Did an SSRI during withdrawal help or hurt?

[[...]]

Rico, You and I have the same benzo free date. Now I must go look and see how you're doing . . .

[[as...]]

I started Remeron at the end of my taper, and it saved me!

 

I got really desperate at the end.  I was having horrible anxiety and fear, crying non-stop and unable to eat. I refused to be alone, and my family didn't know what to do. My husband checked me into rehab with my consent-- it made me feel safe, although I don't know why. They pulled my Ambien, walked me off the remaining 1mg of Valium and put me on Remeron. It enabled me to sleep and eat, and it lessened the nerve burning and tingling, which were quite bad symptoms for me. I still experience all of the withdrawal symptoms, but I have been able to manage it at home, without calling my husband at the office to come home because I am afraid to be alone.

 

I don't advocate going on ADs if you can avoid it, but it was a desperate situation in my case and absolutely necessary. I have been managing on my own ever since then, and I am optimistic about my future recovery.

 

Ashley

[[el...]]

I was in the hospital with full tolorance from atavin.They gave me cymblta 60mgs a day and said it would help with the withdraws since it is an SRNI like effexor.I was put on effexor 150mg and given the atavin to help 8 yrs ago.I ct the effexor after 1yr as it didnt help in anyway positive,I only felt the negative stuff from it.Idont think it would hurt you to give it a try.Im not depressed, never have been.I was afraid to be left alone and cryed all the time when I was in benzo hell. I hate A/ds as they kill all sex drive.But who can have sex when in benzo withdraws.The a/d withdraws only last a few days,nothing like benzo withdraws.I have to jump off my klonopin .125 on july 11th,Im hoping the cymblta helps.My doctor tells me it will help!Lol....But I have no faith in doctors anymore.The only help I ever got was from reading benzo boards.And this one is the best.....Which is why Im here.8yrs on Atavin you know I need all the help I can get.I was a zombie for 8yrs,the sad part is I didnt even know it.I lost those years of my life....Hope this helps.And makes since....

[[Sk...]]

I was a zombie for 8yrs,the sad part is I didnt even know it.I lost those years of my life....

 

I feel the same way elsie. I was a zombie for 10 to 15 years and didn't know it. The Lorazrepam made me not care about things but I felt like I was normal the whole time. I did what I had to do as far as work and other responsibilities but I was a social drop out. Now, it's kinda like waking up TO a bad dream and I don't think that's the w/d talking. A lot of time had gotten behind me.

[[Ho...]]

I was a zombie for 8yrs,the sad part is I didnt even know it.I lost those years of my life....

 

I feel the same way elsie. I was a zombie for 10 to 15 years and didn't know it. The Lorazrepam made me not care about things but I felt like I was normal the whole time. I did what I had to do as far as work and other responsibilities but I was a social drop out. Now, it's kinda like waking up TO a bad dream and I don't think that's the w/d talking. A lot of time had gotten behind me.

Yep, I was a zombie for about 9 years too thanks for ADs.

[[wh...]]

Just for the record since twice peeps have said that remeron is an SSRI, Its not its an SNRIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin-norepinephrine_reuptake_inhibitor

[[...]]

Old post but would like feedback on those who started an SSRI or equivalent months after coming off a benzo.  Lately I've had such bad anxiety/panic attacks etc... I am going to try a low dose of celexa which I was on initially and it did help the increased anxiety between the xanax doses years ago.

[[Zi...]]

Old post but would like feedback on those who started an SSRI or equivalent months after coming off a benzo.  Lately I've had such bad anxiety/panic attacks etc... I am going to try a low dose of celexa which I was on initially and it did help the increased anxiety between the xanax doses years ago.

 

NO! It did not help, and made things worse after a while

 

I tried nine SSRIs under the direction of a Psychiatrist (who I have since fired).

 

I was on Celexa and Effexor the longest. I quit Celexa in early 2011. I had Celexa withdrawal for three months of hell.

 

In my opinion, if benzodiazepines did not exist, SSRIs would be the most evil drug on the planet. As it is, they are only second.

 

It is tempting to reach for a second drug to blunt the effects of the first one. Think about it for a second. It was our willingness to reach for a pill as a solution that got us in trouble in the first place. Why would a different pill help? But we are suckers, and easily duped a second time.

