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Akathisia vs restlessness, anxiety, agitation


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On 20/05/2017 at 10:37 PM, ZoloftSucks said:

One thing that has helped me get to sleep with mild/moderate akathisia is Trauma Release Exercises, or TRE's.  Here's an example:

 

 

 

I'm not sure if this will help with severe akathisia.

Hi, I'm suffering akasthesia. I'm on diazepam and trying to figure out a way forward from two ssris as well. But did you use this when you were in meds or after you'd come off?

 

i did trauma therapy last year and found I naturally did this sometimes. I didn't know it was a thing! 

2009-2011 mirtazapine 45mg plus clonaz as needed. Start Lexapro Nov 2011. 

June 2016 Zopiclone, July-Sept Trazodone 50mg, adverse reaction, ct, started pregabalin, reduced Lexapro from 20 to 15mg

Start of 2017 on 15mg lexapro, 100mg pregablin. April added 15mg mirtazapine. End May.  Start June stop pregablin after two week taper.  End June.  Stopped Lexapro 15mg 3 wk taper. Start July Mirt 30mg + Diaz daily 2-4mg End July  returned to mirtaz 15mg + lexapro at 10mg reinstated. 4th Aug - 19 Sept Zopiclone (3.75 then 7.5 then 3.75 at the end)

diazepam 7-8mg day since then. 16 Sept cut lex to 5mg. 5-6 Oct swapped 5mg lex to 8.15am and 15mg mirtazipine to 11pm

8 Oct onwards sticking to 6mg diazepam p/day 3 doses/ 2 Feb start 1mg clonazepam, stop Diaz. 21 Feb 2% cut lex. 8 March 12.5% clon cut. Now take .5 clon 9am, .375 5pm(0.875 mg daily clonazepam) 16 May  @8% clon reduction so 9am dose .43(0.805 mg daily clonazepam)

2 July 10% Lexapro reduction to 4.5mg. 9 Aug .25mg lex cut  to 4.25mg/ 13 Aug 4.5mg

2018 October Lexapro 4.5 to 4.25 mg  clonazepam 0.80 mg  mirtazapine 15 mg

2019 October present drugs:  Lexapro 2.75 mg(tapers of 0.25 increments in last year at 5 -9 week intervals),  clonazepam 0.78 mg(taper of .02 mg November 2018),  mirtazapine 15 mg

2020 January 5th Lexapro taper to 2.57 mg(2%drop), total clonazepam 0.78 mg, mirtazapine 15 mg

previous signature here  recent dosing and symptom logs here

 

 

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  • 2 months later...
On 20/05/2017 at 2:55 PM, Madeleine said:

I had it really really bad when I reinstated on Zoloft. It has subsided and I no longer feel it but I am not yet drug free

Hi Madeleine, how long did it take for the akathisia to subside for you? Nikki 

2009-2011 mirtazapine 45mg plus clonaz as needed. Start Lexapro Nov 2011. 

June 2016 Zopiclone, July-Sept Trazodone 50mg, adverse reaction, ct, started pregabalin, reduced Lexapro from 20 to 15mg

Start of 2017 on 15mg lexapro, 100mg pregablin. April added 15mg mirtazapine. End May.  Start June stop pregablin after two week taper.  End June.  Stopped Lexapro 15mg 3 wk taper. Start July Mirt 30mg + Diaz daily 2-4mg End July  returned to mirtaz 15mg + lexapro at 10mg reinstated. 4th Aug - 19 Sept Zopiclone (3.75 then 7.5 then 3.75 at the end)

diazepam 7-8mg day since then. 16 Sept cut lex to 5mg. 5-6 Oct swapped 5mg lex to 8.15am and 15mg mirtazipine to 11pm

8 Oct onwards sticking to 6mg diazepam p/day 3 doses/ 2 Feb start 1mg clonazepam, stop Diaz. 21 Feb 2% cut lex. 8 March 12.5% clon cut. Now take .5 clon 9am, .375 5pm(0.875 mg daily clonazepam) 16 May  @8% clon reduction so 9am dose .43(0.805 mg daily clonazepam)

2 July 10% Lexapro reduction to 4.5mg. 9 Aug .25mg lex cut  to 4.25mg/ 13 Aug 4.5mg

2018 October Lexapro 4.5 to 4.25 mg  clonazepam 0.80 mg  mirtazapine 15 mg

2019 October present drugs:  Lexapro 2.75 mg(tapers of 0.25 increments in last year at 5 -9 week intervals),  clonazepam 0.78 mg(taper of .02 mg November 2018),  mirtazapine 15 mg

2020 January 5th Lexapro taper to 2.57 mg(2%drop), total clonazepam 0.78 mg, mirtazapine 15 mg

previous signature here  recent dosing and symptom logs here

 

 

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It got progressively better over about 2-3 months

200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021;  Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg
Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg

-------
Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. 
Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18;  May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg

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Ah, I accidentally rated my own topic. Didn't mean to. 

Aug-Dec 2015 Prozac 20mg / Dec 2015-Feb 2016 Prozac 15mg / Feb 2016-May2016 Prozac 20mg

May 2016-June 2016 15mg

June 2016-August 2016 10mg

October 2016-January 2017 15mg, alternating agitation/akathisia sets in --> cold turkey

January 2017 Clonazepam .5mg 

February 2017 Clonazepam 1mg (for a week) then .5mg morning and .25mg evening for about a month. Came down to .25mg morning and evening. 

May 1, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .125mg evening. // May 20, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .0625 evening (.3125 total).

early June .28125 // early mid june .25mg // mid june .21875 // late june .1875 // early july .15625 // early mid july .125 

mid july .09375mg // late july .0625 //early August 2017 down to .03125mg once a day, hopped off in mid August

reinstated at .0625mg late August // Oct 16 - updose to .07mg and switch to oral Rosemont solution

Nov 17 2017 reinstate Prozac .5mg // Nov 21 2017 prozac 1.6mg // Dec 18 2017  3mg prozac / fast taper off the reinstatement -- probably completely off early Oct 2018

June 2019 begin tapering off .07mg Clonazepam, Finish taper December 2019

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  • 5 weeks later...

Got akathisia bad today. I don't get it 24/7. I get good windows. But when it strikes I'm always terrified it is forever and have thoughts that suicide is the only way out.

 

I always get it after a night without sleep. If I sleep, it is absent or mild. 

 

Also, deciding what to do about it is difficult. I have read it can be caused by taking an ssri, or caused by withdrawal from an ssri. So do you cut the offending med, or leave it?

Current daily meds. Citalopram 2.5mg morning. Diazapam 1.5mg evening, Propanalol 40mg split 4x10mg throughout day.

 

Recent meds. Fluoxetine 20mg began 24th Nov 2017, CT on 4th December on medical advice due to bad Akathisia. Citalopram 10mg began on 13th Dec 2017, tapered to 2.5mg by 20th Dec 2017 on medical advice. Diazapam 2mg began on 6th Dec 2017 cut to 1.5 mg on 26th Dec. Propanalol 40mg began on 13th Dec. Zopiclone 3.75 mg began 13th December, used maybe 5 times then quit.

 

Previous history. Tricyclics, Fluoxetine or Citalopram for periods of 6mo to 2yrs over last 25 years. Probably 5 yrs in total. No significant ill effects.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey all,

 

I just discovered that the restlessness, jitteriness, and anxiety that I started to experience when I started taking Lexapro has a name: akithisia.

