WiggleIt: Tardive dyskinesia & dystonia from TCAs/nortriptyline/desipramine; rapid taper & benzo trouble, too

[WiggleIt]

TD in my face and tongue continues severely.  Face is twisted and tongue protruding as I write this.

Still have found zero neurologists who have treated me with anything resembling respect, so even if I wanted to take Lamictal, there's nobody to prescribe it to me.  I have been abused by the medical system to a degree that I didn't know was even possible.

Tried to sue doctor, but too many loopholes protecting her.

Tried to sue pharmaceutical company, but can't because my meds were generic.

I don't wish I were dead, but I don't want to live like this. 

[scallywag]

Thanks for educating me.

[AliG]

Wigglelt.  You have our respect and love !  I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. Wishing you the very best.

Hugs,

Ali   

[Altostrata]

WiggleIt, as ever, I am profoundly sorry that this has happened to you.

 

This is a site for going off drugs and support of withdrawal syndrome. That's what we know well. This is not a site for people who have suffered severe adverse reactions from psychiatric drugs per se. Diagnosing and treating severe adverse reactions such as dystonia is the province of neurologists who, I am sorry to say, have many of the same flaws of psychiatrists.

 

All I know about dystonia is what I read on the Web from sources that seem to be informed, such as http://www.dystonia.org.uk/index.php/about-dystonia/types-of-dystonia/secondary-dystonias/drug-induced-tardive-dystonia

or http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/287230-overview

 

As you've been participating in support groups specifically for dystonia, you're probably the best informed person about dystonia here. It hurts me that you feel we have misled you here with our well-meaning but perhaps not fully informed support. We did not intend to add to your distress. All of us sincerely hope your symptoms will go away and you can be the kind, lovely person that you are without this torment.

[WiggleIt]

Oh, Alto, I truly didn't meant to hurt you!  This site is a wonderful resource.  You must know that I feel that way.  It's just very unfortunate that I've learned the hard way that the ONLY cure for TDD (tardive dystonia and/or dyskinesia) is to PREVENT it by not taking psych meds in the first place.  

As I've said in posts above, I'd hate for newbies to see my thread.  I don't think newbies need to be seeing what's contained here, because they mostly need support and hope.  I guess it's just a catch-22 as to where the appropriate place truly is to speak openly about TDD.  This is the only place I know of to tell the God's honest truth, but it's also not EXACTLY the appropriate forum.  Because of that, I especially appreciate that you allow me to express myself here, however bleak my news is.   

[WiggleIt]

Update: tested positive for diabetes, a definite result of the antidepressants. I did NOT have diabetes before the meds, and if you read the medical journal research, you'll see that antidepressants damage the endocrine system and are documented to cause diabetes.

[UnfoldingSky]

Oh Wiggle, it's so horrendous what they've done to you.  I just read about ADs causing diabetes, there was an article on MIA.

 

I know you've written that lawsuit ideas have not gone anywhere but maybe there's a chance to sue on the grounds they gave you diabetes?  I'm going to take a guess that effect doesn't get listed on the side effect sheets for the drug you took? 

[WiggleIt]

Hello Sky,

 

My meds were generic, and there is a loophole that protects certain generics.  My generics are protected from legal action.  I can't do anything.

[WiggleIt]

UPDATE:

2 years off all meds.

Have not recovered from the setback that happened over this summer.

Dystonia worse.

Facial tics worse.

Vision worse.

Completely lost ability to drive.

Horrifying sensations of vibrating eyeballs and face.  Terrifying.  I won't even talk about my deepest fears regarding this problem.

I literally don't care at all about the "greater good."  Even if these meds supposedly help "most" people who try them (which I don't believe anyway. I'm sure it's just that people on psych meds don't know that the psych meds are the cause of their other health problems) and supposedly only harm a minority of people, I wish the meds didn't exist at all.  I'd gladly sacrifice anybody else's wellbeing for my own, especially since the harm of these meds was known since their creation, and NOBODY should have been knowingly harmed in the first place.  The medical community KNEW these meds cause harm, but they gave them to people anyway.  And for that, the doctors and pharma companies deserve to burn in eternal damnation.  
 

[UnfoldingSky]

Hello Sky,

 

My meds were generic, and there is a loophole that protects certain generics.  My generics are protected from legal action.  I can't do anything.

 

Hi Wiggle, I just realized you said the same above, sorry I must have been out of it when I posted this.  

 

It's so heartbreaking too that there's not even legal recourse for you.

