Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Intrusive repetitive song symptom or ear worms


Alua

Recommended Posts

So earlier this year when I was switched to pristiq from mirtazapine, I was on both for about five days before being told due to my symptoms I had to stop one. I had this symptom which was whatever song I would hear it would repeat a line over and over in my head all day. At the time I blamed the pristiq but after reading on here I might wonder if it was in fact withdrawal from the mirt given that now four months on the symptom has subsided significantly. I oticed when I tried to withdraw recently fro the pristiq I had the repetitive song intrusion very bad. Anybody suffered this?

<p>Various benzos 4 months for insomnia prior to Effexor 37.5mg may 2014 for two weeks, Mirtazapine 30mg june 2014 - feb 2015.Pristiq 50 mg Feb 2015. six weeks later attempted coming off with a six week taper. ten days off and it got ugly. Tapering now using compounded pristiq with slow release agent. 37.5 mg 3 weeks, 30 mg 6 weeks, 25mg 4.5 weeks, 20mg for 6 weeks, 17.5 mgs 7 weeks, 20 mg 8 weeks, 19 mg 3 weeks, 18 mg 3 weeks, 17 mg 3 weeks, 16 mg 3 weeks, 15mg 2 weeks, 14mg 2 weeks, 13 mgs 2 weeks, 12 mgs 6 weeks, 11mg 3 weeks, 10.5mg 2 weeks, 10 mg 3.5 weeks. 9mg 4 weeks. Jumped at 8mg currently 16 months free

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

i often get repetitive songs intruding on my thoughts - and i think many people do... but i don't think it is a withdrawal symptom - it's called an ear worm!

Started in 2000 - On 150mg most of the time, (but up to 225mg at highest dose for 6 months in the beginning)
Reduced off easily first time - but got depressed (not too much anxiety) 6 months later
Back on effexor for another 9 months.
Reduced off again with no immediate w/d - suddenly got depressed and anxious ++ again 3 or 4 months later.
Back on effexor - this time for 3 years
Reduced off over a month - 6 weeks later terrible anxiety - back on.
Rinse and repeat 4 more times - each time the period before the anxiety comes back got shorter and shorter
Jan - July 2012 75mg down to 37.5mg;, 8/3/12 - 35mg. 8/25/12 - 32mg. 9/11- 28mg, 10/2 - 25mg, 10/29 - 22mg, 11/19 - 19.8mg; 12/11 - 17m,
1/1- 15.5mg; 1/22 -14mg, 2/7 14.9mg, 2/18 - 17.8mg - crashed big time: back to 75mg where i sat for 2 years....

4th  March 2015 - 67.5mg;   31st March - 60mg;  24th April - 53mg; 13th May - 48mg; 26th May - 45mg;  9th June - 41mg; 1 July- 37.5mg; 20 July - 34mg; 11 August - 31mg; 1st Sept - 28mg;  1st Dec - 25.8mg;  28th Dec - 23.2mg; 23rd Jan-21.9mg; Feb 7th- 21mg; March 1st - 20.1mg, March 30th - 18mg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No I think it is a WD symptom..I only had it in WD..I hear bits of songs over and over.

2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare!

 

On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect.

 

Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan.

 

 

Nightmare that could have been avoided!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me too, I had this symptom for a long time in withdrawal. Therefore I couldn't stand listening to music anymore. And I love listening to music! It was like a torture. But now it doesn't happen so often anymore. It has cleared up - more or less.

2005-2008 Cymbalta 60 mg
2008-2011 Cymbalta 30 mg - w/d during several months by skipping days, last pill in October, severe w/d syndrome (no sleep, flu for weeks, muscle pain for months, brain zaps, dizziness etc.)
April 2012 St. John's Wort 900 mg, reducing step by step, now 37,5 mg
April 2012 Trimipramine 25 mg (only 3 days), then 12,5 mg, reducing step by step, now 3 mg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always had this tendency, from teen years on. I've heard it linked to ADD, which is what got me into the whole psychomed mess. After a slow taper off mirt I began playing the same song in my brain not only all day but on into the next. For a few weeks I'd play the same song as soon as I woke up (at sunrise--typical mirt withdrawal symptom). Not even songs I particularly liked. For the last couple of weeks I haven't been repeating the same line(s) over and over for nearly as long. Actually I'm up to several songs a day  :rolleyes:. I've been off mirt for about 3 months now and this is about the only improvement I've had.  

