bhasski Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 ImadB, Its definitely withdrawal... trust me and others .. I am 20 months off... I have been to hell but now its better hell, still hell. I have taken effexor for 4-5 months and paxil and other cocktail to added effects... 08/13 - 01/14Olanzapine, petril MD (Clonazepam ), Dicorate ER (divalproex). Soza 10 (Zolpidem) 02/14 - 05/14Flunil 20mg , Divaa OD 250 mg(divalproex), Amisulpride 50mg (1-0-2), zolfresh 5 mg , Quetiapine05/14 - 08/14 Venlafaxine 75 xr ( 1-0-1), zapiz 0.2510/14 Zaptra 12.5mg , Oxetol xr 150mg (0-0-1)11/14 - 08/15Paris CR 25 (paroxetine) , Oxetol xr 600 mg (0-0-1), nitrest 5mg , Quetiapine for a month.09/15-11 Venlafaxine XR 75 ( 1-0-1), Mirtazipine 15, Respiredal 0.5, Lamitor 25, zillion 10.12/15-02/16 Off Meds (C.T) 03/16-Mid April Sertraline, Aripropazole, Quetiapine, Etizolam. After that : CT and on OTC supplements (Roadback), now on Ayurveda Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus baroquep Posted November 12, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 12, 2017 On 2017-11-09 at 4:58 AM, ImadB said: Could this an inflammation in the brain or something? Hi ImadB, I don't think you have anything wrong with you other than you are suffering from PAWS and while definitely uncomfortable, nothing to be overly concerned about. I will attach a couple of links so that you have a better understanding of delayed onset of withdrawal symptoms. Have you given anymore thought to reinstating at a very small dose of Effexor? At this time, reinstatement of a very small dose of the original drug is the only known way to help alleviate withdrawal syndrome. The only other alternative is to try and wait out the symptoms and manage as best you can until your central nervous system returns to homeostasis. Unfortunately no one can give you an exact timeline as to when you will start feeling better and while some do recover relatively easily, for others it can take many months to many years. Withdrawal Symptoms - Delayed Onset Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain aka Brain Remodelling Video: Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery You might also want to consider incorporating a technique or two that you can practice on a day-to-day basis to help you manage some of the more difficult withdrawal symptoms. You can find a few ideas at the links below:Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms Acceptance and Mindfulness You may also want to try supplementing Magnesium and/or Omega 3 which seem to be helpful in relaxing and healing the central nervous system and you can read more about these supplements below: Magnesium Omega-3 Fish Oil Please let us know how you are doing and what you end up deciding to do. Best, BarouqeP Current Prescription Drugs for Hypothyroidism: Synthroid 100mcg / Cytomel 5mcg (15 years Pristiq/Effexor)Tapering Schedule September 15, 2016 - switched from Pristiq 50mg to Effexor XR 75mg; November 10, 2016 - reduced to 67.5 Effexor XR December 9, 2016 - reduced 60.75 January 5, 2017 - reduced 54.67 January 30, 2017 - reduced to 49.0 February 20, 2017 - reduced to 44.0 May 20, 2017 - reduced to 40.25 (holding for additional month due to late onset of withdrawal symptoms after this taper) July 17, 2017 - reduced to 38.24 August 15, 2017 - reduced to 37.5 (50% of my original dose) October 15, 2017 - reduced to 35.6 November 12, 2017 - reduced to 33.8 December 15, 2017 - up-dose to 35.6 December 28, 2017 - up-dose to 37.5 Link to comment
Oran Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 Hello again baroque! Thank you for your previous reply, it was very informative. I am considering a reinstatement because my symtoms are too much right now. My last dose of effexor was 2 mg, so I guess that I should start even lower than that? My absolute main concern is this: say that I reinstate successfully and my symtoms starts to go away - would it be like prolonging the recovery by reinstating or would it be more like helping the brain to recover? Like giving it a chance to start repairing? Another thing is this: I am overly sensitive to everything, I cannot take any supplements almost because I react very bad - does this mean I run a higher risk of being kindled? Sorry for the thousands questions, this will be all or nothing for me.. I started Effexor/venlafaxin august 2014: 1st year 75 mg 2nd year 37.5 mg. Taper: first try 37.5 to 0 in one month. Second try: 18.75 to 0 in two months. Completely off effexor since 26-11-2016 with severe withdrawals such as blurred/constrained vision, brain fog and vertigo. Link to comment
