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Dropping dose and feeling better?


reachingforthestars

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Is there anyone who has felt better after dropping dose during tapering? I mean could someone have faster metabolism so that drugs have shorter half life in their system and because of that the body adapts to those lower levels of ssri during the 24 hours? I must have higher levels of ssri at daytime after i take my dose in the morning and lower at night.

Citalopram 40mg from 2003-2015

Jan 2015 started tapering first dropped to 35mgFeb 30mg, March 25mgApril 20mg, May 17,5mg, June 15mgJuly 12,5mg, Aug 12,5mg,

Sep 0mg for 5 days because of stomac flu and after I raised to 7,5mg. All the symptoms of acute WD shaking, diarrhea, vomiting, barely could walk ect. Still didn't realize that it wasn't only stomac flu but I was also going through WD.

Oct 2,5mg and crashed again badly and quickly raised to 4mg. It was then when I knew my symptoms were due to WD.

Then in November after a month holding on 4mg raised to 5mg due to muscle weakness and had a VERY BAD reaction to reinstatement: akathisia(lasted for one or two weeks), insomnia, anhedonia... Drop quicly back to 4mg, Dec 3mg

Jan 2016 2,6mg( in the middle of Jan after I had been on 2,6mg for a week I tried to updose to 2,8mg and immediately had bad reaction to it: akathisia for a day, andehonia got worse. The next day dropped back to 2,6mg), Feb 2,4mg( a new symptom PGAD lasted 24/7 for 2 months after that on and off), March 2,4mg, April 2,3mg, May 2,2mg, June 2,1mg, July 2,0mg( Pgad almost nonexisting, sleeping pretty good, still some anhedonia but there has been a lot of gradual progress), Aug 1,97mg-1,89mg, Sep 1,88mg-1,49mg, Oct 1,48mg- 1,70mg,

Nov 0,65mg- current dose 0,5mg

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi reaching ,

 

The medications are designed to release the active ingredients into the blood stream over the course of a 24 hour period. They're made with fillers and buffers for this purpose. So you should have a fairly constant level of ssri's floating around at any given time.

 

As far as feeling better after a drop , as I'm tapering I usually have a period of feeling a bit high

after each cut.

I become a little more euphoric , have more energy , more motivation ,better visual acuity , the colors are brighter , my mind is clearer and more active. This lasts around a week or two , but seems to happen after each decrease. It's the most fun part of tapering in my eyes.

1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg

2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg

Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta

Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months.

July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months.

Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg.

October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive.

March 2016 , 21mg

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I sometimes feel much better after a drop. Especially if I have been feeling worse (before the drop) for a while. Then I can tell it's time to drop.

Current dose: 0! Free!  Quit June 2017.

2017: Last dose zoloft: 17 June 0,00065 mg 18 May 0, 001 mg 14 May 0,002 mg 9 May 0,003 mg 28 April 0,006 mg 19 April 0,009 mg 8 April 0,013 mg 25 March 0,019 mg 22 March 0,039 mg 18 March 0,052 mg 16 March 0,079 mg 4 March 0,086 1 March 0,099 mg 22 February 0,11 mg 15 February 0,13 mg 6 February 0,145 mg 24 January 0,15 mg 19 January 0,19 mg 10 January 0,20 mg 3 January

2016: 0,98 to 0,22 mg; 2015: 2,35 to 1,01 mg; 2014: 4,9 to 2,5 mg; 2013: 9,1 to 5,1 mg; 2012: 15,7 to 9,7 mg; 2011: Started on 25 mg - then 50 mg- dropped to 25- to 12.5 mg - back to 25 mg - after 18.75 mg started tiny tapering to 16.6 mg

Started on 25 mg Zoloft in March 2011 due to stressrelated tinnitus that gave me panicattacks. Had a terrible reaction to Zoloft from start, but was told to "hold on". After four months I was stuck. Therefore the long taper. Crazy, I know... Super sensitive to drops and have dropped by 4-6 % from the previous dose.

