severe adverse effects from multiple SSRI's

[janisrock]

I was prescribed 10mg of Paxil from my GP to treat my GAD. After three days of panic attacks, over stimulation, body shaking and uncontrollable body temperatures, I quit it and my GP referred me to a psychiatrist. Within 24 hours of being paxil-free, i felt much better. I always have been anxious, but never a panic attack. My psychiatrist then prescribed my 50 mg of Zoloft. I only took it once- within 12 hours i was having the same waves of panic attacks i had with the Paxil. It is very scary- like a bad ecstasy trip (or so i've heard). My pupils were the size of my iris! My psychiatrist - who has seen thousands of patients in his career-, has never seen such sensitivity to these drugs. I've tired Lorazepam to treat anxiety associated with public speaking and flying, and i didn't have the same effects. Has anyone out there felt the same things? Even if it is the "initial increase" in anxiety that i've read about, there is no way i'll get through even a week of feeling this way. I just want to know what has worked for people like me that are hyper-sensitive to meds (i'm also very sensitive to caffeine).

[saskykitty]

Hi there, I am so sorry you have these side affects. I am similiar to you in the sense that I have a very sensitive composition if I can put it that way and even some food cause anxiety for me. I am Cipralex and have been now for almost 12 days. I am coping beter. I still have an odd panic attack but maybe on every second day. I am hoping that when the meds stabalise I will feel better. I also take Ativan. My little saviours they help me get through the side affects of the Cipralex. Maybe you should try this combonation of Cipralex and Ativan :-) Good luck keep me posted.

[SuperMegaRichard]

Hey, it suck to hear what you been through. I myself had what you had, its called Serotonin Syndrome. I unfortunaly mixed a tryptophan supplement with some zoloft and bam, hospitalization.

Currently I am taking half a lexapro and I am having muscle twitches like crazy, which is another precursor for that. That is 5mg of lexapro and its reaction like crazy, I am about to wean myself off. It did kinda help my anxiety though. But yeah, I guess we are different.

Post some reply, I would like to talk to you because I feel that myself have the same type of problem that you do. I do believe you have a bit more sensitivity than I do though.

SuperMegaRichard@gmail if you wanna do it that way.

[janisrock]

Thanks for both of your responses. I've been off meds for four days now and feel back to normal. In fact, I feel a little better than usual- i've been supplementing my diet with Valerian Root. I'm not sure how well homeopathic remedies help, but it seems to help a little (or maybe its just in my head). My doctor is considering putting me on well-butrin as it doesn't affect serotonin (if indeed it is seritonin syndrome). Alternatively, giving me anti-anxiety like ativan to help the initial freak-outs. but i'm really scared to take any meds at this point. i don't want to make my condition worse. but i'm so bummed... so many of my family members suffer from GAD and these SSRIs do wonders for them. I guess i'm the freak of them all :)

[diljan]

Hi Brothers!
I passed through the same situations during last 2years. I tried diffrent kinds of SSRI Meds but always i was pushed toward extreme Anxiety.

Now Its my experience that such people can only tolerate the following Meds with success.

1) Prothiadine or Clomfranil (25mg 3 times a day) +(Bromezipan 1.5mg 3 times a day).

2)Prothiadine or Clomfranil (25mg 3 times a day) +(alprazolam 0.25mg 3 times a day).

3)Prothiadine or Clomfranil (25mg 3 times a day) +(clonazepam 0.25mg 3 times a day).



Try this formula as it was good for me. !!!!!!GUD LUCK!!!!!

[agoraphobia]

I would ask your DR. about a tricyclic AD, mainly Imipramine/Tofranil in conjunction with Xanax .25 MGs, only for a few weeks, and then just the Tofranil. ;)

[MissyM]

Oh yeah, sounds like what I have. Heres what happened to me....

I used to take Prozac, worked like a charm and I swear it saved my life! Never had problems with it until last year when I was overdosed on it (Some Dr started me right off on a weekly pill instead of slowly easing me into it).
Well I Had the shakes, twitches, dizziness, nausea and panic attacks like I Had never had before! So I stopped, and was told it was Seratonin Syndrome.
Fast forward a year, another Dr told me to get back on Prozac, at a lower dose of 10mg. So I did, and within 2 days and 2 pills I was having a seratonin synrome effect again.

Im assuming once you get it, you are prone to get it again....

Stay away from from SSRIs now. That is my best advice and good luck!

[nicklovs]

Hello! Very good forum! Its incredible and Perfect! Big Thanks!

[HeyLlama]

Ahh man! It's such a relief to know that I'm not the only one that experiences this with SSRI's.

About a year ago I started having isolated incidents of sleep paralysis, soon after, I started having panic attacks every night before bed and random heart palpitations during the day.

My anxiety was so bad that I couldn't drink caffeine or sugar, I went from smoking half a pack a day to ONE cigarette a day (which wasn't necessarily a bad thing) and I was counting my pulse at regular intervals to make sure my heart rate was "normal".

Anyway, my doctor put me on Zoloft and by day two, I hadn't slept at all and I was so tense and freaked out that I ended up calling 911.

Recently, I tried Celexa and I couldn't past day two because I was having hot flashes and I couldn't stop tossing and turning at night. I tried Xanax for the first time a few weeks ago and I'm about 75% sure they gave me placebos because I didn't feel anything. Maybe a little sleepy but I chalk it up to psyching myself out.

I tried valern root extract and it made me disoriented but it didn't really take away the anxiety, same with regular sleeping pills and stuff like benadryl.

It seems like I can't take ANYTHING!