Gorillo Posted August 18, 2023 Posted August 18, 2023 Hello everyone, I don't know what to do. I have been on Effexor XR for 4 years. At the end of last year, probably October, I started tapering down from 225mg to 37.5mg until January. Then I took 37.5mg for two months and stopped in March. It went well for 3 weeks and then I crashed. I went to my doctor and she told me to go back to 37.5 mg and then 75 mg, but I only took 75 mg for 2 weeks and then went back to 37.5 mg. It took me 2 weeks after the reinstatement to feel better. This went on for two months until I had an appointment with my doctor where we agreed to stop the medication. I then took the 37.5mg every two days and stopped after a month. I know this was a very bad approach. Now I have been off the medication for almost 6 weeks and I still feel very bad. I am very anxious, cry every day and have headaches with nausea. I am wondering if I should go back on the medication at a low dose (e.g. two buds or maybe 37,5 mg) and then taper off really slowly after a period of time. Furthermore, I am also under a lot of external pressure at the moment. I am losing my job at the end of the year and have to apply for another one right now. But I don't have the strength for that. The only AD I took before Effexor was Citalopram 20mg for a year and I stopped it cold turkey because I had no idea about ADs. That was a year before I started Effexor. I am really grateful for any reply and wish you all the best. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Gorillo Posted August 21, 2023 Author Posted August 21, 2023 Hello guys, my journey with AD's started in 2017 with citalopram. I took 20 mg for a year and then quit cold turkey because I had no clue about it. After a year without a medication, I started Effexor XR. The last two years I took 225 mg. Due to side effects such as extreme fatigue, heavy sweating and low libido, I decided to taper off the medication at the end of last year. I started around October and was already at 37.5 mg in January. I kept this dose for 2 months and then stopped. After about 3-4 weeks I felt very bad and went directly to my doctor, who then told me to take the drug again. For a short time I took 75 mg, but then I quickly went back down to 37.5, which I kept for about 3 months. I then agreed with my doctor to stop taking the medication. She told me to just take the 37.5 mg every other day for a month and then stop. In the meantime, I have been without the medication for 6 weeks and I still feel very bad. I am very depressed, have headaches and am very anxious. I know that these tapering attempts were very bad. Now I do not know what to do. I had a doctor's appointment two weeks ago where my doctor said I should try to make it 6 weeks and if I don't feel better by then go back on the medication. Additionally, I have extreme pressure because I have to apply for jobs since my current job is ending by the end of the year. I don't even know how to do job interviews in this condition. My question is if I should reinstate a small dose (e.g. 2 buds) or should I try to go through with it. Thank you for your answers and I wish you all the best 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted August 22, 2023 Administrator Posted August 22, 2023 Welcome, @Gorillo It appears you got withdrawal syndrome from going off Effexor in March. Reinstatement of 37.5mg, which was appropriate, worked well, but then you tapered off again prematurely and too fast. If I were you, I'd try reinstating 9.375mg (1/4 of a 37.5mg tablet). I suggest this low dose because going on and off Effexor and getting withdrawal syndrome twice may have caused your nervous system to become hypersensitive to the drug and possibly many other substances. Please let us know how you're doing. To help us out, follow these instructions Please summarize your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted August 22, 2023 Author Posted August 22, 2023 I really appreciate your answer. My question is, I only have the XR capsules with this small tablets inside and I read in the taping thread that they are not so good for cutting them. Can I still use them? 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted August 23, 2023 Administrator Posted August 23, 2023 Thanks for the reminder. You'd have to take a partial tablet twice a day, when it's cut, it becomes immediate-release venlafaxine. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Moderator Emeritus Onmyway Posted August 25, 2023 Moderator Emeritus Posted August 25, 2023 Gorilla, can you please update your signature and include your tapering doses and timeline including the reinstatement and when you stopped exactly? Right now it doesn't agree with the narrative in the text. We need to know the dates in detail to advise you better. How did you feel after the first reinstatement? Did it improve things? What are your most significant symptoms now? The more information you can provide about the questions above, the better and quicker we can help. Omw "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate
Gorillo Posted August 26, 2023 Author Posted August 26, 2023 Today is day 4 of Reinstatement of 12.5 mg. Yesterday I was lying in bed the whole time because I felt too weak. I think it's from the medication because the weeks before I was always restless and had trouble falling asleep in the evening. An hour after taking it I feel shaky and I haven't really been able to eat for the last few days because I feel permanently sick. So I don't know what to make out of this, but I probably just have to wait. The first reinstatement in April was similar and it took me 2 weeks to feel better, maybe my body needs some rest. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted August 26, 2023 Administrator Posted August 26, 2023 How do you feel before and after taking your dose? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted August 27, 2023 Author Posted August 27, 2023 (edited) @Altostrata Today I woke up anxious, and then I kinda directly ate something and took the dose. After that, I felt a bit shaky in my hands and I felt my head for a couple of minutes. Like a weird feeling in the front of my head. In addition, I was nauseous for a few minutes. Then I got really sleepy and slept some more hours. The sleepiness was one of the reason why I wanted to get off the drug in the first place. Yesterday after the same routine as today I went for a hike and after that I was able to eat a proper meal. But in the evening I had to go for another walk, because I couldn't sit still. But all in all, I think that the drug calms me down a bit. Thank u very much for your work and have a nice day. Edited August 27, 2023 by Gorillo More information 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted August 27, 2023 Administrator Posted August 27, 2023 What times o'clock do you take your drugs, with their dosages? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted August 28, 2023 Author Posted August 28, 2023 I take 12,5 mg at 8 am. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted August 28, 2023 Administrator Posted August 28, 2023 Since it makes you sleepy, you might take it later by moving it by an hour each day until you're taking it at 8 p.m. Please let us know how you're doing. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted August 31, 2023 Author Posted August 31, 2023 I started to move them as you advised me. In the morning after waking up I am still quite anxious. Yesterday at 9am, after taking the medicine, I cried for 1 and a half hours. Since taking it again, I have diarrhea. In addition, I also have pain in my right ear, this has been recurring during discontinuation. In general, I am brooding a lot and always unsure how the whole thing should go on for me. There are moments when I am not sure whether I can manage my life without a medication at all. But I know that I want to get rid of this medication, and I feel a bit better since I started taking it again. Therefore, I suspect that the discontinuation symptoms cause this constant gray in my head. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 2, 2023 Administrator Posted September 2, 2023 You may be affected by Neuro-emotions Also see Deep emotional pain and crying spells, spontaneous weeping The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms Easing your way into meditation for a stressed-out nervous system Music for self-care: calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep Ways to cope with daily anxiety This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted October 6, 2023 Author Posted October 6, 2023 A little update: I took the 12,5 mg (one small tablet, XR) most of the time and I stabilised a bit, but I'm still feeling really drained. I have a lot of these fight or flight activation and a lot of raiging thoughts. Last week I tried to lower my dose to 10,5 mg, because I thought that I am maybe kindling. With the lower dose the first few days I felt better, but then I got anxious and emotionally, so I went back up to 12,5 mg on Sunday. Now I have nausea and headaches again. The thing is that I had a job interview on Wednesday which let me panic as well and I maybe overreacted with going up in my dose again. On the same time the nausea and headaches maybe speaks for withdrawal symptoms. Maybe it was just the immediate release from the 10,5 mg that made me feel better first. I split the dosage into two, like it was advised here, and took one in the morning and one the evening. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 6, 2023 Administrator Posted October 6, 2023 11 hours ago, Gorillo said: A little update: I took the 12,5 mg (one small tablet, XR) most of the time and I stabilised a bit Please explain, what do you mean by "most of the time"? What has been your dosing since August 23? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted October 7, 2023 Author Posted October 7, 2023 Sorry, bad wording. I took 12,5 mg the whole time, except last week I tried 10,5 mg for five days, then stopped and went back to 12,5. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 7, 2023 Administrator Posted October 7, 2023 How has your symptom pattern changed since you went back to 12.5mg last Sunday/ This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted October 8, 2023 Author Posted October 8, 2023 The first two days I had nausea and headaches. Now I am really emotional and I am feeling stressed and anxious most of the time. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 8, 2023 Administrator Posted October 8, 2023 5 hours ago, Gorillo said: The first two days I had nausea and headaches. Which 2 days? 5 hours ago, Gorillo said: Now I am really emotional and I am feeling stressed and anxious most of the time. How is this different from the way you've been feeling since July 8? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted October 9, 2023 Author Posted October 9, 2023 The first two days when I went back up to 12,5 mg on Sunday. I think the difference is that I have these crying spells again. Overall I feel anxious. I wake up in the morning with this anxiety. I am not sure what to do with my dosage or if I just have to wait it out. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 10, 2023 Administrator Posted October 10, 2023 Since you changed your drugs again only last Sunday, it may take some weeks for your symptom pattern to settle down. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted.
Gorillo Posted December 29, 2023 Author Posted December 29, 2023 A little update. I still have problems with anxiety and crying spells. Some days its really dark in my head and it feels like there is no hope. The dosage is the same 12,5 mg and I don't know if im stabilizing or not. I'm not sure how to move forward. I will start a new job in January and will move. These two things are making me extremely anxious the past few days. I hope it gets better when these things are done. How do u know that are u in withdrawal and that it's not the illness coming back? I will start CBT in January and the therapist told me to look into tms. 2017 1 year 20 mg Citalopram, stopped cold turkey, 2019 Venlafaxin 75 mg, till November 2022 225 mg. Then tapered 75 mg per month till I was at 75mg. Took 37,5 mg for 2-3 months and then stopped in March. Reinstatement after 3-4 weeks 37,5. Took this till June. Then one month 37,5 every 2 days. At 8th July I stopped taking the drug. Since 23 august reinstatement 12,5 mg.
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