nicolantana Posted July 5, 2017 Author Share Posted July 5, 2017 Hey Savannah! Read my thread through to this week. I've gone from hell to feeling pretty well more or less overnight. It might not last but recovery is happening Recovery will happen for us all. It's just time. And we can't know if it's six months or two years... Feel free to read and ask more questions late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
Savannah Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Yes, sorry as I posted I saw you had already updated it a few hours ago.... Must be the anhedonia that made me miss it...lol.... So glad and happy for you...and envious to be honest. Im not even three months yet but I had one window a few days ago which lasted from 9pm to I fell asleep. The thought of up to two years of this just fills me with horror. Keep us posted on your recovery and hope it lasts for good....take care and thanks for the reply.... Was on Escitolapram ( Lexepro) for 6 years from Mar 2011 to April 2017. 20mg a day. I went off cold turkey as tapering wasn't an option as it had to be stopped immediately to prevent any further deterioration to my heart as I now have a Pacemaker fitted. After 11 weeks of cold turkey and barely able to function, I was prescribed 50mg of Zooloft to help me stabilise and get back to normal as it was the least threatening AD to my heart condition. Went to the doctor again and he put me back up to 100mg of Sertraline as he seemed to think 50mg was too low of a dosage. I began to feel much better and was almost back to normal after 6 weeks. Reduced to 50mg of Sertraline after 10 weeks of 100mg when I was satisfied I had stabilized and felt so much better and back to normal. On 50mg for five weeks now and so far so good. Side effects have lessened but notice a difference in outlook but still much much better than where i was during cold turkey when I was taking nothing at all. Will stay on 50mg for another 12 weeks and then hope to go down to 25mg. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted July 5, 2017 Author Share Posted July 5, 2017 Well I had a massive mix of FOUR powerful psych meds. I was gearing up for two years. There's great hope for us all. late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
powerback Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 good for you on recovery nic.nearly a week starting a micro taper I'm never turning back this time . peace PB Alcohol free since February 2015 1MG diazepam 4.5MG PROZAC. Link to comment
Bobo32 Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Im feeling better now 4 months off. Improving every day. feeling brain fog and memory loss. I hope this is not permanent and will go away 2004-2007 paxil 2015- zoloft 3 months zyprexa 3 months lexapro 3 months xanax Med free since Feb 28th 2017 Mostly experiencing PSSD Link to comment
nicolantana Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Two weeks straight of daily improvement folks. late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
powerback Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 good for you nicolantana ,rejoice in the greatness of improvements . Alcohol free since February 2015 1MG diazepam 4.5MG PROZAC. Link to comment
apathetic Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 That's awesome! My withdrawal journey (click) "If you're going through hell - keep going". Link to comment
Distraut Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Quote That's awesome! It is indeed! Music to my ears. Praying it will continue. cannabis: Spring 2002 - Dec. 2007; regularly smoked, stopped cold turkey; symptoms: paranoid and depressed Paroxetine: 20 mg July 2008, 40 mg October, 20 mg spring 2009, 0 mg summer 2009 Depakote (sodium valproate): October 2008 - Spring 2009 Haloperdidol 1 week Oct. 2008, H caused seizures, went to A&E; stopped taking it. Citalopram: few weeks in the fall of 2009 to deal with withdrawal symptoms from stopping paroxetine Paroxetine round 2: 20 mg Feb - summer 2010 -20mg don't remeber if I went up to 40mg Venlafaxine & sodium valproate (again): Sep 2010 - Summer 2012 SERTRALINE: November 2012 - May 2016 , 50-100mg (few days @ 150mg in Summer '15). a complete freak out at the end of April. May 2016 Prescribed Lithium and Abilify HAVE NOT TAKEN No medications May 2016 - October 2016 Hospitalised - November 13th 2016 - Prescribed 15 mg Mirtazapine/Remeron. Reducing since 24 December 2016. 9 June 2017 medication free. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 let's see. so much has gone one. I'm writing this on a pretty empty day so I might not convey how good things have been, but here's the effort...I hope everyone is well and let me know how yee are doing. I haven't been reading threads cos I've been busy living I guess... End of june, I underwent an overnight change. I'd say I was like 70% capacity for those few weeks. Cried tears of pure joy most days. drove to the city, windows down, music on, in awe of life, very productive, strong appettite etc......laughing freely with friends., even went out and managed to get drunk, kissed a girl, etc.....all unbelievable really compared with just a week or two earlier.. it kind of tailed off then, but over the last few weeks I'm having days similar to those few weeks. it's kind of hit or miss whether I feel alive or not I've been out socialising (and enjoying it) here and there)...occasionally engaged in movies. Still alot of anhedonic days over the last few weeks but things are moving in the right direction.....I'm quite frustrated because now that I have 30% of myself back, I want the whole thing.....but as I write this, I realise the progress is amazing Also, alot of people are amazed with how I look. My skin has taken on a more regular colour, my eyes are my natural, darker colour but also brighter if that makes sense! and everyone is noticing... People who got to know me over the past year and don't know my history are a bit taken aback by the person they are meeting now.....why is he so different? (In a good way!) so there's some rambling, things are going well. As I write this, I'm having a pretty empty day but more good days are around the corner,,, crying tears of pure joy was the highlight of those few weeks, and maybe a highlight of my life when I look back.... late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
AliG Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 That's so great Nic. How good would it be if you could add to the success stories with your own story of hope and healing. 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
Distraut Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 I reiterate AliG's sentiment Nic and look forward to you moving down the page to the Success stories. Very encouraging news indeed. cannabis: Spring 2002 - Dec. 2007; regularly smoked, stopped cold turkey; symptoms: paranoid and depressed Paroxetine: 20 mg July 2008, 40 mg October, 20 mg spring 2009, 0 mg summer 2009 Depakote (sodium valproate): October 2008 - Spring 2009 Haloperdidol 1 week Oct. 2008, H caused seizures, went to A&E; stopped taking it. Citalopram: few weeks in the fall of 2009 to deal with withdrawal symptoms from stopping paroxetine Paroxetine round 2: 20 mg Feb - summer 2010 -20mg don't remeber if I went up to 40mg Venlafaxine & sodium valproate (again): Sep 2010 - Summer 2012 SERTRALINE: November 2012 - May 2016 , 50-100mg (few days @ 150mg in Summer '15). a complete freak out at the end of April. May 2016 Prescribed Lithium and Abilify HAVE NOT TAKEN No medications May 2016 - October 2016 Hospitalised - November 13th 2016 - Prescribed 15 mg Mirtazapine/Remeron. Reducing since 24 December 2016. 9 June 2017 medication free. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Thanks guys..it feels amazing to be at a point where I'm offering hope to others... I wouldn't call mine a success story yet but hopefully in the near future... late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
Bobo32 Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 How long since you stopped the drugs and how much healed are you? 2004-2007 paxil 2015- zoloft 3 months zyprexa 3 months lexapro 3 months xanax Med free since Feb 28th 2017 Mostly experiencing PSSD Link to comment
nicolantana Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Off the drugs seven months. How healed? Impossible to measure... I've had a lot of good times recently but today I feel like a zombie None of us know whether it's today or in 12 months when we can live a normal life again But read over my thread and see the progress late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
Bobo32 Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 I'm 6 months off still have very bad brain fog 2004-2007 paxil 2015- zoloft 3 months zyprexa 3 months lexapro 3 months xanax Med free since Feb 28th 2017 Mostly experiencing PSSD Link to comment
Bobo32 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Hey Nic, I'm sure you are improving and I wish that for you and all of us. Can you tell how much of your old self you have back now that you are 7 months drug free? How is your anxiety? I have spikes of anxiety every now and then very disturbing Do you also have sexual issues? Thank you God bless 2004-2007 paxil 2015- zoloft 3 months zyprexa 3 months lexapro 3 months xanax Med free since Feb 28th 2017 Mostly experiencing PSSD Link to comment
nicolantana Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 8 months off and back to emotionless zombie. head very empty. I've had good times recently but back to zombie now. Thoughts?? late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
bhasski Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Hi nic, Sorry to hear that you having a wave... What did help you and is there sth that triggered sth or Is it by its own? 08/13 - 01/14Olanzapine, petril MD (Clonazepam ), Dicorate ER (divalproex). Soza 10 (Zolpidem) 02/14 - 05/14Flunil 20mg , Divaa OD 250 mg(divalproex), Amisulpride 50mg (1-0-2), zolfresh 5 mg , Quetiapine05/14 - 08/14 Venlafaxine 75 xr ( 1-0-1), zapiz 0.2510/14 Zaptra 12.5mg , Oxetol xr 150mg (0-0-1)11/14 - 08/15Paris CR 25 (paroxetine) , Oxetol xr 600 mg (0-0-1), nitrest 5mg , Quetiapine for a month.09/15-11 Venlafaxine XR 75 ( 1-0-1), Mirtazipine 15, Respiredal 0.5, Lamitor 25, zillion 10.12/15-02/16 Off Meds (C.T) 03/16-Mid April Sertraline, Aripropazole, Quetiapine, Etizolam. After that : CT and on OTC supplements (Roadback), now on Ayurveda Link to comment
Zharul Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 Do you still feel week? July 2017 - 3 shots = one of them haloperidol and only olanzapine 20mg for 2 weeks , weight gained August 2017- waiting recovery from haloperidol , drug tapper 10mg ,weight gained , weak muscle September 2017- drugs tapper 5mg weight gained , weak muscle October 2017 - drugs free , no improvment from haldol , weight gained , weak muscle November 2017 - waiting haldol recovery since , weight gained , weak muscle Link to comment
nicolantana Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 In a deep window since end of August now. Excruciating. I have big study plans for next August but that seems unlikely right now. Any records of anybody going from deeply anhedonic to recovered in a short space of time??? late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
raven530 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Nick what are your plans for next year? I was totally bed bound for the 9 months and am now functioning at uni albeit still suffering, you've seen better windows than me too. Think you should definitely not put off plans for next year cause they are going to be achievable. PSSD, Anhedonia, Loss of Imagination and creativity, physical pressure in head all from taking 50mg Sertraline for a month back in February 2015. Not seen much improvement (if any). Time of writing this signature - 01/02/2016 (UK date format) Link to comment
nicolantana Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 Hey man, I'm applying for a postgrad in primary school teaching in Scotland for next August. Yeah I hear you, it seems impossible right now but who knows six months from now, so I'm planning and organising for it and won't make the final call until next July,,,, late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 11 months free and the torture continues. late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted January 4, 2018 Author Share Posted January 4, 2018 A WINDOW. A WINDOW. A WINDOW. A WINDOW AT LAST. late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
Mentor FarmGirlWorks Posted January 5, 2018 Mentor Share Posted January 5, 2018 3 hours ago, nicolantana said: A WINDOW. A WINDOW. A WINDOW. A WINDOW AT LAST. Yay!!! Prozac | late 2004-mid-2005 | CT WD in a couple months, mostly emotional Sertraline 50-100mg | 11/2011-3/2014, 10/2014-3/2017 Sertraline fast taper March 2017, 4 weeks, OFF sertraline April 1, 2017 Quit alcohol May 20, 2017 Lifestyle changes: AA, kundalini yoga "If you've seen a monster, even if it's horrible, that's evidence of divinity." – Damien Echols Link to comment
bhasski Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Congrats and wish it continues long for you. 08/13 - 01/14Olanzapine, petril MD (Clonazepam ), Dicorate ER (divalproex). Soza 10 (Zolpidem) 02/14 - 05/14Flunil 20mg , Divaa OD 250 mg(divalproex), Amisulpride 50mg (1-0-2), zolfresh 5 mg , Quetiapine05/14 - 08/14 Venlafaxine 75 xr ( 1-0-1), zapiz 0.2510/14 Zaptra 12.5mg , Oxetol xr 150mg (0-0-1)11/14 - 08/15Paris CR 25 (paroxetine) , Oxetol xr 600 mg (0-0-1), nitrest 5mg , Quetiapine for a month.09/15-11 Venlafaxine XR 75 ( 1-0-1), Mirtazipine 15, Respiredal 0.5, Lamitor 25, zillion 10.12/15-02/16 Off Meds (C.T) 03/16-Mid April Sertraline, Aripropazole, Quetiapine, Etizolam. After that : CT and on OTC supplements (Roadback), now on Ayurveda Link to comment
nicolantana Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 it's nothing groundbreaking yet, but certainly better than previous 4.5 months...yee haw! late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
bhasski Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 5 hours ago, nicolantana said: it's nothing groundbreaking yet, but certainly better than previous 4.5 months...yee haw! Hm. You said Window , so i thought the usual where people find themselves more of self. While I am still waiting for myself to exp such after 21 mos off CT. But being better is certainly a good sign onlf healing. 08/13 - 01/14Olanzapine, petril MD (Clonazepam ), Dicorate ER (divalproex). Soza 10 (Zolpidem) 02/14 - 05/14Flunil 20mg , Divaa OD 250 mg(divalproex), Amisulpride 50mg (1-0-2), zolfresh 5 mg , Quetiapine05/14 - 08/14 Venlafaxine 75 xr ( 1-0-1), zapiz 0.2510/14 Zaptra 12.5mg , Oxetol xr 150mg (0-0-1)11/14 - 08/15Paris CR 25 (paroxetine) , Oxetol xr 600 mg (0-0-1), nitrest 5mg , Quetiapine for a month.09/15-11 Venlafaxine XR 75 ( 1-0-1), Mirtazipine 15, Respiredal 0.5, Lamitor 25, zillion 10.12/15-02/16 Off Meds (C.T) 03/16-Mid April Sertraline, Aripropazole, Quetiapine, Etizolam. After that : CT and on OTC supplements (Roadback), now on Ayurveda Link to comment
spokety Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 On 2/7/2017 at 7:05 AM, nicolantana said: Hi folks, First of all I'm new to this site, so feel free to tell me I'm in the wrong area or redirect me.. But here's my story... I currently have what I think is severe anhedonia. Last July, I was a bit depressed (I stress a bit, not majorly).......doctor gave me lexapro 10. After taking this, I vomited on the first night and developed sleep problems. Later in the week, I was given 25 seroquel which apparently would help balance out adverse effects of lexapro.......by the end of the week, I wasn't sleeping and I was suicidal. I subsequently was admitted to hospital. In hospital, I got more and more meds thrown at me and my mid august I was on 125 seroquel, 30 mirtazapine, 20 lexapro, 20 Olanzapine/Zyprexa....My main problem was the medication ripped my stomach apart.....the docs didn't believe me and just gave me more and more meds. I left hospital anyway on the concoction I mentioned.....I spent the following four months on these meds. During those four months, I felt no emotion whatsever, nothing. I felt suicidal, and that I would never recover. I had no desire to do anything. I just stayed in bed until late in the day, even though my sleep did not feel like real sleep. By mid November, i realised that the medication was messing me up, I demanded that I gradually come off everything. On that day, the doctor dropped the mirtazapine, and cut everything else in half. There was a quick taper, maybe too quick, and by christmas eve I was off everything. There were brief windows of emotion during the taper but still 95% anhedonia. Days after I went off everything....I cried for the first time in six months.....days later I laughed for the first time in months... I'm now 6 weeks off everything, I had huge headaches up unitl last week. My stomach started to improve after going off everything and is on the mend. However, I'm still worried about emotions/desires/thoughts etc.....over the last six weeks....I've had maybe 5 occassions where I felt strong positive emotions...and maybe 3 times where I've been sad/angry to the point of proper crying. outside of those 8 occassions, there's still an awful amount of flat feeling, apathy etc... I'm worried and wonder how long or if I will recover at all. Feedback welcome!! I felt a loss of emotions for a long time as well. I was on anti-psychotics for 1 year and 6 months, (which I should have never done.) . I started getting emotions, but it was compounded with some mild paranoia that was exasperated heavily by my parents overreaction to what was going on. It eventually led to me doing even more drastic things like running out of the house naked. I think I need to have family therapy so that my parents can better asses what to do in situations when I'm getting paranoid. But I also need some help in terms of getting my emotions back because it's just not there right now. Happiness, sadness, anger, etc has been gone for 4 years. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 Yes, I had more of self. More engagement in nature, music, TV, people...more natural personality....looked much better....more enjoyment...a few amazing hours. Came and went over a few days. At least it seems to be gone... we'll see... late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
spokety Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 On 1/9/2018 at 5:54 AM, nicolantana said: Yes, I had more of self. More engagement in nature, music, TV, people...more natural personality....looked much better....more enjoyment...a few amazing hours. Came and went over a few days. At least it seems to be gone... we'll see... How did you achieve that improvement? Link to comment
nicolantana Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 Spokety, with my situation and a lot of the people on this forum, time is the only answer I was harmed by medication, and my brain is gradually healing....time is the only answer to reverse these effects late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 I should also add..the basics. Try to eat well, sleep well, minimise stress in your environment, analyse why you ended up in medication in the first place and have plans/coping strategies in place for when your emotions/personality return.... late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
nicolantana Posted February 25, 2018 Author Share Posted February 25, 2018 WINDOWWWW......10 DAYS INTO A BEAUTIFUL WINDOW. BEST SINCE PREVIOUS SUMMER. FOCUS, MEMORY, ANTICIPATION, IMAGINATION, SLEEP, APPETITE, ENERGY, EMOTION, LIBIDO ALL SHOWING IMPROVEMENTS. late July...lexapro 10 seroquel 25.....due to mild depression......adverse reaction, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization August....felt that meds were ripping stomach apart....docs didn't believe me..upped meds to seroquel 125, lexapro 20, mirtazapine 30, olanzapine 20....stayed on these drugs unitl mid november......severe anhedonia all the time...mid novemeber 2016 , began taper.....very small windows of emotion...Christmas....off everything by Christmas day......last six weeks, cried and laughed on a number of occasions for first time since taking initial meds....8 occasions of strong emotion over 6 weeks in ealry 2016.......doubting recovery...... BIG WINDOW IN july 2017, felt incredible, lasted a month or so, felt close to recovered...window left, september to Chrimstas 17 was anhedonic hell.....Turn of the year, January 2018, some very strong days (a window) offering renewed hope back to hell until late February 2018, strong 10 day window....followed by anhedonic wave for 7 months straight! not a flicker of normalcy September 2018 ...incredible window...followed by three month wave.January 2019.... a strong window window subsided, but new baseline was higher.....life since January 2019 ( 9 months and counting) has been far better. Complete anhedonia is gone!! God, I've tears writing that. I am far from recovered, but far from hell...to use a scale, if life is rated out of a hundred, I was about minus 50 for the majority of 2 years..I know feel about 30 per cent of self, experiences intermittent flickers of normal life regularly....My days have more quality and I am optimistic of recovery. Link to comment
Rosetta Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 Hi Nicolanta, I'm very sad to see what the psychiatrists did to you, but I'm happy that you are getting better so quickly. I'm glad you told your story here as there are some doctors who read this forum. Someday the truth will come out. What you needed after the adverse reaction to Lexapro was rest, a safe place and someone to talk with NOT 4 new drugs. By listen to the Mods, I think Farout meant that they have seen so many cases of bad reactions and simple drugging, too, that when they tell you that you will get better, it's true. They don't have time to say it more than once to each person, but this non-linear process of healing is so confusing and discouraging that we need to hear that repeated time and time again. (We think of the Mods as knowing more than any other member, and we want to hear it from them time and again. That's not possible as they are stretched thin here, and they are recovering from ADs and sometimes other psych drugs, too.) Another thing the Mods say is to avoid new drugs, and there are a few exceptions to that. You don't seem to be interested in asking a psychiatrist for advice again, and I don't blame you! Many people get desperate and try a new psychiatrist who gives them new drugs. The new drug destabilize the CNS more leading to more symptoms and a longer recovery time. As for a strategy to deal because you were on psych drugs for several months, I agree that if the doctors had not given you more drugs you would have been better off. Maybe you need to study CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) or take some magnesium or fish oil to help your system heal faster. It's very hard to have patience when we feel our minds are changed and we don't like the change! I'm in the same boat, but I'm getting better everyday after 14 years of ADs and a bad reaction to a high dose of Zoloft plus the addition of Trazodone when I had insomnia. It's not the same situation as you are experiencing, but the results could very well be the same -- gradual healing over time. If my anhedonia is very rare, I think yours will be too someday. Peace, Rosetta https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25 2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born) 2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg 2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction) 2016 - Stopped Xanax Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown) Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone Drug free since Feb 2017 2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now