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


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- 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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Has anybody experienced this problem? Does it go away? I have a type of hazy vision in my roght eye...a bit worried about it...

- 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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Ikam, I noticed my vision isn't as good either. I see things much better further away. It's only a tiny bit difference though- maybe I am just getting older?

Diagnosed bi-pollar II in 2003 at age 15.

Lithium, lexapro and seroquel for the next 8 years, with occasional klonopin.

Quit seroquel cold turkey in 2011.

1st unsuccessful attempt to stop ALL meds cold turkey- 2012

Switched to lithium, citalopram and adderall (only on adderall for a few weeks).

Cold turkey off EVERYTHING Feb 2014.

 

Previous symptoms; crying spells, suicidal depression and hopelessness (3 months). Frequent urination and chocolate, allergy medicine and food sensitivities (3 months). Body pain radiating through my spine, legs, arms and butt followed by muscle stiffness, weakness and tingling/loss of feeling (7 months). Brain zaps, head aches and intense depersonalization. Fight or flight upon waking and difficulty sleeping (2 months). Difficulty regulating body temperature-incredibly cold hands and feet (8 months). Diarrhea and difficulty eating (lost over 30 pounds). Acute and itchy acne? on my forehead, cheeks and chest (7 months). 

 

Current symptoms: anxiety, obsessive compulsions, feeling stuck/unable to act/shocked, pain along my spine, hair loss, easily stressed and overwhelmed, difficulty with social situations, generally moody. 

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Ikam, I noticed my vision isn't as good either. I see things much better further away. It's only a tiny bit difference though- maybe I am just getting older?

I have to wear reading glasses...this is what I consider as normal...

But this is new, it is a blurred vision in one eye only...

- 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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Ikam, I noticed my vision isn't as good either. I see things much better further away. It's only a tiny bit difference though- maybe I am just getting older?

  

 

Ikam, I noticed my vision isn't as good either. I see things much better further away. It's only a tiny bit difference though- maybe I am just getting older?

I have to wear reading glasses...this is what I consider as normal...

But this is new, it is a blurred vision in one eye only...

 

I dont know if I should go to have my eyes tested or wait, asbit may pass as many WD symptoms...

- 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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I have an intermittent vision problem in one eye too... it comes and goes, and switches eyes sometimes. Its blurry and feels like theres gunk in it. Then one day its normal. Thats not age related. Needing to hold things further away to see them...consistently... is age related after 40. Im 42 and have this happening...but the other thing is definately wd i think

2 Timothy 1-7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Effexor 75mg to 262.5mg 2005-2010 for post partum depression

Started having poop out mid 2010, also switched generic brands, then crashed in Dec 2010 (anxiety/ "terror", intense DR, anhedonia, suicidal ideation, chills, insomnia, horrible intrusive thoughts, disorientation, ect)
Rapid "tapered" from 262.5mg Effexor in 3 months

Tried Celexa,Cipralex, then Paxil to deal with wd(this switching made things worse and added akathesia)

Found online support and started tapering Paxil 7 months after quitting Effexor (at this point was having small windows).

Paxil taper: dropped 10% every 4-8 weeks

Year 1 October 2011 to Nov 2012 20mg to 10mg

Year 2 March 2013 to Feb 2014 10mg to 4mg

Year 3 April 2014 to May 2015 4mg to 1.1mg

Year 4 June 2015 1.1mg , dropping by 10% until .5mg, after then dropped by 0.1mg every 5 weeks until 0.1mg.

Finished! Official last dose of 0.1mg on June 15/16

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I have decided to have it checked...

- 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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For a time in wd I had to have my glasses changed a lot too often... I ran out of money and could not afford to keep changing them I don't see as well since... once when I was still taking the Effexor my vision just went bad to a place I have never returned from I needed glasses ever since before effexor I did not need glasses... I have had weird eye issues all through wd... today my eyes get worse and worse.  Not the sudden drop in vision I had when on effexor but a gradual worsening. 

