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dizziness and severe IBS (loose stool) after tappering off AD
im trying to tapper off the AD(escitalaporam). But it is disturbing me very much. I feel every time head spinning, depression and my IBS problem is getting severe, hence extreme weakness. Stool is loose, foamy and mixed with mucus. It is not first time problem. I often face this problem in spring season every year. I get depressed and hence IBS is trigger out. My IBS is related with depression and anxiety. What should i do. After all i have to stop all the medicine including ADs. I want to get rid off every medicine. Please help what should i do.
ali
ali
I second Mr Liver's post. I went on ADs as a rescue drug from my first tx. After tx I had always intended to stop them when the time was right, but as it turned out I stayed on the lowest possible dose and found them very beneficial. In fact I felt more like 'myself' in years, hyad a vastly improved outlook and therefore QOL and with the support of my doctor I decided to stay on them. Best thing I ever did.
On my 2nd tx I found I had to up the dose, and post tx I definitely intend to drop back down to the minimum dose again over time however I have already decided to stay on that dose if needs be permanently. I truly believe I was born with a serotonin imbalance.
That being said, I am also hoping that if the Hep C was what was causing my depression and that once I am SVR I may be able to stop them. Only time will tell that and I wait with an open mind to see what will happen.
The one thing I do know is that there is no need to suffer unnecessarily in this life and if ADs are what I/you need to keep us on an even keel then so be it.
I would also like to mention that I have done EVERYTHING else that is recommended to deal with depression. Diet, excercise, counselling, therapy, meditation and so on. When it is caused by a chemical imbalance, it is exactly that, a chemical imbalance. Just like insulin for the diabetic and synthroid for the thyroid.
On my 2nd tx I found I had to up the dose, and post tx I definitely intend to drop back down to the minimum dose again over time however I have already decided to stay on that dose if needs be permanently. I truly believe I was born with a serotonin imbalance.
That being said, I am also hoping that if the Hep C was what was causing my depression and that once I am SVR I may be able to stop them. Only time will tell that and I wait with an open mind to see what will happen.
The one thing I do know is that there is no need to suffer unnecessarily in this life and if ADs are what I/you need to keep us on an even keel then so be it.
I would also like to mention that I have done EVERYTHING else that is recommended to deal with depression. Diet, excercise, counselling, therapy, meditation and so on. When it is caused by a chemical imbalance, it is exactly that, a chemical imbalance. Just like insulin for the diabetic and synthroid for the thyroid.
One of the more under-treated conditions of our time is depression. It's very possible that many who have a hard time ceasing to take ADs after tx is simply because they should have been on them all along. Once the benefit has been realized going to back to 'normal' may not be the option of choice for your brain. Listen to your brain, I always say.
ML
ML
Thank you very much all.
MB
Thank you MB. My IBS problem is since 1996. But in 2003 when i was infected by HCV this IBS problem was resolved itself dramatically. I remained constipated till 2006. In 2006 i had skin elergy and took some medicines to resolve skind allergy. Allergy was cured but My IBS problem came again. This time it was very worst and remained for 6 months unresolved. I tried all medicines and doc but in vain. After all a doc found the matter. He gave me amitriptiline HCL and this diarrhoea was cured. i was wondering. it was unbeliveable for me. So, first time i came to know that this was my brain-gut disfunction. Since then i get this problem annualy in spring season. i dont know what is this.
i dont want to remain on ADs for the rest of my life. I m ready to take this for more months and will tapper off this. The web address you mentioned is very help full .
once again thnk you very much
alijee
MB
Thank you MB. My IBS problem is since 1996. But in 2003 when i was infected by HCV this IBS problem was resolved itself dramatically. I remained constipated till 2006. In 2006 i had skin elergy and took some medicines to resolve skind allergy. Allergy was cured but My IBS problem came again. This time it was very worst and remained for 6 months unresolved. I tried all medicines and doc but in vain. After all a doc found the matter. He gave me amitriptiline HCL and this diarrhoea was cured. i was wondering. it was unbeliveable for me. So, first time i came to know that this was my brain-gut disfunction. Since then i get this problem annualy in spring season. i dont know what is this.
i dont want to remain on ADs for the rest of my life. I m ready to take this for more months and will tapper off this. The web address you mentioned is very help full .
once again thnk you very much
alijee
what about addressing the IBS itself. there is a medication that helps IBS and serotonin uptake, and is considered safe for the liver
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/43805.php
if you cannot get this, you need to go very slow getting off your AD....starting at about 6 months after tx....this wait is needful because the Riba is still in your body....
I know you had a lot of bowel issues at tx inception also, and think you may need to readdress this with your doctor. You may have something else going on with your bowels. Sometimes the chemo weakens our defenses and immune response so that we get sick from the same water we have always drank. Also the waters everywhere have certain microbes and parasites in them.....we tend to be immune to out local waters, but not always...not as chemo patients.
I would resume your normal dose of AD for another 2-4 months, then wean by 1/4 dose each month. Get a pill cutter and cut them into 1/4's and it will save you some dollars.
But talk to your doc about your IBS bowel things if it doesn't subdide soon, because you cannot remain nourished and well for long is you are having this ongoing and food will keep running through you without much being absorbed. You can become very weakened by this. And you have a duty to yourself to try to get to the bottom of what is causing it.
