laineyk Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I will start with ANXIETY #1 2. trembling and shaking 3. off balanced, dizziness 4. headaches 5. head is like a big bowl of mush 6. sensitive to noise and sound 7. stomach distress 8. vision problems, dry eye 9. cant sit still, feel like I have to be moving at all times 10. neck & shoulder tension 2006-2012 50mgs zoloftskipped doses every other day for a year and started having anxiety again in March 2012back on at 50mgs Dec 2013started taper from benzos April 2014 per Heather Ashton method (c/o from kpin to diazepam)March 2015 started 1.25mg lorazepamTapered off Zoloft in May off in 4 weeks...5 weeks later crashing AGAIN. Dr wanted to start Gabapentin tried it 7 daysSymptoms :burning eyes, anxiety, pounding heart, dizzy, strange head feeling, internal shaking, Overall UNWELLTaking lorazepam 1.25mg daily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexjuice Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Anxiety Specifically, in the big picture, the anxiety that others don't understand or empathize and that I've been cast out of society and am alone. In the small picture -- moment to moment -- could be pain or light sensitivity or any of a hundred things. "Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me. Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there Everybody's got to move somewhere Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow Things should start to get interesting right about now." - Zimmerman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus dalsaan Posted February 15, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 15, 2013 Insomnia, without a shadow of a doubt Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist. Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014. Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September. Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015. Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15). Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past. DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017 >My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roads Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Noise hypersensitivity. I've been on the verge of suicide so many times because of noise made me so mad... First AD -sertraline- in 2007at the age of 13 because of child abuse 2009-2013: intricate story of multiple wds, meds and cts, gradually became a living mess Feb 2013: last CT from a cocktail of four drugs, symptoms are relenting but witness a constant sharpening of the brain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outshined Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Copied & pasted from my introductory thread. Anyway, about the symptoms. Things got slowly better since I stopped Duloxetine, but there are a couple of adverse effects that I can't get rid of: - memory, cognition and concentration problems. From what I've read here, they're pretty common. It seems like they got worse since I started taking Depakin though. It's really frustrating because I feel like I'm "dumb". In some cases, I had difficulties remembering people's names, people that I know very well. - obsessive behaviours and thoughts. This is really scary. Sometimes I can't stop doing certain things (like I can't stop surfing the web 'till I find what I was looking for, even if it takes many hours) or I have to be absolutely precise in certain tasks, even if they're trivial (like folding a tablecloth). While I've always been a "perfectionist" through my whole life, I can guarantee to you I've NEVER been compulsive in any shape or form, before stopping antidepressants. - sense of derealization. This is the worst. It feels like sometimes I'm getting out of my mind, like I'm losing control over myself. Like I'm going crazy (sorry if the word seems to harsh, of course I don't want to offend anyone). Erratic thoughts flood in and I can't manage to stop them. This condition is often triggered by the previous ones. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A side note: I found an old thread where an user named Healing described his (or her) memory problems, and they're almost identical to mine: I had a pretty good memory before meds, and even on meds. It got very scary a few months after my last dose, when people would say they had told me things, and I still couldn't remember even after they reminded me. IOW, there was no memory trace at all. That level of impairment improved steadily and is not an issue any more. I also used to have a very good memory for vocabulary before meds. My "word-finding" got seriously impaired post taper. Very disturbing, and very odd. I could never find the words "toaster oven" in