 

When on Effexor I thought I had some real big eye problem as I went from seeing find one day to not being able to see the numbers on the phone the next day... so off to the eye doctor i went and was told it was likely gradual but I noticed it all of a sudden... I did not buy that story then and I don't buy it now...but what to do about it... nothing I got my glasses and got one with it. I don't know how bad my eyes really are now but still I am needing new glasses faster then I can afford them or the testing. 

 

in playing games with a kid I call the pirate sally pete when the name was salty pete good for a laugh if your a kid I guess... 

 

I had on person who was on another board say Effexor cause some type of retinal problem he seen an opthamologist not a the guy who checked you for glasses but an actually eye doctor.  may be worth it for you I can't say.

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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I am reading the RISK site.. now.. since I had those issue years ago I have had more issues and have wanted to have more testing... I have been to a few specialist an ophthalmologist  and asked to see a neuro ophthalmologist he said I would have to go thru the proper channels... so off to the neurologist who said it was not needed.

I had more troubles and at the time it was deemed impairative to see an ophthalmologist again... this time quickly... I was to go back to the one I had seen first but could not get in so was shipped to another town to see a different guy a very old man... who I swear was blind. Since it was deemed an emergency the last time I had troubles I was sent by my gp to a new eye doctor in the same building...ya I know racking up the bucks for the clinic she partly owns... but I have also lost touch with my own eye doctor who I prefer.. l know the last one I seen gobbled up the insurance money and they will only pay for a test every two years ...so he took the cash from the eye doc I like .. will be long before I can go again ... and that sucks. 

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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Not that I will remember this when the time comes but think it is worth putting here the type of testing talked about at RISK it is likely what I need and can't seem to get.

 

"I was given an electroretinogram – ERG. This is a range of tests which examine electrical activity within the eye and optic nerve. It involves looking at flashing lights while wired up to a machine that records the results.

My results showed abnormal electrical activity within the retina and I was invited back for further tests. I listened in to the conversation. My consultants were excited. Although certain genetic conditions can apparently produce the findings they were seeing, my results are unusual and do not directly match any known eye condition.

Comment from the Ophthalmology Department

‘The pattern that AS shows is unusual. He has inner retinal dysfunction – from a change in either his bipolar cells or retinal Muller cells.

Retinal electrophysiology is not universally available. Where it is done, not all centres comply with international ISCEV (International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision) testing standards. This can make results difficult to compare between centres.

A minimum examination should involve an ISCEV standard electroretinogram (ERG) to test generalised rod, cone and inner retinal function, along with pattern or multifocal ERG to test macular function.

If these show similar abnormalities to AS, then we will suggest further, more advanced testing to isolate the problem. We know there is serotonin and dopamine input to these cells so the findings make some sense.

If the screening ERG is abnormal but different, it would be good to get further testing on some subjects to Newcastle for data consistency or to liaise with the ophthalmology department.’

- See more at: http://wp.rxisk.org/keeping-an-eye-on-the-ball-visual-problems-on-ssris/#sthash.BvYz21y1.dpuf

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

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

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

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

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Btdt, thank you for your input. I have thought myself that this is related to meds. But it seems I do need new glasses, as I have been struggling...i am also required by law to wear distance glasses when driving...

- 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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  • Moderator Emeritus

My eyesight used to be great, now it is terrible.  However, I am around the age when most people need reading glasses, so it is hard to tell how much of my problem is from withdrawal and how much is just down to age.  I suspect it is not completely age-related.  Also, a few years ago I suddenly developed loads of floaters in both eyes.  Again, this is something that is considered fairly "normal", but I tend to believe that in my case it is at least partly SSRI-related.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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paxil withdrawal has messed up my perfect vision in my left eye.. and slightly in my right eye.. according to the eye doc I have perfect vision yet i know i cant see perfectly.. it all started a few months after withdrawal started.. also im 23 so i KNOW its not due to age..

 

so yes.. paxil withdrawal can mess with your vision

Paxil from 2005 to July 2013. 30mg. 

Very short taper. 

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My eyesight used to be great, now it is terrible.  However, I am around the age when most people need reading glasses, so it is hard to tell how much of my problem is from withdrawal and how much is just down to age.  I suspect it is not completely age-related.  Also, a few years ago I suddenly developed loads of floaters in both eyes.  Again, this is something that is considered fairly "normal", but I tend to believe that in my case it is at least partly SSRI-related.

I also need reading glasses, but my eye sight got much worse in 1.5year...

I will have new glasses, as my eyes get so tired. It was difficult to drive yesterday...It is problem with focusing and straining my eyes...

I will have my glasses next week...

- 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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  • 2 weeks later...

YES. The vision issues are one of my worst and most pronounced/debilitating symptoms... Been off of Prozac for 15 days and think my vision is worsening (I am 25 years old). I've never had any prescription or vision problems before this. Can't drive at all, nor even read/watch tv comfortably. Help!

Diagnosis: Anxiety, Situational Depression 

March 2016: So debilitated that had to leave my home/job/life to move in with my parents. Hopeless. 

July 2015: Reinstated 2.5mg to 5mg Prozac - Got worse so stopped the reinstated Prozac

Middle of February 2015: Prozac 20mg every other day for one week and discontinued on February 18th or 19th 

Beg of February 2015: Stopped Pristiq, continued on 20mg Prozac for 2 weeks 

End of January 2015: Use Prozac to wean off of Pristiq (Added 20mg of Prozac to the 50mg Pristiq - took both for 1 week)

January 2015: Decide to stop Pristiq due to negative side effects 

Beg of November 2014: Switch from Zoloft to Pristiq 50mg

August 2014: Reinstate Zoloft 100mg

March-June 2014: Weaned off of Zoloft 100mg 

January 2012: Begin Zoloft 100mg (6 month period at the end of 2012 where I discontinued the Zoloft - reinstated for situational depression) 

2008-May 2011: Cymbalta and Topamax for Migraines -- May 2011: Weaned off of Cymbalta and Topamax

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

HAS ANYBODY RECOVERED FROM VISION PROBLEMS AND DIZZINESS?  HAS NYBODY RECOVERED FROM THINGS LOOKING TOO SHARP AND TOO FAR AWAY?

*I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience
**Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not
-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014

-All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness.  It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage.  All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors 

-Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine

-Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey)

-Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011
-Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less)

-Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week

-Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs 

-First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened

-Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD.  Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed.  NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it.

-Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned
-Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia
-Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat
-Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged
-7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia

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i had pretty superb vision and hearing until i took meds (like uppermost percentiles of functioning).  after a while on them, and i bet the antipsychotics in particular were a big culprit, my vision, hearing, and cognitive processing of both became impaired.  not fully impaired, but my distanced vision became markedly poorer, and i had to rely on other people to read or point out things that would have been clear before i was on meds.  it was dangerous to drive because roadsigns, especially while in a moving vehicle, were difficult to make out.  my short term vision also became compromised, and using a computer for school and work probably both facilitated and suffered from this degeneration.

 

my hearing has taken hits as well, with decreased frequency response, clarity, and perceptive abilities.  and the cogitative part...thats what got the MOST screwloosed---it got to the point where i could barely understand sentences and phrases as words with coherent meaning.  sound became a blur; even if the enunciation was recognizably a pattern of human speech, it simply held no meaning to me, or i had to sit and struggle and wait for things to catch up (if they would at all).  things like accents, rapidity, volume changes, and locational differences made speech impossible to make out a lot of the time.  it was quite embarrassing, worrisome, and downright prohibitive.

 

it was one symptom among the collection of scarier things that led me to finally tell all the psychiatrists to cram the meds up their least pleasure-associated sphincters despite strong medical recommendations.  but, to my amazement and relief, quitting the meds DID help!  these changes happened so gradually, over the course of 7 years, that i was not certain they were the problem.  i went to over 100 loud punk, metal, hardcore, and industrial shows across those 7 years, did most of my college courses online, had a lot of jobs with clipboards and computer screens, so i was worrying maybe i just messed my own body up---and, of course, doctors and adults would be sure to agree with even the unlikeliest of attribution to anything but medical treatment.  but tapering off the meds, and especially being 100% clean...everything changed.  i started hearing, seeing, and living again.

 

various phases of withdrawal set in immediately and still obscure my senses to alternating degrees on a daily basis, but i saw that, without a doubt, the medications were the issue, and quitting them does give my body a chance to recover.  im having some new, additional problems in withdrawal, like being unable to ascertain the locationality of sounds (and confusing/switching up directionality and such), and having a lot of eye pain, intense hallucinations, etc, so the news is not all good.  however, i think these will pass.  i feel it is very reasonable to say that i will recover my former abilities and levels of capacity, and some days i get a glimmer of how good things used to be.

 

--------

 

inclination to edit and add (peeked at that RxISK article): a variety of other visual phenomena also manifested on meds, and after.  a few more important ones to note are: periodic 'mists'/fogs that can fill a room or obscure things, the ability to perceive all physical matter (including air, light, and sound---sound as perceived by my ears) as 'energy waves' (like oscillating ocean waves, very specific in frequency and depth as related to what was being perceived---'matrix vision', if youd like), greatly reduced ability to recognize familiar faces, poorer night vision, and, only upon withdrawal, periodic sheets of red tinting covering my entire view.

 

--------

 

WiggleIt --- if you are suffering from dizziness AND increased sharpness of vision (at whatever depth) and/or tunnel vision type distortion, that suggests to me (in my NON-professional opinion!) a possible circulatory issue.  pressure within the eye can bow the focal lens and distort your perception, and dizziness and headaches are most often bloodflow issues, so both of those separate symptoms occurring at once makes me feel more strongly about it.  (separate, especially if the vision distortion was not focused, i mightve pitched an equilibrium problem instead, perhaps---inner ear problems with fluid pressure or sensitivity, or neurological registration of those senses, with or without spinal involvement.)  if there is no circulatory connection, it might be about your processing of the input.

 

both circulatory (which is neurologically regulated) and more directly neurological causes for your symptoms are documented side effects and withdrawal effects of psychotropics, and benzos are one of the most notable classes for vision disturbances (dont remember enough about TCA ADs right now...only took one or two).  your sig history shows youve been through a lot of the terrible brainy stuff associated with discontinuation syndrome...my opinion is that you will recover, but late 2014 is a pretty early quit date, comparatively, and you might be in for a rough ride.

 

other people here, especially in the relevant sections, have more experience and knowledge regarding your specific meds---i only took one benzo, and not long term.  im three years into my withdrawal, but my main issue is antipsychotics, by my own estimations.  i hope thats not a harrowing notion.

from 2005-2012, i spent 7 years taking 17 different psychotropic medications covering several classes.  i would be taking 3-7 medications at a time, and 6 out of the 17 medications listed below were maxed or overmaxed in clinical dosage before i moved on to trying the next unhelpful cocktail.
 
antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, tetracyclics): zoloft, wellbutrin, effexor, lexapro, prozac, cymbalta, remeron
antipsychotics (atypical): abilify, zyprexa, risperdal, geodon
sleep aids (benzos, off-label antidepressants & antipsychotics, hypnotics): seroquel, temazepam, trazodone, ambien
anxiolytics: buspar
anticonvulsants: topamax
 
i tapered off all psychotropics from late 2011 through early 2013, one by one.  since quitting, ive been cycling through severe, disabling withdrawal symptoms spanning the gamut of the serious, less serious, and rather worrisome side effects of these assorted medications.  previous cross-tapering and medication or dosage changes had also caused undiagnosed withdrawal symptoms.
 
brainpan addlepation

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  • 2 weeks later...

Are floaters a symptom of AD withdrawal? I've been experiencing them for 7 weeks now. I reinstated 5 mg cipralex but the floaters don't go away. Should I get my eyes checked or is it withdrawal?

 

The doctor says it's not withdrawal and I cannot have a 7 week withdrawal and that he's fed up with me because he wants me to increase the dose of cipralex but I don't want to. What should I do?

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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Hi, I dont think they are, I have had them my whole life. They are worse when the sky is overcast and I am driving on an open road. Havnt noticed them being any worse from wd. A lot of people say they have hyper sensitive scenses during wd, like sounds and smells. Maybe your vision is hyper sensitive and you are just noticing them more, or blurry vision from wd is making them more irritating. My Dr is awesome!He told me wd only lasts 2 weeks. I told him I felt mine was way longer, and we had a long talk, and he explained how Dr.s have been educated that its only two weeks, but he was not going to discount that my wd symptoms could be longer, and that he would help me through it!! I would go with your gut, and maybe talk to a different Dr. Especialy if he or she is not listening to you.

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Should I go get my eyes checked?

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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Will this symptom go away? It's been 7 weeks now and it's persisting.

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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bluebalu86, hi.

 

three visual symptoms presented for me during withdrawal:

 

** difficulty in adjusting to light variations (for example, i would be nearly blind for many minutes after moving indoors from outdoors)

 

** the sensation that my eyes could not accept the input of the objects presented before them: a strained type of feeling upon visual stimulation. pushing a child on a swing would cause great strain on my eyes as my eyes struggled to maintain proper focus on the moving object.

 

** floaters - which for me appeared to sometimes be little sparkling zig-zaggy things, or also bright spots that i could not see through.

 

all of these dissapated for me as my withdrawal symptoms decreased.

 

despite your doctor's ridiculous assertion that withdrawal cannot last 7 weeks, you are very early in the withdrawal process and visual disturbances are not an odd occurence at all.

 

i would say that your best gauge to put your mind at ease would be to question: did the visual disturbances stop after i discontinued the drug? if you answer "yes" to this question, then i would feel comfortable assuming it is withdrawal. and if it comes with withdrawl's start, it will likely go with withdrawal's finish.

 

following through with a doctor's appointment is always an option, but if this is withdrawal-related, your eyes are going to check out just fine. i hope this helps.

 

hang in there.

 

dave

1996 - .5mg Ativan as needed, 7.5mg Remeron daily2008 - .5mg Xanax, Ativan discontinued, Remeron continued2012 - .5mg Xanax, .25mg Ativan 3x daily, Remeron continued2/2012 - Jumped from Remeron, continued .5mg Xanax .25mg Ativan 3x daily4/2012 - Began rapid taper of .5mg Xanax .25mg Ativan 3x daily6/2012 - Jumped from Xanax and Ativan, voluntary hospitalization followed7/2012 - 2nd voluntary hospitalization, reinstated Remeron, bumped to 30mg, also given risperidone.8/2012 - discontinued risperidone, tried gabapentin, dicontinued gabapentin, Remeron 30mg continued10/2012 to current - tapered Remeron 10% every 4 to 6 weeks (sometimes more time) using liquid compound12/2014 - 2mg Remeron 1/16/2015 - 1.9mg Remeron 8/1/2015 -1.6mg Remeron - 03/1/2016 - 1.5mg Remeron - 1/2/2017 1.3mg - 5/7/2017 1.2mg - 5/13/2017 - syringe size change - 6/8/2017 - 1.1mg - 7/10/2017 - 1mg - 9/1/2017 - 0.9mg - 10/22/2017 - 0.8mg - 11/22/2017 - 0.7mg - 2/2/2018 - 0.6mg - 3/13/2018 - new compound pharmacy - 5/20/2018 - 0.5mg - 8/31/2018 - 0.4mg - 11/16/2018 - 0.3mg - 12/24/2018 - 0.2mg - 4/1/2019 - 0.1mg - 5/1/2019 - .05mg - 0mg achieved 2019-06-15. 🤞

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Thank you Dave. It all started with the onset of withdrawal on February 16. How long did yours last? I know it's individual I just need someone to tell me something. I can't stand being in the dark. 

 

I'm very desperate with the doctor's incompetence and his dissmissal of my problems and don't know where to turn. This is all so frustrating. 

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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bluebalu86,

 

you've no idea how many times i've wished i'd journaled my withdrawal day by day so i could remember timelines. but as you aptly pointed out, we're all individual. but i'll give you a general estimate of how it went down for me. i think it was fairly steady from months 1 thru maybe 4 or 5, and then in sort of started to become intermittent presenting only when i was experiencing "waves" of symptoms. i don't think i was really dealing with it at all after the 8 or 9 month mark. that is my best recollection.

 

but to me, you just nailed it:

 

 

It all started with the onset of withdrawal on February 16.

 

that would be an INTENSE coincidence, my friend. it came with withdrawl.

 

hang in there. i know it is annoying as an itch you can't reach to scratch, so just try to bear with it until heads for the hills.

 

dave

1996 - .5mg Ativan as needed, 7.5mg Remeron daily2008 - .5mg Xanax, Ativan discontinued, Remeron continued2012 - .5mg Xanax, .25mg Ativan 3x daily, Remeron continued2/2012 - Jumped from Remeron, continued .5mg Xanax .25mg Ativan 3x daily4/2012 - Began rapid taper of .5mg Xanax .25mg Ativan 3x daily6/2012 - Jumped from Xanax and Ativan, voluntary hospitalization followed7/2012 - 2nd voluntary hospitalization, reinstated Remeron, bumped to 30mg, also given risperidone.8/2012 - discontinued risperidone, tried gabapentin, dicontinued gabapentin, Remeron 30mg continued10/2012 to current - tapered Remeron 10% every 4 to 6 weeks (sometimes more time) using liquid compound12/2014 - 2mg Remeron 1/16/2015 - 1.9mg Remeron 8/1/2015 -1.6mg Remeron - 03/1/2016 - 1.5mg Remeron - 1/2/2017 1.3mg - 5/7/2017 1.2mg - 5/13/2017 - syringe size change - 6/8/2017 - 1.1mg - 7/10/2017 - 1mg - 9/1/2017 - 0.9mg - 10/22/2017 - 0.8mg - 11/22/2017 - 0.7mg - 2/2/2018 - 0.6mg - 3/13/2018 - new compound pharmacy - 5/20/2018 - 0.5mg - 8/31/2018 - 0.4mg - 11/16/2018 - 0.3mg - 12/24/2018 - 0.2mg - 4/1/2019 - 0.1mg - 5/1/2019 - .05mg - 0mg achieved 2019-06-15. 🤞

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Thank you very much. Yes indeed, it's extremely annoying. I'm hanging in there and hoping it will subside with time.

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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I suddenly developed a lot of floaters after several years on paroxetine and a few unsuccessful taper attempts.  I don't know if it was the SSRI, the withdrawal or just a coincidence. I suspect it was not a coincidence, but there is no way to prove it one way or another.  They have never gone away.  I don't notice them all the time, but sometimes they are very annoying.  My general vision has also deteriorated, but being in my forties I suppose this might have happened anyway.  It is frustrating as I used to have perfect vision.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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I just went in for an eye exam and they said I have white circles around the coloured part of my eyes inside indicative of high cholesterol  or a faulty liver and I know my cholesterol is fine. I get floaters too

12 year on Paxil 20mg. Dropped to 5mg a few years before weaning, Was on 5mg weaned over a few months and then went off Aug 15, 2012. Severe withdrawal started Nov 2012 and have been slowly recovering. Have had all physical symptoms especially muscle, immune and food sensitivities!

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It's my most persisting symptom so far. And the most annoying. I also have eye pressure, discomfort and sometimes pain when I move my eyes. It's really putting me down. 

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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I did some reading and I'm thinking what if the floaters are not cause by the WD (since they are persisting and not lessening with time), but by the 5mg of Cipralex? I read a lot of people get floaters on SSRIs as a side effect. Maybe it could be dose-related and I didn't have them before because I was on a higher dose and somehow the higher dose didn't have them as a side effect?

 

And I was also thinking what if they're cause by the other drug I'm taking and haven't stopped or tapered, which is a low dose of Flupentixol. Maybe they were masked by the Cipralex and now that I have lowered the dose they appear? I don't know at this point. I guess only time will show. When you take multiple drugs and withdraw from some of them you don't know what's causing what. It's so complicated. It's really bugging me because they're there all the time and it's really annoying. I want them gone!

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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bluebalu, how old are you? Floaters develop naturally in people who are middle-aged.

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 have developed eye floaters since a week, am in week 4 of withdrawal after failed RI. have never had this problem before, and I am 27. I have difficulty also focusing on text when I read, my vision is sort of like "staccato".

2008-2014: various doses of Sertraline between 25-150mg. Put on it initially for very mild anxiety.

Occasionnally Xanax 0.25mg, maybe twice a month.

Summer 2014: much too rapid taper off Sertraline (had no clue about withdrawal) from 25mg to nothing in about two months.

