Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction?

runtime89 · 03-10-2009, 02:46 AM

Has anyone found that they seemed to be much more sensitive to SSRIs after stopping and restarting them? I've stopped and restarted Prozac three times over the past five years, and the last time (April 200

, on a half-dose, I seemed to suddenly be very sensitive to it. Unlike the previous reintroductions, I felt much more "drugged" than before, and began twitching all over. I read about one case of this phenomenon in The New York Times article "Prozac Backlash", and I'm wondering if it's at all common.

Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know what it means?

Thanks.

lov4k9s · 03-10-2009, 11:11 AM

I beieve the term is referred to as "kindling". There was a thread about this that was recently bumped which you can find here:

http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/...ad.php?t=15540

I had been off of Prozac for a year when I tried it again and BAM!.....horrid adverse reaction and protracted recovery. I'm not sure if the adverse reaction was due to kindling after being off the drug for a year (with no w/d symptoms) or if my body just rejected the drug this last go around.

lov

Betsy · 03-10-2009, 11:23 AM

MANY people find the exact same thing happening to them as you have.

It means SSRIs are not a beneficial as the Pharma Company and docs have falsely believed and told everyone. It means that finding non-med alternatives to depression and anxiety are far better than what the repercussions of SSRIs can be.

I just wish I knew then what I know now. But I can only keep going forward.
Betsy

leo79 · 03-10-2009, 12:15 PM

Yes, it's to do with the kindling effect. 5HT receptors get sensitised and so then when the drug is introduced they go nuts because they can't deal with it and you get an adverse reaction as the brain tries to compensate in whatever way it can. Very few doctors are aware of this or even seem to understand the brain properly unfortunately, although I guess they do realise that for panic disorder patients, they need to be started on a low dose. In some cases you can ride out the kindling and stabilise but a lot of the time it is just damage that you have to recover from.

runtime89 · 03-10-2009, 04:57 PM

I think perhaps this effect should be made more apparent on this site. I think in my own case, I probably made my situation worse by going up to a half-dose of Prozac after my CT. If I had known about this effect, I probably wouldn't have gone back on the Prozac, or would have stopped the Prozac again while I had the chance, and not figured that the muscle jerking and inability to think I experienced were the result of withdrawal.

leo79 · 03-10-2009, 06:42 PM

Yes, I had severe reactions to both SSRIs I tried which I never stabilised from and have not yet recovered from.

Squidgy · 03-10-2009, 09:23 PM

I agree with you Runtime, maybe a sticky can be made of the kindling reaction thread?

jerry7719 · 03-10-2009, 11:01 PM

i think a sticky would be a good idea. It may save people from setbacks and longer recoveries

alivehope · 03-11-2009, 06:09 AM

I was sensitive to SSRIs except the last time and I think the reason was too much stress.

Sparrow84 · 10-26-2009, 07:23 PM

Just researching old threads and found this one, and thought I'd add some validation. Yeah, the first time I was on Prozac years ago in high school, it didn't make me feel out of it. After three months off, I went back on when I got to college and felt more out of it, and maybe a little anxious at the same time. I went off again and tried to go back on and felt even more out of it and more anxious. I stayed on it after that even though I felt really out of it because the other AD's I'd tried didn't work so well, and honestly I thought that one day it would work the same as it had in the past, but finally I could not take feeling out of it and tried the Lexapro which got me where I am now. I think as Lov said, it's known as the kindling affect.

Bina2008 · 10-26-2009, 11:24 PM

I can just tell you I'm going through hell of reinstating... I never was so sensitive to Paxil...It used to help me right away. Now I feel like my body is rejecting it. The problem is I'm suffering from both withdrawal and reinstatement!
God help me!

Junior · 10-27-2009, 02:35 AM

I reinstated Paxil 40mg after having switched from Paxil to Lexapro in March, then from Lexapro to Cymbalta in July. Worst thing/s I've ever done.
I can totally relate to the feeling of being 'out of it', the anhedonia and the insomnia. Ugghhh.

