mini3585: Possible withdrawal effects from rispiradone+/AD's?

[Altostrata]

That's good news.

 

What you might want to do is to make notes about your reaction to various drugs and dosages, e.g. "risperdone -- didn't help." Then you don't have to go round and round trying to capture that info again in your head.

[mini3585]

Yes I will do. Thanks for that. Its not that the information isn't there, I do know what is and isn't its just that in desperation I go over everything again again trying to find an instant fix for how I am feeling at that moment. I know deep down there isn't one but it still goes round my head.

I'm feeling unusually alert and quite an intense feeling of happiness today - I'm not quite sure its entirely 'normal' (normal used in the loosest sense of the word coz what exactly is normal?), however it makes a change to having an intense bad feeling. It may not last long and I will put it down to the experiences of coming off the meds.

[mini3585]

Unfortunately I have been VERY tetchy the last couple of days and as a result me and the hubby are not really speaking at the moment. Its been complicated by the fact that I started my period this morning. I am someone that normally suffers with mood swings and irritability on the run up to that anyway, mix that in with w/d mood swings etc, tiredness, and goodness knows what else = recipe for disaster! I MIGHT even go so far as to admit that actually I have been quite bitchy the last few days, I would stay away from me too to be honest if I was my hubby. Even the dog hid under the bed yesterday <<<(sorry pooch xx)

 

I saw my psychiatrist today she tried to explain what I am feeling is normal and although unpleasant whilst it lasts its not dangerous and is a good sign that my body is going through the process of healing. She said that all the different sensations, feelings, aches and pains are normal and move around the body affecting different parts in different ways at different times.She told me that as long as everything that I am experiencing is varied its normal and nothing to worry about. She told me only to worry it turned into one or two symptoms that were being persistant with no signs of improvement as this may be a sign of underlying illness. (I had been worried about the tremors I have been getting).

She explained that my vivid dreams that I see as a warning of bad days to come may not always be a warning of bad days to come ( I always have bad days afterwards), but that my brain has processed information and memories in a certain way whilst on the meds and now that I'm off them it will subconsciously reprocess it as it heals. This leads to vivid dreams sometimes, but the actual processing my brain is going though is tiring for the body and can leave people fatigued for a few days. She also said that not only does the brain have memory but the body too. So if the brain is reprocessing something this may subconsciously trigger a physical response such as an aching muscle or headache or an emotion elsewhere too.

She said that the sensations produced move around the body and as long as it continues to move its fine.

 

It sort of makes sense and my experiences do vary, I'm not sure about the moving around the body bit totally. I have the same sensations but they appear in different orders and severity on different days and sometimes not at all.

 

I don't know how right this is but no wonder some people in withdrawal suffer especially if there is years of reprocessing to do and that on top of undoing the years of other changes these chemicals cause to our brains and body.

[Altostrata]

What about these tremors????

[mini3585]

Well, I explained to her that I had been suffering from these each morning since reducing/stopping the sertraline with/without anxiety. She did not seem concerned. She seemed to think its was part of the ongoing process of healing and recovery.

It now varys in intensity and times of day. I'm not getting it everyday as I used to.

I think that I will see how it goes as time goes on. If everything else resolves and this doesn't I will go to my G.P. and ask for it to be investigated. I suppose when you think of skin tingling, muscles aches, and tremors putting it together it sounds quite serious! I could be blaming something else on withdrawals....who knows? As its early days from when I stopped the rispiradone I will just wait it out for the next few months as long as nothing else develops.

She wanted to discharge me yesterday but I asked for one more appointment which will be in September, I don't quite feel ready to be on my own with this. If I had agreed to be discharged if anything was to happen I would have to start from the beginning of the referal process and waiting list again, which could take a few weeks.

[Altostrata]

Most likely it is withdrawal. Many of us have spent thousands of dollars on tests to find other problems with no useful results. (Very occasionally, someone does find another problem, such as B12 deficiency or H. pylori infection, which needs to be treated.)

 

It's a rare doctor who knows what to do about withdrawal symptoms. Your current psychiatrist is right, you are going through a healing process from iatrogenic effects of the drugs. However, this may take a long time. If I were you, I'd be very, very wary about any further psychiatric diagnoses other than withdrawal syndrome.

