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Difficulty when in final stretch? Why is tapering low doses so hard?


Cberg

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Hi camel. I know what you're saying, you're sick of tapering just like me. I recently reinstated. I want to be med free but it sure is a lot of work and at times traumatizing.

 

I thought I was done with Trazodone and then I could now tackle Remeron. But not so fast, I crashed and burned. Hopefully getting stable and then I will hold for a long, long time. I thought about just staying on these low dose meds, thinking it's just not worth it. For instance, my sister tapered fast Lexapro and got hit with late withdrawal just like me. She took the same amount of Lexapro as a reinstatement and felt better right away. She says she will never go off it, it was too awful when she quit.

 

I worry that they will change the manufacturer on me. I had that happen before and it was not good. I'm very sensitive med wise. Also, I know me, and given enough time I will resume my taper. I am just stubborn that way. It will be a lot of time later and will be at a very, very slow turtle's pace.

 

Maybe take a long break might help. Good Luck!

 

Marie

10/13--10/14 Ambien. Started tapering 1/14  Jumped 10/14.  Done.                                                                              

3/14        7.5 Remeron  still taking this.                              

2/14         75 Trazodone   -    Tapered by dry cutting all the way down.

1/16        4 mg Trazodone  -  Jumped. Bad mistake. Got hit with late withdrawal 6 weeks later. Reinstated.

4/16        Reinstated 1 mg, updose to 2 mg Trazodone

2/19        .04 Trazodone. Walked off.  Done.

10/3/19  Started 7.5 Mirtazapine taper cut to .073 gram weight, pill weighs .076

4/5/20    New Mirtazapine Taper - Compound Liquid 7.35 mg April '20, 7.25 mg May, 7.05 mg June, 6.99 mg June, 6.78 mg July, 6.57 mg Aug, Sept 6.35 mg, Sept 6.24 mg, Sept 6.21 mg, Oct 5.99 mg, Oct 5.90 mg, Oct 5.70 mg.

1/11/21 6.05 mg Messed up taper due to syringe change. Must remember the 1 ml syringe contains 1.5mg! 1/16/21 5.99 mg

2/21 5.75 mg, 3/21 5.6 mg, 4/7 5.45, 4/14 5.30, 5/12 5.15, 5/25/21 4.99 mg, 6/29 4.87 mg, 7/14/21 4.74 mg, 8/5 4.62 mg 8/17 4.5 mg, 8/30 4.38 mg,9/16 4.26 mg,10/9 4.14 mg, 10/23 4.05 mg, 11/6 3.96 mg,11/17 3.87mg.***Jan 22 Liquid was changed/couldn't tolerate***Changed back to pills. Feb 22/3.9 mg, 2/17/22 3.8 mg, 3/23 3.7 mg, 4/7 3.6 mg, 5/10 3.5mg,6/10/22 3.4 mg, 7/4 3.3 mg, 7/25 3.2 mg, 8/20/22 3.1 mg, 9/15 3 mg, 10/8/22 2.9 mg., 12/15 2.8 mg, 1/6/23 2.7 mg, 2/16/23 2.6 mg, 3/9 2.5 mg, 4/4 2.4 mg, 4/29/23 2.3 mg, 5/26 2.2 mg, 6/22/23 2.1 mg, 10/14 2 mg, 11/12 1.9 mg, 11/28 1.8 mg , 12/14/23 1.7, 12/31/23 1.6 mg, 1/20 1.5 mg, 2/6/24 1.4 mg, 2/12 updose 1.5 mg. Taking multi-vitamin, vit. D, cholestoff, psyllium husk, and fish oil.

 

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If you wish to remain on any dosage, that decision is up to you. If your symptoms are currently minimal, why not take a vacation from worrying about them?

 

A withdrawal vacation is tempting, but since i'm on such a low dosage, i really wanted to finish it. But this seems much more difficult then i thought it would be...

 

Maybe it's time to see things in perspective. What would be more harmfull. Smoking or a low dose of SSRI? What do you think?

 

 

Hard to say. Smoking is definitely bad for you. My brother just lost a lung. The dangers of SSRIs are largely unknown.

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.

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hi,

 

can we stay on a low dose forever?

 

my original was bearable anxiety, so not a hard problem

 

my experience

paxil classic dose has to be 20 mg, i took 2 years 20 mg , then 10 mg (half pill) 10 years

 

i notice first 6 years were "ok", then next years i had side effects more and more, a kind of slow increasing tolerance pop-out

 

so i think we cannot stay for life on a low dose, after a few years, side effects are here

 

so i had to take more paxil, or add several drugs, switch etc, i choose to taper

 

and today i am in discontinuation syndrome or protracted withdrawal after more than 7 years off any med

 

i know other people who took 10 years a half dose and had also problems

 

so i think we cannot stay on a low dose forever, problems will come slowly

for anxiety 

12 years paxil - cold turkey 1,5 month - switch celexa 1 year taper; total 13 years on brain meds 

67 years old - 9 years  med free

 

in protracted withdrawal

rigidity standing and walking, dryness gougerot-szoegren, sleep deteriorate,

function as have a lack of nerves, improving have been very little 

 

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I worry that they will change the manufacturer on me. I had that happen before and it was not good. I'm very sensitive med wise. Also, I know me, and given enough time I will resume my taper. I am just stubborn that way. It will be a lot of time later and will be at a very, very slow turtle's pace.

Marie, you can ask your pharmacy to give you the same generic manufacturer. Another member on the board posted that s/he had the pharmacy put a note on her file about the manufacturer, that s/he renews prescriptions a week before they're needed and reminds the pharmacy again at that time about needing a specific manufacturer.

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

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Yes, I did that once for Trazodone and once for Mirtazapine. What I mean to say was I am afraid that the manufacturer will no longer make the med. I'll have to use another manufacturer and I'll get sick for a while until I get used to the new pill. Not fun at all!

 

Marie

10/13--10/14 Ambien. Started tapering 1/14  Jumped 10/14.  Done.                                                                              

3/14        7.5 Remeron  still taking this.                              

2/14         75 Trazodone   -    Tapered by dry cutting all the way down.

1/16        4 mg Trazodone  -  Jumped. Bad mistake. Got hit with late withdrawal 6 weeks later. Reinstated.

4/16        Reinstated 1 mg, updose to 2 mg Trazodone

2/19        .04 Trazodone. Walked off.  Done.

10/3/19  Started 7.5 Mirtazapine taper cut to .073 gram weight, pill weighs .076

4/5/20    New Mirtazapine Taper - Compound Liquid 7.35 mg April '20, 7.25 mg May, 7.05 mg June, 6.99 mg June, 6.78 mg July, 6.57 mg Aug, Sept 6.35 mg, Sept 6.24 mg, Sept 6.21 mg, Oct 5.99 mg, Oct 5.90 mg, Oct 5.70 mg.

1/11/21 6.05 mg Messed up taper due to syringe change. Must remember the 1 ml syringe contains 1.5mg! 1/16/21 5.99 mg

2/21 5.75 mg, 3/21 5.6 mg, 4/7 5.45, 4/14 5.30, 5/12 5.15, 5/25/21 4.99 mg, 6/29 4.87 mg, 7/14/21 4.74 mg, 8/5 4.62 mg 8/17 4.5 mg, 8/30 4.38 mg,9/16 4.26 mg,10/9 4.14 mg, 10/23 4.05 mg, 11/6 3.96 mg,11/17 3.87mg.***Jan 22 Liquid was changed/couldn't tolerate***Changed back to pills. Feb 22/3.9 mg, 2/17/22 3.8 mg, 3/23 3.7 mg, 4/7 3.6 mg, 5/10 3.5mg,6/10/22 3.4 mg, 7/4 3.3 mg, 7/25 3.2 mg, 8/20/22 3.1 mg, 9/15 3 mg, 10/8/22 2.9 mg., 12/15 2.8 mg, 1/6/23 2.7 mg, 2/16/23 2.6 mg, 3/9 2.5 mg, 4/4 2.4 mg, 4/29/23 2.3 mg, 5/26 2.2 mg, 6/22/23 2.1 mg, 10/14 2 mg, 11/12 1.9 mg, 11/28 1.8 mg , 12/14/23 1.7, 12/31/23 1.6 mg, 1/20 1.5 mg, 2/6/24 1.4 mg, 2/12 updose 1.5 mg. Taking multi-vitamin, vit. D, cholestoff, psyllium husk, and fish oil.

 

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Thx for the responses AmyK and Peggy

 

Hi Camel.

I am so sorry you had to updose. When did you do that?

Have you tried smaller drops, like 2-5 %?

That could be easier.

 

(I am tapering zoloft too.)

 

I just recently updosed a few days ago. I was doing OK, but have trouble sleeping again the last month (average of 5hours a night) and feel anxious about it, like i will never been able to sleep again, never function normally again, fail my life etc... So i updosed a bit... I'm looking for a job right now and these interviews and the prospect of having a job with responsibility again make me  nervous and hinder my sleep. Sometimes I think I subconsious sabotage myself by not sleeping, that i'm not worthy of having a normal life...a sort of self harm. At this moment i feel like i'm lacking the self confidence of coping with a new job etc. I just miss the selfconfidence and maybe bad sleeping is my way to express this...And there is the vicious circle, cause not enough sleep makes me depressed and anxious... It's really bizarre, cause when i feel good, i'm a really confident, capable and happy person...

 

I tried the smallest drops i could: 1mg less of the pill than the previous dosage (i'm now on 16mg of the pill, so there are 16 drops ahead), so it was like 7%. I don't want to mess with liquids, tried it in the begin of my taper but couldn't measure exact dosages. I don't understand how you can define such small dosages exactly...

 

Any other ideas about long term (negative) side effects of a small dosage? 

 

Camel, you do know about digital scale, do you?

 

Many of us use the  "GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale" that weighs down to 0.001 g. Its available in many web shops. (And as a I wrote in a PM I also use a dilution to make the tiny, tiny cuts. But thats because I am super sensitive. Hopefully you don't have to do that.)

 

More info here on tapering with a digital scale: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1596-using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses/?p=6765

 

Best of luck!

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.

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 i recently updosed to 5,2mg of zoloft. 3.9mg was the lowest i've ever been. During those 2 years i've really taken it slowly with drops <10% for severel months. This is the second time i have to updose and waste my tapering...

 

I'm really considering to end my taper and stay on this 5,2mg.

 

I always hit a hump around about 18mg effexor - at the moment i have decided to stop tapering again, have updosed and will sit for a while - i may have to pay the piper one day, but no one knows what the future holds. I am really sad about it, but have to do what i have to do to keep me functioning.

 

It could be that, after a long time at 5.2mg, you could resume tapering.

 

peggy & camel:

I really hope that you'll consider what Alto said as a potential outcome of holding at current levels for a while.  The fact that it's too difficult to go below a specific drug amount may simply be  that your central nervous system needs time to fully integrate the dosage changes you've already made. 

 

We all want our minimum effective dose to be 0.000. For me -- if it's 5 mg or 10 mg or 2.3, I'll make my peace with that. And after a looonng hold, I'll try a tiny cut.  It's much better than 30 mg or 60 mg per day.

 

Let's have a look at the current scores:

  • camel-44.8, zoloft-5.2 >>> camel stomps sertraline!
  • peggy-132,  effexor-18 >>> peggy trounces effexor!

Each of you is a champ for making it this far with your taper and finding your **CURRENT** minimum effective dose (MED)!

 

Yes, I did that once for Trazodone and once for Mirtazapine. What I mean to say was I am afraid that the manufacturer will no longer make the med. I'll have to use another manufacturer and I'll get sick for a while until I get used to the new pill. Not fun at all!

 

Marie, Unless there's a series of catastrophic events within a short period of time involving people taking that drug and those events get national and international media coverage forcing governments to withdraw approvals, rest assured that your drug will be available. Its "popularity" with pDocs may decrease because of some new "latest and greatest" innovation but someone will make it as long as it's still approved by federal health authorities.

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

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  • 3 weeks later...

I can't taper all the way off either. I can stabilize on a low dose. Remember to stabilize at least 14 days before a decrease. Decreases are aweful

Olanzapine (Tapered 5 times and marathon trained)

Seroquel 3 months

now back on Olanzapine.

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Maybe I should just chill out on a low dose a little longer. Is it a placebo effect?

Olanzapine (Tapered 5 times and marathon trained)

Seroquel 3 months

now back on Olanzapine.

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Staying on low dose..I.e. Sertraline the lowest possible dose provided is 25mg and the pill could be split..but 3.9 mg are you gonna weigh or dilute the dose and all that performance the rest of life? I'm just wondering cos I'm wondering the same..I can not imagine having to accurate weigh or dose out each tiny dose..the. Rest. Of. Life!

2000 - sertraline for job anxiety low confidence (17 years old) ..which turned the next 16 years into nightmare!

 

On/off sertraline severe withdrawals every time. 2014 - felt better as reduced dose of sertraline no more inner restlessness. Doctor rushed off again. Hit severe withdrawal. Lost the little I had in life. Couldn't get stable again on 12.5mg. Was switched to prozac. Had severe reaction to prozac..came off in November 2015 at 6mg as felt more confused and damaged on it..Even more withdrawal ..rage, depression, dyphoria, near constant suicidal ideation, self harm impulses, doom, concrete block in head, unable to do much of anything with this feeling in head..went back on 6mg of sertraline to see if would alleviate anything. It didn't..reduced from December to June 2016 came off at 2.5mg sertraline as was hospitalised for the severe rage, suicidal impulses, and put on 50mg lofepramine which in 2nd week reduced all symptoms but gave insomnia which still have..psych stopped lofepramine cold turkey..no increased withdrawal symptoms new symptoms from lofepramine except persistant insomnia which has as side effect.

 

Taking Ativan for 8 months for the severe rage self harm impulses 1-3 times a week (mostly 2 times a week) at .5mg. Two months (I'm unsure exactly when the interdose started to happen) ago interdose withdrawal seemed to happen..2 days I think after the Ativan.

 

 

Nightmare that could have been avoided!

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Loveandlight - If it turns out that the best dose for me is some amount that isn't commercially available, I'll dig into my wallet/bank-account and pay for custom doses from a compounding pharmacy.

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

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.....

 

I tried the smallest drops i could: 1mg less of the pill than the previous dosage (i'm now on 16mg of the pill, so there are 16 drops ahead), so it was like 7%. I don't want to mess with liquids, tried it in the begin of my taper but couldn't measure exact dosages. I don't understand how you can define such small dosages exactly...

.....

 

camel, when looking for something else I happened to read this thread. I'm confused about how you've been tapering on the last part of your slow taper.

 

First of all, are you tapering by 1 mg. of medication? If so, how are you measuring it?

 

Or are you tapering by 1% of the weight of the pill? (I assume it's a tablet since you said you don't want to mess with liquids.) I'm confused because you wrote:

 

 

I tried the smallest drops i could: 1mg less of the pill than the previous dosage (i'm now on 16mg of the pill, so there are 16 drops ahead)

 

I don't understand how 1 mg. 10% or less of your previous (most recent) dose at the low doses you've been at for a while, unless I'm misunderstanding something about how you're tapering.

 

Also, it is very common for people to need to do smaller drops than previously at the very end of their tapers. I believe there is an excellent thread about this on SA, but I'd have to find it.

 

If insomnia is your only significant symptom, it sounds like you've done an excellent slow taper. But depending on how you're measuring your dose, it may be that as you've gotten to the lower doses your taper has no longer been slow. Possibly now much too large drops in dose. That would particularly be a problem at the lower doses of the end of a taper, and possibly might be why you're apparently having more problems now.

 

Apologies if I'm misunderstanding your taper method and schedule. It might help us if you could explain them in more detail. (Or if I were better at math lol.) And please know that measuring very tiny and precise small doses is very easy with liquid if you use the right kind of oral syringe, if that might help your tapering.

I was "TryingToGetWell" (aka TTGW) on paxilprogress. I also was one of the original members here on Surviving Antidepressants

 

I had horrific and protracted withdrawal from paxil, but now am back to enjoying life with enthusiasm to the max, some residual physical symptoms continued but largely improve. The horror, severe derealization, anhedonia, akathisia, and so much more, are long over.

 

My signature is a temporary scribble from year 2013. I'll rewrite it when I can.

 

If you want to read it, click on http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/209-brandy-anyone/?p=110343

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There are some interesting comments on your question of long term effects.. and comments like Stans can it keep working long term?  both interesting... 

 

There may be something to what Stan says in long term tolerance  as I was drugged a long time 18 years and hit a wall too where my body started showing signs that caused a neurologist to take me off effexor cold turkey... from then on i have had reactions to drugs and have never been able to tolerate another psych drug.. my body quickly rejects in the form of spitting them out immediately or in the case of benzos I get the opposite effect from a them as what is expected called paradoxical.  

 

It is possible that after long term use some bodies just say no... and start acting up. We don't know the effects and if anybody does... for example pharma they are not telling us.  So it is a crap shoot really.  We take our chances in life and like anything else this is a chance I think your odds are better at low dose being more safe than a high dose but I could be wrong much of it may depend on your personal make up as some people don't have problems with these drugs or so I hear. 

 

In my mind when I take stock of the situation you have made a serious effort to get off and your body has repeatedly told you no... so now it is time to let go of the expectation and the imagined reward of being drug free and listen to your body. The real question here is how is your life going can you sleep eat work love people are physically and mentaly well enough to have a life while on a low dose if the answer is yes... this is a no brainer Stick with low dose and live your life. 

 

There may come a time where this low dose bites you but so what you will have had all this time to live a good life.. and deal with that when it comes if it comes.  After you have been on the low dose for an extended amount of time it may well be that it can be tapered smoothly once you reach the new normal.  

 

By showing you effects of reduction now your body is saying it has done all the adjusting it can do right this moment... our bodies adjust very slowly and it may not be saying no you can't ever quit this drug.. it may well be saying you can't quit this drug right now... so live enjoy your life try not to worry about it.  

 

It is an easy decision if you believe what other people on here have been thru by trying to force their bodies off drugs... there are many good examples here... the fallout is misery .. and just now you sound ok better than ok you sound good... so if you are stick there and revisit it in a year... enjoy your life and be grateful to those who came before you to us learn all this... if not for them and their pain we would not know this much... 

 

enjoy yourself NOW nobody knows if there is a bad day coming a car accident or any of life's bad turns your here now your ok now... enjoy your life that is my suggestion. 

 

It may be a matter of adjusting your perspective more than anything... think of it this way taking a small dose allows you to win.. now and maybe win later when your body says it is time to taper.. the idea of being off the drug is not gone it is delayed the real win is enjoying your life being well with or without a drug.. it is the bigger prize in this war.. to win by getting off and being disabled long term is not a win... it is a mistake and I am living it .. so go win win. 

 

I wish you peace

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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bit of history ... I had several drug changes in my history and I did not go off of effexor willingly I was taken off by a neurologist after developing head drops and foot dragging ... he did not know about cross taper I guess and tried to switch me to cymbalta it was a disaster many other drugs were tried none worked since then.  If taking a low dose of anything would have made my life ok I would be taking it.  Taking it forever would not rattle me as I had expected to take effexor forever as I was told I would be... sometimes looking back I was weighing taking E forever against the craziness of previous cold turkey drug changes and sar... I thought without a drug that would be my normal state.. I was wrong.  We know more now "we" those of us here do better the more we know.  You too will make different choices and change your mind on things the more you know.  That is how this all works with any luck the right people will chime in at the right time to help you along. 

I wish you peace

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Wise words indeed and how I wish I had read them over 2 years ago.  I fast tapered after 12 yrs seroxat, I was clueless what I was doing and thought I would be ok in a few weeks.   After 3 months without meds I discovered Paxil progress and then this site and realised that recovery might be a long way off.   By that time, I had thrown my seroxat away and did not want to return to the doctor for more.  I always wonder if I had tapered really slowly, if things might not have been so bad as they have been the last 2 years.

Prescribed 20mg a day of Seroxat on 2001

August 2013 decided to taper.

Reduced by 10mg a week (adjusted over the week small amounts)

Stopped completely in April 2014

Brain and body went haywire.  

Didn't realise it was withdrawal at first.

Have not returned to ad's but can't get my life back.

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I'm also on a very low dose (6 and a half)...dealing with similar dilemmas you have. Its quite frustrating

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Your not alone Alexander I did it too and so did many other when we know better we do better it is all about quality of life .. isn't it... if not what is it about?  People that have not done a ct or too fast taper need to read about it and believe every word.. cause the words can only go so far in describing how bad it is..I would not wish ct on pharma .. well unless I was in a wave then I do it hourly. 

peace

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Hi Camel, I've been on Lexapro for 6 years and sometimes wondered if it was healthy for my body. I searched with Google and most sources said that there's not much we know about the long term effects.
I myself didn't experience much side effects and my OCD wasn't coming back when I was on the lowest dosage of Lexapro (which is 5 mg available here in The Netherlands). So I was prepared to take 5 mg every day and didn't think about the long term effects all too much. I mean, every day in life can by your last day. I'm not advising a hedonistic life style but not worry too much and just wait and see what the future may bring. Well that worked for me for a few years.

Now I just want to quit with the drug because it's not improving my OCD. I'm depressed, but that's more because the Lexapro isn't doing the tric anymore. I wish it would help me, but I rather do it on my own than risking another poop-out or health problems on the long term.

I wish you all the best and maybe we can talk in Dutch some time ;-)

All my life: Occasional panic attacks. 2003: Burnout  2004: intrusion (OCD'ish) / anxiety. Therapies: acupuncture, Chinese herbs, hypnotherapy --> symptoms were manageable (did return once in a while), depression lifted.
2007 - Relapse, started with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Therapist recommended Fevarin (fluvoxamine) 150 mg. Recovery after 3 months and remained stable. Mild side effects.
2009 - Tapered fluvoxamine. No withdrawal symptoms. 2010 - Relapse, same Pure O thought and anxiety.  Started taking 100 mg of fluvoxamine but after 9 weeks no change in symptoms. Did not have any effect on Pure O thought. Switched to Lexapro (escitalopram) 20 mg.  Drug started working within 3 weeks. Mild side effects. Slowly over the years tapered to 5 mg.
2015: Lots of personal issues and setbacks, occasional panic attack. 2016: April started skipping doses; 5mg escitalopram every other day (in hindsight a bad idea)
May: Major relapse, anxiety and intrusion returned. Depression. Increased from 2,5 mg 15 mg in two weeks. Side effects: neuro-emotions
June: Escitalopram has no effect on the frequency of the intrusion...after 4 weeks my general doctor advised me to do a fast taper to 5mg. Withdrawal effects (2/3 weeks): neuro-emotions, lack of focus, crying spells, fatigue, muscle twitches in legs, cortisol spikes just before waking up July: Stable on 5 mg. Depression and intrusion lifted during holiday (lots of sunshine, long walks and relaxing) August: Drop down to 2,5 mg. Withdrawal effects (tinnitus, headagues) are noticeable, but still mild in comparison to the big drop earlier.
22th August: stopped escitalopram completely. Cortisol spikes just before waking up, still OCD (only temporary improvements), WD-depression and WD-neuro emotions.
Update 6 dec: no medication, any withdrawal symptoms not noticable. Taking supplements for intrusive thoughts and overall well being: N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) omega 3 fish oils, zinc, vitamin d, magnesium l-threonate, ginko biloba

 

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I worry that they will change the manufacturer on me. I had that happen before and it was not good. I'm very sensitive med wise. Also, I know me, and given enough time I will resume my taper. I am just stubborn that way. It will be a lot of time later and will be at a very, very slow turtle's pace.

Marie, you can ask your pharmacy to give you the same generic manufacturer. Another member on the board posted that s/he had the pharmacy put a note on her file about the manufacturer, that s/he renews prescriptions a week before they're needed and reminds the pharmacy again at that time about needing a specific manufacturer.

 

Yes, I only get Qualitest Trazodone and specify that at the pharmacy. I am just concerned that Qualitest one day will decide they will no longer manufacture this med. I can't stay on this low dose of Trazodone anyways. it's giving me shoulder pain. I know it's the Traz because in the 3 months I was off it, the shoulder pain diminished almost completely. Now it aches a lot more.

 

Marie

10/13--10/14 Ambien. Started tapering 1/14  Jumped 10/14.  Done.                                                                              

3/14        7.5 Remeron  still taking this.                              

2/14         75 Trazodone   -    Tapered by dry cutting all the way down.

1/16        4 mg Trazodone  -  Jumped. Bad mistake. Got hit with late withdrawal 6 weeks later. Reinstated.

4/16        Reinstated 1 mg, updose to 2 mg Trazodone

2/19        .04 Trazodone. Walked off.  Done.

10/3/19  Started 7.5 Mirtazapine taper cut to .073 gram weight, pill weighs .076

4/5/20    New Mirtazapine Taper - Compound Liquid 7.35 mg April '20, 7.25 mg May, 7.05 mg June, 6.99 mg June, 6.78 mg July, 6.57 mg Aug, Sept 6.35 mg, Sept 6.24 mg, Sept 6.21 mg, Oct 5.99 mg, Oct 5.90 mg, Oct 5.70 mg.

1/11/21 6.05 mg Messed up taper due to syringe change. Must remember the 1 ml syringe contains 1.5mg! 1/16/21 5.99 mg

2/21 5.75 mg, 3/21 5.6 mg, 4/7 5.45, 4/14 5.30, 5/12 5.15, 5/25/21 4.99 mg, 6/29 4.87 mg, 7/14/21 4.74 mg, 8/5 4.62 mg 8/17 4.5 mg, 8/30 4.38 mg,9/16 4.26 mg,10/9 4.14 mg, 10/23 4.05 mg, 11/6 3.96 mg,11/17 3.87mg.***Jan 22 Liquid was changed/couldn't tolerate***Changed back to pills. Feb 22/3.9 mg, 2/17/22 3.8 mg, 3/23 3.7 mg, 4/7 3.6 mg, 5/10 3.5mg,6/10/22 3.4 mg, 7/4 3.3 mg, 7/25 3.2 mg, 8/20/22 3.1 mg, 9/15 3 mg, 10/8/22 2.9 mg., 12/15 2.8 mg, 1/6/23 2.7 mg, 2/16/23 2.6 mg, 3/9 2.5 mg, 4/4 2.4 mg, 4/29/23 2.3 mg, 5/26 2.2 mg, 6/22/23 2.1 mg, 10/14 2 mg, 11/12 1.9 mg, 11/28 1.8 mg , 12/14/23 1.7, 12/31/23 1.6 mg, 1/20 1.5 mg, 2/6/24 1.4 mg, 2/12 updose 1.5 mg. Taking multi-vitamin, vit. D, cholestoff, psyllium husk, and fish oil.

 

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Yes, btdt...I have often said that all psychiatrists, pharmacists, or anyone who prescribes these things, should be required to spend a couple of hours to read SA before they write a script...or your suggestion would probably be more powerful....live in " a wave" for hmmm day, two days,...how many?   Maybe then they would believe us and stop the madness!

 

The thing is, I don't even think pharmacists realize what they are doing.  IF they did, they would not dispense some of these drugs, especially in a poly-drugging situation, as they would realize how dangerous these drug interactions are.  I have tried to have a conversation about CYP450 drug interactions with pharmacists who are CLUELESS!  I only hope they learn something from me and counsel their customers (in my dreams, right?)  Get 'em in, and get 'em out...

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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Hi Marie,

 

I am so sensitive that I take name brands of all my drugs.  They cost $600/month and we have a huge co-pay.  In not too long, we will be on Medicare who doesn't cover Valium at all, and name brands are very expensive.  I understand your fear about changing manufacturers.  The reason I switched to name brand (fortunately our insurance continues to cover it) is that, though it took me years to realize it, I was feeling very unstable at the beginning of all my refills. I worry about the future as we won't be able to afford to pay out-of-pocket for the full price of name brand.  My plan is to find a smaller pharmacy that will make a commitment to me to get the drugs from the same manufacturer every month, even if it costs me more.  When I switched from generic to name brand klonopin years ago, I was able to reduce my dose by 30%....a huge variation....I guess to many it doesn't make a difference, but changing anything, fillers or inactive ingredients or method of dosing, puts me into very acute w/d very quickly.  i now feel no difference from one refill to the next, unless I change my dose, of course.

 

Best to think not too far ahead of ourselves...

 

Grace

 

Take care.

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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I was tapering for two years from 20mg of Prozac down to 3.8mg. Each 1% micro drop = two months of misery. 

so I took a seven month vacation from drops and began to feel really stable and happy.

Last week did another 1% drop and I'm already a sobbing, hyper sensitive wreck again.

I also would stay at this tiny dose forever if I could find an absolutely totally reliable compounding pharmacy

to make up tablets of exactly dose. Has anyone had satifying experience with online pharmacy

doing this? 

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.
 

 

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Hi Marie,

 

I am so sensitive that I take name brands of all my drugs.  They cost $600/month and we have a huge co-pay.  In not too long, we will be on Medicare who doesn't cover Valium at all, and name brands are very expensive.  I understand your fear about changing manufacturers.  The reason I switched to name brand (fortunately our insurance continues to cover it) is that, though it took me years to realize it, I was feeling very unstable at the beginning of all my refills. I worry about the future as we won't be able to afford to pay out-of-pocket for the full price of name brand.  My plan is to find a smaller pharmacy that will make a commitment to me to get the drugs from the same manufacturer every month, even if it costs me more.  When I switched from generic to name brand klonopin years ago, I was able to reduce my dose by 30%....a huge variation....I guess to many it doesn't make a difference, but changing anything, fillers or inactive ingredients or method of dosing, puts me into very acute w/d very quickly.  i now feel no difference from one refill to the next, unless I change my dose, of course.

 

Best to think not too far ahead of ourselves...

 

Grace

 

Take care.

Hi Grace. Just like you I can't change a thing with my meds. I'm so sensitive too. I am still using the 100 mg pill to get my 2 mg. I won't ask the doc for the 50 mg because I'm afraid of the same issues, fillers, potency, etc.

 

I'll try not to worry about it and just keep going on with my taper plan. Traz has been a bear to come off of. Just trying to get nice and stable now. How are you doing?

 

Marie

10/13--10/14 Ambien. Started tapering 1/14  Jumped 10/14.  Done.                                                                              

3/14        7.5 Remeron  still taking this.                              

2/14         75 Trazodone   -    Tapered by dry cutting all the way down.

1/16        4 mg Trazodone  -  Jumped. Bad mistake. Got hit with late withdrawal 6 weeks later. Reinstated.

4/16        Reinstated 1 mg, updose to 2 mg Trazodone

2/19        .04 Trazodone. Walked off.  Done.

10/3/19  Started 7.5 Mirtazapine taper cut to .073 gram weight, pill weighs .076

4/5/20    New Mirtazapine Taper - Compound Liquid 7.35 mg April '20, 7.25 mg May, 7.05 mg June, 6.99 mg June, 6.78 mg July, 6.57 mg Aug, Sept 6.35 mg, Sept 6.24 mg, Sept 6.21 mg, Oct 5.99 mg, Oct 5.90 mg, Oct 5.70 mg.

1/11/21 6.05 mg Messed up taper due to syringe change. Must remember the 1 ml syringe contains 1.5mg! 1/16/21 5.99 mg

2/21 5.75 mg, 3/21 5.6 mg, 4/7 5.45, 4/14 5.30, 5/12 5.15, 5/25/21 4.99 mg, 6/29 4.87 mg, 7/14/21 4.74 mg, 8/5 4.62 mg 8/17 4.5 mg, 8/30 4.38 mg,9/16 4.26 mg,10/9 4.14 mg, 10/23 4.05 mg, 11/6 3.96 mg,11/17 3.87mg.***Jan 22 Liquid was changed/couldn't tolerate***Changed back to pills. Feb 22/3.9 mg, 2/17/22 3.8 mg, 3/23 3.7 mg, 4/7 3.6 mg, 5/10 3.5mg,6/10/22 3.4 mg, 7/4 3.3 mg, 7/25 3.2 mg, 8/20/22 3.1 mg, 9/15 3 mg, 10/8/22 2.9 mg., 12/15 2.8 mg, 1/6/23 2.7 mg, 2/16/23 2.6 mg, 3/9 2.5 mg, 4/4 2.4 mg, 4/29/23 2.3 mg, 5/26 2.2 mg, 6/22/23 2.1 mg, 10/14 2 mg, 11/12 1.9 mg, 11/28 1.8 mg , 12/14/23 1.7, 12/31/23 1.6 mg, 1/20 1.5 mg, 2/6/24 1.4 mg, 2/12 updose 1.5 mg. Taking multi-vitamin, vit. D, cholestoff, psyllium husk, and fish oil.

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I was tapering for two years from 20mg of Prozac down to 3.8mg. Each 1% micro drop = two months of misery. 

so I took a seven month vacation from drops and began to feel really stable and happy.

Last week did another 1% drop and I'm already a sobbing, hyper sensitive wreck again.

I also would stay at this tiny dose forever if I could find an absolutely totally reliable compounding pharmacy

to make up tablets of exactly dose. Has anyone had satifying experience with online pharmacy

doing this? 

indigo, you may want to read and post in the compounding pharmacy thread. There may be someone who's identified an online CP, or a local CP not that far from you.

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

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Thanks Scallywag. Very helpful thead.

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.
 

 

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Hi Marie,

 

I am not doing well, but I am doing better than I was forcing my taper when my body was giving me very loud signals to stop, at least for a while.

 

Do not beat yourself up, or imagine yourself a hypochondriac over this sensitivity we share.

 

The last time I tried to change my valium dose from  a ten, half of a five, and half of a two (13 mg.) to a ten, a two and part of a two (very small cut and I had no 5's left) I felt like I was in acute withdrawal overnight...woke up drenched in sweat, rigid, depressed and sleepless.  This is happened repeatedly with change of administration, tablet size, manufacturers, etc.  I now aim to get the most active ingredient in the smallest pill I can cut.

 

The only conclusion I have been able to come to is that since the 2's, the 5's and the 10's weigh essentially the same (I use a scale) there is so much more filler in the lower doses that my body freaks out because it is absorbing differently.  I dug my feet in though, and we now make 12.84 mg. dose out of 10's...more active ingredient and a lot less filler!  It even took a bit to adjust to this change but I think I did.

 

Thanks for asking how I am.  I am a bit resigned to a very long hold, for now.

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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  • 5 months later...

Hi camel. I know what you're saying, you're sick of tapering just like me. I recently reinstated. I want to be med free but it sure is a lot of work and at times traumatizing.

 

I thought I was done with Trazodone and then I could now tackle Remeron. But not so fast, I crashed and burned. Hopefully getting stable and then I will hold for a long, long time. I thought about just staying on these low dose meds, thinking it's just not worth it. For instance, my sister tapered fast Lexapro and got hit with late withdrawal just like me. She took the same amount of Lexapro as a reinstatement and felt better right away. She says she will never go off it, it was too awful when she quit.

 

I worry that they will change the manufacturer on me. I had that happen before and it was not good. I'm very sensitive med wise. Also, I know me, and given enough time I will resume my taper. I am just stubborn that way. It will be a lot of time later and will be at a very, very slow turtle's pace.

 

Maybe take a long break might help. Good Luck!

 

Marie

Hello, would you consider PMing me about your sister's details with going off and back on Lexapro?

How long was she on it? How long was she off before going back on? Thank you

in Aug 2014, prescribed 20 mg of escitalopram.  Oct 2014, upped to 30 mg.

In January 2016, "doctor" added 2mg of Abilify

I had been taking .5 Xanax in AM and PM for a few years

Xanax November 23rd, 2016 .25   5 times per day

Took .5 Ativan in AM and .5 Ativan in PM 10 hours apart for 2 weeks and 2 days. I stopped Ativan on Nov 4th 2016

I cold turkeyed off escitalopram and Abilify on September 4, 2016

i crosses over to 1 mg of Klonopin in Dec 2016. 

Since withdrawal, I have occasionally taken 10mg or 20mg propranolol when my heart was pounding uncontrollably

Supplements Magnesium, Vitamin C, Natural Calm magnesium drink.  Just started  11/16/16 Lactium supplement 167mg at night.

Godiswithme: I'm very scared   Godiswithme: Xanax taper after cold-turkey of Lexapro and Abilify

Jan 2017. Slowly reinstated Lexapro over 4-5 mos to 15mg. Have stayed on that amount. 

Sept 2017. Started tapering 1mg of Klonopin. As of May 2017, I am at .426 mg of Klonopin split into 2 doses per day. 

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  • 2 months later...

Anyone ever decide maybe its just not worth trying to get off ssri? Its so hard and debilitating yet impossible to get support because its stigmatized and not taken seriously. I started doing the math and even now it will still be years before i can finally be clean off the stuff. Im considering whether to just admit defeat and take my current dose for good

2011 on paxil 10mg

2013 switched to oral suspension, 10mg

No documentation of tapers in this time period

2015 tapered down to 4.8 mg

2016 after enduring extreme depression for 6 months, psychiatrist suggested returning to previous dose. Back up to 5.2 mg

2017 4.8 mg  

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I've estimated (using a spreadsheet) it will take 2 years (with 6 week holds between each drop), and I haven't even started my taper yet.

 

Can't decide whether to use liquid Lexapro and dilute with water (excellent titration skills required), or dissolve a some of the pill in water and also use a syringe.

 

Yup, it is both demoralizing and daunting.

Dose History: 19 Feb 2014 - Escitalopram 10mg daily June 2015 - Started taper, 5mg every other day July 2015 - 5mg every 2 days August 2015 - 5mg every 3 days September 2015 - 5mg every 4 days Sept 14th - Completed tapering, but at 7 weeks "drug free" I suffered serious WD symptoms as a consequence of "incorrect" tapering. Nov 25 2015 - Re-instated Cipralex @ 2.5mg daily. WD symptoms faded. Held at this dose and experienced "windows and waves". 12 Oct 2017 Reduced dose to 1.25mg. 13 Mar 2018 Reduced dose to 0.625mg (approx.). 16 April 2018 0mg. Windows and waves triggered by stress (IBS/reflux, headaches, sinus issues) Aug 2019 Mirena coil fitted 6 Jan 2020 MAJOR Wave hit 19 months following last dose (protracted WD).  Symptoms listed below Mar 2020 Mirena coil removal.

Therapy: Nov 15th 2016 Re-started therapy Jan 19th 2017 Started CBT Dec 2017 Started listening to Hypnotherapy CD (self-esteem). Nov 2019 Started couples therapy.

Supplements: "Bioglan" Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora 10 billion CFU, live Bacteria, Probiotic, suitable for Vegetarians, with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum"Pukka" Vitalise a unique blend of 30 energising botanicals.

Diet: 16 April 2018 Detox cleanse / anti-candida for 90 days. Jan 2020 Started "small plate" diet (i.e child size portions).

Exercise: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Elliptical/upper body workout, walking.

Medical Test Results: 4 Jan 2017 Homeopathic Treatment starts 24 Feb 2017 Started weight loss program 24 Mar 2017 Naturopathic Treatment + anti-Candida diet started due to suspected Candida Related Complex (CRC). DETOXED for 7 weeks to "re-set" gut. April 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Comprehensive Stool Analysis NEGATIVE; Full Blood Count (Normal) / Blood Cholesterol: 5.6 (Borderline) / Blood Sugar (Normal) / 28 Jun 2017 FSH 8.2 / 14 Nov 2017 FSH 17.7 Dec 2017 Blood Cholesterol: 3.9 (Normal) / Kidney Function (Normal) / Blood Sugar (Normal). December 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Food panel allergy (bloodwork) analysis - a few "VERY LOW/VL" allergens; Mar 2018 "Genova Diagnostics" SIBO urine analysis: High Level of Yeast/fungal markers found in small intestine but NO SIBO.  April 2018 Thyroid (Normal) / Full Blood Count (Normal) / FSH (Normal). 16 April 2018 Started anti-Candida diet - 3 month protocol.   25 March 2020 All test results "Normal". CRP" 5 mg/L (normal range to 0-5 mg/L).

Symptoms:  Flu-like symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, sinus headaches right-side (severe), IBS issues/reflux (severe)**, tinnitus, fatigue, inner tremor, nausea, chills/hot flushes, pounding heart, muscular issues including stiff left hip flexor, intense anger, PSSD (ongoing).  **Histhamine intolerance (suspected).

Major Life Events: 

Re-located to UK from Canada: Jan 2016

My father died: 5:05pm, Monday 5 Feb 2018 Last Lexapro dose: 16 April 2018 (its now been over a year since I quit ADs)  Moved house: Friday 23rd February 2018  "Divorced" toxic Mother: Monday 26 March 2018 Starting working again: 19 November 2018  Diagnosed with: 5th August 2021 PTSD/C-PTSD Diagnosed with: March 2022 Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Painful bladder syndrome

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Anyone ever decide maybe its just not worth trying to get off ssri? Its so hard and debilitating yet impossible to get support because its stigmatized and not taken seriously. I started doing the math and even now it will still be years before i can finally be clean off the stuff. Im considering whether to just admit defeat and take my current dose for good

 

 

I have had this thought so many times, it's not even funny. I keep thinking I'd be better off if I just stayed where I was in May at 2.5mgs

 

and even now, after reinstating about 4-5mos later at a tiny dose, I am thinking I may need to updose to get thru this, and then that thought pops up again: why not go back to 2.5mgs and just stay there "forever".

 

but there's no way to know if I"m going to feel better when/if I do that.

 

I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. I so much want some decent sleep, is that too much to ask?

:/

 

  • pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) 
  •  Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years
  • started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 
  •  2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs
  •  June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until  Sept, then acute WD hit!!  reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106
  • Tapered off to zero by  Oct. 2017 Doing very well. 
  • Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 
  • Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content
  • Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs ;) 
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

There is no rule that says you have to get all the way off, often the smaller doses are the hardest, and people do a very long hold while functioning well, then deciding whether to restart a taper or stay on the low dose.

 

And there is no shame in updosing slightly when a reinstatement has been given some time and isn't helping much. It is best to increase a very tiny amount in case of reaction and then a hold.  What was ok months ago could be too much now. 

**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    :D 

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

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi there bud. Im in the process of tapering Paxil. Im down to about 16mg. My goal is to get down to 10mg. I think i can be ok accepting the fact that i can take a small dosage. And yes sometimes i can go on a roller coaster of emotions just thinking about about how i should go completely off. So for now my goal is short term. Who knows what tomorrow may bring. Good luck to you my friend.

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  • 3 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Here's a discussion about this topic:  When to end the taper and jump to zero?

* 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

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  • Moderator Emeritus
2 hours ago, FSL said:

You'd rather stay at a very low dose and be stable, which means having no limitation about (job, daily activities, hobbies, etc) or dropping to zero and having a terrible WD time but being proud of claiming that "I'm off medication".

 

From Alto's post:

 

"If you wish to remain on any dosage, that decision is up to you. If your symptoms are currently minimal, why not take a vacation from worrying about them?"

 

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

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  • 1 year later...

I feel silly almost.  Because even doctors seem to dismiss being on a low dose of something and still having trouble.  "oh that's such a small dose, you can just stop",  "oh you couldn't be having withdraw from such a low dose".  "oh that wouldn't cause side effect as such a low dose".   

 

this just makes me feel like its just me.    That maybe I am making it up, or imaging it.  But i know its not.  I do know that i am very very sensitive to medications.   Even when you say that to people they think you are lying or its once again just your anxiety. 

 

At the same time, I am so upset that such a small dose of something, taken for such a short time, can cause such problems. 

 

and here I am now at 25 mg of Luvox, that I will be tapering for probably longer than any of the other ones I have been started and stopping.  But i guess i need to do it right this time. 

'

So has anyone else had problems even on low doses and short periods of time? 

 

Brenda

 

 

 9/2018- lexapro low dose few days.11/3/2018- zoloft 2 days

11/7/18  - 11/15/18 - Prozac 9 days, from 10 mg for week, to 20

11/16  inpatient put on Lexapro for a few days, Cymbalta, 2 days

11/24-12/8 - gabapentin 100 mg 3xs per day - a very fast taper

1/7 - tbuspar for  three days- blurry vision, jerky eye

1/17/19 - 2/15/19- mirtazapine 15 mg - started taper on 1/30 

2/20/19 gabapentin 600 mg. .  12/20-  taper finished

2/20/19 - seroquel 25 mg current - taken  10 pm

2/20/19- luvox (generic) 25 mg.  4/6/19  to 18.75 mg .held  . Started taper again  1/7/21- 15 mg, 2/7/21- 12.5 mg, 3/7/21 -10 mg, 4/1/21- 9 mg, 5/1/21- 8.1 mg, 5/27/21- updose to 10 mg,  6/21-  in patient updose to 50 mg,  6/25/21- reduce to 10 mg (current) .  9/5- split dose 5mg am/5 mg pm.  9/20- 4 mg am/5 mg pm . 

9/1/21-  took one dose of vistril 50 mg.   

9/1/21-accidental double dose of seroquel- 50 mg 

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  • Administrator

Yes, most of our members have heard similar statements from doctors. What this shows is how little they know about the drugs. (They know even less about tapering and withdrawal symptoms.) See

 

Why taper? SERT transporter occupancy studies show importance of gradual change in plasma concentration

 

The curve shows even low doses of a drug can have a substantial effect on your nervous system.

 

If doctors knew what they were doing, this site would not exist. I look forward to that day.

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

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