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Surviving82: My story, WD from antidepressants, please help


Surviving82

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Hi everybody, I am new to this community. It just hit me yesterday that all the suffering I have been having in the past 3 months are delayed and/or protracted antidepressant WD. I am completely at loss as of what to do, as people around me (my partner, my psychiatrist, and my therapist) all want me to keep taking antidepressants. Here is my story.

 

In 2016 - 2017 I was taking Zoloft for ~1.5 years due to anxiety. This outbreak happened after I had my son. When I was done, I did fast taper and didn't notice any WD symptoms.
In Nov 2019 - Feb 2020, I started taking fluvoxamine after I had my daughter (was afraid of the anxiety attack returning). However stopped in 3 months due to side effects (mainly sleepiness). Didn't notice any WD symptoms.
Immediately after stopping fluvoxamine I started escitalopram which I took until the end of December 2020. Then I decided to stop due to weight gain, did fast taper for about 6 weeks per doctor's advice.
In Jan - Mar 2021 I felt good although in retrospect already had some minimal WD symptoms (vision issues, reduced need for sleep, occasional lightheadedness). Didn't connect them to WD at all. 
Motivated to lose weight, in March - April I started vigorous diet and exercise regimen. Really vigorous and excessive, I was running pretty much every single day for 5-8miles. Overdid it big time, stressed my body. After about 3 weeks of this stress, acute WD symptoms hit. Had lightheadedness, chest pain and pressure, heart racing (panic attacks?), more vision problems, acute anxiety. I had no idea what it was, I thought it was my anxiety/panic episode returning. However it was really scary and intense. Went to the ER twice, went to the doctors, NOTHIG was found. 
Not knowing what else to do, in late April 2020 I started Prozac for anxiety and panic. Took it for 2 weeks, made things worse!!! Can't sleep, unrelenting anxiety and panic, burning skin sensation, many other stuff. Stopped CT (per doctor's advice). 
In May 2020 I started zoloft (per doctor's advice). Been taking it for 10 days. Now have the same symptoms as with Prozac. MISERABLE. Not sure what to do! I want to CT off of ALL meds but my partner is 100% convinced that all this is my original anxiety and is pushing me to keep taking it. And so are the psychiatrist and therapist. I feel REALLY bad, can't sleep, can't eat most of the time, my body is constantly going in overdrive. After I stopped prozac for 2 weeks I was off meds. I started feeling better, I even started sleeping on my own. And now with zoloft I feel being back to square 1. Worst of all, until yesterday I did not even realize that I have antidepressant WD! 

 

What shall I do? Can I just stop zoloft CT? I took for 10 days, the last 2 days were at 50mg and I got no sleep at all these nights. I feel like Im going crazy. Im a primary caregiver to 4 young kids and I work full time, I cannot be like this. PLEASE help! 

 

Thank you so much for your kind attention and God bless us all on our journeys!

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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It appears that with the start of prozac my original constellation of WD symptoms (from escitalopram) has gone away or at least significantly lessened. But of course I was hit with new symptoms when I started prozac (10mg and then upped to 20mg when I called the doc in tears), that included (among others) burning skin, inner restlessness that got quite severe, inability to sleep even with the meds, terrible unrelenting anxiety, urinary bladder spasms (as if I had bladder infection but didn't), tightness/fullness in my chest and abdomen, leg/arm weakness and sensation of tremor, tinnitus, GI upset/nausea/diarrhea, and being in overdrive mode. After I quit prozac CT, many of these symptoms were gradually getting better, BUT I feel that my original WD symptoms started to gradually return. Now that I have been on zoloft for 10 days I feel everything over again. It appears to me that zoloft or prozac do help with the original WD symptoms, but the doses I was instructed to take of course were WAY too high. I am definitely reducing zoloft dose as fast as I can. I haven't been taking it for that long (10 days, and many of these at only 1/4 of 25mg), so today I will not take any - hopefully to get myself some sleep (I've been practically sleepless for the past 2 nights). And tomorrow I will take 1/2 of 25mg? Or should I take the full 25mg to avoid any potential WD? I want to drop down to 1/4 of a 25mg pill ASAP and hold there for a little bit. The reason I want to hold is to both hopefully lessen any zoloft WD and hopefully prevent the original escitalopram WD from returning or at least lessen it. Please let me know if this plan sounds good. I am suffering and feel hopeless. Thoughts about suicide creep in from time to time but I have 4 kids, I need to live for them. But I need to have a plan in order to keep going. Thank you so so much and God Bless!

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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Read about skipping days being a bad idea, so I took 1/4 of a 25mg zoloft pill. I am hopeless and don't know what to do. My psychiatrist said (about prozac) "it gets worse before it gets better". Not sure it is applicable in my case. Just called him and asked to reinstate escitalopram, my original SSRI that triggered WD. Not sure it even makes any sense at this point. 

 

To sum it up: both prozac and zoloft seem to have taken away the original escitalopram WD to a large extent; however, I cannot tolerate these meds in the high doses prescribed. After discontinuation of prozac CT (taken for 2 weeks) gradually side effects were lessening. However, I was pushed to take zoloft which had practically identical side effects. Took it for 10 days and today dropped to 6.5mg (1/4 of a pill). Let's hope I won't be hit with horrendous WD, but I cannot keep taking it. I am not sleeping at all among other things. Thanks for reading!

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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  • Administrator

Welcome, @Surviving82

 

Yes, it is possible the intense physical activity caused your nervous system, sensitized by recently going off the drugs with mild withdrawal symptoms, to tip over into more severe protracted withdrawal.

 

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.

 

On 6/7/2021 at 5:22 AM, Surviving82 said:

It appears that with the start of prozac my original constellation of WD symptoms (from escitalopram) has gone away or at least significantly lessened. But of course I was hit with new symptoms when I started prozac (10mg and then upped to 20mg when I called the doc in tears)

 

We advise reinstatement (or substitution of fluoxetine) only at very low dose, to avoid irritating the sensitized nervous system further. Your experience with fluoxetine indicates a little bit works pretty well but more is not better. We see this all the time.

 

If I were you, I'd get Zoloft or Prozac prescription liquid and try 1mg. We often see this is enough for SSRI withdrawal symptoms. It will take at least a week or two for the drug level to stabilize in your bloodstream; Prozac takes longer. It may feel like enough, or you may feel you need to take a bit more.

 

As you've been taking Zoloft for only 10 days, you should be able to make this change with only minor bumps.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Hi Alostrata, thanks SO MUCH for your reply. As of today, im still on zoloft 1/4 of a 25mg pill. My psychiatrist told me today that some people are sensitive to SSRIs and i can either keep at 1/4 of zoloft and see how it goes or i can just stop it altogether. Im leaning toward stopping and just letting my body heal, is that a good idea? Has been on zoloft this time for only 11 days, about half of which at 1/4 or 1/2 of the pill. 

 

I also take trazodone 50mg prn to help with sleep, has been taking for about 3 weeks but not every day. 2 different psychiatrists assured me that trazodone is "very safe" and I can take it without worry or I can just stop it if I don't need it. I didn't notice any side effects from trazodone (aside from dry mouth) but now I read the info about it and I wonder if I should also stop it before its too late. It does help with sleep but I can sleep also without it. 

