Conner: help

[Conner]

Thanks all. How long do each wave and windows last? 
 

[Altostrata]

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Are We There Yet? How Long is Withdrawal Going to Take?

 

"Is it always going to be like this?"

 

The importance of recognizing you're feeling good

[Conner]

I requested liquid lexapro today to have it when I am ready. I might try 9.75 to see how I feel 

[Greatful]

@Conner

You are experiencing very typical Withdrawal symptoms.  I often go through dizzy spells.   Have you  had a chance to look in the symptoms and self care part of the forum?   The windows and wave hang around as long as it take.LOL

The plan is to watch windows get brighter and longer and the waves become shallower and shorter.  

 

If you are starting liquid they do advise a slow taper to liquid from pills. I think the parodical is.  https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/25691-cross-over-changing-form-eg-tablet-to-liquid-of-drug-or-changing-brand-of-same-drug/

 

3/4 pill 1/4 liquid for 3-7 days

1/2 pill 1/2 liquid for 3-7 days

1/4 pill 1/2 liquid for 3-7 days

all liquid 

Be prepared for a little bit of a bump in symptoms,  it will come down to how sensitive you are.  Also the liquid may come from a different manufacture which also will be a change.  Let's hope you aren't sensitive and you sail through it.  I did the switch and had to readjust to from one generic to another and to liquid at the same time... It can be done. 

 

Hang in there

[Conner]

Thanks @Greatful. I was diagnosed with PPPD from all this. Maybe it’s just W/D. It’s getting better but if I do things too fast my brain gets jumped and overstimulated and floaty. It’s like I’m not as sharp as I once was but it’s getting better. When I lay down everyday I get a little rocky. I just started getting some RLS but it may be bc I am walking/running some. I’m not sure. I often question “will I ever be the same again” and I also wake up every single morning with DREAD. I am doing everything as far as moving my body, diet, supplements, box breathing, around good people, no alcohol or caffeine. Whatever I can do to benefit my brain I am doing it. I also talk to myself negatively though and question is this the new me or meds. Nobody really understands except this forum 

[Greatful]

@Conner

I get overstimulated easily, but it is getting better.  When it was at it's worst my brain would start to tighten up and then it would start to crush in at the top(felt like it anyway lol) As with all things to do with this,(fun we are having) symptoms come and go, get strong and lighten up. New ones add on, old ones drop off.  If you are struggling with it, you might slow down your activity, at least the ones that seem to set it off.  I can totally relate to wanting to get back to life, but we have to listen to our body and how it is reacting.  That being said it is up to you how much you can tolerate. 

 

There are days that I wait until night time so I can go to sleep and get a little break. It might not be a restful sleep but it is a mental break from my thoughts. Then morning comes and the fun starts again..LOL But as you can see things slowlyyyyy get better,  so slow that you look back and say wow how did I survive such and such time.  Crazy I know, but we still are not happy with were we are....We all want to get better and move on back to our lives. 

 

You are doing everything you can, now it's up to your body to do the rest😊

 

 

[Conner]

Thanks for the encouragement! It looks like we took some similar paths with bouncing around with different drugs and dosages. I can definitely relate. At one point I thought I was going to be that guy that lost his 6 figure job and was going to be homeless bc I couldn’t function, think straight or walk straight every day. Compared to last summer how are you now? @Grateful

[Conner]

@Greatful

[Conner]

When you start to transfer from pills to liquid cross over so I make the cut too? 

[ChessieCat]

No you do not make a reduction at the same time as doing a cross over.  Only one change at a time.

 

There is a lot of information in this topic.  Please be sure to carefully read all of it including how long to stay on a combination:

 

cross-over-changing-form-eg-tablet-to-liquid-of-drug-or-changing-brand-of-same-drug

[Carmie]

3 hours ago, Conner said:

When you start to transfer from pills to liquid cross over so I make the cut too? 

As ChessieCat said, please don’t cut at the same time as the crossover. I’ve done a crossover myself and that’s enough for your brain to deal with. Too many changes can send you into a big wave. I actually held each crossover part for a long time as I’m so very sensitive to every change and the crossover went pretty well. 
 

All the best🤗

[Conner]

Thanks. I am going to do the following 

 

7.5mg pill, 2.5mg liquid  (3-7 days)

5mg pill, 5mg liquid (3-7 days)

2.5mg pill, 7.5mg liquid (3-7 days)

 

Does anyone have restless leg as a side effects? It’s really been messing with my sleep

 

[Conner]

Just picked up my liquid. It’s NDC65162-705-88. Escitalopram oral solution usp 5mg/5 ml. What medicine dropper do you all use? Any Amazon links? Not sure how I am going to get to the exact drops when reducing. 

[ChessieCat]

using-an-oral-syringe-and-other-tapering-techniques

 

I posted this to another member.  I haven't read back through it so some of it may not be relevant (I'm about to go to work):

 

You need a graduated cylinder for measuring the water; mine was a 100mL capacity.  See this link for an example.  The oral syringes or Adjustable volume pipette (the syringes work out a lot cheaper - perhaps try these first - but if you are concerned about measuring your dose it might be worth getting the pipette) are needed to measure out the dose you take.  So you need both.  I found it helpful to have different sized syringes:  1mL, 3mL, 5mL and 10mL.

 

The syringes that I bought have what is called "slip tip".  You can see pictures of the different types on the page that I bought mine from (in Australia)

 

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Syringes-1ml-3ml-5ml-10ml-20ml-30ml-50ml-Nipro-Suit-Luer-Slip-Lock-Syringe

 

And because it is very easy to forget what to do or we can question whether we are getting it right, it is also a good idea to write down your formula/recipe for your reduction (ie amount of water used and the tablet size you use).  You might like to include the equipment you use and the order of the process, and also note down where you measure your liquid (my kitchen bench top is not level so I made sure to always put the cylinder on the same spot).  Because I was using different strengths/dilutions and using different compounded capsule doses, I found it essential to write down my "recipe" so I didn't get confused.  It helps reduce the stress and anxiety.

 

If you need to buy new syringes and you cannot get the same type, my suggestion is to make sure that you don't change the type during a reduction cycle but wait until you start a new dose.

The suggestion has been made to paint the barrel of the syringe with clear nail polish to stop the numbers wearing off but I don't know if that works (I think you might have to be careful that the nail polish doesn't "melt" the painted numbers - you could try it on an area that doesn't matter if it does); apparently this tip was posted on Amazon under syringes.  This is what I did:

  

On 12/4/2021 at 9:48 AM, ChessieCat said:

Put a good quality tape around the cylinder.  It definitely helps to stop the numbers wearing off.  But don't leave it in liquid too longer and dry the outside after use.

 

On 8/22/2021 at 4:30 PM, ChessieCat said:

Another tip:

 

I almost made a mistake when measuring my dose, thinking that I needed to measure 10mL which I needed 9mL.  What I now do is place an elastic band around the barrel of the syringe just above the dose that I am measuring.

 

 

[ChessieCat]

7 hours ago, Conner said:

Does anyone have restless leg as a side effects? It’s really been messing with my sleep

 

There are many existing topics on SA where members discuss different symptoms.  Use the site search function or an internet search engine and add site:survivingantidepressants.org to the search term.

 

Non-drug treatments for restless legs

[Greatful]

@Conner

I got syringes from the pharmacy.  I didn't have to mix anything in water. It comes already mixed 5mg/5ml.

Maybe I am missing something about water?

 

[Conner]

I think I’m going to get these @Greatful @ChessieCat
 

https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Industrial-Dispensing-Measuring-Individually/dp/B09F5PD34Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_6_sspa?crid=3R1ZPCZYJCI9N&keywords=syringe+for+liquid+5ml+with+halves&qid=1656035962&sprefix=syringe+for+liquid+5ml+with+halves%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-6-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE5NDdDMElINERFQ1QmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyMDkwNjNHT0hOV0hYNklPRDUmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDczMDU3NTJWTTBDS1BDTzc4WTgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==#immersive-view_1656036169168

[Conner]

Just took my first 7.5mg pill, 2.5mg liquid 

[Conner]

Sleep has been rough with restless leg. Took 500mg of magenium and drinking club soda at night (no sugar). I also put a block of soap in my sheets. Something will give soon I hope. I always feel a little better when I get decent sleep. My PPPD PT today was tough but it’s apart of the healing I hope. Starting to itch a lot tonight. I may hold for 5 days total to drop to 5mg liquid and 5mg liquid 

[ChessieCat]

weighted-blankets-bed-tents-for-restlessness-akathisia-insomnia-and-anxiety

 

[Conner]

5mg pill and 5mg liquid for the next 3 days 

[Conner]

Even the transition from pill to liquid is a little rough. Onward and upward 

[Greatful]

@Conner  Keep on truckin😁 You got this.😊

[Conner]

Is the transfer from pills to liquid suppose to be this bad? @ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

Some members find it difficult.  Some members find that they cannot tolerate taking a liquid and have to return to the former way of taking their drug and find another way to get non standard doses.

 

If you are having issues, I suggest that you hold on that dose combination until things settle.  If they do not improve or worsen then I suggest that you go back to the previous combination.

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by ChessieCat

[Conner]

@ChessieCatSince I am at 10mg can’t I just stick to 7.5mg pill (cutting it) then 2.5mg liquid until I am ready to taper. I am going to try 9.8mg eventually 

[ChessieCat]

Yes you can do split forms of a drug (tablet + liquid).  The main thing is to be able to get your dose as accurate as possible.

 

You might consider getting 5mg tablets so that when you taper you take 5mg tablet + liquid to get the dose you need.

[Conner]

I’m having body aches and fatigue with the switch so I’m deciding how I should do this @ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

What stage of the tablet / liquid are you are?  That is, doses of each.

 

How long have you been doing this?

 

When the the body aches and fatigue start in relation to the combo?

 

Have you had this same symptom at ANY time before doing the combo?

 

I'm assuming that you have NOT made a dose reduction at the same time.  Is this correct?

 

 

 

 

[Conner]

Started 7.5mg pill and 2.5mg liquid Saturday 6/25. Did that for 3 days then jumped to 5mg pill and 5mg liquid yesterday 6/28. Body aches and fatigue started today. I haven’t had those symptoms in ages. My sleeping has been altered the past few weeks with restless leg so maybe that’s the fatigue part, I slept 6 hours Monday night and roughly 7 last night. No dose reduction either @ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

21 minutes ago, Conner said:

I haven’t had those symptoms in ages.

 

One day does not make a pattern.

 

And you have had them before so it might not be the change that caused them.  You might have got them anyway.  Or the change might have stressed your system a little bit.  If it was me I would be staying on the 50/50 combo for longer.  It may just resolve itself with a bit of time.

[Conner]

Thank you! @ChessieCat!

[Conner]

Once I stay put on the 5mg pill and 5mg liquid when should I begin to taper? @ChessieCat

[Greatful]

@Conner  Take it one day at a time.  You may experience a little bump with the crossover but wait and ride it out.  We can get so hypervigilant and worry about every little thing we feel.  Expercially when we make a change.

1- it might just be the fluctuations in your everyday healing

2- maybe something you ate.

3-just the nervousness about the change.   

4-your body adjusting to the change.

 

You can do this🌞

[Conner]

@GreatfulYou give me hope. Nobody truly understands what we go through 

[Conner]

when did you decide to start tapering? unsure when to actually start. @Greatful

 

Edited July 1, 2022 by ChessieCat
changed tag to correct member