Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted February 4, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 4, 2016 Aw you poor thing! I would have done the same, almost did when I thought I thought I might have taken my dose twice. And that is how badly my brain has been affected by these drugs, that I can't remember having done something five minutes later! I was pretty sure I had NOT taken it so didn't have to resort to such measures...but heck if I'm going backwards by putting more of the poison in my body than necessary! Legan mentioned a sensation of fluid moving through his head, so interesting you had a similar sensation. I hope you feel better tomorrow! SG Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac. Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002 Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history. Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots! Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off. Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep. June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened! Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015. Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month. 12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18: 2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted February 4, 2016 Moderator Share Posted February 4, 2016 Hi McCauley- I'm sorry to hear that the updose is not going as well as planned. It's only been six days though so it would be a good idea to let things settle a bit longer before you start to slide. Every dose change adds confusion to the brain and we need to keep that to a minimum. 20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013. Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks. The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better. Final Dose 0.016mg. Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017 "It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general." Stephen Hawking Link to comment
Mccauley Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 SG, It wasn't so bad..i was surprised because I never could do that back in high school when the cool kids were doing it. I am feeling better this morning, thanks. Just took my two little capsules of poison and let's see what this day brings. Thank you Brass Monkey, I will wait longer. My thinking was if I feel this bad I may as well be tapering, but I will give my brain more settling time. I threw a life line out in the dark and you were there. God bless. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
AliG Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Mccauley. Do be extra careful with your dosage. At this point , you can't afford to " slip up " . Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
Mccauley Posted February 6, 2016 Author Share Posted February 6, 2016 AliG I will. I had a better day today. Actually got out of bed and had a shower. Reading your signature. Are you still in retracted wothdrawal since 2014 ? I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 I could not figure out the liquid formula for decreasing from 300mg, so I decided to weigh it. I was very shocked to see the difference between every pill weight and seeing that at times I could have been taking as much as 400 mgs. How can this be ? I'm surprised we are all still kicking. Smh I decided to pick a mg amount and use that one to figure my five and ten percent decreases. (I think). I did the brass monkey slide (thank you brass monkey) into my ten percent decrease. On day three of ten percent I had moments of vertigo, hgh BP, twitching...the usual but it's gone now and I am going forward with this. With the inconsistency of accurate measurements in the medicine we are taking there really is a small chance of getting through withdrawal without huge ups and downs. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted March 30, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 30, 2016 Some of us weighed about 10 pills then worked out the average weight to calculate reductions from. I feel the same - why aren't they careful with such powerful medicines? Karen PS, in your sig. on the last line, May might need chancing to March, to avoid confusion later. 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Geeze, I cannot quit doing that. Well, I got the M right. That's a good idea thanks Karen. I tried searching for info on that. Is there a thread ? I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 KarenB. Am I doing the signature correctly ? I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 30, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi Mccauley , please could you also add the dose you drop to each time. E.g. March 18 , 285mg March 26 , 255 (?) mg Thanks , 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 Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted March 30, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 30, 2016 This thread's helpful: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1596-using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses/ And yes, when you've added Fresh's suggestions your signature will be first-class . 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Well I can't. I cannot figure out how to come up with any amount if my pills don't weigh the same and there are additives that make them weigh more than the mgs they are supposed to weigh. Looks like at 10% reduction, with the capsules I have, 323 mgs should be my target weight on the scale. My son had to figure this for me. The dosage I am trying to detox from is 300 mgs. So, while I am aiming for what I thought would be 290 mgs, if I take that much, I will be taking more than 10% reduction. I can barely count my fingers right now. I can put 290 mgs on the signature. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Wait. I can weigh both pills daily then eliminate 10% of that weight. I'll call it 290 ? I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted March 30, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi Mccauley, I did what KarenB suggested, taking the average of several capsules/tablets and then calculating your daily dosage off of that average from here on out. If you weigh both pills daily and then take 10% off the average, you will still have variability each day, and for a nervous system that is sensitized, that could be enough to keep symptoms up front. The only reason to vary off of that average weight would be if there was a change in manufacturer of your meds. I am glad you have your son to help! Even the simplest things can be challenging for us when we are dealing with withdrawal! What kind of scale do you have? I have found the Gemini mg scale a bit untrustworthy at times, so have taken additional steps to ensure accurate day to day dosing. Using empty gel caps, I weigh two weeks' worth of dosages in one weighing session. I calibrate the scale with the provided weights at the beginning of each session. I leave one of the 10g weights on the weigh pan as I weigh each dose, to be sure the scale is weighing true throughout the session. Sometimes I have to re-calibrate the scale DURING the weigh session because it stops weighing true. Someone, I forget whom, noted that these little scales seem to weigh more consistently at higher weights than lower, another reason to leave the 10g weight on the pan :-) By weighing out two weeks at a time, I can forget about tapering on a day to day basis, just popping my pill and moving on. And it helps me resist the temptation to do a cut when I shouldn't LOL! This topic sums it up: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1596-using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses/ SG Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac. Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002 Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history. Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots! Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off. Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep. June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened! Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015. Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month. 12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18: 2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 It's a DIA-20 I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 Not a good ride. There are some parts of some days where I feel more normal or less horrible. Today however, is most painful and feeling most weak, I've been unable to get up and do the necessary things. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and I will some day be able to move on to more reduction. Increasingly angry and depressed about this position I'm in. I feel my life is ruined. I had this I had it at one time but not anymore and possibly never again. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted April 18, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 18, 2016 Sounds like you're in the worst of it Mccauley. So hard to stay positive at those times, isn't it, especially with the on-going nature of withdrawal. The small improvements do show healing is happening - so try to hold on to those wee glimpses of something good. That last drop of 10% back at the end of March may have been too much for you, and it came quite soon after a 5-6% drop. Some of us need to go slower. I do drops smaller than 1%. If things have been getting worse, you might consider a small up-dose in order to relieve the stress on your system. Then, you'd need to hold for at very least one month, and possibly two depending on your progress. What are your instincts about that? 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 KarenB My 5% went pretty well, so i forged on. I actually thought it was longer. I did two more mgs today but I think I'll do three or four, and hold. Reading my notes I wonder why I went for ten percent. Ok. I'll do this I can hardly wait to see my doctor when it's time to refill. Yessir. I know you wanted me to take fifty mgs off a month but .... I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted April 19, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 19, 2016 Holding really does sound like what you need to do right now. I'm not sure what you mean by 'I did two more mgs today but I think I'll do three or four, and hold.'? Does it mean you're going to reduce by another 3-4mgs and then hold? If so, I'd really encourage you to just hold where you are without anymore drops for a while. And if I've misunderstood, then just ignore me . 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 Sorry about that Karen. What I mean is I am going to up dose and stay there a while. The ten percent is misery. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted April 21, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 21, 2016 Okay, up-dose and hold it is then. I really hope you get some relief soon Mccauley. 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 So frustrated. Want to quit this stupid ride. I opened a new bottle of meds and obviously the measuring and dosage was different from what I was working with. I assume I underdosed myself as by yesterday symptoms almost unbearable. Today is again painful and I feel too heavy to move. I wonder how long the down time would be if I just did the fifty mgs the doctor suggested. I am trying to reduce by 7%. I do not know what to put on my signature regarding actual dosage at this point because my base number has changed. I apologize for being incompetent at this. I am carefully measuring and figuring to the best I of my ability and of course several mgs get lost just in measuring and reloading my pills. I also apologize for constant whining. This is just rediculously difficult. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted April 29, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 29, 2016 It is very difficult Mccauley. You're dealing with horrible symptoms and trying to learn about a difficult new subject all at once. We all struggle when we first get here - the learning curve is very steep. Do you want to write here what both your old and new medication said in terms of dosage? Maybe we can figure how to get you on the right equivalent dose. The doctor said he wants you on 50mg. What dose are you on right now? Probably best not to make a hasty decision. Lets try to sort this out. 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share Posted May 2, 2016 Sorry to take so long Karen. This is the only way I could do it. Trust me I tried to do otherwise. First bottle average of contents was 360 grams. I was removing 36 grams until April 18. April 19 I removied 33 grams. The new bottle of pills average is 395 grams. (I didn't realize this) April 24 I removed 23 grams, in my thinking a little more than 5%.. That is where I am now. I think you and SG advised against this method. This is honestly the very best I can do at this time. Probably too screwed up to sort out. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus apace41 Posted May 3, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 3, 2016 McCauley, Sorry to hear about your struggles. Given the challenges with that method have you considered a liquid-based reduction. Lyrica comes in liquid form and there is a thread that includes how to "make your own liquid." http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2381-tips-for-tapering-off-lyrica-pregabalin/?hl=%2Blyrica+%2Bliquid Liquids tend to be the best way to be accurate in this process. Best, Andy Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012 increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first") Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15 Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15 Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016 10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg. No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold. After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C, Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 3, 2016 Administrator Share Posted May 3, 2016 Hello, Mccauley. I'm confused by your measurement method. What's important is the milligram content of each capsule. That is the active ingredient content (Lyrica). How much the capsule weighs is not as important -- the weight includes inactive filler. Look at the bottle you have now. What is the strength in milligrams? I agree with apace, making a liquid according to our directions will be much easier for you. 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
Mccauley Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share Posted May 4, 2016 Lurica 150 mgs I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
AliG Posted May 4, 2016 Share Posted May 4, 2016 Mccauley. What are your thoughts on the liquid taper, that has been proposed ? Is that an idea that you are comfortable with ? It could simplify tapering for you, in the long run. Please let us know what you think . Ali Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
Mccauley Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share Posted May 4, 2016 Please bear in mind I am totally embarrassed by this. I will get a syringe. Could you spell this out for me. My dosage is 300 mgs once daily. My pills are 150 mgs. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share Posted May 4, 2016 I did try to understand how to do my dose in the liquid form. I could not. I asked my son to help and he insisted the most accurate way to do this would be with a scale. Thus the weird configurations. Open and empty both pills in a vessel ... Add ___ amount of water with syringe. Take ___ amount daily for ten percent reduction. I should add I was fired from a job counting and reconciling money. It made perfect sense in my head but I was unable to translate it to paper. Once again, I feel totally gutted having to write this. I have seen no other posts with people having problems figuring this out. I am honestly wanting to do this liquid method. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus JanCarol Posted May 4, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 4, 2016 Hey Macauley - I've never done a liquid taper, but I'm the one you get right now, so I'll help as I can. Lyrica comes from the PHARMACY in a liquid, your doctor can prescribe it for you. That would be the easiest, especially given the cognitive fog you are struggling with right now. It's criminal that this is the "add on" for nearly all pain, side effects, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, etc. etc. Can you imagine how doctors seem to think it makes people "better"? I guess they never tried it themselves. So can you get the liquid Lyrica? That would make your maths simpler, and your whole taper so much easier. IT WAS YOUR DOCTOR's error (the tripling of your dose - shocking!) and if he wants you back on 50 mg, he should be able to give you the tools you need to accomplish it safely! And breathe. You can get through this. Be kind to yourself. Your poor brain has been through so much, it's just like this baby possum: When you start to get frustrated with yourself, just imagine your brain is this innocent, vulnerable little possum, and treat yourself and your brain gently. Try and reduce your stress, take time out to rest, try epsom salts baths to soothe the savage nerves. You can do this. I hope you can get the liquid Lyrica, and I hope you see the sun today. "Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again. My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices. A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia. CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013. Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine). Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years on Lithium). Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made. The tedious thread (my intro): JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium The happy thread (my success story): JanCarol - Undiagnosed Off all bipolar drugs My own blog: https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/ I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016! Link to comment
