Atarax or Zoloft addiction

[[di...]]

@[...]

Done

[[...]]

@[di...], i had a look once again. Did you take atarax 3 times, all in all, in May and nothing of it in April? Oh, and what about 5 days on phenazepam? Could you mark the days with a different color as well? Sure, if you don'mind only. I think such a graph could be really helpful. Very wise of you

[[di...]]

In April I took Atarax quite often, I just don’t remember 🤡 (about half every three days)

Yes, I’ll mention it a little later 🙏

I was prescribed Phenazepam along with fluoxetine. True, phenazepam made me a vegetable only from a quarter, but it didn’t remove the anxiety, so I stopped using it, and Fluoxetine made my mood a little better, but the dereal never went away. I didn't have any problems with major depression at the time.

[[Pa...]]

12 hours ago, [[d...] said:

Hi again! 

I made a graph in a Google spreadsheet, can I add it to my main post? 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FeyWn2cUXt8UGRp0th2-hMbfjJBzb2PU6Xyg2HcKy_4/edit?usp=sharing

@[...]

This graph looks like it would fit well into your history.  Just click on your profile, then edit profile and you can fill in your medication history.  This will make it easier for buddies to offer suggestions since they'll be able to see what you've been doing. 

[[di...]]

Hello, @[Па...]!
Thank you very much 🙏

[[di...]]

Hello again, @[...]! 🙏

I saw several times that you were off Zoloft for 9 months. Can I ask you how it was? Was there derealization and did it go away? This is my most alarming symptom, it’s hard for me to maintain communication with my family because of this

[[...]]

Hi, @[di...]. Emm, i tried zoloft for 1 month in February, 2021, when i hit an uptick of inexplicable symptoms. In fact, I guess it was benzo tolerance (interdose withdrawal) multiplied by covid but i didn't know anything about benzo being harmful then. I'm not sure about derealization due to zoloft but i had sort of akathisia. I couldn't stay calm, relax or talk to people freely. It was always a great effort to me. Just wasn't myself anymore. It was September, 2021 when i started to relax a bit. 

Have you ever had derealization prior to this April? 

 

[[di...]]

 

Thank you very much for your answer! @[...]

When it all started (April 7), I thought that there was something wrong with my vision (it was normal), then something with my brain (magnetic resonance imaging was normal), and only then I found on the forum what it was .
Yes, I can remember literally several times in my life when I had derealization. But after Zoloft it started suddenly and still doesn’t go away. I thought you had derealization or something like that.

 

[[...]]

1 hour ago, [[d...] said:

Thank you very much for your answer! @[...]

When it all started (April 7), I thought that there was something wrong with my vision (it was normal), then something with my brain (magnetic resonance imaging was normal), and only then I found on the forum what it was .
Yes, I can remember literally several times in my life when I had derealization. But after Zoloft it started suddenly and still doesn’t go away. I thought you had derealization or something like that.

@[di...], i just don't know what derealization means. Never had it. Since we're all different, our bodies react to stress and everything differently. That means something like for you it's derealization and for me it's akathisia and headaches. I don't think it matters much what symptoms in particular we have. It's rather individual. I do hope your derealization will go much sooner than it was with my zoloft induced symptoms.

[[di...]]

 

Good afternoon

 

I would like to tell you about my progress, I think I will do it more often in the beginning, but then I will do it more slowly.

 

Now it’s about 3.5 months since I stopped Zoloft and I hardly use Atarax. My condition is definitely better than April-May, although I recently had a strong wave. Most days I feel tolerable, the derealization is not as severe and most of the time I manage to distract myself, and sometimes it goes away completely. It was very difficult at the end of June, I hope it won’t happen again. I communicate more with people, I can do work and often go for walks with my one-year-old son. I may have been luckier since I only took Zoloft for 1.5 months, but I definitely feel better and hope this progress continues. I frequently update the chart, everything is visible there.

 

[[Pa...]]

Excellent update @[di...], especially the part where you're able to spend quality time with your son.  

[[di...]]

Thank you, @[Па...] 🙏

Until recently, I could not be in the same room with my son.

[[Co...]]

Thank you for posting your update, @[di...]. Sounds like real progress and that you are beginning to better enjoy life again.

[[di...]]

Good afternoon!

I would like some advice. Question regarding injections and operations.
 

Since I have an autoimmune disease, the doctor said it might be related to the hyaluronic acid injections in my face. I have two options, the first is hyaluronidase injections to break down the filler, and the second is surgery. They all have risks. But from the point of view of his health status, I am afraid that the hyaluronidase injection will make me worse? This is a very allergic drug, there is a risk of anaphylactic shock. On the other hand, surgical operations leave me with scars and do not guarantee that after this operation everything will be aesthetically pleasing. Has anyone gone through this?

[[Pa...]]

I'm sorry, I don't understand, what does your doctor think is related to your injections?  Are you asking members if they've had any experience with having surgery for an autoimmune disease, what would the surgery entail?  And what do the injections do, I don't understand what they're for? 

[[di...]]

@[Pa...] ,sorry, I don't speak English perfectly. What I meant was, did the participants have any experience with surgical/cosmetic/injection procedures for withdrawal symptoms? How did this affect the severity or duration of symptoms?

