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Weight gain, weight loss, appetite changes, hunger


Neuroplastic

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Glad I found this thread!! I put on 40 lbs with Zoloft pretty quickly - like others said, it's like it makes it impossible to control cravings. My sugar intake was way too high. Going off Zoloft didn't make the weight go away, but made it so I could curb cravings (major sugar detoxes) and focus on clean eating and exercise. I mean, on Zoloft I couldn't even get myself off the floor, so I couldn't exactly control what I ate or how I exercised. I'm now down 25 lbs in 5 months of clean eating and exercise. 9 months off drugs. Hugs to all who've been damaged by these drugs. xxoo

I took Zoloft at 50mg/day, then 100mg/day, for 18 months for Postpartum Depression. My dr wanted to increase to 150mg, at which point I decided I needed to get off (at about 1 year). I had many debilitating symptoms but it took me a while to recognize that it was the drug causing the problems. I tapered off over 6 months, and had lots of horrible discontinuation symptoms. I went from 100 to 50 by alternating doses (doctor's plan), for probably 2-3 weeks, then to 50, and stayed there for several months. Then down to 25mg/day alternated with 50 mg/day for a couple of weeks, then straight 25, then every other day 25, for like 2 weeks each time, down to one dose of 25 every few days, then off completely. I'm now 3-4 months drug-free but still experiencing severe mood fluctuations and some depression and self-harm. Just wondering when it's all going to end and when I'll be back to my old self. As long as the answer isn't "never" I just want to hear other stories. xo

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  • 1 month later...

I think I've tapered to 5mg Prozac for 6 weeks now and I've put on around 3 or 4 pounds lol. I'm usually 8 and a half stone, but I'm now 8 stone and 3 quarters lol. I'm thin boned and 5ft5, so it's probably the heaviest I've been. I've been 8 and a half or less for years.

2001 - Prozac 20mg for a week weeks   2001- Venelaxafine 37.5 mg  2006 - Ciptralex 10mg I think   2008 - Mirtazipine (not sure of dose, was the lowest though).  2008 - Citalopram (standard dose)  2009 - Prozac 20mg until 29 Feb 2016  2016 - Setraline 25mg for 3 days (from March 3rd until March 5th).  2016 - 11th March Reinstated 5mg prozac. 26th May 2016 down to 4.5mg Prozac. 26June 2016 down to 4mg prozac. Back up to 5mg on 3rd July 2016.

Supplements - B- Complex, Flaxseed oil, L-lysine 1000mg, Iron 20mg. Spirulina 500mg. Quest Synergist Magnesium 150mg, Salmon oil 1000mg twice a day, Evening Primrose oil 500mg. 

Cipralex 10mg 17th July 2016.

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Citalopram seems to have an effect on weight. I lost 10kg (22lbs) in 2 months when I CT'd. Since I reinstated a year ago I've put on 20kg (44lbs). Diet and exercise have remained about the same, if anything i'm eating slightly less now.

 

It could just be middle-age spread, but I think it's more likely to have something to do with the metabolism being screwed up by the drugs. Hopefully it will all come off again as I taper.

 

I've never been fat before and I don't like it  :mad:

2001: 20mg paroxetine
2003-2014: Switched between 20mg citalopram and 10mg escitalopram with several failed CT's
2015: Jan/ Feb-very fast taper off citalopram; Mar/ Apr-crashed; 23 Apr-reinstated 5mg; 05 May-updosed to 10mg; 15 Jul-started taper; Aug-9.0mg; Sep-8.1mg; Oct-7.6mg; Nov-6.8mg; Dec-6.2mg
2016: Jan-5.7mg; Feb-5.2mg; Mar-5.0mg;  Apr-4.5mg; May-4.05mg; Jun-3.65mg; Jul-3.3mg; Aug-2.95mg; 04Sep-2.65mg; 25Sep-2.4mg; 23Oct-2.15mg; 13Nov-1.95mg; 04Dec-1.75mg; 25Dec-1.55mg.
2017: 08Jan-1.4mg; 22Jan-1.25mg; 12Feb-1.1mg; 26Feb-1.0mg; 05Mar-0.9mg; 15Mar-0.8mg; 22Mar-0.7mg; 02Apr-0.6; 09Apr-0.5mg; 16Apr-0.4mg; 23Apr-0.3; 03May-0.2mg; 10May-0.1mg

Finished taper 17 May 2017.

Read my success story

 

I am not a medical professional. The information I provide is not medical advice. If in doubt please consult with a qualified healthcare provider.

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During my last wave I lost 5 Ibs because I completely lost my appetite, (had severe SI and depression) on top of that I had akathesia so couldn't stop moving which sped up the weight loss.

 

Now that I'm in a window, my appetite is back 10-fold so all that weight has gone back on.  I have also had hormonal stuff going on.

 

The fun never ends in WD, lol

Dose History: 19 Feb 2014 - Escitalopram 10mg daily June 2015 - Started taper, 5mg every other day July 2015 - 5mg every 2 days August 2015 - 5mg every 3 days September 2015 - 5mg every 4 days Sept 14th - Completed tapering, but at 7 weeks "drug free" I suffered serious WD symptoms as a consequence of "incorrect" tapering. Nov 25 2015 - Re-instated Cipralex @ 2.5mg daily. WD symptoms faded. Held at this dose and experienced "windows and waves". 12 Oct 2017 Reduced dose to 1.25mg. 13 Mar 2018 Reduced dose to 0.625mg (approx.). 16 April 2018 0mg. Windows and waves triggered by stress (IBS/reflux, headaches, sinus issues) Aug 2019 Mirena coil fitted 6 Jan 2020 MAJOR Wave hit 19 months following last dose (protracted WD).  Symptoms listed below Mar 2020 Mirena coil removal.

Therapy: Nov 15th 2016 Re-started therapy Jan 19th 2017 Started CBT Dec 2017 Started listening to Hypnotherapy CD (self-esteem). Nov 2019 Started couples therapy.