 

Overall, I have been doing quite well during the last week. I'm having windows of being nearly myself again most days. Usually around 4 to 5pm like a switch turns on and i feel much better. I do usually feel worse in the AM and midday but even so, the worst times don't seem to be as bad anymore. Maybe im used to it, although I gone this means that recovery is underway. 

 

Thanks do much!

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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  • Administrator

Apparently 1/4 Zoloft tablet (of what dosage?) is enough to stop your withdrawal symptoms.

 

You're not sensitive to SSRIs, you are in a state of protracted withdrawal hypersensitivity. You may react badly to other substances, too, such as antibiotics and alcohol. These are best avoided in your current vulnerable state.

 

After you stabilize on it for some months, you may wish to taper, see Tips for tapering off sertraline (Zoloft)

 

Trazodone also will require tapering.

 

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.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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51 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Apparently 1/4 Zoloft tablet (of what dosage?) is enough to stop your withdrawal symptoms.

 

You're not sensitive to SSRIs, you are in a state of protracted withdrawal hypersensitivity. You may react badly to other substances, too, such as antibiotics and alcohol. These are best avoided in your current vulnerable state.

 

After you stabilize on it for some months, you may wish to taper, see Tips for tapering off sertraline (Zoloft)

 

Trazodone also will require tapering.

 

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.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

Right now I take 1/4 of 25mg zoloft which is about 6.5mg. Unfortunately, zoloft even at that low dosage still has side effects for me. I do not feel normal right now by any stretch, except when I'm in the window (surprisingly, these have been happening quite often lately, almost every day starting around 4 to 5pm). Of course the side effects are likely to settle over time but I don't know if I want to drag it that long. I think that I would prefer to drop the poison now after 11 days.

 

Actually, I may, indeed, be sensitive to ADs. I was on zoloft in 2016-2017 for about 1.5 years (will update my signature shortly) for a significant anxiety outbreak, at first I started the conventional way with 1/2 of a pill and was hit with massive side effects, I suffered for a week or so and went CT. About 2 months later I still suffered with anxiety quite bad (not WD anxiety, my original anxiety), and I saw a different doc who suggested that I try starting really slow with liquid zoloft. That is what I did and I started with something like 2 mg and slowly escalated from there and I do not recall a single side effect. I went all the way to 200mg at some point and all the way down and did not have any issues (except some brain zaps every so often but then they went away). I wish this psychiatrist would listen, but he thought it was insane and I should start with 25mg right away. 

 

About trazodone, I do not take it every day. Some days I go for 3 days without it if I don't need it for sleep. I do not take it consistently. Ironically, I use it mostly to counter SSRI-induced insomnia while starting on the doses that are way too high for me, but now as I am not doing it anymore, I may not need to take trazodone at all, or take it very rarely. How do I taper from this schedule? 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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  • Administrator

What are the side effects you feel from 6.5mg Zoloft?

 

What are the adverse effects you attribute to SSRIs in general?

 

Did you say you felt better on fluoxetine?

 

If I were you, I'd take only 25mg trazodone at a time, it may be just as effective for you.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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3 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

What are the side effects you feel from 6.5mg Zoloft?

 

What are the adverse effects you attribute to SSRIs in general?

 

Did you say you felt better on fluoxetine?

 

If I were you, I'd take only 25mg trazodone at a time, it may be just as effective for you.

The most horrible side effects from SSRIs for me are unnatural anxiety and panic and awful insomnia, leading to suicidal thoughts. I also have GI side effects (esp from zoloft) but those are not a show stopper. 

It is hard to say how much is from 6.5mg and how much is still from the 25 and 50mg [stupidly] taken a few days ago following advice of my doc to "escalate as soon as possible". I am most likely still feeling these high doses although I can say not as strongly. I think that only in about 2 weeks I will be able to say with some certainty how much 6.5mg really affects me. But this implies that I need to keep taking it as long and I really don't want to. I feel like dropping it but in that case I will never know. And I risk running into more WD problems later on, but in that case I can reinstate I guess?

 

Thanks for the advice on trazodone, next time I will take 25mg (half the pill) if I need to take it at all.

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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  • Administrator
5 minutes ago, Surviving82 said:

The most horrible side effects from SSRIs for me are unnatural anxiety and panic and awful insomnia, leading to suicidal thoughts. I also have GI side effects (esp from zoloft) but those are not a show stopper. 

 

What times of day do you take your drugs, with dosages? What times of day do these effects appear? Please keep daily notes of times of day you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time of day on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right. This can show if your symptoms are adverse effects from one of your drugs.

 

It may very well be you always have been taking dosages of SSRIs that are too high for you. The results of "unnatural anxiety and panic and awful insomnia, leading to suicidal thoughts" are not successful drug treatment.

 

8 minutes ago, Surviving82 said:

But this implies that I need to keep taking it as long and I really don't want to. I feel like dropping it but in that case I will never know. And I risk running into more WD problems later on, but in that case I can reinstate I guess?

 

I would not count on reinstatement. If you quit Zoloft, you'll probably get withdrawal symptoms again, and maybe worse. However, the dosage you're taking may still be too high for you. It very well may be you won't have those symptoms on a lower dosage. We need those daily notes to figure this out.

 

Even at a lower dose, you probably will have to stabilize on an SSRI reinstatement for some months.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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7 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

What times of day do you take your drugs, with dosages? What times of day do these effects appear? Please keep daily notes of times of day you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time of day on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right. This can show if your symptoms are adverse effects from one of your drugs.

 

It may very well be you always have been taking dosages of SSRIs that are too high for you. The results of "unnatural anxiety and panic and awful insomnia, leading to suicidal thoughts" are not successful drug treatment.

 

 

I would not count on reinstatement. If you quit Zoloft, you'll probably get withdrawal symptoms again, and maybe worse. However, the dosage you're taking may still be too high for you. It very well may be you won't have those symptoms on a lower dosage. We need those daily notes to figure this out.

 

Even at a lower dose, you probably will have to stabilize on an SSRI reinstatement for some months.

I don't think that I got any WD from CTing prozac 3+ weeks ago; to the contrary, I started feeling better every day after I CTed it. I am hoping that zoloft wouldn't give me much WD either taken for such a short time (11 days). It is just that everything in me revolts again taking this poison ever again. I WISH I realized sooner that I was hit with delayed AD WD, precipitated by acute physical and emotional stress, before I started ingesting more of the ADs. Everybody around me told me that I am having another anxiety outbreak and need to go on AD. Ugh.

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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  • Administrator
On 6/8/2021 at 2:28 PM, Surviving82 said:

I don't think that I got any WD from CTing prozac 3+ weeks ago; to the contrary, I started feeling better every day after I CTed it.

 

Yes, this makes sense. Prozac has a long half-life, its effect gradually weakened as it left your body over a few weeks. Your experience with Prozac indicates to me a very little bit would go a long way.

 

Those reactions you attribute to SSRIs are because the dosages you took were too high for you. 

 

Since you've been taking Zoloft less than 2 weeks, you could go off it and start on 1mg fluoxetine liquid. Or, you could try reducing Zoloft to 1mg with Zoloft liquid. 

 

Even at a lower dose, you probably will have to stabilize on an SSRI reinstatement for some months.

 

You can quit if you want, but you'll have to deal with the withdrawal symptoms. We don't have any magic potions to make them go away.

 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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Hi lovely people, just wanted to give a little update. I went CT from everything. Felt better almost immediately, anxiety went down, sleep has improved, overall started feeling better. But I still have tough times, although my windows (periods when I feel nearly like my old self) seem to be getting longer. I have a question for you guys. 

 

Whenever I see my therapist, or my family doc (both of who I like), after I talk to them for a bit, I turn from miserable to completely normal. It is like a switch flips, not kidding. I wonder how is that even possible? If my problem was chemical imbalance from AD use, how would a short chat with another person immediately turn it off? I am not even exaggerating, when I went to see my primary doc I was SO ANXIOUS I was nearly passing out. After 20min talk with her I literally turned back to normal, all the anxiety and weirdness was gone. I got my appetite back and ate a good lunch, and after that even went to get a massage! I stayed normal for the rest of the day, slept good, and was mostly normal all the next day too. Sounds more like a psychological benefit from reassurance as they both tell me that I am NOT broken or damaged, nor do I have multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's, and that I am simply having another of the anxiety episodes that I already had before. After talking to them I feel safe and reassured, and lo and behold, that seems to turn me back into my old self. What do you guys think? 

 

P.S. Seeking reassurance, especially from doctors, has always been the hallmark of my anxiety. When I had an outbreak in 2015-2016 (prior to AD, this outbreak was the reason I went on AD), my thing was melanoma. This outbreak seems to have been triggered by intense physical activity (running) just like my current one. I was compulsively going to the dermatologists for reassurance and insisting on having the "suspicious" moles removed, even despite their assurance that they didn't look threatening. I had at least 13 mole biopsies in 4 months, none of which showed anything of course. After the melanoma train got kinda old, I shifted to the other ailments, some of which were brain tumors, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer and many more. I kept going to the doctors for reassurance that only lasted a short while, and my anxiety escalated again and again. I felt trapped and exhausted, and that's when I went on zoloft (started really slowly at like 2mg and very slowly escalated to 25mg and then to 50mg after a few months). It did help, and starting as slowly as I did, I do not remember any side effects (although when I started at 12.5mg I could not take it and had to drop). So seems like starting very slowly made all the difference. 

 

Hence, I am torn. Part of me thinks that I am better off just riding it out for some time, given things already seem to be improving quite a bit, and see what happens after a few months. But other part of me keeps insisting that I should restart zoloft at 2mg, like I did before, since if it helped me once chances are it will help again. Please, guys, I would greatly appreciate any insights regarding my questions and my situation in general. Thanks, and God bless everybody on their way to healing! 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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@Altostrata @Rosetta Hi Altostrata, Rosetta, and other brave people. Can you please help me understand my situation. Im still very new to this, all I know is that my nervous system is destabilized by something and my life has been turned upside down. I'm scared, confused, exhausted, and completely alone in this. Noone would believe a word I say about WD or nervous system destabilization. I am told I have anxiety episode. However, nobody understands that it is not my usual anxiety. I do have lots of it, but I also have other things. Cortisol nights/mornings, mild athakisia (i think) on and off, cog fog, burning skin, muscle aches and cramps. For thd past few weeks I do have daily waves and windows, usually a window comes every evening starting at between 4 and 6pm. Some windows I feel nearly fully myself and it is fantastic. But it never lasts beyond bedtime. Actually, it did a couple times i think. Last week I slept so good these nights, had no cortisol surges. And then I was pretty much totally fine the next day. But these windows do not last and the next wave always comes and sweeps me under. 

 

I found that even a little bit of alcohol makes me worse the next day, so I'm not going to drink anymore. I also found that vigorous exercise makes me worse, after all, im nery certain that vigorous exercise triggered all this. So I do walking. 

 

I took 2 different ADs lately for a short time, at the advice of my psychiatrist. They made everything so much worse!!!! I CTed off all psych meds about 10 days ago, and I do feel better enough to at least function. I have 4 young kids and I work full time from home, so I must stay functional. But I'm terrified of what the future holds for me. Will I ever be able to return to my normal self? To make everything worse, I feel so alone in this. Everybody around me thinks I simply have anxiety and need to have it treated (yes, with more psych meds). Im in therapy and I love my therapist, but she also thinks the same. You guys are the only people who I can talk about this very difficult experience and get some insights. Please do respond! Thanks a lot for your help! 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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@Altostrata, I read your recent manuscript about AD WD a couple days ago. It is very well written, thank you for that. I wish more people would raise awareness about protracted AD WD, as well as any potential triggers. I'm so glad that you guys exist! Otherwise I think I would have lost my mind by now...

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

Link to comment

Hi, surviving,

 

Good idea to stop drinking alcohol.  It’s a big problem for people in WD.  I think it will be at least a year if not more before you should have it again.  At that point try only a little, half a glass of wine perhaps, to see what happens.  If I were you, I would wait at least 2 to 3 years.  That may sound crazy, but people are still very sensitive 2 years after WD starts.  I’m going to wait another 3-4 years from today.  It’s just not worth the risk to me.  I’m tired of feeling low-energy, and I don’t have any positive effect from having a glass anyway.

 

In my opinion, you should avoid the Trazodone.  If you take it, find a way to take a tiny dose.  It’s not a just sleeping pill.  It’s an antidepressant!!  Whatever dose the doctor gave you is undoubtedly too much for your sensitive system.  I used to take a half dose of OTC Benadryl if sleep was a problem.  Eventually, I stopped because it seemed to cause me to feel irritable the next day.  It did help me sleep.  However, this was about a year after CT.  It wasn’t early on.  
 

You are right.  You are not having regular anxiety.  You are having a very intense anxiety, and no one is listening to you.  There is a new pamphlet from the Royal College of Psychiatry that admits WD exists.  It doesn’t admit the long term post withdrawal syndrome exists, but it does recommend tapering.  
 

Can you see my signature?  If I survived this, you can, too.  You may need a nanny or babysitter.  Any chance you can have one for the Summer?  
 

I’m so sorry this has happened to you!

 

Rosetta

 

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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@Rosetta, thank you SO SO MUCH for your reply. I've read many of your replies and you are always so kind and thoughtful. You are the person I want to be, kind and with lots of compassion. I've read your story, and I cannot even begin to imagine what you've been through all these years. God bless you on the way to full healing!

 

I am now off all psych meds, including the trazodone. I was using 50mg PRN for sleep for a few weeks as 2 psychiatrists advised me that it was "very safe". I never noticed any side effects from it tho but Im glad to be off of it. I don't really need it these days either. My natural sleep is good enough most nights, if I find myself struggling I take 1mg of melatonin and usually that is all I need. 

 

My problems started in the early April 2021, after 3 weeks of really intense and hardcore running and dieting program. In late December 2020, I have completed my taper (too fast of a taper, as I know now) of escitalopram that I took for about 9 to 10 months. I did not notice any obvious problems while tapering or afterwards, I didn't even have brain zaps. Therefore, it didn't click in my mind until very recently, that my nervous system likely was still weakened by and recovering from the AD use. Maybe if I didn't strain myself with the excessive exercise I would have been OK, but the stress and strain was just too much and I crashed. I started having intense episodes of dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, weakness and heart pounding, and extreme anxiety, first after running and then just about daily. I also had the weird fullness feeling in my head and faint ear ringing. I went to the doc and had tests done of my heart and lungs that showed nothing. The episodes continued and desperate for relief, I went on Prozac which made things 1000% worse. I stopped sleeping, got suicidal akathisia, and became non functional. Stopped prozac after 2 weeks and went on zoloft with exactly the same result. Stopped zoloft after 11 days. I immediately felt better off of the ADs, my symptoms got less severe and have evolved. Now that is how my day usually go:

 

- Able to sleep okay durations, usually at least 6hrs, but my sleep is broken. Wake up several times a night but usually can go back to sleep. Most nights (but not always) have "cortisol awakenings" - terror, sweats, heart pounding. Recently started getting some nights of very good sleep, almost normal. 

- Wake up until about 4 to 5PM, during this time I feel near constant weirdness. I feel like my body is in overdrive, if that make sense. Anxiety, general sense of restlessness, skin crawling (usually mild), akathisia (usually mild), weird feeling in head, not feeling like myself, being tired, weak, ringing in ears (mild). Desire to run away from myself and yet staying still in paralyzing fear. Even the slightest task provokes awful anxiety. These symptoms are present nearly every day in this timeframe but they vary in intensity. Sometimes quite high and sometimes quite low. 

- 5PM and till bedtime, usually I have windows. I start feeling better around 4 to 6PM, most of the weirdness goes away. Sometimes I feel so good I feel nearly back to my normal self. And sometimes the weirdness is just reducing but don't feel normal. 

- Bedtime around 9 to 10PM, usually go to sleep still in a window so I can generally fall sleep (for this I am extremely grateful). But sometimes during the night the cycle resets and I wake up in the cortisol state and the circle repeats. 

 

Does this sound like AD WD? Is there anything else I can do, besides abstaining from alcohol and psych drugs, to facilitate healing? I am also in therapy too and reading anxiety control books. Although I try to stay positive, I am still terrified of all this and am full of hopelessness. I know that you can't predict how long it will take to heal, but at least does it look like I WILL eventually heal? I am so terrified that damage is permanent. Thanks so much once again for your kindness that you keep giving to us, strangers, who are suffering. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Rosetta said:

Hi, surviving,

 

Good idea to stop drinking alcohol.  It’s a big problem for people in WD.  I think it will be at least a year if not more before you should have it again.  At that point try only a little, half a glass of wine perhaps, to see what happens.  If I were you, I would wait at least 2 to 3 years.  That may sound crazy, but people are still very sensitive 2 years after WD starts.  I’m going to wait another 3-4 years from today.  It’s just not worth the risk to me.  I’m tired of feeling low-energy, and I don’t have any positive effect from having a glass anyway.

 

In my opinion, you should avoid the Trazodone.  If you take it, find a way to take a tiny dose.  It’s not a just sleeping pill.  It’s an antidepressant!!  Whatever dose the doctor gave you is undoubtedly too much for your sensitive system.  I used to take a half dose of OTC Benadryl if sleep was a problem.  Eventually, I stopped because it seemed to cause me to feel irritable the next day.  It did help me sleep.  However, this was about a year after CT.  It wasn’t early on.  
 

You are right.  You are not having regular anxiety.  You are having a very intense anxiety, and no one is listening to you.  There is a new pamphlet from the Royal College of Psychiatry that admits WD exists.  It doesn’t admit the long term post withdrawal syndrome exists, but it does recommend tapering.  
 

Can you see my signature?  If I survived this, you can, too.  You may need a nanny or babysitter.  Any chance you can have one for the Summer?  
 

I’m so sorry this has happened to you!

 

Rosetta

 

 

 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

Link to comment

Everyone is afraid the damage is permanent.  It is not.  You are very lucky that you can sleep.  Insomnia is an enormous problem for some people.  However, it’s quite easy to re-injure oneself, make the condition more severe, and prolong the misery.  Every drug has the potential to prolong WD.  Even getting your teeth fixed can prolong it.  You need to insist upon the non-adrenaline numbing agent.  It can take many years for the sensitivity to abate.  
 

The symptoms you are describing are exactly what happened to me.  Your body is in overdrive almost all the time.  It’s so exhausting.  “Exhausting” doesn’t even begin to cover it.  Exhausted people sleep.  They sleep well.  They don’t have cortisol wake ups at 5:00 am.  Magnesium or fish oil might help.
 

Dysautonomia can be caused by various things, but ADWD is one of them.  Exercise is definitely a stressor that can ramp up symptoms.  If you had never taken fluoxetine, sertraline and Trazodone you would probably be in much better shape right now.  But, don’t worry, your body will fix it all.  It’s going to take much longer than you wish.  I’m sorry. 


People can have delayed withdrawal.  It happens.  Some people have odd symptoms that are not all that troubling for a long time — muscle cramps, a stiff neck, a crick in the neck.  They think they “slept wrong” or pulled a muscle without realizing it.  The think they are getting old.  They may need to stretch more, or exercise more or sleep more.  They might even enjoy the fact that they have become “a morning person.”  Coffee has an extra kick to it.  They get a lot done.  Getting off the AD was the best decision ever! Then, they crash.  Usually, it’s about 2 or 3 weeks after quitting.  

 

In reality, the person is more sensitive to caffeine, sugar, alcohol, medicines.  I’ll bet Trazodone knocked you out cold.  When I took it, it was swift and strong.  If there had been a fire, I doubt I would have been able to get out.  It’s not supposed to be that potent.  
 

The problem you had with fluvoxamine was probably a sign that you had some instability in your system.  Escitalopram is a very potent AD.  It’s apparently much stronger than citalopram.  
 

Maybe the Hashimoto’s thyroid issue is involved somehow in all of this.  When was that diagnosed? The medicine you take requires frequent tests to determine dose?  I wonder if you are sensitive to that medication.  You should try magnesium and fish oil.  Try one for a couple of weeks and then try to add in the other.  With magnesium, the best way to take it is to dissolve the powder in water and sip it throughout the day.  Don’t take the dose on the bottle all at once.  There is a mod here, manymoretodays, who takes thyroid medicine.  Here’s a thread about thyroid issues https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/10153-kimd-thyroid-changes-during-withdrawal/

 

 

Magnesium

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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@AltostrataHi Altostrata, I know you are VERY busy. But if you have a few minutes, can you PLEASE respond to me? I just put my typical day above, does this sound like AD WD to you? I am SO confused, all I know is that there is something very wrong with me but I don't know what to do about it. I have nobody to ask, as people around me do not understand what I am going through. I know that you understand and you can tell me what can be done. Right now, my symptoms are distressing and unpleasant, but they are bearable. Should I just keep sitting tight, avoiding all psych drugs and alcohol, and wait to get better? Does this appear to be the best course of action? Thanks so much for your attention and for your time, and for everything that you do for people affected by psych drug WD. I appreciate it immensely. We all do. 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

Link to comment
3 minutes ago, Rosetta said:

Everyone is afraid the damage is permanent.  It is not.  You are very lucky that you can sleep.  Insomnia is an enormous problem for some people.  However, it’s quite easy to re-injure oneself, make the condition more severe, and prolong the misery.  Every drug has the potential to prolong WD.  Even getting your teeth fixed can prolong it.  You need to insist upon the non-adrenaline numbing agent.  It can take many years for the sensitivity to abate.  
 

