Three years
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 34
Three years
three years ago my life changed for good. I had been abusing strattera with caffeine and nicotine and it really did some damage, when I stopped it gave me PAWS and took two and a half years to get better. Then I smoked weed last summer and it set me back again with the same PAWS symptoms
Six months later I was feeling better again and I was put on an antibiotic for an infection and it has brought me down once more who knows how long it'll take to recover this time. I think my brain has been damaged since I am sensitive to everything now, I am learning to live with it. I have OCD and depression and used to manage it with Zoloft but now I can't thank a to the intense side effects I get. Will I be like this forever? Does anyone else have a similar experience? I feel bad that I have done this to myself. But can't change the past....
Six months later I was feeling better again and I was put on an antibiotic for an infection and it has brought me down once more who knows how long it'll take to recover this time. I think my brain has been damaged since I am sensitive to everything now, I am learning to live with it. I have OCD and depression and used to manage it with Zoloft but now I can't thank a to the intense side effects I get. Will I be like this forever? Does anyone else have a similar experience? I feel bad that I have done this to myself. But can't change the past....
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 79
Hey @Thompson21 - I can't say that I have much experience with PAWS & I am sorry to hear you are having a rough go recently. I did take Strattera in the past, with a combination of other meds, but only took as directed (and don't recall any negatives from stopping).
We can't change the past, we can only live in the present and make a better future for ourselves. Good luck moving forward!
We can't change the past, we can only live in the present and make a better future for ourselves. Good luck moving forward!
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Hi Thompson - I have no experience with long term PAWs, but I figure if you can recover from it before, you can do so again.
I've never heard of an antibiotic bringing it on. Aren't antibiotics meant to be pretty short term?
D
I've never heard of an antibiotic bringing it on. Aren't antibiotics meant to be pretty short term?
D
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 34
Yes Antibiotics can have effects on your nervous system. I took Cipro and it is terrible for anxiety. I have prostatitis and it takes large doses of strong antibiotics but unfortunately I cant take them because of the side effects. I feel like I'm doomed to be like this forever and it effects my work when the anxiety gets bad. I get pretty depressed about it a lot. I have messed up my life abusing drugs, stupid youth making bad decisions.
three years ago my life changed for good. I had been abusing strattera with caffeine and nicotine and it really did some damage, when I stopped it gave me PAWS and took two and a half years to get better. Then I smoked weed last summer and it set me back again with the same PAWS symptoms
Six months later I was feeling better again and I was put on an antibiotic for an infection and it has brought me down once more who knows how long it'll take to recover this time. I think my brain has been damaged since I am sensitive to everything now, I am learning to live with it. I have OCD and depression and used to manage it with Zoloft but now I can't thank a to the intense side effects I get. Will I be like this forever? Does anyone else have a similar experience? I feel bad that I have done this to myself. But can't change the past....
Six months later I was feeling better again and I was put on an antibiotic for an infection and it has brought me down once more who knows how long it'll take to recover this time. I think my brain has been damaged since I am sensitive to everything now, I am learning to live with it. I have OCD and depression and used to manage it with Zoloft but now I can't thank a to the intense side effects I get. Will I be like this forever? Does anyone else have a similar experience? I feel bad that I have done this to myself. But can't change the past....
Thanks for your post. I had PAWS for about 2 years when I got clean and had a very similar situation to you in that I used for a short period of time and it all came flooding back.
I obviously don't know much about your specific situation but I'd strongly recommend getting a comprehensive support system in place. Perhaps think about doing some type of talking therapy. I always found that helpful with PAWS.
Natom.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 34
I basically abused strattera and stimulants, overdid it on coffee and cigarettes. It doesn't sound like much but when I mixed it with strattera it did some real damage. I felt like I lost part of my personality almost. When I smoked the weed i thought it was the end but it got a lot better after six months. I struggle every day feeling incompetent and anxious but getting better, hopefully in an get to normal again like I was in the summer. What happened to you? How much did you do to set you back? I only took two hits of pot and it brought me down like the titanic. And how are you doing now?
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