Ninabird: Effexor withdrawal?

[Altostrata]

You can start reducing whenever you feel ready.

[Ninabird]

Each and every one of you are in my prayers. 🙏🏻

I pray that today is gentle for you. 
 

WE WILL RECOVER AND BE JUST FINE!!!!

 

❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️

[Ninabird]

8 hours ago, Altostrata said:

You can start reducing whenever you feel ready.

Ok, I will chat with my Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and I’ll let you know when I will be resuming. 
@Altostrata my PNP comes on this site to educate herself on how to help her other patients. She says safe tapering and WD is not taught in school. That is maddening. 
Thank you again, Altostrata. 
 

Nina 🌺🌺

[Ninabird]

On 6/2/2023 at 3:38 PM, Altostrata said:

How long did you hold in between reductions?

@Altostrata I’m sorry. I forgot to answer this. I was dropping every 4-5 days.

[Altostrata]

Suggest you wait 10 days between reductions this time, to see what happens.

[Ninabird]

4 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Suggest you wait 10 days between reductions this time, to see what happens.

@Altostrata Understood. Thank you. 
I will be waiting to taper until things settle a bit more. 😊

Thank you so much, Alto. 

[Ninabird]

@Altostrata

Good morning! 🌺

Alto, Monday was a very baaaaad morning. I got through it though and the afternoon was better. Ever since that horrible day, the rest of the week has been getting better! I’ve had 5 days of very tolerable symptoms. Many hours of windows. It seems ( although, I’m not the expert, you are) that my body is calming down. I haven’t had a week like this in over 6 months. 
Alto, you telling me to hold was spot on. I’m going to keep holding until i see consistency in symptoms and not where they are swinging in extremes. I’m looking at these “calmer,” days as a positive sign despite having a very stressful workweek. 
 

Have a wonderful weekend, Alto. 
 

Nina

[Altostrata]

Thanks, @Ninabird

[Carmie]

I’m so glad to read about your windows @Ninabird, that’s wonderful news💛

[Ninabird]

3 hours ago, Carmie said:

I’m so glad to read about your windows @Ninabird, that’s wonderful news💛

Thank you, Carmie!
How are you doing? 🌺🌸🌺🌸

[Carmie]

On 6/12/2023 at 2:00 PM, Ninabird said:

Thank you, Carmie!
How are you doing? 🌺🌸🌺🌸

I’m in a window too @Ninabird, thanks for asking. I just did a drop of 0.05mg two days ago. 
 

Sending hugs🤗

[Ninabird]

16 hours ago, Carmie said:

I’m in a window too @Ninabird, thanks for asking. I just did a drop of 0.05mg two days ago. 
 

Sending hugs🤗

@Carmie Woohoo!!!!! That is so awesome! Enjoy every moment. 🥰

[Ninabird]

@Altostrata Hi Alto. As if there wasn't enough going on, I got in an accident last night. I am ok but my car isn't. Oh well. 

Alto, some symptoms have calmed down and some haven't. I have had a lot of stress at work....A LOT. I know that isn't helping much but it is what it is. I can't avoid life, right?

I would like to start tapering again. I will start low and slow. I just don't want to sit here and wait for things to completely calm down when in reality that might not happen? 

I was thinking I would drop on Sunday? What are your thoughts? I truly respect your input and your time. 

 

Respectfully,

 

Chrissy

[Altostrata]

Suggest you wait a week, it sounds like you have too much going on now.

[Ninabird]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Suggest you wait a week, it sounds like you have too much going on now.

@Altostrata ok, I’ll wait a week. Thank you. 

[Ninabird]

What is this? A partial window today? After a couple of weeks of high stress, a car accident, the passing of my Uncle and slamming my fingers in a window which resulted in my nail beds getting holes cauterised to relive the pressure ( this was awful!!) I get a morning window?! Praise the Lord! 
My morning walk was sublime. I’m going to keep quiet this weekend and read, journal and make a tie blanket ( if my fingers cooperate) and watch the sunset tonight. 

When a window shows up, I squeeze every ounce of joy out of it. 
 

I hope and pray for this entire site. This is the hardest thing to endure but we are doing it! I’m so proud of us all. 
 