Bina2008 · 10-27-2009, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junior

I reinstated Paxil 40mg after having switched from Paxil to Lexapro in March, then from Lexapro to Cymbalta in July. Worst thing/s I've ever done.
I can totally relate to the feeling of being 'out of it', the anhedonia and the insomnia. Ugghhh.

Are you doing any better now, Junior??

Junior · 10-28-2009, 11:50 PM

HI Bina

Thanks for asking. I have good days and bad days. But then, I've had a lot of adjusting to do in recent months as there has been a lot of change in my life. My autistic son finished school last year and is now at a day placement, we moved house 7 months ago (after over 21 yrs in the same place), I finished uni (at the ripe old age of 46 lol) last yr and recently started a part time job in the mental health field. Phew!

Some nights I sleep well, some nights I really struggle. I find that even when I am 'cognitively' calm, my nervous system reacts badly to stress and that's when I have trouble sleeping. The Paxil isn't working as well as it used to but at least I'm functioning now.

I was supposed to see my psychiatrist this morning but he wasn't there! I hope he is ok. He's about to retire and has been running a part-time practice from his home for many years. He's both a shrink AND a psychologist and he helped me immensely when I was trying to come to terms with the failure of IVF some 10 years ago.

Umm.. does my rambling answer your question?

Junior

03-10-2009, 02:46 AM	#1
runtime89 Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 287	Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? Has anyone found that they seemed to be much more sensitive to SSRIs after stopping and restarting them? I've stopped and restarted Prozac three times over the past five years, and the last time (April 200, on a half-dose, I seemed to suddenly be very sensitive to it. Unlike the previous reintroductions, I felt much more "drugged" than before, and began twitching all over. I read about one case of this phenomenon in The New York Times article "Prozac Backlash", and I'm wondering if it's at all common. Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know what it means? Thanks. __________________ Prozac Hell: (month.[day.]year) 01.04: 10mg for depression over lost friends at age 14 03.04: 20mg (2 CT attempts) 12.01.07: 10mg Late 02.08: 5mg, feeling better than in years Late 03.08: 0mg, huge crash 04.12.08: 5mg 04.25.08: 10mg 08.19.08: 9mg (several drops) 03.06.09: 6mg 04.06.09: 5.5mg 05.03.09: 5mg 07.05.09: 4.75mg Late 07.09: 4.25mg ~200mg magnesium for sensitive hearing, B-100 and 25mg iron for rapid hair loss, fish oil for chronic idiocy.

03-10-2009, 11:11 AM	#2
lov4k9s Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: US Posts: 402	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? I beieve the term is referred to as "kindling". There was a thread about this that was recently bumped which you can find here: http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/...ad.php?t=15540 I had been off of Prozac for a year when I tried it again and BAM!.....horrid adverse reaction and protracted recovery. I'm not sure if the adverse reaction was due to kindling after being off the drug for a year (with no w/d symptoms) or if my body just rejected the drug this last go around. lov __________________ FULLY RECOVERED from SEVERE adverse reaction to Prozac rx'd after a miscarriage. CT May 07 after 2 months of sheer hell on the drug. The nightmare subsided in month 14 & back to my old self in month 18. Resolved: Acid Reflux Agoraphobia Akathasia ANHEDONIA ANXIETY Appetite BRAIN FOG Crying Jags DEPRESSION Depersonalization Insomnia Memory Migraines Suicide Ideation Many Others (no room to list) NOTE: I have NO prior history of depression or anxiety.

03-10-2009, 11:23 AM	#3
Betsy Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,832	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? MANY people find the exact same thing happening to them as you have. It means SSRIs are not a beneficial as the Pharma Company and docs have falsely believed and told everyone. It means that finding non-med alternatives to depression and anxiety are far better than what the repercussions of SSRIs can be. I just wish I knew then what I know now. But I can only keep going forward. Betsy __________________ Started at 30mgs 1997 1999 - 2004 tapered 25 to 12.5 Nov'05 10 mgs. Dec'05 tried liquid/BIG mess for me Jan'06 up to 15 mg. Mar'06 - Mar'07 15 mg to 10 mgs in tiny tapers every 6+ weeks Mar 07 - Mar 08 10 mgs to 7.5 tiny tapers w/digital scale Sep 08 - 7mgs April 09 - approx 6.25 mgs "SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE" ~ The Tortoise

