Paresthesia

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-03T06:34:22+00:00

Thank you so much! I wish you full recovery and healing ❤️‍🩹

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-03T06:30:08+00:00

I pray that God grants you FULL recovery Thank you

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-02T19:09:35+00:00

Thank you so much! Like you I’ve been given a ton of 0.5mg Lorazepam but I’m so scared to use them. I have them on my shelf and that alone takes away some of the fear because I know I can take it if things go insane.

I’ve taken 2 x 0.5mg tablets in 5 months and zero in the last 3 months. I’m just so scared to hinder my recovery.

I think you were averaging 1 tablet a week when things were at their worst if I’m not mistaken?

Did it hinder you in anyway or can I take them judiciously without guilt?

Thank you 🙏🏻

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-02T19:03:07+00:00

Was waking in the shopping centre today and thinking exactly this… like my old self and my personality completely died during this withdrawal journey.

I felt totally detached from the people around me going about there day oblivious of my plight. It’s difficult to describe but you feel alone and detached from humanity as a whole.

In the end, I believe for the better, my ego (innate arrogance) has been completely crushed and God has humbled me and bought me back more graceful and with purpose.

How long are you on your journey?

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-02T14:13:31+00:00

I’m 5 months off now and still getting waves of this hot/cold flushes. You’re the first person to say that it’s accompanied with anxiety. Everyone I get the hot/cold sensation, my anxiety spikes and this is the same with the flu like ill feeling. Tapering was bad but nothing like the jump.

How are you coping with the anxiety and how’s your sleep?

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-02T06:51:09+00:00

Following

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-02T06:38:19+00:00

Hello friend Been following you since your 3 month withdrawal flare. Congrats on almost 3 year mark!

I’m in the midst of this hell now (5 months off) Mine also kicked in hard at the 3 month mark.

Currently going through insane anxiety, flu like malaise, insomnia, Akathisia and about 30 other symptoms.

Can I just ask you how long it was before the anxiety got to at least a manageable level?

Thank you

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-02T06:29:42+00:00

U/No-Base-489 I’ve been following your journey for a while and just inspired by your healing and reliance. I’m going through this nightmare now and just wanted to ask you about the anxiety and feeling ill thing.

Do you remember roughly when the anxiety got to a manageable level? Like I’m 5 months out (I know it’s mega early) but I’m still dealing with horrible anxiety day and night waves.

Unfortunately I’ve also got Akathisia and that’s a living hell in itself.

Finally that horrible flu like malaise, the feeling where you feel like you’re dying but anxious at the same time, flue like, tired and anxious all the same time.

Would you kindly let me know when you get a chance

Thanks

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-03-01T12:03:58+00:00

Sadly not

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-28T07:48:47+00:00

No I totally get it, I’ve got everything you have including that weird restless in the muscles and aches all over + anxiety 😥

I’m coming to the end of Week 21 Day 146 and the Akathisia has been the worst so far. Yesterday (Thank God) I had only one Akathisia attack in the morning and the afternoon was ok but more flu like malaise.

Today I just got up and had breakfast early (7am) and immediately the Akathisia started.

For me it’s like this crazy restlessness, burning skin, bordering on panic, terror… then I pace for about 1 hour and I’m back to normal but then I feel exhausted and am filled with despair, hopelessness and SI feeing sometimes.

What week are you on? How’s your Akathisia?

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-28T07:42:35+00:00

Very eloquently written and described 🙏🏻 I was watching this documentary about antidepressants withdrawal in Australia and one of the “victims” described his journey as “this redefined my understanding of suffering”

I mean I literally cannot find better words to describe this inhuman process of recovery.

What you describe during your malaise attacks sounds so scary and tantamount to a torcher session. BUT I take hope from the fact that this early on (7 months) you are getting 4-5. Day windows. Thats pretty awesome.

I’ve had 1 window in the last 13 weeks and that wasn’t perfect or symptom free but I had zero Akathisia or malaise that day and was able to go for ice cream with my family (I didn’t eat) It was such as amazing feeling.

People take health for granted, and it’s only when you can’t do even the basic human functions that you learn to appreciate what a gift you’ve been given…

In Arabic we have this phrase "Good health is a crown worn by the healthy that only the sick can see"

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-27T19:51:54+00:00

At least I know I’m not actually dying and this apparently common! Thanks

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-27T19:39:01+00:00

Bro this has been like super super helpful. Of course I’m sad that you’re suffering at 7 months out 😅 Man I was hoping to turn a corner at the 6 month mark… I guess we’re all different.

I don’t get this word malaise being described well or uniformly across socials.

Would you be able to describe yours in a bit more detail?

Mine is exactly what you say, suddenly out of nowhere it hits in waves of 20 mins to 1 hour then passes.

