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micawbersmom: Odd Symptom - Suddenly Feeling Like "Battery Completely Drained"

micawbersmom

By micawbersmom
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micawbersmom Newbie

micawbersmom

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Posted (edited)

I didn't see this symptom listed and I have a question. I am two years into a slow, steady taper off of Luvox (fluvoxamine). I was on 100 mg and am now on 2.7 mg daily. Every once in a while during the taper I hit a point at which I have a sudden surge of anxiety/obsessive thoughts. It is not all the time, but every once in a while when I do the monthly 10% taper, it hits about 10 days after the reduced dosage. The other symptom is sudden energy loss. By this I mean I will be engaged in physical activity, feeling fine, then suddenly feeling like my 'battery is drained' to zero. Like I can't walk another step or do anything. This happened while hiking and then again this weekend when I was pushing a heavy wheelbarrow up a slight hill. It just suddenly feels like I have zero energy to even move. I don't understand this but it is so closely related to reduction time (almost exactly 10-12 days after reducing from last dose) both times that I think it is part of the cycle. Does anyone have insights into this? What mechanism in the brain or body could do this? Is there anything I can do to better care for myself during these periods? Thank you for any information you feel comfortable sharing.

 

 

Edited by Emonda
Name to title

1996 - 1999 Luvox 50 mg, tapered off without incident

1996-1997 Klonopin .25 mg as needed

2005-2006 Lexapro (misdiagnosed; taper off; no incident)

2012 - 2022 Luvox 100 mg 

March 23, 2022 started Luvox taper

Update: April 2024:  Currently at 2.7 mg Luvox split into 1.35 mg AM and 1.35 mg PM 

Each time I reduce the dosage by 10%, I get a day or two of extreme anxiety, followed the next week by depression for a day or two. Worse during winter. Better in summer. 

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Onmyway Grand Master

Onmyway

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Posted

Hi @micawbersmom

Welcome to survivingantidepressants.org. Good job for tapering slowly. 

 

The symptoms you are experiencing are common in withdrawal though I haven't heard a sudden drop in energy. Are you able to continue your activity despite the feeling of a drained battery? 

 

If the symptoms are troublesome - I. E. don't go away in a couple of days, you might wish to slow down your taper or do a more gentle one. Look up Brassmonkey's slide on the side. It involves lowering your dose by 2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then taking a two week break. 

 

It's more gentle on the body. 

The lower doses are harder to withdraw from so going more gently may 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

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  • Emonda changed the title to micawbersmom: Odd Symptom - Suddenly Feeling Like "Battery Completely Drained"
micawbersmom Newbie

micawbersmom

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Posted

Thanks so much for responding OMW- I appreciate it. I was able to push through the sudden "battery drain' when working in the garden - I talked myself through it and since I was only a few feet from the house, figured the worst that could happen is that I'd have to go inside for a while. On the trail while hiking, however, I had to sit on a rock for about 20 minutes to recover enough energy to press on, and it happened repeatedly. I'd walk for about 10 minutes, then this wave of enormous fatigue (the "battery drain") would wash over me and I would have to sit and recover for 15-20 minutes. I know the hike was appropriate for my fitness level as I'd done that trail before and had no issues with it. 

 

The feeling isn't like normal fatigue. It's like I am just going along fine and then - bam- I feel like I can't move!

 

It's just weird and I am almost sure it's from cutting back on the ssri but I wish I understood the biological mechanism behind it so maybe I could support my body better. Thank you for suggesting the Brass Monkey tapering slide. I've read through that and I think at the low levels I may need to change to a more gentle slow taper since I have noticed a big increase in symptoms after each taper on the smaller dose. 

1996 - 1999 Luvox 50 mg, tapered off without incident

1996-1997 Klonopin .25 mg as needed

2005-2006 Lexapro (misdiagnosed; taper off; no incident)

2012 - 2022 Luvox 100 mg 

March 23, 2022 started Luvox taper

Update: April 2024:  Currently at 2.7 mg Luvox split into 1.35 mg AM and 1.35 mg PM 

Each time I reduce the dosage by 10%, I get a day or two of extreme anxiety, followed the next week by depression for a day or two. Worse during winter. Better in summer. 

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Onmyway Grand Master

Onmyway

Posted
  • Moderator
Posted

Hi @micawbersmom

I have had the utter exhaustion feeling but in my case it hasn't been as sudde. It usually went away with rest in a month or so. 

 

It may be worth getting a physical just to rule other things out. 

 

Hope you feel better soon. 

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

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