Grad74 Posted November 20, 2023 Author Share Posted November 20, 2023 19 hours ago, WeLiveInHope said: I just want to share that I am deeply sorry you are having such an awful time with it all. It is hard to know what to suggest by anyone with 100% conclusively. It’s still trial and error, so it comes down to what you wish to trial. You’ve now trialed lexapro. Coming off this may add further problems to your ordeal, or it may not. it could still be an idea to return to 20mg Prozac. With that said, I wonder if your body would benefit from some stability. Too many major changes eg large change dose or medication, in quick succession is a recipe for disaster in my view. I hope the admin come along soon to assist. Hang in there. Thank you for the kind words and support Does anyone else deal with this issue of lying down with their laptop on their chest and eventually you begin to lose awareness of what's going on around you and palpitations get worse? Maybe it is the weight of the laptop on my chest perhaps? Not sure. When I get up from it am in an agitated state and it takes a short walk to relieve it, my body telling me to move around Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
WeLiveInHope Posted November 21, 2023 Share Posted November 21, 2023 4 hours ago, Grad74 said: Thank you for the kind words and support Does anyone else deal with this issue of lying down with their laptop on their chest and eventually you begin to lose awareness of what's going on around you and palpitations get worse? Maybe it is the weight of the laptop on my chest perhaps? Not sure. When I get up from it am in an agitated state and it takes a short walk to relieve it, my body telling me to move around Unfortunately I don’t know the answer for this. I’m not sure why anyone would have their laptop on their chest. I’m not sure even having it on a lap is good for the body. The ergonomics just wouldn’t be right. 2018 April: Reinstated Paroxetine 20mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) after abrupt withdrawal of 6 months (lots of on off AD and other drugs use for years prior to this this). 2018 August: Began slow taper of Paroxetine. At 10mg severe headaches began, switched to 10mg Fluoxetine. Cont. on Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Occasional but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet. 2018 - 2023: ‘Stable’ on Fluoxetine 10mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Cont. but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet, switched sleeping tablet to manage addiction and achieve sleep. Began very occasional use of benzodiazepines by 2020 (eg. 2 dose of 10mg in a 9 month period, varies according to need and some months can be more). Cont. headaches, developed anxiety and other body pains. 2023 (February) - Rapid 4 week taper in February from Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) to nil (mistakenly!). 2023 (March to present) - very infrequent use of sleeping tablets and benzodiazepines, diagnosed with hypothyroidism (April ish) and currently treated with Levothyroxine (final dose yet to be determined), began taper of Fluoxetine 10mg (June) currently on 8mg of fluoxetine. Also, still invariably take CBD oil, multiple vitamins and minerals including Omega 3, iron etc. Adjusted as needed. Note - Throughout the above years I have been an inpatient and outpatient with decisions made for me regarding drugs inc. abrupt withdrawals. Some were planned by me when unaware of withdrawal affects. Others while I was ‘unwell’ and began by unwittingly missing doses. Like many of us I have experienced many ‘symptoms’ on and off the drugs. Above, I have tried to share my main complaints and history as best as I can and remember. My full drug history can be found in my opening post WeLiveInHope —————————————————— My words are based on my personal experiences and do not constitute medical advice or recommendations, except this: whatever any one else says, from medics to other patients, however informed, listen to your body as the human condition is always evolving, and in turn so is our knowledge on its limitations and capabilities. Link to comment
Grad74 Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 Saw Dr.Josef, got some advice about situation. It has been over a month and a half since making direct switch from 30mg Prozac to 20mg Lexapro situation has remained about the same. Is there a chance I'll ever adjust to this dosage? Inner restlessness I would describe in my body, especially worse at night. Happy holidays to everyone! 🙂 Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
Grad74 Posted December 6, 2023 Author Share Posted December 6, 2023 I seem to be in what is called a "window" and I feel good enough now to keep daily tabs starting from today. I will try my best to keep track for as long as I am able to now. I thought with time they would get easier but it only seems to have gotten worse likely with these changes. 😶 Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