 

(Does your psychiatrist know how to taper people off drugs? If so, perhaps we could add her to our list.)

[mini3585]

I was thinking more along the lines of physical causes. I'm sure if I persisted my psychiatrist might suggest I go back to my g.p. and get her to refer me to a neurologist who would probably send me for scans and things to rule out any neurological disorder causing the tremor, aches, tingling etc. This would probably take a few weeks or so to sort without having to worry about any costs unless I went private then it would take less time and cost a lot of money. This is an option for the distant future. However, like you say it is probably just withdrawals and this needs time. I will rethink it in another 6 -12 months depending on what happens in that time. As long as things are slowly getting better not worse I will try not to worry about it too much.

 

I think my psychiatrist has a fair idea that meds have to be tapered and she seems to have a good understanding of what the body goes through afterwards but I think she is still typical of most Dr's and her idea of 'tapering' is still too quick, as is evident with what has happened to myself

[Altostrata]

If you didn't have the symptoms before starting or quitting a drug, it's the drug!!

[mini3585]

Well the impression I got from my appointment on thursday was yes its unpleasant but its a good sign that things are recovering and go with the flow. Easier said than done when you are not the one who has to just go with the flow!

I haven't been too bad until this last week. Though tetchy was a bit of an understatement. I feel a teeny bit better today. The physical side isn't nice but I can cope, its the huge surges of emotions I get. These last few days have been a mix of irritability, bitchiness, urges to cry, bad tempered (not all at the same time - swapping and changing day to day). Even within the general bad things I feel I get surges of other feelings too. These 'surges' can last a few hours other times they last less than a minute but for that short time they are more powerful and overwhelming than anything else going on at that time. This is the part I hate having to deal with because these are the parts I can't control. At least for a headache or muscles aches I can take some paracetamol and get relief from it for a while. There is at least a tiny bit of control with the physical problems.

[Altostrata]

I think my psychiatrist has a fair idea that meds have to be tapered and she seems to have a good understanding of what the body goes through afterwards but I think she is still typical of most Dr's and her idea of 'tapering' is still too quick, as is evident with what has happened to myself

I hope she's appropriately apologetic.

[mini3585]

I hope she's appropriately apologetic.

 

 

Ha! Are any of them? Apologetic...no. Understanding me enough to know not to push any more meds on me...yes. However, she is the second consultant. It was the first one postnatally who started me on this path and she thankfully could only 'look after' me until my youngest turned one. I then got moved onto the adult team. My current psychiatrist could never understand why I was ever started on an antipsychotic drug.

I wish never to see my first consultant ever again, I may not be responsible for my actions. I feel so angry today. My latest bad patch has resulted in a huge argument with my husband who understandably is totally fed up with having to pick up the pieces.

I honestly do not know how much longer he will be here in my life and I feel I have no control over it now.

This is not a future I look forward to but may have to....yes they both certainly have a hell of a lot to apologise for...

[mini3585]

I can't shake this nasty side that has surfaced. Its not me at all, and I hate it, I hate me too. I think I have managed to alienate most of the family this week. I hope they can forgive me when and if I feel better.

[Meimeiquest]

Is risperidone an anti-psychotic? I had a huge rebound of anger coming off an anti-psychotic. My psychiatrist thinks it's my true feelings coming forth. But I think I'm just freaking crazy. Actually, I was doing better until I took one tiny dose about 3 weeks ago. Tell your husband et al to give you six months.

[mini3585]

For people that are struggling and need some encouragement, here is where I am up to now.

 

I haven't been on here for a long time but I decided to look back at what I had posted. It's been a year now since I started tapering the sertraline and I have been off all meds since March 2013.  I have to say looking back I can't believe the difference a year has made. It's  FAR from perfect but it's nowhere near as bad as it was.

I no longer get the waking anxiety everyday, or the tremors I did. I do have it still during the bad 'waves' and can be quite anxious and feel like I have an internal vibrator but it's short lived now. It's not the 3am wake up call that it used to be. The waves are still very frequent (every 2 to 3 weeks) but vary in intensity and duration and range of problems. I know when I am heading into one. I have a night of vivid dreams, or a couple of nights of insomnia, or I become 'ranty' I go on and on and on about something. I now know to stop myself before it gets going, and I know to prepare for a bad few days.

