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Eating / food as an activating factor (increasing anxiety or symptoms)


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I was about to post a new post about this.... I'm 2 and a half months in to a drop from Paxil 20mg to 10mg and I'm getting all these symptoms!

 

I eat and then I have extreme fatigue for about 10mins then anxiety kicks in for about 30 mins.... Then I'm ok :(

 

I also get pains in my left arm after eating which I got checked out and the a&e team said its not heart problems and said its more likely anxiety causing muscle aches...

 

My heart beats super fast and feel irritable too....

 

 

I find the symptoms I get are the same after exercise too....

It's either the heart or wd that's all I can think off :(

1999: amitriptyline
2002: fluoxetine
2003: venlafaxine
2007: Paxil 20mg
2012: Paxil 30mg
2014 june: Paxil stopped working and was put on citalopram 20mg
2014 august: docs put me on Paxil 20mg still feeling bad and had to stop antihistamines for hives
2015 January: doctors put me on sertriline 50mg
2015 February March: doctors wanted me to go back on Paxil 20mg
2015 April 1st: I wanted off and dropped to 10mg
9/5/15  Feeling worse for ware!  struggling but i WILL get through this

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Anybody recovered from this?  I eat SO healthy and am trying to reintroduce soft solid foods and—OMG—it's enough already with the bad stuff!  I have always loved eating, always ate pretty healthy, and I am SO tired of food being my body's enemy.  Argh!!!

*I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience
**Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not
-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014

-All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness.  It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage.  All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors 

-Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine

-Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey)

-Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011
-Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less)

-Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week

-Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs 

-First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened

-Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD.  Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed.  NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it.

-Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned
-Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia
-Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat
-Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged
-7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia

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  • 8 months later...

 thank you all for this topic ... it seems to be related to my topic

 
2010  tapered venlafaxine from 225 milligrams to 150 milligrams

2011  tapered mirtazapine from 30 milligrams to 15 milligrams

October 2016: started my second attempt to taper 15 milligrams of mirtazapine

2016-10-15 100%


2016-11-15 90%



 

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  • 5 months later...

I am really having this problem now. It seems if  eat aslad and maybe some chicken I do okay. If I eat protein by itself or protein combined with something heavier as potato I feel worse. I can do white rice usually and oatmeal. Any suggestions about different foods/

2006-2007 Lexapro (not sure of dose) in 2006

2007 Stopped abruptly. Developed serious wd symptom.Went back after two weeks and  tapered successfully over 3 months

November 2013  started 10 mg of Celexa for hormonal symptoms

early 2014 cutdown Celexa to 5 mg.Attempted to get off it November 2014 and had  

Anxiety increased  every time I used  an OTC or had stress.

April-May Cortisol spike problems 

July 2016 Started taking liquid Celexa 7.5 mg

June 2021 I finished my taper en

Severe anxiety and insomnia

June 2022 symptoms omproved

July 2023 gut issues and sleep issues contnue

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  • 6 months later...

Does anyone have issues with spiked symptoms after lunch? I can eat as much as I like for breakfast and dinner, but if I eat more than a snack for lunch, my symptoms increase significantly. I could be having a pretty good day and then eat lunch and all bets are off (increased fatigue, brain fog, headache)

 

ADMIN NOTE:  MERGED SIMILAR TOPICS

2009 - 10/2014: 40MG Citalopram

10/2014: Started taper by liquid titration by about 5% every few weeks (1000 times harder than Benzo taper)

1/26/17: 3.5 MG

3/12/2017: 2.9 MG

12/06/2017: Finished my taper

12/24/2018: took a amino acid called L-Theanine in May, which made my symptoms  far worse and 7 months later, I'm still feeling the negative effects. My symptoms are about the same as they were when I finished my taper a year ago. 

 

2009 - 10/2012: 2 MG of Klonopin 

10/2012: Hit tolerance and began taper

12/2013: Finished liquid titration taper (less than 10% every few weeks)

Experienced protracted withdrawal and was about 80% healed by 10/14 when I started my citalopram taper. 

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OH MY GOD - YES!!!! I thought I was going nuts over this. Why are we seemingly the only ones who symptoms get worse after lunch? I thought it was perhaps the actual timing that made it worse, not the food. I seem to get worse around 12/1pm, but that's because its when I eat lunch at work, so its hard to tell. I definitely know now that its real.
Do we know anyone else with this? Or why it happens? My main symptom is rocking/swaying sensation, like being on a boat. It gets worse after lunch for about 2/3 hours...

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Here's a discussion which you might find interesting:  food-and-its-relationship-to-serotonin-and-the-brain

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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I'm on a special diet where I use ketones for energy, not glucose and my blood sugars remain at a constant level. It helps diabetics reverse their disease. So I don't think it's sugar driving the worsen of symptoms, but I'm interested about the histamine.

It still doesn't explain my 12/1pm the symptoms get worse around lunch time eating, and not break or dinner

Edited by ChessieCat
removed obscenity
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  • Moderator Emeritus

Here's the histamine discussion:  histamine-food-intolerance

 

And another one which might help:  eating-as-an-activating-factor-increasing-anxiety-or-symptoms    Now merged with this topic.

