plenty of success stories of people here who as their bodies recovers back to normal the brain fog does as well.

From your signature it looks like you have bounced around on doses the last couple of years.  It would be no surprise to have brain fog from that and see it get better as you continue to stabilize.

I am very glad you are better. Did you do anything along with waiting? 

Did you do any special practices? 

[Rusty1]

35 minutes ago, Nemet said:

I am very glad you are better. Did you do anything along with waiting? 

Did you do any special practices? 

Unfortunately there isn't a magic pill or wand to help.  Time and making smart decisions are your path to healing. Give yourself time to stabilize where you are at and if you decide to make drops do so slowly.

For me I made sure to make healthy life decisions and tried to stay patient.  I made sure to eat healthy, try to get enough sleep, light exercise, did not drink alcohol or do drugs, and kept a very conservative tapering schedule.

I went from feeling like I couldn't remember anything, learn anything new, had trouble getting my thoughts out and speaking intelligently, and just an all around foggy feeling in the head.  I would say I am 90% or maybe more of where I was previously.

 

Try to stay patient and remind yourself it will get better.

 

[Nemet]

7 minutes ago, Rusty1 said:

Unfortunately there isn't a magic pill or wand to help.  Time and making smart decisions are your path to healing. Give yourself time to stabilize where you are at and if you decide to make drops do so slowly.

For me I made sure to make healthy life decisions and tried to stay patient.  I made sure to eat healthy, try to get enough sleep, light exercise, did not drink alcohol or do drugs, and kept a very conservative tapering schedule.

I went from feeling like I couldn't remember anything, learn anything new, had trouble getting my thoughts out and speaking intelligently, and just an all around foggy feeling in the head.  I would say I am 90% or maybe more of where I was previously.

 

Try to stay patient and remind yourself it will get better.

 

Thank you for the message. 90% is really good. I hope my mind will get better soon. 

[3BBsGurkPog]

Hey, despite suffering from other persistent withdraw symptoms my brain fog has improved massively. At one point I could barely string sentences together, think, learn new stuff, read a book. Anything that used brain power was a major struggle. Had awful memory problems as well. I have seen a consistent improvement in the brain fog area. I've been able to think clearly and be pretty much completely free from brain fog for about a year and a half or maybe even longer. I still have other withdrawal symptoms right now but the brain fog has recovered so much, close to 100% I would say. I'm sure you will improve too. Try to keep going as best you can and know that you will see improvements. Try to sleep as well as you can as well, as I think this will help with brain fog.

 

All the best

[getofflex]

@NemetHere is what I've done for self care:

 

• practice acceptance. https://www.dbtselfhelp.com/html/radical_acceptance_text.html
• slow down, and rest more
• take a walk each day, as I am able
• avoid intense exercise, which tends to worsen symptoms
• eat healthy natural food, eat 3 meals a day at roughly the same time
• go to bed at roughly the same time each night (about 10 pm) 
• pray and read the Bible and lean on God
• avoid negative toxic people
• get out in nature and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine
• when I'm feeling especially bad, do things with my hands that don't require concentration like knitting, cooking, etc. to distract myself from the pain
• listen to relaxing music at a low volume, especially when I couldn't sleep at night
• do hobbies I enjoy like painting, or reading

[Nemet]

Getofflex and 3BBsGurkPog,

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I will keep going...

[getofflex]

Hang in there - sooner or later, this will be a thing of the past.  I will post again the link to the thread here about brain fog.  

 

Brain Fog

[Nemet]

3 minutes ago, getofflex said:

Hang in there - sooner or later, this will be a thing of the past.  I will post again the link to the thread here about brain fog.  

 

Brain Fog

Dear Getofflex,

I have gone through that thread for hours and have taken some notes. But the way it happens is so scary that you can't believe it might end. 

[getofflex]

On 7/5/2021 at 5:04 PM, Nemet said:

But the way it happens is so scary that you can't believe it might end.

Try reading some of the success stories.  Here are 2 success stories where people recovered from brain fog.  

 

Aurorax Severe Paxil WD

 

Judith Healing will Happen

Edited July 8, 2021 by getofflex

[Nemet]

 

Hi.

My Stomach problems seem to be never ending. It's both intenstine issues and stomach/ acid reflux problems.Burning pain in my chest.  Brain fog is still there. 

Today I am prescribed endoscopy, Electrocardiography, x-ray image from my chest and blood tests. I will take the tests...but have other people also had these issues in withdrawal? 

I am just trying to be patient. 

 

 

[getofflex]

Hello Nemet, good to see you again.  Are you still on the Sertraline 75 mg?  Are you on any new meds since March?  

 

On 7/26/2021 at 11:34 AM, Nemet said:

My Stomach problems seem to be never ending. It's both intenstine issues and stomach/ acid reflux problems.Burning pain in my chest.  Brain fog is still there. 

