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malu: Pristiq withdrawal


malu

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Hi, this is my first post here, (your case is similar to mine - mod note: moved from Shaesurf's topic), my doctor recommended to me to stop cold turkey after six months and a half using Pristiq (before that I used Sertraline and I had a unbearable delayed withdrawal three months after I stop it cold turkey by medical recommendation, and the doctor didn't saw it as withdrawaw symptoms), and I on my own decided to cut the pills and I tapered for 8 weeks (54 days), that way: first week 3/4, second and third weeks 1/2, fourth week 3/8, fifth and sixth weeks 1/4, seventh week 1/8 and the eighth and last week 1/16. And then I started meditating (I went to a 10 day vipassana meditation retreat the day I stopped), and I had just a little bit of anxiety after the retreat and a hang-out like discomfort sometimes when I wake up but that's it. Tomorrow it will be one month since I stopped it and I'm doing fine so far. I take magnesium supplement, Lugol's iodine solution at 5%, and eat only raw vegan food.

Edited by scallywag
tags; previous edit moved post from another intro topic

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

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Hello there, tomorrow it will be one month since I've stopped my tapering of Pristiq and I'm doing fine so far. I did it fast in comparison to this site's standards. I don't advocate doing anything that I did, I'm just stating it.

I will start with some background: I started taking Escitalopram on December 2012 for a episode of depression and anxiety I had that year, and used it from that date to october 2015. In 2015 I also used Nortriptyline (Pamelor) along with Escitalopram for 8 months more or less. Then I started using Sertraline from October 2015 to January 2016, and stopped cold turkey.

Four moths later I had unbearable withdrawal symptoms, I don't know if I can call that anxiety but I cound't concentrate, it was a torture.

My doctor thought I had bipolar disorder because of that, and disregarded it as withdrawal symptons and put me on Aripiprazole (Aristab), an atypical antipsychotic. The symptons worsened and I stopped taking it in less than two weeks.
Then he put me back on Sertraline and the symptons decreased but I would still feel that unbearable discomfort, specially on my legs and I felt like a zombie, I couldn't feel anything being on a concert, for example.

After two months back on Sertraline he put me on Pristiq and I haven't felt bad, and those feelings vanished. I was feeling all right but still wasn't feeling like myself. However not as zombie-like than as I was on Sertraline.

From July 2016 to the middle of January 2017 I took 50mg of Pristiq. I decided with my psychiatrist agreement that it was time to stop as I wasn't neither depressed nor anxious anymore. He recommended doing it cold turkey, and no one in the world would change he's mind. I then proceeded to cut the pills and tapered for almost 8 weeks (54 days).

I've tapered off of it this way:

First week I took 3/4 of a pill, the second and third weeks 1/2 of a pill, fourth week 3/8 of a pill, fifth and sixth weeks 1/4 of a pill, seventh week 1/8 and the eighth and last week 1/16 of a pill. 

During the tapering period I've felt some symptoms like anxiety, agitation and a hang out like discomfort when I wake up.

After the tapering I started meditating (I went to a 10 day Vipassana meditation retreat the day I stopped), and I had just a little bit of anxiety after the retreat and that hang out like feeling sometimes when I wake up (much more bearable than when I was tapering) and that's it.
 

I take a magnesium supplement, Lugol's iodine solution at 5%, and I eat only raw vegan food. Currently I'm also supplementing vitamins b12, b1 and b6.

Meditation is much more better than medication.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Disregard the first post. It wasn't supposed to be my intro and I can't edit it.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

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  • Moderator Emeritus

As you are already aware, Shaesurf's situation is very similar to yours.  I suggest you read the responses to Shaesurf so that you know what to do if your withdrawal symptoms worsen.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • Administrator

Welcome, malu.

 

I congratulate you on tapering Pristiq in a systematic way, without skipping doses.

 

It sounds like you are taking care of yourself. You might want to take these supplements

 

King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

Many people find them helpful.

 

Some people can get by with a fast taper. Please let us know how you're doing.

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.

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Welcome, malu.

 

I congratulate you on tapering Pristiq in a systematic way, without skipping doses.

 

It sounds like you are taking care of yourself. You might want to take these supplements

 

King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

Many people find them helpful.

 

Some people can get by with a fast taper. Please let us know how you're doing.

 

Hi, thank you, Altostrata. Today it's been one month without the drug. I want to add that when I was tapering and shortly after stopping I had very vivid dreams (not nightmares). And during the Sertraline withdrawal in the beginning of last year I think I had akathisia, along with the underlying anxiety.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Update: a little bit more than to months later: bouts of anxiety and fatigue, it appeared just when I started taking spironolactone (50 mg) by the end of april (now I'm taking 200 mg of spironolactone).

