Nettis Slow tapering after only 62 days on escitalopram and zoloft - low doses?

[Nettis]

I wonder about the importance to taper very slowly after taking escitalopram 5 mg for 10 days and before that Zoloft during 52 days between 25 mg-50 mg-37,5mg  (a total of 62 days on 2 different SSRIs). I went from 5 mg escitalopram to 2,5 mg 3 days ago. I feel a little "lost" and tired but also better and don´t know if it can be dangerous/bad tapering fast even if I haven´t been long on the meds. I'm quitting the SSRI since I feel they don´t work this time. I was on Zoloft for 18 years, feeling good. I decided to finish after seeing a webbinar this summer about the dangers with a/d. Started again after 5 months due to stress in a new and horrible job. Thought it was going to be a piece of cake like before but, No. A night mare! This time I've felt worse with highly increased anxiety every day so I want to get off them and be drug free before I see a psychiatrist on Tuesday. Due to the increased anxiety I have been forced to take 0,5 mg of Lorazepam daily for a 1 month. Which I hate :-(

[Petunia]

Welcome Nettis,

I'm glad you found us. Coming off antidepressant medication too fast can cause withdrawal symptoms in some people, especially if you have taken them for longer than a few weeks. Its important that you taper slowly this time, to decrease the risk of withdrawal symptoms arising, which has already happened. Do not just stop taking them, you could make yourself feel even worse by doing that.

 

Are you taking any other medications?  It would be great if you would put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature. Doing this helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts. Here are instructions for how to do it:

 

http://survivinganti...your-signature/

 

Here is some information which may help you understand what may be going on:

 

Why Taper By 10% of My Dosage?

 

What is withdrawal syndrome?

 

We suggest reducing by no more than 10% of the current dose every 4 weeks, this reduces the risk of withdrawal symptoms arising.

 

Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

 

I'm also concerned about your current daily use of Lorazepam. It sounds like you have been using it to mask the antidepressant withdrawal symptoms. We don't recommend using other drugs to manage antidepressant withdrawal. Its better to taper slowly so the symptoms don't arise. Lorazepam is a benzodiazapine and highly addictive. You may have already become dependent on it and may need to taper off if you want to stop. Benzo withdrawal can be as bad, if not worse than antidepressant withdrawal.

 

Please read through the links and come back here to your thread to ask any questions you may have. Please feel free to write whenever you want, you will find a lot of friendly help and support here.

 

Petunia.

[Nettis]

Thanks for your replay Petunia,

Nice to feel someone care.   

 

I'm going to explain my situation a little better, because I am tapering off Escitalopram but with the idea to try to start something else. I have an appointment to see a Psychiatrist on Tuesday. I started with these meds wanting to get the same feeling I had on Zoloft for 18 years. To get some stability now when my life is very difficult. I have also lost 22 kg (49 pounds) in one year... It's only been 60 days and I haven't felt any improvement at all off the meds (the opposite) so a lot of what I feel now in the w/d moment could be due to feelings I had before and during these 60 days. Even though some anxiety maybe have increased and insomnia again. I haven´t really felt any better during these 60 days, the opposite. So I can´t say for sure these are w/d syndromes, some might be? But it could as well be the fact I started medicating because I was stressed out, and slightly depressed and that the medicines are giving me more anxiety and bad side effects and not working. Could it be that way?

 

I was on Zoloft for more or less 18 years and felt very good on them all those years. It was like it made my personality softer :-) I coped better with difficult life issues. It also took away a lot of anxiety I suffered from since I was 18. As having a crutch to lean on. Feeling ups and downs but not falling down in that dark hole. Had/ving a lot of life problems going on during all these years, moving from Sweden to Spain, having a child with Asperger, separations, loosing all my money in a business I started and so on...  But still able to cope...

I decided to quit Zoloft after watching a webbinar in July taking about all the negative aspects of a/d. Which I didn´t know much about at that moment. Only had news from the late 90's. Wanted to go natural with 5-htp , supplements and so on. The problem was since my economy was/is lousy I couldn't buy what I needed. So it didn't really work well.

 

Then I started a new horrible and stressed job in October (which I now quit) and in 2 months I felt really stressed out. Had my first panic attack after 20 years, sleeping worse, crying more, stressed, irritated, so after some weeks I decided that I had to go back on Zoloft. Since it happened to me 4 times before I thought I needed these pills. So together with a friend that is a Doctor we decided to get a prescription of Zoloft.



 

I thought it was going to be as easy as all the other times before, with 2 -3 weeks suffering bad side effects and than back to normal in a month. But I didn´t react as before. I'm in the menopause eating hormonal substitutes (Duofemme) with 2 different hormones estrogens and progesterone since 5-6 years back. Maybe the Zoloft 25 mg I ate for 13 years actually stopped working but I managed anyway. I had Psychoanalysis during 5 years (it´s when I got my first depression) and I've been doing some CBT therapy, reiki, meditation, yoga and natural treatments during all these years when I felt bad. 6 years ago I lost all my money having to close a food deli I invested everything I had in. Since then life has been much harder.

 

So I started to take 25 mg 24 days- not getting better only worse. Side effects: stomach problems, insomnia (took some sleeping pills every 3rd day), increased anxiety feeling worse than when I started, Saw my social security Dr (which sees you for 10 min and doesn't know anything about a/d) and talked to my Dr friend and decided to go up to 50 mg. 2 weeks I felt the same as on 25 mg, anxiety and depression, some days better other worse.

 

But then on day 14 I got a incredibly increased anxiety and had to start to taking 0,5 mg of lorazepam/day to be able to function and since that day I've just felt worse. Since then I've been taking Lorazepam daily. I have  problems to go out alone and I am obsessed I read forums all the time and don't think about nearly anything else. Have problem seeing films, reading and so on. It's only medicine in my head. I have also been getting help from a psychiatrist friend in Barcelona and he has been guiding me by phone. We discussed if continue with 50 mg Zoloft, decrease or what? So after 19 days I dropped to 37,5 mg but was still feeling the same. 10 days later we decided Zoloft didn't really work this time and changed to 5 mg of Escitalopram. I kept feeling the same, high anxiety and no relief in nothing, even more tired and apathetic. After 10 days knowing that I finally got a Psychiatrist appointment here where I live my friend in Barcelona said to get off Escitalopram to be able to start something new with the Psychiatrist here in my city. So that's what I did. Went from 5 mg to 2,5 after 10 days on Escitalopram and 50 days on Zoloft.. And regarding Lorazepam I don´t want to take it but I think I either have to get an antidepressant that stabilizes me enough to not have such high anxiety (it feels like induced from the meds) or taper on thing at a time no? I can´t taper lorazepam if I already from the beginning had such a a high anxiety on Escitalopram, meaning it`s not because of the w/d, It was there already!

[KarenB]

Hello Nettis,

 

I can see things have been really hard for you, and quite confusing too. 

 

Doctors are inclined to think the only option is to try a new drug.  The thing they don't realise is that when anti-depressants stop working for a person, trying 'new' drugs doesn't help.  All that happens from this point onward is that people get worsening symptoms as they complicate things by going on and off different drugs.

 

I got about 1-2 years before they stopped working for me, and then I complicated things by trying different drugs.  Now I am slowly tapering, but I really wish I'd not tried the extra ones.  It just caused me more difficulties and worse withdrawal symptoms. 

 

When you realise the antidepressants don't work for you any more, your best chance is to start slowly tapering, and also learning to manage life without them.  If you can't afford counseling, there are other options like learning CBT or EFT online.  We have lots of ideas here:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1112-non-drug-techniques-to-cope-with-emotional-symptoms/

 

You were right in your guess that the drugs are making your anxiety worse.  There is a book called Anatomy of an Epidemic which is great for understanding more about what is happening.    

 

Petunia gave you some really good links.  Have a read of them, and keep coming back to this thread to discuss things further.  We'd really like to help you through this, and I know it's not easy to take in all this new info at first. 

 

Karen

[Nettis]

Thanks Karen,

I wish I just could say that I would do without medications, because that's really what I would like to. But I'm not sure I can at this moment. And since I haven´t got any relief from the initial problems. I still feel that I have to try at least 1 more medicine and maybe give it a little more time (even if I get strong side effects??) I only gave Zoloft 19 days on 50 mg and Escitalopram 10 days on 5 mg. Because I felt worse all the time.

I think I will decide to do like this: I see the psychiatrist tomorrow. Talk to him and see what kind of person he is. If there is something that sounds good to try I will do so. And if I feel that things continue the same way with that medication. I will taper slowly, and maybe try Kelly Brogans way with diet and so on.

 

Thanks again :-)
 

PD.  I feel really scared of trying Venlafaxine (Effexor). How did you feel on that drug? Doesn't seem very good when I read your summary...

[ChessieCat]

Hi Nettis,

 

I understand that you desperately want to feel better, but adding a different drug into the mix is only going to complicate things and most probably will make things so much worse.

 

Zoloft:

 

1997 to 2001                      on & off 1997-2001

 

2002 to Aug 2015               continuously

 

Jan 2016 to March 2016     25-50 mg (50 mg really high anxiety)

 

It would seem from your history of taking Zoloft on and off from 1997 to March 2016 that you have experienced withdrawal symptoms weeks or months after quitting Zoloft (without realising that it was withdrawal) and have ended up going back on Zoloft because you thought you still had your original problem.

 

You might find this book Your Drug May Be Your Problem by Dr Peter Breggin helpful (there is a green download link top right of page - right click and save as to download).  Pages 52 to 57 Common Adverse Effects on Your Mind is especially informative.

 

It may be that reinstating a small amount of Zoloft may help and you could then do a 10% taper of Zoloft.  One of the mods will give their thoughts on this.

 

Taking these drugs change our brain.  This is why SA recommends tapering by 10% of the previous dose and holding for 4-6 weeks.  This allows our brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.

 

These might help you understand:

 

Brain Remodelling

 

Video:  Healing from Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery (4 minutes)

 

Also, if you can, I suggest you read these before seeing your psychiatrist/doctor:

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

What should I expect from my doctor about withdrawal symptoms?

[Nettis]

Thanks for your answer Chessie,

 

I went to the Psychiatrist yesterday and she suggested to start with Mirtazapine. I don´t know what to do???? I feel really lost and confused...

 

I wonder if any of you have any good plan how to taper the medicine I'm on right now. If I decide doing so.

 

I was on zoloft for 60 days (25 days on 25 mg followed by 20 days on 50 mg and finally 10 days on 37,5-25 mg )

Then I changed to 5 mg of Escitalopram during 10 days,

 

and have now been on 2,5 mg for 8 days.

 

Nearly all the time since I've re-started taking Zoloft (after 5 months off them) and the time I've been on Escitalopram I've had a really high levels of anxiety (caused by the medicine I suppose, as I didn't have this raging anxiety before starting the meds), So I don´t know where my starting point to w/d should be?  The one you all talk about for not getting w/d symptoms. I can´t clearly see if the w/d symptoms really started or if this are side effects starting the meds, decreasing dose or what? since I've been taking them for such a short time changing meds and going up and down in dose...

 

So where do I start? I'm not that bad now on 2,5 mg, sleeping a little worse maybe but not worse than before I started taking the meds. Chrissie, what you are saying sounds a little strange. Go back on Zoloft and taper from them???

 

Should I go back to 5 mg or up to 3,75 mg??? Or should I start tapering 10 % from now - 2,5 mg? I really feel confused as I don´t know how to avoid w/d symptoms since I don´t know if I really have w/d symptoms, side effects of decreasing dose or just side effects from the drugs not working ....

 

Any practical help from someone?

