prozac2023: I don't know what is happening to me. Need help

[prozac2023]

hello, my name is Emmanuel, and i live in france and i'm 44 years old. I started taking effewor 75 mg in 2005 until June 2008. following an anxious state after a separation. I stopped dead with the droid turkey in 2008 and after 2 weeks, I had no more symptoms. In September 2009, after having a new job in May, I decided to start again for the stimulating effects and because I could smoke more weed without getting high. the drug also calmed me for my impulsiveness and increased my concentration. From 2009 to 2018, the drug always had the same effect on me. Things got complicated suddenly: even taking my medication at the same time (8 am), same dose every day, I began to have withdrawal symptoms which appeared around 12 am. I was tired, I had no use of concentration, I slept a lot, I had brain zap, I did not understand what was happening to me.

 

I thought like the doctors told me that I could take this all my life. I believed him. after a few months, seeing that it did not change, I wanted to try a switch by going to fluoxetine. I thought it was just the medicine that stopped working and that if I changed it would work again. I did a 1 month switc, and everything went perfectly but I had to go up to 25 mg of fluoxetine. I didn't want to increase more. 1 year ago, my father died before my eyes. I was shocked and had to switch to 30 mg of fluoxetine. but today I have extremely difficult side effects: headaches, fatigue, insomnia, involuntary movements (not all the time, but they are little jerks) in my hands and feet, difficulty not moving my legs when I'm sitting down, bad taste in my mouth and the feeling of being weaned again: in August I wanted to try cold turkey for a few days, "to see"

 

For 10 days it went well and then I started having big panic attacks at work and the ordeal began: even when I resumed my normal dose, I didn't feel like before. On October 7, I broke a finger at work, I said to myself "you are going to switch to escitalopram" and as prozac has a very long half-life, I stopped dead again and started to increase escitalopram gradually to reach at 15mg. After 4 weeks I started having suicidal thoughts, I cried all the time, I thought my life was screwed up even though I have a good job, I have a beautiful wife who loves and supports me and financially, everything is fine. No explanation for his suicidal thoughts. After 6 weeks, I was exhausted, I was thinking about how I was going to end it. I have never had suicidal thoughts in my entire life, I have always been a joyful, empathetic person who loves life. So I went to see a psychiatrist (for the first time) and who told me that apart from sleep apnea, or that I'm bipolar, it's impossible that fluoxetine no longer had an effect on me and that if I had to increase effexor, it was because I was relapsing. out, when i stopped effexor, everything was going great in my life. He told me that for escitalopram, it was rare but that it "could happen, suicidal thoughts.

 

work in mental health and I had already read an article on tardive dysphoria by el mallakh and Giovanni Fava, explaining the phenomenon of oppositional rolerance of the brain by desensitizing serotonergic receptors. I knew that psychiatrist was lying. for 8 weeks, I am again under fluoxetine 30 mg. I'm not bad, but I'm not well either, I don't have suicidal thoughts anymore. But I still have the side effects of prozac (headache, insomnia, electric shock, fatigue, my eyelids are half open, involuntary movements, restless legs). I searched for answers and found the surviving antidepressant site. I need your opinion: what do you think is happening to me? My body is used to its drugs and I go into resistance? is it possible that my body is rejecting anti depressants? I lose my vitality, my energy and my desire, I feel like I no longer feel anything. The stop haunts me. but when I read the testimonials, I am afraid of the paws. Do a gradual decrease? My body is already in tolerance and I already have withdrawal symptoms. I am already losing my concentration and my memory. I do not know what to do. I'm afraid of losing my wife, my family and my job if I quit. I think it will take at least a year. I want to stop in the hospital since I had suicidal thoughts 2 months ago. Yet I've never been like that, what's happening to me? I really need help. Thanks for reading me.

