Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Micro-taper instead of 10% or 5% decreases


Altostrata

Recommended Posts

Alto is there a thread for that? I can't seem to put my head around how you can dilute the drug and know if you are getting a certain amount of the drug? I am concerned that it would not be an exact amount of the medicine. If you don't mind could you please explain? Thank you !

08/2014 10 mg 8/28/14 switched to liquid 2.5 timeline-9/6/14 2.30=9.2 ...10/03/14 2.07=8.28 ...11/1/14 1.9=7.611/3014 1.72=6.88 ... 12/26 1.54=6.16... 2/16 1.46=5.84 switch to 5% per 3 wks3/14/15 1.38=5.52 ... 4/4/15 1.30=5.2 ...4/25/15 1.24=4.965/16/15 1.18=4.72 ... 6/6/15 1.12=4.48...6/26/15 1.06=4.24 switch to 5%ish per two weeks7/15/15 1.0=4. 7/30/15 .96=3.84 8/13/15 .91=3.64 or .90=3.60 8/29/15 .86=3.44 9/12/15 .82= 3.28 9/26/15 .78=3.12 10/11/15 .74=2.96 10/25/15 .70=2.8 hit a wall been holding since12/26/15 2.5% decrease .68=2.72 1/9/16 .66=2.64 2/6/16 .63=2.52 3/3/16 ,60=2.4 3/26/16 57=2.28 4/30/16 .54=2.16mg 6/4/16 .52=2.08 8/5/16 updose .75=3.0. 9/6/16 1.00=4.0 5mg 2/10/17 6mg 2/17/17 8 mg 3/17/17 7mg ? 3/18/17 6mg 4/1/17 5mg @4/17 4.5mg=1.12 5/19/17 4 mg=1.00ml 7/15/17 .98=3.96

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Oh, you're welcome, ican!

 

2020: After 18+ years (entire adult life) on Paxil, a dangerous doctor-led "taper" in 2015, and four years tapering off the last 1 mg thanks to SA and the Brassmonkey slide, 

I AM COMPLETELY FREE OF PAXIL! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Forever.

 

2021: Began conservative, proper, CNS-respecting taper of Zoloft, led by the only expert on me -- me. Making own liquid. 5-10% plus holds.

2022: Holding on Zoloft for now. Current dose 47 mg. Hanging in, hanging on. Severe protracted PAWS, windows and waves. While I may not be doing "a lot" by outside standards, things are graaaaadually getting better

 

Yoga (gentle to medium); walks; daily breath practice; nutrition, fruits/veg; nature; water; EastEnders (lol); practicing self-compassion, self-care; boundaries; connection; allowing feelings; t r u s t ing that I, too, will heal. (--> may need to be reminded of this.)

"You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." - Baylissa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

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 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

KarenB, thank you for that link -- I've read the information there, and I still have the same question as Icandothis:

 

Alto is there a thread for that? I can't seem to put my head around how you can dilute the drug and know if you are getting a certain amount of the drug? I am concerned that it would not be an exact amount of the medicine. 

 

Icandothis, I didn't see anything specifically relating to being totally sure you're getting the amount of the drug you think you're getting, if you're diluting liquid with liquid. 

 

I'm trying to wrap my head around this, too. I hope that having liquid Paxil and my 0.5 ml syringe, I won't need to do this personally, but it seems like a really important question, especially since the accuracy required at these tiny doses seems to foster paranoia (in myself at least). How can you be sure? 

 

2020: After 18+ years (entire adult life) on Paxil, a dangerous doctor-led "taper" in 2015, and four years tapering off the last 1 mg thanks to SA and the Brassmonkey slide, 

I AM COMPLETELY FREE OF PAXIL! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Forever.

 

2021: Began conservative, proper, CNS-respecting taper of Zoloft, led by the only expert on me -- me. Making own liquid. 5-10% plus holds.

2022: Holding on Zoloft for now. Current dose 47 mg. Hanging in, hanging on. Severe protracted PAWS, windows and waves. While I may not be doing "a lot" by outside standards, things are graaaaadually getting better

 

Yoga (gentle to medium); walks; daily breath practice; nutrition, fruits/veg; nature; water; EastEnders (lol); practicing self-compassion, self-care; boundaries; connection; allowing feelings; t r u s t ing that I, too, will heal. (--> may need to be reminded of this.)

"You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." - Baylissa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello SkyBlue,

I am hoping like you that a .5 syringe will do the trick as you get to minute amounts but I am a think ahead type and need to have the information regardless if I need it and for the life of me do not understand how you can know what you are getting for a dose by diluting a liquid ....

