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Immediate adverse reactions to an antidepressant or within a few doses? How long for recovery?


Altostrata

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I think I to have this..

I was on lexapro for 7 years and decided to stop over 3 month period then my doctor said my fatigue was from anxiety not withdrawals and put me up on 10 mg I was getting more and more sick to the point he put me up to 20mg and I was on the for 3 months, sick in bed couldn't move I couldn't talk I couldn't eat, I would littlerly pee myself, my heart rate was over 130 and the doctors said keep taking your lexapro it's just anxiety relapse. I felt so poisoned! Then 1 month ago I said no this is poisoning me my brain is burning every time I take this. And decided to stop. It's been a month and I'm still sick after stopping. But a lot of things have improved, I now eat and walk around the house. My 3 months of diarrhea has cleared up. Brain burning has gone. But I'm feeling brain zaps and dizziness headaches and depersonalisation and all sorts of other things. But I really reckon I was poisoned with neurotoxicity adverse reaction after reinstating for 3 months. Apparently you don't heal from this? I'm so scared ???? I kept taking it for 3 months and was getting more and more sick, have I done irreversible damage? Will I continue to get worse or should things start to improve now I've removed the toxin?

8 years lexapro.

July-September 5mg

Sep-October alternate days (kindled) anxiety returned

November-march reinstatement (adverse reaction) bed ridden for 5 months.

Stopped April, felt I had no choice, felt poisoned.

27 years old, mummy of 3.

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Sorry my memory is bad, I was reinstated for 5 months from November last year until one month ago. I was bed ridden from November until January/feb.

8 years lexapro.

July-September 5mg

Sep-October alternate days (kindled) anxiety returned

November-march reinstatement (adverse reaction) bed ridden for 5 months.

Stopped April, felt I had no choice, felt poisoned.

27 years old, mummy of 3.

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  • 2 months later...

Just wondering if anyone has had a severe drug interaction while taking ADs and have similar symptoms to withdrawal? 

 

I have read that over time from long term antidepressant use people will eventually become a poor metabolisim (even if they have good liver enzymes which I got tested for) resulting in more adverse reactions/side effects. 

 

It has been two years since my drug interaction, still going through windows and waves but I I am no where near stabilized and I wonder if I ever will recover by staying on it. However tapering could make things worse. Catch 22. Any thoughts on this would be helpful. 

[*]At 15 years was put on 50mg of Zoloft for generalized anxiety and panic disorder.

[*]2006 Tried to withdrawal from 50mg . Doctor told me I would have no trouble. I tampered over about a month (50mg-0) which left me with severe and debilitating withdrawal symptoms. Doctors put my dose up to 75mg mistaking my withdrawal symptoms as a relapse. Stayed on Zoloft 75mg since 2006.

March 2015- adverse reaction between Zoloft (75mg) an antibiotic and anti nausea drug resulting in debilitating symptoms/recovery identical to withdrawal. Have not altered or changed dose since 2006.

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  • 3 months later...

Is there a difference between immediate adverse reactions, and side effects that one gets from initially taking a drug which doctors say will go away within a few weeks?

Lexapro 1/17 - 3/17 10 mg.  Switched to Elavil 3/27/17 10 mg

Upped to 20 mg June 5, 2017 3 days, back down to 10mg June 8

Up again to 20 mg June 12, 2017 4 days, back down to 10 June 16

9/17 dropped to 9.5 mg

11/17 dropped to 9.3mg

2/18/17 dropped to 8.8 mg

February 14/2018 Adverse reaction to zofran pill at clinic

10/7/19 8.48 mg

12/22/19 7.3 mg, 2/7/20 6.5 mg, 5/23/20 5.84 mg,  5/7/23 .70 mg

 

 

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On 11/30/2013 at 8:04 PM, Barbarannamated said:

I didn't think Zoloft (or any SS/NRIs) were effecting me positively or negatively for a few years. I *coincidentally* discovered that i clench and grind my teeth (bruxism) shortly after beginning Zoloft. Developed SEVERE TMJ, neck and head pain that required extensive PT, orthodontia, and many drugs, including Klonopin for bruxism and, eventually, opiates for the pain.

 

I learned (about 5 years later) that SSRIs cause bruxism and were likely part of the cause of my pain and permanent disability. I'm off of the SS/NRIs after 15+ years, but still on Klonopin that was used for bruxism caused by SSRIs. May have been partially responsible for the connective tissue neck injury that was attributed to work injury.

 

It's hard to untangle it all now, but the bruxism definitely began after initiation of Zoloft.

Hi Barbarannamated,

 

You posted this 4 years ago, so I'm not sure if you still actively engage in the SA forum. I wanted to let you know that you are not alone with your TMJ struggles. I actually had Bruxism so bad from taking Wellbutrin that I dislocated my jaw and I have to have surgery next month to replace my TMJ. The psychological and physiological fall out from these drugs is not even remotely worth the benefits of the drug itself. How is your withdrawal recovery going with the exception of your TMJ issues since you've been off of the drugs for a few years now. 

