Stress&Pain&No Meds. Please Read.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-24-2003
Stress&Pain&No Meds. Please Read.
6
Sat, 12-11-2004 - 1:56pm

Hi, I hope not to trigger anyone, but here's my story. I need your thoughts and input.

In Summer 03, I was in a horrible car collision with my husband. I never seemed to get over that. However, I was on anti-anxiety meds, and anti-depressants, at the time. It was hard, but I went on.

Then in Jan '04, I went to a new psychiatrist that told me I had been on a bad anti-depressant for too long, and time to take me off cold turkey. The med was Effexor XR.
So I suffered for about a month going into horrible withdrawl. Nothing was put in it's place. I did feel better for a while, and not so much in a "fog", because I was taking a very large dose of it for a very long time. But a couple months later things just got worse.

The smallest things upset me to the point I had IBS. And cried all day and all night. I stopped eating. I was also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I could somewhat take care of myself, but not my home. It was so hard just to clean a small area. "What was the point?"

Then in May, my husband was let go from his job, and we had no money. I began having kidney stones, but we couldn't do anything for them because we had no insurance. The pain was excruciating. So, I couldn't do anything or leave the house for 5 months. Then finally in September, my husband found a job, and in October I had surgery to remove the stone which turned into a horrible infection. But I am better now. 2 weeks ago we just moved to be closer to husband's job. I am still in a familiar area, so that's not stressful. Then I find out my mother has been hospitalized (Intensive Care Unit)for an unknown virus she had picked up on a cruise, when visiting some islands. She's still not doing well. And I am going through all my pain of IBS, IC (cystitis of bladder), and I just want to sleep. When I wake up I actually start crying, because I have to face life, and I don't want to.

I've been through so much, and part of me thinks that if I was on an antidepressant right now, that the small things could be handled. I realize though, when someone goes through so much trauma in a small time, an antidepressant isn't the only answer. But ever since that psychiatrist (whom I do not see anymore) took me off my anti-depressant...life got worse and so much harder to deal with. I am not the same person. I do not want to get out of bed, it is impossible for me too. I need a small lift to get me going. To make me feel it will be okay to start unpacking and make this place home. And I do believe she (the psych)damaged me by taking me off cold turkey, because I have pains somewhere in my body all the time.(fibro?) I still think I feel my kidney hurting, when there is nothing wrong with it. I believe my head is sending pain signals to parts of my body because it is so overwhelmed.

What do you think? I'm Christian, yet don't have a church home. I'm praying, but don't feel that God hears me. I need some spiritual guidance now as well.

Please reply with anything! I desperately need some opinions. Thank you all. ((HUGS))
JENNIFER
email me through my profile, by clicking on my username, if you'd like :) I'd be happy to get email :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-01-2004
Sat, 12-11-2004 - 6:50pm

((Jennifer))) Welcome to the board. You have had a long hard road that has taken you here.

I am upset that a doc would recommmendcoming off effexor cold turkey. That is insane and border's on malpractice. Effexor is the worst to go off, it did not even help me and the withdrawal was horrible. My sympathies to you for having to deal with that. I am glad you are done with that.

I am sorry for your other medical problems, I know the struggles of dealing with chronic pain.

You are here now, we are a supportive bunch. So many people have dealt with the same issues you have.

Post to others who have similar issues. It does sometimes help. We are here for you.

Sending hugs and good thoughts your way.
Take care,
Lisa-)
Co-CL Depression Support

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-04-2004
Sat, 12-11-2004 - 6:51pm

Hi Jennifer -


I just don't understand why docs still take people off meds cold turkey. There just isn't any need to go through withdrawal anymore. Even if you are on the lowest dose of a long acting med, you could either go every other day for a while, or switch to the short acting form and continue weaning. I was weaned from my Remeron at what my doc thought was a reasonable pace, but even then, after two weeks (when it should have been out of my system) I started having withdrawal symptoms. So he put me back on

peace and love,

just_a_big_kid

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-04-2004
Sat, 12-11-2004 - 6:53pm
Hey josie, great minds think alike (LOL) - we both came up with the same response re withdrawing meds at the same time!

peace and love,


just_a_big_kid


Sue

peace and love,

just_a_big_kid

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-01-2004
Sat, 12-11-2004 - 6:58pm
Sue, it's me Lisa...we are the one's in eachother's head. Hugs, Lisa-)
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-20-2003
Sun, 12-12-2004 - 12:23am

u poor thing
u've been thru a lot
can u possibly see an internist
or another psychiatrist?
either one can prescribe an anti-
depressant for u.

i agree w u that another antidepressant could help u thru these
rough days

good luck

kitties

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sun, 12-12-2004 - 1:07am

Jennifer, I agree with what everyone else has said. I was on Effexor for several years, and withdrawal was bad even though I did it slowly...I can't imagine going off cold turkey.

It was really interesting to hear your experience because it sounds really similar to mine in some ways. Several months after I went off Effexor, I also developed a lot of physical problems, including severe pain that was eventually diagnosed as fibromyalgia, as well as IBS.

It took a long time to figure it out, but finally I made the connection between going off the antidepressant and the start of my symptoms. I'm not sure that one necessarily caused the other, but I think it's possible that somehow my body needs that extra serotonin from the meds to function normally. After going back on antidepressants (different ones this time), my physical pain has mostly disappeared, and my other symptoms are much better as well (including my depression, although I have to admit I've had some extremely down times lately anyway).

Sorry to all the regulars on this board who have heard various versions of this story over and over again! I just wanted to mention it because when I was having all these problems, I had very little hope of ever getting better...also because in my experience, going back on an antidepressant helped more than I'd expected.

So Jennifer, I'd agree that talking to a doctor about maybe trying meds again could be a good idea. I'm sorry for all you've been through...I can definitely relate...and I hope that you will find some support and hope.

Hugs,

Rose