As for the paranoia....you can speak for me too because I completely feel the same way :)

08/2014 10 mg 8/28/14 switched to liquid 2.5 timeline-9/6/14 2.30=9.2 ...10/03/14 2.07=8.28 ...11/1/14 1.9=7.611/3014 1.72=6.88 ... 12/26 1.54=6.16... 2/16 1.46=5.84 switch to 5% per 3 wks3/14/15 1.38=5.52 ... 4/4/15 1.30=5.2 ...4/25/15 1.24=4.965/16/15 1.18=4.72 ... 6/6/15 1.12=4.48...6/26/15 1.06=4.24 switch to 5%ish per two weeks7/15/15 1.0=4. 7/30/15 .96=3.84 8/13/15 .91=3.64 or .90=3.60 8/29/15 .86=3.44 9/12/15 .82= 3.28 9/26/15 .78=3.12 10/11/15 .74=2.96 10/25/15 .70=2.8 hit a wall been holding since12/26/15 2.5% decrease .68=2.72 1/9/16 .66=2.64 2/6/16 .63=2.52 3/3/16 ,60=2.4 3/26/16 57=2.28 4/30/16 .54=2.16mg 6/4/16 .52=2.08 8/5/16 updose .75=3.0. 9/6/16 1.00=4.0 5mg 2/10/17 6mg 2/17/17 8 mg 3/17/17 7mg ? 3/18/17 6mg 4/1/17 5mg @4/17 4.5mg=1.12 5/19/17 4 mg=1.00ml 7/15/17 .98=3.96

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

It's very simple.  In your liquid solution, med molecules are evenly dispersed throughout the liquid.  So, in a 1 mg/ml solution, for instance, there's 1 mg evenly dispersed throughout the liquid (at least for a solution where the med is soluble and doesn't settle out, otherwise you must SHAKE WELL before measuring!).

 

Now, let's say I want a 0.5 mg/ml solution and I am working with a 1 mg/ml solution.  I could take an equal volume of another liquid (water, for instance) and add to the same volume of med solution.  So, 5 ml water to 5 ml med solution, for instance.  Total volume, 10 ml, but I still only have 5 ml  x 1.0 mg/ml which equals 5.0 mg, right?  So, divide 5 mg by 10 ml and I now have 0.5 mg/ml.  Shake well, and those 5 mg will be evenly dispersed throughout those 10 ml.

 

So, rather than get ever smaller syringes, you could do a dilution like this and still use the syringe you already have.

 

I hope this helps someone!

 

SG

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you SquirrellyGirl

So I get what you are saying however I would greatly appreciate if you could let me know if I am on the right track...

So I evenly mix say water and the medicine but when you get down to small difficult measurable amounts do I mix a larger amount of both liquids in order to get a larger easier solution to draw from and then when I use the syringe draw out double of what I need?

Example: I mix 1ml medicine to 1ml of water

I need say .5ml of medicine.....I then draw out a total of 1.0 of the mixed solution which in fact would be equal to .5ml of medicine?

So by mixing it with say water it's allowing one to be able to draw out smaller amounts but can do so with ease because the addition of the water makes it larger thus easier to draw from?

I have been trying to take what you had written and make sense in my brain ...:)

08/2014 10 mg 8/28/14 switched to liquid 2.5 timeline-9/6/14 2.30=9.2 ...10/03/14 2.07=8.28 ...11/1/14 1.9=7.611/3014 1.72=6.88 ... 12/26 1.54=6.16... 2/16 1.46=5.84 switch to 5% per 3 wks3/14/15 1.38=5.52 ... 4/4/15 1.30=5.2 ...4/25/15 1.24=4.965/16/15 1.18=4.72 ... 6/6/15 1.12=4.48...6/26/15 1.06=4.24 switch to 5%ish per two weeks7/15/15 1.0=4. 7/30/15 .96=3.84 8/13/15 .91=3.64 or .90=3.60 8/29/15 .86=3.44 9/12/15 .82= 3.28 9/26/15 .78=3.12 10/11/15 .74=2.96 10/25/15 .70=2.8 hit a wall been holding since12/26/15 2.5% decrease .68=2.72 1/9/16 .66=2.64 2/6/16 .63=2.52 3/3/16 ,60=2.4 3/26/16 57=2.28 4/30/16 .54=2.16mg 6/4/16 .52=2.08 8/5/16 updose .75=3.0. 9/6/16 1.00=4.0 5mg 2/10/17 6mg 2/17/17 8 mg 3/17/17 7mg ? 3/18/17 6mg 4/1/17 5mg @4/17 4.5mg=1.12 5/19/17 4 mg=1.00ml 7/15/17 .98=3.96

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Let's start over since I'm having my own cognitive difficulties :-)  What concentration of the drug have you been making (in other words, how many mgs mixed in how much water, and the how much of that do you take?

 

SG

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Example: I mix 1ml medicine to 1ml of water

I need say .5ml of medicine.....I then draw out a total of 1.0 of the mixed solution which in fact would be equal to .5ml of medicine?

So by mixing it with say water it's allowing one to be able to draw out smaller amounts but can do so with ease because the addition of the water makes it larger thus easier to draw from?

I have been trying to take what you had written and make sense in my brain ... :)

In your example above, yes, that is right.  But it helps to think in terms of concentration.  How many mgs of medicine are in the 1.0 ml of your original solution?

 

There are lots of ways to get to the same place.  You could start with your stock solution and dilute from there, as above, or create a whole new stock solution that has a lower concentration.  So, if you mixed your 10 mg pill in 10 ml water to get 1.0 mg/ml before, you could now mix your 10 mg pill in 20 ml of water to get a 0.5 mg/ml solution.  Then, if you wanted to take 1 mg, you'd take 2.0 ml.  Or if you needed 0.5 mg, you'd take 1.0 ml.

