Mostly healed- withdrawal syndrome from Prilosec cetyl alcohol ingredient?

[[ni...]]

Update:  My blood pressure and pulse are back to normal.  My symptoms of burning skin, adrenaline, hypnotic jerks, random head sensations, nerve shocks and twitchy muscles are becoming way less intense. 

The first few days it felt like I was in acute withdrawal again, the second week was less intense and it seems to be weakeing.  I'm able to go to the gym, shop, socialize, drive etc...but sometimes I get scared that I set myself back by quite a bit.

I can tell my CNS is still a bit revved but it's manageable.  Amazing how 1 little Prilosec pill did this.  It had to be the small amount of alcohol in the pill.  What else would mess me up?

Anyway, I am hopefull of the improvements so far.  I admit that I do get scared that I did some damage again and it brings back bad memories of the early days.  I hope this will pass at some point.

If anyone is reading this I'm hoping for some encouragement.

[[ni...]]

Update:

My pulse and blood pressure are still good.  I'm still getting a bit of revving and minor nerve pain.  It increases my pulse a bit but it's not bad.

Working out at the gym doesn't rev me up.  I can still do my full workouts just fine.  My hard 30 pullups doesn't rev me.  3 sets of 10. Hard squats etc...I can also still socialize with my buddies at the gym.  Although I feel a bit revved during it.  Before I wasn't revved at all.  This will pass also.

The revs occur on their own time.  Some days I'm completely fine and others I get random revving, muscle twitching and minor nerve shocks and I can feel my brain light up during this.

So far, sleep has been good the last few days.

I think my CNS is trying to right itself.  I think it will take some time.  I'm definitely not back to where I was.

I learned my lesson not to mess with my CNS when it comes to medications and vaccines.  I just wasn't healed enough to handle it.

The first few days I felt like I was back in acute.  I thought I kindled but so far it doesn't look like it.  If I had kindled, I assume I would be A LOT worse.  I am improving.

 

[[fe...]]

Hey @[ni...]! It seems to me that you are right that your system is trying to correct itself. It must have been so scary, and I am so sorry you went through it. What I have learned is to look for the trajectory of symptoms, not so much the day-to-day. Depending on the day some symptoms may be flaring up and others not, but the fact that your general trajectory is towards symptoms evening out, I think that your CNS is rebalancing after going rogue.  

[[ni...]]

4 hours ago, [[f...] said:

Hey @[ni...]! It seems to me that you are right that your system is trying to correct itself. It must have been so scary, and I am so sorry you went through it. What I have learned is to look for the trajectory of symptoms, not so much the day-to-day. Depending on the day some symptoms may be flaring up and others not, but the fact that your general trajectory is towards symptoms evening out, I think that your CNS is rebalancing after going rogue.  

Feelberlin,

I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Very good response and it makes me hopeful. 

I think you're right.  The long term trajectory is improving.  The day by day symptoms are up and down.  If we were the graph it, the long term line that tracks the symptoms is decreasing.  The line that covers the short term symptoms is "wavy".

I believe it will take some time to get back to my baseline healing of almost 8 years.

The positive out of this is the long term trajectory is improving by the week so far.

Thank you!

 

Edited March 21 by [ni...]

[[ni...]]

If the 4 grams of fat soluble cetyl alcohol in the pill did touch my receptors, it wouldn't be much of a kindle.  That's the equivalent of sipping a quarter of a mug of beer.  A 12 oz mug of beer has 14 grams of alcohol.

Who knows, I still could be sensitive.

I still have symptoms in the morning mainly.  They subside in the afternoon.  Sometimes they come back at night and sometimes they don't.

I am am mainly revved up in the morning with nerve shocks, some minor burning skin on the top of my feet ankles and forearms, random muscle twitching, feeling revved like I had a bunch of caffeine, the bottomof my left foot feels like I'm walking on sand,  and my brain feels a bit lit up.  My mental state is good.  Just pissed and annoyed I'm going through this again.

Most nights I get 7 to 8 hours of sleep.  I get a few bad nights here and there.

This feels like the old days when I did a cut during my taper and I'm waiting to stabilize. I'll look at it like this.

I will stabilize.

Edited March 24 by [ni...]

[[Li...]]

@[ni...]

In hope of reassuring you …

Cetyl alcohol is not the same as ethyl alcohol (ethanol). Cetyl alcohol belongs to the class of organic compounds knowns as long-chain fatty alcohols.  Ethanol — the primary ingredient in alcoholic beverages — belongs to the class of organic compounds known as primary alcohols.  

