luv2knit Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 WF, you can't blame yourself for any of this. These drugs are just plain bad news! I never even smoked (cigarettes or anything else) and look at me! I would love to see stats on the percentage of individuals who suffer the way we have going off prescription meds. I'm sure it's quite high! XOXO Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
Wildflower0214 Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Well, time for an update. I'm still working on adding food. It is a painfully slow process. I react at least somewhat to nearly everything. So, I'm trying to just try very very small portions and tolerate the reaction, because I need the nutrition. I still see people here recommending elimination diets. And, I can't say for sure, but my intuition tells me my food issues would not be what they are if so would have not tried to eliminate so many things at once. It's a shock to the nervous system to do that. Even healthy people have withdrawals from eliminating gluten. So, you can only imagine how well that goes during AD WD. I can at least say that I'm not nearly as pissed off about my limited diet as I was last year. So, that's good news. I'm grinding my teeth at night to the point that my straight teeth have now shifted. I used a plastic night guard last year when this had happened and it went fine. But, in the last month plastic seems to be an issue. I got a latex burn all over my hands while trying to use gloves to clean my bathroom. I never had an issue with latex before. Anyways, I really don't know what to do to protect my teeth if I can't tolerate plastic. I've tried latex fee etc. it doesn't seem to go well. But, I'm going to try again, so we'll see. This honestly really bothers me. My smile was one of the last things I had left, and now it doesn't look the same. Every time I think this experience has stolen all it can from me, it takes even more. My Dad was here for Christmas and I managed to get out and go to a few stores. It went ok, but the alerting while trying to sleep the following nights had kicked up a notch. I often find I can't tell at the time if I'm pushing too hard until I try to my down to sleep, and the twitches and alerting start up and I can gauge by how severe they are as to how much over the boundary I pushed it that day. I can't see any pattern in what is happening to me. I have symptoms of MCS, but those people often get better by eliminating toxins. It seems the more I eliminate, the worse things get. And, I'd honestly rather be able to be out in public than at home, toxin-free. I think this is what happened with the plastic mouth guard for teeth grinding. I wore it last Spring, no problem. Now, problem. Because I stopped wearing it for so long. I feel increasingly isolated the longer all of this goes on. I often wonder if I will ever be able to find a partner who is willing to live the way I know I will need to to maintain my health once I recover. I'm not afraid of being alone, but I would rather not be. I'm working on letting go of resentment. It serves no purpose for me. There are other things that have changed, good and bad. I'm almost afraid to say anything good for fear of being sucked back under the waves again. It's strange, the way things have progressed. In some ways, I was better of last year around this time than I am now. But, in others, I am better now. I seem to be more sensitive to substances that I was last year, even though I was sicker last year. I haven't seen this kind of pattern in other people. Their sensitivities tend to decrease over time. Mine have increased. But, I'm sure I'm not the only one. In any case, sometimes I think I can't keep living this way. But, then a month, two months, six months go by. And I did, and I do, and I will keep living, until one day this is all over. 2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor..... 5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses. Link to comment
luv2knit Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 ... And it WILL be over!!! I'm not on much anymore, but I pray for you daily! It is so good to hear from you. Very much like the way things are going with me. Simply put--some things better, some things back or worse!! (Still wish the akathisia would GO!!) XOXO Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
Cherry47 Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 No Wildflower, you are not the only one. Like you, I am better than I was last year in lots of ways but worse in others. My sensitivities also seem to be increasing. I am doing it really tough at the moment - degeneration of the neck joints is causing horrendous nerve pain all over the head so that I cannot put pressure on any part of the head so am having to sit up all day and night and I am sooooo exhausted which makes me so sick and I cannot even tolerate paracetamol let alone any kind of anti inflammatory. Trying some acupuncture and hoping that will work. I fully relate to everything that you said. I am astounded at the variety and severity of ghastly symptoms that everyone is going through. I thought that after a year I would be so much improved and am finding it quite distressing to almost feel that I have to start all over again. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 32 years, given AD for this condition alone in 2000 Zoloft 100mg for 15 years, last five of these complained about adverse effects, unable to tolerate other meds even supplements Slowly felt sicker, advised by different Dr maybe on ads for too long Cut back 100 - 50 over 6 months, still getting worse, so stopped over about 6 weeks starting Dec 2014 First month, slow, emotional, useless then POW! Horrendous withdrawal symptoms, completely non-functional for about five months, slowly started to come back to life and continue with waves and windows, still more bad than good, but bads are less bad, and goods slightly better each time Link to comment