  1. Started Wellbutrin 75 mg IR the end of 2015.
  2. Tried quitting cold turkey in June 30th- July 3rd 2017.
  3. Had severe withdrawals.
  4. Was placed on Wellbutrin 100mg SR so I could taper without withdrawal.
  5. Stabilized on 100mg SR for most of the month of July.
  6. Started tapering on July 17th,  2017.
  7. Completed taper on August 8th, 2017.
  8. Currently experiencing severe withdrawal.
  • Symptoms- Currently experiencing anhedonia, depersonalization/derealization, concentration/memory issues, chronic congestion, chronic dry eyes, dry skin, dislocated TMJ joint from teeth grinding during C/T withdrawal, waves of depression, anxiety, nausea, morning cortisol spikes, insomnia, agitation, food sensitivities, no tolerance for caffeine and chronic fatigue, burning muscle pain in upper and lower back and occasional tinninitus.
  • Supplements- Omega-3 fish oil supplement twice daily, 100 mg of magnesium once daily. 
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  • 3 months later...

I'm in a bad way...I was a 4.0 grad student at the time of a panic attack which sent me to the doctor who rx'd Klonopin. I returned to him 1 mo later after learning it was a benzo for help getting off of it....He rx'd Lexapro. I'd taken it in the past with no issue but this time, first pill sent me into hysterics...I have not been right since mentally; was tried on several other meds...ct'd them all 11 mos ago and have never been more mentally unstable in my life...I've been almost total care; can't make decisions or do much self-care....terrified.

Rx'd 1-2mg Clonazepam for anxiety April 2016 (after one panic attack); asked to be taken down off of it due to it being benzo (I didn't do my research)...Placed on 10mg Lexapro-had reaction (crying hysterically, digestive issues, mood swings) to it; taken off (May '16) ; took myself down off Clonaz from 1 1.5 to .5 (probably last of May) in relatively short time (didn't know better); threw me into tailspin-no sleep for a week, dizzy, brain fog/dp/dr; went to another doctor who knew that Lex had helped me years ago (2014; 40mg) so pushed me to get to 40mg; stayed on for three months June-Aug; sick to death; quit doctor went to Psych PA who brought it down to 10mg  (end of Aug) and added 5mg Buspar x2/day; was okay for awhile then crying spells returned-same symptoms experienced as I did when on med; pysch took me off Lex; (Sept 19th); took myself off Buspar thinking it had made heart run/tachy (latter Sept); currently only on .5 Clonaz and miserable (weakness daily, apathy, anxious, tachycardia, occasional high bp, spacey, brain fog/dp/dr.)

 

Breakdown of Escialopram use: 10mg in May for one week; discontinued due to horrible side effects;

Placed back on Escitalopram in latter May, early June by doctor who knew it had worked for me in the past...pushed me from May to August to get to 40mg; all the while symptoms and my complaining to doctor-kept pushing me. 

Went to psych PA who took me down from 40 to 10 that initial visit added Buspar 5mg x 2; felt a little clearer; then began feeling crying spells again. Doctor ct'd me -told me "Try to see how you feel after one week without it". All this time, I had been emailing him to let him know my symptoms and he basically told me to stop; quit him and found a PA who has been overseeing my care-he's an advocate of meds though...thinks there is no tolerance on Clonazepam.

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  • 2 months later...
On 10/26/2016 at 2:50 AM, Laura1981 said:

 I'm on a different site with many people with these immediate, catastrophic reactions. Most are at least significantly improved at the 4 year mark. 

 

Laura, what site is that?

2011-2014: 25-50mg Zoloft then CT via doctors advice. Some mild physical sx but fully functioning, unaware that withdrawal was a thing. Dr didn’t know why I was chronically dizzy with brain fog & advised to try Zoloft again.

2016: severe adverse reactions to Zoloft (1 dose), Paxil (3 weeks), celexa (2 weeks), buspar (1 dose), lamictal (4 doses). Ativan 12 times within a month. Also tried Xanax & klonopin a couple times. Each reaction became more severe. Kindled. Became disabled from these meds.

Drug free 12-16-2016
Month 1-20: +5% healing every month
Month 21- present: setback to acute from amoxicillin antibiotic (1 dose)
Month 32- 11 months into setback from antibiotic. Seems I was floxed by amoxicillin somehow. Horrific.

 

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  • 8 months later...
On 12/3/2015 at 1:08 AM, oskcajga said:

The most frustrating part of my experience with this condition is that it can be exacerbated and made like 3X worse than the original condition by the use of alcohol, drugs, or supplements.  I can imagine that something like something as common as general anesthesia for surgery would do the same thing.

 

I didn't read too many stories of exacerbation on the internet, so I try to share my own experience with this lesser acknowledged fact as much as I can with people - maybe I'll convince them to stay on the straight and narrow and not experiment with drugs for relief.