Im so thankful for @Altostrata what an amazing legacy she is leaving behind. Where would we all be without her? 🥰🌺🌸

 

[Moonpie]

So happy for you!❤️

[Ninabird]

Happy Father’s Day to those dads in ADWD. I pray that you will be able to experience the love and joy that you all deserve. 🌺🌸

Much love,

Nina

[Ninabird]

Hi @Altostrata 

I hope my post finds you doing well. 🌸🌺

 

Alto, it here has been a lot of up and down the last two weeks. I believe some of it is definitely from stress, my accident, my uncles passing, etc. I have been very shocked ( very thankful but still shocked considering all that’s going on)  that I’ve had a few windows that have lasted for a few hours to nearly an entire day. 
 

How do you feel about me holding another week? I’d hate to start tapering next week and not be ready. The last thing I want to do is go into another destabilising spiral. What are your thoughts? I value and respect your opinion. 
 

Thank you, Alto. 🥰

[Altostrata]

You can hold as long as you want, @Ninabird

[Ninabird]

@Shep Hi Shep. 
I have a benzo question. I’m on .75mg of Klonopin. I take .25mg at 6:30am, noon and 6:30pm. We added the afternoon dose a few months ago to help w breakthrough anxiety. 
The last couple of months I’ve have an uptick of the severity of my symptoms. The mental symptoms have intensified as well. 
My question is coukd I be experiencing tolerance from my benzo or is this just ADWD? I have had a lot of stress lately. A lot. 
 

I have had a few windows the last couple of weeks. Also the evenings are usually easier. 
 

lately my evenings are a little harder and I’m waking an hour earlier than I normally do. I wake w morning anxiety. 
 

if this is possibly benzo tolerance, what do I do? If it’s not, then I’ll accept it’s just ADWD and move on w my taper. 
 

Thank you for your time, Shep. 

[Ninabird]

On 5/6/2023 at 2:30 AM, Shep said:

Quote

2022 december Prozac fast taper, January Lexapro 10mg, Fast taper off Trazadone, April Lexapro upped to 25mg, May fast taper tp 10mg Lexapro over 6 weeks, Klonopin .25mg 2 times a day,

 

I grabbed this from your signature. This likely has more to do with the upticks in anxiety you've had since the first of the year. 

 

I would stop tapering and hold. That's a lot of changes and puts you at high risk for hypersensitivity and kindling

Shep, These changes were made in 2021 not 2022. I’ve corrected the error. 

[Ninabird]

I could use some support. I’ve been holding my Lexapro taper for about 2 months now. I’ve had some windows in those two months and I’m so grateful. What I’m having lately are very intense emotional symptoms. I feel super  tense, horrible head pain that is mixed w high anxiety, my legs feel like rubber most days, some days I get rushes of anxiety just moving about. The last two days, I’ve had heavy depression and have been in a dark place. The burning in my body has increased too. If I allowed myself, I’d cry 24/7. I force myself to get on w life. Lately, it’s been getting harder to push myself. 
The negative loop in my head is telling me that I won’t get through this, I’ll never be stabile enough to resume my taper, that I’m going 30 steps back. Normally, I can get myself out of a funk. 
Right now I’m scared. 
Nina

[Greatful]

@Ninabird  You sound like me....Somehow we have to make it to our pillow ever singe night one night at a time.

I wish I could say more to encourage you...I had that awful depression for that last few days with SI/ hopelessness too...Yup the burning through out the body...I told hubby the inside feels like it burning under the skin but the our side feels cold....Looks like you and I have similar symptoms. 

 

Ninabird there is now way out but through it...Have you ever read Baylissa's  book Recovery and Renewal....It is a go to book for information, validation and encouragement.

 

Watch you tube video from Mad in America https://www.youtube.com/@OpenParadigm

Medicating Normal https://www.youtube.com/@MedicatingNormal

 

Find things to watch to help you stay focused on your journey through this.   

 

You can surly do this....One step, minute, day at a time.....

 

🌞🤗

 

[Ninabird]

Thank you Grateful. 🌺🌸

[Altostrata]

53 minutes ago, Ninabird said:

The negative loop in my head is telling me that I won’t get through this

 

This is you making yourself feel bad.

[Ninabird]

Just now, Altostrata said:

 

This is you making yourself feel bad.

I agree. I’m trying to get out of it, @Altostrata

[Ninabird]

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

This is you making yourself feel bad.

