Possible side effects from anti depressants?

MistressPandora

I was on anti-depressants for about 9 months and went decided enough was enough and I stopped taking them. I went throught the usual side effects that normally happens when you go cold turkey, the dizziness, the nausea, the feeling that I was getting electric shocks from everything due to the fact that my nerve endings were coming back to life etc etc etc.
But even now, 7/8 months after I've stopped taking them, I keep getting random, brief stabbing pains in my body. Like I said, it's completely random and the pain only last for a few seconds. A friend of mine, who used to also be on anti-depressants, mentioned to me last night that he also gets the same pains.
Anyone else notice this? Is it a possible side effect from the anti-depressants or what?

Sleepy

Never been on anti-depressants but if you're talking about a single sharp pain every so often I get them anyway. Absolutely no idea what causes them, they usually make be jolt. Can happen at some very inoportune times and make people think I'm more of a freak than they already do!

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I get them too, especially when I'm really relaxed or lieing in bed.. feels like a small electric shock.. usually at the tips of my fingers.

Gordon

MP please go to a doctor about this.

MistressPandora

So...I should be worried about this? And it's nothing to do with the anti-depressants? Nuts.
Maybe it's stress, I mean, I do have that appointment to get my hearing aid soon...

Jim

I personally would seriously advise against taking anti depressants, but thats just from my own personal experience. Alot of people in my family used to take them, and they all produced some nasty side effects.

Go to your doc if your worried about it.

I am MAN

Unlikely its due to the ad's...depression alone causes the same thing, I experience these shocks all the time ya get used to them

FranknFurter

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

I personally would seriously advise against taking anti depressants, but thats just from my own personal experience. Alot of people in my family used to take them, and they all produced some nasty side effects.

Go to your doc if your worried about it.

Anti-depressant medication is a complicated area.
Yes, some of them do not agree with some people, and it very much *is* a matter of finding the right one for you.

However, it is my opinion that anti-depressants are prescribed MUCH to freely in this country. It constantly amazes me how many people I see prescribed these drugs who may have benefited from counselling as opposed to being drugged up to mask underlying problems.

The truth is, your regular GP, on the whole is not the person to go to to prescribe these potentially dangerous drugs.
IMHO, anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication should only be prescribed by a qualified Psychiatrist, who, if needed, can recomend a medical practioner and liase with him/her regarding your specific requirments.

G.P.'s may be qualified to dispense this medication, but imho the amount of people who have gotten it via their GP proves that they really only have a very basic knowledge of depression and its best treatment.

[/rant]

Silent Grape

i dont think she was asking for your general opinion on antidepressants. its not a question of being 'drugged up', ads act like a crutch if you have a broken leg, eventually you can walk on the leg again, but not while its broken.
counselling and ads should go together, imo.

pandora, thats a strange one, if its causing you enough discomfort to be worried about it, get thee to a doctor. i also doubt its got anything to do with ads, but im not the one to say.

Sleipnir

Well there are a series of AD's available that "might make you suicidal"
Horizon did a program on it a few weeks ago.

How's that for confuzzlement!

MistressPandora

It's not really causing me discomfort, it's more of a case that I've noticed that it happens to me, but thinking that people would think I'm weird until someone else mentioned that it happened to them too.
As for the AD's, I stopped taking them, and I don't want to go through that kind of hell ever again, so that's out of the question. I was just wondering about the sharp, random pains and if it was connected to the AD's leaving my system or something.

Beruthiel

you should go to the doctor MP, see if he can enlighten you further

JB123

Go to the doctor dude btw what were u on?

MistressPandora

First I was on Lexapro, then Effexor, then Lustral. Effexor was the only one that seemed to work, and I stayed on it for about 6 months. But the side effects got to be a bit too much for me. I'd look at food and it would repulse me, even if I had previously loved that kind of food. There were other symptoms too though.

GuanYin

MistressPandora wrote:

I was on anti-depressants for about 9 months and went decided enough was enough and I stopped taking them. I went throught the usual side effects that normally happens when you go cold turkey, the dizziness, the nausea, the feeling that I was getting electric shocks from everything due to the fact that my nerve endings were coming back to life etc etc etc.
But even now, 7/8 months after I've stopped taking them, I keep getting random, brief stabbing pains in my body. Like I said, it's completely random and the pain only last for a few seconds. A friend of mine, who used to also be on anti-depressants, mentioned to me last night that he also gets the same pains.
Anyone else notice this? Is it a possible side effect from the anti-depressants or what?

Gordon is right, there has been ALOT of new information released to GP's on anti-depressants this week alone, meaning that some times people of a certain age and gender should not be given certain brands.

DO NOT take any advice from anyone here or that you know who feels they know the story having been on AD's as they all act very very differently and have effects on different people.

GO TO A DOCTOR and if he fobs you off get a second opinion.

GuanYin

MistressPandora wrote:

First I was on Lexapro, then Effexor, then Lustral. Effexor was the only one that seemed to work, and I stayed on it for about 6 months. But the side effects got to be a bit too much for me. I'd look at food and it would repulse me, even if I had previously loved that kind of food. There were other symptoms too though.

Ok you were on SSRI's.

In case I didn't put enough emphisis on it in my last post

go to the doc! Nothing to be worried about, but the way we view SSRI AD's has changed somewhat since you were put on them

[EDIT] I just noticed that you were on Effexor. When you go to your doctor, ask him to discuss SSRI discontinuation syndrome with you, which it sounds to me like you have. Effexor is the absolute worst for this, it basically causes what is called "anticholinergic rebound," A disruption in synthesis of the key neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Usually this discontinues after 2 months, 3 max. Go see your doctor, really, do, go on, go, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on!

Victor

MistressPandora wrote:

But even now, 7/8 months after I've stopped taking them, I keep getting random, brief stabbing pains in my body. Like I said, it's completely random and the pain only last for a few seconds.

Do you mean the electric shock-type* pains? These are quite common in everybody, although I've noticed it more often since I was depressed (still ).

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

I personally would seriously advise against taking anti depressants, but thats just from my own personal experience.

Like many things, they have a time and place.

*This isn't actually an electric shock feels like. An electric shock is like being kicked in the base of the spine.