Lors Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Hi im new here, I left antidepresants 5 weeks ago after taking a lot of them over 8 years, left them because they were not working anymore and were making depression worst, after i stopped taking them felt good for about three weeks, then had some weeks of anger and crying, but now i am starting to feel down. Is there a way to know if what im starting to feel is a result of withdrawl or the return of depression? Im really scared. Also wanted to ask if somebody has tried high doses of niacin to treat depression. fluoxetine and clonazepam(20 mg then 30mg) 2007 stopped working after 4 months, paroxetine(20mg) 2008 stopped working after 8 months, sertraline headaches, did nothing for my depression and anxiety, stopped antidepressants depression came after thre months, citalopram (20mg) made ocd worse, fluoxetine(20 mg) I had anxiety and tachychardia all the time, paroxetine worked really good , and then stopped working, didnt have any libido, sertraline (50mg) good until it stopped working, venlafaxine (75mg then 150mg then again 75mg) good, and then it made me more depressed and slow, fluoxetine (20mg) worked really good, stopped treatement because of trembling hands, venlafaxine (75mg) december 2013 had brain zaps and my hands started to feel numb all the time, paroxetine july 2014 good but stopped working fast, fluoxetine (20mg) december 2014 didnt help, took them only two months, venlafaxine (75mg)f ebruary 2015 terrible headaches, body tremor, didnt helped with depression, took out my libido completely, escitalopram (10 mg) abril 2015 never really helped, i started having really bad angst and crying episodes, with suicide fantasies, sertraline june 2015 worked well for a while, then started feeling face and hands numb all the time, felt a lot of anxiety , very difficult to fall asleep, fluoxetine(20 mg) oct 2015 worked for 4 months aprox. then started having crying episodes wihtout reason, depression got worst, antidepressant free 7 abril 2016 -, since then i had two terrible weeks when i was angry and furious all the time, then had 1 week when i cried about everything, one week i was fine, and now its a combination of no motivation with anger and crying all the time. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 14, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 14, 2016 Hello Lors, I'm sorry you have found yourself needing to come to SA, though I am glad you found us. You are clearly in withdrawal - all the symptoms you listed are common withdrawal symptoms. It is very common to feel good initially, only to have symptoms catch up with you. Thank you for filling out your signature block; that helps us see your history at a glance. It would help if you could add dosages of the meds you took to the best of your recollection. This is your thread to document your situation, ask questions, etc. By clicking Follow above you will be notified of any responses to your thread. Your drug history is pretty complex, so it is not clear what drug you are actually in withdrawal from. I think you have experienced treatment resistant depression in that none of these drugs will work very well anymore, never did to begin with, really. If you came off of your meds by cold turkey or fast tapers, you went into withdrawal which led to the next med, and so on, with each pooping out. It seems that you had severe side effects. Your system seems to not get along with SSRI/SNRIs. Since your history is complicated, I am going to discuss your situation with the moderators to see what the best plan is for you to get some relief from your symptoms. Usually, when a member has come off by cold turkey or too fast taper rather recently, we suggest a small reinstatement dose with the goal being to alleviate the worst withdrawal symptoms. Since you were on fluoxetine a fairly short time, I'm not certain that it is the one to reinstate. I know it may seem crazy to go back on a med that wasn't working for you, but it is still possible to be in withdrawal from a drug that wasn't working. Ultimately, we just want to alleviate the worst symptoms, and once you are stable you can then come off using the 10% taper method that SA recommends. Could you please let us know what dose you were on before you came off, and how you came off? That will help us advise you. I'm going to give you some links to read in the meantime. After you've read through them, come back here with questions as well as answers to my questions. Introduction to AD Withdrawal Syndrome About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptomsWhy taper by 10% of my dosage? Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Symptoms Checklist See you back here soon! 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
