24 replies to this topic

[Lundeliz]

I don't see it mentioned on here, but on other forums I'm on, there are many people

 

who become sensitive to meds, supplements, and even foods during withdrawal.

 

Well, I'm one of those people. I have become very sensitive to all meds I  was taking

 

before withdrawal.  I had to stop levothyroxine and now my beta blocker is making

 

me very sick.  I was on nadolol for 30 years for high blood pressure.  It has been

 

making me very agitated, nauseous, weak. One week ago I switched to atenolol to

 

see if I might tolerate it better.  Oh wow, it's even worse.  I am so weak and shaky,

 

anxious, and just feel so sick.  I know I can't just stop taking it abruptly, so I'm trying

 

to stand the side effects while I slowly taper off.  I feel so awful today that I

 

can hardly stand myself just lying in bed.  If I finally get off it, then there is still the

 

problem of my high blood pressure.  This is just a nightmare.  Sorry, I just needed to

 

vent, feeling a little hopeless today. 

[FiveNotions]

Oh Lundeliz, I'm so sorry to hear that now the atenolol is making you sick! Please, come here to talk to us as often as you can, want to, or need to!

Do you have someone there with you or who can check in on you?

How high does your bp run without the meds? You also have hypothyroidism, yes?

Does the same doc treat you for both conditions? and have you told him/her that the atenolol is making you sick?

I'm worried that you might be trying to do this on your own, and anything heart-related always makes me worried!

[Lundeliz]

Thank you, FN.  I'm tapering the beta blocker with my doctor's guidance.  I'm doing it slower than

 

he recommended.  The main wd symptom I get is anxiety, and I would like to avoid that if possible.

 

The med itself is causing anxiety, though, so I guess there's no avoiding it.  I had thyroid tests done

 

recently.  He said I didn't need to restart those meds, thank goodness.  My blood pressure gets

 

really high without meds.  I am still on a diuretic which doesn't seem to be bothering me, and the

 

dr. is hoping that will be enough to control my bp.  I'm hoping so too.  I've been researching some

 

natural things that might help also.  Thank you so much for your concern, it helps to have somewhere

 

to come.

[FiveNotions]

This place has been, and is, a wonderful safe haven for me.... I come here when the anxiety starts to appear.... And it sure does help to know we're not alone, doesn't it!

I'd forgotten that you'd been given the all clear on the thyroid meds...that alone is excellent news....one less med to worry about....so, now you can just keep working through the issues you've got with the bp and anxiety....

And it occurs to me that feeling anxious is pretty darn normal given the health issues you've been working through .... and a good thing....it means you're no longer numb and over medicated with cymbalta....

So, don't be so hard on yourself..... You don't need to be perfect, there's no such thing! I'm glad you've allowed yourself to stay home and in bed today....do whatever you need to feel safe and secure ....

Here in DC we've got 80 degree weather with sunshine and a soft breeze.... I was too tired to go anyplace to accomplish things like grocery shopping etc... But instead I went out to the big deck at the back of my apartment building...it overlooks Rock Creek Park....I lounged in a chair and soaked in springtime....trees turning green, birds singing and building nests, all the beauty... I forgot all my physical troubles and got lost in the beauty....

I hope you have a beautiful and joyful springtime where you are in Texas!

[Wagtail]

Lundeliz , I too have noticed a sensitively to my supplements so stopped taking all of them & Im introducing them back into my diet one x. Week... I'm not on any other meds so that's not a problem. My anxiety returned with a vengeance after withdrawal .. 4/5 mnths from taking my last tablet .
It has eased a lot @ the moment & it's bearable ATM.
I'm trying the organic cider vinegar treatment that was recommended here last week & so far so good.
Two dessert spoons in hot water with a teaspoon of honey , first thing in the morning, replacing my morning cuppa .

I figure that I haven't got anything to lose @ this point.
The anxiety is so daunting & the only thing that helped me , was logging in here & getting support & affirmation ..oh & a small dose of Zanax when absolutely needed... I did as I was advised & did whatever it took to get relief.
We are here for you Lundeliz , hang in there & remember that THE FEELINGS can't kill you ...lots of self talk .

[Lundeliz]

Thank you guys!  It helps more than you know.  Wagtail,  exactly what is the ac vinegar supposed

 

to do?  I know it's supposed to be good for you in general, so no it can't hurt. 

 

FN, your day sounds really nice.  I can't wait to be able to enjoy things again.  We have 77 degrees

 

today in south Texas.  We are in the midst of a drought ,though, that has gone on for a couple of

 

years.  I live in the country and we all have wells.  Our well went dry over a year ago, along with

 

all the neighbors wells. We are managing though by hauling water every day.   We could use some

 

rain, but the spring weather is beautiful, and we do have some wildflowers blooming. 

 

Thank you both so much for the responses and  encouraging words.

[Wagtail]

Lundaliz , I think it was Fivenotions that recommended the apple cider vinegar , so I decided to try it . I can't say if it's a coincidence or not , but I do feel better since I've been taking it ... Less s/e's & more energy .. I'm happy with that !..:-)

[Lundeliz]

Less s/es and more energy sounds very good, Wagtail!
I hope it continues to work for you.

[Lundeliz]

My sensitivity to meds continues.  As I've tapered off my beta blocker, my cardiologist prescribed

 

Benicar. I took one this afternoon, and now I'm in another world.  I have a bad pressure headache,

 

and I am so agitated. I have been pacing the floor for hours. I don't like to take benzos, but I gave

 

up and took .25 klonopin.  It hasn't helped much at all.  The nausea is also horrible. I don't think

 

there will be much sleep tonight. Everything I try is too stimulating to my nervous system. I don't

 

know what to do about my high blood pressure.  I've been reading and learned of lots of natural

 

things to lower blood pressure, but I don't know how to transition from the meds to all natural. I sure

 

don't want to risk having a stroke.  I also started on a low sodium diet. I'll try anything to lower the

 

bp naturally. I feel lost.  I don't know what to do. I can't live with my high blood pressure and living

 

with these meds is no life either.  Any words of wisdom or just encouragement would be appreciated.

[FiveNotions]

Benicar was the first bp my doc put me on...I had exactly your reaction...the jackass told me "no one has problems with this medication"...I said bullshit....he put me on something else...didn't work, I ended up in the ER thinking I was having a heart attack...they ER doc put me on metoprolol...worked like a charm....

I'm off to bed but will write more tomorrow...hang in there, call your doc first thing you can...

So god to hear from you! Please don't stay away from us, we miss you and care about you!

[Lundeliz]

Thank you FN. im still tapering off my beta blocker, Atenolol. Im having the same reaction to it. I took it at 2am. I popped awake at 6am feeling like i will explode. And so so nauseous. Im going to give my dr a call as soon as they open. im afraid not to take my meds. I sure dont want to have a stroke. You are very lucky you found a med that works. Was that before or after Cymbalta? Cymbalta withdrawal has made my nervous system so sensitive. Thank you for your kind response FN.

[Lundeliz]

delete

[FiveNotions]

Heart med dangers....imports from India...

http://www.nytimes.c...tw-nytimes&_r=2

[thismoment]

FN

 

Good article. Here's an exerpt from the piece:

 

"Brand-name companies not only initially hold patents on the active ingredient but also on the way a pill releases a drug. So even if the generic companies can match the ingredient once the patent expires, they must come up with their own methods for release of the drug into the body that do not infringe on a separate patent. They are usually successful, but not always."

 

Therefore, if you have the choice and you can afford it- choose the brand name.

[Lundeliz]

I'm back from my dr. visit.  I love my cardiologist. He said he sees someone every day that is having

 

a hard time with Cymbalta. Finally, a doctor who acknowledges our suffering.  My bp at the dr. was great,

 

my heart rate was great, and he said I could stop my meds if I stay on my low salt diet.  I haven't taken

 

any meds today, and I already feel better. Anxiety is way down, and nausea is starting to get better. I will

 

continue to taper off of my beta blocker.  And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the diet will keep my

 

my blood pressure in check.  I feel hope again.

[FiveNotions]

Lundeliz,that is awesome on all accounts!

I'm desperate to find a doc who acknowledges the huge issues with cymbalta...does your guy do phone consultations? (I'm only partially joking here....I really am to the point where I'm willing to travel a distance to see someone, or find someone who will speak with me by phone or even email.)

[Lundeliz]

Thank you, FN.  I really have no idea how much he knows about Cymbalta, but he does acknowledge

 

that people are having problems getting off it..  Whether he knows much or not, he's the first one who

 

acted like he believed me.  That was comforting. 

[thismoment]

FiveNotions

 

Start at the top.

 

Peter R. Breggin, MD
101 East State Street, #112 
Ithaca, New York 14850 
By Appointment Only 
Phone: 607 272 5328 
Fax: 607 272 5329

 

http://breggin.com/i...d=111&Itemid=75

[FiveNotions]

OMG, I've read his stuff, but never registered the possibility of contacting him...and he's located very near to where I grew up....it would make for a wonderful chance to go back for a visit to home, and to meet with him...any form of contact with him would be a saving grace....

Yes, this will be my first act of the day tomorrow!

TM, you are a Godsend!

[thismoment]

FN

 

I'm sensing Road Trip!

 

Maybe get the list of songs from the road trip in As Good As It Gets; start with Days Like This by Van Morrison- top down, sunny day, sunny smiles, adventure, that being-a-kid-again feeling, promise (but no guarantees)- this is what they mean by living in the moment. And in that ethereal mind-space everybody's said it once, "I can die now." 

[Lundeliz]

I haven't slept the last two nights, due to side effects of the atenolol. I'm still slowly tapering it, but

 

side effects haven't let up any. I dozed a little last night, but I could feel every breath I took get stuck

 

in my throat.  It makes my throat tighten up and I feel tensed up all over.  The nausea is also really

 

bad and makes me very anxious. I'm down to 6.25mg. I'm still scared to just stop taking it. I guess

 

I will just endure the side effects and taper down a little lower.  My bp has been good and Im continuing

 

the low salt diet.  I'm so hoping things will get much better when I'm off this med.

[FiveNotions]

Hi Lundeliz!

I don't know anything about atenolol.... is it something that you can slow down the taper on, like we often suggest with the Cymbalta? It sounds like it's a bitch to get off of! :-(

[Lundeliz]

Hi FN!  It's not the withdrawal that's killing me, it's the side effects of the med itself.  The taper itself I

 

guess is going ok.  If you taper too fast, it causes a rebound high blood pressure and heart rate. That's

 

why I've tried to go as slowly as possible.  I really should be able to finish the taper in the next couple

 

of weeks. Just wish the side effects would go away soon.

[fishinghat]

Lundeliz, from your previous entries I think you hit it right on the head. A couple more weeks and things should start clearing. Hang in there!!

[Lundeliz]

Thanks fishinghat.  I know I can make it a couple more weeks. The no sleep business makes it hard,

 

but I've made it this far. I'm down to 6.25mg. I can't believe that small amount  could have such an

 

effect.