Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted January 7, 2018 Author Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 7, 2018 Joy, you're absolutely right. Each person is going to experience medication discontinuation, tapering and withdrawal in their own individual way. My ease in this process *may* have to do with my neuro-physiology and/or the fact that I was on the medication for only 5 years and/or the fact that I took only one medication at a time (no switches or dose increases after the first week) and/or some unknown influence. Bottom line: I lucked out. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
gardenlady Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Hi scallyway. Congrats on getting off of Cymbalta! I completed a valium taper on 1/11/18 so am newly off of it. I know I need to stabilize from the benzo taper, but how long do you think I should wait till resuming my Cymbalta taper? I am at 48 mg. How do you suggest I approach the taper when I do resume? 10% per month? I am taking the Teva band generic duloxetine and using the Gemini 20 American Weigh scale that I bought on Amazon. There are an average of 315 beads in a 60 mg capsule (the capsules vary in # of beads) and I found bead counting too difficult, so I weigh them instead. Thanks for any advice. 2016-Aug-Prescribed 2 mg Ativan & 10 mg Ambien; Oct-c/o from 20 mg Lexapro to 60 mg Cymbalta; Nov-Dec-Tapered off 10 mg Ambien 2017-Jan-Feb c/o from 1.75 mg Ativan to 13 mg Valium & begin daily liquid micro taper; May-taper Cymbalta 60 mg to 48 mg with severe withdrawals. Begin 11 month Cymbalta hold. 2018-Jan 11 completed Valium taper; Apr-Resume Cymbalta taper. Interval dose progress: Apr 43 mg; May 40 mg; Jul 35 mg; Sep 29 mg; Dec 21 mg; 2019- Apr 14 mg; Jun 11 mg; Aug 9 mg; Oct 7 mg; Nov 6 mg 2020-Jan 5.2 mg; Feb 4.8 mg; Mar 4.3 mg; Apr 3.9 mg; May 3.5 mg; Jun 3.3 mg; Jul 2.9 mg; Aug 2.7 mg; 28 Sep 2.4 mg/12 beads; 25 Oct 2.2 mg/11 beads; 22 Nov 2.0 mg/10 beads; 20 Dec 1.8 mg/9 beads 2021- 17 Jan 1.6 mg/8 beads; 14 Feb 1.4 mg/7 beads; 18 Mar 1.2 mg/6 beads; 18 Apr 1.0 mg/5 beads; 16 May 0.8 mg/4 beads; 13 Jun 0.6 mg/3 beads; 11 Jul 0.5 mg/2 beads; 8 Aug .03 mg/1 bead; 5 Sep 0 mg. Brutal, agonizing, slow 4.5 year Cymbalta taper completed as of 5 Sep 2021. 100% psych drug free. Link to comment
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted June 6, 2018 Mentor Share Posted June 6, 2018 it's been a long time Scallywag, I hope you're doing well please do pop in if you can and let us know how you are so you'll be coming up to one year off in August? that's just 2 mos sooner than my one year anniversary. can't wait to hear how things have been PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment
Mentor Happy2Heal Posted November 14, 2018 Mentor Share Posted November 14, 2018 hope all is well Scallywag, miss you and your great advice pop by and say hi if you can ok? PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME PRIVATE MESSAGES, thank you. pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until Sept, then acute WD hit!! reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106 Tapered off to zero by Oct. 2017 Doing very well. Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus manymoretodays Posted November 27, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 27, 2018 Hi scallywag! I hope you know that you are missed by many of us. many hopes that you are healing nicely! Love, peace, healing, and growth, mmt yes, pop on in soon......even just for a holiday type update, if you will. Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks. Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988. In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm. Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time). 5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014) 12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs. My last psycho med ever! Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to 2016 Dec 16, medication free!! Longer signature post here, with current supplements. Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016. And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed. Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022. Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜 None of my posts are intended as medical advice. Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider. My success story: Blue skies ahead, clear sailing Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted January 13, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 13, 2019 Hi scallywag, it's be a long time. We'd love to hear from you. Hope you are doing okay. * 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
jozeff Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Hi scally, thank you for the great spreadsheet and graphs! Wonderful stuff. How are you doing?? Jozeff Sep- 2016 - Okt 2017 citalopram some months 15 mg some months 20 mg Nov 2017- Apr 2018 citalopram 25 mg Apr 2018 - Jun 2018 citalopram 3 month TAPER too fast from 25mg to 16.5 mg (0.1 mg per day decrease, felt horrible and crashed) Jun 2018 - Aug13th 2018 citalopram trying to stabilize at 16.5 mg for 5 wks - August 14th 2018 - April 29th 2019 citalopram 18 mg (1.5 mg updose). 2019 apr 27 : START taper citalopram @ 18 mg: 29Jun 16.4 mg / 19aug 15.4 mg / 25aug 15.2 mg / 30sep 14.0 mg / 4dec 13.1 mg 2020 03Jan 12.75 mg / 28Jan 12.29 mg / 18Feb 11.83 mg, 25Feb 11.68 mg hold.. / 7May 11.33 mg hold...., 4Aug 10.98 mg / 5Dec 10.0 mg 4 month hold... 2021 30mar 9.8 mg / 06apr 9.5 mg / 13apr 9.4 mg / 14may 8,5 mg / 04jun 8,0 mg / 11jun 7.75 mg, 02jul 7.35 mg / 09jul 7.2 mg hold 3 weeks during holiday /31jul 7 mg/ 8aug 6.8 mg / 15aug 6.63mg / 22aug 6.5mg / 1sep 6.3 mg / 8sep 6.15 mg / 15sep 6.0 mg / 22sep 5.9 mg / 29sep 5.8 mg / 04 oct 5.65 mg / 10oct 5.55 mg / 17oct 5.45 mg / 24oct 5.35mg / 30oct 5.25 mg hold 3 wks / 22nov 5.15 mg / 01dec 5.1mg / 12dec 5.0mg / 20dec 4.85mg / 30dec 4.70mg 2022 08jan 4.5 mg / 16jan 4.4 mg / 23jan 4.3 mg / 27jan 4.2 mg / 18feb 4.1 mg / 25feb 4.0 mg / 04mar 3.9 mg / 11mar 3.75 mg / 18Mar 3.65 mg / 09apr 3.55 mg / 16apr 3.45 mg / 23apr 3.35 mg / 01may 3.25 mg / 8may 3.15 mg / 17may 3.10 mg / 28 may 3.0 mg / 7jun 2.94 mg / 18 Jun 2.88 mg / 27 jun 2.84 mg / 05 jul 2.80 mg / 16 jul 2.75 mg / 23 jul 2.70 mg / 01aug 2.65 mg / 09aug 2.60 mg hold 5wks / 18sep 2.55 mg / 25sep 2.5 mg /02oct 2.45 mg / 10oct 2.40 mg / 19oct 2.35 mg / 27oct 2.30 mg / 05nov 2.27 mg / 14nov 2.25 mg / 22nov 2.20 mg / 29nov 2.10mg / 09dec 2.05 mg / 15dec 2.0 mg 2023 hold 2.0 mg for 5 months / 05may 1.95 mg / 14may 1.90 mg / 24may 1.87 mg / 02jun 1.85 mg / 17jun 1.82 mg / 27jun 1.79 mg / 07jul 1.75 mg / 31jul 1.72 mg / 12aug 1.69mg / 27aug 1.67 mg / 04sep 1.65 mg / 09sep 1.63 mg / 22sep 1.61 mg / 27sep 1.60 mg / 12oct 1.58 mg / 18oct 1.56 mg / 31oct 1.54 mg / 06nov 1.52 mg / 18nov 1.50 mg / 04dec 1.48 mg / 11dec 1.46 mg / 22dec 1.45 mg / 28dec 1.44 mg 2024 01jan 1.43 mg / 06jan 1.42 mg/ 10jan 1.40 mg hold / 08apr 1.38 mg / 15apr 1.36 mg / Link to comment
Miko789 Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 Hello Scally, hope thimgs are going well for you 2011 protracted withdrawal symptoms from Effexor, managed to come off 2013-2015 risperidone consta 50 mg, started tapering from March 2015 to 1,66mg/day and from 02/2015 started seroxat 10mg/day 01/17 Seroxat 2,0mg,olanzapine 5mg,risperidone consta 25mg/every 15days 05/17 Seroxat 1mg,olanzapine 5mg,risp.consta 25mg/every 15days 06/17 Seroxat 2drops,olanzapine 5mg,liquid risperidone2mg 07/17 Seroxat 1 drop,olanzapine 5mg,Risperidone 0mg, 10/17 Seroxat 0mg,olanzapine,5mg,Risperidone 0mg, 12/17 Seroxat 1/2 drop, olanzapine 5mg, 04/18 Olanzapine 1,25mg, 04/18 xanax 0,5mg 24/06/2019 doc said to take 10mg olanzapine for 13days and down to 5mg been taking 10mg for 14 days, 5mg for 8 days and tapered to 3/4quart. 5mg for 14 days, 1/2 for 14 days, 01/08/19 2,5mg 08/2021 5mg olanzapine Supplements Omega 3, Turmeric, Bacopa monneri, Mucuna Pruriens Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 24, 2019 Administrator Share Posted May 24, 2019 Hello, Scallywag! I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol ☼ to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering. Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually! 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 scallywag Posted January 8, 2020 Author Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 8, 2020 Long time no post. Thank you all for checking in on me and thank you for your EXTRAORDINARY patience with the radio silence. (((((gardenlady, Happy2Heal, manymoretodays, ChessieCat, jozeff, miko789, Altostrata,))))) Thanks too for the sun, Alto! A note: I've updated the online spreadsheet in my signature so it's now working as designed. Life has continued its "life-ing." I do my best to adjust, with greater finesse and ease at some times than others. Aside from spraining my ankle after a recent tumble, I'm well and am thankful to be coming out of a period of low energy and mood. Using my light treatment device in the last week to 10 days has probably been the critical factor in the upswing. Maintaining habits that nourish emotional, mental, and neurological stability seems as if it will always require my attention and intentions, despite wishful thinking that someday "it'll ALL be handled FOREVER." It's been 17 months since my last beads. My weight has dropped (30-40 lbs) over that time back to what it was at the time of my initial prescription. All in all, I'm glad to be safely off cymbalta and to have learned extreme caution about reintroducing any neuroactive medication. 3 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
Moderator Frogie Posted January 8, 2020 Moderator Share Posted January 8, 2020 It’s so nice to hear from you! I’ve missed your posts and advice. Hope you continue to heal and check back with the site😊 Take care, Frogie xx PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist. Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form) ---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil. Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper. 19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020) I am not a medical professional. The suggestions I make are based on personal experience. Link to comment
tntd Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 It's so good to hear from you Scallywag. I hope your ankle has healed by now. It's amazing that you have been drug free for 17 - 18 months now. I'm glad to hear that light therapy is effective for you. The things we have to do to take care of ourselves are good. I think it's great that you are taking that time to make sure that you stay well. Big hugs, T Buspirone to 45mg, Cold Turkey St. John's Wort 600mg Jan 1, 2016. Cold Turkey Buproprion 150SR June 1 due to severe Akathisia that did not decrease with reducing the dosage. Clonazepam 1.25mg, started daily liquid micro taper of clonazepam on Nov 1, 2016. Changed to sxs based taper 01/17. Slow and steady 11/10/16 .4104 3X day; 11/17/16 .4091 3x day; 11/28/16 .406 3x day; 12/4/16 .404 3x day; 12/11/16 .4028 3x 01/12/17 .39267 3x day holding; 02/25/17 .3902 3x day, holding. .3823mg 3x day. Tapering at .0007462mg as able; 09/21/18 .3542mg 3x day. 1/3/2019 .339mg 3x day. 6/25/19 .3307mg 3x day. 8/24/19 .317mg 3x day 2/13/20 .2886mg 3x day 3/18/21 .2388mg 3x day 06/17/21 .2239mg 3x day 09/13/22 .1682 3x day L-theanine 200 mg, L-glycine 500mg 1x day and 1000mg 1x day, vit C 1000 mg sustained release 2x day. Fish oil 1800mg EPA + DHA. Vit E 400 IU, magnesium in various forms. Inositol 3x a day abt 14mg, Taurine 500mg. 5/20/16 Using Cranial Eletrotherapy Stimulation. 2x day 1 hour at level 1. Using Alph-Stim AID. Link to comment