03-10-2009, 12:15 PM	#4
leo79 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sheffield, UK Posts: 1,388	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? Yes, it's to do with the kindling effect. 5HT receptors get sensitised and so then when the drug is introduced they go nuts because they can't deal with it and you get an adverse reaction as the brain tries to compensate in whatever way it can. Very few doctors are aware of this or even seem to understand the brain properly unfortunately, although I guess they do realise that for panic disorder patients, they need to be started on a low dose. In some cases you can ride out the kindling and stabilise but a lot of the time it is just damage that you have to recover from. __________________ Poisoned by SSRIs.

03-10-2009, 04:57 PM	#5
runtime89 Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 287	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? I think perhaps this effect should be made more apparent on this site. I think in my own case, I probably made my situation worse by going up to a half-dose of Prozac after my CT. If I had known about this effect, I probably wouldn't have gone back on the Prozac, or would have stopped the Prozac again while I had the chance, and not figured that the muscle jerking and inability to think I experienced were the result of withdrawal. __________________ Prozac Hell: (month.[day.]year) 01.04: 10mg for depression over lost friends at age 14 03.04: 20mg (2 CT attempts) 12.01.07: 10mg Late 02.08: 5mg, feeling better than in years Late 03.08: 0mg, huge crash 04.12.08: 5mg 04.25.08: 10mg 08.19.08: 9mg (several drops) 03.06.09: 6mg 04.06.09: 5.5mg 05.03.09: 5mg 07.05.09: 4.75mg Late 07.09: 4.25mg ~200mg magnesium for sensitive hearing, B-100 and 25mg iron for rapid hair loss, fish oil for chronic idiocy.

03-10-2009, 06:42 PM	#6
leo79 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sheffield, UK Posts: 1,388	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? Yes, I had severe reactions to both SSRIs I tried which I never stabilised from and have not yet recovered from. __________________ Poisoned by SSRIs.

03-10-2009, 09:23 PM	#7
Squidgy Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 528	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? I agree with you Runtime, maybe a sticky can be made of the kindling reaction thread? __________________ It is better to be brave early.-Dion Henderson 1998?-2002 various SSRIs 2002-2004? Celexa, c/t'd off, started acupuncture, felt fine. 2006 Several kindling reactions to Celexa which I restarted for situational problems, followed by c/t and then a reaction to Zyprexa. Akathisia, severe dissociation, etc... Put on Propranolol, Valium and Ativan for akathisia. May 2009-On 5mg Propranolol, and Valium, and tapering the latter. (Also took short courses of other drugs during these reactions.)

03-10-2009, 11:01 PM	#8
jerry7719 Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 85	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? i think a sticky would be a good idea. It may save people from setbacks and longer recoveries

03-11-2009, 06:09 AM	#9
alivehope Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 351	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? I was sensitive to SSRIs except the last time and I think the reason was too much stress. __________________ Paxil For S.A Prozac on withdrawal " felt worse " Paxil-free since 11/7/08 " CT a low dose " 4 years of being on and off Paxil ( 2004-2008 ) Presistent Withdrawal Symptoms OCD ANHEDONIA BRAIN FOG Caffeine sensitivity " induces Insomnia and anxiety " Supplements sensitivity Fatique Muscle tiffness " unability to relax " Apathy

