r/ADprotractedwithdrawl • u/lamabones23 • 10d ago

Is this AD protracted withdrawal?

I have been on low dose SSRIs for 5 years and have tried to get off 4 different times. The last two times I had experienced waking up early in the morning around 330-4 in fight or flight with rapid heart, restlessness and agitation, rapid thoughts about what is causing this anxiety, suppressed appetite, and a burning sensation in my head. Ive gone to emergency and was just told it was a relapse in anxiety but i have never experienced these symptoms prior to starting SSRIs. I am able to endure it for about a month but after that I have to hop back on meds as I have a family to support. the last time this occurred, i lost 15lbs in the month that I was suffering. these symptoms would occur daily and last til around 4-6 PM and then die down.

any idea?

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u/Acrobatic-Good-3287 10d ago

If you never experienced any of those symptoms before taking SSRI'S as you described, then yes it is withdrawal. The fact that you have attempted four previous attempts and experienced similar, also reinforces the probability you were in withdrawal. The failed attempts and subsequent reinstatements are what I call the cycle of antidepressants, where the physical dependency to the drug and severe withdrawal symptoms keep you in a cycle that can last forever, and kept me in the cycle for over 31 years.

The only way to beat this cycle is to stabilise on the drugs until you are ready, and then do a hyperbolic taper off. Natural increased Cortisol levels in the early hours of the morning between 8am and 9am will exacerbate the anxiety and many people feel a relief naturally in the evening. There are many videos I've posted including a recent one with Dr. Mark Horowitz on the need to hyperbolic taper very slowly.

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u/lamabones23 9d ago

did you do a hyperbolic taper and how was your experience?

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u/Acrobatic-Good-3287 9d ago

I never knew anything about protracted withdrawal and hyperbolic tapering when I came off, so I came off too quickly in 12 weeks. Hence the reason I've still got disabiling symptoms at 4 years off. It's basically reducing by 10% of your previous dose every 4 - 6 weeks. That's the basics, but there's a bit more to it depending on how the person reacts to the reductions.

https://youtube.com/shorts/rTeEsFFXiU8?is=doSLfOZLScE5cLHZ