SSRI support group - tapering while on benzo's or after recovery

[[Wi...]]

Valgirl,

 

This may not be your situation, but I too experienced gut issues after coming off zoloft.  I c/t'd zolft in 2008. It was my first w/d from drugs.  Directly after I came off, my gut too started causing a lot of trouble. I had brain zaps and other symptoms but they went away.  The only enduring one was related to my gut. 

 

After several months and it didn't get better I went to a gastroenterologist.  It felt like my gut was spasming and I thought I had a really bad case of IBS with D.  They did an ultra sound of my gallbladder and found there were stones.  So they told me that was the problem and I had it removed.  Sadly things didn't improve after the gallbladder so they did a colonoscopy.  While they were doing it they did a biopsy of different parts of my colon.  It turns out it was never my gallbladder, but in fact I have something called Lymphocytic Colitis. It's an Autoimmune disease and IBD. In simple terms, my body attacking itself, in other words, it's sending lymphocytes to attack what it thinks is foreign in my body.

 

When I googled Lymphocytic Colitis, I discovered that Sertraline/Zoloft has been implicated as a causitive agent. 

 

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/microscopic-colitis/Pages/facts.aspx

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774011/

 

If this sounds familiar to you at all, it might be worthy of getting a colonoscopy to see if this is what the problem is.  It's too small for the naked eye to see, which is why they have to do a biopsy during the procedure. 

 

The not great news is that the treatment isn't always effective in removing symptoms but for me after 2 years I went into a form of remission.  There are some things you can do to minimize the symptoms and it is typically self limiting, meaning it will probably calm down on it's own given time.

 

I have so much to say on this but feel like i"m rambling so I'll stop. But if this does sound familiar and you want any more information, please let me know.

 

WWWI

[[Va...]]

Hi WWWI,

My problem hasn't been in my colon but only my stomach. I had a colonoscopy and EDG and it was normal. They did biopsy and was also normal. I don't have diahrea either during this ordeal. In fact my BMs are normal and I would even say they are perfect because of my diet. I'm sorry you went through surgery and the l. Colitis. I have an appt. with another GI doc near the end of the month and will see what he has to say. Been waiting for this appt. 3 months by the time I can get in to see him. I have really improved since I made the appointment. my Primary Doc has been helping me with my stomach and put me in PPIs and I've tapered off them slowly. Now I'm down to taking slippery elm in the evening. It's actually improving with that. Maybe by the time I see the Dr my stomach will be much better.

Val

[[Wi...]]

Val

 

That's great news and no your symptoms don't sound like LC.  The fact that you are improving is a great sign.  I hope the end is near

 

WWWI

[[me...]]

Hi all, happy to see a AD support group here! I'm not technically dealing with a SSRI, I've been on amitryptiline, which is a norepinephrine and serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, really old-school. I was basically forced to cold-turkey it, but I think I'm doing quite well considering how long I've been on this drug.

 

Stomach issues are what derailed all my attempts at getting off this drug. This time my stomach "blew up" at about 6 days off, but I was able to head off issues by reinstating at a very low dose (started at 2 mg, rapidly reduced to .5mg as I have to take the drug during the day). Currently I am on .35 mg and tapering down. I'm surprised that such a low dose has such a powerful effect. So that is a possible solution if nothing else works.

 

I'll go back and catch up on this thread.

Sarah

[[lo...]]

I may be the odd one out here, but I am not considering coming off my SSRI, Escitalapram. I've come off it before twice through slow tapers (6 months - 1 year), and eventually, anxiety and panic returned to what they were before I even touched a drug. I suppose I'm fortunate enough to remember clearly how bad things were before I started taking medication and how good I felt once on an SSRI at therapeutic levels.

 

This time round, I have actually gone on to Escitalapram to help me come off Diazepam.

 

I blame coming off Escitalapram in 2014/15 for my benzo dependency. I found myself feeling depressed and anxious more and more frequently, and certainly less able to deal with life events. As a result, I started to take diazepam more and more often, until suddenly - it stopped working. That was me now dependant on diazepam. I didn't know it, and the doctors didn't know it, and I kept trying to go without it.