 

SG

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm tapering from 10mg of lexapro generic. It was way too strong for me afte me I went off gluten and my absorption changed. I'm down to 8mg of the Lupin brand. The other day I accidentally diluted another bottle I have here of the teva brand, and my anxiety is awful today and the muscle jerks I had when I was at 10mg came back. The concentration of these pills are different from brand to brand. Frustrating. I was doing ok with the taper until this.

Lexapro 10mg March 2014 - June 2014

Tapered from June 2014 - October 2014

 

Prozac 10mg January 2015 - February 2015 (gave me tachycardia)

Zoloft 12.5mg (felt too jittery)

Back on Lexapro 10mg - early February 2015 - today

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

SQ I am not currently needing to dilute my medicine as I am still at a point where I am using a 1ml syringe....just thinking ahead :)

I am currently on liquid Fluoxetine.

So basically if need be when I get to that point I will combine equal parts of liquid Fluoxetine and water and then double the amount I draw from the syringe in order to get a true half amount of the medicine...I think I got it

08/2014 10 mg 8/28/14 switched to liquid 2.5 timeline-9/6/14 2.30=9.2 ...10/03/14 2.07=8.28 ...11/1/14 1.9=7.611/3014 1.72=6.88 ... 12/26 1.54=6.16... 2/16 1.46=5.84 switch to 5% per 3 wks3/14/15 1.38=5.52 ... 4/4/15 1.30=5.2 ...4/25/15 1.24=4.965/16/15 1.18=4.72 ... 6/6/15 1.12=4.48...6/26/15 1.06=4.24 switch to 5%ish per two weeks7/15/15 1.0=4. 7/30/15 .96=3.84 8/13/15 .91=3.64 or .90=3.60 8/29/15 .86=3.44 9/12/15 .82= 3.28 9/26/15 .78=3.12 10/11/15 .74=2.96 10/25/15 .70=2.8 hit a wall been holding since12/26/15 2.5% decrease .68=2.72 1/9/16 .66=2.64 2/6/16 .63=2.52 3/3/16 ,60=2.4 3/26/16 57=2.28 4/30/16 .54=2.16mg 6/4/16 .52=2.08 8/5/16 updose .75=3.0. 9/6/16 1.00=4.0 5mg 2/10/17 6mg 2/17/17 8 mg 3/17/17 7mg ? 3/18/17 6mg 4/1/17 5mg @4/17 4.5mg=1.12 5/19/17 4 mg=1.00ml 7/15/17 .98=3.96

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Ok, so when you are ready to do it, let's go over it again :-)

 

SG

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

How do I calculate micro tapering of half of 12.5mg zoloft? I'm trying to figure out a solid plan. Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Meowmeoww, 

I used your other topic to create an Intro for you and answered your questions, hopefully.  Let us know there if you have more questions or need more clarity.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12375-meowmeoww-i-need-som-informative-answers/

 

SG

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I was looking back over my old posts. I see how little I have been able to withdraw from prozac with mico-tapering

and how much of that time I have been struggling with dark, repetitive thoughts while in withdrawal.

Seems like I'll be wasting my life to be dropping at this low pace. Today I'm considering resigning myself

to staying on a very low dose for the rest of my life. Is there a totally reliable pharmacy , proven to be exactly accurate,

where I could get  very low dose tablets or capsules? (I am currently on 3.3 mg a day).

If not, I'm considering going back up to 5mg. However the only 5 mg prozac tablets I can find online is for cats

and I'm not confident vetinary prozac would be exactly accurate. I'd be thankfull for any advice.

On 20 mg of Prozac for about ten years. Sept 2012 started reducing 10% a drop using gram scale, with average of one month holds.

When I'd reached the half way mark, taking 10 mg  powder out of the 20 mg capsules, I switched over to 10 mg capsules and cutting

down from those. Withdrawals got harder the lower I dropped.  May 2013 changed to 5% drops, holding until all withdrawal symptoms gone.

January 2015 changed to liquid prozac (concentration of 20MG per 5 mL) using a 1mL oral syringe.

Current dose of fluoxetine solution equivalent 3.4 mg. Any effort to drop below this has been disastrous so for the time being I'm staying at this level.
Adding 200 mg Tryptophan and 200 GABA a day has helped with anxiety.
Also take 1,300mg Omega- 3,  875mg  Magnesium, 1800mg Curcumin, 1000mg Vit C, 5000 Vit D.
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Keep notes on paper about your dosage and symptom pattern -- this is important!

 

I've said this before, but the the site https://www.patientslikeme.com/ is very useful for tracking dosages of medications, related symptoms and graphing them together. I use it myself. You can customise your profile and record the meds, supplements etc that you take. You can generate graphs that will show the levels of a particular drug and related symptoms or side-effects side by side. For it to be of any use it helps to log on daily and give all your symptoms a score.

 

I don't work for the above by the way  :)  It's just a tool that I find very useful myself. If signing up I would be careful not to use an e-mail address (you need one to sign up) that will identify you by name. Maybe create a new gmail account for this purpose. That is if you want to protect your anonymity.

Previously - zopiclone, risperidone, lyrica (pregabalin), ativan (lorezapam)
01/Aug/2016 -  65mg effexor, 4.5mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
12/Aug/2016 -  75mg effexor, 4.5mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
03/Oct/2016 -  70mg effexor, 4.5mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
29/Oct/2016 -  65mg effexor, 4.5mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
25/Nov/2016 -  65mg effexor, 4mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
25/Dec/2016 -  60mg effexor, 3.6mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
18/Jan/2017 -  60mg effexor, 5.25mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
27/Mar/2017 -  54mg effexor, 5.25mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
23/Apr/2017 -  54mg effexor, 7.5mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
09/May/2017 -  75mg effexor, 7.5mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
08/Jun/2017 -  75mg effexor, 6.75mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
18/Jul/2017 -  75mg effexor, 6mg olanzapine, 15mg mirtazpine
Sometimes valium. Not daily. Supplements - Sterols and Stanols.
Note : I would really hope that nobody uses my tapering history as a guideline. It might not work well for somebody else tapering similar medications.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indigo- when I was taking 5 mg I merely cut the 10mg pills in half and that worked just fine for me. I know that you can find a compounding pharmacy close to where you live that could potentially formulate the dose you are looking for...Hope you find peace :)

08/2014 10 mg 8/28/14 switched to liquid 2.5 timeline-9/6/14 2.30=9.2 ...10/03/14 2.07=8.28 ...11/1/14 1.9=7.611/3014 1.72=6.88 ... 12/26 1.54=6.16... 2/16 1.46=5.84 switch to 5% per 3 wks3/14/15 1.38=5.52 ... 4/4/15 1.30=5.2 ...4/25/15 1.24=4.965/16/15 1.18=4.72 ... 6/6/15 1.12=4.48...6/26/15 1.06=4.24 switch to 5%ish per two weeks7/15/15 1.0=4. 7/30/15 .96=3.84 8/13/15 .91=3.64 or .90=3.60 8/29/15 .86=3.44 9/12/15 .82= 3.28 9/26/15 .78=3.12 10/11/15 .74=2.96 10/25/15 .70=2.8 hit a wall been holding since12/26/15 2.5% decrease .68=2.72 1/9/16 .66=2.64 2/6/16 .63=2.52 3/3/16 ,60=2.4 3/26/16 57=2.28 4/30/16 .54=2.16mg 6/4/16 .52=2.08 8/5/16 updose .75=3.0. 9/6/16 1.00=4.0 5mg 2/10/17 6mg 2/17/17 8 mg 3/17/17 7mg ? 3/18/17 6mg 4/1/17 5mg @4/17 4.5mg=1.12 5/19/17 4 mg=1.00ml 7/15/17 .98=3.96

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are 10 mg pills widely available? I thought they only made capsules of prozac.

On 20 mg of Prozac for about ten years. Sept 2012 started reducing 10% a drop using gram scale, with average of one month holds.

When I'd reached the half way mark, taking 10 mg  powder out of the 20 mg capsules, I switched over to 10 mg capsules and cutting

down from those. Withdrawals got harder the lower I dropped.  May 2013 changed to 5% drops, holding until all withdrawal symptoms gone.

January 2015 changed to liquid prozac (concentration of 20MG per 5 mL) using a 1mL oral syringe.

Current dose of fluoxetine solution equivalent 3.4 mg. Any effort to drop below this has been disastrous so for the time being I'm staying at this level.
Adding 200 mg Tryptophan and 200 GABA a day has helped with anxiety.
Also take 1,300mg Omega- 3,  875mg  Magnesium, 1800mg Curcumin, 1000mg Vit C, 5000 Vit D.
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

If your doing 1 percent cuts every week. How long does it take to get off? How long does an average micro taper take?

Starting taking Anafranil when I was in 8th grade for OCD. I only took it for about one year. I had no withdrawel coming off as a freshman in high school. 

Then started various SSRI's my first two years of college. I felt side effects from all different meds but they were still prescribed by docs.

2010-Finally landed on lexapro for about one year and I noticed cognitive issues while on it.

Taper quickly off and felt very depressed for around four months. Was put on 50 mg Pristiq and symptoms got better but still had depression to a certain degree. Started getting severe issues from Pristiq so I tapered off over a four month period and have been dealing with withdrawal and healing from withdrawal since.

I was on Pristiq for about 2.5 years and then tapered off in the fall of 13'.

I am currently taking:

 

-255mg of gabapentin (holding for now)

-10 mg viibryd (holding for now)

-5 mg buspar (2.5 in the morn and 2.5 at night) (I weighed out half a tablet and it weighed about .053 on my scale so I started measuring it out to .050 with a nail file morning and night. That was my first cut. Beginning of December was when it was made). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

It is so super helpful to re-read this thread. Great advice and support.

 

QUESTION: How sensitive does a scale have to be to weigh pills for a micro taper??? Here's one that says "Weighs up to 100 grams in 0.01 gram increments." and then there's this one: "Weighs up to 20 grams in 0.001 gram increments" Are either of those any good?

THANKS!

QUIT chlonazepam (Klonopin) 8/26/17. My dosage was less than 0.5; hard to measure exactly because I had been reducing by weight. My overall diagnosis is fibromyalgia. I'm 63 yrs old. Feeling great to be free of it!

MICRO TAPERED KLONOPIN BY WEIGHT: 5/26: .241 -- ?/?: .235 -- 7/10: .223 -- 7/24: .221 -- 7/29: .217 -- 8/1: 212 -- 8/6: .208

Switched: 8/13, reduced to 1/2 pill (a .5 pill), maintaining morning dose of weight .069. Kept micro tapering until 8/26/17.

CURURENTLY TAPERING BUSPAR: BUSPAR started in May 2017, currently: 2and1/3 15mg pill = 15+15+5= 35 mgs. Very helpful med. 11/9/17: 25 mgs. (1 and 1/3 15 mg pill)

PREVIOUS: In August 2016, after some stressful life changes, my Klonopin use went up to about 4.0. New dr jerked me down from 4.0 to 1 mg. I'm still suffering from that sudden extreme withdrawal. Plus I was put on and taken off of many other meds those first couple of months: Tizanadine, Remeron, Lexapro, Wellbutrin. A very difficult time in my life.  CURRENT: Cymbalta 60mg, maintaining. I use medical marijuana for pain as needed, usually at night. Don't take it during the day because it just makes me too dopey. I take probiotics.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Please see this topic:  using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses

* 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

Thanks ChessieCat!

QUIT chlonazepam (Klonopin) 8/26/17. My dosage was less than 0.5; hard to measure exactly because I had been reducing by weight. My overall diagnosis is fibromyalgia. I'm 63 yrs old. Feeling great to be free of it!

MICRO TAPERED KLONOPIN BY WEIGHT: 5/26: .241 -- ?/?: .235 -- 7/10: .223 -- 7/24: .221 -- 7/29: .217 -- 8/1: 212 -- 8/6: .208

Switched: 8/13, reduced to 1/2 pill (a .5 pill), maintaining morning dose of weight .069. Kept micro tapering until 8/26/17.

CURURENTLY TAPERING BUSPAR: BUSPAR started in May 2017, currently: 2and1/3 15mg pill = 15+15+5= 35 mgs. Very helpful med. 11/9/17: 25 mgs. (1 and 1/3 15 mg pill)

PREVIOUS: In August 2016, after some stressful life changes, my Klonopin use went up to about 4.0. New dr jerked me down from 4.0 to 1 mg. I'm still suffering from that sudden extreme withdrawal. Plus I was put on and taken off of many other meds those first couple of months: Tizanadine, Remeron, Lexapro, Wellbutrin. A very difficult time in my life.  CURRENT: Cymbalta 60mg, maintaining. I use medical marijuana for pain as needed, usually at night. Don't take it during the day because it just makes me too dopey. I take probiotics.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hello,

 

Im wondering if anyone has any experience with micro tapering 1 mg (or something small like that) at a time...

I am currently on 225mg Fluvoxamine and trying to come off 5mg a time is too hard for me so I am thinking of doing a micro taper of 1 mg at a time..

 

I was wondering what the best way to approach this would be.. If I recall correctly, I think I read somewhere that it is best to reduce 1 mg a week.. (4-5mg total a month). 

Is this something that might work or is a week maybe too short I’m wondering <_<. Im willing to try anything at this point. 

----

Thank you everyone

2014-2015. Was on Luvox for about a year or more. Withdrew to fast in only 2 months but felt fine. (highest dose was 800mg which is over 2x the maximum safe dose..tapered off 50mg every week). Was also on klonopin for a few months. Do not remember the details. 

...
2016
(Klonopin 1 mg for a month, second time on it, in May 2016 and tapered .25mg through early aug)
(Tapered off Klonopin as i went on Luvox)  
-Off klonopin-
....
2016-present 
Back on Luvox in 2016 of June..(400 mg 8/26/2016).. (350mg 8/26/2016).. (300mg 09/04/2016).. (250mg 09/08/2016).. (tried to taper to 225mg 03/07/2017 didn't work).. (240mg  04/04/2017).. (230mg 04/27/2017).. (225mg 05/12/2017)...(223mg 09/28/2017)...(222mg 05/01/2018)...(220mg 05/21/2018)...(218mg 09/01/18)...(216mg 02/21/19)  (03/15/2019-08/30/19)had a serve drug interaction took a long time to recover and find the right dose)  (08/30/19 199mg)...(09/24/19 198mg) (feeling more human)
04/01/20-jan 75mg- 100mg... February 1st -present.. about 116mg a day
had terrible suicidal thoughts from the effects of drugs for 6 months - has gotten better but at times can return at times
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Raye I moved your post to this existing thread.  Have a read through and you'll get quite a good idea of how to approach a micro-taper.  You will still need to ensure that your total reductions are 10% or less per month. 

 

I am doing a micro-taper of about 4% per month, broken up into 4 weekly reductions of 1%, and then a 3 or 4 week break.  It works very well for me. 

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 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Drugrage, please read when-to-end-the-taper-and-jump-to-zero\

 

No body is being compulsive - we're taking appropriate steps to reduce the worst of the symptoms and ensure a successful taper.  It's called harm-reduction.

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 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Drugrage -- People round the dose to the nearest unit their method can measure. If you have a scale that is good for hundredths of a milligram, 0.01 mg, then you round your doses to that.

 

Individuals with highly sensitized central nervous systems evaluate the balance between speed of taper and level of symptoms. Each person makes that choice for themselves. We recommend decreasing less than 5-10 10%  when larger decreases cause problems; it is not a universal suggestion.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On July 9, 2017 at 9:18 PM, KarenB said:

Raye I moved your post to this existing thread.  Have a read through and you'll get quite a good idea of how to approach a micro-taper.  You will still need to ensure that your total reductions are 10% or less per month. 

 

I am doing a micro-taper of about 4% per month, broken up into 4 weekly reductions of 1%, and then a 3 or 4 week break.  It works very well for me. 

thank you.

I am going to try a taper of like 1 mg a week.. 

A 3-4 week break in between seems like a good idea to rest your nervous system

2014-2015. Was on Luvox for about a year or more. Withdrew to fast in only 2 months but felt fine. (highest dose was 800mg which is over 2x the maximum safe dose..tapered off 50mg every week). Was also on klonopin for a few months. Do not remember the details. 

...
2016
(Klonopin 1 mg for a month, second time on it, in May 2016 and tapered .25mg through early aug)
(Tapered off Klonopin as i went on Luvox)  
-Off klonopin-
....
2016-present 
Back on Luvox in 2016 of June..(400 mg 8/26/2016).. (350mg 8/26/2016).. (300mg 09/04/2016).. (250mg 09/08/2016).. (tried to taper to 225mg 03/07/2017 didn't work).. (240mg  04/04/2017).. (230mg 04/27/2017).. (225mg 05/12/2017)...(223mg 09/28/2017)...(222mg 05/01/2018)...(220mg 05/21/2018)...(218mg 09/01/18)...(216mg 02/21/19)  (03/15/2019-08/30/19)had a serve drug interaction took a long time to recover and find the right dose)  (08/30/19 199mg)...(09/24/19 198mg) (feeling more human)
04/01/20-jan 75mg- 100mg... February 1st -present.. about 116mg a day
had terrible suicidal thoughts from the effects of drugs for 6 months - has gotten better but at times can return at times
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Drugrage,

I'm tapering off of Klonopin and I'm doing it slowly because I took it for a very long time and because my central nervous system got super sensitive to it when a doctor messed with my dosage a year ago. The tapering can feel really bad for me. Really bad. I recently tried a 5% taper and even that was too much. So I'm going to be doing 1% to 2% from now on. I'm reducing by weight, by the way, so I do get exactly the same amount each time. And, regardless of weight, the dosage is indeed accurate per pill so when it says 25 mg it is 25 mg.

 

If you can't respect the need for some of us to do a slow micro taper, then maybe this is the wrong forum for you. At first I had some of the same reactions of you, skeptical, sarcastic. But now I get it. It might take me a year, but I'll get off of the Klonopin in the gentlest way possible for my central nervous system.

 

As far as being compulsive... Yes, there is a compulsive aspect of it. My shrink, and others, advise taking the doses at the same time and in the same way every day for the sake of your central nervous system. It matters.

QUIT chlonazepam (Klonopin) 8/26/17. My dosage was less than 0.5; hard to measure exactly because I had been reducing by weight. My overall diagnosis is fibromyalgia. I'm 63 yrs old. Feeling great to be free of it!

MICRO TAPERED KLONOPIN BY WEIGHT: 5/26: .241 -- ?/?: .235 -- 7/10: .223 -- 7/24: .221 -- 7/29: .217 -- 8/1: 212 -- 8/6: .208

Switched: 8/13, reduced to 1/2 pill (a .5 pill), maintaining morning dose of weight .069. Kept micro tapering until 8/26/17.

CURURENTLY TAPERING BUSPAR: BUSPAR started in May 2017, currently: 2and1/3 15mg pill = 15+15+5= 35 mgs. Very helpful med. 11/9/17: 25 mgs. (1 and 1/3 15 mg pill)

PREVIOUS: In August 2016, after some stressful life changes, my Klonopin use went up to about 4.0. New dr jerked me down from 4.0 to 1 mg. I'm still suffering from that sudden extreme withdrawal. Plus I was put on and taken off of many other meds those first couple of months: Tizanadine, Remeron, Lexapro, Wellbutrin. A very difficult time in my life.  CURRENT: Cymbalta 60mg, maintaining. I use medical marijuana for pain as needed, usually at night. Don't take it during the day because it just makes me too dopey. I take probiotics.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

We each have to do what is right for ourselves.  No two people and their circumstances are identical.  And even at different times in one person's life things aren't the same.

 

A person should not feel ashamed if they need and/or feel that they should reduce by minuscule amounts.  The goal is to either reduce or get off the drug/s and do it in such a way that we feel okay physically, mentally and emotionally.  There is no right or wrong way, only what is right for that person.

* 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

The first time I was on Luvox I tapered off a normal dose in a matter of months. I was surprised myself when it became unbearably hard to taper off at the same rate again in 2016. I was tapering faster during the first part of my taper this year... but now with the smaller doses it gets a bit harder... I think it has todo with the occupancy of the drug in the brain and the length of time you’ve taken it. Also, being the second time I’ve on Luvox, my body is very sensitive to it.  The side effects of trying to come off 5mg were bad enough I could not function well in work. It made me realize that my goal is to to come off according to my body even if it takes a few years. Though its annoying how long it takes, I don’t mind much as its better for my nervous system and quality of life. I know I will never go on this drug ever again once i'm off thats for sure. 

2014-2015. Was on Luvox for about a year or more. Withdrew to fast in only 2 months but felt fine. (highest dose was 800mg which is over 2x the maximum safe dose..tapered off 50mg every week). Was also on klonopin for a few months. Do not remember the details. 

...
2016
(Klonopin 1 mg for a month, second time on it, in May 2016 and tapered .25mg through early aug)
(Tapered off Klonopin as i went on Luvox)  
-Off klonopin-
....
2016-present 
Back on Luvox in 2016 of June..(400 mg 8/26/2016).. (350mg 8/26/2016).. (300mg 09/04/2016).. (250mg 09/08/2016).. (tried to taper to 225mg 03/07/2017 didn't work).. (240mg  04/04/2017).. (230mg 04/27/2017).. (225mg 05/12/2017)...(223mg 09/28/2017)...(222mg 05/01/2018)...(220mg 05/21/2018)...(218mg 09/01/18)...(216mg 02/21/19)  (03/15/2019-08/30/19)had a serve drug interaction took a long time to recover and find the right dose)  (08/30/19 199mg)...(09/24/19 198mg) (feeling more human)
04/01/20-jan 75mg- 100mg... February 1st -present.. about 116mg a day
had terrible suicidal thoughts from the effects of drugs for 6 months - has gotten better but at times can return at times
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I've learned that given my nervous system that i have no choice but to micro-taper, when i was on 30mg  i tapered by 50% then did that again at 15mg, & then at 7.5mg and finally stopped by 50% cuts at 3.75mg. I was able to do those cuts of 50% and as difficult as it was i could just tolerate the withdrawals. However on the lower doses those bigger cuts of even 10% & 5% slammed me to the point i could hardly walk, i ached all over and it persisted until it became so intolerable  that i lost almost all functionality that i had no choice but to reinstate.  No amount of just riding it out was going to work. I have a pretty decent pain tolerance threshold, I broke my arm a couple years back and I was able to deal with the pain for 48hrs. But these powerful medications are just out of this world in that they can inflict such agonizing unbearable and just down right unimaginable suffering,  If you haven't experienced severe withdrawals then consider yourself to be BLESSED. Being a determined guy I knew i had to be strategic and do my cuts by smaller increments so i went from 3mg - 2.8mg down to 2.7mg,  & then 2.6mg but my recent cut to 2.6mg caused insurmountable withdrawal symptoms that i had to up-dose to 2.65mg. Drugrage I get that you have ocd and I'd hazard a guess that you probably have never have experienced severe withdrawals, if you had you wouldn't be making such outrageous, inflammatory and ignorant comments. Sometimes we just need to call out what is clearly patronizing and unhelpful commentary.

 

 I can tell you that  given my sensitive nervous system I have no choice but to do 1% cuts of 0.05mg/1/2ml (i stupidly put up with severe symptoms for 5weeks)  I seriously do not advise anyone do that!, its an experience I never want to repeat, and I mean NEVER!   Only after a whole week on 2.65mg did i begin to  experience some semblance of functionality.  For me coming off is extremely painful, and I've ended up in emergency on two separate occasions, (when i got impatient and cut too early) the most recent was last week.  Thankfully i was discharged on both occasions,  the only thing i gained was the realization that antidepressants are Potent little Pills and If i am to successfully get off Mirtazpine I will need to micro-taper and hold longer.  

 

 

Finasteride 1mg daily 2005 - April (approx) 2016 did have break from them.

Dex amphetamine 30mg Daily taken irregularly March 2012 - March 2015

Lexapro April 2016 only took 1 tablet unsure what mg ended up in emergency with thoughts of self harm discharged from hospital was given 20mg Valium and 30mg mirtazapine

30mg April 2016 - current been tapering from 30mg, 15mg May 2016, 7.5mg July 2016,Aug 2016 3.75mg Cold turkey Sept 2016 reinstated after 12dayslater 3.75mg Feb 2017 3.4mg March 2017 3.2mg April 2017 3mg

June 25, 2017 2.8mg August 14th 2017, 2.7mg, Sept 18, 2017 2.6mg Oct 26 up-dose 2.65mg due to 5 weeks of severe withdrawal 2.6mg 23rd Nov 2017 30th 2.5mg Nov 2017 2.4mg  19th Dec 2017  then forced 2.45mg up-dose 2.45mg due to severe withdrawals 2nd Jan 2018 up-dose  2.5mg 4th Jan 2018 withdrawals were too severe up-dose 2.55mg 23 Jan 2018  continued severe withdrawals near 3 weeks, 14th March 2018 2.5mg, 24th June 2018 2.45mg, 2.4mg 25th July 2018, 2.35mg 7th August 2018, 2.3mg 22nd October 2018, 2.25mg, 2.2mg 6th Dec 2018, 2.1mg 12 January 2019, 2mg 23rd Jan 2019, 1.95mg 12 March 2019, 1.9mg 12th March 2019, 1.85mg 22 June 2019, 1.8mg 19th July 2019, 1.75mg 16 Sep 2019, 1.7mg 4 October 2019, 1.75mg 5 October - severe withdrawals, need to complete essays. 1.7mg 11th November 2019, 1.65mg 2019 Had horrific nightmare up-dose  to 1.7mg on 18th December 2019, 24th December 2019 1.65mg, 17th January 2020 1.6mg-long hold due to ongoing severe withdrawals, low blood pressure, what appears to be chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety. 15th May 2020 1.58mg, 3rd August 2020 1.56mg, 2nd September 2020 1.54mg, 28th September 2020 1.52mg experienced nightmare, along with severe withdrawals, air hunger & high anxiety, due to exams will temporarily up-dose on 30th September 2020 1.54mg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus
33 minutes ago, Starboy17 said:

I've learned that given my nervous system that i have no choice but to micro-taper, when i was on 30mg  i tapered by 50% then did that again at 15mg, & then at 7.5mg and finally stopped by 50% cuts at 3.75mg. I was able to do those cuts of 50% and as difficult as it was i could just tolerate the withdrawals. However on the lower doses those bigger cuts of even 10% & 5% slammed me to the point i could hardly walk, i ached all over and it persisted until it became so intolerable  that i lost almost all functionality that i had no choice but to reinstate.

 

"I was able to do those cuts of 50%"

 

Those 50% cuts caught up with you.  You were not slammed by the 10% & 5% cuts.

 

"However on the lower doses those bigger cuts of even 10% & 5% slammed me"

 

Edited by ChessieCat

* 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

  • Administrator
On 7/18/2017 at 6:16 AM, Drugrage said:

I Think it can get compulsive if you expect it to be hell it will be hell. I am not saying tapering is wrong i am saying that i dont Think nobody should actually need to taper 0.01 of a mg. No matter the substance

 

If someone expect a 0.01 mg drop to be hell it will most likely turn out to be hell. 
I am pretty sure the one who is convinced he needs 0.01 mg dont even get the same dose everyday but as long as you Think you do.. 

 

Do the tapering, don't feel too much and please don't expect it to be totally painless, as soon as you try to see how you feel do you feel things..

 

You yourself have had some difficulty tapering, why are you so snarky about the symptoms other people say they get?

 

On 7/18/2017 at 6:43 AM, Drugrage said:

IF someone really really could feel an change in 0.01 mg of a SSRI would he/she never be able to be on a SSRI. Its not like the big pharma test the meds so you get exactly 25.00 mg when it says 25mg X

 

People who have difficulty coming off drugs may be very sensitive to the drug to begin with. Withdrawal and other drug changes also cause the nervous system to be more sensitive to the effect of drugs, supplements, even foods -- sometimes at very, very small amounts.

 

Without a lab to do very precise measurements and testing, we do the best we can in measuring doses for tapering. This seems to work not perfectly but well enough.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Micro taper sounds like something I'll have to do when I start the taper process as I think my body is very sensitive to dosage variations of Citalopram.   There are days where I swear a 10mg dose is not actually 10mg and is actually low enough to set off elevated anxiety [for no reason at all].

 

I tested the waters a few weeks ago by reducing my dose from 10mg to 8.7mg and instantly noticed the dosage change the next day - agitation, slight random headache all day, and slight more light headed/dizzy than usual.  After returning to 10mg the next night - everything was fine until a day later when I encountered slight nausea, more diarrhea than usual, and a weird feeling in my head [not bad, but just didn't feel right] which set off a few short lived anxiety spells. 

 

I really wish my GP would've warned me about this drug other than just saying "if it makes you sick it's working" :(

Drug history - I take the medicine at 2am due to shift work which has allowed me to sleep through nausea/drowsy side effects.

  • Aug 9/10 - Citalopram started Aug 9, 2017 for anxiety.  Doctor prescribed 20mg, cut pill in half to get use to nausea first couple of days.
  • Aug 11/12 - 20mg, slight chest tightness/intrusive thoughts 2nd night, reduced back down to 10mg
  • Aug 13-Sept 19 = 10mg. 
  • Sept 20-27 = Increased anxiety while waiting for refill, increased to 15mg - encountered slight cough/cold like symptoms. 
  • Sept 28/29 - 20mg bad chest tightness/Panic Attack during the night.  Dropped back down to 10mg.
  • Sept 30- present 10mg  [tried tapering down to 8.7 on Nov 4th mild side effects 3 days afterwards]
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator
9 hours ago, 0wen said:

Micro taper sounds like something I'll have to do when I start the taper process as I think my body is very sensitive to dosage variations of Citalopram.   There are days where I swear a 10mg dose is not actually 10mg and is actually low enough to set off elevated anxiety [for no reason at all].

 

I tested the waters a few weeks ago by reducing my dose from 10mg to 8.7mg and instantly noticed the dosage change the next day - agitation, slight random headache all day, and slight more light headed/dizzy than usual.  After returning to 10mg the next night - everything was fine until a day later when I encountered slight nausea, more diarrhea than usual, and a weird feeling in my head [not bad, but just didn't feel right] which set off a few short lived anxiety spells. 

 

I really wish my GP would've warned me about this drug other than just saying "if it makes you sick it's working" :(

 

Hi, Owen -- please start a topic for yourself in the Introductions forum, we can start to answer your questions there.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Does this microtaper method work with antipsychotics. Like if I cut a tiny amount and hold for a week, then cit cut again hold for a week. Would this be suitable for an antipsychotic?

 

Edited by ChessieCat
corrected error

Stilnox january 2014 - may 2014 10-20mg a day

Stilnox august 2016 one month use 10 mg a day 

Xanax 2 weeks september 2016 1.5 - 3 mg a day, viscious withdrawal.

Valium reinstated October 2017 - march 2018. Fast tapered.

Risperdal october 2017 to present 1.5 mg.

Celexa December 2017 to present 20 mg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy