Bluebird2009

[Daisies24]

Hi Buebird. I am so sorry for all that you are going through. 

 

I just want you to know that I am in almost the exact same situation as you—I came off Prozac in July 2016 (it was my second time taking it). Since then, YES I have developed EXTREME sensitivities to any and all medications and supplements. I cannot even take Tylenol or Motrin, or supplements like magnesium, vitamins, etc. I also have developed extreme food sensitivies; I get hives, itching, rashes, swollen puffy face if I eat dairy, eggs, any grains (including gluten, though I already had a gluten allergy long before WD). Even some fruits and veggies I react to. I do get severe chest pain and tightness each day that is especially bad when I wake up in the morning. 

 

You are not alone in this—I am very sorry for all that you are going through! Right now I have to take each day at a time. I am so exhausted and my body longs desperately for sleep (severe insomnia is by far my worst symptom--it is very hard for me to even focus enough to write a coherent post!). When I am feeling really down, I like to read and re-read other peoples’ success stories of recovering from WD. It is the only thing that gives me hope when I am especially depressed. 

[Bluebird2009]

Thank you Daisies24, glad to chat to someone in the same situation, my doctor thinks it is in my head that I can't take meds and it makes me very cross as I know my own body. I'm so sorry that you are suffering and going through this dreadful time. Anxiety for me is horrific I'm really struggling with that and depression is slipping in, so not good. Chat to me anytime you feel the need. Do u have plenty of support??

[lynx2121]

Bluebird2009

I am in a similar situation -  and the symptoms you describe - I also have.

Thank you for posting and know that you are not alone.

I had 3 years of chronic pelvic pain on my medications which were puzzling - there was no explanation.

Before I even started tapering I had neuropathic symptoms such as inner trembling, pins and needles sensations

- went to a neurologist who implied I was imagining it - in fall of 2015.

After the chronic pelvic pain and the neuropathy my body started crashing and in 2016 I became more and more sick.

It seemed my body was rejecting medications taken for over 20 years.

So I did a rather bad taper and basically my nervous system seems to be in overdrive mode.

I am extremely frightened and need help but cannot find any and it is hard to look while one is so ill.

I wish you well and hope that someone, somewhere will find a way of helping us.

Sending you best wishes.

[Bluebird2009]

Bluebird2009

I am in a similar situation - and the symptoms you describe - I also have.

Thank you for posting and know that you are not alone.

I had 3 years of chronic pelvic pain on my medications which were puzzling - there was no explanation.

Before I even started tapering I had neuropathic symptoms such as inner trembling, pins and needles sensations

- went to a neurologist who implied I was imagining it - in fall of 2015.

After the chronic pelvic pain and the neuropathy my body started crashing and in 2016 I became more and more sick.

It seemed my body was rejecting medications taken for over 20 years.

So I did a rather bad taper and basically my nervous system seems to be in overdrive mode.

I am extremely frightened and need help but cannot find any and it is hard to look while one is so ill.

I wish you well and hope that someone, somewhere will find a way of helping us.

Sending you best wishes.

[Bluebird2009]

Hi Lynx2121, oh my goodness I'm so glad you popped up, it's so like my situation with the stomach pain and no explanation. The drugs obviously caused the problems. I wish you well in your recovery and hopefully we all will recover and give each other support along the way. The medication intolerance really frightens me and is that was rectified it wld take a lot of our minds. I wld love to know what part of the body is causing it. Thank you

[Bluebird2009]

Does anyone know why the chemical sensitivity to medication happens and will it go away? Has anyone had this and it go away? Has it been the drug that has caused it or cld exposure to other things like household cleaning products have caused it and withdrawal exaggerated it? Any information wld be great. Thank you

[Altostrata]

Bluebird, hypersensitivity to drugs is very common in people who have had adverse reactions to psychiatric drugs. It does lessen as your nervous system recovers.

 

People who are hypersensitive to drugs should not try taking psychiatric drugs at "normal" dosages. They sometimes will react badly to very, very small dosages. That is why we talk in terms of tiny dosage amounts.

 

Many women here have worse symptoms at certain times in their menstrual cycles.

 

Why do you have sore gums? Do you eat a good amount of fresh green vegetables? See https://blog.itriagehealth.com/vitamin-deficiencies-mouth/

 

PS A B12 blood test alone is not enough to diagnose mild vitamin B12 deficiency, the methylmalonic acid and homocysteine tests confirm it.

[Bluebird2009]

Thank you altostrata, I become really unwell if I take anything, fast heart, weakness, severe pain in lungs and abdomen, tingling in body it's complete intolerance to every drug at the moment and it's frightening, I cldnt tolerate if I had to as I become so ill, I'm doing a saliva test for adrenals now as apparently that can cause the same symptoms. My gum around a wisdom tooth flares up every month during my period for some reason. I didn't have an adverse reaction but I was brought off the drug to fast and my nervous system went into shock. Where do I get the blood test down as my GP might not do that they only do a basic B12

[Altostrata]

Do not take drugs if you react badly to them and don't absolutely need them.

 

You will have to ask your doctor about additional blood tests.

 

Do you eat a lot of green leafy vegetables? That's important.

[Bluebird2009]

Would anyone recommend the Gupta programme for CSF ( medication sensitivity)

[ChessieCat]

I found this topic when I did a search for Gupta:  the-gupta-programme

 

And this too post:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4821-chemical-sensitivity/?p=60844#entry60844

[Daisies24]

Hi Bluebird, thank you so much for the offer to chat—it means a lot to me. You are always welcome to chat with me, too!

 

Your doctor is definitely wrong about the symptoms being all in your head. I know for sure that supplements and medications I took for years with no problems, now cause me horrible ear pain/pressure, chest and lung pain and tightness, and lots of big, itchy rashes. When I remove them, the symptoms are dramatically reduced. I went to so many doctors trying to figure out what was causing all these symptoms, until I finally found this site when I was contemplating re-starting Prozac and realized that all of my symptoms were actually caused by Prozac!

 

I am sorry that anxiety and depression are slipping in. I am struggling with those things right now, also. Are you able to sleep? 

[Bluebird2009]

Yes thankfully I am able to sleep that is my only peace at the moment. My nervous system is just in total disarray and I think it has been for a long time even on the medication. I jump at the slightest noise etc. The medication thing is the worst as I become weak and faint, blurred vision and feel really ill I just can't understand it and that's even with vit c which is harmless. Hope eventually everything will settle. It's a very unpleasant experience we are going through and good to chat to people who understand. Take care

[Daisies24]

Hi bluebird, I think if you are at least able to sleep, that should go a long way in helping your body to recover and heal. I hope you are able to get as much rest as you can, and be kind to yourself and gentle to your body.

 

Have you tried the autoimmune paleo diet? It removes so many inflammatory foods, and I wonder if it might help with stomach pains and other sensitivities? My functional medicine doctor wants me on that diet for now to see if it will help alleviate some of my symptoms. My body reacts to many foods and additives now the same way (but to a lesser degree) it reacts to medications and supplements.

 

I know it is hard right now, but just being able to sleep is such a huge gift that you have in your favor to help aid in healing (though it does not mean your other symptoms are not awful!). I hope the mindfulness class can help you with some of the anxiety and depression--good for you for taking action!

[Altostrata]

Bluebird, are you sensitive to light? 

 

See Light-sensitive? Try blocking out blue light

 
Computer Program Adjusts Blue Light to Time of Day

[Bluebird2009]

Thankyou Daisies24, my only problem with the sleep is I have the early morning wakening with severe anxiety and it is as if my body is programmed like that now as it is the same times every morning. I have my room darkened but it doesn't make a difference. Thank you altostrata, I'm not sensitive to light it's mostly meds and foods. Truely horrific, it started slightly my last year on meds and I think I was already in withdrawal while on the drug and didn't know that's what it was. I had headaches, shoulder and neck pain, crying spells, low mood, anxiety episodes, infectionss that hospitalised me and internal shaking. Are you recovered now Altostrata?

[Bluebird2009]

Also my nervous system is very much effected by this as I go take medication I have weakness throughout my body and after foods some days I have the same thing. Yesterday I took blurred vision after eating and was really weak and unwell the rest of he day, no energy and strange buzzing In extremities. I've been checked by neurologist and he can't find anything wrong. Is this normal in withdrawal? I worry I have permanent nervous system damage as too long on a drug. Thank you

[Bluebird2009]

Should I go back to my neurologist as I think this is autonomic dysfunction that is causing the medication sensitivity, cld he do anything for this? Will it eventually settle down?

[Bluebird2009]

Hi can anyone tell me is it normal to start and have bladder urgency and leakage and nerve pain in bladder start after 10 months off?? I keep getting new symptoms more and more. Please answer someone

[ChessieCat]

Here is the link to an SA discussion:  urination-and-bladder-issues-male-and-female

 

To search for this topic I used Google and typed in survivingantidepressants.org urin (left off the 'e')

[Bluebird2009]

Thank you

[Bluebird2009]

Anyone from Northern Ireland on this site who is going through withdrawal??

