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Vision symptoms: floaters, snow, blurred/dimmed vision, twitching, dry eyes and pain


Maybe

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Hello all,

 

I was wondering if anyone has experienced the following symptoms concerning the eyes:

 

Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I see weird white circles spinning around and then slowly dissipating or moving out of sight. Never seen that before my wd, so I think it is related.

Another thing occurs when I move my eyes to the far left or right that something flairs up for a second. Like a flame or lightning.

 

Did anyone else notice such weird symptoms? They do not harm my eyes I hope.

End of 2008: Remeron 15mg for around 2 months. Unorthodox taper, no problems.
End of August 2009: Lexapro 10mg for only 4 days. Panic attack after 3 pills. Severe gastro problems in the morning for 3 days after last pill. 2 weeks later strong w/d symptoms set in.

Acute WD lasted around 3.5 years. I am feeling much better today, 5.5 years out, but still have some symptoms left.

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I believe those are relatively normal phenomena, Maybe.

 

Everybody gets the white circles (I think that's activity in the optic nerve).

 

The white flashes on the sides are signs your retina is getting older, and very common.

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 am not getting older. Never ever! :)

 

Well, it is just weird that I observed them only after/during wd. But maybe because I much more sensitive to reactions/feelings now. Who knows.

End of 2008: Remeron 15mg for around 2 months. Unorthodox taper, no problems.
End of August 2009: Lexapro 10mg for only 4 days. Panic attack after 3 pills. Severe gastro problems in the morning for 3 days after last pill. 2 weeks later strong w/d symptoms set in.

Acute WD lasted around 3.5 years. I am feeling much better today, 5.5 years out, but still have some symptoms left.

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I am not getting older. Never ever! :)

 

 

LOL! Older? I'm planning on a re-birth so aging is not an option. (LOL)

 

Well, it is just weird that I observed them only after/during wd. But maybe because I much more sensitive to reactions/feelings now. Who knows.

 

 

TBH, I haven't experienced the white circle effect, that you describe and that Alto speaks of however, I've had many other visual disturbances with eyes open, as well as closed.

 

 

What Alto shared is also true, however, like you I've never had these events prior to WD and the fact that they are lessening in intensity and frequency proves that they are WD related in my case. I did have white flashes that appeared like clusters of bright stars with tails attached (looked like shooting stars) but those occurred earlier in WD.

 

I also notice re: the eye movement to the left and right will create visual effects, not to mention, create brain sensations/disturbances. I believe this type of eye movement is stressful to the brain, hence creating these distortions/images/sensations etc.

 

Do you get the white circle events only when you are trying to drift off to sleep? I find that many "closed eye" visual effects are related to this time of day, although the left/right eye movement stuff and other stuff can occur at any time of day.

 

Many times, just before drifting off to sleep I will experience soft white light visual aura type effect. Other times I will have visions of unknown faces pop into my visual domaine (eyes closed).

 

They don't feel as if they are mental images but rather, they are real visual images despite being unable to actually see (due to my eyes being closed).

 

I also get panoramic, movie-like events visually displaying as I start to drift off to sleep. It's very strange.........like the optic nerves are actively engaged visually displaying a random scene, face or event, that the brain is independently and randomly constructing, despite closed eyelids and complete darkness.

 

It feels like a Pre-dream like state but not actually a dream since I can SEE the image rather than experience the mental image as I would in a dream state.

 

It's difficult to articulate and even more difficult when my brain won't cooperate ATM. (LOL)

 

In any event, I'm pretty certain, like all other symptoms, this will remit once you recover more fully.

 

Much More Healing to You, along with many "ageless" years. (lol)

 

 

Punar

To Face My Trials with "The Grace of a Woman Rather Than the Grief of a Child". (quote section by Veronica A. Shoffstall)

 

Be Not Afraid of Growing Slowly. Be Afraid of Only Standing Still.

(Chinese Proverb)

 

I Create and Build Empowerment Within Each Time I Choose to Face A Fear, Sit with it and Ask Myself, "What Do I Need to Learn?"

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I Have been at the occulist a week ago because of my red, dry eyes and the creazy blurry vision I do have sometimes!!

H said I do have an eye infection and gave me antibiotic eye-drops!

Today I ghad an apointment again!

