Need help with protracted withdrawal - Biscotaki

[Luc]

I nave been suffering these couple of days with overwhelming fatigue

This fatigue is often described as "Paxil flu" or "SSRIs flu", Biscotaki, and it's a very very common WD symptom. It's not real flu, it's just your nervous system, your entite body being in chaos. You need some time before it will start improving, but it will start improving. It always does. How long the symptoms will last all depends on many different factors, one's body's physiological abilities including. Some take more time to heal, some less. There's every reason to believe you'll be experiencing the so called "windows" = the time when the symptoms get a bit better, which will offer you some respite from this suffering. Step by step. Again, the symptoms you're experiencing is WD. They are bizarre and extremelly painful, but they will be getting better.

[Sheila]

Sending you healing energy today, bisco!

[biscotaki]

Thank you Sheila, You are so sweet ..:)
Well it was a sleepless night.
my head was acting up, giving me dizzy and uneasiness ..
Also my heart was pounding, and my stomach hurting ..Anxiety I think ..:(
But why was activity in my head, in the middle of the night?
This morning the symptoms continue ..I can not walk steadily ..
Sheila, I have been looking at the Lexapro for two days ..My stomach turns and I become physically ill ..
It is my nemesis I feel ..:(
I hope I can still stay here, if I decide against reinstating it ..
Wishing you a sunshiny day...xx

[biscotaki]

Dear Luc, thank you ..I am always touched and come to a good place mentally, with you reassuring me, and helping me to understand the source of my distress and fears ..Yours, is a lovely spirit ..:)
I wish you wellness and peacefulness always ..biscotaki

[Luc]

Dear Biscotaki, we will be supporting you whatever decision you make. :)) Please, absolutely do NOT feel any pressure about anything. Trust your intuition - that's really important. We are here to help you and give you advice so you can have as complete picture of the situation as only possible. Hang in there bravely. The head, the dizziness, the stomach pains and symptoms, it's all WD. Your body is simply dysregulated and it needs time to heal. Please, have a look at these two pages on our main website - they describe it all in more detail;

http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...nsequences.php
http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info/en/lifeafter.php

[RubyTuesday]

I took a lesser amount of Ativan, after coming off Prozac on a quick taper after 9 years, and I experienced all the
symptoms you are describing. Of all the self-care I have tried, regular acupuncture for drug detox has helped me the most. if that is not available, and in supplement if it is: mindfulness meditation (at the same time every day even for 5 minutes) and exercise. p.s. some other forms of meditation are not as helpful; and I still have trouble getting enough exercise as I am still in w/d; agorophobia has arisen. I used to take 3 or more intermediate ballet classes a week (I am 55) but have not been able to make it to the studio more than once every couple of months for a couple of years now. But what does help is just to sit outside in a quiet place and do deep breathing.

[biscotaki]

Oooh, my problems are relentless ..My nervous system is acting up with tingles and tiny tremors beneath my skin ..
My body is telling me that I cannot breathe, and oh, this is a tough one. ..I know I can breathe, as I can type and talk. ..My chest is constricted, my heart is pounding, my stomach is in pain ..
I also feel totally nauseated ..:(
My head is relentless with heaviness, and dizziness ..:(
Am in SAD shape ..
I do not know if it is my imagination, but it seems that my symptoms got worse, after I took the Ativan ..
Thank you for reading this. ..It you can come to my rescue please do ..Bis

[stan]

shortness of breath, chest tightness as i walk and had to stop and wait 2 minutes before walking 10 or 20 steps, i had it during years, since several months it is practically gone, always with the waves pattern
stomach, dizziness etc all is much better today, the problem was it lasted long time for me

[biscotaki]

Sheila, please tell me ...Were all people that reinstated successful? Were there any complications?
I am suffering today ..this is relentless .. The doctor while writing the script for the Lexapro said that this could go bad ..
I did not want yo know what he meant, so I did not ask him what he meant ..
My head Sheila. ..It is in such bad shape today ..So dizzy, I cannot see straight ..and heavy, tingly and numb ...when I try to turn it gets worst dizzy.
What to do? What you think? Would I be safe taking the Lexapro?
I am sorry, I think I am repeating ..Biscotaki
Ps.I also noticed that all symptoms got worse after each Ativan dose ..:(

[Sheila]

We will 100% support you if you decide not to RI the Lexapro. I’m glad you asked.

It is definitely an option to ride out this w/d, and keep going up steadily on the Omega-3, which will give you the bricks to rebuild your house.

Reinstatement does not work for everyone and it made some people worse. But, I can't think of anyone who was *already* as bad off as you are who got *even* worse, if you see what I mean?

Look, it's beginning to seem to me like you really, really, really don't want to go up on the Lexapro, and that you would rather tough this out. That is **totally** OK with me. What I am doing is going up to a mega-dose of Omega-3. Now, I am in a very different place than you are, but if I were you, that's also what I would do.

You might be having a psychological anxiety reaction to the Ativan now. You hate it and are afraid of it. Again, you can begin to taper it if you want to. We will also support you on that, but our experience with many people suggests it’s probably not a good idea. Remember, you never had an adverse reaction to the Ativan, but you did to all the ADs. On the other hand, your intuition might be right that you would feel better if you started to tape -- slowly!

Really, no one know the answer to these questions. Largely because no organized research has been done, and also because everyone is and always will be different. The best you can do is collect all the info you can, think, deduce, *and* use your intuition / gut. Also, have you tried asking for guidance from any spiritual force or being you relate to?