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Update: Orgasm is stronger and faster to achieve. Since the beggining of 2013 when I was taking Escitalopram my orgasm started to fade, than eventually disappeared. I think I've got PSSD. Now that I stopped the use of antidepressants I've got the strongest orgasm since 2013, but it's not like it used to be. And it feels a lot different.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

Update: More than 3 months later, I stopped eating raw food, I'm still vegan and I'll die vegan, my blood exam showed me everything's ok, I just need to exercise.

I still feel a little bit anxious at times and with low energy. I don't wake up well most of the time, it feels like a hangover. But then some minutes later after waking up everything's normal again. Apart from that I'm doing ok. No depression, I felt sad at times but because of life events as any person would feel.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Update: Depression came back even though I made a trip and saw dear friends in another city and I drunk last week (while travelling) and had a big depressive episode in the hangover, and I'm still feeling depressed right now. I haven't drink for more than a year before that, and now I know I really can't drink. I'm worried I'm feeling this depressed.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Last wednesday I was in my lowest point in a long time, thinking of suicide, but I had better days right after that. I am still depressed but it's more bearable, and there's another reason for all this, a big heartbreak.

 

Also during my trip I also took half a quetiapine tablet (I think it was 25mg) for some days to help sleep.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Malu 's' thoughts are a common wdl symptom but like you I found they would pass.

"D" is also a wdl symptom actually its not 'D' at all but wdl . 

Currently on no psychiatric medication and I intend to stay like that for now on.

Did you realise that  quetiapine is an antipsychotic ? That is a psychiatric chemical. It is very dangerous imo to take that for sleep. Are you able to find other nondrug sleep options.

 

imo You have tapered off the pristiq 50 mg too fast. and now getting hit by delayed wdl symptoms. Getting slammed three -four months out is very common...as you well know -refer post #1 above. 

 

Please be aware that if you run to the doctor regarding these wdl symptoms  an attempt will be made to push you back down the slippery sloped rabbit hole of pscyh drugs while being told verbal nonsense...as you well know.

Wishing you strength.

nz11

 

 

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

 

 

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17 hours ago, nz11 said:

Malu 's' thoughts are a common wdl symptom but like you I found they would pass.

"D" is also a wdl symptom actually its not 'D' at all but wdl . 

Currently on no psychiatric medication and I intend to stay like that for now on.

Did you realise that  quetiapine is an antipsychotic ? That is a psychiatric chemical. It is very dangerous imo to take that for sleep. Are you able to find other nondrug sleep options.

 

imo You have tapered off the pristiq 50 mg too fast. and now getting hit by delayed wdl symptoms. Getting slammed three -four months out is very common...as you well know -refer post #1 above. 

 

Please be aware that if you run to the doctor regarding these wdl symptoms  an attempt will be made to push you back down the slippery sloped rabbit hole of pscyh drugs while being told verbal nonsense...as you well know.

Wishing you strength.

nz11

 

 


Hi, yes, I did a lot of things I didn't had plans of doing in this trip, including drinking alcohol and taking quetiapine (I know it's a psychiatric chemical). Also paying for non-vegan food for friends. Thanks for the advice, I won't take that anymore (it was offered to me and I didn't think too much of it). My sleep is better now, it messed up with it for some days but now it's better. I also think I should have tapered Pristiq more slowly.

Yeah, I'm aware of that, I got depressed and anxious because of withdrawal. Do you think time can heal these symptoms? What do you think I can do to heal the withdrawal symptoms?

 

I'm thinking of taking ayahuasca after about 6 months without Pristiq for antidepressant purposes.

 

Thanks!

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Malu you dont have depression or anxiety what you have is drug wdl. If you use those words in front of a doctor that will be a trigger for more drugs and ridiculous labels.

It is best to avoid adding new drugs to the wdl process either legal or illegal natural or herbal.

I would think that would include brewing up vines and other ingredients from the amazon basin which may have a psychoactive property.

There are many links on this site regarding non drug coping strategies.

 

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
13 hours ago, nz11 said:

Malu you dont have depression or anxiety what you have is drug wdl. If you use those words in front of a doctor that will be a trigger for more drugs and ridiculous labels.

It is best to avoid adding new drugs to the wdl process either legal or illegal natural or herbal.

I would think that would include brewing up vines and other ingredients from the amazon basin which may have a psychoactive property.

There are many links on this site regarding non drug coping strategies.

 


After the worst alcohol hangover of my life last month and the quetiapine side effects after just 2 or 3 days of taking 25 mg, I think my nervous system is very sensitized because of the time spent taking antidepressants, so yeah, it doesn't seem like a good idea taking anything like that.
I'll check them out.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Update:

It’s been a while since my last update, I'm going to talk about the last two months.

 

In the middle of August I went to another 10 days Vipassana meditation retreat. I was feeling very anxious and also depressed. In the first day I felt extremely anxious, but there was something else, I don't know if it was akathisia, it was a feeling of discomfort, a feeling of extreme agony that comprised a feeling of burning from inside of my body like I was on fire, and specially in my feet, in the same manner it manifested during the Sertraline withdrawal on the beginning of last year. I thought of leaving but I decided to stay at least one more day. During the second day the anxiety and depression decreased.

 

During the seventh day the unexpected happened, I was feeling so good, but so good I felt I really good flow of pleasure in my whole body that I even had a burst of laughter that felt like an orgasm. It was a feeling of ecstasy more intense than my actual orgasm that was affected by PSSD. All the time during the retreat I tried to remain equanimous with all the feelings. I wasn't desiring to reach this state when I reached it. There was no hungover after that.

 

After the retreat I felt much better than before, my anxiety and depression was basically gone. Then the anxiety came back but mildly. But it still felt a lot better than that depression and anxiety crisis I was having from the end of June to the middle of August. Also, that heartbreak I talked about was definitely gone. The retreat helped to decrease the attachments I had to people. In hindsight I think a lot of that anxiety and depression from july to august was due to being disappointed with these people I talked about.

 

From the end of August to October I felt mild anxiety, and wasn't noticeably depressed. I'm also noticing that feeling of discomfort I described before but mildly, I think it's a thing that is tied to the anxiety. On top of that I’m experiencing fatigue lately. My sleep is better since the retreat, I don't have that feeling that is like a hungover when I wake up. But I need plenty of sleep to be well rested. Nevertheless, I'm still feeling better than before the retreat. Maybe this is the so called window. I haven't maintained the practice of meditation but I should, it really helps in the healing process.

 

One week from now it will be 7 months since I stopped taking Pristiq.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

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  • 1 month later...

Update:

 

8 months has passed since I stopped the medication, almost 9. I'm having that same feeling of "anxiety" that comes in waves, especially on my feet, sometimes it can be very unpleasant. I'm not depressed. I'm sleeping too much and can feel tired for just walking more than the usual. I'm 28 years old but I feel very tired for going out to socialize, going to a party, etc. I feel tired easily. And after such a day, I feel a need to rest more and that kind of anxiety feels more strong. It's like a hungover. In september I drank coffee and had a hungover like that. When I have an "orgasm" (it's muted because of PSSD) I feel that anxiety afterwards. My nervous system is still very sensitive because of the withdrawal.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Hi malu, I have a lot of the symptoms you describe. Agitation, vague body anxiety, strange sensations of discomfort. I'm young too (21) and find it very difficult to keep up with any kind of social life. I've had to isolate mostly, but really glad you're gaining something from going out, retreats, your friends, etc., even if they drain you somewhat. I'm glad to hear that you've got no depression now 

Aug-Dec 2015 Prozac 20mg / Dec 2015-Feb 2016 Prozac 15mg / Feb 2016-May2016 Prozac 20mg

May 2016-June 2016 15mg

June 2016-August 2016 10mg

October 2016-January 2017 15mg, alternating agitation/akathisia sets in --> cold turkey

January 2017 Clonazepam .5mg 

February 2017 Clonazepam 1mg (for a week) then .5mg morning and .25mg evening for about a month. Came down to .25mg morning and evening. 

May 1, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .125mg evening. // May 20, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .0625 evening (.3125 total).

early June .28125 // early mid june .25mg // mid june .21875 // late june .1875 // early july .15625 // early mid july .125 

mid july .09375mg // late july .0625 //early August 2017 down to .03125mg once a day, hopped off in mid August

reinstated at .0625mg late August // Oct 16 - updose to .07mg and switch to oral Rosemont solution

Nov 17 2017 reinstate Prozac .5mg // Nov 21 2017 prozac 1.6mg // Dec 18 2017  3mg prozac / fast taper off the reinstatement -- probably completely off early Oct 2018

June 2019 begin tapering off .07mg Clonazepam, Finish taper December 2019

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Hi. Actually I'm very isolated. I have no close friends now. I'm not desperate for socializing but I know it's healthy to seek connection.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Ah I see. I'm sorry to hear that. I still "have" my close friends but I find it very hard to relate to them through all of this.