The symptoms you are describing are exactly what happened to me.  Your body is in overdrive almost all the time.  It’s so exhausting.  “Exhausting” doesn’t even begin to cover it.  Exhausted people sleep.  They sleep well.  They don’t have cortisol wake ups at 5:00 am.  Magnesium or fish oil might help.
 

Dysautonomia can be caused by various things, but ADWD is one of them.  Exercise is definitely a stressor that can ramp up symptoms.  If you had never taken fluoxetine, sertraline and Trazodone you would probably be in much better shape right now.  But, don’t worry, your body will fix it all.  It’s going to take much longer than you wish.  I’m sorry. 


People can have delayed withdrawal.  It happens.  Some people have odd symptoms that are not all that troubling for a long time — muscle cramps, a stiff neck, a crick in the neck.  They think they “slept wrong” or pulled a muscle without realizing it.  The think they are getting old.  They may need to stretch more, or exercise more or sleep more.  They might even enjoy the fact that they have become “a morning person.”  Coffee has an extra kick to it.  They get a lot done.  Getting off the AD was the best decision ever! Then, they crash.  Usually, it’s about 2 or 3 weeks after quitting.  

 

In reality, the person is more sensitive to caffeine, sugar, alcohol, medicines.  I’ll bet Trazodone knocked you out cold.  When I took it, it was swift and strong.  If there had been a fire, I doubt I would have been able to get out.  It’s not supposed to be that potent.  
 

The problem you had with fluvoxamine was probably a sign that you had some instability in your system.  Escitalopram is a very potent AD.  It’s apparently much stronger than citalopram.  
 

Maybe the Hashimoto’s thyroid issue is involved somehow in all of this.  When was that diagnosed? The medicine you take requires frequent tests to determine dose?  I wonder if you are sensitive to that medication.  You should try magnesium and fish oil.  Try one for a couple of weeks and then try to add in the other.  With magnesium, the best way to take it is to dissolve the powder in water and sip it throughout the day.  Don’t take the dose on the bottle all at once.  There is a mod here, manymoretodays, who takes thyroid medicine.  Here’s a thread about thyroid issues https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/10153-kimd-thyroid-changes-during-withdrawal/

 

 

Magnesium

@Rosetta, thanks so much! I have autoimmune thyroiditis, Hashimoto disease. Was diagnosed in 2011, with very high TSH. My thyroid is basically nonfunctional. I have to take levothyroxine daily, 125mcg. Yes, my levels are carefully monitored. My recent TSH is 1.3 and the doc was very happy. But I cannot get off of thyroid medicine, I don't think that it's an option. I've been taking it for so long and my thyroid is basically not working, my body needs it. I have been taking magnesium for my leg cramps. Will try fish oil once I get it (keep forgetting). 

In my case, it is not even the physical symptoms that are bothering me so much. It is more of me not even being me anymore, if that makes any sense? Like my brain is foreign to me. I've had times when I turned back to myself already so yes, I know myself when I feel myself. But mostly I am not. For example right now, even tho I don't have much anxiety or physical symptoms, I feel as if my brain does not perceive the world correctly. I feel as if the world is separately and I am separately. Is it derealization? Because of this feeling, I am distraught. I can't concentrate on anything, I don't have pleasure in anything. I just don't know what to do. I have 4 kids that need me and I beat myself up for being such a bad mother because all I can think of is my broken brain and my own suffering. I can't engage with them anymore, or with anything else for that matter. I am like a robot. It does sound like I am crazy, doesn't it? Sadly that's how I feel and I don't see any remedy to this. I know more drugs won't help and probably even make it worse (again) but it is so tempting to keep thinking about them, esp since everybody around me thinks that this is exactly what I need. My primary care is so lovely, she is truly trying to help, I know she does! She suggested I try amitryptyline. I politely declined but geez, the temptation is so high to just fall back and start it. She truly and wholeheartedly believes that more drugs may help me, even after 2 SSRIs that I could not tolerate. 

You know about trazodone. Most nights when i took it, I would take it and fall asleep in like 5 to 10 minutes. Doesn't it take like 30mins to 1hr to activate? Therefore I suspected placebo effect. And some nights I won't sleep even when I took it. So I am not sure if and in how much it worked. I didn't take it every night either. But no matter, I am not taking it again. 

It just has been really tough lately. Just trying to get through every day, hanging on to hope that tomorrow will be better. Thank you so much for listening to me and responding. The feeling of being all alone in this, with NOBODY to talk to you and really get what you are experiencing, is very hard. I am so thankful for you guys. YOU DO SAVE LIVES. 

 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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@Rosetta, thanks so much! I have autoimmune thyroiditis, Hashimoto disease. Was diagnosed in 2011, with very high TSH. My thyroid is basically nonfunctional. I have to take levothyroxine daily, 125mcg. Yes, my levels are carefully monitored. My recent TSH is 1.3 and the doc was very happy. But I cannot get off of thyroid medicine, I don't think that it's an option. I've been taking it for so long and my thyroid is basically not working, my body needs it. I have been taking magnesium for my leg cramps. Will try fish oil once I get it (keep forgetting). 

In my case, it is not even the physical symptoms that are bothering me so much. It is more of me not even being me anymore, if that makes any sense? Like my brain is foreign to me. I've had times when I turned back to myself already so yes, I know myself when I feel myself. But mostly I am not. For example right now, even tho I don't have much anxiety or physical symptoms, I feel as if my brain does not perceive the world correctly. I feel as if the world is separately and I am separately. Is it derealization? Because of this feeling, I am distraught. I can't concentrate on anything, I don't have pleasure in anything. I just don't know what to do. I have 4 kids that need me and I beat myself up for being such a bad mother because all I can think of is my broken brain and my own suffering. I can't engage with them anymore, or with anything else for that matter. I am like a robot. It does sound like I am crazy, doesn't it? Sadly that's how I feel and I don't see any remedy to this. I know more drugs won't help and probably even make it worse (again) but it is so tempting to keep thinking about them, esp since everybody around me thinks that this is exactly what I need. My primary care is so lovely, she is truly trying to help, I know she does! She suggested I try amitryptyline. I politely declined but geez, the temptation is so high to just fall back and start it. She truly and wholeheartedly believes that more drugs may help me, even after 2 SSRIs that I could not tolerate. 

You know about trazodone. Most nights when i took it, I would take it and fall asleep in like 5 to 10 minutes. Doesn't it take like 30mins to 1hr to activate? Therefore I suspected placebo effect. And some nights I won't sleep even when I took it. So I am not sure if and in how much it worked. I didn't take it every night either. But no matter, I am not taking it again. 

