Medicinenightmare Introduction,Hello everyone,Hope

May 31, 2021

Hello everyone, here i will write worst mistake of mine:

Oct 2019: i was having symptoms like repetitive thoughts, nightmares, weakness, no appetite, balance issues.

Nov 2019: went to a psychiatrist he gave me Desvenlafaxine (50mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg)
Dec 2019: having symptoms numbness in skin , insomnia,increased heart rate at one night and sweating he added another medicine Mirtazapine (7.5mg)

i asked him i want to only take for 1 month as i knew these medicine could harm the nervous system.

he said i need to take minimum 6 months for them to be effective.

Jan 2020-JUN 2020: I used to feel very sleepy with the medication and and tried to stop it
had brain zap and found out this is a common problem with these class of medication.

so i continued the dosage,

OCT 2020: i got to meet the doctor late due to covid asked him how to stop these medicines as they were giving me

brain fog, memory problems, sleep a lot (not restful).

his recommendation 1/2 the medications and take it for 1 month and then stop them .

tried that did not work , was having many symptoms .

so i started cutting the pills :

-Dec 2020: took 1/2 of the medications .

Jan 2021-March 2021: reduced it 1/4 th of medications , like 1/4 of (Desvenlafaxine (50mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg) ) and 5% of (Mirtazapine (7.5mg).

BY mid April 2021: stopped all medications ,

ON this month i did Na+, k+, vit D and B12 test everything came normal except vit D which was 8 ng( very low)

this month was kind of hell was having many side effects but did lot of exercise at the end of the month i developed vertigo one day .

May 2021: this month is worse that i have ever felt, started supplementing vit D3 on mid of this month and was able to sleep for 2 days but after that again was having trouble sleeping

i am taking vid D3 60,000 IU/ week but in the 2nd week after 4 days i took 1/4th of the sachet to sleep better but couldn't was having disorienting feeling .After 2 days i took rest of the sachet but did not improve the sleep . But i feel no sense in the skin almost like completely numb and muscles are little shaky .( i read about high vid D3 can cause Hypercalcemia) but i don't know as i did not check my blood.

right now the worst symptoms are :

vision is skewed like i am looking or my attention is shifted towards one side of head ( can be due to not having restful sleep)-->i don't know what this symptom can be.

tinitus ( started with one not both sometimes more intense sometimes less)

completely numb outer skin (and no libido)

sometimes i feel so hollow inside it's almost like impossible to feel this bad .( i never experienced this before even when sad)

insomnia and memory issues.

i discovered this forum few months ago , and read about how bad these drug i was prescribed is . I read people suffered to get over these drugs for years .

when i really look at my story i see before the drug maybe i was having some deficiency in vital minerals and vitamins and that caused the symptoms .Going to the psychiatrist was a mistake. But it took me some time to understand and i do not know if it is possible to have a normal functioning brain again.I really want to feel like myself again.

Edited June 5, 2021 by Altostrata
deleted blank lines

June 5, 2021

Hello, @Medicinenightmare

First of all, vitamin D is a daytime vitamin, it does not aid sleep, and 60,000 IU/week is far too much, it may cause serious adverse reactions, and may be breaking up your sleep. Please stop taking it.

What effect did mirtazapine have on you?

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

June 6, 2021

Hello , @Altostrata thank you very much for replying. Yes i know vitamin D is a daytime vitamin, what i mean was when i took it for the first time in the morning that night i was able to sleep and also after 2 days i was able to sleep better(boosted mood also). i shouldn't have taken that one time in the night learned the hard way .

about the dosage 60,000 IU once a week : do you think it is too much? most of people i asked advice to told me to take it like this. My other option is to take 5000 IU of D3+k2 per day .

about mirtazapine 7.5: i started that Dec 2019 , for me it was very sedating i slept entire 2020 feeling sleepy and slept for 12-14 hours , but the sleep i got from the med was not refreshing .

And i wanted to say something after this i went to a different psychiatrist he told me take Bupropion (150mg)+ Melatonin (5mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg). and when i asked about is it withdrawal effect, he said

i stopped the medication too early that is why i am having this effects , But when i explained original plan was to stop it after 6 months, and i took it for 11 months and tapered for 7 months, he was still convinced I am in a relapse.

Another psychiatrist told me to taper with Clonazepam (0.5mg) + Escitalopram Oxalate (5mg) in 40 days. He also believed I was having relapse .

As In this forum I read about that is the usual reaction for most of the doctors I did not take any of those advice.

