Femme47: Lexapro withdrawal, now wanting to taper Gabapentin

[Femme47]

Hello,
I am new to this site and not sure how it works. Need some info and perhaps some reassurance.;

I've been having a history depression and anxiety since my teenage years, I am 49 years old, which I have been able to manage it more or less. I attempted to use the antidepressants but also had an adverse reaction that I was not able/ready to put up with. Yet, living with the depression isn't easy either. In short, yet again,

 

I started taking Lexapro last October in order to deal with the painful state of depression, and did seem to work in the past. I increased the dose very slowly from 2 mg and started feeling much better in January, at the 7 mg. At the same time I started some problems with my memory (to the point of a few seconds of blackouts) , persistent fatigue and lingering morning anxiety, and problems with the night sleep.

 

The psychiatrist dismissed my memory problems, attributed my fatigue to the depression and decided to see if my sleep would approve. He also told me to increase my dose slowly aiming for 15 mg at some point. However, when I reached 8.9 mg, I could hardly function: feelings of being very unwell and under the weather allowed me to function only until lunch time, after which I would need to recline somewhere for the rest of the day.

 

I started tapering on the 24 Mars and today is the 2nd day of 4.25 mg of Lexapro. I didn't follow the 10 per cent protocol, and my doses were fluctuating within 0.5 - 1 mg depending on my physical and emotional symptoms. However, in the last 10 days I've started having a strange heavy sensation in my head, it's difficult to describe, They are not brain-zaps, just uncomfortable feeling: a mix of resembling kind of heaviness, fogginess, slight headache and feeling/sensation.  I have put this down to cutting down sugar and change in my diet (transitioning to being vegan).

 

However, this sensation 8 days later is still there. In addition, I have got muscle ache at the minimum effort, have been unable to jog and do much of the physical activities for the past 3 days: stopped exercising, want to isolate, difficult to concentrate and get on with my daily activities. I do have "waves" when I do feel better for an hour upon awaking and yesterday, after I spent 3 hours on the sofa!  We are in the process of moving , also need to book a holiday but I am feeling incapable of doing anything. So frustrating! Emotionally, I am not depressed though....

 

In addition, feeling rather scared, is it due to the antidepressants and will my brain heal and gets "remodeled" back? Have I got some other serious medical condition? 

 

In ideal world I would like to get off this drugs that do not work well for me and find some ways of dealing with the anxiety and depression, unfortunately, I did manage in the past to taper off the meds without too many problems only to get depressed 4-9 months later and be back on them. If this is what I feel are withdrawals, I am quite surprised why I had not experienced them in my past tapers?

 

I would really welcome and would greatly appreciate any feedback and input!

I also would like to know, if I should wait it out and stabilise on 4.25mg of Lexapro or need to updose it?

Thank you in advance

F47

Edited April 18, 2021 by manymoretodays
added white space

[mammaP]

Hi Femme, welcome to SA. Yopu had a reaction to lexapro and then your doctor increased the dose when it should have been reduced. 

You have had a lot of drugs since 2002, you say that you never had withdrawal before but it can take months for the withdrawal symptoms to appear, which is why you kept having to go back on them. With each change the nervous system becomes more and more sensitive which is why you reacted to the lexapro when you reached 7mg. At that point it would have been better to go back down instead of increasing.  Your nervous system is now unstable and needs to stabilise. There have been varying doses and it would probably be best to stay at the current dose until you feel more stable,or you could updose to 5mg as you have only been at 4.25 for 2 days. When you have been stable for a few weeks   you can then start to taper again using the 10% taper. I understand why you felt you needed to go faster, but now you are struggling it would not be good to carry on tapering.  You will stabilise and feel better in time but you will need to take care of yourself and don't push yourself too hard. Be kind to yourself while you are going through this. Could you include the latest lexapro doses in your signature? Thank you for filling it out, it is very helpful. 

 I will post some links for you that will help you to understand what is happening and help you to plan your taper when you are stable enough to start again.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome? 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/603-what-is-withdrawal-syndrome/

 

Brain remodelling

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1160-how-psychiatric-drugs-remodel-your-brain/

 

Tapering lexapro

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/

 

[Femme47]

Hi mammaP,

 

Thank you for your message and sorry for the late reply due to some health and technical problems.