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Interesting, I have had very good week after i dropped 10% :)

Citalopram 40mg from 2003-2015

Jan 2015 started tapering first dropped to 35mgFeb 30mg, March 25mgApril 20mg, May 17,5mg, June 15mgJuly 12,5mg, Aug 12,5mg,

Sep 0mg for 5 days because of stomac flu and after I raised to 7,5mg. All the symptoms of acute WD shaking, diarrhea, vomiting, barely could walk ect. Still didn't realize that it wasn't only stomac flu but I was also going through WD.

Oct 2,5mg and crashed again badly and quickly raised to 4mg. It was then when I knew my symptoms were due to WD.

Then in November after a month holding on 4mg raised to 5mg due to muscle weakness and had a VERY BAD reaction to reinstatement: akathisia(lasted for one or two weeks), insomnia, anhedonia... Drop quicly back to 4mg, Dec 3mg

Jan 2016 2,6mg( in the middle of Jan after I had been on 2,6mg for a week I tried to updose to 2,8mg and immediately had bad reaction to it: akathisia for a day, andehonia got worse. The next day dropped back to 2,6mg), Feb 2,4mg( a new symptom PGAD lasted 24/7 for 2 months after that on and off), March 2,4mg, April 2,3mg, May 2,2mg, June 2,1mg, July 2,0mg( Pgad almost nonexisting, sleeping pretty good, still some anhedonia but there has been a lot of gradual progress), Aug 1,97mg-1,89mg, Sep 1,88mg-1,49mg, Oct 1,48mg- 1,70mg,

Nov 0,65mg- current dose 0,5mg

 

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When I was on paxil I noticed this to be the case when I was late to take meds or dropped the dose.

I'M A WEANER!  :D 
atavan PRN ,Paxil approx 20 yrs ago for major depression
Switched to Klonopin PRN through to current
Paxil wore out
Changed to Effexor 
Depakote added
enormous weight gain - flat affect - led to depression - dropped depakote
Dropped Effexor, changed to Paxil 
PDoc added mixed salts amphetamines for ADHD - took for 2 yrs - was ok at first but had to cut as symptoms too intense -  then the crash was too much. STOPPED
Vyvanse started in 2013 (APRIL) - more smooth than IR amphetamine tabs---Have not used vyvanse daily in full amt since May 2013 

Paxil CT withdrawal 10/2012  :wacko:  Klonopin CT WD

Switched Klonopin to Xanax prn  - too strong

WD CT from XANAX after taking for a while - it was awful but can be done if you hold on!

Back to Klonopin PRN - working very hard to avoid taking it at all. 

Effexor 37.5 started 02/2013, 75mg by 03/2013, 150mg by 05/2012 (approx)  :blush:

Effexor 150mg 3/10/2014 Microtaper -3beads  :unsure:

3/11/2014-4beads ,3/12/14 - 5, 3/13/14 -6, 3/15/14 - 7, 3/18 - 8, 3/22 - 10, 3/24 - 12, 4/6 - 13, 4/7 - 14, 4/11 - 16 - on 4/19 ran out of brand took generic. Bad move. Back on brand on 4/20 and updosed 2 beads. 5/1 - 15, 5/6 - 16, 5/9 -17, 55/10 -17, 5/15 -18, 5/21 -19, 5/24 -20, 6/3 - 21, 6/6 -23, 6/13 -24,6/19- 25, 6/21 -26, 6/25 -27

6/28 -28, 6/29 -30, 7/3 -34, 7/8 -35, 7/17 -36, 7/30 -41,7/31 -42, 8/2 -43, 8/3 -44, 8/5 -45, 8/14 -48, 8/26-50, 9/24 -53, 10/24 -55, 12/1 -57, (lost the tally sheet, thus taper info for some of it), 4/19-63, 4/26-64, 4/30-65 Switched to wt reduction - now @ -.068, 7/14 -.070, August 2015 -.074, between Sept & October 10 -.077, Nov. -.078(feeling great), -.090 as of 1/10/16, down to  -.101 since January 2016 (it is now 6/24/16), -.105 as of 8/13/16
 
 

Ladies, please don't underestimate the possibility of perimenopause. The symptoms can be similar to, may intensify & in some cases mimic protracted w/d from ssri's & benzo's. 

