Content: citalopram and Milnaneurax / milnacipran

[Content]

Hello everybody,

I am so glad that I found this site, you provided me with invaluable help! First and foremost, being not alone is so important for all of us here, as we all are sensitive people facing institutions that are not willing or capable to hear our stories and experiences

I took Citalopram 20mg for 9 years, tried to stop it several times and always suffered from panic attacks and depression pretty soon after reducing the dose from, say, 20mg to 10mg as my psychiatrist advised me. So I took 20mg again. The doctors kept telling me that I suffer from endogenous depression and have to take this medication for the rest of my life. After some years I totally lost any sexual interest and as I could not get rid of Citalopram (as I thought) the psychiatrist prescribed me Milnaneurax (Milnacipran) because she thought that it would reduce these problems. I stopped with Citalopram 20mg and took Milnaneurax 50mg from one day to another. For some reason, I did not suffer from withdrawal, but my sexuality was not cured either. I found this site and started tapering half a year after I switched to Milnaneurax. This time, I had withdrawal symptoms as soon as the reduction was higher than 10%.

I started the reduction with the help of my local pharmacy that made pills with the right dosage.

After one year of tapering I am down to 12mg Milnaneurax.

I started to reduce the dosage on my own a couple of days ago by making a liquid, because I figured out at some point I would have to anyway, because the pharmacist can only make a dose down to 0,5mg.

Because of the short half-life of Milnaneurax (8hours, I read) I started to split my daily dose into two, so instead of 12mg in the morning I take 6 in the evening and 6 in the morning. So far, it seems to be going good, but I started wondering, whether it was risky. I didnt find any information about this technique on this site, does somebody have an advice? Theoretically, it should reduce the ups and downs, I figure, does someone have any experience with it?

Thanks a lot, Content

 

[Content]

Correction: I took Citalopram for 11 years, before switching to Milnaneurax.

[DataGuy]

Hi @Content,

 

Welcome to SA. I'm glad you've had some time to look around the site. Your technique is sound. We will pretty regularly recommend splitting dosages if the half life of a drug is short or if it may be interfering with the metabolism of another drug. It might even help to split your dosage into three, one upon waking, one midday, and another right before bed. This would result in a steady blood concentration of Milnaneureux. 

 

I'm not sure what parts of the site you have perused, but you might find these non-pharmacological coping techniques useful.

 

Excellent work getting down to 12mg! It seems like you really know what you are doing. I assume you have read the article we have on why to taper by 10%. I believe it mentions that the taper can become more difficult near the end, so if you find you get an uptick of symptoms, it's ok to slow the taper down. This happens because the receptor occupancy of the drug decreases at a non-linear rate, so larger reductions in occupancy happen at lower doses, leading to bigger drops in the effect of the drug on your nervous system. The article mentions it is also best to be conservative, because once your nervous system gets destabilized, it can take awhile to recover. 

 

Can you please summarize your drug history in your signature? This will allow people to quickly see what you have been through and allow them to help you more quickly. This site is run purely by volunteers, so we really appreciate when members are helpful in providing enough concise information. This link should take you to your signature. The previous one will tell you how to fill it out (it should be relatively quick for you). 

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions and we'll do our best to support you. Good luck!

 

 

[Content]

Thank you so much, DataGuy, for your quick reply. I am very relieved to hear, that this technique of splitting dosages is sound! I promise to summarize my drug history asap. Thanks also for the recommendations. I already read some of it, but I will have a look at it again.

You guys are doing a great job volunteering on this site. I hope if one day I have more energy and ability to concentrate I can give back some of what I got from you and volunteer as well. So far, I have to really concentrate on what is most important while I am tapering (I am a single parent with a stressful part-time job so there really is enough).

No further questions so far. Just a big relief.

Take care and good luck to you, too!

Content

[Content]

Hi DataGuy, hi everybody,

does somebody have any experience with how long I can keep a solution of milnaneurax/Milnacipran in the fridge without loosing its active components?

Right now I keep it for two days, but I would like to store it for 3-4 as I go down with my dosage.

Thanks in advance,

Content

 

[DataGuy]

Hi @Content,

 

Hope things are going well for you. Yes, you should be able to store it for 3-4 days in the fridge in a dark bottle with no problem. 

 

I also forgot to link the tips on tapering Milnacipran last time, but it seems you're doing very well with it : )

 

Congrats on getting down so low!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by DataGuy

[Content]

Thanks again @DataGuy for your very quick reply!

No worries, I found the tips on tapering Milnacipran right from the start with the search function. I have to admit though, that some information is not easy to find, e.g. the link you sent. So thanks again.

After a few months hold through the winter  I am very confident to restart tapering

What works well for me is a combination of whole natural food with many raw vegetables and fruits, daily exercise, daily meditation, reduction of anything that can cause stress as far as possible, and psychotherapy. I am very lucky that a couple of months ago I met someone I care for who is very understanding. Tapering antidepressants really is self-transformatory. Behind all the despair, pain and sadness is the chance to change our lifes in a mindful, sustainable way. This is to anybody who might read this: dont loose your hope. You are getting there!

Best,

Content

[Content]

Hi @DataGuy, hi everybody,

I managed to "cross the line" and set my dose lower than 1 mg! I am happy and proud about that but on the other hand I have to admit that I am a bit frustrated to see that tapering is going slower and slower and the withdrawal symptoms seem to intensify. I split my doses into three per day, as advised, which does help to keep the levels stable, so thanks for that again.

I searched the forums and other sources on information about what would be a sensible point to go down to zero. I didn't really find what I was looking for.

Can someone advice what would be a reasonable approach?

Do you guys also have/had intensified symptoms when approaching the zero?

 

Honestly: I am frustrated. I am tapering for more than three years now. There still seems to be such a long way to go. Sometimes it feels like this will never stop. Sorry about that negativity.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice, link or shared experience...

 

[ChessieCat]

Congratulations on getting down so low on your dose.  That is a really big achievement.

 

Thank you for updating your drug signature.

 

Please continue to be cautious and do not get impatient and rush to get off.

 

Many members find that the lower their dose gets the slower they need to go, reducing less and/or holding for longer.

 

Because I was having health issues, being diagnosed with diabetes in the middle of October 2021 which was only 2 weeks before my planned end date, which was stressful and then changing my diet, I decided to go very low and went to 0.0025mg Pristiq but I was reducing more often.  This post  My tapering program  gives the doses and the number of days on each dose for my taper.  Brassmonkey went down to 0.016mg of Paxil.

 

Why taper paper: dose-occupancy curves

 

When to end the taper and jump to zero?

 

It is important to listen to your body/symptoms and it sounds like you have been doing this which is really good.

 

managing-the-endgame-taper

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, Content said:

Honestly: I am frustrated. I am tapering for more than three years now. There still seems to be such a long way to go. Sometimes it feels like this will never stop. Sorry about that negativity.

 

I think this is perfectly normal.  We just want it to be over and done with and finally find out what it is like to live without an AD.

 

It is important to note that:

 

It Doesn’t end at “0”

 

Experiences after tapering to zero