So my eyes aree still red, dry, burning and the blurry wision comes and goes!

So he made a test with my tear liquid with the result that I just do have half of the usual liquid annymore!! So my eyes are verry bad protected and I have to take drops to fill the liquid up!! He said do you have other problems with mucus membran and I remembered my diarhöe and the snotty nose witch I have nearly permanently! He sai..well it could be a hormonal problem!!

 

to the blurry unsharp vision he said, this is a neurological Problem! If it wouldbe an eyeproblem it would be constant!

 

So Wyeth/pfizer...............thank you verry mutch again!!!!

You distroy comprehensive!!!!!!

 

Greets to all

Leon

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traymond, do what you can to cope with this symptom. If it's withdrawal-related, it will change and get better.

 

Are you drinking enough water? It sounds like you may be dehydrated. Drink lots of water, especially in the first half of the day.

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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Hoi altrostra!!

Thats a real good idea!!!

 

I do drink tooooo mutch coffe all day.........and to less water!!

 

I will try to change!!!

 

Greetings and thanks for your advice!!

 

Tramond

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  • 1 month later...

I star having some strange eye movements ( specialy when my eyes are closed)after I took valuim for sleep for few days, that was three weeks ago and I still have them, I am so scared, one doctor noticed that and he he asked me about a relative of mine who has Parkinson's disease and now I am soooooo scared, please is this really a signe of parkinson or WD I am so confused.I also have some tremor and muscle twitching some times.

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For me the eye twitching started more than one year in WD and still goes on, now more than 2 years later! It seems to be related to other neurological problems. Never had any of them before PAxil, neither during use. SO it is most certainly WD related.

After such a long time it is very difficult to maintain confidence in recovery. But I am afraid that there is no other option than giving it even more time...

10 mg Paxil/Seroxat since 2002
several attempts to quit since 2004
Quit c/t again Oktober 2007, in protracted w/d since then
after 3.5 years slight improvement but still on the road

after 6 years pretty much recovered but still some nasty residual sypmtons
after 8.5 years working again on a 90% base and basically functioning normally again!

 

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I had some mild twitching after reacting to Celexa, and then during (c/t) withdrawal, in various parts of my body but predominantly my eyes. This was made worse by caffeine. Eventually it calmed down, but at the time I was on benzos. When I went to taper off them I had really serious twitching at night, again in different locations, including a scary few days where I had the electric shock feelings in my eye which would nearly cause my eye to close involuntarily. That did clear up, and as I got off benzos the twitching has improved. Eye twitching for me isn't noticeable to anyone but me.

 

If you only took Valium for a few days, and it just started after it I think it will clear completely. From what I understand benzos do cause these sorts of problems too, but again, a few days of benzos isn't likely to do permanent damage. I was on Valium and Ativan for several years, so mine could be long term, but then I also was given other drugs that cause these side effects too. I think benzos can give you a bit of backlash even after a couple of days on if you are already in AD withdrawal. Expect it to calm down.

 

Also, when I was in the worst of withdrawal, I spent inordinate amounts of time reading medical journals and I came across one that described some of the worst neurological issues ADs could cause, and this study said pseudo-Parkinson's (which is what it is if it is caused by a drug; it's not true Parkinson's) was the most likely of the really severe neuro symptoms to clear up.

I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions.

 

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I had eye twitching in my right eye for a while, maybe 6 months. That eye also had a lot of tearing at the same time. It all cleared up.

 

Withdrawal syndrome brings on a lot of weird, undiagnosable symptoms that come and go. Often one will start up, occur for a while in waves, and gradually go away -- to be replaced by another odd symptom in some other part of the body.

 

soso, this is why we urge people to remain patient and not panic at symptoms. They can be very distressing, painful, and even disabling, but they tend to occur in waves and go away.

 

If you allow yourself to become anxious about every symptom all the time, you will be anxious a great deal -- which is bad for the recovery of your nervous system.

 

One thing we know about these symptoms is they tend to change and go away. Full recovery can take a long, time, though, so learning how to be patient and cope is a necessary skill.

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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Thank you for the reply, The twitching is much better, my sleep is much better, but now it's my HEAD, very weird and scary symptoms, I hope it will get better soon.

