1. < Depression & Anxiety

Antidepressant withdrawal while taking them?

Posted by morganjane @morganjane, Dec 9, 2023

I’m not very confident anyone else has experienced this, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. I’ve been dealing with a really weird “thing” for about 3 years now. No doctors seem to know what’s causing it & I can’t find anything about it online. Little backstory, I was on Paxil for about a decade for depression & panic attacks. Worked great. Then, 3 years ago I woke up one day & started having the dreaded brain zaps & my emotions were all over the place, I was having panic attacks again, crying, depressed, flat, crying again, etc. I was withdrawing but I hadn’t changed my meds in any way, took them like clockwork every day. Doctor changed my meds to Prozac. Same exact thing, withdrawal symptoms while taking the meds religiously at the same time daily. Fast forward to today, I’ve been on every antidepressant known to mankind, every dose, same exact outcome.
It just doesn’t make sense. Am I metabolizing them too fast or not absorbing them or…..? I’ve tried to taper off of them completely so I can go another route but it’s been absolutely impossible each time. It’s the same withdrawal symptoms but times 1000.

We don’t have good resources here in Arkansas but my insurance doesn’t really do much out of state, so I have no choice but to continue researching it on my own. Mayo Clinic would be a dream to get into but realistically, this is the closest I’m going to get. Anyone experience these issues too? Any good resources or recommendations or suggestions?

I’ve also done the GeneSight test as well. Tried the meds on the list, no change.

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celia16 | @celia16 | Dec 9, 2023

I can understand why you are so concerned. I found this article that mentions The Mayo Clinic. It explains how thus class of drug works with some people. Have you spoke with a psychiatrist about it?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/antidepressants/faq-20057938
I hope you can find some help. Can you do an online consult with a specialist?

Have you had a complete physical to rule out another medical condition?

REPLY
1 reply
morganjane | @morganjane | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @celia16 "I can understand why you are so concerned. I found this article that mentions The Mayo..." + (show)
@celia16

I can understand why you are so concerned. I found this article that mentions The Mayo Clinic. It explains how thus class of drug works with some people. Have you spoke with a psychiatrist about it?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/antidepressants/faq-20057938
I hope you can find some help. Can you do an online consult with a specialist?

Have you had a complete physical to rule out another medical condition?

Jump to this post

Thank you for your response & your suggestions. I am dealing with a “mystery” ailment that actually popped up around the same time as this issue, but due to us not having very many specialists or good physicians here, I’ve yet to actually get diagnosed with anything. I wish I could get a head to toe work up, going over every single thing that is going on so I can actually get some relief but alas, it’s not that simple. I’m not giving up though!

& yes, I’ve spoken to two different psychiatrists & neither had ever heard of this nor had they ever heard of brain zaps or brain shivers, which honestly kind of surprised me seeing as those are very very common symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal.

REPLY
1 reply
celia16 | @celia16 | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @morganjane "Thank you for your response & your suggestions. I am dealing with a “mystery” ailment that..." + (show)
@morganjane

Thank you for your response & your suggestions. I am dealing with a “mystery” ailment that actually popped up around the same time as this issue, but due to us not having very many specialists or good physicians here, I’ve yet to actually get diagnosed with anything. I wish I could get a head to toe work up, going over every single thing that is going on so I can actually get some relief but alas, it’s not that simple. I’m not giving up though!

& yes, I’ve spoken to two different psychiatrists & neither had ever heard of this nor had they ever heard of brain zaps or brain shivers, which honestly kind of surprised me seeing as those are very very common symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal.

Jump to this post

It is a mystery as to how some professionals seem clueless. I actually have access to the top medical facilities in the country, yet……it doesn’t always help. I’m very appreciative of course.

On a more positive note, my gastroenterologist recently prescribed a med for me and it’s working great! I’m thrilled. I wish they had done that last year when I first went to them. Lol.

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wessex123 | @wessex123 | Dec 25, 2023

Morganjane, I can absolutely relate to your post. I started having back to back panic attacks out of the blue when I was 47 (am now 72) and was put on Paxil which worked wonderfully (I felt better than before the panic attacks) for 20 years. Every so often I would try to get off of it but no way. Then it gradually stopped working while I was trying to get off of it. I think maybe these drugs only work for so long in some people. I'm very familiar with the brain zaps, etc. and at age 72 I am still having them. No one can tell me why. I am still on Paxil because even though it doesn't (totally) work I can not get off of it. I want to stress how hard I've tried. My situation is different from yours in that I'm not barraged by the withdrawal symptoms daily and have been taking ketamine infusions and lozenges to help with my anxiety/depression. You are definitely not alone. Oh, an important addition: a few years later when I was again trying to withdraw from the SSRI with a naturopath to guide me, it was again a disaster which really suprised her since she claimed to always be successful in getting her clients off SSRIs. So she tested me for several other things and found out I have high (off the chart) Lead and also mercury levels. If you want to talk more about this please write back. You're the first person I've "met" who is going through a similar thing.

