JackStylesX: extreme panic

[JackStylesX]

I want to know if anyone has ever experienced EXTREME episodes of panic while coming off Effexor XR and/or Lexapro. I will share my history in order to give you more details of what's going on.

Put on Effexor XR 150 mg at age 16 due to mood swings while taking birth control for hormonal imbalance.

Slept 10 years of my life away. Begged for help from family. No one gave a ****.

Tried to come off medication summer of 2013. Experienced extreme panic. Went back on lowest dose 37.6 mg Effexor.

Acquired cosmetology license, worked for four years, still depressed and slept all my days off. suicidal thoughts.

2nd doctor
Took me off Effexor 37.5 mg -----> put me on Lamictal
Experienced EXTREME anger
Took me off Lamictal -----> put me on Depakote

Was highly motivated and accomplished. No depression or anxiety.
Saw some things out the corner of my eye that wasnt there
Insomnia
Metallic taste in mouth

I tapered myself off Depakote and experienced anger

Doctor put me on Lexapro

Day 2 experienced panic attack when waking
Also experience return of depression, loss of motivation

After the panic episode, I stopped taking it and refused to be put on any more meds

Experienced high anxiety in the mornings and evenings, however, motivation came back, depression and suicidal thoughts were gone. I had a lot of hope for myself. I was still accomplishing a lot.

A month later experienced the highest level of panic I have ever felt, which lasted 2.5 months without relief.

Went to the hospital, put in group therapy where I was ignored and treated like I was crazy.

A 3rd doctor put me on 75 mg Effexor, then 150 mg Effexor xr....even after I told him I didn't feel comfortable. My concerns were dismissed, treated like I was stupid and crazy.

I am now back to feeling extremely depressed, sleeping all day with little control over it, suicidal and on top of it still anxious but not full blown panic.

 

 

I desperately just want my life back. I fear that it may be impossible to come off these drugs and that I am damaged for life. 

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by ChessieCat
Added name to title/changed font colour

[mammaP]

Hi Jack, welcome to SA. I am going to move your post to the introductions forum because it is specifically about your experience and problems with prescribed drugs. This will be your journal to add to when you like and ask questions. 

 

I know the evils of effexor and cringed when you said the doctor put you on 75, and wanted to cry when you said it was increased to 150! 

How long have you been back on effexor? It is obvious that you are having side effects and they are often dose related. You were put back on a dose that was far too high. When someone has been in withdrawal for some time a very tiny dose is more likely to help because we become sensitive to the drug and can no longer tolerate it epsecially at high doses.  I too suffered the side effects of effexor, so can empathise, it is an evil drug! 

 

You can get off effexor by tapering slowly. I felt better as the dose lowered, but sadly went too fast and ended up in withdraawal. Reinstated just 1mg and tapered very slowly. I took it for about 11 - 12 years total. I am now free of it and you can be too. It will take time and patience but you can do it. While you are tapering you need to learn non drug ways of dealing with things life throws at you and the resulting emotions. All natural responses to life events that have been labelled as mental illness! 

 

If you haven't been on it for very long you might be able to make some larger cuts for the first 2 or 3 driops, which might help you to feel a bit better. 

Could you fill in your signature for us please? We just need drugs and doses with approximate dates. You can find how to do that here...

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Tapering effexor

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tapering-off-effexor-venlafaxine/

 

Why taper 10% 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

[powerback]

hi jack your welcome I'm on Effexor also

 ,please pay attention to mammaP and the moderators ,I've been in withdrawl/poop out for longer than I want admit to myself ,this Effexor drug should be treated like nuclear waste, horrible drug .as for these ignorant idiot doctors .I could scream .

 

tapering needs to be slow and take it from me  don't panic if it takes longer than you want ,the drug needs to be slowly sneaked out of your system .

If you really want to come off them like you say ,you will have to be careful ending up in a situation were you will need these idiot doctors help again ,so come and ask the moderators about how you feel and your troubles .

I cant give u medical advice or tell you what to do,but inform yourself as much as possible so you can make an informed decision about your health and wellbeing .

take care

PB

 

[JackStylesX]

I fear I am stuck on this drug because when I try and lower the dose now, I go back to feeling extremely high panic. I'm telling you this state of panic did not stop for 2.5 months. It wasn't as if I had a panic attack then is subsided.....it felt as if the panic attack lasted the duration of 2.5 months. And no one can give me any answers as to what was going on. Have you heard of this???

[mammaP]

Yes Jack, we see this often. You will avoid that panic if you take it really slowly and reduce tiny amounts.  I would consider the micro taper, it is much easier on the brain and nervous system. How long have you been back on 150? When did you try to reduce the dose and by how much? You CAN do this and we will help you every stepof the way but it MUST be slow, especially at the lower doses. 

 

Micro taper 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2878-micro-taper-instead-of-10-or-5-decreases/

 

[JackStylesX]

Since april. I was bad and tried to reduce my meds on my own and experienced panic. I still wake up every morning with anxiety, but its not full blown panic. I just dont feel like myself anymore. 

 

Also ive been doing some research and hormonal imbalances can contribute to anxiety and panic so im going to have that looked into as well (i have a severe horminal imbalance and thats why i was put on this drug at age 16 because i was pmsing basically.) 

 

So maybe that will help but.....it gives me some hope that youve heard of the severe panic state after coming off this drug. The doctors and therapists have been treating me like i am crazy and completely ignoring my concerns.

[JackStylesX]

End of may i tried to take 37.5 mg out of my 150 mg effexor capsules. I didnt tell anyone

 But the panic came back a week later. Perhaps i didnt do it right. I tried measuring the amount of beads the best i could but...i dunno.

 

The first time i came off this drug i didnt experience the panic until i was at 0 mg. But they tapered me extremely quick. So i just syayed on 37.5 mg for 3 years. This episode of panic was 3X worse, and it was after Lexapro. So they just jammed me back on 150 mg. I def dont think these doctors know what theyre doing.

 

I feel stuck.

[scallywag]

JackStylesX:  It will help us answer your questions faster if you post your medication and withdrawal history in a signature.

 

A request: Please summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly?

• Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
  
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago)
  
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016.
  
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses.
  
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs.
  
• Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.
  
  

[mammaP]

That has explained a LOT, reducing by 37.5 is a big reduction and caused withdrawal. Please fill in your signature with all this info as it is important to us. 

We need a timeline so that we can see what has led to this point. You are right the doctors don't know what they are doing! 

[scallywag]

JackStyles -- thank you for providing details of your recent medications and doses in your signature.

 

You've made many changes since the cold-turkey stop of Effexor XR in January, none of which appear to have resolved the withdrawal symptoms caused by the jump from 37.5 mg Effexor to 0 overnight.

 

You've now been on 150 mg venlafaxine XR (Effexor XR) for 3 months. It would be best to make no more drastic moves.

 

In previous posts you mention trying to reduce the dose on your own since April. As best as you can recall what were the changes you made, e.g. cut from 150 to 112.5 or cut from 150 to 75?

[JackStylesX]

7 hours ago, scallywag said:

 

In previous posts you mention trying to reduce the dose on your own since April. As best as you can recall what were the changes you made, e.g. cut from 150 to 112.5 or cut from 150 to 75?

 

150 to 112.5

 

The panic didnt start until the doctor put me on Lexapro. I did perfectly fine coming off Effexor that time.

 

But each drug she threw me on had horriblebside effects. Lexapro being severe panic.

 

 

BUT I do want it noted that in 2013 i attempted to come off effexor. Once i got dowb to 0 mg is when the panicbstarted and thats why i stayed on 37.5mg for 3 years.

 

Although that panic was severe, the panic induced by Lexapro has been 10X worse.

 

Now that i was thrown back on a high dose of Effexor, im extremely depressed. All i can do is sleep.

 

I feel theres no hope for me tbh.

 

 

[mammaP]

January.....

Quit effexor, which is notorious for withdrawal.

Started Lamictal, one week

Quit lamictal

Started depakote

 

March

Quit depakote

Lexapro 2 days (lexapro is very powerful and would be detrimental to an already unstable nervous system)

 

April

Started 75mg effexor

Increased to 150mg effexor

At this point effexor was far too high, often we can't tolerate the drus as we did before, sadly doctors don't recognise this. 

 

May

Cut from 150 to 112.5

Back to 150 further destabilising nervous system. 

 

You are experiencing adverse effects from the effexor, but trying to decrease brings on withdrawal which is worse than the side effects.

Hold for a while longer to let your nervous system settle a little, then you can try a small reduction. You WILL feel better when you can start to taper again. It will take time because you will need to go slowly but as the dose lowers you should start to feel better. This is your baseline and we don't want to do anything that will make it any worse. I survived effexor and so will you! 

 

[JackStylesX]

How much longer should i stay on before trying a really slow taper? 

[ChessieCat]

Hi Jack (no pun intended although a Jack I know told me that he know a nurse called Jean and people wouldn't say Hi Jean!)

 

What is your current symptom pattern?  Have you been keeping notes on paper?

 

Providing your symptom pattern will help the mods know how things are going and whether it might be time to try a reduction.
 

Withdrawal Normal Description

 

Stabilising After a Reduction - What Does That Mean?

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

[JackStylesX]

Depressed and tired all the time. (Reason id like to het off)

 

I still have a little bit of anxiety when waking but its not every day anymore. 

 

Im also taking fish oil, b vitamins and eating foods to help heal my nervous system.

[ChessieCat]

B vitamins, especially B6, can be activating: b-vitamin-or-b-vitamin-complex

 

I have found magnesium helps with anxiety:  magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker  However, some people can have issues with it.  If trying anything new it is best to try them one at a time and at a very small dose.

 

Have your symptoms been consistent over a period of time?  If so, for how long?

[JackStylesX]

Since March

[ChessieCat]

I've just noticed that your signature doesn't show the decrease & updose that you did in May.  Could you please update this so it remains current and we can see it at a glance.  Thank you.  Edit a signature

 

You could try making a reduction.  10% = 135mg, 5% = 142.5mg.  It is better to make a small reduction than to make too large a reduction and having to updose.  It takes about 4 days for the drug to get to steady state in the blood after a reduction and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.  Keep notes on paper of your symptoms.