Aug-Dec 2015 Prozac 20mg / Dec 2015-Feb 2016 Prozac 15mg / Feb 2016-May2016 Prozac 20mg

May 2016-June 2016 15mg

June 2016-August 2016 10mg

October 2016-January 2017 15mg, alternating agitation/akathisia sets in --> cold turkey

January 2017 Clonazepam .5mg 

February 2017 Clonazepam 1mg (for a week) then .5mg morning and .25mg evening for about a month. Came down to .25mg morning and evening. 

May 1, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .125mg evening. // May 20, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .0625 evening (.3125 total).

early June .28125 // early mid june .25mg // mid june .21875 // late june .1875 // early july .15625 // early mid july .125 

mid july .09375mg // late july .0625 //early August 2017 down to .03125mg once a day, hopped off in mid August

reinstated at .0625mg late August // Oct 16 - updose to .07mg and switch to oral Rosemont solution

Nov 17 2017 reinstate Prozac .5mg // Nov 21 2017 prozac 1.6mg // Dec 18 2017  3mg prozac / fast taper off the reinstatement -- probably completely off early Oct 2018

June 2019 begin tapering off .07mg Clonazepam, Finish taper December 2019

Link to comment

I'm sorry. To me i'ts hard to relate too. Not just because of the withdrawal, but I also have symptoms of social anxiety.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

The withdrawal process is like a friend filter. The ones you lost would have disappeared from your life anyway, just at a later stage. Don't forget that your requirements for friendships are also evolving. So don't feel to bad, you're actually ahead of the curve.

Took my first SSRI sipralexa/lexapro/escitalopram in 2007 for depression. In 2010 the doctor switched me to paroxetine/seroxat/paxil for anxiety.

My paroxetine story from then on:

 

2010-15 from 10mg up to 20mg

jan 2016 30mg

may 2016 0mg cold turkey (don't!)

dec 2016 symptoms: anxiety, tremor (could barely stand)

jan 2017 reinstated at 7.5mg to taper in steps of 10%

...

Dose changes from may 2017 to now: 

5.0/4.7/4.4/4.0/3.7/3.5/3.3/3.1mg

Link to comment

I live in a hot town, this week the temperature was 32º celsius, I took a stuffy bus, I walked under the sun, all while wearing a sweatshirt, because I feel cold all the time. I was aware my body was hot and needing to cool up, I was starting to feel nauseated, but still I didn't feel the heat as I normally did some years before. It's a very strange feeling, my body becomes too hot and I feel the need of wearing a sweatshirt, and feel the discomfort of the cold and the effects of the heat in my body at the same time. I feel cold all the time, I don't feel hot anymore. I forgot to talk about it in previous updates. I rarely sweat too. On that day I sweated a little. I remember I started to feel like this in the end of 2015, when I was taking Sertraline and withdrawed from Escitalopram and Pamelor. On may 2015 I remember feeling cold and heat in a normal way.

 

I also have paresthesia, I feel pins and needles, burning sensations, electric sensations, that sense of agony that comes in waves, all the time along with not feeling heat. Specially when I do some activity like socializing. It's hypersensivity of the nervous system.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Update: 9 months. A hypothesis about PSSD:

"Serotonin receptors inhibit dopamine. That is because they act as a method of regulation. The more serotonin that binds to the heteroreceptor, the more dopamine release is inhibited. This receptor accepts binding of different neurotransmitters in different places, which have different affects on it, including regulation of dopamine release.

Nothing is wrong with the dopamine system itself. It all works perfectly fine...But the bombarding from serotonin tricks the brain into releasing less dopamine. Now the PSSD problem is spreading. Dopamine plays a HUGE role in the sexual response, and decreased levels are disastrous. This is the likely reason that PSSD sufferers have genital and body numbing, as well as emotional bluntness and apathy. Dopamine is the pleasure hormone...without it...you're just...depressed. Some people acquire symptoms such as RLS or parkinson's-like twitches because of this decrease in Dopamine release.


