Posted by ben on December 30, 2001, at 9:34:26
In reply to Re: help PLEASE !!! (long) » ben, posted by nightlight on December 27, 2001, at 8:40:09
Hi nightlight
many thanks for your long writing
I feel half dead at the moment and dont know its the withdrawal ?!ben
> Ben~
> U've gotten some good suggestions, already. Definitely look into the Prozac transition solution.
> About the muscle aches-Have u been previously diagnosed w/fibro? I have (altho I am not sure the diagnosis is correct) and I know that when I have had to take higher than usual doses of opiates for longish periods (a month or so). After stopping, even gradually, I wd. often have terrible muscle aches, stiffness, lethargy and depression intensification/rebound as I stopped the opiate. I know I have disc herniations & myofascial pain syndrome & maybe fibro, too, altho I don't fit all the diagnostic criteria. I know I have spinal & musculature imbalances which cause easy muscle strain, plus any sort of ongoing anxiety/tension makes my muscles, esp. in upper torso, neck, and head tighten up, causing a cascade of muscle spasms and pain.(I also get these 'pain flares' that pop up from seemingly 'nowhere', but I believe mental/emotional/physical overexertion & anxiety are the usual culprits, not to mention on-going deression!).
> The ONLY way I can treat these 'flares' is by taking low dose darvocet, a good muscle relaxer (Soma for me), .5 to 1 mg. klonopin am & pm, drink lots of water, rest(preferably sleep)for an hr. or 2, 2-3 x's a day, use my heating pad, 20" at a time, one at shoulder level, one on lower back. I often experience a severe worsening of depression during these periods. The trick is, don't stay in bed around the clock. It exacerbates pain & stiffness from fibro and MPS. Take deep, warm epsom salts baths that you can sink down into so's to cover your neck and shoulder muscles. (If your tub size doesn't allow submersion, saturate a towel in the warm water and wrap your neck, shoulders and chest, so that as much of your body as possible is covered.) Don't let the water be scalding, (altho that sometimes does feel good on aching muscles) b/c you do not want to overheat your system, induce fever, or cause any undue stress on your cardio-vascular system. (I ADORE hot water and have b/c overheated more than once--avoid--. But you can take a quick shower with a brisk *very* warm stream hitting ur tension/sore points, then cool the water slightly, slowly to lukewarm, or even coolish (this is subtly energizing, revs circulation, very necessary to alleviate muscle aches) and get out quickly. Don't allow yourself to get COLD when leaving hydrotherapy or the muscle tension can rebound quickly.
> Obviously, u have LOTS of anxiety, plus physical symptoms that are making you even more tense and worried. You do sound like you are experiencing 'discontinuation' probs, and certainly, u're past experiences w/other A-D's proves that u are sensitive to this. And, people with fibro are highly sensitized to pain, tension, nausea, and easily overstimulated by external & internal stimuli.
>
> I say, talk to ur doc/docs, seriously, and let him/her know just how miserable you are. Treat your physical symptoms with relaxation (be sure to include gentle stretching of all major muscle groups daily-do u know yoga, or any of the simple deep-breathing exercises, that deep, slow breathing is fantastic for anxiety) and absolutely, medication to treat the anxiety/tension & pain which is so problematic during this transition period or during any period in which you may experience a 'fibro flare'.
>
> Who do you see for med'l treatment/psychiatric treatment? It may take more than one doc to treat your symptoms, but whatever med regimen y'all employ, must work synergistically (or at least not FIGHT each other).
>
> I am sure you must be troubled as to what A-D to try next. What is your med regimen at this time (for all ailments) and what is the future plan for your treatment? It always helps me if I know there is something else to be considered, experimented with, when my many treatments have backfired or failed.
>
> I cannot comment on the 'brain zaps', but I read they are typical of discontinuation illness, and the Prozac shd. help with that.
>
> And, for those painful, tiring muscle aches, I use 'Icy Hot', one of those warming/cooling ointments, when I know I won't be able to take to the sofa and my heating pads. It's no panacea, but it can help. However, do not use it immediately after a hot bath/shower or in combo with a heating pad, as you and your skin may spontaneously combust! It now comes in a roll-on, like an antiperspirant, and it might help to roll it onto the achy areas of your limbs. Be sure to get all that stuff off your hands before touching anything, 'specially yr. face. They also make patches now, but I can only use them below torso level, as the fumes can be noxious and make my head hurt. They are great if u have a particular place that needs intense treatment. I use it on my lumbar area, usually overnite, and only occasionally, when the aching is very bad, and keeping me awake. You might cut a lg. patch in half and use it on both thighs or both calves at night.
>
> Do address the dizziness, as it can be dangerous, as well as unsettling. Sit up slowly, stabilize, rise slowly form bed (or chair), stabilize, then move! My dizzy spells also strike when I am sitting still and simply turn my head. Very annoying. Ask ur doc about Antivert, an anti-vertigo/nausea med. I take it very intermittently, and usually, it only takes 1/8-1/4 of recommended daily dose to help my head 'clear up'. I also use low-dose propanolol daily, to help prevent vascular (migraine-type) headaches, and it's a beta-blocker & a decent anxiolitic as well.
>
> Everything I take comes in generic, except the Effexor that I began 2 days ago (!), and Adderall. As I have been dx'd w/adult ADD, and also suffer from atypical depressive symptoms (severe fatigue, perpetual sleepiness) the Adderall is worth every penny. Just hope it continues doing it's job! It needs some boosting however, so I just stopped Zoloft cold (no probs-done it before) & I am testing Effexor XR, even tho I know , it too, poses discontinuation risks, but, all other A-D's have failed me miserably, and I'd rather risk the med consequences, than continue the 'half-living', isolation and psychological suffering of my past 2 decades.
>
> This illness has been like a 'cold war' that I did not officially declare until recently. Now, I shall be pro-active and hawkish in my approach to my mental state. It's very difficult, and I sympathize deeply with your present pain/confusion. GET HELP NOW. Be a hawk! These physical symptoms can be treated, whether they are 'withdrawal' or something else. Feel better physically, first, address the anxiety (it can wreak havoc on your body, esp'ly heart) and then tackle the depression. How can you expect to battle the depression when your physical state is so cruelly compromised?
>
> Sorry so long, Ben. Please let me know how things proceed. Feel better soon, and remember to take good care of yourself, you deserve it!
>
> sincerely~nightlight
>
>
>
> I feel dizzy, strange zaps in the head and agitated, depressed again. Now I am on 4 mg Paxil (read above) and tappered very slowly. How long does this continue ? I have to go off Paxil of different probs (liver, weight gain bruxism...) instead it helped my depression a lot. ... better than Celexa and Zoloft, Surmontil, Edronax...
> > Is it relapse or withdrawal ?! I want to get rid off Paxil and not a reintroduction aof this drug but it seems I have to pay to come of it.
> > I had similar probs coming off Celexa (nausea, dizziness, depressed feelings, agitation...). I hadnt probs with coming of Effexor or Surmontil....it seeems that the SSRIs are nastier to come of than tricyclic ADs but docs allways negotiate this. How can I overcome this crazy feelings ? I took a tinny dose (0.125 mg) of Klonopin at night and increased my Lorazepam to 1 mg/d.
> > What about muscle aches as withdrawal symptomes ?
poster:ben
thread:87834
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/88221.html