Pleasehelpme: Chronic insomnia and anxiety from long term antidepressant use. Can anyone help me?

[Pleasehelpme]

Hi, I've been on and off every antidepressant for the last 22 years . I started antidepressants when I was 13 because my parents are pill freaks and I was being bullied in school and not happy about it. I've taken every antidepressant ever made and gone off most of them very rapidly. Over the years my insomnia, anxiety, and depression have gotten so severe I can't even function or see straight. I have trouble focusing my eyes. The fatigue is overwhelming and I only sleep 3 to 5 hours total a night. I took a break from meds for the last 1 year and 3 months from all meds and none of my problems got better. I tried Celexa for a week last week hoping it would fix all my problems but it made me much worse in every way however it did fix my vision problems and issues with a runny nose. I live in Los Angeles. Does anyone know where I can turn locally to fix my problems? What is going on with me? I can't live like this anymore. Pleas help!

[coldturkmama]

If you were on that many drugs over the years and being off of them didn't help, that's because I can almost guarantee that you were experiencing withdrawal.

Hold tight and hopefully a moderator will be by to help and offer some advice.

[Pleasehelpme]

If you were on that many drugs over the years and being off of them didn't help, that's because I can almost guarantee that you were experiencing withdrawal.

Hold tight and hopefully a moderator will be by to help and offer some advice.

I think the drugs damaged me or something. All I know is I've gotten so much worse from the age of 21 until today. I was off Luvox, Trazodone, and Wellbutrin for 15 months and nothing improved. There were no "windows." I slept terribly every night

[Madeleine]

How did you taper off?

[Pleasehelpme]

How did you taper off?

The last few drugs I was on I tapered. I got off Luvox in 11 weeks. I got off Wellbutrin in 6 months, and I got off Trazodone in 5 weeks.

[mammaP]

Hi Please Help,  welcome to SA. You have been on so many drugs and so many changes have left your nervous system in chaos. Most of us here thought we woild improve after getting free of drugs after so long but the brain takes a long time to regain homeostasis. The dose of celexa would have been far too high, people often become very sensitive to drugs when in withdrawal. If it helped your vision and runny nose it might help in a very very tiny dose. You could try 0.5mg. How long is it since you stopped it?  Are you still feeling the effects from it? 

 

We have many topics on withdrawal that will help you to understand what is happening, and what you can do to help. 

 

It will help us if you can put your taper history in your signature, you can find how to do that here, just the last lot of drugs will be fine, with a simple note to say you had many drugs previously. 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

We would not normally recommend reinstating after so long but if celexa helped a little a minute dose might be ok, if you are not still suffering from a reaction to it.  

 

About reinstating

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

About withdrawal

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/603-what-is-withdrawal-syndrome/

 

Many of us find fish oil and magnesium help with withdrawal symptoms

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/?view=findpost&p=100596&hl=magnesium

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/