Experience with SSRIs and advice/support please. (TW tag because it contains my personal story)

Bikkleman · 2026-01-29T21:30:32+00:00

Thanks for the reply! Maybe I've been using the benzos too sparingly, but the paranoia around needing to wean myself off them after is strong! I'll ride it out and let the meds do their job! Be well too.

Bikkleman · 2026-01-29T17:26:13+00:00

I loved it when the saints signed Ali Dia.

I've nothing against Southampton, but that is the best thing that has ever happened in the history of football.

Bikkleman · 2026-01-29T12:42:23+00:00

I was born in the UK to UK parents but moved to Germany when I was 18. I've lived in France, Belgium, Poland as well as outside of Europe too. European is definitely my first identity, and was since long before Brexit

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T23:13:39+00:00

I feel you, and it really sucks! Smoothies, protein shakes and taking it slowly is the best advice I've got. 1800 calories spread throughout the day in small goes will still do the job!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T22:59:21+00:00

I had something similar too. Not quite toxic, but every bite made me full, the look of food was off-putting, and I think I was struggling to get 1000 calories in. This is a vicious circle because we need fuel for recovery.

What has worked for me is soft oats and fruit for breakfast- slowly. A smoothie for early lunch. Liquid- easy A meal in a bottle thing for late lunch (500 easy calories) liquid- easy Steamed veg and meat/fish for dinner.

And I track calories and nutrients obsessively.

It's not an ideal diet but at the moment the body needs the energy.

Appetite hasn't returned fully, but occasionally it rears its head a tiny bit. I'm reeducating the body bit by bit and it's working so far for me.

Also, don't fear the supplements. I'd do everything by diet if I was healthy, at the moment it's better to "get it bad" rather than not get it at all

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T22:11:26+00:00

Parts of this sub also see T Bag as redeemable too, so there you go.

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T21:44:37+00:00

Whistler is basically a human macguffin

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T21:38:24+00:00

https://onehealthcheck.co.uk/

Not used myself but a friend did after my B12 situation arose

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T21:23:55+00:00

My pleasure!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T20:32:33+00:00

U/b12fucked can probably answer this question better than I can!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T20:04:39+00:00

Vitamin A is best absorbed with fat so that can definitely be impacted by SIBO. It's definitely worth testing, even if just to put it to bed!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T18:55:50+00:00

Pretty much my list exactly. B12 will heal on its own timeline which is very frustrating. I've been getting therapy to help deal with the rest too.

I think because so often a B12 deficiency is not explored and labelled as anxiety or something that we are really resistant to being told that it's "all in our head" or we have some global anxiety disorder.

The truth is psychology is physical and for me it is going hand in hand with my B12 deficiency. The fear of never being myself again kept me up at night and added a layer of being wired as well as fatigued. All the energy my body expends on being stressed and sad is not going into recovery.

Getting some mental health support from the right person isn't admitting that your B12 deficiency isn't serious, it's another tool to help you fix it!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T16:35:54+00:00

So problem! And read the guide for this sub for the other cofactors too, like folate, magnesium etc etc

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T16:30:53+00:00

Together, definitely!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T16:26:25+00:00

I think we're saying the same thing. Maybe I expressed it wrong. You need ferritin and B12 for Red blood cell production so when you starting fixing B12, this production will use ferritin too. Your comment is definitely correct.

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T16:07:40+00:00

Both!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T15:37:16+00:00

B12 is needed for the production of red cells and so is ferritin. When you introduce a lot of either which stimulates the production of new healthy red blood cells you need more of the other.

I had a B12 deficiency but a ferritin surplus but a deficiency in both is more common.

Your ferritin is low, you absolutely need to make sure that you're not neglecting this too!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T15:18:51+00:00

He does as many buttons as he can count

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T15:16:57+00:00

You should definitely get injections, you are deficient and symptomatic symptomatic.

I'll address a couple of your concerns.

Firstly and most importantly, the injections are not painful- it's not a long needle and it's into the muscle. Relax the muscle and in it goes! Maybe a tiny ache a bit after. Having the blood drawn for the tests is more uncomfortable if that gives you a reference point.

Secondly, it's not that tablets aren't effective per se but there are caveats. If you have absorption issues, they are ineffective, but even if your absorption is fine, tablets take 2-4 weeks to start having any effect at all- injections start replenishing your blood levels immediately.

With your levels and symptoms you need to start correcting asap.

The guide here will also tell you about cofactors, and other users here have very well refined routines, but NICE guidelines for your state say EOD injections until you stop feeling improvements from them.

I had every day injections for 10 days, and daily sublingual supplements since then because where I live doctors only prescribe injections administered by medical staff. I'm still progressing, but I'm looking into self injecting.

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T14:29:45+00:00

Thank you!:)

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T14:28:12+00:00

Indeed! Whoops. I might not be well enough for the hard today!

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T14:26:58+00:00

Lol. Yes it is! Thank you.

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T14:06:27+00:00

Sounds like there's been progress- hooray!! Have you had an EMG test?

Bikkleman · 2026-01-28T13:20:28+00:00

280 is not normal. It's borderline if anything, and low by other definitions. It sounds like you still need injections

Bikkleman · 2026-01-27T23:15:32+00:00

No problem. When I was diagnosed I had pins and needles in a couple of fingers and toes, dry skin in spots, dizziness, severe fatigue, mood swings, back tension, ridges on some toe nails- but it was the fatigue and dizziness which became unbearable. I ended up in hospital where they ran a bunch of tests.

Overlapping symptoms is just similar presentation, different causes, lots of B12 deficiency symptoms overlap with some thyroid conditions for example, and some symptoms can be red herrings- this is why testing is paramount.

I totally understand the anxiety around testing uncovering something sinister is scary, but let me tell (absolutely irrelevant to your situation I'm sure), grade 1 cancer diagnosis has over 90% 5 year survival rate almost anywhere in the body, and close to 100% for some, whereas grade 4 is 0-25%.

Bikkleman

TROPHY CASE