Akathisia, pregnenolone, DHEA, adrenal cortex, diasepam

Hello!

I´m in a horrible situation. If anybody has any ideas or any help, I will be very, very grateful. At the moment I´m so ill that I cannot feed myself or drive a car etc, really in a bad situation.

Background:

I had severe problems with fluoxetine withdrawal. It took me 7 years to withdraw from 40mg fluoxetine and 50mg quetiapine and those were very hard years. I jumped off from 1,4mg fluoxetine, which was too high dose for me, but I got pregnant. I miscarried the pregnancy though.

The bad withdrawal started in October and I was in really really bad shape during all winter. It was like my brain was half asleep. I also developed Chronic fatigue syndrome like issues - after moving too  much I crashed really hard for several days. I had also severe depression. All issues very hard, I was not able to work.

In december I made a grave mistake. My naturopath suggested a product to help with fatigue, adrenals and balancing hormones. the product is here [nobbc]https://www.terrynaturallyvitamins.com/adrenaplex[/nobbc]. It includes pregnenolone and DHEA, in really small quantities...

When I started taking this I developed insomnia, but she said to take it in the morning. it resolved insomnia. It also really much helped my thyroid numbers to get better and also it improved my thermoregulation. So it seemed to make some things better.

When I started it I was in such a bad condition that I was not able to think straight and google more and make good decisions. I have been very careful with things otherwise

Now in April I felt that my hormones are out of whack - my breasts were too sore etc. Otherwise my condition had improved - I became more functional, depression eased up, I had more energy. I thought I was doing good and out of the worst part. I decided to stop this complex.

And then the hell started. Akathisia, really bad. I instantly developed bad insomnia and restless body. It increased to akathisia levels. Inner terror, inability to be still, REALLY bad insomnia (like 1 hour sleep), intense thermoregulation issues (hot and cold waves), nausea, vomiting, trembling, total inability to concentrate, really really bad.

I reinstated complex to 1 capsule. it helped for 1 night. then reinstated to little less than 2 capsules. also helped for 1 night. then to full dosage. also I think helped for 1 night, then all hell continued and went worse.

Landed in hospital. they gave me benzos to withdraw from the complex. I managed to come down from 2 capsules to 1,3 capsules, all in full akathisia suffering really bad. Didn´t dare to go further.

At the same time received diazepam, at first 7-9 drops, then 14 drops for 5 days. After I held still with the complex, I have tried to come down with diazepam. Now taking 7 drops in the evening (I guess it´s about 2,5mg?).

I have held the complex now on 1,3 capsules for two weeks. I have taken benzos for 22 days. after taking 14 drops for 5 days, I have now come down to 7 drops in 9 days.

I guess my physical symptoms have subsided somewhat. the thermoregulation issues are a bit better although I sweat every night. My insomnia is such that SOME nights I can sleep, but it´s very fractured sleep. the akathisia is now such that I´m not really rocking and pacing all the time, but it´s more like  an inner terror.

This ordeal started on 19th of April, so it has been going on for over a month. I´m at my wits end. Every other day is such that I think I just cant tolerate.

Can anybody think with me what to do further? Do I keep decreasing the benzo? I feel like it´s hard to do that with akathisia full on.

Do you think that the complex gives me adverse reaction (akathisia) and I should keep withdrawing that? I´m scared about increasing akathisia, which started with withdrawal of the complex. I´m barely tolerating being alive, I don´t know what to do if things get worse.

I´m even thinking about starting some other med to come down with the hormonal complex, but I´m really afraid that this would also make things only worse, not better.

I really don´t know what to do. I know that you people don´t know about hormones and stuff, but actually nobody does nowhere. I´ve even tried to contact Stuart Shipko and Yolande Lucire.Nobody knows. So if anybody is willing to just think along with me, I would really appreciate. I want to stay alive. Thank you!

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Hello rapenzel2,

It appears you joined the forum a couple of years ago, in 2017, is this correct? On your introduction you mentioned helping a friend through withdrawal.

You must be very sensitive to medications since it took 7 years to taper from fluoxetine and quetiapine, many people here are in the same situation.

Supplements are tricky, for some people they may be effective and not present side effects but for others that might not be the case.  For questions about the supplement you take I would suggest you post on the Alternative Therapies Board.

Are you still taking a benzo? Are you still taking the supplement?  I want to make sure we have the correct information in order to provide the best support we can.

Alternative Therapies & Supplements

pianogirl 

Yes, you are correct, I was then helping a friend. I have never taken benzos myself before this akathisia myself.

And yes, I seem to be extremely sensitive

I’m still taking the supplement and also benzo.

With the supplement - 1,3 capsules. Valium - 7 drops.

I thought I would stsbilize if I held supplement dosage still but I don’t seem to stabilize and akathisia is really bad. My instinct tells me I can’t get rid of akathisia if I don’t come down from the supplement. But withdrawal makes akathisia even worse and I’m totally on the edge already. I’m 100% dysfunctional, my family feeds me and takes me to appointments and walks. I also have suicidal thoughts when akathisia ramps up. I don’t see a way to come further down with benzo if I try to continue withdrawal of complex. I really don’t know what to do. Thinking about stronger drugs to bring down aka but in my case everything can also make it worse but I just cannot endure and I see no solutions.

Yes, you are correct, I was then helping a friend. I have never taken benzos myself before this akathisia myself.

 

And yes, I seem to be extremely sensitive

 

I’m still taking the supplement and also benzo.

 

With the supplement - 1,3 capsules. Valium - 7 drops.

 

I thought I would stsbilize if I held supplement dosage still but I don’t seem to stabilize and akathisia is really bad. My instinct tells me I can’t get rid of akathisia if I don’t come down from the supplement. But withdrawal makes akathisia even worse and I’m totally on the edge already. I’m 100% dysfunctional, my family feeds me and takes me to appointments and walks. I also have suicidal thoughts when akathisia ramps up. I don’t see a way to come further down with benzo if I try to continue withdrawal of complex. I really don’t know what to do. Thinking about stronger drugs to bring down aka but in my case everything can also make it worse but I just cannot endure and I see no solutions.

Akathisia can be very difficult to deal with. However, please do seek professional support if you are feeling suicidal. Because this subject if very triggering for our sensitive members, we don't allow discussion about this. What we want is for people to get on the ground, face to face help from a qualified professional.

Suicide/self harm

I really can't speak about the supplement you are taking, I have no information about it or experience with it.  Please post a question about this on the board I gave you the link for.

It seems to me, and I am not an expert, that both the supplement and the valium could be causing these issues.  Do you know how many mg are in the 7 drops of valium?

Were you feeling OK after your withdrawal from fluoxetine and quetiapine?

PG 

I will refrain from talking about suicidal thoughts here.

do you want me to copy my whole first post to the board "Alternative therapies and supplements"?

The benzo took away some of the akathisia. so it´s very hard for me to decrease it now.

The psychiatist´s idea was to switch from the complex to valium. I wasn´t able to complete it so fast. but I think I will continue now with lowering the hormonal supplement.

It includes pregnenolone and as far as I understand it can influence GABA receptors somehow

in 7 drops of valium there is 2,5mg. is that a high dose?

I was not feeling ok after withdrawal from fluoxetine (quetiapine I finished already at the beginning of 2018). I was severely suffering. very bad depression and my brain was almost like in a sleep or half concious. haven´t been able to work for half a year. It all started to get better in march-april, so I hoped I´m out of the worst protracted part. Didn´t know the complex can cause such issues

I will refrain from talking about suicidal thoughts here.

 

do you want me to copy my whole first post to the board "Alternative therapies and supplements"?

 

The benzo took away some of the akathisia. so it´s very hard for me to decrease it now.

 

The psychiatist´s idea was to switch from the complex to valium. I wasn´t able to complete it so fast. but I think I will continue now with lowering the hormonal supplement.

 

It includes pregnenolone and as far as I understand it can influence GABA receptors somehow

 

in 7 drops of valium there is 2,5mg. is that a high dose?

 

I was not feeling ok after withdrawal from fluoxetine (quetiapine I finished already at the beginning of 2018). I was severely suffering. very bad depression and my brain was almost like in a sleep or half concious. haven´t been able to work for half a year. It all started to get better in march-april, so I hoped I´m out of the worst protracted part. Didn´t know the complex can cause such issues

I would try to keep the post short and just give the major details. It will be easier for members to know what your situation is and offer their experience.

I´m in quite a bad shape, I will try to write there later.

in 7 drops of valium there is 2,5mg. is that a high dose? I don´t know anything about benzos, never used them before

Hi,

Are you on thyroid meds to support your thyroid?  I have looked at the ingredients for this supplement and it includes tyrosine, and I have read on thyroid boards it is advised NOT to take tyrosine if you have a thyroid issue as it can mess up how your thyroid meds work and can upset the levels of thyroid hormones.

If your adrenals are struggling then this supplement should support them, and like you say the pregnenolone dose is very small.  Maybe getting advice from a thyroid/adrenals group may help.

I also have a thyroid issue and a low cortisol problem and have to take adrenal cortex capsules and have had no problem with it.

Hope you can get some answers

Take care

OMG Im ready to give up. I want to go on drugs, any drug to help me sleep. I´m sleeping 0 hours per night and my akathisia is so bad Im moving all the time, it´s torture. I cannot endure anymore, Im at my wits end.

but my doc wants me to start drugs in hospital. and they will want to remove this complex CT. and I think I will not survive this! I dont know what this complex does or did, but it may have influenced GABA receptors and then it would be like benzo CT?! Its not possible to survive such thing, is it??? or maybe it influenced serotonin receptors and then I will be totally dead because I could not survive serotonin CT for sure.

But I cant endure anymore. I dont know what to do. Help! Please!

Is it possible to survive hospital CT, if the drug withdrawal gives you akathisia?????????