 

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Feeling better is preferable to feeling worse!!

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.

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  • 4 weeks later...

love this topic!

It may be the answer to my worsening symptoms at long hold.

Drug free Sep. 23 2017

2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks.

2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg

2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain

2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain;

2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain

2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg,

2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on

2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks.

2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR

2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg,8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg, 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg

2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg,

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • Mentor

Thanks for this thread, I have done first taper of seroquel, and have been feeling slightly better.  It is now day 8 after reducing dose.   So I suppose I can expect to feel worse now for 3 weeks of so?  Advice welcome.

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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last time I reduced seroquel - I felt better immediately. for about a week. but withdrawal started to creep in after that. I don't know why it came delayed like that. 

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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I have noticed this many times throughout my taper. Not sure why it happens but I'll take it.

a.k.a JMarie

Paxil since Mar.1998

2006-2007:40-20mg
2009: 20mg to 14mg 2010: 14mg to 10.5mg 2011: 10.5 to 7.6mg  2012: 7.5 to 6.8mg

2013: 6.7-6.3mg 2014: 6.2mg-5.8mg 2015: 5.7 to 5.15mg 2016: 5.1-4.6mg

1/19/17: 4.5mg 3/17/17: 4.4mg

6/15/17: 4.35mg 8/10/17: 4.3mg

1/29/18: 4.1mg 5/07/18: 4.0mg

7/31/18: 3.9mg

 

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I have noticed this many times throughout my taper. Not sure why it happens but I'll take it.

I learned this first a while back in your thread, and started observing the same for myself after a long hold getting severe DR, swollen head etc. so I cut 2 drops then those are mostly disappeared although the massive pins needles pain returned which is much more torturing but not as disabiling. So far I can distinguish the different symptoms from Tapering from toxicity.

 

Has anyone noticed the symptom difference?

 

I'm happy to get reassured with others as its a big unknown believing the long hold from most other experience.

 

I feel we who have this pattern are possibly building tolerance to the drug while tapering. What I hope is to cut as quick as possible while enduring the WD symptoms and getting to the point (dose) that the toxicity is minimal. I can literally FEEL my body is resisting the later part of drug (I take liquid over 6-8 hours ) each day and each drop brought up huge reaction immediately.

Drug free Sep. 23 2017

2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks.

2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg

2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain

2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain;

2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain

2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg,

2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on

2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks.

2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR

2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg,8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg, 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg

2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg,

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  • 1 year later...

Has anyone else had it to where tapering makes you feel better for about 3 weeks to a month then things go downhill? Is that withdrawal or proof the medicine is causing nasty symptoms?

Been on 3mg Risperdal for 13 years due to drug induced psychosis from meth

Was on 0.5 mg Klonopin for 6 years as needed until May 2016 for anxiety

Quit the Klonopin in May 2016 too fast and went into withdrawal hell for 9 months

Started reducing Risperdal by 0.25 mg a month in December 2016

Ran into problems after hitting 2 mg and getting rid of the morning dose so decided to slow taper down

Waited 10 weeks to reduce dose again

6/30/2017 at 1.75 mg

7/30/2017 at 1.60 mg

9/11/2017 at 0 mg

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Yes. Seems like every additional taper makes it harder and seems inconsistent.

 

Meaning, that at first taper, you'll get 1 bad week with 3 weeks relief, while after that the windows get smaller.

 

It's withdrawal 100%

Latest med schedule and withdrawal (05/17/17):

Seroquel On 125mg 10/28/16 (now, 125 mg), (9/2017, 200mg)

Cymbalta On 27mg 10/28/16 (now, 27 mg), (9/2017, 90mg)

Viibryd On 10mg 10/28/16 (now, 10 mg), (9/2017, 20mg)

Klonopin On 2.5 Start 10/28/16 (now 1.5 night, 1 Morning), (9/2017 1.5 night, 1 morning, .5 midday, total 3mg)

Diovan 160mg On 10/28/16 (now 160mg)

Norvasc On 10mg 10/28/16 (now 0), (1/2017 10mg)

Cytomel (T3 for thyroid) on 11/2017 25mcg

 

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Well typically I improve after tapering for a few weeks then start going downhill then I taper and improve then go down hill..... kinda strange how actually going down on dose makes me feel better for awhile..... last time I held for 2 months I kept getting worse and worse until I tapered..... and I am still not as bad as I was before that taper...... I am thinking the medicine may actually be causing me problems and the withdrawal isn't what is getting me as bad.

Been on 3mg Risperdal for 13 years due to drug induced psychosis from meth

Was on 0.5 mg Klonopin for 6 years as needed until May 2016 for anxiety

Quit the Klonopin in May 2016 too fast and went into withdrawal hell for 9 months

Started reducing Risperdal by 0.25 mg a month in December 2016

Ran into problems after hitting 2 mg and getting rid of the morning dose so decided to slow taper down

Waited 10 weeks to reduce dose again

6/30/2017 at 1.75 mg

7/30/2017 at 1.60 mg

9/11/2017 at 0 mg

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Have you read Peter Breggin's Your Drug May Be Your Problem?  If the drug is causing problems you still need to taper carefully so your brain adapts to not getting as much of the drug.

 

Each of us needs to listen to our body.  Keep notes on paper about your drug dosages and daily symptom pattern can help.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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How can it be the medicine if it gets worse on taper? It's wd fellows...

Latest med schedule and withdrawal (05/17/17):

Seroquel On 125mg 10/28/16 (now, 125 mg), (9/2017, 200mg)

Cymbalta On 27mg 10/28/16 (now, 27 mg), (9/2017, 90mg)

Viibryd On 10mg 10/28/16 (now, 10 mg), (9/2017, 20mg)

Klonopin On 2.5 Start 10/28/16 (now 1.5 night, 1 Morning), (9/2017 1.5 night, 1 morning, .5 midday, total 3mg)

Diovan 160mg On 10/28/16 (now 160mg)

Norvasc On 10mg 10/28/16 (now 0), (1/2017 10mg)

Cytomel (T3 for thyroid) on 11/2017 25mcg

 

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No it improves on taper and gets worse after a month or so.... then tapering things improve again for a bit then go back to crap. It is actually quite strange.....

Been on 3mg Risperdal for 13 years due to drug induced psychosis from meth

Was on 0.5 mg Klonopin for 6 years as needed until May 2016 for anxiety

Quit the Klonopin in May 2016 too fast and went into withdrawal hell for 9 months

Started reducing Risperdal by 0.25 mg a month in December 2016

Ran into problems after hitting 2 mg and getting rid of the morning dose so decided to slow taper down

Waited 10 weeks to reduce dose again

6/30/2017 at 1.75 mg

7/30/2017 at 1.60 mg

9/11/2017 at 0 mg

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  • Moderator Emeritus

If things get worse after a month or so, try holding at the same dose for a longer period, or make a smaller reduction and hold for a longer time. Some people find brassmonkey's method, the brassmonkey slide, helpful.  Here is an explanation of it that I posted in his introduction topic.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Hi Razmuk, so you have the similar pattern. I have been in a similar situation ever since I got a drug reaction from accidental updose ( 1 day only) almost two years ago. It's now proved after years testing that I got two opposite enemies WD and Reaction. The two works on separate operation systems as how I call them, meaning they don't cancel each other even they have opposite relationship with dose level. Dropping dose always provides relief from my drug reaction symptoms, in the mean time my WD symptoms could be stronger for a few days but they were not too bad as compared to drug reaction ones. then after a bit holding at the same dose, I have to cut again as drug reaction would ramp back again. Regardless, I agree with chessicat you need to taper carefully to avoid too bad WD ramping up. It's like dancing in between two evils.

 

did you start having this pattern just recently? Do you know anything might triggered this pattern if it was not like this originally ? 

 

In in my experience, reaction has been much harder to deal and symptoms are much more painful and inteolerable. What are yours symptoms that got better with tapering? WD symptoms always get better over time, reaction symptoms can get worse and worse without boundary.

