894 replies to this topic

[invalidusername]

Bless you Juli.

 

Such comforting words and you are right, I do need to be extra vigilant at the moment. Just had a rest for the last 3 hours, even though I've only been out for 2 hours today!

 

Also hope to see good things from the Lexapro. Day 3 of full dose today, so still early days.

[Noush]

How ya feeling today IUN? Did you manage to get z good night's sleep last night? Hope you're starting to see improvements.

[invalidusername]

Hi Noush.

 

Was just doing the rounds on the forum to end up with an update here. It's not the best news unfortunately. I have been suffering severe stress intolerance for 24 hours. I took the decision to isolate since. I couldn't even switch my laptop on this morning - everything was too much.

 

I did manage to sleep a bit. I started listening to some binaural music and it really helped. Although I have been tired today (which i am sure is lexapro side effects as also very dizzy) I can't have a nap as I get these small waves of panic at the moment I pass over into sleep. I just start to drift and then a little panic hits to wake me up. Its horrible. 

 

Just telling myself that the cocktail of drugs over the last few weeks is the cause to this all and the cure is to stay straight on the 15mg Lexapro. Hoping I can see it through now I have found a way out.

[invalidusername]

Day got better after around 9pm last night - not idea what occurred, although did have my first epsom salt bath. If this is the miracle cure, I will be living in the bath!

 

I managed to work for 3 1/2 hours, visit a friend for half hour, and then a half hour walk with the wife - outside!! Woo hoo.

 

My anxiety is still playing up though due to my nerves still being overstimulated. Continuing my Claire Weekes' methods as best I can, but when the anxiety is so stubborn, it makes it very difficult.

 

Lexapro side effects started up again 5th day into 15mg dose. Gone from 5mg so I am not expecting plain sailing, but dealing with the Dulox withdrawal AND the Lexapro side effects is definitely NOT EASY.

[Noush]

Epsom Salt baths are so good for the body & mind!I swear by them! Well a good day finally came through! Tomorrow maybe good, maybe not as good, maybe shit. But hang on to the fact that you've had a good day! And Well Done to your wife for getting out for a walk!

[invalidusername]

Thanks Noush - yes first time the wife has been out for... well... a couple of weeks maybe. I can't remember.

 

Tomorrow will be what it will be, and if I am currently in less control that I should be, then I try not to worry so much as there is little I can do except see it through. Here and now as you said in Axle's post just now. Eckhart Tolle and all that!

[Noush]

Exactly! And the simple fact that you are starting to be able to think that way is a sure sign of an improvement! I would put money on it (or a bag of Epsom Salts) that a week today (Xmas Eve may I add) you are feeling a big improvement!

[invalidusername]

Well not long after I stopped this evening and had a bite to eat, I felt some hope come back. Seems very up and down. I just want to stay on top of the anxiety, but recently it has just been too much after all the sh*t with the MH team, loosing my friend and so forth.

 

I sincerely hope you are right in your prediction!

[gail]

Hello Noush,

What is the quantity of Epson salt do you use? What are the benefits. Thank you.

[invalidusername]

I use around a third of a 1kg bag - too early to judge effects at the moment as only had two baths, but first seemed to have a calming effect. Second not so, but was a very difficult day yesterday.

[fishinghat]

Epsom salts allows magnesium to ne absorbed directly through the skin. It should not be used regularly without knowing your blood magnesium levels.

[invalidusername]

I am trying to look for any other way of checking magnesium levels, as I cannot stand the sight of my own blood...

 

...but my apple cider vinegar with "the mother" has arrived.

[invalidusername]

I also had another seizure today. The wife called the MH Team whilst I was in the seizure and was told "no-one can speak to you at the moment. I'll get someone to call you back". But I told her that under no circumstances did I want another ambulance. After around 12 minutes or so, it calmed. But I am getting sick of them as I worry when they can occur.

 

I am trying to shed more light on them. Given that they started soon after the 20mg drop of duloxetine and got worse after the idiot doctors took me off 10mg cold turkey, it has to be something to do with the C.