under 20 seconds. No matter how I practiced, and how often I used the words (often), I had to re-search for them every time, and other two word-phrases starting with "t" and "o" would come up instead. Word-finding has gotten much better, although I have waves of this still. From 2001 to 2010, I took almost continuosly a host of different SSRIs , including Prozac, Celexa and Paxil, plus various benzodiazepines and Bupropion for a limited period of time. From July 2010 to April 2012 >> Duloxetine, dose ranging from 60mg to 120mg. From August 2012 to September 2012 >> reinstated 30 mg of Duloxetine From September 2012 until present days >> Valproic Acid/Sodium Valproate, dose ranging from 300mg to 1000mg. Now I'm on 400mg. I've also taken Amisulpride (50mg) for 9 days and Abilify (10ml) only once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidey Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I actually had this one shortly before an excessive dose of Cymbalta more or less forced me to withdrawal: Derealization/Depersonalization~ It feels every second of every day like I am moving through a memory or a dream. Sometimes it scares the crap out of me to look in the mirror because I'm not quite sure who that person reflected back is. I know my name, who I'm supposed to be and all that, but it doesn't seem real. Throughout the day I will go through memories that I have of being connected...they seem more like they belong to a character in a book read long ago. Going on five months now just wishing that someday I will "wake up." I miss my life, and myself...... The reason behind its happening before my excessive dose and subsequent retraction leading to withdrawal is still unknown to me. I do wonder if it has something to do with my hasty withdrawal from Effexor and Depakote 7 or so months earlier? In any case, the withdrawals I am experiencing now just make it worse and more frightening. 1993: Diagnosed with "Depression" & "GAD, given Prozac1994: Diagnosis changed to Bipolar II, Lithium added1994-1997: Tried Wellbutrin and Zoloft1997: Prescribed Effexor XR & Depakote ER2012: Stopped Depakote, decreased dose of Effexor over the course of 2 or 3 months, used Prozac to help2012: Stopped Prozac, began noticing disturbing symptoms after a few weeks of being antidepressant free.late 2012: Prescribed Cymbalta2013: Felt disconnected, disoriented, not "real".... Dr. recommended increasing the dose from 30mg to 60mg. Increased dosage was too much for my body/brain to handle....I had a very nasty reaction. 2014: Tried to go off Cymbalta. It did not work. I now take 15 beads. 2016: I take 3 beads daily...can't get off this crap. Obvious brain damage...most days I feel defeated and hopeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Who here made a slow taper and felt tremendous anxieties and lack of sleep after the withdrawal? 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikkiTikki Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 Good question Lorin. I would like to know too. My problems in the past have come 3-4 months after the end of the taper, not during the taper, so it is hard to use the "go slow and listen to your body" approach when the taper itself can be relatively symptomless. I crashed big (anxiety through the roof, depression, obsessive thinking), and then had 7 weeks hellish weeks trying to reinstate Citalopram before I felt ok again - back on 40mg. What I'm trying now is a 2-year taper (rather than 4 months) - but what if I get to the same position once I have completely ceased? Are you having symptoms now, Lorin, on 5mg of Lexapro? Tikki Celexa (Citalopram) 40mg - 60mg - 40mg for 7 years Tapered (over 3 months) drug-free Aug–Nov 2013 CRASH 40mg Dec 2013 – Jan 2017 (7 weeks reinstatement hell then relief) 2017: 20mg 30 Jan 18mg 19 April 16mg 6 May 14mg 20 May 12mg 10 Jun 10mg 7 July 9mg 7 Aug 8mg 16 Oct 7.5mg 27 Nov 2018: 7mg 8 Jan 6.5mg 12 Feb 6mg 17 Mar 5.2mg 14 Apr 5mg 28 Apr 4.8mg 4 Jun 4.6mg 23 Jun 4.4mg 24 Jul 4.2mg 13 Aug 4mg 20 Aug 3.8mg 1 Sep 3.6mg 28 Sep 3.4mg 14 Oct 3.2mg 11 Nov 3mg 5 Dec 5mg 26 Dec 10mg 28 Dec Added Valdoxan 25mg 12 Dec 2018 stopped 24 Jan 2019 Wellbutrin 150mg 25 Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Now my anxieties are harder and harder to get back to normal But I'm balancing again In the past I withdrew from Zoloft after 10 years and also crashed after six months and returned to Lexfaro 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikkiTikki Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 You're balancing again - sounds positive. Are you completely off Lexapro, or holding at 5mg? Celexa (Citalopram) 40mg - 60mg - 40mg for 7 years Tapered (over 3 months) drug-free Aug–Nov 2013 CRASH 40mg Dec 2013 – Jan 2017 (7 weeks reinstatement hell then relief) 2017: 20mg 30 Jan 18mg 19 April 16mg 6 May 14mg 20 May 12mg 10 Jun 10mg 7 July 9mg 7 Aug 8mg 16 Oct 7.5mg 27 Nov 2018: 7mg 8 Jan 6.5mg 12 Feb 6mg 17 Mar 5.2mg 14 Apr 5mg 28 Apr 4.8mg 4 Jun 4.6mg 23 Jun 4.4mg 24 Jul 4.2mg 13 Aug 4mg 20 Aug 3.8mg 1 Sep 3.6mg 28 Sep 3.4mg 14 Oct 3.2mg 11 Nov 3mg 5 Dec 5mg 26 Dec 10mg 28 Dec Added Valdoxan 25mg 12 Dec 2018 stopped 24 Jan 2019 Wellbutrin 150mg 25 Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwell Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Lorin though your taper may seem slow, it seems you went faster than the admins of this site would recommend. They say 10% drop per month to limit signs and symptoms of withdrawal. You may have gone a bit fast. Paxil 20mg started around 2013 dropped to 10 mg at some point dropped to 5mg for 1 week then C/T August 2016. Buspar 10 mg 2x daily started 2013 fluctuating amounts. Tried cylexa 1 week at beginning of August 2016. Tried wellbutrin 1 week after cylexa stopped both. I have been off all meds for around 4- 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwell Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 It will get better over time! Paxil 20mg started around 2013 dropped to 10 mg at some point dropped to 5mg for 1 week then C/T August 2016. Buspar 10 mg 2x daily started 2013 fluctuating amounts. Tried cylexa 1 week at beginning of August 2016. Tried wellbutrin 1 week after cylexa stopped both. I have been off all meds for around 4- 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyK Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Go slower, Lorin. Next drop should be 0.5 mg, an the one after that (4.5 mg - 10%) 0.45 mg and so on. Current dose: 0! Free! Quit June 2017. 2017: Last dose zoloft: 17 June 0,00065 mg 18 May 0, 001 mg 14 May 0,002 mg 9 May 0,003 mg 28 April 0,006 mg 19 April 0,009 mg 8 April 0,013 mg 25 March 0,019 mg 22 March 0,039 mg 18 March 0,052 mg 16 March 0,079 mg 4 March 0,086 1 March 0,099 mg 22 February 0,11 mg 15 February 0,13 mg 6 February 0,145 mg 24 January 0,15 mg 19 January 0,19 mg 10 January 0,20 mg 3 January 2016: 0,98 to 0,22 mg; 2015: 2,35 to 1,01 mg; 2014: 4,9 to 2,5 mg; 2013: 9,1 to 5,1 mg; 2012: 15,7 to 9,7 mg; 2011: Started on 25 mg - then 50 mg- dropped to 25- to 12.5 mg - back to 25 mg - after 18.75 mg started tiny tapering to 16.6 mg Started on 25 mg Zoloft in March 2011 due to stressrelated tinnitus that gave me panicattacks. Had a terrible reaction to Zoloft from start, but was told to "hold on". After four months I was stuck. Therefore the long taper. Crazy, I know... Super sensitive to drops and have dropped by 4-6 % from the previous dose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 i cant taper slowly because of the bed sife effect of the drug on my gutthanx 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 I have similar question: how many people tapered slowly had relatively smooth taper, felt okay for a while then did not have bad symptoms about 3-4 months later? Is it possible to avoid the delayed withdrawal symptoms? 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 what is delayed withdrawal symptoms? 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted May 13, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 13, 2017 Here is the SA topic: Withdrawal Symptoms - Delayed Onset * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 And also, who tapered slowly and was okay 2-4 months later, with no or very mild symptoms. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 And also, who tapered slowly and was okay 2-4 months later, with no or very mild symptoms. disnt understand you 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikkiTikki Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 We keep asking, but it seems the people doing are well are gone .... Maybe no news is good news? Celexa (Citalopram) 40mg - 60mg - 40mg for 7 years Tapered (over 3 months) drug-free Aug–Nov 2013 CRASH 40mg Dec 2013 – Jan 2017 (7 weeks reinstatement hell then relief) 2017: 20mg 30 Jan 18mg 19 April 16mg 6 May 14mg 20 May 12mg 10 Jun 10mg 7 July 9mg 7 Aug 8mg 16 Oct 7.5mg 27 Nov 2018: 7mg 8 Jan 6.5mg 12 Feb 6mg 17 Mar 5.2mg 14 Apr 5mg 28 Apr 4.8mg 4 Jun 4.6mg 23 Jun 4.4mg 24 Jul 4.2mg 13 Aug 4mg 20 Aug 3.8mg 1 Sep 3.6mg 28 Sep 3.4mg 14 Oct 3.2mg 11 Nov 3mg 5 Dec 5mg 26 Dec 10mg 28 Dec Added Valdoxan 25mg 12 Dec 2018 stopped 24 Jan 2019 Wellbutrin 150mg 25 Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Lorin, I asked something similar to what you did but worded It a bit different. Tikki I'm going to assume you are right . Those that are feeling good after slow taper likely don't come back here. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 no i just read post that say they still have bad wd Although the slow taper in groups of facebook 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 But there could also some who do slow withdrawal, feel good and don't come back here, the ones who did slow taper and have problems do come back.. and it seems those that have worst withdrawal or those that cold turkey or taper fast.... 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus mammaP Posted May 26, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 26, 2017 There are lots of people who have tapered slowly and are fine. I tapered effexor slowly and stopped 2 years ago. I am fine with no withdrawal symptoms. I am tapering tramadol now and have some symptoms for a few days after a cut but they settle because I keep the cuts very small. (3%). Those who taper slowly and then jump off just get on with their lives, why would they want to hang out here when they are done with the drugs? People look for help and find us when they are having problems, then get on with their lives when the problems are solved, like any other help forum. **I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge. Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem) 1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat 2002 effexor. Tapered March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads. Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013 Restarted taper Nov 2013 OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015 Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014 Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg July 2017 30mg. May 15 2018 25mg Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33 Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 There are lots of people who have tapered slowly and are fine. I tapered effexor slowly and stopped 2 years ago. I am fine with no withdrawal symptoms. I am tapering tramadol now and have some symptoms for a few days after a cut but they settle because I keep the cuts very small. (3%). Those who taper slowly and then jump off just get on with their lives, why would they want to hang out here when they are done with the drugs? People look for help and find us when they are having problems, then get on with their lives when the problems are solved, like any other help forum. Thanks for your response Mamma! 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikkiTikki Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 Thank you very much MammaP for sharing with us, and congrats on the success. Celexa (Citalopram) 40mg - 60mg - 40mg for 7 years Tapered (over 3 months) drug-free Aug–Nov 2013 CRASH 40mg Dec 2013 – Jan 2017 (7 weeks reinstatement hell then relief) 2017: 20mg 30 Jan 18mg 19 April 16mg 6 May 14mg 20 May 12mg 10 Jun 10mg 7 July 9mg 7 Aug 8mg 16 Oct 7.5mg 27 Nov 2018: 7mg 8 Jan 6.5mg 12 Feb 6mg 17 Mar 5.2mg 14 Apr 5mg 28 Apr 4.8mg 4 Jun 4.6mg 23 Jun 4.4mg 24 Jul 4.2mg 13 Aug 4mg 20 Aug 3.8mg 1 Sep 3.6mg 28 Sep 3.4mg 14 Oct 3.2mg 11 Nov 3mg 5 Dec 5mg 26 Dec 10mg 28 Dec Added Valdoxan 25mg 12 Dec 2018 stopped 24 Jan 2019 Wellbutrin 150mg 25 Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeldazonk Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Hi, yes, I just spent 14 months tapering off Cymbalta (with a Prozac switch) and have finished two weeks ago. I'm feeling absolutely horrendous. Worse than before my taper, or at any time during it. The thing is, I have ongoing serious mental health problems and a child, and I'm not sure how long I can go on like this. I guess I need to give it time...? Dx ASD, Bipolar 2 & cPTSD It started well before this (1990) but... 2008 - came off Efexor & Seoquel 2008? - 2016 Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn (2015 - Valdoxan < 1 month 2016 - Provigil < 1 month 2016 - Straterra < 1 month) March 2016 - Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn March - start tapering Cymbalta by 10% April 10th - reduce May 1st - reduce May 24th - cold turkey (acupuncturist fool) - pretty bad withdrawal May 27th - re-instate. June 29th - reduce. August 11th - reduce. Sept 14th - reduce. Oct 23rd - reduce. Nov 20th - reduce. Nov 29th - PROZAC SWITCH - started at equivalent dose to Cymbalta. 1/2 Lovan in 30ml water - take 10ml. Reduced by 1 ml at differing intervals - 3-5 weeks - until May 12th. May12th - Antidepressant free!