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Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol or calcitriol)


Altostrata

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Christiana, your bad reaction to vitamin D should lessen in time, as your body uses it up. When you have withdrawal syndrome, your body can be hypersensitive to a lot of things.

 

Vitamin D is stored in the tissues and can last a couple of months.

 

In a month or so, you may wish to get a little more vitamin D. Try to get some sun in the early morning, before it gets hot.

 

Later, as Brandy suggested, you may wish to take fractional doses of a supplement.

 

I couldn't agree more, Alto! Once again, thank you so much for your help. You are very wise about so much to do with withdrawal. I appreciate, beyond words, you providing such a needed and valuable resource, which I'm sure takes a lot more of your time and energy than a lot of people realize, to help those of us with our suffering.

 

Love, Light, & Health,

Christiana

Jun-Jul '09 (approx 7 wks) - 5mg/day Lexapro (drug rep samples) given by family dr for long, unended, very stressful divorce

 

Each dose taken makes sicker, think it's just body adjusting, have no clue it's severe adverse reaction at time

 

Aug '09 - pharmacy gets dr rx for, insurance won't pay, I can't afford, dr changes to Celexa, decline to take, cold turkey, necessary blessing in disguise, in hindsight at least

 

Gradually feel some better over 1-2 wks, 3rd wk horrific withdrawal symptoms start & build, see doctor & start researching internet about what's happening, figure it out, 60-70+ severe, frightening, & debilitating symptoms emerge, realize nothing can do to feel better easily or quickly, feel like & think I'm dying, reach point where doctor gets home healthcare & have to call friend to stay with & take care of, friend abandons about 1 yr & lose home healthcare

 

1st yr symptoms extremely severe, 2nd yr just somewhat better, now into 3rd yr symptoms don't seem much better, still causing horrible suffering, wax & wane in severity, sometimes almost as severe as when started, practically homebound, mostly bedbound, very hard completing simple tasks, symptoms definitely much worse 7-10 days/mo around menstrual cycle

 

Have lost vehicle & home, plus loved cat & dog had for long time, was homeless several months last winter, lived out of car, living in undesirable gov't subsidized housing now causing many troubles, have no medical & very little rx insurance, disability check & food stamps aren't enough to provide basic needs, lack any reliable personal support anymore, very isolated & all alone, have many pressing stressful things must be done, can barely or unable to complete without help don't have, even ones to help situation some, don't even have finances to get urgent necessary needed help required to help situation & self, social services is frequently visiting now, fear being polydrugged, losing everything, put into nursing home, hope & pray someone will help to keep from happening, don't know what else to do, still way to sick to return to work & college, believe I will recover, in the meantime tho have no answers except to plead for help, hope & pray someone, anyone, who truly cares does soon

 

In 32nd mo now still very bad SSRI protracted withdrawal, have only seen few signs of healing since 2nd yr passed, somehow manage to keep fighting, afraid time is running out for best tho & situation only going to get worse trying to survive on own if don't get help from someone

 

This pretty much summarizes what 49 little round white pills (if I recall correctly) have done to my life & future for now, my before & after life are drastically opposite now, both my situation & self, if only I'd known their potential, a little bit too late now tho huh?.?.?...hindsight really is 20/20 isn't it?.?.?...

 

I pray God blesses and helps each and every one of us, here and elsewhere, going through this nightmare. Amen, amen, amen.

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Thank you very much for responding, Alex. I always appreciate how kindly, generously, and insightfully you respond to my posts. Actually, more than just mine, as I do read many of your posts all over the board to so many people where you're trying to help them out in some way. I admire you for that. I wish I could help more, instead of need help. I surely don't have it in me right now, but when things finally turn around for me, I'll be sure to pay it forward.

 

Well, thanks. Don't worry about helping, that's for sometime down the line. Right now just put your efforts into yourself and your recovery, as best as able.

 

You know, I dont really have a lot of answers to your questions. I dont know how to expedite a vitamin out of your body. Trying to "detox" yourself, removing a vital compound you're deficient in, I don't have any good advice.

 

For me I had problems with my blood vessels. Pain, hardening, swelling. Stuff like that. I took some vitamin K to help my blood vessels. K is an expensive supplement. And it doesn't expel D. I also took a range of antioxidant foods and supps, from vitamin c to garlic. Just keeping my blood flowing really helped. Fish oil helps with that and also is anti inflammatory and immune modulating, or so I've read. Again, I wish I could be more helpful but I don't know have good answers.

 

I think eating right is a terrific idea. I eat mostly cooked veggies, and i add a dressing with fat to better digest and absorb certain of the nutrients. Usually I add some olive oil.

 

Yes, some people do have trouble with fish oil. Typically it's best to buy a brand with a lot of DHA & EPA per pill, say 1000mg combined. Those can be pricey if money is an issue, especially if you fear atoleration. (atoleration is a word I just inventing meaning failure to tolerate...) Most fish oils come in gel caps or liquid. If you buy the caps you can puncture and remove some oil to start. Make sure you don't buy cod liver oil, this has vitamin d, sometimes a lot of it. Dbl check any fish oil label to make certain it has no vitamin D.

 

Hopefully you will start to feel better soon. I wish I had more, but hang in there.

 

Best,

Alex

 

Thank you very much for sharing information with me, Alex! I really don't have anything to add to what you've said, but you've certainly given me a lot of food for thought. I appreciate that a great deal.

 

P.S. I really like the word "atoleration" you invented. I understand it all too well. Now, if only someone could figure out exactly what it is that's causing it or at least offer some sort of remedy to either ease it some or do away with it altogether. For some strange reason, it wasn't as bad for me the 2nd year, but now the 3rd and into the 4th year it seems to have gotten worse with me. Life certainly hasn't been easy for me, during these times, yet I still can't figure out why it's not better, but is worse, instead. Perhaps it's darkest before the dawn? Maybe my body is working harder than ever now to heal and the least thing I give it to throw it off balance really upsets the balance it's trying so hard to achieve. That's what I'm choosing to think, for now, anyway.