Today I am prescribed endoscopy, Electrocardiography, x-ray image from my chest and blood tests

I'm sorry to hear that you have the stomach issues.  I hope they are able to find something with the testing they are doing today.  Yes, many people have significant stomach issues during WD.  It makes sense since there are many serotonin receptors in the gut, and you have been reducing an SSRI, which affects serotonin receptors.  

 

This link contains an extensive list of links about various types of symptoms.  Scroll down, and there are some links having to do with food sensitivities, etc.  It is towards the end.  I hope you find something to help you.  

 

Important Topics about Symptoms

 

I know many other people on this forum have complained of stomach issues.  You can go to google and do a search "survivingantidepressants.org stomach" and you will come up with other members who have stomach problems.  Check out their threads - see if there are any ideas in there.  Good luck, and stay the course.  You are doing a good job of being patient.  Let us know what you find out from the medical tests.  

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by getofflex

[Nemet]

Thank you @getofflex for your answer. 

No I am not on 75mg anymore. I did a fast taper and I do not take medication anymore. I did the test and the results were normal. 

[Fromthenetherlands]

Hi @3BBsGurkPog,

 

When did you notice true improvement of your brain fog? 

[getofflex]

Hello @NemetHow are you doing today?  

[Nemet]

Dear @getofflex,

Thank you for asking. I am better. Practicing the ultimate level of patience. 

 

 

[getofflex]

Nemet I am concerned for your safety.  I hope you will make use of the information I PM'ed you.  Praying for you. 

[3BBsGurkPog]

On 8/14/2021 at 10:35 AM, Fromthenetherlands said:

Hi @3BBsGurkPog,

 

When did you notice true improvement of your brain fog? 

 

Hey

 

I would say by about a year and a half off the meds there was significant improvement, The brain fog was still there but it wasn't debilitating and I could function a lot better. By about 2 years off the meds the brain fog was pretty much gone. I'm 2 years and 9 months off the meds at the moment and I haven't been bothered by any real problems with brain fog for the best part of a year now I would say but it's difficult to tell exactly how long.

 

It's different for everyone in terms of how long it takes to see improvements, but that's what it was like for me. I do still have other symptoms at the moment, but the issue of brain fog has improved a lot, its pretty much completely gone or so mild I don't even think about it anymore. I'm sure with enough time you will see improvements in this area, I know how hard it is but keep going as best you can and I'm sure things will improve

[Nemet]

Hi. 

I would like to update some information about my state...

I feel physically better, wake up and sleep in normal times. Have normal human emotions. Able to laugh and cry. I still have some stomach/gut problems. And the brain fog is there. But there is also a strong health anxiety. I feel I will be diagnosed with some fatal disease and die soon. The thought comes mostly because I think I have taken medicine for long time. Is there any way to cope with health anxiety? Do you also feel that ? 

 

 

 

[getofflex]

10 hours ago, Nemet said:

I feel physically better, wake up and sleep in normal times. Have normal human emotions. Able to laugh and cry.

I'm very happy to hear this.  🌞  The other symptoms should gradually subside with time. 

 

10 hours ago, Nemet said:

But there is also a strong health anxiety. I feel I will be diagnosed with some fatal disease and die soon. The thought comes mostly because I think I have taken medicine for long time. Is there any way to cope with health anxiety?

Many of us on here have health anxiety, although personally I don't.  Here is a thread about health anxiety, it may have ways to help.  

 

Symptoms, Health Anxiety, and Reality

 

Here is a technique to help you let go of negative and anxious thoughts.  

 

APPLE Technique

 

I just came across a very nice technique that really helps me.  It's called APPLE. I have printed it and have it where I can see it every day and be reminded of it so I internalize this technique. 

 

A - Acknowledge Notice and acknowledge the thought or uncertainty as it comes to mind. 

 

P - Pause Don't react as you normally do.  Don't react at all.  Just pause and breathe.   

 

P - Pull Back Tell yourself this is just the thought or worry talking, and this apparent need for worry or analysis or certainty is not helpful and not necessary.  It is only a thought or feeling.  Don't believe everything you think.  Thoughts are not statements or facts.   

 

L - Let Go Let go of the thought or feeling.  It will pass.  You don't have to respond to it.  You might imagine the thought floating away in a bubble or cloud.   

 

E - Explore Explore the present moment, because right now, in this moment, you are OK.  Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breathing.  Notice the ground beneath you.  Look around and notice what you see, what you hear, what you can touch, what you can smell.  Right now.  Then shift your focus of attention to something else - on what you need to do, on what you were doing before you noticed the thought or worry, or do something else - mindfully - with your full attention.  

[Nemet]

Hello all, 

As days go on, I feel physically better but the confusion and brain fog is there. However I think since the days have started to be shorter, I feel my anxiety is boosted despite all my efforts to reduce it. I was much calmer during the summer. 

I feel like my emotional suffering is stronger all of a sudden. 

In summer days I used to do yoga every single day in the yard in sunny days. Since the cloudy and rainy days have started I have less chance to do it. I think it is affecting me to some extent. Last week I had such strong PMS that I was in bed for 4 days constantly crying and having very dark thoughts.

Did anyone also felt such a big change in the seasonal change?