passion: Continuing to suffer with akathisia

[passion]

Hi....I am new to this forum. I have been a member of BenzoBuddies for about 2 years. I have a long history of benzo use and Ambien/Lunesta use. I have fibromyalgia and doctors felt this option was safe and non-threatening. I have also taken Amitriptyline in large doses (?) can't remember how much. Also anti-depressants off and on. I c/t'ed off Ativan and Ambien 10/2012.  I have been struggling with akathisia for almost 2 years as well as tinnitus (10 months.) I am getting so much grieve from friends, etc that I should "move" on. It's so difficult. I do many things on a daily basis and I am extremely active. I am desperate to know how others cope with this horrendous symptom. 

[Petunia]

Welcome passion,

I'm sorry to hear you are still experiencing akathisia after 2 years.  I know how awful that symptom is, I've had it myself.  Are you getting it every day?  Is there any pattern to when you experience it?  Have you noticed that anything makes it worse, some people find its made worse by certain foods or activities.

 

For me it started to reduce and go away when I cut most sugar and sweet foods out of my diet.

 

Are you taking any medications at the moment?  If we could have a few more details of your drug and withdrawal history, that would help.  It sounds like your nervous system may have become sensitized by years of poly drugging and changes.

 

Could I ask you to 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/

 

Many of us here have struggled with akathisia and I'm sure others will chime in and offer some support or suggestions.  We also have a topic on it here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7029-blog-my-akathisia-experience/

 

and here:   http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/32-akathisia-vs-restlessness-anxiety-agitation/

 

Petunia

[luv2knit]

Welcome, Passion. I'm so sorry you are suffering akathisia. I have had it since a much-too-fast (6 weeks) taper off of Zoloft at the end of July. It is present to some degree with me all the time, and I have not found anything that makes it better. As Petunia said, I do not eat sugar or consume caffeine. It does seem to me like the severity is not quite as bad since the bad 6-month flare-up I had. Right at this time, I'm thinking time is the key factor (with everyone being different), but I am also open to ideas from anyone else here. Do you mainly suffer from the physical symptoms, or do you suffer the psychological symptoms as well (agitation, impulsiveness, suicide ideation, etc.)? I have both. "Move on"? Seriously?! If the people who tell you this could walk in your shoes for one day, they would crumble!! Good luck in your recovery. I hope you find some answers here!