[WiggleIt]

TWO YEARS and TWO MONTHS OFF MEDS:

Back again for the occasional update.

I've developed trigeminal neuralgia, which is chronic nerve pain in teeth and face.  And, no, it's not possibly due to anything else at all.  It was the meds, plain and simple.

The pain is satanic.  It's so painful, it's evil.

Also, tics in face (still).  Lips twisting, tongue zaps, tongue protrusions back again.  This can be part of TN, but also part of drug-induced dystonia.  So I get a double whammy.

It's awful.  I haven't been in bad enough physical shape to wish for death in a long time.  But the nerve pain in my teeth from TN managed to get me there.

Of course, I don't want die.  I want to to live without the pain these meds have caused me.  But the nerve pain in my teeth is too evil to bear.  I pray that God hears me and has mercy. 

 

[WinningThrough]

WiggleIt, I'm so very very sorry. I've recently started getting that severe pain in my teeth and face too (and ear) and it's absolutely horrific.

 

I truly believe all this will calm for you in time. I do.

 

I heard about a lady who got severe dystonia after a flu shot. She apparently took some auto immune drugs and it completely went away. I'm not for a minute suggesting drugs. I know very little about auto immune drugs. I thought I'd mention it just in case.

 

I've heard of people who had dreadful dystonia etc in withdrawal and it did go away in time.

[AliG]

Wiggle.There is still a lot of healing to be done. It's hard and you're going through hell but please keep going.

It might take a little bit longer for you.

In the grand scheme of things in your life this is still a blip on the radar screen.   

[UnfoldingSky]

Hugs for you Wiggle.  How awful this all is.

 

I have heard of people getting neuralgia from the drugs too though can't recall much of what they said about it. 

 

I don't know what this is, if it would be the same thing but I used to get (and I'm sure it's from the drugs) bad pain in my jaw, and usually at the same time sharp shooting pain in my ear.  Also had jaw movements too sometimes though the pain could happen whenever. 

 

I never did figure out what would bring it on when the jaw movements were not happening.  But it's been a while since any of that happened.

 

I had some tongue movements (in my mouth) too before, and there was a period where if I was concentrating hard, I'd be doing a fish mouth, no control over it.  That didn't happen when there was pain.

[Frogie]

TWO YEARS and TWO MONTHS OFF MEDS:

Back again for the occasional update.

I've developed trigeminal neuralgia, which is chronic nerve pain in teeth and face.  And, no, it's not possibly due to anything else at all.  It was the meds, plain and simple.

The pain is satanic.  It's so painful, it's evil.

Also, tics in face (still).  Lips twisting, tongue zaps, tongue protrusions back again.  This can be part of TN, but also part of drug-induced dystonia.  So I get a double whammy.

It's awful.  I haven't been in bad enough physical shape to wish for death in a long time.  But the nerve pain in my teeth from TN managed to get me there.

Of course, I don't want die.  I want to to live without the pain these meds have caused me.  But the nerve pain in my teeth is too evil to bear.  I pray that God hears me and has mercy.

 

I hope you heal soon.

 

I just noticed you are from CO, so am I.

 

I'm just starting to taper liquid Lexapro.

 

I would love to have an occasional PM from someone in CO, if you would like.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Cdav]

Hi Wiggle,

 

Please, look into TMS for Tardive dyskinesia, a friend does it here in my city and he has had several cases of tics and TD resolved or improved. It's non invasive and it's drug-free. It might be worth a try. 

[WiggleIt]

Hello All,

Apologies for not checking in here for a long while.  I'm two-and-a-half years off meds and still with permanent damage.  

Do I have good days?  Yes!  Have I healed A LOT?  Yes!!!

Is my physical health anywhere near what it used to be before meds?  NO.  I still have facial TD (involuntary facial tics) that comes and goes.  Despite the other pains I deal with because of the meds, the facial tics are so disheartening.  Even if my body's broken, I don't want it to LOOK broken, so I avoid going out when my face is twitching, and just stick to my quiet room with dim lights.

The tardive dystonia and myoclonus in the rest of body are always present to some degree.  It does flare up badly from time to time.  When it's mild, it simply looks like I have a limp and a crooked hand.  When it's medium, I do use my walker in public.  When it's bad, I stay home.  The pain that the dystonia causes in my muscles and joints is horrible.  Stairs are getting more and more difficult.

I've learned to gauge when it's going to be a walker day versus a cane day, and I don't care anymore about being seen in public with a walker.   