The range of symptoms are still vast but thankfully not every wave is too bad. Sometimes I just wake up feeling a bit nervous, it might last a couple of hours and I might get it every morning for a week. Sometimes I wake and I feel dreadful. I have huge mood swings, I'm easily angered, very short tempered and this can go on for up to 3 weeks, and when I say bad tempered I am foul, nobody wants to be near me or dares speak to me. It horrible because this is not the normal me. 

Sometimes this is coupled with physical issues such as muscle aches, headaches, nausea etc the combination, intensity and duration is always different.

 

At the moment I have been working a lot of hours, I am tired. I have a horrible cold which has completely wiped me out, and to add to it 'aunt flow' is due and my hormones are all over the place...not a good combination. So as I am typing this I don't feel too good physically or mentally.  My psychiatrist reassured me that it's normal when withdrawing for the nervous systems to be very agitated by the body going through unrelated illness such as colds etc. So apart from feeling rough with the virus I have the withdrawal to deal with as well.

 

I have an issue with my youngest child and wanted to speak to my health visitor but her number is not in his book. I had to get my older child's book out to get the number, and I started reading the entries made by the health visitor from when he was a baby. This has triggered an anxiety episode because I was ill with post natal depression at that point. I felt nauseas reading it. The post natal depression is what started me on this journey so I am not surprised that I cannot look at that record book without having some sort of negative reaction to it. I love my bigger boy to bits, but I can't think or read about those first 11 months without feeling sick and anxious.

 

 

I just want to say that it does get better. Ok it's not always great but I can see a big improvement to where I was when I first posted.

[Altostrata]

mini, thank you so much for updating your topic. It's very good to hear you're doing better.

 

It sounds like you're healing in the usual unpredictable fits and starts.

 

Your psychiatrists sounds like one of the few who gets it. Who is it you are seeing? If you can recommend this person, please add his or her contact information to http://tinyurl.com/7cp8l8v

[mini3585]

Thanks Altostrata,

I'm not sure that my psychiatrist truly 'gets it'. She suggested other meds etc at first and if I had been someone easily persuaded I might be in a bigger mess than I am now. However, she is someone who was willing to work with me. She couldn't do anything other than listen to what I had to say. I have been discharged from the mental health service now.

Her parting words to me were "I will remember your situation because it will help me to support other people with the same problems that I may come across in the future" My reply was something along the lines of - you already have, probably many times...I will always remember her puzzled face as I left!

 

I seem to be pretty robust. It would be really easy for me to curl up under my duvet and not get out of bed. Sometimes  I haven't moved off my bed all day but then afterwards I felt so much worse than on the days that I have had to force myself to get up...the distraction of 'doing' really helps me. 

I work and I don't get paid if I take time off sick, with a husband and 2 boys to support that really gives me the motivation. I have gone to work sweating and shaking and in so much pain, and despite ' you look so grey you look like a drug addict that's needs her fix' as one colleague so kindly put it, I painted on a smile and got on with it. The only time I take time off is if I am actually vomiting.

 

I tried omega-3 but it made things a lot worse - especially mood swings and aggressiveness - I took it for about 4 months then stopped. I feel much better. I was suffering with a lot of cold like symptoms, and sinus infections. I tried vitamin c if I took it in the morning my brain would be racing by night time...I couldn't shut off at all. If I took it in the evening I suffered with early morning waking and racing thoughts during the day time - very distracting. I felt like I had been drinking coffee all day! I tried magnesium when my legs hurt although it did me no harm I didn't notice an improvement either so I stopped that. 

 

I had an episode a few weeks ago where I was so dizzy all afternoon I couldn't stand up...I couldn't think why. Then I realised that a drink that had been given to me by a friend had B vitamins added...this is the only explanation for this weird episode.

It makes me really aware of what is added to food and drink!

I also developed a lactose intolerance...I found that out because I couldn't work out what was making me so bloated and in pain. I totally cut out anything that might contain any traces of lactose...it was so hard...even my favourite cheese and onion crisps...nil. Then after 2 weeks I slowly reintroduced dairy back in...just small amounts like in tea, or a small mouthful of cheese. By the third day I was having milk in tea three times a day plus a little bit on cereal...by the end of a week I was in agony again. That was about 3 months ago. I can now tolerate very small amounts, such as with chocolate biscuits, or one chocolate bar. I made the mistake of having a piece of cheesecake AND  a quarter of a cheese and onion butty...the next day I was in pain again.

