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Clatterbust: on the road to recovery


Clatterbust

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Hey JanCarol.

 

Thank you for trying to help so much. I have looked up that list, and am trying to help myself through weightlifting, cardio and eating healthy. Im avoiding alcohol and have picked up reading aswell so thats something Im proud of lol. In terms of my state, I was having a window prior to this week that laster a few days. My symptoms were milder and my mood was pretty good in general. However this week has been a wave.. not too bad though. The hypersensitivity to stimulation has picked up a little bit. Hopefully it will decrease a little soon. Is it normal for the same symptoms to follow a Windows and Waves pattern? And is there anyone you know of that went/is going through the same situation as me (Reinstating a different drug at a higher dose)?

 

Thanks guys

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Symptoms often follow a windows and wave pattern; it doesn't matter if they're cognitive, emotional or physical symptoms.

 

I can't think of any recent members who reinstated a different drug at a higher dose.  Someone else might.

 

Edited by ChessieCat
removed name

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 Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Hey, Ive been having some tremors recently.. in my hands and face mainly. They bother me especially when Im socializing or working. Is there any way to alleviate these symptoms? Do you think they are side effects of the drug or destabilization symptoms? And what do you guys think of beta blockers in reducing them?

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

another member posted today about having tremors in w/d: RachelSusan.

 

Beta blockers might be effective. We don't typically recommend drugs to address the symptoms of withdrawal mostly because the drugs may further destabilize your CNS (central nervous system) and if even they don't destabilize your CNS, you'll may eventually want to taper off the "new" drug. You may find some ways to work with this symptom while it's present in one of these topics

muscle tension, pain and twitches

involuntary movements (tardive dyskinesia)

 

Edited by ChessieCat
removed name

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 Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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  • 2 years later...

Hey guys, Its been a while since I posted on this forum as I hoped the next time I post would be my recovery story. Unfortunately its not. However I do feel like I have made some prpgress. Ive since tapered off escitalopram (15mg), which took me around a year and and a half (around 1 mg drops every month or 2 months) until I was off in mid april. I still experience withdrawal symptoms which are: brain fog, anhedonia, mild depersonalization and derealization, anxiety, tinnitus, hypersensitivity to stimulus, mild pssd, obsessive thinking, neuroemotions. I do think that my symptoms have improved. I dont sweat nearly as much as I used to when I was tapering and the tremors are also much less noticible. The other symptoms I listed are also slowly improving.  Im exercising and eating properly, taking Fish oil, vitamin D, a probiotic, zma and a multivitamin. I wanted to ask if there are any other supplements or therapies I could try? I was thinking of trying acupuncture to maybe speed up the process?

 

I also want to add that Im taking an inhaled corticosteroid (duoresp 160/4.5) twice a day for asthma and notice that my tinnitus increases afterwards, I havent noticed any other symptoms from it. Do you guys believe inhaled corticosteroids can slow down the healing process?

 

Thank you

 

Edited by ChessieCat
spc

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Many members find magnesium calming.  Magnesium glycinate is a good form.  Start with a low dose to see how you do with it.  One way to take it is to dissolve the tablet in water and sip it throughout the day.  

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

We don't recommend multivitamins as there's no way to tell if one of the ingredients is causing a problem.  Also, the B-vitamins contained in multivitamins can be activating.

 

If you try acupuncture, be sure to tell the acupuncturist that you want calming, not activating, effects.

 

Here is SA's thread on corticosteroids:

Steroid risk? Prednisone, prednisolone etc. - Surviving Antidepressants

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to koivukovy: On the road to recovery
  • 2 weeks later...

I feel hopeless and keep questioning if what Im going through really is from withdrawal or if I have some other problem. How can I differentiate withdrawal from other phgsiological problems? I already had bloodwork on my thyroid and testosterone levels. When I was on the drug I had hypothyroidism and now my levels are normal. My testosterone levels are within the normal range but way too low for my age. Im pretty sure the drug affected my hormone levels and I dont know if I should get other blood work done. Ive been going through this hell for almost 5 years now.. something else must be wrong.

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

These links contain information about distinguishing withdrawal from other causes.

 

 
Withdrawal affects the central nervous system, which is connected to everything in your body.  That is why there are so many strange withdrawal symptoms.  
 
The only way to be sure is to have medical tests done.  If they can find nothing (which happens very often), you can be pretty sure what you are experiencing is withdrawal.  The following link lists many common withdrawal symptoms, but there are many more.
 


 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • 1 month later...

withdrwal is hell. will it ever get better?  say the truth.

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

  

On 1/1/2019 at 8:08 AM, Clatterbust said:

withdrwal is hell. will it ever get better?  say the truth.

 

Yes! :)

 

Edited by ChessieCat
requoted after name change

PLEASE NOTE:  I am not a medical professional.  I can only provide information and make suggestions.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

* 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

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Is it possible to develop a brain lesion from antidepressants or antidepressant withdrawal?

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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On 1/2/2019 at 3:17 AM, Clatterbust said:

Is it possible to develop a brain lesion from antidepressants or antidepressant withdrawal?

 

I’m not sure but most likely it’s probably just withdrawal symptoms.  They are so severe that one would think they had a brain lesion/damage.

 

Edited by ChessieCat
requoted after name change

2005-2015 sertaline, 2015 to November 2018 escatalopram. Used liquid titration to drop doses. By 0.5mg at first then drops as small as 0.01mg at end of taper. Jumped of at 0.02mg

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  • 2 months later...

Hey,

Soon it will be a year since I dropped the last dose of lexapro. I still suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Mainly anxiety, CNS hypersensitivity, anhedonia and pssd. Ive seen more and more studies and coverage regarding SSRIs in the media. Evidence suggests that these symptoms may be permanent in some individuals. However, in this forum the moderators say that pretty much everyone will recover eventually. I just want to know if that is really the case or is it just being said for the purpose of having hope. 

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to koivukovy: on the road to recovery
  • Moderator Emeritus

I suggest you check out Altostrata's topic.  Alto is this site's founder and put has put many hours of her time into research and advising members since the site started in 2011.  SA is free and staffed entirely volunteers.  Do you think the site would continue if it was thought recovery wasn't possible?

 

Be sure to watch the video:  ☼-about-altostrata-withdrawal-syndrome-since-2004

 

* 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

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I know that the staff have put an incredible amount of effort into this, and I appreciate you all. I know that recovery is possible. Im just asking whether it is certain that everyone recovers eventually (even if it takes years), or are there some that never recover?

Paxil (20mg): Nov. 2012 - June 2014. CT of paxil. Severe psyhological symptoms. Reinstatement of Paxil (20mg): September 2014. Several attempts (4 or 5) of withdrawal, failing each time (due to increased symptoms:hypersensitivity to sounds, panic, anxiety) and reinstating back to 20mg. Last reinstatement was in January 2016. Symptoms still present. Stopped paxil cold turkey by the end of January, and switched to Citalopram (30mg)

Citalopram (30mg): Feb 1st 2016 - March 17 2016. CT off Citalopram.

Escitalopram (10mg): March 18 2016 - April 14 2016

Escitalopram (15mg): April 15 2016 - on going. Symptoms: Anxiety, Panic, Hypersensitivity to sounds, Tinnitus, Anhedonia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

It depends on what you class as recovery.  If your definition of recovery is going back to exactly what you were like before ever taking psychiatric drugs, then I think this is highly unlikely.  However, this is not necessarily because of the drug use, but because even people who never take drugs change as they age.  That also happens to people who take drugs and get off them.  I've been on an AD for 25 years.  I'm now down from 100mg Pristiq to 4.25mg.  I'm definitely not the same person I was back in the past.  Even as recently as in 2011.  I've lost a lot of confidence since then.  But what do I put that down to?  It is not necessarily getting off the drug but I do believe that some of it is because being on the drug made me numb emotionally so now I am having to cope with emotions.  I had several major life stressors happen in that year which have most probably caused, or at least contributed to how I am now.

 

Maybe a better way to think of it is "improvement".  I know I am feeling a great deal of improvement, and despite my reduced confidence, I am feeling more like I did pre-ADs than I did on them, but I know that I will never be the same as I was then because I have changed, as have my circumstances.

* 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

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  • 3 months later...

  

On 3/8/2019 at 1:47 AM, Clatterbust said:

Hey,

Soon it will be a year since I dropped the last dose of lexapro. I still suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Mainly anxiety, CNS hypersensitivity, anhedonia and pssd. Ive seen more and more studies and coverage regarding SSRIs in the media. Evidence suggests that these symptoms may be permanent in some individuals. However, in this forum the moderators say that pretty much everyone will recover eventually. I just want to know if that is really the case or is it just being said for the purpose of having hope. 

 

What dose of Lexapro did you drop from? Do you still have cognitive impairment? 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
requoted after name change

Clomipramine: 50mg October-December 2016 

Vyvanse: 20mg on most days from December 2016-February 2017, 10mg on most days from February-December 2017, 5-10mg as needed afterward. Stopped Vyvanse April 2018.

Clonazepam: 0.25mg x3 February 2018-April 2018, 0.25mg x2 April-June 2018, 0.25mg x1 June-August 2018, tapered off 0.25mg over the course of 2 weeks.

Escitalopram: 10mg December 2016, 15mg January 2017, 20mg February-December 2017, 30mg January 2018, 40mg February-April; began taper end of April, 15mg mid-June 2018, rushed from 15-0mg from mid-June to late June 2018. Reinstated to 1mg August 2018, then 2mg then 5mg then 10mg over the course of 5 weeks. Decreased from 10mg to 8mg for 2 weeks, then from 8mg to 0mg when Vortioxetine was added. Reinstated within a few days to 2mg (in early November) and then dropped to 1mg in early December.

Vortioxetine: 5mg October-December 2018, tapered off over the course of 10 days after on it. 

December 7, December 2018 - June 22: Escitalopram 1mg.

Current: No psychoactive meds ever again.

 

Supplements: Mg2+ 600-800mg/day (most comes from HardyNutritionals DENs of which I take 12 capsules a day), 3000mg omega-3 oil, 1000mg vitamin C, tried 20+ other supplements before realizing that they are not effective for a destabilized central nervous system.

 

 

 

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