Johnc86: New to the site/ Any advice greatly appreciate

[Johnc86]

Hi everyone, I'm sure a lot of people post here, so hopefully this doesn't get lost in the shuffle.  I appreciate it very much if you're reading this.

 

Ok, so I'll try to be a succinct as possible-  In may of 2012, I abruptly stopped taking an AD called viibryd.   I experienced numbness while on the med., and just overall had a very negative reaction to it, but ok, that happens from time to time.  I had been on meds for OCD for a number of years and once I stopped taking them, I felt back to normal within days.   Not this time.     Long story short, still have the numbness/lack of sensation (not in one specific area, just a general numbness), frequent diarrhea, muscle weakness, weird vision issues, and of course decreased sex drive.      So after seeing a number of different doctors, I'm seeing a naturopathic doc and and GI doc, and was wondering if there were any specific questions or areas I should touch upon?     Any advice would be greatly appreciated.   I feel like this is one of the few places where people wouldn't just dismiss my symptoms out of hand.

 

 

I will say that when the diarrhea stops and my stool firms up, I notice an across the board improvement with my symptoms.  There have been times, basically each time I try a new diet, where I feel much, much better, but it never lasts.   But the fact that I can feel so much better, even for a few days, gives me some hope.   But still... I'm basically totally lost here, so I'd love to hear any thoughts you may have.  Thanks so much!

 

John

[Petunia]

Hi John,

Welcome to our forum and thank you for posting an introduction.

 

I'm sorry you are struggling with symptoms since stopping your medication.  You have been off it for over a year, so reinstatement is usually not advised at this stage.  How long were you taking Viibryd for?  What meds were you taking for OCD?  Did you start having symptoms as soon as you stopped the Viibryd, or later?

 

Stopping an SSRI medication suddenly can often cause withdrawal symptoms and for some people, they can last a long time.

 

Over the last year, would you say your symptoms have improved, got worse or stayed the same?

 

If you put a brief version of your drug and withdrawal history in your signature, it will help members to quickly understand your situation and be able to offer suggestions, instructions found here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Constantly changing your diet might not be helping your recovery, our nervous systems need stability in order to recover.  Have a look at our symptoms and self care section for some ideas about how to manage symptoms as you continue to recover:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/

 

You will find a lot of friendly helpful support here, please keep us updated of your progress.

 

Petu.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, John.

 

Since you're so long off Viibryd, you might find suggestions for coping with lingering post-withdrawal symptoms in our Symptoms and Self-care section.

 

It's interesting that you see a connection between your symptoms and your diet. Have you tried probiotics along with healthy eating?

[Johnc86]

Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I was only on Viibryd for a little over 2 weeks, and I stopped rather abruptly.  I felt numbness as soon as I started, but when I stopped cold turkey it got worse.  I'm thinking it was possibly a serotonin overload?  (for lack of a batter phrase)    They symptoms either appeared, or got worse, after I stopped the Viibryd.

 

Over the last year, I would say the symptoms have gotten better... or at least some of them have gotten better.   Brain fog was a huge issue and would get much worse after I ate, that's gotten better over the past few months.  It could also be attributed to probiotics.  Diet always played a role, I just could never find the right answer.  Sugar seems to make the symptoms worse,  but other than that it was hard to find a clear correlation to any specific food.   I saw a naturopath who thought it could be Candida, but my current doc is not buying it.    I've cleaned up my diet, that could also be why I'm feeling a bit better.  

 

I've read quite a few people here complain about inability to loose weight, no matter what they ate, and I'm in the same boat currently.  I didn't know if anyone had any luck with a GI doctor. 

 

Sorry for rambling... this post is kinda all over the place.

[Altostrata]

Some people have adverse reactions to antidepressants very quickly, and the nervous system changes persist after quitting.

 

This isn't a serotonin overload per se, but the way the drug acted on your system, plus withdrawal effects.