twirlie - Please help me - bad advice and Pristiq withdrawal. I am desperate.

[twirlie]

I had my psychiatrist appointment on Tuesday and she was reluctant to put me back on Pristiq/Effexor due to the memory loss and anger I had experienced on it. She recommended going back onto Lexapro (I was on that a couple of years ago). I used to be on 20mg, but she has started me at just 5mg as I had such bad side effects on Lovan. The idea is to stabilise me on Lexapro and then eventually (in 6 months or so) taper off of it. I am not thinking that far ahead now, I am just concentrating on getting through today. I have only been taking it for 3 days and have already experienced the anxiety easing off a bit. I am still having to distract myself all day and make an hour by hour plan and the anxiety is still there, but I am not crying and I feel more in control. I think I am going to be okay. I have had no side effects yet. I have a psychologist appointment tomorrow which I found very helpful last week.

[bubble]

Thank you for checking in and please let us know how you continue on this regime.

 

I'm very glad you have already felt some relief. It would be good to enter this change in your signature for journaling purposes. In that way it will be easier for you to monitor the influence of this new drug on you. I'm also glad that the doctor didn't start you on more than 5 mgs. He/she seems to be a bit more knowledgeable than the most.

 

Take care and keep us posted.

Bubble

[Mike3000]

I am so proud of twirlie and her persistance through this extremely tough time. I hope hope that (I know that) all this hard work and stress will pay off for the best and the stress free life that twirlie deserves!

 

I was taking Prestiq 50mg daily for approx 7 years. Today is day 44 off Prestiq (cold turkey)

I decided to go cold Turkey as enough is enough with relying on this drug to keep me going.

I am happy to say that the brain zaps are almost completely gone (will only get a very minor zap if I stand up really quick and turn my head) although the way it’s been lately it may be gone completely very soon.. The zaps were annoying but as long as you know they are just a symptom (not harmful) you just ride with it. I did also experience moments of sadness (where I wanted to cry) - let me tell you that I started Prestiq because I had anxiety disorder (not depression)

It was hard to gage what were side effects like drowsiness etc as I go to the gym and work 9 hours a day.

What has got me scared and annoyed is very recently (about a week ago) I have had severe anxiety attacks - all of a sudden I will feel weird (zoned out / like I’m not in reality) eyes are extremely sensitive to light, sensitive to touch, paranoia, heart palpitations, tingling, fear and light headedness. Thank God I have Valium to calm things and get me back to reality. Has anyone else had these severe anxiety attacks and have they subsided over time.. Am I running into a brick wall and need to get back onto Pristiq? I told my wife today that I am thinking of getting back on Pristiq and she said "what are you mad you have come this far"

I’m not a quitter but I’m just really scared these symptoms will get worse and I will have no choice to revert back to the evil Pristiq.. I don’t want to be pumping valium into myself daily just to get by..

I am currently taking Vitamin B tablets approx 75mg of Vit B6, fish oil tablets, Vit D tablets, eat well, exercise, don’t smoke or drink alcohol.

What am I doing wrong?!?! Please help!!!!!

[Altostrata]

Mike's question is answered in his Intro topic.

 

Twirlie, how are you doing now?

[twirlie]

It's been a long time since I posted here. I can't believe I am back in the same situation again. I promised myself that I would never be here again.

After I posted here my Lexapro dose was raised to 10mg and eventually I achieved a normal and fairly stable life without all the withdrawal symptoms. I still wanted to get off the antidepressant eventually, but wanted to give myself some time to live without so much stress and give my husband a break.
About a year ago I was feeling good, functioning like a normal person. Enjoying happy times. I was still getting evening low moods, but took up running to try and deal with this. I started to do a slow taper off of Lexapro. I came down to 7.5mg for a couple of months, then when I felt stable went to 5mg where things seemed pretty good for another few months. Then I went to 2.5mg a day and then 2.5mg every other day. I tried every 2 days, but that messed with my head a bit and I found myself getting angry too often and causing relationship problems. After ruining my birthday with my stress I decided the 2.5mg every 2 days wasn't helping and I stopped the Lexapro.

I had 2 weeks where things were pretty good. Most of the anger was gone and I felt excited about the future. On Sunday I had a panic attack when having an argument with my husband over something silly.
Monday I was full of the old anxiety and panic I had when I came off Pristiq too fast. My appetite was gone and I felt sick. I didn't know how to get through the day. Terrified of being alone. I had some respite in the evening. Tuesday I was so bad my husband took the day off of work. This was very kind of him, but he was so resentful and worried about losing his job he was very stressed himself and if anything my panic was worse because of this. Today I have insisted he goes to work, even though I am desperate for company. I didn't let him know, because if he loses his job it will be a disaster.
I can't take the idea of going through this raging anxiety for months. I am not strong enough and I can't do it to David. I know it can go on for a long time. Forgetting everything I had previously read on here I took a 10mg Lexapro tablet last night. I just want to feel okay again and the I don't have a Doctor in this new area who can advise me. I shouldn't have taken that much should I? I don't know what to do now. Should I take that again today or 5mg? I am so confused. I really had wanted to get off the meds, but now I just want to feel okay. I feel like am losing my mind and I am unsure if this will end even on the meds. It did end last time, but have I really messed my brain up now? I am so scared that I will lose David.

[scallywag]

twirlie, sorry that you've found your way back because of a new round of SSRI withdrawal.

 

Your last dose was 2.5 mg Lexapro, about 2 weeks ago, after a period of every other day doses. That would be around the July 3.

 

Reinstating is a good idea. Going back to 2.5 mg/day is likely to be a more manageable dose for you than 5 or 10 mg, given that 2.5 mg was your last dose.

 

Take it at the same time every day and keep notes on paper of your symptoms. Do this for 7-10 days.

 

Your symptoms may ease a bit immediately or it may take some time.  It takes about 4 days for the drug to reach a steady state and then it may take 4-7 days for your CNS to stop sending all those distress signals -- aka symptoms.

[AliG]

Hi Twirlie.  I'm sorry that you find yourself struggling again. It sounds like you have been going really well , until recently. Feeling good , happy and functioning normally sounds very positive and I'm sure you can get back to that place again.

 

You seemed relatively stable for a period of time but perhaps tapered too fast, especially towards the end. It is critically important to go particularly slow as you get down in dosage.  Alternating doses can also destabilize your CNS .

 

I see Scally has posted . She has suggested 2.5mg. I agree that it would be a good dose for you to reinstate. I hope it goes well. 

 

Ali