I sort of managed to stabilise and have been tapering at the rate of 5%, though my recent reduction to 4.17 mg was even at smaller 2.5%.

 

I looked at my use of the med for the past 5 years, which was not continuous and constitutes of approximately 3.5 years of being on meds and 1.5 years off. Further more, I have mostly taken less than a "therapeutic" dose for Lexapro, it's 10mg and I took only half of it. However, I was told that starting, stopping and changes in dose of the antidepressants may be even more dangerous than just continuously using them. Does it mean that I would have been better off being on meds for 5 years without interruption? And the fact that my dose was what considered to be below therapeutic counts for anything?

 

The reason, I am asking this because I do not want to put everything to the withdrawal,  since the my symptoms can be also due to variety of other health issues that can are related to me: menopause, thyroid problems (I've got Hashimoto's), viruses etc. It also difficult to believe to have such a severe withdrawal reaction to a small dose.

 

I've got a new symptom and it's a day time drowsiness, which is really annoying!

 

Any thought would be appreciated!

 

Many thanks

 

F47

 

 

[mammaP]

Hi Femme.  The symptoms you describe are typical of a dysregulated nervous system. I have the same problem with my taper. I taper less than 3% and have withdrawal symptoms so I am holding now until I feel stable, however long that takes. It is difficult when you have side effects but the withdrawal from a cut that is too big it can be worse than the side effects.  We need to stay at the same dose, every day to let our nervous system stabilise. Can you tell us how you are getting the low doses?  Do you dilute the drops?  Most people have to slow down at the low doses, here is a topic that explains why.  The last few mgs are hardest! I stopped my effexor taper at 1mg and had terrible withdrawal. I reinstated and took another 2 years to taper off 1mg, it is unbelievable that such a small dose can need careful tapering but it does in order to get off the drug and more important, to STAY off. 

 

Your brain will remodel and you will get off cpramil safely in time. For now join me in a long hold, until we have been stable for at least 6 weeks before another cut to allow our brains to catch up. . 

Edited August 25, 2017 by mammaP

[Femme47]

Hi mammaP,

 

Thank you so much for your reply! Sorry again for not replying earlier, I can only access this site from my PC, which I do not use that often now!

I was struck by the fact that you had to reinstate to 1mg of the effexor and then hold it for 2 years! It's just unbelievable (and must have been frustrating, as well!). Thank you for sharing it.

 

In my current case, I was titrating the dose up during the 5 months period after which I'd decided that the side effects outweighed the pros and started titrating it down. That means, I have not really "taken properly" this med, i.e. holding a stable dose for months on end. It seems absurd that after 5 months of trying to reach the "therapeutic dose" and not having got there I will now have to go through withdrawal process that may take years. Do you know what I mean? For example: Lexapro 5 months on the dose that would have been less than the equivalent of 37.5 mg Effexor, followed by 2 years of the withdrawal.  Just doesn't make sense to go through that lengthy process of short term single meds usage. It takes some successfully to taper off a few drugs over that long. While I do not deny that my nervious system may have been distabilise and everybody is different, the evidence still points towards that the longer one is on a drug, the higher dosage is and multiple drug therapy would have a greater impact on ones system, which was not my case by the way.

 

Anyway, I use a liquid form, which I dilute. My last cut was of 4% was 13 days ago and took me down to 4mg. That coinsided with some symtoms of morning anxiety, early awakenings, low mood and skin burning sensation when exposed to the sun. Will hold this dose till stabilise up to 6 weeks, as recommended.

 

I have had a look at your medical history: you have been through a lot!! Will read your story when I have more time.

 

Thank you very much for your support!

 

Femme

 

 

 

[Femme47]

Can any one please reply to my e-mail?

 

Currently struggling with the motivation, which is almost  Zero!!

 

Any tips on copying with it?

 

Also, wondering if I could now join the rest of the forum?

 

Many thanks in advance

 

F47

[AliG]

Femme. Welcome. Motivation comes and goes throughout this process. How are you feeling now? Many of us do struggle with this particular symptom - motivation.