It just has been really tough lately. Just trying to get through every day, hanging on to hope that tomorrow will be better. Thank you so much for listening to me and responding. The feeling of being all alone in this, with NOBODY to talk to you and really get what you are experiencing, is very hard. I am so thankful for you guys. YOU DO SAVE LIVES. 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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Derealization will eventually go away.  It may come and go before that.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

Link to comment

This syndrome is so difficult when one has children.  They will be fine, but it will be hard for all of you.  I found that if I took my daughter out, to a park, the beach, etc, I was able to handle WD much better.  Getting out there was very hard — the anxiety in trying to get ready and driving was awful. Once I was out, I felt better.  Staying at home is safest if you are having a bad day.  It’s a trade off.
 

This issue of having people pushing drugs on you — you have to tell them that you have tried twice.  Each time it got worse., and it stayed worse.   There is a lot of info about benzo wd out there.  AD wd is very similar.  Street drug withdrawal is similar, too.  No one tells an alcoholic to try a different drug.  It’s very frustrating because the doctors are not using their heads.  Drugs don’t cure people.  They CHANGE people.  Sometimes the benefit outweighs the harm. 
 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/8979-helping-family-understand/

 

As far as your conversation helping your symptoms go away, yes, it’s possible.  You may have been less aware of the symptoms, too, as you were engaged.  

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

Link to comment

@Rosetta, thank you very much for the information. I now realized that I had a period of dr/dp during my previous outbreak of anxiety in 2015-2016. I just didn't know what it was, I thought I was going psychotic. That was before I tried SSRIs. Although it wasn't as distressing for me at the time and I didn't have it for long. Or maybe I just paid less attention to it. Back then, I was working at the office, I was out with people for the best part of day. Being out and about kept my mind off of it all. I feel that distracted me from stuff. Plus I got way more stimulation from being around people instead of sitting and dwelling on my problems. Now I work from home and I stare at the computer screen all day by myself (kids at daycare), and it sure makes me hyperfocus on everything. I wonder how much more similar this episode and the previous one (before SSRIs) would have been if I still was working at the office? Kinda makes me wonder, maybe it IS indeed a recurrence of my condition, triggered by exercise and stress, and going off SSRIs? I know you cannot know this for sure, but if you were to take a guess? You know about this a lot more than me. Is it possible this could be a recurrence? 

 

I also should say that when I first tried to go on zoloft in 2015 (to control that outbreak I referred above), I started with half the pill (12.5mg) and I took it for a week and could not continue. I was sick like crazy. After 2 months however I was still suffering like I was (from my original anxiery, not side effects, those dissipated soon after I stopped), and one doc suggested I try liquid zolkft and start slowly. I did and started with 2mg and gradually over 8 weeks ramped up to 25mg and I didn't have 1 side effect. I was on it for 1.5 years and tapered without issue. So my guess is, if I couldn't take starting SSRI fast back then, I guess its no surprise I cant take it now fast either? No wonder hammering like that made me sick again, as it did before?

 

All this brings me to a question. What if it IS a recurrence? Maybe starting zoloft veeeery slowly would help again? I despise being on meds, but my priority is to get better for my family. If that means getting back on meds then I have to do it. Maybe I don't even need the crazy dose, maybe something much lower would already help me? And then I would taper real slow, like 5% over 4 weeks. What do you think? Again, I HATE being on meds. But if there is hope that meds help me get out of this hell, then I have to do it for my family, my kids. My eyes are tearing as I write this. Thank you Rosetta, for everything. The compassion that you provide to a total stranger is admirable. I hope that some day, in some way, I can pay it forward. 

 

P.s. another commonality between this outbreak and the one in 2015 is that they both occurred a few weeks after me starting intense running and dieting routine. 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

Link to comment

The autonomic system can be affected in many different ways by different things.  It’s possible that what happened in 2015 was caused by an environmental substance.  Maybe you ate something with an inordinate amount of pesticides in it.  You may have had a virus.  Viruses cause all kinds of conditions, and so do bacteria.  Strep throat causes psychological issues.  Most of us have had strep throat.  Bacteria in cat feces can cause psychological issues.  The list goes on.  
 

What you had then — dysautonomia might be the same thing you have now, but that doesn’t mean that you have it because of the same reason or cause. Dysautonomia causes the symptoms of WD.  Other things can cause dysautonomia other than WD.
 

Your migraines and vasovagal issues might indicate that you are more sensitive to an upset of your autonomic system.  It might not.  You may be experiencing POTS.  I did for a long time.  That’s due to a failure of the autonomic system to regulate blood pressure properly.  It’s common in WD.
 

It sounds like exercise can make your system upset.  Maybe you are deficient in some vitamin or mineral.  Maybe you are just unique, as we all are, with different challenges and talents.  The only relatively safe supplements are magnesium and fish oil.  I would not try anything else until you are feeling much better.

 

 

 

 

 

else 
 

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

Link to comment
  • Administrator
On 6/14/2021 at 11:46 AM, Surviving82 said:

I wonder how is that even possible? If my problem was chemical imbalance from AD use, how would a short chat with another person immediately turn it off?

 

Because this chemical imbalance explanation is untrue, and you are worrying yourself into high anxiety.

 

Have you always had problems with health anxiety? Strongly recommend you seek psychotherapy specifically for this and the stress you feel taking care of your family. We don't have the training to help you with it here and will not be able to support your constantly seeking reassurance about symptoms or your general health. Please do not tag me for such assurance.

 

22 hours ago, Surviving82 said:

P.s. another commonality between this outbreak and the one in 2015 is that they both occurred a few weeks after me starting intense running and dieting routine. 

 

Maybe this isn't good for you. Please use common sense in taking care of yourself.

 

Have you been intermittently drinking alcohol? If so, you've probably been making any drug-related symptoms worse.


 

Quote

 

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 


 

 

This was your decision, to cold-turkey your drugs. You chose to deal with any withdrawal symptoms that resulted from your decision. If you feel better in the evening and your sleep is passable, you'll probably gradually recover over some months. In the meantime, you might browse in the  Symptoms and Self-Care forum to answer your own questions about symptoms as they come up, instead of asking about them here.

 

Because you seem to be a person who has high health anxiety, I cannot assess your symptom pattern from your description. You either have garden-variety withdrawal syndrome or you are adopting symptoms from others' descriptions.

 

I am concerned about what appears to be your habit to leap to the worst possible interpretation of your symptoms, which of course generates even higher anxiety, etc. This might be called catastrophizing. You might focus on learning ways to cope with whatever physical symptoms you have, to reduce them rather than enlarge them. Learning to meditate and calm yourself down probably would be very good for you.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Hi @Altostrata, thanks for your response. You are a very wise person. Yes to all of the things that you've mentioned, I do have high anxiety in general, I do have health anxiety, I do constantly seek reassurance from others, and I do get stuck on things and obsess about them (OCD). And yes, I do tend to "adopt" the symptoms that I read about. You are right that at this point, it may not be possible to know for sure what exactly I am dealing with. Could be a mixture of both WD and reoccurrence, or could be any one of these. I work with the therapist once a week (going to be twice a week going forward), and I work on reducing my reassurance seeking behaviors. Whether it is WD or reoccurrence, such skills will be very helpful to me. 