REPLY
1 reply
morganjane | @morganjane | Dec 26, 2023
In reply to @wessex123 "Morganjane, I can absolutely relate to your post. I started having back to back panic attacks..." + (show)
@wessex123

Morganjane, I can absolutely relate to your post. I started having back to back panic attacks out of the blue when I was 47 (am now 72) and was put on Paxil which worked wonderfully (I felt better than before the panic attacks) for 20 years. Every so often I would try to get off of it but no way. Then it gradually stopped working while I was trying to get off of it. I think maybe these drugs only work for so long in some people. I'm very familiar with the brain zaps, etc. and at age 72 I am still having them. No one can tell me why. I am still on Paxil because even though it doesn't (totally) work I can not get off of it. I want to stress how hard I've tried. My situation is different from yours in that I'm not barraged by the withdrawal symptoms daily and have been taking ketamine infusions and lozenges to help with my anxiety/depression. You are definitely not alone. Oh, an important addition: a few years later when I was again trying to withdraw from the SSRI with a naturopath to guide me, it was again a disaster which really suprised her since she claimed to always be successful in getting her clients off SSRIs. So she tested me for several other things and found out I have high (off the chart) Lead and also mercury levels. If you want to talk more about this please write back. You're the first person I've "met" who is going through a similar thing.

Jump to this post

Oh wow, yes you are definitely the only other person I’ve heard of that has had a similar situation to mine.
My next route was actually going to be to getting tested for mold toxicity along with heavy metal toxicity, since I have a mystery “illness” to go along with the wonderful withdrawal symptoms. Very interesting you mentioned that!

I’m can’t sympathize with you enough on your experience trying to ween off of these stupid drugs. It’s a literal nightmare & I desperately wish doctors educated their patients on how difficult these drugs can be to get off of before prescribing them so quickly. These drugs can absolutely save lives but they can also do the opposite. When something is altering the chemicals in your brain, they NEED to be prescribed more carefully.

REPLY
2 replies
wessex123 | @wessex123 | Dec 26, 2023
In reply to @morganjane "Oh wow, yes you are definitely the only other person I’ve heard of that has had..." + (show)
@morganjane

Oh wow, yes you are definitely the only other person I’ve heard of that has had a similar situation to mine.
My next route was actually going to be to getting tested for mold toxicity along with heavy metal toxicity, since I have a mystery “illness” to go along with the wonderful withdrawal symptoms. Very interesting you mentioned that!

I’m can’t sympathize with you enough on your experience trying to ween off of these stupid drugs. It’s a literal nightmare & I desperately wish doctors educated their patients on how difficult these drugs can be to get off of before prescribing them so quickly. These drugs can absolutely save lives but they can also do the opposite. When something is altering the chemicals in your brain, they NEED to be prescribed more carefully.

Jump to this post

Let me know what your test results are..... Dr. Mark Hyman (functional med doc) says on one of his videos that if a practitioner can't figure out what the problem is, he/she should test for heavy metals. And probably mold as well. Sending love and healing thoughts......

REPLY
sksnow | @sksnow | Dec 27, 2023
In reply to @morganjane "Oh wow, yes you are definitely the only other person I’ve heard of that has had..." + (show)
@morganjane

Oh wow, yes you are definitely the only other person I’ve heard of that has had a similar situation to mine.
My next route was actually going to be to getting tested for mold toxicity along with heavy metal toxicity, since I have a mystery “illness” to go along with the wonderful withdrawal symptoms. Very interesting you mentioned that!

I’m can’t sympathize with you enough on your experience trying to ween off of these stupid drugs. It’s a literal nightmare & I desperately wish doctors educated their patients on how difficult these drugs can be to get off of before prescribing them so quickly. These drugs can absolutely save lives but they can also do the opposite. When something is altering the chemicals in your brain, they NEED to be prescribed more carefully.

Jump to this post

Hi! Add one more to your list! I have the same problems but with Zoloft. They were a life saver 20 years ago but have since stopped working completely. I am slowly weaning myself off but still get brain zaps, spinny head, etc. whether I take them or not.

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adelheid61 | @adelheid61 | Dec 28, 2023

Hi
Wandering if anyone has tried Effexor XR?
I was taking Lexapro 10 mg (weaned down from 20 mg). Since I am still feeling a tad depressed, when I saw my nurse practitioner on 12/26 . She spoke with the doctor and they recommenced that I try Effexor once in the am and increase to two tabs after 1 week. Just wondering if anyone is using this medication and can share any results?
Thanks,

REPLY
2 replies
maryjjeandennis | @maryjjeandennis | Dec 28, 2023

Has anyone had good luck with PAXIL?

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1 reply
toryinhampton | @toryinhampton | Dec 28, 2023
In reply to @adelheid61 "Hi Wandering if anyone has tried Effexor XR? I was taking Lexapro 10 mg (weaned down..." + (show)
@adelheid61

Hi
Wandering if anyone has tried Effexor XR?
I was taking Lexapro 10 mg (weaned down from 20 mg). Since I am still feeling a tad depressed, when I saw my nurse practitioner on 12/26 . She spoke with the doctor and they recommenced that I try Effexor once in the am and increase to two tabs after 1 week. Just wondering if anyone is using this medication and can share any results?
Thanks,

Jump to this post

I have had much success with Effexor! I am currently 150 mg 1x daily with no issues, worries or concerns. Good luck to you!

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