If you are drinking any coffee or strong tea you need to wean yourself off of these products as they really make IBS a lot worse.
If it were me, I would boil my water for drinking purposes, and try to eat some yogurt each day to try and reestablish normal flora in the cilli of the intestines, AND talk to my doctor.
mb
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/43805.php
if you cannot get this, you need to go very slow getting off your AD....starting at about 6 months after tx....this wait is needful because the Riba is still in your body....
I know you had a lot of bowel issues at tx inception also, and think you may need to readdress this with your doctor. You may have something else going on with your bowels. Sometimes the chemo weakens our defenses and immune response so that we get sick from the same water we have always drank. Also the waters everywhere have certain microbes and parasites in them.....we tend to be immune to out local waters, but not always...not as chemo patients.
I would resume your normal dose of AD for another 2-4 months, then wean by 1/4 dose each month. Get a pill cutter and cut them into 1/4's and it will save you some dollars.
But talk to your doc about your IBS bowel things if it doesn't subdide soon, because you cannot remain nourished and well for long is you are having this ongoing and food will keep running through you without much being absorbed. You can become very weakened by this. And you have a duty to yourself to try to get to the bottom of what is causing it.
If you are drinking any coffee or strong tea you need to wean yourself off of these products as they really make IBS a lot worse.
If it were me, I would boil my water for drinking purposes, and try to eat some yogurt each day to try and reestablish normal flora in the cilli of the intestines, AND talk to my doctor.
mb
Amantadine is an antiviral sometimes used for the flu. It was tried in a couple trials with IFN but never proved to be useful.
When you decide to taper off the AD, take it real slow (as much as two months) and expect some possible discomfort in the process. Ask your doctor if he sees any value in switching you to a cheaper SSRI like fluoxetine (generic Prozac) that might be easier to withdraw from. Good Luck.
When you decide to taper off the AD, take it real slow (as much as two months) and expect some possible discomfort in the process. Ask your doctor if he sees any value in switching you to a cheaper SSRI like fluoxetine (generic Prozac) that might be easier to withdraw from. Good Luck.
Ladybug52 is 100% correct. As per the manufacturer of PK Merz , this medicine is used for parkinson disease. However, some doc assume that it enhances the working or Interferone like Riba do. we all know that Riba was also discovered for some other disease other than Liver ( may be it was pnuemonia) but it was found helpful for Interferone as well. From the doc from which i got second opinion, also suggested this for me. But the question is why to take it after EOT. your doc is the best person to answer this.
Here's what I discovered when I googled amantadine sulphate:
In 1969 the drug was also discovered by accident to help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease and drug-induced extrapyramidal syndromes.
Amantadine has also been shown to relieve SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.
Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are the various movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia suffered as a result of taking dopamine antagonists, usually antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drugs, which are often used to control psychosis, especially schizophrenia. Other antidopaminergic drugs like the antiemetic metoclopramide or the tricyclic antidepressant amoxapine can also cause extrapyramidal side effects.
I'm not an expert, but from what I've read, this drug has no effect on liver recovery, perhaps he thinks it will help your withdrawal side effects from stopping your antidepressant,
Just a personal note, I've been on antidepressants for about 8 years and have tried unsuccessfully to get off them, many times. I really thought I had accomplished this by slowing tapering off from Dec to Feb, but my behavior and mood fluctuations were driving me and my family crazy. I was very dizzy,managed to get through that, but the depression, sadness and crying spells made me feel desperate. It's not worth the fight, to me, to get off Celexa.
Good luck, what ever you do.
In 1969 the drug was also discovered by accident to help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease and drug-induced extrapyramidal syndromes.
Amantadine has also been shown to relieve SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.
Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are the various movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia suffered as a result of taking dopamine antagonists, usually antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drugs, which are often used to control psychosis, especially schizophrenia. Other antidopaminergic drugs like the antiemetic metoclopramide or the tricyclic antidepressant amoxapine can also cause extrapyramidal side effects.
I'm not an expert, but from what I've read, this drug has no effect on liver recovery, perhaps he thinks it will help your withdrawal side effects from stopping your antidepressant,
Just a personal note, I've been on antidepressants for about 8 years and have tried unsuccessfully to get off them, many times. I really thought I had accomplished this by slowing tapering off from Dec to Feb, but my behavior and mood fluctuations were driving me and my family crazy. I was very dizzy,managed to get through that, but the depression, sadness and crying spells made me feel desperate. It's not worth the fight, to me, to get off Celexa.
Good luck, what ever you do.
My doc has advised to take PK Merze (Amantadine sulphate) for 6 months after EOT. Is it necessary to take it or not? Has this any role in SVR or liver recover????????/
Maybe it is too early to taper off the AD's. It takes a while for the body to get rid of the tx meds and the serotonin levels to become normal again. My doctor advised me to start tapering around one month after finishing tx, but many have been advised to even wait for 3 to 6 months after tx..
Don't be too obsessed about getting off the AD's so fast... give it some time.
Good luck my friend
Don't be too obsessed about getting off the AD's so fast... give it some time.
Good luck my friend
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