Mccauley Posted May 5, 2016 Author Share Posted May 5, 2016 Thanks jancarol. That made me smile. I will work on this. I am feeling better today. Would it be ok to stay where I am, dosage wise, for a while. I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus apace41 Posted May 5, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 5, 2016 McCauley, Glad you are feeling a little better. Whenever you are unstable when you find a place of stability it is wise to stay right where you are until you have held that stability for a while before you look to reduce. No points for speed. Andy Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012 increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first") Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15 Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15 Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016 10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg. No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold. After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C, Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted August 26, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 26, 2016 Hi Mccauley, Regarding your post saying you can't get tablet or liquid, Post #1 here Tips for tapering off Lyrica (pregabalin) gives instructions for making your own liquid from capsules. * 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 Link to comment
Mccauley Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 Thank you. (Maybe the pregabalin that's coated) I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
Mccauley Posted September 2, 2016 Author Share Posted September 2, 2016 I'm back. I'm confused. I have whittled down slowly to 250 mgs starting August 1. I have been working on this since maybe February. Things were alright until last week or so I started having old symotoms. This surprised me and wonder if it was really lyrica related. I don't know whether to increase some for a while or just stick it out because it's been so long. I went to the doctor who messed me up to begin with, wanting to make sure he would refill the 50 mg pills he gave me to withdraw. He looked at me and said, "why are you trying to get off this drug. You should be taking two or three times what you are taking so you can feel better." Wha ?? Yes he says, he has several patients with fibro pain on way bigger doses than I was on. I explained that I couldn't function on the higher dose and was aiming for my original dose of 100 mgs. I told him I would think about it but wanted to make very sure he would refill my 50s. Yes he said but you should be on more. I called in my script to refill and picked it up today. I now have lyrica 200 mgs with instructions to take one twice a day. Now I do not know what to do, Continue with the descent or try to take what he is recommending. This whole thing has ruined my perfect little balance of drugs and exercise. I truly feel he has ruined my life with no hope of recovery. My appetite is out of control. My hair is falling out. I may have ruined the relationship with my daughter and others. I have put up with an ongoing range of emotions and horrible thinking just to take fifty less milligrams of a medicine. (I know you know this scenario). I have been on anti depressants since I was 19. I started with Elavil I think. Been through a lot of them but never noticed a withdrawal until I tried to get off Effexor. I cannot remember a lot of things. In 2012 I think I was put on cymbalta and had the textbook horrible withdrawal from it when it stopped working in 2013. It was a year long ordeal, 2014 cymbalta wothdrawal <br />Currently on Wellbutrin 300 xl<br />Lyrica Was 50 x2<br />Doctors office called it in as 150.mg. x2<br />trying to get bck to 50 x2<br />And/or/maybe off<br /><br /> My goal now is to lower my dosage back to 100 mg a day, or try to get rid of it altogether. So far not its happening. 1/29/16 return to 300 my Lyrica. 12/1/16 tense and twitchy but still Functioning. Had 15 min period of unbalance. Target date for sliding into B.M. Is Monday February 29, 2016. Didn't make that one March 18,2016. Att to delete 5% from my 300 mg. difficulty measuring a 5% drop. Poss 6% or so.going to stay here for a while. Symptoms increasing last few days. Pain,fatigue,headache,twitching,weight gain,hair loss. March 26, 2016. 10% decrease approx. high BP, vertigo,twitching,feel high. March 26, 2016 350 mg Day 13 I have worked through most symptoms until now. Headache has overtaken me and I am too weak to get up today. Upped dosage to 280 and. Added 20 at night. Previous symptoms never abated. Fatigue not bearable 12/1/16 dosage now. At 290mgs. All my records do not make sense. December 2016 gave up returned to 300 Weaned down to 290 mgs symptoms returned. February. 20 again returned to 300 mgs. Some energy returned and I'm functioning but zombie like with cognitive problems. Decided to quit trying to quit. Be surprised if I have any cns left with what I have done to it. July 2017 started splitting dosage of two, 200 mgs lyrica. Taking one pill then waiting one hour for the other. Aiming for ten hours between dosage then decrease from there. Presently at eight hours October 2017 between doses with tolerable side effects. Link to comment
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