btdt Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Hi JanCarol and thank you for the welcome to SA, Yes, I do love the outdoors. It takes my mind away from nearly everything else going on in my life; I love to camp, hike, snowboard, mountain bike and just flat out adventure. Surfing through this site has really put my situation into perspective for me because it seems that there are so many worse off than I am; I hope that these can find their return to normalcy sooner rather than later. As for myself, the problems that I've been dealing with the past 5 weeks seem to be mainly cognitive. I've become a quiet person because I have a hard time coming up with what to say. This is almost the complete opposite from how I usually am, a pretty outgoing person. My focus and memory are also at about 50% of what they usually are. It's disturbing to go through this when you usually don't experience these types of problems. The only physical problem that I am still noticing is this numb/tingly feeling in my face. Almost any kind of stimuli will aggravate these symptoms, whether it's consuming sugar or just socializing for more than a half hour at a time. It's starting to have a pretty negative effect on my social life but I'm doing my best to not let that bother me. I just feel uncomfortable sitting in a room full of people when I'm almost silent because it's so far from how I usually act. I have experienced "windows" here and there over the past couple weeks, but overall it doesn't seem like I've gotten much better. Yesterday I started googling my symptoms and almost convinced myself that I have lead poisoning, which I now feel probably isn't the case. Anyways, I can imagine that this is just delayed Effexor w/d that I am going through and will continue to get better with time. - Outdoorsman I hope if it is delayed Effexor withdrawal it ends fast and is not too bad. Many younger people seem to have an easier time recovering I hope your one of them. Please keep this site in mind should you ever think you need a pill of this sort again... there is a section here on how to treat issues without taking meds... self care ...some things there may help with issues you have now. For me I felt deep relaxation promoted healing.. 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 Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted February 19, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 19, 2015 Has anyone noticed a change in their recovery or new symptoms popping up after a change in environment or stress level? Oh yeah, that's totally normal. Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010. Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea. Feb 15 2010: 300 mg Neurontin 200 Lamictal 10 Celexa 0.65 Xanax and 5 mg Ambien Feb 10 2014: 62 Lamictal 1.1 Celexa 0.135 Xanax 1.8 Valium Feb 10 2015: 50 Lamictal 0.875 Celexa 0.11 Xanax 1.5 Valium Feb 15 2016: 47.5 Lamictal 0.75 Celexa 0.0875 Xanax 1.42 Valium 2/12/20 12 0.045 0.007 1 May 2021 7 0.01 0.0037 1 Feb 2022 6 0!!! 0.00167 0.98 2.5 mg Ambien Oct 2022 4.5 mg Lamictal (off Celexa, off Xanax) 0.95 Valium Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted February 19, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 19, 2015 I agree, I think it's just a matter of time, and not really all that much time, just a lot more than you would have thought after such a short use. A year from now I think this will all be way behind you. Meanwhile it is really helpful to us if you can continue to report on your progress, though. We don't see as many cases like yours and I for one learn a lot from every person that comes here. Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010. Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea. Feb 15 2010: 300 mg Neurontin 200 Lamictal 10 Celexa 0.65 Xanax and 5 mg Ambien Feb 10 2014: 62 Lamictal 1.1 Celexa 0.135 Xanax 1.8 Valium Feb 10 2015: 50 Lamictal 0.875 Celexa 0.11 Xanax 1.5 Valium Feb 15 2016: 47.5 Lamictal 0.75 Celexa 0.0875 Xanax 1.42 Valium 2/12/20 12 0.045 0.007 1 May 2021 7 0.01 0.0037 1 Feb 2022 6 0!!! 0.00167 0.98 2.5 mg Ambien Oct 2022 4.5 mg Lamictal (off Celexa, off Xanax) 0.95 Valium Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion. Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks Rhiannon. All I can do now is keep going and stay as healthy as possible. September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 It's been a couple weeks since I've been on here, so I felt like I'd come back to give an update. I'm now approaching the 3 month mark since I stopped taking Effexor in December and man has it been quite the rollercoaster ride. Overall, I am definitely seeing improvement in some areas. The numb and tingly feeling in my face is not as intense as it was 3-4 weeks ago but I am still dealing with this symptom daily. I also think my speaking is improving, but I still have times where I just can't translate what I am thinking into spoken words, or it just comes out without making much sense. Emotionally, I am still pretty flat. Not sad, not happy, just content. The patterns I have noticed this past month are what makes this process both strange and difficult. My progress has certainly not been linear