 

How do you feel you are coping?

 

When you post here in your introduction topic, then you have already joined this group. It's lovely to have you here.   

[Femme47]

Hi AliG,

 

Thank you for your prompt reply!
I've had a good day so far: I guess, I had a "window" today and was feeling relatively normal and my motivation was back, so have managed to do (finally!) a couple of things that have been bothering me since last Saturday! So feeling, relatively good!

 

I have started reducing the dose ( 8.7mg ) or so off since April, May at the rate of roughly 10%  but was also was changing the time of the dose (from morning to the evening and back) trying to minimise the side effects. After 3 months when I reached 5mg, I got quite ill: no energy at all, problems with the shoulder joints, muscle weakness, weird sensations in the head, the mood was obviously down but mainly as the result to the symptoms. I stopped all the few activities and withdrew to bed. The blood tests showed that my immune system was overtaxed but she didn't know why and put it down to the virus that she had forgotten to request a blood test. After 5 weeks, I started feeling better.

 

How do I cope? My partner doesn't understand what I am going through, which doesn't help! In general, he can better deal with the concrete things: no motivation is equal laziness or procrastination to him. So, I often lie to him saying that I can't function due to the migraine, or vertigo, grippe. He can accept that.

 

Honestly, the motivation problem is really something I find it difficult to fathom myself because physically I would be able to do things I refuse to do! We are in the process of moving and I don't work so need to get some boxes ready: but instead I would go to bed in a hope that a nap would do me good and I get an inspiration to do what has to be done.But the inspiration never came even after a few hours spending in bed resting, while feeling guilty. I would be totally bewildered at my "inability" to motion myself into doing things even there is a deadline. Last week as I walked I could see what looked like a dog sh** on my path. I was "unmotivated" to step over or aside as it felt like too much effort! It was also too much off an effort to look at my shoes soles to see if they were dirty, though I did manage to turn my head back to check what did I stepped in. Luckily, nothing too drastic! How off the wall it is...Yet, today....just got on with things that I had to do...

 

My anger is also border-lining on the edge of "normality" resulting in some additional shouting match with my unstable boyfriend and also lately, wishing his mother, who's old to die soon but not before we move, as it would add to the additional stress. Some of my forgotten old grudges have resurrected and I feel vengeful..

 

On one occasion, I felt deeply regretful at the way life has gone, feeling a complete failure, which was rather painful! And I am in the total disbelief that I have managed to get addicted to the psychiatric drugs: I didn't take them that long, the dose were small..Moreover, I had been always anti psychiatrics drugs and yet, allowed myself get convinced that I need them....

 

My last taper lasted 7 months after 6 months on 5mg of Lexapro and when I jumped off the dose 2.2mg, I got depressed (which was probably a withdrawal in hind-sight). I don't want to speed the process yet at the same time I do not want to be on the drugs longer than necessary. It's a very delicate balancing act.

 

How are you? How was it getting off the drugs cold turkey?

 

Look forward to hearing from you. :-))

 

F47

[AliG]

That's great! A little window is always so lovely and definitely something to be cherished.

 

I don't think our partners can even begin to fathom what we go through.They do tend to struggle with this. 

 

On 9/22/2017 at 3:03 AM, Femme47 said:

. Last week as I walked I could see what looked like a dog sh** on my path. I was "unmotivated" to step over or aside as it felt like too much effort! It was also too much off an effort to look at my shoes soles to see if they were dirty, though I did manage to turn my head back to check what did I stepped in. Luckily, nothing too drastic! How off the wall it is...Yet, today....just got on with things that I had to do...

 

I'm sure we can all relate to this. Lack of motivation and anhedonia are withdrawal symptoms.

 

On 9/22/2017 at 3:03 AM, Femme47 said:

On one occasion, I felt deeply regretful at the way life has gone, feeling a complete failure, which was rather painful! And I am in the total disbelief that I have managed to get addicted to the psychiatric drugs: I didn't take them that long, the dose were small..Moreover, I had been always anti psychiatrics drugs and yet, allowed myself get convinced that I need them....

 

Please don't beat yourself up . We all did it . It's the system - none of us really stood a chance.