My problem started with a very sharp neck pain and digestive symptoms, the doctors didn't know what is my problem so they put me on AD, shame on them, I really don't trust anyone of them. I still have my neck pain and it is worse than before after the fever.

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  • 2 months later...

Tagging on to this eye discussion altho I doubt there is relation.

 

I have Post Vitreous Detachment (glob stuff at back of eye, not retina). Was nearsighted at young age, LASIX in '98. -10D to near perfect, then back to -3D, no explanation. Due to this, I'm high risk for back of eye probs. Glob floaters bad now, it's difficult to see thru. Like a cloud curtain, but not dark as it would be w retina detachment. Sun/light helps but I'm in Wash DC area--very dark, rainy, no sun. Docs tell me there is nothing that can be done short of a vitreectomy (sp?)-extreme measure. Omegas may help.

My question: anyone familiar w this or any relation to meds? It's very disturbing and they say it will get worse but I should adapt to it (2 yrs and not happening).

Clouds in the sky and clouds in my eyes. It's dark in here. :-(

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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hoi Tramond,

 

dry eyes are common symptoms of withdrawal from antidepressants and benzo, i have it and also dry mouth, withdrawal inhibits saliva or/and eyes water; hope it will go away,

for anxiety 

12 years paxil - cold turkey 1,5 month - switch celexa 1 year taper; total 13 years on brain meds 

67 years old - 9 years  med free

 

in protracted withdrawal

rigidity standing and walking, dryness gougerot-szoegren, sleep deteriorate,

function as have a lack of nerves, improving have been very little 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tagging on to this eye discussion altho I doubt there is relation.

 

I have Post Vitreous Detachment (glob stuff at back of eye, not retina). Was nearsighted at young age, LASIX in '98. -10D to near perfect, then back to -3D, no explanation. Due to this, I'm high risk for back of eye probs. Glob floaters bad now, it's difficult to see thru. Like a cloud curtain, but not dark as it would be w retina detachment. Sun/light helps but I'm in Wash DC area--very dark, rainy, no sun. Docs tell me there is nothing that can be done short of a vitreectomy (sp?)-extreme measure. Omegas may help.

My question: anyone familiar w this or any relation to meds? It's very disturbing and they say it will get worse but I should adapt to it (2 yrs and not happening).

Clouds in the sky and clouds in my eyes. It's dark in here. :-(

 

Hi Barbarannamated. I had retinal tear and have that vitreous glob stuff floating around too. It can be annoying.

 

One thing I've noticed with the withdrawals is it's like my eyes are leaking off an on. They leak quite a bit. It's not quite as thick as sleep but not as thin as tears. Is this from withdrawals I wonder? I wonder what I can do.

Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012.

Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38)

My Paxil Website

My Intro

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Oh, and I wanted to say to Tramond that I am having weird vision issues with the w/d. Sometimes my vision gets pretty blurry for no reason. Or sometimes it's like I have a film over my eyes.

Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012.

Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38)

My Paxil Website

My Intro

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My PVD began before WD, so cannot correlate. My vision was very bad since childhood, so tough for me to judge. I have noticed that it gets worse w flying. On a plane. Pressure changes, perhaps.

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 have something like RLS (yes restless leg syndrome)... but in the eye! My eyes are so uncomfortable and itching that when I close my eyes, they keep twithing. Last night, It was so bad I was craving to ****** them off. I hope it won't show up again this bad tonight... Really annoying.

First AD -sertraline- in 2007at the age of 13 because of child abuse

2009-2013: intricate story of multiple wds, meds and cts, gradually became a living mess

Feb 2013: last CT from a cocktail of four drugs, symptoms are relenting but witness a constant sharpening of the brain

 

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  • 2 months later...

I had an eye test just over a year ago and the optician said that I had too much pressure and was going to get glaucoma. I went to the hospital for the tests and they found nothing wrong. Its all seroxat, and hopefully it will right itself in time.

 

poodlebell

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I have eye twitching and pressure issues which started about 15 months in WD and still continue until today, now more than 50 months (4+ years) off. Of course I tend to belileve this is permanent, because even the hardest cases appear to recover within 2-3 years. And that from "only" one drug (Paxil/Seroxat) in the "lowest" dose of 10 mg...

I am now unable to work for almost 4 years and still not reovered, but way better than my lowest point ever. I see perspective, have plans, but just need to postpone them because of the still nasty issues.

And my social anxiety is back in some way, it was almost gone under the PAxil, in that sense it was indeed a wonder drug to me. But restarting after the unimaginable w/d horror is of course no option anymore.

10 mg Paxil/Seroxat since 2002
several attempts to quit since 2004
Quit c/t again Oktober 2007, in protracted w/d since then
after 3.5 years slight improvement but still on the road

after 6 years pretty much recovered but still some nasty residual sypmtons
after 8.5 years working again on a 90% base and basically functioning normally again!

 

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  • 10 months later...

Hi All,

 

I am coming up on month 11 of being off Celexa after 7 years at 20mg a day. 4 months ago I went on Trazodone to help with sleep (I only wanted to be on temporarily as sleep was pretty bad). I am on 50 mg a night. About a month ago I noticed my left eyebrow started twitching. It was intermittent but it happened, it has now progressed to my left eyelid and it happens every day, very often. I am scared by it. Could trazodone be causing this? I thought it may have been the valerian root, chamomile, and gaba that I take often for sleep as well but I have taken these for years. I read that trazodone (in low doses) can decrease extracellular GABA in parts of the brain and this has me worried. I did take a benzo one night for sleep and I noticed the eye twitches were worse the next morning so I am associating this as a GABA related issue.

 

Here is that study I mentioned: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15610924

 

Can anyone help?

 

Another question I have is whether you recommend that I can CT the trazodone without any ill effects. It has only been 4 months. I did skip a dose last night and slept normal. I am suspicious about whether the Trazodone really is helping with my sleep anyways.

 

Thanks so much, I appreciate it.

On 20 mg Celexa for 7 years for insomnia and GAD

Tapered from 20 mg to 0 from Aug 2011 to Dec 2nd 2011

Used Xanax intermittently over the past 7 years, and through WD.

Started 50 mgs Trazodone in June but am starting to taper off due to bad eye twitching, suspected Trazodone is the cause. Went to 25 mg in October and then 12.5 in December and then 0mg on Dec 20th.

 

Reinstated citalopram at 10 mgs on Nov 26th, then up to 20 mgs on Dec 3rd. Started kindling reaction on Dec 10th. Decided a very quick taper to 10 mgs for a 2 days and then 5mgs for a 2 more. Holding at 2.5 mg and beginning to stabilize. Reinstated trazodone to 12.5 mgs.

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I am also noticing right now that the pupil is larger in the eye with the twitching eyelid. Now I am thinking I should go to the doctor. Is this WD related, or related to the Trazodone? I just read Alto's article on that nasty mcPP metabolite. Maybe 4 months of that in my system is damaging my nerve?

 

Actually, I just remembered I tried putting a drop of Naphcon A in my affected eye earlier in the day (but not the other one), since I read online it can help. It did nothing for the twitch, but that is probably why it is dilated. Ok, brain tumor fears are abated (for now ;-)).

 

Thanks in advance for any information or experiences, or support that you can share on what is going on with my eye twitch.

On 20 mg Celexa for 7 years for insomnia and GAD

Tapered from 20 mg to 0 from Aug 2011 to Dec 2nd 2011

Used Xanax intermittently over the past 7 years, and through WD.

Started 50 mgs Trazodone in June but am starting to taper off due to bad eye twitching, suspected Trazodone is the cause. Went to 25 mg in October and then 12.5 in December and then 0mg on Dec 20th.

 

Reinstated citalopram at 10 mgs on Nov 26th, then up to 20 mgs on Dec 3rd. Started kindling reaction on Dec 10th. Decided a very quick taper to 10 mgs for a 2 days and then 5mgs for a 2 more. Holding at 2.5 mg and beginning to stabilize. Reinstated trazodone to 12.5 mgs.

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Could be myoclonus from the trazodone. I had this from an older AD and this remitted once I was off. Hopefully you don't need to go CT.. Most docs are poorly informed about tapering, so be very cautious about any advice he might give.

As always, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! A proud supporter of the 10% (or slower) rule.

 

Requip - 3/16 ZERO  Total time on 25 years.

 

Lyrica: 8/15 ZERO Total time on 7 or 8 yrs.

BENZO FREE 10/13 (started tapering 7/10)  Total time on 25 years.

 

Read my intro thread here, and check the about me section.  "No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin

 

 

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Thanks Schuyler,

 

I have another suspicion..I have been using a prescription toothpaste for a couple of months. It has 5x the fluoride in it compared to regular toothpastes. I originally was instructed to brush with it at night, and NOT to rinse but to let it sit in my mouth overnight. After being on it for a month my dentist told me to use it 2, even 3 times a day. It was about when I started using it multiple times a day that I noticed my eyelid twitching. Another symptom that came up at around the same time is that my left arm is getting numb, at the wrist and it affects sensation in my hand.

 

Could this be some fluoride toxicity that I am dealing with? I think it is safe to say that I have been swallowing a lot of the tooth paste since I am not rinsing after use.

 

I have stopped using this toothpaste as of today.

 

thanks

On 20 mg Celexa for 7 years for insomnia and GAD

Tapered from 20 mg to 0 from Aug 2011 to Dec 2nd 2011

Used Xanax intermittently over the past 7 years, and through WD.

Started 50 mgs Trazodone in June but am starting to taper off due to bad eye twitching, suspected Trazodone is the cause. Went to 25 mg in October and then 12.5 in December and then 0mg on Dec 20th.

 

Reinstated citalopram at 10 mgs on Nov 26th, then up to 20 mgs on Dec 3rd. Started kindling reaction on Dec 10th. Decided a very quick taper to 10 mgs for a 2 days and then 5mgs for a 2 more. Holding at 2.5 mg and beginning to stabilize. Reinstated trazodone to 12.5 mgs.

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  • 1 month later...
  • Administrator

Trazodone is a very sloppy, dirty drug with a nasty active metabolite, mCPP. See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2883-tips-for-tapering-off-trazodone-desyrel/

 

See adverse and side effects in FDA prescribing info here http://www.drugs.com/pro/trazodone.html

 

See the very extensive list of drug interactions here http://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/trazodone.html

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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  • 4 months later...

Decided to bump this because I am being driven mad by damned eye floaters!!!!

 

It's actually a key component of the almost constant cognitive fog/derealisation that I'm suffering. It's like watching a degraded movie there are so many of the little things in the 'background' and bigger floaters in the 'foreground'.

 

Does anything help with this, other than time?

February 2004 - mid 2005 - 50 mg zoloft.

 

Mid 2005 - lexapro 20mg (3 months) Discontinued SSRIs for a few months - withdrawal.

 

20mg paxil towards end of 2005 for few weeks - borderline psychosis - lasted until Nay 2006.

 

Restarted sertraline in early 2006, ending up on 200mg. Down to 100mg in 2009 - stabilised at that dose for a couple of years.

 

Updosed to 150mg for a few weeks in 2012, before a psychiatrist put me back down to 100mg (no taper!)

 

Too fast taper off zoloft 100mg between May/June 2012 and September/October. Withdrawal started end of December 2012.

 

Tried to reinstate zoloft March 2012 50 mg - worsened.

 

Stemetil 5mg during an acute phase of labyrinthitis/vertigo in early 2011. Haven't taken since mid 2012.

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Decided to bump this because I am being driven mad by damned eye floaters!!!!

 

It's actually a key component of the almost constant cognitive fog/derealisation that I'm suffering. It's like watching a degraded movie there are so many of the little things in the 'background' and bigger floaters in the 'foreground'.

 

Does anything help with this, other than time?

 

I have a history of bad eyes (very nearsighted at young age, LASIX in 90s, post vitreous detachment) so not certain what to attribute to drug use/withdrawal, but the last few weeks have been brutal with floaters, clouds, sandpaper dry eyes. It all contributes, as you mentioned, to the DP/DR and general feeling of living in a haze. I suspect it's exacerbated by allergies currently.

 

I've been advised to use Omega 3 by optometrists. I've also tried some of the supplements for vision that contain lutein. I go through a lot of OTC eye lubricating products.

 

I'm about 2 years post last dose and this just flared in last month with very dry and windy weather in Southern CA.

 

I hope this helps in some way.

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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Thanks Barbarannamated. Will try what you've suggested. I also suffer from allergies - now having a bad reaction to antihistamines since I had a bad reaction to reinstating sertraline too late. I'm still able to take my steroid nasal spray which seems to help somewhat

February 2004 - mid 2005 - 50 mg zoloft.

 

Mid 2005 - lexapro 20mg (3 months) Discontinued SSRIs for a few months - withdrawal.

 

20mg paxil towards end of 2005 for few weeks - borderline psychosis - lasted until Nay 2006.

 

Restarted sertraline in early 2006, ending up on 200mg. Down to 100mg in 2009 - stabilised at that dose for a couple of years.

 

Updosed to 150mg for a few weeks in 2012, before a psychiatrist put me back down to 100mg (no taper!)

 

Too fast taper off zoloft 100mg between May/June 2012 and September/October. Withdrawal started end of December 2012.

 

Tried to reinstate zoloft March 2012 50 mg - worsened.

 

Stemetil 5mg during an acute phase of labyrinthitis/vertigo in early 2011. Haven't taken since mid 2012.

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  • 2 months later...

I had the most bizarre symptoms yesterday. I currently weaned my Abilify dose from 2mg to 1.8 mg 12 days ago. I felt extremely hot and experienced a visual disturbance. I was working on a computer and all of the sudden I couldn't see the first 2 letters of any word. I tried not to panic. Then I began to see wavy lines in my peripheral vision especially my left eye which I developed an eye twitch in about a month ago. I went to my boss at work and told her I thought that I needed to go home. She wanted me to go to the Emergency Room, I work in a hospital, but I wouldn't go. I took a break and had some peanut butter and graham crackers because this episode took place about 10:30 a.m. and I hadn't eaten breakfast yet. Right after I ate my snack, my vision came back to normal and I felt fine. I was able to go back to work and finish my day and I felt fine for the rest of the day.

 

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this. I know that Abilify can cause diabetes. I didn't know if maybe my blood sugar was low. What ever the reason, I am certain that it was related to weaning down on the Abilify. I am only going to lower my dose by 0.2mg per month. I can't wait to get off of this potent poison.

 

I have to say that Abilify did pull me out of a severe depression 1 1/2 years ago when my adult son told me that he is transgender. But I have been working a 12 step program and have learned coping skills and can't wait till I take my last dose of Abilify. My memory is terrible and I just pray that all of the medications that I have been on for last 25 years have not put to many holes in my brain or shrunk it to much!

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Changing dosages of any psychiatric drug can cause this kind of reaction. Let's hope this was a passing adjustment.

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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  • 1 month later...

I seem to have developed more, or am more aware of eye floaters in withdrawl and they are driving me crazy. I have had some eye floaters for a long time but was able to cope better before withdrawl no I see them all the time and they drive me nuts. How do you cope with them? Anything that can be done to alleviate them?

April 2013 Doc put me back on 40mg of celexa for 2.5 weeks than switched to Paxil 3 weeks adverse reaction and kindling reaction
July 2013 5mg celexa and .5mg klonopin daily

5/15/16 started lamictal and currently at 25mg daily once a day.

1/1/17 crossed over from .5mg klonopin to 10mg Valium.

3/1/17 off celexa from getting down to around .25mg.

5/25/17 started tapering the Valium from 10mg to 9mg

6/25/17 dropped down to 8mg Valium 

currently on 8mg of Valium and 25mg of lamictal once a day in the morning never could handle more than 25mg of lamictal and never really felt anything from it.

7/2/17 updosed to 10mg Valium and holding split twice a day and holding.

3/1/18 dropped Valium from 10mg to 9.5mg

4/1/18 dropped Valium from 9.5 to 9mg still on 25mg lamictal.

Updosed 6/20/18 Valium 10mg and 25mg lamictal and holding.

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When I had DPD, I was more aware of floaters. They're not harmful, just annoying. I attribute it to hypervigilance. My anxiety/hypersensitivity went down I haven't noticed them since. Only when I look at the sky now. 

Celexa 20 mg from December 2010 - July 2011. CT. 

Currently taking Buspar for anhedonia.

 

But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more.

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Hoo boy. I have been off Effexor completely( after so many attempted tries)since July 6th. This has been absolute hell. I had hoped the recovery would be faster, but then, I was on it for 18 years, so what did I expect?

I have been taking 5HTP, Omega 3 and vitamin B. It has helped, but when I find I am in a situation that stresses me in the least, I feel like I fall right back into withdrawal. I feel hopeless, angry( really angry at times) and resentful. All the physical symptoms are nearly gone, except for the odd time I can hear my eyes moving( when I am really tired)

I guess I am asking for some good news- that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm not doomed to feel like this forever.( I couldn't live like this to be honest- I would have to go back on something, which I really don't want to do)

 

I too quit Effexor and sensed I could hear my eyeballs moving.  

I found this quite by accident a gift from the Gods one day. 

A scientific understanding of why this is happening.

 

Can You Hear Your Eyeballs Move?

Author:[Cerebrl]| Category: Biology, Health and Medicine | 02-19-07

 

This may seem like a question for a riddle or utter non-sense, but there are sufferers of an odd syndrome caused by serotonin and a little part of your brain called the nucleus accumbens. InScientific American Mar.‘07, there is a story of a neuroscientist that suffered from a horrid grating noise coming from his eyeballs while he tries to fall asleep.

Now before you start reading on, I want you to keep this thought in the back of your head:“Do you perceive the world around you as it really is, or just as your brain wants to interpret it?” Hopefully I have not lost you by now, but keep up as this gets interesting.

The story starts with Douglas Fields, the neuroscientist with “loud” eyeballs. In attending a neuroscience meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, he sat down with a college friend of his to have a couple of beers at a bar. When Douglas noticed Josef Rauschecker ofGeorgetown University drinking a beer as well, he acquired enough courage to ask him about his really unique problem since he knew Josef was an authority on the auditory cortex. Once Douglas gets his attention and starts describing how his eyeballs start to make a loud, irritating noise as soon as he tries to go to sleep, the guy sitting right next to him says,“Me, too!” Who knows what the actual likelihood of this happening is…but let me go on.

Once the two recover from being dumbfounded over this very strange, unique coincidence, Josef blurts out,“I know what your problem is.” Douglas thinks to himself:

What are the chances of meeting someone else who shares my oddball noise and in front of the only person in the world who could understand it?

 

Josef goes on to say that their problem is serotonin.“Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that stimulates neurons in the nucleus accumbens (NA) to activate it.” The nucleus accumbens or NA is basically an input regulation device. It allows a certain amount of sensory input into the conscious mind depending on what “we” are doing at that time. When one is deeply focused on a specific task, the NA will block out or heavily regulate unwanted noise or other sensory input. A good example is the selective hearing that men are so good at while watching a football game. His NA is blocking out the talking of his wife, so that he can continue watching his football game uninterrupted.

What does this mean for good old Douglas and his friend? Well, when Douglas was younger he injured his inner ear, and when his nerve fibers sprouted to repair the damage some of them “miss-wired” and ended up cross-wiring to his circuits that are responsible for vision and balance. So, some of the sensory input from his eyes that should go to his visual cortex ended up going to his auditory cortex causing him to hear his eyes move. How does that sound [Pun intended]?

Serotonin comes into play to control what the NA lets through when one tries to “fall” asleep. So when Douglas starts to enter into his twilight sleep, his NA falls asleep as well, allowing him to hear his eyeballs move. The same action occurs when he wakes up. Fortunately, all Douglas has to do is adjust his serotonin and he should never hear his eyeballs again.

After I originally read this story, I couldn’t stop thinking about how this proves that our reality is nothing but electrical inputs, and how we trust our brains to interpret them correctly. It is our brain that will decide what is essential and what is not. But, what if our brain does not interpret them in the way that represents what is really “out there”. What does that do to our sense of “reality”. So, is the world around you really like what you think it is, or is your brain wrong? I guess we will never know. But what can be learned from the above incredible story, is what you think you perceive may not be “really” reality

http://www.blog4brains.com/2007/02/19/can-you...

Edited by Petu
fixed text

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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  • 2 months later...

I am at month 15 off effexor and a new symptom lately is a 'heat wave' effect right where I am looking for a second or two. Went to opth. and he said it is a type of floater due to aging.  I do wonder if it could not be WD related. I am now taking lutein and xianthenine or whatever tabs in hopes it will prevent worsening, even though doc said vitamins won't help.  Does any one have floaters like this? Or only the dark spot types?

2002? zoloft.  Start of synthroid unknown.

2002? switched to paxil  - Developed restless leg syndrome. stopped all caffeine which helped for many years.

2003? switched to effexor XL 75 mg. May 2012 began taper

July 2012 stopped all effexor . Usual WD symptoms, lost excess weight, had more energy. RLS stopped immediately!

Sept 2012 depression off and on, increasing. Tried tryptophan and acupuncture

Dec 2012 severe anxiety began

February 2013 used magnolia bark for anxiety - helped but developed central sleep apnea, so I stopped it

by April 2013- stopped tryptophan, using saffron herb successfully and started HRT

June 2013 doctor noticed bradycardia. I tried very small dose cytomel sev days for hypothyroidism but seemed to strain my heart.

July 2013 stopped saffron due to slow heart and palpitations - did not help.

July 2013 Increased synthroid from 50mg to 75mg. depression and anxiety improved. Heart problems continue.

September & October 2013 - 2 month course of antibiotic for possbile lyme disease - mood and anxiety improved further.  Heart pvc's flair up at times. 

 

 

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So sorry you're having this problem.  Don't have much to add, but I feel for you.  I developed terrible floaters as a kid, as I too am severely nearsighted (-7.50 DS OU). I'm sure it's been explained to you that the more nearsighted we are, the more at risk we are for floaters, and that you actually learn to notice the floaters less as time passes.  Just to give you some patience with the doctors, the only solution/cure for floaters is a vitrectomy, which carries a significant risk for permanent vision loss is both eyes.  No one would want to go blind trying to cure floaters, and that's why the procedure is never even mentioned.  It would be medical malpractice for an eye doctor to perform a double vitrectomy on you.  That's why they stress time for the symptoms to ease.  After over 20 years of developing awful floaters myself, I hardly even notice them anymore.  It was a gradual process to get here, but most of the "getting used to" the floaters took place within the first few years.  It's like not noticing your nose in your vision all day long.  You do in fact see your nose no matter what you're looking at every minute of every day, but our brains have learned to tune it out as useless information.  That's exactly what happens in getting used to floaters.  They never really go away; you just don't notice them anymore.  Really.  I assure you.  Hope this helps you understand a bit better. 

insomnia, anxiety, depression- since childhood

lyme disease, dysautonomia, chiari malformation- dx 4/1997

nortriptyline- 75mg since childhood

clonazepam- 3mg since 4/1997

trazodone-100mg since 4/2013, now tapering

rotating antibiotics and antimalarials for lyme disease

midodrine- 10mg for dysautonomia

repeated skull surgeries for chiari malformation

 

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I think I might have something other than floaters. I'm noticing blurry vision when I refocus my eyes from looking down to looking up across the room, like there is a delay in their ability to focus.  I think it is part of all the neurological stuff going on in my body/brain.

 

I have a few dark spot type floaters that I've had for years. This blurry vision is something new and is not like a floater that you'd see near or next to where you are looking. It impacts my vision right where I am looking. I think the doctor may have misdiagnosed me.  They are always in such a rush and don't seem to take time to ask questions about the specific symptoms  to figure out from the all the evidence what is wrong. They just do a test or lab test and run with that. What the patient tries to describe is mostly ignored.

 

I also get twitches in the muscles below the eye (as well as other places on and inside my body). Perhaps the focusing muscles are twitching and not focusing right at times.

2002? zoloft.  Start of synthroid unknown.

2002? switched to paxil  - Developed restless leg syndrome. stopped all caffeine which helped for many years.

2003? switched to effexor XL 75 mg. May 2012 began taper

July 2012 stopped all effexor . Usual WD symptoms, lost excess weight, had more energy. RLS stopped immediately!

Sept 2012 depression off and on, increasing. Tried tryptophan and acupuncture

Dec 2012 severe anxiety began

February 2013 used magnolia bark for anxiety - helped but developed central sleep apnea, so I stopped it

by April 2013- stopped tryptophan, using saffron herb successfully and started HRT

June 2013 doctor noticed bradycardia. I tried very small dose cytomel sev days for hypothyroidism but seemed to strain my heart.

July 2013 stopped saffron due to slow heart and palpitations - did not help.

July 2013 Increased synthroid from 50mg to 75mg. depression and anxiety improved. Heart problems continue.

September & October 2013 - 2 month course of antibiotic for possbile lyme disease - mood and anxiety improved further.  Heart pvc's flair up at times. 

 

 

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