whatsoever. I have moments during the day where I feel almost 100% but then I can come crashing down for a few days afterwards. It has been so completely random and can change so quickly that I have a hard time even considering it all as "waves and windows." What keeps me going is that I do have sporadic moments where I feel almost normal, but it never lasts. I am still sensitive to almost any type of stimuli; just about anything can aggravate my symptoms, leaving me feeling numb in the face and at a point where I just can't think straight. Here are some examples of moments where my symptoms become a lot more intense: - I was working on a lab for school the other day and I ran into a portion of it that I could not figure out, which made me frustrated. As soon as I felt frustrated, my face started feeling numb and droopy. My brain became clouded and I just couldn't think anymore. I had to walk away but after a half hour of just sitting down and shutting my eyes the symptoms began to die down. - I eat at a dining hall during the week with a group of people. Sometimes I feel lively and other times I just feel too emotionally flat to make any conversation. But even when I do feel lively, after about a half hour my symptoms creep back up and I go almost silent again. It's as if socializing is just too much stimulation after awhile and I need to walk away to recharge. This is a reason why my social life has taken a big hit this past month. - Food. After I have a big meal, my symptoms flare up and my face becomes numb and tingly. I'm not sure what ingredient specifically but something that is going into my body is causing my symptoms to pop up. Although I can say for sure that caffeine and sugary drinks make things way worse. - Exercise. I love to exercise and I know that it can only help me through this process. However, after a workout I am pretty quiet because all of my w/d symptoms have come on full force. I guess the exertion is still a little much for my brain. Overall, my brain/nervous system/whatever is still pretty sensitive right now. Exerting myself in any way just causes my symptoms to feel worse. I've been spending a lot of time alone because socializing becomes too much for me after about a half hour. I've also been avoiding alcohol, which is nearly impossible in my situation and has people coming up to me all the time asking me why I've been so lame recently (I'm usually a pretty big party-er). So socially, this has been hard for me but I am hoping that by doing these things I will speed up my recovery process. All I want now is to be able to go out and do the things I usually do and be the person that I usually am, but I also know that this is out of my control and I need to continue to be patient. There are days where I swear that I'm not getting any better at all. But if I really think back to what things were like about a month ago, I can see that I am. - Outdoorsman September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
westcoast Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I can relate to what happened in lab. A few others here have experienced something similar, which we call head drops. When confronted by something complicated, like a long form to fill out, we come over all weak and find our heads fall to our chests. I haven't experienced it in a long while, but I did, strongly, during my last Effexor withdrawal. It's involuntary, and pretty disabling if you are trying to run a business or study. But in my case, it eventually went away. Oh, and no one believed me. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 How long did you deal with this before it eventually went away? I know that everyone heals differently, but I'm just curious September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
westcoast Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I didn't deal with it. My business crashed and I lost about half my net worth and the bulk of my income. I couldn't get anyone to help me. I couldn't communicate properly with potential business managers and they all ran away. I was also manic and borderline psychotic. My family had written me off and refused to help me with anything. I couldn't even order my own necessary medical supplies. I had to improvise with duct tape and paper towels. It was truly truly dreadful. I really resent my sister who wouldn't even order my supplies for me. Before all this happened I was a full time computer programmer with a side business that earned as much as my salary. I was doing very well. I think I have lost 6 million dollars in future earnings, based on what I would have made via work and business income during the rest of my working years and retirement. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