Edited January 18, 2023 by Shep
removed real name from post

[prozac2023]

bonjour, je vis en france et j'ai 44 ans. J'ai commencé à prendre effewor 75 mg en 2005 jusqu'en juin 2008. suite à un état anxieux suite à une séparation. J'ai arrêté net avec la dinde droïde en 2008 et après 2 semaines, je n'avais plus de symptômes. En septembre 2009, après avoir eu un nouveau travail en mai, j'ai décidé de recommencer pour les effets stimulants et parce que je pouvais fumer plus d'herbe sans me défoncer. la drogue m'a également calmé pour mon impulsivité et a augmenté ma concentration. De 2009 à 2018, la drogue a toujours eu le même effet sur moi. Les choses se sont compliquées du coup : même en prenant mes médicaments à la même heure (8h du matin), même dose tous les jours, j'ai commencé à avoir des symptômes de sevrage qui sont apparus vers 12h. J'étais fatigué, je n'avais aucune concentration, je dormais beaucoup, j'avais un zappement cérébral,

 

 

 

Je pensais comme les médecins me l'avaient dit que je pouvais supporter ça toute ma vie. Je l'ai cru. au bout de quelques mois, voyant que ça ne changeait pas, j'ai voulu tenter un switch en passant à la fluoxetine. Je pensais que c'était juste le médicament qui avait cessé de fonctionner et que si je changeais, il fonctionnerait à nouveau. J'ai fait un switch de 1 mois, et tout s'est parfaitement passé mais j'ai dû monter à 25 mg de fluoxetine. Je ne voulais pas augmenter davantage. Il y a 1 an, mon père est mort sous mes yeux. J'ai été choqué et j'ai dû passer à 30 mg de fluoxétine. mais aujourd'hui j'ai des effets secondaires extrêmement pénibles : maux de tête, fatigue, insomnie, mouvements involontaires (pas tout le temps, mais ce sont de petites secousses) des mains et des pieds, difficulté à ne pas bouger les jambes quand je suis assis, mauvais goût dans ma bouche et la sensation d'être à nouveau sevrée : en août j'ai voulu essayer la dinde froide pendant quelques jours,

 

 

 

Pendant 10 jours ça s'est bien passé puis j'ai commencé à avoir de grosses crises de panique au travail et le calvaire a commencé : même quand j'ai repris ma dose normale, je ne me sentais plus comme avant. Le 7 octobre, je me suis cassé un doigt au boulot, je me suis dit "tu vas passer à l'escitalopram" et comme le prozac a une très longue demi-vie, j'ai de nouveau arrêté net et j'ai commencé à augmenter progressivement l'escitalopram pour arriver à 15mg. Au bout de 4 semaines j'ai commencé à avoir des pensées suicidaires, je pleurais tout le temps, je pensais que ma vie était foutue même si j'ai un bon travail, j'ai une belle femme qui m'aime et me soutient et financièrement, tout va bien. Aucune explication à ses pensées suicidaires. Au bout de 6 semaines, j'étais épuisée, je réfléchissais à comment j'allais en finir. Je n'ai jamais eu de pensées suicidaires de toute ma vie, j'ai toujours été une personne joyeuse, personne empathique qui aime la vie. Alors je suis allé voir un psychiatre (pour la première fois) et qui m'a dit qu'à part l'apnée du sommeil, ou que je suis bipolaire, il est impossible que la fluoxétine n'ait plus d'effet sur moi et que si je devais augmenter l'effexor, c'était parce que je rechutais. out, quand j'ai arrêté effexor, tout allait bien dans ma vie. Il m'a dit que pour l'escitalopram, c'était rare mais que ça « pouvait arriver, des pensées suicidaires.

 

 

 

