Ninabird: Effexor withdrawal?

[Faure]

It sounds like your first week has gone as well as can be expected. Well done, you got through it. Best to stick to the schedule for the moment, as BrassMonkey said, do one complete 6 week cycle and see how you go (unless you get really bad WD in which case you might decide to hold depending on advice form mods….).  
 

Just a heads up, that for me weeks 3, 4 and 5 used to be more tricky, and then 6, 1 and 2 were easier.  This is because by week 3 the cuts are starting to catch up with you and you feel it more. Then during the 2 week hold things start settling down again, ready to go again after week 6 ☺️

[Ninabird]

@Faure

I am starting to feel more anxiety the last few days. Should I hold a few more days until it settles?

[brassmonkey]

It should be pretty much like the first reduction. Sounds like things are off to a good start.

[Ninabird]

Thank you Brass monkey. 😀

[Ninabird]

@brassmonkey

Hi there. Me again. My PNP wants to wait until Friday to taper down another 2.5% to see if my anxiety settles down some. Is that ok to hold a few extra days?

[Faure]

12 hours ago, Ninabird said:

@Faure

I am starting to feel more anxiety the last few days. Should I hold a few more days until it settles?

I’m not a mod so can’t really say. But when I feel I need a longer hold, I hold. That doesn’t happen very often for me. I would do what feels best for you; the most important thing is to stay well and keep life going as well as possible during the taper, so always keep that in mind ☺️ There are no prizes for pushing yourself and causing suffering. You are most fortunate that you have a medical person (nurse?) actually supporting you through this and not getting you off as fast as possible with all the dangers and risks that poses. 

[Ninabird]

@Faure

Thank you for responding. I totally agree with you. 
 

I think I caused my own anxiety today. I ate Panera last night. A cup of broccoli cheddar soup, baguette, Fuji apple salad and two chocolate chip cookies. I don’t think my anxiety appreciated the bread, sugar or processed soup. I’m paying for it this morning. Anxiety is pretty high. 
 

Time to walk my dogs then my morning Zoom with my broker. Praying the anxiety eases up. 
 

How are you doing Fauer? 

[Ninabird]

Today is not a good day. It’s 9:30 and I went back to lay in bed after my morning zoom meeting. My poor dogs haven’t gone on their morning walk. 
My legs feel tight and fatigued, I feel tense all over, I want to cry. I feel like a storm is brewing inside. It’s hard not to feel scared over what I’m feeling. Could the 2.5% drop been too much for my system? 
im sorry to be whining I’m just very frightened over this feeling. 

[Bestill]

If it makes you feel any better, I went through the same thing when I first started tapering.  I seriously thought I can’t feel like this for two years.  It got better.  Just hold and listen to your body.  I felt like taking the smallest steps possible and then go from there.  
 

i couldn’t get off the couch and went to bed some nights as soon as my hubby got home.

 

your dogs will survive and I think they know when we don’t feel well.  Your body is telling you to rest.

 

Also, I would feel withdrawals by day 4 or 5 and it would peak by day 7 or 8.  Then it gets better.

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

❤️bestill

[Ninabird]

@Bestill

It does help in a way to know that what I am going through others have as well and have gotten through. I am just not one to lay in bed sobbing. I really think it was necessary today. I feel a rich better but there is a part of me that still wants to go back and cry some more and I just might.

[brassmonkey]

The making a reduction every week is a minimum guideline. You shouldn't go any faster, but it is fine to take more time if needed.

 

It seems that you may be micro focusing on your symptoms. They are going to happen, so try to just let them go their way and not pay too much attention to them. Make sure to let your dog take you for a walk, getting out of the house will help you feel better.

[Bestill]

Crying is a great release.  There have been moments that I go hide in my closet and get a good cry.  My body just wanted to cry.  One time I cried and then laughed-cried and then cried some more.  It was like I was losing my mind.  I wasn’t.  
 

❤️

[Ninabird]

9 minutes ago, Bestill said:

There have been moments that I go hide in my closet and get a good cry

This will sound silly but I don't want my Rottweiler to hear me crying. I think it makes her sad to hear me cry. Today I NEEDED to cry. I have been feeling the tears well up for days. 

[Ninabird]

32 minutes ago, brassmonkey said:

t seems that you may be micro focusing on your symptoms. They are going to happen, so try to just let them go their way and not pay too much attention to them. Make sure to let your dog take you for a walk, getting out of the house will help you feel better.

I think you are right. The anxiety is increasing and now I am paying way too much attention to it. I will do my best.

I will also let my dog(s) take ME for a walk later on this evening when it cools off a bit. 

 

Brassmonkey....can I ask you a question? Does tapering get easier or is everyone different? 

[Faure]

This is just the start of your taper. It won’t be easy but you will get through it. You are doing a really important thing, it is worth doing and life will be so much better when you are safely off these pills. If you go slowly and keep occupied with other things as much as you can then that will help. I’ve posted above about my taper to give you an idea of how it has been for me. I know it is really really scary when you start feeling bad, but the feelings pass, it’s hard to remember that in the middle of them. You’ll see I had a wobble back in March or so if you look at my thread. 
 

The best thing I ever did was to start meditating. I really recommend you start this, it will help you feel calmer and also you’ll eventually start to notice your thoughts and say “here I go again having worried thoughts!”. Thoughts and feelings will come and go during tapering and post tapering. Keeping a diary also helps notice thoughts and feelings coming and going. It also helps you see progress. 
 

I hope you start to feel a bit better soon. 

[Ninabird]

5 hours ago, Faure said:

 

The best thing I ever did was to start meditating.

Thank you for all of your support and suggestions. About meditating…. How do you start? I’m very interested but haven’t a clue how to go about it. 

[Ninabird]

5 hours ago, Faure said:

. You’ll see I had a wobble back in March or so if you look at my thread.

I’ve read through your thread. Looks like for the most part your WD has been pretty mild. 
I completely understand when you hit some bumps in the road how you were afraid you would get ill again. That is my biggest fear. I can’t afford to not work so doing this taper correctly and safely is so important. 
 

[Ninabird]

5 hours ago, Faure said:

hope you start to feel a bit better soon. 

Yesterday was a bit better day. I’m going to hold a few more days before my next drop. 
Thank you for your support. It helps so much knowing that someone out there cares. 

[Faure]

3 hours ago, Ninabird said:

Thank you for all of your support and suggestions. About meditating…. How do you start? I’m very interested but haven’t a clue how to go about it. 

I’m glad yesterday was a bit better. Maybe you’ll find 10 days per drop, or some other number that works for you.
 

As for the meditating, click the link and follow along! It will probably be tricky at first, you may find your mind is busy, you can’t follow, you can’t concentrate, you think of anything else but what you’re supposed to be doing. All you have to do is breathe and follow what he says, just keep gently bringing yourself back to his voice and your breath. You may want to start with just 10 minutes and build up from there. It works best if you do it daily, I tend to do it at a similar time most days. 
 

Yes, my WD has been very mild and got easier as time goes on. I had a rough week the past 2 weeks when I made a bigger drop than scheduled. I got a real taste of what it could be like, which made me decide to follow the plan carefully. It was also much harder at the start than it is now. 

[Bestill]

 

This one was my go to every day in the beginning.  I couldn’t do the deep breathing or the relaxing.  This just worked for me.  Hope it may help you. 

[Ninabird]

I am needing some help right now. 

This morning I woke @ 2am with chest pain. I figured it was something I ate. I went back to sleep and it went away. I was up @6am and the anxiety was a little higher than usual. It stayed elevated even though I took my scheduled Klonopin @ 6:30.

7;30 took 9.75mg of Lexapro &.50mg of Estradiol

9am walked dogs anxiety still high

11am made a green smoothie (this time I added a cup of Keifer) 

12pm took my 30mg of Cymbalta

12:30 my legs feel very weird...sort of rubbery sensation

ears have been ringing all day. Trying to work but am having a very hard time focusing. Feeling mentally off. If I allowed myself I could cry right this minute, my tummy is very bloated too. 

I know that Lexapro has been the wrong med for me all along and that is the purpose to get off of it. I am feeling a little frightened at how I am feeling right now. 

Can anyone give me some insight into what could be going on? Is this just part of the tapering process? This feeling of being mentally off is terrifying.

 

[Ninabird]

1 minute ago, Bestill said:

 

This one was my go to every day in the beginning.  I couldn’t do the deep breathing or the relaxing.  This just worked for me.  Hope it may help you. 

Thank you very much.  I am not doing so well today. I will try this when I am feeling better. 

[Ninabird]

On 6/4/2022 at 11:33 AM, Frogie said:

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions. 

I am not doing so well today and I am frightened. 

[Believer]

Hi @Ninabird

 

I'm sorry you are feeling frightened. I know this feeling well, always simmering in the background. You aren’t alone.

 

Can you try reminding yourself that you are safe, it’s just WD brain. It won’t make it go away but may help you feel more grounded. Then try and distract.

 

hang in there!

 

Believer

[Ninabird]

1 minute ago, Believer said:

I know this feeling well, always simmering in the background.

Like you are about to go crazy? This feeling is normal and its from tapering???

[Ninabird]

Just now, Ninabird said:

Like you are about to go crazy? This feeling is normal and its from tapering???

I am NOT crazy, btw. I am very sane. 

[Believer]

Neither one of us is crazy. 😎

 

It is caused by the drug and/or tapering. It’s been my “normal” for longer than I’d like. Just keep going about your day the best you can and turn your focus elsewhere. Over and over if you have too.

[Bestill]

I have the leg thing.  It comes and goes.  When my anxiety is high.  I will rub peppermint oil on my belly and just smell it.  
 

when did your anxiety hit and what day are you on into your first taper?