 

I was admitted to hospital for 3 weeks suffering from extreme anxiety and major depression. My dose of Quetiapine was more than doubled, and they tried to get me to restart Escitalapram, which I could not tolerate due to even more intense anxiety and restlessness. They took me off it, not my decision. I was given Lorazepam as needed, but was constantly told by staff to try to do without it. The link hadn't been made that I was suffering daily from benzo withdrawal, and 4 weeks of hell followed. I would always end up taking Lorazepam each day, but only after being tortured without it for many hours during the day.

 

Eventually, the link was made and I was told to take Lorazepam 3x a day. The withdrawal stopped immediately. However, a deep dark depression consistently loomed over me. I crossed from Lorazepam to Diazepam in 1 day (1.25mg > 12.5mg), and suffered heightened anxiety for a week or so. Once stable, I started up on Escitalapram again. I knew it was the only way I was going to rid this horrible depression. Start up side effects were pretty brutal. Frequently feeling suicidal because of the sometimes relentless restlessness and anxiety. But then, after about 5 weeks, the sfx stopped and I stabilised, and I started to feel good. Confident, upbeat, hopeful.

 

Then I started the diazepam taper. Feeling so good, I missed 2 doses. I regret that. I'm now on day 9 after cutting from 12mg to 11mg and still feeling increased anxiety as a result. So, this is where I am. I'm at a therapeutic dose for both Quetiapine and Escitalapram. I just need to get off this horrible diazepam. I need support for this, because right now, it seems an impossible journey to take.

 

Thanks for reading,

Paul

[[Co...]]

I may be the odd one out here, but I am not considering coming off my SSRI, Escitalapram. I've come off it before twice through slow tapers (6 months - 1 year), and eventually, anxiety and panic returned to what they were before I even touched a drug. I suppose I'm fortunate enough to remember clearly how bad things were before I started taking medication and how good I felt once on an SSRI at therapeutic levels.

 

This time round, I have actually gone on to Escitalapram to help me come off Diazepam.

 

I blame coming off Escitalapram in 2014/15 for my benzo dependency. I found myself feeling depressed and anxious more and more frequently, and certainly less able to deal with life events. As a result, I started to take diazepam more and more often, until suddenly - it stopped working. That was me now dependant on diazepam. I didn't know it, and the doctors didn't know it, and I kept trying to go without it.

 

I was admitted to hospital for 3 weeks suffering from extreme anxiety and major depression. My dose of Quetiapine was more than doubled, and they tried to get me to restart Escitalapram, which I could not tolerate due to even more intense anxiety and restlessness. They took me off it, not my decision. I was given Lorazepam as needed, but was constantly told by staff to try to do without it. The link hadn't been made that I was suffering daily from benzo withdrawal, and 4 weeks of hell followed. I would always end up taking Lorazepam each day, but only after being tortured without it for many hours during the day.

 

Eventually, the link was made and I was told to take Lorazepam 3x a day. The withdrawal stopped immediately. However, a deep dark depression consistently loomed over me. I crossed from Lorazepam to Diazepam in 1 day (1.25mg > 12.5mg), and suffered heightened anxiety for a week or so. Once stable, I started up on Escitalapram again. I knew it was the only way I was going to rid this horrible depression. Start up side effects were pretty brutal. Frequently feeling suicidal because of the sometimes relentless restlessness and anxiety. But then, after about 5 weeks, the sfx stopped and I stabilised, and I started to feel good. Confident, upbeat, hopeful.

 

Then I started the diazepam taper. Feeling so good, I missed 2 doses. I regret that. I'm now on day 9 after cutting from 12mg to 11mg and still feeling increased anxiety as a result. So, this is where I am. I'm at a therapeutic dose for both Quetiapine and Escitalapram. I just need to get off this horrible diazepam. I need support for this, because right now, it seems an impossible journey to take.

 

Thanks for reading,

Paul

 

But why did you have so much anxiety before you went on antidepressants?

[[lo...]]

But why did you have so much anxiety before you went on antidepressants?