AliG Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Wild , You are one of my heroes ! ( heroines ) . You never give up & keep pushing through !! Enough said . You are one strong " dame". Hugs, Ali Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
btdt Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 "In any case, sometimes I think I can't keep living this way. But, then a month, two months, six months go by. And I did, and I do, and I will keep living, until one day this is all over" That sums up my experience of early wd in a nutshell. Your certainly not alone and things may change completely in time so don't think you will always live this way. It has happened for others. I had the chemical sensitivity too early on and it came back this year I am not sure why but I am working on it. It is worse now then ever which I find odd but certainly is the the same as you experience. Plastic is a problem for me too I do go to stores some make me sick right away I think it is the pesticides maybe... or the cleaners as both will lose me as a customer. I avoid a few things rows where they sell plastics cleaning and perfumes. Here is one odd thing I was in the mall this Xmass and there is a new place there with natural products oils... I could smell it from way down the mall and was po cause I had to go to a store close by them to get a phone battery... oddly the closer I got the more nervous I was to be made sick.. I did not get sick so I went in and asked them about their products. Of course nobody there had heard of chemical sensitivity but one lady suggested I see a naturopath. which I did not do. I did buy a bottle of something that smelled good to me but am afraid to use it since the anaphalactic problem I had in Nov... I do not trust all the oils either some of them reacted on me...but to a lesser extent than other things... but there is hope and I plan on doing some research on natural oils at some point... after I have allergy testing. I may just be allergic to a few things. Have you had allergy testing? Are you allergic to anything you know of? All in all it sounds like your having the sort of wd I had early on it will get better. I wish you peace WF thanks for the undate. 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
Wildflower0214 Posted March 15, 2016 Author Share Posted March 15, 2016 Cherry,Luv,Ali and Btdt, thank you. I will keep this short. Some things are better, others are more problematic. There is no sense in any of it. Food remains my largest hurdle. I've added a very small amount of mineralized water, and an exquisitely minute amount of mag glycinate. I am still grinding my teeth. Tried every mouth guard on the market, and they all increase symptoms. I cannot dose down the Ativan until this situation is resolved. I am determined that there is an answer to this issue, I just haven't found it yet. But! I will, eventually. I've gotten to the point that I can stop myself more easily from lashing out at those family members who contributed to this, because in all honesty... What's the point? It's an excercise is expending emotional energy on a useless endevour. So, most days, I just let it all go. I know I will get better, even though I sometimes fear I won't. I will. In time, I will. I hope everyone is healing. Peace. 2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor..... 5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses. Link to comment
SelmaLady Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 ((((WF)))) I'm so sorry that the food issues and the teeth grinding problems are still dogging you. I can surely understand your not wanting to take on a taper until you can resolve at least the mouth problems. It was so good to hear from you tho--- I think about you so often and pray that you'll be seeing some real improvement soon. Love you. 1971-81 Valium 5mg c/t PAWS 1992- through now Zoloft 25mg 2003-05 Valium 12mg Slow Taper Off 2013 Afrin Exposure to CNS 2013 O/D Val 230mg 2013 Doxepin 50mg Clonidine 2mg Zoloft 25mg 3/15/16 Doxepin 49mg Micro Tapering Zoloft 24.3mg Holding taper 3/15/16 Clonidine mg 0.1 1/2 - Decreasing incrementally. DISCONTINUED 10/9/16 Doxepin 48.9 Zoloft 24.3 Clonidine 01.10 Continuing micro taper on Doxepin. 11/16/16 Doxepin 48mg Zoloft 24.3mg Clonidine 1.30mg 5/4/17 Doxepin 45mg Zoloft 24mg Clonidine 1.20mg Micro taper of Doxepin , Clonidine 01/13/19 Doxepin 45mg Zoloft 21mg Will start Micro taper of Doxepin 2/19 12/21/21 Doxepin 20 mg ? Reducing using water micro taper--Pulling 24ml from 75ml 12/2121 Zoloft .060 grams by weight--HOLDING (info from post added by CC: On 12/21/21 my dosage was .060grams by weight or 20mg. ) 26 Apr 2022 - Zoloft at -0- Link to comment