LarryS Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 @scallywag I have read this entire posting with the intent of learning how tapering went for someone using bead counting all the way to zero. It was most interesting to see that below 4.5 mg, larger dose drops of 23% and even 50% were done with holds of about a month. I realize this is only one example and that not everyone can follow this pattern. However, it can provide some basis for utilizing bead counting to zero, should one feel inclined to try out this method with due cautiousness. Thanks for this example. "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12 See LarryS Health History https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/18063-larrys-tapering-off-venlafaxine-effexor-225mg/?do=findComment&comment=575976 Aug 2014 start Venlafaxine 225 mg. Other Pharmaceuticals per day: Amlodipine Besylate 5 mg Vitamins per day: C 1,000 mg; D3 50 mcg; Probiotic 218 mg; Fish Oil 1,600 mg; Magnesium Glycinate Liquid 165 mg; CoQ10 40 mg; Saw Palmetto 320 mg; Calcium 250 mg; Red Yeast Rice 1,200 mg; Plant Sterol Esters 1,000 mg Start Taper: 225 mg to 55 mg; June 5, 2018, to June 15, 2019 49 mg July 16, 2019; 44 mg August 13, 2019; 49 mg (up 11%) Aug. 26, 2019: 44 mg Sept. 10, 2019; 40 mg Oct. 8, 2019; 37.5 mg (6%) Nov. 6, 2019; 49.5 mg (up 32%) Nov 18, 2019; 44.5 mg Dec. 30, 2019; 40 mg Jan. 27, 2020; 36 mg Feb. 24, 2020; 32.5 mg March 23, 2020; 29.2 mg April 20, 2020; 26.3 mg May 18, 2020; 23.7 mg June 15, 2020; 21.3 mg July 6, 2020; 19.2 mg Aug. 4, 2020; 17.3 mg Sept. 1, 2020; 15.5 mg Sept. 29, 2020; 14.0 mg Oct. 27, 2020; 12.6 mg Nov. 24, 2020; 11.3 mg Dec. 15, 2020; 10.2 mg Jan. 5, 2021; 9.2 mg Feb. 2, 2021; 8.3 mg March 9, 2021; 7.4 mg April 6, 2021; 6.7 mg 5/4/2021; 6.0 mg 6/01/2021; 5.4 mg 7/13/2021; 4.9 mg 8/10/2021; 4.4 mg 9/9/2021; 4.0 mg 10/14/2021; 3.5 mg 11/11/2021; 7.5 mg (up 200%) 12/6/2021; 6.75 mg 1/17/2022; 6.00 mg 2/21/2022; 5.62 mg 3/21/2022; 4.87 mg 4/25/2022; 4.50 mg 5/30/2022; 4.13 mg 7/5/2022; 3.75 mg 8/1/2022; 3.38 mg 9/7/2022; 3.00 mg 10/5/2022; 2.63 mg 11/02/2022; 2.25 mg 12/1/2022; 1.88 mg 1/5/2023; 1.50 mg 2/9/2023; 1.13 mg 3/16/2023; 0.75 mg 4/20/2023; ZERO mg 5/5/2023 Link to comment
Ariel Posted May 3, 2022 Share Posted May 3, 2022 @scallywag Scallywag, thank you so much for your invaluable contributions to SA sitewide. It is always a pleasure to come across one of your posts, they are so insightful and clear and useful. You have helped me a lot and continue to do so. Not only via your written legacy but also by all you have shared, your story is truly impressive and inspires so much hope, humility, and courage. THANK YOU and all the very best to you. 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment
Miko789 Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 Hi Scallywag How's everything? How is light treatment ? 2011 protracted withdrawal symptoms from Effexor, managed to come off 2013-2015 risperidone consta 50 mg, started tapering from March 2015 to 1,66mg/day and from 02/2015 started seroxat 10mg/day 01/17 Seroxat 2,0mg,olanzapine 5mg,risperidone consta 25mg/every 15days 05/17 Seroxat 1mg,olanzapine 5mg,risp.consta 25mg/every 15days 06/17 Seroxat 2drops,olanzapine 5mg,liquid risperidone2mg 07/17 Seroxat 1 drop,olanzapine 5mg,Risperidone 0mg, 10/17 Seroxat 0mg,olanzapine,5mg,Risperidone 0mg, 12/17 Seroxat 1/2 drop, olanzapine 5mg, 04/18 Olanzapine 1,25mg, 04/18 xanax 0,5mg 24/06/2019 doc said to take 10mg olanzapine for 13days and down to 5mg been taking 10mg for 14 days, 5mg for 8 days and tapered to 3/4quart. 5mg for 14 days, 1/2 for 14 days, 01/08/19 2,5mg 08/2021 5mg olanzapine Supplements Omega 3, Turmeric, Bacopa monneri, Mucuna Pruriens Link to comment
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