8 replies to this topic

[ladybugz]

So I guess because my mood has turned rather bleak as of late I am wondering about something: Does a person that has been on psychotropic drugs since puberty have the same chance for recovery as those who started taking meds in adulthood? I was on Effexor for about 17 yrs (I think, can remember exactly....but yah, more or less) before switching to Cymbalta. My brain was still developing when I became hooked and rewired. Is there anyone here that has a similar story and that has managed to heal (or perhaps does anyone know of someone else that has)?

[fishinghat]

I have a MS in physiology but am certainly not a doctor. I can tell you that the longer a part of your body (say the brain) is exposed to a new condition say meds) the more that part of the body determines the condition to be normal. In otherwords it adapts to the new situation. The important thing for us who take psych meds is a situation called cellular memory or most call it cellular conditioning. For example a person experiencing high anxiety for several years has an adrenal gland that has been conditioned to produce large amounts of adrenaline (epinephrine). Even if the source of the stress is removed the adrenal gland is 'primed' to produce adrenaline. Now you can retrain yourself by going to therapy and learning how to calm yourself and get that adrenaline under control or you can go to a doctor and take some medicine to control the adrenaline for you. Now adrenaline is just one example. If you have been on an ssri for long periods of time the ssri has been controling your seratonin levels. You want off? Well you have to do it slowly so your body has a chance to adjust and you also have to retrain your body to put out the normal amount of seratonin. The longer you have a condition like anxiety or depression, in general the longer it takes to overcome the conditioning of the cells. The stronger the conditioning of the cells (deeper stress, depression, etc.) the longer it takes to recondition the cells.

 

Basically I would say the longer you are on the meds the longer to heal. BUT nothing says you can't reverse the process, if not completely then mostly. One exception would of course be organic issues (brain damage, genetics).

[ladybugz]

I'm basically screwed because my body will absolutely not accept any more Cymbalta. Recently I tried 1 bead......it acted like I had just given it 5,000 mg. I have no choice but to go cold turkey. I feel like I am trapped in a nightmare that I will never be able to wake up from.....

[fishinghat]

I don't know how to be anything but honest LB. With you being exposed to these high impact drugs not only at puberty but also for many years after it may be tough. I would strongly recommend a good therapist who can help retraqin you to relax, be happy, sleep and all those other good psychological conditions. The problem is in finding a good one. I was blessed with an excellant one when I first had my nervous breakdown. Within 5 years I went from 14 pills per day to 5. Unluckily a bad therapist can make things worse. I hope you try to come out of this hole you are in but I would strongly suggest taking it very slow and easy. Your body will adjust sloly with time so you will have to have a lot of patience.

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Ladybugz

I think that your case is a prime example for taking an antidepressant with a longer half life to help ease the side effects of getting off Crapalta. If your side effects last too long or are just too intense than talk to your doctor. Antidepressants with a long half life are much easier to get off of. Cymbalta has such a short half life (only 12 hours) which is why it has such hellist side effects when stopping.

You can do it, you can beat the Crapalta.

Take care

[chimera]

agreed, a longer half life antidepressant in your case would ease it. even though you plan to go cold turkey, given your sensitivity right now with doses this might help

[ladybugz]

What would be the best way to approach this though I wonder? My nervous system has reached the point where it is not accepting drugs that "excite" the brain. Some theorize that once you're in full blown withdrawal no drug (even your original one) will help you. I have also heard that switching "classes" of drugs during this time will only make matters worse. So many people are saying sooo many different things....I don't know what to believe I do know of course that no two people are in the exact same situation. Should I......maybe.....wait a month perhaps and introduce extreme micro doses? *No pressure, I don't expect anyone here to know my body and it's responses intimately*

[fishinghat]

Who ever told you that in full blown withdrawal not even the original medicine will help is full of it  By definition 'withdrawal' is the craving and resulting side effect you body has for the original drug that has been removed. Example; coming of cymbalta. Going back on that original drug satisfies the craving and reduces the withdrawal. I am not aware of any exceptions.  Now I would agree with the statement about switching drugs. The new drug not only needs to be compatible with the drug you are coming off but In addition you have to be cautious about competeing or synergistic actions. Competing actions would be like coming off a drug which raises blood pressure and at the same time going on a drug which lowers blood pressure. Synergistic would be like going off on sleeeping pill while beginning a new sleeping pill. Having both in the system at the same time may not be good!! This is where doctors can be invaluable.

 

I will pass along a peice of advice from one of my old professors. Don't change two things at the same time if you can help it. If you change two things at once and something goes wrong you are not sure which one caused the proble. So I would say the idea of waiting a month (or even longer depending on your withdrawal) and then starting with small amounts of your new medicine sounds very reasonable. Either way, the best of luck and hang in there.

[chimera]

I agree with Fishinghat about waiting a month, then starting the new medicine in small amounts-and absolutely don't change 2 things at once unless it's absolutely vital. it really does complicate things horribly