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted May 28, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 28, 2017 A reminder to members. We are each an experiment where N=1. Everyone is different and there are a multitude of factors that come into play. What happened or doesn't happen for one person may or may not happen for another.What happened or didn't happen for yourself previously may or may not happen next time. * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Hi, yes, I just spent 14 months tapering off Cymbalta (with a Prozac switch) and have finished two weeks ago. I'm feeling absolutely horrendous. Worse than before my taper, or at any time during it. The thing is, I have ongoing serious mental health problems and a child, and I'm not sure how long I can go on like this. I guess I need to give it time...? so now you on prozac? 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeldazonk Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 so now you on prozac? No, I used Prozac to come off Cymbalta because the Cymbalta w/drawals were so bad - the"Prozac switch". I tapered off Prozac slowly and am now AD free. Dx ASD, Bipolar 2 & cPTSD It started well before this (1990) but... 2008 - came off Efexor & Seoquel 2008? - 2016 Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn (2015 - Valdoxan < 1 month 2016 - Provigil < 1 month 2016 - Straterra < 1 month) March 2016 - Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn March - start tapering Cymbalta by 10% April 10th - reduce May 1st - reduce May 24th - cold turkey (acupuncturist fool) - pretty bad withdrawal May 27th - re-instate. June 29th - reduce. August 11th - reduce. Sept 14th - reduce. Oct 23rd - reduce. Nov 20th - reduce. Nov 29th - PROZAC SWITCH - started at equivalent dose to Cymbalta. 1/2 Lovan in 30ml water - take 10ml. Reduced by 1 ml at differing intervals - 3-5 weeks - until May 12th. May12th - Antidepressant free!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepingdixie Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I did the last 25mg of lyrica over 4 months and am fine...I've also done 50mg seroquel and 15mg mirtazapine and am fine...now down from 150mg effexor to 75mg and am fine. as Mama P said, once you're done and well you're off doing other more fun things! Prescribed the below after suffering from severe PTSD following an extreme reaction to just two days of Citalopram 10mg in the summer of 2015. This was prescribed for postnatal anxiety following the birth of my second child. I needed the below to get me out of hospital and back home to my kids. Ironic I know...needing drugs to help me get over drugs but hey, I've learned a lot on this journey. 15mg mirtazapine (remeron) DONE! 50mg quetiapine (seroquel) DONE! 225mg pregablin (lyrica) DONE! 150mg venlaflaxine (effexor) down to 75mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeldazonk Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 I'm so envious. Dx ASD, Bipolar 2 & cPTSD It started well before this (1990) but... 2008 - came off Efexor & Seoquel 2008? - 2016 Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn (2015 - Valdoxan < 1 month 2016 - Provigil < 1 month 2016 - Straterra < 1 month) March 2016 - Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn March - start tapering Cymbalta by 10% April 10th - reduce May 1st - reduce May 24th - cold turkey (acupuncturist fool) - pretty bad withdrawal May 27th - re-instate. June 29th - reduce. August 11th - reduce. Sept 14th - reduce. Oct 23rd - reduce. Nov 20th - reduce. Nov 29th - PROZAC SWITCH - started at equivalent dose to Cymbalta. 1/2 Lovan in 30ml water - take 10ml. Reduced by 1 ml at differing intervals - 3-5 weeks - until May 12th. May12th - Antidepressant free!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorin Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I'm so envious. about what? 2007-2015- zoloft 100 mg 5-8/2015 taper zoloft 12.5 mg every 2 weeks 3/2016 -11/16 lexapro 20 mg taper lexapro every month by 30% 11/4/17-lexapro 3.5 mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeldazonk Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I'm so envious. about what? Oh, just of Keeping Dixie's comment about her experience. I was being silly. Zel. Dx ASD, Bipolar 2 & cPTSD It started well before this (1990) but... 2008 - came off Efexor & Seoquel 2008? - 2016 Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn (2015 - Valdoxan < 1 month 2016 - Provigil < 1 month 2016 - Straterra < 1 month) March 2016 - Cymbalta, Lithium, Valium prn March - start tapering Cymbalta by 10% April 10th - reduce May 1st - reduce May 24th - cold turkey (acupuncturist fool) - pretty bad withdrawal May 27th - re-instate. June 29th - reduce. August 11th - reduce. Sept 14th - reduce. Oct 23rd - reduce. Nov 20th - reduce. Nov 29th - PROZAC SWITCH - started at equivalent dose to Cymbalta. 1/2 Lovan in 30ml water - take 10ml. Reduced by 1 ml at differing intervals - 3-5 weeks - until May 12th. May12th - Antidepressant free!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaloapan Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 1. EXTREME fatigue/tiredness since waking up from bed till 2pm. It is so hellish 2. Having involuntary thoughts that never stop, or parts of songs that keep repeating, 24/7 365 3. Involuntary negative emotions 4. Very bad concentration, I have to read or listen anything a lot of times because my brain doesn't get it at the first time, extremely annoying 5. Strong and very annoying heart palpitations 6. Strong tinnitus 7. Internal tremors/involuntary movements/internal palpitations inside my head and body 8. Dry mouth, dry lips and dry throat. 9. Vertigo 10. I got very skinny In 2008 I was 16 years old. 2008 - 2010 paxil, clonazepam & semisodium valproate. 2013 - 2017 many psych meds with cold switches and CT's prescribed by psychiatrists. Nov/30/17 started quetiapine IR tablets 100mg 0-0-1. Dec/1/17 started pristiq 50mg tablets 1-0-0. Jan/14/18 started 1.5mg melatonin 0-0-1 Tramadol: 2 year well done (slow and gradual) taper: from Mar/12/18 to Feb/11/20 Pristiq taper: Jun/15/20 Converted from pristiq 50mg to efexor xr 75mg for 57 days (felt good). Aug/11/20 weaned to efexor 37.5mg and stayed there for 2 months with 26 days (felt good). Nov/6/20 CT 0mg of efexor xr (felt good). Total time in tapering pristiq 50mg by converting to efexor xr 75mg: 4 months with 22 days: Jun/15/20 to Nov/6/20. (felt good) Efexor 0mg and quetiapine 100mg (Nov/6/20 to Dic/11/20) (felt good being without effexor and taking 100mg quetiapine) Dic/11/20 quetiapine 75mg, so 75mg from Dic/11/20 to Jan/4/21 25 days. Jan/5/21 quetiapine 50mg (1 day in 50mg). Jan/6/21 1st CT of quetiapine. Mar/1/21 CT melatonin. Felt terrible so Mar/25/21 reinstated 100mg quetiapine. 100mg quetiapine 19 days (Mar/25/21 - Apr/13/21) Felt good while in quetiapine 100mg. 75mg quetiapine 55 days (Apr/14/21 - Jun/8/21) the 55th day (Jun/8/21) felt hellish so CT'd quetiapine for a 2nd time on Jun/9/21. Jun/9/21 - Nov/16/21 1st days insomnia, anxiety, took cbd and felt very good many days (healed insomnia & anxiety), CT'd ginkgo which made me felt terrible so reinstated ginkgo. Started intolerable back pain (spasm) so tried other herbs along with cbd, then started derealization, panic, indecisiveness, nostalgia & others. Stopped taking cbd & herbs, reinstated quetiapine 75mg Nov/17/21, immediately after taking it, had severe heart palpitations, so Nov/18/21 back to cbd (no quetiapine). Nov/20/21 reinstated 75mg quetiapine (stopped cbd & herbs), severely couldn't breathe for 5 seconds after taking quetiapine 75mg so reduced to 50 mg on Nov/28/21 had new and worse and very severe adverse effects, got indecisive if CT or keep taking quetiapine because I was terrified of CT, but since the new severe adverse effects were very severe I CT, and because of indecisiveness and panic to CT, I reinstated again, then CT'd and reinstated many times, last time I was taking quetiapine it was 25mg and had severe TD, hellish anhedonia, suicidal, intrusive thoughts of imagining myself running into a wall and crashing into it and I was feeling the pain as if I was doing it in real life, involuntary thoughts of punching my face or head and shashing it against the wall and some times I did punch my face, and when I didn't, I also felt the pain just by imagining it, so definitive CT on Jul/15/22. Free from quetiapine and psych meds since Jul/15/22. MY BEST ADVICE: FOLLOW SA'S GUIDELINES, DON'T CT BECAUSE IT IS HORRIFIC AND BE PATIENT TO WAIT A LONG TIME TO DO VERY SLOW AND GRADUAL TAPERS IN ORDER TO GET OFF OF YOUR MEDICATIONS, IT IS WORTH IT. THE ONLY MOMENTS WHERE IS RIGHT TO CT IS AFTER YOUR 1ST CT THAT YOU DID BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE OR IMPATIENCE, IF YOU REINSTATE AND FEEL SEVERE ADVERSE EFFECTS LIKE TD, ANHEDONIA, FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DROWNING, OR THE ONE'S I HAD, IT IS BEST TO CT IN MY EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WHEN I REINSTATED I GOT MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN I WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CT. I'm not a doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icequeen Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 1. Muscle spasms and weakness 2. Shaking and tics/involuntary movements/hyperreflexia 3. Joint dislocation, foot drop and hand drop on left side, clumsiness, dropping everything 4. Not feeling my body - it feels like I'm an aching head hovering in the air 5. Dizziness, headache and nausea/vomitiing, drooling 6. Constant tinnitus and hearing loss on one ear. 7. Thick, sticky mucus everywhere including skin 8. Itching all over 9 Sensitivity to light and sound 10. Insomnia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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