10-26-2009, 07:23 PM	#10
Sparrow84 Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 97	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? Just researching old threads and found this one, and thought I'd add some validation. Yeah, the first time I was on Prozac years ago in high school, it didn't make me feel out of it. After three months off, I went back on when I got to college and felt more out of it, and maybe a little anxious at the same time. I went off again and tried to go back on and felt even more out of it and more anxious. I stayed on it after that even though I felt really out of it because the other AD's I'd tried didn't work so well, and honestly I thought that one day it would work the same as it had in the past, but finally I could not take feeling out of it and tried the Lexapro which got me where I am now. I think as Lov said, it's known as the kindling affect. __________________ Ritalin since age 6. Various AD's since 2000, mostly Prozac. MARCH 09: Adverse reaction to Lexapro (Prozac was probably still in system at the time I took it) resulting in worsened depression / anxiety. JULY 09: Seroquel 25 mg. Tried to reinstate Prozac 10 mg along with Klonopin .5 mg. Severe adverse reaction after two weeks. No choice but to CT. NOW: Drug free. SEVERE ANHEDONIA, anxiety, brain fog, inability to concentrate, impaired short term memory, trouble sleeping.

10-26-2009, 11:24 PM	#11
Bina2008 Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 95	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? I can just tell you I'm going through hell of reinstating... I never was so sensitive to Paxil...It used to help me right away. Now I feel like my body is rejecting it. The problem is I'm suffering from both withdrawal and reinstatement! God help me! __________________ GAD/depression: 2004-05 Celexa10mg for 6months. 2005-2006. depression came back. tried several ADs. 2006 started Paxil-helped a lot 2006-2008 up to 30mg- poop out...CT-unsuccessful 2008 instead of tapering my doc gave me Cipralex(Lexapro)!! The worst SSRI ever. Several w/d problems. Jan09 back on Paxil 20 April 2009- weight gain issues- went down to 10mg. Bad idea: anxiety stayed for 3months July2009-Sept09 5mg-very depressed.Quit Paxil.

10-27-2009, 02:35 AM	#12
Junior Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 137	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? I reinstated Paxil 40mg after having switched from Paxil to Lexapro in March, then from Lexapro to Cymbalta in July. Worst thing/s I've ever done. I can totally relate to the feeling of being 'out of it', the anhedonia and the insomnia. Ugghhh. __________________ *Sufferer of Major Depressive Disorder (5 episodes in the past) and GAD* --------------------------------------------------- Started Aropax (Paxil) July 97 - 20mg Stopped March 98 Recommenced Aropax - 20mg @June 98 varying from 20-40mg until March 09 Lexapro - 10mg March 09 Increased to 20mg March 09 Down to 10mg July 09 Off 1 week later - July 09 Cymbalta - 60mg - 22 July 09 C/t from Cymbalta - 10 August 09 Recommenced Aropax (Paxil) - 20mg 3 Sept 09 Increased to 40 mg 23 Sept 09

10-28-2009, 11:50 PM	#14
Junior Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 137	Re: Anyone get more sensitive to SSRIs upon reintroduction? HI Bina Thanks for asking. I have good days and bad days. But then, I've had a lot of adjusting to do in recent months as there has been a lot of change in my life. My autistic son finished school last year and is now at a day placement, we moved house 7 months ago (after over 21 yrs in the same place), I finished uni (at the ripe old age of 46 lol) last yr and recently started a part time job in the mental health field. Phew! Some nights I sleep well, some nights I really struggle. I find that even when I am 'cognitively' calm, my nervous system reacts badly to stress and that's when I have trouble sleeping. The Paxil isn't working as well as it used to but at least I'm functioning now. I was supposed to see my psychiatrist this morning but he wasn't there! I hope he is ok. He's about to retire and has been running a part-time practice from his home for many years. He's both a shrink AND a psychologist and he helped me immensely when I was trying to come to terms with the failure of IVF some 10 years ago. Umm.. does my rambling answer your question? Junior __________________ *Sufferer of Major Depressive Disorder (5 episodes in the past) and GAD* --------------------------------------------------- Started Aropax (Paxil) July 97 - 20mg Stopped March 98 Recommenced Aropax - 20mg @June 98 varying from 20-40mg until March 09 Lexapro - 10mg March 09 Increased to 20mg March 09 Down to 10mg July 09 Off 1 week later - July 09 Cymbalta - 60mg - 22 July 09 C/t from Cymbalta - 10 August 09 Recommenced Aropax (Paxil) - 20mg 3 Sept 09 Increased to 40 mg 23 Sept 09

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