Would you be able to please update your signature?

On 9/22/2017 at 3:03 AM, Femme47 said:

 

How are you? How was it getting off the drugs cold turkey?

 

It's been the hardest thing I've ever had to do and I'm still going through it but I'm totally optimistic! The body heals itself when it is unencumbered by drugs/ medications.

Edited September 30, 2017 by AliG

[Femme47]

Hi AliG,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

First of all, excuse my grammar and the typos. 

I've update my signature. For the past 7 days, I've been on 3.6 mg, a 5% drop. Planning to hold for 4 weeks.

 

I can see that you've event taken Valdoxan. It's still relatively new drug and "my" psychiatrist was taking about it. But it was created by a French company that has a tainted reputation. So, I said that I don't want to be a guinea pig and wait another 30 years for all the side effects to manifest...while, I've settled for the older still toxic drugs...

 

I do hold grudge against him, as I went to this MH clinic to obtain some therapy and it took him 1 year to "break" me in to taking the drug. Saying that the therapy won't work. Eventually, I gave in as I didn't get any psychological support I needed and everyone in the clinic was tooting that I need the meds to get better. In England they are more conservative with meds. This psychiatrist was an arrogant French man like most of the psychiatrists in France. He said that finding the right drug is like a cooking, you add something, then you take something away, you change the recipe if it has not work. What do you do if you completely mess up the dish and it should go into the bin?? They are a strange breed of people. In England I found them to be a bit more humaine and more humble.

 

Anyway, yesterday could't get too sleep till late, woke up earlier, have got a cold and some kind of acute pain in my upper chest that stops me from breathing. I know, it's not the heart so will wait for it to go.

Today, isn't the top day, will be going to go to bed to rest! Yesterday, I didn't want the day to be over. Today, I can't wait for it to end and it's only 10.30am.

 

God, you've taken all the "fancy" antidepressants are on the market! They are just throw you these drugs at you, see if one of them sticks. Except, they don't and have some serious adverse effects.

 

What does Platinum Star mean and 2 star Moderator?

 

How are you today?

 

F47

 

 

 

 

[Femme47]

Just a little note to say that despite the (real this time) cold and what seems like a pulled muscle in my upper back that results in quite severe pain, I've had quite a reasonable day so far.

 

Let me know how you are.

F47 

[baroquep]

Hi Femme, I noticed you posted in an off topic and moved that post back into the original thread but thought you might also be interested in the information that I provided to GeorgiaP.  Please see below:

 

3 hours ago, baroquep said:

 

Hi Georgia, I've moved your new post into your introduction thread and would ask that you post any new questions there.  There is a policy that there is one thread per person and it is best to keep all of your activity there and in one place for when the moderators have to review your information.  

I am going to attach a link that should give you an idea of whether it is "withdrawal" or "relapse" so you can try and determine this be asking yourself a few questions:

 

How do I know it's withdrawal and not relapse?

 

How do I know it's withdrawal and not relapse?

 

Typically, in withdrawal symptoms such as melancholia, anxiety, and disorientation come in intense waves, sometimes only a few minutes long, which differentiates them from relapse of a psychological condition.

In withdrawal, symptoms are much more intense than the original psychological condition. People suffering from withdrawal often say things like

- "This doesn't feel like my depression."
- "I've never had symptoms like this before."
- "I feel very weird and not like myself."
- "I can't feel my feelings."

It's up to you to decide whether your body and brain are behaving "normally" as they did before you tried medication, or if you are feeling differently. No one else, not even a doctor, can determine this.

 

Edited September 23, 2017 by baroquep

[ChessieCat]

16 hours ago, Femme47 said:

What does Platinum Star mean and 2 star Moderator?

 

Below members' names you will see different things, eg Silver Star, Platinum Star and another one is Fingers of Titanium.  This is about how many posts that member has made.

 

All the moderates have 2 star Staff below their names.  Alto Strata is the website owner and has Administrator under hers.

[Femme47]

Thank you for your replies! Still finding my way around this site.

[Femme47]

How can I start a new topic? Can anyone please tell me? I seem not to know how to navigate this site from my mobile...

 

Thanks 

 

 

[bubble]

In general there is no need to start a new topic. If you have a question or an update about your situation, this thread is the best place.

 

If you are interested in some other topic it is best to google surviving antidepressants and the topic. It's very likely that it has been covered already. We try not to start new topics because the forum would erupt in chaos...

[Femme47]

Hello, 

 

3.8mg of the escitalopram for the past 15 days! 

Today I am feeling so unstable, it's destabilising and scary! Find it difficult to control my anger and acting out! 

A friend of mine wondered if I was better off on the meds before and I should increase the dose. That was not support I was looking for...

Yes, I was more stable on the escitalopram but the side effects were insupportable. Also, I do not want to be on these highly toxic drugs.

 

Need support, please!

 

Wishing you all a good day!

F47 

 

 

[baroquep]

Hi Femme47, it could be that a 5% cut is too much for your central nervous system to adjust to.  It also looks like you were tapering far too quickly when you were reducing 1-5% every 2-6 days.  It is recommended to hold for at least four weeks in-between decreases and longer if you are not feeling better after a decrease.  It's a little difficult to tell from your signature how you have been tapering.  Could you condense your withdrawal history signature to outline how you have been tapering since October 2016?  Your history from 2012 to 2015 can be put on one or two lines but it would be better to have clearer tapering dates from October. 

 

When did you reduce to 3.8mg? 

When was the last decrease before you reached 3.8mg?

what are your current symptoms?

 

Example of a Tapering History for your signature
September 15, 2016 - switched from Pristiq 50mg to Effexor XR 75mg 
November 10, 2016 - reduced to 67.5 Effexor XR
December 9, 2016 - reduced 60.75
January 5, 2017 - reduced 54.67
January 30, 2017 - reduced to 49.0
February 20, 2017 - reduced to 44.0 
May 20, 2017 - reduced to 40.25 (holding for additional month due to late onset of withdrawal symptoms after this taper)
July 17, 2017 - reduced to 38.24
August 15, 2017 - reduced to 37.5 (50% of my original dose)

 

[Femme47]

Wanted to know your thoughts on the Facebook support groups, such as Escitalopram should be Illegal (the founder is Ann Blake-Tracy), which supports you from the tapering process. Apart from that it isn't anonymous, they have some good suggestions but I am getting an impression that they are not in favour of the Surviving Antidepressants, which I also like. Can one shed some light why that maybe so/give more information /share your experience/thoughts ?

 

Many thanks -:))

 

[bubble]

On ‎25‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 7:42 PM, bubble said:

In general there is no need to start a new topic. If you have a question or an update about your situation, this thread is the best place.

 

If you are interested in some other topic it is best to google surviving antidepressants and the topic. It's very likely that it has been covered already. We try not to start new topics because the forum would erupt in chaos...

 

Hello Femme,

 

as I tried to explain back in September please don't start new topics. It just creates additional work for us of having to merge them. Each member can have only one topic. If everybody started new topics all the time we would soon disintegrate into total chaos.

 

I will google surviving antidepressants and support groups to see if this was discussed somewhere before.

 

I only know there is a FB support group formed by members from this site. I don't really know anything about other groups and if they have some problems with SA I guess you should ask them about that. Each of us has to decide for ourselves what information to follow.

[bubble]

I have found this article on online support groups in WD on BeyondMeds:

 

https://beyondmeds.com/support-in-wd/

 

 

[Femme47]

Thank you for the reply, Bubble, and apologies for making an error in starting a new topic. Indeed, it had been explained before that this shouldn't be done.

I didn't see anywhere in my message asking people to make decision for me. While I welcome people's feedback and advices, I leave the business of making the decision to myself, well, at least for the past 32 years -:)).  I also take responsibility for the consequences as well -:)) You either mixed up my message with someone or misinterpreted..

Thank you for the link and I also will further search on the site.

Regards,

F47

[bubble]

2 hours ago, bubble said:

Each of us has to decide for ourselves what information to follow.

I wrote this in response to your sentence below: 

8 hours ago, Femme47 said:

they have some good suggestions but I am getting an impression that they are not in favour of the Surviving Antidepressants, which I also like.

[Femme47]

Thank you...