It just gets worse from here, because Dopamine inhibits Prolactin release. After sex, your body releases a lot of dopamine before dopamine levels recede. This allows prolactin release to occur, and is why you have a refractory period after sex where you are not aroused. "
 

Source: http://www.pssdforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=439&sid=40f509eba4ca2706a7da5776fb7777f5

Today I had an orgasm in which I actually felt pleasure after a long time, I think I felt more dopamine than the usual (usually everything's "muted"), but still it was just a little, incomparable to what it used to be back in 2013. I felt pleasure today, just a little of that stimulant high and after that I continued to feel kind of good (usually I feel "anxious" after the "orgasms"). I still felt a little bit of that "anxiety", but less than the usual. I'm talking about paresteshias, one of the things I'm feeling right now is like my skin is full of pepper, like it is burning. My libido is stronger too, I don't even have the habit of masturbating (because of the withdrawal consequences, low libido, no orgasm, the sense of discomfort after it).

Besides that I'm sleeping too much and I don't feel really rested. I awake up with that sense of discomfort, that "anxiety" (paresthesias) and it continues throughout the day.

 

I'm still isolated but not depressed. Oh, last month I socialized with a person and I had a "hungover", I slept half of the day after that.

 



From that same link:
 

"The Significance of the Raphe Nuclei

Pronounced "ra-FAY'

What it is: The Raphe Nuclei is a collection of nuclei in the brainstem. It contains most of the Serotonergic neurons in the brain.

Why it matters: Because the Raphe Nuclei controls Serotonin signals for the entire brain, it is the target of SSRI antidepressants.

Image

As you can see above, the Raphe is more or less the serotonin signal board of the brain, heavily implicating it in PSSD. When 5HT1A A/R in the Raphe are desensitized, the result is increased synaptic serotonin levels.

Because Serotonin signaling plays a large role in mood, sleep, sexual behavior, anxiety, and heat regulation, seeing disruptions in these areas alongside PSSD would be consistent with the de-sensitization hypothesis."

 


This explains why my body temperature is so disregulated, and explains why the sex drive, (lack of) orgasm, mood, and sleep are also disrupted.
 

 


From the same link, a hypothesis about how antidepressants affects our genes and promotes epigenetic changes:

 


"Each of your Neurons (brain cells) only expresses a few of its genes at a time. This coding produces proteins that carry out operations in the cell. In our particular case, we are considered with how Raphe Nuclei cells encode 5HT1A Autoreceptors, and more specifically, the sensitivity of their receptors sites. 

It’s quite likely that we all still have the same GENOTYPE as before, but the taking of an SSRI has altered our PHENOTYPE (how our genes are expressed).

Let’s give a lab example: Rat pups with less care from their mothers release more stress hormone when they are adults. This is due to Methylation of a stress hormone receptor in the brain. These rats are then hypersensitive to stress for the rest of their lives. (T.Y. Zhang and Meaney, 2010).

This should intrigue you, as it did me. If mother care could permanently change gene expression, it would seem logical that a chemical specially designed to alter neurotransmitter levels could too. That’s a scary thought, but one that may help us to a better understanding of PSSD."


“Chronic mild stress and antidepressant treatment alter 5-HT1A receptor expression by modifying DNA methylation of a conserved Sp4 site”
I’ll attach some quotations from the study, which was published earlier this year.

“Epigenetic modifications such as histone modification or DNA methylation can induce long lasting changes in gene expression that could explain the persistent and relapsing nature of depression and the need for chronic drug treatment “

It also told us what we already know: “Similarly, an increase in raphe 5-HT1A autoreceptor levels is expected to decrease serotonergic activity throughout the brain

“DNA methylation is a dynamic and tissue-specific event that could play an important role in the persistent and relapsing nature of depression.”

“Although stress and imipramine both increase 5-HT1A expression, they may up-regulate different 5-HT1A populations”

“Epigenetic modifications can induce long-lasting changes in gene expression and mediate the emergence of persistent behavioral phenotypes”"



I hope it didn't change the normal, healthy mechanisms of my body for good.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment
On 4/7/2017 at 8:50 PM, malu said:

My doctor thought I had bipolar disorder because of that, and disregarded it as withdrawal symptons ...

1

 

OMG, that is exactly what I was worried about too. I said that to my husband the other night. Last time I saw my doctor, when I told him I had stopped the meds, I was chatty... almost in a manic way. It's only been a few times, but that manic chatter has happened, making me worry he's going to say I'm bi-polar.  That's why I started researching withdrawal symptoms and found this site.