And yet, I started having blackouts, I don’t remember what I did yesterday, as if I was living one day at a time. This is fine? It’s so interesting how new symptoms appear.

[[...]]

 

@[di...], hi) Do you mean you need the injections or surgery to treat your autoimmune decease and you're afraid of whether they can worsen your withdrawal symptoms? And you're trying to weigh and decide what is less harmful or difficult, right?

So really sorry for you to have the blackouts. Doesn't sound good. What is the opinion of your doctor regarding this? I didn't have blackouts but lots of other weird things after using zoloft. 

 

[[Pa...]]

Hi again @[di...], hopefully @[...] has identified your concerns and if she's right, you may want to start another thread with your key concerns in the subject title.  That way, if others have experience, they can see and share.

[[di...]]

Good afternoon again!

 

I would like to share my fortune again. Today I have 25 days without Atarax and 4 months without Zoloft.

 

The last bad wave was 20 days ago, all these 20 days were symptomatic, but approximately on the same level, and there was one day without symptoms. The most basic symptom is derealization, there are no emotional problems now, which, of course, I am happy about. And in general, I only have derealization and a headache.

 

I estimate my recovery at about 65%, as derealization is still present, but I manage to ignore it sometimes, and it is not so strong. But I feel like I feel better. I feel very sad when I realize that the derealization has not yet passed, but I try to cheer up, and look forward to further improvements. I do not notice any foreshadowing of the waves now, it allows me to plan my week, I even held negotiations at work, although it was not as easy as before, but already a great success. It doesn't seem to me anymore that "what if the sky is a sea?" and there are no stupid thoughts. It just feels like everything is in a dream, but sometimes it recedes.

 

Also, I really want to drink wine. Before antidepressants, I loved wine very much, and for about 3 months I have completely enjoyed it. Nevertheless, the energy does not affect me in any way, which is strange, coffee also causes "just anxiety" as before.

 

[[Pa...]]

Hello @[di...], you sound good, there seems to have been much improvement, I'm happy for you.  That's amazing you had a day without symptoms, that must have been wonderful. 

I'm glad you've been able to work through your challenges, I did too and found the distraction very helpful.  I predict the derealization will ease as time goes by.

So, are you saying you've been able to have your wine?  If so, this is great, so many of our members can't enjoy alcohol until they recover.  

So glad you gave us an update, I hope to hear more good news soon. 

[[...]]

@[di...], hi Thank you for sharing positive news)  Things seem to be actually improving for you. i also like your attitude towards the symptoms that are not in a hurry to go. I hope and believe there will soon be time for your derealization to subside too.

As for wine, i'd allow a bit more time for your nervous system to recover and strengthen further, just in case.

Good luck and have a compleat recovery soon!))

[[di...]]

 

Thank you very much, @[Па...]!

The translation didn't work quite correctly) I'm very sad that I can't drink wine for the entire period of withdrawal

I drank it once, and I thought it would help me, but then the symptoms broke out a lot the next day, and I realized that it was a bad idea)

I'm so worried if the condition will go away to the end, because in June I had 5-7 days without symptoms, and this is only one

 

[[di...]]

 

Hi! @[...]

Thank you very much

Incorrect translation, I'm just sad that I can't drink, the symptoms get worse the next day, so I drank Aperol once in 4 months - but it was a bad experience

Of course, I'm worried, but I understand that it could be much worse if I did as my doctor told me, I try to look for positive)

By the way, I do not deny that the wave can start at any moment, and given that the strongest waves are at the end of June, I should be ready for them. On the other hand, I had symptoms for periods and then went away. But the worst combination is depression and derealization

We're all getting well, and that's great 🤗

 

[[Pa...]]

@[di...],thank you for clarifying about drinking wine, I'm sorry you can't enjoy it just yet but hopefully when you recover you can get back to your normal routine.  I've heard alcohol called liquid benzo's because it affects the same receptors in the brain so its best not to tempt fate.

I know its frustrating to never know from one day to the next how we're going to feel but this is the nature of the process so we just have to endure and trust we're gradually working our way to full recovery. 

[[...]]

11 hours ago, [[d...] said:

Hi! @[...]

Thank you very much

Incorrect translation, I'm just sad that I can't drink, the symptoms get worse the next day, so I drank Aperol once in 4 months - but it was a bad experience

Of course, I'm worried, but I understand that it could be much worse if I did as my doctor told me, I try to look for positive)

By the way, I do not deny that the wave can start at any moment, and given that the strongest waves are at the end of June, I should be ready for them. On the other hand, I had symptoms for periods and then went away. But the worst combination is depression and derealization

We're all getting well, and that's great 🤗

Hi again, @[di...]🙂 No wonder you felt uncomfortable when drinking Aperol. I was able to drink a glass of champaign in my 8th month of benzo withdrawal only and haven't tried again since then, just in case, although it was perfectly ok. Of course you're not in exactly benzo withdrawal but i'd be very careful about zoloft too. Just scared of this particular antidepressant because of my sad experience with it.

I think it's really wise of you to stay on your guard while being positive about the unpleasant process in general. May your waves change their mind sooner and stop bothering you!))