westcoast Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 How long? It was a problem for six to nine months. I'm fine now. I think it is a type of non epileptic seizure, from what I read. Nothing shows up on an EEG during the events. However they are most certainly involuntary, and I suspect something else is happening neurologically that an EEG can't detect. Or maybe it's cardiovascular. No clue! 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 That sounds awful I'm sorry. Hopefully now that you are recovering you have been able to revive your career or have found that you belong somewhere else. Blocking out terrible memories from withdrawal is easier said then done but makes recovery that much sweeter once you can see how far you've come. As far as the "head drops" that you mentioned, I'm not sure what I have been experiencing is the same. Tasks that are mentally difficult seemingly turn my brain off and make me feel numb and tingly in the face, but my head doesn't physically drop (that I've noticed). Speech has to be the most frustrating symptom that I've been dealing with. Memory and focus are coming back but I am still having the hardest time speaking. I cannot put my thoughts into words. I usually have to go very slow to make sure what I am saying makes sense. This has never been a problem for me prior to withdrawal so it's been downright scary to experience this. September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 3, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hi ODM , I think what you're describing is "thought-blocking". I had it , and have seen others describe it too. It goes away with all the other symptoms - it isn't permanent . Fresh 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hi ODM , I think what you're describing is "thought-blocking". I had it , and have seen others describe it too. It goes away with all the other symptoms - it isn't permanent . How did it manifest itself for you Fresh? Can you describe it? September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 3, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 3, 2015 I'll try. I had it for a long time on and off , it was like in a conversation I had a lot of thoughts and was trying to choose carefully what to put into words. I often took long pauses , and on the phone people would say 'Are you still there?' In groups it was like I couldn't keep up , and I would go sort of mute. It was a lot more pronounced during w/d. I mostly could only say short sentences - it was too exhausting to try to communicate what I was thinking. I remember being on the phone with my brother in LA , and words wouldn't come. All I could say was "pray for me. I'm sorry darling". The good news is that it IS part of the w/d package , so it will resolve itself. Good move to speak in a slower , more measured way. Fresh 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted March 6, 2015 Administrator Share Posted March 6, 2015 OM, did we talk about fish oil and magnesium supplements, seehttp://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/ 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. Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 I actually have taken fish oil a couple of times the past few weeks and it only seemed to make things worse. My body still seems sensitive to whatever I throw at it. September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 The past 48 hours have been strange. At a base level, I really feel that I am doing better and making some noticeable progress. However, two nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night and could not fall back asleep. Last night I only got two hours of sleep. It feels as if electricity is flowing through my body and it is preventing me from feeling sleepy. I have pretty much slept like a log up until this point so this seems like something new. Anyone experience anything like this? September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
clearday Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Yes, I had a difficult insomnia wave that was bad for a few weeks then got better over a few months. Insomnia waves are very common, they come and go. ( the wave is part of my signature). Since my insomnia wave was over, I have slept very well now for months. IMO the wave is your body restoring its natural sleep patterns. During the wave, lots of strange electrical sensations in the brain and being jolted awake constantly (hypnotic jerks). Hell hath no fury as an SSRI scorned..... Prozac: 20 mg 1996 – May 2003 CT to 0 mg; by Aug 03 CRASH then protracted WD 3 yrs Zoloft: 2004 few weeks;, CT to 0 mg Effexor: 2005 few months CT to 0 mg; bad withdrawal. Lexapro: 10 mg from 2009 – 2011; cut dose in half to: Lexapro: 5 mg from 2011 – Feb. 2014; CT to 0 mg; 2 months of fatigue, followed by:Aug - Oct 2014 Lexapro WD Insomnia Wave; sleeping very good from Nov 2014 - Nov 2015; broken sleep pattern Dec 2015 - Jan 2016 Dec 2014 - present: Brutal Lexapro WD ear ringing/head ringing/head pressure lasting for 14 months now. 24 months SSRI-free Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Yes yes and yes. Have definitely been jolted awake multiple times the past few days. We'll see if it continues September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 11, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 11, 2015 The feeling of electricity running through you is a symptom of akathisia ODM. I had the jerking awake for a while too , often just as I was falling asleep. 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
westcoast Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I have been awake since about 2am. It is just something I had to get used to. I also had to drop a morning class, partly because of it. Used to have the jerking awake early in WD, with heart pounding but no remembered dreams, usually around 1am. My hands and feet still tingle/throb at all times, but it is not too distracting. I also have tinnitus...it is all part of Effexor's charm. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 I see. Yeah for the past 3 days I have not been able to get sleepy because of this. I can't fall asleep until about 3 or 4 in the morning. It's obviously a new symptom for me because I have been sleeping great up until this point and I do not feel anxious at night, I just can't get sleepy. I took a bit of melatonin the other night and it knocked me out for 7 hours so I'll probably just stick with taking that for awhile September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
btdt Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 As I recall the amount of melatonin to take is very small... I suggest you look for post on this by Alto as I know she used it in a low dose. Everything you have said so far fits with my E wd... no surprises yet. I did not use melatonin so can't comment on it. 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 Link to comment
Lexy Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 I was only on effexor for 7 weeks after a trauma that led to PTSD. This drug made me feel worse and I cut dose in half. Since then I've been trying to taper. I have all the cognitive issues you talk about and many others wds tgat go along with it. I'm so glad you realized this drug is poison. I had to put my dreams of going to college on hold due to the severity of my symptoms. I can't handle any stressors at the moment, I just try to take it one day at a time. We are fortunate to have this forum to help one another. Keep us posted on your progress. Started Effexor August 2012 Sept'12-150mg=extreme anxiety Oct'12 cut half-75mg severe wds Feb 2013 68.5mg. Mar'13- 65mg. Apr'13-59mg. May'13-57mg. June '13-52mg Aug'13 49.75mg. Sep'13-48.75. Nov'13-47mg Dec'13-45..5mg May 2014 42mg. Jun'14 40mg (depressive mood started). Aug'14 -40mg/ started brintellix 2.5mg Oct '14 -39 Nov'14 36.89 Dec'14 34.45 Jan 2015- 31 Feb'15 29mg. Mar'15 26.72. Apr'15 24.48. May'15 22.31mg. Jun'15 20.30mg Aug'15-18.89. Oct'15 16.96. Nov/16- 16.10. Dec/15- 15mg Jan 2016-14.22. May'16 11.45. Aug'16-9.60. Sep/16- 8.88mg. Oct/16- 8.39mg. Nov/16- 8.13. Dec/16- 7.89 Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Lexy, What dose are you at now? Having the ability to taper will help you out in the long run. It's a more gentle transition for your nervous system. I am sorry you have had to delay going to school. You will get better over time and then you can tackle school when you're healthy and be successful. I can certainly say that we cannot perform at our normal levels when going through withdrawal. It is THE most frustrating thing in the world but all we can do is accept the situation. What other choice do we have? September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 It's been a few weeks so I wanted to give an update: The last thing I posted was a complaint about insomnia. When I was going through this, all of my speaking/cognitive issues were RESOLVED. I felt amazing, like my true self; this is why I didn't post for a few weeks. I was actually planning a final post where I could say that I was finally through this. But that all came to a halt these past few days because many of my symptoms have returned and it is beyond frustrating. The past two weeks I was unbelievably happy, my personality came back and I thought I was in the clear. I could finally hit "resume" on my social life and pick up where I left off, it was wonderful. However, Monday of this week all of my tingling/cognitive/facial/emotionless issues crept back in and I'm pretty upset about it. I guess I experienced a nice window. People are starting to know me as this quiet person that is always too busy to go out and have fun with his friends (I am literally the opposite). I try to not let this bother me and tell myself that this isn't who I really am but at times it can be hard. At least I got a glimpse at what life will be like on the other side of this withdrawal and boy is it damned wonderful. My brief problem with sleeping is over but now I am dealing with the same issues that have plagued me for the last few months. Hopefully I am through this for good in the near future. September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
LoveandLight Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Yay window! . Fantastic 2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare! On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect. Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan. Nightmare that could have been avoided! Link to comment
Nick88 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Hi outdoors man. I am struggling with the exact same issues regarding cognitive function, memory, speech, lost for words etc... I am also in my second year of study, so its stressing me out not being able to concentrate for prolonged periods of time. I am also a barista in a cafe, so use to drink two strong coffees a day. Since coming off the antidepressant I am far more sensitive to caffeine and it makes me very anxious, not able to look customers in the eye for too long to hold a short conversation. My confidence to be social with people has been shattered. Its been 9 weeks for me off the drug. How are you doing now?? History: Age 19- Effexor 150mg for around 2 years. Age 23 Mirtazapine 30mg for about 8 Months Age 23 Pristiq added 100mg Age 24 Pristiq increased to 200mg 6-9 months drug free Age 26 Back on Pristiq Only, 50mg then later back up to 100mg, then back down to 50mg and then off beginning of March 2015. Current: Drug free. Feeling mentally impaired. Link to comment
btdt Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 It's been a couple weeks since I've been on here, so I felt like I'd come back to give an update. I'm now approaching the 3 month mark since I stopped taking Effexor in December and man has it been quite the rollercoaster ride. Overall, I am definitely seeing improvement in some areas. The numb and tingly feeling in my face is not as intense as it was 3-4 weeks ago but I am still dealing with this symptom daily. I also think my speaking is improving, but I still have times where I just can't translate what I am thinking into spoken words, or it just comes out without making much sense. Emotionally, I am still pretty flat. Not sad, not happy, just content. The patterns I have noticed this past month are what makes this process both strange and difficult. My progress has certainly not been linear whatsoever. I have moments during the day where I feel almost 100% but then I can come crashing down for a few days afterwards. It has been so completely random and can change so quickly that I have a hard time even considering it all as "waves and windows." What keeps me going is that I do have sporadic moments where I feel almost normal, but it never lasts. I am still sensitive to almost any type of stimuli; just about anything can aggravate my symptoms, leaving me feeling numb in the face and at a point where I just can't think straight. Here are some examples of moments where my symptoms become a lot more intense: - I was working on a lab for school the other day and I ran into a portion of it that I could not figure out, which made me frustrated. As soon as I felt frustrated, my face started feeling numb and droopy. My brain became clouded and I just couldn't think anymore. I had to walk away but after a half hour of just sitting down and shutting my eyes the symptoms began to die down. - I eat at a dining hall during the week with a group of people. Sometimes I feel lively and other times I just feel too emotionally flat to make any conversation. But even when I do feel lively, after about a half hour my symptoms creep back up and I go almost silent again. It's as if socializing is just too much stimulation after awhile and I need to walk away to recharge. This is a reason why my social life has taken a big hit this past month. - Food. After I have a big meal, my symptoms flare up and my face becomes numb and tingly. I'm not sure what ingredient specifically but something that is going into my body is causing my symptoms to pop up. Although I can say for sure that caffeine and sugary drinks make things way worse. - Exercise. I love to exercise and I know that it can only help me through this process. However, after a workout I am pretty quiet because all of my w/d symptoms have come on full force. I guess the exertion is still a little much for my brain. Overall, my brain/nervous system/whatever is still pretty sensitive right now. Exerting myself in any way just causes my symptoms to feel worse. I've been spending a lot of time alone because socializing becomes too much for me after about a half hour. I've also been avoiding alcohol, which is nearly impossible in my situation and has people coming up to me all the time asking me why I've been so lame recently (I'm usually a pretty big party-er). So socially, this has been hard for me but I am hoping that by doing these things I will speed up my recovery process. All I want now is to be able to go out and do the things I usually do and be the person that I usually am, but I also know that this is out of my control and I need to continue to be patient. There are days where I swear that I'm not getting any better at all. But if I really think back to what things were like about a month ago, I can see that I am. - Outdoorsman I missed this and so am going way back. I had head drops and I had this face thing too they are two different things. "feeling numb in the face and at a point where I just can't think straight" I took a picture of my face once when it felt like this it was actually drooping on one side it was noticeable. It came and went for some time and for a spell it came and stayed then it eased. I am not sure how these thing fit together now if sporatic came first or near the end but I do still have the picture I had it a paper copy made as I figure nobody would believe me. There were a few other thing around this time I have not shared as they are gross... bathroom issues. The face issues resolved themselves I still have thinking issues.. from time to time but I am old and was drugged for many years I am hoping for a complete healing from you and I don't like to see this symptoms on your list. Food is tricky early on so many things bothered me if you can find foods that are ok stick with them. Having anything to eat that is ok is a win. Coffee sugar are good to avoid for now best I ever felt I ate mostly greens and chicken. I realize I am more than a month behind here and will catch up now. Hope this has all improved. 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 Link to comment
