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SSRI antidepressants may also affect human immune system


Barbarannamated

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SSRI antidepressants may also effect human immune system

 

Medical Research News January 23, 2006 http://www.news-medical.net/news/2006/01/23/15510.aspx

 

COMMENT: This article briefly addresses the effect of serotonin drugs on the immune system. While bolstering the immune system sounds positive, these researchers explain the danger of an overactive immune system in which autoantibodies attack and destroy the body.

 

"Drugs that treat depression by manipulating the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain may also affect the user's immune system in ways that are not yet understood, say scientists from Georgetown University Medical Center and a Canadian research institute.

 

That's because the investigators found, for the first time, that serotonin is passed between key cells in the immune system, and that the chemical is specifically used to activate an immune response. They do not know yet, however, whether these SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) drugs "including the brands Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and others" could have either a beneficial OR DAMAGING EFFECT ON THE HUMAN IMMUNE SYSTEM." He said that while it may be possible that SSRI drugs may restore a healthy immune function in people who are depressed and prone to infections, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY MIGHT ALSO BOLSTER IMMUNITY TO THE POINT THAT THEY TRIGGER AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE.

 

At this point we just don't know how these drugs might affect immunity, so we really need to clarify the normal role of serotonin in immune cell functioning," Ahern said.

Edited by Altostrata
fixed text

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Thanxs Barb,

 

Just goes to show eh, they have no idea how they work, yet theyre handed out like candy for each and any little ailment, and i dont mean to demean anxiety and depression, but just know from experience how much worse these things are once you come off the drugs that are meant to help cure the initial problem.

 

They should not be prescribed by anyone who doesnt know how they work or is ill advised and uninformed ----- these drugs are dangerous and addictive,

WE KNOW THAT KNOW, pity we didnt know many years ago in my case.

Began taking 30mg Seroxat on 15th Jan 1997 for grief issues. Remained at that dosage until Dec 05, did doctor ct, akathesia set in along with being non functional and overly emotional, brain fog. Doctor prescribed prozac, propranelol and diazeapam to counteract side effects, and told me to ct those 3 after 2.5/3 months use, induced wd seizure on 2nd day after ct. Was reinstated on seroxat 20mg in april 06, remained at that dose until Nov 07 and began a very slow taper lasting 56 months, finally DRUG FREE on 11th may 2011.

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They should not be prescribed by anyone who doesnt know how they work or is ill advised and uninformed -----

I think that includes just about everybody in the medical profession. No one really knows how these very strong drugs affect the human mind and body, not in the short or the long term, and that's also true for a lot of drugs that are not antidepressants. Going to the doctor and accepting a prescription has become a crapshoot.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Clarifying the point in this article that serotonergics can trigger AUTOIMMUNITY in which the body attacks its own tissue and organs, INCLUDING THE BRAIN. Though I cannot prove it, my labwork traces back to LUPUS early in my treatment with Zoloft. SSRIs have been documented, as a class, to cause DRUG-INDUCED LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSIS (DILE), an autoimmune disease.

 

Neurologic lupus causes CEREBRITIS or vasculitis in the brain which decreases blood flow to brain and causes brain damage, white matter in my case. It is not unlike continual mini strokes occurring for 18 years.

 

This is not withdrawal-related but drug use related and has been reported with most SSRIs.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Clarifying the point in this article that serotonergics can trigger AUTOIMMUNITY in which the body attacks its own tissue and organs, INCLUDING THE BRAIN. Though I cannot prove it, my labwork traces back to LUPUS early in my treatment with Zoloft. SSRIs have been documented, as a class, to cause DRUG-INDUCED LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSIS (DILE), an autoimmune disease.

 

Neurologic lupus causes CEREBRITIS or vasculitis in the brain which decreases blood flow to brain and causes brain damage, white matter in my case. It is not unlike continual mini strokes occurring for 18 years.

 

This is not withdrawal-related but drug use related and has been reported with most SSRIs.

 

My gosh, what damage don't these drugs cause?

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Clarifying the point in this article that serotonergics can trigger AUTOIMMUNITY in which the body attacks its own tissue and organs, INCLUDING THE BRAIN. Though I cannot prove it, my labwork traces back to LUPUS early in my treatment with Zoloft. SSRIs have been documented, as a class, to cause DRUG-INDUCED LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSIS (DILE), an autoimmune disease.

