success ☼ Pennylane34: 3 and a half years out...and better! Success story!

[Pennylane34]

Pugknows, I would have to say physically my recovery waxes and wanes. So I can be 85% better for a while and then drop down to 50% better. It's not consistent---but again I have metabolic issues that started when this whole WD thing began. I'm highly functional, but not comfortably. The mental/emotional stuff was more of a cross for me to bare---as despite my health/physical issues I am even-keeled and happy. Which is something I never thought I'd ever be again after coming off Prozac.

[Pugknows]

Thank you for your response, Penny. Praying that eventually you hit 100% healing with no backslides.

[antidepressantsNoMore]

I CT w/d from 150 mg prestiq (SNRI), 2.4 years ago and I'm just starting to feel back to normal. Not 100 percent better but getting close to it. People can recover but so many people end up back on a/d and the cycle continues.

 

I'm probably never take a/d again. I use 5-HTP which a lot of people say has long term negative consequences and they may be right, who knows. I don't take it everyday but it has kept my depression again.

 

Depression is often a lifetime battle for most people. It is important people change the way they think, which is so hard to do but as we mature and with the use of CBT, it can become possible.

 

Good to hear you recovered.

[mcc2929]

Pennylane, where does your acupuncturist put the needles that helped you so much with the withdrawals?

Thank you for posting this story. It is definitely a ray of sunshine!

[Pennylane34]

Thank you Pug!❤️☀️ I can only hope with time that improves more too. I was on ADs for more or less my entire adolescence so I'm sure if I do heal entirely it will take a long time. But I'm content and grateful for where I am comparing to where I was 3+ years ago. It's like night and day!

 

Also, benzo WD historically is probably the most painful/drawn out WD in the history of drugs. No one knows how or why. But if you go on YouTube and Google benzo WD you'll be able to hear the horror stories and recovery atories of ppl who lived it and got through it. It can take longer then ssri WD---but I'm sure that depends on multiple variables as well. Check out the success stories online---those REALLY helped me in bad times.

 

Antidepressantsnomore---I agree! Depression may also manifest as a side effect of a physical ailment/illness--so it's important to cover a bases and explore all options before jumping to the conclusion that something is "chemically" wrong with us. I've had AMAZING success with acupuncture and homeopathy. A lot of my old thought patterns have completely been uprooted and changed. So now all I have left is the physical! Let's hope that's next to go

[WiggleIt]

Wiggle it- I'm so sorry to hear that my physical symptoms are tied more to an adrenal failure/thyroid issue that was kick started in withdrawal. So please don't be discouraged as this runs in my family---withdraw just happened to be the catalyst for me. I have chronic brain fog, hair shedding and fatigue. But it varies to different degrees. Hang in there, you will improve as most others on here do. If you go on YouTube and type in "benzo withdrawal 3 year update" there's a gentleman on there who I forget his name who did videos sporadically throughout his experience and had symptoms very similar to you that went away. Let me know if you find it! His videos gave me so much hope---because as you know benzo WD is prob 10x worse then SSRI WD if you can believe that!

Thank you. I am probably also into a withdrawal from a benzo. I was not on an SSRI, but was on a tricyclic, which are known to cause dystonia, but of course nobody told me that before putting me on it.

[Pennylane34]

I don't know what drugs are classified as tricyclics. But benzodiazepine is more like in the Xanax class of drugs. If you weren't on that or I believe Klonopin is another one--then your just in regular AD withdrawal. Doesn't matter because you will improve either way. Time is key.

[WiggleIt]

Tricyclic is one of the original antidepressants from the 1960s. It is now prescribed for chronic pain, but it has long been known to cause dystonia and Parkinson/like effects afterward. Of course, nobody told me that. And I was definitely also on a benzo. Both were given to me for pain, instead of doctors trying to help me find good physical therapist.

 

So I am definitely in dual withdrawal.

[justwanttobefree]

Pennylane34 did you find that you couldn't feel love or happiness whatsoever? I'm almost 6 months out (CT off 10mg Prozac) and feel like giving up. This literally seems hopeless. I had a few half day windows 2 weeks ago but have been in a massive wave ever since. The brain fog and confusion literally make me feel like I have permanent brain damage.

[Pennylane34]

Yes! That is called annhedonia. I had MANY bouts of that in my journey to recovery. That's a withdrawal hallmark in my opinion.

[Hudgens]

I was on 4mgs of Xanax a day for 2years. I took 7months to taper, but never had any real problems after I stopped, not much trouble when tapering either, I mean nothing like the withdrawal symptoms I've experienced during getting off of Effexor. I also later went back on them for a month and then Clonopin for another month, then stopped in about 2 weeks with very little trouble. BUT then I've had a lot of trouble getting off Effexor.

I guess I'm at least very lucky to not have trouble with Benzos, although I'd never use one again--they did change my personality for a fact.

At any rate, Trouble with getting off Benzos is not guaranteed, not even if you had a lot of trouble getting off of an antidepressant.  

[Pennylane34]

Hudgens, thank God! I'm happy to hear that your benzo WD was not the textbook version I have heard over the years. Everyone's suffering g is relative I suppose. I never took anything besides a slew of ADs over the years. However if you would've told me 3+ years ago that I would have been my normal, happy self again I would've NEVER believed it. I may have some ongoing physical health issues that I'm tending to, but nothing compares to when I was in the thick of things years ago--- crying multiple times a day, on suicide watch, couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, OCD like never before, I was MISERABLE. I wouldn't wish those years on anyone. You will recover in due time and be able to tell others of your trials and tribulations soon! Can't wait to hear it

[Hudgens]

Yeah, seems common to have trouble getting off things like Xanax. Real glad I didn't have that, too.

Just wanted people to know that it's not inevitable. I mean if they've had trouble getting off their antidepressant and then  

want to taper off of their benzodiazepine, their not necessarily going to have to "go through all that **** again". 

[Pennylane34]

Hi guys!

 

So I wrote of my emotional and mental recovery in an earlier post and am happy and proud to say that that part is done for me! I believe.

 

However I told you about my physical state not being too great. I am almost 4 years out in September and what I thought was thyroid/adrenal problems is actually STILL SSRI withdrawal. I've went to about 7 doctors, all blood ran, and a few alternative doctors and the most recent one I saw was an EXTREMELY thorough Endo who tested for all thyroid issues, metabolism,kidney, adrenal-even subclinical issues. And all my bloodwork came back GORGEOUS. So after some speculation and discussion with her---I am actually in agreeance that the physical symptoms I am suffering are in fact still SSRI withdrawal!

 

Woah! Didn't think that it would last this long. Any old timers have any stories regarding the physical recovery taking longer then the mental one? I'm curious. I am better then the beginning but still have a long way to go!

 

Blessings and hugs,

 

Pennylane

[Petunia]

Hi Pennylane,

I joined your new introduction topic in with your original one, its one intro/update thread per member.  You can use this thread as your ongoing journal to track progress, write about symptoms, ask questions and communicate with the community, add to it whenever you want.

 

I'm sorry you are still having some physical withdrawal symptoms after 4 years out, its not terribly uncommon.  I came off Lexapro too fast in 2010 and I'm still having physical symptoms,  I'm also still having emotional/mental symptoms too.  I often wonder if perhaps I have thyroid or hormonal issues.  But many people in withdrawal get tested for other conditions and the results come back good.

 

Please would you put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature.  Putting a short version of your drug and tapering history in your signature helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts.  Here are instructions for how to do it:

 

http://survivinganti...your-signature/

 

Petunia.

[Pennylane34]

Can you do it from a mobile device? I don't use a PC.

 

Also what symptoms do you still have. That is interesting you tapered the year before me.

[AliG]

Hi Pennylane, Can I ask what emotional / mental symptoms you are still having?   You also said you were tested for Thyroid. How did that turn out?  Can you put your drug withdrawal history up  in your signature.  So happy you're doing so well.      Ali.

[Altostrata]

Pennylane has written her success story here My recovery story 2011- 2017

 

As is our tradition, I'm closing this topic as Pennylane has moved on to another chapter in her life. Please congratulate her in the Success Stories forum.