I think people should see an endocrinologist and cardiologist before seeing a psychiatrist. A lot of real correctable health issues are hard to differentiate from depression, burnout, and can cause fatigue, anxiety etc.
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Withdrawal from Antidepressants
121–130 of 131 posts
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#122I have been on paxil(paroxetine) three separate times. Each was between six months and one year in duration. The first time, I was on a 10mg daily dose. I had quite a few issues when starting the medication the first time; however after a few weeks, I felt great. When I initially discontinued, I had the worst side effects I have ever experienced. Electric shocks in my neck and back of head, depression, mood swings, a…
In Sweden it is clearly stated on the package that you are not to abruptly stop the medication. The suggested discontinuation method is half doseage for a minimum of two weeks, anecdotally I would double that period.
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#123As someone who had to abruptly come off venlafaxine due to side effects, I can tell you that it was complete hell. I experienced vomiting, the weirdest, most horrible nightmares every night, sleep paralysis with hallucinations and a recurring feeling of "electic shocks" inside my head. This lasted about a month. I think it borders on inhumane not to mention possible withdrawal symptoms before prescribing this awful "…
I went through a similar experience (although not as extreme) when coming off of citalopram, even with a doctor's guidance. Lots of nausea and disorientation, but worst of all were the "electric shocks" which really were very disturbing. Not a single mention of these when having the medicine prescribed!
If I miss taking citalopram 2 days in a row I start getting these "electric shocks" and dizzyness. Glad to know I'm not the only one.
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#124As someone who had to abruptly come off venlafaxine due to side effects, I can tell you that it was complete hell. I experienced vomiting, the weirdest, most horrible nightmares every night, sleep paralysis with hallucinations and a recurring feeling of "electic shocks" inside my head. This lasted about a month. I think it borders on inhumane not to mention possible withdrawal symptoms before prescribing this awful "…
I'm curious... you, and all other commenters who mentioned electric shocks... which I'd previously heard of as "brain zaps"... What difference would it make if the doctor had told you of that side effect before you started the drug? Imagine you have no idea of what brain zaps felt like. Would you have avoided the drug based on such a vague description? Can you describe the sensation? It's not painful, right? The sens…
For me the electric shocks are a sensation of jolting back to reality, something like how I imagine coming out of the matrix would feel like - only on a much smaller scale. Curious to see if anyone else has the same type of sensation.
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#125As someone who had to abruptly come off venlafaxine due to side effects, I can tell you that it was complete hell. I experienced vomiting, the weirdest, most horrible nightmares every night, sleep paralysis with hallucinations and a recurring feeling of "electic shocks" inside my head. This lasted about a month. I think it borders on inhumane not to mention possible withdrawal symptoms before prescribing this awful "…
I'm curious... you, and all other commenters who mentioned electric shocks... which I'd previously heard of as "brain zaps"... What difference would it make if the doctor had told you of that side effect before you started the drug? Imagine you have no idea of what brain zaps felt like. Would you have avoided the drug based on such a vague description? Can you describe the sensation? It's not painful, right? The sens…
"Is it perhaps more like a non-physical zap that's more like an interruption or glitch in consciousness than a ghost physical sensation?"
" So one person's experience with one day off meds was a feeling of floating or vague floating-like feeling of imbalance. That's probably related, perhaps an earlier stage of the phenomenon, but doesn't sound quite the same as the electric shocks people mention they get after quitting. Are the electric shock feelings anything like a rapid (instantaneous?) change in balance, like a shift to zero-g and back?"
These are both pretty good descriptions.
Pretty constant background floaty/disconnected feeling punctuated by sudden, momentary shift of balance feelings that feel like a large number of synapses have fired all at once, usually triggered by relatively minor head or eye movements. Each one leaves you with a very subtle sensation that you've just lost a split second of consciousness and are just suddenly snapping back awake.
They aren't painful at all (so the electric shock analogy breaks down), but after a while can become pretty distracting and annoying (to the point of not being able to concentrate on work, study, or even entertainment).
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#126If you want to stop being dependent on anti-depressants (and their side-effects) while stopping depression at the same time, you may try a normal dose of LSD (after becoming a domain expert and testing the substance you have acquired). Complement this with daily practice of mindful meditation and you have a good chance to succeed. Also, you need to make sure to permanently change whatever lifestyle caused your depres…
Don't combine LSD with prescription medication. Don't take LSD if you are experiencing depression or mental illness.
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#127Earlier quoted context omitted.
To both parent commenters, my wife has been on venlafaxine for years, and has been tapering off it for the past year. She has had horrible withdrawl symptoms from missing a single dose, like you describe. Each time the doses town (tapering), she has a rough few weeks. How long were you on it? Do you have any advice? Thanks.
That sounds pretty harsh. Did your wife talk to her doctor about the withdrawal symptoms? When I quit, I've taken it for about two years. I was able to prevent the brain zaps by making a concious effort to not move my head or eyes too fast. The other symptoms persisted for some weeks-months.
She did, she's had several doctors throughout her medication, one of them seemed very ignorant of the side effects. Thanks for responding.
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#128Earlier quoted context omitted.
To both parent commenters, my wife has been on venlafaxine for years, and has been tapering off it for the past year. She has had horrible withdrawl symptoms from missing a single dose, like you describe. Each time the doses town (tapering), she has a rough few weeks. How long were you on it? Do you have any advice? Thanks.
Have her ask her doctor for a prescription to Prozac. It lasts longer in the system than Venlafaxine so it eases the withdrawal.
Interesting, she has been offered that but hasnt tried it yet. thanks for the advice.
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#129Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Australia (or at least NSW), the health system doesn't know what to do with you. About 7 months ago I had a mental breakdown and experienced thoughts of suicide. When the health system found out, I had finished having the thoughts, and was at home trying to sleep, being supported by my loving family having been awake at the time for over 14 hours. I was ripped out of my bed by ambulance officers with police presen…
> After I realised this was what had happened I got placed in an isolation room, with no explanation as to why, and there I sat quietly rotting for the next 5.5 hours. In other words, I got no care, had my rights stripped and was treated like a criminal because after a sustained period of incredible stress I had a breakdown That sounds like enough to _cause_ a breakdown!
I have been living with sustained emotional stress for the last six months. There are days I go to work and as I'm driving in my car at a certain point I scream from the trauma. It's the only place I can do it, I don't dare do it around my family, friends or work colleagues.
And I absolutely cannot talk to anyone involved in medicine, because their treatment for suicidal ideation from a mental breakdown has the unique side effect of making me feel like I want to die to escape the disrespect and indignity of being treated like a criminal who must be locked away.
Re: Withdrawal from Antidepressants
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Australia (or at least NSW), the health system doesn't know what to do with you. About 7 months ago I had a mental breakdown and experienced thoughts of suicide. When the health system found out, I had finished having the thoughts, and was at home trying to sleep, being supported by my loving family having been awake at the time for over 14 hours. I was ripped out of my bed by ambulance officers with police presen…
How did they find out?
Vice Magazine.