luv2knit Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 So good to hear from you, WF. So sorry you are still having food issues. If it were not for my custom made night guard, I would not have any teeth left. I grind mine so badly that I have worn holes in my night guard, so I am with you on that. Continuing to keep you in my prayers. XOXO Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
btdt Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Thanks for the update WF any improvement counts and not lashing out is a big one ... inch by inch that is how it goes but it does go. wishing you 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 Link to comment
Mentor ang Posted March 22, 2016 Mentor Share Posted March 22, 2016 Mushrooms into people, eh? That's gotta be disturbing. Lol I too filter my tap water with a device that is supposed to rid it of fluoride. Maybe we are both nuts, but that stuff gives me the creeps. When I was holed up in the attic bedroom I felt like I could see a black cloud of evil spirits hovering near the ceiling...reminded by what you said about your bad dream. I eventually yelled at them and told them to get the heck out of my house...at the time I felt like it worked. I know what you mean about dreams that linger on and color the day. Because I am wearing a nicotine patch, I know I am in for it again. I used to lucid-dream. Sure would like to be able to catapult away at will from some of my recent dream imagery. But at least it is not boring. It's totally bizzare the feeling I had after I woke up. But, eventually it went away. I prayed. It helped. I hate dreams of any kind. I never ever had them on AD. The last nightmare I had had other than the most recent was years ago. And it was equally as disturbing as this one. But, it was also after I had spent the whole day at the hospital with my Mom when she had cancer surgery. I had been there alone all day...like twelve hours and brought her home and tried to sleep and had nightmare from hell! I think it was the anxiety. That one was so bad I couldn't even sit in my bedroom alone. It was insidious. Ugh. westcoast, tell me more, my present studies,,, hahah are fluoride levels. Thankyou share with me anything you know about fluoride tnxz 1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression. Serotonin syndrome, oh yes! seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol. Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly) pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby). 98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout.... Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol, and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg tegretol 400mg. Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.Mid 15 .... 75mg seroquel, 3 x 1800mg SJW 2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW:::: 28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::; 18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump. 23/9 3mg....., 27/9 0mg. Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg............. LIGHTBULB MOMENT, I have MTHFR 2x mutations. CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it. Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues. Link to comment
AliG Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Wild . While you're front and center , on the Intro page , how are you ? I hope you're managing your symptoms , and are doing better, at this time . It's been a while . I hope that's the reason , you've been elusive. Let us know . Hugs , Ali Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
Wildflower0214 Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 Thank you all for commenting. I appreciate it. At the moment, no I am not well. I stayed away from here because I feel like it contributes to keeping me focused on being sick, stuck in a pattern of thinking that I don't think is conducive to healing. I just honestly don't want to think about it anymore. Other people's stories scare me, and they flash in my mind in the middle of the night or when I get symptoms that are unfamiliar, it's amazing that my brain will recall some horror story I've read and then give me all the reasons as to why it's going to happen to me too. None of this seems like a good thing. I felt like a I made some good progress for a bit, but feel like I've lost it. I am having bad reactions to plastic and need to wear a mouth-guard. I tried yet again with a different one and it started a wave. I'm having my period so that could be contributing. I have no idea. I slept on a different pillow last night and woke up with symptoms I have never had. I feel like I have some MCS and that scares the living hell out of me. I don't know. I don't know anymore. Just when I think I'm doing ok, something hits me. How can it be the pillow? How is this real life? It will be two years in July, and there has been progress but I am more sensitive to food and many other things than I was two years ago. I've been eating the same 18 foods for a year and a half. I just have no words anymore. I'm still trying. It's either that or just give up, which isn't appealing to me. So, onward. Thank you everyone for checking on me. Hugs to you all. Peace. 2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor..... 5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses. Link to comment
