Lissakasey Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 So hey all brutal year. Was on zoloft for like 10 years. Last march I got really bad anemia and started having crying spells. Doc upped my Zoloft dose and I became suicidal. Doc then changed me to lexapro which cause severe anxiety. Then briefly Paxil. Doc then said she thought I am bipolar so started lithium and zyprexa. Ended up hospitalized the end of september. They added Prozac and gabapentin. Depression got worse and anxiety restarted with Prozac introduction. Spent 3 months on Prozac only for it to make me feel lifeless and depressed. I got off the lithium, zyprexa, and gabapentin in that three months. Doc changed me to Effexor two and a half weeks ago, only now I'm having anxiety and extreme rage and irritation. So I'm planning to stop the Effexor. How bad do you guys think withdrawal will be for me. I really just want to get off the med wheel. Paxil 3 years Zoloft 10 years 50mg (put on it because paxil stopped working) trazadone 8 years 50 mg changed from Zoloft 50 to 75 in May 2017 changed from Zoloft 75 to lexapro 5mg for one week in May then 10mg for two weeks, had severe side affects from lexapro. Stopped ct in June and lasted only two weeks before pain and insomnia made me suicidal, doc insist going back on lexapro 5mg. 8 weeks with severe anxiety, jitters and burning in arms, started Ativan .5 during this time to help insomnia, doc insist I get off it after lexapro wasn't working, tapered of Ativan over three months, off since mid August, lexapro stopped and lithium/zyprexa added, depression increased, lithium was 300 up to 600, was on 600 only one week, but 300 for almost six months. Zyprexa only a month at 5mg, gabapentin added at 300 per night for sleep in sept. Hospitalized end of September. Started Prozac 5mg in hospital, upped to 20mg by end of October. .25 of clonazapam added for increased anxiety. Tapered gabapentin in November, lithium in December, doc switched Prozac to Effexor 37.5 three weeks ago. Stopping Effexor as of 1_17-18 due to severe side effects. stopped klonopin 1-31-18, reinstated zoloft 12.5mg 3-8-18, increased to 25mg 3-25-18, increased to 37.5mg on 4-5-18, increased to 50mg on 4-15-18, decreased to 37.5mg on 4-22-18, decreased to 25mg on 4-30-18, decrease to 12.5 on 6-1-18, decrease to 7mg on 7-20-18. Unable to stabilize. Still taking trazadone for sleep and hydroxine for sleep. Link to comment
AliG Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Hi Lissa. I'm sorry you have been on the drug round -about ~ glad you found us. Your doctor sounds like she's grasping at straws with each new medication. ~ trying to find ANYTHING that may possibly work. Thank you for your history but could you please simplify it a little? What drugs are you currently on ? Have you stopped Effexor? Or planning to ? Welcome to SA, Ali 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
Lissakasey Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 I was on Effexor less than three weeks, it gave me akathisia and I stopped it three days ago. I have a small bit of liquid Prozac left that I'd thought I'd try to help with withdrawal. I was on Prozac 5mg for 5 weeks, 10 for two weeks and 20 mg for two months, never able to stabilize. Been off Effexor three days and the akathisia stopped, but today I began feeling dizzy and hopeless, so I took 5mg of Prozac. I have health anxiety which leads to situational depression, was put on Paxil in my late 20s for panic attacks and two years later switched to Zoloft which I stayed on for almost ten years without really thinking about it. Paxil 3 years Zoloft 10 years 50mg (put on it because paxil stopped working) trazadone 8 years 50 mg changed from Zoloft 50 to 75 in May 2017 changed from Zoloft 75 to lexapro 5mg for one week in May then 10mg for two weeks, had severe side affects from lexapro. Stopped ct in June and lasted only two weeks before pain and insomnia made me suicidal, doc insist going back on lexapro 5mg. 8 weeks with severe anxiety, jitters and burning in arms, started Ativan .5 during this time to help insomnia, doc insist I get off it after lexapro wasn't working, tapered of Ativan over three months, off since mid August, lexapro stopped and lithium/zyprexa added, depression increased, lithium was 300 up to 600, was on 600 only one week, but 300 for almost six months. Zyprexa only a month at 5mg, gabapentin added at 300 per night for sleep in sept. Hospitalized end of September. Started Prozac 5mg in hospital, upped to 20mg by end of October. .25 of clonazapam added for increased anxiety. Tapered gabapentin in November, lithium in December, doc switched Prozac to Effexor 37.5 three weeks ago. Stopping Effexor as of 1_17-18 due to severe side effects. stopped klonopin 1-31-18, reinstated zoloft 12.5mg 3-8-18, increased to 25mg 3-25-18, increased to 37.5mg on 4-5-18, increased to 50mg on 4-15-18, decreased to 37.5mg on 4-22-18, decreased to 25mg on 4-30-18, decrease to 12.5 on 6-1-18, decrease to 7mg on 7-20-18. Unable to stabilize. Still taking trazadone for sleep and hydroxine for sleep. Link to comment
Lissakasey Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 Currently I take .125 clonopin once per day for the ssri induced anxiety, 50 mg of trazadone at night to sleep, and 25mg of hydrozinine at night for evening anxiety. I started the hydrozinine after my gabapentin withdrawal, (which was a nightmare) going to try to switch back to Benadryl. Paxil 3 years Zoloft 10 years 50mg (put on it because paxil stopped working) trazadone 8 years 50 mg changed from Zoloft 50 to 75 in May 2017 changed from Zoloft 75 to lexapro 5mg for one week in May then 10mg for two weeks, had severe side affects from lexapro. Stopped ct in June and lasted only two weeks before pain and insomnia made me suicidal, doc insist going back on lexapro 5mg. 8 weeks with severe anxiety, jitters and burning in arms, started Ativan .5 during this time to help insomnia, doc insist I get off it after lexapro wasn't working, tapered of Ativan over three months, off since mid August, lexapro stopped and lithium/zyprexa added, depression increased, lithium was 300 up to 600, was on 600 only one week, but 300 for almost six months. Zyprexa only a month at 5mg, gabapentin added at 300 per night for sleep in sept. Hospitalized end of September. Started Prozac 5mg in hospital, upped to 20mg by end of October. .25 of clonazapam added for increased anxiety. Tapered gabapentin in November, lithium in December, doc switched Prozac to Effexor 37.5 three weeks ago. Stopping Effexor as of 1_17-18 due to severe side effects. stopped klonopin 1-31-18, reinstated zoloft 12.5mg 3-8-18, increased to 25mg 3-25-18, increased to 37.5mg on 4-5-18, increased to 50mg on 4-15-18, decreased to 37.5mg on 4-22-18, decreased to 25mg on 4-30-18, decrease to 12.5 on 6-1-18, decrease to 7mg on 7-20-18. Unable to stabilize. Still taking trazadone for sleep and hydroxine for sleep. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted January 21, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 21, 2018 On 19/01/2018 at 1:53 AM, AliG said: Thank you for your history but could you please simplify it a little? This is the preferred format for the drug signature. It makes it a lot easier for us to see your history at a glance. Thank you. A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature - ALL drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly? Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 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. Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature. * 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
Lissakasey Posted August 2, 2018 Author Share Posted August 2, 2018 Hey all it's me again. Needing some help. Sorry I haven't been back I'm really struggling. No longer able to work. After the effexor I was off ADs for almost two months and klonopin a month and a half when i ended up in the hospital again and they reinstated zoloft. It didn't help. I couldn't get back up to 50mg which is where the mess started and I've been tapering off it again. Never able to stabilize. I've filed for disability and we all know that will be a battle. i've sold my house and am moving in with a friend. I am down to like 5mg of zoloft, cutting it down, but as i said there has been no stabilization. I'm likely still in benzo withdrawal as well since i've only been off that six months. been back on zoloft for 4, most of that time at 12.5. Can i just drop off you think? I know it's still high, but I just can't take this anymore. Everytime I increased the dose my anxiety went through the roof and lowering it has caused this terrible fear of being alone and never healing. I thought I was doing okay for a while when I went keto, but a new wave hit over a month ago and there's been no up since, and prior to i had been holding at 12.5 for two months. This fear and depression is so overwhelming. I've lost everything. I would give anything to be me again. I've tried dozens of supplements but all have made me worse. I'm losing hope guys. Please help me. Paxil 3 years Zoloft 10 years 50mg (put on it because paxil stopped working) trazadone 8 years 50 mg changed from Zoloft 50 to 75 in May 2017 changed from Zoloft 75 to lexapro 5mg for one week in May then 10mg for two weeks, had severe side affects from lexapro. Stopped ct in June and lasted only two weeks before pain and insomnia made me suicidal, doc insist going back on lexapro 5mg. 8 weeks with severe anxiety, jitters and burning in arms, started Ativan .5 during this time to help insomnia, doc insist I get off it after lexapro wasn't working, tapered of Ativan over three months, off since mid August, lexapro stopped and lithium/zyprexa added, depression increased, lithium was 300 up to 600, was on 600 only one week, but 300 for almost six months. Zyprexa only a month at 5mg, gabapentin added at 300 per night for sleep in sept. Hospitalized end of September. Started Prozac 5mg in hospital, upped to 20mg by end of October. .25 of clonazapam added for increased anxiety. Tapered gabapentin in November, lithium in December, doc switched Prozac to Effexor 37.5 three weeks ago. Stopping Effexor as of 1_17-18 due to severe side effects. stopped klonopin 1-31-18, reinstated zoloft 12.5mg 3-8-18, increased to 25mg 3-25-18, increased to 37.5mg on 4-5-18, increased to 50mg on 4-15-18, decreased to 37.5mg on 4-22-18, decreased to 25mg on 4-30-18, decrease to 12.5 on 6-1-18, decrease to 7mg on 7-20-18. Unable to stabilize. Still taking trazadone for sleep and hydroxine for sleep. Link to comment
Lissakasey Posted August 2, 2018 Author Share Posted August 2, 2018 Should I go back up to 12.5? Up to 25mg? Someone please help. The doctors haven't been able to do anything for me. Paxil 3 years Zoloft 10 years 50mg (put on it because paxil stopped working) trazadone 8 years 50 mg changed from Zoloft 50 to 75 in May 2017 changed from Zoloft 75 to lexapro 5mg for one week in May then 10mg for two weeks, had severe side affects from lexapro. Stopped ct in June and lasted only two weeks before pain and insomnia made me suicidal, doc insist going back on lexapro 5mg. 8 weeks with severe anxiety, jitters and burning in arms, started Ativan .5 during this time to help insomnia, doc insist I get off it after lexapro wasn't working, tapered of Ativan over three months, off since mid August, lexapro stopped and lithium/zyprexa added, depression increased, lithium was 300 up to 600, was on 600 only one week, but 300 for almost six months. Zyprexa only a month at 5mg, gabapentin added at 300 per night for sleep in sept. Hospitalized end of September. Started Prozac 5mg in hospital, upped to 20mg by end of October. .25 of clonazapam added for increased anxiety. Tapered gabapentin in November, lithium in December, doc switched Prozac to Effexor 37.5 three weeks ago. Stopping Effexor as of 1_17-18 due to severe side effects. stopped klonopin 1-31-18, reinstated zoloft 12.5mg 3-8-18, increased to 25mg 3-25-18, increased to 37.5mg on 4-5-18, increased to 50mg on 4-15-18, decreased to 37.5mg on 4-22-18, decreased to 25mg on 4-30-18, decrease to 12.5 on 6-1-18, decrease to 7mg on 7-20-18. Unable to stabilize. Still taking trazadone for sleep and hydroxine for sleep. Link to comment
jonnypeters1234567 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Hi sorry you are suffering. I would hold at the lower dose. How long have you been on that dose? 2009-2010 Citalopram 20mg CT no problems Sertaline 2010- 6monnths 2011- 2017 June 2017- Citalopram 20mg CT Link to comment
jonnypeters1234567 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Do you have relief at 12.5mg? 2009-2010 Citalopram 20mg CT no problems Sertaline 2010- 6monnths 2011- 2017 June 2017- Citalopram 20mg CT Link to comment
Lissakasey Posted August 2, 2018 Author Share Posted August 2, 2018 It wasn't quite this bad at 12.5. i wasn't having si, which i am having now. but it was still bad. i didn't start to feel bad on the 12.5 until i'd been on it almost two months. so maybe it really was the 25mg that was helping and just reduced that much? should i just go back up to the 12.5? I'm sorry. I'm just a horrible mess right now. Paxil 3 years Zoloft 10 years 50mg (put on it because paxil stopped working) trazadone 8 years 50 mg changed from Zoloft 50 to 75 in May 2017 changed from Zoloft 75 to lexapro 5mg for one week in May then 10mg for two weeks, had severe side affects from lexapro. Stopped ct in June and lasted only two weeks before pain and insomnia made me suicidal, doc insist going back on lexapro 5mg. 8 weeks with severe anxiety, jitters and burning in arms, started Ativan .5 during this time to help insomnia, doc insist I get off it after lexapro wasn't working, tapered of Ativan over three months, off since mid August, lexapro stopped and lithium/zyprexa added, depression increased, lithium was 300 up to 600, was on 600 only one week, but 300 for almost six months. Zyprexa only a month at 5mg, gabapentin added at 300 per night for sleep in sept. Hospitalized end of September. Started Prozac 5mg in hospital, upped to 20mg by end of October. .25 of clonazapam added for increased anxiety. Tapered gabapentin in November, lithium in December, doc switched Prozac to Effexor 37.5 three weeks ago. Stopping Effexor as of 1_17-18 due to severe side effects. stopped klonopin 1-31-18, reinstated zoloft 12.5mg 3-8-18, increased to 25mg 3-25-18, increased to 37.5mg on 4-5-18, increased to 50mg on 4-15-18, decreased to 37.5mg on 4-22-18, decreased to 25mg on 4-30-18, decrease to 12.5 on 6-1-18, decrease to 7mg on 7-20-18. Unable to stabilize. Still taking trazadone for sleep and hydroxine for sleep. Link to comment
Madeleine Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Hi Lisa: So sorry you are going through this! I am on zoloft too. I'm tapering off from 200, and am now at 55. I think you are tapering down too quickly. It's recommended to make 10 per cent cuts a month, but you have been cutting at 50%. Likely you are still feeling the effects from going on and off the drugs before, and then from all the 50 per cent cuts. If you go back up in your dose, stay at that dose for a while until you stabilize. Then, slowly taper down. Don't do it so quickly. Also, have faith that you will get better and stabilize. It may be horrible now, but it will get better. Keep that thought in your mind -- that you will get better. You will! Best wishes, M. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment
Lissakasey Posted August 3, 2018 Author Share Posted August 3, 2018 I reinstated 12.5 last night. Will see if I can stay on that dose a while for some stability. I’m so afraid that I’m permanently damaged from this stuff. Paxil 3 years Zoloft 10 years 50mg (put on it because paxil stopped working) trazadone 8 years 50 mg changed from Zoloft 50 to 75 in May 2017 changed from Zoloft 75 to lexapro 5mg for one week in May then 10mg for two weeks, had severe side affects from lexapro. Stopped ct in June and lasted only two weeks before pain and insomnia made me suicidal, doc insist going back on lexapro 5mg. 8 weeks with severe anxiety, jitters and burning in arms, started Ativan .5 during this time to help insomnia, doc insist I get off it after lexapro wasn't working, tapered of Ativan over three months, off since mid August, lexapro stopped and lithium/zyprexa added, depression increased, lithium was 300 up to 600, was on 600 only one week, but 300 for almost six months. Zyprexa only a month at 5mg, gabapentin added at 300 per night for sleep in sept. Hospitalized end of September. Started Prozac 5mg in hospital, upped to 20mg by end of October. .25 of clonazapam added for increased anxiety. Tapered gabapentin in November, lithium in December, doc switched Prozac to Effexor 37.5 three weeks ago. Stopping Effexor as of 1_17-18 due to severe side effects. stopped klonopin 1-31-18, reinstated zoloft 12.5mg 3-8-18, increased to 25mg 3-25-18, increased to 37.5mg on 4-5-18, increased to 50mg on 4-15-18, decreased to 37.5mg on 4-22-18, decreased to 25mg on 4-30-18, decrease to 12.5 on 6-1-18, decrease to 7mg on 7-20-18. Unable to stabilize. Still taking trazadone for sleep and hydroxine for sleep. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Carmie Posted February 24, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 24, 2019 Hi Lissakassey, How are you doing?💚 Seroquel. 2019:➡️ From 7.25mg to 5.80mg. 2020➡️5.60 to 4.80. 2021➡️4.60 to 4.0. 2022➡️3.95 to 3.55. 2023➡️ From 3.50 to 3.25. 2024➡️Jan15=3.20✔️ Feb19=3.15✔️ March26=3.10✔️May1=3.05✔️This is NOT medical advice.Consult your doctor. Link to comment
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