Debz123 intro

[Debz123]

Tapering off pristiq 100, dr recommended do a 36-36-48-72 stop taper. I'm feeling quite anxious and do get horrible headaches. More anxiety because the md wants me to do a fast taper from benzos starting this week. Md wants me to begin busiprone when done with this pristiq taper. I did not know that pristiq was a dangerous addictive drug or I would have never taken it. Was previously on Zoloft 200 for several years, self tapered the Zoloft to 50 and held for about 3 years.

[Petunia]

Hi Debz123,

Welcome and thank you for posting an introduction.  Its good that you found us before starting to come off your medication, we recommend a slower, safer process than what your doctor is suggesting.  Please read our topic about why we advocate a 10% taper here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

Also, we don't recommend coming off more than one drug at a time and suggest tapering the antidepressant before the benzo, please see why here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2207-taking-multiple-psych-drugs-taper-the-antidepressant-first/

 

Here is our topic for safely coming off Pristiq:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/876-tips-for-tapering-off-pristiq-desvenlafaxine/

 

How long ago did you switch from Zoloft to Pristiq?  Which benzo and dose are you taking?

 

It would be helpful if you put a short version of your drug and withdrawal history in your signature, that way members can easily see your situation at the bottom of every post and be able to offer relevant suggestions.  Instructions for how to do that are here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

You will find a lot of friendly help and support here, for coming off ADs slowly and safely so as to minimize disruption to your life.

 

Petu.

[Jemima]

Please do read the topics that Petu has suggested.  Your doctor is proposing tapers from Pristiq and a benzo that are way too fast and will likely make you feel quite sick.  Most doctors have no understanding whatever of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome and withdrawal from benzos.

 

Welcome to the forum.  I'm glad you found us.

[Debz123]

Yes, I do not agree with what my doctor suggests. However, she is a very good doctor for my medical problems. I do not want to lose her expertise in my physical diseases, but I may after this. She is doing the pristiq taper very quickly, partly because I think it is all that she knows. I was having horrible side effects and did not make the connection until after researching pristiq. I read many of the threads here before posting my intro, including these listed. I will put all info in sig line when I can figure it out. For now, to answer the questions, I have already begun the pristiq taper, tmrw I will take my final 72 hour dose ( if I did my timing correctly).

 

How long ago did you switch from Zoloft to Pristiq? Original switch from Zoloft 50 to pristiq 50 in sept 13, pristiq dosage raised to 100 dec 2013, began pristi 100 taper 2/25/14. When pristiq taper complete begin busiprone 200/day.

 

Which benzo and dose are you taking? Xanax 3 mg/dAy, md wants me to stop xanax and begin ativan 2mg/day beginning this week. It's a benzo swap for benzo swap, both short half lives, and dropping benzo dose by over 50%. I am extremely concerned, about this, it does not make sense to me. My xanax is prescribed by my psychiatrist, my md stopped the Zoloft changed it to pristiq, I was ok with it at the time. She said I had serotonin burn out, I had no idea pristiq was another addictive drug.

Long story short, I asked md for help tapering off the xanax and this is her answer. My psychiatrist just keeps prescribing benzos, and won't work with any other method, either benzos or cold turkey.

 

I can't find a homeopathic dr locally, and feel as if my hands are tied. In addition, my md has put in my medical record that I am benzodiazepine dependent (even though I went asking her to help me withdraw from the xanax), and all meds prescribed, been with same psych ten years, and do not dr shop.

 

I don't know how to tell her that the methodology is all wrong when it comes to benzo dependence, because drs don't like that. I'm scared, my anxiety is through the roof for a week now. This whole situation is out of control.

 

Thank you!

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Debz.

 

Please do not skip or postpone doses to taper. This can trigger terrible withdrawal symptoms.

 

Your doctor may be fine for other issues but not know much about psychiatric drugs. Any doctor can prescribe a psychiatric drug, you don't have to see her. Or, you could tell her you wish to taper more gradually and tell her what prescriptions to write.

 

For now, it might be a good idea to consider cutting up the Pristiq tablets. Please read the topic Petu provided.

[Debz123]

Trying to make an appt with a traditional Chinese medicine dr with western medicine, his review are pretty good, nothing on withdrawals though, or tapering. His credentials are OMD PhD Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medical Clinic.

 

Also found a neuropath near me. Anyone have experience with either alternative med dr?

Latest on pristiq taper: took my final 72 hour dose, yes, having side effects, notably vivid nightmares, feelings of not really being mentally aware, forgetfulness, headaches. I'm thinking on giving it a week before starting the busiprone, as md wants me too. Kind of scared I may get addicted to it ,

 

MD got back with me after i very nicely requested why she is changing me from 3 mg xanax to 2 mg ativan, I expressed my concerns that this is over a 50% taper. She replied that she will raise the dosage to 3 mg ativan, ok still not equivalent to what I'm taking now, but her main concern is to avoid seizures. I don't understand her reasoning, she has agreed to not put benzo dependence on my med records, as long as there are no "issues" meaning as long as I am compliant to her schedule.

 

So, this is where I am at in this mess.

 

What's absolutely worse is that I have a 7 year old, she has only known me as on the meds., it is very hard to take care of her daily needs. The guilt I feel for being so druggie from doc prescribed meds is awful. It just got to the point where I can't live like this anymore. I have zero energy, have had zero energy for a very long time. I don't want my daughter seeing me like this.

[bubble]

So many of us feel exactly like you describe ;( Meds prevented me from ever having kids but I have a 'baby' brother who was 5 when I had my breakdown and also doesn't remember me without meds.

