• N&PD Moderators: Skorpio | thegreenhand

  • Neuroscience & Pharmacology Discussion Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Recent Journal Articles Chemistry Mega-Thread
    FREE Chemistry Databases! Self-Education Guide

Can somebody explain the mechanism? (Damage after Antidepressant/Antipsychotic Use)

W

whatthelol

Greenlighter
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
12
Hi,

I try to keep it short:

In October I took mirtazapine & quetiapine at the psych ward for about 7 days and stopped abruptly after experiencing severe side effects (akathisia/dyskinesia)

After 3 days or so I noticed that my sleep/wake switch broke. My brain hasn't shut off since then. I haven't had normal homeostatically regulated sleep/rest/relaxation after that.

It's been 5 months and nothing changed about that.

Basically I haven't had anything that even half-way resembles somewhat normal sleep. It's either dreams with no rem phases or unconsciousness...

The first month of this I was probably lying completely awake in bed until the morning... than gradually as I started losing energy and awareness I started to have dreams & moments
of unawareness...while the rest of the being awake and aware of me lying in bed.

I wouldn't even call it a sleep issue.

It's much MUCH more a wakefulness issue. Like the drugs blew a fuse in some part of my brain that keeps me awake 24/7. I can't rest, relax or recuperate after activities
or be able to catch up on sleep or something since that part of my brain that keeps me awake isn't allowing deeper relaxation to happen... energy is just being automatically
spend without some kind of energy sensor or feedback loop that allows that what has been spent to recharge again, if that makes sense...

In other words week by week I am losing much more energy just doing nothing.... than I am making and I haven't found a way to counteract this.

All that happens when I try to sleep/relax or whatever is that my brain or some part of my brain is highly awake and active while other parts of my brain and body are beyond exhaustion.

It's beyond comprehension for me as to how that's even possible to be awake at the thresold that my brain keeps me awake at. Every single day I feel like I have been awake for 10 days straight and drank 100 cups of coffee and being beyond exhausted ready to fall into bed and fall asleep for 3 days except that this doesn't happen and my brain is awake instead. I have completely forgotten what having "normal consciusness" feels like in the past 5 months... My senses can barely process information from the lack of high quality rest... it's almost like my brain is seperated from reality and my body lags and I am 10 days behind, I am neither awake nor sleep or something weird like that... It just continues to get worse. The only advice I've gotten so far is to wait it out lol..

I am not really looking for advice but just for the mechanism so I actually know what's going on as I can't figure out what's happening.

I've been researching my ass off as to what exactly is happening but I didn't come to conclusions.

I was wondering if you can propose some mechanism or at least some speculation in terms of what is happening so I am able to help myself.

Maybe it has something to do with genes. I have histamine issues, COMT++ & higher levels of serotonin & acetylcholine & dopamine probably on the lower side.

Thanks A Lot.
 
See a doctor and get a referral to a sleep specialist.

Also make sure you're getting enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Especially vitamin D.
 
I'm already about to see somebody.

I am just asking.

I also do not know what doctors are supposed to know about those mechanisms..
 
You were given two very strong sleeping meds (probably at excessive doses, given how clueless doctors can be about prescribing these) and withdrawn from them very abruptly. My guess is that your insomnia/sleeping problems are directly linked to that, but I can't give you medical advice. Have you spoken to a doctor about any of this?
 
Ozle said:
You were given two very strong sleeping meds (probably at excessive doses, given how clueless doctors can be about prescribing these) and withdrawn from them very abruptly. My guess is that your insomnia/sleeping problems are directly linked to that, but I can't give you medical advice. Have you spoken to a doctor about any of this?
Click to expand...

Yes I did. They said it's not from the medication, lol.
 
wow - i have a close friend that has had a really similar problem after being on mirtazapine...

i would be really interested to hear any thoughts on this as well, if anyone has any.
 
I have been on both but never at the same time.

Theres no way of figuring out whats up without knowing your history and what else has been going on.

Some people just dont need 8 hours sleep a night.


Having no sleep for months is totally abnormal and yeah youll have to go to a sleep clinic as well as get your meds looked at.


Microsleeps when exhausted can kill esp when driving so like narcolepsy I wouldnt drive until this shit is sorted.

If youre still doing drugs theres no way of finding out whats going on until youre off them.