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeap me too. As you can imagine after as good as going cold turkey after 8 months on 30mg of mirt my song problem was insane! What other withdrawal symptoms did you have from mirtazapine? I'm on pristiq now coming up four months so that long off mirtazapine and the song problem has almost gone.

<p>Various benzos 4 months for insomnia prior to Effexor 37.5mg may 2014 for two weeks, Mirtazapine 30mg june 2014 - feb 2015.Pristiq 50 mg Feb 2015. six weeks later attempted coming off with a six week taper. ten days off and it got ugly. Tapering now using compounded pristiq with slow release agent. 37.5 mg 3 weeks, 30 mg 6 weeks, 25mg 4.5 weeks, 20mg for 6 weeks, 17.5 mgs 7 weeks, 20 mg 8 weeks, 19 mg 3 weeks, 18 mg 3 weeks, 17 mg 3 weeks, 16 mg 3 weeks, 15mg 2 weeks, 14mg 2 weeks, 13 mgs 2 weeks, 12 mgs 6 weeks, 11mg 3 weeks, 10.5mg 2 weeks, 10 mg 3.5 weeks. 9mg 4 weeks. Jumped at 8mg currently 16 months free

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I reconise it as a symptom of depression some times I'm singing for hours inside my head and often out loud thank God I haven't got a bad vioce my wife seldom complains I also have a lot of ryming and punning going on and goboldegook but ihink it's all to do with the condition .and I've just learnt to live with it please God this whole horrible mess will pass .until then I will carry on and grin and bare it

I was originally on 350 mils doxepin started in1975 through the years I tapered down to 100 mils

I stayed on this dose for many years

I have now been off for 7 months ago

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What other withdrawal symptoms did you have from mirtazapine?

 

 

Ear worm, I love it! Glad to hear it's better, Alua. Patoski, my brain can pun but it sucks at rhyming. 

 

I don't sleep well after sunrise; feel anxious and sad some of the time, especially in the middle of the night; have tinnitus; and seem to need my backscratcher a whole lot, i.e. persistent itchiness. Here's the worst one: I've had a serious hearing problem for about five years, probably much longer. Hearing aids make many sounds sharper, brighter, more percussive, whatever you want to call it. Since being off mirt, and to some extent while I was tapering, loud noises just irritate the hell out of me; maybe I should say they hurt my ears, literally. It's made me somewhat reclusive, although that might have more to do with retirement. For my age I exercise a lot and if I'm somewhat sane that's probably the reason. Deafness, my internal synthesizer, tinnitus, and sensitivity to loud noises have made me old in a hurry. (I'm 70, so I suppose it had to be something.) Good luck, fellow musicians. 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny u say that I was on remeron and during the worst day of withdrawal about two weeks in I had the nine inch nails song came back haunted playing in my head all day. It was torturous. Definitely a withdrawal symptom. It goes away

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

I have annoying tunes playing in my head all day long, it often starts from the moment I wake up and lessens as the day goes on. I can have the same song on a loop for days or weeks at a time.

 

My theory is that my brain is trying to protect itself from intrusive thoughts. The music tends to drown out some of the rumination that would otherwise become overwhelming. Still very annoying, but far better than being frightened by anxious thinking.

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

Finished taper 17 May 2017.

Read my success story

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always gotten ear worms, but much much worse in withdrawal.  A mild annoyance compared to the rest of my symptoms, but very interesting some other people report the same thing.

1983-1995: On and off several tricyclic ADs
1995: Quit alcohol, started Prozac
2003: Stopped Prozac; 2004: Started Effexor XR 225
2014: Tried and failed three rapid tapers; stopped cold turkey March 11, 2014, eight days of Prozac as a bridge.
March 19, 2014: SSRI/SSNI free; four weeks acute withdrawal, then five month window of minimal symptoms.

Sept 2014-June 2015: Delayed, prolonged severe withdrawal from Effexor. Roller coaster, way up and way down.  Symptoms swing widely. Clear improvement in Mar-Apr, but still much hell. In May symptoms shifted to insomnia and depression, less HA, tinnitus and brain fog.

July-Sept 2015: After two weeks of using CES device, tremendous relief of insomnia, depression and other symptoms. Feeling much better, finally! Symptoms still come and go, good and bad days.Sneaking up on return to good health.  Alto gave me a 'Here Comes the Sun'!!!  ☼

Oct 2015-Feb 2016: Difficult several months, some good days but the bad days felt like I'm moving backwards.  Struggling after steady improvement, but hanging tough.

 

Current supplements:  Mg-Threonate; glutathione; krill oil; borage oil; phosphatidyl choline; multivite, vit B12, vit C, vit D vit E; OTC meds pseudoephedrine in the AM and benadryl at bedtime.  Clonidine 0.2 bid for high blood pressure.

Filled with hope, courage and self-appreciation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's interesting this is associated with wd. I've had it a few times, but not to the extent that it really bothered me.

 

It's not just limited to wd though. I went on a 10 day meditation retreat some years ago. For the first 8 days, songs I'd been listening to in the weeks before the retreat played through my head constantly. Sometimes they were quietly in the background, and other times, they were loud and insistent. This was several years before AD..so I could not blame it on that. Apparently, it is quite common in people on retreat.

 

At that retreat, the meditation teacher told a story about someone he knew who set off to meditate in nature...until he became enlightened. He chose what he thought was a lovely spot near a stream. After some time, he noticed that the stream was playing a certain tune..eventually, it started driving him crazy. He eventually found himself in the stream, moving stones around, with the hope of changing the tune.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I have the same, but I mostly not with the music, but parts of movies like dialogues come to my mind constantly. Just in the middle of thinking about something a dialogue from movie jumps to my mind.

 

What also drives me crazy, I read what some people wrote on their thread and at once it comes me as if I heard them tell it loudly, I know that it is not possible that someone talks through his thread, but as if the written thoughts became loud. I know it sounds like psychosis, but it feels so.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So common. Ive had this for over 3 years. Its really not nice at all

Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010

Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks

Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better.

Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION

Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012

Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill 

Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma

Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 

 

6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms

Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

its much less lately, I am five months into current taper. but the ruminating crazy thoughts continue. occasionally I have a song repeating now usually on waking, at times it has been constant all day every day.

<p>Various benzos 4 months for insomnia prior to Effexor 37.5mg may 2014 for two weeks, Mirtazapine 30mg june 2014 - feb 2015.Pristiq 50 mg Feb 2015. six weeks later attempted coming off with a six week taper. ten days off and it got ugly. Tapering now using compounded pristiq with slow release agent. 37.5 mg 3 weeks, 30 mg 6 weeks, 25mg 4.5 weeks, 20mg for 6 weeks, 17.5 mgs 7 weeks, 20 mg 8 weeks, 19 mg 3 weeks, 18 mg 3 weeks, 17 mg 3 weeks, 16 mg 3 weeks, 15mg 2 weeks, 14mg 2 weeks, 13 mgs 2 weeks, 12 mgs 6 weeks, 11mg 3 weeks, 10.5mg 2 weeks, 10 mg 3.5 weeks. 9mg 4 weeks. Jumped at 8mg currently 16 months free

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never had this before withdrawal but had it real bad in the middle of the night for most of my taper and it disappeared about 3 months after last bit of poison was consumed..

Paxil start September 2003 due to Fluoroquinolone adverse reaction that I wish doc. knew what it was. 10mg. most of the time with a few short runs of 20mg. FAST tapered 3 times and finally hit poop out or a reaction to nsaid's in Nov.2013. Started a 10% taper Jan. 2014 and have been ok until Sept 14 and went through a short hell. Now plodding through and looking for the light with unrelenting insomnia and pain, fog, loss of interests....<p>12/20/14 - .8mg.

1/01/15 - .75 mg.

1/15/15 - .42 mg. better sleep now, hope it continues...

2/11-15 - .25 mg. doing really good!! 2 weeks feel 85% of old me!

3/17/15 .14 mg. Knee pain bad!

4/07/15 .05 mg. this is so small now that I am estimating and just licking it off palm small as a "." 

4/13/15 NOTHING !!!! Took my last little micro dose on 4/12/15. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DLB well good to hear yours went away. They are not even songs I like! Just read your thread, well done for getting off the poison, I'm working hard on achieving same!

<p>Various benzos 4 months for insomnia prior to Effexor 37.5mg may 2014 for two weeks, Mirtazapine 30mg june 2014 - feb 2015.Pristiq 50 mg Feb 2015. six weeks later attempted coming off with a six week taper. ten days off and it got ugly. Tapering now using compounded pristiq with slow release agent. 37.5 mg 3 weeks, 30 mg 6 weeks, 25mg 4.5 weeks, 20mg for 6 weeks, 17.5 mgs 7 weeks, 20 mg 8 weeks, 19 mg 3 weeks, 18 mg 3 weeks, 17 mg 3 weeks, 16 mg 3 weeks, 15mg 2 weeks, 14mg 2 weeks, 13 mgs 2 weeks, 12 mgs 6 weeks, 11mg 3 weeks, 10.5mg 2 weeks, 10 mg 3.5 weeks. 9mg 4 weeks. Jumped at 8mg currently 16 months free

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I had this after Zoloft reaction, and I hated, that song, "Coz I am Happy"!

It was constantly in my head, as if I had a broken record in my head.

Still hate that song, as it reminds me of the hell I went through.

I don't have it any more. Thank God.

It does pass, eventually.

DRUG HISTORY:

 

November 2013- Zoloft, ( Bad reaction).

January 2014 - March 2014 Seroquel.( Quit Cold Turkey).

January2014- Mirtazapine, I was taking 15mg at one stage, reduced to 7.5mg, Pgad reactions to Mirtazapine. Doctor kept increasing it to 37.5mg, until July 2014. No improvement, experiencing panic attacks, on 37.5 mg. I had enough by October 2014. Began tapering.

October 2014- Started tapering Mirtazapine from 37.5mg.

September 2015- Down to 4mg of Mirtazapine. Crashed.

September 16th- Up dosed to 5mg. Held this dose for almost 5 months. Stabilised.

February 2016- Began tapering again. From 5mg to 4.5mg of Mirtazapine. (Rocking the boat, again)! Lol. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

I think it can be both.  Recently I've had songs popping into my head that I am sure I haven't heard anywhere recently.  I've had ear worms in the past prior to ADs but I think now that tunes and conversations are just the memories coming up.  I've had very clear images popping up recently too.  Also had what I am convinced is somebody talking.  Something I listened to or read somewhere gave the explanation that in WD the brain is hearing something and it attaches it to something our brain already knows.  Not sure where though as I have been doing a lot of research into this AD WD stuff.  I can remember when I was on a different AD (possibly citalopram at normal dose, not tapering) I would get what I can only describe as my brain going through the radio stations trying to find a station to tune into.  It seemed like I had so many thoughts in my head that my brain just couldn't grasp a particular one.  CC

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get the ear worms but they mostly bother me when I am trying to go to sleep

1995 - 2015 antidepressants and antianxiety medicine
Multiple failed attempts to quit/taper anti d/anti anxiety meds since 2008

June 17, 2016 began prozac bridge to get off of effexor xr, stopped effexor xr on June 24, 2016, could not tolerate prozac due to severe side effects so I had to stop it  Currently...300 mg ER of lithium, 1 mg of estradiol, 60 mg propranolol ER, Fish oil 2 x a day, Magnesium Glycinate,  zinc, vitamin c, vitamin d, NAC

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had ear worms before ads but they were few and far between. When I was on mirt I would have repetitive thoughts and the same one over an over again in a block. It was when I changed from mirtazapine to pristiq that a repetitive song occupied my entire thoughts daily. Funny how I did not click it was the drugs, blamed it all on menopause. They have let up substantially and I am six months into my taper. I still have repetitive thoughts all day mostly about withdrawal, so annoying. Wish I could think about other normal stuff but I'm making progress as having some windows of feeling almost 100 percent normal.

<p>Various benzos 4 months for insomnia prior to Effexor 37.5mg may 2014 for two weeks, Mirtazapine 30mg june 2014 - feb 2015.Pristiq 50 mg Feb 2015. six weeks later attempted coming off with a six week taper. ten days off and it got ugly. Tapering now using compounded pristiq with slow release agent. 37.5 mg 3 weeks, 30 mg 6 weeks, 25mg 4.5 weeks, 20mg for 6 weeks, 17.5 mgs 7 weeks, 20 mg 8 weeks, 19 mg 3 weeks, 18 mg 3 weeks, 17 mg 3 weeks, 16 mg 3 weeks, 15mg 2 weeks, 14mg 2 weeks, 13 mgs 2 weeks, 12 mgs 6 weeks, 11mg 3 weeks, 10.5mg 2 weeks, 10 mg 3.5 weeks. 9mg 4 weeks. Jumped at 8mg currently 16 months free

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I have the exact same thing, it started when I tried to quit cold turkey last year from Sertraline and Mirtzapine, I thought i was going completely mad!! I loved music, now i just hate it.  :( Hope it will get better.

2010 - 2015: 50mg Sertraline, 30mg Mirtazapine.

2015 - 2016: Last dose Mirtazapine 28.11.2015 and Sertraline 04.01.2016. (6 months taper)

2016/June: 6 months off. Feeling better but a lot of symptoms, name one and i have it.

2016/Dec: 12 months off. Hit a very bad wave, can't function at this moment, isolate and many intense symptoms. Very intense heart palpitations and very intense anxiety.

2017/June: 18 months off. Things are better, experiencing a lot of flashbacks, walking everyday.

2017/Nov: Things have finally started to improve and i'm now much better than a year ago, starting to feel a lot of improvements, but still symptoms that come in waves and windows.  

2018/June: Feeling better. Starting to do some normal things again, but still some improvements needed. All symptoms still there, just less intense.

2018/Oct: Almost 3 years off. Symptoms are milder and more manageable, but lots of anger issues at the moment. Still some depersonalization etc. Heart palpitations almost gone. There's hope.

2021/april: 5 years and 3 months off. Symptoms less intense, but still struggling, still not able to socialize much, very tired, i just want to feel normal again. In a tough and awful wave.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

I first heard other people talk about this on benzo boards so I call it the benzo jukebox. It's one of my WD symptoms for sure. Interesting isn't it?

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

I had this while on a steady dose of Effexor and not withdrawing from anything. I think it's a condition of OCD, replaying conversations and songs over and over. I'm listening to a lot of Christian music right now so the songs that loop are usually of those so I actually don't mind it at all! 

Effexor XR 37.5mg (1st time 2003-2004 / 2nd time 2007-2008 / 3rd time 2010-current) Attempted to get off again in July of 2015 and did a year long taper only to reinstate by June 2016 due to failed taper. By July 2017 started to give this another try.

 

7.01.17 - 37.5mg fast forward to 3.25.18 - 26 mg  / 4.27.18 - 23.4 mg  / 5.20.18 - 21 mg  / 6.24.18 - 18.9 mg / 9.7.18 - 17 mg  / 10.13.18 - 15 mg / 11.10.18 - 13.5 mg 12.24.18 - 12 mg / 2.10.19 - 11 mg  / 3.6.19 - Updose to 13 mg and was better only for a month so decided to continue with tapering process. / 5.18.19 - 12 mg / 6.12.19 - 11 mg  / 7.7.19 - 11 mg  / 8.22.19 - 10 mg  / 10.4.19 - 9 mg   / 11.29.19 - 8.5mg / 12.16.19 - 8 mg / 1.24.20 - 7.5mg / 3.15.20 - 6.5mg / 3.29.20 - 6 mgs / 5.9.20  - 5.5 mgs / 5.23.20 - 5 mgs / 6.29.20 - 4.5 mgs / 7.10.20 - 4.25mgs / 7.24.20 - 4 mgs / 8.18.20 - 3.75mg / 9.1.20 - 3.5 mgs / 9.29.20 - 3 mgs but Horrendous insomnia suddenly appear preventing further tapering.

 

10.9.20 - Effexor Updose to 3.5mg

10.18.20 - Effexor Updose to 4 - 4.5 mg but no relief and insomnia got worse so.....

11.04.20 Effexor jump! with direct switch to Prozac 10mg.

12.4 - prozac 7.5mg 

12.20 - prozac 4mg 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

hello 

i m Massi, i have this whitdraw sydrom, its so difficulte for me

it is became a obsession

i m afraid totaly about that 

i m afraid that never go away

 

sorry for my english, i m french...
 

hello my name is Massi

Three years ago the doctor prescribed 3/4 of lexomil for vertigo and an anxious ground

Seeing with this medicine I became aggressive and depressive and obsessed I researched and I found the textbook of the professor ashton, I realized that this made me sick in addition this medicine made me drink of alcohol because I did not know between two takes I was in need.

I therefore followed the weaning protocol by substituting the lexomile (short half-life)

By a long half life (lysanxia 15mg) I stabilized and I started a slow weaning with 5% every 8 days

I missed my weaning twice because I had terrible dizziness yet nothing was detected at the level of the inner ear! Proof that the drug makes sick.

I repeat my weaning and I still miss because I had tinnitus

I'm on my third attempt and this time I do not want to give up

Therefore of 12 drops of lysanxia I am at 2.45 in the morning and 2.45 drops in the evening, 3% of the dose in court with a stage of 7j

I do not drink any more alcohol for 10 months (consumption was moderated before)

I take two capsules of magnesium morning and evening

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure mine is a true ear worm. Most of the time I choose tunes to play to myself when I get sad or bored. I used to amuse myself with this a lot as a little girl. Then the drugs took this "talent" away. The birds in my head stopped singing cause they were killed by the drugs. 

Now I can play tunes to myself occasionally. I am mildly pleased. I am recovering part of who I used to be.

Weird, I know.

I have been on so many medications since I was 20 and diagnosed as "mentally ill" that I have lost count.

Right now, however I have been taking:

Lamictal 25 mg: I went on it in March for only 13 days, then cold turkeyed off when I thought I was developing a rash because of it. Pretended to go back on it, but didn't. Not the best idea, but I had no way to reduce the dose. Anyhow I had no adverse withdrawal reactions, probably because I was on it for less than 2 weeks.

Abilify 20 mg:  I have been on this for several years. Actually at least half the time I have spent as a meds "consumer" I have been on this nasty pill. I finished tapering off it at the beginning of 2016. Was reinstated during the 4 days I spent in a psych ward in March. Tapered off it again in 10 weeks, from say March 15-June 30. Needless to say this is not exact, but I remember I was off it before July 4 (patriotic holiday in America!) I am doing fine, although I know I may have to wait till Christmas or later to know I am out of the danger zone for withdrawal psychosis. The main thing I notice about being off is that I no longer crave sweets all the time and am losing weight without trying. Good thing since I used to weigh 350 lbs.!

Effexor 150 mg: This is the real trouble-maker. Since I have no other way of tapering I do the best I can by bead counting. I unscrew the gel capsule and count out the tiny micro-capsules or beads inside. This works fairly well with the generic time release version. Only 120 beads to count of almost identical size. Lately I have been "holding" at 20 bead removal due to some major stress in my life. Moving hundreds of miles from my old home and a bout of strep throat that wouldn't respond to antibiotics.  I guess that means I'm on 120 mg of Effexor right now. On October 16 I am going to recommence my taper since I am safely moved and no longer have strep! 

I admit now that I did something stupid. I had trouble opening the extra strength gel capsules containing the beads so I reinstated at the original dose for a week. I know it's not good to play ping pong with my brain, but I could never open the capsules without spilling those microscopic balls all over so I was never sure what dosage I was taking! Thank the LORD that I finally have the old kind again and can safely count out the amount. I am now back on 135 mg and feel somewhat better.

October 30, 2016. I am down to 120 mg effexor. November 27, 2016. Down to 105 mg effexor. December 25, 2016. 90 mg effexor. January 15, 2017. 75 mg effexor. January 21. 82.5 mg effexor. January 23, 90 mg again. Feb. 14, 81.25 mg. Mar. 15, 72.5 mg. Mar. 27, 65 mg.  Apr. 9, 58.75 mg. Apr. 24, 52.5 mg.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

this has been happening to me frequently of late. Sometimes I can 'tune in' to a different song, but generally it comes back around to the same one. This was not something I had before, and am looking forward to alleviating it. It's most occuring at bed time. I'll even notice it playing in the back of my head very quietly or discover I'm unintentionally jamming to it. Kinda scary that my brain has a record player i have very little control over.

Risperidone 2mg twice daily from June 2016 Oct/November: 1mg; December: .75mg Jan. .5 Feb: OFF

Benztropine Mesylate 0.5mg twice daily August 2016 - stopped.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Is anyone else bothered by music? I used to love music...went to concerts, played it, sang and danced around the house. Now, I can't stand it.

I get a song stuck in my head. I think the song "City of Stars" from the movie LaLa Land has been in my head for weeks. The weird thing is I was in a bad wave and it went away for a few days, now that I don't feel horrible, just bad, the stupid song is back in my head. Any solutions?

Thanks,

Nena

Oct 2016. 20 years fluoxetine (20 mg) and bupropion (400 mg). Ceased fluoxetine without taper and bupropion after 4 wk taper. Initial extreme fatigue resolved into moderate fatigue and depression with occasional brain zaps and tingling skin.
Oct 2017. Anhedonia, 90% of my day. Occasional anxiety. Milder brain zaps. In past two weeks, 3 window days and 11 wave days.
May 2019. Anhedonia, infrequent anxiety, mild brain zaps. Sleeping 6 hours nightly after lifetime of 8 hours. Typical daily pattern is wave until late afternoon, window until bedtime. Occasional full day windows.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am quite familiar with this paradox you describe.

 

Are you familiar with breathing control and meditation? Practicing controlled breathing, through the nose, round the head and into the belly, while relaxing, and increasing the space between cognitive thoughts. I found this to be the most helpful, especially while combined with walking. It does take some practice time to be useful. You're not trying to block out or hold back the thoughts or the song, but are focusing on the repetition of slow breathing, the steps. Your mind will wander alot, sometimes right back to the song. That's okay. When it does, you might get annoyed or upset; these tend to feed into the songs repetition. Instead, begin the breathing and meditation again from the beginning. Don't worry about any images or thoughts that come up, just keep breathing and focus on filling your head with oxygen.

 

It's not so much changing the channel as it is waiting for the commercial break. Eventually, your mind will move on from the song. Maybe coming back to it hours later. When it comes back, you always have breathing and meditation as a resource.

 

I definitely hated music for a while there. I deliberately sat and listened to old favorite playlists for nights on end, re & overexposing myself to music. 90% of it was teeth grinding noise I had to skip after 20 seconds. Slowly, certain songs became music again, or I found a new song in my head was something I'd just listened too. I knew I once liked it and could again, so it wasn't so bad when I did get it stuck in my cranium.

I believe it's part of the recovery process, and can come and go in waves much like other signs of withdrawal. I don't think much research has been done on the subject, but in my experience, this has been the case. Remind yourself your brain is healing and somehow this silly, frustrating thing is a part of it and like all the rest, this too will pass.

Risperidone 2mg twice daily from June 2016 Oct/November: 1mg; December: .75mg Jan. .5 Feb: OFF

Benztropine Mesylate 0.5mg twice daily August 2016 - stopped.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I have the problem with the songs VERY bad. Especially at night, in the middle o the night and in the early morning. On bad days it will happen all day too. 

 

The thing is, this all started 4 years ago while on the meds. I just started a taper and I wouldn’t say it’s gotten worse, but it’s bad.

 

will this ever get better? Intrusive thoughts are taking away from normal thinking. 

20 mg geodon (x2), 7.5 mg remeron (x2) zoloft 12.5 mg, ativan 2 mg am, 2 mg afternoon, 1 mg pm, prozasin 2 mg for nightterrors 

I believe the medications are causing symptoms/reactions they are prescibed for (anxiety, panic, derealization, depreseion, chroinc insomnia, depression, confusion, dizziness) I desperately want off these meds. Have not started a true taper. Pretty scared 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Yes. It really does get better. Like every other symptom, it just takes a long time. I used to get a tune stuck in my head and have it replay constantly for weeks at a time. Quite often it was a song that I didn't even like. It's not really an issue for me now.

 

Music seems to be hardwired into our brains. People who have never touched drugs get ear worms. I think being in withdrawal just exaggerates this natural phenomena. Possibly it is a protective function to drown out the really dark thoughts. 

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

Finished taper 17 May 2017.

Read my success story

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this was an nightmare and it effected sleep a lot, songs that I heard on the radio during the day would repeat in head at night, I stopped listening to music completely for a couple of months and only just started listing to it again the other month, it is not happening anymore, hopefully it does not come back

2001 - 2005 prozac,  2001 - 2017 various benzos, mainly diazapem and zanex,  2002 - 2017 olanzapine or seroquel,  2002 -2017 propanolol, 2005 - 2009 venlafaxine 75mg , forced to go cold turkey off venlafaxine as moved Thailand, doctor cut me off and couldn't get it there, severely ill for over 2 years, countered withdrawals with more zanex and seroquel

2014 returned to UK, mainly to get treatment getting off meds

doctor advised to taper seroquel over a few weeks, severely ill and bed bed-bound so reinstated it, 2015 tapered seroquel myself slower over a few months, was off it 2 months and was too ill so went on olanzapine, became zombie and too tired to get out of bed, went back on seroquel, very depressed so went back on venlafaxine, didnt work  so doctor swapped to zoloft became very agitated so back on venlafaxine

June 2016 - felt strong enough to begin tapering again, started what I thought was a slow taper of all meds,  2016 July Not had any alcoholic drink since this date, 

2016 October completely off diazepem, 2017 Feb completely off seroquel, 2017 March completely off proponanlol, 2017 April (day before birthday) completely off venlafaxine, OFF ALL MEDS 11/4/2017, was fine for nearly 3 months and then delayed withdrawal hit,

supplements taking: turmeric capsules, NiaCel (nicotinamide riboside), Vit B12 sublingual, Vit B3, Vit B6, Vit B1, apple cider vinegar, manuka umf 10 honey, camu camu powder,  melatonin when needed, epsom salt baths, juices, smoothies, 

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15175-dj2010-off-all-meds-for-3-months-and-been-fine-now-bad-insomnia/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I really really hate this symptom and it happens every day it is one of my most frequent cognitive symptoms. I especially hate the part where it feels like I am watching myself have a song stuck in my head, while at the same time, thinking about something else, and then wondering how the hell any of what it going on is even possible-different streams of thinking and consciousness going on at the same time. Just ridiculous. I hope yours has improved 

2001-2017-worked my way up from 25mg of zoloft and 2mg of Concerta to 200mg of zoloft and 36mg of Concerta

February 2017-Stopped Concerta cold turkey

September 2017-Added 2mg of Abilify

November 2017-came off Abilify

December 2017-began taper of zoloft 50mg a week while tapering on to Viibryd

January 2018-back on zoloft 200mg

February 2018--tapered off zoloft over a month onto 40mg of prozac

April 2018-CT prozac due to suspected "serotonin syndrome"

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • ChessieCat changed the title to Intrusive repetitive song symptom or ear worms

This started happening to me about two weeks ago (I know it happens to everybody once in awhile) but this is a daily thing. I have no idea if its the withdrawl or not. It happens almost every day, even when trying to sleep.

 

It can be completely random. It could be a song. It could be a jingle from a commercial that I have not heard in 20+ years.

 

In the 1990s, TV ads often had sappy, kinda sad and touching songs. This was when I was growing up, so they can set off nostalgia, which sometimes can make me emotional, rightfully so. In this case, moreso. 

Prozac (2007-2008), Zoloft (2009-2017) Paxil (2017-2018), Celexa (2018), Luvox (2018-Current) Average 50-200. Nothing as of January 2019

Lorazepam 2007-Current 2MG 3 times a day

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy