choytu: Cipralex (Escitalopram) Tapering

[choytu]

Hi all,

I know that healing your gut can lower symptoms and I just want to share that I experience burping daily and frequently.
I went to examine it and they said I have gastritis.

I know that it is caused from lexapro withdrawal, but wanted to know if someone has had any success with diets that are focused on healing the gut microbiome?
Also the gut is responsible probably for the nutritional deficiencies, which can also contribute to symptoms, correct?

P.S
I do think that the diet should not be stressful for the body, because it is already under so much stress while withdrawing.

[LukeUK]

I cannot say if it has done anything for any other symptoms, but my gut has improved a lot and it is now basically fine.

 

I do not know if this is just as a result of time, but I ate a healthy, mixed diet and regularly tried to drink kefir after lunch, along with other fermented drinks and foods known to encourage healthy gut bacteria to grow. I still do these things and my gut seems fine.

[choytu]

Soo, I have been holding at 6.4 for almost 6 months now.

 

still most of the days I am experiencing fatigue, muscle pain and body aches, and common tension headaches.

 

thought that by this time things will improve…

[choytu]

guys, I am 6 months holding, but the body and muscle pain and the fatigue are still there and going strong.

it is like fibromyalgia or cfs (chronic fatigue syndrome).

 

can it be the case?

I am really desperate, because I need to at least work at my job..

please give me some advice, because really I do not know what is the right decision..

@manymoretodays @getofflex

[choytu]

and @Altostrata - I know you told me that you do not want to be tagged.

 

but want your opinion specifically.

i am at 6.4mg for the past 6 months now and I have made the decision for myself to updose (reinstate) back.

 

I have read the reinstatement topic, but what would you think is a good dosage - my previous was 7.2. Should it be something around that or I should try a lower increase and see how things go?

 

 

[getofflex]

16 hours ago, choytu said:

guys, I am 6 months holding, but the body and muscle pain and the fatigue are still there and going strong.

it is like fibromyalgia or cfs (chronic fatigue syndrome).

Has this body and muscle pain and fatigue been the same all this 6 months, or has it been getting worse, or is it somewhat less severe?  

 

Have you seen any improvement at all in the last 6 months with regard to your other withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, and sensitivity to sounds/lights, burping, and head tension?  

 

Have you skipped any doses, varied the dose, or taken it at a different time of day?  It is important to be consistent in your dosing, taking the precise dose at the same time of day every day.  

 

Have you been drinking alcohol, using antibiotics, other drugs or substances, caffeine?  How is your diet?  Do you eat a lot of sugar, salt, processed foods? Have you had COVID or any other illness?  How about stress? 

 

What times o'clock do you take your Cipralex?  How do you feel before you take it, and then after you take it?  Is the muscle pain and fatigue worse in the several hours after you take it?  

 

 

Edited March 19 by getofflex

[choytu]

I will try to answer question by question @getofflex.

 

1 hour ago, getofflex said:

Has this body and muscle pain and fatigue been the same all this 6 months, or has it been getting worse, or is it somewhat less severe?

I would say that it is gradually becoming worse, but overall existent almost all the time.

 

1 hour ago, getofflex said:

Have you seen any improvement at all in the last 6 months with regard to your other withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, and sensitivity to sounds/lights, burping, and head tension?

Looking back, I would say no.

I am only able to sleep properly and to eat. Anxiety is easily triggered by any light stressor, I have head tension, burping is there after eating etc..

 

1 hour ago, getofflex said:

Have you skipped any doses, varied the dose, or taken it at a different time of day?  It is important to be consistent in your dosing, taking the precise dose at the same time of day every day.

Have not skipped doses, not varied - 6 months hold at 6.4, I have taken it at a different time yes in the range of 9 to 11am.

 

1 hour ago, getofflex said:

Have you been drinking alcohol, using antibiotics, other drugs or substances, caffeine?  How is your diet?  Do you eat a lot of sugar, salt, processed foods? Have you had COVID or any other illness?  How about stress?

Alcohol only once at new years and had an adverse reaction, but apart from that no. No antibiotics, occasionally when the symptoms are unbearable for me I have taken 0.125mg Xanax. I don’t drink coffee, only water and tea (without coffee/herbal). Diet-wise, trying my best to eat healthy, drink only water and kefir, stay away from sugar, eat more salads and protein, but sometimes I slip and have a dessert or burger. Taking magnesium glycinate and trying now omega.

Recently start of March had flu for 5 days, treated with paracetamol mostly and some ibuprofen.

Almost no stress - I gave up work, try to minimize it as much as possible, but I need to start working because money does not grow on trees. Experienced I would say moderate stress end of February, when I went skiing (was feeling awful - fatigue, anxiety, panic, could not sleep, was forced to take 0.125 xanax 2/3 times a day, because I was the only driver, that was for 2-3 days) and when we got back home my gf got sick and then me.

 

1 hour ago, getofflex said:

What times o'clock do you take your Cipralex?  How do you feel before you take it, and then after you take it?  Is the muscle pain and fatigue worse in the several hours after you take it?  

As i said mostly around 10am, because I sleep till 9, eat breakfast and then.

There is not much of a timeline before that, so that I can distinguish.

Not sure about whether it is worse or better before or after, but some times I get relief in the evenings.

 

The pain and fatigue worsens if I try to do anything that brings my heart rate up or is physically challenging.

There are days where I only stay on the bed, on the chair and on the sofa. That said I see that my muscles weaken and I gained some fat instead.

My walks with my dog are more and more short. Exercise tolerance - non existent - or I would pay for it bedbound for the next days with amplified symptoms and exhaustion.

 

When I do a simple house chore and I am drained as if I have exercised vigorously.

 

Hope that you can give me some advice, because I thought that by now I would be stable enough to work again and taper even more slowly. That is why I am considering small increase, but not sure..

 

thank you very much for taking the time.

i really, really appreciate it

[getofflex]

6 minutes ago, choytu said:

I have taken it at a different time yes in the range of 9 to 11am.

It is important to take it at the same time each day.  I wouldn't vary the time by more than 1/2 hour, for example, between 10 and 10:30.  

 

7 minutes ago, choytu said:

Alcohol only once at new years and had an adverse reaction, but apart from that no

It's important to completely avoid alcohol 100%.  It can cause big problems, even just one drink. I've seen people be affected by drinking alcohol for weeks, or even months.  

 

7 minutes ago, choytu said:

occasionally when the symptoms are unbearable for me I have taken 0.125mg Xanax.

This could also cause a problem, too.  It may help in the short term, but then destabilize things long term.  

 

8 minutes ago, choytu said:

Recently start of March had flu for 5 days,

This can also destabilize your nervous system too.  

 

9 minutes ago, choytu said:

moderate stress end of February, when I went skiing (was feeling awful - fatigue, anxiety, panic, could not sleep, was forced to take 0.125 xanax 2/3 times a day, because I was the only driver, that was for 2-3 days) and when we got back home my gf got sick and then me.

Skiing is pretty intense exercise.  It is common for anything other than gentle exercise to make symptoms worse.  I would limit exercise to gentle exercise, such as walks outside.  

 

12 minutes ago, choytu said:

That is why I am considering small increase, but not sure..

I would not suggest doing that.  These drugs are what caused the problem in the first place.  I would stay on the 6.4 mg for now, until further advised.  

 

I suggest that you keep a daily drug and symptom journal, to try to see if there is a symptom pattern.  Perhaps you are having an adverse reaction to the Lexapro.  

 

Keep track of taking your drug, symptoms, eating, sleeping, etc.  Write the time on the left, and describe the event on the right.  Pay attention especially to how you feel before, and then after, you take your drug. Please do this for 24 hours, and post an entry in here for each 24 hour period.  Here is an example: 

 

January 31, 2023

6 AM woke with anxiety

8 am took 2.5 mg lexapro

10 am stomach is upset

10:30 am ate breakfast

11:35 am got a headache, lasted one hour

12:35 ate lunch

4 pm feel a bit better

5 pm took 2.5 mg lexapro

6 pm ate dinner

9:20 pm headache 

10:00 pm took 50 mg Seroquel

10:30 pm feeling dizzy

10:30 pm fell asleep 

2:30 am woke, took 3 mg Ambien

2:45 am fell asleep

4:30 am woke, but got back to sleep 

 

 

[choytu]

15 minutes ago, getofflex said:

I would not suggest doing that.  These drugs are what caused the problem in the first place.  I would stay on the 6.4 mg for now, until further advised.  

Okay.

 

16 minutes ago, getofflex said:

Keep track of taking your drug, symptoms, eating, sleeping, etc.  Write the time on the left, and describe the event on the right.  Pay attention especially to how you feel before, and then after, you take your drug. Please do this for 24 hours, and post an entry in here for each 24 hour period.  Here is an example: 

Okay, I will start with that from this evening and post tomorrow evening.

 

Thank you!

[choytu]

Day 1:

10pm - went to bed, listened to relaxing music, fell asleep.

8:50 am - wake up - numbness in the head, sore legs and arms, ringing sound in ear, anxiety, clenching teeth, feeling tired

9:00 - check blood pressure - 120/75

9:05 - drink water

9:15 - nausea, burping

9:25 - brush teeth, bleeding gums

9:45 - breakfast, burping

9:55 - take liquid lexapro (0.32ml), burping again

10:25 - stretching, burping

11:00 - fruit, 100mg magnesium glycinate, 1 tablet omega, burping

11:30 - go out with the car, burping, head tension, fatigue, achy muscles, nausea

12 - coming home, tired, lie in bed, cold/burning feet

12:30 - order food, because cannot go to grocery, eat soup and read book

14 - throw ball at the wall at home in bed (for interesting movement exercise)

15 - went out in front if my block to stay on the bench and gather some sunshine

15:30 - energy wise a bit better, decided to put laundry

16:50 - ate a sandwich, decide to watch youtube - tension in headache better, muscle ache a bit better, nausea better

17:30 - zoom meeting

21:20 - dinner, pain in the leg muscles, watching tv on couch

21:50 - 2x100 mag glycinate

22:20 - magnesium sprey on quads and calves, trying to ease pain

23:30 - went to sleep

[getofflex]

Good job on the journal.  Do this for a few more days.  Determine if you feel worse in the 4-5 hours after you take your Lexapro dose.  Look for any symptom patterns that emerge.  It sounds like your sleep and eating is good, and you are fortunate for this.  

 

I will be out of town for a week starting this weekend for a week, so will not be checking on your thread during that time.  My suggestion to you is that if you consistently feel worse after you take your dose of Lexapro, this means you are having an adverse reaction (ADR).  Reduce your Lexapro by 10%.  That would be 6.4 x 0.9 = 5.8 mg.  (I rounded up).  

 

If you do not feel consistently worse after you take your Lexapro, then I believe your lack of stabilizing is probably due to the factors I mentioned in my post from Tuesday.  Please completely avoid alcohol, do only gentle exercise, take your dose at the same time each day (within 1/2 hour), avoid the Xanax completely, and give your body a chance to recover fully from having the flu.  

 

 

 

 

[choytu]

Hi @getofflex and @manymoretodays what are typical adverse reactions for Lexapro?

 

Please be kind to not judge me, but I decided to follow my instincts and do a small updose from 6.4 to 6.6mg - to see how I feel.

 

I immediately felt more energetic and the body pain went away, so decided to stay on it. Last three days energy-wise feeling better, burping is better, muscle body pain issues are better, but today 1 hour after I took the same dosage I became dizzy and had a headache and my feet are burning.

 

 

[choytu]

just me leaving a report to track my state:

21.03 - decided to updose a little bit, although @getofflex said that I should try and lower. From 6.4 to 6.6mg. There is no right decision, but I knew I needed to try lowering a bit, or updosing to see how I feel. Immediately in a couple of hours felt relief in symptoms - the muscle pain and my energy levels were way better. That continued 3 days - the fatigue was better, brain fog better, the muscle pain too, burping was a bit better as well.
24.03 - when I took the dosage, I experienced tension headache, was a bit dizzy and burning feet
25.03 - was the same in terms of symptoms but milder.
26.03 - all of them were better.
27.03 - tired, weakness
28.03 - woke up, clenching teeth, a bit anxious

I do experience this ball of heat, do not know how to call it, in my stomach.
I still do burp a lot, also have nausea, gas etc. - gastritis problems.

I hope that I made the right decision and I read that I need to wait week or two to see the build up of the medication. Hopefully it goes well, I could not wait longer.

What is the next thing to consider - if it goes well and I improve and continue to improve, I will hold and then taper with smaller percent?
And if things do not improve or get worse? - go back to 6.4, or try a smaller increment again?

[choytu]

update:

today 1 hour after I took the 6.6mg I had what I think is activation - anxiety, panic, jittery feelings, body shaking, nausea, dizziness, whole body went and weak - that lasted 1.5 hours.

 

seems like the dose is high for me even though it is 0.2mg change.

 

will go back to 6.4mg

[getofflex]

On 3/24/2024 at 6:07 AM, choytu said:

what are typical adverse reactions for Lexapro?

An adverse reaction can vary depending on the person.  The thing to do, is to see if you feel worse in the 4-5 hours after you take your drug.  Hopefully, you did your drug and symptom journal for at least 3 or 4 days.  Did you see a pattern of feeling significantly worse in the 4-5 hours after you took your drug each day?  

 

On 3/28/2024 at 5:56 AM, choytu said:

today 1 hour after I took the 6.6mg I had what I think is activation - anxiety, panic, jittery feelings, body shaking, nausea, dizziness, whole body went and weak - that lasted 1.5 hours.

 

seems like the dose is high for me even though it is 0.2mg change.

 

will go back to 6.4mg

It is very important for you to not jump around on your dose, based on one day of having symptoms after your dose.  This will put you at risk of making things worse.  Please stick with the 6.4 mg dose, and stick with this precise dose each and every day.  Give it at least a month.  Don't forget about windows and waves.  You don't want to change your dose just because you are in a wave.  It is very unlikely you will find a magic dose that is going to cure your withdrawal and take away all your symptoms.  

 

Please read this carefully: 

 

Stability - Don't Jump Around on Your Dose

 

Stability, stability stability.  This is what your nervous system needs.  It can take a few weeks for your nervous system to sort itself out after a dose change, so please stop making frequent dose changes.  Learn and practice some techniques for coping with the symptoms.   

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

 

 

Edited April 2 by getofflex

[choytu]

On 4/2/2024 at 11:32 PM, getofflex said:

An adverse reaction can vary depending on the person.  The thing to do, is to see if you feel worse in the 4-5 hours after you take your drug.  Hopefully, you did your drug and symptom journal for at least 3 or 4 days.  Did you see a pattern of feeling significantly worse in the 4-5 hours after you took your drug each day?  

Yes, I observed it and I felt worse, with anxiety, paresthesia, dizziness, panic, air hunger etc.
 

 

On 4/2/2024 at 11:32 PM, getofflex said:

It is very important for you to not jump around on your dose, based on one day of having symptoms after your dose.  This will put you at risk of making things worse.  Please stick with the 6.4 mg dose, and stick with this precise dose each and every day.  Give it at least a month.  Don't forget about windows and waves.  You don't want to change your dose just because you are in a wave.  It is very unlikely you will find a magic dose that is going to cure your withdrawal and take away all your symptoms.  

I do not think I am jumping. I have been holding for 6 months without improvement, then again even kind of worsening.
That is why I needed to "test the waters" and try to go back a bit, but seems to overstimulating and activating, so I will stick to 6.4mg and then continue to taper with smaller percentage.

I just read the "Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines" for Lexapro and wanted do ask you @getofflex - how did you create so small changes to the dosage.
Did you dilute it in water?

I am currently using 20mg/ml oral solution and take 0.32ml with a 1ml syringe (20mg & 0.32ml = 6.4mg), add it to a glass of water and drink it.

I see in the book they create a dilution with 0.5ml (lex from the solution = 10mg) and 4.5ml water - so it becomes 10mg/5ml = 2mg/ml.

Are there other ways?
And if you draw from the dilution not the full amount, do you just throw out the rest or store it somehow?
I am confused.

Am I doing it properly?

 

[choytu]

I know that the guides here are to taper with 10%, but I hear that 10% for some people may be too much.

 

Can I taper with lower percentage? From 6.4 to 6.2 is 3%. And from 6.4 to 6 is 5% taper? @manymoretodays

 

[FireflyFyte]

On 4/9/2024 at 9:44 AM, choytu said:

I know that the guides here are to taper with 10%, but I hear that 10% for some people may be too much.

 

Can I taper with lower percentage? From 6.4 to 6.2 is 3%. And from 6.4 to 6 is 5% taper?

 

Yes, you can certainly taper with a lower percentage. As you mentioned, 10% drops are too much for some people so think it is fair to try 5% or 3% and see how your system reacts.

[choytu]

39 minutes ago, FireflyFyte said:

 

Yes, you can certainly taper with a lower percentage. As you mentioned, 10% drops are too much for some people so think it is fair to try 5% or 3% and see how your system reacts.

 I am planning on 5% taper from 6.4 to 6.1.

I will give it a week or two to see how it goes.

I really hope things get better..

Otherwise I would have to come back to 6.4 and stay there, with my baseline debilitating muscle pain and fatigue..

 

i do feel relief in the evenings some times. can that be because lexapro plasma is 4-5 hours?

I take it at 11am and get mild relief after 6pm?

 

so maybe lexapro is causing the symptoms as a reaction?

[FireflyFyte]

3 hours ago, choytu said:

so maybe lexapro is causing the symptoms as a reaction?

 

Do you feel worse after taking your dose of Lexapro at 11 AM?

[choytu]

16 hours ago, FireflyFyte said:

 

Do you feel worse after taking your dose of Lexapro at 11 AM?

So the pattern is the following:

 

1. Wake up tired (but tiredness is better than in point 3)

2. Take lex at around 11, 11:30

3. Burning sensation in my feet and overall fatigue + muscle pain throughout the day

4. In the evening around 5-6 pm feeling a bit better energy-wise until the end of the day.

[getofflex]

On 4/7/2024 at 10:15 AM, choytu said:

so I will stick to 6.4mg and then continue to taper with smaller percentage.

This sounds like a very good plan. 

 

On 4/7/2024 at 10:15 AM, choytu said:

how did you create so small changes to the dosage.
Did you dilute it in water?

Here in my country (USA) we have a commercial liquid Lexapro that I used.  1 ml of liquid contained 1 mg of the drug.  I had tiny syringes that measured in 1/100 of a ml.  At the very end, I finally diluted it with distilled water.   Your liquid Lexapro is much more concentrated.  I would suggest you dilute it so that 1 ml contained 1 mg of Lexapro.  That will make it more error proof and easier to measure.  To do this, add 190 ml of distilled water to 10 ml of Lexapro.  Keep this in the refrigerator in an amber bottle.  It will be good for 4-7 days.  

 

It sounds like you are having an adverse reaction to your Lexapro, but not enough to warrant a fast taper.  We only suggest that when people are having organ damage, a serious allergic reaction, etc. 

 

On 4/10/2024 at 10:39 AM, choytu said:

i do feel relief in the evenings some times. can that be because lexapro plasma is 4-5 hours?

I take it at 11am and get mild relief after 6pm?

 

so maybe lexapro is causing the symptoms as a reaction?

Yes, it could very well be the Lexapro is causing you an adverse reaction.  

[choytu]

15 hours ago, getofflex said:

Yes, it could very well be the Lexapro is causing you an adverse reaction.

i am noticing that I am hypersensitive to stimuli like loud sounds - barking, car horn etc.

today a woman yelled at me because my dog did something and I got super shaky and anxious.

 

i remember previous time I had taper I also was super sensitive and became super easily stressed and anxious - for example in the mall with all the lights and people, in loud places.

 

also socialising is super draining and contributes to anxiety.

 

does that mean my CNS is destabilised and I should hold more?

[getofflex]

11 hours ago, choytu said:

does that mean my CNS is destabilised and I should hold more?

Not necessarily, although it might.  Know when to hold is more of an art than a science.  These links will help you.  You have to become attuned to your body, and then eventually you will develop an intuition of when you should hold, and when you can reduce.  

 

Stability

 

WD Normal

 

Being very sensitive to sounds is quite common during WD.  

 

Increased Sensitivity to Sound

[choytu]

9 hours ago, getofflex said:

Not necessarily, although it might.  Know when to hold is more of an art than a science.  These links will help you.  You have to become attuned to your body, and then eventually you will develop an intuition of when you should hold, and when you can reduce.  

 

Stability

 

WD Normal

 

Being very sensitive to sounds is quite common during WD.  

 

Increased Sensitivity to Sound

 

Okay, I read the two Brassmonkey links that you sent.

Seems like my case, because my symptoms are all throughout predictable and not big swings, but same (mostly daily fatigue, exercise intolerance) for the past months.

 

The new two ones that I see are the tinnitus and this easily stressed nervous system by small triggers. (it maybe from the updose I tried)

 

I think of holding 1 or two more weeks and if symptoms proceed to be the same, then make a 5% change in dosage.

Does that sound reasonable?

[manymoretodays]

On 4/9/2024 at 7:44 AM, choytu said:

I know that the guides here are to taper with 10%, but I hear that 10% for some people may be too much.

 

Can I taper with lower percentage? From 6.4 to 6.2 is 3%. And from 6.4 to 6 is 5% taper? @manymoretodays

 

 

Yes.  You can taper next at 5% or 3% of each preceding dose.

I'd suggest staying with a stable dose now, no changes, for 6 months, while working on your obsessions with withdrawal, and past and future tripping.  Especially the future tripping seems to trip you up.

 

Likely, the fatigue symptom may be ongoing........yet time most likely will improve that feeling.  Look at diet, don't stop moving, go gentle with exercise, get out in nature, get some early morning sun and walking in.

 

You are doing it choytu, slowly like the turtle.  Still working as well.......getting into relationships......and living well enough.  It WILL get better.

 

Did you convert all the way to liquid with your doses?  And if so, when? 

 

All my best, Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

 

 

[choytu]

35 minutes ago, manymoretodays said:

I'd suggest staying with a stable dose now, no changes, for 6 months, while working on your obsessions with withdrawal, and past and future tripping.  Especially the future tripping seems to trip you up.

You mean I should stay 6 months more on the 6.4mg? Although I am holding on to that since end of September 2023?

 

38 minutes ago, manymoretodays said:

Likely, the fatigue symptom may be ongoing........yet time most likely will improve that feeling.

 

Fatigue and ongoing muscle pain and body aches…

 

37 minutes ago, manymoretodays said:

Did you convert all the way to liquid with your doses?  And if so, when? 

Oh yes, conversion was in the beginning of 2023 from pill to liquid Lex.

[manymoretodays]

4-6 months is fine, depending on when you last up-dosed and then went back to 6.4 mg.

Keep in mind too, that if you go ahead with the change in dilution suggested, for ease and accuracy of dose measurement.......that too, counts as a dose change.  You don't want to make a taper change at the same time.

 

I'm good if you are, on having you do a 3% taper to 6.2 mg before further dilution, just to see if after 2 weeks to a month you've had some let up on what could be adverse reaction.  Don't panic, wait it out, and then after a month or 6 weeks confident on the new dose, then and only then change your dilution and allow time to adjust to that, with no further tapers until 4-6 months from that 2nd change.

 

You could be creative on a variation of that, and based on your own bodies response as well.

 

I think you might be doing better than you think you are sometimes.  Of course I don't know for sure.  Try and put thoughts of WD WD WD out of your mind for awhile.  Find natural, non drug new coping skills for anxiety and aches and pains.  Do some self led cognitive therapy to refocus when needed, shifting thoughts to just life- here and now.

 

Like I said......again, I think you are doing well, just perhaps overthinking and obsessing sometimes.  Look how far you have come.  This isn't a race. 

[choytu]

can magnesium glycinate contribute to fatigue and feeling weak in the muscles, rather than helping? something like a totally different effect?

 

and what is the opinion on supplementing with vit D, B complex, quality multivitamins?

[manymoretodays]

13 hours ago, choytu said:

can magnesium glycinate contribute to fatigue and feeling weak in the muscles, rather than helping? something like a totally different effect?

 

and what is the opinion on supplementing with vit D, B complex, quality multivitamins?

 

On your first question choytu:  I've found magnesium sulfate(in the tub with water) to be sometimes too much, when I am experiencing fatigue and weakness.   I've had warm baths in Epsom salts(magnesium sulfate) where yes, I definitely feel weaker in the muscles and wiped out, even when using just a handful.   So at those times I do just warm bath water to relax, no additives.

 

I've used glycinate less....... and that I do orally/by mouth and find it more calming when I feel like I need some calming.  Helps me relax sometimes, with less effect on overall muscles.

 

It's okay to HOLD on it, you would not need to taper it.  I fully expect you'll get a window from the overall fatigue and muscle weakness.  Most of us do.  Just go easy when you need to, as I think you do........with the expectation that this won't last forever and forever.  I believe we can heal from most all of it.

 

Best case of the other vitamins you mention is to get set with them prior to tapering, or perhaps while on a HOLD period of several months. 

I'll give you the link to the general topic, that has sub-links indexed.  And then remember to just try one new thing at a time, and do observations on paper, prior to adding anything else.  Best to avoid multivitamins....... at least until you know that you tolerate each vitamin okay.  Hope you follow the logic.

Important topics about tests, supplements, treatments, and diet

 

I hope that helps choytu.  Rooting for you and continued healing with your nice and slow, steady approach. 

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[choytu]

16 hours ago, manymoretodays said:

On your first question choytu:  I've found magnesium sulfate(in the tub with water) to be sometimes too much, when I am experiencing fatigue and weakness.   I've had warm baths in Epsom salts(magnesium sulfate) where yes, I definitely feel weaker in the muscles and wiped out, even when using just a handful.   So at those times I do just warm bath water to relax, no additives.

that is what I did, I was achy and fatigued and wanted a relief and took a quite hot tub with epsom salts.
not long after I got dizzy and was soo tired.. seems like too much for me as well

i decided also from today to make a 3% taper from 6.4 to 6.2mg, as you said and will wait couple of weeks to see how it goes.

in the mean time I am just soo sick of this neuropathy and paresthesia feelings like pain throughout the body and muscle stiffness and soreness + cold feet (with burning sensations), that I am searching everywhere just to find some relief.. but seems like there isn't