mars1 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 I've been on zoloft since 1995.Started at 100 mg and have managed to get myself down to 25 mg over the years. I have been unable to go lower without extreme side effectts...such as brain zaps, dizziness, extreme irratibility, and flashing of lights. I am so thankful I found this site...as I am going to begin making the liquid as instructed and begin tapering at the 10% schedule as recommended. My psychiatrist told me he has never had anyone have this difficulty tapering before. I am glad to see I am not alone! I'm scared to death to begin because I know what is in store as far as WD. It's crucial for my job to be sharp in thinking. So this is a worry. Thank you all for this encouraging site as I begin to free myself from this drug. 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted March 15, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 15, 2016 Hi mars1 Welcome to SA. I know what you mean about glad to see you are not alone. The title of my Intro Topic is So I'm Not the Only One. Unfortunately, once I started reading members' topics I realise there are way too many of us. The idea of tapering at a maximum of 10% of the previous dose is to keep withdrawal symptoms to a minimum. Some people are doing micro tapers, I'm doing a moderate taper as I have found that 10% brings on symptoms. It is a bit scary to start with, but having the support of the members here and being able to ask questions helps. The drugs change the brain and reducing the drugs slowly allows the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug. Brain Remodelling Video: Healing from Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery (4 minutes) Why Taper My Dose by 10%? Introduction to Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome tips-for-tapering-off-zoloft-sertraline/ You can use your Intro/Update topic to ask any questions and as a journal of your progress. Please complete your signature with dates, drugs, doses and how you decreased/increased. How to put your Withdrawal History in Signature * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft;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
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted March 15, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 15, 2016 Hello Mars, ChessieCat gave you some good links to follow up on. So glad to hear you are getting informed about your situation. If you have been having trouble getting below 25mg, then you may want to consider a micro-taper. There's quite a few of us using that method. Eventually you'll work out your tapering sweet-spots (the drops and holds that work best for you). The lower you go, the more difficult it appears to get, so it's important to keep noticing how you are reacting to drops, and extend holds where you need to. My psychiatrist told me he has never had anyone have this difficulty tapering before. Ha! I'm starting to wonder where exactly all the patients with tapering difficulties go? There must be a handful of really busy doctors somewhere... Anyway, it's good to have you here. Welcome to s/a, Karen 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
nz11 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Ha! I'm starting to wonder where exactly all the patients with tapering difficulties go? There must be a handful of really busy doctors somewhere... yeah i cant figure this one out either. Maybe its a case of No i dont have any patients who have a problem with tapering ...but boy do i have a lot of people 3 months later having a relapse and very tearful.... Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
mars1 Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 Thank you for your replies. I am determined to beat this. I am wondering why this isn't more public knowledge? 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted March 16, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 16, 2016 "I am wondering why this isn't more public knowledge?" Yep, you and nearly everybody here. But after I did research and reading and watching videos I started to understand why. Video: Ex-Big Pharma Rep: We’re Trained To Misinform -The Drugs ARE Dangerous (6 minute video) Interview: Confessions of an Rx Drug Pusher (51 minutes Gwen Olsen - ex pharmaceutical representative) There are more links of things that I have found interesting on my website (link in my signature). * 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
mars1 Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 Thank you. I am sharing these videos. 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