 

Since stopping all psych meds CT, my sleep has practically normalized. The past nights I've been sleeping between 8 and 10hrs of natural sleep, and my cortisol awakenings have nearly disappeared. I also noticed that refocusing helps with managing daytime jitteriness, overdrive, and anxiety, although I cannot just refocus at will when I feel all that coming up. But I guess the more one does it, the better they become at it, so I need to keep trying. Baby steps. My therapist has known me for a while, and as she says, "You beat this once, you can do it again". 

 

Thank you again @Altostrata for all that you do. I appreciate your responses and the existence of this site tremendously! 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

Link to comment
On 6/18/2021 at 6:19 PM, Rosetta said:

The autonomic system can be affected in many different ways by different things.  It’s possible that what happened in 2015 was caused by an environmental substance.  Maybe you ate something with an inordinate amount of pesticides in it.  You may have had a virus.  Viruses cause all kinds of conditions, and so do bacteria.  Strep throat causes psychological issues.  Most of us have had strep throat.  Bacteria in cat feces can cause psychological issues.  The list goes on.  
 

What you had then — dysautonomia might be the same thing you have now, but that doesn’t mean that you have it because of the same reason or cause. Dysautonomia causes the symptoms of WD.  Other things can cause dysautonomia other than WD.
 

Your migraines and vasovagal issues might indicate that you are more sensitive to an upset of your autonomic system.  It might not.  You may be experiencing POTS.  I did for a long time.  That’s due to a failure of the autonomic system to regulate blood pressure properly.  It’s common in WD.
 

It sounds like exercise can make your system upset.  Maybe you are deficient in some vitamin or mineral.  Maybe you are just unique, as we all are, with different challenges and talents.  The only relatively safe supplements are magnesium and fish oil.  I would not try anything else until you are feeling much better.

 

 

 

 

 

else 
 

 

Hi, @Rosetta, thank you so much for your reply. I was thinking the same thing, I was dealing with dysautonomia back then and I deal with it now, but the cause(s) of it may be the same or may be different. As I mentally go through my symptoms, I notice that none of them are new to me. I've experienced all of them before, at some point in my life. Some, like low blood pressure upon standing up, unexplained fainting, and migraines, started in my teens or even tweens. The difference was that usually only 1 or 2 of these symptoms would be present at the same time, and it would be milder, so I would just brush it off and eventually it would go away for a long time. I am actually accustomed to a certain amount of "weirdness" in my system, I've had multiple medical investigations done over the years that didn't show anything, so I kind of accepted that's just how I am. But now it seems like all the weird symptoms are manifesting at the same time and are more severe. I guess I have upset my nervous system this time, I definitely can see a connection with strenuous exercise (running), but perhaps there were other factors - like the recent AD use, maybe food issues, alcohol use, etc. I need to take care of myself and trust that my body will heal. I already see progress, for example my sleep is so much better (the past few days nearly normal basically, knock on wood!), my heart is no longer racing like a freight train half of the day, I don't feel like fainting several times a day (pretty much not at all actually), and my chest pain is gone (non-cardiac, I had tests, it used to be quite severe but has been gone for a while now). What still remains is the daily episodes of jitteriness/anxiety/overdrive, that start shortly after I wake up and last with varying intensity until about 5PM. Sometimes I can refocus and that dramatically reduces their intensity (and sometime it ceases completely), so I need to keep trying. Hopefully, over time my body would go back to normal. And of course I need to take better care of myself. I guess what I could tolerate in my 20s is no longer acceptable now that I am almost 39. 

 

@Rosetta, can you relate to any of the things that I said? Like you say you've had preexisting dysautonomia too? Do you think that this makes us more susceptible to such crashes? 

 

Thanks so much once again for your responses and your time! God bless! 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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I wanted to write an update on my symptoms.

 

I seem to be getting a tad bit better every day lately. Fingers crossed this trend continues. 

 

The most noticeable improvements as of today:

- Sleep pretty much normal. Go to bed at 9PM, fall asleep quickly, and sleep until 6 or 7AM. Do wake up at night a couple times but I always did, since I had kids. Able to go back to sleep quickly and no cortisol jolts. 

- Appetite is 80% normalized. 

- GI issues, mainly diarrhea and nausea, are 80% improved. 

- Every day after about 5PM I start feeling pretty much back to my old self. This puzzles me greatly, as of why such consistency? But I take it with gratitude. 

- Anxiety during the day is at least 50% reduced, and maybe even up to 80% reduced at times. 

- Weird disautonomia symptoms are still there, randomly popping up, but are much less in intensity. 

- I start getting back interest in things that I used to enjoy. For example, I am looking forward to a family vacation.

 

What still remains:

- Daily feeling of jitteriness/anxiety/restlessness is still there, usually starts building up from the time I wake up and culminates about 11AM to 2PM, and then gradually declines. Although it's intensity has lately been about 50% of what used to be at the worst. And seems to be going down slowly as the time goes by. 

- Weird disautonomia symptoms are still there, randomly popping up, but are much less in intensity.

- Anhedonia or depression still randomly popping up, but I am working through that.

- Headaches start to appear more often. I've always had them though. Actually since all this crazy started I have been getting very few headaches, which surprised me. Now, it seems like as the general crazy is subsiding, at the same time I am getting more headaches. But this could be a sign that my body is going back to where I used to be? The headaches feel very familiar. I would rather have my headaches back vs all the other crazy. 

 

Summary: overall, I can feel noticeable improvement (as of today). Fingers crossed this continues. Trying to remain hopeful and positive. 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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Hi Surviving82,

Wanted to stop by and offer support. I’m so happy you are doing better!! I read your post on Fallensoul’s thread and it sounds like you are developing good coping skills for anxiety. If you find yourself in a particularly bad anxiety spiral, whether health anxiety or OCD, just accept it and know that it won’t last. Don’t engage the thoughts. You will retrain your brain that there is nothing to worry about by taking the fear away from thoughts and sensations. I used to have really intense health anxiety so I know how easy it is for the brain to spiral. 

You can absolutely do this without medication and you have a whole community of support! Wishing you continued healing.

Completely drug free 11/26/22 🎉

 

Supplements: Magnesium citrate: 250 mg; Fish oil: 1200 mg

 

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” - Victor Frankl

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22 hours ago, Mia1 said:

Hi Surviving82,

Wanted to stop by and offer support. I’m so happy you are doing better!! I read your post on Fallensoul’s thread and it sounds like you are developing good coping skills for anxiety. If you find yourself in a particularly bad anxiety spiral, whether health anxiety or OCD, just accept it and know that it won’t last. Don’t engage the thoughts. You will retrain your brain that there is nothing to worry about by taking the fear away from thoughts and sensations. I used to have really intense health anxiety so I know how easy it is for the brain to spiral. 

You can absolutely do this without medication and you have a whole community of support! Wishing you continued healing.

@Mia1, thank you so much for stopping by and for saying these kind words. I appreciate your support a lot. My eyes are tearing up realizing how kind people on here are to each other. 

 

I know, I will not be giving into anxiety anymore. At least I try not to. Even though the strange sensations and not feeling like myself are still bothering me, but I remind myself that this too shall pass. I believe that with time, 1 of the following things will happen. Either the weirdness would go away, or my reaction to it would change so that I won't be bothered by it anymore. 

 

How much time will it take? Well, from my previous 2 bouts with weirdness, I can estimate it would take at least 6 months. Im right now at about 2.5 months in. I still have hard times nearly every day but it already got so much better from where I was! I am deeply thankful that I am well enough to work, to take care of my kids and my dogs. I am deeply thankful that my condition is improving, and that I can sleep at night. I am deeply thankful that I have people who support me, even though they do not agree with WD and believe that all I have is anxiety, but they care about me and support me in their own ways. I am deeply thankful for this forum of kind and resilient people thanks to who I know that im not going mad and that there is an explanation to my symptoms. I am thankful to be alive and medically well and to have faith that things will get better. I am thankful that come 5PM (in just some short 4 hours) I will feel better. Arent there enough reasons to be happy???

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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@Mia1, do you happen to know why starting around 5pm every day I feel better, most evenings almost or fully back to myself? Conversely, the worst part every day is between 10am and 3pm? Why is that? I mean, this is so bizarre. This schedule holds true every single day. It is like there is a clock built in my brain haha :) I am very interested to know why that may be, but I'm yet to see an explanation. 

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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3 hours ago, Surviving82 said:

I know, I will not be giving into anxiety anymore. At least I try not to. Even though the strange sensations and not feeling like myself are still bothering me, but I remind myself that this too shall pass. I believe that with time, 1 of the following things will happen. Either the weirdness would go away, or my reaction to it would change so that I won't be bothered by it anymore. 

This is the key to life itself, right? And I don’t think it will take you any longer than six months, if even that. You are doing so amazing already!! The fact that you’re sleeping really shows your CNS is healing. You have an amazing attitude and honesty you will actually heal faster because of it.

 

3 hours ago, Surviving82 said:

do you happen to know why starting around 5pm every day I feel better, most evenings almost or fully back to myself?

I’m not entirely sure I know, this can vary from person to person because of cortisol changes and also changes in the metabolic system. Could be the unique way your body is healing from these drugs. I’m so happy you get a window every evening!!

 I’m here to help and support you anytime you need 💗

Completely drug free 11/26/22 🎉

 

Supplements: Magnesium citrate: 250 mg; Fish oil: 1200 mg

 

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” - Victor Frankl

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7 minutes ago, Mia1 said:

This is the key to life itself, right? And I don’t think it will take you any longer than six months, if even that. You are doing so amazing already!! The fact that you’re sleeping really shows your CNS is healing. You have an amazing attitude and honesty you will actually heal faster because of it.

 

I’m not entirely sure I know, this can vary from person to person because of cortisol changes and also changes in the metabolic system. Could be the unique way your body is healing from these drugs. I’m so happy you get a window every evening!!

 I’m here to help and support you anytime you need 💗

@Mia1, thank you so much for your support my friend. Yes, I am eternally grateful for sleep. Most nights lately I sleep really well, I'd say at least as good as I was before all this started. But 1 or 2 nights a week my sleep is worse, like this past night, I kept waking up and waking up. Was able to sleep but it was broken sleep. Hopefully this night would be better. 

 

@Rosetta, hi Rosetta! I saw in someone else's thread you mentioned that eventually "you will start counting on having a window in the evening". This is EXACTLY what is happening to me! I am counting on having a window come 5 or 6PM. I find it so puzzling. Do you know how to explain this? I understand that CNS during WD is constantly being "remodeled" and is adapting to the changes, but how is it possible to have these switches from bad to good so consistently at the same time of day? And clearly I am not the only one so there must be an explanation to this! I remember my first evening window came up about 2 weeks after all this nightmare started, it only lasted for about 3 hours. Then I had another window about a week later at the same time, and then next week I had 2 windows in the evening, and gradually by about 7 to 8 weeks in I graduated to having them pretty much daily. And now they last well into the night, maybe even though the night until I wake up (Im thinking that is why I sleep well nowadays, because I am in a window). Rosetta and other kind people who know more about this, do you think that this is a sign that my CNS is recovering?  

My thread: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24990-surviving82-my-story-wd-from-antidepressants-please-help/

2016-2017: sertraline for approx. 1.5 years for anxiety and OCD outbreak following birth of my son (all the way from 2mg to 200mg), rapid tapered from 150mg for about 6 weeks without issues. Approximately 2 years psych drug free.

 

Nov 2019 - Feb 2020: fluvoxamine to prevent anxiety/OCD outbreak following birth of my daughter. Had to go off due to constant somnolence.

Feb 2020 - Dec 2020: started escitalopram while rapid tapering fluvoxamine. After 9 months decided to get off due to weight gain, rapid tapered from [I think] 15mg for about 6 weeks without immediate issues.

March-April 2021: started excessive strenuous exercise and dieting regimen for weight loss. Was doing great (or so I thought) for 3 weeks until early April 2021 when out of nowhere massive panic attacks, other dysautonomia symptoms. AWFUL CRASH.   

Mid-April 2021: fluoxetine 10mg for 1 week then 20mg for 1 week. Massive side effects, suicidality. Was told to go CT. Side effects gradually started resolving.

Mid-Late May 2021: sertraline for 11 days, fine at low doses but same side effects as prozac at 25 to 50mg. Was told to either drop CT or hold at 1/4 of a 25mg pill. 

April-May 2021: trazodone 50mg PRN for sleep. Do not take every day, the only side effect I noticed is dry mouth.

June 8, 2021: stopped all psych meds. Truing to trust that with God's help, my body will heal on its own. 

September 9, 2021: reinstated escitalopram 1mg. Gradually worked up to 2.5mg by September 30. Reinstatement seems to be helping!

Other: Hashimoto thyroiditis for 11 years (on levothyroxine varying doses, between 88mcg and 125mcg), history of anxiety/GAD including health anxiety, OCD. History of autonomic dysfunction (migraines, vasovagal episodes).

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  • Administrator
On 6/21/2021 at 6:11 AM, Surviving82 said:

Since stopping all psych meds CT, my sleep has practically normalized. The past nights I've been sleeping between 8 and 10hrs of natural sleep, and my cortisol awakenings have nearly disappeared. I also noticed that refocusing helps with managing daytime jitteriness, overdrive, and anxiety, although I cannot just refocus at will when I feel all that coming up.

 

This is good, as are all the other improvements you've mentioned. When someone is on the road to natural healing, we don't want to fix something that's not broken. Please remember your nervous system may still be in a vulnerable state, don't overdo anything, be sure to get good sleep.

 

Good to hear you're working on refocusing and other self-soothing methods. This will be very helpful in your recovery. You may continue to feel blips or waves of withdrawal symptoms. This is normal for withdrawal.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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@surviving82 I have been the same with the evening window since about 2-3 weeks after ct I am now on week 17 I think 🤔 

2021:  started celexa 10mg feb 2nd 

feb 25th took my last 10g; feb 26th 5mg; feb 27th 5mg; feb 28th 2021 cold turkey 

currently taking mag

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