 

To search SA I use google and type in survivingantidepressants.org + topic, in these instances histamine and food symptoms worse respectively.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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I'm so glad to hear I'm not alone! I don't even eat lunch anymore- going hungry is much better than the increase in symptoms. I usually just eat snacks and even then need to be careful that I don't eat too many or else it's enough to spike symptoms. 

 

Thanks ChessieCat. I'm going to add more complex carbs into my diet. I recently had to drop oatmeal because somehow after years of eating it every morning, it started to really mess me up.  Same thing happened with Avocados. It's so crazy to me that everything is always changing and it all seems to revolve around diet. I'm also going to try the whole antihistamine thing. Even eating dinner recently has started to spike symptoms and it's been different food each time. I need to figure something out. Anything else I can try besides more complex carbs and less histamines? I don't eat foods that have lots of sugar...most of the sugar I consume is from natural sources. I follow a pretty healthy diet too. 

2009 - 10/2014: 40MG Citalopram

10/2014: Started taper by liquid titration by about 5% every few weeks (1000 times harder than Benzo taper)

1/26/17: 3.5 MG

3/12/2017: 2.9 MG

12/06/2017: Finished my taper

12/24/2018: took a amino acid called L-Theanine in May, which made my symptoms  far worse and 7 months later, I'm still feeling the negative effects. My symptoms are about the same as they were when I finished my taper a year ago. 

 

2009 - 10/2012: 2 MG of Klonopin 

10/2012: Hit tolerance and began taper

12/2013: Finished liquid titration taper (less than 10% every few weeks)

Experienced protracted withdrawal and was about 80% healed by 10/14 when I started my citalopram taper. 

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I always feel worse an hour or so after eating. Increase in symptoms. I think it has to do with the autonomic nervous system and digestion, etc.

2009-2013 Started Lorazepam 3mg/day as needed April 2014- Sep 2015 Lorazepam 2mg/day, 10 mg zaleplon as needed September 2015-current lorazepam 3mg every day

October 2014 Suffered Concussion 

May 2015 – started Gabapentin at 300 mg/3 times day, then 600 mg once /day several fluctuations in doses then attempted taper100 mg/ week

Aug 2015 – Only brother died, Reinstated gabapentin 900 mg/ day Sep 2015 – Raised Gabapentin to 600 mg/ 3 times a day for total of 1800 mg

Nov 2015 – Took one 5 mg dose of escitalopram which resulted in further visual snow - afterimages

January-June 2016 –Tapered from 1800 mg/day gabapentin by 100 mg per week, couldn’t get below 100 mg three times/day

Zaleplon, zolpidem and escitalopram used throughout this time for sleep, last zolpidem use was in 3/2016

Switched from lorazepam to clonazepam briefly in early 2016 but then back to lorazepam after poor reaction – last clonazepam use 5/2016

July 2016 – Attempted to switch to diazepam to taper; two 10 mg doses of diazepam resulted in further visual snow, cognitive fog

9/2016 – Attempted to taper gabapentin using solution, starting at 100 mg/ three times a day and reducing to 240 mg total/day, had to reinstate

Currently taking: gabapentin 100 mg/ three times a day Lorazepam 1 mg / three times a day

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It used to be just lunch for me, but over the last few days anything I eat after breakfast does it to me. So I used to hold my taper and continue once my symptoms eased up. Now that I get increased symptoms after eating it's hard to judge when I should taper. It seems like every day will have increased symptoms. For you guys, does the increased symptoms after eating fluctuate in intensity? Also, have you noticed that symptoms after eating correlate with symptoms from dropping in dose?

2009 - 10/2014: 40MG Citalopram

10/2014: Started taper by liquid titration by about 5% every few weeks (1000 times harder than Benzo taper)

1/26/17: 3.5 MG

3/12/2017: 2.9 MG

12/06/2017: Finished my taper

12/24/2018: took a amino acid called L-Theanine in May, which made my symptoms  far worse and 7 months later, I'm still feeling the negative effects. My symptoms are about the same as they were when I finished my taper a year ago. 

 

2009 - 10/2012: 2 MG of Klonopin 

10/2012: Hit tolerance and began taper

12/2013: Finished liquid titration taper (less than 10% every few weeks)

Experienced protracted withdrawal and was about 80% healed by 10/14 when I started my citalopram taper. 

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Same here. I can eat the same things at lunch as I do at dinner (e.g., a bowl of soup at lunch and the same soup at dinner) -- at lunch, my hypersensitive system will freak out, and at dinner, it will freak out less. ??

 

I'm trying to follow recommendations of the histamine diet. So far I'm only on day 3 or 4, so it's too soon to tell.

--Current supplements: Fish oil 1000 mg x4 (split into 2 doses of 1000 mg); Vit. D 2,000 iu once daily; 2-3 tsp coconut oil daily

--3/14/20: Re-discontinued gabapentin after 2 weeks, due to agitation

--2/27/20: Reinstated Kpin .5mg and also briefly reinstated gabapentin 300mg. 2x/daily, to help with side effects (Kpin dose usually taken in a.m. between 5-8 a.m.; gabapentin once in a.m. and once around 6 p.m.)

