KimMk Posted March 25 Author Share Posted March 25 7 minutes ago, Kaylaq said: I also, hope it doesn’t take that long either!!! I’m not functioning much either! How is your updose working?? 🙏🏻🙏🏻 It took away the terror, akathisia, and insomnia which I am SO grateful for. Just feeling trapped and scared though. Every time I updosed/reinstated, it works for a day or day or two, poops out for two weeks, and then really starts working. I’m probably going to work my way back up to 112.5 because that was the last dose I was stable at. Maybe I’ll try to do a hyperbolic taper down to 75mg at a later date. I’m just so traumatized by three failed tapers now. I want to be off this stuff so bad but I don’t have enough fight in me to EVER go through this again. 1 July 2008: Began 150mg Effexor. January 2014: Five week taper off effexor. Off for four months before hospitalization and reinstatement May 2014: 150mg Effexor and added 150mg Lamictal. March 2018: Five week taper off Effexor but stayed on 150mg Lamical. Mass destabilization began in July. Was trialed on celexa, remeron, latuda, and pristiq over six weeks. Added 1mg Ativan only as needed. September 2018: Restarted 150 mg Effexor and still remained on 150 mg Lamictal. January 2022: Up to 187.5 of effexor, still on 150mg lamictal October 2022: Down to 150 mg of effexor. March 2023: Down to 112.5 of effexor and down to 125 of Lamictal. May 2023: Bad break up triggers a wave, went up to 150mg of lamictal but stayed at 112.5 of effexor. Septmeber 2023: Down to 75 mg of Effexor. January 16: Bad wave after smoking weed. January 30: 76.2 mg of effexor. February 10: 77.4 of effexor. Link to comment
Tuikea Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 I thought that last time too but life changes and I am trying again. 15 hours ago, KimMk said: It took away the terror, akathisia, and insomnia which I am SO grateful for. Just feeling trapped and scared though. Every time I updosed/reinstated, it works for a day or day or two, poops out for two weeks, and then really starts working. I’m probably going to work my way back up to 112.5 because that was the last dose I was stable at. Maybe I’ll try to do a hyperbolic taper down to 75mg at a later date. I’m just so traumatized by three failed tapers now. I want to be off this stuff so bad but I don’t have enough fight in me to EVER go through this again. Enlafax (Venlafaxine) 225mg 2024 Taper Feb 4th dropped 37.5mg now on 187.5mg Feb 18th dropped 37.5mg now on 150mg Mar 3rd dropped 37.5mg now on 112.5mg Mar 17th dropped 37.5mg now on 75mg Mar 31st dropped 37.5mg now on 37.5mg Link to comment
Kaylaq Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 @KimMk 🙏🙏 sending you strength & courage that your stabilization holds for you! 🥰 On Venlafaxine for 30 years, 150mg 2018 first tapered, over 2 months, horrible crashed, reinstated 3 months later February 2023, tapering again, every 4 weeks reduced by 50% 150mg down to 37:5mg June 2023, from 37.5, broke open capsule, started tapering by one bead at a time every 2 weeks August, 2023 stopped last bead. Nov, 2023, started Saint John Wort, 600mg, 3x a day = 1800mg - reduced 1 capsules 300mg on Feb 15, 2024 Supplements, magnesium bisglycinate, B complex, multivitamin, Omega 3 complex, Vitamin D3, digestive enzymes also, use L-Theanine, occasionally natural GABA, - stopped this in Jan 2024 For H.Pylori- Manuka Honey, 850mgo, Mastica Chios gum, Kefir, & probiotics Link to comment
KimMk Posted March 25 Author Share Posted March 25 10 minutes ago, Kaylaq said: @KimMk 🙏🙏 sending you strength & courage that your stabilization holds for you! 🥰 Thank you ❤️ July 2008: Began 150mg Effexor. January 2014: Five week taper off effexor. Off for four months before hospitalization and reinstatement May 2014: 150mg Effexor and added 150mg Lamictal. March 2018: Five week taper off Effexor but stayed on 150mg Lamical. Mass destabilization began in July. Was trialed on celexa, remeron, latuda, and pristiq over six weeks. Added 1mg Ativan only as needed. September 2018: Restarted 150 mg Effexor and still remained on 150 mg Lamictal. January 2022: Up to 187.5 of effexor, still on 150mg lamictal October 2022: Down to 150 mg of effexor. March 2023: Down to 112.5 of effexor and down to 125 of Lamictal. May 2023: Bad break up triggers a wave, went up to 150mg of lamictal but stayed at 112.5 of effexor. Septmeber 2023: Down to 75 mg of Effexor. January 16: Bad wave after smoking weed. January 30: 76.2 mg of effexor. February 10: 77.4 of effexor. Link to comment
KimMk Posted March 27 Author Share Posted March 27 I'm a bit lost as what to do. I updosed 10% a few days ago and it was good for a couple days but the last three days have been absolutely smacked with akathisia. I've been able to sleep which is paramount...so I feel like I'm having to choose between insomnia and akathisia. July 2008: Began 150mg Effexor. January 2014: Five week taper off effexor. Off for four months before hospitalization and reinstatement May 2014: 150mg Effexor and added 150mg Lamictal. March 2018: Five week taper off Effexor but stayed on 150mg Lamical. Mass destabilization began in July. Was trialed on celexa, remeron, latuda, and pristiq over six weeks. Added 1mg Ativan only as needed. September 2018: Restarted 150 mg Effexor and still remained on 150 mg Lamictal. January 2022: Up to 187.5 of effexor, still on 150mg lamictal October 2022: Down to 150 mg of effexor. March 2023: Down to 112.5 of effexor and down to 125 of Lamictal. May 2023: Bad break up triggers a wave, went up to 150mg of lamictal but stayed at 112.5 of effexor. Septmeber 2023: Down to 75 mg of Effexor. January 16: Bad wave after smoking weed. January 30: 76.2 mg of effexor. February 10: 77.4 of effexor. Link to comment
Mentor FindRest Posted March 28 Mentor Share Posted March 28 14 hours ago, KimMk said: but the last three days have been absolutely smacked with akathisia What symptoms are you having? 1988-1996 Various AD’s, all classifications. 1996-2019 Effexor XR 37.5mg to 150mg. Jan 2017 onward, 37.5 mg. 2019 Apr 11 - July 24: Trials of Latuda then Rexulti. CT'd off per dr. Jul 24: CT Effexor (per dr) Sep 9-19: Viibryd, CT (per dr). Sep 23-27: Trintellix. CT (per dr). Sep 28 - Oct 24: Prozac 10mg. Oct 24: Stop Prozac, began Pristiq 25mg->50->25mg. 2020 Feb 1: CT Pristiq. Feb 1: Reinstated Effexor XR (10 large beads) gradually increasing to 22 beads (15L+7M) or 9.072mgai on Mar, 2020. 2021 Started Jan w 21 beads (13L+8M) or 8.47mgai ended Dec: 17 beads (7L+9M+1S) or 6.19mgai. Severe COVID + TIA. 2022 Ended yr w 14 beads (3L+5M+5S+1XS) or 4.5mgai. Major jaw injury during year + family tragedy. 2023 Jan: 13 beads (2L+5M+5S+1XS) or 4.2mgai; Feb: 12 beads (2L+4M+5S+1XS) or 3.9mgai; Mar: 11 beads (2L+4M+4S+1XS) or 3.6mgai, Apr: 10 beads (2L+3M+4S+1XS) or 3.3mgai; Jun: 9 beads (2L+3M+3S+1XS) or 3mgai, Current: July, 2023: Effexor XR - 9 beads (2L+3M+3S+1XS) or 2.7 mgai Other current meds: Ambien 10mg 3.935mg , clonazepam .125mg .107mg, omeprazole, Synthroid, Premarin. Supplements: D3, C, probiotic, K2-MK7, Mg Glycinate Link to comment
KimMk Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 6 hours ago, FindRest said: What symptoms are you having? Restlessness, electrical sensations in my body, panic July 2008: Began 150mg Effexor. January 2014: Five week taper off effexor. Off for four months before hospitalization and reinstatement May 2014: 150mg Effexor and added 150mg Lamictal. March 2018: Five week taper off Effexor but stayed on 150mg Lamical. Mass destabilization began in July. Was trialed on celexa, remeron, latuda, and pristiq over six weeks. Added 1mg Ativan only as needed. September 2018: Restarted 150 mg Effexor and still remained on 150 mg Lamictal. January 2022: Up to 187.5 of effexor, still on 150mg lamictal October 2022: Down to 150 mg of effexor. March 2023: Down to 112.5 of effexor and down to 125 of Lamictal. May 2023: Bad break up triggers a wave, went up to 150mg of lamictal but stayed at 112.5 of effexor. Septmeber 2023: Down to 75 mg of Effexor. January 16: Bad wave after smoking weed. January 30: 76.2 mg of effexor. February 10: 77.4 of effexor. Link to comment
