Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Crocus -- weaning from Effexor XR


Crocus

Recommended Posts

Hello everyone;

 

I chose this username for the flowers that are the first to bloom right through the snow. I have quite a few and they give me hope. I need hope more than anything right now.

 

I came back from getting my master's degree last year and was ready and excited to get to work. There did not seem to be much work, especially if you are a boomer. I decided to get things done that I had always wanted to do now that I had an abundance of time. One of those was to get off of Effexor.

 

I worked at a state mental health facility as part of my grad school program and it was barbaric at best. I watched people come back through the doors over and over only to be given a larger "cocktail" of meds.

 

I was given this and two other meds in 06 for depression. I had no idea who I had become until getting off of them. My daughter confided that she actually wanted my husband to help her with an "intervention" of sorts to tell me that I was not myself at all.

 

Short story long, I began weaning. I told the Dr. who prescribed them and he was okay with all except the Effexor. He said I'd have to take it for life. Why? Because it is difficult to get off of it. As if this were a good reason.

 

So, I no longer have high cholesterol, or a pre-diabetic condition and my body began to heal and is down 35 lbs and at a normal weight. What I did not bargain for was the horrific side effects of the withdrawl. I am sure you have heard it all before - the flu symptoms, brain zaps, nausea, despair and the feeling that my nervous system is on the outside of my body and lit up like I am in the midst of a trauma. I have gotten help from a non=profit website that offers nutritional help and especially from a great Naturopath who we drive 4 hours to see.

 

So here I am at 31.25 mg of a drug that should never have been marketed. I am not eligible for unemployment and so I am a non-statistic. I research and read about meds and all things related every day, walk my GSP and try to be a good partner to my husband when I can't even help with income.

 

I have read every book in the library about psych meds, litigation, nutrients for brain health. Now I have exhausted their historical novels too. I want my life back. I want to work though, as a clinical social worker my career feels broken too. I will not go to work in a setting that requires me to encourage broken souls to take drugs.

 

Thank you for reading my intro. I am sad that we have all landed here, but so glad that the site has been created.

xxxx

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Welcome, Crocus. Thank you for joining our community.

 

You sound very well-informed.

 

How are you tapering off the Effexor? Do you have Effexor tablets?

 

At least your doctor was semi-honest with you.

 

We do know of a couple of doctors in Colorado who might be able to help -- see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/988-recommended-doctors-therapists-or-clinics/page__view__findpost__p__11057 and http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/988-recommended-doctors-therapists-or-clinics/page__view__findpost__p__11058

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.

Link to comment

Thank you Alto - I have felt like information is so important in trying to find my way out of this nightmare.

 

I am taking capsules of Effexor and have been reducing by 2 beads every 10 to 14 days depending on how I am doing. I have read about compounding pharmacies etc., but that is financially prohibitive at this point in time. It is pretty frustrating to continue to pay for a harmful drug at any price, but I guess I should be grateful that our insurance added the capsule to their formulary. Before that, I had to use tablets which made tiny reductions impossible and then finally began getting the capsules from a Canadian pharmacy.

 

I am seeing the prescribing Dr again in a few weeks and am going to see if he can help with any other means of dosing. He is not the original one who prescribed the Effexor but is the one that said I should take it for life. You are right - he was honest in telling me that it was tough to come off of.

xxxx

Link to comment

Oh, and excellent! I have been looking for one the doctors that is listed in this link. I am SO glad I registered on the forum, thank you Alto.

xxxx

Link to comment
  • Administrator

You're welcome, Crocus. Please let us know how your conversations with these doctors go.

 

You may be reducing too fast, even at one or two pellets. It may be a good idea for you to hold at one dosage for a few weeks, to see if your system settles.

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.

Link to comment

Alto - you are probably right, though, with 2 beads every 2 weeks I am looking at another 18 months...I guess we all get the urge to "get this over with" from time to time. Maybe if I have a slower taper I will feel good enough to work again. I have looked for part-time jobs that are in the afternoon as it is the morning that can be killer. I had a nine day streak of good days at one point.

xxxx

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Some people have a very difficult time reducing Effexor even by a pellet.

 

If you have good windows, that's a good sign. Might help to stabilize ever so often for a few weeks.

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.