--2/13/20: Tried reducing Kpin down to .375mg due to dysphoric side effects; tried to CT but started hallucinating again after 4 days

--1/23/20: Placed on daily .5mg dose of Klonopin

--From July 2017-Jan. 2020: PRN Klonopin 1mg. :  up to 1x/day:  sometimes weeks without it, sometimes 1-2x/week, sometimes 4-5x/week; tried to CT in Jan. 2020 and ended up in hospital with delirium and hallucinations

--November 2019: Weaned down gabapentin approx. 100 mg. per week and discontinued it

--August 7, 2019-10/18/19: Reduced Trintellix from 10mg. down to zero (insurance stopped paying for it - I couldn't afford it).

--February 2019-11/30/19: Reduced nortriptyline from 75 mg. to zero

--As of February 2019:  Meds were 10 mg. (1x/day) Trintellix, 75 mg. (1x/day) nortriptyline, and 600 mg. gabapentin

--1992 through 2018: On various cocktails of meds, starting with anafranil

 

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JP. I cold turkey'd a year and a half ago - so I wouldn't be informed to tell you that.

 

I use to get back at dinner, but it went away and just happened at lunch. Now it's slightly back at dinner now. My only real symptom is swaying/rocking and it gets worse at those times

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  • 1 year later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

I've noticed over the last few days at lunch time after eating my body gets hotter.  I'm eating room temperature food, ie not a hot meal, and it has happened for at least 3 days in a row.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 1 month later...

Sometimes after I eat, I get a major blood pressure drop which sends me in a multi-hours anxiety spiral.

1994 - Prozac for 3 weeks, then Zoloft until 1997

2000 - Celexa for 3 days, then Luvox until 2002ish?

2001 - Risperdal for 4 months - Started Buspar around here, until 2003 maybe

2004 - Clonazepam

2005 - 2007 Paxil

2011 - Buspar again until 2016 or 2017

2011 - 2014 - Cipralex

2013 - Added Wellbutrin. Stable on 300mg Wellbutrin XL until Nov 2018 when shortages caused me to switch generics

Jan 30, 2019 - Beginning taper by first switching to 150mg SR twice a day. Taking Ativan periodically since November after not taking it for years

supplements: 2016 iron pills, 2017 2000IU Vit D, 250mg Magnesium, 300mg B2, Omegas all twice a day

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I've recently found that after eating room temperature food in the middle of the day I start to feel hotter. 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 6 months later...

Hey there,

 

I have to throw my hat into the rag, too. Since a few days I react heavily after meals with enormous headache, whole body pain, increased heart beat, nausea, feelings of being overwhelmed, dry skin, brain fog, agitation (sometimes). And I am constantly constipated.

 

Thus, Elimimation diet. Today I tried it with gold millet and oatsmeal, coconut oil and salt. It didn't serves me too well, I had strong symptoms, too. Tomorrow I'll try Quinoa (full-grain) and potatoes, although my pain has become worse I am hopeful to find out what I can eat to get soms relief. My inner voice tells me that I am on the right way. Nonetheless, I have to be careful with overeating, cravings got really bad in the last few weeks.

 

C.

Medical history:
11/2015 - Duloxetin 30mg, 12/2015 - Duloxetin 60mg, 4/2016 - CT
8/2016 - Duloxetin 60mg, 2/2017 - Duloxetin 30mg, 4/2017 - CT
7/2017 - Duloxetin 60mg, 9/2017 - Duloxetin 30mg, 11/2017 - CT
3.5.2018 - Milnacipran 25mg, 10.5.2018 - Milnacipran 50mg, 20.5.2018 - Milnacipran 25mg, 24.5.2018 - CT and protracted WD

 

Supplements: none

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Interesting blood test results:  Due to severe constipation for fifteen years after quitting Zoloft because of akathisia, i was hospitalized twice about a year and a half ago and had surgery for paralytic ileus. Blood tests showed that my body is full of lactic acid. The tests also showed hyponatremia and anemia of unknown cause so I had to get blood transfusions.  Anyway, I find that all carbs make my symptoms worse so I eat as little as possible of them. I am still just as constipated, have hyponatremia and anemia. Have any of you asked for tests for lactic acid? If not, maybe you should do that if you ever go to a doctor. Beware of strange accusations though! Because of the lactic acidosis i was accused of being an alcoholic which I am not, have never been and never will be. 

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  • 5 months later...

Increased symptoms after eating

 

Is anyone experiencing symptoms that are more severe after eating?(anxiety,twitching, heart pounding, *not beating fast, pounding harder*, POTS).It's been 14 months for me since this all started and its not showing signs of going away)

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with existing topic

Lorazepam -2 weeks-1 week 3 mg.4 days 2mg, 3 days 1mg. 13-27 November 2018

Lexapro -2 months-6 weeks of 10mg, 2 weeks of 5mg 27 November 2018-27 January 2019

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Yes, I have had this recently.

 

I think its linked to elevated histamine levels.