[Femme47]

Though, still don't see in my message request for making someone decision on my behalf. 

And, just to avoid further misunderstanding, it is not.

[Femme47]

Hello all!

Hope you are bearing up on this, what can be very tough, journey!

Need some input/feedback please.

I have been tapering off now for the past 7-8 months at the rate of 2% every 2-4 weeks, with ups and downs but most of it was mostly bearable.

However, kind of got stuck at the dose of 3.2mg of Lexapro: have tried to reduce a 3 times by 2% only to go back due the depressive symptoms, an extreme irritability and an anxiety. Now, it's going to be the 7th week on the same dose: anxiety, intrusives painful thoughts/memories, depression, fatigue and, lately, insomnia (in the middle of the night) bearable but challenge my resolution  getting off this drug.

My diet is good, I exercise and take some supliments  ( selenium, vit D, fish oil)...

In addition, having some serious problems in my private life  (rocky relationship with my boyfriend, a language barrier as I've been living in France for the past 6 years and still can't master this language, social isolation).

In need of support and some guidance in relation to my taper. 

Shall I just stay for another month or so before attempting another cut? Continue cutting, updosing? Not sure what to do..

So any input, information would be very much appreciated!!!

Thank you in advance!!!!!

F47 

[Femme47]

It's been now about a year and a half withdrawing from the escitalopram- after having taking it for 6 months this time round - at the rate of 2.5-7% every 2-4 weeks. Got down to 1.55mg..

The fatigue, intermittent apathy, muscle pain have returned 6 weeks ago and progressively got worse. 

Still able to do things if I HAVE TO otherwise it's nearly impossible to fight the somnolense, the lassitude, the apathy and not to have a long nap on the sofa followed by an intense guilt of wasted 'life "...

 

 

 

[Happy2Heal]

hi  Bellatrix

 

just wondering how you are doing

 

hope all is well with you

 

[Femme47]

Hi Happy2Heal, 

Not sure if this question for me given it's in my thread, or Bellatrix..-:)

 

In case it's for me, I'll answer it briefly, I'm on the 4th month going without the antidepressants and find it really tough: rage, unstable mood, depression..but my sleep is back to normal..Sort of hanging in there..

How are you?

 

😊

 

 

 

[Happy2Heal]

On 1/10/2019 at 11:40 AM, Femme47 said:

Hi Happy2Heal, 

Not sure if this question for me given it's in my thread, or Bellatrix..-:)

 

In case it's for me, I'll answer it briefly, I'm on the 4th month going without the antidepressants and find it really tough: rage, unstable mood, depression..but my sleep is back to normal..Sort of hanging in there..

How are you?

 

😊

 

 

 

oh gosh Femme47,  it was for you, not Bellatrix, not sure how that happened

 

sorry things are so rough for you, but at least sleep is normal, that's good. that's huge in my opinion, but I"m kind of biased due to sleep issues being my longest lasting symptom, I guess

I'm doing well, thanks.

 

[Femme47]

Should I reinstate??

 

After 12-13 months of tapering from 7mg of Lexapro, have jumped off from 1 mg on the 29 October 2018 as I was supposed to have a surgery and a surgeon told me that I should not be on this meds. Transient anxiety, depression and uncontrollable anger makes my life rather difficult. My relationships with some family members have deteriorated due to my bad temper, my eating has also taken its tall as I used to self-medicated my anxiety with food and sugar that resulted in gaining some weight not something I feel very happy about. Wondered if I should reinstate to a small dose something  like 0.5mg or just push it through..

 

Really need some advice and input, please....

[ChessieCat]

Reinstating 0.5mg may be too much.  These drugs are strong and you jumped off 1mg about 10 weeks ago and your brain will have already made same adaptations since you have been off the drug.  It would be better to try a much smaller dose.  If it was me I'd be trying 0.125mg.  It is better to start with a small amount and increase if necessary than to risk taking too much.

 

Please read Post #1 of this topic:  About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

The idea of reinstating isn't to get rid of withdrawal symptoms completely but to bring them to a bearable level.  It takes about 4 days for a dose to get to full level in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.  You will need to be patient and try and stay as calm as possible.  It is important that you do not panic.  When we panic we can make bad decisions.  Some members have panicked and taken too much drug and/or increased too soon and have made things much worse.

 

Please see this topic: are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

We suggest keeping daily symptom notes so that you can see how reinstating is affecting your symptoms.

[Femme47]

Should I reinstate??

 

After 12-13 months of tapering from 7mg of Lexapro, have jumped off from 1 mg on the 29 October 2018 as I was supposed to have a surgery and a surgeon told me that I should not be on this meds. Transient anxiety, depression and uncontrollable anger makes my life rather difficult. My relationships with some family members have deteriorated due to my bad temper, my eating has also taken its tall as I used to self-medicated my anxiety with food and sugar that resulted in gaining some weight not something I feel very happy about. Wondered if I should reinstate to a small dose something  like 0.5mg or just push it through..

 

Really need some advice and input, please...

 

 

51 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

Reinstating 0.5mg may be too much.  These drugs are strong and you jumped off 1mg about 10 weeks ago and your brain will have already made same adaptations since you have been off the drug.  It would be better to try a much smaller dose.  If it was me I'd be trying 0.125mg.  It is better to start with a small amount and increase if necessary than to risk taking too much.

 

Please read Post #1 of this topic:  About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

The idea of reinstating isn't to get rid of withdrawal symptoms completely but to bring them to a bearable level.  It takes about 4 days for a dose to get to full level in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.  You will need to be patient and try and stay as calm as possible.  It is important that you do not panic.  When we panic we can make bad decisions.  Some members have panicked and taken too much drug and/or increased too soon and have made things much worse.

 

Please see this topic: are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

We suggest keeping daily symptom notes so that you can see how reinstating is affecting your symptoms.

 

Thank you, ChessieCat. I've just read the info you've suggested about the reinstatement etc....It's a bit of hit and miss process...Yes, I was aware that it's better to reinstate as soon as possible, so that's why I have not done it as I had thought that I've missed the window and things would get worse with all these going down and up..On top, I am quite sensitive to these drugs...But I guess, 0.125mg is quite low...so, may be it is worth a shot, as you seem to imply?

 

[ChessieCat]

5 hours ago, Femme47 said:

But I guess, 0.125mg is quite low...so, may be it is worth a shot, as you seem to imply?

 

No, I'm not implying anything.  I'm providing you with information so that you can make an informed decision.  We can only offer suggestions.  We cannot make the decision for you.

 

To clarify, when I said:

 

6 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

If it was me I'd be trying 0.125mg.

 

You were considering 0.5mg which I think is too high a dose to reinstate after such a long time off the drug.  My statement was about the size of the reinstatement dose, not about whether you should reinstate or not.

[Happy2Heal]

18 hours ago, Femme47 said:

Wondered if I should reinstate to a small dose something  like 0.5mg or just push it through..

hi Femme47

Only you can make this decision but as ChessieCat says, 0.5mgs is a lot, this is a super strong drug.

personally, if your symptoms are manageable and esp since they don't appear to be constant, I think you'd get more mileage out of doing self care and using other coping methods to deal with them.

 

speaking as someone who went and up down in doses, as I  see you've already done,  you can end up going from occasional symptoms that are manageable, to constant symptoms that are extremely difficult to manage.

that's what happened to me.

 

of course only you can decide but if you can find other ways to cope, I'd strongly suggest that you do, it just doesn't seem worth the risk to me.

everyone is different, of course, but it *seems* from all the stories I've read here, that those who go slow and steady- and don't updose etc- do the best overall.

 

does exercise help at all for the anger?

have you read Brassmonkey's posts on emotional spirals? that might help

[Femme47]

14 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

No, I'm not implying anything.  I'm providing you with information so that you can make an informed decision.  We can only offer suggestions.  We cannot make the decision for you.

 

To clarify, when I said:

 

 

You were considering 0.5mg which I think is too high a dose to reinstate after such a long time off the drug.  My statement was about the size of the reinstatement dose, not about whether you should reinstate or not.

Hi ChesieCat, 

I guess the word "implying" wasn't the best choice-:)) 

Anyway, thank you for clarification and your input!

F47