Link to comment

I did not mention that I am also on .5 mg of Klonopin for sleep. Does anyone know if that will make my withdrawl from Effexor worse? It certainly sounds like it complicates things...

xxxx

Link to comment

Hi Crocus. I love my Plum Blossoms on my tree for the same reason you love the Crocus. It blooms through the snow. Such an inspiring symbol of Home and Strength. I'm glad you joined us. Nice to meet you.

Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012.

Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38)

My Paxil Website

My Intro

Link to comment

Thanks Shanti. I had replies from Alto, but did not hear from anyone else and was starting to wonder what I had done wrong...the lovely super-sensitive-reactive-antidepressant-weaning effect that I have had come into my life with all the other stuff. So, thank you so much for welcoming me.

xxxx

Link to comment

I am as happy as you that you found this site and I thank you for your warm words :)

 

If I properly understood, you no longer suffer from the agony of overwhelming despair and neuropathy. I am so glad you are off it. You are incredibly strong for having went through that. Incredibly strong! I hope that you won't have to be as strong as you have ever had to, and that the next of your journey will be soother thant it has been. Don't beat yourself up. Admire you. This is the proper way of thinking! You are not responsible for not being able to work. It is all Bigpharma's fault.

 

I wish you recovery and happiness :)

First AD -sertraline- in 2007at the age of 13 because of child abuse

2009-2013: intricate story of multiple wds, meds and cts, gradually became a living mess

Feb 2013: last CT from a cocktail of four drugs, symptoms are relenting but witness a constant sharpening of the brain

 

Link to comment

Thanks roads! Well, I wish I was off of the drug, but I am still weaning. I am at 31.25 mg of the stuff. I have not had a "bad" episode since June, but I still have the neuropathy and work hard every day to use supplements etc. to keep myself from tanking again. Every time I wean by 2 beads I am at risk of waking up with the dread and fear and...the whole body pain and anxiety off the charts... I think that maybe I am just doing some better since I slowed the taper and probably need to slow it even more as Monday of this week I had a bit of an emotional meltdown.

 

Amazing to me that I have to have such consistency in my life right now to keep my nervous system from unleashing all this stuff. I try to do things at the same time each day, each consistently, take supplements, take my "beads-from-hell" consistently... I have always been a pretty random person and this takes a lot of effort.

 

I am proud of sticking with it for this long though and I really appreciate your support. You are right, big pharma has SO much to answer for. I have read books about the litigation etc., and they have done virtually ANYTHING for a buck. It makes me sick to think of it.

 

I am glad that Alto has started this site and we have a place to be, to discuss and to meltdown when necessary. I have been wanting to find this since Feb when I started the weaning process. I feel like I have been on an island and just discovered I am not alone!

xxxx

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Crocus, the benzo is probably tempering the withdrawal effects. If I were you, I would stay on it until off Effexor and stable for quite a while.

 

Be prepared for a very gradual taper off Klonopin as well, when you decide to quit it.

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.

Link to comment

Thank you Alto. You know, the non-profit I mentioned had a theory about reducing all meds at the same time and I did for a while at first then realized I could not tell what was from what! You are right about this and I have the Klonopin down to .5 mg but don't want to mess with that dose. I also have a narcotic Rx for pain PRN, an sometimes - I have to use it. Actually, I worry more about the acetaminophen in it than the opiate!

 

Thank you so much for your responsiveness and continued help.

xxxx

Link to comment

I am not certain why, but I have had a hard time sleeping the last several nights. I recorded Oct 10th as the last time I did a 2 bead reduction, and yesterday decided to go back up to 86 beads (generally I see the effects about 5 days after the reduction). I am going to maintain at 86 for a while.

 

In addition, I went and got some melatonin and a sleep mask at the health food store. I have espsom salts as well, so if the melatonin does not help and I get body aches tonight I will do a bath as well.

 

I have decided to change my perspective (what else is there :) on tapering and take longer with it. It helps me in no way to feel frantic and make adjustments each time I feel okay.

 

I hope everyone might take the time to look at many of the different parts of this forum. So much good information all in one place. I feel a little bit of peace tonight and know that I am in good company here. We can all get through this. Crocus

xxxx

Link to comment

Boy, I need to continue to remind myself of the limitations of my med tapering. On Tuesday, I was able to speak with Dr. Mark Foster and he is very excited to have me work with him on his new non-profit ClearMind, Inc. We are (among other things) going to start support groups here in Denver for people who are weaning from psych meds.