Doctors who arent sleep specialists will not be able to figure it out, you need to be hooked up to those stupid wire things a few times to figure it out.
 
of course - yeah - i agree with all of that, but my friend has been doing all of that stuff, has tried plenty of sedatives and tranquillisers, lifestyle changes, restricting artificial light - you name it - with no luck.
it's driving him literally insane, and this is the first i've ever heard anyone mention anything similar, which is why i'm interested as well.
i've no doubt that it's very complicated :(
 
Has your mate been to a sleep clinic?

You have to get a referral from a gp and go a few times. Its really weird and i didnt think id sleep but did.

It could be an unusual symptom of ADHD which is helped by daytime dexies. Sounds weird but the dopamine needs releasing at the right times not just leaking out anytime.
 
spacejunk said:
wow - i have a close friend that has had a really similar problem after being on mirtazapine...

i would be really interested to hear any thoughts on this as well, if anyone has any.
Click to expand...

Wow back to you.

Did he taper properly or did he just quit cold turkey?
 
zephyr said:
I have been on both but never at the same time.

Theres no way of figuring out whats up without knowing your history and what else has been going on.

Some people just dont need 8 hours sleep a night.


Having no sleep for months is totally abnormal and yeah youll have to go to a sleep clinic as well as get your meds looked at.


Microsleeps when exhausted can kill esp when driving so like narcolepsy I wouldnt drive until this shit is sorted.

If youre still doing drugs theres no way of finding out whats going on until youre off them.


Doctors who arent sleep specialists will not be able to figure it out, you need to be hooked up to those stupid wire things a few times to figure it out.
Click to expand...

I don't even get microsleeps lol. I am just awake. I already got the appointments, by that time I'll be even more exhausted beyond belief. No drugs except benzos which don't help with this issue at all.
 
whatthelol said:
Wow back to you.

Did he taper properly or did he just quit cold turkey?
Click to expand...

i'm not sure, but i'll ask him and get back to you (and tell him about this thread).

it's been really tough for him, so i'm really intrigued to see someone with the same issue. i hope you can get it under control, because it's nasty.
 
zephyr said:
Has your mate been to a sleep clinic?

You have to get a referral from a gp and go a few times. Its really weird and i didnt think id sleep but did.

It could be an unusual symptom of ADHD which is helped by daytime dexies. Sounds weird but the dopamine needs releasing at the right times not just leaking out anytime.
Click to expand...

I got restless legs too since abruptly stopping which indicates dopamine problems. Tried L-Dopa before bed but didn't help either.

What do you mean you didn't sleep but did? You had all the normal sleep phases you mean?
 
spacejunk said:
i'm not sure, but i'll ask him and get back to you (and tell him about this thread).

it's been really tough for him, so i'm really intrigued to see someone with the same issue. i hope you can get it under control, because it's nasty.
Click to expand...

It's absolutely horrible. Does he have other symptoms beyond that? I have also visual processing issues, that got worse week by week. I can barely read because my eyes don't focus sufficiently. Anything like that? Drives me insane.
 
i'll show him this thread before replying from memory - i know he's been to a number of different specialists, tried different drugs etc.
he gets some relief from benzos but is afraid of habituation, and sometimes resorts to seroquel...

i'll be speaking to him in the coming days, so i'll get back to you when i have accurate info. it's one of the scariest side-effects i've ever come across from meds.
 
spacejunk said:
i'll show him this thread before replying from memory - i know he's been to a number of different specialists, tried different drugs etc.
he gets some relief from benzos but is afraid of habituation, and sometimes resorts to seroquel...

i'll be speaking to him in the coming days, so i'll get back to you when i have accurate info. it's one of the scariest side-effects i've ever come across from meds.
Click to expand...

I'm on 13,7mg flurazepam daily. I already tapered from 27,4mg. I could barely think the first 2 months when this started. Due to neuroplasticity it seems like my brain almost adapted to the situation and I'm looking very functional from the outside but dying from the inside. It's a miracle considering I started this med with chronic fatigue syndrome. It's beyond fatigue & exhaustion you could ever naturally get, lol. While still being awake. It's a joke.
 
oh man.

i have some pretty serious life-long sleep issues myself, but nothing as fucked up as this. i don't know how you're coping at all. only thing i can really relate it to is 5 days awake from opiate withdrawal or something.'

watch this space - i'll talk to my friend and report back. be interesting to know if this is "a thing" that happens to many people. you're only the second i've heard of, but it's fascinating/terrifying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top