 

I was only on Lexapro for 2.5 months and I felt akithisia the whole time.  I totally stopped the Lexapro about 2 months ago and I get occasional bouts of akithisia.

 

I've read online about different things that can treat it like taking Benadryl, vitamin B supplements, propanol, etc.

 

Anyone have any advice for what works best for them?

Sertraline 50mg 12/16-06/17

Cipralex 5mg 09/17-11/17

Elatrolet 2.5 mg6 days 02/18

Sertraline 37.5 mg 02/18--04/18

Sertraline 25mg down to 0 05/18-07/18

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How to describe the feeling of akathisia?

 

Akathisia is really like nothing else, but it's a bit like having a migraine and thinking to one's self: "if only there were a way to relieve the pressure in my head .  . ."  When I had migraines in 1992 (They turned out to be caffeine WD headaches, but the doctor did not investigate that avenue.  Instead, he prescribed a med: a toxin that is produced by a fungus on wheat.  Yes, the same one that is believed to have caused the Salem witch trials -- the very same -- and guess what was mixed with this 1 mg of psychoactive substance?!  You'll never guess!  100 mg of Caffeine!!  Yes, about the same as in a cup of weak coffee!!  Oh, it makes me want to scream -- the lack of common sense that occurs when one has a prescription pad and the medical license to use it!!! ) So, back to the analogy here:  When I had migraines in 1992, I wanted to gouge my eyes out to let all that pressure out of my head.  I used to think that I had swelling on the brain when I had a migraine and that having shunt would help.

 

However, with Aka, there was no pressure in my head.  It wasn't my head that was the main focus; it was my arms.  There was a pseudo-vibration or an electricity in my muscles and in my bones and in my brain.  It was excruciating.  It was everywhere, but the focus was my arms.  They were tense and had dystonia in between the elbows and wrists; no one could feel them vibrate or see them vibrate, but that was the sensation to me -- sort of a vibration and yet not a vibration.  There is no word for this sensation; vibration is the closest possibility, but it's not the right word.  

 

Before I knew what aka was called or that anyone else experienced this feeling I wanted to hurt myself.  I knew that if I did it would only compound my problems. I didn't hurt myself because I knew that there would be pain and pain during healing time, too, (and a psych ward.  At the time, I had no earthly idea how truly disastrous it would have been to have gone to a psyche ward.). However, I now wonder if I was hoping for that rush of hormones that occurs after a serious injury.  I was sane enough to know that the relief would be brief abd ultimately not worth it, but now I look at people who cut their arms differently.  I wonder if they have aka.  I wonder how prevalent cutting was before psych drugs.

 

Sometimes I see people say they were so devoid of emotion that they hurt themselves to "feel something."  Now that there is distance between me and aka, and I have more clarity I wonder if these people have aka.  I don't doubt that they feel emotionally dead, but I do wonder if they are craving the RESULT of pain -- the rush of hormones to numb them, to RELAX them, to relieve the Aka that they don't recognize they have.  I wonder if they do not know aka exists and because of that they think they are responding to feeling emotionally dead when they cut their arms.  Maybe they don't realize they are responding to a physical-emotional condition that I now call Akathisia.

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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I have the akathisia too but it's mental type and it's living hell; had it for 21 mos so far...I pray there's an end

Rx'd 1-2mg Clonazepam for anxiety April 2016 (after one panic attack); asked to be taken down off of it due to it being benzo (I didn't do my research)...Placed on 10mg Lexapro-had reaction (crying hysterically, digestive issues, mood swings) to it; taken off (May '16) ; took myself down off Clonaz from 1 1.5 to .5 (probably last of May) in relatively short time (didn't know better); threw me into tailspin-no sleep for a week, dizzy, brain fog/dp/dr; went to another doctor who knew that Lex had helped me years ago (2014; 40mg) so pushed me to get to 40mg; stayed on for three months June-Aug; sick to death; quit doctor went to Psych PA who brought it down to 10mg  (end of Aug) and added 5mg Buspar x2/day; was okay for awhile then crying spells returned-same symptoms experienced as I did when on med; pysch took me off Lex; (Sept 19th); took myself off Buspar thinking it had made heart run/tachy (latter Sept); currently only on .5 Clonaz and miserable (weakness daily, apathy, anxious, tachycardia, occasional high bp, spacey, brain fog/dp/dr.)

 

Breakdown of Escialopram use: 10mg in May for one week; discontinued due to horrible side effects;

Placed back on Escitalopram in latter May, early June by doctor who knew it had worked for me in the past...pushed me from May to August to get to 40mg; all the while symptoms and my complaining to doctor-kept pushing me. 

Went to psych PA who took me down from 40 to 10 that initial visit added Buspar 5mg x 2; felt a little clearer; then began feeling crying spells again. Doctor ct'd me -told me "Try to see how you feel after one week without it". All this time, I had been emailing him to let him know my symptoms and he basically told me to stop; quit him and found a PA who has been overseeing my care-he's an advocate of meds though...thinks there is no tolerance on Clonazepam.

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  • 5 weeks later...

My 2 cents: I got akathisia from updosing Lexapro. Nothing helped except going down steadily. It was kept at bay this way. But when I tried to stabilise it came back. So I went to zero, and it came back. 29 days later at zero it was still raging. Magnesium, propranolol and Vit C didn't work nearly enough.

 

Yesterday I took a small dose (1.4mg) of Vit B6 (Wikipedia says it can work) and an Iron supplement (Also wikipedia I think). And today I feel a LOT better. Almost no akathisia. It could be coincidence, but I highly recommend this to people that got it from the medication. Start low, because B6 can be stimulating too. I was afraid to try it because people advocate against it, but damn if this keeps working...

 

A friend of me on the forum got akathisia from updosing/missing doses of medication (Lexapro) and B6 was a big help to him too.

 

In clinical circles they use vit B6 frequently up to 1200mg/day. But this seemed a bit extreme to me.

 

Propranolol can help people a lot too. On akathisia forums, this is the preferred method of treatment without any known/reported bad adverse effects. I take 10mg/day and it takes just the tiny edge off. Not helping me a lot, but still it helps a bit and doesn't give me bad side effects.

 

 

 

 

Origin of Panic Attack and Anxiety Disorder: Overdose of Hallucinogenic HOT-7.

2013-09 20mg escitalopram. In the 4 first months 0.5-1mg/day Alprazolam for sleep & difficult situations.

Tapered the first time from 20mg to 0mg in 17 months or so. Withdrawal 6-8 weeks after last dose. Didn't taper enough to low enough doses (+-1mg).

2015-01-02 Back on 10mg after one week of delayed withdrawal. Stable in 8 days.

Second time tapered 2 years from 10mg to 1.6mg. Stable for half a year in range 2.5mg-1.6mg.

2017-07-28 Measurement errors: went for 1-2 weeks on 2mg. Restlessness and anxiety. Tried back to go back to 1.7mg for 5 days. Anxiety stayed.

2017-08-03 - 2017-08-20 Switched to liquid Lexapro 20mg/ml (1 drop is 1mg). Updosed to 2mg hoping to stabilize. Horrible Panic and Anxiety. Hold for 17 days hoping to stabilize. Didn't work enough for me at the time.

2017-08-20 End of holiday approaching. No more time. Decision to up dose to 5mg escitalopram. Back to the pills. Tapering alprazolam.

A lot of side effects: Akathisia, more anxiety, very troubling sleep, every thought and movement gave me panic attacks. Worst time of my life. I did learn coping skills in this period. A lot. Mastering meditation, mastering floating technique and more Claire Weekes stuff... Can handle extreme anxiety pretty decent now.

2017-09-30 Going down again because holding got worse almost every day. ADVICE TO OTHER ESCITALOPRAM PEOPLE, if updose doesn't work in two weeks, go down again!!! WD is not as brutal as adverse updose effects! After every taper (while tapering pretty manageable, after couple weeks holding, akathisia and extreme anxiety came back)

2018-01-29 Got to ZERO. A hard way down for sure. And now hoping for improvements along the way... Tapering melatonin gave me dystonic reactions however.
14 months after zero: Alternating akathisia, dystonic reactions and WD. Very unstable. No meds whatsoever. 31 months after zero: dystonia got worse, still very high anxiety, and many symptoms... no healing in sight. Adverse reaction destroyed me.

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  • 1 month later...

I’ve got chronic akathisia from long term Prozac use. I’m pretty agitated and anxious, with tons of adrenaline constantly. Is the thinking pretty much that if you’re off the drug for a year with no improvement then the akathisia is permanent?

1992 Prozac 60 mg - on and off since, currently on 60mg

2000 Gabapentin 600-3600, currently on 1200mg

January, 2014 Oxycodone 10-40mg, currently 30mg

March, 2012  Cortef 15mg

March, 2012 Liothyronine 110mcg

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/31/2011 at 10:31 PM, Earthworm said:

i didnt do much research on akathisia so i dont know much.

 

i found this article just now though: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1192441/

 

talks about propranolol for treatment of drug induced akathisia. im despirate for any help i can get. anyone know of propranolol for akathisia?

When propranolol didn’t work for me, I tried Guanfacine and it did! 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

The problem with propanolol is that it has its own withdrawal symptoms.

 

I was given metoprolol for a heart condition, and yes, it soothed the problem, but as soon as it wore off  (short half life 3-7 hours) my symptoms were back with a fury.  Propanolol has a longer half life of 12 hours, but it would have similar issues.

 

Why I am here today:  I have been listening to talks by Peter Levine. 

Podcast:  https://www.soundstrue.com/store/weeklywisdom/?page=single&category=IATE&episode=1820

Transcript:  http://www.soundstrue.com/podcast/transcripts/peter-levine.php?camefromhome=camefromhome

 

In this talk, he discusses how animals release trauma.  They literally shake it off an move on.  

 

The premise of his treatment is that shaking is a natural release of trauma.  He spoke of how, in hospital, when medics see someone shaking, they drug them to stop the shaking - when Levine postulates that they need that shaking in order to keep from taking the trauma into the body.  He spoke of his own experience of being hit by a car, and how he found someone to hold his hand while he "shook it out."  After the shaking, his vital signs returned to normal and he did not go into shock.

 

What if akathisia is the body's way of unloading the trauma from the drugs?

 

If this is the case, I wouldn't suggest trying to dampen it down, but instead to "work it out."  Fresh would pace, Wiggleit & Luv2Knit would rock in a rocking chair.  

 

Here is a practice from Kim Eng (partner to Eckhart Tolle) which might help, too:

 

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all,

 

I wanted to share my experience with B6 P-5-P and I think it's good place.
During the buspirone w/d (still in progress) I found it helped me to calm down.
Some of my w/d symptoms are these: inner tension, restlessness, sometimes leading to attacks of fury (when I 'must' hit something or scream). I don't think it's akathisia, cause I cannot lie or rest but don't have the urge to move (I had one after olanzapine w/d - I had to walk all the time).

 

B6 P-5-P 25 mg (sublingual) seems to help. Sometimes it's great relief, sometimes only calms my breath (not affecting mind). Unfortunately, it's not a definitive solution and I'm still taking meds (promethazine and quetiapine 50 SR). Anyway, it's some info.

I tried it cause:

  1. I already had it in stock (but didn't use it cause it didn't seem to help in the past).
  2. I had my B6 checked (BEFORE supplementation). It's almost 2 times ABOVE the average.
  3. I read this https://www.easy-immune-health.com/vitamin-b6-toxicity.html. "If your level is high, however, unless you are taking high doses of B6, then it usually means that you are actually DEFICIENT in Vitamin B6, as you’ll see below.  "

PS I didn't p. 3. believe much, but since I feel this vitamin works, I also had my MTHFR checked (I'm still looking for the biomarkers of my depression and somatizations). I have MTHFR C677T + MTHFR A1298C = a compound heterozygous mutation. So it corresponds with this methylation hypothesis. But this is where I stopped, cause don't know how to investigate further.

 

So, just wanted to share. Hope it helps someone.

[2013 - 2017] >10 meds and combos (some breaks without meds; last in May-Sep 2016)

[2017] Mar 22 - venlafaxine 150; initially with mianserine 20 which I stopped around June due to serious stomachaches and bloating; 1 month of break in Aug when: duloxetine 60 + esketamine clinical trial)
Sep 05 - venlafaxine 150 + bupropion 150
Oct 11 - tapering off venlafaxine while still on bupro 150; Oct 21 - venla 37,5
Nov 06 - venla 37,5 + bupro 150 + >START buspirone 30>
Nov 20 - venla 12,5 + bupro 150 + buspirone 30;   Nov 29 - [STOP venla]
Dec 01 - [tried to STOP buspi cold turkey] / Dec 03 - HELL unleashed;   Dec 10 - buspi 10;   Dec 17 - buspi 20 (+ still bupro 150); Jan 02 [STOP] bupro;
[2018] Mar 17 - >START quetiapine 50 SR> for tension, restlessness and attacks of fury (buspirone persisting w/d symptom)

Apr 24 - FINALLY STOPPED buspirone (5-month taper; worst in my life) - w/d symptoms continue... Jun 02 - STOP quetiapine
Now taking: mirtazapine 7,5 mg (helps to fall asleep quickly, doesn't help for waking at dawn; didn't tolerate higher doses); for restlessness / akathisia: taurine; antihistamines (small amounts cause still can cause headache and dry mouth even at 12,5 mg of hydroxyzine or promethazine); melatonin 1 mg; omega-3 (330 EPA, 220 DHA); Mg.

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On 4/9/2014 at 9:47 AM, WinningThrough said:

Hi all.

 

This is my experience of akathisia. I warn you, it's not pretty, in fact it's downright disturbing. I have the severe version. It started on citalopram and I've had it for 7 months straight with no windows. I will say, though, that it's changed somewhat in nature over time.

 

During my first week on citalopram, I developed severe, 24/7 suicidal ideation (which I still have) and constant terror. The terror is a state rather than a fear of anything in particular, just like happiness is a state. Simple tasks, like getting out of bed, walking across the room and getting dressed are like climbing Everest. You simply can't function with severe akathisia.

 

That first week, I started to get adrenaline rushes throughout my body, particularly in my legs, arms and pelvis. The feeling is so hard to describe. It's like carrying hell inside your body, literally. You'd do just about anything to escape it but you can't. It's 24/7. Very early on, I found I had to keep jigging my legs up and down all the time. This is typical of akathisia. I'd bang the walls with my fists. It makes you pace and pace and walk and walk. You can't keep still. It's a horrific feeling inside that makes you want to scream and scream and scream. There is no relief. While you are going through this, psychiatrists slap a label on you and as good as force you to take more drugs which just make you even worse.

 

Throughout this experience, I've felt like my legs are not attached to my body.

 

I also found that every thought, negative or positive, made my stomach churn. I'd do something simple like look at my phone or hear a piece of music and I would feel terrified.

 

It's impossible to get comfortable in any position, sitting down or lying down. It's torture. Nothing makes it go away.

 

I will say, though, that it's changed over time. I sleep now which I couldn't early on. I do manage to sit. It's hard but I do it. Better than pacing endlessly. Symptoms have come and gone throughout this journey.

 

Akathisia has been the most horrific experience of my life. I can't imagine anything worse. To cap it all, I got withdrawal after coming off sertraline. Marvellous! (I reckon I'm entitled to a dollop of self pity at this stage!) I've reinstated at a low dose to take care of that but I'm scared that this will aggravate my akathisia. The adrenaline rushes had mostly gone but I think I can feel them building up again so I will have to be careful. I just hope this horror will go away in time.

 

This has been my experience with akathisia. It's rambly and it's not nice, but it's honest. I found this on the internet. I think it describes akathisia beautifully:

 

'There are different ranges of intensity from a mild irritation or anxiety to a total inability to lie or sit still; from not being able to keep the body still, shuffling hands and feet, pacing the floor to producing overwhelming anxiety, malaise, and severe dysphoria (manifesting as an almost indescribable sense of terror and doom).'

 

I know this is an old post, but I had to reply because your description perfectly describes what I'm experiencing being on Olanzapine, Klonopin and Gabapentin. I am pretty certain it's the olanzapine causing it, as I just reinstated to 5mg from 2.5mg today, and the sensations you describe have basically doubled. Feeling pretty desperate about it. I may just go back to 2.5mg of Olanzapine, and increase Klonopin to counteract the akathisia.

My previous drug history was confusing, so I deleted it in favour of the following summary, as best I can recall:

2017 - Jun 2019: olanzapine, dose erratic, ranging from 1.25 to 2.5mg per day.

2017 - Jun 2019: klonopin, dose erratic, ranging from 0.0625mg twice a day to 0.25mg twice a day.

2017 - Jun 2019: gabapentin, dose erratic, ranging from 200 to 300mg per day.

Date uncertain: Lamotrigine, small amount for two months, C/T.

Jun 2019: admitted to hospital after months of severe rage (which I am certain was caused by akathesia, but no doctor caught it). Doctors cold-turkeyed all drugs, I submitted to 10 courses of ECT, and was put on 50mg of seroquel at bedtime.

Jul 2019 - Feb 2020: reduced seroquel sporadically from 50mg to 18.75mg.

Apr 19, 2020: Reduced seroquel from 18.75mg to 16.5mg.

 

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  • 2 months later...
On 4/24/2018 at 2:34 AM, JanCarol said:

The problem with propanolol is that it has its own withdrawal symptoms.

 

I was given metoprolol for a heart condition, and yes, it soothed the problem, but as soon as it wore off  (short half life 3-7 hours) my symptoms were back with a fury.  Propanolol has a longer half life of 12 hours, but it would have similar issues.

 

Why I am here today:  I have been listening to talks by Peter Levine. 

Podcast:  https://www.soundstrue.com/store/weeklywisdom/?page=single&category=IATE&episode=1820

Transcript:  http://www.soundstrue.com/podcast/transcripts/peter-levine.php?camefromhome=camefromhome

 

In this talk, he discusses how animals release trauma.  They literally shake it off an move on.  

 

The premise of his treatment is that shaking is a natural release of trauma.  He spoke of how, in hospital, when medics see someone shaking, they drug them to stop the shaking - when Levine postulates that they need that shaking in order to keep from taking the trauma into the body.  He spoke of his own experience of being hit by a car, and how he found someone to hold his hand while he "shook it out."  After the shaking, his vital signs returned to normal and he did not go into shock.

 

What if akathisia is the body's way of unloading the trauma from the drugs?

 

If this is the case, I wouldn't suggest trying to dampen it down, but instead to "work it out."  Fresh would pace, Wiggleit & Luv2Knit would rock in a rocking chair.  

 

Here is a practice from Kim Eng (partner to Eckhart Tolle) which might help, too:

 

 

I have been having aka all day long have been trying to find ways of trying to get rid of what feels like a massive pent up horrible energy 

have been pacing all day,but am so tired from it....just come across this video & did it 

 

wow it felt such a relief & had no WD symptoms for those 4+ mins 

Thank you...

 

is there any any way I can copy this on to my page?i don’t know how to do it 

thank you so much ☺️ 

First AD when i was 19.Binge drinker/drugs 15 years weekend use.I was always pulled on and off.2005-2007-Mirtapine 45mg CT. 2010-2016 Paxil 40mg + Zopiclone.Jan-2016 i was CT off Paxil.Stopped alcohol Jan 2016.Given 2-4mg of Diazepam April 2016 CT them after 3 month.They reinstated 8mg of Diazepam July 2016 and the Doctor CT me off Zopiclone the same day.They then tried adding all different drugs Mirt one of them at 15mg (i took 7.5mg).I was tapered August 2016 7.5mg.Sep 2016 7mg.Oct 2016 6mg.Tried 1mg of Paxil-stopped after 2 days.Nov 2016 5.5mg.Tried olanzapine @2.5mg (stopped after a week)Dec 2016-5mg.Tried switching to liquid Jan-March 2017 (no good)back to pills.April 2017-4.75mg of Diazepam June 2017 -4.5mg.July 2018 went inpatient for 10 days.Awakening 4 days later.HELD.Sep 2017 4.3mg Dec 2017-4mg (Held)April 2019- started tapering the Mirtazapine.Sep 2019 at 6mg of Mirtazapine (HELD)Stopped smoking CT after 26 years.10.16.19..Restarted the Diazepam taper Jan 2020 micro tapering (game changer) now 18/7/23 @0.052mg Diazepam + Mirtazapine @6mg.

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Has anyone had akathisia so bad that they are scared of and dont recognise loved ones??!

2009-2010 Citalopram 20mg CT no problems

 

Sertaline 2010- 6monnths

 

2011- 2017 June 2017- Citalopram 20mg CT

 

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  • 6 months later...

If you are feeling something that you think might be Akathisia please know it does go away.  Please don't worry about whether it is Akathisia or not.  I have learned that it doesn't matter what it's called.  I used to worry about whether is was or wasn't Akathisia and whether it would go away.  It will.  There are many different definitions for Akathisia and there are many different intensities.  There might be a continuum from anxiety to Akathisia.  It does not matter.  

 

The problem is that our language does not have words for that feeling that are universally recognized as describing Akathisia.  Each person would describe it differently.  "Intense anxiety" is the best we can do, usually, but that does not really describe it.  Some intensities create the absolutely most desperate feeling and others do not.  However, for me, the mere indication that I'm getting Akathisia causes me to panic.  I have to remind myself that it does not get super intense every time.  I have read the thread on Akathisia here and it did not help me to cope with it because distraction from it is the only thing that helps.  I have to distract!  Having a hot bath helps or a hot shower.  Showers are probably better at relieving the feeling.  Sometimes I have a hot Epsom salt bath and then I get in the shower afterward.

 

I'm so sorry you are suffering through this.  I'm also very glad you found SA.  Many people never know what is wrong with them and their doctors do not tell them that they will heal because the doctors do not know.  It's really awful to sit in front of a "psychiatrist" and be told that whatever mental condition one is feeling is a permanent worsening of the original condition.  That happened to me after I quit Zoloft.  He couldn't have been more than 30.  He had years and years of medical training, but zero understanding of his profession, real practical medicine or psychiatry.  He did not recognize a physical condition -- dysautonomia -- as I sat in front of him.  He didn't ask the right questions.  He didn't even know what to ask.  He prescribed me Trazodone, and, of course, my condition only got worse.  He was so very, very wrong.  I am sooooo much better now, my personality is back much of the time, and I have learned to cope with Akathisia.  Simply knowing what it is, not letting the doctor tell me my feelings are not real, and knowing that it will go away helps me a lot.  I hope it helps you, too.  

 

Your physical and emotional are connected to a physical disorder.  It is not all in your head.  It is a physical disorder that your body and brain are capable of healing.  I find it absolutely miraculous that this is the case, but it's true, and I know because I am living it right now.  This is temporary, Johnny.  Temporary.  You can make it through.

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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13 minutes ago, Rosetta said:

 I have learned that it doesn't matter what it's called.  

 

Thank you Rosetta! Needed to hear this today. I get obsessed making sure I classify my sensations correctly, but that doesn't really help in treating or coping with it. Something is wrong, plain and simple, but classifying it doesn't help it go away. Stability and patient care do, pretty much for all range of symptoms. 

 

The way I describe akathisia personally is severe burning itching tension deep in my bones. Sometimes it's more itchy, sometimes, it's more burning, whatever. Sometimes I can't sit. I often get hung up trying to understand why it feels different hour-to-hour, both in severity and type. And sometimes I get into a loop; is this akathisia or not? As if that question points me towards healing. I'm working on turning that loop off; it is hard though because at the heart of any akathisia-like experience is the inability to rest or find peace. So that's why distraction is key for me too! And hot showers as well. 

Aug-Dec 2015 Prozac 20mg / Dec 2015-Feb 2016 Prozac 15mg / Feb 2016-May2016 Prozac 20mg

May 2016-June 2016 15mg

June 2016-August 2016 10mg

October 2016-January 2017 15mg, alternating agitation/akathisia sets in --> cold turkey

January 2017 Clonazepam .5mg 

February 2017 Clonazepam 1mg (for a week) then .5mg morning and .25mg evening for about a month. Came down to .25mg morning and evening. 

May 1, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .125mg evening. // May 20, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .0625 evening (.3125 total).

early June .28125 // early mid june .25mg // mid june .21875 // late june .1875 // early july .15625 // early mid july .125 

mid july .09375mg // late july .0625 //early August 2017 down to .03125mg once a day, hopped off in mid August

reinstated at .0625mg late August // Oct 16 - updose to .07mg and switch to oral Rosemont solution

Nov 17 2017 reinstate Prozac .5mg // Nov 21 2017 prozac 1.6mg // Dec 18 2017  3mg prozac / fast taper off the reinstatement -- probably completely off early Oct 2018

June 2019 begin tapering off .07mg Clonazepam, Finish taper December 2019

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After about a week of using taurine for my restlessness / akathisia, I can say: it sometimes helps. It's never a game changer but I'd say it reduces discomfort by 10 to 30%. Starts to act quickly (10 - 30 min.) and lasts 1-3 hours.

Tried it with and without: food and/or magnesium and different times of day. Not sure there's any correlation.

I am taking about 500-700 mg (cannot tell exactly cause it's powder form and I don't have proper spoon or working scale).

It's all preliminary and I don't know how long the effect would last but I just read my SA digest and thought I'd inform other sufferers who maybe haven't heard of it yet.

[2013 - 2017] >10 meds and combos (some breaks without meds; last in May-Sep 2016)

[2017] Mar 22 - venlafaxine 150; initially with mianserine 20 which I stopped around June due to serious stomachaches and bloating; 1 month of break in Aug when: duloxetine 60 + esketamine clinical trial)
Sep 05 - venlafaxine 150 + bupropion 150
Oct 11 - tapering off venlafaxine while still on bupro 150; Oct 21 - venla 37,5
Nov 06 - venla 37,5 + bupro 150 + >START buspirone 30>
Nov 20 - venla 12,5 + bupro 150 + buspirone 30;   Nov 29 - [STOP venla]
Dec 01 - [tried to STOP buspi cold turkey] / Dec 03 - HELL unleashed;   Dec 10 - buspi 10;   Dec 17 - buspi 20 (+ still bupro 150); Jan 02 [STOP] bupro;
[2018] Mar 17 - >START quetiapine 50 SR> for tension, restlessness and attacks of fury (buspirone persisting w/d symptom)

Apr 24 - FINALLY STOPPED buspirone (5-month taper; worst in my life) - w/d symptoms continue... Jun 02 - STOP quetiapine
Now taking: mirtazapine 7,5 mg (helps to fall asleep quickly, doesn't help for waking at dawn; didn't tolerate higher doses); for restlessness / akathisia: taurine; antihistamines (small amounts cause still can cause headache and dry mouth even at 12,5 mg of hydroxyzine or promethazine); melatonin 1 mg; omega-3 (330 EPA, 220 DHA); Mg.

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22 minutes ago, voyteck said:

After about a week of using taurine for my restlessness / akathisia, I can say: it sometimes helps. It's never a game changer but I'd say it reduces discomfort by 10 to 30%. Starts to act quickly (10 - 30 min.) and lasts 1-3 hours.

Tried it with and without: food and/or magnesium and different times of day. Not sure there's any correlation.

I am taking about 500-700 mg (cannot tell exactly cause it's powder form and I don't have proper spoon or working scale).

It's all preliminary and I don't know how long the effect would last but I just read my SA digest and thought I'd inform other sufferers who maybe haven't heard of it yet.

 

Have you had luck with any other aminos?

Aug-Dec 2015 Prozac 20mg / Dec 2015-Feb 2016 Prozac 15mg / Feb 2016-May2016 Prozac 20mg

May 2016-June 2016 15mg

June 2016-August 2016 10mg

October 2016-January 2017 15mg, alternating agitation/akathisia sets in --> cold turkey

January 2017 Clonazepam .5mg 

February 2017 Clonazepam 1mg (for a week) then .5mg morning and .25mg evening for about a month. Came down to .25mg morning and evening. 

May 1, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .125mg evening. // May 20, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .0625 evening (.3125 total).

early June .28125 // early mid june .25mg // mid june .21875 // late june .1875 // early july .15625 // early mid july .125 

mid july .09375mg // late july .0625 //early August 2017 down to .03125mg once a day, hopped off in mid August

reinstated at .0625mg late August // Oct 16 - updose to .07mg and switch to oral Rosemont solution

Nov 17 2017 reinstate Prozac .5mg // Nov 21 2017 prozac 1.6mg // Dec 18 2017  3mg prozac / fast taper off the reinstatement -- probably completely off early Oct 2018

June 2019 begin tapering off .07mg Clonazepam, Finish taper December 2019

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@bheb Tryptophan sometimes helps me to fall back asleep when I wake up too early. I tried 700 mg and it worked only <50% but I am afraid to try more as I want to mess with serotonin as little as possible (still severe withdrawal).

[2013 - 2017] >10 meds and combos (some breaks without meds; last in May-Sep 2016)

[2017] Mar 22 - venlafaxine 150; initially with mianserine 20 which I stopped around June due to serious stomachaches and bloating; 1 month of break in Aug when: duloxetine 60 + esketamine clinical trial)
Sep 05 - venlafaxine 150 + bupropion 150
Oct 11 - tapering off venlafaxine while still on bupro 150; Oct 21 - venla 37,5
Nov 06 - venla 37,5 + bupro 150 + >START buspirone 30>
Nov 20 - venla 12,5 + bupro 150 + buspirone 30;   Nov 29 - [STOP venla]
Dec 01 - [tried to STOP buspi cold turkey] / Dec 03 - HELL unleashed;   Dec 10 - buspi 10;   Dec 17 - buspi 20 (+ still bupro 150); Jan 02 [STOP] bupro;
[2018] Mar 17 - >START quetiapine 50 SR> for tension, restlessness and attacks of fury (buspirone persisting w/d symptom)

Apr 24 - FINALLY STOPPED buspirone (5-month taper; worst in my life) - w/d symptoms continue... Jun 02 - STOP quetiapine
Now taking: mirtazapine 7,5 mg (helps to fall asleep quickly, doesn't help for waking at dawn; didn't tolerate higher doses); for restlessness / akathisia: taurine; antihistamines (small amounts cause still can cause headache and dry mouth even at 12,5 mg of hydroxyzine or promethazine); melatonin 1 mg; omega-3 (330 EPA, 220 DHA); Mg.

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CAN’T STOP ROCKING BACK AND FORTH without feeling intense discomfort. 
Don’t want to take more meds ... but ...anyone go through something similar?

Hi I am experiencing r great discomfort specifically from my tapering off celexa.  I am taking other meds but have been stable symptom wise without any changes.  My worse symptoms have been sound sensitivity and NOW Worst one  is AKATHISIA.  

My self care includes 4 times a week exercise,  good sleep hygiene, no alcohol, Cognitive therapy, and working with a life coach for my condition or problems if you will. 

I’ve been on an SSRI over 20 years and have been tapering as slow as they recommend on this forum.  After being on the same dose of Celexa for one month my symptoms are Very AKATHISIA related...I am rocking in a chair rocking back and forth and I feel like I have to do it and cannot stop.

I have been on and off various medications over the years but have never had such severe reaction to discontinuing medication as SSRI’s

My self care of exercise has been valuable but if I skip a couple of days I start to feel this and all sorts of weird sensations to move in weird ways for no reason.  

Today and yesterday these symptoms have significantly disrupted my capacity to function and do things I normally would do. 

Despite windows of feeling great. I am very alone in dealing with this. I cannot talk to people about it.  I don’t want to medicate for this or self medicate.  However, I took Benadryl because it seems to take the edge off.
Any words of encouragement, recommendations, would mean a lot! 

Citalopram 2 mg

Clonazopam .25 mg

Lamotrigine 150 mg

 

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I can give you akathisia hope because I took MANY different psychiatric drugs for 3 years in a row and then cold- turkeyed, which caused me to have the withdrawal symptom of psychosis, which led me to be hospitalized involuntarily and against my will and got injected a powerful antipsychotic (haldol) to recover reality. When I was injected with haldol they also gave me in pills more haldol, biperiden, triazolam and risperdal.  These last meds caused me to have THE MOST HELLISH SIDE EFFECTS, including the worst akathisia and parkinson. I remember that the psychiatrist gave me another medication for eliminating akathisia and the parkinson side effects. The good news is that after 20 days of daily 24/7 hell, my body adapted to the medications, so my body recovered and healed so the akathisia dissappeared. If my body healed, your body can heal too. Remember that social interaction, being with friends or family that love you, helps a lot to heal faster. After some days, being in the same medications daily and taking them at the same time of the day, your body adapts and heals. Another great thing that will give you hope to know that your body will heal, is the documentary HEAL which you can watch on netflix, which says that under the right conditions, all organs and tissues, all the parts of the body, heal, no matter how long you had the illness/symptoms, even if you had them for a lot of years.

Another tool that will give you hope if you watch it are the videos in this link: https://beyondmeds.com/2019/01/31/heal-brain-injury/

in which a neuroscientist says by evidence, a case of a person that had a physical severe injury in her brain/brain damage and it healed and she also says that people that got their nervous systems severely injured by adverse effects of psychiatric drugs taken for a very long time, that they also recover, that the brain also heals in this case.  Also the author of beyondmeds.com knows a lot of people that had severe adverse effects from psychiatric drugs, went through the worst withdrawal, and they recovered, they healed.

In 2008 I was 16 years old. 2008 - 2010 paxil, clonazepam & semisodium valproate. 2013 - 2017 many psych meds with cold switches and CT's prescribed by psychiatrists.

Nov/30/17 started quetiapine IR tablets 100mg 0-0-1. Dec/1/17 started pristiq 50mg tablets 1-0-0. Jan/14/18 started 1.5mg melatonin 0-0-1

Tramadol: 2 year well done (slow and gradual) taper: from Mar/12/18 to Feb/11/20 

Pristiq taper: Jun/15/20 Converted from pristiq 50mg to efexor xr 75mg for 57 days (felt good).  Aug/11/20 weaned to efexor 37.5mg and stayed there for 2 months with 26 days (felt good). Nov/6/20  CT 0mg of efexor xr (felt good). Total time in tapering pristiq 50mg by converting to efexor xr 75mg: 4 months with 22 days: Jun/15/20 to Nov/6/20. (felt good)

Efexor 0mg and quetiapine 100mg (Nov/6/20 to Dic/11/20) (felt good being without effexor and taking 100mg quetiapine)

Dic/11/20 quetiapine 75mg, so 75mg from Dic/11/20 to Jan/4/21  25 days. Jan/5/21 quetiapine 50mg (1 day in 50mg).

Jan/6/21 1st CT of quetiapine. Mar/1/21 CT melatonin. Felt terrible so Mar/25/21 reinstated 100mg quetiapine. 

100mg quetiapine 19 days (Mar/25/21 - Apr/13/21) Felt good while in quetiapine 100mg. 75mg quetiapine 55 days (Apr/14/21 - Jun/8/21) the 55th day (Jun/8/21)  felt hellish so CT'd quetiapine for a 2nd time on Jun/9/21. 

Jun/9/21 - Nov/16/21 1st days insomnia, anxiety, took cbd and felt very good many days (healed insomnia & anxiety), CT'd ginkgo which made me felt terrible so reinstated ginkgo. Started intolerable back pain (spasm) so tried other herbs along with cbd, then started derealization, panic, indecisiveness, nostalgia & others. Stopped taking cbd & herbs, reinstated quetiapine 75mg Nov/17/21, immediately after taking it, had severe heart palpitations, so Nov/18/21 back to cbd (no quetiapine). Nov/20/21 reinstated 75mg quetiapine (stopped cbd & herbs), severely couldn't breathe for 5 seconds after taking quetiapine 75mg so reduced to 50 mg on Nov/28/21 had new and worse and very severe adverse effects, got indecisive if CT or keep taking quetiapine because I was terrified of CT, but since the new severe adverse effects were very severe I CT, and because of indecisiveness and panic to CT, I reinstated again, then CT'd and reinstated many times, last time I was taking quetiapine it was 25mg and had severe TD, hellish anhedonia, suicidal, intrusive thoughts of imagining myself running into a wall and crashing into it and I was feeling the pain as if I was doing it in real life, involuntary thoughts of punching my face or head and shashing it against the wall and some times I did punch my face, and when I didn't, I also felt the pain just by imagining it, so definitive CT on Jul/15/22. 

Free from quetiapine and psych meds since Jul/15/22.

MY BEST ADVICE: FOLLOW SA'S GUIDELINES, DON'T CT BECAUSE IT IS HORRIFIC AND BE PATIENT TO WAIT A LONG TIME TO DO VERY SLOW AND GRADUAL TAPERS IN ORDER TO GET OFF OF YOUR MEDICATIONS, IT IS WORTH IT. THE ONLY MOMENTS WHERE IS RIGHT TO CT IS AFTER YOUR 1ST CT THAT YOU DID BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE OR IMPATIENCE, IF YOU REINSTATE AND FEEL SEVERE ADVERSE EFFECTS LIKE TD, ANHEDONIA, FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DROWNING, OR THE ONE'S I HAD, IT IS BEST TO CT IN MY EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WHEN I REINSTATED I GOT MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN I WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CT. I'm not a doctor.

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Ignore the christian/religious things she says on the videos and focus on the scientific things she mention.

In 2008 I was 16 years old. 2008 - 2010 paxil, clonazepam & semisodium valproate. 2013 - 2017 many psych meds with cold switches and CT's prescribed by psychiatrists.

Nov/30/17 started quetiapine IR tablets 100mg 0-0-1. Dec/1/17 started pristiq 50mg tablets 1-0-0. Jan/14/18 started 1.5mg melatonin 0-0-1

Tramadol: 2 year well done (slow and gradual) taper: from Mar/12/18 to Feb/11/20 

Pristiq taper: Jun/15/20 Converted from pristiq 50mg to efexor xr 75mg for 57 days (felt good).  Aug/11/20 weaned to efexor 37.5mg and stayed there for 2 months with 26 days (felt good). Nov/6/20  CT 0mg of efexor xr (felt good). Total time in tapering pristiq 50mg by converting to efexor xr 75mg: 4 months with 22 days: Jun/15/20 to Nov/6/20. (felt good)

Efexor 0mg and quetiapine 100mg (Nov/6/20 to Dic/11/20) (felt good being without effexor and taking 100mg quetiapine)

Dic/11/20 quetiapine 75mg, so 75mg from Dic/11/20 to Jan/4/21  25 days. Jan/5/21 quetiapine 50mg (1 day in 50mg).

Jan/6/21 1st CT of quetiapine. Mar/1/21 CT melatonin. Felt terrible so Mar/25/21 reinstated 100mg quetiapine. 

100mg quetiapine 19 days (Mar/25/21 - Apr/13/21) Felt good while in quetiapine 100mg. 75mg quetiapine 55 days (Apr/14/21 - Jun/8/21) the 55th day (Jun/8/21)  felt hellish so CT'd quetiapine for a 2nd time on Jun/9/21. 

Jun/9/21 - Nov/16/21 1st days insomnia, anxiety, took cbd and felt very good many days (healed insomnia & anxiety), CT'd ginkgo which made me felt terrible so reinstated ginkgo. Started intolerable back pain (spasm) so tried other herbs along with cbd, then started derealization, panic, indecisiveness, nostalgia & others. Stopped taking cbd & herbs, reinstated quetiapine 75mg Nov/17/21, immediately after taking it, had severe heart palpitations, so Nov/18/21 back to cbd (no quetiapine). Nov/20/21 reinstated 75mg quetiapine (stopped cbd & herbs), severely couldn't breathe for 5 seconds after taking quetiapine 75mg so reduced to 50 mg on Nov/28/21 had new and worse and very severe adverse effects, got indecisive if CT or keep taking quetiapine because I was terrified of CT, but since the new severe adverse effects were very severe I CT, and because of indecisiveness and panic to CT, I reinstated again, then CT'd and reinstated many times, last time I was taking quetiapine it was 25mg and had severe TD, hellish anhedonia, suicidal, intrusive thoughts of imagining myself running into a wall and crashing into it and I was feeling the pain as if I was doing it in real life, involuntary thoughts of punching my face or head and shashing it against the wall and some times I did punch my face, and when I didn't, I also felt the pain just by imagining it, so definitive CT on Jul/15/22. 

Free from quetiapine and psych meds since Jul/15/22.

MY BEST ADVICE: FOLLOW SA'S GUIDELINES, DON'T CT BECAUSE IT IS HORRIFIC AND BE PATIENT TO WAIT A LONG TIME TO DO VERY SLOW AND GRADUAL TAPERS IN ORDER TO GET OFF OF YOUR MEDICATIONS, IT IS WORTH IT. THE ONLY MOMENTS WHERE IS RIGHT TO CT IS AFTER YOUR 1ST CT THAT YOU DID BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE OR IMPATIENCE, IF YOU REINSTATE AND FEEL SEVERE ADVERSE EFFECTS LIKE TD, ANHEDONIA, FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DROWNING, OR THE ONE'S I HAD, IT IS BEST TO CT IN MY EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WHEN I REINSTATED I GOT MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN I WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CT. I'm not a doctor.

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Is this akathisia?

 

18 days into citalopram I had a very bad reaction, I went to go to bed one night and my head and body started to vibrate, burning chest pains and and mad panic 

 

I stayed on the drug for 2 more days before being moved to fluoxetine which made symptoms even worse... so the docs took me off everything. 

 

4 weeks down the line I’m still experiencing these symptoms on a daily basis:

-feels like my brain is moving around and also weird sounds being made from that area.

- tinitus and popping noises in ears

- sensation of low level vibration through my body

-trickling sensations in left leg

-random body jerks(rarely happens unless I’m trying to sleep without a sleep aid)

-chronic anxiety

- random pains in body

- no appetite 

-dry mouth 

- chronic insomnia (been prescribed lorazepam for sleep as zopiclone doesn’t work)

-eye floaters and static vision

- weird noises from throat 

- feels like I’ve got pulses In my elbows 

 

can anyone relate and did anyone recover?

 

I’m losing hope really bad and I’m scared that something serious is going to happen to me

 

doc has also referred me for an mri and said if that comes back clear I should try the drugs again, which I’m not prepared to do as they have ruined my life...

 

ive lost my job and this year feels like it’s gone by so quick, just hope there is light at the end of the tunnel

Drug History -

Citalopram Feb- March 2019

Fluoxetine March - April 2019

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Hi JB,

 

I know what you mean. I'm sorry this is happening to you, I feel it too. It only happens on wave days, and only at specific times of day (10 p.m. to 3 a.m.). I do feel like fish oil and B6 have helped. Exercise only helps for a short while.

 

How is your diet? You mention good sleep hygiene, do you sleep enough at night?

- March 2017: 50mg Sertraline starts

- August 2017: up to 100mg

- February 2018: down to 50mg

- November 2018: one-week taper down to 0mg

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Hi Herod, 

 

Thanks for responding.  I appreciate it. I haven’t heard much about this from others. I am sleeping 7-8 hours per night. 3 meals a day.  I exercise 3 x a week. I have in intermittently. I take fish oil.  I am concerned because my Doc said it would go away but it doesn’t.  How long have you had this?  Is it going away for you slowly?

 

Citalopram 2 mg

Clonazopam .25 mg

Lamotrigine 150 mg

 

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Hi JB, I had akathisia too from the dreaded Celexa.  Sometimes I would rock as well. I'm sure many people do that, nothing unusual here for the situation you are in.  Be gentle with yourself, this is so hard to handle. 

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

 

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Thanks for the kind words. It’s a relief to hear that these things are not out of the ordinary.  Can you please tell me if you have discontinuation symptoms that varied quite a bit. For example with myself. In the past it was headache and body ache, then months later hyperacusis was more noticeable and now the Akathisia. Today I feel very dizzy.  Right now I am relaxing and laying down because of vertigo symptoms. Have you had something similar?

Citalopram 2 mg

Clonazopam .25 mg

Lamotrigine 150 mg

 

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Oh yes, things can change like that.  Sometimes it's hard to keep up with all of this stuff being thrown at you...I had the body aches too, do you have it where they come on for no obvious reason (like you haven't even been exercising and they are suddenly there) then hours later they leave, then they are back again with no exercise? It was the oddest thing, when that would happen.  I also had severe hyperacusis, that does get better with time.  I did have some vertigo too, though in my case i had it many many years ago from a different antidepressant drug withdrawal, then, more recently, from benzo withdrawal (I naively took benzos thinking that they would fix the antidepressant withdrawal, they just made things that much worse.)  I remember one day it was so bad I had to crawl up the stairs.  Thankfully that didn't hang around long. 

 

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

 

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Wow so many things you’ve listed are familiar. I am on a small dose of clonazopam (.25 mg) The dose I was on before 1.5 mg. For me hearing about this from other people is reassuring because without knowing these symptoms are connected to discontinuation it can create more distress thinking there is some major health issue.  Do you find that your personality was numbed and “dormant” during time on SSRI ‘s? Despite the discontinuation symptoms and severe social anxiety for myself I have experienced positives. For example I’ve rekindled interests, hobbies, and friendships that I didn’t keep up with 

Citalopram 2 mg

Clonazopam .25 mg

Lamotrigine 150 mg

 

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Yes, for the most part I was kind of numb.  The only major exception was that I went off Celexa (abruptly), stayed off for at least a year, then decided to restart (didn't have any major withdrawal but of course NOT recommending here anyone try cold turkey, it's so so dangerous) and when I went back on I had a very bad reaction to it.  Then I was nothing like I normally am and I wasn't numb either. That led to cold turkey number two and second time was NOT like the first, it was horrible.

 

it's great that you are seeing positives that is a really hopeful sign I think.  I read another post of yours and you said you got back to  playing guitar, do you play acoustic or electric?

 

Also I used to have social anxiety too but after having had aka and other things, being around people seemed SO much less scary that it as much as cured me of it.  You may find that happening over time too...with the strength you cultivate and draw on to get through this, it can happen that other formerly bothersome things in life become far less a problem by contrast. I'm actually naturally an introvert but the pills somehow made it so that i was not afraid to talk to anyone....of course i still have no great desire to talk to psychiatrists though ha ha

 

Also worrying it's something else is quite common.  I got on to what was going on with me pretty early on having pulled some medical books where I live and learning what the withdrawal symptoms were.  So I'm kind of unusual in that i was SURE the pills were to blame early on.  I did get some back up from doctors too so that did help.  But most people from what I've seen over the years wind up believing they have some horrible illness that won't ever go away. But  certain symptoms are classic withdrawal symptoms...  Akathisia for instance from what I've read is said to only be caused by drugs or their withdrawal.

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

 

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On 4/17/2019 at 10:43 PM, JB1234 said:

Hi Herod, 

 

Thanks for responding.  I appreciate it. I haven’t heard much about this from others. I am sleeping 7-8 hours per night. 3 meals a day.  I exercise 3 x a week. I have in intermittently. I take fish oil.  I am concerned because my Doc said it would go away but it doesn’t.  How long have you had this?  Is it going away for you slowly?

 

It is going away, but slowly, yes. Very slowly. I'm now ~6 months off, restlessness appeared at 2 months into withdrawal, and I'm only now experiencing nights where it's 50/50 between being restless and relaxed.

Good for you. Keep doing all those things, they certainly can't do any harm. We all fully heal eventually, it just takes a longer time than we anticipated.

- March 2017: 50mg Sertraline starts

- August 2017: up to 100mg

- February 2018: down to 50mg

- November 2018: one-week taper down to 0mg

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@herod it’s good to hear the timeline of your returning to normal. The doctors report discontinuation symptoms as lasting 7-10 days which is not at all true for many people. Thanks again 👍🏼 

Citalopram 2 mg

Clonazopam .25 mg

Lamotrigine 150 mg

 

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@UnfoldingSky thanks for sharing your experiences with me.  The changes you experienced with restarting Celexa are peculiar.  I wonder if SSRIs have induced hypomania in myself. 

I play both electric and acoustic.  Mostly a nylon string for the past 6 months or so

Citalopram 2 mg

Clonazopam .25 mg

Lamotrigine 150 mg

 

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Hi JB.  When I quit my Cymbalta cold turkey I had akathisia really bad.  It set in a few months after I quit and I could not stop rocking back and forth either.  Even when I was laying down I just had to keep rocking.  I also couldn't lay in one position for more than like a minute without feeling the need to role over or sit up.  It lasted for around a year but I quit CT.  It will go away in time.  I ended up going on Lexapro after 2 years into my WD as I was still having a lot of issues but it was a big mistake.  I was having improvement and I believe I would have been through it all by now if I had just saw it through.  Now I'm still struggling with meds and have 7 more years of SSRIS on top of my two years of Cymbalta. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1994-2009 benzos from age 20 to 36.  Added Cymbalta 60mg in 2007.

2008-2009 tapered benzos to zero and quit Cymbalta Cold turkey.  WD HELL for two years

2011 started on Lexapro to combat the withdrawal and it worked.  

2015 switched to Prozac as Lexapro was not working as well

2017 quit Prozac cold turkey November and crashed into WD.  Reinstated Prozac In December with no benefit. 

2018 Switched back to Lexapro in January and it took most of the issues away in around 2-3 weeks

2019 In February Lexapro has pooped out and WD feelings back.  Tolerance WD I'm sure.

           March 12th Upped my dose to 30 mgs per doctor's advice to see if Tolerance WD goes away but have had worsening sleep issues with limbs jerking and less sleep.

           March 17th dropped back down to 20 mgs and had less limb jerking last night but sleep no better.  

           April 20th cut to 18mg.            

 

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