I have been surprised at the parts fo the body that get affected by withdrawal!

 

Sorry for the long posts but I feel that I have a lot to share with other withdrawal sufferers...they will see what they are going through is normal and now I feel like I can 'talk' about it without getting upset or triggering unwanted emotional responses.

[Altostrata]

Well, congratulations at having educated a psychiatrist. They're a resistant bunch.

 

There is an enzyme you can take, lactase, that will help you with the lactose intolerance.

 

Often these sensitivities will lessen over time.

[mini3585]

The lactase might be a good idea, although keeping off the dairy has helped me to lose a bit of weight. I'm not overly big but I do need to lose a little bit slowly.

 

I think I can see the end to this in the distant future. I was disappointed it wasn't going to happen in a few months. It's been a year since it started and I think that it's going to be another year before I can truly say 'i'm nearly there!'. I now have a realistic idea of what to expect. I looked back through my posts today and I can remember  clearly how desperate I felt. I still do sometimes but it's with the knowledge that the bad is temporary whereas in the beginning there was never a break from it. The good crept up slowly and I didn't realise at first that I was having a good spaces until one day I went to bed and realised I hadn't had a tremor or a pain or a bad feeling all day. It started there and gradually increased. I now get 2- 3 weeks before I get a bad run, sometimes within that there is mild bad on the odd day lasting a very short time (minutes/hours only).

[Narcissus]

I tried omega-3 but it made things a lot worse - especially mood swings and aggressiveness - I took it for about 4 months then stopped. 

 

I'm still reeling from the Omega-3's I took two days ago.  It looks like they're not good for some of us.  

 

I'm sorry to hear about your episodes, many of us have done and said terrible things during withdrawal.  I just hope that your family understands that you're not you at the moment, and that the real you is still on her way home.

 

Glad to hear that things are improving overall.

[mini3585]

 

 

 

I tried omega-3 but it made things a lot worse - especially mood swings and aggressiveness - I took it for about 4 months then stopped. 

 

I'm still reeling from the Omega-3's I took two days ago.  It looks like they're not good for some of us.  

 

I'm sorry to hear about your episodes, many of us have done and said terrible things during withdrawal.  I just hope that your family understands that you're not you at the moment, and that the real you is still on her way home.

 

Glad to hear that things are improving overall.

 

 

Thanks! My husband doesn't understand completely. I think anyone who has to put up with another person having episode after episode of irritability, aggression, moodiness etc would react the way he did. Thankfully these episodes are happening a little less. I am also recognising the warning signs. I say to him "I had some vivid dreams last night and I woke up with tremors again. I may be in for a few bad days but I will try not to be too much of a pain in the backside!". It diffuses it a bit in advance. Thursday night I didn't sleep well, I woke up with tremors and tingling to the skin on my face....I told him this and he knew I wasn't feeling too good. Yesterday I felt dizzy, had pains in my legs, and was irritable. Today the pain is gine, I feel less irritable, but I still feel dizzy on and off. This has been a mild episode. I will probably be ok by Monday unless something else happens.

[mini3585]

I haven't quite worked out how the quote bit works...I don't know why it has boxed it  all when I posted...sorry

[mini3585]

It's been a year since I last posted, I can't believe how quickly time goes by!

 

I would say that overall things continue to get better. I would say that over the last 6 months I have had very few days where I have felt truly ill in the sense of from the effects of being on or coming off the meds. My sleep has been a lot better and I have not had the insomnia to the extent that I did have. It still happens now and then but I have accepted it and in doing so it doesn't upset or worry me as much when it does happen.

 

However, earlier this year I had flu and I haven't been quite right since. My G.P. tested me for glandular fever going off the symptoms, she also did a complete blood screen too. Everything fine except I have a vitamin D deficiency which would explain how I have been lately. In fact it would probably explain everything else as to why I was put on the antidepressants, the so called post natal depression. Here in England I am not surprised that this is the case. I work long hours even in the summer and get nowhere near as much sunlight as I need, add in 2 babies and breastfeeding when they were babies, it drains the body of everything and I probably haven't recovered. I now feel angry that no one thought to check this sooner. I can't say that it was the case all along but we will never know and it's more plausible than what they thought was wrong with me. I am angry that if it had been checked I would have had to take nothing more than Vit D and have none of the problems I have done.

 

So now I start on the cholecalciferol twice a week and along with it the expected increase in bone and muscle pains. I cannot say if this is the effect of the whole withdrawal thing or not. Pain can increase initially when taking it anyway. I woke up in so much pain yesterday I could hardly move my shoulders. Iv only taken 3 so far!

 

The disturbed sleep and insomnia has returned, ok Vit D affects sleep I know that and it may take a while to settle.

 

I have head fog again, lack of concentration, shakes in the morning all the withdrawal symptoms I had before all back again though a lot less. I'm taking magnesium for the muscle pains...probably best to with high dose Vit D anyway. I can't tell the difference between the problems those awful meds have caused and may be a normal reaction to the Vit D considering I have probably been deficient for a long time.  All this maybe for the lack of checking one thing.

 

 

 

I hope it gets better. The pains and aches I can cope with, everything else not so much so.

[Altostrata]

Good to hear from you again, mini. How much vitamin D are you taking?

 

Did you take an antibiotic when you were ill? These seem often to reinvigorate withdrawal symptoms. It will take some time, again, for them to go away.

[mini3585]

No I didn't have antibiotics then but I did a couple of months ago for a dog bite as a precaution. I didn't take the full course though as it wasn't infected. I didn't notice any more ill effects than I had been having. I had flu in February. I didn't realise but one of the doctors at work diagnosed me. I took that afternoon off and had the next day off then went back still ill having a chest infection and cough. Ever since every 2-4ish weeks I've had 24-48 hour symptoms of coughs or colds threatening. What took me to the dr this time was I woke up on the Monday feeling like I was getting a cold. By Tuesday I was fine. Wednesday my neck was swollen by Thursday am it was gone. Friday I had a tickle on my throat. Saturday I was fine til the evening when I lost my voice completely no sore throat, cough, or cold. By the Tuesday I was fine but then started with muscles pains like I had with the flu and that last a week with nothing else but headaches. This was the worst on off illness since the flu. I noly just got the 24 hour runny nose or gritty throat and tiredness.

Bloods only shower the low vitamin D.

 

I'm taking 20,000iu twice a week for 8 weeks then I will be taking calceous twice a day for a few months.

I'm still hurting and aching and I don't feel much less fatigued though the last two nights I have slept well. Magnesium seems to be helping some but I don't dare take a higher dose. I'm just taking 100mg magnesium citrate at night and it helps relax me to sleep. I have taken it in the morning too and I found that the aches were a lot less in the day but I would rather be relaxed at night. I might try one in the morning and one a night soon.

[Altostrata]

How are you feeling, taking 20,000iu vit D twice a week?

 

To me, that seems like an awful lot at one time. Why not 10,000IU 4 times a week? Less chance of adverse reaction from too much vit D at once. It can be hard on your liver.

[mini3585]

Yes it does seem a lot. The leaflet that came with the capsules says take one a week or as prescribed so my levels must have been quite low.

I can't take 10,000iu as they are in 20,000iu capsules unless I split them somehow.

 

I am not feeling as bad with the aches and pains. It was either left over from feeling ill or my body was shocked with the sudden increase in vit D. I'm still feeling really sleepy tired and physically I have no energy. I'm hoping it will improve.

 

I am finding though that when I take the capsule I have a bad nights sleep that night and the next. I also am getting some other mild symptoms such as shakes and head fog for a while but within 24-48 hours it is clearing. I'm probably half way through now so will keep with it as long as it doesn't get any worse. I will have to see what my body does when I start the calceos. That will mean a drop in vit D to 400iu twice per day and an increase in calcium carbonate 1200mg (equivalent 500mg elemental calcium) twice a day.

[Altostrata]

It sounds like 20,000iu vit D at once is too much for you, it's too activating.

 

If I were you, I'd ask the doctor for a lower dosage or split a capsule by opening and pouring half the contents into an empty gelatin capsule.

[mini3585]

I think you are right. I had the muscle aches prior to this with the continual on off viruses which is why I went to the Dr in the first place. The vit D deficiency won't be helping but then again I have notice increase in symptoms since taking the vit D capsules. I can't separate what may be the deficiency and what may be as a result of too much vit D/withdrawal symptoms. The only way I am going to know is to do what you suggest.

 

This is the problem with withdrawal it's sometimes hard to know which is due to that and what isn't. This is why it's taken me from February to decide that actually I need to see a Dr and get sorted. I have found I am more tolerant to aches pains and other things as on and off I have been feeling dreadful since I had my first child. I also don't want to sound like a hypochondriac!

[Altostrata]

Yes, you need to do what you can to control the variables, change only one thing at a time, and keep notes.

[mini3585]

Well here is another variable as since I last posted my sleep has been poor. Then last night I had vivid unsettling dreams. This morning I woke up with a headache and as the morning goes on I have muscle aches, a painful neck, a tickly cough and a runny nose!

I have probably been brewing this for the past 2 or 3 days at least. I think it's about 28 days fr the day a felt better last time to today feeling poorly again. When I say feeling poorly I mean cold cough flu virus type poorly not anything else in between!

 

I had a lovely 12 days off work on annual leave. I have been back for 2 days. Today is my day off.

I know what it is...I'm allergic to work! I need a long lost rich relative to leave me enough money to live on.

Thanks for the advice and your time. I really appreciate it. The next hurdle will be the calcium supplements.

[mini3585]

Possible peri menopausal nightmare

 

Firstly I am sorry if there are other threads advising about this but its 02:35 and I'm too tired and anxious to search....Im due to be up for work in a few hours so again apologies.

 

Iv been having really bad PMS to cut a long story short it's getting worse. The last 10-14 days of my cycle have been a nightmare and it's getting worse and worse over the months. It's the irritabiliy and anger/rage I can't cope with and I'm so frightened of lashing out at family. I went to the G.P. who suggested low dose fluoxetine with close monitoring due to past history....the idea frightens me in fact more than frightens me. She assured me as I had never had them before I would be fine. I said no. She prescribed the combined pill and I took one at 21:15...fast forward a couple fo hours....anxiety night sweats rcing thoughts insomnia. So, im thinking maybe this will settle down once my own hormones are 'under control'? Or maybe I take it in the morning and see if thats better? O rmaybe I stick with it and hope that it will work out ok in a couple of months or do I stop?

If I stop I'm back to 2 weeks of hell every month that's only going to get worse. i'm so scared of not being able to take anything to get this under control. I'm at higher risk of breast cancer too on the pill but I thought I would rather a shorter life of no rage every month than a longer one of not being able to function.

 

Any advice is appreciated and thank you in advance from one scared and confused weepy person...yes that's bad tonight too.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Petunia
New topic merged with original and title added

[Fresh]

Hi mini ,   welcome back.   

It sounds like you're having an adverse reaction to the something , but I'm not clear what you've taken.

What is it called , what dosage did you take?  Is it "the combined pill" that's set this off?

 

Have you taken any fluoxetine yet?

 

I got good symptom relief from hot flushes , night sweats ,peri-menopause symptoms , since starting Remifemin , which is a plant extract

 

bw ,  Fresh

[Petunia]

Welcome back mini,

I joined your new topic with your original one, its one intro/update thread per member in this section. I'm sorry to hear you have been having some symptoms lately. I also went through menopause at the same time as being in withdrawal, I'm sure it makes things worse.

 

I'm happy you didn't accept the antidepressants, but it sounds like you had a bad reaction to the pill you did take, I'm assuming it was birth control pill?

 

Here are a couple of related topics:  PMS and menstrual cycle problems during withdrawal ...

 

Female Hormone Issues: perimenopause, menopause, WD, or something else?

[mini3585]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. Generally I have been feeling quite well. I have the odd days here and there where I recognise some of the dreaded WD symptoms....they only get really bad if I'm brewing an illness such as a cold. I have to say that although I haven't posted on here for some time I still read posts and take advice where I need it. I'm very grateful for the help and advice that you people have given me both directly and indirectly. My progress has been and remains good.