travail en santé mentale et j'avais déjà lu un article sur la dysphorie tardive par el mallakh et Giovanni Fava, expliquant le phénomène de rolerance oppositionnelle du cerveau en désensibilisant les récepteurs sérotoninergiques. Je savais que le psychiatre mentait. depuis 8 semaines, je suis à nouveau sous fluoxétine 30 mg. Je ne suis pas mal, mais je ne vais pas bien non plus, je n'ai plus d'idées suicidaires. Mais j'ai toujours les effets secondaires du prozac (maux de tête, insomnie, choc électrique, fatigue, paupières entrouvertes, mouvements involontaires, jambes sans repos). J'ai cherché des réponses et j'ai trouvé le site des antidépresseurs survivants. J'ai besoin de votre avis : que pensez-vous qu'il m'arrive ? Mon corps est habitué à ses médicaments et j'entre en résistance ? est-il possible que mon corps rejette les anti dépresseurs ? Je perds ma vitalité, mon énergie et mon envie, J'ai l'impression de ne plus rien ressentir. L'arrêt me hante. mais quand je lis les témoignages, j'ai peur des pattes. Faire une diminution progressive ? Mon corps est déjà en tolérance et j'ai déjà des symptômes de sevrage. Je perds déjà ma concentration et ma mémoire. Je ne sais pas quoi faire. J'ai peur de perdre ma femme, ma famille et mon travail si je démissionne. Je pense que cela prendra au moins un an. Je veux arrêter à l'hôpital car j'ai eu des pensées suicidaires il y a 2 mois. Pourtant je n'ai jamais été comme ça, qu'est-ce qui m'arrive ? J'ai vraiment besoin d'aide. Merci de me lire. J'ai peur de perdre ma femme, ma famille et mon travail si je démissionne. Je pense que cela prendra au moins un an. Je veux arrêter à l'hôpital car j'ai eu des pensées suicidaires il y a 2 mois. Pourtant je n'ai jamais été comme ça, qu'est-ce qui m'arrive ? J'ai vraiment besoin d'aide. Merci de me lire. J'ai peur de perdre ma femme, ma famille et mon travail si je démissionne. Je pense que cela prendra au moins un an. Je veux arrêter à l'hôpital car j'ai eu des pensées suicidaires il y a 2 mois. Pourtant je n'ai jamais été comme ça, qu'est-ce qui m'arrive ? J'ai vraiment besoin d'aide. Merci de me lire.

 

 

[Shep]

@prozac2023 Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants.

 

What you're describing sounds like withdrawal symptoms from all of the changes. 

 

I'm going to leave you some resources to read over. 

Tips for tapering off fluoxetine (Prozac)

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain

 

Healing from antidepressants: The power of neuroplasticity video (7 minutes)

 

 

On 1/18/2023 at 12:08 PM, prozac2023 said:

for 8 weeks, I am again under fluoxetine 30 mg.

 

On 1/18/2023 at 12:08 PM, prozac2023 said:

Do a gradual decrease?

 

Since you've been at 30 mg for the past 8 weeks, I would not make any changes just yet. Your nervous system is already adapting to that dose. 

 

Is Prozac the only drug you're currently taking? Please set up a signature. Here is how:

 

How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature

 

Please continue to use this thread to ask questions and document your taper. As you tell us more, we can give you more targeted advice. 

[prozac2023]

1998 cannabis,  3 gr per day

2005_2008 effexor 75mg

Mai 2008 stop cold turkey. All is good, 2 weeks of weaning. I am fine.

 

09/2009 effexor 75 mg

04/2020 prozac switch. 25 mg

11/2021 30 mg prozac

06/2022 stop cannabis 

09/2022 stop prozac 30 mg , escitalopram 15 mg

11 /2022 stop escitalopram( desire  of suicide) et take prozac 30 mg

20/01/2023 prozac 30mg

[prozac2023]

good evening, when I switched effexor with prozac in 2020, it had been a year since I was in a form of withdrawal: I had withdrawal symptoms even though I had been taking the same dose for 10 years. How do you explain that ? I had to switch to prozac and everything went well for 1 year. Gradually, I felt like I had the onset of cognitive decline. this decline has gradually increased since December 2021. Currently, I have headaches all day. I feel like I'm looking for my words a lot more. I think slowly, I'm tired. Is depression coming back or is it tardive dysphoria? I have never been like that. I feel like I'm in withdrawal even though I'm taking my normal dose. Would my brain have changed so much? I'm afraid of losing everything. I am afraid in withdrawal of having negative and suicidal thoughts when I have never been like that.I read your sheep story, you also talked about cognitive decline. have you regained your faculties? did you have crying spells during your withdrawal? I have pain in my neck, I have ulcers in the esophagus (it can come from prozac). I feel like this drug is making me listless, lifeless and it all happened quickly. what happens to me? it seems that I am no longer myself, I am afraid of having become a real depressive when I never have been.

[Shep]

3 hours ago, prozac2023 said:

good evening, when I switched effexor with prozac in 2020, it had been a year since I was in a form of withdrawal: I had withdrawal symptoms even though I had been taking the same dose for 10 years. How do you explain that ?