Lors Posted May 15, 2016 Author Share Posted May 15, 2016 SquirrellyGirl, thank you very much for your response, I am feeling very lonely now and don't want to go back to a doctor because i know they will put me in full treatment again. Ok, so i updated my signature to add dosages, i read all the articles in the links, i am starting to see more clearly what is going on. The last antidepressant i was on was fluoxetine at 20mg i was fine for about 4 months then started feeling demotivated, didn't want to do anything but was not feeling depressed, it was weird, then i started to feel desolated, sad, lonely, and in plain despair, wanted to cry all day. I also gained like 15 pounds in one months and lost all appetite. Had panic attacks as well. Was very difficult to sleep although i took .5mg of clonazepam, i mostly felt asleep at 5 or 6 am. I realized it could be the fluoxetine so I decided stop. The first week i took it one day and one day not, after another week i took it one day and two days not, and on the third week one day and three days not and then i stopped completely. I know it was a really fast tapper but I could not bare the symptoms anymore. The moment i started to lower the dosage i felt better, and felt much better after after i stopped it completely. but now I'm not so good. Last night i had a major breakdown, panic attack , racing thoughts, suicide ideation. I don't like the idea of going back to fluoxetine because it was a nightmare but maybe if i go back in a lower dose and then tapper from there it could work. So after reading the articles i think that going back with a lower dose is the safest way to do it. Could 5 mg do it? Well I ll read as most as i can about the subject. Really, really, thank you!!! fluoxetine and clonazepam(20 mg then 30mg) 2007 stopped working after 4 months, paroxetine(20mg) 2008 stopped working after 8 months, sertraline headaches, did nothing for my depression and anxiety, stopped antidepressants depression came after thre months, citalopram (20mg) made ocd worse, fluoxetine(20 mg) I had anxiety and tachychardia all the time, paroxetine worked really good , and then stopped working, didnt have any libido, sertraline (50mg) good until it stopped working, venlafaxine (75mg then 150mg then again 75mg) good, and then it made me more depressed and slow, fluoxetine (20mg) worked really good, stopped treatement because of trembling hands, venlafaxine (75mg) december 2013 had brain zaps and my hands started to feel numb all the time, paroxetine july 2014 good but stopped working fast, fluoxetine (20mg) december 2014 didnt help, took them only two months, venlafaxine (75mg)f ebruary 2015 terrible headaches, body tremor, didnt helped with depression, took out my libido completely, escitalopram (10 mg) abril 2015 never really helped, i started having really bad angst and crying episodes, with suicide fantasies, sertraline june 2015 worked well for a while, then started feeling face and hands numb all the time, felt a lot of anxiety , very difficult to fall asleep, fluoxetine(20 mg) oct 2015 worked for 4 months aprox. then started having crying episodes wihtout reason, depression got worst, antidepressant free 7 abril 2016 -, since then i had two terrible weeks when i was angry and furious all the time, then had 1 week when i cried about everything, one week i was fine, and now its a combination of no motivation with anger and crying all the time. Link to comment
Lors Posted May 15, 2016 Author Share Posted May 15, 2016 I was also thinking about the possibility to try another antidepressant and then tapper it off, instead of going back to the fluoxetine. could that work? Is just that just thinking about going back to fluoxetine feels like poisoning myself. I don`t know, its just an idea. Has anyone done it? fluoxetine and clonazepam(20 mg then 30mg) 2007 stopped working after 4 months, paroxetine(20mg) 2008 stopped working after 8 months, sertraline headaches, did nothing for my depression and anxiety, stopped antidepressants depression came after thre months, citalopram (20mg) made ocd worse, fluoxetine(20 mg) I had anxiety and tachychardia all the time, paroxetine worked really good , and then stopped working, didnt have any libido, sertraline (50mg) good until it stopped working, venlafaxine (75mg then 150mg then again 75mg) good, and then it made me more depressed and slow, fluoxetine (20mg) worked really good, stopped treatement because of trembling hands, venlafaxine (75mg) december 2013 had brain zaps and my hands started to feel numb all the time, paroxetine july 2014 good but stopped working fast, fluoxetine (20mg) december 2014 didnt help, took them only two months, venlafaxine (75mg)f ebruary 2015 terrible headaches, body tremor, didnt helped with depression, took out my libido completely, escitalopram (10 mg) abril 2015 never really helped, i started having really bad angst and crying episodes, with suicide fantasies, sertraline june 2015 worked well for a while, then started feeling face and hands numb all the time, felt a lot of anxiety , very difficult to fall asleep, fluoxetine(20 mg) oct 2015 worked for 4 months aprox. then started having crying episodes wihtout reason, depression got worst, antidepressant free 7 abril 2016 -, since then i had two terrible weeks when i was angry and furious all the time, then had 1 week when i cried about everything, one week i was fine, and now its a combination of no motivation with anger and crying all the time. Link to comment
Andalusian Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Hi Lors, I'm relatively inexperienced as I only found out about this stuff recently. I too was really scared to go back on Fluoxetine because exactly like you, I felt like i was poisoning myself. In the end I trusted what the people on here told me and reinstated 5 mg every day to see if I would stabilize. I was scared but they were right. It helped me. I stabilized and then I was able to do this thing properly and slowly. I am down to 4 mg now it has taken me about 8 months to taper just one mg. The time frame is different for everyone so you really need to write everything down and look back. It makes it easier to make rational decisions that way. I'm reluctant to give advice because I don't feel qualified. I can only tell you what I did and I'm glad I did reinstate 5 mg. At least it gives your central nervous system a chance to stabilize. If it doesn't help then ask for more advice on here. These people will know what to do. Hard to remember but: Took first AD in 1999 (Citalopram)On and off for about 3 years (little to no tapering)Started Fluoxetine around 2004, 20mgVery inconsistent dosage 2004-2015 (skipping doses sometimes for days or weeks at a time then reinstating again at full dose) Found this forum 16th September 2015<p>Started stabilizing 17th September 2015 - 5mg Fluoxetine DAILY. Found a compounding chemist and am on 4 mg per day January 2016. Tried reducing to 3 mg March 2016 but reinstated to 4 mg. Started taper from 27th May 2016 to 3.6 mg. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 15, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 15, 2016 Andalusian, thank you for sharing your experience here. I'm so glad to know that the reinstatement helped and that you are now doing the slow taper off. How have you felt as you have dropped down? I'll read your thread eventually :-) I've had a busy weekend with prepping to entertain last night, so my apologies for not getting back to you sooner, Lors. In looking at your history it seems that all the meds you've tried failed you fairly quickly, so I really don't think another AD is a solution for you at this time. I think a lot of the mood issues you encountered (the drugs not working) was DUE to the drugs themselves and not some underlying condition. For that reason, it will be important for you to look for Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms. I think you have developed treatment resistant depression which has nothing to do with your original condition but is iatrogenic, caused by the meds. Having come to meds due to "lifelong" depression, I now look back and see that I always had poor coping mechanisms for dealing with emotions (learned early on to numb out rather than deal with feelings in a healthy manner). Had I gotten the right kind of therapy maybe I never would have tripped on down the Prozac road, just another form of numbing out. Finally, I have been learning ways of breaking the old wires and replacing them with new healthier ones, through CBT techniques, mindfulness/meditation and the like. We really do have the power to change things for the better. That said, it is better to stick with the devil you know, fluoxetine, and then do the slow taper off as Andalusian is doing. A very small reinstatement dose shouldn't bring about all the side effects that you were having, but hopefully ease the withdrawal. I'm inclined to say 2 mg as a starting place, just to be sure you can actually tolerate it still. The trick is measuring that small of a dose. Tips for tapering off Prozac (fluoxetine) Read that link to decide what way you'd like to measure dosages. A lot of people who come here having used these meds long term feel that somehow they will always need to be on meds to treat their depression, but it was the fact of going on the meds that kept the depression alive. 80% of depressions resolve within a year with NO treatment at all, yet a similar number of patients on antidepressants are still expressing depressiion at the end of that year! I may have the numbers wrong; see this link: Making the Case Against Antidepressants In Parliament - Robert Whitaker At any rate, if you read through some success stories you will very often find that the folks who make it out to the other side feel better than before or during drugs and have a newfound appreciation for life including its bumps and lumps, as well as a new sense of compassion. 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 Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 15, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 15, 2016 I wanted to add that, as Andalusion noted, keep notes on paper daily as to your symptom pattern so that you can look back and see patterns. If you feel worse after the first reinstatement dose, then stop. Keep us apprised of how you are doing! 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
Lors Posted May 15, 2016 Author Share Posted May 15, 2016 Andalusian, Thank you for sharing your experience with fluoxetine, Its a very good idea to write everything down,Iill do it. thanks, I hope youre ok with your tappering. Ill read your thread too. SquirrellyGirl, I decided to go back to fluoxetine with a lower dose, i will try 2.5 mg to start and ill see if thats enough if not then ill take a higher dose. Because im note feeling fine at all. About the depression, I had a 10 year depression and severe ocd and took several therapies, meditation, excercise, diet and everything that i could get my hands into to cope with depression before making the desicion to start taking antidepressants. And i felt really good the first time in years when fluoxetine started making effect, i didnt know one could feel so good. But i think that my depression never was really well managed by the doctors that prescribe me the pills, maybe i just needed them for a while and could have left them whitout feeling depressed again, but as you say, i think that the wrong prescription during a long period of time has made everything a lot worst. And now im stock in this mess. Im going to start excersicing everyday, to