 

Neurologic lupus causes CEREBRITIS or vasculitis in the brain which decreases blood flow to brain and causes brain damage, white matter in my case. It is not unlike continual mini strokes occurring for 18 years.

 

This is not withdrawal-related but drug use related and has been reported with most SSRIs.

 

My gosh, what damage don't these drugs cause?

 

This topic is important to me for obvious reasons. I'm not suggesting that this has happened to everyone or many, but I believe it's something to be cognizant of as doctors don't generally check for autoantibodies.

 

My sample size is small, but in my family, 100% of people who took SSRIs now have autoimmune disease: self, husband, sister-in-law, my mother. Of course, there is a built-in genetic link, but curious that both families have autoimmunity. Husband and I both started SSRIs in early 1990s and were found to have thyroid antibodies (Hashimoto's) in mid 1990s.

 

This critical issue with autoimmune disease is that it is progressive and degenerative. It may remit, wax and wane, but once it is triggered, it continues to attack the body even in the absence of the trigger (drug, in my case). It is not unlike a virus that is contracted by a tick or mosquito or sex. The carrier may be long gone, but the "infection" remains.

 

Unfortunately, the treatments for autoimmunity are extremely limited.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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I do believe that withdrawal can touch off autoimmune reactions in some people, but not as a general rule.

 

I developed thyroid antibodies very shortly after Paxil withdrawal. The antibody count has decreased over time, but nobody seems to know what this means. I'm hoping my thyroid will hang in there.

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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I do believe that withdrawal can touch off autoimmune reactions in some people, but not as a general rule.

I developed thyroid antibodies very shortly after Paxil withdrawal. The antibody count has decreased over time, but nobody seems to know what this means. I'm hoping my thyroid will hang in there.

 

Alto,

 

Were you checked for antibodies before withdrawal? Do you think it was use of SSRI or withdrawal that triggered?

 

Both mine and husband's showed up shortly after starting treatment with SSRIs back in 90s. I'm wondering if this is another case of blaming a disease state for causing "depression" (as we've touched on elsewhere) when it's actually the drugs causing the autoimmune reaction.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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No, the finding that I had thyroid antibodies was accidental, about when I was 10 months off Paxil, and the reading was very, very low. It went up for couple of years, then it gradually came down, which is what you'd expect from an induced inflammation.

 

So far, it looks like my thyroid hormones levels are okay, but decreasing.

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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  • 3 weeks later...

Bumping for new member Soledad88.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Very interesting thread. I don't think I saw it first time around.

 

In my own case, my Hashis/thyroid issues predates the AD use by 5 or 6 years. In fact, I firmly believe that my depression and anxiety were symptoms of the Hashis/thyroid. It was picked up after my thyroid was failing and I was starting on replacement therapy.

 

With 20/20 hindsight, I wish I'd had a series of tests starting in my mid 20s, as I think it might well have shown an interesting progression of the disease. However, I didn't think to say to a doctor "hey, I'm feeling fabulous - quick, do a gazillion tests!" - lol at myself.

 

B

2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012

January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg

July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg

2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg,  July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg)

2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly

10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly.

May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week

29 August 2022 - first day of zero!

My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/

Current: Armour Thyroid

 

 

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  • 4 months later...

AD's triggered vitiligo in me within 2 months of starting.

 

Wow. Was there any way to treat or reverse it? I've found no treatment. It took several doctors to correctly diagnose it. Dermatologists had no idea.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Reading this makes me so frustrated. I am waiting for results of autoimmune panel.

 

From what I've gathered, the SSRIs do have a role in immunity and it's a poorly understood one.

 

There isn't a whole lot of research on the matter:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Escitalopram+immunity

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Paroxetine+immunity

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Sertraline+immunity

 

SAMPLE ABSTRACT:

This study examines the effects of repeated administration of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), fluoxetine and citalopram (10 mg/kg, i.p.), on immunoreactivity in C57BL/6 mice. Immune functions were evaluated by the ability of splenocytes to reduce a tetrazolium salt to formazan (MTT test), to proliferate, and to produce cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and interferon gamma (IFN gamma). Citalopram administered for 1, 2 and 4 weeks stimulates the proliferative activity of splenocytes and suppresses their ability to secrete the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4. Fluoxetine administration for 1 and 2 weeks, but not 4 weeks, stimulates the proliferative activity of splenocytes, whereas a 4-week administration of fluoxetine suppresses the secretion of IL-4. Four weeks of prolonged administration of citalopram and fluoxetine induces a significant increase in the production of IL-6 and IL-10, a cytokine with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activities. The results show that, in C57BL/6 mice, the immunomodulatory effects of SSRIs depend on the SSRI used and the duration of administration.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11084221

 

Alex

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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Well, i had to stop my AD cold turkey with terrible side effects it was having as well as the white spots on my body scared the **** out of me. I was prescribed the AD for my tinnitus. I had no idea it would cause vitiligo!!

 

Its been 7 months and still am on the withdrawal phase with all the muscles in my body twitchin/spasming and having anxiety attacks every day. I got 3 new white spots during withdrawal. It has been terrible, never thought i would be going through such a phase in my life :(

 

Just using Narrowband uvb/protopic for my vitiligo now.

Oh and i also got eczema during the withdrawal.

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  • 1 month later...

Clarifying the point in this article that serotonergics can trigger AUTOIMMUNITY in which the body attacks its own tissue and organs, INCLUDING THE BRAIN. Though I cannot prove it, my labwork traces back to LUPUS early in my treatment with Zoloft. SSRIs have been documented, as a class, to cause DRUG-INDUCED LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSIS (DILE), an autoimmune disease.

 

Neurologic lupus causes CEREBRITIS or vasculitis in the brain which decreases blood flow to brain and causes brain damage, white matter in my case. It is not unlike continual mini strokes occurring for 18 years.

 

This is not withdrawal-related but drug use related and has been reported with most SSRIs.

 

I suspect the same is true for me the bottom of the brain mri report always says further testing to find the cause of the white matter issue and makes suggestions vasculitis mirgraine a few other I don't recall.

I never get beyond this testing point had a couple brain mri's due to symptoms... never any follow up beyond the mri. Have they given you any treatment...

I had one doc say to me about an immune disorder test... something came back off ... IGa or some such thing.. don't recall now... he said why bother testing there is nothing they can do about it anyway... so is that the case with the brain issue as well?

Have you had further follow up. Sorry if I am taking this thread where it does not want to go please just pm me with your answer if you wish to keep the thread on track... not so sure this is off track you decide. Thanks B

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Btdt,

 

My clinical picture and diagnostic workup have been very muddled. I first went to my endocrinologist shortly after tapering Pristiq. My neuro and cardiac symptoms coincided with withdrawal.

 

Endocrinologist started me on hydrocortisone for adrenals (~20mg/d) prior to MRI findings. My mood got markedly worse even on low dose, especially the early morning depression. I tapered off after a few months. The treatment for the immune component is high dose hydrocortisone or chemotherapeutic drugs (Cytoxin, i believe). I'm not willing to go that route and am waiting to see how withdrawal symptoms progress or change because there is significant overlap with vasculitis and vascular lesions. I have been doing much better in the last month or two.

 

I have no doubt that further testing would reveal many immune and endocrine abnormalities and antibodies. These drugs disrupt the body in so many ways, known and unknown. I'm trusting that the body knows how to self-correct, at least to a point. I'll consider further testing and MRI if symptoms worsen.

 

I'm trying to eat better and am monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose on my own. My mood symptoms coincide strongly with low blood glucose, especially in morning.

 

Your doctor's advice sounds wise. Thanks for sharing that.

 

B

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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It has not been three years yet and I do wonder if the reason you reacted badly to the med was hypersensitivity. I could not take any drug and ditched everything else when I stopped Effexor. It was a solid 3 years before I could feel kinda human much of the time. I am thinking you may see a big improvement in 3-4 years. At 5+ years out I still react to a lot of medications. I had a car accident in Dec and was given oxycodone for pain even as the doctor was writing it out I knew I would not be able to handle the dose he would suggest. Normally I would not take anything other than advil my drug of choice (especially after I noticed advil and a cup of coffee -once I could drink coffee again would cure morning brain fog) I am not allowed advil just now because of a drug reaction to an antibiotic which has turned my digestion upside down. I can tolerate 1/8th - 1/4 of one of these pain pills only when I deem it essential to my well being. I hope you do not get any further challenges while you are healing and hope for good things in the next year or so.

As for myself I have toyed with the immunity issue some test results have come back suggesting immunity is an issue. I am looking into things as need be. I have talked to some people who have infusions of some sort to re establish their immunity. I had a concussion and am blaming that on my foggy thinking just now but I know it may well be just withdrawal still... as I find anything that challenges my health will bring wd symptoms back to the forfront hard as rocks.

I will post if there is any confirmed dx that may be of interest to you.

ps I am not advocating anyone use advil and coffee to treat brain fog I am just saying it worked for me.

If your in the early stages of withdrawal you may find coffee makes you dizzy and is a good idea listen to your body and don't drink it. peace all.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I am not sure if this fits here but it may be on interest to some on this thread:

 

http://autoimmunehealing.blogspot.ca/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=11

 

This is from a blog

"Recently I stumbled across a study that proved serotonin as the link between vascular disease and fibrosis. This was a real eye opener to me."

 

Several research articles some of titles are as follows:

 

Serotonin and Liver Function

 

Liver Function and

Alzheimer's Disease

 

Research on Serotonin Levels in Autoimmunity

 

Relationship between Infection (Viral, Bacterial) and Serotonin

 

More research on Serotonin, Depression and Scleroderma

 

Serotonin and Scleroderma (Fibrosis)

 

Many Benefits Of N-Acetyl Cysteine

 

Health Benefits of Saffron

 

Studies Connecting Autoimmunity to Viral and Bacterial Infection

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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  • 10 months later...

hi, I want to comment as a patient of AI disease, as an antidepressant user and a biologist. I must say first that I'm not against the use of ADs but I think they are way overprescribed. sadness is not depression, and as any human emotion, sadness is not bad per se. you are entitled to be sad if you lose your job, if someone dies or leaves you. the problem is when there is not only sadness, when there's something worse, the lack of any feeling, the moment when you are dead inside. a lot of people is medicated just to avoid being sad, and that leads you to a worse problem, the dependency on a drug. I do think ADs should be used in some cases, with care and as a last resort, because if not, they're more harm than good. in my case, I think they saved me. I know as a biologist that some animals do suffer from problems in neuronal signalling, and they just let themselves die. human brain, as strange as it may sound, functions the same way. we depend on serotonin, dopamine, octopamine, as mechanisms to ensure we look for food and we look for things that make us feel good (and a mechanism to cause a reward feeling). when some of those mechanisms fail, you can be depressed, or fall into addictions or other damaging behaviors.

that said, here comes my story with AIs and depression.

 

my first AI disease was hashimoto's. I basically lost my thyroid when I was 12, and I wasn't on antidepressants (I wasn't on any medication, in fact. I tend to avoid them when they are not absolutely necessary). at 18 I developed a major depression, followed by an eating disorder. I'm taking antidepressants ever since. and, 10 years later, I developed rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia after a surgery.

 

in my case, I'm not blaming ADs, in fact I developed my first AI when I wasn't on ADs and a lot of relatives that suffer from AI do not take ADs. both things run in my family, AIs and depression.  however, as a biologist, I must tell you that neither of them is absolute. you may have a tendency to develop an AI illness, and however it may never show. and yeah, medications may play a role.

 

however, the fact of suffering from depression and AIs do not assure a cause-consequence relationship. the most common AI, hashimoto's, may be undetected and it can cause depression as a secondary illness. you can later develop lupus, or other AI, and believe it's because of an antidepressant, when it is really common to develop another AI when you already suffer from one. ADs may be catalysts, but you can't jump into the conclusion that they CAUSED the second illness.

if you google the term "neuroimmunomodulation" you can see there's a recently emerged field that studies the complex relationships between brain, immunology and hormones. those systems are really interconnected and there's also  high possibility that AIs can develop (in predisposed individuals) as a consequence of chronic depression, stress or hormonal imbalances. 

 

 

that said, I think it's always best to leave drugs when you can. some years back I was really taking a lot of things because I fell in the hands of a psychiatrist that had some "arrangements" with labs, she got me totally drugged, I couldn't study and lost a year at the university. it was a pain in the *ss but I got rid of her, and my current psychiatrist helped me taper most of the meds. turns out I still need the antidepressants, but I'm doing therapy and perhaps I could leave them in the future. perhaps not. it seems that neurotransmitter issues come in my genes and hypothyroidism doesn't help, nor do my medications for fibromyalgia pain (they mess up with serotonin levels). I'm not pressing myself to leave them right now. 

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Alsita do you have any ideas on "neuroimmunomodulation" and vitamin D now that we now know it is a hormone and not a vitamin?  Seems we were born before they figured out what we need to know.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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hi, I want to comment as a patient of AI disease, as an antidepressant user and a biologist. I must say first that I'm not against the use of ADs but I think they are way overprescribed. sadness is not depression, and as any human emotion, sadness is not bad per se. you are entitled to be sad if you lose your job, if someone dies or leaves you. the problem is when there is not only sadness, when there's something worse, the lack of any feeling, the moment when you are dead inside. a lot of people is medicated just to avoid being sad, and that leads you to a worse problem, the dependency on a drug. I do think ADs should be used in some cases, with care and as a last resort, because if not, they're more harm than good. in my case, I think they saved me. I know as a biologist that some animals do suffer from problems in neuronal signalling, and they just let themselves die. human brain, as strange as it may sound, functions the same way. we depend on serotonin, dopamine, octopamine, as mechanisms to ensure we look for food and we look for things that make us feel good (and a mechanism to cause a reward feeling). when some of those mechanisms fail, you can be depressed, or fall into addictions or other damaging behaviors.

that said, here comes my story with AIs and depression.

 

my first AI disease was hashimoto's. I basically lost my thyroid when I was 12, and I wasn't on antidepressants (I wasn't on any medication, in fact. I tend to avoid them when they are not absolutely necessary). at 18 I developed a major depression, followed by an eating disorder. I'm taking antidepressants ever since. and, 10 years later, I developed rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia after a surgery.

 

in my case, I'm not blaming ADs, in fact I developed my first AI when I wasn't on ADs and a lot of relatives that suffer from AI do not take ADs. both things run in my family, AIs and depression.  however, as a biologist, I must tell you that neither of them is absolute. you may have a tendency to develop an AI illness, and however it may never show. and yeah, medications may play a role.

 

however, the fact of suffering from depression and AIs do not assure a cause-consequence relationship. the most common AI, hashimoto's, may be undetected and it can cause depression as a secondary illness. you can later develop lupus, or other AI, and believe it's because of an antidepressant, when it is really common to develop another AI when you already suffer from one. ADs may be catalysts, but you can't jump into the conclusion that they CAUSED the second illness.

if you google the term "neuroimmunomodulation" you can see there's a recently emerged field that studies the complex relationships between brain, immunology and hormones. those systems are really interconnected and there's also  high possibility that AIs can develop (in predisposed individuals) as a consequence of chronic depression, stress or hormonal imbalances. 

 

 

that said, I think it's always best to leave drugs when you can. some years back I was really taking a lot of things because I fell in the hands of a psychiatrist that had some "arrangements" with labs, she got me totally drugged, I couldn't study and lost a year at the university. it was a pain in the *ss but I got rid of her, and my current psychiatrist helped me taper most of the meds. turns out I still need the antidepressants, but I'm doing therapy and perhaps I could leave them in the future. perhaps not. it seems that neurotransmitter issues come in my genes and hypothyroidism doesn't help, nor do my medications for fibromyalgia pain (they mess up with serotonin levels). I'm not pressing myself to leave them right now. 

Gosh, I don't subscribe to your line of thinking. I have positive ABs for literally every AI disease on the panel and my experience is that chronic infections, immune-affecting toxins and leaky gut + food allergies is sufficient to explain the AI I am experiencing. The antidepressants damage the gut terrain and contribute to leaky gut and they also probably have other affects on immunity. Right now the thinkng on autoimmune diseases is very incorrect IMO and this is playing out on the internet where there is now a lot of case histories showing how repairing the gut integrity and terrain and identifying pathogenic infections can correct undiagnosed infections underlying AI diseases and in many cases reverse the effects so long as the damage is not too FUBARed. In any case, good luck with your health and I am sorry you have an eating disorder. I have an eating disorder so to speak but this is caused by a worm infection in my small intestine which is very difficult to eradicate for me. Evidence suggests I will recover from this if I am able to remove the pathogens underlying the infection.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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Why are people here calling autoimmune disorders Al?  

I read something yesterday about Nitrous Oxide being able to kill off things in the body ... not sure how as. 

 

Nitric Oxide Benefits

NO has an incredible reach in the human body as it is involved virtually every major system. Every organ in the body can benefit from increasing blood, oxygen and nutrient flow to them! Indeed, nitric oxide has been shown to improve brain function, wound healing, weight loss, muscle and strength gain, endurance, and fight other vascular diseases. It has been shown to benefit cancer and diabetes patients as well as healthy individuals just working on their diet. There is a reason that nitric oxide supplements are such a big deal. They can improve the body’s natural ability to heal, fight disease, and grow.

http://www.nitricoxide.org/?gclid=CKjiybPjgb0CFecWMgodoXAA_w

 

I was reading about because on another thread " validation is imminent" there was a post that nitrous oxide is suppressed by ssri type drugs. 

from the same link as above 

"

What Does Nitric Oxide Do? 146812000.jpg?c46764

Nitric oxide is produced by three main enzymes called nitric oxide synthase or NOS for short.

  •  NOS1 produces nitric oxide that is used in the brain to signal between neurons.
  • NOS2 or iNOS, produces inducible NO at a rate 100 – 1000 times normal. NO is poisonous to bacteria and at this high rate of production, the body uses nitric oxide as an important part of the immune system and for wound healing.
  •  NOS3 or eNOS, is the one that most people think about when we talk about nitric oxide. This enzyme produces nitric oxide in the inner lining of the blood vessels, called the endothelium, which instructs the blood vessels to relax. This relaxing, or expanding of the blood vessels is called vasodilation. Vasodilation helps to reduce blood pressure, improve circulation, and improve waste removal efficiency."

Not saying I understand it cause I don't really but I always have to look at every new lead as one of them one day may be part of the answer that helps me improve. 

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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The use of the sun for therapeutic purposes is nothing new, dating back (at least in documented medical times) to ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman times.  And there are many buildings dotted around New Zealand which were, until relatively recently, tuberculosis hospitals with large sun-facing balconies.  Modern phototherapy is still used, mostly for skin conditions.  With many of these skin conditions characterised by a high cellular turnover, one of the modes of action for the beneficial effects of UV radiation, involves UVB radiation reducing the rate of DNA synthesis in these cells and thus reducing their turnover rates.  UVB radiation can also have immunosuppressive effects, effectively reducing inflammation.


Time in the sun can also play a role in regulating vasodilation of blood vessels, immune defences, neurotransmission, and programmed cell death, all via the effect of UVA radiation on the gaseous compound, nitric oxide.  Human skin and the skin vasculature make up the largest storage organ in the body for nitric oxide derivatives such as nitrite and nitrosothiols.  Nitric oxide is rapidly released following UVA exposure, with the UVA radiation able to recycle nitrites and nitrosothiols back into nitric oxide.  It is thought that this ultraviolet radiation-mediated nitric oxide pathway results in higher concentrations of nitric oxide being released than those produced enzymatically by nitric oxide synthases in the plasma.


As nitric oxide plays an important role in mediating vasodilation, it is thought that sunlight exposure may offer health benefits relating to this role;


http://thatpaleoguy.com/2012/05/04/beyond-vitamin-d-beneficial-effects-of-life-under-the-sun/


may be putting too much into this and too many posts on NO.  I will wait for a response.  To see if this information is welcomed or not. 


WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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will leave this more scientific article for those interested 

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1080/15216540152845993/pdf

no I don't understand it I am having trouble thinking again. 

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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http://thyroidbook.com/blog/nitric-oxide-modulation-for-autoimmune-disease/

No in immune modulation... again don't get it.

this non thinking bit is the most frustrating part of all this for me. in a hour or a wk I will click back in but just now it is a no go... grrr

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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