Dose History: 19 Feb 2014 - Escitalopram 10mg daily June 2015 - Started taper, 5mg every other day July 2015 - 5mg every 2 days August 2015 - 5mg every 3 days September 2015 - 5mg every 4 days Sept 14th - Completed tapering, but at 7 weeks "drug free" I suffered serious WD symptoms as a consequence of "incorrect" tapering. Nov 25 2015 - Re-instated Cipralex @ 2.5mg daily. WD symptoms faded. Held at this dose and experienced "windows and waves". 12 Oct 2017 Reduced dose to 1.25mg. 13 Mar 2018 Reduced dose to 0.625mg (approx.). 16 April 2018 0mg. Windows and waves triggered by stress (IBS/reflux, headaches, sinus issues) Aug 2019 Mirena coil fitted 6 Jan 2020 MAJOR Wave hit 19 months following last dose (protracted WD).  Symptoms listed below Mar 2020 Mirena coil removal.

Therapy: Nov 15th 2016 Re-started therapy Jan 19th 2017 Started CBT Dec 2017 Started listening to Hypnotherapy CD (self-esteem). Nov 2019 Started couples therapy.

Supplements: "Bioglan" Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora 10 billion CFU, live Bacteria, Probiotic, suitable for Vegetarians, with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum"Pukka" Vitalise a unique blend of 30 energising botanicals.

Diet: 16 April 2018 Detox cleanse / anti-candida for 90 days. Jan 2020 Started "small plate" diet (i.e child size portions).

Exercise: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Elliptical/upper body workout, walking.

Medical Test Results: 4 Jan 2017 Homeopathic Treatment starts 24 Feb 2017 Started weight loss program 24 Mar 2017 Naturopathic Treatment + anti-Candida diet started due to suspected Candida Related Complex (CRC). DETOXED for 7 weeks to "re-set" gut. April 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Comprehensive Stool Analysis NEGATIVE; Full Blood Count (Normal) / Blood Cholesterol: 5.6 (Borderline) / Blood Sugar (Normal) / 28 Jun 2017 FSH 8.2 / 14 Nov 2017 FSH 17.7 Dec 2017 Blood Cholesterol: 3.9 (Normal) / Kidney Function (Normal) / Blood Sugar (Normal). December 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Food panel allergy (bloodwork) analysis - a few "VERY LOW/VL" allergens; Mar 2018 "Genova Diagnostics" SIBO urine analysis: High Level of Yeast/fungal markers found in small intestine but NO SIBO.  April 2018 Thyroid (Normal) / Full Blood Count (Normal) / FSH (Normal). 16 April 2018 Started anti-Candida diet - 3 month protocol.   25 March 2020 All test results "Normal". CRP" 5 mg/L (normal range to 0-5 mg/L).

Symptoms:  Flu-like symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, sinus headaches right-side (severe), IBS issues/reflux (severe)**, tinnitus, fatigue, inner tremor, nausea, chills/hot flushes, pounding heart, muscular issues including stiff left hip flexor, intense anger, PSSD (ongoing).  **Histhamine intolerance (suspected).

Major Life Events: 

Re-located to UK from Canada: Jan 2016

My father died: 5:05pm, Monday 5 Feb 2018 Last Lexapro dose: 16 April 2018 (its now been over a year since I quit ADs)  Moved house: Friday 23rd February 2018  "Divorced" toxic Mother: Monday 26 March 2018 Starting working again: 19 November 2018  Diagnosed with: 5th August 2021 PTSD/C-PTSD Diagnosed with: March 2022 Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Painful bladder syndrome

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Indeed food intolerances might be an issue, on the other hand eating and digesting in general means enormous hormonal changes. In my waves I get way more affected by meals and have to rest afterwards for hours (I have to eat a very restricted diet). In my opinion the key is to find a diet that doesn't trigger and accept the residual symptoms one is left with after having eaten. 

Medical history:
11/2015 - Duloxetin 30mg, 12/2015 - Duloxetin 60mg, 4/2016 - CT
8/2016 - Duloxetin 60mg, 2/2017 - Duloxetin 30mg, 4/2017 - CT
7/2017 - Duloxetin 60mg, 9/2017 - Duloxetin 30mg, 11/2017 - CT
3.5.2018 - Milnacipran 25mg, 10.5.2018 - Milnacipran 50mg, 20.5.2018 - Milnacipran 25mg, 24.5.2018 - CT and protracted WD

 

Supplements: none

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  • 3 weeks later...

Is it normal for the symptoms to ramp up during any stress?no matter how tiny, i saw someone while driving and my symptoms ramped up, this is crazy!! This state makes me feel very depressed.I cant believe how tiny stress can affect me so bad

Lorazepam -2 weeks-1 week 3 mg.4 days 2mg, 3 days 1mg. 13-27 November 2018

Lexapro -2 months-6 weeks of 10mg, 2 weeks of 5mg 27 November 2018-27 January 2019

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2 hours ago, Kronos18 said:

Is it normal for the symptoms to ramp up during any stress?no matter how tiny, i saw someone while driving and my symptoms ramped up, this is crazy!! This state makes me feel very depressed.I cant believe how tiny stress can affect me so bad

 

Stress has triggered my waves, each and every time.

 

It definitely makes symptoms worse, as the symptoms are driven by your CNS.

 

Elevated cortisol/adrenaline wrecks havoc with your CNS.

