Hi, I'm new here sadly and still reading the entire thread.
I took venlafaxine (EFFEXOR)for 3 years, 225mg/day with a 4 month taper down period at the end.
I never had T until it emerged on about the 5th day that I was cutting them back. I remember is started suddenly overnight and the T still exists today some 3.5 years later. IE 6.5 years after starting the venlafaxine treatment ( 7khz/50db fairly stable, possibly slightly louder when tired ~self diagnosed)
Interestingly I also suffered from Headzaps/brainzaps whilst withdrawing from venlafaxine and these were slightly exacerbated by vestibular loading (or shifting the eyeballs slightly), ( this also happened if I missed a dose of venlafaxine) .I also suffer bruxism ( grinding of teeth) although this came about as soon as I started to take Venlafaxine, I also had restless legs and other excess nervous energy issues but it did not emerge as a result of withdrawing.
-In most cases I've read about Bruxism disappears upon cessation of the venlafaxine, mine still exists today.
-The tinnitus still exists today
-and I also get one or two infrequent head zaps when dozing off to sleep. ( Hot milk, DHEA and melatonin(3mg) tablets make this more prevalent)
So one would think that since all 3 are at least partly related to seratonin levels or fluctuations in those levels that the answer would be close at hand. My depression/anger /anxiety/irritability is sporadic and ( I believe) caused by low or fluctuating seratonin levels. Lately they have been worse and my head zaps and tinitus are more prevalent, my sleep tracker app has also been picking up lots of body 2hertz body movement when sleeping which indicates a sort of restless legs syndrome which is seratonin related but ......
Restless leg syndrome (RLS: akathisia) has been associated with nocturnal bruxism as they both are linked with imbalances in the neurotransmitter dopamine.* Whereas RLS affects the legs often due to low dopamine bruxism affects the jaw often from high dopamine levels.
http://www.drgangemi.com/2013/02/bruxism/
So I have low and high dopamine levels and low seratonin arrrgh !
As a footnote I was only put on these ssri's because I had broken up with my partner, in reality if the doctor had given me a cup of tea and a pep talk rather than a drug with relatively unknown long term side effects I might be able to hear silence and have a normal life. I had to diagnose my own headzaps back to the vestibular system after the local hospital and 2 psych's told me in 2012 it was NOT related to venlafaxine. Anyway, as a result of what I can only call naivety and unprofessionalism on behalf of the medical profession and drug companies I now think people should be very careful with SSRI's unless they are literally considering putting a rope around their neck.
I'm still learning but thinking that modifying the serotonin levels with 5htp might be the answer. I'm not in favour of experimenting with my brain chemistry but since others have for profit ( cough) it might be what's required to put things right again. All feedback appreciated.
I took venlafaxine (EFFEXOR)for 3 years, 225mg/day with a 4 month taper down period at the end.
I never had T until it emerged on about the 5th day that I was cutting them back. I remember is started suddenly overnight and the T still exists today some 3.5 years later. IE 6.5 years after starting the venlafaxine treatment ( 7khz/50db fairly stable, possibly slightly louder when tired ~self diagnosed)
Interestingly I also suffered from Headzaps/brainzaps whilst withdrawing from venlafaxine and these were slightly exacerbated by vestibular loading (or shifting the eyeballs slightly), ( this also happened if I missed a dose of venlafaxine) .I also suffer bruxism ( grinding of teeth) although this came about as soon as I started to take Venlafaxine, I also had restless legs and other excess nervous energy issues but it did not emerge as a result of withdrawing.
-In most cases I've read about Bruxism disappears upon cessation of the venlafaxine, mine still exists today.
-The tinnitus still exists today
-and I also get one or two infrequent head zaps when dozing off to sleep. ( Hot milk, DHEA and melatonin(3mg) tablets make this more prevalent)
So one would think that since all 3 are at least partly related to seratonin levels or fluctuations in those levels that the answer would be close at hand. My depression/anger /anxiety/irritability is sporadic and ( I believe) caused by low or fluctuating seratonin levels. Lately they have been worse and my head zaps and tinitus are more prevalent, my sleep tracker app has also been picking up lots of body 2hertz body movement when sleeping which indicates a sort of restless legs syndrome which is seratonin related but ......
Restless leg syndrome (RLS: akathisia) has been associated with nocturnal bruxism as they both are linked with imbalances in the neurotransmitter dopamine.* Whereas RLS affects the legs often due to low dopamine bruxism affects the jaw often from high dopamine levels.
http://www.drgangemi.com/2013/02/bruxism/
So I have low and high dopamine levels and low seratonin arrrgh !
As a footnote I was only put on these ssri's because I had broken up with my partner, in reality if the doctor had given me a cup of tea and a pep talk rather than a drug with relatively unknown long term side effects I might be able to hear silence and have a normal life. I had to diagnose my own headzaps back to the vestibular system after the local hospital and 2 psych's told me in 2012 it was NOT related to venlafaxine. Anyway, as a result of what I can only call naivety and unprofessionalism on behalf of the medical profession and drug companies I now think people should be very careful with SSRI's unless they are literally considering putting a rope around their neck.
I'm still learning but thinking that modifying the serotonin levels with 5htp might be the answer. I'm not in favour of experimenting with my brain chemistry but since others have for profit ( cough) it might be what's required to put things right again. All feedback appreciated.
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), job (in needed!
), physical exercise, excellent nutrition, going back to basics, meditation, distraction, the power of the mind etc. etc.... and I'm not saying it is/was easy, because I truly hit rock bottom, but for me, medication took away my ability to make the changes that would eventually start leading towards (hopefully) long-term recovery. I know that in our industrialised world, saying these types of things are often brushed off (and not economically profitable!).. but going back to nature, back to basics, back to nurturing your body and mind, is the way to go in my eyes.
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