 

lex

 

 

Drug free Sep. 23 2017

2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks.

2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg

2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain

2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain;

2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain

2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg,

2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on

2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks.

2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR

2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg,8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg, 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg

2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg,

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Well it has been that way for most of the taper except dropping the morning dose completely..... I held for 2 months a couple times and both times my cognition got worse and worse and anxiety creeped up worse and worse then I taper and all is good for a 3 weeks to a month then it backslides again. Most of the time when that happens also my medicine makes me feel weird when I take it at night until I go to sleep. I honestly think my brain and body are rejecting the meds at this point. It is kind of a strange line to be walking because of all I have learned on here, but then again everyone is different. Like recently, I started losing sleep, got really nauseous, anxiety through the roof that kept ramping up over a week. I decided to taper and now my anxiety is going back down, my sleep is getting better, nausea is gone....... it is really strange

Been on 3mg Risperdal for 13 years due to drug induced psychosis from meth

Was on 0.5 mg Klonopin for 6 years as needed until May 2016 for anxiety

Quit the Klonopin in May 2016 too fast and went into withdrawal hell for 9 months

Started reducing Risperdal by 0.25 mg a month in December 2016

Ran into problems after hitting 2 mg and getting rid of the morning dose so decided to slow taper down

Waited 10 weeks to reduce dose again

6/30/2017 at 1.75 mg

7/30/2017 at 1.60 mg

9/11/2017 at 0 mg

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  • 1 year later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Razmuk,

Not sure if you get on here much however, i am helping my daughter to taper off risperdal and we are finding the exact same situation.  We had a 'snafu' back in april where her dad and i were giving her two different doses (glo has special needs and lives between her dads house and mine.) With the bouncing around in dose she got way worse.....akathisia, urinary frequency, extreme agitation and insomnia.  Once we realized what happened we picked a middle of the ground dose to land on. She got a little better but we decided to decrease again, and she had even more improved symptoms.  We decided to micro taper her over the next couple months and even though she had withdrawal symptoms, her insomnia and urinary frequency and agitation got better.  Then we decided to hold her for a month to just let her rest and by the fourth week, she started having increased agitation and all sorts of uncomfortableness. So we decided to drop her dose again.....and wow...she felt better the next day and has continued to show signs of increased alertness.  We fully expect withdrawal symptoms to kick in the next day or so and plan to hold her again for a month to get through withdrawal....but i am guessing she feels better after the taper due to drug reaction.  So as @lexanger stated, 'we are dancing in between two devils' but it is reassuring that others have seen this pattern.  Thank you for your contributions to this subject. glosmom

2016 - Oct -Daughter started Risperdal (for steroid induced psychosis that never went away after stopping prednisone)

Nov - dose increases stopped at 1.5mg in Dec

2017 - Jan- weaned from 1.5 to 1.0 in 2 weeks then 1.0 to .5 in two weeks and then off. Feb. 3 weeks of increased psychosis, pacing, insomnia, other awful symptoms so late Feb  - Back on 1.5 mg Risperdal. May  - decrease to 1.25mg, two weeks later 1.0mg - symptoms started again. June - held steady at 1.25mg for 6 weeks and switched to liquid (3 ml syringe). July - started 10% taper every 3 weeks, October -  .8 mg, December - .7 mg .

2018 -Jan- 0.65 mg,  Feb- 0.59,  Mar-0.50, late April - .40mg, July- .36 mg, Aug - switched from 3 mL syringe to 1 mL syringe for more accuracy (her dad and i were not sure we were giving her the same dose when in between the 'dashes' on the 3 mL syringe.) Aug -.30 mg (3mL syr)/.44 mg (1 mL syr) difference due to med in the tip of both syringes). Sept- .28 mg (3mL syr)/.42 mg (1 mL syr). Oct - .16 mg (3 mL syr)/.30 mg (1 mL syr). Nov.- .06mg (3mL syr)/.20 mg (1mLsyr). Dec. - tip only/unmeasurable (3mL syr)/.10 mg (1mLsyr)

2019- Jan -.06 mg (1 mL syr), Feb- .025 mg (1 mL syr), Feb 27, 2019 - jumped to zero!!