see if it helps with my anxiety and anger and relaxes me a bit. Thank you very much for your attention, i really aprecciate it. =) good day to you two!!! fluoxetine and clonazepam(20 mg then 30mg) 2007 stopped working after 4 months, paroxetine(20mg) 2008 stopped working after 8 months, sertraline headaches, did nothing for my depression and anxiety, stopped antidepressants depression came after thre months, citalopram (20mg) made ocd worse, fluoxetine(20 mg) I had anxiety and tachychardia all the time, paroxetine worked really good , and then stopped working, didnt have any libido, sertraline (50mg) good until it stopped working, venlafaxine (75mg then 150mg then again 75mg) good, and then it made me more depressed and slow, fluoxetine (20mg) worked really good, stopped treatement because of trembling hands, venlafaxine (75mg) december 2013 had brain zaps and my hands started to feel numb all the time, paroxetine july 2014 good but stopped working fast, fluoxetine (20mg) december 2014 didnt help, took them only two months, venlafaxine (75mg)f ebruary 2015 terrible headaches, body tremor, didnt helped with depression, took out my libido completely, escitalopram (10 mg) abril 2015 never really helped, i started having really bad angst and crying episodes, with suicide fantasies, sertraline june 2015 worked well for a while, then started feeling face and hands numb all the time, felt a lot of anxiety , very difficult to fall asleep, fluoxetine(20 mg) oct 2015 worked for 4 months aprox. then started having crying episodes wihtout reason, depression got worst, antidepressant free 7 abril 2016 -, since then i had two terrible weeks when i was angry and furious all the time, then had 1 week when i cried about everything, one week i was fine, and now its a combination of no motivation with anger and crying all the time. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 16, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 16, 2016 I'm glad that you are aware of the alternatives. You might look into Claire Weekes: Claire Weekes' Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System One that really had a profound impact on me is Eckhart Tolle. Of course, when our depression and anxiety are caused by the drugs or withdrawal, some folks have trouble with these techniques and teachings being helpful. It's still worth a try. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/10992-eckhart-tolle-the-pain-body-and-mental-suffering-during-withdrawal/ 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 Emeritus JanCarol Posted May 18, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 18, 2016 Hey Lors, have you reinstated your 2.5 mg yet? How is that going? "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
Lors Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 Hi, again! Hello JanCarol, Yes, i started with 5mg , took it for two days and after reading SquirrellyGirl's advice saying 2mg could work I started taking 2.5mg, the first days I wad in a very low mood and a lot of anxiety but now im feeling fine, no depression, anxiety or anger for 4 days. So i think that dosage is working but i have a question. I just realized that im 16 days late for my period. Ive never been that late. Its impossible that im pregned since i have not had sex for about a year. So i dont know if it could be related with the ssri withdrawal or I should see a gynecologist. fluoxetine and clonazepam(20 mg then 30mg) 2007 stopped working after 4 months, paroxetine(20mg) 2008 stopped working after 8 months, sertraline headaches, did nothing for my depression and anxiety, stopped antidepressants depression came after thre months, citalopram (20mg) made ocd worse, fluoxetine(20 mg) I had anxiety and tachychardia all the time, paroxetine worked really good , and then stopped working, didnt have any libido, sertraline (50mg) good until it stopped working, venlafaxine (75mg then 150mg then again 75mg) good, and then it made me more depressed and slow, fluoxetine (20mg) worked really good, stopped treatement because of trembling hands, venlafaxine (75mg) december 2013 had brain zaps and my hands started to feel numb all the time, paroxetine july 2014 good but stopped working fast, fluoxetine (20mg) december 2014 didnt help, took them only two months, venlafaxine (75mg)f ebruary 2015 terrible headaches, body tremor, didnt helped with depression, took out my libido completely, escitalopram (10 mg) abril 2015 never really helped, i started having really bad angst and crying episodes, with suicide fantasies, sertraline june 2015 worked well for a while, then started feeling face and hands numb all the time, felt a lot of anxiety , very difficult to fall asleep, fluoxetine(20 mg) oct 2015 worked for 4 months aprox. then started having crying episodes wihtout reason, depression got worst, antidepressant free 7 abril 2016 -, since then i had two terrible weeks when i was angry and furious all the time, then had 1 week when i cried about everything, one week i was fine, and now its a combination of no motivation with anger and crying all the time. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SquirrellyGirl Posted May 22, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 22, 2016 Yes, it is related. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8142-pms-and-menstrual-cycle-issues-during-withdrawal/ 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
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