 

One might wonder:  why would anyone dare experiment with drugs?  Well - when everyone around you is doing that sort of thing, it's hard not to try drinking alchol or doing some mild recreational substances with them.  Not everyone who has this condition has the lifestyle luxury of a middle aged person who lives in a nice house and has occasional social engagements with their church going-middle/upper middle class buddies.  Some of us are struggling to make ends meet, in competitive environments where lots of young college aged people hang out and do what college aged-people do - stay up late, drink a lot, do some recreational substances, and get back at it the next day. 

 

That was also back when I was in serious denial of the severity of the symptoms - I was like "nahhhh I'm still functional mostly, I'm no where near as bad as those poor blokes on the internet" - well unfortunately as I discovered even a mild case of adverse reaction/withdrawal can be MADE into a VERY SERIOUS one overnight with a careless or unfortunate exposure to the incorrect substance. 

Can you elaborate on this please? 

Sertaline (Zoloft)

25mg increased to 50mg after 2-3 weeks 

Mid Oct 2016 - Mid Dec 2016 

 

I also took Propranalol as and when/on and off from 2012 to 2016

 

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  • 1 month later...

I believe this is happening to me with Luvox.  I am trying to see if there is a pattern when I take it.  such a small dose also, at only 25 mg.  I hope to start tapering this very shortly and get off of it.  If one is having an adverse reaction, is tapering still recommended?  If sucks because we are stuck with those adverse reactions for some time still while tapering.  :( 

 9/2018- lexapro low dose few days.11/3/2018- zoloft 2 days

11/7/18  - 11/15/18 - Prozac 9 days, from 10 mg for week, to 20

11/16  inpatient put on Lexapro for a few days, Cymbalta, 2 days

11/24-12/8 - gabapentin 100 mg 3xs per day - a very fast taper

1/7 - tbuspar for  three days- blurry vision, jerky eye

1/17/19 - 2/15/19- mirtazapine 15 mg - started taper on 1/30 

2/20/19 gabapentin 600 mg. .  12/20-  taper finished

2/20/19 - seroquel 25 mg current - taken  10 pm

2/20/19- luvox (generic) 25 mg.  4/6/19  to 18.75 mg .held  . Started taper again  1/7/21- 15 mg, 2/7/21- 12.5 mg, 3/7/21 -10 mg, 4/1/21- 9 mg, 5/1/21- 8.1 mg, 5/27/21- updose to 10 mg,  6/21-  in patient updose to 50 mg,  6/25/21- reduce to 10 mg (current) .  9/5- split dose 5mg am/5 mg pm.  9/20- 4 mg am/5 mg pm . 

9/1/21-  took one dose of vistril 50 mg.   

9/1/21-accidental double dose of seroquel- 50 mg 

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I had an adverse reaction 18 days into Citalopram

 

I started to get vibrations throughout my body, Mainly in the chest heart and lung area, my feet and fingers

 

These got progressively worse, especially at night where it can feel like theres thumping going on in different parts of my body

 

I get muscle twitches and can feel my joints click alot now

 

Does it ever go away?

Drug History -

Citalopram Feb- March 2019

Fluoxetine March - April 2019

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so if one is having an adverse reaction, is it best to just stop it or can one still taper off to be safer? If i think i am having an adverse reaction, by staying it on it am a further messing myself up even more or is it okay to still taper? 

 9/2018- lexapro low dose few days.11/3/2018- zoloft 2 days

11/7/18  - 11/15/18 - Prozac 9 days, from 10 mg for week, to 20

11/16  inpatient put on Lexapro for a few days, Cymbalta, 2 days

11/24-12/8 - gabapentin 100 mg 3xs per day - a very fast taper

1/7 - tbuspar for  three days- blurry vision, jerky eye

1/17/19 - 2/15/19- mirtazapine 15 mg - started taper on 1/30 

2/20/19 gabapentin 600 mg. .  12/20-  taper finished

2/20/19 - seroquel 25 mg current - taken  10 pm

2/20/19- luvox (generic) 25 mg.  4/6/19  to 18.75 mg .held  . Started taper again  1/7/21- 15 mg, 2/7/21- 12.5 mg, 3/7/21 -10 mg, 4/1/21- 9 mg, 5/1/21- 8.1 mg, 5/27/21- updose to 10 mg,  6/21-  in patient updose to 50 mg,  6/25/21- reduce to 10 mg (current) .  9/5- split dose 5mg am/5 mg pm.  9/20- 4 mg am/5 mg pm . 

9/1/21-  took one dose of vistril 50 mg.   

9/1/21-accidental double dose of seroquel- 50 mg 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

What's your adverse reaction BfromNJ ?  Best to taper.

I did a number of CT's in my lengthy history with psychiatric medications.......and that sure didn't pay off very well.  I always wound up further medicated, often over medicated with many more.  And it's difficult to learn and practice non-drug coping skills when over medicated.   Or maybe,  I just became more dependent on my pills, rather than myself and the natural abilities I think we all have, to heal and be well.

 

So no......I don't think you are further messing yourself up by staying the course, learning all you can, and taking the slow, more harm free approach.

It does require a bit of time and patience but is well worth it, in my opinion anyway. B)

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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Thanks for the reply to :Why I cannot take SRI, SSRIs etc. I now use a fentanyl patch 50 ug for sever pain from a spinal fusion, severe OA and DDD. I mentioned to a neurosurgeon that my feet burn and he said the MRI showed a lot of scar tissue and confirmed by EMG. He wrote me a 30 supply of amiltriptyline 25 mg and after a week I felt like I was losing me mind. Then I got hot all over, vomited, and experienced extreme insomnia. My brain was on fire. My wife took me to the ER where they said I had serotonin syndrome. They kept in observation and on Ativan and my Klonipin for two days. That was a week ago and my memory is slowly returning. I notified my pain doctor who said the doc that wrote that should have known better.

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hello. tried to search but couldn't find an answer to this so mods forgive if I repeated a question or two..

 

How long after taking a dose of a medication can an adverse reaction come on?   A Can it be very quickly or does it depend on what medication it is?  

 

Also, can you have an interaction with meds even if you are spacing them apart?

 

and on the flip side - is it possible to drop down in a dose in tapering and feel better rather quickly or is this a fluke? 

 

Thanks.

 9/2018- lexapro low dose few days.11/3/2018- zoloft 2 days

11/7/18  - 11/15/18 - Prozac 9 days, from 10 mg for week, to 20

11/16  inpatient put on Lexapro for a few days, Cymbalta, 2 days

11/24-12/8 - gabapentin 100 mg 3xs per day - a very fast taper

1/7 - tbuspar for  three days- blurry vision, jerky eye

1/17/19 - 2/15/19- mirtazapine 15 mg - started taper on 1/30 

2/20/19 gabapentin 600 mg. .  12/20-  taper finished

2/20/19 - seroquel 25 mg current - taken  10 pm

2/20/19- luvox (generic) 25 mg.  4/6/19  to 18.75 mg .held  . Started taper again  1/7/21- 15 mg, 2/7/21- 12.5 mg, 3/7/21 -10 mg, 4/1/21- 9 mg, 5/1/21- 8.1 mg, 5/27/21- updose to 10 mg,  6/21-  in patient updose to 50 mg,  6/25/21- reduce to 10 mg (current) .  9/5- split dose 5mg am/5 mg pm.  9/20- 4 mg am/5 mg pm . 

9/1/21-  took one dose of vistril 50 mg.   

9/1/21-accidental double dose of seroquel- 50 mg 

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  • Moderator

There is a lot of discussion of adverse reactions floating around here.  Did you use the search bar?  It often works better to do a google search for "survivinganitidepresents.org (subject desired)".

 

An adverse reaction is basically your body rejecting the medication and usually happens quite quickly in the matter of an hour or so.  In some cases it can build over a couple of days but that is very rare.  The norm is that it hits hard and fast.  It doesn't matter what the medication is because it is how a persons body reacts to it that counts.

 

Interactions between drugs can be a very complex relationship.  Because of the half life of the drugs spacing them out makes very little difference with interactions.  Spacing can make a difference in how you react to taking two different drugs and can be beneficial at times. But drugs at interact badly will do so even with taking them at different times.  To make it more complicated there are drugs that will interact badly for several weeks to months after you've stopped taking either or both of them.  This is one reason it is very important to check interactions before starting a new drug.

 

The bodies reaction can be different each time a dose is decreased.  In general it takes 4-7 days for the affects of a decrease to be established.  During that time there can be  big fluctuations in symptoms.  I have seen many instances where a person will feel better for a few days and then the symptoms will start to show up, some times they feel better right off and stay that way.  Each reduction can be a new adventure but over the course of a taper a persons reaction to a reduction becomes somewhat predictable.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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12 minutes ago, brassmonkey said:

There is a lot of discussion of adverse reactions floating around here.  Did you use the search bar?  It often works better to do a google search for "survivinganitidepresents.org (subject desired)".

 

An adverse reaction is basically your body rejecting the medication and usually happens quite quickly in the matter of an hour or so.  In some cases it can build over a couple of days but that is very rare.  The norm is that it hits hard and fast.  It doesn't matter what the medication is because it is how a persons body reacts to it that counts.

 

Interactions between drugs can be a very complex relationship.  Because of the half life of the drugs spacing them out makes very little difference with interactions.  Spacing can make a difference in how you react to taking two different drugs and can be beneficial at times. But drugs at interact badly will do so even with taking them at different times.  To make it more complicated there are drugs that will interact badly for several weeks to months after you've stopped taking either or both of them.  This is one reason it is very important to check interactions before starting a new drug.

 

The bodies reaction can be different each time a dose is decreased.  In general it takes 4-7 days for the affects of a decrease to be established.  During that time there can be  big fluctuations in symptoms.  I have seen many instances where a person will feel better for a few days and then the symptoms will start to show up, some times they feel better right off and stay that way.  Each reduction can be a new adventure but over the course of a taper a persons reaction to a reduction becomes somewhat predictable.