Dose History: 19 Feb 2014 - Escitalopram 10mg daily June 2015 - Started taper, 5mg every other day July 2015 - 5mg every 2 days August 2015 - 5mg every 3 days September 2015 - 5mg every 4 days Sept 14th - Completed tapering, but at 7 weeks "drug free" I suffered serious WD symptoms as a consequence of "incorrect" tapering. Nov 25 2015 - Re-instated Cipralex @ 2.5mg daily. WD symptoms faded. Held at this dose and experienced "windows and waves". 12 Oct 2017 Reduced dose to 1.25mg. 13 Mar 2018 Reduced dose to 0.625mg (approx.). 16 April 2018 0mg. Windows and waves triggered by stress (IBS/reflux, headaches, sinus issues) Aug 2019 Mirena coil fitted 6 Jan 2020 MAJOR Wave hit 19 months following last dose (protracted WD).  Symptoms listed below Mar 2020 Mirena coil removal.

Therapy: Nov 15th 2016 Re-started therapy Jan 19th 2017 Started CBT Dec 2017 Started listening to Hypnotherapy CD (self-esteem). Nov 2019 Started couples therapy.

Supplements: "Bioglan" Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora 10 billion CFU, live Bacteria, Probiotic, suitable for Vegetarians, with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum"Pukka" Vitalise a unique blend of 30 energising botanicals.

Diet: 16 April 2018 Detox cleanse / anti-candida for 90 days. Jan 2020 Started "small plate" diet (i.e child size portions).

Exercise: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Elliptical/upper body workout, walking.

Medical Test Results: 4 Jan 2017 Homeopathic Treatment starts 24 Feb 2017 Started weight loss program 24 Mar 2017 Naturopathic Treatment + anti-Candida diet started due to suspected Candida Related Complex (CRC). DETOXED for 7 weeks to "re-set" gut. April 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Comprehensive Stool Analysis NEGATIVE; Full Blood Count (Normal) / Blood Cholesterol: 5.6 (Borderline) / Blood Sugar (Normal) / 28 Jun 2017 FSH 8.2 / 14 Nov 2017 FSH 17.7 Dec 2017 Blood Cholesterol: 3.9 (Normal) / Kidney Function (Normal) / Blood Sugar (Normal). December 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Food panel allergy (bloodwork) analysis - a few "VERY LOW/VL" allergens; Mar 2018 "Genova Diagnostics" SIBO urine analysis: High Level of Yeast/fungal markers found in small intestine but NO SIBO.  April 2018 Thyroid (Normal) / Full Blood Count (Normal) / FSH (Normal). 16 April 2018 Started anti-Candida diet - 3 month protocol.   25 March 2020 All test results "Normal". CRP" 5 mg/L (normal range to 0-5 mg/L).

Symptoms:  Flu-like symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, sinus headaches right-side (severe), IBS issues/reflux (severe)**, tinnitus, fatigue, inner tremor, nausea, chills/hot flushes, pounding heart, muscular issues including stiff left hip flexor, intense anger, PSSD (ongoing).  **Histhamine intolerance (suspected).

Major Life Events: 

Re-located to UK from Canada: Jan 2016

My father died: 5:05pm, Monday 5 Feb 2018 Last Lexapro dose: 16 April 2018 (its now been over a year since I quit ADs)  Moved house: Friday 23rd February 2018  "Divorced" toxic Mother: Monday 26 March 2018 Starting working again: 19 November 2018  Diagnosed with: 5th August 2021 PTSD/C-PTSD Diagnosed with: March 2022 Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Painful bladder syndrome

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Yes, food affects my symptomts as well but I noticed this with some foods and on top of these foods comes the products from wheat and fish as well,

I feel also bad if I had alot of potatoes, eat sugar or alot of salts.

 

i wasn't on a certain drug all the period. i took many drugs many times and for no very long period but to simplify.

--fluvoxamine maleate100 mg + amisulpride 200mg------started july 2012 and total taper in february 2015 ( 9 months without drugs then)

--sertraline 100mg -------started november 2015 and total taper (withoud reduction slowly) in november 2016( 4 months withoud drugs then).

--sertraline 100mg + quetiabine 25mg ( started in mars 2016 and for 7 months) then fluvoxamine maleate 100mg again for another 7months and after that a something like to use every drug for 14 days and for about 1.5 years.

--my last drug was trintellix 10 mg ( used it in 12/2018and total taper in 4/2019).

symptomts i have now ( bad concentration and problems in short and long memory+ bad depersonalization).

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On 2/6/2020 at 6:56 PM, Kronos18 said:

Is anyone experiencing symptoms that are more severe after eating?(anxiety,twitching, heart pounding, *not beating fast, pounding harder*, POTS).It's been 14 months for me since this all started and its not showing signs of going away)

Yes, it seems to be largely histamine and sugar related for me .  Cortisol reducers -- holy basil, phosphatidylserine, bacopa all help me quite a bit with this.  Be careful with too much or combining those, though -- it can cause pretty bad depression for a number of hours.

