Anybody damaged by antipsychotics and SSRIs?

[ihateantipsychotics]

Pretty much like the title. I'm seriously disabled by antipsychotics and SSRIs and benzos, and it's the reason I need to CTB ASAP. Will 2 bottles of N work on me giving my medication history?
Medications taken: Olanzapine, Lithium, Lorazepam, Quetiapine, Alprazolam

My symptoms:
Cognitive ability and logical ability are severely impaired
Severe memory impairment. Short-term and long-term memory are severely affected.
Blurred thinking
Unable to execute simple tasks
Speech disorder
Reading Comprehension Difficulty
Loss of computing power
Impaired directional function,
severely weakened vision, taste, smell, touch and hearing.
Insensitive to external temperature. Skin numbness. Insensitive to physical stimulation. Insensitive to external reactions.
Loss of emotion, depersonalization, disappearance of sense of time
Endocrine disorders: polycystic ovary, high male hormones, no period, increased body hair, enlarged pores, hair loss, acne
Insomnia, doesn't feel hungry
Tardive Dyskinesia/Drug-induced Parkinson's: Stiff face and body, unable to make facial expressions, limb incoordination, slow movement, muscle weakness, tingling and tremor in hands and feet, stiff shoulders and neck, tongue shaking, tongue inflexibility, difficulty swallowing, oral and facial pain, difficulty breathing

 

[chocolatebar]

After taking olanzapine for several months, I got some spasms. The doctor swears it's not from the medication, but it started just after taking it. I also think my cognitive ability isn't the same anymore, but it's something hard to comprove.

 

[ihateantipsychotics]

After taking olanzapine for several months, I got some spasms. The doctor swears it's not from the medication, but it started just after taking it. I also think my cognitive ability isn't the same anymore, but it's something hard to comprove.

I was prescribed Olanzapine for a month at first, I wish I just tapered off that slowly and I wouldn't be as damaged as now. The doctor ended up prescribing more and more different medications and they fucked me up even more...That's when I realized I was misdiagnosed as bipolar..

 

[imaloserbaby]

I'm really sorry to hear that. Those are some tough symptoms. I've had a couple of them temporarily and that was horrible enough, I can't imagine living with that all the time I've failed 25 but the only long term damage was severe constant tinnitus from Wellbutrin. Which, typically, the doctor said would go away as soon as I stopped the medicine. 2 years later it's only gotten worse and I can't be out in public, can't sleep, can't even really hold an in person conversation sometimes because the tinnitus is sometimes louder than some peoples' voices. Lost my home, job, most of my family and friends. Obviously I was severely depressed before all that but now it's taken away any future hope too. It's the reason I will CTB if I ever get the courage.

I wish doctors realized that while these meds CAN help some people (I've seen it) the risks/side effects/withdrawal symptoms are severely downplayed to the point I'm surprised it's even legal to just prescribe a drug and not mention any of the risks (cause then we wouldn't take them). And then if you Google the med and show the doc how many people had issues, it's "I have a medical degree, you can't trust what you find on Google." Except for the most part, yes, I absolutely can because YOU won't tell me the truth.

 

[PeacePlease]

I used to take cymbalta and had a lot of those symptoms it was hell. I had to tapper slowly to stop otherwise I would go into withdrawal. I still haven't recovered fully I have severe anhedonia and Im not the same person I used to be something is not right.
If you are still on them and woul like to get off them there is great forum called surviving antidepressants.org

it helped me understand how antidepressants were damaging me and how to tapper and be able to stop taking them.

 

[Flippy]

I'm sorry you are suffering so much :-( It's like those meds through the book of side effects at you, hard!

I definitely can relate to some of the things you listed and they are horrible to deal with on their own.

Have you been offered any help to combat these symptoms? Or has your doc gone for the usual excuse that it's "psychosomatic"?

In my case, my issues seemed to get a damn site worse when I went back on SSRIs again against my better judgement. 2010 "me" would have been so disappointed and shocked. It got much worse when I was switched to a different kind of SSRI. My usual reaction to these meds is a rapid boost in mood, almost euphoric at times. Then over a few weeks or at most, months my mood gets gradually worse along with heart stopping anxiety. It usually culminates in an episode of extremely distressing depression, suicidal ideation and anxious mood.

My mood stabilizer (quetiapine) seems to be causing some weird stuff too. I've posted about this before so I won't go into detail but it can become extremely painful at night and prevents sleep.

I've developed really bad dizzy spells that have caused me to become confused and I can hear loud pulsing/rushing of blood in my head. I'm not sure if this has been caused by the SSRI or the Quetiapine, or a combination of the two as well as a couple of other meds they had me on to "control" the side effects.

I don't know why I agreed to take SSRIs again, it was a stupid choice when experience had taught me to NEVER trust them again. Thankfully my mood is a lot more stable now I ditched the SSRIs but I'm far from where I used to be 3-4 years ago.

Psych meds it seems can be a great help sometimes, other times they can really make a bad situation far worse :-(

 

[reasonablylost]

Possible permanent sexual disfunction for me.

 

[ihateantipsychotics]

bump

 

[Pure]

Was on sertraline for 3 years. Getting off was absolutely hell, and that's after not taking it everyday and using thc to lessen the symptoms.

 

[Grumpy Bear]

I'm now incontinent because of the antipsychotic Clozapine. Many more problems from being put on various medications at a young age but I'll go into that on a day that I'm feeling less lazy.

 

[PaxAmerica]

Was on sertraline for 3 years. Getting off was absolutely hell, and that's after not taking it everyday and using thc to lessen the symptoms.