 

Glad you've found your way out of the drugs. BTW, I've had an increase in libido since stopping the Cipralex. Nothing earth-shattering, but it's a step that even my husband has noticed. :D

My memory is a sieve.  What I can remember:

2006- Effexor started at 75mg upped to 300mg

somewhere after 2008- Switched to Cipralex started at 5mg upped to 20mg

2017- added Wellbutrin 150mg to Cipralex 20mg

occasional use of Ativan 0.5mg sublingual, usually given 7-10 tabs  -- (last used Nov 2017 ... previous? my mom's death probably? 2013)

Cold turkey Nov 13, 2017 (used Ativan once a day when it was unbearable until Rx finished)

24 Jan. 2018 - Reinstated Cipralex 5mg

31 Jan. 2018 - started Cetirizine Hydrochloride for severe allergies due to tattoo --- stopped 24 Feb. 2018

26 Feb. 2018 - Coversyl 4mg

 

Currently: 5mg Cipralex , 16mg Serc (for Meniere's), 4mg Coversyl (high blood pressure)

Supplements: 300mg Magnesium

Link to comment
7 minutes ago, JustCallMeJane said:

 

OMG, that is exactly what I was worried about too. I said that to my husband the other night. Last time I saw my doctor, when I told him I had stopped the meds, I was chatty... almost in a manic way. It's only been a few times, but that manic chatter has happened, making me worry he's going to say I'm bi-polar.  That's why I started researching withdrawal symptoms and found this site.

 

Glad you've found your way out of the drugs. BTW, I've had an increase in libido since stopping the Cipralex. Nothing earth-shattering, but it's a step that even my husband has noticed. :D


Yes, it seems like they really have no idea about withdrawal. I saw more people talking about the same thing happening to them. I'm glad we can talk here. :)

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

I think I'll suffer less and thus live better if I don't have attachment to what my body used to be and aversion to these feelings. I'll only suffer more if I do. I accept what happened and focus in the present. Everything's impermanent, all those feelings too, and they are just feelings. I think cultivating equanimity is a good idea. 

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Today I'm quite depressed. I wasn't like that for a while, but I think it's due to being alone and friendless in christmas. My family is abusive, they went to my uncle's house and didn't want me to go because they aren't interested in my happiness and they are ashamed of themselves (they only care about their image) because I'm  a trans woman, they are transphobic. So, I'm alone. I deactivated all social media because it was depressing me more.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Hey Malu,

 

I hadn't read your story until now. I'm so sorry to hear that your family is treating you this way on Christmas. I agree with you that social media can make loneliness worse sometimes. How do you plan to spend your day? Do you have any hobbies or neighbors?

 

Cheers,

Marmot

2004: Clonazepam and Celexa. 2005 - 2006: Effexor, then increased to high dose, then switched to Valproate and Seroquel. 2007: Wellbutrin + Strattera + Celexa. 2007 - 2008: Wellbutrin + Adderall + Paxil. 2008 - 2012: Wellbutrin + occasional SSRIs when I had worsened "depression", which happened around 4 times, usually after CT of WB. 2012 - 2014: WB + Sertraline, then WB + Pristiq (awful W/D) then WB + rTMS, then ketamine. 2014 - 2016: Wellbutrin 200 mg + Abilify 4 mg + Adderall 20-40 mg + Cipralex 20 mg. Oct 2016: "Tapered" Cipralex, felt outrageously anxious, irritable. Dec 2016: "Tapered" Adderall, then felt depressed, hopeless, fatigued.  Feb 6 2017: reinstated 20 mg Adderall. Mar 2017: switched to Vyvanse, upped to 30 mg. May - Aug 2017: "Tapered" Vyvanse + Abilify to zero. Oct 25, 2017: Wellbutrin from 200 to 100 mg. Sep 10, 2018:  Wellbutrin from 90 to 60 mg. Oct 29, 2018: WB from 60 to 50 mg. Dec 19, 2018: WB from 50 to 45 mg. Apr 15, 2019: WB 41 mg. May 14, 2019: WB 37 mg. Jun 8, 2019: WB 33 mg. Jul 22: WB 30 mg, then down by around 10% per month. Aug 2020: 0

 

Working hard to take my life back. Anything I say here is as a friend or peer supporter; it is not medical advice.

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1 hour ago, Marmot said:

Hey Malu,

 

I hadn't read your story until now. I'm so sorry to hear that your family is treating you this way on Christmas. I agree with you that social media can make loneliness worse sometimes. How do you plan to spend your day? Do you have any hobbies or neighbors?

 

Cheers,

Marmot

 

Hi Marmot. I don't have any plans for today. Just being at home. No neighbors. Reading, journaling... Thanks for your concern. Cheers.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Malu, I'm so sorry to hear about your transphobic family. Acceptance should be a no-brainer when it comes to family, especially from parents. But I, unfortunately, am quite aware of far too many LGBT kids that don't have that safety, love & support they deserve.  My son is trans. It's not something I truly understand, but he has my support and love. Although I can't be there in person to give you a trans' parent's hug, please know that I am hugging you in thought. 

My memory is a sieve.  What I can remember:

2006- Effexor started at 75mg upped to 300mg

somewhere after 2008- Switched to Cipralex started at 5mg upped to 20mg

2017- added Wellbutrin 150mg to Cipralex 20mg

occasional use of Ativan 0.5mg sublingual, usually given 7-10 tabs  -- (last used Nov 2017 ... previous? my mom's death probably? 2013)

Cold turkey Nov 13, 2017 (used Ativan once a day when it was unbearable until Rx finished)

24 Jan. 2018 - Reinstated Cipralex 5mg

31 Jan. 2018 - started Cetirizine Hydrochloride for severe allergies due to tattoo --- stopped 24 Feb. 2018

26 Feb. 2018 - Coversyl 4mg

 

Currently: 5mg Cipralex , 16mg Serc (for Meniere's), 4mg Coversyl (high blood pressure)

Supplements: 300mg Magnesium

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  • 1 year later...

Sorry for the misspellings, I just want to communicate. Hi, I' feel horrible. I will talk about it, but first I have to talk about the events that preceded the thing that made me so miserable now.

Many things happened, I took an antibiotic in august 2018, Cipro, a fluoroquinolone, that gave me horrible cognitive symptoms, and there is a whole community for people who suffer from the long-term effects of that, so I think I should mention it.

In September I was having panic attacks, paraesthesias, anxiety, depression, extreme fatigue, crying spells, somnolence. It felt something physiological, not only psychological. I've been eating badly, so malnutrition is a factor. But psychologically-wise I've been ok with myself, I have a girlfriend that loves me, my psychologist is great, and I have good friends that care for me.

My nervous system was hyper activating but I could sleep easily, although it wasn't so restorative.

So there's the thing. I trusted a stranger on the internet who said it was b12 deficiency symptoms. So I impulsively and stupidly took 5000mcg of cyanocobalamin that was my mom's, one that was made for taking orally, and I took partially sublingually and partially orally, I felt very stimulated, and I woke up with my left eye swollen, but I was feeling ok, then I had a panic attack, because I felt my left side numb, and I felt like fainting, and went to the ER, they just treated me for anxiety. And the week after that I had many symptoms, I lost sensation in the head, my spacial cognition was different. But my verbal cognition and thinking was okay. I had more paraesthesias, insomnia (I didn't have insomnia for years), hypoesthesia, dysesthesias, allodinias, anxiety, feelings of doom, abnormal thermal sensations (intolerance to heat), but i had relief if I ate some specific foods and teas. These were due to that b12 overdose. That week, the last week of September, I went many times to the ER, anxious, I managed to do a CT (it was fine). My left arm and leg were weaker and numb. But with hindsight I was kinda of ok, compared to now. It was possible to live, and to have joy, relaxation and relief. I stopped my hormones.

One day that week I took 1000mcg of methylcobalamin and 1000mcg of adenosylcobalamin and felt my right shoulder and the left side of my head number, and with a abnormal stimulation. The b12 was very stimulating in a body with a weak nervous system. But days after that I was kinda of okay. I read altostrata's posts about hipersensitivity to suplements, so I know now I barely should have taken crumbs of b12.

And finally, when I was alright, on 1 October, because I was having sensitivity to light, I once again impulsively and stupidly took 2000mcg of methylcobalamin and 2000mcg of adenosylcobalamin. So it was a really huge overdose for this body.

Since October 1 I'm feeling constant pain. The first weeks I didn't have energy to talk, or go anywhere, I stayed at home. That energy to go to hospital was gone. These first weeks I wasn't thinking straight, I couldn't talk or write like I'm writing right now. I stood still looking at the wall no thought would come, it was like a lobotomy, I felt like a dog. But these cognitive symptoms got a little better, so here I am. But it isn't like before. I think I lost creativity, fluency of thoughts, reasoning. I had cognitive deficits. I have "earworm", "mindworm" (things keep repeating in my mind, sounds, images). And the sensations in my whole body changed. I lost a lot of sensations (in the head, for example), but I feel constant pain (I believe it is small fibre neuropathic pain, or neuronopathic pain), my nervous system is in constant overdrive, it's stimulated, and this stimulation is painful all the time. In my back, head, arms, legs, feet, hands. It was more intense in the hands and feet in the first weeks, but it's horrible.

