Gridley

[Frogie]

6 minutes ago, Gridley said:

I just got back last night from 11 days in Buenos Aires. I wanted to go to a city I was familiar and comfortable with.   We didn't do a lot, which is the way I like it--I do much better without stressors.  As soon as I arrived, the anxiety dropped away, I think from the distraction and being freed from even the minor stressors of my life in Ecuador.  Mostly we just hung out, walked around, ate good food and walked in the nearby Botanical Garden, which has plants from all the biozones of the world.  It was only when the return journey loomed that the anxiety returned.  We live sort of in the middle of nowhere and it's not easy to get here.   I used the Claire Weeks acceptance of the anxiety and that helped.  A good trip but I'm happy to be home where I feel the safest.  Today I'm just hanging out with the three dogs (who were overjoyed to see us) and not even venturing out to the village.  

 

I held at 11.3 mg Lexapro for 5 weeks before and during the trip and tomorrow will do a 2 1/2% drop for a week.  It's hard to tell whether I felt calm on the trip due to the hold or the trip, especially since I have the complicating factors of possible WD from Imipramine and Lorazepam.  Anyway, I think it's good for me to do a Lexapro hold from time to time to let things catch up.  

 

My friend Sky, thanks for checking in.  I hope you are having a great day.   Much Light and healing to you as we make our way onward.  

 

Best wishes for all.

 

Gridley

Hi Gridley:

 

So glad you had a good time, and your anxiety was away so you could enjoy yourself.

 

When you get time, read my thread. It's got news on Brownie and me.

 

Glad to see you back friend.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

I have noticed increased anxiety since my turn from vacation and so I'm going to continue my Lexapro hold for a bit longer, rather than drop today as planned.

[Shep]

Hi, Gridley.

 

Holding sounds like an excellent idea. Thanks for telling us about your vacation and what helped you cope - Claire Weekes has excellent advice. 

 

I hope the uptick of anxiety passes soon. 

[Gridley]

Thanks, Shep.  I remember reading a moderator's comment that she'd read many posts about the bad effects from a too-fast taper--but none complaining about a too-slow taper.

[Gridley]

How do I "follow" an SA member?

[Frogie]

21 minutes ago, Gridley said:

How do I "follow" an SA member?

Go to the main page of the person you want to follow. Up at the top of the page there should be a box that says follow member (or something like that). Click on that and you will be following them.

 

Good luck!

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

Thanks, Frogie!

[Frogie]

Just now, Gridley said:

Thanks, Frogie!

No problem! Glad I knew something lol...

[Gridley]

Update:  Anxiety has improved after a 6-week hold, and I am resuming my Lexapro taper, dropping 2 1/2% to 11.0mg for a week on Brassmonkey Slide Taper.  WD symptoms are tolerable.  Insomnia is still an issue, but I'm getting 5-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night, which allows me to function. When I awaken I do meditation (silent tones) to keep ruminative thoughts at bay.  

 

Mild exercise includes a walk down the mountain to feed the donkeys.  

 

Legs on chair yoga pose and Claire Weekes techniques help with the anxiety.

[Shep]

On 10/24/2017 at 10:28 AM, Gridley said:

Mild exercise includes a walk down the mountain to feed the donkeys.  

 

This sounds like a very good, restorative way to get exercise in the fresh mountain air. 

 

I'm glad you're feeling better and able to resume your taper. 

[Gridley]

I am resuming my taper of the supplement Enorphos Phosphoserine at a rate of 25% per week, now down from 100mg to 75mg.  I have read it's not good to stay on this forever and in any case it's not working anymore as a sleep aid.  For me, at least, the fewer supplements, the better.  

[Gridley]

Today, down to 10.7 mg in week 44 of my Lexapro taper.  Last week WD symptoms were mild.  Onward downward.  

[Frogie]

2 minutes ago, Gridley said:

Today, down to 10.7 mg in week 44 of my Lexapro taper.  Last week WD symptoms were mild.  Onward downward.  

That's great Gridley!

 

I'm so glad you are having mild WD symptoms.

 

Keep going my friend.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

Thanks, Frogie!  How and you and Brownie doing?

[Frogie]

3 minutes ago, Gridley said:

Thanks, Frogie!  How and you and Brownie doing?