Cetyl alcohol has hydrating properties and is used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in some pharmaceutical formulations. My best guess is that its function in the Prilosec orally disintegrated tablets (ODTs) you tried is related to its water-binding property (i.e. it helps the tablet disintegrate in saliva); the regular, non-ODT omeprazole, delayed release tablets do not contain cetyl alcohol.

Is it possible you had an allergic reaction to the cetyl alcohol? It is a component of many topical creams and lotions and some people react to it.

To learn more:

Cetyl alcohol: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB09494

Ethanol: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00898

[[ni...]]

2 hours ago, [[L...] said:

@[ni...]

In hope of reassuring you …

Cetyl alcohol is not the same as ethyl alcohol (ethanol). Cetyl alcohol belongs to the class of organic compounds knowns as long-chain fatty alcohols.  Ethanol — the primary ingredient in alcoholic beverages — belongs to the class of organic compounds known as primary alcohols.  

Cetyl alcohol has hydrating properties and is used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in some pharmaceutical formulations. My best guess is that its function in the Prilosec orally disintegrated tablets (ODTs) you tried is related to its water-binding property (i.e. it helps the tablet disintegrate in saliva); the regular, non-ODT omeprazole, delayed release tablets do not contain cetyl alcohol.

Is it possible you had an allergic reaction to the cetyl alcohol? It is a component of many topical creams and lotions and some people react to it.

To learn more:

Cetyl alcohol: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB09494

Ethanol: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00898

Libertas,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I tried this same type of medication back in 2018 without issue.  This time around, I didn't let it melt in my mouth, I swallowed it whole with water.  I doubt that will make a difference.

There is another possibility that knocked my CNS out of whack.  I was going through Prilosec withdrawal for a few hours which results in acid hyper secretion.  I had bad stomach pain for about two hours and let it go on too long.  During that time is when my heart rate went crazy and all of a sudden I went into what felt like acute benzo withdrawal.  I wonder if this shocked my body/digestive system/brain too much and knocked my CNS out of whack?  This is a good possibility.

A similar thing happened to me back in January 2023 when I did a stair master challenge for 1 hour.  When I was done with the stair master I was feeling nerve shocks on my way home.  I then went into body aches that night and then next day it felt like I was in acute withdrawal.

I'm starting to think I just shocked my body too much, and since I'm not 100% healed,even though I feel like it, it can knock my CNS out of whack for a bit.

I admit that I feel like 100% healed and in the best shape of my life and think I'm an iron man and then the stair master 1 hour challenge happens and my CNS made pay for it.  I need to be a bit more gentle.

This is starting to make sense.

Edited March 24 by [ni...]

[[ni...]]

Update:

After the feedback on here and speaking with my family and friends I believe it wasn't the small amount of alcohol that brought on the symptoms.  It was a shock to my body/CNS when I let the prilosec cold turkey go on too long.  The reason I take 20mg Prilosec is because I have pre-cancerous barrot's esophagus.

Here is a break down of my journey:

2016-Done with slow taper.

April 2021-5 years healed. Probably around 85% healed and living a full life.  Annoying symptoms mainly.  The COVID mRNA vaccine was too much shock to my CNS because I wasn't fully healed.  It resulted in my CNS going into hyper excitability mode.  It took a month for my CNS to fully settle down.  Annoying symptoms for months.

January 2023-around 90% healed.  At this point I'm in the best shape of my life.  Lifting weights and seeing a lot of progress from the gym.  I made a lot of friends at the gym and socializing.  I did the stair master for 1 hour to challenge myself.  After I completed it, I started feeling nerve shocks and that night my body started aching.  The next day my CNS went into hyper excitability mode.  I recovered in a few days.  I over did it that night.

March 2024-8 years off. Almost 100% and living a full life.  The Prilosec accidental cold turkey was too much for my CNS. The gut/brain connection is REAL.

I'm still recovering from this but I'm able to function just fine.  Just the annoying nerve shocks, extra adrenaline twitchy muscles, random nausea, minor headaches, brain feels hurt, LUCKILY NO head pressure compared to my tapering days.  Sleep is ok most of the time.

I'm relieved it wasn't the alcohol causing a kindle touching my gaba receptors.  I just keep accidentally shocking my CNS.  I'll need to be more mindful and gentle with myself.

At some point in the future when I feel I'm fully healed, I'll have a plan to taper off the Prilosec.

Hopefully this makes sense to you all.

 

 

[[ni...]]

With these shocks to my CNS, am I doing additional damage to my CNS even though I haven't kindled?  These are just considered flare ups?/waves?

Edited March 28 by [ni...]

[[ni...]]

I had a rough night and couldn't sleep at all.  When I went to bed I felt tired and relaxed but I felt I had some baseline rev hiding in the background.  I kept getting jolted back awake.  Each jolt released some adrenaline and increased my CNS excitability. I could still lay in bed but it felt very uncomfortable.  Burning skin etc..