1997-2019 Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Serzone, Wellbutrin, Amitryptiline, Mirtazapine, Lexapro (mostly, 10-20mg)

Jan 16-Feb 2019 Fast tapered Lexapro after spontaneous kundalini syndrome 

Feb-Jul Used various herbs to deal with severe anxiety (bacopa, gotu kola)

Sept 2019 Developed histamine intolerance and daily panic

Currently taking high DHA fish oil, magnesium.  Occasionally l-ornithine, l-lysine, l-glycine, melatonin for sleep.  Dayvigo for sleep, and l-thp or seroquel (haven't settled on dose) for sleep when in sleep deprivation crisis

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Eating in general worsens things for me. Certainly certain foods are bigger triggers than others, but my thought is this: Digestion takes a huge amount of your overall bodily energy, leaving few resources for much else. Healthy people even are normally prone to naps after meals, as this is nature's way of allowing the body to use its energy for important functions. So my thought is that those of us with withdrawal are struggling in so many ways, and eating just takes too much battery power from other things we need to do. It's soooooo frustrating, as, well, we do kinda have to eat and can't exactly avoid it.

--Current supplements: Fish oil 1000 mg x4 (split into 2 doses of 1000 mg); Vit. D 2,000 iu once daily; 2-3 tsp coconut oil daily

--3/14/20: Re-discontinued gabapentin after 2 weeks, due to agitation

--2/27/20: Reinstated Kpin .5mg and also briefly reinstated gabapentin 300mg. 2x/daily, to help with side effects (Kpin dose usually taken in a.m. between 5-8 a.m.; gabapentin once in a.m. and once around 6 p.m.)

--2/13/20: Tried reducing Kpin down to .375mg due to dysphoric side effects; tried to CT but started hallucinating again after 4 days

--1/23/20: Placed on daily .5mg dose of Klonopin

--From July 2017-Jan. 2020: PRN Klonopin 1mg. :  up to 1x/day:  sometimes weeks without it, sometimes 1-2x/week, sometimes 4-5x/week; tried to CT in Jan. 2020 and ended up in hospital with delirium and hallucinations

--November 2019: Weaned down gabapentin approx. 100 mg. per week and discontinued it

--August 7, 2019-10/18/19: Reduced Trintellix from 10mg. down to zero (insurance stopped paying for it - I couldn't afford it).

--February 2019-11/30/19: Reduced nortriptyline from 75 mg. to zero

--As of February 2019:  Meds were 10 mg. (1x/day) Trintellix, 75 mg. (1x/day) nortriptyline, and 600 mg. gabapentin

--1992 through 2018: On various cocktails of meds, starting with anafranil

 

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I forgot to mention, I've found l-citrulline to greatly help with this, as well as general anxiety for me.

 

1997-2019 Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Serzone, Wellbutrin, Amitryptiline, Mirtazapine, Lexapro (mostly, 10-20mg)

Jan 16-Feb 2019 Fast tapered Lexapro after spontaneous kundalini syndrome 

Feb-Jul Used various herbs to deal with severe anxiety (bacopa, gotu kola)

Sept 2019 Developed histamine intolerance and daily panic

Currently taking high DHA fish oil, magnesium.  Occasionally l-ornithine, l-lysine, l-glycine, melatonin for sleep.  Dayvigo for sleep, and l-thp or seroquel (haven't settled on dose) for sleep when in sleep deprivation crisis

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Also manganese may actually be at the root of this issue, for me anyway.  After dosing with manganese chelate, the agitation I'd been feeling drops significantly after 7-8mg!  I suspect I may have been deficient in manganese due to regular and high magnesium usage since magnesium antagonizes manganese.  This also fits with the histamine-related problems because manganese helps inhibit histamine release from mast cells.  I should have known better.  You can't just isolate and take one vitamin or trace mineral without causing some other effect.  As expected, whole foods are best, where possible

 

 

1997-2019 Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Serzone, Wellbutrin, Amitryptiline, Mirtazapine, Lexapro (mostly, 10-20mg)

Jan 16-Feb 2019 Fast tapered Lexapro after spontaneous kundalini syndrome 

Feb-Jul Used various herbs to deal with severe anxiety (bacopa, gotu kola)

Sept 2019 Developed histamine intolerance and daily panic

Currently taking high DHA fish oil, magnesium.  Occasionally l-ornithine, l-lysine, l-glycine, melatonin for sleep.  Dayvigo for sleep, and l-thp or seroquel (haven't settled on dose) for sleep when in sleep deprivation crisis

 

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Hey lucidity,

 

nice to hear you have success with your measure. The interesting question will be: What effects do high doses of manganese have?

 

Kindly

C.

Medical history:
11/2015 - Duloxetin 30mg, 12/2015 - Duloxetin 60mg, 4/2016 - CT
8/2016 - Duloxetin 60mg, 2/2017 - Duloxetin 30mg, 4/2017 - CT
7/2017 - Duloxetin 60mg, 9/2017 - Duloxetin 30mg, 11/2017 - CT
3.5.2018 - Milnacipran 25mg, 10.5.2018 - Milnacipran 50mg, 20.5.2018 - Milnacipran 25mg, 24.5.2018 - CT and protracted WD

 

Supplements: none

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18 hours ago, TurkeyCold said:

Hey lucidity,

 

nice to hear you have success with your measure. The interesting question will be: What effects do high doses of manganese have?

 

Kindly

C.

I haven't been gutsy/foolish enough to try this long term just yet, only as needed. If it's an actual deficiency, hopefully I shouldn't need to keep taking it as long as I stay away from too much magnesium supplementation. 