 

Thing is, I need to do this but I am still "mid-wean" and any excitement good or bad can shift my sleep patterns and cause other wise tolerable withdrawal symptoms to skyrocket. Add to which, I went to a meeting last night of some other clinicians who are coming together to learn about nutrition and help people get off meds and though I was home by 9:30 I could not relax, sleep and today I feel like I have been beaten with a 2x4!

 

So, I guess I needed to remind myself by writing this here - take it easy girl and take care of you.

xxxx

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Great news about your connection with Dr. Foster! I'm sure you'll help his project get off the ground

 

Hmmm, sensitivity to stress is another sign that a slower wean might be better for you.

 

(Crocus, please put your weaning schedule in your signature.)

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.

Link to comment

Days later I notice my typo :rolleyes: I meant the tree blossoms in the snow are a symbol of Hope, not home lol

Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012.

Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38)

My Paxil Website

My Intro

Link to comment

Great news about your connection with Dr. Foster! I'm sure you'll help his project get off the ground

 

Hmmm, sensitivity to stress is another sign that a slower wean might be better for you.

 

(Crocus, please put your weaning schedule in your signature.)

 

Thanks Alto. We had a great talk and he is an amazing man and I am so happy that I will be putting my energy toward something so important to so many of us.

 

I appreciate your continued input as to my weaning as well - you have been spot on about my going too rapidly and I am going to write up my schedule and get it on here. I have it, with pages of documenting what I have done.

xxxx

Link to comment

Days later I notice my typo :rolleyes: I meant the tree blossoms in the snow are a symbol of Hope, not home lol

 

Oh, this made me smile Shanti -

 

I have the same problem. Words that would have been easy to me come out all wrong - especially "here vs. hear" and other...oops, are they synonyms? Anyway, I write some pretty random things - thank goodness for the "edit" button!

xxxx

Link to comment

 

Days later I notice my typo :rolleyes: I meant the tree blossoms in the snow are a symbol of Hope, not home lol

 

Oh, this made me smile Shanti -

 

I have the same problem. Words that would have been easy to me come out all wrong - especially "here vs. hear" and other...oops, are they synonyms? Anyway, I write some pretty random things - thank goodness for the "edit" button!

 

I have to use the edit button for nearly every post. Sometimes twice. If it's a long post, it can even be three times lol. I love the edit button too :)

Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012.

Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38)

My Paxil Website

My Intro

Link to comment

I did not mention that I am also on .5 mg of Klonopin for sleep. Does anyone know if that will make my withdrawl from Effexor worse? It certainly sounds like it complicates things...

 

Hi Crocus,

 

I came off effexor over about 2 months. I also had been on klonopin previously, but wasn't on it when I tapered off effexor. My doc was a fool and I tapered way to fast. In retrospect I wish I had done gone slower. A lot slower.

 

After a few months off effexor, I ended up going back on klonopin. Reintroduction of a benzo helped some of my w/d symptoms, though it's not something I would recommend because benzos bring their own baggage in most cases. However, if you are already on it, I wouldn't reduce especially if you're having anxiety and sleep issues as it is. I've found that benzos mask a lot of my withdrawal symptoms but not all. Also, they have their own risks over the long term. In your case, I wouldn't worry about the K. .5mg is a pretty minimal dose, even daily, so successful effexor taper would take priority if I was in your shoes.

 

It's been 20 months since my last dose of effexor and things are better but the road to here has had its bumps.

 

I still take benzos and will for a bit longer before starting a taper. My benzo taper will be very slow.

 

Effexor is a horrific drug, however I know many people who stopped taking it and didn't have an extended withdrawal as I have.

 

There is a lot of good information on this board. Alto, in particular, is a good guide. Still there are no miracle fixes and sometimes it takes the body time...

 

Welcome to the board, Crocus. My name is Alex round here. Nice to meet you.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
  • Administrator

So good to see you posting you're better, alex.

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.

Link to comment

Alex;

 

Thank you for your kind reply and I am so happy to meet you. I sometimes feel jealous when I read of someone "getting off" of these drugs in such a short time, but clearly they continue to effect your system so your words of wisdom are appreciated.

 

At 55, I feel like I need to "hurry" and get back to "normal" - ha! Time to let that one go and look for my new normal(s) as they come up on the horizon.

 

I was initially told to wean simultaneously from several things and as you can see by my novel, I got off most of the drugs in one to two months, then [drum roll please] came the Effexor. It has been one of the toughest challenges I have had and my best source has been a naturopath who lives 4 hours away. He had experience in helping people to wean of antidepressants, but his thought process is that you give your body back the nutrients to heal itself from the ravaging effects of the drugs.

 

So, what a ride! I wish none of us were going through this, but since we are I am proud to be in good company.

xxxx

Link to comment
  • Administrator

....It has been one of the toughest challenges I have had and my best source has been a naturopath who lives 4 hours away. He had experience in helping people to wean of antidepressants, but his thought process is that you give your body back the nutrients to heal itself from the ravaging effects of the drugs....

 

This is exactly the right attitude from a naturopath: To improve general health. None of that balancing neurotransmitters stuff!

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.

Link to comment

I loved that movie Sea Biscuit. I think I'll watch it again if it's on Netflix. That's a very good quote in your sig. I hope all is well with you. Sending you best wishes.

Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012.

Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38)

My Paxil Website

My Intro

Link to comment

Shanti;

 

Thank you for that post. I have often thought someday I will have an office with that quote painted on the wall [smiling].

 

I have a question and need some input. Yesterday I had the stomach flu. Bigtime. I am still weak and feel like I have been hit by a train. I am concerned as I do not think that my Effexor dose "stayed down" to put it delicately and I am not sure if there is anything else I need to be doing. I did take a small dose last night (4 beads) after the worst of the flu had passed. I would just hate to go back to overwhelming symptoms. Thoughts?

xxxx

Link to comment

nothing brilliant - but since you have no way of knowing what dose your system got, you have no way of knowing how to correct it.

I think you just have to hang in and go back to your normal routine today. And be good to yourself if you have problems.

History is approximate; I didn't track my dosages.

 

1995 - started zoloft/sertraline for depression

1995-2008 - sertraline ranged from 100-200mg, may have gone as high as 250mg

2006 - 2009 - added welbutrin/budeprion SR, 150 mg

sometime in 2009-2010 - stopped budeprion c/t

sometime around 2009-2010, Tapered down sertraline w/o guidance to 50 mg, then 25mg.

~ feb 2010, stopped sertraline.

~ Apr 2010, resumed 25mg low dose (really bad business trip)

Oct 2010, stopped sertraline

Jan 2011 - another bad business trip "breaks" my sleep.

 

current issues include insomnia, anxiety, GI distress, depression.

Taking multivitamins, Vitamin D, fish oil, Chinese herbs, ~ 0.5mg melatonin in the evening.

Going to therapy and acupuncture once a week.

Link to comment

 

....It has been one of the toughest challenges I have had and my best source has been a naturopath who lives 4 hours away. He had experience in helping people to wean of antidepressants, but his thought process is that you give your body back the nutrients to heal itself from the ravaging effects of the drugs....

 

This is exactly the right attitude from a naturopath: To improve general health. None of that balancing neurotransmitters stuff!

 

I spoke w a nutritionist who said the same thing along with "why attempt to recirculate old dopamine/serotonin, etc. w drugs when we can feed the brain the nutrients to process new?" I won't pretend to know the details on 'recirculated neurotransmitters/hormones' but it got my attention. I know that supplements are not 100% saf either.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

Link to comment

 

I spoke w a nutritionist who said the same thing along with "why attempt to recirculate old dopamine/serotonin, etc. w drugs when we can feed the brain the nutrients to process new?" I won't pretend to know the details on 'recirculated neurotransmitters/hormones' but it got my attention. I know that supplements are not 100% saf either.

 

Hi Barbara -

 

Yes it does make some sense. Just like there are wise and foolish Dr.s in any specific profession, I think that it makes the most sense to look to one who "does more with less" for lack of a better way to put it.

 

I know that what we ingest is powerful and either helps or harms. I feel really fortunate to have found someone who makes sense to me.

xxxx

Link to comment
  • Administrator

I believe 'recirculated neurotransmitters/hormones' is a reference to the action of re-uptake inhibitors.

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.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Oof!

 

Well, I took another shot at a taper in the last few days. I am just now doing better after giving in and adding back the amount I reduced by. Clearly, I need I different and even slower approach.