 

Many reasons. My mother, father and the whole of my fathers family suffered and suffers from different combinations of anxiety, depression and bipolar. My father was an alcoholic and caused a lot of anxiety to my whole family as we grew up through physical and emotional abuse. I was very sensitive to it. My mother suffered horrendous agoraphobia and panic attacks. Also, I remember as a child and teenager, being scared of a lot of things and not being able to talk with anyone about them. I was embarrassed about my home life. I was embarrassed about the things I was afraid of. I did a lot of hash and weed during my late teens, but had no medical support nor any therapy at all during any of these periods.

 

I seemed to be in remission when I went to uni and when I left home to find work. I stopped the weed during my 2nd year at uni. Both uni and work gave me a whole new lease of life. Made me feel valued, and that I wasn't a weirdo. There were other people out there I could really connect to, and who were on my level. But after 7 to 8 years working, and getting endless promotions, I changed jobs. I panicked. I couldn't do it. I started having panic attacks and went into a deep depression. I had moved into a flat with my long term girlfriend 6 months earlier. We had a big mortgage. I felt the only way out was suicide. I told my boss I was resigning, and he said, no you're not, you're not well, and he got me an emergency appointment with a doctor. The doctor immediately knew I was suffering a major depressive episode and from severe anxiety.

 

I was referred to a psychiatrist and CBT therapist. I refused any medication, but took St John's Wort. After 2 1/2 months, I went back to work, but that lasted 1 month. The panic and depression were still there. I knew I had to listen to the psychiatrist. I started Escitalapram... and here started my road to recovery. I felt the best I'd ever done. I returned to work, got married, moved jobs, had children. All whilst enjoying life at the same time. Tapering off 6 years later was probably my worst mistake....

 

Anyway, very long story short, I'm here now after a 2nd taper of Escitalapram, and I don't want to know or feel that depression again. I need to get off the diazepam, but I need the SSRI to lead some semblance of a normal life.

[[Be...]]

Hello folks. Just wanted to follow up that I reinstated Trazodone after 6 weeks of nausea and feeling really weak like the flu. I was trying for 3 months to stabilize and I think that I have now. I was feeling pretty good for a week but today I am feeling sick again. I guess that's to be expected. I want off so bad, I am only taking 1.3 mg of Trazodone. Not sure if I should just taper off in a month or do it more slowly. I am hoping that w/d will be easier coming off a smaller dose.

 

Becky

[[Ke...]]

Hi there

It's been around 50'days since I jumped from V and now 12 days since Zoloft taper.  I feel dizzy and super depressed.

Was wondering if anybody feels really congested and has blurry vision when they are doing the AD taper?

How long does it take to feel better when tapering the AD?

I get so scared something else is wrong with me..

Been at this for 7 months now... I've had enough...

Thanks k

[[Be...]]

Hi Keeka. Yes I have had blurry vision throughout tapering. Sometimes it gets better and other times it is worse. I get congestion allergy type symptoms where my nose is sniffly, head feels congested, and my eyes water a lot. I know different symptoms can be scary at times. I've been there, done that. Just say to yourself it's only withdrawal and it'll get better. That is what I try to do. I hope you feel better soon.

 

Becky 

[[Ki...]]

Becky - inpersonally would taper the Trazadonr as slow as you can, despite the fact your dose is low. Just like with benzos, dose size doesn't nessecarily equate to an easier time. Sound like maybe you went too fast with it already. I'm glad you're stabilizing now 

 

Keeka - sounds like AD withdrawal to me...I had all those sx while tapering my AD as well. It could also be a benzo wave as you've tapered both meds close together. Time is the only thing that works for both AD and Benzo w/d. If you are genuinely concerned something else is wrong, you could go to the doctor and get checked out. Most times, nothing is wrong except withdrawal. It's not an easy road but you WILL feel better once you have some more healing time under your belt. It's still early unfortunately 

[[ni...]]

Hi there

It's been around 50'days since I jumped from V and now 12 days since Zoloft taper.  I feel dizzy and super depressed.

Was wondering if anybody feels really congested and has blurry vision when they are doing the AD taper?

How long does it take to feel better when tapering the AD?

I get so scared something else is wrong with me..