It's like the nerves got severely damaged. It at the same time feels like it doesn't work like before, and is painful. (even the feeling of the paraesthesias before was different, it felt more "right", and like they were painful but the nerves were "firm" in its place, and now it feels like it's severely damaged). I can't sleep well, and when i force myself to sleep more it doesn't help. I wake up feeling this intense pains. I wake up with my nervous system overactive, I can't relax! If I ingest certain foods, like milk, I suffer severely from that pain that feels inflammatory and "hyper activated". It wasn't like that before. It doesn't give me rest. So now I stopped my life, I'm at my parents house, trying to keep myself alive. I think it might be permanent because the overdose was really intense.

I did some exams after that incident, electromyography, it was normal, so that's why I think it's small fibre neuropathic pain, and MRI, it was normal, the white area of the brain, etc, looks normal. My neurologist told me to go to a psychiatrist. He made the physical tests and he said it was normal, but people who suffer with small fibre neuropathic pain pass in electromyography and reflexes tests. I went to the psychiatrist and he prescribed mirtazapine for me to sleep, and relieve the symptoms. But I didn't took. It's here, I'm feeling so much pain, sleeplessness, but I didn't take it because what if it makes things worse, knowing about antidepressants and my body that suffered a overdose on vitamin b12 that damaged my body so much. I only left the house to do these exams in the last month. I believe the overdose, that lasted for hours and I felt pain all those hours before going to the hospital, triggered glutamate receptors somehow and I suffered from excitotoxicity. My brain was drowning in glutamate. So I think that's how it fried my body. Instead of helping any deficiencies I might have, there was a huge paradoxical effect, because it was a huge overdose. So if my nervous system was very fragile before, it was damaged further. It was neurotoxic.

I'm very debilitated. Right now my arms are burning, my nerves are overexcited, and painful. Even the sensations of pleasure causes this thin, excruciating pain, like, if try to stimulate myself sexually I'll feel horrible pain, like needles injecting acid in my body. I don't know what should I do. My neurologist saw me trying to talk, and anxious, and saw that the physical was normal, and is thinking it's more "psychiatric". Like if I were crazy. But it's more physiological. Of course if you are having difficulty to think, and feel intense pain throughout the body, physiologically, you seem like a "crazy", "anxious" person. And who wouldn't be anxious? So in this moment, it isn't reallt an anxiety, depression, psychiatric condition. It's damage in my body. I want my life back. I had many suicidal thoughts, because this is the worst nightmare I've lived. But I can't leave my girlfriend, and friends, and people who helped me, and I believe in life after death and karmic consequences, but I'm truly living in a hell. I wrote all this but I can't think like before, my thoughts were more fluid, spontaneous, now it wears me out, it's like running. What I most regret was that October 1. I think it was the worst mistake of my life.

What are your thoughts about me taking mirtazapine? I don't know what to do. I want relief.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

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Oh, I forgot to mention the severe akathisia, restlessness.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

I just wake up feeling horrible, no rest, very disturbing feeling, my arms and back on fire and agony. Should I take mirtazapine? Someone please give me some advice in what to do. My life is unbearable. My brain and body feels like its inflamed. Maybe the title of this topic should be multidrugs now. I made very stupid mistakes, I know, but please help me

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

Malu,

I'm back here after several years and can't add much except to let you know someone is listening and I'm so sorry your struggling so much! Hopefully soon someone will stop by to offer you a direction to go in!   Hugs!! 🤗

 

Paxil since 1995  - 20 mg per day

Clonazepam since 1993 - .25 mg per day

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I severely damaged my nervous system with that huge sublingual b12 overdose one month ago.

December 2012 to October 2015: Escitalopram
January 2015 (I think) to October 2015: Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
October 2015 to January 2016: Sertraline (stopped it cold turkey)
April 2016: Aripiprazole (Aristab)
May 2016 to July 2016: Sertraline
July 2016 to January 2017: Pristiq 50 mg
January 2017 to March 2017: tapering off of Pristiq by cutting the pills.

Supplements: used magnesium chloride, b12. Sensitivity to it in my nervous system.
December 2019: Mirtazapine 4.5mg and stopped at almost zero.

Used to take Spironolactone 200 mg and estradiol 4 mg pills regularly until beggining of 2020. Estradiol gel on Sep. and Oct. of 2020 and was having collateral effect in my nervous system. First half of 2020: Symbicort (corticosteroid)

19 December 2020: Mirtazapine 2mg

21 December 2020: Mirtazapine 1.75mg

Link to comment

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