September 2014: last Sertraline pill.
End november 2014: begin WD symptoms (severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, zaps, head/face/ear pressure, severe debilitating anxiety and insomnia, muscle pains and spasm,..) 

Begin february 2015: had developed what I now know is akathisia, arrived at the psych ER severly sleep deprived. Put on a drug regimen consisting of: Sertraline 25mg, Trazolan 100 mg for sleep and Temesta 2,5 when needed.

Had a severe adverse reaction to the Sertraline reinstatement and became acutely suicidal within days. Akathisia and all physical symptoms became worse. Doctor pushed the doses further up until I, in a moment of lucidity, found a psychiatrist who believed me when I said I was in WD.

Mid march 2015: off all psych meds. Suicidal thoughts diminshed greatly, insomnia got somewhat better but akathisia is still relentless and physical symptoms quite debilitating. At least drugs are out of my system and healing can finally commence.

I avoid coffee, alcohol and exercise and am not taking any supplements whatsoever. I am just leaving my body and brain to be.

 

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I'm 29 years old. I used to have floaters before but not as many as I do now, and not all the time. It didn't bother me.

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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  • 2 weeks later...

About 3.5 months after I took my last Lexapro tablet, I started experiencing a tiny white flash, the size of a pinhole, in my peripheral vision in my left eye. It happens a handful of times per day. The flash comes and goes at lightning speed. Does anyone know if this is a commonly reported symptom of withdrawal syndrome or not? I did a search on this site (using Google) but didn't come across anything similar.

2009-2012: Lexapro 10mg, and then varying doses , multiple failed attempts to wean myself off. Instant withdrawal side-effects, including: loss of balance; forgetfulness; bruxism; apathy; pins & needles; extreme anxiety; panic; extremely vivid dreams and nightmares; akathisia; suicidal ideation; sleep paralysis; skin crawling; and more.2012-March to 2013-December: Lexapro 10mg, Life was great.2014-January to 2014-December: Weaned myself off, using 10mg and 5mg doses only. Alternated & skipped days until finally going cold turkey. Experienced restless leg at night, temporarily. Numbness in scalp, sporadically.2015-January to 2015-April No medication. 2 weeks after taking final pill - choking sensations [ongoing]. 6 weeks after final pill - Random, all-over, burning / pin-prick / electric shock sensations throughout my body [Ongoing] (Never any brain zaps though.) Tinnitus symptoms [temporary.] Loss of sensation in throat/neck [ongoing]. MRI of brain and C-spine; blood tests; all clear. 2015-April to now 10mg Lexapro. Loss of sensation in fingers [constant]. Still experiencing burning / pin-prick / electric shock sensations all over my body since before reinstatement [almost constant]. Still experiencing numbness in throat/neck since before reinstatement [constant.] Balance problems [infrequent]. Pins and needles in legs & feet [infrequent.]<p>2015-Nov to date: 10mg daily. Numbness in finger remains, some electric shocks, but it doesn't bother me anymore. Loss of sensation / motor capabilities in tongue / throat / airways continues, seems to be getting worse.
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I have a ridiculous amount of floaters and my vision is blurry. It sucks, but I found out the hard way that the mental symptoms are waaay worse, so I'm not complaining anymore! I will deal with the floaters until they go away.

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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  • 4 weeks later...

Has anyone gone temporary blind during withdrawal? Its a new symptom a my eyes keep diming after i do something strenuous

40 year old male - First panic attack in May 2012

May 2012 Atenolol (beta blocker)25mg, Ativan 2mg
August 2012 Rapid taper ativan, started zoloft 25mg
Dec 2012... rapid taper zoloft,
January 2013 Xanax 1mg for 1 month
February 2013 Klonopin 1mg
April 2013 to May 2013 Rapid Taper Klonopin to 0.5mg
June 10th 2013 jumped from 0.5 Kpin and Atenolol 25mg
July 2013 two days of Ativan 1mg b/c of hospital visit
September 2013 started Effexor 75mg (this was a mistake i think)
July 2014 to October 2014 tapered off Effexor...

July 2015 - Reinstated zoloft 50mg

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