btdt Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 It's been a few weeks so I wanted to give an update: The last thing I posted was a complaint about insomnia. When I was going through this, all of my speaking/cognitive issues were RESOLVED. I felt amazing, like my true self; this is why I didn't post for a few weeks. I was actually planning a final post where I could say that I was finally through this. But that all came to a halt these past few days because many of my symptoms have returned and it is beyond frustrating. The past two weeks I was unbelievably happy, my personality came back and I thought I was in the clear. I could finally hit "resume" on my social life and pick up where I left off, it was wonderful. However, Monday of this week all of my tingling/cognitive/facial/emotionless issues crept back in and I'm pretty upset about it. I guess I experienced a nice window. People are starting to know me as this quiet person that is always too busy to go out and have fun with his friends (I am literally the opposite). I try to not let this bother me and tell myself that this isn't who I really am but at times it can be hard. At least I got a glimpse at what life will be like on the other side of this withdrawal and boy is it damned wonderful. My brief problem with sleeping is over but now I am dealing with the same issues that have plagued me for the last few months. Hopefully I am through this for good in the near future. " People are starting to know me as this quiet person that is always too busy to go out and have fun with his friends (I am literally the opposite). I try to not let this bother me and tell myself that this isn't who I really am but at times it can be hard." This is hard at any age and I can identify with it. I am so sorry this is happening to you at such a young age. It may well be that you will develop other aspects of your personality while dealing with this I know I have. I can't say it is a better life because it is not a better life but it is still life and it is important we appreciate it when we have it good and I know after your last dance with a window when the next one comes you will savoir it as it will not last. That is all the wd wisdom I have at the moment... make the very most you can out of the good times. 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 Link to comment
btdt Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 On thinking and speaking both have been issues for me for a long time now and at this point it still comes and goes. I can be mid sentence and not know the next line tho I had a thought..when I started my brain just fails me. Once again I was drugged for a long time i am old not the same as you at all still effexor is a bugger. Tell your people not to take it. 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 Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Update: The last time I posted was March 27th which means it has been about 5 weeks since I was last on here. I've slowly been getting better but this has also been one of the busiest months of my entire life, which is another reason why I haven't posted anything. I've had exams, presentations and meetings galore but I've survived all of them despite not feeling 100% b/c of withdrawal. I've also had a lot of end of semester social functions which means drinking, drinking and more drinking. I've really been trying to limit how much alcohol I consume but sometimes I just can't, it's difficult. Now I am not sure if drinking is slowing my recovery process down or not but it surely isn't speeding it up. It's difficult to give your nervous system the peace that it needs while still trying to maintain a normal social life at a young age. I've just been doing the best that I can. Now symptom-wise things are improving but they are also changing. If I really push myself with exercise, outdoor activities or drinking I will still get the numbness in my face but it will subside pretty quickly afterwards. Speech has definitely improved but I am still feeling a little flat, so I'm still not as outgoing as I usually am. This past week I've been feeling dizziness throughout the day and a general sense of being off-balance. This is something new, as if my symptoms have entered a new phase. It's much worse in the morning and when I push myself too hard with something like drinking and exercise. It totally sucks that this isn't over yet but the fact that I feel so much different than I did 2 months ago gives me confidence that I will feel 100% again someday. - Outdoorsman September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
clearday Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 That is great news. Very happy to hear you are not only improving but also highly functioning. Best wishes for continued recovery and healing. Hell hath no fury as an SSRI scorned..... Prozac: 20 mg 1996 – May 2003 CT to 0 mg; by Aug 03 CRASH then protracted WD 3 yrs Zoloft: 2004 few weeks;, CT to 0 mg Effexor: 2005 few months CT to 0 mg; bad withdrawal. Lexapro: 10 mg from 2009 – 2011; cut dose in half to: Lexapro: 5 mg from 2011 – Feb. 2014; CT to 0 mg; 2 months of fatigue, followed by:Aug - Oct 2014 Lexapro WD Insomnia Wave; sleeping very good from Nov 2014 - Nov 2015; broken sleep pattern Dec 2015 - Jan 2016 Dec 2014 - present: Brutal Lexapro WD ear ringing/head ringing/head pressure lasting for 14 months now. 24 months SSRI-free Link to comment
btdt Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Pat yourself on the back and be as happy as you can it sounds like this will be a small thing for you that you overcome quickly. Glad to hear it... advice just say no to psych drugs in the future. 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 Link to comment
Nick88 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 This has given me hope! I'm happy for you and glad you are doing well ! History: Age 19- Effexor 150mg for around 2 years. Age 23 Mirtazapine 30mg for about 8 Months Age 23 Pristiq added 100mg Age 24 Pristiq increased to 200mg 6-9 months drug free Age 26 Back on Pristiq Only, 50mg then later back up to 100mg, then back down to 50mg and then off beginning of March 2015. Current: Drug free. Feeling mentally impaired. Link to comment
OutdoorsMan15 Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Today was the worst I've felt in months and I am not sure why, I'm guessing this is a wave... I am now living back at home again because it's the summer and I've also started my summer job. This morning I got up feeling pretty okay and decided to have a coffee before work. After I took my first gulp I felt all of my symptoms begin to creep up, the dizziness, the numbness, the inability to talk, etc. This was totally strange because I've been pretty okay with caffeine for the past month but for whatever reason today was different. My job also requires a decent amount of physical exertion some days which also could have "sparked" my symptoms. However, the strangest part about all of this is that it hasn't gone away all day. For the past month or so whenever my symptoms have crept up they usually go away within 10 minutes but today was completely different. I couldn't think straight, couldn't remember things, couldn't carry a conversation and it felt as if a weight was hanging from my face. I haven't felt this way in months and it is unbelievably frustrating to have a day like this after seeing some progress. It just makes that almighty question pop back into your head: "Will I really ever be myself again?" Today was like hopping in a time machine and going back a few months to when I would beat myself up for how stupid and socially awkward I had become. I know that it's out of my control but it's so hard to think back to when I felt like old confident self and see what I've become. Sometimes I worry that I am going to lose some of my friends because I just can't do some of the things I usually do. Playing sports, going out on long weekends, staying up all night, all of these things just make me feel sick now. It's tough to decide if I should just go out and do these things anyway even though I know that it's going to make me feel like garbage. This has been insanely scary and frustrating. 7 weeks of taking this poison and now 5 months of being drug free and there is still something seriously wrong with my body.... insane. September-December 2012: 10mg Paxil and no long term W/D symptoms July-August 2013: 10mg Celexa for anxiety-based(?) insomnia, no W/D symptoms October-December 2014: 37.5 and then 75mg Effexor XR December 18, 2014: Last dose of Effexor after ~ 3 week taper Link to comment
clearday Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Sounds like a wave, and not surprising - But you know that the real you is there under your symptoms and will come back to the surface again after the wave. These waves can be triggered by stress or substances, but they can also appear out of nowhere on their own even if you're doing everything right. It is insane, but we're all going through it. People who have been on this stuff for years often eventually recover, so you have a great chance for an eventual return to normalcy. Hell hath no fury as an SSRI scorned..... Prozac: 20 mg 1996 – May 2003 CT to 0 mg; by Aug 03 CRASH then protracted WD 3 yrs Zoloft: 2004 few weeks;, CT to 0 mg Effexor: 2005 few months CT to 0 mg; bad withdrawal. Lexapro: 10 mg from 2009 – 2011; cut dose in half to: Lexapro: 5 mg from 2011 – Feb. 2014; CT to 0 mg; 2 months of fatigue, followed by:Aug - Oct 2014 Lexapro WD Insomnia Wave; sleeping very good from Nov 2014 - Nov 2015; broken sleep pattern Dec 2015 - Jan 2016 Dec 2014 - present: Brutal Lexapro WD ear ringing/head ringing/head pressure lasting for 14 months now. 24 months SSRI-free Link to comment
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