 

Please see this post, which may explain your symptoms: 

 

Tachyphylaxis, Reaching Tolerance or as It's Lovingly Known “Poop-Out”

 

Because your drug changes have been within the past few months, your best bet may be to hold for awhile and see if some of the symptoms calm down. It's hard to say whether your dealing with "poop out" or whether it's from the escitalopram withdrawal and then going back on Prozac at a rather high dose. Since your nervous system was getting used to not having as much Prozac in your system, when you went back on it, it may have hyper-reacted to the dose. 

 

4 hours ago, prozac2023 said:

Is depression coming back or is it tardive dysphoria?

 

Terms like "depression" and "tardive dysphoria" are psychiatric terms that are too vague to be meaningful. You mention being tired, so it sounds like your "depression" is fatigue, which is definitely a withdrawal symptom. It will get better. Make sure you're eating plenty of protein, limiting sugar and caffeine, and avoiding alcohol. Also, make sure you're drinking enough water throughout the day. Lower blood sugar from not eating and fatigue from dehydration can often be mistaken for withdrawal symptoms, so make sure you're giving your body what you need every day. 

 

Thanks for listing your drug history. I copied it and pasted it into your signature. If you need to make updates, you can do so by going here:

 

Create Your Signature in "Account Settings". 

 

 

Are you currently taking any supplements? If so, please list the name and the dose.

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements, as many members report their nervous systems are simply too fragile to handle them. However, magnesium and fish oil tend to be calming to the nervous system and many people report they do help. Please only add in one supplement at a time and at a small dose. For more, please see:

 

 King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

 

On 1/18/2023 at 12:08 PM, prozac2023 said:

For 10 days it went well and then I started having big panic attacks at work and the ordeal began: even when I resumed my normal dose, I didn't feel like before. On October 7, I broke a finger at work, I said to myself "you are going to switch to escitalopram" and as prozac has a very long half-life, I stopped dead again and started to increase escitalopram gradually to reach at 15mg. After 4 weeks I started having suicidal thoughts, I cried all the time, I thought my life was screwed up even though I have a good job, I have a beautiful wife who loves and supports me and financially, everything is fine. No explanation for his suicidal thoughts. After 6 weeks, I was exhausted, I was thinking about how I was going to end it. I have never had suicidal thoughts in my entire life, I have always been a joyful, empathetic person who loves life. So I went to see a psychiatrist (for the first time) and who told me that apart from sleep apnea, or that I'm bipolar, it's impossible that fluoxetine no longer had an effect on me and that if I had to increase effexor, it was because I was relapsing. out, when i stopped effexor, everything was going great in my life. He told me that for escitalopram, it was rare but that it "could happen, suicidal thoughts.

 

 

I wouldn't give the "bipolar" label any credence - these drugs are notorious for causing these types of problems. Doctors don't like to blame the drugs so they blame the patient. 

 

It's good you have a supportive wife and are doing well outside of withdrawal. I doubt you suddenly developed a "mental illness." Sounds like you've been quite good at managing your life up until the drugs started causing problems. You may find this thread helpful: Again, chemical imbalance is a myth. Stop the lies, please.

 

Are you overall feeling better than you felt back in September through November 2022 when you were going through these drug changes? This would be an OVERALL assessment. Are things OVERALL better? 

 

What time of day do you take Prozac?

 

Do your symptoms get better or worse throughout the day? 

 

 

[Altostrata]

Hello, @prozac2023, how are you doing?

[prozac2023]

Bonjour altostrates, j'ai complètement craqué en mars 2023. Je devenais apathique, je souffrais d'anhedonie et une énorme fatigue. J'ai fait une tentative de suicide qui heureusement a échoué. 

 

A l'hôpital, ils m'ont mis à 150 mg d'effexor. Du jour au lendemain, tout allait mieux ( le prozac qui a une longue demi vie agissait encore, plus effexor) . Puis les effets du prozac ont régressé  mais mon humeur est plus ou moins stable même si j'ai subi le sevrage du prozac assez fortement.

 

Je suis certain que tout les problèmes que j'ai sont du aux anti depresseurs. Je n'ai jamais été depressif auparavant et dans ma vie , j'ai un bon travail, une femme, je suis propriétaire,  j'ai ma famille également,  je n'ai aucune raison d'être malheureux, mais je souffre de dysphorie depuis des mois. 

 

J'ai cette impression que les anti depresseurs entretiennent cet état de dysphorie qui est créé par eux même. 

 

Je souhaite arrêter définitivement

 

Je veux vivre ma vie sans avoir l'impression que tout peut basculer du jour au lendemain avec ces molécules. Je me sent en danger et je suis partagé entre continuer à vivre la dysphorie ou arrêter et le donner l'occasion de vivre autrement. Mais j'ai énormément peur de rester bloqué dans un état de tristesse permanent au vus des nombreux témoignages que j'ai lu. Mais je ne me vois plus vivre de cette manière.

 

 

Je ressent des symptômes de sevrage en permanence depuis des mois.  Je ne peux plus vivre cette situation et l'entretenir.

 

J'ai besoin de soutient et d'aide.

 

Merci de m'avoir envoyé un message.

[Altostrata]

Sorry, need to see your post in English.

[prozac2023]

Hello altostrates, I completely broke down in March 2023. I was becoming apathetic, I was suffering from anhedonia and enormous fatigue. I made a suicide attempt which fortunately failed.

 

 

 

At the hospital, they put me on 150 mg of effexor. Overnight, everything was better. Then the effects of the prozac regressed but my mood is more or less stable even though I suffered the withdrawal from the prozac quite strongly.

 

 

 

I'm sure all the problems I have are due to the anti depressants. I have never been depressed before and in my life, I have a good job, a wife, I own a property, I have my family too, I have no reason to be unhappy, but I suffer from dysphoria for months.

 

 

 

I have this impression that anti-depressants maintain this state of dysphoria which is created by themselves.

 

 

 

I want to quit permanently

 

 

 

I want to live my life without having the impression that everything can change overnight with these molecules. I put myself in danger and I'm torn between continuing to live with dysphoria or stopping and giving him the opportunity to live differently. But I'm really afraid of getting stuck in a state of permanent sadness given the many testimonies I've read. But I can't see myself living that way anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

I have had withdrawal symptoms continuously for months. I can no longer live with this situation and maintain it.

 

 

 

I need support and help.

 

 

 

Thanks for sending me a message.

 

[prozac2023]

Hello altostrates, I completely broke down in March 2023. I was becoming apathetic, I was suffering from anhedonia and enormous fatigue. I made a suicide attempt which fortunately failed. At the hospital, they put me on 150 mg of effexor. Overnight, everything was better. Then the effects of the prozac regressed but my mood is more or less stable even though I suffered the withdrawal from the prozac quite strongly. I'm sure all the problems I have are due to the anti depressants. I have never been depressed before and in my life, I have a good job, a wife, I own a property, I have my family too, I have no reason to be unhappy, but I suffer from dysphoria for months. I have this impression that anti-depressants maintain this state of dysphoria which is created by themselves. I want to quit permanently I want to live my life without having the impression that everything can change overnight with these molecules. I put myself in danger and I'm torn between continuing to live with dysphoria or stopping and giving him the opportunity to live differently. But I'm really afraid of getting stuck in a state of permanent sadness given the many testimonies I've read. But I can't see myself living that way anymore. I have had withdrawal symptoms continuously for months. I can no longer live with this situation and maintain it. I need support and help. Thanks for sending me a message.

[Shep]

4 hours ago, prozac2023 said:

At the hospital, they put me on 150 mg of effexor. Overnight, everything was better. Then the effects of the prozac regressed but my mood is more or less stable even though I suffered the withdrawal from the prozac quite strongly.

 

Did they stop the 30 mg Prozac cold turkey when they put you on 150 mg Effexor?

 

Please update your signature so we have your updated drug history. A direct link is here:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

How is your sleep? 

[prozac2023]

good evening sheep, sorry for not having answered in January. I gradually died out, going into total dysphoria. I continued to work but in March, I became a lifeless person, without desire, without desire, in perpetual reflection and rumination, tired all the time (I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea syndrome in February) , I didn't know what I should do. at the end of March, I took a box of xanax, the rest of prozac and diazepam and I wanted to end it. I completely lost my mind that day. at the hospital the doctors put me back on effexor 150 mg and overnight I was transformed. which shows that it was not a normal depression but something created since the droid turkey of August 2022.

 

I know now and I'm better prepared for the stop. Everything is planned: I'm going to take a year off work, the time to see how I recover. financially it is feasible for my family. then I have a psychological follow-up by a professional who recognizes what has been happening to me for 1 year: namely my metabolism eliminates or metabolizes any medication faster: this has been verified by a blood test with plasma dosage. in other words: my body doesn't want it anymore.

 

so I have already contacted a hospital which is ready to welcome me alternately with my home for weaning and post-weaning. I confess that since I already feel withdrawal symptoms 16 hours after the last dose, I confess that doing a slow reduction does not seem to me such a good idea. I will not make cold turkey but a reduction over 3 months and then I will wait. Today I sleep moderately: but I sleep at least 6 or 7 hours. I'm better than two months ago. I explained to my friends and my family what I was going through and they understand and are ready to support me. I gave them some reading on the subject. my wife is ready too. she stopped escitalopram 5 mg after 3 years 4 months ago. she knows what it is. I also know that I will suffer. but i have to go through this. I've never been depressed in my life, and I get it with these drugs. I want to feel all the emotions again. moreover I am stable in my life: I have a good job, I earn well, I have a family who loves me, friends. there's no reason I can't.

[Shep]

@prozac2023 I'm glad you've got everything set up to get off this drug. Be careful with going in-patient to a hospital. Will you be in complete control over your taper and how fast you go? A three month taper may be too fast. 

 

Did you get treated for the sleep apnea? 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Shep
fixed typo

[Altostrata]

19 hours ago, prozac2023 said:

I confess that since I already feel withdrawal symptoms 16 hours after the last dose, I confess that doing a slow reduction does not seem to me such a good idea. I will not make cold turkey but a reduction over 3 months and then I will wait.

 

The reason you feel withdrawal symptoms is because you're making reductions that are too large. We advise very small reductions so you don't get withdrawal symptoms.

 

I am concerned that you are planning to taper off over 3 months and plan to go to the hospital to get through withdrawal. We've seen that's a recipe for more drugs. However, you need to make your own decisions. If you have any difficulties, please take them to your doctors.

 

Please let us know when you want to gradually taper.

[prozac2023]

hello altostrates, it took me a while to "digest" your answer.

I think you misread me: 1) I started experiencing brain zaps when taking the same dose every day at the same time after 9.5 years of effewor at 75mg. without ever having diminished or modified anything.
              2) subsequently I switched to prozac and 2 and a half years later (August 2022) I went cold turkey for 10 days then I returned to switch to escitalopram in October 2022 and return to prozac at the end of November 2022 and after depression. suicide attempt and effewor 150 mg. I feel the same as 3 and a half years ago with effexor 75 mg.
          3) 18 years ago I was already taking 75mg for 3 years and I did ct and 2 weeks later I no longer had withdrawal. I took over a year later like a fool for the doping effect of effexor. (very very stupid, I know, I was young and stupid).
          4) I cannot make an extremely long reduction because I only have 1 year or I can stop working without having problems. I know I will suffer. and that I have to go through the . I do it at the hospital to avoid attacking everyone. to be vicious and aggressive. (Maybe I'm anticipating too negatively). 5) anyway I won't touch this no matter what. I am determined to get out of this poison. I just need support and exchange with people who have known hell.

Edited June 30, 2023 by manymoretodays
none done, trying to get in easily readable format

[manymoretodays]

hello altostrates,

 

it took me a while to "digest" your answer. I think you misread me:

 

1) I started experiencing brain zaps when taking the same dose every day at the same time after 9.5 years of effewor at 75mg. without ever having diminished or modified anything.

2) subsequently I switched to prozac and 2 and a half years later (August 2022) I went cold turkey for 10 days then I returned to switch to escitalopram in October 2022 and return to prozac at the end of November 2022 and after depression. suicide attempt and effewor 150 mg. I feel the same as 3 and a half years ago with effexor 75 mg.

3) 18 years ago I was already taking 75mg for 3 years and I did ct and 2 weeks later I no longer had withdrawal. I took over a year later like a fool for the doping effect of effexor. (very very stupid, I know, I was young and stupid).

4) I cannot make an extremely long reduction because I only have 1 year or I can stop working without having problems. I know I will suffer. and that I have to go through the . I do it at the hospital to avoid attacking everyone. to be vicious and aggressive. (Maybe I'm anticipating too negatively).

5) anyway I won't touch this no matter what. I am determined to get out of this poison. I just need support and exchange with people who have known hell.

 

(copied and pasted previous post for better ease of reading)

@prozac2023can you reformat posts like your last one?  I just copied it and pasted it here, in a form that is easier to read.  Scrolling through is tedious.

How are you doing on Effexor 150 mg?  And is it short acting or XR(extended release)?  A capsule with tiny beads or a solid pill/tablet?  You may want to do a taper more slowly than in 3 months, while in a hospital.  Thanks for translating.  Now, to work on formating, for our ease of reading. 

Love, peace, healing, and growth, mmt(manymoretodays)

[prozac2023]

Good evening, it's been a month since I started reducing: I went from 150 mg to 37.5 and I'm doing wonderfully. I went through withdrawal which wasn't difficult at all. Monday I will be at zero. With each reduction, I had withdrawal symptoms for a few days and then it faded after 10 days. I just wanted to say that I was extremely scared reading all the horror stories. this is almost a success story. like Monday I will be at zero, normally in 2 weeks I will be definitively cured after 14 years of high dose antidepressant. I will come and confirm this to you when I no longer feel anything. I knew that slow tapering was not at all the solution for me: apart from some aches, a little anxiety and brain zaps, I did not find weaning Effexor very complicated. I expected much worse but what helped me the most was the therapy, the absence of stress, and a lot of willpower. see you soon for the rest.

[Shep]

@prozac2023 Antidepressants can cause a delayed withdrawal. Some people don't even feel withdrawal for several months after they stop. 

 

It's up to you, but I would caution you against a rapid withdrawal. 

[prozac2023]

anyway I had no choice, I had too many undesirable effects. for delayed withdrawal, this only concerns drugs with a very long half-life such as prozac or slow metabolizers of cytochrome p450 depending on the cyps which metabolize the drug. no fear for beffewor, it has a very short half-life. so I feel the withdrawal with each reduction. but I stabilize fairly quickly. approximately 2 weeks for a level of 37.5. I already weaned Effexor off the turkey droid 16 years ago and the withdrawal only lasted 2 weeks. after weaning, that’s what you do with it too. I think that everything depends on the desire to get out of it: things change for everyone as soon as the person decides to take charge of their life and decide that whatever happens, it will change. we are masters of our destiny. therapy, intensive sport, balanced and healthy diet, omega 3, family and friends, unwavering will are the driving forces behind successful weaning. no, slow reduction often causes more damage than we think. Being in withdrawal for years doesn't help either. and then you and many others that I know are living proof that it is possible with a sudden stop. I have excruciating brain zap, aches, and fatigue and insomnia but the CBD is miraculous. withdrawal is less bad than what I felt for 1 year on these drugs

[prozac2023]

on the other hand, let me tell you that you are not encouraging. by warning myself of something worse that could happen, I don't really see the point in creating unnecessary fear. each person is different and prolonged withdrawal can be explained biologically: slow metabolizer, carrier of the short form of the slc6a4 gene, age, sex, physical health, mental health, etc. I would have rather waited for the message "you're going to get there. courage to you, you're off to a good start." and not systematically fall into the negative. because many people manage to wean themselves quite easily. It is a minority that encounters difficulties. weaning is inevitable. What people need is to be told that this is normal and that everything will pass. how many have fallen into paranoia while reading you? Even when I read this site, I felt more afraid than comforted. There are so few positive stories and there is a severe lack of them. and since fear leads to doubt, that doesn't help things

[prozac2023]

hello, it's been 1 month since I was at zero. the first two weeks were terrible even if the cbd, magnesium, vitamin b and tryptophan helped me a lot. after 32 days, at present I am seeing windows and waves. I always have brain zap, sometimes I hardly have any. the anxiety has disappeared but the mood can be very fluctuating. nevertheless I manage to function: I do 6 to 8 hours of intensive sport per week, I do my domestic chores and I take care of putting my barn in order and carrying out some small jobs. Some days I'm very sore and others I'm almost normal. these are periods of windows and waves. I can be fine two days in a row and the next day my symptoms resurface with neck pain. my intestines are not doing very well despite my balanced and healthy diet. I try to cook with lots of vegetables.