AliG Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 W . Sorry to hear that . Are you still tapering ? If not , when was your last cut ? MCS? ( not sure what that is .) This thing definitely takes time . I don't think you lose the progress, as such . It just gets a bit " de- railed " . Then , it starts up again . You still sound determined to beat this , and that is " key " . So good to hear from you , Wild . You Will get there ! Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
Wildflower0214 Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 I am not currently tapering. My last cut was around mid-November 2015, and it was 1%. I can't taper anymore until I find a solution to this teeth grinding situation. MCS is multiple chemical sensitivity. Yes, tired but determined. so good to hear from you. thanks for all of your encouragement. 2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor..... 5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses. Link to comment
btdt Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Hi WF it could be the pillow so see if you can get a hypo-allergenic cover for it or go back to the old one. I have a lot of reactions now and find vinegar is my best friend for some reason I don't react to it and I find it takes other smells away. It seems to not mask them but actually kill them open windows and vinegar. For a long time I used a tooth paste made from baking soda and coconut oil I got off the net then I switched to one made by Tom's but should it bother me I go back to the old one. I use nature clean shampoo conditioner and liquid soaps this had made showering tolerable. I know where your at with reading other people stories so don't do it.. when in that place keep everything calm and don't watch the news period that is how I survived that time. I wish you 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 Link to comment
Purplestars22 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Hello wildflower, it's nice to see you post, keep trying you will get through this. Best wishes, ps22 Celexa 20mg 2008-2012 for Social Anxiety Failed attempt to stop reinstated 1 year taper skipping doses Celexa free 12/2013 1/2014-5/2014 took 5 htp every other day Failed Reinstatement 5mg of Celexa on 12/2014 for 5 days only Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus WiggleIt Posted March 24, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 24, 2016 Do you still have the same phone number? I tried to text you and have not been on SA in so long that all my messages are full, so I need to clean out that box before I can send more. I want to check in on my friends here. *I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice, just personal experience **Off all meds since Nov. 2014. Mentally & emotionally recovered; physically not-Dual cold turkeys off TCA & Ativan in Oct 2014. Prescribed from 2011-2014 -All meds were Rxed off-label for an autoimmune illness. It was a MISDIAGNOSIS, but I did not find out until AFTER meds caused damage. All med tapers/cold turkeys directed by doctors -Nortriptyline May 2012 - Dec 2013. Cold turkey off nortrip & cold switched to desipramine -Desipramine Jan 2014 - Oct. 29, 2014 (rapid taper/cold turkey) -Lorazepam 1 mg per night during 2011 -Lorazepam 1 mg per month in 2012 (or less) -Lorazepam on & off, Dec 2013 through Aug 2014. Didn't exceed 3x a week -Lorazepam again in Oct. 2014 to help get off of desipramine. Last dose lzpam was 1 mg, Nov. 2, 2014. Immediate paradoxical reactions to benzos after stopping TCAs -First muscle/dystonia side effects started on nortriptyline, but docs too stupid to figure it out. On desipramine, muscle tremors & rigidity worsened -Two weeks after I got off all meds, I developed full-blown TD. Tardive dystonia, dyskinesia, myoclonic jerks ALL over body, ribcage wiggles, facial tics, twitching tongue & fingers, tremors/twitches of arms, legs, cognitive impairment, throat muscles semi-paralyzed & unable to swallow solid food, brain zaps, ears ring, dizzy, everything looks too far away, insomnia, numbness & electric shocks everywhere when I try to fall asleep, jerk awake from sleep with big, gasping breaths, wake with terrors & tremors, severely depressed. NO HISTORY OF DEPRESSION, EVER. Meds CREATED it. -Month 7: hair falling out; no vision improvement; still tardive dystonia; facial & tongue tics returned -Month 8: back to acute, incl. Grand Mal seizure-like episodes. New mental torment, PGAD, worse insomnia -Month 9: tardive dystonia worse, dyskinesia returned. Unable to breathe well due to dystonia in stomach, chest, throat -Month 13: Back to acute, brain zaps back, developed eczema & stomach problems. Left leg no longer works right due to dystonia, meaning both legs now damaged -7 years off: Huge improvements, incl. improved dystonia Link to comment