 

After flirting with nine SSRI drugs (two of which I took long term) I have no intention of every trying again. After a few months of SSRI's I was depressed. (go figure - depressed from an antidepressant.) The "solution" of my Psychiatrist was to add a second drug. I wised up before I took any Abilify, which is an antipsychotic that is recommended for those who get depressed from antidepressants. (Which is everybody if they stay on the drug long enough.)

 

BIG RED FLAG - Your pill isn't working, so the "solution" is a second and a third pill???

 

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice and I'm as big an idiot as my Psychiatrist!!!

[[Ja...]]

ZigZag I agree with you 100%. The next thing you know you are on multiple drugs, each one for a side effect of the other. Your brain needs time to get itself back to normalcy.

[[...]]

I agree too, I took the xanax b/c I quit klonopin, zoloft, buspare within 2 months and I had withdrawal from them so they prescribed xanax.  And the xanax increased the anxiety so I gave in and took the celexa and was stable until the end of the taper.

[[An...]]

Old post but would like feedback on those who started an SSRI or equivalent months after coming off a benzo.  Lately I've had such bad anxiety/panic attacks etc... I am going to try a low dose of celexa which I was on initially and it did help the increased anxiety between the xanax doses years ago.

 

I came off the Effexor finally about 3 months or so after I healed last year - I guess I finished the Effexor around August/September 2012.  I had a difficult week of w/ds from Effexor then it passed and I had been feeling absolutely great and back to normal.

 

In about January of this year 2013 I started to feel a little "wobbly" mentally.  The doctor put me on 15mg Remeron.  I can't honestly say they did neither one thing or another but I felt more stable.  But at the end of February all of a sudden I started getting almost constant anxiety attacks out of the blue.  I continued with the 15mg Remeron and added Buspirone for a week.  That Buspirone was terrible and not only did I continue to get anxiety but a whole host of other side effects too.  My doctor has increased the Remeron to 30mg and given me propanolol (beta blockers) for the palpitations - I hate to take those as I feel tired and awful but I am having to take as needed as they stop the anxiety symptoms.

 

I am considering having CBT but am absolutely fed up with this anxiety - I thought I would never see it again after my benzo ordeal.  So am continuing on the 30mg Remeron for now but I am still getting attacks and don't know what to do about it.

 

So I sympathise!  Hope yours clear up soon,

[[Ho...]]

Hurts - Just another withdrawal to go through. Not to mention there are studies that show SSRIs don't work any better than placebos anyway.

[[kl...]]

help help help helped...I was going insane with OCD and therapy alone was not enough.

[[Di...]]

Hurts - Just another withdrawal to go through. Not to mention there are studies that show SSRIs don't work any better than placebos anyway.

 

This is something I have wondered about, and I've seen many other folks say this, but if it is like a placebo, then why is there withdrawal when discontinuing or tapering off of SSRI's?  Just something I've been curious about.

[[Zi...]]

Hurts - Just another withdrawal to go through. Not to mention there are studies that show SSRIs don't work any better than placebos anyway.

 

This is something I have wondered about, and I've seen many other folks say this, but if it is like a placebo, then why is there withdrawal when discontinuing or tapering off of SSRI's?  Just something I've been curious about.

 

The term placebo effect is not confined to sugar pills or inert fillers. There is no reason why a pill with side effects or with withdrawal effects cannot exhibit a placebo effect. In drug trails, the patient doesn't know if he is getting a placebo or a drug, but he does know what he is being treated for. A percentage of people receiving a placebo will seem to be helped by it.

 

In the case of antidepressants, the margin between placebo and drug is very small. If an active placebo (one with a benign side effect such as dry mouth) is given, then the antidepressant drugs are no more effective than placebo. People receiving an active placebo think they are receiving a real drug, and this increases the placebo effect.

 

REF: "Anatony of an Epidemic" - Robert Whitaker

[[An...]]

Hurts - Just another withdrawal to go through. Not to mention there are studies that show SSRIs don't work any better than placebos anyway.

 

This is something I have wondered about, and I've seen many other folks say this, but if it is like a placebo, then why is there withdrawal when discontinuing or tapering off of SSRI's?  Just something I've been curious about.

 

The term placebo effect is not confined to sugar pills or inert fillers. There is no reason why a pill with side effects or with withdrawal effects cannot exhibit a placebo effect. In drug trails, the patient doesn't know if he is getting a placebo or a drug, but he does know what he is being treated for. A percentage of people receiving a placebo will seem to be helped by it.

 

In the case of antidepressants, the margin between placebo and drug is very small. If an active placebo (one with a benign side effect such as dry mouth) is given, then the antidepressant drugs are no more effective than placebo. People receiving an active placebo think they are receiving a real drug, and this increases the placebo effect.

 

REF: "Anatony of an Epidemic" - Robert Whitaker

 

If that is the case how come an antidepressant can definitely have a positive effect? (Not in benzo withdrawal - I don't think it helps really)  I had clinical depression for a short time 10 years ago and once I was given the antidepressant, I immediately felt the relief and was able to live a normal life.  I did come off it in time and the doctor said that if I had still been taking it I probably wouldn't have had that panic attack I suffered at the start of the benzo ordeal.  I can't be the only one helped by an antidepressant - message boards are full of people attesting to the fact that the antidepressants have helped .. or not.  I think that most drugs have a placebo effect but that they are also effective or not.

[[Be...]]

In my case, i was using ssri (paroxetine) beforeusing benzo.

In my opinion i must say it helps. Mostly because of the fact the ssri is working allready.

 

When starting ad's there is a period of a couple of weeks where side effects appear which are like wd symtoms in a way ( anxious, tremor, sweating).

[[Di...]]

I was on prozac (probably 14 years ago), when going through a divorce.  I was severely depressed.  (I think) the prozac helped me immensely.  I was on it for at least a year, and then just stopped taking it (probably not very bright of me to just stop without checking with my doc first), didn't have any bad side effects or withdrawal.

[[Di...]]

In my case, i was using ssri (paroxetine) beforeusing benzo.

In my opinion i must say it helps. Mostly because of the fact the ssri is working allready.

 

When starting ad's there is a period of a couple of weeks where side effects appear which are like wd symtoms in a way ( anxious, tremor, sweating).

 

Is paroxetine the generic for paxil?

[[Be...]]

Paroxetine is the generic for seroxat, paxil and others. The active substance is called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paroxetine.

[[ea...]]

This subject really baffles me. I believe the studies that showed the drug co's own studies showed ADs were only marginally better than a placebo, but then, does that mean that all the people who benefit from them are reacting via the "placebo effect?"

 

east (scratching her head)

[[An...]]

This subject really baffles me. I believe the studies that showed the drug co's own studies showed ADs were only marginally better than a placebo, but then, does that mean that all the people who benefit from them are reacting via the "placebo effect?"

 

east (scratching her head)

You are right Eastcoast:

http://www.uncommonhelp.me/articles/antidepressants-dirty-little-secret/

And I have no idea how they helped my depression.  They are certainly not helping my current anxiety (not benzo related). In fact they seem to be making it worse. I think I am going to have a chat with my doctor about dropping them

[[bb...]]

I was tapering from 6 MG a day of Ativan, when I got down to 2 MG a day, I started taking 25 MG of Zoloft, thinking it would take the edge off of my anxiety.  My Dr. wanted me to ultimately get up to 50 MG a day.  After about 10 days my anxiety went off the charts!  I had to up dose my Ativan back to 4 MG to counteract the extreme anxiety and jitters.  10 days was all I could take.  This was a mistake that set me back on my taper at least 3 months.  My Dr. said that SSRI's act differently with each person and most people have to build a tolerance to a therapeutic dose.  For me, I'm not going to even think about another SSRI.

 

Bryant

 

[[Be...]]

In my opinion ad's can work since they inhebit the reuptake of seroronine.

For me in a practical way they work like this;

Instead of thinking "I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared, etc.", (ad's  lessen those obsissive thoughts) and my thoughts would be more like "I'm scared, I'm scared... ow, I have to do the dishes...".

 

I don't think ad's help when you have to start with them during withdrawal, since they worsten symptoms at first.

 

Good luck.

[[we...]]

> In my opinion ad's can work since they inhibit the reuptake of seroronin.

 

There is no known correlation between serotonin and depression.