Fatigue and pain still hit my body VERY easily.  Excessively easily.  I can't stand or walk for sustained periods of time (not more than ten minutes or so before I need a rest break), but I do make sure to limp around and keep my body moving, even if it's not what healthy people would consider movement.  I often marvel that I used to be a runner… imagine a little pill taking away all of that.  A little pill called "medicine" that robbed my ability to stand upright, to move my legs.  Imagine that I used to run MILES on these tiny little legs that can no longer get me down the block!  My God, the side effects.  It does not cease to amaze me, but I have ceased being in denial.  This did happen to me.  I was given pills.  I did sustain permanent neurological and physical side effects, and I am bodily disabled now because of it.  Those are facts. 

The nerve pain in my teeth is an ongoing issue.

Luckily, my mind and emotions are solid.  I do still cry and wail occasionally, and lament, but it is far less often now.  Usually only when I have a physical setback, which—admittedly—happens quite often.  I'm unable to exert myself for more than a couple of hours a day.  The rest of the day is resting and only mild puttering in the house.  Anything else hurts my already-painful body too much.

I haven't bothered to seek diagnoses to learn if I have fibromyalgia or CFS.  Who cares?  Do I need to put a label on what the pills did to me?  I don't.  I know what my body was before those pills, and I know what it isn't now after them.  The changes don't need a label beyond the words "permanent damage" or "permanent side effects".  Those words are clear enough.

I won't ever write a recovery story on here, because recovery has not happened for me.  My absences on this site aren't because my life has gone back to normal.  My absences aren't because I'm out living life or have "moved past" this community, or what happened to me.  My absences are because I've accepted these changes that I never wanted.  Acceptance doesn't mean HAPPY acceptance, but it does mean that I no longer need to wallow in it every minute of every day.  My body will never be normal again.  That is what it is.  I'll simply do way I can with what I have.  It's still a hell of a lot more than plenty of other souls have in this world.  For them, I pray.

Love to all of you.  Thank you for the invitations to send PMs!  I've becoming less regular about correspondence, but I will try.     

[WiggleIt]

Thank you to all my friends here over the years.  Thank you for every post, PM, for your honesty on your threads.  Thank you Alto and all mods… This site is a treasure.

[AliG]

Hi Wiggle.  It's good to hear from you. Wishing you the very best .

[JanCarol]

Hey WiggleIt - 

 

Thanks for updating your symptoms, even when it is so hard.

 

I know you believe that dystonia people "don't get better," but I still hold out hope for you.  Every case is different, and this is still "early days" in the realm of healing from antidepressants.  (I know, newbies don't want to hear that one, too!)

 

I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you, and hope that you get - moments - of respite from your difficulties.

 

I strongly recommend a CD set from Jon Kabat-Zinn, called "Mindfulness for Pain Control" - I got mine from Sounds True.  Sadly, it's not one of those "available for free on the internet" items - but - I use it frequently, and it's really worth it.  He's talked me through some pretty extreme physical states, treating pain and discomfort "like a wild animal," and breathing into it cautiously, carefully as if you were approaching a wild animal.  Giving me new ways to "think" and adjust my behaviours and choices around these discomforts (I wanted to say "Pain," but my last lecture was about identifying with "my pain," and how that makes the pain worse.)

 

Take care, and I hope you see the sun today!

[WiggleIt]

Thank you, JanCarol <3

[Altostrata]

WiggleIt, I know it's hard to see the silver lining, but I see you moving to a sadder, wiser, but still extraordinary WiggleIt, who is not defined by her symptoms. It's good to hear of your improvement. There's still hope and time for healing, we're all rooting for you.

[WiggleIt]

On June 8, 2017 at 11:49 AM, Altostrata said:

WiggleIt, I know it's hard to see the silver lining, but I see you moving to a sadder, wiser, but still extraordinary WiggleIt, who is not defined by her symptoms. It's good to hear of your improvement. There's still hope and time for healing, we're all rooting for you.

Alto, thank you for your lovely words and lovely support.  I would not have made it through without this group.  This place is a Godsend, truly.

[WiggleIt]

I am facing something difficult that may render me totally dystonic, mentally retarded, and shoot me back to acute, longterm withdrawal: I probably need to take antibiotics for a sinus infection.  

Please pray for me.  Please pray that the antibiotics don't do anything bad to me.  Please pray that I recover.

I'm so scared, because I know what awaits me if things go wrong.

[bubble]

I also fear antibiotics so I can fully understand!