I have to remember I've been able to sleep most of the time during this.  It's ok to feel like crap.  I'm still functional but it's challenging.  I can still socialize with my friends.  I can be around people.  I can drive just fine.  Usually in late afternoon I feel great.  I'm just reminding myself if the positives here.  I'm in the best shape of my life.  I don't get sick.  The rest of my body is healthy.  My wife and my mom are supporting me during this.  They understand.

I think I just have bad memories from the past taper.  I remind myself I'm no longer tapering, I'm mostly healed.  I don't have the head pressure compared to my past taper.  This is just a setback and will right itself.

I wish I knew how long this will take.  I just need to accept that I need to take it day by day.

 

Edited March 28 by [ni...]

[[ni...]]

I slept for almost 12 hours last night.  Getting good sleep makes a huge difference.  Barely any rev today.  I still feel it a bit of rev in the background.

I'll be going to the gym and running some errands today.

I notice these added symptoms and my brain being in extra excitability mode just increases/elevated my existing anxiety.  I have to keep this in mind.  I'm so glad I have no head pressure compared to the tapering days.

Even though I haven't touched my gaba receptors, I always wonder whyy brain gets knocked into excitability mode when it gets shocked through over exercise,vaccines etc....?

 

Edited March 29 by [ni...]

[[ni...]]

I'm working on accepting my setback and not resisting my symptoms as they happen.  I still can live a normal life, although challenging at the moment.  My big challenge is being angry about my first vaccine setback.  I went through the same challenges as I am now.  It took a good few months for the major symptoms to disappear.  I still had annoying minor symptoms in the background for a long time.

I also am working on not getting scared about the future and how this could derail my plans of vacations and hobbies.  I have to remind myself that it's my brain trying to right itself.  The burning skin is not trying to harm me.  It's just my CNS making my nerves extra sensitive.  That's all.  The chemical anxiety is fake anxiety.  It's not trying to harm me.  It's ok.  There is no threat.  I'll make it worse if I panick and get angry.  It is what it is.   I need to keep reminding myself of this.  My pulse and blood pressure are still fine during these symptoms.  My pulse may be elevated a bit but it's not bad.

Yesterday my symptoms took a break.  This morning I have minor burning skin.  I can feel my brain light up when this happens.  As I'm writing this, these are my symptoms.

I'm 8 years out from my last very small dose of my Valium taper.  My body is stronger than ever compared to my tapering days.  I'll bounce back from this.  I have to remind myself that I don't have the head pressure and heavy brain feeling compared to my tapering days.  This is a good sign!  I remember how bad the pressure and heaviness was.  It's gone!

It feels like with these setbacks, for me, whatever mechanism that controls my adrenaline/cortisol, gets knocked out of sync and take a few months to get back to normal.  Although my exercise setback I bounced back quickly, I think a few weeks.

I have to remember, this is just a setback, I didn't kindle.  I have a supporting wife and mother.  It will be ok and my symptoms will clear up in time.

A quote from this success story about setbacks is very hopeful to hear:

 

"But I have found that even with challenges and " setbacks" our bodies still continue to heal - which blows my mind. Because it feel like more damage. Remember what you're feeling is your sensitivity and your body needs to regulate again" -Trina75

Edited March 30 by [ni...]

[[ni...]]

On 24/03/2024 at 10:41, [[L...] said:

@[ni...]

In hope of reassuring you …

Cetyl alcohol is not the same as ethyl alcohol (ethanol). Cetyl alcohol belongs to the class of organic compounds knowns as long-chain fatty alcohols.  Ethanol — the primary ingredient in alcoholic beverages — belongs to the class of organic compounds known as primary alcohols.  

Cetyl alcohol has hydrating properties and is used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in some pharmaceutical formulations. My best guess is that its function in the Prilosec orally disintegrated tablets (ODTs) you tried is related to its water-binding property (i.e. it helps the tablet disintegrate in saliva); the regular, non-ODT omeprazole, delayed release tablets do not contain cetyl alcohol.

Is it possible you had an allergic reaction to the cetyl alcohol? It is a component of many topical creams and lotions and some people react to it.

To learn more:

Cetyl alcohol: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB09494

Ethanol: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00898

Libertas,

The lotion I've been using for many years and even lately on my lower legs contains cetyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol. I think you're right, it's probably not the cetyl alcohol that affected me. This brings me relief about kindling.  I think I knocked my CNS out of sync when I let the stomach hyper secretion go on for too long. I'm convinced there is a tight gut brain connection.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me.

Edited March 30 by [ni...]