I consulted a psychologist yesterday, and tried to explain him and if it is possible that I was misdiagnosed and given a serotonergic drug that made my emotions dull and effected my cognitive and memory function. Also no matter how sad I felt before it couldn't give me these symptoms like numbness in the outer skin, (which turned into burning feeling in hot temperature) , no libido , anhedonia(feeling void, empty inside ). He said

It is my previous depression just changed it's profile and taken a new shape.
I tried to tell him about this forum that people are suffering for years due to withdrawals exclusively
from these drugs (desvenlafaxine ) and it has one of the worst withdrawal effect , I made him very angry he started saying if it is that bad why is the group not going to trial against the drug . I tried to give him the example of jordan peterson and how he suffered from withdrawal and this The Dangers of Psychiatric Medication | Dr. Jim Wright & Dr. David Cohen - MP Podcast #83

image.png.ea3b236a9cc282c3c2dd89eb5163df22.png

But he was becoming very angry so I stopped the argument. So I see there is absolutely no point of going to a psychologist or psychiatrist in my location. When I said there is a 50/50 chance of getting withdrawal symptoms, he said

If the ratio is that high the drug would have been banned by now.

June 8, 2021

I am confused.

Please research whether 60,000IU vitamin D per day is appropriate for you. Your symptoms may be vitamin D toxicity. We do not offer treatment for that or general medicine counseling here.

If 60,000IU vitamin D per day keeps you awake and you do not like this effect, I would not take that amount.

Do you have any psychiatric drug withdrawal questions?

June 14, 2021

I am extremely sorry @Altostrata .

Even i am confused when i read what i wrote , I wrote everything i had in mind now i can not edit/delete it , the way i structured everything was very confusing, Please ignore.

yes i am not seeking medicine counseling but i can write about my symptoms right?

Yes i have these questions,

please see i was not taking 60,000 IU of vitamin D per day , It was 60,000 IU per week ,like if i take one sachet on Monday i have to take another dose in next Monday like that.

But i have stopped taking it, today i was suppose to take another sachet but i have stopped taking it. But i am thinking about getting 5000 IU/day of vitamin D+k2. Do you think i should go for it or just stop with vit D all together?

another thing is after stopping the medications two psychiatrists i consulted told me my symptoms were due to previous depression relapse and suggested those two medications. It has been nearly 2 months since i stopped taking any kind of medications and feel a little well, i do not plan to take any medicine , do you think i made the right choice?

I can sleep a little better than before but right now main symptom is numbness , burning in the outer skin and tinnitus.

and i wanted to ask you another question, you see my drug history what is your opinion?

i took them nearly a year then tapered it for 7 months (although didn't follow the recommended guide ). These symptoms were very weird . Do you think it is purely withdrawal symptoms ?

thank you .

June 14, 2021

10 hours ago, Medicinenightmare said:

please see i was not taking 60,000 IU of vitamin D per day , It was 60,000 IU per week ,like if i take one sachet on Monday i have to take another dose in next Monday like that.

If you are taking 60,000IU of vitamin D in a single day, as far as I know, that is excessive. Please research proper vitamin D dosing and decide for yourself.

We will not support any symptoms arising from potential vitamin D overdose. See https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557876/

Quote

The clinical symptoms for vitamin D toxicity are manifested from the effects of hypercalcemia. These include neurological symptoms like confusion, apathy, agitated, irritability, and in severe cases, stupor and comma. Gastrointestinal symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, peptic ulcers, and pancreatitis (from malignant calcifications). Renal symptoms manifest polyuria, polydipsia, and nephrolithiasis. Severe hypercalcemia can also lead to cardiac arrhythmias.

In many cases, symptoms can be nonspecific and subtle, like weakness, fatigue, anorexia, and bone pains. Physical exam of patients with signs of toxicity sometimes shows loss of skin turgor and dry mucous membranes (due to dehydration), changes in mental status, abdominal tenderness without rebound, rigidity, or guarding. In many cases, a physical exam can be normal without any overt findings, but high clinical suspicion should be kept in mind based on historical findings.

Please confer with an integrative physician about whatever other vitamins and nutritional supplements you should be taking, including appropriate vitamin D dosing. We do not provide that advice here.

10 hours ago, Medicinenightmare said:

another thing is after stopping the medications two psychiatrists i consulted told me my symptoms were due to previous depression relapse and suggested those two medications. It has been nearly 2 months since i stopped taking any kind of medications and feel a little well, i do not plan to take any medicine , do you think i made the right choice?

I can sleep a little better than before but right now main symptom is numbness , burning in the outer skin and tinnitus.

and i wanted to ask you another question, you see my drug history what is your opinion?

What are the symptoms you attribute to psychiatric drugs?

Anything that's occurred after mid-May, when you started taking huge amounts of vitamin D once a week, may be caused by vitamin D overdose. We cannot help you with that here.

June 15, 2021

Thank you @Altostrata for your clarification,

but please see i took the first dose of vitamin D on 18th May and last one is on 6th June. After you mentioned it is a wrong way of taking it like 60,000 IU in a day then wait for 1 week and take again.
The doctor who told me to take it like that, he told me i needed immediate boost, and vitamin D gets stored in the body so it can be taken that way. So i am actually taking near 8000 IU/day .

But after your answer i stopped taking the vitamin D, i took it last on 6th June .

But to be sure i will check my blood calcium level so that i know it is not not due to that .

Please see, the most concerning symptoms i have it started way before 18th May. The numbness on the outer skin started just after 1 month on the medication. and on 17 th May before taking any kind of supplement it turned into burning sensation, anything hot i touch it used to get amplified. and the tinnitus also started way before . I feel numb in the outer skin of the lips and hands , feet most apparent but it is all over outer skin , my i get pins and needles in the arms after i wake up in the morning. And

feeling of clogged head , emotional bluntness are also there all the time.

i lost the ability to feel rested and and refreshed after sleep. insomnia was a big problem but it has little improvement .

So i think i am going through withdrawal effects.

June 15, 2021

What exactly are your symptoms now? What is your sleep pattern? How have your symptoms changed in the last week?

June 16, 2021

symptoms:

1.brain clog : short term memory problem
i had very bad brain fog when i was on meds, but it reduced when i stopped them.

2.emotional bluntness and no libido

3.outer skin numbness and heat intolerance when it gets too hot

4.pins and needles if i put pressure in one side of the body for too long

5.tinnitus :

when i visited ent and got my earwax cleaned up i got relief but it is coming back. It might not be directly related to the drugs.

6.unable to feel pleasure lasts for 1 hour to 1:30 hour .

sleep pattern:

1-7 th June used to go to bed at 11-12 pm and wake up at 10 am, only could have restful sleep for 2-3 hours max

8-15 June used to go to bed at 3-4 am and wake up at 11-11:30 am , also cloud sleep a little better near the morning

change in symptoms:

pins and needles after waking up started happening last week .
tinnitus is getting bad again and had vertigo two days ago.

June 20, 2021

Hello @Altostrata i checked my calcium level yesterday it is within normal range so i can say i did not get any side effects from vitamin d supplementation .

1.I wasn't able to sleep two days ago was feeling very bad headache and anxious , i took very small amount of vitamin d yesterday, for some reason i can say it helped me to fall asleep in the night, otherwise i feel very tired but can't rest/ fall asleep.

2.i also went to a Ent doctor he said my tinnitus is purely due to ear and after he cleans the ears it will go away.

3. also i saw some improvement in outer skin numbness and other symptoms when i took vitamin b6, I think i will give multivitamins a try .

I want to thank you again for your time and this forum it is so hard time for a person who is going through something like this.

4. i have a question, i am asking for opinion not as advice
can you please tell me what should be my approach with sleep because sometimes when i feel so tired and can't sleep for many days i think of taking the drug Melatonin (5mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg)
but as it has benzo in it and i see some improvement in restfulness after supplementation , what is your opinion about it . Last time i took any drug was in 27th April. And the symptoms i have is very common with many people in withdrawal. Do you think thinking of going back to any kind of psychiatric medication should be last option?
5. as i have checked my calcium level, i think I will start taking vit D3 5000 IU /day for some time . From this site i got to know sunlight is the best source but for next 2 months i think the sky would be cloudy so i have to take supplements.

thank you once again

June 20, 2021

If you take clonazepam every day, you may become physiologically dependent on it. Then you will have to taper off it.

Melatonin is a good choice. As little as 0.25mg can help you get to sleep. Melatonin for sleep: Many people find it helpful

Also see these other topics for non-drug ways to improve sleep:

What is the sleep cycle?

Waking with panic or anxiety -- managing the morning cortisol spike

Tips to help sleep -- so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

Path to Better Sleep FREE online for everyone from the US Veterans Administration

Music for self-care: Calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

White noise devices for sleep

TV or computer use in evening can disrupt sleep: Bright light signals the brain that it's daytime

Many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see

https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

Still, it may be a long while of waves and windows before your system settles down. You will need to be patient.

You cannot take some pills or a combination of supplements to reverse withdrawal syndrome. It appear you have a tendency to overdo the supplement dosage. We will be unable to support you if you make yourself sick by doing this.

June 21, 2021

Thank you @Altostrata @Shep

sadly those dosage were recommended by doctors , i just got to know they are way high and stopped them . i will be very cautious from now on.

Do you think vit d + k2 5000 IU per day is still very high?

i had good results when taking it ,i think i was deficient for long time it was below 10 . it improved sleep and boosted mood.

also i think there is a relation with vitamin b and out skin sensory problems, can you give any insight on it.

what would be the best way to take vitamin b .

thank you

June 21, 2021

@MedicinenightmareI received your PM and am answering in your thread. I cannot advise you on supplements. You'll need to research these and decide if they are right for you. We recommend starting at a very low dose and increasing as your nervous system allows. From what you've written, it looks like you were taking excessive amounts of vitamin D which may be contributing to your symptoms.

Quote

Nov2019: Started combination drug

Desvenlafaxine (50mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg)

.. . . . . . . .

10th April 2021: stopped both medication,was taking antihistamine and antibiotic medication till 20th April 2021. Stopped both medications.

The above quote is from your signature.

On 6/20/2021 at 6:05 AM, Medicinenightmare said:

can you please tell me what should be my approach with sleep because sometimes when i feel so tired and can't sleep for many days i think of taking the drug Melatonin (5mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg)

Have you taken the melatonin and clonazepam combination drug since you came off it on April 10, 2021? Also, what were the names of the antihistamine and antibiotic you were taking until April 20, 2021?

June 21, 2021

thank you @Shep ,

No i have not taking Melatonin (5mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg) after April , but i consulted two psych doc , one who prescribed the drugs originally and another one on 1st June.

he prescribed me these two meds Bupropion (150mg) and Melatonin (5mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg)

but he told me that my initial depression has changed profile and came back so it's a relapse and as serotonergic drug is not affecting on me he is giving me bupropioin but after reading other threads i could not trust him.

antibiotic : Levoflox 500 Tablet(took for 6 days)
anti allergy: Odimont-AL Tablet (took for 10 days)

these two medicine was given by ent doctor, did not help at all .

i went to another ent doctor just two days ago he said the tinnitus is purely due to ear , he gave ear drops and hopefully it will get over .

thank you

June 22, 2021

19 hours ago, Medicinenightmare said:

antibiotic : Levoflox 500 Tablet(took for 6 days)

Levofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, which can cause a lot of problems, especially with people with a history of benzo use since this type of antibiotic displaces benzodiazepines from their binding sites. Even after coming off benzos, some people have severe reactions to this type of antibiotic. Please see:

Hidden dangers of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in the benzodiazepine-dependent population

Here's a list of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics which should be avoided if possible during withdrawal and well after:

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics

Here is the thread on SA about antibiotics that may be helpful:

Cipro, Levaquin, Azithromycin (Z-Pack), and other antibiotics

19 hours ago, Medicinenightmare said:

i went to another ent doctor just two days ago he said the tinnitus is purely due to ear , he gave ear drops and hopefully it will get over .

Tinnitus is a withdrawal symptom:

Tinnitus: What does all that noise mean?

Unless you have an ear infection or some other issue unrelated to withdrawal, treating this with ear drops is not likely to help.

20 hours ago, Medicinenightmare said:

he prescribed me these two meds Bupropion (150mg) and Melatonin (5mg) + Clonazepam (0.5mg)

but he told me that my initial depression has changed profile and came back so it's a relapse and as serotonergic drug is not affecting on me he is giving me bupropioin but after reading other threads i could not trust him.

I'm glad you decided not to trust this doctor. This link explains more about how the serotonin theory of so-called "depression" was debunked:

Again, chemical imbalance is a myth. Stop the lies, please.

June 22, 2021

@Shep thank you

i did feel bad after taking the antibiotic that's why i stopped that time ,

this ent doctor also gave antibiotic with ear drops but i was very cautious and did not take the antibiotics only ear drops i am using .

another thing is i checked my blood calcium level it came out in normal range so i can safely say that i was not experiencing vit d deficiency right ? can you please give some insight?

i am ordering magnesium and omega 3 can you please tell me how to start with it ? as i am getting horrible advice for supplementation

June 23, 2021

23 hours ago, Medicinenightmare said:

another thing is i checked my blood calcium level it came out in normal range so i can safely say that i was not experiencing vit d deficiency right ? can you please give some insight?

i am ordering magnesium and omega 3 can you please tell me how to start with it ? as i am getting horrible advice for supplementation

Please see:

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

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol or calcitriol)

June 24, 2021

I am utterly confused. What is your psychiatric drug-related question?

You'll have to Google to answer your questions about supplements, or join a site that discusses your specific conditions. We know a few things, but we don't know everything. We cannot tell you the appropriate dose of vitamin D3 or whatever for your general medical issues. Please do not expect us to do your Googling for you.

June 25, 2021

Sorry @Altostrata that you feel that way ,

yes the way i am writing is very confusing, in past few months i have changed so much ,my cognitive ability and my emotion is not normal yet , I do not expect googling from you , i am sorry if i appeared that way .And i can not edit my previous posts.

what i mean was the dosage of vitamin d3 was given by doctors which i found wrong later, that's why i was asking. Won't ask again.

I'm sorry if something i wrote annoyed you.Thank you for your time .

June 26, 2021

Please let us know if you have any questions regarding tapering psychiatric drugs or coping with withdrawal syndrome.

Medicinenightmare Introduction,Hello everyone,Hope

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