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How To Cope Up With Withdrawal Side Effects Of Antidepressants?
Question: I have completely off of antidepressants now 2 weeks. I had to due to turning 60 I could not take ssris or tricyclics severe side effects after 20 years of success on celexa and serzone . I have been through hell the last 3.5 months trying antidepressant meds so Iam off of them except ativan as needed. I have GAD with panic and dysthymia. I don't feel myself yet so tired and somewhat foggy . How long does it take for my brain to get back to normal after being on antidepressants for 22 years? I feel scared that I need a med but I have taken celexa, nefozone and imprimine having terrible side effects after 22 years of taking them. I don't have the strength to try new meds. I pain in my stomach and anxiety now. What should I do?
Brief Answer:
lifestyle & diet changes, take care of stomach
Detailed Answer:
hello,
Almost all the symptoms you mentioned can be due the effect of drug withdrawal and anxiety symptoms reaapearance. The only symptom which should be investiagted is stomach ache. This is quite an unusual symptom and so, please get an ultra sound abdomen if this dosent go with pantoperazole 40mg taken empty stomach in morning for few days.
You said that you have tried several antidepressants and had severe side effects due to which you left treatment. I would like to know the side effects which made you quit all meds.
When body has been on drugs for long time then quitting all of them can pose problems from neurons due to chemical imbalance. This might take few weeks to few months to settle down. After that the symptoms which remain can be attributed to be due to the illness itself.
You may go for lifetyle and dietary changes to help your self. But if sleep is disturbed, please take something for it for some days so that you can start your day properly. Drugs like zolpodem 5-10mg would suffice you and give 5-6 hrs of undisturbed sleep.
In morning you should go for walk/ brisk walk.
Include more salad/ green veggies and fruits in diet.
Eat small and frequent (4-5melals ina day)
Take sips of water/juice all day long every 10-15min.
You may eat sprouts daily or 2-3/week
Include nuts (1-2) in your daily diet.
These eating habits will help neurons to recover faster.
Avoid tea/ coffee and cold drinks.
If you can , please learn deep breathing relaxation technique. Practicing it daily will relax your neurons and ease anxiety.
I hope the reply is useful for you. Please ask more questions for clarification.
Wish you good luck.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychaitry
lifestyle & diet changes, take care of stomach
Detailed Answer:
hello,
Almost all the symptoms you mentioned can be due the effect of drug withdrawal and anxiety symptoms reaapearance. The only symptom which should be investiagted is stomach ache. This is quite an unusual symptom and so, please get an ultra sound abdomen if this dosent go with pantoperazole 40mg taken empty stomach in morning for few days.
You said that you have tried several antidepressants and had severe side effects due to which you left treatment. I would like to know the side effects which made you quit all meds.
When body has been on drugs for long time then quitting all of them can pose problems from neurons due to chemical imbalance. This might take few weeks to few months to settle down. After that the symptoms which remain can be attributed to be due to the illness itself.
You may go for lifetyle and dietary changes to help your self. But if sleep is disturbed, please take something for it for some days so that you can start your day properly. Drugs like zolpodem 5-10mg would suffice you and give 5-6 hrs of undisturbed sleep.
In morning you should go for walk/ brisk walk.
Include more salad/ green veggies and fruits in diet.
Eat small and frequent (4-5melals ina day)
Take sips of water/juice all day long every 10-15min.
You may eat sprouts daily or 2-3/week
Include nuts (1-2) in your daily diet.
These eating habits will help neurons to recover faster.
Avoid tea/ coffee and cold drinks.
If you can , please learn deep breathing relaxation technique. Practicing it daily will relax your neurons and ease anxiety.
I hope the reply is useful for you. Please ask more questions for clarification.
Wish you good luck.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychaitry
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
My side effects were feelings of Severe anxiety and like I was drunk it was awful. I can't understand how the meds I had been using for years for anxiety just started over sedating me, it's not logical. I am hoping to be able to take a break and take Celelexa a some day it really did work with No side effects
Brief Answer:
get TSH, anti TPO antibody & Kidney test
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Usually the meds which is keeping someone fine for long time dosent pose any problem unnecesarily. There must have been some metabolic disturbance or episode of fever or something which changed your bodily composition that time or may be an outside (environmental) factor.
Sometimes, with increasing age there is a need to reduce the meds dosage as body cannot digest previous levels and even a lesser dose can take care of illness.
Now, as you are off treatment, we should wait before reintroducing medicines again.
It is wise of you to think of using escitalopram (you may also use sertraline if that suits you; as it is very safe for cardiac patients and old age patients) again.
We usually restart the least interactive and safe med amongst all options. This is done at a very low dose and side by side encourage the person to make lifestyle changes.
These two put together turn out to be helpful in keeping a check over illness without giving disturbing side effects.
Please get your kidney tests, TSH and anti TPO levels checked. These when disturbed can lead to anxiety, lethargy and relapse of symptoms and increase side effects.
Wish you good health.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
get TSH, anti TPO antibody & Kidney test
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Usually the meds which is keeping someone fine for long time dosent pose any problem unnecesarily. There must have been some metabolic disturbance or episode of fever or something which changed your bodily composition that time or may be an outside (environmental) factor.
Sometimes, with increasing age there is a need to reduce the meds dosage as body cannot digest previous levels and even a lesser dose can take care of illness.
Now, as you are off treatment, we should wait before reintroducing medicines again.
It is wise of you to think of using escitalopram (you may also use sertraline if that suits you; as it is very safe for cardiac patients and old age patients) again.
We usually restart the least interactive and safe med amongst all options. This is done at a very low dose and side by side encourage the person to make lifestyle changes.
These two put together turn out to be helpful in keeping a check over illness without giving disturbing side effects.
Please get your kidney tests, TSH and anti TPO levels checked. These when disturbed can lead to anxiety, lethargy and relapse of symptoms and increase side effects.
Wish you good health.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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