DaleGarrison Posted May 25, 2016 Author Share Posted May 25, 2016 Peacefully moving forward . Nothing but a forgiving affirming mindset from here on out . Thank you . My Withdrawal History: Zyprexa 2.5 to 10 mg -July 2014 to December 2015 - Stopped January 2016 . Benzodiazepines (Xanax 1mg, Klonopin 2mg, Restoril 30mg, Halcion 0.5mg): As needed from Summer 2013 to July 2014 . Used nightly from January 2016 to March 1, 2016. XYREM 9.0g - used last nightly only last two weeks of February Lexapro 5mg from Summer 2016 to January 2016 . Stopped January 2016 . Then caved into the WD insomnia and was on and off Klonopin 2/4mg and Zyprexa 10mg until I built tolerance and cold turkeyed in August 2017. Officially Medication Free Since August 1, 2017 . Never Suffer Needlessly - it ages you . Make the most of what you have been dealt . Be kind to yourself and peacefully reach your goals . Link to comment
DaleGarrison Posted June 13, 2016 Author Share Posted June 13, 2016 update: still somewhat stuck with the 3-5 hours a night of sleep . However, I've noticed I sleep better on days where I feel like I've accomplished something or have purpose . For me , that's the summer math class that I'm taking . I find having a meaningful distraction along with healthy social contact assists greatly in pulling you out of the withdrawal cyclic miseration rut . It's important for me to have the focus shifted away from the withdrawal and on life as I'm best living it . I also find an early morning small cup of coffee helps offset the miserable tiredness from sleeping such a short time period , and allows productivity and functionality, thus minimizing the psychological impact of the withdrawal , especially if you're used to the merely even the *idea* of a taking a pill to sleep . My Withdrawal History: Zyprexa 2.5 to 10 mg -July 2014 to December 2015 - Stopped January 2016 . Benzodiazepines (Xanax 1mg, Klonopin 2mg, Restoril 30mg, Halcion 0.5mg): As needed from Summer 2013 to July 2014 . Used nightly from January 2016 to March 1, 2016. XYREM 9.0g - used last nightly only last two weeks of February Lexapro 5mg from Summer 2016 to January 2016 . Stopped January 2016 . Then caved into the WD insomnia and was on and off Klonopin 2/4mg and Zyprexa 10mg until I built tolerance and cold turkeyed in August 2017. Officially Medication Free Since August 1, 2017 . Never Suffer Needlessly - it ages you . Make the most of what you have been dealt . Be kind to yourself and peacefully reach your goals . Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted June 13, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 13, 2016 Great insight about sleep and accomplishment, Dale -- one I'll test out and most likely need to put to use! The sleep will come, or you'll continue to find constructive ways to support having a great life with the sleep you do get. 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 IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted June 13, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 13, 2016 I like hearing from people who say when they do wake in the night and get back to sleep, they just get up and start doing stuff like the dishes or whatever, making use of their wakeful-time rather than writhing against it in misery. I've gone both ways, angrily stomping around in the night, or commencing reading a book or Netflixing... Thanks for sharing, Dale! I'm glad you have made the connection as it is a useful observation! SG Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac. Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002 Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history. Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots! Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off. Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep. June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened! Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015. Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month. 12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18: 2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
DaleGarrison Posted September 5, 2016 Author Share Posted September 5, 2016 Hi everyone , I'm officially sleeping 6~6.5 hours for the past 3 days . It also helps that I'm distracted by my withdrawal pains and symptoms by seeing someone . I'm almost in a relationship now . They've been supportive of me throughout the process . My Withdrawal History: Zyprexa 2.5 to 10 mg -July 2014 to December 2015 - Stopped January 2016 . Benzodiazepines (Xanax 1mg, Klonopin 2mg, Restoril 30mg, Halcion 0.5mg): As needed from Summer 2013 to July 2014 . Used nightly from January 2016 to March 1, 2016. XYREM 9.0g - used last nightly only last two weeks of February Lexapro 5mg from Summer 2016 to January 2016 . Stopped January 2016 . Then caved into the WD insomnia and was on and off Klonopin 2/4mg and Zyprexa 10mg until I built tolerance and cold turkeyed in August 2017. Officially Medication Free Since August 1, 2017 . Never Suffer Needlessly - it ages you . Make the most of what you have been dealt . Be kind to yourself and peacefully reach your goals . Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted September 5, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 5, 2016 Great news all around Dale! 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 IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
DaleGarrison Posted September 28, 2016 Author Share Posted September 28, 2016 Hi Everyone, I've been off psychiatric drugs for a number of months and my sleep has risen from 0-4 hours a night initially to 5-6.5 hours a night . I'm a college student taking classes that are difficult for me such as Organic Chemistry and Anatomy & Physiology . The difficultly is *exponentially* compounded by the WD related insomnia and the subsequent/severe day time cognitive impairment . Although 6.5 hours may seem like a lot to some I am quite hungover still. My Dr. Rx'ed me a childrens' dose of Adderall (2.5-5mg) and low dose of Provigil 25-50mg, to maintain attention and wakefulness throughout the day . Her logic is that since my main complaint is WD related insomnia , the stimulants should perk me up and allow me to function , making crappy fuzzy sleep deprived days, normal productive days where I feel better about myself. Since the doses are low, she feels the drugs will not interfere with my sleep patterns ( as they will wear off in a few hours) or exacerbate my current WD insomnia . In addition, according to the PI sheets it seems that the primary WD symptom from psychostimulants are increased appetite and sleepiness, which doesn't seem all too bad for someone in my situation . I haven't taken any pills yet , and I've been diligent with following the sleep tips and self soothing advice, (which has been very helpful) I just wanted you guys to weigh in to see if this is such a hot idea . Thanks -Dale My Withdrawal History: Zyprexa 2.5 to 10 mg -July 2014 to December 2015 - Stopped January 2016 . Benzodiazepines (Xanax 1mg, Klonopin 2mg, Restoril 30mg, Halcion 0.5mg): As needed from Summer 2013 to July 2014 . Used nightly from January 2016 to March 1, 2016. XYREM 9.0g - used last nightly only last two weeks of February Lexapro 5mg from Summer 2016 to January 2016 . Stopped January 2016 . Then caved into the WD insomnia and was on and off Klonopin 2/4mg and Zyprexa 10mg until I built tolerance and cold turkeyed in August 2017. Officially Medication Free Since August 1, 2017 . Never Suffer Needlessly - it ages you . Make the most of what you have been dealt . Be kind to yourself and peacefully reach your goals . Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted September 29, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 29, 2016 If it were me, I'd being staying well away from them. My 2 cents worth. Do you really want to take the risk? * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
nz11 Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 Dale don't go there. breggin says adderall is low dose cocaine. Hey Dale organic chem isn't to bad just memorise all the mind map diagrams of the reactions of the functional groups and when you have that down the whole subject fits together no worries. Look up Tony Buzans memory methods and that could be handy for anatomy and physiology memorisation So in summary don't take drugs take mind maps and Buzan 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
AliG Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 Why would you want to go back there? Hopping back on the drug " roller coaster " after 6 months is " madness" in my opinion. 5- 6.5 hrs sleep a night is solid and shows recovery. Stick it out. You are just starting to experience improvement. If I were you , I would not jeopardize that . All drugs are toxic, have side effects and are ultimately debilitating in the long term. Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
DaleGarrison Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 UPDATE: Between Sept. 2016 and August 2017 I was on meds again on and off as the WD related insomnia was too damn much to handle. (dumb I know) I've been off all medication since August 2017. The last time I took meds I was taking klonopin 2mg and zyprexa 10mg to sleep every night. I am sleeping 5 to 6.5 hours a night. Still need 8 to 10 to feel normal. I feel hung over everytime I wake up and exhausted. Hopefully in one more year of being med free I'll be sleeping normally again. My Withdrawal History: Zyprexa 2.5 to 10 mg -July 2014 to December 2015 - Stopped January 2016 . Benzodiazepines (Xanax 1mg, Klonopin 2mg, Restoril 30mg, Halcion 0.5mg): As needed from Summer 2013 to July 2014 . Used nightly from January 2016 to March 1, 2016. XYREM 9.0g - used last nightly only last two weeks of February Lexapro 5mg from Summer 2016 to January 2016 . Stopped January 2016 . Then caved into the WD insomnia and was on and off Klonopin 2/4mg and Zyprexa 10mg until I built tolerance and cold turkeyed in August 2017. Officially Medication Free Since August 1, 2017 . Never Suffer Needlessly - it ages you . Make the most of what you have been dealt . Be kind to yourself and peacefully reach your goals . Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted June 19, 2018 Administrator Share Posted June 19, 2018 That sounds pretty good, Dale. How have your symptoms changed from 6 months ago? FYI New Jersey members, please check in here 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
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