Thank you for your response.  You guys are just so helpful and knowledgable.   Yeah I am usually better at reading up on drugs before I take them.  but inpatient its hard, no google allowed.  :) 

 9/2018- lexapro low dose few days.11/3/2018- zoloft 2 days

11/7/18  - 11/15/18 - Prozac 9 days, from 10 mg for week, to 20

11/16  inpatient put on Lexapro for a few days, Cymbalta, 2 days

11/24-12/8 - gabapentin 100 mg 3xs per day - a very fast taper

1/7 - tbuspar for  three days- blurry vision, jerky eye

1/17/19 - 2/15/19- mirtazapine 15 mg - started taper on 1/30 

2/20/19 gabapentin 600 mg. .  12/20-  taper finished

2/20/19 - seroquel 25 mg current - taken  10 pm

2/20/19- luvox (generic) 25 mg.  4/6/19  to 18.75 mg .held  . Started taper again  1/7/21- 15 mg, 2/7/21- 12.5 mg, 3/7/21 -10 mg, 4/1/21- 9 mg, 5/1/21- 8.1 mg, 5/27/21- updose to 10 mg,  6/21-  in patient updose to 50 mg,  6/25/21- reduce to 10 mg (current) .  9/5- split dose 5mg am/5 mg pm.  9/20- 4 mg am/5 mg pm . 

9/1/21-  took one dose of vistril 50 mg.   

9/1/21-accidental double dose of seroquel- 50 mg 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I had an immediate adverse reaction to Prozac. Within 12 hours I couldn’t breathe, sit still, was shaking, and dry heaving for hours. I literally was clawing at my chest screaming because I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I took it three days total until I woke up one day wondering if life was worth living. It took me a couple of months to get better. That is when I was put on remeron in order to eat. It made me lose over 30 pounds in less than a month. I also had an adverse reaction to lexapro within a week. I had suicidal thoughts to the point that I was scared to be by myself. It’s weird though because my body has tolerated Zoloft which I hope to taper off of after getting off remeron. 

Sept 2016 - March 2017 50 mg Zoloft
Aug 2017 20 mg Prozac (lasted 4 days)
Aug 2017- Feb 27, 2018 75 mg Zoloft
Sept 2017 7.5 mg remeron (2 weeks) 
Feb 27, 2018 - March 30, 2018 - 10 mg Lexapro
March 30, 2018- May 2, 2018 Wellbutrin 150 XL

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I have always had worsening conditions with any SRI, SSRI. I recently had Serotonin Syndrome and was hospitalized. Still physicians want you to "try it out" even though it can take your life.

"Few clinicians recognize a reaction to SRI or SSRI drugs and few have seen serotonin syndrome" quoted from my psychiatrist 4/8/2019  

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On 23/11/2013 at 21:23, Altostrata said:

Les personnes qui ont des réactions indésirables immédiates aux agents sérotoninergiques présentent souvent des symptômes graves pendant un certain temps - des symptômes très semblables au syndrome de sevrage - et mettent longtemps à se rétablir.

 

S'ils ont été pris pendant longtemps, souvent avec l'aide d'un benzo, leur système nerveux est très perturbé.

yes Alto this what happened to me ,after 20years of use i ended up kindled now & symptoms are hell (9 months off ) i dont think i ll heal the kindling happned 4 years  ago ! i m lost i m scary to reinstate because my brain is hypersensitized now !what shall i do to deal with this long wave of 7 months wthout any improuvement .

Mars 1997- juillet 1997 Anfranil 25 mg, Tranxène 5 mg, Librium 10 mg, sulpiride 50 mg (juillet 1997)

Oct 1997-nov 1998 Anfranil 25mg, Tranxène5mg (rétabli ces deux médicaments seulement)

Nov 1998-mar 2000 Drugs off ( tapered with my psychiatrist help)

Avril 2000-juin 2001 Anfranil 25mg, Tranxène5mg (réinstatement these only drugs after 18 months off)

jul 2001-sep 2010 Prozac 20mg, Tranxène 5mg (passé de l'anafranil 25 à Prozac 20mg depuis juillet 2001)

jun 2007- jan 2010 Tapered Tranxène 5mg ( quick tapered  it while steel on Prozac 20 mg(les choses se passaient bien, pas de retraits)

sep 2010-mai 2011 Prozac 20mg conique (les choses se passaient bien sans retrait)

mai2011-mar 2012 Dugs gratuits (les choses étaient bien, pas de retraits)

mars 2012 rétabli Prozac 20mg (too late reinstatement = adverse reactions ) 

mar 2012 -apr 2016 prozac 20 mg on / off plusieurs jours cold turkeyed ( going on it back & forth )  et réintégration (effets indésirables et embrasement, neurotoxicity ) 

avril 2016-2018 lexapro 10mg on / off depuis sep 2017 lexapro tapering (effets indésirables et embrasement)

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I am doing much better now. Regained my cognitive skills but still some memory loss. I have a great psychiatrist that has me taking Clonazepam 3 X a day. I really had to struggle with doctors for years explaining the worsening conditions with SSRI, SRI and TSAs. They did not believe me. So for years I have been of and on Valium which really helped to.

I am also a pain patient and take opioids so they used to prescribe Valium in that setting. However, with so many people drinking alcohol they are reluctant to prescribe. If you look at the drug insert on most opioids concomitant use is allowed when other drugs (SSRI) are ineffective. 

I was coerced many times to take different serotonin re uptake inhibitors just to prove the point. Never again. In fact, I just read that there are new warnings on antidepressants.

I will never trust a physician to check for interactions. I will look myself at www.drugs.com.

Thank You for asking.

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  • Altostrata changed the title to Adverse reaction and drug-drug interactions
  • Administrator

See

 

 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 5 months later...

I never know where to put these things. Has anyone here who had an immediate adverse reaction to their medicine, improved when reinstated another drug. Like Zoloft to fluxotine? And then did a slow taper? Id love your thoughts. Thx

LZie, Zoloft 25 mg, 3/31/20-4/6/20

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I’m curious about this as well

Zoloft 100 mg 2015-2019

effexor 75 mg December 2019- January 2020

effexor restarted 75 mg April 12
began Ativan .5 mg twice a day April 12

stopped 75 mg April 17

seroquel 25 mg daytime, 150 at night starting April 19 2020

adverse reaction to 5 mg Paxil April 19 2020. Stopped taking. april 28 dropped 150 seroquel dose at night to 75. may 2 dropped 1st 12.5 seroquel dose

reduced ativan from .5 to .25 day and night  for May 9,10, 11

went back up To .5 May 12 
Current schedule:

9 am .5 ativan

9 pm 75 mg seroquel, .5 Ativan 

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As carefully explained to you numerous times, Lzieb, if you have an immediate severe adverse reaction to an SSRI such as Zoloft, it's likely other SSRIs will cause similar reactions.

 

Also explained to you: If you had an immediate adverse reaction to SSRIs, what you have now is the after-effect of the adverse reaction. It looks and acts just like withdrawal syndrome but it is not withdrawal syndrome. Like withdrawal syndrome, it means your nervous system has been destabilized.

 

Reinstatement of a drug or similar drug under these circumstances is higher risk than reinstatement when someone has actual withdrawal syndrome.

 

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi, I had an adverse reaction. I can give a rough timeline from when things got better for me.

Neuro-emotions/ sudden emotional changes not related to things going on occured for about 4 months but each day seeming to occur less frequently.

My sense of time was affected and this greatly upset me. It is very hard to explain but it as if time stopped existing sometimes and sometimes when I had movement issues and I would freeze in place it would feel like I am like that for much longer than reality, for example I feel like I had been stuck in a position for 30minutes but it was only 2. This came and went in waves. I do not remember when that went away completely but it did.

Movement issues: unable to move my body, freezing in position got less severe and now only happens if I do too much or get stressed.

 

Twitching: I had twitches involuntary in my hands, my trunk and legs. I would just look like I moved a lot strangely but thankfully it went away after about 6 months, it got worse the more I did and the more stressed I became.

 

I had severe fatigue straight after which became less severe. I still get fatigue now, I am not able to do as much mentally and physically as before I took the drug. I have had to take a year off university because I would become symptomatic as I couldnt cope with everything with my body being not like it was before;  I am hoping to re-do it in September but I have to change some things so I can be able to without overwhelming my body.

 

Three months after the acute this I believe I developed depression, I did not origianally have depression. I could not enjoy things and I felt like the world seemed sinister and i'd feel afraid a lot. This slowly got better and I tried to force myself to talk to people a lot and always kept myself busy so to prevent myself becoming overwhelmed with bad feelings and thoughts. This cleared up though February 2019.

 April 2020 I feel as if im completely back to myself personality wise. It is difficult to explain this but I felt like part of my mind was not there anymore but came back. I am very gratful for this.

 

I know I have missed some things off, there were so many symptoms that I only remember the ones which bothered me the most because.

 

Ongoing issues: Now I feel well for longer periods of time and the waves are less severe but I still get parasthesias/ weird feelings in my skin and body, restlessness feeling which is the worst, pain that I cannot place, shakiness and occasional tremors, Muscle spasms, brain fog and trouble with cognition / feeling slow usually after an episode, newest issue is I am getting pain in my hands and toes.

 

 

January 2018 - 50mg sertraline for only 2 days, had adverse reaction.

On 0 psych drugs now.

Took a very long time for symptoms to go away, got better mentally 100% in April 2020.

Turns out also had low vitamin d, low calcium and low thyroid in August 2020.

Treated with colecalciferol and now all physical symptoms gone. Possibly overlap between this issue & sertraline symptoms?

May 2021 Still taking colecalciferol, all physical symptoms gone. Unsure if this will return if I stop vit D for long time ?