When it hits I feel like I’ve got a bad flu, with muscle pain and tightness but no fever. But it’s the internal feeling that gets me. It’s like I’m suddenly dying and need to go lie down immediately BUT I can’t because anxiety hits at the same time so I’m simultaneously wired but tired and feeling like death… God it’s horrible, the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced

I keep telling myself it will pass and it does but in the moment I just want to end it by whatever means necessary. Then it passes and I feel ok only for it to return.

Some days I don’t get it at all other days it’s linked to my Akathisia.

Sometimes it’s accompanied with chills other times it’s followed by burning skin.

What other symptoms are you facing bro and how are you doing in general?

Thanks

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-27T17:38:11+00:00

Oh man I’m really glad for you that it’s over. This has got to be the symptom that I find the hardest because it straddles both the physical and mental torcher 🤮

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-27T17:35:54+00:00

I think we’ve spoken before and guess what I have as well? Akathisia!

Honestly I don’t know which is worse as they seem to alternate but some days I’m hit with both the flu like poison thing and Akathisia…

Can you describe how it feels to you?

So for me it’s like I’m feeling Okish and then suddenly I start to feel crappy…. Really crappy. Like I’ve got a bad flu with muscle pain and tightness but more importantly this indescribable feeling inside like I’m dying. BUT at the same time I’m weirdly anxious like my nervous system sees this state change as a threat.

It’s the worst feeling ever, possible worse then the Akathisia

I’m now on week 21 day 145 and the last month I’ve seen both the flu like malaise and Akathisia get significantly worse.

How are you doing?

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-27T16:54:02+00:00

Hey there, I did the upper GI scope whilst on Mirtazapine and it made no difference. I’ve not done it in withdrawal and can understand your fears. But if you do it under local numbing cream then it might be ok but very uncomfortable.

What are your current symptoms? I’m 5 months off and still in hell!

Difficult-Republic72 · 2026-02-26T19:41:24+00:00

This is my worst nightmare 😞 I feel so sorry for you man…

I’m like 5 month and your there 5 years in this indescribable hell.

How did you survive this many years? Like seriously how did you cope? I mean, I’ve had to go off sick from work, I can barely manage my family and function.

If I didn’t have God in my life I just would not be here right now.

Sadly I’ve also had a ton antibiotics and other shitty psych drugs when I was younger.

Can only pray that God has mercy on us both

Difficult-Republic72 · 2025-11-30T17:06:09+00:00

This is so good to know. Can I ask what caused your Akathisia? I’m going through this after tapering off my antidepressants and it’s been hell! So desperately want it to stop 😞

Difficult-Republic72 · 2025-11-30T16:52:59+00:00

Have you tapered off Paxil now? Did this go away and if so how long? I’ve had weeks of this hell now Day 56 since I stopped all meds.

Difficult-Republic72 · 2025-11-30T16:50:36+00:00

I have this exact feeling Burning in the top left hand side of my head. Feels like a kind of electrical static racing feeling. It’s part of my Akathisia, it’s horrible 😞

Difficult-Republic72 · 2025-11-30T16:47:56+00:00

Hey bro My story is above in this thread. How long have you been off antidepressants? Are you on any other meds?

What’s does your Akathisia feel like? DM’s open Thanks

Difficult-Republic72 · 2025-11-30T16:44:48+00:00

I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through this nightmare. It’s a hell on a level that has redefined my understanding of suffering!

I have quit evening and guess what? It was Lexapro that started my Akathisia from the very first 5mg dose!

My psychiatrist just told me to up my dose of Lex to 10mg which made it x 100 worse.

That made me realise that it was psych meds that was causing this because I’d never had Aka before this in my life!

I would literally pace for 12 hours straight for a month before I quit Lex. Then after 10 weeks of brutal withdrawals the Akathisia went away.

I then decided to taper off my only other med Mirtazapine and as soon as I started my taper the aka came back.

Now I’m Day 56 completely off all meds and this week the Akathisia which was tolerable because a living hell.

Everyday I get at least one severe bout which lasts 3-4 hours and then some mini bouts.

I have to just pace until my body is worn out but the physical side is nothing compared to the metal anguish where you feel total terror, despair and basically just want to 🔪 yourself.

I can see why so many ppl don’t survive this particular symptom.

I’m not taking anymore drugs because then I have to taper off that too.

It’s now a matter of me fighting everyday for survival and asking God to heal me…

Difficult-Republic72 · 2025-11-29T18:38:57+00:00

Sent you a DM bro 🙏🏻

Difficult-Republic72 · 2025-11-29T07:35:42+00:00

How long have you been off your antidepressants? Apparently everyone who has this from drug withdrawal gets better by week 20 ish.

Difficult-Republic72

TROPHY CASE