 

Right now, you are freaking out.  So normal not to, right?  Just try to tell yourself it will pass.

[Ninabird]

Just now, Bestill said:

when did your anxiety hit and what day are you on into your first taper?

 

My anxiety is with me everyday. It's pretty low right now. When I started to feel mentally off and scared my gf thought it was from an adrenaline rush but I wasn't. I just started to feel mentally off or like I was about to go crazy. I am on two antidepressants. I take (and am tapering off of) lexapro at 7:30 am then 30 Mg of Cymbalta (which I will taper next) at noon. I have so much of this garbage in me. I am beginning to wonder if 2.5% was too big of a drop for me or if this reaction is to be expected the first few times you taper? I am on day 10 of my first taper.

 

It seems to be letting up a little bit. It has just got me "freaking out."

[Ninabird]

@BestillThank you for the support and kindness. I really appreciate it. 

[brassmonkey]

Everyone is going to be different in how they react to a taper, and it is quite possible for each reduction to be different. When we first start a taper, it is going to take our bodies a little time to get use to the idea. It has to get use to the reduced amount of medication and how it reacts to that. Our minds then have to get use to the new feelings and learn how to control them. It is quite a learning process.

 

For many people, as they reduce their dosage their symptoms will reduce as well. But it is a long slow process, and the improvements are not always seen right away. The average way we feel is referred to as WDnromal. Which is a sliding scale that should show improvement on a month over month basis. So, in a few months you should be feeling generally better than you do today, but there will be ups and downs along the way.

 

The Brassmonkey Slide Method is proving to be one of the gentlest ways to reduce. With many members reporting very mild symptoms. It can take a cycle or two to get established and maybe some fine tuning of dose and timing to get there. There is also a learning curve to understand what symptoms you will be experiencing and how to handle them. The big thing to remember is that they are just symptom and are not in control of things. It is best to accept them and work around them as much as possible.

 

People thinking that they are going crazy is a fairly common symptom. When in fact they are not. People who go crazy don't know it is happening. If you think you are, then you are not. The site is loaded with tips on relaxing, destressing, meditating, acceptance and the like. Have a dig around and you should find a lot of information.

[Ninabird]

Brassmonkey,

 

I am sitting at my desk trying to work. I am thinking to myself"how in the heck did these people do it?!! This is incredibly painful in every way imaginable! Am I as strong as the rest on here? Can I do this?" I have dug my heels in on this one. These drug are evil. I want to heal and understand I will have to go through hell to get to the other side. I don't like it but I know it has to be done. 

I am sticking with your method. If it needs to be adjusted, I will do it. 

I know that this is going to take a long time and time is the only answer to the brain correcting itself. I will look up the information as you suggested on coping. Thank you brassmonkey. Bless your heart for what you do and for all the lives that you and the others have saved. Where would we be without you all! 

[Ninabird]

11 minutes ago, Ninabird said:

am sitting at my desk trying to work. I am thinking to myself"how in the heck did these people do it?!! This is incredibly painful in every way imaginable! Am I as strong as the rest on here? Can I do this?" I have dug my heels in on this one. These drug are evil. I want to heal and understand I will have to go through hell to get to the other side. I don't like it but I know it has to be done. 

I am sticking with your method. If it needs to be adjusted, I will do it. 

I know that this is going to take a long time and time is the only answer to the brain correcting itself. I will look up the information as you suggested on coping. Thank you brassmonkey. Bless your heart for what you do and for all the lives that you and the others have saved. Where would we be without you all! 

Oh brother....I have to read my posts before sending them. My apologies for rambling..

[Frogie]

@Ninabird

 

Are you doing any better?

[Greatful]

@Ninabird

Hang in there.  I know how easy it is to get swept up in the panic, I'm trying to manage on right now.

Thank goodness we have this site to reach out to each other.  Just reading yours helped me refocus on taking a step back from my panic that I was just ramping up to and I was going to go crazy.

I'll meet you at the funny farm  Where oh where is our rational brain🙄

 

 

It is so true,  we can say to ourselves I am okay right now,  or I  am going to be okay, or I am safe.  Really it's just our thoughts and body sensations that try to rule us.  There is nothing more it can do to us then what it's doing right now.  And we are okay even with it all going on. 

So there's my  rambling LOL🌞

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Moonpie]

1 hour ago, Ninabird said:

This is incredibly painful in every way imaginable! Am I as strong as the rest on here? Can I do this?

 You are as strong as everyone on here. You have already shown that.  Yes you can do this. the fact that so many have done it before us shows that it can be done and will be done.  you will get stronger. Like Brassmonkey said  It is new to you and learning the symptoms and how to handle them. This will come as you work through this.  Never apologize for rambling lol it's the way we communicate here.   I think most of my posts are  rambling!  You're doing great,  give yourself credit!