Now consider myself fully healed.

Other medication: 5mg certirizine for allergic rhinitis once a day or when needed, cut down from 10mg just in case that was causing issue too since i've taken for over 8 years now.

FULLY RECOVERED NOW 🙂

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  • Altostrata changed the title to Adverse reactions to an antidepressant within a few doses? How long for recovery?
  • 3 weeks later...
On 4/8/2019 at 12:24 PM, brassmonkey said:

There is a lot of discussion of adverse reactions floating around here.  Did you use the search bar?  It often works better to do a google search for "survivinganitidepresents.org (subject desired)".

 

An adverse reaction is basically your body rejecting the medication and usually happens quite quickly in the matter of an hour or so.  In some cases it can build over a couple of days but that is very rare.  The norm is that it hits hard and fast.  It doesn't matter what the medication is because it is how a persons body reacts to it that counts.

 

Interactions between drugs can be a very complex relationship.  Because of the half life of the drugs spacing them out makes very little difference with interactions.  Spacing can make a difference in how you react to taking two different drugs and can be beneficial at times. But drugs at interact badly will do so even with taking them at different times.  To make it more complicated there are drugs that will interact badly for several weeks to months after you've stopped taking either or both of them.  This is one reason it is very important to check interactions before starting a new drug.

 

The bodies reaction can be different each time a dose is decreased.  In general it takes 4-7 days for the affects of a decrease to be established.  During that time there can be  big fluctuations in symptoms.  I have seen many instances where a person will feel better for a few days and then the symptoms will start to show up, some times they feel better right off and stay that way.  Each reduction can be a new adventure but over the course of a taper a persons reaction to a reduction becomes somewhat predictable.

Thanks, brassmonkey, for this.   I'm not quite sure what to call my case.  The first week I was on lexapro (5mg):  first day, felt a little off, 2nd day felt good, 3rd day, felt awful by evening.  By week 2 (10mg), crippling, off the charts anxiety.  Week 3: anxiety lessened a little bit (was given ativan for 4 days) but dizziness, fatigue/exhaustion, remained.  Week 4: anxiety attacks w/suicidal ideation that sent me to a psych ward for a week.  Psychiatrist there recommended fast taper over next 5 wks, which I did.  Been off since mid- March.  Been in WD (?) for over 6 mths.  First 3 wks of WD I was feeling better and better.  Week 4, all hell broke loose and it has been a parade of over 64 side effects since then.  I never settled on lexapro- there was only 1 day (the 2nd day) that I felt better.  I was much worse the whole time I was on it (I had never taken medication of almost any kind up to that pt in my life).  So my experience was an adverse reaction but I think it built up over a few days like you mention.

Was on Lexapro for 66 days starting in early January.  5mg for a week, 10mg for 3, 7.5 for 3 days, then 5mg and 2.5mg for approx two weeks after.  

Was on Lithium for 60 days starting in late January. 1 300mg ER pill a day.  Stopped CT

Was given a .5 ativan script in early Jan.  Took it maybe 20x total from early Jan to beg of June, 2020.

 

-Fall of 2019:  had two vertigo attacks for the first time with no warning, each followed by 4-5 days of morning dizziness.

-Last Friday of 2019:  had first ever, out of the blue, panic attack.  Went to ER- didn't know what was happening.  Was diagnosed w/GAD, even though had never had anxiety or depression problems before.  Basically no health problems at all prior to this, and in very good shape emotionally, physically, and mentally.

-4 days after panic attack given lexapro.  That's when the hell began.  Was on it 66 days.  Reacted badly to it.  Gave me suicidal ideation 4 wks after starting it, plus exhaustion, off the charts anxiety, dizziness, and fatigue.  Did a fast taper over 5 wks.  Was on it 66 days total.

-been off lexapro completely since mid-March, 2020.  First 3 weeks I got better and better.  Then, week 4 into WD got slammed.  Since then, over 64 side effects/symptoms.  Can't drive.  At times, barely surviving.

-since Jan., have been to the e r 16x.

-was given lithium after experienced SI from lexapro to as a "mood stabilizer".  Never really noticed anything from it, nor anything after stopping it, except for a few days of heightened depression about a week after.

-was given low dosage ativan script 2nd week into lexapro to deal with the anxiety/panic spike caused by the lexapro.  Took it perhaps 20x between Jan and June, 2020.  Always made me feel better, but last time it was taken (early June) experienced intrusive thoughts after so stopped it.  Didn't feel any negative reaction from stopping it, perhaps b/c it was taken so infrequently and the dosage was so low. 

 

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3 hours ago, NoMoreLexapro said:

The first week I was on lexapro (5mg):  first day, felt a little off, 2nd day felt good, 3rd day, felt awful by evening.  By week 2 (10mg), crippling, off the charts anxiety.  Week 3: anxiety lessened a little bit (was given ativan for 4 days) but dizziness, fatigue/exhaustion, remained.  Week 4: anxiety attacks w/suicidal ideation that sent me to a psych ward for a week.

 

Do those sound like desirable effects of the drug? Those are adverse reactions. Ativan helped for a short time.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • Altostrata changed the title to Immediate adverse reactions to an antidepressant or within a few doses? How long for recovery?
  • 2 months later...

I saw it asked earlier in the thread if there are any scientific papers on this, but nobody answered. 

 

Just wondering if there was any studies done since, can't find any. My insurance company are sending me to a new psychiatrist, and could do with some papers. 

 

If anyone knows of anything it would be great

2006 - 2009 20mg Citalopram fast taper2011 - 2016 40mg Citalopram fast taperJune 2016 10mg Valium 1 month CT
Jan 2018 40mg CitalopramFeb 2019 cymbalta for pain - too many side effectsApril - 10mg Valium for 1 month- made me depressed stopped CTJuly - 0.5mg of Xanax + Prozac, bad reaction stopped after 6 weeks CTSept - 14 days Ativan CT


October 2019 - 5mg Valium + 10mg Citalopram, too much,

December 2019 - CT Citalopram, 

February 2020 - reinstate 5mg Citalopram

April 2020 Stopped Valium CT, sart May tried to increase Citalopram to 10mg, think I OD'd 

22 June  ER visit tried to reinstate Valium, paradoxical

2 failed attempts to reinstate Citalopram 1mg and 0.5mg

20 Oct CBD oil - wave, 27 Oct 10mg trimipramine BAD IDEA

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Hi all,

I am just another victim suffering adverse reaction following 2 days cipralex and few weeks Zoloft. Felt horrific while being on these drugs, felt even worst while tapering Zoloft and feeling in pure hell 10 weeks OFF drugs. I never had any of the symptoms that I experience during or after stopping these drugs. Every day is hell on earth and reading all these cases here scares me even further. I have to survive and win this battle for my two young boys who adore me and can’t imagine life without me. Please any people who recovered from adverse reactions post here to give the rest of us some hope.

Aug. 16-17, 2020, cipralex: went CRAZY! Recovered in 24hrs

Aug.28,2020; 3.5 weeks 25mg sertraline/4.5 weeks taper

Oct. 25: Last dose (4mg)

Symptoms while on zoloft

DPDR/out of my body/soul despair/feeling dead; tinnitus/no appetite; fear, anxiety/panics

4 months OFF: soul despair, anxiety/fear, brain disconnection/ DPDR, brain feels swollen-numb/crazy/bedridden barely functioning, tinnitus, eye lid twitches; face spasms. Feeling slightly better after 10pm.

- sleep & appetite are fine

9 months OFF: hell, no windows, same symptoms as above  (only eye and face twitches have stopped) plus intense arm/shoulder pain and visual issues. Tinnitus replaced by head buzzing. 

10 months-1 year: all above plus Insomnia (out of nowhere), depression, no peace of mind (mental Akathisia); 2.5mg melatonin

14months off: sleep resumed. All rest symptoms remain. Bedridden vegetable all day. DP is relentless. 

1.5 years off: still severely disabled, not much changed except some improvement in vision.

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jesussaveme  I've spoken with a number of people who had reactions to pills that didn't go on that long and everyone recovered. 

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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Just now, UnfoldingSky said:

Jesussaveme  I've spoken with a number of people who had reactions to pills that didn't go on that long and everyone recovered. 

 

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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Okay I was trying to correct an error and for some reason it's created a double post. 

 

 

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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I hope that's clear...What I meant was people who had shorter term exposure to psych drugs  and suffered reactions do recover.  The people I remember interacting with who had had them usually would disappear pretty much the second they had recovered too, this would be on an old site that is now defunct. 

 

 

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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@UnfoldingSky

thank you for this post of hope. You gave me strength to carry on. Truly thank u....

Aug. 16-17, 2020, cipralex: went CRAZY! Recovered in 24hrs

Aug.28,2020; 3.5 weeks 25mg sertraline/4.5 weeks taper

Oct. 25: Last dose (4mg)

Symptoms while on zoloft

DPDR/out of my body/soul despair/feeling dead; tinnitus/no appetite; fear, anxiety/panics

4 months OFF: soul despair, anxiety/fear, brain disconnection/ DPDR, brain feels swollen-numb/crazy/bedridden barely functioning, tinnitus, eye lid twitches; face spasms. Feeling slightly better after 10pm.

- sleep & appetite are fine

9 months OFF: hell, no windows, same symptoms as above  (only eye and face twitches have stopped) plus intense arm/shoulder pain and visual issues. Tinnitus replaced by head buzzing. 

10 months-1 year: all above plus Insomnia (out of nowhere), depression, no peace of mind (mental Akathisia); 2.5mg melatonin

14months off: sleep resumed. All rest symptoms remain. Bedridden vegetable all day. DP is relentless. 

1.5 years off: still severely disabled, not much changed except some improvement in vision.

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You're welcome. I hope this new year brings you healing ASAP!  And everyone else too!

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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