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PTSD from drug withdrawal kindling ...


btdt

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Doctor Alex Stelcup

I found him on the ESPN pain pill video.  Not the first one that pops up if you search this topic but the second one in the series. 

 

I know the title is about pain pills but this is exactly how I got put on Prozac my first antidepressant.  I was taking Tylenol #3 and the doctor gave me Prozac to help with pain ..."so I could take less of the T#3 which  contains an opiate called codeine for those of you who do not know. 

 

The first video second in the series at ESPN on this issue showed this doctor and an ex NFL player named Johnson who said he was on 10 medication one was an oxy another was muscle relaxants.  He did not say what the other 8 drugs were I wonder if any were benzos to sleep or antidepressants to help with the pain - just like I was given Prozac back in the dark ages of Ad use... I bet it is likely since we see it a lot.  Antidepressants for pain is now a common thing.  When I was given them the word Prozac was unheard of.  Now it is common for Ads to be given for pain.  Johnson went on to say he had 3 suicide attempts? or thoughts?  not sure which but suicide has been on the table for him... I am not sure what other drugs he is on and realize there is a lot of speculation here.  Still it interested me as this man seemed to understand and admit the withdrawal aspects he is a withdrawal specialist.

 

I would like to quote this but can't as it was not written but spoken but this is what I heard him say in the first video not linked.

 

Misuse of opiates destroys the bodies pain fighting ability and causes people to take pain pills to do the job the body can no longer do.  Reaching tolerance and stopping the opiates is common but these people cannot go back to the previous level of pain ... the pain is magnified - sorry I don't recall the number he used 4? 5? not sure but the pain is much greater than before they took the pain pills and their own pain control system is not broken. 

 

When I went to a pain clinic in the early 90's after having a severe adverse reaction to prozac they took away my codeine and told me my body was creating pain to get the drug as my body was now dependent on the T#3 so I went on yet another antidepressants... a trycylic named amitriptyline.  I think it helped with the prozac withdrawal as I could sleep after a year or more of insomnia so severe ... I could not function at all... I was in withdrawal from prozac or still having a severe adverse reaction to it over a year later this I took it less than a month... I think 2 wks.   What I think they trycylic did was dull my brain and thinking so much I did not feel pain I was a zombie but I could sleep and I was on the lowest dose possible and of course nobody talked about the tolerance or withdrawal to come from getting off of it when the side effects became so bad I could not tolerate it.  Enter a new antidepressants leading to 18 years of AD use.  I think this too is common from what I have read on sites like this in the last 6 years. 

 

 If he understand the drug withdrawal from these sorts of drugs it is possible he understands more.  So I went on a hunt to see what else he had to say. 

 

I found this video above which speaks of drug withdrawal so bad it creates PTSD yes he says it loud and clear and going cold turkey is more apt to cause it... he also speaks of kindling something we don't hear much about. 

 

I know he is a busy many with all the addicts in the world but maybe he has something to say to use that could help us understand this better maybe we have something to say to him to help him understand his job better... I don't know but I do know it is connected.  

 

Please watch the video and lets see what you think. 

 

I was dx with PTSD after my experience with Prozac like I said I had a SEVER adverse reaction and the symptoms in no way stopped when I stopped the drug it went on over a  year at least it was 18 years ago so my memory is likely faulty a bit... but there is no way I could ever forget it... I kept taking drugs the next 18 years thinking the drug reaction was an innate form of insanity... duped like a lot of others.  

 

I hope this video leads us on tiny bit closer.. in our understanding and maybe a lead on one more doctor to help us.

peace all

 

 

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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He is aware of the withdrawal from opiates and benzos is he aware of withdrawal from antidepressants does he use them to treat pain I wonder.  

I think his idea to stop people from suffering in withdrawal is admirable but if there is something other than taking more of the drugs that caused the suffering he did not say... 

 

While watching I thought I wonder if he used Ads for folks in withdrawal without knowing they fail... I also thought of all the drugs that were tried on me when I hit the wall (tolerance and maybe something more as my symptoms were of parkinsons. or something else neurological) 

All the drugs tried on me including reinstating Effexor made me worse. 

 

I truly do not want to see anyone else go thru what I have lived thru... so I search for answers understanding and will take any tidbit that seems relevant as it is obvious to me there is no solid understanding of treating withdrawal or the suffering other than tapering off... and I am not sure that would work after a person has hit the wall and had symptoms like I had. 

Sorry this is just my truth as I see it... as always my commentary is just that mine. 

I wish you peace.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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  • 1 year later...

Interesting. I wonder if it's possible to qualify for Work Disability if diagnosed with PTSD. I imagine that would be easier than SSRI withdrawal. Would I psychiatrist make this diagnosis or a regular doctor?

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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I feel I am currently experiencing PTSD because of this Paxil- I feel lost and like I have no control - I'm helpless until this gets out of my body - I feel there is nothing I can do for myself except endure and taper - it leaves me feeling useless and drowning in a pit of despair -

 

So I starred reading about drug induced trauma on mad in America - a guy named Matt wrote something- it was inspiring and helped a bit - if anyone else has any suggestions for reading I would really love that - I feel I have no control over what is happening in my mind - I feel weak and unable to cope - I would really like some more words of inspiration

 

*Currently at 8.2-8.5 mg of my 10mg pill of Paxil (they actually weigh 12.5mg) 

january 2023 I began reducing my med again. I was a 9mg weight for years, I went to 8.9 in January, went to 8.6mg in February, and in March 2023 I went down to 8.5-8.2 mg ( my scale varies, so I stick within that .3 range because of that) 

*No other supplements or vitamins 

*Taper schedule in the pdf 

Blank.pdf

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-5vShtJtwAOGA30OxIP87steLmMdFzD29F0fzAPD564

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I feel I am currently experiencing PTSD because of this Paxil- I feel lost and like I have no control - I'm helpless until this gets out of my body - I feel there is nothing I can do for myself except endure and taper - it leaves me feeling useless and drowning in a pit of despair -

 

So I starred reading about drug induced trauma on mad in America - a guy named Matt wrote something- it was inspiring and helped a bit - if anyone else has any suggestions for reading I would really love that - I feel I have no control over what is happening in my mind - I feel weak and unable to cope - I would really like some more words of inspiration

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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I am sorry you are experiencing that. I guess many of us are too. I am not familiar with the article but many of them make me feel worse. I hope you find some strength. I need it too.

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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The article is actually pretty helpful Christian - but would like more like this - :)

 

https://www.madinamerica.com/2013/08/ptsd-in-withdrawal/

 

*Currently at 8.2-8.5 mg of my 10mg pill of Paxil (they actually weigh 12.5mg) 

january 2023 I began reducing my med again. I was a 9mg weight for years, I went to 8.9 in January, went to 8.6mg in February, and in March 2023 I went down to 8.5-8.2 mg ( my scale varies, so I stick within that .3 range because of that) 

*No other supplements or vitamins 

*Taper schedule in the pdf 

Blank.pdf

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-5vShtJtwAOGA30OxIP87steLmMdFzD29F0fzAPD564

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  • 4 years later...

No I just tried to get ssi for ptsd from traumatic sex abuse from my father, physical abuse from my ex and also being raped in 2015 and having a child from it.  I also am an active atm heroin addict because I finally broke down and went to see a doctor and he discharged me cause I missed couple appts and last one I was late 20 min cause stuff prevented me from coming out of my control

 He had me on xanax first then 20 mg of valium cause he said it had less wd factors and longer half life.  I am not even 2 days in on benzo wd and 10 hrs for opiods and I already dont know what I will do. I barely sleep being on them but at least sleep some cause I have tapered down I have severe nightmares and wake up unable to breathe this happened previous to use worse why I started in 1st place. I also had a broken jaw and tailbone and degenerative disk disease and was on meds ranging to fentanyl patches in 2010 in my very early 20s. They combined these with xanax and ambien and flexeril similar combo to what heath ledger Died from or air pharmacist told me yet I felt fine.  I rarely took the ambian and spaced the medal out took one then next type hours later. I didnt have addiction issues until I was discharged for smoking weed one time during acute wd during a drug holiday cause I didnt wanna be on fent patches and wanted to be on a lesser med. I tried to get ssi was told three days ago I can work in a kitchen or laundry area by vocational person even though I can barely move and never sleep wake with might terrors have severe ptsd and social anxiety.  They brought immediately up my last substance abuse issues acted like I made rest up. 

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