I have been on sertraline for 3 weeks and its really helped. But the one day i delyed taking it i had crazy tennitus and my anxiety went through roof. So i am fearful of day i have to come off it. Thanx for the warning.

 

[Pharmaruined]

Ya.. dht blockers for hair loss.. I have alot of those symptoms..

Ive spent 10 years working on them..got most resolved . But my sexual dysfunction lingers on.. I know about numbness . And it sucks bad..

I'd be willing to bet the damage has caused alot of low level infections from various bugs..it's not the kind where u feel like u have the flu..
we all have bugs but they really thrive when there's a weakness caused by some sort of damage..its like an open invitation to cause havoc

I was able to resolve most by strengthening my gut with resistant starch, lots of Epsom salt baths to open up detox pathways, liver supplements , again for detox.. immune boosting herbs, and candida protocols, good diet , raw foods, healthy meats and mineral balancing, oh and brain boosting supps..they do help.. ps100, citicholine, dopamine advantage, acetyl carnitine..

.. it's a process. And on any given day I feel like just stopping and ordering N.. especially on the really really low libido days .that happens a day or two after an orgasm.. which are even difficult to achieve without crashing hard.

 

[Alwaysbadtime]

No, but Effexor was a really long and painful detox/coming off of. My brain hurts from unhappiness. Meds haven't really affected me except for Effexor a long while back.

 

[LittleJem]

My friend has long-term, loud and horrendous tinnitus from meds. I'm on Day 8 of Prozac. I have more energy, but waking up in night. Can't sleep without Valium.

 

[kovkay]

I took a monthly injection of Invega Sustenna for two years. Had loss of period, weight gain, speech/ memory issues, anhedonia, blah blah blah. Told the psych and he was basically like "suck it up buttercup" Wild stuff. I just stopped showing up to appointments and now after a year of stopping, I can say that I'm doing pretty well. I just watch myself closely to avoid falling into psychosis.

 

[Pharmaruined]

My friend has long-term, loud and horrendous tinnitus from meds. I'm on Day 8 of Prozac. I have more energy, but waking up in night. Can't sleep without Valium.

That's a dangerous road you're on, taking one drug to counter the sides of another.

Try ashwagandha to help relax..

there's also an herb supplement called herbsom
It works really well for sleep.. no sides.

https://www.hepapro.com/

U have to call them as they don't offer it online anymore.. they basically distribute for Dr Zhang .. he's a great Chinese Dr, acupuncturist

 

[Stopthepain]

I have simimal symptoms.. u can send me a PM

 

[LittleJem]

That's a dangerous road you're on, taking one drug to counter the sides of another.

Try ashwagandha to help relax..

there's also an herb supplement called herbsom
It works really well for sleep.. no sides.

https://www.hepapro.com/

U have to call them as they don't offer it online anymore.. they basically distribute for Dr Zhang .. he's a great Chinese Dr, acupuncturist

Thank you. I have Ashwag it just doesn't help me. I wish it did! It's worth trying for anyone else.

I try not to take V every night. Or every day - wish I could though! Love hte stuff.

 

[Dystopia]

Sertraline gave me a permanent tension headache and I barely used it.

Withdrawing from Mirtazapine cold turkey gave me visual snow, although i think this developed while taking it. Although this is irrelevant to your question as it's not an SSRI

 

[Pharmaruined]

Thank you. I have Ashwag it just doesn't help me. I wish it did! It's worth trying for anyone else.

I try not to take V every night. Or every day - wish I could though! Love hte stuff.

I've tried alot of ashwag that hasn't done chit.. I think there's alot of fake or weak ones.. India organics is the best I've ever used

Try that herbsom.. or Dr chi makes a sleep pill called relaxin. That works too.. no hangover..

Yea, I know what u mean by the V at least you're doing it in moderation..

 

[Stopthepain]

Please check your PMs ihateantipsychotics.

 

[ihateantipsychotics]

Please check your PMs ihateantipsychotics.

Responded!

 

[Stopthepain]

Responded!

Uuh i cant find the Responds or even the Massage i sent you.. am i dumb?xD

 

[Fadeawaaaay]

I've been taking anti-depressants for about 30 years. At first they were able to miraculously lift me out of a five-year clinical depression. But I think they have numbed me out. I don't think science or medicine has a clear idea of what the long-term effects are. I would not be surprised if they cause significant brain damage. In any case my life is a catastrophe at this point and probably unsalvageable. Which is why I'm here. Antidepressants felt like one more attempt to keep in the boat afloat but there were leaks everywhere coming back decades and now the boat is sinking.

 

[HeckingHecked]

I used to take cymbalta and had a lot of those symptoms it was hell. I had to tapper slowly to stop otherwise I would go into withdrawal. I still haven't recovered fully I have severe anhedonia and Im not the same person I used to be something is not right.
If you are still on them and woul like to get off them there is great forum called surviving antidepressants.org

it helped me understand how antidepressants were damaging me and how to tapper and be able to stop taking them.

This was me with Lithium

 

[Beeper]

I've been taking Quetiapine and Olanzapine after a manic episode. I feel as tough these meds have pushed me further into depression. My doctor wants to add Fluoxetine (SSRI) to combat the depression. I am not in agreement with this approach.

I agree that the long-term effects of these medications are not well understood.

Most of the psychiatrists I have spoken with over the years tend to overmedicate, and they typically follow a general script for whatever disorder they think you have.

Unfortunately, the patient really needs to be an advocate for themself and help steer the psychiatrist to make suitable medication choices.

Depression is often perceived to be from low serotonin. However, there is some research that points towards low dopamine being the cause for depression.