Administrator Altostrata Posted January 14, 2023 Administrator Share Posted January 14, 2023 Please keep daily notes of times o’clock you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. We need to know how you feel before and after taking each drug, and your symptoms in between. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time o’clock on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right. This can help identify symptoms that are adverse effects from one of your drugs. 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
Rose91 Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 On 1/14/2023 at 11:25 PM, Altostrata said: Please keep daily notes of times o’clock you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. We need to know how you feel before and after taking each drug, and your symptoms in between. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time o’clock on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right. This can help identify symptoms that are adverse effects from one of your drugs. Thank you. Here are the daily notes for the past few days. The past two days I have had a huge improvement as the extreme looping intrusive thoughts have been non-existent the past 2 days, my akathisia is also almost gone, except in the car. I also haven't had the morning terror/fear/diffuse anxiety. I really hope I am turning a corner as I have been holding from a 5% drop for 11 weeks now. I am still struggling to leave the house alone (and haven't been out alone for around 6 weeks) due to the depression/raw emotions. They seem to always ease up in the evenings, interestingly. 7am – took 23.5mg effexor tablet IR, went straight back to sleep 9.50 – woke up, felt good, no symptoms 11.30am – mild intrusive thoughts start ahead of family visit at 2pm 1pm- took 30mg propranolol (different brand to usual brand) 1.30pm – feel tired/fatigued 2.30pm very mild intrusive thoughts/urges at mum’s house. Huge breakthrough! 6pm – urges to jump out of car on way home/akathisia 6.05pm – no symptoms 7pm – took 23.5mg effexor tablet IR 10.30pm bed difficulty falling asleep, takes 2-3 hours. Flushed hot cheeks for some reason. 7am, took 23.5mg effexor tablet IR, went straight back to sleep 10am- woke up, felt good, no symptoms 10.15am – raw feelings of joy/euphoria tinged with sadness. Neuroemotion or window? 2.30pm – mild intrusive thoughts when family member visits thoughts are about family member) 7:15pm- took 23.5mg effexor tablet IR 10.30pm- bed. Had strong urges/thoughts/akathisia 7am- took 23.5mg effexor. 8am woke up with mild dread. 8.10am feelings of fear/anxiety 9.30am: took 30mg propranolol. 10am- went to coffee morning with friend, mild anxiety/doom/fear 11.30- walking home from coffee morning, felt much better 2.30- mild intrusive thoughts, anxiety 6.00 still have mild intrusive thoughts 7pm- took 23.5mg effexor. 10.30pm - bed 7am- took 23.5mg effexor 9am- woke up with mild dread, depression, intense/raw emotions of sadness/bittersweet feelings, really uncomfortable as they are so raw 10am- fatigue, blurred vision. struggling to cope with the depression/raw emotions 2pm- started crying very easily which is difficult usually due to anhedonia/emotional numbness 2.30pm took an afternoon nap 5.30pm- woke up, felt much better. I think the crying helped. 7pm- took 23.5mg effexor 10.30pm -bed 7am took 23.5mg effexor 9.30- woke up with mild depression, intense/raw emotions of sadness/bittersweet feelings, really uncomfortable as they are so raw 2.30pm - 10 minute car journey, no akathisia (this is pretty huge) raw feelings and depression are lifting 6pm- 2 minute car journey, akathisia (interesting how this happens just before my next dose is due) 7pm- took 23.5mg effexor 9.30pm- bed I have been on meds for 16 years. Started taking prozac at 16 for social anxiety, panic attacks, derealization, low mood, anxiety, agoraphobia. Meds stopped working after 7 years and symptoms returned. Switched to Sertraline (Zoloft) 100mg in December 2014. Started experiencing feelings of dread/terror/despair around October 2015. Started tapering from 100mg to 85mg, held this dose for 4 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered dose to 75mg, for 3 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered again to 50mg, severe withdrawals almost immediately (severe anxiety, depression and derealization). Re-instated next day to 75mg. Have been on 75mg for 4 weeks, getting windows and waves, awful days, good days and bad days. Usually have multiple good days in a row 2-7 days followed by multiple bad days 2-7 days. UPDATE: Symptoms of dread/despair/terror/panic/derealization got worse, started taking 100mg Zoloft in August 2016. No relief after 8 weeks, Zoloft upped to 150mg, still no relief. Quit Zoloft over 1 week and switched to Prozac 20mg Dec 2016. Felt worse during this time, dose upped again to 40mg. Feb 2017: After 8 weeks at this dose, dread/despair has finally lifted. Symptoms returned, was put on low dose of Aripiprazole, got severe akathisia and stopped taking it after 5 days. Switched to Effexor 75mg in 2020. Started tapering in January 2022 due to akathisia. Currently taking 45mg Effexor. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted January 20, 2023 Administrator Share Posted January 20, 2023 It appears you are stabilizing now that you're keeping to a consistent dosing schedule. Please include your sleep pattern in your daily notes. 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
Rose91 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 9 hours ago, Altostrata said: It appears you are stabilizing now that you're keeping to a consistent dosing schedule. Please include your sleep pattern in your daily notes. Thank you so much for your help. I forgot to add that my sleeping is much better, although I am sleeping for longer. I'm pleased to say I have woken up this morning with ZERO symptoms and just feelings of joy and peace. I can't quite believe it. 1 I have been on meds for 16 years. Started taking prozac at 16 for social anxiety, panic attacks, derealization, low mood, anxiety, agoraphobia. Meds stopped working after 7 years and symptoms returned. Switched to Sertraline (Zoloft) 100mg in December 2014. Started experiencing feelings of dread/terror/despair around October 2015. Started tapering from 100mg to 85mg, held this dose for 4 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered dose to 75mg, for 3 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered again to 50mg, severe withdrawals almost immediately (severe anxiety, depression and derealization). Re-instated next day to 75mg. Have been on 75mg for 4 weeks, getting windows and waves, awful days, good days and bad days. Usually have multiple good days in a row 2-7 days followed by multiple bad days 2-7 days. UPDATE: Symptoms of dread/despair/terror/panic/derealization got worse, started taking 100mg Zoloft in August 2016. No relief after 8 weeks, Zoloft upped to 150mg, still no relief. Quit Zoloft over 1 week and switched to Prozac 20mg Dec 2016. Felt worse during this time, dose upped again to 40mg. Feb 2017: After 8 weeks at this dose, dread/despair has finally lifted. Symptoms returned, was put on low dose of Aripiprazole, got severe akathisia and stopped taking it after 5 days. Switched to Effexor 75mg in 2020. Started tapering in January 2022 due to akathisia. Currently taking 45mg Effexor. Link to comment
Rose91 Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 I'm feeling awful again. I have woken up with bad depression/dread, not the anhedonic kind that i'm used to. I just don't understand why it's taking so long to stabilize, since my last taper was 13 weeks ago and was only 5%. I didn't have much of a life before, but now it's even worse. It's just not sustainable. Life is so painful now. I dread waking up everyday because I know the chances are it will be another shitshow. Here are my notes for yesterday: 7am - Wake up, take 22.5mg effexor IR. Feel ok. 7.15am - 15 min of yoga/stretching exercises 10.15am - 5 min walk to shop. A little easier than yesterday. Feelings of panic/terror and possible akathisia. Derealisation/spaced out feeling. 3pm- fatigue, blurry vision, feel spaced out/uneasy. Intrusive thoughts and urges. 6.30pm Intrusive thoughts/urges stopped a little. 7pm- 22.5mg effexor IR. 8.30- Had a bath, feel better. Intrusive thoughts/urges better. 10pm - Strong intrusive thoughts/urges to jump out of skin/akathisia 10.50pm - Went to bed. Slept well. I have been on meds for 16 years. Started taking prozac at 16 for social anxiety, panic attacks, derealization, low mood, anxiety, agoraphobia. Meds stopped working after 7 years and symptoms returned. Switched to Sertraline (Zoloft) 100mg in December 2014. Started experiencing feelings of dread/terror/despair around October 2015. Started tapering from 100mg to 85mg, held this dose for 4 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered dose to 75mg, for 3 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered again to 50mg, severe withdrawals almost immediately (severe anxiety, depression and derealization). Re-instated next day to 75mg. Have been on 75mg for 4 weeks, getting windows and waves, awful days, good days and bad days. Usually have multiple good days in a row 2-7 days followed by multiple bad days 2-7 days. UPDATE: Symptoms of dread/despair/terror/panic/derealization got worse, started taking 100mg Zoloft in August 2016. No relief after 8 weeks, Zoloft upped to 150mg, still no relief. Quit Zoloft over 1 week and switched to Prozac 20mg Dec 2016. Felt worse during this time, dose upped again to 40mg. Feb 2017: After 8 weeks at this dose, dread/despair has finally lifted. Symptoms returned, was put on low dose of Aripiprazole, got severe akathisia and stopped taking it after 5 days. Switched to Effexor 75mg in 2020. Started tapering in January 2022 due to akathisia. Currently taking 45mg Effexor. Link to comment
Rose91 Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 Also, is there a way to edit the topic? I am no longer on Zoloft. I'm tapering from Effexor. I have been on meds for 16 years. Started taking prozac at 16 for social anxiety, panic attacks, derealization, low mood, anxiety, agoraphobia. Meds stopped working after 7 years and symptoms returned. Switched to Sertraline (Zoloft) 100mg in December 2014. Started experiencing feelings of dread/terror/despair around October 2015. Started tapering from 100mg to 85mg, held this dose for 4 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered dose to 75mg, for 3 weeks, no withdrawals. Tapered again to 50mg, severe withdrawals almost immediately (severe anxiety, depression and derealization). Re-instated next day to 75mg. Have been on 75mg for 4 weeks, getting windows and waves, awful days, good days and bad days. Usually have multiple good days in a row 2-7 days followed by multiple bad days 2-7 days. UPDATE: Symptoms of dread/despair/terror/panic/derealization got worse, started taking 100mg Zoloft in August 2016. No relief after 8 weeks, Zoloft upped to 150mg, still no relief. Quit Zoloft over 1 week and switched to Prozac 20mg Dec 2016. Felt worse during this time, dose upped again to 40mg. Feb 2017: After 8 weeks at this dose, dread/despair has finally lifted. Symptoms returned, was put on low dose of Aripiprazole, got severe akathisia and stopped taking it after 5 days. Switched to Effexor 75mg in 2020. Started tapering in January 2022 due to akathisia. Currently taking 45mg Effexor. Link to comment
SunnyRainyDays Posted May 19, 2023 Share Posted May 19, 2023 Hey @Rose91, how are you doing? 1 January 2021 - Took Effoxor 37.5mg then 75mg June/July 2021 - Stopped taking Effoxor. (Cold turkey - had to reinstate 37.5mg two days later because of vomiting and then tapered quickly over the next few days). Mild withdrawal that lasted two weeks. February 2022 - took 7.5mg Mirtazapine 4th April 2022 - stopped taking Mirtazapine 7.5mg (no tapering - I didn’t know about it until I was heavy into withdrawal.) October 2023 - Escitalopram 1mg for two weeks, stopped because of strong heart issues (not that it did anything else except side effects) "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" Currently taking Hormonal Contraceptive for PCOS since age of 13 (changed few brands over the years) and Probiotics Occasionally Vitamins Link to comment
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