Catmamou's Journal

[Luc]

This is Catmamou's first post on the forum. Catmamou, I also answered you in the "Hi there! 16 years of antidepressants and other medication..." thread. Soon, more people will join the discussion. Take care!

"catmamou
hello,
my mane is Catherine . I'm live in France. I know this forum thanks to Cosette .
I took PROZAC during 14 years !!!! and I have develloped AKATISIE . It's terrible !!!!! with my doctor , I have sttoped on 2 weeks . I suffer from withdrawal four months ago.
actually my psychiatrist gave me some medicines for akathisie ( miansérine ) and anxiolytic( temesta or loprezolam ) to calm down my symptoms.
sometimes I have good days and sometimes days without .
some people medecins wanted to hospitalize me in psychiatry because they did not understand what I had .
this weaning and this medicament ( prozac for me ) terribly make suffer . I cannot work any more at the moment , I'm a nanny.
I look on this site of persons who have reussi to take out there ( thans to cosette ) and also advice to continue to like of blow and to live !!
I have a formidable husband and 3 wonderful children who help me a lot.
I look forward to your messages.
Good luck to all.
I hope see you soon.
Catherine
Excuse me for my very bad english !!!
Thanks for all your messages"

[Luc]

Hey, Catmamou. You also wrote;

"I set of the prozac during 14 years and I have developpe the akathisie. with my medecin I have arrete the medicament over 2 weeks!
I suffer for 3 months from the syndrome of weaning. It is terrible. I have the akathisie, a lot of of dizzinesses, shocks electriques in my haed and the impressionthat my body is very heavy and sometimes i can't walk. ths physycals symptomes are terribles . sometimes I have " windows" on I 'm well , it's wondeful and sometimes I have terribles "waves" on I go more badly. "

Those waves are often very typical of withdrawal - the improving and then worsening of the symptoms. Ok, so the tapering was 2 weeks long - it was far far too quick then. Your brain and nervous system need much much more to adapt to the non-drug situation. Akathisia, dizziness, electric shocks are withdrawal - these are the most common symptoms of it. What was the reason they put you on drugs 14 years ago? Soon more folks will join this thread.

[catmamou]

hello Luc,
Thanks for your answer .
I took prozac because I was sometimes bad , my father is dead when i had 12 years , so I was very bad and when I had my childrens I remembered my father and the first doctor gave me Prozac without thinking to anything else. I stopped prozac because I developped akathisie so I stopped it on 2 weeks . I suffer for a long time . the weaning is very difficult.
and you , what is your experience ? have you got any advice for this weaning ?
thanks for your answer and your Kindness.
see you soon
Catherine

[catmamou]

I stopped prozac on 2 weeks because I developped akathisie of prozac . I have make one allergy for the prozac ( akathisie ) so I stopped very brutally with my doctor .
now I suufer of weaning + akayhisie !!!!!! it's very very difficult.
thanks for your message
see you soon
catherine






hello Luc,
Thanks for your answer .
I took prozac because I was sometimes bad , my father is dead when i had 12 years , so I was very bad and when I had my childrens I remembered my father and the first doctor gave me Prozac without thinking to anything else. I stopped prozac because I developped akathisie so I stopped it on 2 weeks . I suffer for a long time . the weaning is very difficult.
and you , what is your experience ? have you got any advice for this weaning ?
thanks for your answer and your Kindness.
see you soon
Catherine

[Cosette123]

Hi Catherine! Welcome on the forum!I am very happy to see you have joined us.You have found here a convivial, understanding and friendly place.

[Sheila]

Welcome, Catherine! I am sorry you are feeling so bad. We will try to help.

Is this correct? –

Prozac during 14 years
tapered Prozac during 2 weeks
took last Prozac 4 months ago

Now taking Mianserine (a tetrapsyclic we do not appear to have in the US)
Now taking Temesta (Ativan)
Now taking Loprezalam (Xanax)

When did you start these three drugs? Do you take them regularly?

You are very lucky to have Cosette as a friend. She is a very kind person and she knows a lot about antidepressant withdrawal. I am very glad to hear you have a supportive family situation. Akathisia is a very difficult symptom, but there are many things we can help you try to improve it. And it will end!

[stan]

hello Catmamou,

welcome here, as Sheila asked, we need the answers and then we will be able to understand what advice to give you;
you have tapered 14 years prozac in two weeks; prozac, over 14 years, has made many changes in your brain and body,
people have to taper slowly over one to two years; for doctors in three weeks we are off the meds and all is ok; but
for many people it does not work so, they suffer months and months;
doctors deny withdrawal and often do not recognize akathisia and say it is your anxiety and want drug you more;

[catmamou]

hello Sheila and Stan,
thank you very much for your message . you are so nice all .Hanging a few years I also set of the tranxéne and the noctran to sleep but I stopped these 2 quite slowly and carefree ( I do not take it any more).
I took prozac during 14 years and I stopped it on 2 weeks , so very very Quickly . I took the last one on March 8th
now I take MIANSERINE for akathisie and ATIVAN ( 3 de 2,5mg ) To support(bear) symptomes . I know the " windows " and the waves !! it's very difficult .
It is the weaning of the prozac that makes me suffer .

so now MIANSERINE 30 mg + ativan 7,5 mg
I have stop the prozac on March 8th . The psychiatrist said to me that that could another last 3 months !!!!!!!! I know that it will be more!!!

I hope to have repondu in your questions .
and you ? what is your experience ?
have you got any advice ?
thanks for your Friendship.
I wait for your messages and thank you still
have a good day
Catherine

[stan]

for what i understand,
you had one heavy problem, the prozac withdrawal problem,
now you have three heavy problems: prozac (antidepressant), miansérine(antidepressant), ativan(benzodiazepine)
experience shows that we cannot cover withdrawal from one antidepressant(prozac) by another (miansérine tricyclic)
if it will not work, the doctor will add antipsychotique(neuroleptique and/or double dose) and tell you, your anxiety aggravate or you are bipolar III,
so i avoid doctors most i can as many people, doctors know nothing about this stuff and are in deny their meds can hurt acute
my experience is : there exist nothing against akathisia to heal, only time waiting, any psy meds and it will diminish, but it needs often several weeks if not more...;
there exist heart medication (propranolol) or benzo (ativan...) but they do not heal your akathisia, they diminish symptoms but slow your healing because being psys meds, and akathisia is from these meds, so you heal nothing and aggravate your state

[Sheila]

I am not sure what to advise. This is a complex situation and it is not obvious what is best. But we will continue to think with you and try to discover what is best.

I think we should all think and ask questions and put out ideas until we help Catherine arrive at the best plan.

Catherine –

When did you stop the Tranxene and the Noctran? The Tranxene is an anticonvulsant – you were taking that for sleep also?

When did you start the Mianserien and the Ativan?

Generally, it is preferable not to take any new medications. They slow down the healing from the Prozac.

However, safety is always the priority. If your akathisia is making you unsafe then it may be necessary to take new medications.

If you can tolerate the akathisia, it might be better to taper off the Mianserine and the Ativan, and use non-medication methods to manage the akathisia and other symptoms.

I am not certain. Let us continue to discuss options.