 

I had a lot of anxiety and nausea and that just goes to show me how potent Effexor is. I am going to see the prescribing Dr. as the visit is free, and I hope he might open up his mind a bit and help me with some ideas about how to approach this smallest part of the taper. I do not see him until the 15th, but may try and get it sooner. These last few days were too reminiscent of the first and most naive reductions I made.

 

I did get an e-mail from Bob Whitaker today and he was very nice and thanked me for writing him. He did say that he was aware of this forum and I am quite glad to hear that. Should he need people to write about in a subsequent book I'd say this would be a good place for him to start :)

 

I have been reading everyone's post, and will respond more when I can get a little more grounded and get my energy back. This happens to the best of us. I am thankful that you are all here with me and we are getting this done. Truly. Crocus

xxxx

Link to comment

yes to the quote below. We were talking drugs/reuptake inhibitors vs. nutrition.

I believe 'recirculated neurotransmitters/hormones' is a reference to the action of re-uptake inhibitors.

 

I hope you're feeling better, Crocus. I relate well to your earlier comment about being super sensitive emotionally ('did I say something wrong??'). I've always been sensitive, but I imagine ADs blunt that also. I've also been ' very unscheduled' for several years and that plays in for me, esp when I hear so much about how busy other people are. It's a lonely and alienating place.

I wish we could clone Dr. Foster! I spoke w him briefly after his talk at ISEPP last weekend.you will be a great asset to his team.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Crocus, how many beads did you take out?

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.

Link to comment

Hi Crocus,

 

I just found this site a few days ago. I am in the process of withdrawing from Lamictal right now but I went through Effexor and Clonopin over the last 6 months.

 

Effexor was the first med I tried to withdraw from and, at the time, was still not fully aware of how these drugs were duping me into thinking I was still depressed and anxious. I, like many others, was given a cocktail of drugs over a period of years. Now I see that the docs were treating the side effects by prescribing more drugs.

 

So when I was coming off of Effexor I still believed that I needed to be on these other medications and that I just needed to find the "right" one so I started taking Prozac. Effexor was so awful to come off of as you know! I wasn't as meticulous about counting the beads as you were but I wish I had been because I suffered terribly. I just didn't really know enough at the time about how seriously one could be impacted by withdrawal. Now I know and I tried to be more careful with the Clonopin. I hadn't yet learned about compounding pharmacies so I was doing my best to break up the tablets into little crumbs. I think it took me about 4 months to taper. When I was finally off I felt like a sludge had been cleared from my system and that my nervous system could relax in a way that I hadn't felt in the 4+ years that I had been on that nasty drug.

 

I am impatient to get off the other drugs (Lamictal, Prozac, and Mirtazipine) but I know now how sensitive I am to this process and have to be very careful. My doc is working with me to get my insurance to cover the rx from a compounding pharmacy. Maybe you could try that route?

 

In solidarity,

Karen

 

Oof!

 

Well, I took another shot at a taper in the last few days. I am just now doing better after giving in and adding back the amount I reduced by. Clearly, I need I different and even slower approach.

 

I had a lot of anxiety and nausea and that just goes to show me how potent Effexor is. I am going to see the prescribing Dr. as the visit is free, and I hope he might open up his mind a bit and help me with some ideas about how to approach this smallest part of the taper. I do not see him until the 15th, but may try and get it sooner. These last few days were too reminiscent of the first and most naive reductions I made.

 

I did get an e-mail from Bob Whitaker today and he was very nice and thanked me for writing him. He did say that he was aware of this forum and I am quite glad to hear that. Should he need people to write about in a subsequent book I'd say this would be a good place for him to start :)

 

I have been reading everyone's post, and will respond more when I can get a little more grounded and get my energy back. This happens to the best of us. I am thankful that you are all here with me and we are getting this done. Truly. Crocus

 

Zoloft:  1997-2010

Effexor:  2010-2011 cross taper to Prozac

Prozac:  2011, 60mg, current 17mg

Ativan:  2005-2006 PRN, 2007 daily, tapered off June-Sept 2011

Mirtazapine:  2010-2012

Lamictal:  2011, 100mg, current 45mg

Klonopin:  Sept 2011- Feb 2012 3mg

Seroquel:  2013, 150mg, current 45mg

 

Link to comment

Hi Karen. Welcome. Would like to ask you a few questions, but don't want to hijack Crocus' thread. Maybe you could open a thread in Introductions. Barb

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

Link to comment

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy