Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

cyopher72 not sure what to do


cyopher72

Recommended Posts

All tests came back normal with the exception of my electrolytes showing a borderline glucose elevation. Still have not been able to find anything medically wrong with me. My doctor wants to do a chest CT next.

 

My continuing symptoms

 

Loss of appetite

Loss of Weight

Insomnia

Irregular bowel movements

Frequent urination

feeling of jitteriness (mostly in the morning time)

my head feels weird and cloudy, sometimes dizzy

night sweats / day chills

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment
  • Replies 128
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • cyopher72

    83

  • Altostrata

    14

  • AliG

    7

  • Nomoreheadmeds

    7

Top Posters In This Topic

Your posts dont sound so panicky 'cyopher72' .Are you still on the same dose of prozac ?

Sertraline 100mg amytrip 60mg diazepam 4mg (and when needed) since late 90's.Reduced all meds over 6 wks (too short) last doses 13 wks ago.Still having withdrawals.I would have done it differently

5th august 2015 reinstated 5mg amytripiline.increased to 10mg amtrip 9th sept 2015.

Link to comment

Your posts dont sound so panicky 'cyopher72' .Are you still on the same dose of prozac ?

 

I stopped the Prozac on 9/28 and the panic got better almost immediately.

 

My head is what's bothering me the most now. Starts mild in the morning and gets worse as the day goes on. Haven't had a clear headed non dizzy day in months. Its rough working but at least I am fortunate enough to be able to.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Thats good to hear.

Sertraline 100mg amytrip 60mg diazepam 4mg (and when needed) since late 90's.Reduced all meds over 6 wks (too short) last doses 13 wks ago.Still having withdrawals.I would have done it differently

5th august 2015 reinstated 5mg amytripiline.increased to 10mg amtrip 9th sept 2015.

Link to comment

Since I have not been getting enough sleep I asked my doctor if he'd recommend anything to sleep that is non habit forming, non addictive. He said he'd write me a script for Trazadone if I wanted. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Anyone here used Trazadone? Recommend?

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Please use search and read our discussions about it.

 

Also, use the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and copy and paste the results in this topic.

 

Withdrawal syndrome does not show up on any tests.
 

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

Day 14 without Fluoextine......

 

Still waking at least three times a night and then one final time around 4:00am for good. I'm pretty jittery when I wake at 4:00, My head is constantly cloudy and I have a constant ringing in my head which becomes more apparent when things are quiet. I'm hoping I'll wake some day sooner rather than later feeling normal in my head. I'm still having body temperature issues, One minute I'm sweating and the next I'm cold. I'm thinking about asking my doctor now if he'd be willing to prescribe me Effexor. I am toying with the idea of trying it to see if I can get normal on it and taper off. I'm scared to take any drugs now but I'm also scared that this is just gonna keep going on. I'm reading horror stories on here of people having persistent symptoms for years and I'm hoping that is not the case for me. 

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Please use search and read our discussions about it.

 

Also, use the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and copy and paste the results in this topic.

 

Withdrawal syndrome does not show up on any tests.

 

Thanks Altostrata,

 

I guess I'll take a pass as It looks like Trazadone is some nasty stuff also.

 

I understand withdrawal syndrome cannot be tested for. I just have times when I worry that I am ignoring something seriously wrong with me and need the piece of mind to know I'm not dieing. Even though it matches and makes complete sense that I am going thru withdrawal I still get really worried I'm missing something like cancer etc.

 

Sometimes I just want to give up.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

I did a little research and I think I'm going to try using diphenhydramine a couple time a week to see if i can get a full nights sleep. I really think a lot of my symptoms are compounded by exhaustion.

 

Also I'm still contemplating trying 37.5mg effexor to see if I can get stabil. I'd like some opinions on this as I have been in withdrawal for almost 5 months. It's a bit scarey but I am feeling like it may be worth at least trying. My end goal is to not be on any medications but the way my head is feeling, and this lack of sleep is very debilitating.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

I read About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms in the Symptoms and self-care forum. I have to say things aren't looking too good for me :-(

 

I originally stopped taking Prystiq (desvenlafaxine) on 5/3/15 with a two week taper of 75MG effexor (venlafaxine) for 7 days and 37.5MG effexor (venlafaxine) for 7 days finishing on 5/17/15

 

I had acute withdrawals for about 4 weeks followed by almost a month of feeling normal. I started to have post acute withdrawal 7/22/15.

 

I tried a reinstatement on 9/15/15 and discontinued on 9/28/15 using Fluoxetine because 1mg made my anxiety quite a bit worse (causing jitteryness all day and involuntary muscle twitching)

 

Currently I suffer from symptoms of hyper-reactivity, alerting, anxiety, and sleeplessness as well as brain fog / feeling weird in the head.

 

My statement/question is .......... It doesn't look to promising for a reinstatement using effexor (venlafaxine) would you agree?

 

I feel so defeated. I feel like my only option is to ride it out not knowing when and if these symptoms will subside.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

All of a sudden I"m really panicky again. Started last night when I was going to bed and continues on thru today..... Ohhh man What does this mean?

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Another panicky day. I find my mind frequently wondering if and when it'll get better which freaks me out and causes more panic.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Started taking 50mg Albion Chelated magnesium and 400iu of Vitamin E Saturday. I think it is making me more dizzy.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Had a few days where I felt better (not back to normal, but not miserable). I allowed myself to get excited thinking maybe I was going to steadily improve. Boy was I wrong! 

 

Since last Friday I'm back to waking every two hours thru the night feeling jittery way into the day, and my head is all messed up (dizzy / disorienting). I'm having moments of panic when I entertain the thought that I am dieing. I try to put it out of my mind but I can't

 

I'm not currently taking any supplements because they just seem to make my excessive urination worse. I did take an emergenC today cause I think i'm coming down with a cold. I hope it doesn't make me feel worse.

 

God this is terrible.

 

I have some Effexor 37.5mg but have not been able to bring myself to try them afraid of what it may do to me. 

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

I am feeling the same way after being off Paxil for 6 mths.  No sleep and anxiety is through the roof!  I also do not know if I can go on like this. Im afraid to go back on meds and afraid to stay off 

Started on ad's in the mid 90's.  

Amitriptyline , prozac , Wellbutrin, 'zoloft, effexor, trazodone,   remeron, Paxil, cymbalta 

xanax, buspar, lyrica, gabapentin, sam e, 5htp, L tryptophan, There were other ad's but I cant remember them all. 

Ambien, lunesta, cyclobenzaprine,

levothyroxine

Last ad was  Paxil, 60 mg.  I did a 6mt tapor, 

Only meds at this time is the levothyroxine, fish oil, folic acid, and unisom 

Link to comment

I am feeling the same way after being off Paxil for 6 mths.  No sleep and anxiety is through the roof!  I also do not know if I can go on like this. Im afraid to go back on meds and afraid to stay off 

 I am sorry to hear that. Message me anytime if you want to talk. I never realized I could feel this way. By far the most challenging thing I've had to deal with in my life. Not having an end in sight induces such feelings of despair

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

I know how you feel with the no end in sight feeling.  I just try to keep my faith that some day, this to will pass.  Ive been on ad's for so many years Im afraid ill be one of the people that never get back to normal, but then again, what is normal?   After 7mths off now I do not want to start the merry go round again.  There has to be a light at light at the end of the tunnel.   just try to stay strong and you've come this far, to re instate will be starting all over again.                                                                                                                                                

Started on ad's in the mid 90's.  

Amitriptyline , prozac , Wellbutrin, 'zoloft, effexor, trazodone,   remeron, Paxil, cymbalta 

xanax, buspar, lyrica, gabapentin, sam e, 5htp, L tryptophan, There were other ad's but I cant remember them all. 

Ambien, lunesta, cyclobenzaprine,

levothyroxine

Last ad was  Paxil, 60 mg.  I did a 6mt tapor, 

Only meds at this time is the levothyroxine, fish oil, folic acid, and unisom 

Link to comment

 

I know how you feel with the no end in sight feeling.  I just try to keep my faith that some day, this to will pass.  Ive been on ad's for so many years Im afraid ill be one of the people that never get back to normal, but then again, what is normal?   After 7mths off now I do not want to start the merry go round again.  There has to be a light at light at the end of the tunnel.   just try to stay strong and you've come this far, to re instate will be starting all over again.                                                                                                                                                

 

Thank you for the encouragement. I am sleeping a little better now, but have no energy and am very demotivated. My head is for lack of a better way to explain it "cloudy". If i could just get the head issues to go away I could deal with the rest and actually start enjoying life again. Right now I am having trouble enjoying anything, as soon as I get out of bed I am miserable and am counting the hours until I can go back to bed. If I knew there would be an end to this it would be so much easier to endure, but i guess most of us are in the same boat huh?

 

Hope you are doing well / better

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Hang in there.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

Link to comment

Cyopher - you've had it rough but you seem to be doing a lot better than you were in the beginning or even during the switch to Fluoxentine.

 

Stay strong and keep reminding yourself that this is temporary. At this point I would not add anything else into the mix - your CNS has been thru a lot in a short time span.

 

Healing thoughts,

 

Karen

1999-Wellbutrin for anxiety/depression-CT after less than 1 yr with no prob

2000-2010-AD (can't remember which) a few times for a few months-CT each time with no prob

2012 - Ambien (sleep) and Propanolol (public speaking anxiety)

Jan 2013 - Apr 2014 - Sertraline (25, then 50mg) Ambien after bout with depression

Apr 2014 - Apr 2015 - Sertraline 100mg and Amitriptylene 25mg-CT in May/June. Did notice increased anxiety, moodiness.

Aug/Sept 2015 - Trazodone 50mg (11 days for sleep), Phentermine 37.5mg 11 days), Tramadol 50mg (2 days for kidney stone pain)

Oct 2nd - CT from Trazodone and Phentermine - CRASHED 2 days later. Severe depression, anxiety, constant crying

RI Oct 15th - Citalopram 10mg daily, Vitamin D, Fish Oil Capsule, Magnesium, Simply Sleep at night. Will start weaning 11/15 if stable.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment

Karen,

 

Thanks for your support. It's tough to tell if I am better or just getting use to things the way they are. Maybe it's a little of both.

 

The last couple of days my insomnia has been a bit worse and I have woken around 4am really jittery and anxious. I haven't changed anything so I'm not sure what is causing it.

 

Chris

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

It's been rough for the last week or so. I am feeling really depressed, and my head is really messed up. I have been finding it hard to muster up the motivation the get out of bed, eat, shower, etc. The only time i feel any amount of relief is the last hour or two before bed.

 

I wake up several times thru the night and then at around 4am anxious and jittery. After the anxious and jittery feeling goes away I'm depressed, and don't want to do anything but lay in bed. I am almost never hungry, and have no desire or motivation to do anything.

 

I feel so alone as there is no one that can help me. The last couple days I have been wondering if this is just how I'm going to be from now on. Wondering if I should ask my doctor to put me back on AD.

 

The fish oil did seem to be helping but now it is causing more issues than help. I just don't know what's left to do. I am scared. This is ruining my life.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

I feel like such a loser. Aside from having to cope with how I am feeling (physical and mental) I am letting others down. I have not been able to go Christmas shopping, I did order my wife a necklace online today. I don;t know how I"m going to be what people want me to be thru the holidays.

 

I am at the end of my rope, at this point I would totally go back on an AD if I knew it would help. The problem is there is no knowing and in all likelihood it would probably make me worse.

 

ohhhh man :-( 

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Chris,

I just read through your thread and was going to quote some of the things I relate to, but there were too many quotes. So I will just say I've been through pretty much everything you have written about, apart from trying to buy a Christmas present for a wife. I've struggled terribly, trying to keep up with all the expected holiday and celebration traditions while I've been recovering from my own protracted withdrawal.

 

You're not a loser. These symptoms are very real and at times some of the most difficult experiences anyone could imagine having to endure. This is an illness just like any other, the fact that its not yet recognized by most of medicine makes it even harder to go through. But the key point is that its something we go through, it gets better.

 

Your symptoms are typical of someone in protracted withdrawal, or PAWS. Your nervous system is sensitized and any drug or supplement could now have a paradoxical effect. Its important that if you do try something, you start with a very low dose to see how its going to effect you.

 

The good news is that you 'only' have withdrawal syndrome and you will recover. The not so good news is that its going to take time, although no one can say how much time. The best I can offer by way of advice is to listen to your body and avoid those things that set off symptoms as much as possible.

 

Here is the link to our symptoms and self care section, you may find some useful ideas to help manage symptoms as you recover.  Especially read the topics pinned at the top.

 

You wrote that fish oil was helping for a while, but now its causing you to feel worse. I've also had trouble with fish oil and have tried many different kinds and still can't take it. You may find magnesium more helpful  Magnesium, Nature's Calcium Channel Blocker

 

Your sleep will settle down eventually, but until then have a look through this topic: Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

You're certainly not alone, there is a whole community here going through this with you. Keep posting when you need support, you will get through this.

 

Petunia.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

Link to comment

Petunia,

 

Thank you so much for your reply and encouraging words. The fact that you took the time to read my posts and reply shows that you are a caring person and I cant tell you how much it means to me. Just having human interaction with someone that understands what I am going thru is sometimes better than any supplement I could take. Being reminded that it gets better and that I will heal does wonders form my mood.

 

I hope you are doing well with your recovery and have a great holiday season.

 

Thanks Again,

 

Chris 

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Have any of you experienced waves and windows as it relates to insomnia? I had started sleeping most nights from around 9pm to 5am through the night and waking without being all jittery, but over the last couple weeks my insomnia is back and has gotten progressively worse. Last night I was awake every two hours and experienced jitteryness and muscle fatigue.

 

Also I haven't had any windows of no symptoms at all. Almost 6 months has passed it it normal to not have had any significant windows in that time?  

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Morning cyopher.

I mean morning as in right now its 4.55am in the morning and i have been up since 4.15 in the morning.

Nothing seems to be normal in ths game but i didnt have any windows for about 16 months so yeah you are not alone.

 

Hang in there these are early days ...beginning to think 5yrs drug free is early days too.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

Link to comment

Back in July when I started to have symptoms before I found this site and realized it was in withdrawal. I had gotten a blood glucose tester and a blood pressure cuff. I recall when testing my fasting blood glucose it was generally 75-78 I have tested my blood glucose several times over the last month and my blood glucose is always around 100-106 in the morning when waking. My doctor did a blood test and said my blood glucose levels are slightly elevated and could be considered pre-diabetic and that we should test again in a few months. Can AD withdrawal be causing this spike in blood glucose levels?

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Another night waking every couple of hours and then again for a final time at 4:30 feeling all jittery and having muscle weakness followed by another day of this weird feeling in my head. I feel like I am going backwards. Man this really sucks

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Hi Cyopher,

 

At least you got a little sleep . It could be worse. Compared to some, that's not too bad.  Please read this link  :  

Sleep problems - that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

I really doubt that you're going backwards. It's just the windows and waves pattern of recovery.  It will start to improve, albeit perhaps slowly.

 

You did a big drop in September ?    :unsure:   What happened there? Very fast tapering.

Try and practice acceptance and patience. It will start to get better, in a gradual way.

Ali.

Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014

 

                                                  Psych Drug - free since May 2014
.
         

Link to comment

Hi Cyopher,

 

At least you got a little sleep . It could be worse. Compared to some, that's not too bad.  Please read this link  :  

Sleep problems - that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

I really doubt that you're going backwards. It's just the windows and waves pattern of recovery.  It will start to improve, albeit perhaps slowly.

 

You did a big drop in September ?    :unsure:   What happened there? Very fast tapering.

Try and practice acceptance and patience. It will start to get better, in a gradual way.

Ali.

I know there are people far worse than me, and I feel for them. I guess I shouldn't complain but it feels horrible to me.

 

I actually stopped AD's in May on a 14 day taper my doctor put me on (if only I had found this community before then). The Fluoxetine in 9/15 - 9/28 was me trying to reinstate with Prozac to possibly stop the w/d symptoms. I started at 5mg and had a severe reaction. I dropped down as suggested by Alto but even at 1mg for 10 days It made my anxiety go off the charts night terrors etc.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Hi  Chris,

It sounds like you were hypersensitive, to the drug. That's ok .It happens. Now, you can move forward, in a healing way . Try and practice extreme self -care.

Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014

 

                                                  Psych Drug - free since May 2014
.
         

Link to comment

I hear you. I am hyper sensitive to just about everything right now. Sound, light, over the counter drugs, lot's of supplements, sugar, caffeine 

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

UPDATE:


 


I'm still waking multiple times thru the night and then one final time around 4am feeling jittery. My head is still bothering my pretty much all the time. It feels better with sunglasses on or at night. I wonder if it's a light sensitivity thing?


 


Emotionally I feel as tho the lows are not as low and the anxiety although constant seems a little less. I'm coming up on 6 months since these post acute withdrawals started and I'm still not at a point where I can enjoy life. I'm really hoping for some significant improvements soon. I'm trying to get through one day at a time hoping for an end to this nightmare.


AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

This is so exhausting and has bee going on long enough that I have forgotten what it is like to feel good. I entertain the thought of taking AD's again at least a couple times a month, but I am just so scared of them and what they may do to me I quickly put it out of my mind. Then I start thinking I am going to be like his forever and it deeply depresses me. If not that I think I have some diagnosed illness and am going to die which pushes my anxiety through the roof. I feel stuck with no options except for hope which is really tough to have when this has been going on for so long.

 

The actual feeling of anxiety, and or depression is annoying but I can deal with it. It's the head symptoms that are ruining my quality of life and they are not going away. The vision in my left eye is blurry and has been for just about 6 months, My left ear feels plugged a lot of the time, My head feels cloudy every day. I actually think it is my head symptoms that are keeping the others around.

 

The first day of my post acute withdrawals started with extreme dizziness, plugged left ear, plugged left nostril, and my left eye feeling weird. And those symptoms have been a constant from then on. I wonder if something is damaged? Don't know how I could tell? I wonder if it isn't my symptoms causing depression and anxiety and not depression and anxiety causing the symptoms.

 

Man this sucks ............

 

Not to mention I just found a bunch of lumps in my left breast and have to go get a mammogram plus ultrasound. I'm really worried it.

AD History
Zoloft (Sertraline) 4/07 - 7/09, Celexa (Citalopram) 7/09 - 10/09 , Zoloft (Sertraline) 11/09 - 4/10 , Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) 5/10 - 4/15 , Effexor (venlafaxine) 5/15 (2 week taper)

 

Taper 
05/2015 - Effexor (venlafaxine) 75mg  7 days, Effexor (venlafaxine) 37.5mg 7 days.

 

Reinstatement  Effexor (venlafaxine)
05/21/2016 37.5mg 06/01/2016 18.75mg

Link to comment

Cy,  So you're 7 months off ?  These symptoms will go away.  You have to be patient.   :)  It will get better, in time.

Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014

 

                                                  Psych Drug - free since May 2014
.
         

Link to comment

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy