Drug or Withdrawal Induced Small Fiber Neuropathy vs Autoimmune Neuropathy vs Functional Sensory Issues

[TL1802]

In my introduction, I had noted that my main symptoms of stinging skin, itchy insides, tingling all over the surface of my brain, jitteriness, and sexual dysfunction (lack of sensation, loss of libido, and erectile dysfunction) had started 3 months after my discontinuation of 10mg of Viibryd after 10 months of use and 8 weeks of taper. The appearance of most of these symptoms coincided with my recovery from a very bad cold, though the stinging skin had actually begun 24 hours before the start of the cold.

 

While the tingling on the surface of my brain and jitteriness subsided after 1 year, I am only 50% improved on the stinging skin, itchy insides, and sexual dysfunction after 2 years. In addition, my skin has continued to get drier and I can no longer sweat from my arms and legs. Recently, I came down with another cold and after this recovery, I had to deal with the temporary worsening of my symptoms and noticed that I had lost patches of hair on my legs and that my finger nails began to look unhealthy.

 

These symptoms describe small fiber neuropathy to a t. The issue is, I had a skin biopsy done 18 months ago which came back negative (I was in the 40th percentile for fiber density for my age group, 30 to 39, and small fiber neuropathy isn't diagnosed until you fall below the 10th or 5th percentile). Of course, it's possible that my baseline was actually the 80th percentile.

 

I am having my neurology team repeat the biopsy and also asking for a sweat gland nerve fiber density analysis, which is even more precise and sensitive. I am hoping to answer whether my small fibers were damaged or destroyed by the medication/withdrawal or if I am just dealing with malfunctioning nerves due to receptor adaptations. If there is real damage to the nerves, the question becomes if this was done directly by the medication/withdrawal or if the drug created an autoimmune condition in which my body is attacking my small fiber nerves. What's really interesting is that when I am sick, my neurological symptoms are resolved only to get much worse once I recover from the illness. This makes me think that my body becomes too busy fighting an actual virus and can't attack my nerve cells and then comes back to hit my nervous system once the virus is cleared.

 

I will keep people posted, but wanted to post this to see if any one can relate.

[DataGuy]

Interesting @TL1802. I also had some relief of symptoms when I had covid (or flu or whatever) over a year ago. Best sleep I have had for 4 years.... 

[ThatOneGirlStitch]

It gets better with a cold... I've also heard people not getting sick for years after being in WD though this doesn't seem to be the norm. I'm sure antibodies play a significant role but there are also many other factors at play.

[tsranga]

Undiagnosed small fiber neuropathy or post-Mirtazapine withdrawal induced neuropathy?

 

Since my CT withdrawal 3 years ago, I have been experiencing many of the symptoms listed under autonomic/small fiber neuropathy i.e. damage to the unmyelinated nerve fibers of the autonomic nervous system and somatic neural systems. 

 

My most consistent symptoms are irregular/delayed gut motility (almost like gastroparesis), leg/feet paresthesia (mostly below the knees), and sinus pressure, and it mostly occurs when I go to sleep/wake up. Lying down seems to always get the gut moving. 

 

I have searched through this forum, and it appears that neuropathy like symptoms are another withdrawal effect, and I am wondering if it specifically targets the unmyelinated nerves, including the vagus nerve, which results in slower healing.   

 

I am meeting my gastro next week to check on my GI issues, and an autonomic specialist in Jun, and I am wondering what would rule out actual neuropathy vs withdrawal symptoms?

 

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with existing topic

[tsranga]

Since my CT withdrawal 3 years ago, I have been experiencing many of the symptoms listed under autonomic/small fiber neuropathy i.e. damage to the unmyelinated nerve fibers of the autonomic nervous system and somatic neural systems. 

 

My most consistent symptoms are irregular/delayed gut motility (almost like gastroparesis), leg/feet paresthesia (mostly below the knees), and sinus pressure, and it mostly occurs when I go to sleep/wake up. Lying down seems to always get the gut moving. 

 

I have searched through this forum, and it appears that neuropathy like symptoms are another withdrawal effect, and I am wondering if it specifically targets the unmyelinated nerves, including the vagus nerve, which results in slower healing.   

 

I am meeting my gastro next week to check on my GI issues, and an autonomic specialist in Jun, and I am wondering what would rule out actual neuropathy vs withdrawal symptoms?

[Bart]

Hi everyone! I've been on SSRIs (first paxil, then prozac) for 20 years now, and over that time I've developed 2 persistent, untreatable nerve injuries, and a bizarre twitch that happens in my thigh. (note that the worst of the 2 ongoing nerve injuries is in the same area as the twitch) All of these have defied exhaustive attempts at medical diagnosis or treatment; they have just been called neurological issues of unknown origin. After exploring every conceivable option in standard medicine, alternative medicine, multiple surgeries, and every type of treatment I can possibly think of, I've started wondering if the issues could be caused by the long-term usage of SSRIs.

 

Have anyone else experienced bizarre, untreatable chronic pain issues that were caused by their SSRI usage? (as opposed to withdrawal symptoms from SSRIs) Or has anyone here encountered such information online? I'm wondering if this is something I should pursue.

 

thanks,

Bart

[MrMiyagi]

I had the same symptoms that kept worsening with time until I reintroduce a diffrent Antidepressant and restabilized. I felt defeated it was over a year of bedridden misery. I regained some normalcy after reststabilizing on a diffrent AD I don't belive I would have made it without. 

 

I also somehow had a relapse of lyme during this time so some how it effected my immune system. I researched alot and their are just so many unknown variables. I started the 10% taper recently on my new Antidepressant I guess we can keep in touch if you'd like.

[Ruthie3]

I developed loss of feeling in body after a bad prozac bridge, prozac was added to Effexor to try and get me off it, I was very concerned as I already found Effexor too stimulating and I expressed this tirelessly but psych said she knew what doing and was safe, I said I am ok trazodone for sleep too and she said she knew, she’s the doc. I took the small amount of prozac liquid, she wanted me to take higher, to 112.5mg Effexor and noise increased so much, I couldn’t sit still, was sweating, heart rate up, felt absolutely wild, cried and cried and walked so fast. My body went numb, I stopped it after 4 days, it started on day one but thought maybe this is normal. It got worse as built up. I could feel things before that, I was told it would go, that I must now just cut Effexor fast or wouldn’t deal with me. I was basically ignored about the damage when I saw them, I was lucky I had clonazapam And trazodone for sleep. This was in January and I still have lack of feeling, I don’t know where to turn. I have managed to get off Effexor finally, have benzo to go And trazodone. But I am lost on this lack of feeling, I can’t orgasm or feel down below and this was normal before this bad bridge. I have POTS type issues and I wake with heart going so fast I don’t know why, I’m still on 0.25mg clonazapam rivitrol a year now and trazadone 100mg. Anyone have any insights I am traumatised 

[Altostrata]

merged similar topics

[Ruthie3]

Thank you 🙏 

[Tigz91]

On 7/6/2023 at 6:49 PM, Ruthie3 said:

I developed loss of feeling in body after a bad prozac bridge, prozac was added to Effexor to try and get me off it, I was very concerned as I already found Effexor too stimulating and I expressed this tirelessly but psych said she knew what doing and was safe, I said I am ok trazodone for sleep too and she said she knew, she’s the doc. I took the small amount of prozac liquid, she wanted me to take higher, to 112.5mg Effexor and noise increased so much, I couldn’t sit still, was sweating, heart rate up, felt absolutely wild, cried and cried and walked so fast. My body went numb, I stopped it after 4 days, it started on day one but thought maybe this is normal. It got worse as built up. I could feel things before that, I was told it would go, that I must now just cut Effexor fast or wouldn’t deal with me. I was basically ignored about the damage when I saw them, I was lucky I had clonazapam And trazodone for sleep. This was in January and I still have lack of feeling, I don’t know where to turn. I have managed to get off Effexor finally, have benzo to go And trazodone. But I am lost on this lack of feeling, I can’t orgasm or feel down below and this was normal before this bad bridge. I have POTS type issues and I wake with heart going so fast I don’t know why, I’m still on 0.25mg clonazapam rivitrol a year now and trazadone 100mg. Anyone have any insights I am traumatised 

Hi Ruthie sorry to hear what you're going through but I have a lot of similar symptoms. Mainly heart stuff I wake with a racing heart and I have physical numbness in my body. Do you get any balance issues like you're on a boat or drunk? I even get it when lying down or sitting. 

[Altostrata]

 

[Conner]

Auto immune group? @Altostrata

[Altostrata]

19 hours ago, Conner said:

Auto immune group? @Altostrata

 

What is your question? We do not diagnose, treat, or provide peer support for autoimmune conditions here. Look on Facebook.