Symptoms: Brain zaps, Emotional blunting, Sexual dysfunction, Cognitive impairment, Tinnitus, Severe anxiety/panic
My name is Max Howard and I'm 25 years old as of late. I am a recent college grad and the story all started after my cancer journey ended in 2023 achieved remission.
In August of 2024 I tapered off my Abilify I was on since 2021. Things were good. Then in December of 2024 I started to taper off my 20mg Trintellix that I'd been on for more than 9 years since 2016. I started having rapid heart beats and flushing and insomnia which brought me to the hospital. I was told it was my anxiety. In March of 2025 I started to taper off my Buspirone I'd been on since 2016.
After I tapered off all my meds, I started having vertigo, dizziness, lightheadedness, partial genital numbness, decreased sexual feelings (although I can still ejaculate but it takes forever), cognitive issues and inattention, light sensitivity, and other symptoms.
My father took me to various specialists such as neurologists and other doctors, and they couldn't find anything wrong with me. They also said, including my psychiatrist, that it was psychosomatic, that it was all in my head, including my dad. I reinstated my 5mg Trintellix or vortioxetine, and a lot of my symptoms disappeared. I'm still trying to figure out the safest way to hyperbolically taper the med.