Exercise intolerance inducing withdrawal symptoms?

[shelby]

I'm finding it more difficult to exercise especially since my dizziness has gotten worse. Any Suggestions?

[alecost]

I know for many exercise causes problems. My pattern seems to be I feel great post exercise (bike ride for 45mins) then later on in the day I develop withdrawal symptoms that deteriorate even worse when I take my usual tapering dose. As exercise increasing serotonin could it be that we are sort of kindling ourselves with natural serotonin rises and drops?, is that possible ?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4703784/

[DiscJockey]

Yeah I really miss being in my body and doing rigorous exercise. Now if I do anything strenuous, I feel good right after, but the next day and days after I feel awful. I hate it!!!! The doctors prescribing me these drugs would say to just eat right and exercise to lose weight, weight that I have gain from these drugs which they do not believe.

 

I use to be a lean fit person, now I have gained weight, and started to have lower back pain. I exercise (lightly and what I can do best) and eat right, but the weight does not budge. I know I just have to get off these poisons for my body to get back to what it was pre med. 

 

 

[curiousnootropics]

Seems like I have this problem as well, weight training have increased my withdrawal a lot.

[Terrie]

I’m wondering if my exercise intolerance is because of a quick taper or does this happen to everyone? 
I was tapered off WWellbutrin  and Lexapro  over a month, then reinstated Wellbutrin . at 1/4 dose then  tapered again. Severe withdrawal then reinstated Lexapro  at 1.25mg. Now, after 7 weeks on 0.75 mg Lex.
If I do any exercise I get severely depressed for at least a week. Very angry, irritable, severe fatigue. It used to be worse in the heat. I would mountain bike all weekend and for 2-3 weeks be in severe withdrawal and bed ridden . Now in the winter I xc ski for an hour and I am wrecked for a week. Still too unstable to work. Started this journey nearly 9 months ago.
So,,, does this happen to everyone or just with fast taper?

[Johni]

Hi @Terrie. I can partially relate to the topic. I am currently taking 1.75mg cipralex. I haven't had such a problem in about a year, but unfortunately I don't remember the dose, but after a while I noticed that I feel depressed after training. I still go to work out 1-2 times a week, but I absolutely do not overdo it. I don't push myself, it's more about movement. If I don't push myself, I've noticed that I don't have that depressed mood. best regards

[jon1]

I think the intolerance to exercise can happen even if people have tapered.

 

I took around 1 1/2 years to taper, but it was only about 5 months after I’d finished completely that the exercise issues started. Extreme irritability, tiredness and sometimes depression after exercise. Even if I felt fine straight after the workout.

 

I used to visit the gym 3 times a week for heavy workouts. Now I go 1-2 times a week and use much lighter weights but with more sets. Which my body seems to cope with a little better.

 

I use an Apple Watch to check my heart rate doesn’t get too high, and make sure I always finish my workout after a set amount of time, even if I’m still feeling fine. I always eat plenty of carbs before I go too, an empty stomach is a no-no, avoid going into a calorie deficit.

 

Another alternative is exercise bands. They offer a pretty good workout, and don’t appear to tax the system as much as weights.

 

More recently I’ve noticed every week I’d get extremely agitated and suffer insomnia from a Wednesday to Saturday, and it always stops on a Saturday afternoon.

 

It only occurred to me yesterday that on a Tuesday I go on a long and hilly ‘walk and talk’ with my therapist. It’s only been happening since I started that. So I’ll have to ask we skip the hills for now!

[Jakeblack14]

Hey Jon1, 

 

I am currently at 5mg of Lexapro and having some waves and windows of withdrawal.

Currently debating whether or not I should exercise at all in those heavy windows, sounds like walking and light exercise has been okay for you, have you tried running at all and keeping a stable pace? Just interested in if that has had an effect on you in anyway?

 

Thanks so much. 

[jon1]

12 hours ago, Jakeblack14 said:

Hey Jon1, 

 

I am currently at 5mg of Lexapro and having some waves and windows of withdrawal.

Currently debating whether or not I should exercise at all in those heavy windows, sounds like walking and light exercise has been okay for you, have you tried running at all and keeping a stable pace? Just interested in if that has had an effect on you in anyway?

 

Thanks so much. 

 

Hey Jack,

 

I'd say all you can do is listen to your body. I was actually okay with exercise until around 5 months after I took my final dose when my energy levels fell off a cliff! After that my body went into a complete meltdown after doing a workout.

 

I've found I tend to get symptoms if I push my heart rate too high, so I need to keep it below certain levels. Also, I make sure I don't go into a calorie deficit. It seems like any form of exercise that stresses my body enough to release cortisol causes issues. So I stick to walking and very light band workouts for now.

 

There have been some improvements though (fingers crossed!), if I overdo it, my recovery time seems to be a bit quicker than it was, but at this point I haven't been able to increase the exercise I do to normal levels.

[Jakeblack14]

Thanks so much, 

 

Good luck out there, I hope it continues to get better for you!

I ended up doing a 5k last night as exercise does not seem to induce a flight or fight response. 

Feeling okay today, we will see how the day progresses, mornings seem to be the hardest. 

[alex01]

Hey guys,

 

 I used paroxetine for 8 years, and did a fast tapering for less than 3 months due to erroneous advice from my ex-psychiatrist. I intend not to go to one of those bastards ever again.

 Intolerance to physical exercise has been one of the most striking symptoms of my withdrawal process (I've been in this battle for 3.5 years).

 It started a few months after reaching dose zero. I used to do physical activities 5/6 times a week before withdrawal (weight training, jiu-jitsu, running). At the beginning of the withdrawal, I couldn't do anything at all. When I started any strength training, my body responded with a total lack of energy, I was unable to continue. I could barely walk to my house or to the subway due to the lack of power.

 

 Today, after 3.5 years, I can do light physical activity twice a week. A very light weight training session and a walk or very light run. If I force it, the next week I won't be able to do anything.

 Curious that @jon1 talked about calorie deficit. I came to the same conclusion ! If I go into a calorie deficit, the weakness/lack of energy is extreme.

 

 Other than that, I have fluctuations in energy throughout the day. I have some very tired moments throughout the day. My work is not tiring, and I have managed to sleep an average of 5/6 hours a night, and even so I am often tired and irritable.