George11: 3 weeks off anafranil (clomipramine)

[Bluebird2009]

How long have you been off your drug? I'm 10months off now and I suffer from the same as yourself, it is hard to know whether it is withdrawal depression and anxiety or real!! I wish you all the best and hope you recover soon.

[george11]

Hi Bluebird2009 i have been of meds 24 months!I don't know also whats happening!Alternating bouts of anxiety and depression and my depression comes in waves for hours and sometimes is severe!Hope you recover soon too!

[Terry4949]

Hi George , I can't tell you wether it's bipolar or not , only this is me as well , I have depression and then it just gets so bad some times for half an hour or it might last four or five hours when it eases anxiety takes over, I also feel my depression is getting worse , I don't think it is bipolar , I was suffering anxiety and depression before I started meds , now I'm of I keep wondering if it's the original complaint and not withdrawel , it is a dilemma

[george11]

After 2 years and 2 months off any meds my situation is getting worse!The main problem now is my depression!I developed depression and it's getting worse and i don't know what to do!I don't think and more that this is a withdrawal....

[scallywag]

What non-drug techniques are you using to cope?

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms.

Free online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy lessons.

Change the channel - dealing with cognitive symptoms.

 

Also, what are the actual symptoms you are experiencing that you are calling "depression"?

.

Edited June 25, 2017 by scallywag
add links

[george11]

On 6/25/2017 at 7:00 PM, scallywag said:

What non-drug techniques are you using to cope?

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms.

Free online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy lessons.

Change the channel - dealing with cognitive symptoms.

 

Also, what are the actual symptoms you are experiencing that you are calling "depression"?

.

 

Its a bit difficult to explain what i feel.Sometimes i wake up in the morning and i feel no energy,motivation,low mood and anxiety sometimes.At various time of the day i feel worse and other time little bit better.I have no motivation to do anything but i do everything against what i feel.I do not enjoy anything from long ago but i hold there!I feel everything it rotates in a circle,waves.I feel oppression in the head.For example i had anxiety for couple of hours or days (feeling on edge and want to stay all the day outside the house and do something all the time) and then i have some time with less anxiety and more depression and then again the same like a circle.I have intense waves of depression or anxiety sometimes or mix for a couple of hours or few days.Every day is different for me!I don't know if this is normal.I feel pressure on my head,no motivation,pessimism,sometimes irritation

I'am not taking any med's since 5 April 2015.

[george11]

I have short waves of intense depression sometimes for couple of hours. I feel ok for most of the day (not really happy, I mean I always have a certain level of depression with me) but then there will be a random moment(maybe for 1-2 hours) where I just start to feel intense depression and then go away.I have also some days with anxiety and restlessness and days that i feel ok(not fully ok)

Is this normal?

Edited July 10, 2017 by scallywag
split from Windows & Waves topic

[Pepita]

2 hours ago, george11 said:

I have short waves of intense depression sometimes for couple of hours. I feel ok for most of the day (not really happy, I mean I always have a certain level of depression with me) but then there will be a random moment(maybe for 1-2 hours) where I just start to feel intense depression and then go away.I have also some days with anxiety and restlessness and days that i feel ok(not fully ok)

Is this normal?

I'd say it's a common withdrawal windows/waves pattern. I have weeks of feeling "normal" but in this time sometimes get a couple of dark hours. When I'm in a wave it's pretty miserable all the time I'd say? but of course intensity varies. I think I know what you are describing very well. Feeling normalish (or even pretty good).. then like almost suddenly mood drops, stays bad for 30 minutes to 3 hours and then it's gone again

[george11]

1 hour ago, Pepita said:

I'd say it's a common withdrawal windows/waves pattern. I have weeks of feeling "normal" but in this time sometimes get a couple of dark hours. When I'm in a wave it's pretty miserable all the time I'd say? but of course intensity varies. I think I know what you are describing very well. Feeling normalish (or even pretty good).. then like almost suddenly mood drops, stays bad for 30 minutes to 3 hours and then it's gone again

Thanks for reply Pepita

Sometimes i wake up in the morning and i feel no energy,motivation,low mood and anxiety sometimes.At various time of the day i feel worse and other time little bit better.I have no motivation to do anything but i do everything against what i feel.I do not enjoy anything from long ago but i hold there!I feel everything it rotates in a circle,waves.I feel oppression in the head.For example i had anxiety for couple of hours or days (feeling on edge and want to stay all the day outside the house and do something all the time) and then i have some time with less anxiety and more depression and then again the same like a circle.I have intense waves of depression or anxiety sometimes or mix for a couple of hours or few days.Every day is different for me!I don't know if this is normal.I feel pressure on my head,no motivation,pessimism,sometimes irritation

I'am not taking any med's since 5 April 2015!