Angus Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 @Grad74I’m so glad you have experienced a window🌸. This is a sign of your healing😊! Can I ask you about your appt w/ Dr. Josef. Is he the tapering dr from UT? If so, can you tell me how that went if you don’t mind? Thank you, Angus Nortriptyline -2wks- April 2023, 20 mg for migraines, depression, stopped Lexapro- 1 wk May 2023, 2.5 mg s Remeron- 2 days, June 2023, 2.5 mg Prozac/ fluoxetine- started July 5 2023- liquid 4 mg for a wk (1 ml)July 5- July 12, 2023 6 mg- for a wk -July 13- 20, 2023 8 mg- for a wk July 21- 28, 2023 10 mg-wk bad side effects July 29- August 5, 2023 8 mg- August 5, 2023, 7.6 mg Sept 2023 Link to comment
CeruleanSea Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 Hi @Grad74! I’ve been on a ssri for about the same time & struggling to reduce. I have had those times of inner restlessness where I feel driven & struggle to rest. i will be following your progress! Zoloft 50 mg since 2019. 2024. January. 33.75 February. 33.75 March 32.5 April 30.0 2023. January 33.75 mg February 32.5 mg March 30.0 mg April 27.5 mg June 50 mg August 40 mg September-December 37.5 mg December 33.75 mg 2022. January 50mg February 45 mg March 40.5 April-November 37.5 December 33.75 mg Prior to discontinuation: 20 years of a variety of antidepressants & anti-anxiety meds from months to years at a time (fluoxetine, nefazodone, venlafaxine, clonazepam, hydroxyzine). I was unknowingly experiencing discontinuation and was frequently diagnosed with anxiety/exacerbations of previous illness as opposed to discontinuation. Supplements: Fish oil, Vitamin D3, magnesium, B complex, l-theanine Link to comment
Grad74 Posted December 16, 2023 Author Share Posted December 16, 2023 On 12/6/2023 at 11:37 AM, Angus said: @Grad74I’m so glad you have experienced a window🌸. This is a sign of your healing😊! Can I ask you about your appt w/ Dr. Josef. Is he the tapering dr from UT? If so, can you tell me how that went if you don’t mind? Thank you, Angus He was such a pleasant person to speak with and an extremely kind and empathic soul on top of his knowledge with withdrawals and the stigma surrounding it. If you live in Utah he will be able to prescribe to you directly but he is going to open up new services where they can prescribe directly to you in other states as well. I don't want to divulge too much of the program but he will answer any questions you have about the tapering process and withdrawal in general among so many other things. On 12/6/2023 at 11:38 AM, CeruleanSea said: Hi @Grad74! I’ve been on a ssri for about the same time & struggling to reduce. I have had those times of inner restlessness where I feel driven & struggle to rest. i will be following your progress! I can't promise much 😀 Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
Grad74 Posted December 16, 2023 Author Share Posted December 16, 2023 It is not ideal to not have some type of baseline, but lately have been able to get out more and do things, seeming completely contrary to this extremely deep pit of despair that I was in prior, and within I found my will to live was still very much there, and I enjoyed it immensely. Tonight the insomnia came back again with that same restlessness, it is just so intense you want to scream, it does not decrease in severity when it comes back. I think if I had one consistent week it would point more towards general improvement but nights like these make me rethink everything and all the hope that I had just had. Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
Angus Posted December 16, 2023 Share Posted December 16, 2023 @Grad74I’m glad to hear you’ve been able to get out more recently - this is encouraging! I hope that you see improvements soon in your sleep as well.🌸 I met with Dr. Josef as well. He’s very knowledgeable and empathetic. He is accepting patients in my state but I can’t afford him unfortunately. Nortriptyline -2wks- April 2023, 20 mg for migraines, depression, stopped Lexapro- 1 wk May 2023, 2.5 mg s Remeron- 2 days, June 2023, 2.5 mg Prozac/ fluoxetine- started July 5 2023- liquid 4 mg for a wk (1 ml)July 5- July 12, 2023 6 mg- for a wk -July 13- 20, 2023 8 mg- for a wk July 21- 28, 2023 10 mg-wk bad side effects July 29- August 5, 2023 8 mg- August 5, 2023, 7.6 mg Sept 2023 Link to comment
Doctorsrcrap Posted December 16, 2023 Share Posted December 16, 2023 Hiya. I'm sorry to hear you are struggling so bad. Although lexapro is not going to be a picnic to get off of I'm glad you are starting to see windows in which there are some improvement. It will probably take some time for your brain to stabilise after all the changes so you are going to have to find some coping strategies to deal with the symptoms. Easier said then done j know. Out of all the things you can do learning acceptance is going to be your biggest friend right now. Its not easy. I've been at this nearly 17 months and I'm still struggling with acceptance but sadly it is what is it. Keep reaching out to the mods for advice and I suggest you do exactly what they say. There is no one better than these guys when it comes to matters of withdrawal. If you follow the advice from the guys here you will get better. Good luck 2015- Jan 2021 20mg Citalapram Jan 2021- April 2021 Sertraline (CT) June 2021 - Fluoxetine & Trazadone Oct 2021- Trazadone to Quitiapin Oct 2021 to June 2022 switches Duloxetine then paroxatine then Venlafaxine. June 2022- venlafaxine for 5 or 6 weeks at 37.5 twice daily. Upped for one week to 75mg twice daily but caused panic attacks. Dropped back down to 37.5 twice daily. Panic attacks stopped. 1 week- 62.5mg 1 week- 50mg 1 week- 37.5mg 1 week - 25mg ANTIDEPRESSANT FREE SINCE JULY 22ND 2022!! 18/05/23 - 01-06/23 doxycycline for a rat bite Taken propranalol since 2015. 80mg. 21/11/22 76mg. 28/11/22 72mg. 05/12/22 68mg. 19/12/22 64mg. 27/12/22 60mg. 02/01/23 56mg. 09/01/23 50mg. 16/01/23 47mg. 23/01/23 44mg. 29/01/23 40mg. 05/02/23 38mg. 12/02/23 35mg. 19/02/23 32mg. 25/02/23 27mg. 04/03/23 25mg. 11/03/23 22mg. 17/03/23 19mg. 24/03/23 20mg. 05/04/23 18mg. 11/04/23 16mg. 17/04/23 14mg. 27/04/23 20mg. 19/06/23 19mg. 25/06/23 20mg. 04/08/23 18mg. 11/08/23 17mg. 16/08/23 16mg. 25/08/23 15mg. 01/09/23 14mg. 08/09/23 13mg. 15/08/23 12mg. 22/09/23 11mg. 29/09/23 10mg. 19/11/23 9mg. 26/11/23 8mg. 03/12/23 7mg. 10/12/23 6mg. 17/12/23 5mg. 24/12/23 4mg. 31/01/23 3mg. 07/01/24 2mg. 13/01/24 1mg. 19/01/24 0mg. DONE! Link to comment
Grad74 Posted December 31, 2023 Author Share Posted December 31, 2023 Happy New Years all! 😃 Have really been going through the bends recently but sticking with these meds as best I can. Lexapro having the lowest side effect profile for akathisia and restlessness and noticing some improvements on it I thought I was in the clear for awhile and then PHEW! Some turbulence happened let's just say. I don't think I had ever gone from periods of absolute misery to pure elation, even if the elation is brief. But when in those dark moods do you really feel on edge, anything could set you off. Far from stabilization but better than I was on Zoloft I would say 1 Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
Ninabird Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 @Grad74 Happy New Year! I pray for much healing for you in the year to come! ninabird PREVIOUS 2018 Ativan 1mg Oct-Jan (CT), 2019 Effexor 75mg, Klonopin .25mg, Trazadone 75mg, Bridge to Prozac (?dose), 2020 Taper off all, 2021 Zoloft (?dose), Jan-May (CT @ Hospital), Remeron (?dose) Trazadone 75mg, Propanolol (?dose), Klonopin .50mg, Buspar (?dose), 2021 Prozac (?dose), Trazadone 75mg, Klonopin 2 times a day, 2021 August fast taper Trazadone Prozac fast taper in August. August Lexapro 10mg 2022 January Lexapro to 25mg, February FT to 10mg Lexapro over 6 weeks, Klonopin .25mg 2 times a day, May Effexor 35mg, June bridge from Effexor to 30mg Cymbalta. Held on Lexapro until November. supplements 2023 Jan Probiotics stopped taking after two weeks ADR April 1k Iu Vitamin D W/ K stopped after a few days ADR. March 50mg Mag glycinate stopped after a week ADR January 2023 - added an additional .25 mg Klonopin (.25 mg three times a day) CURRENT 1/23-Present Klonopin .75mg divided into .25mg 3 times a day. 6:30am, 12:00pm, 6:30pm 1/23Present Lexapro .101 mgpw - 8.08 mgai 8:00am 1/23-Present Estradiol .50mg 8:00am 1/23-Present 30mg Cymbalta 12:30pm 6/23 to present Holding no changes 7/4 reduced Lexapro to 7.92mg 7/31 7.84mg 8/7 7.76mg 7/14 7.60mg 10/1 7.44mg 10/28 7.36mg 2/1 7.12mg 2/14 7.04mg 3/5/24 6.88mg 3/12 6.80mg 4/29 6.48mg Link to comment
Mentor mstimc Posted January 1 Mentor Share Posted January 1 Hi @Grad74The holidays can be a difficult time for many of us. Concentrate on the windows you've been experiencing--that's the "real you". Be patient and kind with yourself, and be confident a new window is just around the corner! Tim C Started Paxil for GAD in 1999 Unsuccessful taper attempt in 2006 Paxilprogress helped with a successful taper completed in 2009 Using therapy and CBT to manage my anxiety Link to comment
Grad74 Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 I am still here!!! 😢 I am now liquid tapering with the help of a specialist but I am sooo fatigued and restless!! 😢 I am holding at 14.6 but restlessness is so bad, it is called akathisia. I really don't know what to do 😢😢😢 Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
Grad74 Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 The more I read about @Cdav's story the more I am becoming inclined towards trying ect... Sep. 2015 - prescribed Prozac 10mg Dec. 2015 - dose raised to 30mg, stayed there for a couple of years Oct. 2022 - begin tapering Prozac go down to 20mg Nov. 2022 - go down to 10mg Prozac Dec. 2022- get off of Prozac completely Jan. 2023 - begin experiencing new withdrawal symptoms, reinstate 10mg Feb. 2023 - go back up to 30mg Prozac Oct. 2023 - make direct switch to 20mg Lexapro Have not adjusted to reinstatement, unsure what to do Link to comment
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