Moderator Emeritus Jemima Posted April 18, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 18, 2013 This was featured on the Xfinity/Comcast website today and I thought it might be of interest to those of you who've experienced estrangement in your relationships since going on antidepressants: How SSRIs Affect Your Love Life 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 RazorIntroduction: 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarannamated Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I was just looking for a good article about this. Thanks, Jemima! 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). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motoxmom Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Thanks for posting this. An excellent read. A topic that is very important and often under reported. My ex-husband blames paxil for the break-up of our marriage. I was on it for several years before we split. People need to be as informed as possible about what these meds can do to our minds, emotions, etc. I regret taking the first pill but at least others can we warned beforehand. Thanks again! Paxil since 1995 - 20 mg per day Clonazepam since 1993 - .25 mg per day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 I like Helen Fisher's work too and have shared info on the blog about it with my comments...so here's more and it also includes video with Helen Fisher talking: Psych drugs damage ability to love/bond http://beyondmeds.com/2010/03/15/10069/ Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Will read later today.... Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 It is mind-boggling that people push pills that destroy our ability to love and experience life as a treatment and then blame us for non-compliance. 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 2013Effexor 112.5mg, since Dec 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 yes, horrifying...sometimes the vast hugeness of just how horrifying feels like it might swallow me up Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarannamated Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Has there been discussion of how this may or may not reverse or change after removal of the drug? I feel an intense and overwhelming aloneness and urgency to connect, but dis-ease being with people I know. I've found that being among strangers is slightly comforting; I can chat if I choose to, but don't feel the stress that I *should* interact or need to be *on*. Being with and talking to people I know is EXHAUSTING. 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). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 oh...I think of that as different Barbara...healing for me has totally required being alone a lot...something I absolutely have not always appreciated but have now come to deeply appreciate... it's a rough road, but it does pass...the acute awfulness about needing to be alone so much...and then once the horror in that passes it has also let up some...meaning I don't need to be alone so much anymore Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarannamated Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Thanks, Gia. Your input always means so much... how you've managed to make sense of this life-robbing experience. I was great at being alone while on SS/NRIs, or so I thought. I thought I was strong, independent. Now I realize it was the drugs that made me ok with being alone for the majority of the last several years. It was only during withdrawal that I felt this aloneness; I was unaware that it was withdrawal in 2008 and progressed on the polydrugging nightmare. I feel like a complete stranger to myself. /sorry for the tangent. It just hits me sometimes and is completely overwhelming. 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). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiaK Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 it is absolutely overwhelming Barbara...on occasion I am still quite overwhelmed, but that too diminishes and becomes much less frequent. hugs Everything Matters: Beyond Meds https://beyondmeds.com/ withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenwell3977 Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 Antidepressants have ruined every romantic relationship I've ever been in. First, there are the obvious sexual side effects that destroy a relationship. Second, I am numb to the lust and dependence that is usually created when you are in love. I worry that I will be single forever and never have kids. I can't wait to get off these things! Serzone (Nefadazone) and Wellbutrin (Buoproprin) for over ten years Nefazadone Starting Point 150 mg 12/2 135 mg, 12/16 130 mg, 12/21 125 mg, 12/24 120 mg, 1/5 110 mg, 1/26 100 mg, 2/9 90 mg, 3/1 80 mg, 3/22 70 mg, 4/12 60 mg 5/3 50 mg, 5/15 55 mg, 8/15 70 mg, 10/15 90 mg, 11/1/12 100 mg, 10/1/13 90 mg, 10/15/13 85 mg, 10/20/13 90 mg, 3/29/15 16 mg Buproprin Starting Point 300 mg 5/1/13 270, 5/15/13 240, 6/1/13 230, 6/15/13 200, 7/1/13 185, 7/20/13 170, 8/20/13 185, 3/29/15 170 Completely off Serzone: 10/1/17; Completely off Buprioprion 5/21/18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted September 22, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 22, 2013 The hardest for me is that my younger daughter was only 2 when I was put on Prozac, and it absolutely interfered with my ability to bond with her, to empathize, to be the kind of mother I wish I had been able to be. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a terrible mother, but the great and easy passion and empathy that I had had with my older daughter at that age disappeared, and turned into a constant agonizing struggle, trying to reach through a horrible mindbending fog. And she definitely didn't get the mothering she deserved. This is the deepest grief of my life. I will never get over it. There are no words for how this feels. Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010. Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea. Feb 15 2010: 300 mg Neurontin 200 Lamictal 10 Celexa 0.65 Xanax and 5 mg Ambien Feb 10 2014: 62 Lamictal 1.1 Celexa 0.135 Xanax 1.8 Valium Feb 10 2015: 50 Lamictal 0.875 Celexa 0.11 Xanax 1.5 Valium Feb 15 2016: 47.5 Lamictal 0.75 Celexa 0.0875 Xanax 1.42 Valium 2/12/20 12 0.045 0.007 1 May 2021 7 0.01 0.0037 1 Feb 2022 6 0!!! 0.00167 0.98 2.5 mg Ambien Oct 2022 4.5 mg Lamictal (off Celexa, off Xanax) 0.95 Valium Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Rhi that broke my heart. There is no time like the present. Give of yourself now. Is it possible that you think you did bond but maybe not as strongly as the first. You know what I am saying. We have a tendency to think it is worse than it actually was. I am afraid of having a relationship and the thought of the meds is in the mix, and a big issue is my marriage and what went on there. It was traumatizing and ten years later I still struggle with it to a degree. Fear of a relationship...Guess I still have feelings of inadequacy. This is an area of my life that causes a great deal of pain. NOt knowing how to have a relationship and being afraid of getting hurt or not trusting my own judgement. And yet I have the desire to hope that a healthy relationship can find it's way into my life. The paxil helped me from killing myself from what happened in the marriage. It and my friends helped keep a lid on the anxiety so I could move thru the divorce process and above all survived everything prior to the divorce. Actually the divorce process was easy. It was all the other stuff that led to it. Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Last relationship where I lived with a partner was just before I was put on prozac... in 1980-90 I think that speaks for itself. All relationships of my life have been affected and damaged by taking antidepressants. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 http://m.topix.com/forum/med/pharmacology/T7S1TLK31PNK67AV3 http://m.topix.com/forum/med/pharmacology/T7S1TLK31PNK67AV3 Two sites which speak to the topic of marriages destroyed by ssri and a list of cases I think Helen Fisher is our best hope in this matter. She has many videos. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 The shortest and most straight forward Helen Fisher video where she warns about how these drugs are damaging relationships and peoples lives and how psychiatrist are not listening... great video. 1 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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