 

Some of the folks in this thread have taken it for a while, mostly with good results: 

https://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f11/is-manganese-the-solution-70691/

 

Some do report depression after a while of taking this, and one poster raised the possibility of tolerance/dependence issues with it (which would be most troubling to me)

I also stay away from the crazy high doses some of these people have tried.

 

The only negative I've noticed so far possibly is some irritability/aggression.  Compared to the horrible agitation I normally experience after eating, it's a worthwhile trade-off so far

 

1997-2019 Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Serzone, Wellbutrin, Amitryptiline, Mirtazapine, Lexapro (mostly, 10-20mg)

Jan 16-Feb 2019 Fast tapered Lexapro after spontaneous kundalini syndrome 

Feb-Jul Used various herbs to deal with severe anxiety (bacopa, gotu kola)

Sept 2019 Developed histamine intolerance and daily panic

Currently taking high DHA fish oil, magnesium.  Occasionally l-ornithine, l-lysine, l-glycine, melatonin for sleep.  Dayvigo for sleep, and l-thp or seroquel (haven't settled on dose) for sleep when in sleep deprivation crisis

 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Eating / food as an activating factor (increasing anxiety or symptoms)
On 8/25/2012 at 7:40 PM, KellyS said:

I am going through withdrawal so maybe I am just hyper-sensitive right now. But when I eat anything that has ANY sugar or caffeine in it I get anxious within minutes of eating it. I think its just because of my withdrawal but I could be wrong. I never felt this affected by food before I stopped my anti-d meds.

Also it happened to you with fruits?

2010-2015 Cipramil 20-40mg. half-year break in the middle which was tough.

2015-2020 Venlafaxine 150-225 mg. Venlafaxine duloxetine cross taper details 

150 for half-year then 225 for a period than stabilized in ~187.5 (1.25 pills) for 2 years than reduced to ~168.5 (1.125 pills).

3.2020 - Duloxetine 60mg.

19.05.2020 - started to taper - 59! 20.5 - 58.5. June 2020: 57. end of June - 55.5

Summer 2020: 5.7 - 54, 9.7 - 52, 12.7 - updose to 53+, 19.7 - 52.3, 26.7 - 51.8, 4.8 51.3, 11.8 - 50.8, 15.8 - updose to 51.0, 17.8 - 50.5, 19.8 - 50.3, 19.9 - 49.3

Autumn-winter: 7.10 - 46.8, 1.12 - 45.8, 17.12 - 44.4, 30.12 - 42.4, 21.1 - 40.8. 17.2 - 40.1, end of feb - 38.6,

springmid march updose to 40.1, 28.3 - 38.6, 15.4 - 37.5, 14.5 - 36.8, end of may 37.5+ and after a week 39

Summer 2021:  mid of june again to 36.7, end of july 39.5.

11.10.2021 - 40.7 📌

 

 

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On 10/18/2012 at 8:55 PM, lexhex said:

neurostransmitters in the gut become dysfunctional (particularly serotonin)

 

Why they are dysfunctional?

2010-2015 Cipramil 20-40mg. half-year break in the middle which was tough.

2015-2020 Venlafaxine 150-225 mg. Venlafaxine duloxetine cross taper details 

150 for half-year then 225 for a period than stabilized in ~187.5 (1.25 pills) for 2 years than reduced to ~168.5 (1.125 pills).

3.2020 - Duloxetine 60mg.

19.05.2020 - started to taper - 59! 20.5 - 58.5. June 2020: 57. end of June - 55.5

Summer 2020: 5.7 - 54, 9.7 - 52, 12.7 - updose to 53+, 19.7 - 52.3, 26.7 - 51.8, 4.8 51.3, 11.8 - 50.8, 15.8 - updose to 51.0, 17.8 - 50.5, 19.8 - 50.3, 19.9 - 49.3

Autumn-winter: 7.10 - 46.8, 1.12 - 45.8, 17.12 - 44.4, 30.12 - 42.4, 21.1 - 40.8. 17.2 - 40.1, end of feb - 38.6,

springmid march updose to 40.1, 28.3 - 38.6, 15.4 - 37.5, 14.5 - 36.8, end of may 37.5+ and after a week 39

Summer 2021:  mid of june again to 36.7, end of july 39.5.

11.10.2021 - 40.7 📌

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am now exactly 19 months off mirtazapine and dealing with a flare-up the last couple of days. 

 

I was doing great in fall/winter and my food intolerance was reduced. As soon as April hit,  I started reacting more to foods that were ok in winter.  I have had to be really strict with food (low fodmap, low fibre, low histamine) to avoid triggering symptoms (mainly GI related).

 

On Saturday, I had a burger after months, and on Sunday, I had a whole bar of toblerone. I was fine over the weekend, but the last two days, my old symptoms of hot/cold sensitivity, restlessness, tired but wired at night, calf twitches, dry mouth have returned. During this time, I find it extremely hard to rest and need to keep pacing.. and I also have POTS like heart rate fluctuations during the daytime.

 

Interestingly, my gut has been quite calm other than increased burping after the meal. Typically, I have more severe Gi symptoms (gas/burping all night, hand and feet numbing pain) with a food intolerance.

 

Two questions for those who have been off more than a year -

 

1. Do you notice a seasonal variation in symptoms and are they pretty drastic as soon as the season changes?  Do these ease up over time?  I rarely had hot/cold sensitivity and restlessness all spring/summer, and very little food intolerance in fall/winter.  

 

2. Could this still be a gluten/food intolerance, but manifesting differently without the GI issues (since I have been taking some herbs to help with GI symptoms)?

 

3. I am usually good at handling gut issues as I have had them for a while, but this rapid hot/cold sensitivity (too hot when ac is not on, too cold when even the fan is turned on) makes it hard to sit with. Multiple symptoms hitting simultaneously takes a lot of work. Anyone have any suggestions here? 

 

4. Also, I have been off vit B complex and Vit D since June. Would it make sense to add them along with omega-3 to help with these symptoms?

 

Update:  Just on a hunch, I checked my blood sugar, and it was at 197 two hours post lunch   My blood sugar is mostly in the normal range, and whenever I feel this agitation, when I have checked, its been in the 150-160 mark. It rarely happens.   My BP is always in the lower end of normal - 110-70, but when I just took a reading, it was at 137/96, which is high for me.

 

Could this be again a withdrawal issue where the heart rate, blood sugar etc.. go through spikes?

 

I have had a history of pre-diabetes, but in withdrawal,  my A1C is now normal.  

 

 

 

 

Chronic IBS since 1990

Former smoker (1992- Jun 2017)

Prescribed mirtazapine for sleep in Aug 2017 after IBS flare-up following Nicotine cessation.

Mirtazapine 7.5mg 8/17 to 5/18

Mirtazapine 3.75mg 5/18 to 1/19

Off Mirtazapine since 2/19.

Vit B, Vit D+K2 and Magnesium Glycinate as needed.

On Ayurvedic herbs for GI issues - Guduchi since Jul 2020, Indukantham since Oct 2020

On Ashwagandha 1g since Nov 2020

 

 

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2 hours ago, tsranga said:

On Saturday, I had a burger after months, and on Sunday, I had a whole bar of toblerone. I was fine over the weekend, but the last two days, my old symptoms of hot/cold sensitivity, restlessness, tired but wired at night, calf twitches, dry mouth have returned. During this time, I find it extremely hard to rest and need to keep pacing.. and I also have POTS like heart rate fluctuations during the daytime.

 

Update:  Just on a hunch, I checked my blood sugar, and it was at 197 two hours post lunch   My blood sugar is mostly in the normal range, and whenever I feel this agitation, when I have checked, its been in the 150-160 mark. It rarely happens.   My BP is always in the lower end of normal - 110-70, but when I just took a reading, it was at 137/96, which is high for me.

 

 

 

I checked my journal and it appears that the last time I had the same pattern was in April, with a spike in blood sugar along with all the other symptoms of hot/cold sensitivity, cough twitching, restlessness and agitation (need to pace/cant sit down)..   I didn't identify any food trigger last time, so it does seem to be more a seasonal shift??  From warm to cold/cold to warm..

 

Chronic IBS since 1990

Former smoker (1992- Jun 2017)

Prescribed mirtazapine for sleep in Aug 2017 after IBS flare-up following Nicotine cessation.

Mirtazapine 7.5mg 8/17 to 5/18

Mirtazapine 3.75mg 5/18 to 1/19

Off Mirtazapine since 2/19.

Vit B, Vit D+K2 and Magnesium Glycinate as needed.

On Ayurvedic herbs for GI issues - Guduchi since Jul 2020, Indukantham since Oct 2020

On Ashwagandha 1g since Nov 2020

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update:

 

It appears that gluten and high sugar intake (ice-cream, chocolate bar) triggered my flare-up.    I had another flare this week after I accidentally had regular ice-cream (instead of dairy-free), but the pattern was slightly different.  

 

Similar symptoms - Starts off with hot ears, slight disorientation, frequent BMs, gut noises when lying down, and then towards the end of the flare, gut slows down, with more abdominal pain, and then stabilizes as gut gets working again.

Additional (Flare-up 1 - Gluten and Sugar)  - anxiety, temperature sensitivity, calf muscle twitches, calf pain, facial flushing, restlessness/agitation, high heart rate, blood sugar spikes, blurry vision

Additional symptoms (Flare-up 2 - Sugar and Lactose) - Sleeping heart starts low and  rises early with a  spike between 3AM-4AM causing early awakening, hyper-alert, hyperactive gut.  I have had it for the last 3 days, and I cannot go back to sleep.  Heart rate, BP,  blood sugar etc, are normal.

 

This  looks like a typical histamine reaction, with some variations for gluten and lactose? 

 

 

Chronic IBS since 1990

Former smoker (1992- Jun 2017)

Prescribed mirtazapine for sleep in Aug 2017 after IBS flare-up following Nicotine cessation.

Mirtazapine 7.5mg 8/17 to 5/18

Mirtazapine 3.75mg 5/18 to 1/19

Off Mirtazapine since 2/19.

Vit B, Vit D+K2 and Magnesium Glycinate as needed.

On Ayurvedic herbs for GI issues - Guduchi since Jul 2020, Indukantham since Oct 2020

On Ashwagandha 1g since Nov 2020

 

 

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