 

What antibiotic will you take? I will check up the site.. I know that Cipro should be avoided at all costs.

 

Check more here:

 

Edited June 29, 2017 by bubble
added link

[WiggleIt]

13 hours ago, bubble said:

I also fear antibiotics so I can fully understand!

 

What antibiotic will you take? I will check up the site.. I know that Cipro should be avoided at all costs.

 

Check more here:

 

Thank you, bubble!  I read the link.  I will be staying away from FQs, and will only take the antibiotics if my ENT doctor says the infection is bacterial.

[UnfoldingSky]

Wiggle, how did your situation turn out re the infection?  I hope and pray you didn't have to take anything that caused you issues! 

[WiggleIt]

On 7/18/2017 at 3:45 PM, UnfoldingSky said:

Wiggle, how did your situation turn out re the infection?  I hope and pray you didn't have to take anything that caused you issues! 

My dear Sky!

Just before logging in, I was thinking of you!  I did finally get over that nasty virus, but it took a full four months for me to recover.  I never ended up taking antibiotics, and my docs did not think it was necessary, so it was nice that they were not trying to shove meds at me.

I have so much AND so little to tell!  I will start a new post here in a moment...  

[WiggleIt]

To all my dear friends, companions, and soulmates on this site,

I do not log in much anymore because I am no longer in the throes of acute withdrawal.  I am not completely recovered, and likely never will be because the dystonia and neurological damage is so widespread in my body, but I have recovered enough to find joy in my simple life.  In fact, I am sort of considering writing a recovery story, but I don't know if I should.  After all, I'm still physically disabled and chronically ill because of the damage the meds caused.  

Any little physical stressor (such as stubbing a toe or twisting an ankle) sets off my dystonia intensely.  But if I avoid triggers and keep a mellow, restful lifestyle, then I am able to keep my body in homeostasis without flaring up my symptoms.

I still suffer light sensitivity—although NOWHERE near as bad.  I still suffer sound sensitivity, although not as bad.  I still suffer vertigo, although not as bad.  The tinnitus is pretty bad and I do get special treatment for it from an audiologist.

I still need a cane to leave the house, sometimes a walker.  I can't go to super-loud or super-crowded places because the neuro symptoms will kick in, but I can go to a semi-crowded small restaurant or bar every now and then!  Rarely, but it's possible!  I even attended a wedding last year!  I do need several days' bed rest after those big events, BUT I CAN SOMETIMES GO TO THEM!  That's a big deal.

On an average day, I have about four hours of energy, then I need to lay down for a long stretch to rest again.

I do have pain and fatigue everyday, but I'm not miserable.  I'm not anywhere near normally functional, but the reason I'm not miserable is because I remember how bad I was four years ago.  Four years ago, my tardive dystonia and tardive dyskinesia were so bad that I wiggled constantly; it looked like I had Parkinson's.  I couldn't walk, talk, or bathe myself.  I had to be spoonfed.  I suffered black episodes of paralytic dread.  Brain zaps.  Body zaps.  PGAD with zaps in my private parts.  Insomnia.  A paralyzed throat so I could only have soups and mushed food.  Heck, I'd even choke on mushed food.

But now, I can go downstairs and make myself breakfast!  I can run small errands and have small social outings!  I am TRYING to work from home, but that has proven very difficult, because I still am too fatigued to regularly meet deadlines... but I keep hoping to find a way.  I don't want to be on welfare for the rest of my life.

I am still working on rehabilitating my original muscle injury, which is what landed me on meds in the first place when docs misdiagnosed the muscle injury.  The muscle injury was mostly under control with very little pain for over a year, but it has recently flared up again BADLY.  The pain has me quite crippled.  Still, I pray and remain hopeful that me and my physical therapists can rehab it again.  

Anyway, I don't want to mislead people because I'm not totally recovered.  Any little thing will throw my body back into an utter mess... but I want people to know that IT GETS BETTER!!!  The first two years off meds were sheer hell.  Going into year four, I'm hopeful. 

    

[Frogie]

4 hours ago, WiggleIt said:

To all my dear friends, companions, and soulmates on this site,

I do not log in much anymore because I am no longer in the throes of acute withdrawal.  I am not completely recovered, and likely never will be because the dystonia and neurological damage is so widespread in my body, but I have recovered enough to find joy in my simple life.  In fact, I am sort of considering writing a recovery story, but I don't know if I should.  After all, I'm still physically disabled and chronically ill because of the damage the meds caused.  

Any little physical stressor (such as stubbing a toe or twisting an ankle) sets off my dystonia intensely.  But if I avoid triggers and keep a mellow, restful lifestyle, then I am able to keep my body in homeostasis without flaring up my symptoms.

I still suffer light sensitivity—although NOWHERE near as bad.  I still suffer sound sensitivity, although not as bad.  I still suffer vertigo, although not as bad.  The tinnitus is pretty bad and I do get special treatment for it from an audiologist.

I still need a cane to leave the house, sometimes a walker.  I can't go to super-loud or super-crowded places because the neuro symptoms will kick in, but I can go to a semi-crowded small restaurant or bar every now and then!  Rarely, but it's possible!  I even attended a wedding last year!  I do need several days' bed rest after those big events, BUT I CAN SOMETIMES GO TO THEM!  That's a big deal.

On an average day, I have about four hours of energy, then I need to lay down for a long stretch to rest again.

I do have pain and fatigue everyday, but I'm not miserable.  I'm not anywhere near normally functional, but the reason I'm not miserable is because I remember how bad I was four years ago.  Four years ago, my tardive dystonia and tardive dyskinesia were so bad that I wiggled constantly; it looked like I had Parkinson's.  I couldn't walk, talk, or bathe myself.  I had to be spoonfed.  I suffered black episodes of paralytic dread.  Brain zaps.  Body zaps.  PGAD with zaps in my private parts.  Insomnia.  A paralyzed throat so I could only have soups and mushed food.  Heck, I'd even choke on mushed food.

But now, I can go downstairs and make myself breakfast!  I can run small errands and have small social outings!  I am TRYING to work from home, but that has proven very difficult, because I still am too fatigued to regularly meet deadlines... but I keep hoping to find a way.  I don't want to be on welfare for the rest of my life.

I am still working on rehabilitating my original muscle injury, which is what landed me on meds in the first place when docs misdiagnosed the muscle injury.  The muscle injury was mostly under control with very little pain for over a year, but it has recently flared up again BADLY.  The pain has me quite crippled.  Still, I pray and remain hopeful that me and my physical therapists can rehab it again.  

Anyway, I don't want to mislead people because I'm not totally recovered.  Any little thing will throw my body back into an utter mess... but I want people to know that IT GETS BETTER!!!  The first two years off meds were sheer hell.  Going into year four, I'm hopeful. 

    

Hi Colorado friend! I was just thinking about you the other day. I'm glad you have healed a little and are able to go out once in a while (I know how rowdy the town you live in can be). Please keep healing and keep me posted. It was good to hear about some progress.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[UnfoldingSky]

On 04/02/2018 at 4:49 AM, WiggleIt said:

My dear Sky!

Just before logging in, I was thinking of you!  I did finally get over that nasty virus, but it took a full four months for me to recover.  I never ended up taking antibiotics, and my docs did not think it was necessary, so it was nice that they were not trying to shove meds at me.

I have so much AND so little to tell!  I will start a new post here in a moment...  

 

Hey Wiggle, sorry I missed you earlier!  Battling what seems to be the flu here. Four months, wow that's too much...Good to hear you have recovered though!  Great you managed to avoid the ABs too!

[UnfoldingSky]

On 04/02/2018 at 5:12 AM, WiggleIt said:

To all my dear friends, companions, and soulmates on this site,

I do not log in much anymore because I am no longer in the throes of acute withdrawal.  I am not completely recovered, and likely never will be because the dystonia and neurological damage is so widespread in my body, but I have recovered enough to find joy in my simple life.  In fact, I am sort of considering writing a recovery story, but I don't know if I should.  After all, I'm still physically disabled and chronically ill because of the damage the meds caused.  

Any little physical stressor (such as stubbing a toe or twisting an ankle) sets off my dystonia intensely.  But if I avoid triggers and keep a mellow, restful lifestyle, then I am able to keep my body in homeostasis without flaring up my symptoms.

I still suffer light sensitivity—although NOWHERE near as bad.  I still suffer sound sensitivity, although not as bad.  I still suffer vertigo, although not as bad.  The tinnitus is pretty bad and I do get special treatment for it from an audiologist.

I still need a cane to leave the house, sometimes a walker.  I can't go to super-loud or super-crowded places because the neuro symptoms will kick in, but I can go to a semi-crowded small restaurant or bar every now and then!  Rarely, but it's possible!  I even attended a wedding last year!  I do need several days' bed rest after those big events, BUT I CAN SOMETIMES GO TO THEM!  That's a big deal.