 

Would really like to get to the bottom of these. I would go back on the last C dose if it stops them as they are making life very difficult.

 

My wife caught one on camera, but will show one we found on YouTube which she says is exactly like what I do during my own seizures;

 

[fishinghat]

"I am trying to shed more light on them. Given that they started soon after the 20mg drop of duloxetine and got worse after the idiot doctors took me off 10mg cold turkey, it has to be something to do with the C."

There is a large section on seizures and Cymbalta in the Summary of Cymbalta Withdrawal. You might check it out.

[invalidusername]

I've had a look through the info there, and whilst there is some info, none of them seem to cover it, although interesting that the stats are so high 1.13% for seizures on Cymbalta.

 

It is certainly not a tonic clonic episode, it is more like a psychogenic occurrence which is triggered by significant psychological stresses. These have been reported for a number of circumstances in mental health patients, as well as post-operation circumstances and other life-circumstances giving sufficient cause for stress.

 

My question is that if it were simply my life circumstances that can trigger them, and there have been enough, why did they only start occurring whilst on the Duloxetine? In my opinion the withdrawal has caused a significant hypersensitivity to stress, which in turn has bought about these seizures. A clear reason why I should not have been taken off them abruptly.

[fishinghat]

Cymbalta lowers serum sodium and that makes one more susceptible to seizures. Suring withdrawal this effect can be even more pronounces. However adding sodium to your diet is tricky because too much will contribute to your anxiety.

[gail]

Oh dear Scrat, how long do these lasts? Do you feel them coming? You must be exhausted after an episode.

[invalidusername]

Agreed on the sodium Hat.

 

I can feel them coming when my hands start to shake and I tense up suddenly, and sometimes my vision goes funny.

 

They can last up to around 15 minutes, but the severity becomes less after the first 5 minutes usually.

 

Just had a visit from the MH team and it was the woman who (under orders) took my beads away during the last of my withdrawal, so I can't help what I feel even though I know she was doing what she was told. They are STILL convinced that all withdrawal factors are gone, and that the duloxetine has nothing to do with my current state. I'm so tired of explaining this and showing figures and papers. Even if they cannot do anything, it would at least be comforting to know that they acknowledge what is going on.

 

All I have at the moment is to exercise Hat's "time and patience" on the Lexapro and pray that they will work.

[fishinghat]

So sad. To much bureaucracy and too little humanity.

[invalidusername]

So sad. To much bureaucracy and too little humanity.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself

[Noush]

IUN - I'm so sorry that you are having to go through this shit. My husband has Epilepsy & I know how horrific it is. Are you still driving? Or has you GP/MH Team mentioned that you shouldn't be driving while having seizures?

[invalidusername]

Thank you Noush - I grew up with a close friend with very bad epilepsy so am used to it. These look like epileptic fits but do not have the same electric brain stuff going on, so aren't "dangerous" in this respect - although I did hit my head on my nightstand! That hurt....

 

GP doesn't know and told me to talk to MH team.

 

MH team told me to go to hospital.

 

Hospital are booking me in for a neurological assessment which is completely unnecessary. I told them it was a waste of taxes and to not bother. I can tell when the seizures could potentially happen, so driving isn't really a problem. What is a problem is if I am alone or with someone that doesn't know what to do. But as they are fairly infrequent, again, this is not too much of an issue. But the fact that they are there is a real problem for my anxiety/depression. It keeps me thinking about the severity of the withdrawal... how it is not being considered correctly.. yada yada yada..

[Noush]

Do they come in when you are particularly stressed or tired? Did they start when you went on the Dulox or came off of it?x

[invalidusername]

Not tired - but yes when particularly stressed - very much so. Psychologically stressed - which at the moment pretty much covers all stress.

 

They started at the 20mg point of duloxetine - so I stablised until I went to 10mg, and then I had more of them. So this is why I went bat-sh*t crazy when the MH team took my supply. I needed to stablise on 10mg before thinking about even bead counting.

 

But ooooohhhh no.

 

"The seizures are caused by the Duloxetine, and should be stopped immediately. Do you understand?"

 

No I bloody don't. AND GIVE ME MY BEADS BACK!!!

[Noush]

If you did have a bead supply, I don't think it would be wise to take some bow that you're on the Lexapro. It's a bit more complicated now isn't it.

[invalidusername]

Yes. Agreed. I am just annoyed to have been placed in this position.

 

My charts show a bearable level of mood when I was taking advice from the forum. It took 2-3 weeks to settle after each drop, and I was cold-turkeyed before I could level on the 10mg drop. I even tried bead counting ahead of time and it didn't bode well, so I knew I wasn't ready for it.

 

Tomorrow will mark 5 weeks since last dose.

 

Just had a text from a client asking me to add a link to their website. I knew it would be straightforward and that I didn't have to do it there and then, but I had such a hit of dread. I did it - only took 15 minutes and I have calmed a bit since, but I just hate that it can come so easily at the moment.

[Noush]

So you went from 10mg to nothing? Without bead counting down?

Your nerves are clearly shit. The tiniest of task can seem like climbing Everest. Then that feeling of dread, right in the pit of your stomach comes & it's almost like PTSD. All the thoughts, anxiety & associated feelings from past withdrawal experiences come flooding back in. It's horrendous. That's why I have ended up reinstating to my full dose again each time I have suffered with these withdrawal issues!

[invalidusername]

I was given 5 days to go from 10mg to nothing as that is all the beads I had left. 

 

You got it. It is. The smallest thing can floor you for hours. And I am doing this purely on Lexapro, Epsom salts (and as of this morning) Apple Cider Vinegar. I am looking into whether I should start including either L-Theanine or Rhodiola as I have stock of both, but want to tread carefully. There is also potential of melatonin following chat with the Hat.

 

I have been through a lot of crap in my life, but these last few weeks just take the prize. 

 

How long did you go each time before going back on?

[Noush]

The first time I re-instated after 5 weeks, which is outside of the recommended time of 2-4 week reinstatement period. The second time a few weeks & this last time, it was much shorter, as I knew what was to come if I didn't. I'm actually one of the lucky few people who don't really get any side effects from taking Duloxetine. So going back up in dose isn't too bad for me really. If Dulox didn't agree with me, I'm not sure what I would have done.

The problem is, the more you go on & off meds & have either a bad reaction or go through withdrawal, you become what they call 'Kindled' which means you become more & more sensitive to the things you put in your body, medication, caffeine, alcohol, alerts. And each withdrawal becomes worse. For that reason, I am staying on my 40mg Duloxetine for now & giving my body a break. My next move (when I'm ready, will be to cross taper to Lexapro. I'll follow Juli's taper regime & also listen to my body.

How are you feeling today?

[invalidusername]

Well I am at that 5 week point off Duloxetine today, so am for sure through to the other side. I can see how it would become more difficult each time, unless of course one went completely cold turkey from 60mg to nothing. I still can't believe how bad it is just from the last 10mg to nothing, but everyone did say... Again, I will always have the annoyance of not having had the choice.

 

I think Juli's schedule is a good way forward. You could get the 5mg to start and increase through 7.5mg and 12.5mg by halving these through the process? Really depends how sensitise people are, and this is why I was very apprehensive about taking the plunge from 5mg straight to 15mg. Now been a week totally off the Citalopram and the 15mg Lexapro (plus the week of 5mg Lexapro). Still in that phase of not knowing what to expect from one day to the next.

 

However, today I have not woken with quite as much anxiety as before, but feel very uncomfortable in knowing that I have taken this big step with my meds and do not know if they will work etc etc. Time will improve no doubt, but it is the Dulox withdrawal, the Citalopram withdrawal and the start up of the Lexapro all playing on my mind today about what will happen. Can't find perspective if that makes sense...??