 

It's painful for all who care about us to see us without energy and any life spark, devoid of what we used to be. As my father said in shock early on: you don't look like yourself at all. 

 

I'm hopeful this forum will help us find a way out of this vicious circle....

 

Can you put your signature with the history of medication like the rest of us have? You can do it if you go to your profile... It helps people to give you a more specific advice.

 

The community here hasn't find neuropaths nor any traditional healers effecient in dealing with our withdrawal issues so we have to become experts for ourselves ;(

 

What's absolutely worse is that I have a 7 year old, she has only known me as on the meds., it is very hard to take care of her daily needs. The guilt I feel for being so druggie from doc prescribed meds is awful. It just got to the point where I can't live like this anymore. I have zero energy, have had zero energy for a very long time. I don't want my daughter seeing me like this. 

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[Meimeiquest]

Hi Debz, it can be hard to remember, but it is a patient's choice if and how to take medication, if the doses are moving down. Although a couple of nurses have given me a really hard time, and one doctor refused to take me on. But doctors will usually accept that a patient wants to taper more conservatively when we explain "I'm just so sensitive to changes in medication." As moms, our best hope to care well for our children is to take it slowly and to learn how to sense what we need. Not that my mom life has always gone smoothly, heavy sigh. You just need a cooperative doctor, not necessarily one that understands (although that would be nice!). I hope things go really well for you!

[Altostrata]

Debz, I'm worried about you and that tapering schedule. You have withdrawal symptoms already, when you stop taking Pristiq altogether, they're likely to get worse.

 

If you are very lucky, withdrawal symptoms will last only a few weeks or months. If you are like so many people here, you might have to cope with severe symptoms for a long time.

 

If I were you, I'd take a half-tablet of Pristiq every day for a while. I would ask your doctor for an Effexor prescription so you can more gradually go off the drug.

 

We haven't seen any evidence that Buspar reliably compensates for withdrawal symptoms. Acupuncture can help symptoms but doesn't cure them. What do you mean by a neuropath?

 

You may need to take charge of your going off Pristiq, as your doctor doesn't seem to know.

[bubble]

I would listen to every word Alto says because many people who don't regret very bitterly weeks and months after they threw their brain off the cliff following "doctor's orders".

[Rhiannon]

Yes, I too am concerned about you. You've come fast off the Pristiq, practically a cold turkey, and now you're going to be doing a benzo changeover as well. Both of those things can lead to some very unpleasant symptoms. I'm glad at least that you won't be going to a lower dose on the Ativan.

 

I'd do whatever it takes to follow Alto's advice. Pristiq is tricky to taper but we have a good thread on the subject, and a lot of people seem to do well substituting with Effexor.

 

I've never seen Buspar fix withdrawal symptoms for anyone.

[Debz123]

Thanks everyone for their replies, it's kind of hard for me to navigate this forums. Anyway, wanted to touch base again. Allostrata,

The pristiq were time released, that's why I can't cut them, but we spread the doses out over days to taper. Yes mam, it's Sunday, I just woke up, I actually slept last night, unlike the night before, very vivid nightmares though. Yes, I'm concerned about this benzo taper, and doc is not putting me on equivalent dose of Ativan, rather. 50% reduction, yes, I do t see doing that anytime soon, Lthough the md thinks I'm doing that now, and I can't find a new psychiatrist anywhere that is accepting new patients. I spent an hour on the phone Friday trying to find one. I just want a safe taper. However, I see now that a xanax taper isn't going to happen until I complete the wds from this. Not the way I've been feeling. My last dose of the prestiq was mon 3-3, yesterday was very hard, thurs and fri I was weepy. I did see the alternative docs, will continue to see them for a month, I don't know if anything is helping.

I still don't want or desire to do anything, my house is a mess, I have headaches in the morning, the headaches are becoming less severe, but just feeling hopeless I guess. I don't know how long it takes to get this out of my system since it's time released.

[Pokeshaw]

Hi Debz -i am so sorry to hear your distress, and i know how hard it is even to navigate the forum. i could barely log on and read never mind compose anything! but here you will find the best help from people who have been where you are.
i can only say from my own experience that the advice here is the best and most effective i have come across. when i tapered too fast off only one drug, Lexapro - i got very, very sick. and i saw a ton of doctors, including some of the top naturopaths and alternative MD's in New York City. I spent thousands of dollars and had alot of tests.  it wasnt until i found this forum and started following the suggestions here that my life, health and mental state regained some balance. it has been slow going but the direction is up instead of down. if i knew 3 yrs ago what i know now, i would have handled my taper very differently but i am deeply grateful to Alto and the other moderators who have and continue to guide me.

respectfully,

Pokeshaw in bklyn

[Petunia]

Hi Debz,

I'm sorry you are going through this, but we read about it over and over here when people come of their medication too fast, withdrawal symptoms start and can sometimes last a long time, months and even years in some cases.  You may be lucky and start to feel better soon, but please consider getting a prescription for Effexor like Alto suggested and tapering slowly from that.

 

 

 I don't know how long it takes to get this out of my system since it's time released.

 

Its not about waiting for the drug to clear your system, like aspirin.  These drugs make changes to the brain and nervous system, the reason we suggest a 10% taper is so that the brain and nervous system remain somewhat supported as they are able to recover from the damage done by the drugs.  The longer someone has been on these kinds of medications, the more change has to be repaired.

 

This topic explains it better than me:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

Its good that you are able to sleep and that some of your symptoms are easing up, I hope you are able to get through this quickly, but please consider reinstating with Effexor.

 

Petu.

[Altostrata]

Debz, please read the links Petu gave you a week ago http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/5893-debz123-intro/?p=79077