On an average day, I have about four hours of energy, then I need to lay down for a long stretch to rest again.

I do have pain and fatigue everyday, but I'm not miserable.  I'm not anywhere near normally functional, but the reason I'm not miserable is because I remember how bad I was four years ago.  Four years ago, my tardive dystonia and tardive dyskinesia were so bad that I wiggled constantly; it looked like I had Parkinson's.  I couldn't walk, talk, or bathe myself.  I had to be spoonfed.  I suffered black episodes of paralytic dread.  Brain zaps.  Body zaps.  PGAD with zaps in my private parts.  Insomnia.  A paralyzed throat so I could only have soups and mushed food.  Heck, I'd even choke on mushed food.

But now, I can go downstairs and make myself breakfast!  I can run small errands and have small social outings!  I am TRYING to work from home, but that has proven very difficult, because I still am too fatigued to regularly meet deadlines... but I keep hoping to find a way.  I don't want to be on welfare for the rest of my life.

I am still working on rehabilitating my original muscle injury, which is what landed me on meds in the first place when docs misdiagnosed the muscle injury.  The muscle injury was mostly under control with very little pain for over a year, but it has recently flared up again BADLY.  The pain has me quite crippled.  Still, I pray and remain hopeful that me and my physical therapists can rehab it again.  

Anyway, I don't want to mislead people because I'm not totally recovered.  Any little thing will throw my body back into an utter mess... but I want people to know that IT GETS BETTER!!!  The first two years off meds were sheer hell.  Going into year four, I'm hopeful. 

    

 

So very happy to hear of your improvements Wiggle!! I often wondered how you were. I think you can still expect more improvements too. I had such severe light and sound sensitivities for instance, that I couldn't go really anywhere but to natural areas or I suffered terribly for them, and they totally cleared up. 

 

Have you managed to write any poetry?  It's lovely to hear you have been getting out too, here and there!

[Evss]

Hi!

 I am just wondering if your withdrawal hit you all at once or if it got worse over time and then slowly better. I'm only almost 3 weeks out from a cold turkey amitriptyline withdrawal after using it for 4.5 months and I'm really worried more symptoms will hit me soon. Thanks in advance.

[Gridley]

Evss,

 

Generally, the symptoms don't hit you all at once but rather, they come, go and change as time passes. I've had some symptoms improve over the past year, some have stayed the same, and new ones have appeared.  It's all part of the brain repairing itself.  

 

Brain Remodelling

 

Withdrawal symptoms generally follow a windows and wave pattern, with windows being good periods and waves bad.  To start with the the waves generally last a good bit longer than the windows, which are sometimes very brief.  As time passes (it is impossible to say how much), the windows lengthen and the waves begin to shorten.  

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

To help you understand the symptoms you may experience, here is some information on withdrawal.  The withdrawal time doesn't necessarily correlate with the time you were on the drug.  These drugs alter the architecture of the brain, and the time necessary to heal the brain and return to homeostasis is, unfortunately, impossible to predict.  

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

Youtube video, 4 minutes: Healing from antidepressants

 

Yes, sometime withdrawal symptoms don't appear immediately after a too-fast taper.

 

Delayed onset of withdrawal symptoms

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2018 by Gridley

[Altostrata]

WiggleIt, how are you? I think of you often. I hope you are still making progress in recovery.

[WiggleIt]

On 5/6/2018 at 11:39 PM, Evss said:

Hi!

 I am just wondering if your withdrawal hit you all at once or if it got worse over time and then slowly better. I'm only almost 3 weeks out from a cold turkey amitriptyline withdrawal after using it for 4.5 months and I'm really worried more symptoms will hit me soon. Thanks in advance.

Hello Evss!

I am so sorry that I did not see this message sooner.  I really should do a better job of logging in more often so I can answer people's questions.

Your question is a bit complex, but I'll do my best to answer helpfully.  The reason your question is complex is because recovery is not linear.  It is truly up and down and remains up and down for a long time.  

When I cold-turkeyed the TCA, my withdrawal hit me all of a sudden at 11 days off.  And it hit BAD.  The first six months off were 100% hell every minute of every day.  Months 6-12 were 99% hell.  My second year off was better, but very unstable.  In year two, I'd go from extreme hell to relief, then back to extreme hell, then back to relief, then back to extreme hell.  In year three is when I can say that most of my personality came back.  Now at year four, I do feel that my personality and moods have been restored.

I'm sorry that I took so long to respond and hope you've been well over the past couple of months since you asked this question.