Junglechicken Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I wondered this too. When I asked my ex-doc in Canada whether other patients had experienced difficulties coming of AD's he just said they got headaches. Dose History: 19 Feb 2014 - Escitalopram 10mg daily June 2015 - Started taper, 5mg every other day July 2015 - 5mg every 2 days August 2015 - 5mg every 3 days September 2015 - 5mg every 4 days Sept 14th - Completed tapering, but at 7 weeks "drug free" I suffered serious WD symptoms as a consequence of "incorrect" tapering. Nov 25 2015 - Re-instated Cipralex @ 2.5mg daily. WD symptoms faded. Held at this dose and experienced "windows and waves". 12 Oct 2017 Reduced dose to 1.25mg. 13 Mar 2018 Reduced dose to 0.625mg (approx.). 16 April 2018 0mg. Windows and waves triggered by stress (IBS/reflux, headaches, sinus issues) Aug 2019 Mirena coil fitted 6 Jan 2020 MAJOR Wave hit 19 months following last dose (protracted WD). Symptoms listed below Mar 2020 Mirena coil removal. Therapy: Nov 15th 2016 Re-started therapy Jan 19th 2017 Started CBT Dec 2017 Started listening to Hypnotherapy CD (self-esteem). Nov 2019 Started couples therapy. Supplements: "Bioglan" Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora 10 billion CFU, live Bacteria, Probiotic, suitable for Vegetarians, with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum. "Pukka" Vitalise a unique blend of 30 energising botanicals. Diet: 16 April 2018 Detox cleanse / anti-candida for 90 days. Jan 2020 Started "small plate" diet (i.e child size portions). Exercise: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Elliptical/upper body workout, walking. Medical Test Results: 4 Jan 2017 Homeopathic Treatment starts 24 Feb 2017 Started weight loss program 24 Mar 2017 Naturopathic Treatment + anti-Candida diet started due to suspected Candida Related Complex (CRC). DETOXED for 7 weeks to "re-set" gut. April 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Comprehensive Stool Analysis NEGATIVE; Full Blood Count (Normal) / Blood Cholesterol: 5.6 (Borderline) / Blood Sugar (Normal) / 28 Jun 2017 FSH 8.2 / 14 Nov 2017 FSH 17.7 Dec 2017 Blood Cholesterol: 3.9 (Normal) / Kidney Function (Normal) / Blood Sugar (Normal). December 2017 "Genova Diagnostics" Food panel allergy (bloodwork) analysis - a few "VERY LOW/VL" allergens; Mar 2018 "Genova Diagnostics" SIBO urine analysis: High Level of Yeast/fungal markers found in small intestine but NO SIBO. April 2018 Thyroid (Normal) / Full Blood Count (Normal) / FSH (Normal). 16 April 2018 Started anti-Candida diet - 3 month protocol. 25 March 2020 All test results "Normal". CRP" 5 mg/L (normal range to 0-5 mg/L). Symptoms: Flu-like symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, sinus headaches right-side (severe), IBS issues/reflux (severe)**, tinnitus, fatigue, inner tremor, nausea, chills/hot flushes, pounding heart, muscular issues including stiff left hip flexor, intense anger, PSSD (ongoing). **Histhamine intolerance (suspected). Major Life Events: Re-located to UK from Canada: Jan 2016 My father died: 5:05pm, Monday 5 Feb 2018 Last Lexapro dose: 16 April 2018 (its now been over a year since I quit ADs) Moved house: Friday 23rd February 2018 "Divorced" toxic Mother: Monday 26 March 2018 Starting working again: 19 November 2018 Diagnosed with: 5th August 2021 PTSD/C-PTSD Diagnosed with: March 2022 Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Painful bladder syndrome Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted March 16, 2016 Administrator Share Posted March 16, 2016 Doctors very strongly believe withdrawal symptoms are trivial and go away in a few weeks. They disregard anything their patients tell them to the contrary. 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
Moderator Emeritus bubble Posted March 16, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 16, 2016 And ascribe all other symptoms to the 'original illness' If there was no original illness they even go as far as to say that drugs have 'unmasked' that mysterious illness. That's why their patients never have problems with withdrawal. Current: 9/2022 Xanax 0.08, Lexapro 2 2020 Xanax 0.26 (down from 2 mg in 2013), Lexapro 2.85 mg (down from 5 mg 2013) Amitriptyline (tricyclic AD) and clonazepam for 3 months to treat headache in 1996 1999. - present Xanax prn up to 3 mg. 2000-2005 Prozac CT twice, 2005-2010 Zoloft CT 3 times, 2010-2013 Escitalopram 10 mg went from 2.5 to zero on 7 Aug 2013, bad crash 40 days afterreinstated to 5 mg Escitalopram 4Oct 2013 and holding liquid Xanax every 5 hours 28 Jan 2014 Xanax 1.9, 18 Apr 2015 1 mg, 25 June 2015 Lex 4.8, 6 Aug Lexapro 4.6, 1 Jan 2016 0.64 Xanax 9 month hold 24 Sept 2016 4.5 Lex, 17 Oct 4.4 Lex (Nov 0.63 Xanax, Dec 0.625 Xanax), 1 Jan 2017 4.3 Lex, 24 Jan 4.2, 5 Feb 4.1, 24 Mar 4 mg, 10 Apr 3.9 mg, May 3.85, June 3.8, July 3.75, 22 July 3.7, 15 Aug 3.65, 17 Sept 3.6, 1 Jan 2018 3.55, 19 Jan 3.5, 16 Mar 3.4, 14 Apr 3.3, 23 May 3.2, 16 June 3.15, 15 Jul 3.1, 31 Jul 3, 21 Aug 2.9 26 Sept 2.85, 14 Nov Xan 0.61, 1 Dec 0.59, 19 Dec 0.58, 4 Jan 0.565, 6 Feb 0.55, 20 Feb 0.535, 1 Mar 0.505, 10 Mar 0.475, 14 Mar 0.45, 4 Apr 0.415, 13 Apr 0.37, 21 Apr 0.33, 29 Apr 0.29, 10 May 0.27, 17 May 0.25, 28 May 0.22, 19 June 0.22, 21 Jun updose to 0.24, 24 Jun updose to 0.26 Supplements: Omega 3 + Vit E, Vit C, D, magnesium, Taurine, probiotic I'm not a medical professional. Any advice I give is based on my own experience and reading. Link to comment