I’m reading two books on changing your mindset. I’m hoping there are tools that I can apply to tapering and every day life. @Altostrata

[Ninabird]

On 6/23/2023 at 2:22 PM, Ninabird said:

@Shep Hi Shep. 
I have a benzo question. I’m on .75mg of Klonopin. I take .25mg at 6:30am, noon and 6:30pm. We added the afternoon dose a few months ago to help w breakthrough anxiety. 
The last couple of months I’ve have an uptick of the severity of my symptoms. The mental symptoms have intensified as well. 
My question is coukd I be experiencing tolerance from my benzo or is this just ADWD? I have had a lot of stress lately. A lot. 
 

I have had a few windows the last couple of weeks. Also the evenings are usually easier. 
 

lately my evenings are a little harder and I’m waking an hour earlier than I normally do. I wake w morning anxiety. 
 

if this is possibly benzo tolerance, what do I do? If it’s not, then I’ll accept it’s just ADWD and move on w my taper. 
 

Thank you for your time, Shep. 

@Shep

Hi Shep. Are you able to help? Thank you so much. 
nina. 

[Shep]

9 minutes ago, Ninabird said:

My question is coukd I be experiencing tolerance from my benzo or is this just ADWD? I have had a lot of stress lately. A lot. 

 

I don't know. If you're experiencing a lot of external stressors, it may be from that.

 

Instead of focusing on your taper, you may need to shift gears and look for ways of reducing your life stressors. 

[Ninabird]

2 minutes ago, Shep said:

Instead of focusing on your taper, you may need to shift gears and look for ways of reducing your life stressors. 

Do you mean pause my taper? I just resumed yesterday after holding for two months. 

[Shep]

34 minutes ago, Ninabird said:

Do you mean pause my taper? I just resumed yesterday after holding for two months. 

 

Please update your signature. You haven't updated it since January 2023. 

 

We don't recommend tapering when you have a lot of external stressors. 

 

On 6/25/2023 at 12:19 PM, Ninabird said:

I could use some support. I’ve been holding my Lexapro taper for about 2 months now. I’ve had some windows in those two months and I’m so grateful. What I’m having lately are very intense emotional symptoms. I feel super  tense, horrible head pain that is mixed w high anxiety, my legs feel like rubber most days, some days I get rushes of anxiety just moving about. The last two days, I’ve had heavy depression and have been in a dark place. The burning in my body has increased too. If I allowed myself, I’d cry 24/7. I force myself to get on w life. Lately, it’s been getting harder to push myself. 
The negative loop in my head is telling me that I won’t get through this, I’ll never be stabile enough to resume my taper, that I’m going 30 steps back. Normally, I can get myself out of a funk. 
Right now I’m scared. 
Nina

 

From what you wrote on the 25th of the month, it doesn't sound like you're in a good place to taper. 

 

Since you just tapered yesterday, you could updose back to where you last were and go into a hold until you're able to sort out the external stressors. 

 

 

 

[Ninabird]

6 minutes ago, Shep said:

Please update your signature. You haven't updated it since January 2023. 

Will do. Nothing has changed aside form resuming my taper yesterday. But I will update that and going back to my previous dose tomorrow.

[Ninabird]

13 minutes ago, Shep said:

From what you wrote on the 25th of the month, it doesn't sound like you're in a good place to taper. 

I have had a lot of stress lately. Yesterday I had two suspicious spots removed at the dermatologist. It seems like the stress keeps rolling in. 

IF I am in tolerance will the symptoms keep getting worse or will they stay the same?

[Altostrata]

What symptoms are you talking about? Do you think you're feeling stress from the upsets in your life because you've become tolerant to you drugs?

 

If you wish to take drugs for your life stress, please discuss this with your doctor. We don't prescribe drugs.

[Shep]

9 minutes ago, Ninabird said:

I have had a lot of stress lately. Yesterday I had two suspicious spots removed at the dermatologist. It seems like the stress keeps rolling in. 

IF I am in tolerance will the symptoms keep getting worse or will they stay the same?

 

@Ninabird We can't answer all of your questions. Please note that a lot of getting through this is just basic common sense and not letting catastrophic thoughts take over. 

 

You had two suspicious spots removed yesterday, the same day you tapered. That doesn't make a lot of common sense. It's likely you had some sort of pain killer to aid in the procedure, either by mouth, injection, or topical, and some sort of antibiotic, even if it was only a gel or ointment. But now that complicates things because you also reduced your drug. Just the stress of the procedure should have been enough to keep you from tapering the same day.