[Pepita]

11 minutes ago, george11 said:

Thanks for reply Pepita

Sometimes i wake up in the morning and i feel no energy,motivation,low mood and anxiety sometimes.At various time of the day i feel worse and other time little bit better.I have no motivation to do anything but i do everything against what i feel.I do not enjoy anything from long ago but i hold there!I feel everything it rotates in a circle,waves.I feel oppression in the head.For example i had anxiety for couple of hours or days (feeling on edge and want to stay all the day outside the house and do something all the time) and then i have some time with less anxiety and more depression and then again the same like a circle.I have intense waves of depression or anxiety sometimes or mix for a couple of hours or few days.Every day is different for me!I don't know if this is normal.I feel pressure on my head,no motivation,pessimism,sometimes irritation

I'am not taking any med's since 5 April 2015!

 

oh yes, what you describe sounds very much like the way I am experiencing it. But it's really great that you keep going!!! Luckily I do experience longer windows as well since 6-8 months. I sometimes have 2-3 months windows in which I feel almost back to normal (only in some very stressful or emotional situations I become overflown with withdrawal like symptoms- everything is more intense l..) but the rest of the time, when WD started and after that for many months - and still when I hit waves I feel exactly the same as you do!! Every wave is different, sometimes more depressive feelings, sometimes more anxiety.. sometimes it's a real struggle to get out of bed, sometimes I feel restless at home.. like I NEED TO DO SOMETHING now (at the same time nothing really pleases me)... I have this sarcastic joke where I tell people that I am boarderliner from Boreout to Burnout;) 

 

I am off meds since September 2015 (wd kicked in around January 2016) but I was never on a really high dosage, nor did I stay on meds that long. 

 

Keep going, I promise you it will get better! I had times were I thought that's it, I'll just stay like this forever but then- overnight- a window came and everything changed. Now I am in a really nice window for about 1-2 months (hope it will continue for another while) and in this window I made huge progress concerning reaction to stress and physical training.. I know I will hit another wave.. or at least I am not telling myself that I won't have another one because I just feel extra worse when it happens again otherwise. 

[george11]

Thanks Pepita i am glad to hear that you have 2-3 months windows!

My windows last 1-2 days not more??

[Pepita]

well that's really tough! I know how important those good times are to stay positive! But recovery is the natural outcome of this, even if it does not seem like it! your time will

come!

[george11]

13 hours ago, Pepita said:

well that's really tough! I know how important those good times are to stay positive! But recovery is the natural outcome of this, even if it does not seem like it! your time will

come!

Thanks Pepita for your help!

Yesterday i was depressed the most of the day and today i am anxious!Is this alternating between depression and anxiety normal???

Thanks in advance!

[Pepita]

2 hours ago, george11 said:

Thanks Pepita for your help!

Yesterday i was depressed the most of the day and today i am anxious!Is this alternating between depression and anxiety normal???

Thanks in advance!

from my own experience- and from what I've read from many other people here yes, that's exactly the way WD works. I wouldn't say it's "normal" but yes, it is Withdrawal for sure. From what I have read in your Thread you didn't have these issues before taking meds, that makes it even more clear.

just keep on going, try not to focus on the symptoms and some day it will get better!!

[george11]

Hello everyone,since Friday i have a very bad wave?

At Friday i had extreme anxiety,chest pain and head tension all the day!!

Saturday,Sunday and Monday i had less anxiety with some depression bouts and today my day is very bad!!

I got up in the morning with very bad anxiety again,chest pain,head tension,blurred vision and i went to a hospital to check my heart!My heart rate was 110 bpm and my blood pressure 140/80!!Is this from anxiety???

Now 2-3 hours after heart check my blood pressure and heart rate is better!

What's happening with me?????

 

 

[scallywag]

Heart palpitations and changes in blood pressure *can* be withdrawal symptoms.

That said, when such events occur getting a medical examination is wise.

 

For a sense of what can be a withdrawal symptom, please read:

What is withdrawal syndrome.

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

 

[george11]

On 7/26/2017 at 5:23 AM, scallywag said:

Heart palpitations and changes in blood pressure *can* be withdrawal symptoms.

That said, when such events occur getting a medical examination is wise.

 

For a sense of what can be a withdrawal symptom, please read:

What is withdrawal syndrome.

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

 

Thanks scallywag for your reply!

It's not the first time that i have severe anxiety but this time it seems to last more days than before!Before i had severe anxiety for 1-2 days max but this time it's been almost 1 week and it's not going away?

I also have a strange vision,flashing lights in eyes,eyes pain,head tension and a feeling of depression,hopelessness!

I am afraid maybe this is a mixed states of bipolar or something?????

 

[Altostrata]

George, how are you doing now?

[ThatOneGirlStitch]

Hey George, thinking of you and hoping you're doing well. Let us know