Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on July 27, 2009, at 10:43:19
In reply to Long Term SSRI Use Has Destabilzed Me, posted by NewQuestions on January 16, 2009, at 10:28:30
> I have posted my story before. I continue to post it for those who may be able to help me but didn't see my earlier posts.
>
> My story: I started to suffer depression, anxiety and OCD at age 18. I would ruminate over prior failures and get severely depressed. I did not experience any manias. I did not seek help until I was 26, when I dropped out of law school due to stress, at which point I started taking zoloft. I was on 200 mg of zoloft for 8 years, which helped a lot and had only the typical (mild) side effects. Then, after 8 years, I started to notice a major change. I became lethargic, had less muscle energy, mentally foggy and lazy, heaviness, had non-restful sleep, more withdrawn, and my physical appearance/grooming grew worse. The zoloft was still "working" but the side effects became overwhelming. So, I tried other SSRI's and they also had devastating side effects. Lexapro gave me SE's similar to zoloft. Prozac (very small dose) was great for the first 4 weeks (smarter, more cognitive energy), but then made me incredibly depressed. The other anti-depressants also had bad SEs. Remeron made me feel better, smarter, more cognitive energy, relieved inner-tension but it made me incredibly tired during the day (I tried it again later and it gave me a numbing depression.) Cymbalta and Buspar made me too anxious. One small dose of Wellbutrin drove me crazy. I tried a very small dose of Effexor and it helped with the depression, but increased anxiety (jitteriness) and internal
> restlessness. All the benzos give me a numbing depression, except Ativan. SAM-e helped with the depression, but affected my concentration and made me jittery. Stablon did not do anything.
> Lamictal, which helped a little, had serious memory/cognitive effects. I tried Parnate and experienced every side effect in the book.
> Recently, I tried a very small dose of inositol and then 5-HTP (less than 10 mg) and they made me more depressed within a few days. (Interestingly, the 5-HTP greatly improved my hair and skin, making it retain oils. Without it, my hair and skin are dry, presumably a side effect of long term SSRI use.)
>
> My doctor has no idea what happened, except that I have become severely hypersensitive to all drugs. I am even hypersensitve to other things like inositol and 5-HTP. The smallest of doses affect me. We discussed that I may be bipolar II but
> it does not sound right. I do not suffer any type of mania, elevated moods, elevated productivity or anything like that. I also did not experience much relief on Lamictal or fish oil, and the SSRI's did work, at least for a while. I have gotten full blood tests (testosterone, thyroid, etc.). My most recent test revealed:
>
> 1. ALT and AST are way above normal. They were high years ago, then went back to normal range and now are above normal.
>
> 2. Folate is way above normal (22.83). I am not sure why, because I don't eat green leafy vegables much. My diet consists of cereral, sushi and cookies. I drink one diet coke and one cup of coffee a day. I drink a lot of seltzer because of the dry mouth. B12 is at the higher end of the range.
>
> 3. My HDL is too low and Triglcerides are too high. This has been an ongoing problem. My carbohydrate obsession is probably the cause.
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> NOTE: I took this blood test while on Parnate, which may explain some of the abnormal results.
>
> I recently tried a small amount of magnesium citrate. I noticed an immediate improvement in concentration and muscle ache. However, it "may" be making me more depressed and more confused.
>
> Right now, I am off all drugs. The only thing I take is Ativan (1 mg) which I have taken for about a year and a half. (It doesn't really work anymore but I feel like crap if I don't take it.) I am depressed and irritable and anxious and have cognitive and memory problems. Other problems include muscle ache, apathy, confusion, poor memory, poor attention and the reduced ability to learn. My hair is dry and brittle and I look pale. The cognitive decline really concerns me.
>
> WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?Serotonin reuptake inhibition can result in
Low melatonin as serotonin won't be metabolised into melatonin. The result of this will be insomnia and high cortisol.
High serotonin will result in low dopamine. Low dopamine will cause high prolactin and low testosterone causing hypogoandism.
Low melatonin, low dopamine, low testosterone can excessive high cortisol, high adrenalin, akathsia resulting in insulin resistance and/or adrenal fatigue.
Low dopamine itself will cause low motivation, sexdrive, contration, apahy, focus, parkinsonism and much more.
SSRI's can cause low growth hormone negatively affecting all hormones, LH, FSH, Thyroid, testosterone, adrenal hormones. Young people in puberty given SSRI's will often not grow because of growth hormone defiency.
SSRI's can lower thyroid hormone production and efficiency directly and indirectly through high cortisol, low testosterone and low growth hormone.
Hormone defiency in thyroid, testostserone and growth hormone can all cause depression and other mental problems.
The SSRI's may have tipped the balance in wrong direction when it comes to hormones.
poster:Alexanderfromdenmark
thread:874312
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090721/msgs/908811.html