Esperanza: Inspired by Nadia's success

[Esperanza]

**Moderator note: Esperanza has posted in English below her Spanish introduction.

 

La historia de Nadia, una gran esperanza para una vez más comenzar a reducir mi medicación....una de tantas veces que los he querido dejar, con el paso del tiempo veo que cada vez lo hago mejor, cada vez más preparada para una reducción y quizás retirada total....las dos veces que lo hice( todo muy progresivo y bien hecho) al cabo de los dos meses por miedo y poca seguridad interna tuve una gran recaida, volví de nuevo a tomar la medicación ( actualmente 40 mg prisdal- citalopram- y 1 mg de lorazepam para dormir) Hoy 04 de julio 2016 lleva una semana sin tomar lorazepam para dormir y ayer reduje citalopram de 40mg a 20mg, sé que es un poco brusco pero estoy motivada para ese cambio. 

Soy española, vivo en España, y veo que internet concretamente este foro es muy útil ya que no encuentro grupos( que me gustaría mucho) en mi localidad , grupos de apoyo para la retirada de medicamentos. 

Un saludo a todos, y gracias. 

 

Nadia's success story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/10596-nadia-5-years-off-i-survived-antidepressants/

 

The story of Nadia, a great hope to once again begin to reduce my medication .... one of many times that I wanted to leave, with the passage of I see that every time I do best, while increasingly prepared for a perhaps reduction and total withdrawal .... both times I did (all very progressive and well done) after two months of fear and little internal security had a relapse, I went back to take medication (currently 40 citalopram- prisdal- mg and 1 mg lorazepam sleeping) Today July 4, 2016 takes a week without taking lorazepam sleeping and yesterday I reduced citalopram 40mg to 20mg, I know it's a little rough but I'm motivated for that change.

I am Spanish, living in Spain, specifically internet and see that this forum is very useful because I can not find groups (which I like very much) in my area, support groups for drug withdrawal.

Greetings to all and thanks.

 

Edited July 4, 2016 by scallywag
add note about English; moved from Success Stories topic

[scallywag]

Esperanza -- ¡Bienvenido!

 

I've created an Introduction topic for you and moved your post from Nadia's success story so that more people will see your situation and questions.

 
Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)!  I'm glad you've found our site now when you are starting to reduce your medications.
 
You may have withdrawal symptoms fairly soon because you have made 2 big changes in medication within a week:
- stopping lorazepam
- reducing citalopram from 40 mg to 20 mg.
 

It's much better to make one change at a time and then wait to see how your central nervous system (CNS) responds, to see what symptoms show up for you.

 

Because you made the cut only yesterday, 2016 July 03, please think about going back to 40 mg tomorrow and holding there for at least 3 weeks. You want to maintain that dose to see if you have any symptoms from stopping lorazepam, or from reducing to 20 mg of citalopram for 2 days.

 

I hope that you are one of the lucky few people who won't have any troubles with this type of change. To prepare yourself, please read about withdrawal syndrome and its symptoms:

Introduction to antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

What is withdrawal syndrome

 

If your symptoms are difficult, we may want to look at the lorazepam.

 

After you know that you're stabilized at 40 mg, you could start tapering your citalopram dose. We have found that people do best making reductions in dose of 10% OR LESS every month, much smaller than the 50% you've just made with citalopram.  Read this topic to understand why this is a safer method:

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

There is information here about:  Tips for tapering off Celexa (citalopram)  
 
A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-18 months particularly? Any drugs prior to that can just be listed with the years that you started and stopped them. Please put your withdrawal history in signature

 

That is enough to get you started -- lots to read and think about.  Please come back here and let us know what you decide and how you are doing.

[Esperanza]

Thank you very much for the suggestions scallywag tonight again took 40mg of citalopram.

 

The most noticeable effects of the withdrawal of lorazepam have been especially dreams, I sleep with medium difficulty people have dreams and stories related to my childhood. I wake up with some discomfort but I intend to follow up with other things, not stay attached to feelings of discomfort.

 

a greeting.

Edited July 5, 2016 by scallywag
insert paragraph breaks

[Esperanza]

ok, then the 10% rule states that should lower the reduction to 4 mg, the total is 40 mg so that would have to lower 4mg every month .... three weeks with 40 mg and thereafter for the next month only remove 4 mg.

Thank you

[scallywag]

Esperanza, the 10% is from your current dose, not the starting dose.

 

So after you've stabilized (hint, hint: wait at least a month) the first few steps taper could like something like this

 

40 x 90%  = 36

 

36 x 90% = 32.4

 

32.4 x 90% = 29.2

 

It's important to pay attention to and to record your symptoms. You may find that 10% is too much, so then you make reductions of 5% or 6%. Your symptoms are a much better guide than a "rule."

[Esperanza]

Well, it is now clearer, thanks. ..thank by the hint .... and suggestions right now are helpful.

a greeting

[scallywag]

Esperanza, I've moved your question about apathy to a topic in the Symptoms forum about motivation:
 

Hello, I would like to have opinions or personal experiences on how to carry everyday things when apathy or little affect long-term vision after years of medication .... I'm on my third or fourth attempt to leave the psychiatric medication ... and encounter difficulties in simple things .... I try and do but I want to hear from others who feel similarly and how they have solved. thank you very much.

[Rockingchaircat]

As someone who has tapered both from Lorazepam and Celexa, I echo completely what Scallywag has to say. It would be best to hold onto the celexa for now.   And work on getting off of the lorazepam. Either way, I wish you all of the best in your journey to getting off of this stuff.

[Esperanza]

Hello, I would like to share if you passed them removed as lorazepam start having dreams, nightmares, more dreamlike mental activity related to childhood ... thanks ...

[Esperanza]

Hello, I would share if the withdrawal of lorazepam or any medication you that you have withdrawn your dreams arises them related to children, ..... I think if the lorazepam or other drugs inhibit the subconscious to the point that when drugs are not, is uncovered again what was not resolved ... thanks ..

[scallywag]

Esperanza, I've moved your comment or question about lorazepam and benzos to your Introduction topic.

 

There are others who are discovering that their psych drugs have covered up feelings.  You aren't alone.

[Esperanza]

Thank you scallywag, i can´t see it ...but ok, apreciate your atention.