Asthenia: Weakness, muscle fatigue in legs, arms or body

[grandmaD]

Thanks DLB for suggesting I look at your posts!  I had not seen this thread before, but now find others experiencing the same weakness and cramps and what about spasms?  What about shooting pain in feet and toes that is excruciating?  I now have hip problems and backache and feel fragile like I will break or muscles around chest/ribs will collapse.  It is frightening and today lower neck and upper shoulder is aching and painful and feels like muscle tension/cramping.  I did not CT but have been almost 6 years on a 2.5% taper, so going very, very slowly and yet all these things are getting worse and I don't understand it! 

[DLB]

Hey grand D, I think if you are the unlucky one like me to get this symptom, it doesn't matter how slow you go. I feel that it is going to happen at low doses no matter how slow you go. I have heard from many and through research I have found it to take several years to go away sometimes. I wonder if yours will take longer because you are going so slow. Whatever happens just hang in there and know it improves. FYI, if I could ever describe this terrible feeling I would say it is like having a horrible cold or flu just in your legs.

[Earthworm]

I'm 30 years old, but I'm literally weaker than my 80 year old father. He can do much more physically than me. Seven years ago one day my muscles just died. It was not a sudden progression, just one day all of a sudden they became super weak and super easily fatigued. It is bizarre to me. This was about 2 years into my discontinuation syndrome chaos.

 

Don't tell me bs that I need exercise. I used to exercise through out my life, ever since the fatigue came, I couldn't anymore. I can do 5 pushups and my muscles will be fatigued for the next 3 days. And I don't mean sore, but so fatigued that they shake and simply are unable to do more work when I ask them too. Before the fatigue came, this would happen when I'd do a super hard weight session at the gym, and the fatigue would only last a few hours. Now after doing as little as 5 pushups, my muscles don't get stronger, they only get weaker for days! Basically exercise doesn't strengthen my muscles anymore, it only makes them weaker.

 

The way it started was one days I was walking up stairs carrying a bag of groceries, and it wasn't even heavy, but I was surprised that my arms were dead. The day before they were fine, but ever since then things have not gotten better.

 

It affects all muscles of my body. I am able to walk, but anything more like lifting objects that are not even heavy, is very difficult and results in fatigue that lasts days.

 

Is there a name for this? And are there drugs to fix this ****?

[Junglechicken]

I'm so sorry you're experiencing this being a sporty person, that's too distressing.

 

Off the top of my head, you could try protein recovery powder to make up shakes (can be bought from most sports shops) and/or muscle building anabolic steroids.

 

However, the anabolic steroids need medical supervision as they are actually performance enhancing drugs used by athletes.

 

Then you need to visit sports medicine specialists to find out what's going on.

 

I think you could benefit from getting your body muscle vs fat ratios measured by a nutritionist and get on to a diet which will help you re-build muscle.

 

TC,

JC

[stan]

hi,

i remember you  from paxilprogress with your computer building and squirrel in garden through window

you had a period akathisia

i think what you have is a nasty side-effect from SRIs, called chronic fatigue syndrom

i have it

it is as you say, we feel 90 years

a drug to fix it, doctors have always drugs for symptoms who will cure nothing

the only way is to no more take legal drugs, and even there, maybe it is too late because you have it  actually, and nobody is able to tell you it will go away and when

i remember you always say that you cannot stop drugs, for me it will not be a miracle

your body is telling you he can no more manage your daily drugs

good luck

[miT]

hi,

i remember you  from paxilprogress with your computer building and squirrel in garden through window

you had a period akathisia

i think what you have is a nasty side-effect from SRIs, called chronic fatigue syndrom

i have it

it is as you say, we feel 90 years

a drug to fix it, doctors have always drugs for symptoms who will cure nothing

the only way is to no more take legal drugs, and even there, maybe it is too late because you have it  actually, and nobody is able to tell you it will go away and when

i remember you always say that you cannot stop drugs, for me it will not be a miracle

your body is telling you he can no more manage your daily drugs

good luck

So you’re 8 years without drugs now? Feeling any progress as years pass by? Are your muscles gaining strength?

 

Good luck,

Tim

[stan]

if progress, they are not significant, am still as 90 and some days are very difficult

[stan]

what is difficult to know is if it is the muscles which are deteriorate or the nerves receptors and transmitters which are deteriorate, the result is the same

[rnjsgirl]

I am experiencing these symptoms while on my regular dose and inmy firstmonth of reducing my dose. See CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM FATIGUE or CENTRAL FATIGUE. Before I understood what it was I would push myself to do more thinking it was dueto a lack of exercise and then I would end up in bed for 3 days. I am off to seemy dr this afternoon andwill ask what shemight suggest butmy guess is that I will have to just wait for my brain to adjust.

[Earthworm]

I am experiencing these symptoms while on my regular dose and inmy firstmonth of reducing my dose. See CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM FATIGUE or CENTRAL FATIGUE. Before I understood what it was I would push myself to do more thinking it was dueto a lack of exercise and then I would end up in bed for 3 days. I am off to seemy dr this afternoon andwill ask what shemight suggest butmy guess is that I will have to just wait for my brain to adjust.

 

Thanks, this must be it. Seems like you have the exact same thing that I have. Exercise doesn't strengthen my muscles but only makes them far weaker.

[genlady]

I too experience muscle weakness from time to time.  while withdrawing from Celexa.  It is difficult to explain to other people, but I feel it difficult to move my legs and arms , drop things etc.  

[Webhead21]

Can you tell us, anyone of you, some of the things you've done to solve this issue? I also have muscle problems in my legs, which have stung for months on end leading to weaking legs. Because I have also been excersing and something if I push to much they worsen.

[PoetJester]

when I was on Zoloft and zyprexa, I lost most of my muscle tone and strength. I used to run cross country and track and occasionally lift weights and was pretty fit before i started the drugs.. My parents have a pull up bar in the garage and i went out there once well into my pill taking years to try to do some pull ups and between my 70 lbs of weight gain and loss of muscle i could not even come close to doing a pull up. i used to be able to do dozens of them in high school and college.

 

i also remember going ice fishing with my father in 2008 back when i was on the pills and i tried to help out drilling a hole with a manual ice auger and could barely put a dent in the ice. i just had no strength or stamina. My dad grabbed the auger and made a hole in no time. it was embarrassing. i thought it was due to inactivity, but it was probably pill induced muscle fatigue and weakness. . I didn't notice my lack of strength so much because i was usually housebound and only made food in the kitchen or pressed buttons on the remote control for about the last 8 years i was on the pills, from 2006-2014.

[Webhead21]

Has anybody had any success with rebuild any muscle? Through dieting or excerise, whatever.

[DLB]

Has anybody had any success with rebuild any muscle? Through dieting or excerise, whatever.

Well, I have had this issue when I started this crap and every time I tried coming off of it. I used to be 210 pounds of muscle and now I may be 185 and it is all muscle loss. I had severe weakness in my legs for 2 years this time after a 15 month taper. It started at about 2.85 mg and lasted the whole way down to zero and 2 years after that. It is only in the past 2 months that I feel significant improvements. It is about 85% better now consistently. Like PoetJester says, it comes on through the years insidiously as a steady weakening and you get little hints but don't realize it. Then when you come off of this crap you basically feel like jelly legs 24/7. It is quite a disturbing feeling in your legs. Anyway, mine seems to be improving and I assume you will to. What is your drug history?

[DLB]

Oh, I forgot to tell you, I drink a whole lot of protein drinks daily to help my muscles. Not sure if it works or not but my muscle wasting was frightening so I figured protein helps rebuild. Worth a try at least to keep weight on.

[LexAnger]

Glad to find this topic and just read everyone's experience.

 

For me, I call it paralysis. It always happens on my left side including every part from head, shoulder, arm, leg. When it's not super bad, it's a feeling of weakness, but when it's bad, they are paralyzed, brain dead, arm/ hanD not own cant type, hold forks, and leg wabbling when walk. I know it's not muscle weakness or loss of muscle as when this passes, they all function normal. I believe it's the nerve signal missing for the needed function.

 

It started when I accidentally updosed Lexapro for one day, but it was not frequent or bad, until this year when I jumped down to close zero dose. Actually 2 days after the jump ( 0.8 mg to 0.06 mg in a month), I felt my left side was totally non existing for some minutes, and since then it became regular paralysis feeling although not everyday.

 

Earthworm, did yours start AFTER your reinstate of your ssri? What ssri do you take?

Lex

[Junglechicken]

Just been reading how high cortisol levels in the body can lead to muscle wastage.

[spidey]

I always thought it was an issue with the hpa axis. I think everything up in your head just gets crazy after the stress of quitting these drugs and can't communicate the way that it used to.

 

I can still remember the first time I experienced the paralysis that would later lead to excessive chronic fatigue. I used to be a housekeeper. One afternoon I was scrubbing the toilet of a resident as usual. Suddenly I couldn't move my arms....the slightest movement felt like it took all of my effort to preform. Did my best to finish the task, but had to keep stopping to pant and rest. Started crying then and there....it was rather terrifying. Had to quit my job soon thereafter as I simply could no longer keep up with the work demand. It's the strangest feeling when it happens. Inside my head I will be screaming at my body to move, but it stagnates and refuses to cooperate.

 

For me things like probiotics, magnesium (crazy important), and good nutrition (make sure your b vitamin and iron levels are up to snuff) and rest help a great deal. Goes without saying that the more I stress my body out, the more dysfunctional it will become in this and other things.

 

I am so sorry that you are experiencing this. I am right there with you. It is frustrating to no end and complete bs that our brains are seemingly frozen in this state of dysregulation.

[Junglechicken]

Just been reading how high cortisol levels in the body can lead to muscle wastage.

 

Another nugget of information on the subject of muscle weakness:

 

Too much licorice root extract can lead to low levels of potassium in the body, which causes muscle weakness. This condition is called hypokalemia.

[Webhead21]

 

Has anybody had any success with rebuild any muscle? Through dieting or excerise, whatever.

Well, I have had this issue when I started this crap and every time I tried coming off of it. I used to be 210 pounds of muscle and now I may be 185 and it is all muscle loss. I had severe weakness in my legs for 2 years this time after a 15 month taper. It started at about 2.85 mg and lasted the whole way down to zero and 2 years after that. It is only in the past 2 months that I feel significant improvements. It is about 85% better now consistently. Like PoetJester says, it comes on through the years insidiously as a steady weakening and you get little hints but don't realize it. Then when you come off of this crap you basically feel like jelly legs 24/7. It is quite a disturbing feeling in your legs. Anyway, mine seems to be improving and I assume you will to. What is your drug history?

I took Modafinil 7 time in the span of 3 months, then 2 pills lexapro now I have every symptoms on the map. I've always been unlucky, always.

[Webhead21]

If I were to visit a doctor, want will I be expecting to hear?  Would I be wasting my time looking for help?

[btdt]

On 2017-5-24 at 5:58 AM, stan said:

what is difficult to know is if it is the muscles which are deteriorate or the nerves receptors and transmitters which are deteriorate, the result is the same

 

Hi Stan a long time ago I found something about ion channles and how they control the muscle I know I posted it on whatever site I was part of them.. not sure if SA existed then or not.  I cannot recall the name but know there was once a diagram showing ions and how they are affected by ssri drugs... calcium mag sodium... all were affected if I recall correctly. 

I wonder about feed back loops too... how feed back from body parts not working affects the brain and vise versa.  Could be mito damage could be cns damage... the longer I live the more I suffer different effects the more I wonder but no answers. 

 

At this point it seems to be a movement disorder which my osteopath and gp both think is a upper brain function problem... nobody said a word about this over the past many years of suffering muscle issues. I guess they were all waiting to see where my body would go next... and still are. From what I can tell that is all that is being done watching me... like the lab rat I am. I wonder if they take bets on which way my nervous system will turn next. 

[btdt]

On 2017-6-7 at 4:34 AM, Webhead21 said:

If I were to visit a doctor, want will I be expecting to hear?  Would I be wasting my time looking for help?

you could get lucky I guess but the chances are very slim... getting another diagnosis and taking more drugs to treat whatever they dream up has been my experience which all in all lead to a very bad place... but you could go see what they say...sometimes I do that then think it over later decide if I believe them or not... 

 

here is the problem your the one who owns the body 

your the one who is going to suffer should they be wrong

 

things to think about... do they have any proof.. is there a lab test any sceince behind their idea check the science... who paid for the studies... ect it is not an easy thing to do seeing a doctor is like loading a gun with a bullet and putting it to your head ... and asking yourself if you feel lucky

[grandmaD]

On 03/06/2017 at 2:04 AM, Junglechicken said:

Just been reading how high cortisol levels in the body can lead to muscle wastage.

 

You might find this interesting on withdrawal and cortisol

 

https://beyondmeds.com/2012/01/03/adrenalvswithdrawal/

[Junglechicken]

17 hours ago, grandmaD said:

 

You might find this interesting on withdrawal and cortisol

 

https://beyondmeds.com/2012/01/03/adrenalvswithdrawal/

Thanks GrandmaD, I hadn't read that.

[Jeanny44]

On 2.6.2017 at 2:55 AM, DLB said:

Well, I have had this issue when I started this crap and every time I tried coming off of it. I used to be 210 pounds of muscle and now I may be 185 and it is all muscle loss. I had severe weakness in my legs for 2 years this time after a 15 month taper. It started at about 2.85 mg and lasted the whole way down to zero and 2 years after that. It is only in the past 2 months that I feel significant improvements. It is about 85% better now consistently. Like PoetJester says, it comes on through the years insidiously as a steady weakening and you get little hints but don't realize it. Then when you come off of this crap you basically feel like jelly legs 24/7. It is quite a disturbing feeling in your legs. Anyway, mine seems to be improving and I assume you will to. What is your drug history?

Hello DBL,

 

I also have severe muscle weekness. It's in my arms and back. But mostly in my legs.I've never had this before and also not during taking Effexor for 9 years. Did you also expierience tight thighs? The muscles there are very sensitive. I always feel them. I only need to touch the skin lightly. Also there are twitches and vibrating in the whole legs and a feeling of electrical power. Sometimes the muscles feel like they have nausea. To read here, that some people have this weakness still after years, scares me. Have you been able to walk even through the weakness? Did you do some excersise? And when did you start to take the proteins?

[DLB]

On August 1, 2017 at 10:50 AM, Jeanny44 said:

Hello DBL,

 

I also have severe muscle weekness. It's in my arms and back. But mostly in my legs.I've never had this before and also not during taking Effexor for 9 years. Did you also expierience tight thighs? The muscles there are very sensitive. I always feel them. I only need to touch the skin lightly. Also there are twitches and vibrating in the whole legs and a feeling of electrical power. Sometimes the muscles feel like they have nausea. To read here, that some people have this weakness still after years, scares me. Have you been able to walk even through the weakness? Did you do some excersise? And when did you start to take the proteins?

Wow Jeanny, I have used the word nausea to explain the weird feelings in my legs many times, it is the only word to describe it.  For me it has been getting a little better lately but just in the past two days it is back pretty bad. My thighs were always the thing that bothered me most especially the tightness and weakness. Now it is in my calves and right behind my knees in the back of them it is weak and extremely tight. My muscles are sore to the touch in many places on my legs and this was NEVER a issue before quitting Paxil. I did have the same feeling when I was first put on this crap but after two months it went away. Every time I reinstated I got it too. I can walk but cannot even think about running. I started the protein smoothies in December of last year. I do get the twitching an electrical vibrating feeling in my thighs too. I think it gets worse if under stress or with excercise. Hang in there, there does get to be good days and weeks eventually.

[Jeanny44]

8 hours ago, DLB said:

Wow Jeanny, I have used the word nausea to explain the weird feelings in my legs many times, it is the only word to describe it.  For me it has been getting a little better lately but just in the past two days it is back pretty bad. My thighs were always the thing that bothered me most especially the tightness and weakness. Now it is in my calves and right behind my knees in the back of them it is weak and extremely tight. My muscles are sore to the touch in many places on my legs and this was NEVER a issue before quitting Paxil. I did have the same feeling when I was first put on this crap but after two months it went away. Every time I reinstated I got it too. I can walk but cannot even think about running. I started the protein smoothies in December of last year. I do get the twitching an electrical vibrating feeling in my thighs too. I think it gets worse if under stress or with excercise. Hang in there, there does get to be good days and weeks eventually.

Hello DLB,

 

Thank you for your answer. So it seems, this will never go away? Have you ever got checked this by a specialist, a neurotherapist for example? Did you take supplements, like magnesium? And have you may heard about people, where these special symptoms improved? Many questions, I know. 

 

[DLB]

On August 5, 2017 at 6:34 AM, Jeanny44 said:

Hello DLB,

 

Thank you for your answer. So it seems, this will never go away? Have you ever got checked this by a specialist, a neurotherapist for example? Did you take supplements, like magnesium? And have you may heard about people, where these special symptoms improved? Many questions, I know. 

 

I tried everything possible including acupuncture and magnesium and everything you can imagine. I'm not sure if it was time or what I take now but it is almost completely gone now and it was horrible. 

 

For the past two years I take:

2 fish oil per day 1,200 mg each

2 turmeric per day  500 mg. each

2 vitamin D per day 2,500 iu each

2 niacin 500 mg. each per day

1 scoop Dr. Gundry's Vital Reds polyphenols and antioxidants. 

[Webhead21]

10 hours ago, DLB said:

I tried everything possible including acupuncture and magnesium and everything you can imagine. I'm not sure if it was time or what I take now but it is almost completely gone now and it was horrible. 

 

For the past two years I take:

2 fish oil per day 1,200 mg each

2 turmeric per day  500 mg. each

2 vitamin D per day 2,500 iu each

2 niacin 500 mg. each per day

1 scoop Dr. Gundry's Vital Reds polyphenols and antioxidants. 

Did you experience muscles atrophy, if so has it recovered?  Maybe describe it a little more in detail?

 

[DLB]

Yes atrophy and I still am not as physically capable as I was 5 years ago, but I will be 50 in a year so that can be an issue too.  I went from a muscular 210 lbs down to 190 and am 6 ft. My shoulders and arms are noticeably smaller as well as a little bit of legs. Mostly shoulders though. I also get injured a little easier too. I have been stable at this weight now and I also drink a protein smoothie daily to support the muscles.

[grandmaD]

DLB thanks for coming here to tell us the muscle issues do get better, but it took 2 years after you were off the meds!  Oh boy....

What about your knees?  I have only just started having knee pain and aches.  Has that improved for you also?

[Webhead21]

20 hours ago, DLB said:

Yes atrophy and I still am not as physically capable as I was 5 years ago, but I will be 50 in a year so that can be an issue too.  I went from a muscular 210 lbs down to 190 and am 6 ft. My shoulders and arms are noticeably smaller as well as a little bit of legs. Mostly shoulders though. I also get injured a little easier too. I have been stable at this weight now and I also drink a protein smoothie daily to support the muscles.

In what sense have to experience improvment?  I'm close to 2 years and I have relieve through excerise, mostly walking, but I what it feels like is my nerve are so damage  its just non responsive.  Also my forearm are know tingling and lossing muscle.  So, what I hope your experiencing is better sensitivity, no sense of numbness?  

 

Soild job on the work you have done coming this far.  Have to also have any draw back from your "treatment" routine?

[DLB]

On August 26, 2017 at 3:52 AM, grandmaD said:

DLB thanks for coming here to tell us the muscle issues do get better, but it took 2 years after you were off the meds!  Oh boy....

What about your knees?  I have only just started having knee pain and aches.  Has that improved for you also?

Yes the knee pain is all gone now but I have this weird tightness just behind them and down my calves. Used to be bad in my thighs but that is mostly gone now. I got the knee pain right about where you are now in your taper.

Hope you are feeling better...

[DLB]

On August 26, 2017 at 5:39 PM, Webhead21 said:

In what sense have to experience improvment?  I'm close to 2 years and I have relieve through excerise, mostly walking, but I what it feels like is my nerve are so damage  its just non responsive.  Also my forearm are know tingling and lossing muscle.  So, what I hope your experiencing is better sensitivity, no sense of numbness?  

 

Soild job on the work you have done coming this far.  Have to also have any draw back from your "treatment" routine?

I do get tingling in my arms and a couple of fingers when I bend my elbows for a long time. Some of that is normal but I never had it this bad since Paxil. It comes and goes though.