Baggy Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 Very long taper of 2 years coming off Venlafaxine, last dose 22 months ago. Took Amitryptaline for a while to soften symptoms. Still taking 45mgs Mirtazapine. Struggling with depression and anxiety but managing to carry out most everyday functions. Is it normal to be still struggling with these symptoms and should I wait for things to calm down befor I start withdrawing from the Mirtazapine. In touch with the Bristol Tranq. project who are very supportive. Many thanks, keep up the excellent work. Thanks for your prompt response, hope i'm typing this in the right place. Took 45 mg mirtazapine and 225 mg venlafaxine since 2005. June 2013 until June 2015 withdrew from Venlafaxine. Nov. 2015 took 20mg amitryptaline witch helped with withdrawal, Jan 2017 finished gradual withdrawal from Amitryptaline. Experienced windows and waves but for last month wave gradually getting worse, anxiety and crying spells, but managable. Taking Omega 3 and multi vit supplements. I know I am on the right road but probably need your words of wisdom, any help most appreciated. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted May 8, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 8, 2017 Hi Baggy and welcome to SA, So that we have the full picture of your drug history please create a drug signature Create Your Signature. Please include details for the last 12-18 months of all drugs, dates, doses and discontinuations & reinstatements. If you can't remember dates, please write it as "early March" or "mid-August". Please provide a summary of any drugs prior to that which can just be listed with start and stop years. Please include all prescription, non-prescription drugs and supplements you are currently taking. Phone Instructions: Withdrawal History Signature. Please also remember to update it with date and dose whenever make a change so that it remains current. Thank you. I'll give you some links to check out: Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization Withdrawal Normal Description This is your own Intro topic where you can ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress. Click "Follow" top right and you will be notified when someone responds. * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft;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
Baggy Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 (edited) Hello again, I am 26 months after completing withdrawal fron15omg venlafaxine which took 2 years. am still taking 45mg mirtazapine. Had a weeks window 2 months ago when I was back to my old self but since then symptoms of acute depression and some anxiety gradually getting worse. Is this common with withdrawal only my resolve is being sorely tested. In touch with The Bristol tranquilliser project who have advised not to start withdrawing the mirtazapine untill settled. I am taking multi vits, fish oil and magnesium supplements. Any help would be gratefully received. Many thanks The Baggy, Edited August 29, 2017 by KarenB Merged Intro topics Thanks for your prompt response, hope i'm typing this in the right place. Took 45 mg mirtazapine and 225 mg venlafaxine since 2005. June 2013 until June 2015 withdrew from Venlafaxine. Nov. 2015 took 20mg amitryptaline witch helped with withdrawal, Jan 2017 finished gradual withdrawal from Amitryptaline. Experienced windows and waves but for last month wave gradually getting worse, anxiety and crying spells, but managable. Taking Omega 3 and multi vit supplements. I know I am on the right road but probably need your words of wisdom, any help most appreciated. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted August 29, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 29, 2017 Hi Baggy, I've merged your two Intro topics into this single one. All of your questions and information can go here, just press 'reply' at the bottom of this page. My first thought is that you might stop the multi-vitamin, as they can be quite activating if they have B vitamins in them. Good to see you are taking fish oil and magnesium. You are also right to keep the mirt stable for now. One thing at a time! Can you tell us how you tapered from amitriptyline? I.e. how long were you on 20mg, then what decreases did you make in what time-frames? As you can read here, tips-for-tapering-off-amitriptyline, it needs tapering by 10% monthly. You'll be able to get stable again, it's just a matter of getting all the info we can and then making a plan. Welcome to SA, Karen 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Baggy Posted August 29, 2017 Author Share Posted August 29, 2017 Many thanks for your prompt reply, it really helps to know someone is there to help. I started on amitryptaline in November of 2015 and started withdrawal from it in October 2016. I took 5 months to gradually reduce it to zero, probably a bit faster than what you state. As previously stated since then have had a really good period from 13th to 28th June and then not so good, so be it. Baggy. Thanks for your prompt response, hope i'm typing this in the right place. Took 45 mg mirtazapine and 225 mg venlafaxine since 2005. June 2013 until June 2015 withdrew from Venlafaxine. Nov. 2015 took 20mg amitryptaline witch helped with withdrawal, Jan 2017 finished gradual withdrawal from Amitryptaline. Experienced windows and waves but for last month wave gradually getting worse, anxiety and crying spells, but managable. Taking Omega 3 and multi vit supplements. I know I am on the right road but probably need your words of wisdom, any help most appreciated. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted August 29, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 29, 2017 You might also look at this thread: windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus baroquep Posted August 31, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 31, 2017 Hi Baggy, I thought these links might also be helpful. Brain RemodellingVideo: Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery Current Prescription Drugs for Hypothyroidism: Synthroid 100mcg / Cytomel 5mcg (15 years Pristiq/Effexor)Tapering Schedule September 15, 2016 - switched from Pristiq 50mg to Effexor XR 75mg; November 10, 2016 - reduced to 67.5 Effexor XR December 9, 2016 - reduced 60.75 January 5, 2017 - reduced 54.67 January 30, 2017 - reduced to 49.0 February 20, 2017 - reduced to 44.0 May 20, 2017 - reduced to 40.25 (holding for additional month due to late onset of withdrawal symptoms after this taper) July 17, 2017 - reduced to 38.24 August 15, 2017 - reduced to 37.5 (50% of my original dose) October 15, 2017 - reduced to 35.6 November 12, 2017 - reduced to 33.8 December 15, 2017 - up-dose to 35.6 December 28, 2017 - up-dose to 37.5 Link to comment
Baggy Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 Really humbled by all your support. Have cut out the multivits and trying to live as normally as poss. I know I can get my life back with all your help. Once again many thanks. Thanks for your prompt response, hope i'm typing this in the right place. Took 45 mg mirtazapine and 225 mg venlafaxine since 2005. June 2013 until June 2015 withdrew from Venlafaxine. Nov. 2015 took 20mg amitryptaline witch helped with withdrawal, Jan 2017 finished gradual withdrawal from Amitryptaline. Experienced windows and waves but for last month wave gradually getting worse, anxiety and crying spells, but managable. Taking Omega 3 and multi vit supplements. I know I am on the right road but probably need your words of wisdom, any help most appreciated. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus baroquep Posted September 3, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 3, 2017 HI Baggy, how have you been feeling? Has cutting out the multivitamin made things a little better? Yes, it looks like you went off Amitryptaline far too quickly and likely made the withdrawal from Effexor all that more difficult. I would definitely stay on the Mirtazapine until things start to settle for you. Tapering off of 225mg Effexor over two years likely wasn't enough time but it is certainly all lot better than cold turkey. When you are feeling a little better, you might try a bit of magnesium, it seems to help with calming the central nervous system. Anyway, just checking in to see how things are going and hope that things are trending in the right direction. Magnesium Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms Best, BaroqueP Current Prescription Drugs for Hypothyroidism: Synthroid 100mcg / Cytomel 5mcg (15 years Pristiq/Effexor)Tapering Schedule September 15, 2016 - switched from Pristiq 50mg to Effexor XR 75mg; November 10, 2016 - reduced to 67.5 Effexor XR December 9, 2016 - reduced 60.75 January 5, 2017 - reduced 54.67 January 30, 2017 - reduced to 49.0 February 20, 2017 - reduced to 44.0 May 20, 2017 - reduced to 40.25 (holding for additional month due to late onset of withdrawal symptoms after this taper) July 17, 2017 - reduced to 38.24 August 15, 2017 - reduced to 37.5 (50% of my original dose) October 15, 2017 - reduced to 35.6 November 12, 2017 - reduced to 33.8 December 15, 2017 - up-dose to 35.6 December 28, 2017 - up-dose to 37.5 Link to comment
Baggy Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 Thanks for your reply. Have started taking magnesium citrate, anxiety and depression still pretty grim but life is better in the evenings. It was 150 mg venlafaxine I withdrew from but I know it is a really bad med to come off. I am sure that eventually I will get my life back so many thanks again for your support. I will be in touch. Baggy. Thanks for your prompt response, hope i'm typing this in the right place. Took 45 mg mirtazapine and 225 mg venlafaxine since 2005. June 2013 until June 2015 withdrew from Venlafaxine. Nov. 2015 took 20mg amitryptaline witch helped with withdrawal, Jan 2017 finished gradual withdrawal from Amitryptaline. Experienced windows and waves but for last month wave gradually getting worse, anxiety and crying spells, but managable. Taking Omega 3 and multi vit supplements. I know I am on the right road but probably need your words of wisdom, any help most appreciated. Link to comment
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