 

I was prescribed 150mcg levonorgestrel + 30mcg ethinyloestradiol (combined pill). I have noticed my PMS starts around ovulation and gets worse towards when my period is due. My G.P. said I would not be suitable for progesterone only contraception as progesterone causes the symptoms I've been getting. I'm obviously hormone sensitive. I am not sure that my PMS is purely WD related as I have always had cycle related mood swings and they have just been getting worse over the past few months. It's entirely possible that I am indeed peri menopausal and body is just not happy with it.

The question is how to treat/deal with it without setting of the massive hormonal type reaction that I did or risking WD symptoms by taking things my body isn't ready for yet. Also, with my past history with how I have reacted to antidepressants I'm positive that even a low dose of fluoxetine is a big no? I've had this pill before I had children and it really suited me so it was a 'safe' guess at the time. I basically feel like crap today still hot hot burning prickly heat - never had anything that severe before my skin is on fire! Hot flushes, sweats,  nausea and vomiting, abdominal period pain type cramps and headache too. The symptoms are not as severe as the day has gone on and I'm sure that in the next 24-48hours I will be back to 'normal'. I phoned the G.P. surgery and it was suggested that the pill would not do that after one dose! It's something else (apparently). Yeah ok! The have asked me to go back and I haven't made up my mind yet if I am going to. Looks like my family will have to put up with 2 weeks of screaming, potential violence, and bitchiness from me. My body isn't going to let me alleviate these dangerous symptoms the way that the Dr's want to.

I will look at the links posted later on after work.

Thanks again for your replies.

[mini3585]

Oh my goodness! What have I done to myself. It's the same as last night but not quite as severe...massive huge hot flush that feels like it's burning me. My nerves are jangling, my whole body is vibrating.

Now that I have actually got out of bed and am sitting here on my laptop it's not as bad. This is probably going to take a couple of days to settle a bit more.

I had the weirdest sensation though. My bedroom is quite dark, there's a tiny bit of light where I can see that there are things in my room but I cannot make them out clearly. So, when I opened my eyes I could see what can only be described as fuzziness....as if a tv with no signal with the grey fuzziness was in front of my eyes but partly see through. When I stood up I felt like my whole body was floating and my limbs were not part of me but I was able to control them....not at all unpleasant on it's own  but along with the jangling nerves and vision problems and the feeling that my head was buzzing with electricity it was quite awful! In fact if that had been the only symptom with the fuzziness I could have stood for a while feeling my 'floaty' body.

I've also for the first time for months had some anxiety - this induced a few minutes of crying. All this has subsided within a couple of minutes since I have got up and put a light on started to think about what I'm typing here.

 

So, it seems I'm a total slave to my hormones. Myself and my family having to live out the consequences of whatever my body throws at me and I cannot help it any way positive . I can help positively that in the sense of when this episode improves I'm not going to be stupid enough to take that pill again. Do I have to put up with horrendous PMT until my body decides it's going to go  through menopause? What then? I doubt I'm going to go through that nicely given how sensitive my body is to my hormones. The prospect of suffering continuing this monthly suffering is almost unbearable...again this thinking could just be as a result of me messing around with with tablets I shouldn't have. One dose I took, nobody believes me. The G.P. surgery was concerned something else was going on. The pharmacist I spoke to said it was unlikely that the one pill was doing all this - and they are normally very aware of drug side effects. She wasn't totally dismissive as she said everyone reacts differently it's just nothing that she has heard of.

 

I've had a look at the links and there are a couple of things I will look in to. I'm going to rea through again as I only skimmed through when I got home from due to tiredness from lack of sleep!

 

Has anyone got any information on isoflavones?? I have read it's for menopause but I've read some supposed success stories for PMT too. All I need is to reduce this PMT, not cure it. Just to manage it better is all I want. In the meantime I will have a look through this site again in case I missed info on that one.

 

 

[mini3585]

I have read through some of the post from the links that Petunia posted. I'm very interested in this bio identical progesterone cream. I've found a couple of sites that explain the potential benefits not just for menopause but for PMT too. Is there a specific brand I can get in the U.K. that anyone recommends? I have read some information that a bio identical oestrogen is better and that claims that bio identical progesterone helps PMT are exaggerated.