Brownie I think is doing much better. She's eating, barking and chasing the cat! She hasn't gained any weight, but haven't lost any either.

 

I have had a migraine for 2 days. I took Excedrine Migraine and even a Fiorecet.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks...

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

I'm glad about Brownie but very sorry about your migraine.  Healing Light to you, Frogie.

[Frogie]

2 minutes ago, Gridley said:

I'm glad about Brownie but very sorry about your migraine.  Healing Light to you, Frogie.

Thanks Gridley, you are so sweet.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Frogie]

Congrats Gridley:

 

I just saw you are now a mod.

 

Looking forward to talking to you along with Apace41!

 

You have great information to give me.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

Thanks, Frogie!

[Frogie]

2 minutes ago, Gridley said:

Thanks, Frogie!

I could use some info if you get time. Andy helped me this morning.

 

I posted on my thread a little while ago.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

I have been in a window all morning (!)  I had really forgotten what it was like to feel even a little bit like my old self.  Don't know if it's getting lower on the Lexapro or what.  Doesn't matter, just enjoying it.

[Frogie]

1 hour ago, Gridley said:

I have been in a window all morning (!)  I had really forgotten what it was like to feel even a little bit like my old self.  Don't know if it's getting lower on the Lexapro or what.  Doesn't matter, just enjoying it.

That's awesome, then I slam you with my problems, sorry.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

No problem at all, Frogie.  I'm happy to help.  I hope you get some relief.

[Frogie]

2 minutes ago, Gridley said:

No problem at all, Frogie.  I'm happy to help.  I hope you get some relief.

Me too!

 

Thanks...

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

Half-time Update:  46 weeks into my Lexapro taper, I am now down by 1/2, from 20mg to 10 mg.  It's been fairly smooth, with a couple extra 6-week holds to let symptoms settle down.  I'm using the Brassmonkey Slide (four equal 2 1/2% reductions with a 2-week hold) and it's worked well for me.  The last four slides (from 11 to 10) have been reasonably comfortable .  That is not to say I'm asymptomatic.  Insomnia continues (4 - 6 hours sleep a night), as well as anxiety and anhedonia, though all within bearable bounds.   The fact that I'm polydrugging complicates things as to the source of these symptoms. But all in all, from 20 mg to 10 has worked at this taper rate.

 

So far, so good.  I know the rule of "the lower you go, the slower you go," and I'll have to figure out when/whether that kicks in for me.  Lexapro being stronger than other AD's is one factor.  The Brassmonkey Slide being gentler than the straight 10% per month reduction is another.  My fervent wish to avoid having to updose is a third.

 

My intention at this point is to continue using the Gemini scale all the way down, rather than making a liquid, which I'm just not comfortable with.  

 

Then I start in on the Imipramine and then the Lorazepam....  

[brassmonkey]

Great update Gridley-- it's wonderful when a plan comes together. I'm so glad that the Slide method is working for you, I hope more people take advantage of it. Best of luck the rest of the way down.

 

Brass

[ikam]

hello, I see that you have similar combo of meds, tricyclic and Lexapro...I am on doxepin, 75mg + I have restarted tapper of Lexapro using sliding protocol, just 1% at each slide...I see you modified this for 3 weeks and 3 weeks hold, I may do the same, somehow 4 weeks feels bit too much...

 

[Gridley]

Good to hear from you, Ikam.  

 

It was Brassmonkey who went to 3 weeks taper--three weeks hold when he got to 3 mg but he said in his signature that was too harsh. 

 

My current dosage is higher than yours (I just got down to 10 mg)  The last couple of slides I was able to taper 2 1/2% for 4 weeks with a 2-week hold with no problem.  Prior to that I was having more symptoms than I was comfortable with and held for an extra 4-weeks (6 weeks total) before tapering again.  I'm hoping to stay at 4 week:2 week as long as I can.  

 

I imagine as I get down to the smaller doses, I'll take it a good bit slower, longer holds and smaller cuts.    I'm just going to have to see how it feels when I get there.

 

As you can see from my signature, I tapered the tricyclic first before discovering SA, then switched to tapering Lexapro and holding on the tricyclic based on SA's advice.  

 

Congratulations on making it down to 2.050.   Nice and slow.  That's great.

[ikam]

Yes, it feels manegable at present, but I seem to be more tired... 

Lexapro is just so strong... 

I think tryciclic sedates my system... 

I had to jump quickly from 10 to 2.5 as I had adverse effects. Then from 2.5 I have taken it slowly... 

My main difficulty is that because of a lit of stress in my life it is confusing what is WD and what just natural response to stres...but I guess my nervous system has always been compromised due to the traumatic events... 

 

[Gridley]

Yes, the tricyclic is definitely sedating, but for me that's a good thing.  Before I discovered SA, I tapered the tricyclic first (from 75mg to 25mg) and had increasing anxiety the lower I went.  Then I learned from SA that I should've tapered the activating drug, Lexapro, first rather than the sedating tricyclic.   So I've been holding on the tricyclic while I work on the Lexapro.  

 

The stress in my life is minor compared to what it used to be, so when minor events stress me (like just going down to the village) I know it's the WD.

[Frogie]

Gridley:

 

I just wanted to stop by and thank you for helping through the weekend.

 

You gave me some great information.

 

I hope you are doing well.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

Update: I am into the single-digits at 9.75 mg Lexapro after a 2-week hold.  Symptoms remain the same and tolerable--anxiety, insomnia, anhedonia.  New symptom the last couple of mornings has been anger.  It seems that stressors rather the taper causes my spikes in symptoms.  

 

I am beginning a trial of Melatonin for the insomnia.  I started off at .75 mg with little effect.  After 4 days, I went up to 1 mg and noted improved sleep.  I still wake up after 4 hours but the sleep is deeper with normal dreams and the last couple of nights I've been able to get back to sleep to get a total of 8-9 hours.

 

Healing to all of you.

 

Gridley

[Frogie]

6 minutes ago, Gridley said:

Update: I am into the single-digits at 9.75 mg Lexapro after a 2-week hold.  Symptoms remain the same and tolerable--anxiety, insomnia, anhedonia.  New symptom the last couple of mornings has been anger.  It seems that stressors rather the taper causes my spikes in symptoms.  

 

I am beginning a trial of Melatonin for the insomnia.  I started off at .75 mg with little effect.  After 4 days, I went up to 1 mg and noted improved sleep.  I still wake up after 4 hours but the sleep is deeper with normal dreams and the last couple of nights I've been able to get back to sleep to get a total of 8-9 hours.

 

Healing to all of you.

 

Gridley

Hi Gridley:

 

That is awesome, and you did it the correct way, unlike me. I just totally made the biggest mistake I could have made. But I'm holding until January. That gives me a 3 month hold and should be ok.

 

I'm glad the Melatonin is starting to help you. I've never had problems sleeping except when I was on the Percocet for my back. I couldn't sleep very well at night, but wanted to sleep during the day. As soon as I stopped that, my sleep went back to normal.

 

Again, I want to thank you for helping me the other day. I'm doing ok. I have a little anxiety in the morning, but it's gone by lunchtime. A lot of that is situational too, things going on in my life right now. You were a huge help to me.

 

I think I'm going to make it.  

 

So will you. We will all make it together.

 

Thanks again.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Gridley]

Thanks, Frogie and you are very welcome. I am always happy to help you.  You are doing great.

[Frogie]

1 minute ago, Gridley said:

Thanks, Frogie and you are very welcome. I am always happy to help you.  You are doing great.

Thanks. I'm glad you are here to help. I think I'm doing ok for messing up lol...

[manymoretodays]

Yay Gridley!  Single digit Lexapro.  Awesome.  And urrrrghhhh......Lexapro/escitalopram.  I love how we all think our own AD is the worst, as far as coming off of.........I've just been noticing that kind of comment lately around.  They can all be pretty bleak I'm learning.

 

I've had good success with melatonin.  It always gets me to sleep fairly quickly........yet doesn't always keep me asleep.  I'm sleeping okay now, and doing some trial nights off of it.   It seems I started it(melatonin) way back when I came off Seroquel so..........maybe it's time.  

 

My mini dose sublingual B12 seems to help at bedtime, and some chamomile with lavender tea.  As well as zero electronics or tv in my sleeping vicinity.   Although.......if the busy mind is a factor from the daily events........then sometimes I do do the tv thing.  A nice hypnotic show.     I do try to just read a book though often.

 

Nice on the "normal" dreams too.

 

Best,

mmt