☼ ChessieCat: so I'm not the only one (Pristiq / desvenlafaxine)

[ChessieCat]

Hello everyone.

 

Went down to 0.05mg today.  What a stupidly tiny amount of dose compared to 100mg Pristiq.  But as can be testified to here on SA these drugs are strong and our brains need to adapt as we reduce the dose.  And it is better to do it slowly than to risk going too quickly.

 

Only 7 more weeks and then I'll be off.

 

Sydney, Australia, has been in lockdown for the last 10 weeks and at this time we don't know what will be open in October when I'm off.  I might not be able to do any of the things I had thought about doing as a celebration, but I'm sure I will find something exciting to do.  After having been in lockdown for about 4 months almost anything will be exciting!  I will have had my second dose of AstraZeneca a couple of weeks before I'm off the Pristiq so I will be able to go to anywhere that is open at that time.

[Frogie]

Wonderful news!

[ChessieCat]

Thanks Frogie, it's hard to believe that I am so close to the end.

[Frogie]

You are so close! And you’ve done such an amazing taper. I hope it is uneventful for you going forward 😊

[mdwstrx]

3 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

Only 7 more weeks and then I'll be off.

Exciting post!!! 🙏

md

[brassmonkey]

Such wonderful news CC. I'm totally excited for you. Even with lockdown there will be plenty of ways to celebrate.

[Erell]

Amazing news @ChessieCat, you are doing so well !

I am so happy for you, and so proud, what an inspiration you are !

I'm sure you will find plenty of ways to celebrate, and, please, give yourself credit for this journey ❤

[ChessieCat]

Thanks everyone.  I appreciate your kind words so much.  And it is really great being able to share this part of my journey after 6 years with people who truly understand what this means. 

 

And I hope that my story is an encouragement to other members.  I have not been multi-drugged like some members are/have been, but I have been on an AD for something like 30 years in total which is more than half my adult life.  I will be turning 64 in November this year.

 

And yes, it has taken a lot of patience and determination to get to where I am, and I don't think that I had realised that.

 

One thing that I do know is that the non drug coping techniques that I have learned during ADWD have carried over into other areas of my life and been very useful, including the pandemic.

 

And now after typing that, the reality is starting to hit that once I'm off I will be in unchartered territory.  But it's great to know that others have been there and done that and it has worked out okay for them.

 

Onwards and off ..........

[RachelSusan]

Congrats ChessieCat.  This is wonderful news indeed. Thanks again for the help you have given me. I came here a little over five years ago and you were one of the people that helped guide me through this dangerous landscape well call withdrawal. I am so happy for you. 

 

 

[hayduke]

Awesome @ChessieCat, happy landings!

[gentlehermione]

@ChessieCat Well done!

[Hibari]

On 9/3/2021 at 7:12 PM, ChessieCat said:

Hello everyone.

 

Went down to 0.05mg today.  What a stupidly tiny amount of dose compared to 100mg Pristiq.  But as can be testified to here on SA these drugs are strong and our brains need to adapt as we reduce the dose.  And it is better to do it slowly than to risk going too quickly.

 

Only 7 more weeks and then I'll be off.

 

 

@ChessieCatYou have done a remarkable job of honoring what you've needed to do in your taper and staying the course.  I believe that your "step off" will be so manageable because you have allowed your brain to adjust all the way down.  Wishing you continued ease as you move to the finish line.

[getofflex]

On 9/3/2021 at 6:12 PM, ChessieCat said:

Went down to 0.05mg today.  What a stupidly tiny amount of dose compared to 100mg Pristiq. 

Do you feel any symptoms after you taper at this point?  You will probably have no trouble jumping off, since you are going to such a low dose.  

 

On 9/3/2021 at 6:12 PM, ChessieCat said:

Only 7 more weeks and then I'll be off.

You're on the home stretch!  How exciting!  🎉

 

On 9/3/2021 at 6:12 PM, ChessieCat said:

I'm sure I will find something exciting to do

I know you are just about to go into spring - perhaps on a mild day you can take a walk in the woods.  I love doing that myself.  

[arbor]

This is wonderful news, @ChessieCat.  Your steadfast determination is coming to fruition.  I am happy for you, and grateful to all that you have been doing on this site to keep us going.  Thank you🙏🌈🌻🌞

[ChessieCat]

Hello and thanks for all the responses.  It's wonderful being able to celebrate with you all.

 

I will confess that yet again I'm getting the "why not just stop now" thoughts.  But I keep reminding myself that it's not for much longer.

 

On 9/7/2021 at 10:23 PM, getofflex said:

Do you feel any symptoms after you taper at this point?

 

I really cannot say if I get withdrawal symptoms or when I stopped noticing any.

 

There may be a few reasons for this.  My initial withdrawal symptoms were major ones when I reduced my dose from 100mg to 50mg Pristiq and after 2 weeks I was unable to type then after updosing only 4 hours later I could type again.  Because I am a professional typist I had a benchmark. 

 

After holding for a few months I then experienced ear pain after trying a 10% reduction which went within a few hours when I updosed by a small amount.

 

My general and constant withdrawal symptom for many years was low grade anxiety which was worse in the early morning.  This may have been due to interdose withdrawal once I got below 50mg (tablet) and was taking compounded capsules once a day in the morning.  I did not split my dose until I got to 10mg.

 

I think I have always compared how I feel with how I felt at my worst.  I think this helps with keeping a good perspective on things.  I think it's also helpful to understand that the brain is adapting to not getting as much of the drug and that is the reason for the withdrawal symptoms.  It is part of the process of getting off the drug and it's better to accept what is happening and just allow the brain to do what it needs to do and not add stress by worrying about it.  That's where using the non drug coping skills are good.

 

Since the middle of 2020 I have been experiencing physical issues (arthritis and also parts of my body wearing out, getting injured) unrelated to drugs and tapering which have eclipsed the AD withdrawal.  There are times when I am in pain (thankfully not very often) or discomfort (this is fairly constant).  Because of these, if I am experiencing any withdrawal symptoms, they are not noticed.

 

And of course the pandemic hit early 2020 and life changed once that happened.

 

So it's important to realise that we are not going to be the same when we stop taking the drug as we were before and during.  Life and ageing happens during that time.

 

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

Just changed my signature 😊:

 

FINISH LINE here I come!!!

🏁

[Altostrata]

Yay, Chessie!

[Frogie]

Way to go!

[brassmonkey]

Please don't jump too soon. Your body, not your mind will tell you when the time is right.

[ChessieCat]

@brassmonkey  Aye aye cap'n!!!  

Actually it's only been a fleeting thought every now and then and I think being so close to the end and having previously had serious thoughts about jumping I know that I will not follow through on it now.  And I've also added an extra dose drop that I had not planned a few months ago.

 

I just wanted to document it so they other members can understand that even after a careful taper it can still be a temptation to just stop too soon.  I think it can be helpful for them to know that other members have these types of thoughts and that they can happen at any time during a taper, even so close to the end.

[Colonial]

This is very exciting. 😊

 

[brassmonkey]

I understand totally. I basically made the post for the same reasons. I will say though I had similar thoughts, but told myself to stay the course and do it right. So I kept reducing and reducing until one day my body said "enough of this already, just make the jump". I finished out that reduction and then just quit.

[ChessieCat]

12 hours ago, brassmonkey said:

I basically made the post for the same reasons.

 

Great minds think alike!!! 🤣

[ChessieCat]

I'm now down to 0.02mg.  The end is nigh.

 

(I updated the taper image after completing my taper)

 

Here is my complete taper with my first day of 0mg being 13th November 2021.

 

Please see this post for a full explanation of why I didn't always hold for at least 28 days and why I held for longer at 50mg, 20mg and 0.75mg.

 

 

(The heading is incorrect.  It took 6 years)

 

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by ChessieCat

[Frogie]

Congratulations! 

[bubbles]

On 9/28/2021 at 6:53 AM, ChessieCat said:

I'm now down to 0.02mg.  The end is nigh.

 

Here is my complete taper with my first day of 0mg being 23rd October 2021.

 

 

You're very close. Fingers crossed for a smooth ride down the last tiny bit and off.

 

[Rosetta]

ChessieCat, Wow!  You are seeing the results of all your patience now.  I’m so happy for you.  I’m sorry any of this happened to you, but I think a lot of people have benefited from your experience and advice.  That means you have something to show for all your suffering.  After 30 years of ADs, you will be quite inspiration to others! 

 

Rosetta

[omnispan]

Congrats on your nearly-complete journey Chessie!

 

How is the home stretch going?

[ChessieCat]

Thanks again guys.

 

Unfortunately I have a problem.  And as most of us know when there are more than one variable it can make it difficult to find the cause.

 

I'm experiencing a fuzzy head at the moment literally.  I'm in a bit of a quandary because I've been tapering fast since earlier this year for the last leg of my taper off and I'm not sure if I'm experiencing a withdrawal symptom or if it is something else.

 

I've had both my covid vaccinations and had trouble with a bleeding nose and just before my second shot (AZ almost 8 weeks apart) I started getting a little bit dizzy.  But we're also in spring here now and we have had some winds as well.  I've also had a bit of a runny nose.  I kept thinking it was either caused by low platelets or hayfever.  However I took a hayfever tablet this morning and I've still got the fuzzy head.

 

What makes it difficult is that when right at the start I reduced from 100mg Pristiq to 50mg Pristiq and got extreme brain fog and after 2 weeks I was unable to type.  SA suggested updosing and after 4 hours I was able to type again.  Because I am a professional typist for several decades I knew it was the drug.  When I tried to taper too soon I got ear pain which did not go with a cold medication, but after updosing again cleared after a few hours.

 

The interesting thing is that I took some extra Pristiq about 1 hour ago and I really do think that my fuzzy head is improving.

 

It's so hard.  And very frustrating.  The only thing that I can think of is to go and get a blood test for low platelets which might causing the dizziness.  At least if I get that and it is okay I will know that it is not a factor.  And if it is an issue then it can be treated.

 

 

[ChessieCat]

And another variable.  We've just had a thunderstorm so it might have been atmospheric pressure.

 

My head is definitely clearer than what it was earlier.

 

Who knows?  I will just have to see how I feel tomorrow.

[Carmie]

Hi ChessieCat, 

 

Hope you figure out what your symptoms are from🧡

[ChessieCat]

Thanks Carmie.

 

Just putting this here for my own record.

 

I've felt quite reasonable all afternoon.

 

My reduction was supposed to be to 0.05mg, however because of what happened I've made it 0.0625mg for the last 2 days.  If I feel okay tomorrow I will go to 0.05mg.

[bubbles]

Hi Chessie

 

I think an intermediate step is a good idea just now. Hope it keeps on okay.

[getofflex]

14 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

And another variable.  We've just had a thunderstorm so it might have been atmospheric pressure

@ChessieCatI definitely get an uptick in symptoms when we have changes in atmospheric pressure that come with storms and low pressure fronts. By fuzzy head, do you mean cog fog, or dizziness?  

Edited October 10, 2021 by getofflex

[Heath]

Hello chessiecat! I have had the symptoms you speak of off and on since 2019. It also happens to me during weather changes mostly in seasonal allergy time. Last time it happened was in April this year. The dizziness and foggy headed seems to go along with dry mouth, dry sinuses, dry eyes, sensitive ears, popping ears. It’s like my sinus system is trying to do its job but it can’t? So far what I found is hot shower and saline spray helps with the dizziness brain fog during that time.  For me when dizziness was at its worse in 2019, decongestant medication, antihistamines, and sublingual allergy drops made the dizziness much worse. 

[ChessieCat]

Thank you for your input.  I appreciate it.

 

 

8 hours ago, bubbles said:

I think an intermediate step is a good idea just now.

 

You might be right with this.  Because of course 0.01mg to 0.005mg is a 50% reduction.  Thanks for your thoughts.

 

2 hours ago, getofflex said:

By fuzzy head, do you mean cog fog, or dizziness?  

 

I get dizziness sometimes when I go to lie down and get up.  Yesterday was cog fog, feeling like my head was field with cotton wool.  I've had it in the long ago past related to hay fever.

 

2 hours ago, getofflex said:

I definitely get an uptick in symptoms when we have changes in atmospheric pressure that come with storms and low pressure fronts.

 

Yes I've had this in the long ago past too.  I also don't like windy weather, it makes me irritable.

 

1 hour ago, Heath said:

The dizziness and foggy headed seems to go along with dry mouth, dry sinuses, dry eyes, sensitive ears, popping ears.

 

My ears have needed popping for the last couple of weeks.  I've also had trouble with a runny nose every now and again and yesterday for a short time my sinuses were stinging.  And for the last few weeks I've had bouts of sneezing too which I forgot to mention.

 

 

Reviewing the above, it could be that the fuzzy head might have been caused by the combination of hay fever and the atmospheric pressure.  We are still going to be getting rain over the next few days but there is no forecast of storms.

 

It's a real conundrum.  I like puzzles, but not this kind.