Supplements: "Bioglan" Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora 10 billion CFU, live Bacteria, Probiotic, suitable for Vegetarians, with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum"Pukka" Vitalise a unique blend of 30 energising botanicals.

Diet: 16 April 2018 Detox cleanse / anti-candida for 90 days. Jan 2020 Started "small plate" diet (i.e child size portions).

Exercise: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Elliptical/upper body workout, walking.

Medical Test Results: 4 Jan 2017 Homeopathic Treatment starts 24 Feb 2017 Started weight loss program 24 Mar 2017 Naturopathic Treatment + anti-Candida diet started due to suspected Candida Related Complex (CRC). DETOXED for 7 weeks to "re-set" gut. April 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Comprehensive Stool Analysis NEGATIVE; Full Blood Count (Normal) / Blood Cholesterol: 5.6 (Borderline) / Blood Sugar (Normal) / 28 Jun 2017 FSH 8.2 / 14 Nov 2017 FSH 17.7 Dec 2017 Blood Cholesterol: 3.9 (Normal) / Kidney Function (Normal) / Blood Sugar (Normal). December 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Food panel allergy (bloodwork) analysis - a few "VERY LOW/VL" allergens; Mar 2018 "Genova Diagnostics" SIBO urine analysis: High Level of Yeast/fungal markers found in small intestine but NO SIBO.  April 2018 Thyroid (Normal) / Full Blood Count (Normal) / FSH (Normal). 16 April 2018 Started anti-Candida diet - 3 month protocol.   25 March 2020 All test results "Normal". CRP" 5 mg/L (normal range to 0-5 mg/L).

Symptoms:  Flu-like symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, sinus headaches right-side (severe), IBS issues/reflux (severe)**, tinnitus, fatigue, inner tremor, nausea, chills/hot flushes, pounding heart, muscular issues including stiff left hip flexor, intense anger, PSSD (ongoing).  **Histhamine intolerance (suspected).

Major Life Events: 

Re-located to UK from Canada: Jan 2016

My father died: 5:05pm, Monday 5 Feb 2018 Last Lexapro dose: 16 April 2018 (its now been over a year since I quit ADs)  Moved house: Friday 23rd February 2018  "Divorced" toxic Mother: Monday 26 March 2018 Starting working again: 19 November 2018  Diagnosed with: 5th August 2021 PTSD/C-PTSD Diagnosed with: March 2022 Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Painful bladder syndrome

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Hi, I am half way through coming off a tricyclic and also seroquel.  I thought, as I reduced my weight would reduce. ( I have gained about 28 pounds since being on this combination) My eating patterns are not good. At night I binge on carbs and no matter how hard I try, I cant stop. I have tried to take the meds earlier , but then I just binge all day. I thought of going to Overeaters Anonymous but there one person said I couldn't be on any drugs and didnt seem to understand how slowly I have to withdraw. I hate myself doing it and thought it would ease with my reducing the meds, but so far, no luck.   I guess Im not looking for a magic cure, just a hope that one day I will get better at this.

Chronic severe nerve pain and depression since 1984 (due to a motor vehicle accident and spinal injuries)  Due to long tern pain was on Morphine, Neurontin, Codeine, Valium . Off these meds altho occasional codeine.  Since 2002 Serequel for Insomnia. 25mg.  15 yrs on Clomipramine/tri-cyclic a/d.  Aug 2015. 100mg cut to 95mg. Late aug 95-90mg. Sept 1st, 90mg to 85mg. Sept 14.85mg to 80mg. October 1st , 80 to 75mg. Oct 15; 75 to 70.  Nov 1st ; 70mg-65mg.  Nov14: 65 to 60mg. 60mg. December ..break. Jan2016. 60mg to 55mg. Symptoms began: very sleepy, achy, light headed, dizzy, increased pain, numb, depressed..  Jan 30/ 55 to 50mg. Symptoms/ extreme tiredness. blurry vision and inaccurate vision, painful and itchy eyes, depression, insomnia, flu like symptoms. achy/ sweating/ relationship issues. work issues. Feb 10th. Back up to 55mg. Withdrawl symptoms subsided. March 10: 55 to 50mg. withdrawl ok. April 12 Seroquel 21mg May 12 Seroquel 17mg. Nov severe depression went up to 75mg Anti dep.  Jan 2017, diagnosed with Bi Polar 2 and prescribed 60mg Epilim. Instant relief. March Doc suggested slow decrease of anti dep so from 75 to 70, March 17, 2017.

 

 

 

 

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I'm now almost 4 months off. Too early to expect weight loss? It's so depressing because I can't workout hard like I was before poopout and that's the only time I have seen results with my body. I get allergies and hives so I have cut out some high histamine foods. I try to not eat too many carbs. But I can't do with cutting crabs right now. It made me cranky and anxious while on med. I exercise and eat good. Doctor ran tests on my thyroid said it was normal. I just feel stuck. I'm thinking the stress from wd is keeping from losing. Anyone have a time frame off meds where the weight loss started ? I was hoping it would melt off but it's not budging. It's depressing. I would just drink protein shakes but I can't find one that doesn't have an artificial sweetener.

Panic attacks-Prozac 20mg 4 years

Effexor 75mg approx 9 years

Effexor to Zoloft 25 mg approx almost 2 weeks

Also used very low dose of Valium 1 mg sometimes 2x a day for anxiety for a month during medication changes.

Zoloft to Celexa 10 mg approx a week

Celexa to Prozac 10 mg for approx 5 weeks

Weaned off Prozac 10-5-2.5 mg

As of 1-8-2016 off everything

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Something that may or may not work for you Shelby is preparing carbs properly first.  For instance, soaking oats, grains, nuts, seeds, rice before eating them, or making sourdough bread, or soaking muesli/porridge overnight before eating it.  Switching from white/processed carbs to wholemeal carbs also helps. 

 

When my husband and I started doing this about 10 years ago, we each began to move towards a healthier weight.  The interesting thing was that for me that meant gaining weight, and for my husband it meant losing it.  Yet that same diet change worked for each of us. 

 

So, you still get to eat carbs, but they just work better for your body and digestive system.  There's lots on google - try Nourishing Traditions or Weston A Price for starters.  You can probably also google recipes for making your own protein shakes too. 

2010  Fluoxetine 20mg.  2011  Escitalopram 20mg.  2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS.  Effexor 150mg. 

2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants.  Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. 

Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms).

8 month hold.

2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent).

2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well.
Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea.

2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

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  • 2 weeks later...

All my clothes are tight and my boobs have gone massive ???? It's really uncomfortably. I haven't really eaten more than I usually do. I do enjoy eating my food now though because I don't have the heartburn Prozac gave me.

2001 - Prozac 20mg for a week weeks   2001- Venelaxafine 37.5 mg  2006 - Ciptralex 10mg I think   2008 - Mirtazipine (not sure of dose, was the lowest though).  2008 - Citalopram (standard dose)  2009 - Prozac 20mg until 29 Feb 2016  2016 - Setraline 25mg for 3 days (from March 3rd until March 5th).  2016 - 11th March Reinstated 5mg prozac. 26th May 2016 down to 4.5mg Prozac. 26June 2016 down to 4mg prozac. Back up to 5mg on 3rd July 2016.

Supplements - B- Complex, Flaxseed oil, L-lysine 1000mg, Iron 20mg. Spirulina 500mg. Quest Synergist Magnesium 150mg, Salmon oil 1000mg twice a day, Evening Primrose oil 500mg. 

Cipralex 10mg 17th July 2016.

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I just grabbed a measuring tape and measured my waist, I've put on 2 or 3 inches on my waist in the last few weeks :( my waist is usually 27 (I've never had a sexy small waist) and it's now 30inches. Arghhh. I'm very active. I've never had problems with my weight it's always stayed the same.

Has tapering Prozac caused a hormone imbalance? Or is because my body has none of that adrenaline feeling Prozac gave me. Have my adrenal glands changed or something. I keep asking myself these questions all the time. None of my trousers fit ???? It just all seems to have gone to my waist and busts. Lol. I hope it all evens out soon, whatever it is.

2001 - Prozac 20mg for a week weeks   2001- Venelaxafine 37.5 mg  2006 - Ciptralex 10mg I think   2008 - Mirtazipine (not sure of dose, was the lowest though).  2008 - Citalopram (standard dose)  2009 - Prozac 20mg until 29 Feb 2016  2016 - Setraline 25mg for 3 days (from March 3rd until March 5th).  2016 - 11th March Reinstated 5mg prozac. 26th May 2016 down to 4.5mg Prozac. 26June 2016 down to 4mg prozac. Back up to 5mg on 3rd July 2016.

Supplements - B- Complex, Flaxseed oil, L-lysine 1000mg, Iron 20mg. Spirulina 500mg. Quest Synergist Magnesium 150mg, Salmon oil 1000mg twice a day, Evening Primrose oil 500mg. 

Cipralex 10mg 17th July 2016.

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when i went on zyprexa i steadily put on 2 - 3 pounds a month it doesnt sound a lot but before you know it your suddenly becoming fat.Its strange because my dietary habits didnt change and I eat a good well balanced diet with little sugars or fast foods etc.I never noticed and additional hunger while on it that most people report ,but it realy did slow my metabolism down and i became a coach potato with little or no motivation to do anything

Ive been off almost 3 months now and I am definitely loosing weight partly because ive got the motivation and get up and go to exercise 3 times a week but also because its a horrible med for weight gain

2012 put on Citalopram and diazepam for 3 months for "depression" after filling in a 3 minute form at the doctors, had a massive reaction with panic attacks and extreme anxiety,never suffered panic attacks or anxiety before citalopram.Told to quit cold turkey which led to two hospital admissions during 2012/2013

December for 6 months Seroquel dosage adjusted up and down 50mg ,150mg ,100mg, caused severe tinnitus ,told to quit cold turkey

2013 January for 12 months Lorazapam given to me like sweets,told to quit cold turkey

2013 May Zoloft for 6 months ,told to quit cold turkey, reinstated 50mg tapered 2nd time over a month (to fast but I survived)messed up my sleep

Zyprexa April 2103 5mg until august 2014 ,dropped by doctor down to 2.5mg for one month went well but sleep was very poor for 3 weeks

End of 2015 I had to reinstate back up to 5mg due to constant insomnia that wouldnt go away Started a slow taper and found an understanding doctor who listened to me while I reduced
May 2016 drug free, sleeping and doing well in life again, it can be done http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12078-finally-off-zyprexa/

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I had posted in February that I had gained 21lbs in 5 months while taking Remeron.  During the past year I tried the Whole 30 Plan, and then a low carb plan, nothing worked.

 

However, I am now down to lower doses on both my meds and I am starting to lose weight.  I haven't gotten on the scale but I can fit into a smaller size jeans and a friend who hadn't seen me in about 3 months said I looked as if I had lost a significant amount of weight.  I think the puffiness has gone down in my face.  Haven't lost the Remeron puffy stomach (not where I ever have gained weight before)  but I am hoping the weight will drop as I get off.

 

Hibari

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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Three years on zyprexa and all that other crap doctors gave me and if I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror I didn't recognise myself and was embarrassed at the state I had got into

2012 put on Citalopram and diazepam for 3 months for "depression" after filling in a 3 minute form at the doctors, had a massive reaction with panic attacks and extreme anxiety,never suffered panic attacks or anxiety before citalopram.Told to quit cold turkey which led to two hospital admissions during 2012/2013

December for 6 months Seroquel dosage adjusted up and down 50mg ,150mg ,100mg, caused severe tinnitus ,told to quit cold turkey

2013 January for 12 months Lorazapam given to me like sweets,told to quit cold turkey

2013 May Zoloft for 6 months ,told to quit cold turkey, reinstated 50mg tapered 2nd time over a month (to fast but I survived)messed up my sleep

Zyprexa April 2103 5mg until august 2014 ,dropped by doctor down to 2.5mg for one month went well but sleep was very poor for 3 weeks

End of 2015 I had to reinstate back up to 5mg due to constant insomnia that wouldnt go away Started a slow taper and found an understanding doctor who listened to me while I reduced
May 2016 drug free, sleeping and doing well in life again, it can be done http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12078-finally-off-zyprexa/

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Thats awesome! I gained about 40 lbs on Prozac and I cannot for the life of me lose weight. I did not plan to get off the Prozac until i was eating clean and exercising for 5 months with no progress. I didnt lose a thing!!!! it was so frustrating. So i did some research and went to my dr and told her i was done. I have never had this much trouble losing weight. I am hoping it doesnt take me years to get this weight off. I havent stopped working out and eating right so im hoping. I started to taper off the meds about 6 weeks ago. I am not off of the prozac completely. Its been about a week and so far im doing ok. I dont feel the cravings for sugar as much and im not eating constanly. I seriously was like a bottomless pit and i ate alot at once. I constantly craved sweets. Im also not as tired. I was able to sleep all day long on prozac. I want to know about anyones recent weight loss after stopping their meds!!

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So I have been searching for some answers from others who have been on Prozac before. I started Prozac 2 1/2 yrs ago, my panic attacks were out of control. I had to quit my job. I had tried tons of meds and nothing helped. Prozac did help right away, I found out i was pregnant shortly after starting. My drs told me to stay on it since the panic was so bad.

 

My son is going to be 2 this week and I havent lost any of the weight from the pregnancy. I changed my whole diet and worked out for 5 months. After no weight loss, i was done with Prozac. It has been a week since i have completely stopped.

 

Has anyone lost any weight after stopping? I would love to know. I am eating clean and I go to the gym and do insanity. I cant believe i havent lost anything after all this hard work!!!! :angry: 

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I am losing a lot of weight it is hard to eat with my gerd and wd gut along with food sensitivities caused by wd. How can I avoid losing too much? I don't want to get sick I do eat veggies oatmeal melon every day but not a lot . I have lost 15 lbs in a month and a half.

Zoloft 6mg gabapentin 600 mg lamictal 25 mg

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I just started my 11th month. I've lost about 15-20 pounds when i weighed in a couple of months ago. But since then i went down another pant waist size. 

 

I get the occasional need for munching to the point of being ravenous. But for the most part the brown bag lunch I pack is seldom finished when I go home from work.  I also try to do some exercise every day, sometimes my fatigue is just too overwhelming and I don't.

On the crap- I remember a few times eating so much that i vomit up stuff i'd eaten, yet I couldn't get satiation.  And going a couple of  hours between meals I'd feel like I was starving myself to death (I do know what that is like- I'd dieted down a hundred pounds a long time ago before I went onto SSRI's.)  But nowadays- for the most part mild hunger doesn't hit me too hard or too often.

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Doesn't the sugar bother you and all the vitamins that come with ensure? I am afraid to try it

Zoloft 6mg gabapentin 600 mg lamictal 25 mg

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Help please I am losing weight fast 15 lbs I try to eat high calorie like rice protein and coconut milk but I never reach my daily calorie intake? Are there any weight gain drinks out there that can be tolerated with a sensitized system I am afraid I will end up in the hospital in a feeding tube.

Zoloft 6mg gabapentin 600 mg lamictal 25 mg

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Hi Weasel

 

I'm sorry you are losing weight so quickly.   I don't know what you can tolerate but can you make some smoothies with natural peanut butter or almond butter, plain yogurt or coconut milk and bananas?   If you are not eating sugar, you can always sweeten it with Stevia.   If you have nausea, sometimes plain old ginger ale can help or you can by ginger tea. 

 

When I was extremely depressed, pre-medication, I couldn't eat so all I ate was frozen soft serve yogurt.

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • Mentor

I dont think I overate,   but gosh, I was always a 52kg lady, 5 foot 3 tall.              Never got any heavier, until these HORRIBLE pills.  My sister thought it was great I finally put on some weight, but it didnt stop.   I never weighed my self, not my thing, but going from a size 8 to size 14?    Off most of the crap for 18 months now,  I hardly eat, not much appetite, but I refuse to feel stressed about it.    I am now down to a size 10 already, in 18 months.   Nice not to have my legs rubbing together.   Nice to have a chin back, and nice to fell ME again.   I have always been thin,  that is ME>     LAST NIGHT!!!!  Like wow, I can again sleep the way I used to before SSRI FAT.    My forearm now again fits in the dip, where I once had a waist   ie I HAVE A WAISTLINE AGAIN   :)                            For me, the reason I gave up the pills was that they were killing me,  high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stuffed liver, stuffed kidneys,  they all fixed themselves now.   When I started OFF the pills, I had no idea how mentally unwell they had made me.  I always blamed something else for the stress, depression, overspending, drinking too much, all of that.       It was the damn pills, if only I could go back, and regain what those pills have stolen from me?

 

Worse thing, everyone said ah weight gain is just middle age,    so I chucked all my nice clothes, damn they would fit me again now!

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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I was on mirtazapine for about 15 years and my withdrawal torments are documented in my signature and intro (link in signature). Off mirt since March 2015. Recently I've realized that I gained about 25 pounds during the time on AD's and in the two years since my mirt taper got below 15 mg/day I've lost those 25 pounds, quite effortlessly. (I also quit drinking 2 years ago and had tended to attribute the weight loss to that. Who knows? [i was not a real problem drinker but liked my cocktail and a glass or two of wine every night.]) Like Ang, my blood pressure had gone up (about 140/80) and medication was being discussed. Since neither mirt nor alcohol are part of my life, BP has been about 122/70 and cardiologist is applauding. Of course he thinks it's the booze, not the mirt. The why doesn't much matter to me. At age 71 there are plenty of other issues to fret about. Like, you know, whether to friend Babs on Facebook.

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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I have Parkinson's and have withdrawn from: zopiclone, clonazepam, Mirapex, celexa (10 months ago).  I am on 2.5 mg lorazepam and 1,350 mg of sinemet on a two hour schedule - the dopamine analogue doesn't even last that long since I went off celexa. I have lost most of my body weight and am skin and bones. I lost weight with each drug I stopped, but the worst was celexa.

anybody got any idea how to stop the wasting? 

Retired in  May, 2010, still working part time  as Occupational Therapist in North Toronto Community Health Clinic - 6 family practice docs + vrs allied health professionals. I was resp. for  home or clinic "Barrier-free" patient population, i.e. CP/MS/MD/spinal cord inj/disease pts.- independent living but requiring Attendant Care - power wheelchair dependent people/; also Seniors' Advisory Ctte./Advocacy staff liaison to Board; [received good evaluation on mandatory College of OT's practice review].   Otherwise, stayed active in bicycling,  gym,  yoga, walking, theatre volunteering.  Enjoyed eating out in mid-level restaurants, liked my city on Lake Ontario. Enjoyed travel to Stratford, ON, time spent with friends and on farm.    I was not on any Rx drugs, no health problems, but took lots of health food dietary vitamins and supplements - stupid me [same corporations, same profit motive, no regulation of product by governmental or other oversight body.

  • I think dietary supplement SAMe either triggered or contributed to sudden and accelerating deterioration into Parkinsonism, esp. late in 2011- I have  since found several scientific journal articles to support my opinion - all of my 5 doctors (family doc and 4 neurologists ignored it.)
  • Diagnosed at two major Toronto hospitals with "Idiopathic Parkinsonism" in early 2012.
  • Primary sympt. at that time:  rigidity, spasticity, slowness, deteriorating cursive writing, shaking arms/hands, severe burning pain in feet/knees/back, severe insomnia - no tremor at that time.
  • First Rx drug: generic sinemet [Apo-levocarb] 100/25  (3x/day) April 21, 2012. This drug was never very effective; only had ~ 1 hr ''ON" time, no matter the dose./timing. Sometimes sinemet seemed to make things worse rather than better, i.e. more muscle tone./cogwheeling/severe night sweats/low blood pressure.  
  • Next Rx drug; Zopiclone; neuro said it was NOt a  benzo., but worked on same receptors, therefore she never warned me re withdrawal problems. Took it for ~ 3 years nearly every night. Seemed to work well.
  • Third RX drug: Lorazepam. I asked Neuro for it as it seemed to make the levocarb work better and helped wth anxiety.  Neuro advised it was addictive, but never explained about tolerance, withdrawal, down-regulation of receptors. I took 0.25 mg once or twice a WEEK at first and that tiny amound helped for a day at least.
  • Fourth RX drug: Mirapex. i was still plagued by mostly "down" time with rigidity and non-movement disorders, so agreed to try Mirapex.  i never got up to the therapeutic dose (near threshold) because it made me so sick and it seemed to make things worse, i.e. more muscle tone, problems with balance, severe nausea.  Read manufacturer's monograph updated to 2012 and decided the risk was worth it, benefit unlikely.

My self-initiated withdrawals.  Every time i've changed one drug, i've had to make changes in the others too, e.g. at 20 mg Citalopram i had too much sinemet (dyskinesias) so i lowered sinemet to ~1000 mg and that was better.  Also, as Citalopram has gone down, Lorazepam has had to increase 'cause it seem not to last as long or work as well.

  • So on my own, I decided to taper off Mirapex, not knowing a thing about withdrawal problems. Whew!  Thanks to zopiclone and increased frequency and dose of Lorazepam, i got off Mirapex in March 2013.
  • Next I took myself off Zopiclone after reading very negative things about its' long-term use.  I was doing this without guidance or help from MD's. I increased sinemet and lorazepam to cope with the withdrawal effects of Zopiclone. Going off Zopiclone made PD symptoms worse; neuro wanted to put me on Entacapone, but i declined it.

More MD's/more problems with Rx drugs.

  • Zopiclone withdrawal + Incr. levocarb and incr. lorazepam landed me in the ER at CAMH, where there is a priscription drug withdrawal program, so I thought they could help me. The doctor took me off Zopiclone and Lorazepam and substituted Clonazepam alone.  From the first day Clonazepam caused frightening and serious side effects, like periods of amnesia, loss of balance, dizziness, memory problems, mental processing problems, serious nausea - worst was interdose withdrawal every 4 hours resulting in 'panic attacks' - i was jumping out of my skin!
  • Another RX drug: My own neuro gave me Citalopram to help me withdraw from Clonazepam.  Didnt work; after 2-3 weeks the Citalopram became a bigger problem with side effects than the Clonazepam. Neuro switched Lorazepam to replace the Clonazepam, but left me on the Citalopram. 
  • Rapid loss of 40 lbs of body weight into undernourished zone.
  • I ended up in ER with my forehead bashed down to the bone as a result of 'syncope'; unconscious for unknown lenght of time, probably only a few minutes. Neuro threw me under the bus - now said i needed the Citalopram for depression and Lorazepam for anxiety disorder - said there was an emotional component to my complaints and made a referral to a psychiatrist. I didnt go to him, but tried to get into a addictions/withdrawal program at that hospital, did see a 5th year psych. MD there. 
  • i got copies of last few neuro/psych reports to my family doctor - I was shocked.  I think the neuro/family doc were afraid i'd sue them or complain to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, so; they set up a 'defense' with psychiatric diagnosis to explain drug side effects and head injury, even suggested i might have 'psyhogenic' Parkinsonism.

More self-initiated withdrawal.

  • I decided to get off most dangerous drug first - Citalopram; it never made me feel anything other than sick and near invalid from side-effects.
  • Have reduced dose from 20 mgs to, recently, 5 mg.  Having a terrible time - every day seems new problem - today it was akathisia coming out of nowhere - took Benadryl - it helps.
  • Nearly house-bound now. 

Current drugs:  Citalopram (taper: 20 mg to 15 mg to 12.5 to 10 to  5 to 2.5, then zero.)  44 days at zero, getting worse side effects now than when I was 'ON' it.  Apo-Levocarb, immediate release (recent dose =1500mg) =~1250mg in 10 doses/day;/2-3 levo-carb CR/day;/Lorazepam (from 1.0 mg to 2.5 or 3, or more mg/day. Benadryl as needed. Tylenol as needed to reduce 'fever' feeling in head and/or headache. Occasional Advil.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Leslie, Toronto has several Parkinson's peer groups. Are you connected with any of them?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Drink protein shakes. Easy and bland.

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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Thanks for your suggestions;

 

Actually, my weight was fine even though i had Parkinson's - it only started to go down fast when i started to taper off my drugs.  I've both read in the Celexa monograph and on other sites that body wasting is a withdrawal effect, as it is with other CNS drugs. The withdrawl from Celexa left me feeling like i had developed food allergies too, and too much Serotonin every time the Sinemet wears off, even after 10 months off it. (A  specialist in allergies said I wasnt allergic to any food).   The type and volume of food i take in is limited somewhat by the complexities of food affecting the dopamine drug, e.g. protein competition to cross the blood brain barrier, etc.   I just wondered if anyone else had lost a lot of weight and found some magical way to convince the body to go back to normal. Is it a problem of the drugs changing the structures/receptors in the brain, e.g. hypothalamus?  Not much is written about it.

Retired in  May, 2010, still working part time  as Occupational Therapist in North Toronto Community Health Clinic - 6 family practice docs + vrs allied health professionals. I was resp. for  home or clinic "Barrier-free" patient population, i.e. CP/MS/MD/spinal cord inj/disease pts.- independent living but requiring Attendant Care - power wheelchair dependent people/; also Seniors' Advisory Ctte./Advocacy staff liaison to Board; [received good evaluation on mandatory College of OT's practice review].   Otherwise, stayed active in bicycling,  gym,  yoga, walking, theatre volunteering.  Enjoyed eating out in mid-level restaurants, liked my city on Lake Ontario. Enjoyed travel to Stratford, ON, time spent with friends and on farm.    I was not on any Rx drugs, no health problems, but took lots of health food dietary vitamins and supplements - stupid me [same corporations, same profit motive, no regulation of product by governmental or other oversight body.

  • I think dietary supplement SAMe either triggered or contributed to sudden and accelerating deterioration into Parkinsonism, esp. late in 2011- I have  since found several scientific journal articles to support my opinion - all of my 5 doctors (family doc and 4 neurologists ignored it.)
  • Diagnosed at two major Toronto hospitals with "Idiopathic Parkinsonism" in early 2012.
  • Primary sympt. at that time:  rigidity, spasticity, slowness, deteriorating cursive writing, shaking arms/hands, severe burning pain in feet/knees/back, severe insomnia - no tremor at that time.
  • First Rx drug: generic sinemet [Apo-levocarb] 100/25  (3x/day) April 21, 2012. This drug was never very effective; only had ~ 1 hr ''ON" time, no matter the dose./timing. Sometimes sinemet seemed to make things worse rather than better, i.e. more muscle tone./cogwheeling/severe night sweats/low blood pressure.  
  • Next Rx drug; Zopiclone; neuro said it was NOt a  benzo., but worked on same receptors, therefore she never warned me re withdrawal problems. Took it for ~ 3 years nearly every night. Seemed to work well.
  • Third RX drug: Lorazepam. I asked Neuro for it as it seemed to make the levocarb work better and helped wth anxiety.  Neuro advised it was addictive, but never explained about tolerance, withdrawal, down-regulation of receptors. I took 0.25 mg once or twice a WEEK at first and that tiny amound helped for a day at least.
  • Fourth RX drug: Mirapex. i was still plagued by mostly "down" time with rigidity and non-movement disorders, so agreed to try Mirapex.  i never got up to the therapeutic dose (near threshold) because it made me so sick and it seemed to make things worse, i.e. more muscle tone, problems with balance, severe nausea.  Read manufacturer's monograph updated to 2012 and decided the risk was worth it, benefit unlikely.

My self-initiated withdrawals.  Every time i've changed one drug, i've had to make changes in the others too, e.g. at 20 mg Citalopram i had too much sinemet (dyskinesias) so i lowered sinemet to ~1000 mg and that was better.  Also, as Citalopram has gone down, Lorazepam has had to increase 'cause it seem not to last as long or work as well.

  • So on my own, I decided to taper off Mirapex, not knowing a thing about withdrawal problems. Whew!  Thanks to zopiclone and increased frequency and dose of Lorazepam, i got off Mirapex in March 2013.
  • Next I took myself off Zopiclone after reading very negative things about its' long-term use.  I was doing this without guidance or help from MD's. I increased sinemet and lorazepam to cope with the withdrawal effects of Zopiclone. Going off Zopiclone made PD symptoms worse; neuro wanted to put me on Entacapone, but i declined it.

More MD's/more problems with Rx drugs.

  • Zopiclone withdrawal + Incr. levocarb and incr. lorazepam landed me in the ER at CAMH, where there is a priscription drug withdrawal program, so I thought they could help me. The doctor took me off Zopiclone and Lorazepam and substituted Clonazepam alone.  From the first day Clonazepam caused frightening and serious side effects, like periods of amnesia, loss of balance, dizziness, memory problems, mental processing problems, serious nausea - worst was interdose withdrawal every 4 hours resulting in 'panic attacks' - i was jumping out of my skin!
  • Another RX drug: My own neuro gave me Citalopram to help me withdraw from Clonazepam.  Didnt work; after 2-3 weeks the Citalopram became a bigger problem with side effects than the Clonazepam. Neuro switched Lorazepam to replace the Clonazepam, but left me on the Citalopram. 
  • Rapid loss of 40 lbs of body weight into undernourished zone.
  • I ended up in ER with my forehead bashed down to the bone as a result of 'syncope'; unconscious for unknown lenght of time, probably only a few minutes. Neuro threw me under the bus - now said i needed the Citalopram for depression and Lorazepam for anxiety disorder - said there was an emotional component to my complaints and made a referral to a psychiatrist. I didnt go to him, but tried to get into a addictions/withdrawal program at that hospital, did see a 5th year psych. MD there. 
  • i got copies of last few neuro/psych reports to my family doctor - I was shocked.  I think the neuro/family doc were afraid i'd sue them or complain to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, so; they set up a 'defense' with psychiatric diagnosis to explain drug side effects and head injury, even suggested i might have 'psyhogenic' Parkinsonism.

More self-initiated withdrawal.

  • I decided to get off most dangerous drug first - Citalopram; it never made me feel anything other than sick and near invalid from side-effects.
  • Have reduced dose from 20 mgs to, recently, 5 mg.  Having a terrible time - every day seems new problem - today it was akathisia coming out of nowhere - took Benadryl - it helps.
  • Nearly house-bound now. 

Current drugs:  Citalopram (taper: 20 mg to 15 mg to 12.5 to 10 to  5 to 2.5, then zero.)  44 days at zero, getting worse side effects now than when I was 'ON' it.  Apo-Levocarb, immediate release (recent dose =1500mg) =~1250mg in 10 doses/day;/2-3 levo-carb CR/day;/Lorazepam (from 1.0 mg to 2.5 or 3, or more mg/day. Benadryl as needed. Tylenol as needed to reduce 'fever' feeling in head and/or headache. Occasional Advil.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi again Leslie.  Thanks for clarifying. I suggested checking the PD meds with peers because a friend has experienced noticeable ups and downs in her weight while on them. 

 

I did a quick search and found one post in the Weight Gain, Weight Loss and Appetite Changes topic:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/252-weight-gain-weight-loss-and-appetite-changes/?view=findpost&p=178423

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Hi! I lost a lot of weight in withdrawal. I was skin and bones and then gained weight again but was equally weak, breathless and dizzy. I am now loosing weight rapidly again and am back to skin and bones. It is like every muscle in my body is gone so you can probably blame the antidepressant withdrawal. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

i have also had problems with weight gain... :(...i did not have it on other AD...i hope it will decrease...i have to buy new clothes...i seem to be gaining weight despite of anything...

Edited by ChessieCat
merged with similar topic

- 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg

- 6.11.2020- 75mg

- 16.10.2020- 100mg

- 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg

- May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg

- 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg

- 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day

- 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan 

- Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine

- 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening

24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on  19.03.2020 😇

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Hi everyone......i'm off lexapoison 105 days and now experiencing much more bloating and lots of weight loss has anyone heard of this happening?? Thx nivek

Edited by ChessieCat
merged with similar topic

25 October 2015 - 06:26 PM

November 2014 2.5 olanzapine cut 50% to 1.25 in dec 2014

January 22nd 2015 olanzapine cut 60% to .50 for 30 days

February 2015 .25 olanzapine for 30 days

Feb 2015 cut escitalopram/ Lexapro from 20 to 15 mg

March 2015 .1875 olanzapine 30 days

April 2015 .14 olanzapine to june 1st than off

march 2015 12.5 lex

April 2015 10 lex may 7.5 june 5mg

july 3.75 aug 2.5 sept 2mg

oct 2015 1.6

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Before going on 20mg Paxil in 1995 I weighed 68kg

In 2010 I was about 85kg and began tapering @ 10%

2011 @ 5% taper - 82kg

2012 @2.5% taper - 72kg

2013 @ 2.5% taper - 75kg

2014 @ 2.5% taper - about 70kg

2015 @ 2.5% taper - 60kg

2016 @ 2.5% taper - 55kg

I seemed to have stabilised at this weight

Edited by ChessieCat
merged with similar topic

1995-2007      20mg Aropax/Paxil for pain.  Years of up and down doses

2008                Endep, Lexapro and then Esipram (hell!) CT (oh dear!)

2009                20mg Aropax.  Tried skipping doses for a year (more hell!)

                        2010                10mg.  10% taper.  Lasted 4 months. Crashed again

2011                5% taper. 9mg-7mg (hell got even worse!)

2012                2.5% taper.  6.6mg – 5.6mg (worser still & unbearable)

2013                5% taper.  Big mistake.  5.5mg – 4.6mg  (even worserer)

2014                2.5% taper.  4.9mg – 4.5mg;    2015 2.5% taper 4.4 - 4.0mg

2016                2.5% taper.  3.9mg  Feb 3.8   Mar 3.7  May 3.6   Jul 3.5

2017                2.5% taper.  Jan 3.4;   Mar 3.35;  Apr 3.3; Oct 3; Dec 2.9;

2018                2.5% taper. Jan 2.8; Mar 2.7; Mar: 2.75; Jun 2.7; Aug 2.6; Oct 2.5; Nov 2.4; Dec 2.3

2019                Jan 2.2; Feb 2.1;

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I've been off all drugs for about 2 weeks now (had to stop due to extreme adverse reaction to citalopram which I'm still dealing with) and I'm constantly hungry. I'm mainly eating healthy, oats, salad, bananas, fish, eggs, chicken and veg/salad and have cut out alcohol but I keep craving carbs and sweet food, Indian food and wine. I try and allow myself a treat a day like a packet of crisps or a small bit of chocolate but it's so hard. I want to eat a horse and it's mother. Is this a WD sympton ? Any tips how I can suppress my appetite naturally? I lost 3.5 stone on slimming world before my citalopram episode and really don't want to put it all back on :(

Started Fluoxetine 40mg In 2010

Switched to citalopram 2011.Fluoxetine made me very drowsy.

Came off citalopram 2014 over 2 weeks tapering as advised by GP. Mild WD symptoms, brain zaps.

Almost 2 years med free, happy and less anxiety.

June 2016 start 20mg citalopram for anxiety, experince akathisa, intrusive harming thoughts, hallucinations, hypermania, negative ruminations, insomnia, no appetite, dioreah, racing thoughts/mind chatter.

Droped to 10mg for 1 week after 10 days on 20mg, then 1 week at 15mg by alternating doses then 1 week at 20mg before dropping to 10mg again for 1 week then 5 days at 5mg. Quick taper due to reaction.

Started .5mg lorozepam/ 2.5mg diazepam every other day from week 2 on cit sometimes daily for about 2 weeks stopped CT as was put on 25mg quetiapine.

Stopped cit 01/8/16. Stopped quetiapine 3/8/16

Taking fish oil

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm slowly coming off of sertroline (zoloft). My weight gain is awful since starting and I've been a sugar and fatty food addict since starting. I discovered a free hypnotherapy app GH Ultimate Weight Loss. I listen to it at bedtime and it's stopped my sugar cravings. It's freaked me out a bit how it's working so well. I am hoping at last that a combination of coming off of ssri and curbing sugar cravings the huge spare tyre I've gained will at last reduce. I'm worried that my anxiety issues will rear their ugly head once I'm off zoloft. I hoping more energy gain from Wright loss will help with this.

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One thing you can do is ensure you stay hydrated.  I try to take care of my thirst first, and then see if I'm still hungry.  The other is to make it really count when you eat - some protein, some nutrients, maybe something fermented to aid digestion - so you get nutritionally satisfied as well as just feeling full. 

 

It's a tough one - and you sure aren't alone on this issue. 

2010  Fluoxetine 20mg.  2011  Escitalopram 20mg.  2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS.  Effexor 150mg. 

2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants.  Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. 

Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms).

8 month hold.

2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent).

2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well.
Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea.

2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everyone, 

I am new here and haven't read through everything.  I am HOPING to find more hope on this forum than I currently have about the withdrawal state I am in.  I am having several "normal" withdrawal symptoms (60 days post-discontinuation after a VERY SHORT taper by doc after 15 yrs on Celexa/Lexapro).  Biggest concern for me right now is the lack of appetite.  I have lost about 12 lbs in about 38 days.  I have to force myself to eat and I just can't eat a whole lot.  Wondering if others have experienced this, how long it lasted, and what you did (if anything) to combat it?  I really think I could better handle the other symptoms if my appetite improved.  

Thanks so much for any help!

Anxiety/Panic since childhood. Depressive symptoms related to periods of anxiety. Meds suggested by therapist in my late 20's.  

Celexa 40 mg 2001-2007 

Switched by Doc to Lexapro 20 mg 2007-2016

Discontinued after VERY short taper by doc late June '16 - went from 20 mg (reg dose) to 10 mg for 2 weeks, then nothing.

Major withdrawal symptoms started late July '16.

* Other info: Thyroid removed '09, autoimmune diagnoses.  Synthroid 75 mg, Armour Thyroid 30 mg daily. *

REINSTATED 2.5 mg Lexapro 9/7/16.

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oh ya that one is pretty common. like you, about 2 months after my last dose is when withdrawal hit. due to anxiety i couldn't eat much for about three weeks. probably lost 25ish lbs, maybe more. i still haven't gained it all back yet.

 

i drank boost nutritional supplement shakes and forced down whatever solid food i could when i could. since it was anxiety that suppressed my appetite, i found that if i distracted myself i could sometimes calm down long enough to steal a few bites. going for walks was helpful in that regard, along with a conscious effort to carry on business as usual. if meditation is your bailiwick, I'm certain it would be useful. at the time i was too anxious to meditate so it was recommended that i google "walking meditation" and that did the trick.

 

of course i reinstated, so our situations differ in that. but if anxiety is the root of your loss of appetite distraction can be your friend too.

38 year old male

50mg sertraline for seasonal affective in spring of '13 through spring of '16

began uninformed taper mid march '16 ending 6 weeks later around may 1st

withdrawal symptoms began july 4th '16

reinstatement of sertraline at 25mg on july 7th '16

august '16 - present: many setbacks even more victories

currently holding at 25mg and ill hold there forever if I have to

looking forward to the day I can begin tapering

 

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Oops44, thank you for the response. I am struggling with whether or not to reinstate right now. I think it is whatever the physiological mechanisms are in addition to the overwhelming anxiety or high cortisol that are suppressing my appetite. I feel like if my appetite returned or at least improved, I would recognize it as an improvement and like maybe my symptoms were abating. The no appetite and weight loss is only adding to my anxiety. Over the past couple weeks I have been back and forth about reinstating and I just don't know what to do. How long did you go before reinstating? I will try the walking meditation. I went for a walk last night just to 1) enjoy the beautiful weather, 2) to try to naturally boost my Seretonin. It was a lovely walk but it didn't help my appetite. I was hoping I would come back and be ravenously hungry! Didn't happen...lol.

Anxiety/Panic since childhood. Depressive symptoms related to periods of anxiety. Meds suggested by therapist in my late 20's.  

Celexa 40 mg 2001-2007 

Switched by Doc to Lexapro 20 mg 2007-2016

Discontinued after VERY short taper by doc late June '16 - went from 20 mg (reg dose) to 10 mg for 2 weeks, then nothing.

Major withdrawal symptoms started late July '16.

* Other info: Thyroid removed '09, autoimmune diagnoses.  Synthroid 75 mg, Armour Thyroid 30 mg daily. *

REINSTATED 2.5 mg Lexapro 9/7/16.

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