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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tool on April 24, 2002, at 18:23:04
I wrote some time ago about problems with coming off dexedrine and effexor and having problems with "brain shivers" and extreme fatigue. Well, it's now been a couple weeks since I stopped these medications. For about 3 days, I had those withdrawal symptoms, but they went away. Now, about 8 days ago, I went out for a good time and took some percocets (4 5/325mg pills, actually), which I had done many times before without problems. I started to feel sick at my stomach, and that continued through the next day, and also I noticed that the brain shivers came back. Two days after that night, my nausea was gone, but the brain shivers were still slightly there. This is where the story gets kinda bad. That night, I took a small quantity of mushrooms (about 1.7 grams of dried Psilocybe Cubensis, for all you mycophiles out there). I proceeded to have a bad trip, which sucks but is usually not very problematic. Well, the day after that, I was severely nauseated and those damnable brain shivers were intense and frequent. Every day after that, they got worse and worse. It's gotten to the point where if I even move my eyes, it feels like a taser attached to my brain going off for a half-second or so. I've got an appointment with an ENT doctor to see if it's some crazy inner ear infection or something, but I think it's odd that these things happened concurrent to my drug use, illicit or otherwise. I guess my question is has anyone had problems with brain shivers becoming more intense with time after stopping effexor, and has anyone had similar experiences with opioids or hallucinogens? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.
Posted by katekite on April 24, 2002, at 21:12:25
In reply to Vertigo problems...opioids, SSRIs a factor?, posted by Tool on April 24, 2002, at 18:23:04
If you only stopped effexor a few weeks ago your brain will not have really completely readjusted, so most likely the brain shivers were just waiting for a reason to come back. Delicate balance its trying to re-establish. Honestly I would stay away from everything for a good few months, at least! Some people have gotten shiver withdrawal things for months, so better to be safe about it. I shouldn't even say that, I'm sure you don't need to be told that now. Sorry.
Even if it is sub-clinical withdrawal made obvious, definitely have it checked out. Probably can get a anti-vertigo drug to make you feel better (with a nice side effect of some mild relaxation properties).
If it stays bad, and isn't relieved by anti-vertigo type drugs and doc rules out all except withdrawal you could talk to them about whether it would be ok to take a dose of effexor just to make it go back to being sub-clinical. I've heard some say that helped them get through withdrawal more gradually.
kate
Posted by Tool on April 24, 2002, at 21:19:42
In reply to Re: Vertigo problems...opioids, SSRIs a factor?, posted by katekite on April 24, 2002, at 21:12:25
Thanks for the reply. I guess I left an important detail out of my post - I was only on 37.5 mg of effexor xr per day for less than three weeks. That's such a pathetically low dose, and for such a short period of time. Oh well, I guess I'm just hyper-sensitive to that damnable medication, and hallucinogens certainly didn't help, heh. I'll take your good advice and lay off everything (except the antivert the doc gave me, which does nothing for me, leading me to believe that it is indeed withdrawal and not a real infection) for a few weeks after these symptoms disappear, however long that may be. Thanks again for your input.
> If you only stopped effexor a few weeks ago your brain will not have really completely readjusted, so most likely the brain shivers were just waiting for a reason to come back. Delicate balance its trying to re-establish. Honestly I would stay away from everything for a good few months, at least! Some people have gotten shiver withdrawal things for months, so better to be safe about it. I shouldn't even say that, I'm sure you don't need to be told that now. Sorry.
>
> Even if it is sub-clinical withdrawal made obvious, definitely have it checked out. Probably can get a anti-vertigo drug to make you feel better (with a nice side effect of some mild relaxation properties).
>
> If it stays bad, and isn't relieved by anti-vertigo type drugs and doc rules out all except withdrawal you could talk to them about whether it would be ok to take a dose of effexor just to make it go back to being sub-clinical. I've heard some say that helped them get through withdrawal more gradually.
>
> kate
Posted by christophrejmc on April 25, 2002, at 0:19:52
In reply to Re: Vertigo problems...opioids, SSRIs a factor?, posted by Tool on April 24, 2002, at 21:19:42
> I'll take your good advice and lay off everything (except the antivert the doc gave me, which does nothing for me, leading me to believe that it is indeed withdrawal and not a real infection)
Antivert (meclizine) is just an antihistamine, so I wouldn't necessarily rule out infection...
Years ago, I experienced vertigo that lasted several weeks which, in retrospect, may have been due to Paxil withdrawl (but it did go away, eventually, on its own).
I've never taken mushrooms, but I have experienced similar symptoms from a "bad" LSD trip that lasted for a month or so.
Good luck,
Chris
Posted by Marie416 on April 25, 2002, at 13:11:47
In reply to Vertigo problems...opioids, SSRIs a factor?, posted by Tool on April 24, 2002, at 18:23:04
Reading your message bothers me beyond belief. People who have any kind of emotional/mental illness try their hardest to live a normal healthy life and for me to hear someone who has been or is on medication to be tampering with percosets and mind altering substances really saddens me. Your first priority should be to take care of your body. That is what the body is saying with depression and you abuse it with chemicals you know are not good. I would not waste your time complaining about vertigo and work on the problems you truly have re: staying away from harmful substances. Be good to yourself!
Posted by christophrejmc on April 26, 2002, at 1:52:00
In reply to Re: Vertigo problems...opioids, SSRIs a factor?, posted by Marie416 on April 25, 2002, at 13:11:47
What's the difference between using "mind altering" prescription drugs and using "mind altering" street drugs? I'm sure I'd risk far more to get a few hours away from this constant mental anguish.
What exactly is a "normal healthy life," and why would anyone want one?
> Your first priority should be to take care of your body.
Personally, my first priority ATM is to stay alive. Period. If that requires smoking a few pounds of crack... so be it.
> I would not waste your time complaining about vertigo and work on the problems you truly have re: staying away from harmful substances.
I can't speak for Tool, but I find this statement quite offensive.
=Christophre
Posted by Tool on April 26, 2002, at 15:04:16
In reply to Re: drug use » Marie416, posted by christophrejmc on April 26, 2002, at 1:52:00
> > I would not waste your time complaining about vertigo and work on the problems you truly have re: staying away from harmful substances.
>
> I can't speak for Tool, but I find this statement quite offensive.
>I did too.
This is the end of the thread.
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