Been at this for 7 months now... I've had enough...

Thanks k

Hi Keeka,

Well done for getting off an ad and benzo, no mean feat.

I had to do the same thing and from what I've heard from other people in the same situation and my own experience is it is different for everybody. The s/x you describe are quite normal and for me I've had a lot of vision problems, blurry eyes, eye muscle pain etc... It will eventually all heal, fro some sooner, for others a bit longer, but everybody heals in the end so long as they stick with it.

Also not letting w/d stop you from doing things ( however difficult ) helps in my experience...

[[Te...]]

Hello,

I would like to know any opinion of prozac??

 

I'm 2 months benzo free. 

 

TEX

[[Te...]]

Hi there

It's been around 50'days since I jumped from V and now 12 days since Zoloft taper.  I feel dizzy and super depressed.

Was wondering if anybody feels really congested and has blurry vision when they are doing the AD taper?

How long does it take to feel better when tapering the AD?

I get so scared something else is wrong with me..

Been at this for 7 months now... I've had enough...

Thanks k

 

How was your 7 years with Zolof ?

 

any advise,  I'm thinking on to take zolof or prozac.

 

any advise?

 

TEX

[[Ar...]]

Becky.. how did you get your dose of Trazodone down so low?  I am tapering Traz too and am wondering about the lower doses.  I sure hate it!  I drop as often as I can but that is usually a month or more.  How are you doing?

[[Be...]]

Becky.. how did you get your dose of Trazodone down so low?  I am tapering Traz too and am wondering about the lower doses.  I sure hate it!  I drop as often as I can but that is usually a month or more.  How are you doing?

 

Arianna I purchased a Gemini scale and weighed the dose. It's about as big as this "o". I hate Trazodone with a passion. Be careful with the taper. I was fooled and had no problem w/ the tapering (it took 10 months) going down to 5 mg. I jumped and it caught up to me BIG time and had to reinstate. Reinstating was difficult. So you must taper the last 5 mgs.

 

Today I'm feeling lousy as I am getting new symptoms: tingling achy hands, legs and feet along with sciatica. Interestingly enough it's on my left side. I am not sure if it's from Traz or a 21 month wave from Ambien. Are we having fun yet?

 

Becky 

[[Ar...]]

So I looked up the Gemini scale Becky.  Do you crush your tablet and then take of milligram by milligram of the trazodone to taper?  I am still at 150mg down from 450mg.  What was your highest dose?

 

No... no fun here

[[Be...]]

Hi Arianna. I did not use my scale until the reinstatement. You see I had a 100 mg pill. I was taking 75 mg (highest dose) by cutting it into quarters. I went all the way down to 5 mg by eye with a razor blade. It worked because even though it wasn't precise, the taper did not cause too much s/e's as I went down monthly. I also believe you can go faster with the higher doses, especially where you are. I took off approx. 10% for a while with a couple of holds. I then sped it up at the end (mistake) at about 35 mg. I went off at 5 mg (bigger mistake), and crashed and burned at 6 weeks.

 

The scale weighs my low dose at 8 mg (.008). This is a 1.3 Traz dose.

 

You need to weigh the pill. It's mg dose is not the same on the gram scale. For instance, my 100 mg Traz pill weighs about 600 mg on the scale. I just would cut up the tablet to get the weight you want. A metal file would help too. I never ground it up. You'll get real good at eyeballing the piece to weigh, trust me.

 

The scale is easy to use once you play around with it.

 

Becky 

 

 

 

 

[[Sy...]]

I m 75 days off

What AD can i take for depression?

Effexor or Prozac

Any exp?

 

[[re...]]

 

 

I tried Prozac.  Had to stop after a week. The start up side effects were to much for me.

 

 

[[do...]]

I have been on prozac and it can be stimulating which can help the depression type of not wanting to get out of bed but for people who are in benzo withdrawal our CNS is on overdrive because the benzo was a break and it slowed things down now with out it our bodies and minds feel like they are going a hundred miles per hour so adding a stimulating antidepressant can make things worse.  I can't tolerate prozac now that I am not taking  a benzo.  I had always taken a AD with a benzo since I was ever first put on psych drugs so be careful!