mars1 Posted March 17, 2016 Author Share Posted March 17, 2016 Can anyone recommend a digital scale for measuring tablets for tapering? 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted March 17, 2016 Moderator Share Posted March 17, 2016 Many of us use the Gemini-20 that is available on line for about $30. The important thing to look for is the ability to weigh in milligrams (0.001). It is a good idea to buy a large bag of "0" gel caps at the same time. That way you can just crush the tablets and weigh out the powder to get the desired dose. 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
mars1 Posted March 17, 2016 Author Share Posted March 17, 2016 Okay, thank you! I will look for that. 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
mars1 Posted March 17, 2016 Author Share Posted March 17, 2016 Would you recommend weighing rather than making the liquid? 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted March 17, 2016 Moderator Share Posted March 17, 2016 They both have their pros and cons. I've used weighing for my entire taper and have not had any problems. It does however get tricky when you get to the really small doses. Making very minute changes is where the liquid excels, but a homemade batch is only good for a few days and a commercial batch for a few weeks, but either way they both need refrigerated. Where as working with the powder can be a bit fiddly, it will keep for many months so if you're going to do any traveling. We have people who swear by each method. 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
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted March 18, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 18, 2016 For more discussion about digital scales see: Using a digital scale to measure doses - Tapering ... I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 18, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 18, 2016 Hi mars1 , welcome to the site. I've merged your topic about scales with your Introduction thread , as there's already one discussion about scales in the link Petunia gave you. Liquid solutions keep for a week in the fridge , and making one batch a week takes a lot less fiddling than weighing out a week's supply. Please see the thread on "How to Make Liquid from Tablets and Capsules" here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/ Best wishes , Fresh 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
mars1 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Thank you. I ordered a scale. I cut a 10% from my 25 mg dose of zoloft 3/15 and 3/16. My head felt heavy, It felt like my brain was wound tight and needed to be released. ...with no relief. Along with foggy thinking and wanting to just sit and stare into space. Yuck. Goodness, I didn't think I would react to such a small cut. 3/17 I changed to 5% cut. I felt better within hours. My brain didn't feel wound up anymore...but now I feel the waves of mind fog. Today I have had much more clear periods than the previous days. Depressive thoughts off and on when the fog strikes thinking will this ever end?! The last two days I have become very agitated. Small things really bother me. I am trying to remind myself it's the zoloft. ..control yourself. I am going to continue to micro taper (I believe this is as you all described). I am so glad I have not experienced the zaps as in past tries to stop.One thing I noticed is I have a difficult time waking up. This is new. I can't wait to be free of this drug. 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted March 20, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 20, 2016 Symptoms can change as you go through w/d, or even in a single wave. Some things come, others go, some decrease, others increase, physical, emotional... It's all part of your brain readjusting, and eventually things will settle down. Whew! You made a good call on reducing to a 5% decrease. Better than trying to tough it 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
mars1 Posted March 27, 2016 Author Share Posted March 27, 2016 Not sure if this is the right forum.This pharmacist gives good insight on antidepressants and serotonin. 1995-zoloft 100 mg. I can't remember dates, but decreased to 50 mg shortly after. Currently at 25 mg. Unable to decrease further without severe WD symptoms. Attempted several times and returned to 25 mg. 3/15/16 Day 1 of attempting 10% decrease with making my own liquid medication.3/17 changed to 5% every 2 weeks due to strong WD symptoms with the 10% drop. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now