Wildflower0214 Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 Hello all, I rarely visit here anymore. But, wanted to come back to share some hope. Simply put, I am recovering in leaps and bounds and have been for about 8 months. I don't discuss symptoms at all in any capacity, so I won't be discussing which symptom went away first or which ones I still have. This choice to not speak about symptoms has profoundly and positively impacted my recovery. I have added ten new foods! Yay! I started doing a program for limbic system retraining around March 2016, and the results have been remarkable. Healing is happening all the time in ways that I would have never anticipated. I will try to come back and post another positive update sometime in the future. My signature doesn't need updating, I haven't made a reduction to the benzo in a year. Alto, I would like a "here comes the sun" symbol, please. Happy thoughts, good vibes, and hopeful wishes for everyone recovering. 2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor..... 5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses. Link to comment
direstraits Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 this issuch wonderful news,Wildflower...so happy for you! gives us all so much hope...love,ds went on Prozac 1994-99,60mg.poopout ct back on 2001-2002,prozac weekly 2002,not working,Effexor 75 mg.?2003-mar.2004 gaining weight 8wk. taper,wellbutrin 150 mg.mar. -may 2004 ctmedfree til july 2005 back to Prozac gaining weight again,back on wellbutrin jan.2006150-300 mg.bad constipation.also was taking aygestin(hormone)perimenopausal irregular bleeding.back on Prozac around sept,?2006,hysterectomy jan30.2007(adenomyosis)off&on Prozac til 2009,citalopram about 1 mo, April 2010 no effect,Effexor again may -mar, 2011.ct,Prozac aug,-dec, 2011 &sept-nov 2012,paroxetine oct,23 2013-may 4 2014 20 mgs.tapered 6 wks.-failed RI in Oct.2014-in protracted WD.started 10 mgs. Fluoxetine May 25 2021 .Stopped fluoxetine May 2022 at 5 mgs. Link to comment
dowdaller Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 well done I am off all meds 16 months I had been on olanzapine, Effexor zanex and assorted sleeping meds for approx 2 years. Weaned off 375 mg effexor over two years, I had previously come off xanax, rivotrill and olazapine. Reinstated 75mg of effexor on the 22/12/16 Link to comment
luv2knit Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 So good to hear from you, WF. That's awesome news!! Glad you are healing. XOXO Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted November 28, 2016 Administrator Share Posted November 28, 2016 Very happy to hear you're doing better. I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol ☼ to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering. Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually! 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. Link to comment
Wildflower0214 Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 Thank you everyone for the kind words. They are appreciated. Alto, I fully intend to add my story to the recovery forum. Also, thank you. Now that I am out of the deep woods, I look back and realize what a lifeline this forum was for me. Your work is appreciated and it meant so much to me at a time when I had no help. This forum was a beakon of hope for which I am and will always be eternally grateful. To anyone who reads this who is struggling, keep going. The power of belief is an amazing thing, especially in a situation like this. Henry Ford summed up all there is to know about this process: "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right." Onward. 2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor..... 5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses. Link to comment
yyeehhaaww Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 oh so very wonderful to see good news and encouragement. THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD = NOW only on TRILEPTAL 450mg began w/900mg 7/16 -- off LITHIUM 600mg (sometimes 300mg 5/15 -11/16 took 2 months to taper) .... XANAX 2 mg for 2 weeks but addicted in 6/16 tapered 7/16-9/16 JUMPED 9/30 (believe have kindling from previous benzos) 6 meds nightly for INSOMNIA includes XANAX .. BELSOMRA 20mg c/t 8/20/16 off & on for a yr ZANAFLEX 8 mg /SILENOR 6mg/PROZASIN 15 mg/DOXEPIN 50 mg on all nightly 2 months 6/16 - 7/16 except for silenor (year) wd ALL 8/16-9/16 w/pdoc help c/t KLONOPIN .5mg which began INSOMNIA end of 3/15 after on for 4 months also horrible sound& light sensitivity sometimes took 2 or 3 reinstated & then c/t@hospital 5/15 on TEMPAZEPAM/SEROQUEL/LITHIUM when left hospital tolerance to temazepam after 1 month given ATIVAN in hospital& later SEROQUEL started @ 200 mg and overnight to 800 mg had horrible akathasisia & rash DEPAKOTE 1000 mg off after few wks ALL I COULD ENDUREthen AMBIEN side effects & tolerance on for few months 5/15 - 8/15 and then again 2 mos 5/16 LATUDA 3/16 on days BAD/GEODON 4/16 on less 2 weeks BAD AKATHASIA/ZYPREXA bad mouth shaking almost 24/7 off & on few months in 2015 & again in 2016trazodon/remeron/gabapentin/sonata/lunesta did nothing to help INSOMNIA so got off after few days - also short time SAPHRIS BAD MEDICATION SENSITIVE & have paradoxical side effects -- CANNOT TAKE BENZOS, ATYPICAL-ANTIPSYCHOTICS, ANTI-DEPRESSANTS PAST prior to 2 yrs on Prozac even1/4 pill caused BAD ANXIETY, CELEXA OK, Abilify, Pristiq, Lamictal, Paxil BAD - more but can't remember Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted April 13, 2018 Administrator Share Posted April 13, 2018 How are you, Wildflower? 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. Link to comment
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