I do therapy work every week with a psychologist who helps me identify my emotions (my cat died during weaning, run over by a car and my father's best friend died of devastating cancer). I'm trying to distinguish between a normal crappy mood due to life events versus depression. I don't feel particularly unhappy but I'm not extremely happy.

after all this it's only been 9 weeks since I declined and 32 days since I was at zero.

I will start working again on December 5th. I am determined not to touch these poisons again.

everything will pass sooner or later.

take care of yourself. see you soon.

 

[prozac2023]

Hello, I have been at zero for 70 days. I started to reduce tryptophan (150 mg). I still have tinnitus in the evening which sounds more like a blocked ear. my morale is down, I also have aches. However, all the side effects I had have disappeared. I undergo the pattern of windows and waves. I had one to two weeks of windows but after that I felt like I was relapsing all the more. I manage to sleep by taking a few puffs in the evening on a cannabis joint. but I can't stand that much either. my appetite has decreased too. I manage to do 6 to 8 hours of sport per week and I manage to work but I still have trouble thinking correctly.
I thought several times about going back to 37.5 but that would be a failure for me so I'm holding on. the aggression is gone but I feel like my mind keeps thinking and reflecting all the time. I can no longer tell what comes from withdrawal or what is my normal state. I'm afraid this will last over time. I have improvements but the physical symptoms have transformed into psychological symptoms.
I continue to fight every day by getting up, taking care of my house, working and playing sports but it costs me a lot. I just need encouragement and to know that one day I will recover. I know that 70 days to zero is very short. I wonder how long all this **** will last and if I'll ever feel "normal" again. I wish you all a wonderful year of recovery.

 

[prozac2023]

hello everyone shep and altostrata, I wanted to start by apologizing to shep and altostrata. I unfortunately did not understand that you were warning me of the danger of a too rapid reduction.

 

I don't want to minimize my reaction but I think that aggression was one of the symptoms of withdrawal.

 

I'm almost 4 months off work. and I seem to be slowly falling into hell.

 

I no longer have a brain zap. But I have huge headaches, tinnitus, insomnia, obsessive thoughts, suicidal thoughts and anxiety like I've never had before. I cry every day, falling into deep depression.

 

I continue to work, with difficulty, I walk and do sports. But that is not enough.

 

not only does my body no longer support these molecules (given all the symptoms I had while I was taking them) and I am going through the hell of withdrawal.

 

I saw more waves than windows. I forgot for 2 years what well-being meant.

 

I know there are thousands of you in the same situation.

 

so I beg your forgiveness for having underestimated your knowledge. I thought I was stronger than these drugs.

 

I do not know what to do.

 

Thanks for reading me.

[Catina7]

28 minutes ago, prozac2023 said:

hello everyone shep and altostrata, I wanted to start by apologizing to shep and altostrata

 

Hi @prozac2023...thanks for your update.  I'm sorry you're having a rough time.  Shep and Altostrata are no longer active on the site; they are involved with other projects.  I just wanted to let you know.

 

Hang in there....things will improve for you in time!  

[prozac2023]

thank you cathina, I don't know if you read but I stopped effexor 17 weeks ago. I don't know how to change my signature. I started to decrease on September 23 and reached zero on October 20. I had so many side effects that the doctors made me stop.

 

to sleep I take 5 days of omeopathy (valerian and passionflower), 1 day I take 3 drops of alimemazine and 1 day 0.25 mg of alaprazolam

 

Are obsessive thoughts a symptom of withdrawal?

after 13 years on it I no longer know who I really am. Is it withdrawal or is it really me? the anxiety is so bad....

[Catina7]

39 minutes ago, prozac2023 said:

I don't know how to change my signature

 

Click on your profile picture in the upper right hand corner of the site.  Click on Account Settings.  On the left hand side you'll see where it says Signature.  Click on that and then you can make your changes.

 

Yes, I did see that you quit Effexor 17 weeks ago.  I'm tapering Effexor myself.  Obsessive thoughts are a withdrawal symptom.  They will slowly resolve with time.  A lot of what you're experiencing is withdrawal-related neuro-emotions, which will resolve with time.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/28492-neuroemotions/

 

Hang in there...it can take some time to heal and recover.  What coping skills do you use?

[prozac2023]

Thank you ! I hope the best for you