Mentor FindRest Posted March 30 Mentor Share Posted March 30 (edited) On 3/28/2024 at 11:13 AM, KimMk said: Restlessness, electrical sensations in my body, panic Sometimes it helps us psychologically to refer to our symptoms by what they feel like rather than giving them scary labels like AKA. It also helps others understand what you are going through better, as some have different definitions of AKA, for example. For me, the electrical sensations still happen off and on 4 years after they started with my CT. I use them as a sign that I need to proceed with caution or that my body is just changing/healing neurologically. In the beginning it was very scary. Now, it’s just a reminder that I need to not make any more tapers for awhile or that perhaps I ate something wrong or am dealing with stress and revving up my system. But, it can also be a sign of healing. Would you mind updating your signature to show your recent changes? Have you made three updoses this year, one in January, February, and March? What is your current dose? On 3/27/2024 at 2:09 PM, KimMk said: I updosed 10% a few days ago and it was good for a couple days but the last three days have been absolutely smacked with akathisia. I've been able to sleep which is paramount...so I feel like I'm having to choose between insomnia and akathisia. It can take a couple of weeks or longer for our systems to settle down after an updose, then a few more weeks after that to get the lay of the land. It’s often hard to know whether an updose is helping or hurting us. The key is time. Generally, if an updose causes akathesia-like symptoms that’s an indication that our CNS is not liking it and telling us “no more”. If it were me, I would not increase my dose again and would hold a long time (as in several months). When I was reinstating Effexor after my CT, it was tricky figuring out when to stop increasing my dose. When the increase in dose caused an increase in symptoms that hung around too long or were too bad is when I knew to stop any future increases. It then took 6 months of holding for things to settle down. The usually pattern for me during an updose was that things improved the first few days, then went downhill for a few days. It’s when the downhill portion got too bad that I knew to stop. Edited March 30 by FindRest 1988-1996 Various AD’s, all classifications. 1996-2019 Effexor XR 37.5mg to 150mg. Jan 2017 onward, 37.5 mg. 2019 Apr 11 - July 24: Trials of Latuda then Rexulti. CT'd off per dr. Jul 24: CT Effexor (per dr) Sep 9-19: Viibryd, CT (per dr). Sep 23-27: Trintellix. CT (per dr). Sep 28 - Oct 24: Prozac 10mg. Oct 24: Stop Prozac, began Pristiq 25mg->50->25mg. 2020 Feb 1: CT Pristiq. Feb 1: Reinstated Effexor XR (10 large beads) gradually increasing to 22 beads (15L+7M) or 9.072mgai on Mar, 2020. 2021 Started Jan w 21 beads (13L+8M) or 8.47mgai ended Dec: 17 beads (7L+9M+1S) or 6.19mgai. Severe COVID + TIA. 2022 Ended yr w 14 beads (3L+5M+5S+1XS) or 4.5mgai. Major jaw injury during year + family tragedy. 2023 Jan: 13 beads (2L+5M+5S+1XS) or 4.2mgai; Feb: 12 beads (2L+4M+5S+1XS) or 3.9mgai; Mar: 11 beads (2L+4M+4S+1XS) or 3.6mgai, Apr: 10 beads (2L+3M+4S+1XS) or 3.3mgai; Jun: 9 beads (2L+3M+3S+1XS) or 3mgai, Current: July, 2023: Effexor XR - 9 beads (2L+3M+3S+1XS) or 2.7 mgai Other current meds: Ambien 10mg 3.935mg , clonazepam .125mg .107mg, omeprazole, Synthroid, Premarin. Supplements: D3, C, probiotic, K2-MK7, Mg Glycinate Link to comment
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