[[Pi...]]

Hi all am just wondering if any of you lovely BBs could help me out here...Am mega struggling on my valium taper.could it be 1,I was on Paxil 40mg for 3 and a half years.was taken off it in 4 weeks,had no clue about any of all this 10% rule.

2 was using zopiclone for 3 an half years also.did a direct crossover to Valium.

3 some body please tell me this is just benzo with drawal an not Paxil as well?

Now they can't get an AD in me as my CNS is firing all over!!if I hadn't of been handed a benzo to hide the WD of Paxil I could of reinstated but am nearly nine month out now!thank you BB for any advice am doing all this alone too X

[[Ki...]]

Hi Pink,

 

Sorry you're struggling right now. No one here can say with any certainty which med could be causing you problems, as unfortunately, there were many in the mix and all tapered far too quickly or cold turkeyed.

 

I would actually consider you fortunate that you are unable to tolerate an SSRI now. The studies show the efficacy of these drugs perform no better than a placebo (Anataomy of An Epidemic and Mad in America). In any case, you're in withdrawal from a psych drug and the suggestions are the same for all. Distract yourself the symptoms as best you can, and let 'time' heal you.

 

If you are feeling really poorly, you could hold your Valium taper for a little bit to give yourself a break

[[Gr...]]

No one's been in this thread for a while.  I just finished tapering Pristiq.  I'm still in withdrawal this week for sure.  It's amazing to me the similarities between benzo withdrawal and ssri withdrawal.  I think I am craving sugar a lot more when I change the ssri dosage and also anytime I was on the same pill for six months and beyond. 

 

My memory feels so messed up right now.  I wouldn't be surprised if I already wrote this message. 

 

Anyone else tapering off off SSRIs? 

[[an...]]

Hi everyone -

 

I know that I am different from everyone here as I've only been taking an AD (Prozac) in my life but the effects I've had during withdrawal is basically the same as that coming off a benzo. Also, I have turned to the Surviving Antidepressants forum but there are not as many posts there since it's newer than this forum. I am here to seek some help and advice. 

 

Here's my history --

August 2015: Prozac 10mg/day for social anxiety

September 2015 - April 2016: 20mg/day

April 2016: quit taking it CT

May 2016: had WD for 2 weeks but didn't know it was WD; thought it was just worsening depression

June - August 2016: up dose to 40mg/day

August 2016: Very severe adverse reaction to 40mg ... Went back down to 20mg rest of the month

September 2016: went down to 10mg

September 30, 2016: last pill taken (fast taper/CT)

October 2016: month long window

November 2016-present: awfully severe physical sxs (mental sxs are present but not as severe as physical)

 

I just reinstated 1mg 3 days ago because the sxs were too unbearable and debilitating. I have barely ate or slept these past 4 months, have suicidal ideations, and my waves are coming in more frequently and intensely. I used to have windows that lasted 4-5 days but now they are down to half a day or a few hours. All my sxs are 90% physical (severe burning, tingling skin, insomnia, panic attacks, crazy heart palps, jolts that wake me up when I try to sleep, seeing black flickering visuals, seeing visuals when I close my eyes, intense dreams and nightmares, legs and arms feel electrified or super awake, shortness of breath, twitches, pressure in head and eyes, dry mouth and throat, tinnitus, eye dryness... There maybe more but these are the ones that stand out to me). Mentally, I get looping songs in my head, irritability, anxiety, SI, and depression.

 

I've gotten severely depressed from these sxs and reached my wit's end. That's why I decided to reinstate 1mg and hopefully gain some relief once it kicks in.

 

I guess my questions are:

 

1. Is it advisable that I reinstated? My sxs are so painful and debilitating that I couldn't stand another day. I wish I knew about slow tapering but I didn't and neither did my doctor. If not advisable, should I keep CTing and waiting it out? I'm wondering since I am 5 months out if reinstatement was a good idea...

 

2. What helps with the physical sxs?

 

Please help. Has anyone had similar experiences with ADs? I need encouragement to know I'll get outta this. I'm only 27 years old and have a full life to live. I can't let this take my life away.