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Is it a problem to hold for too long? I have been holding for 8 months and the internal tremors have improved a little towards the end of the 8 months but after 4 months the anxiety and ocd have been getting worse. I did a 1mg reduction late last year ( but had to go up .5mg not long after) and switched from generic liquid to pure Prozac liquid in January. 

1987 Anafranil

1987-1989 Prothiaden

1990-Jan 2015 Prozac 40mg Feb-Mar Prozac 30mg Ap-Nov Prozac 20mg (+10mg Zoloft for 1 week in Sept) Dec Prozac 10mg 2016 Jan-2017 Oct Prozac 15mg  Nov Prozac 14mg  Nov Prozac14.5mg

Other drugs Humira and Methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritisSupplements :Magnesium and calcium.Folic acid 5mg.

Inderal 10mg (stopped 2018 Dec).        

2018 Nov Quetiapine fumarate 25mg Dec 150-125mg 2019Jan 125-25mg Feb 25-12.5mg

2018 Dec Sertra 25-150-125mg

2018 Dec Pregabalin 75-150mg                                                                                                  

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How small an amount can you microtaper? I don’t want my anxiety or ocd to get worse.

1987 Anafranil

1987-1989 Prothiaden

1990-Jan 2015 Prozac 40mg Feb-Mar Prozac 30mg Ap-Nov Prozac 20mg (+10mg Zoloft for 1 week in Sept) Dec Prozac 10mg 2016 Jan-2017 Oct Prozac 15mg  Nov Prozac 14mg  Nov Prozac14.5mg

Other drugs Humira and Methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritisSupplements :Magnesium and calcium.Folic acid 5mg.

Inderal 10mg (stopped 2018 Dec).        

2018 Nov Quetiapine fumarate 25mg Dec 150-125mg 2019Jan 125-25mg Feb 25-12.5mg

2018 Dec Sertra 25-150-125mg

2018 Dec Pregabalin 75-150mg                                                                                                  

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  • Moderator Emeritus

HI Bunyapine,  Well glo is only on one drug and it is an antpsychotic. Razmuk was also referring to the same antipsychotic (risperdal). So I don't feel comfortable assuming the same situation would translate to an antidepressant.  Many folks on this site talk of long holds being good so i don't want to refute their advice in any way.  However, I just found it interesting that there is a phenomenon that could occur in some people that holding longer (what the time frame is probably varies from person to person) is not helpful and actually reducing the dose makes them feel better. I believe Dr. Peter Breggin refers to this in his book 'Your Drug May Be Your Problem'...although i have not read the book yet.  I am only relating an experience and am not offering advice.  I know this site is wonderful to read and learn about how others handle issues, but ultimately it is up to us to decide what path best fits our situation.  I think all of us here have either done the 'trial and error' method or are going through the 'trial and error' method.  Sometimes this has made things worse but sometimes it has made things better. I am happy to be reporting that glo seems to be doing better (although she still has withdrawal symptoms) when she reduces her dose now since our 'snafu event' in April.  Best wishes to you!! glosmom

2016 - Oct -Daughter started Risperdal (for steroid induced psychosis that never went away after stopping prednisone)

Nov - dose increases stopped at 1.5mg in Dec

2017 - Jan- weaned from 1.5 to 1.0 in 2 weeks then 1.0 to .5 in two weeks and then off. Feb. 3 weeks of increased psychosis, pacing, insomnia, other awful symptoms so late Feb  - Back on 1.5 mg Risperdal. May  - decrease to 1.25mg, two weeks later 1.0mg - symptoms started again. June - held steady at 1.25mg for 6 weeks and switched to liquid (3 ml syringe). July - started 10% taper every 3 weeks, October -  .8 mg, December - .7 mg .

2018 -Jan- 0.65 mg,  Feb- 0.59,  Mar-0.50, late April - .40mg, July- .36 mg, Aug - switched from 3 mL syringe to 1 mL syringe for more accuracy (her dad and i were not sure we were giving her the same dose when in between the 'dashes' on the 3 mL syringe.) Aug -.30 mg (3mL syr)/.44 mg (1 mL syr) difference due to med in the tip of both syringes). Sept- .28 mg (3mL syr)/.42 mg (1 mL syr). Oct - .16 mg (3 mL syr)/.30 mg (1 mL syr). Nov.- .06mg (3mL syr)/.20 mg (1mLsyr). Dec. - tip only/unmeasurable (3mL syr)/.10 mg (1mLsyr)

2019- Jan -.06 mg (1 mL syr), Feb- .025 mg (1 mL syr), Feb 27, 2019 - jumped to zero!!

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  • 2 months later...

I have had this happen throughout my wellbutrin taper. There were about 3 or 4 times where after my decrease for about 3 weeks I felt great, then by the 3rd or 4th week I started going down hill. I recently held for 4 months, and symptoms didn't really improve so i decided to drop 10%. after this drop at the 4 week mark I experienced anxiety like I haven't had in a very long time. I updosed bc of it, and I am now at 1 week of my updose with no sign of the anxiety easing. I didnt realize other people were going through this so i am relieved to read this thread. What have ppl done with it? Are you decreasing when your body tells you to, or are you holding out hoping for stabilization?

-jan14 2016- off effexor!!-

wellbutrin:Jan 25/17;Start to split 100mg in half

-Feb 12/17;100-50mg -Apr 30/17;50-30mg liquid. -June 6/ 17;30-20mg -July6/17;updose to 26mg -Oct 18/17;13 to 12mg -Nov 24/17;12 to 11mg -Feb 21/18;22 to 20mg -Apr 2/18;20 to 18mg -Apr 30/18;18 to 16mg -May 22/18;16 to 14mg -June 18/18;14 to 12.4mg -July 15 /18;12.4 to 11.6mg -Nov5/18;11.2 to 10mg -Dec14/18;10 to 10.4mg

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I've resubmitted my post with a quote below and would like to delete this one (not sure how to do that). Thanks!

 

 

Edited by Uhu
Forgot to quote
2007-2014: Clonazepam (started at 0.5mg, I think, and then sat at .25mg for several years before weaning myself off); 
2007-2015: Sertraline (100mg; tapered off very quickly in Jan. / Feb. 2015);
2015: withdrawal for most of the year, beginning with the sertraline taper (apathy, brain fog, brain zaps, depression);
January- April 2016: Felt great; these were some of the happiest months of my life;
April/May 2016: Began to feel anxious again; felt myself unraveling / losing my resolve. Continued to unravel to the point where I could barely function (very dense brain fog & severe anxiety). Was so desperate that I reluctantly agreed to try Wellbutrin.
Oct. 2016: started taking Wellbutrin 100 mg SR; Nov. 2016: went up to 150 mg SR;
Jan. 2017: back down to 100 mg SR; then back up to 150 mg a few days later due to severe withdrawal symptoms;
May/June 2017: began a slow taper; August 2017: down to 75 mg (switched to IR for easier tapering);
Jan. 2018: 18.75 mg. Withdrawal again (dizziness, weak, disoriented, depressed, more anxious than usual) after I tried to speed up the taper;
Feb. 2018: up to ~25/30 mg. I've been tapering steadily (and very cautiously) since then; right now I'm back at around 18.75mg.  
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5 hours ago, jen84 said:

I have had this happen throughout my wellbutrin taper. There were about 3 or 4 times where after my decrease for about 3 weeks I felt great, then by the 3rd or 4th week I started going down hill. I recently held for 4 months, and symptoms didn't really improve so i decided to drop 10%. after this drop at the 4 week mark I experienced anxiety like I haven't had in a very long time. I updosed bc of it, and I am now at 1 week of my updose with no sign of the anxiety easing. I didnt realize other people were going through this so i am relieved to read this thread. What have ppl done with it? Are you decreasing when your body tells you to, or are you holding out hoping for stabilization?

 

Hi Jen, I'm also tapering off Wellbutrin and have experienced the same thing throughout my taper (feel better for a while after dropping, then it suddenly gets worse). The amount of time that elapses before I start to feel worse (which I assume means that my body has noticed that it is getting less of the drug) varies wildly from one reduction to the next. Maddening. I'm at an extremely low dose (4mg) and have been reducing by more than 10% recently because I'm getting impatient -- that may be part of my problem, but I noticed the same pattern even when I was tapering more gradually. I'm not sure what to do, either.  Wish I had answers...

Take care! 🙂

2007-2014: Clonazepam (started at 0.5mg, I think, and then sat at .25mg for several years before weaning myself off); 
2007-2015: Sertraline (100mg; tapered off very quickly in Jan. / Feb. 2015);
2015: withdrawal for most of the year, beginning with the sertraline taper (apathy, brain fog, brain zaps, depression);
January- April 2016: Felt great; these were some of the happiest months of my life;
April/May 2016: Began to feel anxious again; felt myself unraveling / losing my resolve. Continued to unravel to the point where I could barely function (very dense brain fog & severe anxiety). Was so desperate that I reluctantly agreed to try Wellbutrin.
Oct. 2016: started taking Wellbutrin 100 mg SR; Nov. 2016: went up to 150 mg SR;
Jan. 2017: back down to 100 mg SR; then back up to 150 mg a few days later due to severe withdrawal symptoms;
May/June 2017: began a slow taper; August 2017: down to 75 mg (switched to IR for easier tapering);
Jan. 2018: 18.75 mg. Withdrawal again (dizziness, weak, disoriented, depressed, more anxious than usual) after I tried to speed up the taper;
Feb. 2018: up to ~25/30 mg. I've been tapering steadily (and very cautiously) since then; right now I'm back at around 18.75mg.  
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  • 2 years later...
  • Mentor
On 1/9/2016 at 8:26 AM, Fresh said:

The medications are designed to release the active ingredients into the blood stream over the course of a 24 hour period. They're made with fillers and buffers for this purpose.

 

Even the ones that aren't long release like Lexapro?

- Escitalopram 10mg from ages 15 - 21

- Severe crash after 4 month taper to 0

- Reinstated, stabilized, slowly tapering.

 

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it." - Hellen Keller

I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice, but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • 9 months later...

Wow it is so good to know I am not the only one to experience this strange pattern... 

 

I made a mistake and updosed too high and am trying to get low enough to hold for a longer period to stabilise and have been experiencing the same pattern in which I am getting better after the cut and then slowly worsening, I hope it is due to the fact I am still too high in dosage and my body will allow me to make a longer hold, because I am pretty tired of being between a rock and a hard place.

 

But still I have to say that my last dosage lasted me far longer than previous one so I am full of hope that I am closing in on tolerable one :)

Duloxetine 2016/17 - 30/60mg/30mg, c/t, light WD.

Sertraline June 2019 50mg ADR

Clorazepate June 2019 20-15-10mg for 3 weeks then sparsely until 2022, 2 times per month max and very low dose (5mg)

Clorazepate Jan2022 10mg 5 days 2,5mg 2 days then off

Venlafaxine June 2019 75mg ADR, 17,5mg, titrated to 37,5mg

Venlafaxine Jan 2022 Covid, hard ADR on 37,5mg, reduced to 20mg ADR, tried ct, crash,

Venlafaxine 22Jan22 reinstated 9,4mg, too low/ 01Feb22- 12mg/ 12Feb- 11,25mg/ 16Feb- 11mg/ 20Feb- 10,8mg/ 24Feb22-10,575mg/ 16Mar22- 10,46mg/ 26Mar22- 10,35mg/ 26Apr22- 10mg/ 01Oct- 9,9mg/ 13Nov- 9,7mg

01Jan24-7,5mg

MAR24

Due to another sudden intolerance had to fast taper venlafaxine to 1,14mg 

Seems like all of this time I was in benzo withdrawal, because when I took it now in desperation to help it made me feel worse, tried reinstatement first 1mg, then 0,05mg both made me feel worse.

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