Love, Light, & Health,

Christiana

Jun-Jul '09 (approx 7 wks) - 5mg/day Lexapro (drug rep samples) given by family dr for long, unended, very stressful divorce

 

Each dose taken makes sicker, think it's just body adjusting, have no clue it's severe adverse reaction at time

 

Aug '09 - pharmacy gets dr rx for, insurance won't pay, I can't afford, dr changes to Celexa, decline to take, cold turkey, necessary blessing in disguise, in hindsight at least

 

Gradually feel some better over 1-2 wks, 3rd wk horrific withdrawal symptoms start & build, see doctor & start researching internet about what's happening, figure it out, 60-70+ severe, frightening, & debilitating symptoms emerge, realize nothing can do to feel better easily or quickly, feel like & think I'm dying, reach point where doctor gets home healthcare & have to call friend to stay with & take care of, friend abandons about 1 yr & lose home healthcare

 

1st yr symptoms extremely severe, 2nd yr just somewhat better, now into 3rd yr symptoms don't seem much better, still causing horrible suffering, wax & wane in severity, sometimes almost as severe as when started, practically homebound, mostly bedbound, very hard completing simple tasks, symptoms definitely much worse 7-10 days/mo around menstrual cycle

 

Have lost vehicle & home, plus loved cat & dog had for long time, was homeless several months last winter, lived out of car, living in undesirable gov't subsidized housing now causing many troubles, have no medical & very little rx insurance, disability check & food stamps aren't enough to provide basic needs, lack any reliable personal support anymore, very isolated & all alone, have many pressing stressful things must be done, can barely or unable to complete without help don't have, even ones to help situation some, don't even have finances to get urgent necessary needed help required to help situation & self, social services is frequently visiting now, fear being polydrugged, losing everything, put into nursing home, hope & pray someone will help to keep from happening, don't know what else to do, still way to sick to return to work & college, believe I will recover, in the meantime tho have no answers except to plead for help, hope & pray someone, anyone, who truly cares does soon

 

In 32nd mo now still very bad SSRI protracted withdrawal, have only seen few signs of healing since 2nd yr passed, somehow manage to keep fighting, afraid time is running out for best tho & situation only going to get worse trying to survive on own if don't get help from someone

 

This pretty much summarizes what 49 little round white pills (if I recall correctly) have done to my life & future for now, my before & after life are drastically opposite now, both my situation & self, if only I'd known their potential, a little bit too late now tho huh?.?.?...hindsight really is 20/20 isn't it?.?.?...

 

I pray God blesses and helps each and every one of us, here and elsewhere, going through this nightmare. Amen, amen, amen.

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Christiana, don t worry too much,the symptoms will drop soon again...

 

I have tried a lot of diffrent supplements in different stages of withdrawal and I had a bad reaction to all of them.

Sometimes my anxiety and akathesia went up to the roof and sometimes I reacted with severe depresseion.I always tried only a tiny bit of the supplement.The symptoms dropped within a few days.

 

Only with St.Johns word I had a relapse for about 6 months.

 

 

I m 4,5 years into withdrawal now and still can t tolerate anything.

 

You will be fine again soon,

 

lg solida

Sept.2007 Citalopram for burn out,reverse reaction

Paroxetin 20mg,5 weeks,had to stop because of reverse reaction

after a manic episode,severe withdrawal hit after 6 weeks,

hospitalization twice,during the first 2 years withdrawal got worse and worse

disabled since

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Just another voice to say "don't worry, it will get better soon..."

 

because I think it will.

 

Anything you could do to rush the vitamin D out of your tissues (and the only thing I can think of would be to starve and lose a lot of fat quickly) would just dump it into your bloodstream, which is where it causes problems. Better to NOT rush it out of your tissues (in other words, try NOT to lose fat right now) and let it gradually percolate out at a rate that your body can adjust on its own.

 

By the way, my daughter also always gets depressed on birth control pills. I wish I could persuade her not to take them. It's so painful to see her like that. And it's messing up her relationship and her life. I wish I could persuade her to use a barrier method, but she's just not open to it. I think there are problems with the boyfriend about that, too. So frustrating.

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.

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  • 4 months later...

I started taking vitamin d and noticed I'm achey and my anxiety went through the roof. I didn't know it could do this but that's the only thing I've done different. I was actually doing pretty good until I started this crap. Anyone have this happen?

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2895-antoinette-lexapro-withdrawal/page__p__31234__hl__antoinette__fromsearch__1#entry31234

 

Lexapro for 10 years

Cold turkeyed in April 2012

Reinstated and had severe adverse reaction in may of 2012

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Others have noticed negative effects with Vitamin D, a neurohormone. Discussion:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2696-got-too-much-vitamin-d-now-what/page__pid__28321#entry28321

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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  • 1 month later...
  • Administrator

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201301/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-daytime-sleepiness

 

Vitamin D Deficiency and Daytime Sleepiness

....

Vitamin D has received a great deal of attention recently. Vitamin D has long been recognized as primarily a regulator of calcium and phosphorus, helping to protect bone density. In recent years, however, our understanding of the functions of Vitamin D in the body has expanded. Vitamin D is now understood to play an important role in metabolic and immune system functions. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of illnesses and chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, pulmonary disease, and chronic pain.

 

We’ve seen evidence that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with sleep problems, particularly with daytime sleepiness. A new study examined the link between daytime sleepiness and Vitamin D, and also considered one of the major risk factors of Vitamin D deficiency: skin pigmentation.

....

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 2 months later...

The writer of the article mentions a GP who looks for an alternative to antidepressants.

 

 

We all need 'nature’s Prozac’

 

Our recent run of sunless summers and long, grey winters may be the cause of widespread vitamin D deficiency and a host of symptoms from lethargy to depression and poor immune health

 

By Jane Gordon

8:21PM BST 07 Apr 2013

 

For most of my adult life I have avoided doctors. They have been figures of fear for me since the day, aged eight, that I managed to convince my gentle and indulgent mother that I had such a bad stomach ache that I couldn’t go to school. It wasn’t the first occasion I had managed to pull off the “sick trick” – I was highly accomplished at faking symptoms that were not quite serious enough for a visit to the doctor’s surgery but allowed me a precious day at home.

 

But on this particular occasion I was so convincing that my alarmed mother called the doctor and, worried I would be found out, I so overdid the moans of agony when he examined me that an ambulance was called and I was rushed into hospital for an emergency – but quite unnecessary – appendectomy. As a result of that traumatic experience I have only ever gone near a doctor in the intervening years when I was pregnant or one of my three children was ill (or had pulled a “sick trick” on me).

 

Ironically it was severe stomach pain (real, not imagined) that forced me, for the first time in nearly 10 years, to see a doctor in late January. There were other symptoms: lethargy, loss of appetite and – something I had never suffered from before – depression. The doctor, a locum, diagnosed a possible kidney infection, and put me on antibiotics. But in the following weeks I developed unrelated infections, took two more courses of antibiotics and even underwent hospital X-rays as the locum sought to find the cause of what he called my “symptoms of a low immune system”.

 

When I Googled “causes of a low immune system”, I found a number of frightening results, such as TB, Aids, cancer and hepatitis. Finally, a simple blood test taken from me by the practice nurse identified a far less serious but increasingly common problem.

 

I had a severe vitamin D deficiency that had suppressed my immune system and was the likely cause of my depression. The cure was a capsule of pharmaceutical strength vitamin D (20,000 IU) to be taken once a week for three months. One day, about six weeks into my course, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of wellbeing and I understood that I was not just cured, I was transformed.

 

But I was also angry. Why had I not known about the importance of vitamin D – which is essential for regulating the phosphate and calcium in our body so that our bones and teeth remain healthy? Worse, why didn’t I know that the chief source of vitamin D (only a small number of foods contain the vitamin) comes from our skin’s exposure to sunlight? Why hadn’t the Department of Health instituted a programme to educate an increasingly vulnerable nation – that has gone through two long, long cold winters and a predominantly sunless couple of summers – about the dangers of becoming vitamin-D-deficient?

 

Had the public been better informed, I would have recognised my own symptoms and self-treated my deficiency with a high-strength vitamin D supplement (which can be bought over the counter for around £35 for 30 once-a-week capsules) and would have saved myself from debilitating infections. That way too, rather like that appendectomy when I was eight, the three courses of antibiotics, the tests and the X-rays would have been entirely unnecessary.

 

At the end of the three months, I had a final appointment at my local surgery and instead of the locum I saw one of the permanent partners in the GP practice. The doctor, who had also suffered the effects of low vitamin D, told me that she thought there might be a link between a deficiency and the “epidemic” of women patients suffering from depression. Instead of prescribing anti-depressants, she was beginning to think, women should be given vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D could be “nature’s Prozac”, she said.

 

Scientist and award-winning medical journalist Oliver Gillie, who has long campaigned on this subject, believes that more testing could prove that in Britain – a country he describes as being “on the edge of the habitable world as far as sunshine is concerned and where it is not possible to get enough vitamin D from food” – everyone should be taking vitamin D supplements during the long winter months.

 

But there are other reasons why more and more women are suffering from low vitamin D counts. For a time, government-sponsored campaigns drummed into us that exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun (or sun beds) can cause skin cancer. As a result, we stopped going out in the midday sun and started to smother our bodies (and our children’s bodies) in high-factor sun lotion, unaware that in doing so we are blocking the vital production of vitamin D through our skin.

 

Women have also been subjected to anti-sunshine propaganda in the beauty pages of glossy magazines, warning of the danger of sun damage – the speeding up of the ageing process. Sunbathing is now regarded as a habit almost as harmful as smoking 50 cigarettes a day or mainlining heroin. Even the cast of The Only Way is Essex are rejecting sun lounging and sun beds in favour of factor-60 spray tans.

 

But staying out of the sun – unless you are fortified with vitamin D supplements – could be almost as damaging as ultraviolet radiation. Several A-list celebrities have recently revealed that they have been diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency. Gwyneth Paltrow now lets the sun on her skin for a few minutes a day, because her very low vitamin D level prevented her from absorbing calcium and has made her vulnerable to osteopenia, a thinning of the bones. And last year Kylie Minogue told me that she too had a problem. “I was the person in the shade with sunscreen, but then I discovered I was vitamin-D-deficient so I actually get a little sun on my body, not on my face, and I am taking vitamin D supplements,” she said.

 

Department of Health and cancer charities’ advice now puts the emphasis on avoiding sunburn and very strong sun rather than staying out of the sun altogether. However, Gillie is worried that vital research into the long-term effects of a vitamin D deficiency – particularly the possible link to depression – will never be carried out because it is not in the interest of the drug companies. He says: “No one can put a patent on vitamin D and sell it.”

 

But now at least I – and you, dear readers – know the truth.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/9977553/We-all-need-natures-Prozac.html

 

 

I came off Seroxat in August 2005 after a 4 month taper. I was initially prescibed a benzo for several months and then Prozac for 5 years and after that, Seroxat for 3 years and 9 months.

 

"It's like in the great stories Mr.Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it's only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it'll shine out the clearer."  Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers

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  • 1 month later...

I made a post about this today.  Vit D3 causes anxiety sleeplessness and one large dose of what was to be a daily thing ordered by my doc caused blinding light in my eyes head ache and heart issues.  

 

Very odd... just can't take it. 

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

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

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

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

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My endocrinologist prescribed me a high dose vitamin D to take weekly for my hormone/ blood sugar issues. I have no idea what it did for me, if anything, because I have always been on psych drugs since taking it.

Tapering Zoloft, Dec 2014

Started Lamictal

Re-started Zoloft mid-Oct 2014, 25-50mg

Stopped Zoloft end of Sept 2014

Started Zoloft July 2014, 50mg

Stopped Prozac from 3mg May 2014

Stopped Effexor Dec '13 Started 10mg Prozac

Reinstated Effexor 15mg on Nov 2013

Stopped from 21mg on Oct 2013
Effexor 112.5mg, since Dec 2012

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My endocrinologist prescribed me a high dose vitamin D to take weekly for my hormone/ blood sugar issues. I have no idea what it did for me, if anything, because I have always been on psych drugs since taking it.

Did the need for psych drugs come after the vit D?  

Just curious it would suck to learn they were treating Vit D induced anxiety with a ssri...snri.

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

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

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

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

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The vitamin D was after the first antidepressant so there's no correlation there.

Tapering Zoloft, Dec 2014

Started Lamictal

Re-started Zoloft mid-Oct 2014, 25-50mg

Stopped Zoloft end of Sept 2014

Started Zoloft July 2014, 50mg

Stopped Prozac from 3mg May 2014

Stopped Effexor Dec '13 Started 10mg Prozac

Reinstated Effexor 15mg on Nov 2013

Stopped from 21mg on Oct 2013
Effexor 112.5mg, since Dec 2012

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It was an endocrinologist who ordered400mg  for me when I was trying to get to the bottom of the first reaction.  I  could not sleep after three days of Vit D 3 400mg so went off a few days to get sleep then continued ...the last wk of the month long test took it the entire wk did not sleep the last few days was fit to be tied by the time the last blood and urine test were due... results the more I take the lower my Vit D goes... Docs answer take even more 400 was not enough.  not a chance.

She failed to hear the part where I can't sleep and want to jump out of my skin after the last wk my thought processes was scrambled did good to get to the apt bit pissed I went thru all that for nothing. Still have no understanding of this issue.  

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

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

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

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

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Sounds like your system doesn't like a lot of supplemental, maybe synthetic vit D. Maybe cod liver oil instead?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This might be beneficial to anyone else who has diabetes, insulin resistance or another metabolic syndrome like it:

 

Researchers from the Loyola University Chicago Niehoff School of Nursing found that Vitamin D supplements can significantly lower blood pressure and improve moods of women with type 2 diabetes, and help them lose a few pounds.

 

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/26/vitamin-d-can-improve-mood-among-diabetics/56503.html

Tapering Zoloft, Dec 2014

Started Lamictal

Re-started Zoloft mid-Oct 2014, 25-50mg

Stopped Zoloft end of Sept 2014

Started Zoloft July 2014, 50mg

Stopped Prozac from 3mg May 2014

Stopped Effexor Dec '13 Started 10mg Prozac

Reinstated Effexor 15mg on Nov 2013

Stopped from 21mg on Oct 2013
Effexor 112.5mg, since Dec 2012

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Christiana, don t worry too much,the symptoms will drop soon again...I have tried a lot of diffrent supplements in different stages of withdrawal and I had a bad reaction to all of them.Sometimes my anxiety and akathesia went up to the roof and sometimes I reacted with severe depresseion.I always tried only a tiny bit of the supplement.The symptoms dropped within a few days.Only with St.Johns word I had a relapse for about 6 months.I m 4,5 years into withdrawal now and still can t tolerate anything.You will be fine again soon,lg solida

Thank you very much for the words of encouragement, Solida!  

I'm fine now.  I just wish I knew why I reacted the way I did and how I can get my vitamin D levels up without getting so sick.  Ugh!

 

I'm starting my 5th year into withdrawal.  I see, when you replied, you were 4 1/2, and should now be 5 1/2.  How has your healing progressed? What symptoms do you have now and how bad are they? Have you found anything that helps?

 

Sorry for such a very late response.  I lost track of this post I made and just now found it.

Jun-Jul '09 (approx 7 wks) - 5mg/day Lexapro (drug rep samples) given by family dr for long, unended, very stressful divorce

 

Each dose taken makes sicker, think it's just body adjusting, have no clue it's severe adverse reaction at time

 

Aug '09 - pharmacy gets dr rx for, insurance won't pay, I can't afford, dr changes to Celexa, decline to take, cold turkey, necessary blessing in disguise, in hindsight at least

 

Gradually feel some better over 1-2 wks, 3rd wk horrific withdrawal symptoms start & build, see doctor & start researching internet about what's happening, figure it out, 60-70+ severe, frightening, & debilitating symptoms emerge, realize nothing can do to feel better easily or quickly, feel like & think I'm dying, reach point where doctor gets home healthcare & have to call friend to stay with & take care of, friend abandons about 1 yr & lose home healthcare

 

1st yr symptoms extremely severe, 2nd yr just somewhat better, now into 3rd yr symptoms don't seem much better, still causing horrible suffering, wax & wane in severity, sometimes almost as severe as when started, practically homebound, mostly bedbound, very hard completing simple tasks, symptoms definitely much worse 7-10 days/mo around menstrual cycle

 

Have lost vehicle & home, plus loved cat & dog had for long time, was homeless several months last winter, lived out of car, living in undesirable gov't subsidized housing now causing many troubles, have no medical & very little rx insurance, disability check & food stamps aren't enough to provide basic needs, lack any reliable personal support anymore, very isolated & all alone, have many pressing stressful things must be done, can barely or unable to complete without help don't have, even ones to help situation some, don't even have finances to get urgent necessary needed help required to help situation & self, social services is frequently visiting now, fear being polydrugged, losing everything, put into nursing home, hope & pray someone will help to keep from happening, don't know what else to do, still way to sick to return to work & college, believe I will recover, in the meantime tho have no answers except to plead for help, hope & pray someone, anyone, who truly cares does soon

 

In 32nd mo now still very bad SSRI protracted withdrawal, have only seen few signs of healing since 2nd yr passed, somehow manage to keep fighting, afraid time is running out for best tho & situation only going to get worse trying to survive on own if don't get help from someone

 

This pretty much summarizes what 49 little round white pills (if I recall correctly) have done to my life & future for now, my before & after life are drastically opposite now, both my situation & self, if only I'd known their potential, a little bit too late now tho huh?.?.?...hindsight really is 20/20 isn't it?.?.?...

 

I pray God blesses and helps each and every one of us, here and elsewhere, going through this nightmare. Amen, amen, amen.

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Just another voice to say "don't worry, it will get better soon..."

 

because I think it will.

 

Anything you could do to rush the vitamin D out of your tissues (and the only thing I can think of would be to starve and lose a lot of fat quickly) would just dump it into your bloodstream, which is where it causes problems. Better to NOT rush it out of your tissues (in other words, try NOT to lose fat right now) and let it gradually percolate out at a rate that your body can adjust on its own.

 

By the way, my daughter also always gets depressed on birth control pills. I wish I could persuade her not to take them. It's so painful to see her like that. And it's messing up her relationship and her life. I wish I could persuade her to use a barrier method, but she's just not open to it. I think there are problems with the boyfriend about that, too. So frustrating.

Thank you very much for your support, Rhi!

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter.  I hope she will listen to your voice of reason, if she hasn't already.

 

I'm fine now.  I just wish I knew why I reacted the way I did and how I can get my vitamin D levels up without getting so sick.  Ugh!

 

Sorry for such a very late response.  I lost track of this post I made and just now found it.

Jun-Jul '09 (approx 7 wks) - 5mg/day Lexapro (drug rep samples) given by family dr for long, unended, very stressful divorce

 

Each dose taken makes sicker, think it's just body adjusting, have no clue it's severe adverse reaction at time

 

Aug '09 - pharmacy gets dr rx for, insurance won't pay, I can't afford, dr changes to Celexa, decline to take, cold turkey, necessary blessing in disguise, in hindsight at least

 

Gradually feel some better over 1-2 wks, 3rd wk horrific withdrawal symptoms start & build, see doctor & start researching internet about what's happening, figure it out, 60-70+ severe, frightening, & debilitating symptoms emerge, realize nothing can do to feel better easily or quickly, feel like & think I'm dying, reach point where doctor gets home healthcare & have to call friend to stay with & take care of, friend abandons about 1 yr & lose home healthcare

 

1st yr symptoms extremely severe, 2nd yr just somewhat better, now into 3rd yr symptoms don't seem much better, still causing horrible suffering, wax & wane in severity, sometimes almost as severe as when started, practically homebound, mostly bedbound, very hard completing simple tasks, symptoms definitely much worse 7-10 days/mo around menstrual cycle

 

Have lost vehicle & home, plus loved cat & dog had for long time, was homeless several months last winter, lived out of car, living in undesirable gov't subsidized housing now causing many troubles, have no medical & very little rx insurance, disability check & food stamps aren't enough to provide basic needs, lack any reliable personal support anymore, very isolated & all alone, have many pressing stressful things must be done, can barely or unable to complete without help don't have, even ones to help situation some, don't even have finances to get urgent necessary needed help required to help situation & self, social services is frequently visiting now, fear being polydrugged, losing everything, put into nursing home, hope & pray someone will help to keep from happening, don't know what else to do, still way to sick to return to work & college, believe I will recover, in the meantime tho have no answers except to plead for help, hope & pray someone, anyone, who truly cares does soon

 

In 32nd mo now still very bad SSRI protracted withdrawal, have only seen few signs of healing since 2nd yr passed, somehow manage to keep fighting, afraid time is running out for best tho & situation only going to get worse trying to survive on own if don't get help from someone

 

This pretty much summarizes what 49 little round white pills (if I recall correctly) have done to my life & future for now, my before & after life are drastically opposite now, both my situation & self, if only I'd known their potential, a little bit too late now tho huh?.?.?...hindsight really is 20/20 isn't it?.?.?...

 

I pray God blesses and helps each and every one of us, here and elsewhere, going through this nightmare. Amen, amen, amen.

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Interestingly, I took alot of vitamin D on Saturday and felt my cognition was improved. Slept 8 hours (not on pap machine) which hadn't been done in months.

 

Took slightly yesterday and had one my worst nights of sleep. Guess I need to back it down and start more slowly.

 

Very frustrating.

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Interestingly, I took alot of vitamin D on Saturday and felt my cognition was improved. Slept 8 hours (not on pap machine) which hadn't been done in months.

 

Took slightly yesterday and had one my worst nights of sleep. Guess I need to back it down and start more slowly.

 

Very frustrating.

Hi CS,

 

I'm happy to hear you benefited from it, but sad to hear it took a turn for the worse.

 

How much did you take? Maybe you could try taking less of it per day? If you still have issues taking it, maybe you could try taking it just a few times a week? When I had problems taking it, that's some advice I was given.  I just haven't wanted to try taking it again yet.

Jun-Jul '09 (approx 7 wks) - 5mg/day Lexapro (drug rep samples) given by family dr for long, unended, very stressful divorce

 

Each dose taken makes sicker, think it's just body adjusting, have no clue it's severe adverse reaction at time

 

Aug '09 - pharmacy gets dr rx for, insurance won't pay, I can't afford, dr changes to Celexa, decline to take, cold turkey, necessary blessing in disguise, in hindsight at least

 

Gradually feel some better over 1-2 wks, 3rd wk horrific withdrawal symptoms start & build, see doctor & start researching internet about what's happening, figure it out, 60-70+ severe, frightening, & debilitating symptoms emerge, realize nothing can do to feel better easily or quickly, feel like & think I'm dying, reach point where doctor gets home healthcare & have to call friend to stay with & take care of, friend abandons about 1 yr & lose home healthcare

 

1st yr symptoms extremely severe, 2nd yr just somewhat better, now into 3rd yr symptoms don't seem much better, still causing horrible suffering, wax & wane in severity, sometimes almost as severe as when started, practically homebound, mostly bedbound, very hard completing simple tasks, symptoms definitely much worse 7-10 days/mo around menstrual cycle

 

Have lost vehicle & home, plus loved cat & dog had for long time, was homeless several months last winter, lived out of car, living in undesirable gov't subsidized housing now causing many troubles, have no medical & very little rx insurance, disability check & food stamps aren't enough to provide basic needs, lack any reliable personal support anymore, very isolated & all alone, have many pressing stressful things must be done, can barely or unable to complete without help don't have, even ones to help situation some, don't even have finances to get urgent necessary needed help required to help situation & self, social services is frequently visiting now, fear being polydrugged, losing everything, put into nursing home, hope & pray someone will help to keep from happening, don't know what else to do, still way to sick to return to work & college, believe I will recover, in the meantime tho have no answers except to plead for help, hope & pray someone, anyone, who truly cares does soon

 

In 32nd mo now still very bad SSRI protracted withdrawal, have only seen few signs of healing since 2nd yr passed, somehow manage to keep fighting, afraid time is running out for best tho & situation only going to get worse trying to survive on own if don't get help from someone

 

This pretty much summarizes what 49 little round white pills (if I recall correctly) have done to my life & future for now, my before & after life are drastically opposite now, both my situation & self, if only I'd known their potential, a little bit too late now tho huh?.?.?...hindsight really is 20/20 isn't it?.?.?...

 

I pray God blesses and helps each and every one of us, here and elsewhere, going through this nightmare. Amen, amen, amen.

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Thanks Christiana, I did take less yesterday (around 5000IU) and slept enough hours although unfortunately, it was off of the machine. I think my poor night of sleep the previous night might have had to do with trying a too high setting on the pap machine.  Who knows?

 

I am beginning to think it really doesn't matter what I take as the issue is I am intolerant of a treatment that I need so I can function.

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Thanks Christiana, I did take less yesterday (around 5000IU) and slept enough hours although unfortunately, it was off of the machine. I think my poor night of sleep the previous night might have had to do with trying a too high setting on the pap machine.  Who knows?

 

I am beginning to think it really doesn't matter what I take as the issue is I am intolerant of a treatment that I need so I can function.

Hi CS,

 

I'm so sorry to hear about this.  Sending lots of positive calming thoughts and prayers your way.  (((hugs)))

Jun-Jul '09 (approx 7 wks) - 5mg/day Lexapro (drug rep samples) given by family dr for long, unended, very stressful divorce

 

Each dose taken makes sicker, think it's just body adjusting, have no clue it's severe adverse reaction at time

 

Aug '09 - pharmacy gets dr rx for, insurance won't pay, I can't afford, dr changes to Celexa, decline to take, cold turkey, necessary blessing in disguise, in hindsight at least

 

Gradually feel some better over 1-2 wks, 3rd wk horrific withdrawal symptoms start & build, see doctor & start researching internet about what's happening, figure it out, 60-70+ severe, frightening, & debilitating symptoms emerge, realize nothing can do to feel better easily or quickly, feel like & think I'm dying, reach point where doctor gets home healthcare & have to call friend to stay with & take care of, friend abandons about 1 yr & lose home healthcare

 

1st yr symptoms extremely severe, 2nd yr just somewhat better, now into 3rd yr symptoms don't seem much better, still causing horrible suffering, wax & wane in severity, sometimes almost as severe as when started, practically homebound, mostly bedbound, very hard completing simple tasks, symptoms definitely much worse 7-10 days/mo around menstrual cycle

 

Have lost vehicle & home, plus loved cat & dog had for long time, was homeless several months last winter, lived out of car, living in undesirable gov't subsidized housing now causing many troubles, have no medical & very little rx insurance, disability check & food stamps aren't enough to provide basic needs, lack any reliable personal support anymore, very isolated & all alone, have many pressing stressful things must be done, can barely or unable to complete without help don't have, even ones to help situation some, don't even have finances to get urgent necessary needed help required to help situation & self, social services is frequently visiting now, fear being polydrugged, losing everything, put into nursing home, hope & pray someone will help to keep from happening, don't know what else to do, still way to sick to return to work & college, believe I will recover, in the meantime tho have no answers except to plead for help, hope & pray someone, anyone, who truly cares does soon

 

In 32nd mo now still very bad SSRI protracted withdrawal, have only seen few signs of healing since 2nd yr passed, somehow manage to keep fighting, afraid time is running out for best tho & situation only going to get worse trying to survive on own if don't get help from someone

 

This pretty much summarizes what 49 little round white pills (if I recall correctly) have done to my life & future for now, my before & after life are drastically opposite now, both my situation & self, if only I'd known their potential, a little bit too late now tho huh?.?.?...hindsight really is 20/20 isn't it?.?.?...

 

I pray God blesses and helps each and every one of us, here and elsewhere, going through this nightmare. Amen, amen, amen.

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Thanks, I really appreciate your calming thoughts.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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You're quite welcome, CS! Anytime. (hugs)

Jun-Jul '09 (approx 7 wks) - 5mg/day Lexapro (drug rep samples) given by family dr for long, unended, very stressful divorce

 

Each dose taken makes sicker, think it's just body adjusting, have no clue it's severe adverse reaction at time

 

Aug '09 - pharmacy gets dr rx for, insurance won't pay, I can't afford, dr changes to Celexa, decline to take, cold turkey, necessary blessing in disguise, in hindsight at least

 

Gradually feel some better over 1-2 wks, 3rd wk horrific withdrawal symptoms start & build, see doctor & start researching internet about what's happening, figure it out, 60-70+ severe, frightening, & debilitating symptoms emerge, realize nothing can do to feel better easily or quickly, feel like & think I'm dying, reach point where doctor gets home healthcare & have to call friend to stay with & take care of, friend abandons about 1 yr & lose home healthcare

 

1st yr symptoms extremely severe, 2nd yr just somewhat better, now into 3rd yr symptoms don't seem much better, still causing horrible suffering, wax & wane in severity, sometimes almost as severe as when started, practically homebound, mostly bedbound, very hard completing simple tasks, symptoms definitely much worse 7-10 days/mo around menstrual cycle

 

Have lost vehicle & home, plus loved cat & dog had for long time, was homeless several months last winter, lived out of car, living in undesirable gov't subsidized housing now causing many troubles, have no medical & very little rx insurance, disability check & food stamps aren't enough to provide basic needs, lack any reliable personal support anymore, very isolated & all alone, have many pressing stressful things must be done, can barely or unable to complete without help don't have, even ones to help situation some, don't even have finances to get urgent necessary needed help required to help situation & self, social services is frequently visiting now, fear being polydrugged, losing everything, put into nursing home, hope & pray someone will help to keep from happening, don't know what else to do, still way to sick to return to work & college, believe I will recover, in the meantime tho have no answers except to plead for help, hope & pray someone, anyone, who truly cares does soon

 

In 32nd mo now still very bad SSRI protracted withdrawal, have only seen few signs of healing since 2nd yr passed, somehow manage to keep fighting, afraid time is running out for best tho & situation only going to get worse trying to survive on own if don't get help from someone

 

This pretty much summarizes what 49 little round white pills (if I recall correctly) have done to my life & future for now, my before & after life are drastically opposite now, both my situation & self, if only I'd known their potential, a little bit too late now tho huh?.?.?...hindsight really is 20/20 isn't it?.?.?...

 

I pray God blesses and helps each and every one of us, here and elsewhere, going through this nightmare. Amen, amen, amen.

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  • 3 weeks later...

This might be beneficial to anyone else who has diabetes, insulin resistance or another metabolic syndrome like it:

 

Researchers from the Loyola University Chicago Niehoff School of Nursing found that Vitamin D supplements can significantly lower blood pressure and improve moods of women with type 2 diabetes, and help them lose a few pounds.

 

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/26/vitamin-d-can-improve-mood-among-diabetics/56503.html

I am not too big on studies anymore guess I have read so many at this point and suspect half of them are bought and paid for lies... lol sorry I did not even look at it I am so jaded... but I did wonder was this D or D3... I am having some diabetic issues trying to deal with diet just now... not working so well. 

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

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

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

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

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I sure know what you mean about 'study cynicism'. Probably not in this case, though. As a 4 year RN it was expected that we would be researchers too. Let see, Chicago: probably crappy winter weather, don't get outdoors much in the winter. Vit D is a hormone and its easy to take as a supplement and may very well help with insulin problems. Stop by my intro thread, I have some recent postings about D where I think the amt in my 'supplements' may have annoyed my heart into palpitations. I found a source somewhere about how much sunlight is needed (and when) for the body's D needs. My problem is that D3 (cholecalciferol) is now added to everything because it is cheep and 'scientists' think we are now getting D deficient because of sunscreen use (they may be right but I'm in FL, don't lay out, don't use sunscreen unless I have to be out like kayaking) so all the nutsupps and foods have it and now maybe we will be getting too much D.

 

My cynicisn is slanting more towards the supplement industry but it's not a fight I want to take on. It's much harder to be an informed consumer tempering her desire for a set and forget magic bullet pill (of any persuasion). But I think that's what I have to do.

What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878

 

July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site.

 

Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey.

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Saw this thread on my way out the door and just wanted to chime in on my D problem. I think I narrowed down a recent increase in heart palpitations to too much D, it's in my multivits AND the high quality omega 3 I bought. I found a couple of articles about it (one NOT advocating supplementation, but Dr. knows best?) and it is indeed a hormone. My post has the links:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/page-4#entry58020

 

Ooops, some of us have to be REALLY careful with the supplements. I see, Christiana, that this topic is a little old, I hope you got better. I am not taking anything in the way of supplementation right now. It will take some effort to find D-less supplements, the powers-that-are are thinking we all need it so it's in nearly everything and at amounts of 100 to 200 percent of the RDA. Yikes!

What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878

 

July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site.

 

Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey.

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I sure know what you mean about 'study cynicism'. Probably not in this case, though. As a 4 year RN it was expected that we would be researchers too. Let see, Chicago: probably crappy winter weather, don't get outdoors much in the winter. Vit D is a hormone and its easy to take as a supplement and may very well help with insulin problems. Stop by my intro thread, I have some recent postings about D where I think the amt in my 'supplements' may have annoyed my heart into palpitations. I found a source somewhere about how much sunlight is needed (and when) for the body's D needs. My problem is that D3 (cholecalciferol) is now added to everything because it is cheep and 'scientists' think we are now getting D deficient because of sunscreen use (they may be right but I'm in FL, don't lay out, don't use sunscreen unless I have to be out like kayaking) so all the nutsupps and foods have it and now maybe we will be getting too much D.

 

My cynicisn is slanting more towards the supplement industry but it's not a fight I want to take on. It's much harder to be an informed consumer tempering her desire for a set and forget magic bullet pill (of any persuasion). But I think that's what I have to do.

Managing symptoms with daily supplements: C 500mg, EHA/780 DHA/120, ~80mg mag citrate, ASA 81mg, B12 .5gm SL, low dose multivit, 70ozs water, 10" walk

Anything I say might be wrong

 

wow that is a lot of supplements... to me it is a lot... I try to get what I need in food.  

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

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

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

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

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I must re-do the sig because I am not taking any of them right now. It was important for me to remind myself of what I had decided to take based on recommendations here. But I stopped them all when the heart acted up. Changing your sig changes it for every single post you have ever made on this forum, so that is why it is still the same. I need to rethink what I want to tell you about what I am doing/feeling as I am on no meds and not sure if I even want to include the supplement info there at all.

What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878

 

July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site.

 

Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey.

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  • 4 months later...

This might be beneficial to anyone else who has diabetes, insulin resistance or another metabolic syndrome like it:

 

Researchers from the Loyola University Chicago Niehoff School of Nursing found that Vitamin D supplements can significantly lower blood pressure and improve moods of women with type 2 diabetes, and help them lose a few pounds.

 

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/26/vitamin-d-can-improve-mood-among-diabetics/56503.html

A few years ago my doc tried to put me on metforming I did not bite after seeing the side effects... I react badly to Vit D3 too.... I am sure the anxiety I get from D3 raises my bp rather than lowering it... and the insomnia is just not worth it...

 

Some people have an understanding of the neurotransmitters that have been played with thru ssri and snri ...that they are hormones and use the term hormone and neurotransmitter interchangably... now if the D is also a hormone ... it would make some sense that using these drugs could have messed with the entire system... 

 

one more thing the more D3 I take the lower my D level in my blood measures... it would appear to the novice which I am that my body is working hard to keep D low for a reason... and so far if I have learned anything it is that my body is much smarter than I am and likely much smarter than those pushing these drugs too...just my opinion for what that may be worth.

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

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

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

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

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Dr. Brogan said researchers are suspecting something besides lack of sunlight is contributing to low vit D levels, maybe the effect of glycosolate (sp), Roundup, on the liver. They are seeing levels like 13 in some people living in Hawaii...doesn't make sense. Vitamin K2 is important if you supplement vitamin D. Mercola.com has some articles on it.

1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms.

Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12

Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13

Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15

11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble)

9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol

7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol

56 years old

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  • 2 months later...

i got my blood tests back and found that I'm low in vitamin D. (target is 30-100 and I'm 25.)

I'm surprised as i eat healthy, take walks outside and live in california, take a vitamin that has a good amount of vitamin D, and I've been taking cal-mag citrate with vitamin D in it as well. i take 2400mg of omega 3 fish oil too but not sure if that has any vitamin D.

i found this article that says there may be a relationship between vitamin D and depression. which causes which is unclear:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201307/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-depression

 

has anyone who has had low vitamin D and depression and raised it to normal levels notice a decrease in depression?

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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Dr. Brogan said researchers are suspecting something besides lack of sunlight is contributing to low vit D levels, maybe the effect of glycosolate (sp), Roundup, on the liver. They are seeing levels like 13 in some people living in Hawaii...doesn't make sense. Vitamin K2 is important if you supplement vitamin D. Mercola.com has some articles on it.

Serum 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with A1C levels (r = −0.116, p = .003). This relation maintains its independence in the multivariate analysis after adjusting for age, sex, A1C, BMI, treatment and duration of diabetes and nephropathy.

Conclusions

In type 2 diabetic patients, high A1C levels are associated with low concentrations of serum 25(OH)D independently of duration of diabetes, diabetic treatment and nephropathy. Future studies are needed to clarify the biological relation between glucose control and vitamin D metabolism in type 2 diabetes.

 

three are some graphs on this page I do not understand referring to ACI and D blood tests... 

Glycated Haemoglobin Is Inversely Related to Serum Vitamin D Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0082733

 

last blood work my sugar was good due to diet alone 

 

" Vitamin D may improve glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells [11], enhance glucose and lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle [12][13], and ameliorate systemic inflammation [14]. Most, but not all, patients with T2D or glucose intolerance may have lower serum 25(OH)D levels when compared to healthy control subjects [15]. Interestingly, a recent study found that serum 25(OH)D levels increased after the correction of acute hyperglycemiasuggesting a bidirectional biologic relation between blood glucose levels and 25(OH)D metabolism. In order to pursue this hypothesis we believe that it is important to determine whether the correlation between A1C and 25(OH)D is independent when adjusted for influential variables, such as duration of diabetes or nephropathy.

Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the independence of the relation between A1C and serum 25(OH)D in an ample cohort of ambulatory type 2 diabetic.  " 

 

Here it says only in women may relate to other hormonal issue only women have.

" Previous studies have observed a significant inverse correlation between A1C and serum 25(OH)D levels both in non diabetic and in diabetic subjects [7][10]. A study reported a significant inverse correlation only in diabetic women "

 

I now can't help but wonder about the pancreas part in all of this. Since my recent pancreas trouble. 

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

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

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

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

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A 2010 analysis of data from 10 studies did not find any association of vitamin D levels and 6 less common types of cancer -- endometrial, esophageal, gastric, kidney, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and ovarian. And, people with the highest vitamin D levels seemed to have a higher, rather than lower, chance of developing pancreatic cancer. In one study, smokers with higher blood levels of vitamin D were 3 times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those with low levels.

 

That is interesting... 

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/herbsvitaminsandminerals/vitamin-d

 

I know I can find more studies that will say the opposite... that is why this one is so interesting... who to believe. 

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

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

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

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

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  • 5 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Although I consider myself about 98% over antidepressant withdrawal, I was still having trouble getting to sleep at night. For some reason, it occurred to me that the high (6,000 I.U.) dose of Vitamin D3 I was taking every day might be the problem, so at first I just cut back to one 2,000 I.U. capsule every other day, which didn't seem to help much, and then I cut to none at all.  I had no trouble at all getting to sleep that night and that situation has overall improved, although there are sometimes other factors that make it difficult to sleep.

 

I'm not sure how to judge when to start taking a D3 supplement again without getting regular blood tests, but I expect I have a way to go after taking such a high dose for at least a year.  Any ideas?

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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All I know is I can't sleep at all if I take it.  I only found out I was low when I broke my foot doing a hop for the kids in the kitchen.  It was low then but not deficient like it is now... I broke the same foot last year.  Still I can't tolerate it and doctors keep trying to scare me with the thought of a spine fracture I don't want that but I need to sleep too.  I think only another who has been thru the sleeplessness of withdrawal would understand how important sleep is to me. I would rather sleep I may break a bone or even a back but I need to live now and I can't do that without sleep. 

Sorry that is about all I got. 

peace

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

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

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

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

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