[ChessieCat]

Hi Nettis,

 

It's understandable that you are confused.  I've referred your question for the mods (I'm a new mod) to consider what may be best for you to do.

 

At the moment, I would stick with what you are doing, and wait until another mod posts their suggestion.  I also suggest that you DO NOT start the mirtazapine until the mod/s have given you their thoughts.

[Fresh]

Hi Nettis ,  it sounds like you got exactly what you wanted - another medication to try.

 

March 22:

" I still feel that I have to try at least 1 more medicine and maybe give it a little more time (even if I get strong side effects??) I only gave Zoloft 19 days on 50 mg and Escitalopram 10 days on 5 mg. Because I felt worse all the time.

I think I will decide to do like this: I see the psychiatrist tomorrow. Talk to him and see what kind of person he is. If there is something that sounds good to try I will do so".

 

Given that you feel zoloft and escitalopram haven't helped ,  there's no real reason to think that mirtazapine will.

 

I would go back  on the 2.5mg escitalopram in order to aviod w/d symptoms , and wait to stabilize there. The additional anxiety you describe since being back on high doses indicates you were getting too much drug.

 

This site is for tapering support - we do not advise what might be the best drug for you to try next.

There are other websites where people will be happy to recommend more drugs for you.

 

bw ,  Fresh

[Nettis]

Thanks Fresh,

It's not really true that I want another drug. I just want to feel good, not have racing anxiety all day, I want to be able to look forward to the future, to take care of my son who has Aspergers, be able to smile and not be obsessed with how I feel all the time. Be able to look for a job, I'm unemployed with only 3 months of a low unemployment payment. I need to live... I want to function which I'm not doing at the moment!!!

 

What I don´t understand is: what does it mean to stabilize? I started escitalopram at 5 mg for 10 days, had racing anxiety all the time, went down to 2,5 mg with the same anxiety. Am I stabilizing now???

 

And how to do if I also take lorazepam that I also have to get off.

 

I'm crying and feeling so *****ing lost

[AliG]

Nettis.   Of course you don't want to be on the drugs !  You just want to feel normal again . 

 

I would stick on the 2.5mg as advised , and hold for a good while .   Stabilize , is a tricky term , I guess, but basically it means to add in a little bit of the drug , to the brain / body to enable it to keep functioning , the best it can under destabilizing conditions, and eventually coming back to a place where the symptoms aren't  too overwhelming  and you can carry on with your life in a positive way .

After cutting by 50 % , it is like half your support system has been " yanked " away , and your body is trying to reach a state of " homeostasis" or normality .

Yes , you are in the process of stabilizing .

Don't worry about the Lorezepam , for now . One step at a time .

Please keep notes on your symptoms . It will help to establish how you are going in the coming weeks .

Ali

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Nettis.

 

Going on and off psychiatric drugs changes the nervous system, often making it more sensitive to drugs and stress. When you went off Zoloft after 18 years, this probably is what happened to you. You may never have a honeymoon with psychiatric drugs again.

 

You mentioned you are feeling a little better at 2.5mg escilatopram? What is your daily symptom pattern? Please keep notes on paper.

 

Are you taking any other drugs?

[Nettis]

Ali,

Thanks a lot for your answer. It made me feel very good and calmed me quit a lot.

You're all great persons!

 

[Nettis]

Thank you Alostrata, and as I said to Ali - I really appreciate what you all do in this forum. I think your work Is very magical and beautiful.

 

As you say it might be that you can´t have a honeymoon with psychiatric drugs again. 

I wish I don't have to be on psychiatric drugs - that's why I quit this summer still feeling good on Zoloft, because I think it´s bad for your body/brain in the long run. I'm into natural healing and Buddhism.

 

You mentioned you are feeling a little better at 2.5mg escilatopram?

About feeling better at 2,5 mg escitalopram -it´s not really true. I haven´t felt good on any dose of Escitalopram.

 

What is your daily symptom pattern? Please keep notes on paper.

I keep notes. My daily symptom pattern is:

1. anxiety / scores between 7-10 daily before taking lorazepam and after taking lorazepam scores of 3-6 - (at the moment. it was better with Zoloft in the beginning before taking 50 mg)

2. Sweats at night between 7-10 (all the time since I started  meds in January)

3. Trouble sleeping 4-8 (up and down since January)
4. Low energy, tired between 4-7 (on Escitalopram more than on Zoloft)

5. Memory problems and forgetfulness between 2-5 (on Escitalopram more than on Zoloft and since starting lorazepam)

6. Headache between 3-6 (on Escitalopram more than on Zoloft)

7. Strange feelings in my head like between feeling dizzy, detached, unreal, lost scores between 3-4 (on Escitalopram more than on Zoloft)

8. Nausea between 0-3 (more on Zoloft 4-8 in the beginning. it went away)

 

 Are you taking any other drugs?

 

Yes,

Lorazepam 0.5 mg/day since 25th February (after days being on Zoloft 50 mg)

Duofemme Hormonal substitutes estrogen/progesteron since 5-6 years (the day I started to have high anxiety on 50 mg Zoloft was the day a shifted to progesteron hormones - not sure if it could have anything to do with the higer anxiety)

 

What makes me really worried is:

 

I still don´t understand where the best way to start tapering is? If I felt really bad on 5 mg and 2,5 mg of Escitalopram how can I ever stabilize on them or is it a question of getting enough of an amount of drugs in your system? I really think that it's the drugs that are causing me this high anxiety, the a/d and in some way the benzo too. Which makes me not want to be on a/d for ages if that means I have to continue on benzos all that time, If I don´t stabilize on 2,5 mg of Escitalopram how can I get of Lorazepam?

 

Do yo think it should be better to switch to Zoloft 25 mg which was what I was on before starting to have this high anxiety. At that moment I had depression feelings and some anxiety but bearable. To be able to stabilize better...and taper slow...

 

Or is it to late to go back??? It´s been more than a month off 25 mg. And having changed med What does your experience say...

 

Namaste!

[JanCarol]

Something else to consider - I just talked to one of our members who had a reaction to progesterone, and I think anxiety was a huge part of it.

 

Please factor it into your notes, to see if you are reacting to that, as well.

 

I'm checking with Alto & co about where to go next.

[Nettis]

Thanks, JanCarol.
I've been feeling a little better from yesterday afternoon. Much more headache and sleeping bad, but a little less anxiety and less obsessed with reading about medications.

I´ve been doing quite a lot of EFT, crying and writing a lot. Seeing friends and family.

Could it might be I'm stabilizing?
 

[Altostrata]

It could be you are stabilizing on 2.5mg escilatopram.

 

How long have you been taking progesterone?

 

What times of day do you take your drugs? Please include this in your daily symptom pattern notes.

 

Please put ALL the drugs you take in the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html
and copy and paste the results in this topic.
 

[ChessieCat]

Just wanted to let you know that I also had a reaction to progesterone in the past.  It was before I started taking antidepressants.  When I got very irritable and started yelling at my very young daughter I realised something was very wrong.  Once I stopped the progesterone I was okay.

[Nettis]

Thanks for all the information!

I actually take a drug called Duofemme which contains estradiol / norethindrone (I just figured out it`s not progesterone but close to). Any ways I did the interaction check and neither Escitalopram nor Lorazepam interacts with this drug.

I've been taking Duofemme for 6 years, and some months I have gotten more sad/low/depressed the12 days/month that the hormonal substitute treatment consists of the norethindrone pills.

And I take the escitalopram and the hormones together in the morning around 7-8 o'clock and lorazapam close to that time too, maybe an hour later.

[Nettis]

Hello again,

 

Today I've been feeling worse again with more anxiety and a lot off headache. From the beginning of changing to Escitalopram I never liked how I felt on them, it felt like they were doing more damage to my brain than Zoloft.

 

I get the feeling Escitalopram at this dose will not make me stabilize ever, even if I continue 4 more weeks. It´s like a gut feeling I have. Like if it never peaked in and therefore never will peak out?? I can´t feel what is w/d and what is side effects? It´s like the same feeling -since it´s only been 22 days.

When you Chessie said: It may be that reinstating a small amount of Zoloft may help and you could then do a 10% taper of Zoloft. - I started to think it might be better to reinstate Zoloft and taper from that? Or is it bad to change once again, is it like messing more with the brain (after taking Escitalopram during 22 days?)

 

I should be really happy if someone had any thoughts about this!!!

When I read your drug stories I can´t see anyone being as short as me on a specific drug (22 days) so I feel very insecure to continue tapering from Escitalopram and not Zoloft.

[Altostrata]

Do you have anxiety before or after taking lorazepam? How long have you been taking it every day?

 

It is possible the escilatopram is not compensating for Zoloft withdrawal. Do you have any Zoloft left?

[Nettis]

I normally have anxiety in the morning before taking Lorazepam. Some days also a little on and off in the afternoon and night, like today.

 

I've been taking a very low dose of Lorazepam 0.5 mg/every day during 5 weeks.

 

And Yes i still have Zoloft at home.

[Nettis]

Hi,

Alostrata - do you think I should reinstate Zoloft or not? I feel I'm not going anywhere...

[JanCarol]

Hey Nettis - 

 

If you are suffering symptoms, it is likely the Zoloft your body is craving.   

 

I'm a little confused by your signature - was your last dose 25 mg?  If your last dose was 25 mg, you could try a smaller dose of 12.5 mg to see if that alleviates some of your symptoms?  It's better to try a lower dose, since you have had reactions to it in the past.  You could even try a tiny amount, like 5 mg, just to see if that takes the edge off of your symptoms.  

 

Try the smallest amount possible - it is easier to increase the doses a tiny amount at a time to find the right dose, than it is to try and come down off a too-high dose (as you experienced before with Zoloft).

 

If it's the Zoloft your body is craving, and you find a small dose that works, you can likely discontinue the escitalopram, as it was added just last month.  Withdrawing from escitalopram could rattle your system a bit - but better that than to risk drug interactions between the two.

 

I hope you see the sun today.

[Altostrata]

Yes, you might try adding 5mg Zoloft, give it about 4 days. If it helps, you might taper off the Prozac and reinstate Zoloft instead.

 

To take a small amount of Zoloft, see Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)

 

What time of day do you take lorezapam?

[Nettis]

Hi JanCarol,

And thanks for your answer. I was taking 37,5 mg of Zoloft for 9 days before I changed to Escitalopram (tapered down from 50 mg Zoloft which I took for 19 days).

I want to ask a question to all of you? When someone starts to feel bad again 5 months after finishing taking a medication (as in my case for 18 years) without having any w/d symptoms while finishing the drug. Do you think that what that person experience is always withdrawal symptoms? Or do you accept that there is something called relapse?? That the brain gets used to a specific drug is quite clear, but my question is:

is there a difference between w / d symptoms and relapse? Do you recognize any difference?

[ChessieCat]

Hi Nettis,

 

From Introduction to AD Withdrawal Syndrome

 

"How do I know it's withdrawal and not relapse?

 

Typically, in withdrawal symptoms such as melancholia, anxiety, and disorientation come in intense waves, which differentiates them from relapse of a psychological condition.

In withdrawal, symptoms are much more intense than the original psychological condition. People suffering from withdrawal often say things like

- "This doesn't feel like my depression."
- "I've never had symptoms like this before."
- "I feel very weird and not like myself."

It's up to the individual to decide whether your body and brain are behaving "normally" as they did before you tried medication, or if you are feeling differently."

[Nettis]

Thanks for your answer Chessie and Alostrata.



 

Now I know it must have been a relapse after going off Zoloft (18 years on them).



 

My symptoms came slowly, I could feel I was getting more sensible to stress and vulnerable over the months. The job I started was incredible stressful and I was feeling awful every Sunday knowing I had to go there on Monday. It was not drastic, neither did it come in intense waves and I never felt:

- "This doesn't feel like my depression."


- "I've never had symptoms like this before."


- "I feel very weird and not like myself."

Actually it was the opposite.



I felt I recognized everything from my first episodes of depression.

So since starting the meds again in January I think I've been experiencing side effects and the effects of increasing/decreasing doses more than really having w/d symptoms.

 

But still it's true they haven´t worked this time and I haven´t got any help from the them.



 

So if I've experienced relapse and not w/d symptoms and still haven´t got any relief from neither Zoloft nor Escitalopram, where should I start?

 

Do you think taking 5 mg of Zoloft will lift me out off my depression/anxiety and help? Or is that dose only to get rid off w/s symptoms?

Any thoughts?

 

[ChessieCat]

Hi Nettis,

 

I've attached an excerpt from Your Drug May Be Your Problem.  Please see Page 55.  (Please download this attachment so I can remove it because we only get a small amount of data upload allowance.)

 

Drugs may cause the problems that they are "meant" to treat.

 

Learning non-drug coping techniques either with the help of a therapist or through books or online may be better than relying on a drug that could be causing more problems than it is solving.

 

Audio:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)
 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes
 

Resources:  Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg:  Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying)

Edited March 6, 2017 by ChessieCat
removed link to excerpt - Your Drug May Be Your Problem pp52-58 Common Adverse Effects on Your Mind

[Nettis]

Thanks Jessie, I do appreciate all your help a lot!

 

[nz11]

So if I've experienced relapse and not w/d symptoms and still haven´t got any relief from neither Zoloft nor Escitalopram, where should I start?

Its very confusing isnt it...but i would like to tell you i believe this is not a relapse this is ssri withdrawal. It appears you tapered off 25 mg over one month did you know there are people here taking several years to taper off that amount of drug.

I  like the idea of trying a small amount of zoloft. The 5mg recommended is to take the edge of the wdl symptoms. It doesnt sound like much but sadly these drugs have been pushed at ridiculously high amounts. 

 

Compare this to what you said in the first post....it seems that things are far worse than before.

 

 Thought it was going to be a piece of cake like before but, No. A night mare! This time I've felt worse with highly increased anxiety every day so I want to get off them and be drug free before I see a psychiatrist on Tuesday. Due to the increased anxiety I have been forced to take 0,5 mg of Lorazepam daily for a 1 month. Which I hate :-(

 

Its not 'increased anxiety' its full blown ssri withdrawal.

 

Just recently heard a great quote from K Brogan...

"[ssri] withdrawal i would argue is potentially the worst of all chemical withdrawals, i cannot think of a chemical on earth that is more challenging to come off of than 15 yrs on celexa' for example. I have patients in my practice that i taper off by one thousandth of a mg a month. I have never heard of someone struggling to come off of heroin or oxycontin at this rate. I have never heard of anything comparable to this it is so disabling that patients develop neurologic symptoms, they  develop cataclismic mood syndromes, they develop impulsivity and violence totally out of character for them. Its pretty horrifying."

                                                                                                                               K. Brogan, NY Psychiatrist, 11 March 2016

The word 'celexa' can be replaced with the name of any ssri imo.

[Nettis]

Thanks a lot NZ,

 

So if I start on 5 mg Zoloft what will happen to the 1,8 mg of Escitalopram I have in my body right now.  Just go off Escitalopram? Will the w/d syndroms not be stronger than the relief I could get from 5 mg of Zoloft?

And the benzo- Lorazepam 0,45 mg, taper that after I stabilize?

[Fresh]

Please wait to see what Alto or the more experienced moderators say.

If you stay on both for more than 2 weeks , you'll need to taper both. The idea is that any w/d

symptoms are alleviated by introducing zoloft.

You may be able to cross-taper over a week or two so that you go off escitalopram completely.