[Bluebird2009]

No one in my country seems to have ever heard of withdrawal, I am really struggling with my anxiety and my Gp says it won't go away unless I take another ssri!! I still sensitive to meds but if that changes shld I take one? If I thought this wld eventually go away then I will hold off but I don't know who to believe anymore. People say yes I will heal eventually and doctor says I will never get rid of the anxiety without medication. Never had anxiety like this in my life and don't know if it it's real or withdrawal!! Advice anyone

[Dwell]

Bluebird I know it's hard to believe you will heal from this but as many stories in the success forum show, you can heal! In my opinion most health care professionals so not know enough about ssri withdrawal and just believe what pharmaceutical companies tell them. But many of us going through W/D know that it's possible and we can get through it and as many seem to say they feel much better with a better outlook than they even had before the meds! Stay strong I know I'm trying to!

[Bluebird2009]

Thank you Dwell, this is so hard and I'm really fed up with it as my head is all over the place, and the thought of being left like this is horrific. I have times where I'm really positive and times when I'm awful and at the moment I'm very low and not good. I wish you well and thank you for replying.

[Dwell]

If it brings you any consolation those are all normal symptoms to W/D and it will clear up it just takes time!

[Bluebird2009]

My Gp tried to start me on another ssri yesterday and I am up this morning and my whole body is shaking and I'm vomiting. Can anyone tell me why this is? I'll have to stop the ssri as I cldnt tolerate this and I only took one.

[ChessieCat]

It is better to learn Non-drug techniques to cope and give your brain and CNS time and TLC to heal instead of taking drugs.

 

You are asking why?  You have already posted that you are sensitive to drugs.

 

Please add the date, drug and dose of the AD that you took yesterday to your signature.

[Bluebird2009]

Shld I see a doctor or willl this settle my upper body is twitching and numbness in arms and legs

[Bluebird2009]

I phoned my Gp but she was no help, I have taken an adverse reaction to trying to start a low dose of sertraline will this pass or have I totally upset my system? I'm very weak again the way I was when I first came off. I can't believe I was so stupid as to try and start but my anxiety is so bad I had to try something. Now the Gp can't help. Advice needed urgently my whole body is buzzing

[ChessieCat]

Hi BB,

 

I've asked the other mods for their thoughts.

[scallywag]

It would be wise to get "checked out" for three reasons:

• To rule out some other cause of your body shakes than a severe negative reaction to the medication.

   

• If it is a severe reaction to the medication, having that reaction recorded by a medical professional is beneficial for you (another doctor's perspective to educate your GP) and for people taking these medications because your reaction is another data in the medical record about the negative consequences of these medications.

   

• You *might* speak to a doctor who knows something about these medications and would therefore provide you with useful advice. (Getting a doctor like this in an ER is a bit like winning a small prize in the lottery, not as rare as winning the mega-money prize, but rare enough.)

[Altostrata]

Bluebird, I am sorry you are having such a difficult time.

 

Yes, it sounds like you had a bad reaction to 25mg Zoloft. That may be a low dosage for people whose nervous systems have not been scraped by withdrawal, but it's not a low dosage for you.

 

The bad reaction will gradually go away. It may take a while, please be patient and try to stay calm.

 

Since you came off Prozac, would you be inclined to take a very small amount of Prozac, such as 0.5mg? You might ask your doctor for a prescription for Prozac liquid. (I would not do this until your system settles down from the Zoloft.)

 

Reinstatement of a tiny amount of the drug sometimes reduces withdrawal symptoms. You might be able to stabilize over some months and then taper off by minute amounts. See About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

[Bluebird2009]

I have tried to get back in liquid Prozac with no joy, I take the same reaction, body weakness, breathing issues etc. I'm really not in a good place as I feel I cant tolerate much more of this. I was doing ok therebfor a few weeks and then I have been struck down again. I had my cortisol levels tested and they are very high but I can't tolerate anything to try and fix this but my acupuncturist is working on them. This is horrific and surely it wld be more humane to be put to sleep, a dog wldnt have to suffer like this.

[Bluebird2009]

I also am having no help from my doctor as they say withdrawal doesn't go on this long and that people can't suddenly be sensitive to medication and especially one they took long term, but I was starting g to have sensitivity will on the Prozac and that why I had to come off along with major stomach problems. I am now not sleeping which is making matters worse and a constant knot of anxiety in my stomach. I'm really struggling

[nz11]

Im so so sorry you have to go through this.

Wishing you strength for the journey.

Your doctor sounds like he is ignorant of a lot of things.

 

nz11