bheb Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Hi lmadB, sorry to hear you're suffering still consistently after many months. I'm there too. I'm reinstating this weekend after being off for 11 months. I know it sounds very risky but I was getting quite hopeless with how little improvement (and maybe worsening) I was experiencing. Good luck in whatever you decide...I know the feeling of being stuck. Aug-Dec 2015 Prozac 20mg / Dec 2015-Feb 2016 Prozac 15mg / Feb 2016-May2016 Prozac 20mg May 2016-June 2016 15mg June 2016-August 2016 10mg October 2016-January 2017 15mg, alternating agitation/akathisia sets in --> cold turkey January 2017 Clonazepam .5mg February 2017 Clonazepam 1mg (for a week) then .5mg morning and .25mg evening for about a month. Came down to .25mg morning and evening. May 1, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .125mg evening. // May 20, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .0625 evening (.3125 total). early June .28125 // early mid june .25mg // mid june .21875 // late june .1875 // early july .15625 // early mid july .125 mid july .09375mg // late july .0625 //early August 2017 down to .03125mg once a day, hopped off in mid August reinstated at .0625mg late August // Oct 16 - updose to .07mg and switch to oral Rosemont solution Nov 17 2017 reinstate Prozac .5mg // Nov 21 2017 prozac 1.6mg // Dec 18 2017 3mg prozac / fast taper off the reinstatement -- probably completely off early Oct 2018 June 2019 begin tapering off .07mg Clonazepam, Finish taper December 2019 Link to comment
Callie Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Hello, ImadB, I, too, have developed worse symptoms over the past month. I'm 7.5 months into withdrawal. I just want you to know that you are not alone. My symptoms are different from yours, but nevertheless I am miserable and afraid. Effexor was one of the meds I was on, too. I do not think I will ever reinstate but rather pray, hold onto hope, and visit this site daily for encouragement. Hugs to you, Callie Lexapro: 2004-2010; Effexor XR 225 mg.: May 2010 - April 2017 Abilify 5 mg.: May 2010 - April 2017; Buspirone 60 mg.: 2004 - April 2017; Trazadone 100 mg.: 2004 - April 2017; Xanax: as needed; Fast taper Link to comment
Meeto Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 I'm five months out and worsening as well. Lexapro 1/17 - 3/17 10 mg. Switched to Elavil 3/27/17 10 mg Upped to 20 mg June 5, 2017 3 days, back down to 10mg June 8 Up again to 20 mg June 12, 2017 4 days, back down to 10 June 16 9/17 dropped to 9.5 mg 11/17 dropped to 9.3mg 2/18/17 dropped to 8.8 mg February 14/2018 Adverse reaction to zofran pill at clinic 10/7/19 8.48 mg 12/22/19 7.3 mg, 2/7/20 6.5 mg, 5/23/20 5.84 mg, 5/7/23 .70 mg Link to comment
Oran Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 Ok, so after thinking about this back and forth I've come closer to a reinstatement. If there is anyone out there who've done a late reinstatement (I am 12 months off effexor with still worsening symtoms) I'd really like to hear about your experience, good or bad. I started Effexor/venlafaxin august 2014: 1st year 75 mg 2nd year 37.5 mg. Taper: first try 37.5 to 0 in one month. Second try: 18.75 to 0 in two months. Completely off effexor since 26-11-2016 with severe withdrawals such as blurred/constrained vision, brain fog and vertigo. Link to comment
nz11 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 ImadB I understand your frustration. Truely I do. 12 months drug free is a big accomplishment to throw away please think very carefully. I would like to tell you that I was pretty much non functional, unemployed and unemployable for the first three years of wdl . It is only in the 7th yr I have returned to work and I am now holding down a job I couldnt have done it any sooner. I don't say this to scare you but so that you can see things in perspective and that this is a long journey. There is no guarantee that a ri will work and in fact I have witnessed many in which things got terribly worse. The first two years I found very difficult but slowly and gradually things improved. I am talking years. So we need to be thinking years not months here. Many report improvements in year two and more so in yr three. I will be honest and tell you that at 12 months I also thought much about ri to find relief. I was encouraged to stay the course and I did. I am so glad I did. At about 18 months I got my first window. Say you do go ahead and ri and improve...then what? you suddenly want to taper off again. I can tell you now from my experience that every successive ri preceeded a more difficult exit attempt. imo it is better to be out wishing you were in than in wishing you were out. What would I do if I was you? I would continue to stay the course drug free. Refuse to ever take a psychoactive drug again. Period. Your brain and cns are working frantically behind the scenes to repair this pharmaceutical assault please be patient. We have all had to learn a new level of patience here. It may appear that things are getting worse at times and that may well be the case it happened with me also but then there would be a few days of blue sky. I started to see worse days as the body going into overtime with healing. Please don't give up hope. All the best in your decisions nz11 Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
nz11 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Oh yeah one more thing have you considered writing a complaint to the appropriate authorities in your country regarding this wdl experience and harm done by your doctor. Were you informed of this outcome. Please write and bring this to peoples attention. I found writing complaint letters a great distraction in wdl. Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Oran Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 Thank you so much @nz11 for your very informative reply to this subject. I appreciate you taking your time to share your story, I've decided not to make a reinstatement. I also want to apologize to the rest of you for not replying to your posts, I've been a mess lately. I try to stay positive and listen to other people's stories about how they suffered the hell of withdrawal but eventually recovered. I really do, but its very difficult when I am experiencing a worsening of my cognitive functions and memory every two or third day, for almost a year now. I cannot go or walk outside for more than 5-7 minutes. My arms and legs become heavy like timberstocks and my jaw and throat goes numb so I cannot utter a word without great pain or effort. Every movement and visual impression is also very demanding for my brain. Every stone, bush, leaf, tree and person moving seems to be too much to handle. Everything looks distorted and unreal, like seeing the world with heavily drunk, closed eyes. I cannot read, listen to music, watch tv or have a normal conversation. I can literally feel how my brain hurts when I do that and I get a feeling of exhaustion and total blankness in my head - no thoughts, emotions or even impressions seems to be left.. Even thinking hurts. If I lay down to rest it feels like daily, uncontrolled thoughts are too much for my brain to handle. While all this is going on, I am also experiencing a "hypomania" that peaks in the midmorning but lasts around the clock and I feel like i've had 10 red bulls with rushing, reality-absent thoughts (like a manic person) that sometimes carries me away and I lose my grip on my actual situation. Very often, in spite of my symptoms, I end up doing things that I should not and I feel much, much worse afterwards. It feels like I am experiencing two "realities" - the actual real world and then the "hypomanic" one. It feels like I am disappearing from the real world, like a person suffering from dementia. My brain is slowly but surely closing down. Everything looks increasingly unfamiliar and "dead." My feelings, cognitive abilities and memories are becoming fewer each day and it is scaring me alot that it doesn't stop getting worse despite trying everything. I joined a forum on Facebook dedicated to people with neurotoxicity.. I was told that my symtoms were indicative of neurotoxicity.. I really don't know what to belive anymore. It is almost impossible stay cool and handle this stress. It seems like most people with wd symtoms get worse for a shorter period of time and then it stays like that for some time til it gets better... I started Effexor/venlafaxin august 2014: 1st year 75 mg 2nd year 37.5 mg. Taper: first try 37.5 to 0 in one month. Second try: 18.75 to 0 in two months. Completely off effexor since 26-11-2016 with severe withdrawals such as blurred/constrained vision, brain fog and vertigo. Link to comment
nz11 Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 imadb Hang in there nz11 Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Oran Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 I will do my best. Thank you nz11 I started Effexor/venlafaxin august 2014: 1st year 75 mg 2nd year 37.5 mg. Taper: first try 37.5 to 0 in one month. Second try: 18.75 to 0 in two months. Completely off effexor since 26-11-2016 with severe withdrawals such as blurred/constrained vision, brain fog and vertigo. Link to comment
littleball Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 On 9/12/2017 at 12:48 AM, ImadB said: While all this is going on, I am also experiencing a "hypomania" that peaks in the midmorning but lasts around the clock and I feel like i've had 10 red bulls with rushing, reality-absent thoughts (like a manic person) that sometimes carries me away and I lose my grip on my actual situation. Very often, in spite of my symptoms, I end up doing things that I should not and I feel much, much worse afterwards. It feels like I am experiencing two "realities" - the actual real world and then the "hypomanic" one. Terrible, unnatural mood swings. I know what it feels like. It's not funny to feel suddenly "over the top". This reminded me of some episodes I had, I desperately don't want to relive them. From what I see, you seem a truly sensitive reasonable person, even though in great pain. I hope you will feel better soon <3 November 2014 - September 2015: Zoloft 50 mg, Trilafon 4mg, clonazepam 1mgOctober 2015 - September 2016: Effexor 75 mgSeptember 2016 - January 2017: Effexor 150 mgStopped Effexor in March 2017 after tapering under medical supervisionThe doctor I've now found is an expert in withdrawal from ADsPersistent withdrawal syndrome since July 2017: Prozac 10 mg, clonazepam 0.5 mg, to cope with it. December 2017 - withdrawing from Prozac, 10 mg every 2 days Drug free since January (?) 2018 Symptoms: pins and needles, burning skin sensations, PSSD, OCD, mood swings (a lot), malaise (a lot), muscle spasms, voice in my conscience. Doing not so bad, but I want to be the person I was. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted January 29, 2018 Administrator Share Posted January 29, 2018 Oran, are you still taking small amounts of magnesium? The surge in the morning is caused by the natural rise of cortisol. If you darken your bedroom with blackout shades or curtains and wear a sleep mask to block out the light, you may be able to reduce this reaction so it's not so uncomfortable. 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
nz11 Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Oran Hey i think you must have changed your name since i posted last. Are you able to check in? Are you feeling a little better? Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Pepita Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Hi there Oran, what you were describing in the beginning of your topic sounds very much like I experienced it. After taking my last dosage I had bad symptoms for about 1 month. Then they suddenly stopped. I thought "ok, that was not that hard" and thenabout 2-3 months later the true wd-hell was only about to start. About re-instatement: I know it is somehing that we all tend to think about when times are desperate, it's completely understandable!! But I have to say, after reading 1 or 2 books about the effects of psychotropics on our brain I "happily" went through the waves. Sort of "F*** you drugs you won't convince me any more!!!!" Hang in there, it truly will get better! I am off now for about 2 years, had my first window about 8 months after wd started. Since then luckily I had some longer windows (lasting around 6 months). I am in a roughter path for now, I'd say one of the tougher waves, but when in doubt I go through some topics here and remind myself of how clearly this is still withdrawal- as we all suffer about the same way. Hang in there! Help your brain to keep on healing. Even if it doesn't feel that way for you right now, all that suffering is just proof that your system is working really hard to get better. If there's nothing else yoh can do, lie down and breathe. Just breathe. It will pass and better times will come!:))) 2005-2006: Cipralex 5 mg 2009-2010: Cipralex 5 mg 2012-2015: Cipralex 5mg, 10mg tapered 10mg-7.5mg-5mg-2,5-0 (I always waited for a few weeks on the current dosage until I felt stable. Steps were too big I realized too late) Completely drug free since August 2015 Link to comment
samanthaelizabeth Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 On 12/2/2017 at 11:40 PM, nz11 said: ImadB I understand your frustration. Truely I do. 12 months drug free is a big accomplishment to throw away please think very carefully. I would like to tell you that I was pretty much non functional, unemployed and unemployable for the first three years of wdl . It is only in the 7th yr I have returned to work and I am now holding down a job I couldnt have done it any sooner. I don't say this to scare you but so that you can see things in perspective and that this is a long journey. There is no guarantee that a ri will work and in fact I have witnessed many in which things got terribly worse. The first two years I found very difficult but slowly and gradually things improved. I am talking years. So we need to be thinking years not months here. Many report improvements in year two and more so in yr three. I will be honest and tell you that at 12 months I also thought much about ri to find relief. I was encouraged to stay the course and I did. I am so glad I did. At about 18 months I got my first window. Say you do go ahead and ri and improve...then what? you suddenly want to taper off again. I can tell you now from my experience that every successive ri preceeded a more difficult exit attempt. imo it is better to be out wishing you were in than in wishing you were out. What would I do if I was you? I would continue to stay the course drug free. Refuse to ever take a psychoactive drug again. Period. Your brain and cns are working frantically behind the scenes to repair this pharmaceutical assault please be patient. We have all had to learn a new level of patience here. It may appear that things are getting worse at times and that may well be the case it happened with me also but then there would be a few days of blue sky. I started to see worse days as the body going into overtime with healing. Please don't give up hope. All the best in your decisions nz11 How were you able to find a job after being out of the workforce for so long? Sorry, I'm just hoping I will be able to go back to work. Ativan Mid April 1999-to end of May 1999 ( COLD TURKEY and flushed them down the toilet) I went through hell for 3 months-I had no idea what was happening to me there was no information on the internet about this drug) Zoloft 200mg 1999 to 2017 Wellbutrin 2015 6 months Started having exterme anxiety-quit taking switched back to Zoloft ( I have quit about 6 jobs from this time0 Klonopin .5-1.0 of and on for two months (tapered off in Dec-Jan) 15 mg Remeron 2012-presnt **Started tapering down Zoloft 12/?/17 12/09/17 down to 50mg; 12/12/17-12/14-17 Zoloft 100mg; 12/16/201712/19 -Zoloft 150mg; 12/20/17-01/06/18 Zoloft 200mg; 01/07/18-01//18/18 Zoloft 180mg 01/18/18-present Zoloft 200mg February 2018-Copaxone 40mg (3 times a week shots) (for Multiple Sclerosis)2/17/18 begin transition to liquid 200mg magnesium, fish oil Link to comment
Oran Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 Hello everyone, thank you all for replying and encouraging. To be honest, I’ve been able to go outside a little more, but at the same time I’ve declined and gotten much worse mentally/cognitively. So I’m still experiencing a worsening of memory/cognition and it is very disheartening considering that I am 14 months off,, but I have kind of realized that the alcohol I drank on New Years, one month after coming of Effexor, have added a lot to my suffering. I hope it is not permanent. Thank you all I started Effexor/venlafaxin august 2014: 1st year 75 mg 2nd year 37.5 mg. Taper: first try 37.5 to 0 in one month. Second try: 18.75 to 0 in two months. Completely off effexor since 26-11-2016 with severe withdrawals such as blurred/constrained vision, brain fog and vertigo. Link to comment
nz11 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Hang in there Oran. You can do it. 14 months is early days . I'm sure you will see some more improvements this year. Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Downbutnotout Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 On 1/29/2018 at 6:30 PM, samanthaelizabeth said: How were you able to find a job after being out of the workforce for so long? Sorry, I'm just hoping I will be able to go back to work. you all have a lot of patience. 2001 Remeron , Celexa, prozac a week on lithium. 2014 went off effexor and trazadone in 3 weeks. 2014 zoloft (hyper reaction) put on effexor 75 mg. Was stable until 2017 2017 Trazadone 50 mg (June) Effexor to 113 mg (2 weeks) Effexor 150 mg for a month . Took 75 mg until November. . Lithium 10 days, Lamactil 10 day aug-nov15 ativan October : Prozac bridge to get off 75 mg of effexor Used 10 mg of prozac. Stopped prozac 3 wk Dec 6, 7 Upped trazadone from 50 to 100 mg Did it for 3 days Stopped it Dec 7 , Dec 8 Took prozac again 0.1 , 0.1, 0.6 stopped it Dec 11 and Dec 12 upped it to 100 again Dec 15 , 16,17 went back to 50 mg of trazadone December 18 Began 3 beads of effexor Dec 25 began 5 beads of effexor take 10 mg of omneprazole daily Link to comment
Oran Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 Thank you. Is it common for people to STILL get worse 14 months off? My mental/cognitive symptoms are very progressive, like someone suffering from neurotoxicity, and it all started after I drank alcohol 13 months ago (New Years).. not knowing what the consequences would be. I don’t know what to expect or believe anymore... I’m so mentally off. I started Effexor/venlafaxin august 2014: 1st year 75 mg 2nd year 37.5 mg. Taper: first try 37.5 to 0 in one month. Second try: 18.75 to 0 in two months. Completely off effexor since 26-11-2016 with severe withdrawals such as blurred/constrained vision, brain fog and vertigo. Link to comment
thecowisback Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 how are you now Oran? how are your visual symptoms? Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years. January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began. Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan: 26 Feb 2019, 4mg. Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019 Reinstated prozac: 14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg Link to comment
Driven Posted November 20, 2019 Share Posted November 20, 2019 Oran, I see this post is long outdated but I'm checking in to see how you are doing and if your visual symptoms have improved? Cymbalta for 17 weeks total:1 week @ 30mg, 5 weeks @ 60mg, 3 weeks @ 90mg (then asked to be tapered off) Tapered as follows (as per 3 doctors and 5-6 pharmacists recommendations). Not ONE stated a slow bead count was required:4 weeks @ 60mg, 1 week @ 30mg, 1 week @ 20mg, 1 week @ 10mg (bead counting)1 week @ 8--7-6-5-4-2-1-0mg (bead counting)OFF completely since 7/6/19 SAM-e (200mg) - started 1 month before coming off Cymbalta as per Naturopath to help with withdrawal. Stopped SAM-e on 11/6/19.5-HTP (100mg am & pm) - started day after coming off Cymbalta as per Naturpath to help with withdrawal. Stopped 5-HTP on 10/1/19. Zyprexa: 5mg at bedtime. Started 11/26/19 until current to help with Cymbalta W/D symptoms. Link to comment
Emma7855 Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Oran, curious to hear how you're doing now. Hoping the best for you. PRN = as needed; WDR = withdrawal reaction; ADR = adverse reaction 2007: Started BC pills 2008: Prozac 0 --> 80 mg 2010: Tapered Prozac 80 --> 0 mg 2015: LSD/shrooms/MDMA once; Xanax 0.25 mg PRN; Prozac 0 --> 40 mg; Lamictal 0 --> 150 mg 2018: Tapered Prozac 40 --> 0 mg (WDR); Klonopin 0.125 mg PRN 2019: DC'd BC pills (WDR); Klonopin 0.125 mg PRN; tapered Lamictal 150 --> 35 mg (WDR); Trileptal 0 --> 4 mg 2020: Jan: one BC pill (ADR + hormonal effects); Apr-Jun: curcumin cream daily + Elidel cream PRN (ADR + hormonal effects); Oct: started melatonin 0.375 mg; Nov: acupuncture treatment (ADR + hormonal effects); Dec: tapered off melatonin 0.375 mg 2021: Jan: benzoyl peroxide cream (ADR); Feb: started probiotic; Mar: tapered off probiotic; May: Trileptal 4 mg --> 0.4 mg (ADR); Nov: Trileptal 0.4 mg --> 0.3 mg 2023: Nov: Prednisone 60 mg Current medications: Lamictal 35 mg, Trileptal 0.3 mg, Prednisone 60 mg Link to comment
ThatOneGirlStitch Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 Oran, checking in, how are you? Current: Bupropion 450mg, Neurontin 800mg, Klonopin 0.5mg History: July 2020: started Cogentin 1mg, Lamictal 50mg, Zoloft 150mg, Zyprexa 5mg (+5mg as needed), Klonopin 0.5mg November 2020: stopped all meds cold-turkey February 2021: started Latuda 60mg, Lithium 300mg, Melatonin 5mg, Protonix 40mg, Topamax 25mg 2 weeks later: stopped Topamax, increased Lithium 900mg, started Klonopin 1mg, Lexapro 20mg, Neurontin 400mg April 2021: started Bupropion 150mg, Revia ?mg May 2021: stopped Revia, Protonix, Lexapro, increased Neurontin 800mg, started Celexa 10mg August 2021: decreased Celexa 5mg (stopped Celexa 2 weeks later), increased Bupropion 300mg September 2021: increased Latuda 80mg October 2021: decreased Lithium 600mg for 4 days, Lithium 300mg for 4 days, stopped Lithium, Latuda, increased Bupropion 450mg, started Remeron 15mg, decreased Remeron 7.5mg, stopped Remeron Link to comment
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