Tissi Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 (edited) Hi everyone! I have been on antidep for probably 15years now. I am 40 year old. From the smallest dosage available on the market, 37.5, I am now taking 8 beads. it has been 2 times now that I failed passing to 7 beads. A week after decreasing one bead, I start to have difficulty to fall asleep. But for 2 weeks, it's manageable. but then around the third week, I really don't sleep anymore and start to feel really edgy , anxious and desperate. I work, I study and I am a mum. Also, English is my second language. Hope I am understandable. After 3weeks of suffering the withdrawal, I gave up and took again that bead that took away 3 weeks earlier. Can someone please tell me how long the withdrawal effect last? Does anyone know if i would have waited few more days, things would have improved or getting worse? I am tired and sad and I wonder if I ever will find the courage to do it. I know all the alternative help and i am using them: diet, meditation, exercice, epson salt bath... Maybe I just need to do it in summer and have my husband ready on my sides and my naturopathic doctor and ha my 4 year old taken care of... Jeez, this is so hard but I really would like to get rid of this drug ... Fed up to feel numb and have no sex life! Edited November 12, 2017 by baroquep Severe severe insomnia from 1992 to 2009. All kinds of antidepressants including Remeron 45 mg, benzodiazepine Xanax 4 mg/day and Rivotril (clonazepam) and sleeping pill (lexotanil) . 2000 switched to Effexor: 150 mg. 2008 Effexor: 300mg . Tapered Rivotril. Used sleeping pills and Xanax occasionnally. 2009: insomnia gone! I sleep! 2010: tried to stop Effexor, total failure: sept 1st: 300 mg- sept 15 :150 mg - sept 30 :75 mg- oct 15 : 37.5 mg- oct 30 : 0mg ... terrible insomnia, trembling, dizziness, anxiety, psychotic feelings. Nov 15th back to Effexor 150 mg. 2012: tried again same pattern of tapering. Failure again. Too fast. 2013: Doctor told me to use Escitalopram to taper Effexor. january 2013: Effexor 150 mg/ Escitalopram 20mg. Slowly tapered: February 2013: Effexor 75 mg/ Escitalopram 20 mg. March 2013: Effexor: 37.5 mg, Escitalopram 20 mg. From there one bead away from Effexor about every other month. Escitalopram: 10 mg . Sept 1st 2016: 8 beads Effexor( I'll go to the drugstore to ask how much mg is that) : 20 mg Escitalopram. Sept 30 2016 : 7 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Oct 15 2016: 6 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram : horrible side effects: trembling, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty breathing, psychotic feelings... Oct 20 2016: 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. August 2017 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Nov 1st 2017: 7 beads Effexor, Escitalopram 20 mg. Horrible side effects again: insomnia, difficulty to breathe, anxiety, trembling and psychotic feelings. Nov 12 2017: back to 8 beads of Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted November 12, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 12, 2017 Hi Tissi and welcome to SA, It could be that you have been reducing too quickly but without the information about how often you reduced your dose it is hard to say. Please create a drug signature which will show below every post you make. This is the preferred format: A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature - ALL drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly? Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature. I will give you some links to check out: Why taper by 10% of my dosage? Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist Tips for tapering off Effexor (venlafaxine) Sleep problems - that awful withdrawal insomniaWindows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization Once we have more information we will be better able to offer suggestions about your own individual situation. This is your own Introduction topic where you can ask questions and journal your progress. * 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 Link to comment
Ali4 Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 23 hours ago, Tissi said: Hi everyone! I have been on antidep for probably 15years now. I am 40 year old. From the smallest dosage available on the market, 37.5, I am now taking 8 beads. it has been 2 times now that I failed passing to 7 beads. A week after decreasing one bead, I start to have difficulty to fall asleep. But for 2 weeks, it's manageable. but then around the third week, I really don't sleep anymore and start to feel really edgy , anxious and desperate. I work, I study and I am a mum. Also, English is my second language. Hope I am understandable. After 3weeks of suffering the withdrawal, I gave up and took again that bead that took away 3 weeks earlier. Can someone please tell me how long the withdrawal effect last? Does anyone know if i would have waited few more days, things would have improved or getting worse? I am tired and sad and I wonder if I ever will find the courage to do it. I know all the alternative help and i am using them: diet, meditation, exercice, epson salt bath... Maybe I just need to do it in summer and have my husband ready on my sides and my naturopathic doctor and ha my 4 year old taken care of... Jeez, this is so hard but I really would like to get rid of this drug ... Fed up to feel numb and have no sex life! Did the bead you took back help your symptoms? Ali 10 years citalopram 30mg- tapered down in December 15/2015- Jan 15/2016 to 20mg for two weeks, ten for one week and five for another week, then stopped, less then two weeks later, sheer hell broke lose with debilitating withdrawal symptoms. Update-- reinstated 5mg of celexa on feb 5-- within hours noticed immediate difference in WD symptoms-- Holding holding and more holding. Updose- March 23/16 too 10mg- relieved the harsher head symptoms- current symptoms headaches, dizzy, numbness and tingling in my head. Benzos- 2015-Ativan on and off for 6 months 2mg- switched to clonazepam nov 2015- 2mg till Jan 2016 Zopiclone 7.5mg nov-dec 2015- was tapered off over 4weeks- Currently in protracted withdrawal. ???????????????????????????????? Update- ended up in the hospital April 18/16 major suicidal ( never had that before) was admitted/ been there ever since, put me back to full dose celexa 30mg no drugs added, IAM FINALLY STABLE AFTER 3 months of tortuous hell. Got a great physiatrist that new all about WD, he will help me taper properly in a couple of months at 5% deductions holding 8 weeks. I never want to relive that hell again. Udate- stable and holding, doing things slowly is key. Link to comment
Tissi Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 6 hours ago, Ali4 said: Did the bead you took back help your symptoms? Ali Totally, right away! Few hours later, I fell good again! I had horrible hell of insomnia for 20 years. I have been sleeping like an angel for 9 years now. I cannot put myself through a nightmare insomnia like that. I will stay with what I have : effexor: 8 beads of 37.5 mg and cypralex 20 mg for a while... This is an amazing website. i will come and put my medical history in a bit... bless u all Severe severe insomnia from 1992 to 2009. All kinds of antidepressants including Remeron 45 mg, benzodiazepine Xanax 4 mg/day and Rivotril (clonazepam) and sleeping pill (lexotanil) . 2000 switched to Effexor: 150 mg. 2008 Effexor: 300mg . Tapered Rivotril. Used sleeping pills and Xanax occasionnally. 2009: insomnia gone! I sleep! 2010: tried to stop Effexor, total failure: sept 1st: 300 mg- sept 15 :150 mg - sept 30 :75 mg- oct 15 : 37.5 mg- oct 30 : 0mg ... terrible insomnia, trembling, dizziness, anxiety, psychotic feelings. Nov 15th back to Effexor 150 mg. 2012: tried again same pattern of tapering. Failure again. Too fast. 2013: Doctor told me to use Escitalopram to taper Effexor. january 2013: Effexor 150 mg/ Escitalopram 20mg. Slowly tapered: February 2013: Effexor 75 mg/ Escitalopram 20 mg. March 2013: Effexor: 37.5 mg, Escitalopram 20 mg. From there one bead away from Effexor about every other month. Escitalopram: 10 mg . Sept 1st 2016: 8 beads Effexor( I'll go to the drugstore to ask how much mg is that) : 20 mg Escitalopram. Sept 30 2016 : 7 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Oct 15 2016: 6 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram : horrible side effects: trembling, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty breathing, psychotic feelings... Oct 20 2016: 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. August 2017 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Nov 1st 2017: 7 beads Effexor, Escitalopram 20 mg. Horrible side effects again: insomnia, difficulty to breathe, anxiety, trembling and psychotic feelings. Nov 12 2017: back to 8 beads of Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Link to comment
Tissi Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 I will wait at least a month before doing anything. I decide to go slowly. I don't know if I should taper Escitalopram first or Effexor. I have Effexor XR and i was thinking to go to my pharmacist and give me half of it in normal Effexor and liquid. But was thinking to wait after Christmas. Or do you guys think I should taper Escitalopram. Is it hard to pass from 20 mg to 10 mg. I have done it in the past and I don't remember being as traumatic as the Effexor. In a way, if I could taper Escitalopram entirely and then have just this little bit of Effexor , it would be encouraging. But I don't know if keeping the Escitalopram will help me to reduce Effexor. What do you guys think? Thank you so much to everyone of you. Take care and one day at a time! Severe severe insomnia from 1992 to 2009. All kinds of antidepressants including Remeron 45 mg, benzodiazepine Xanax 4 mg/day and Rivotril (clonazepam) and sleeping pill (lexotanil) . 2000 switched to Effexor: 150 mg. 2008 Effexor: 300mg . Tapered Rivotril. Used sleeping pills and Xanax occasionnally. 2009: insomnia gone! I sleep! 2010: tried to stop Effexor, total failure: sept 1st: 300 mg- sept 15 :150 mg - sept 30 :75 mg- oct 15 : 37.5 mg- oct 30 : 0mg ... terrible insomnia, trembling, dizziness, anxiety, psychotic feelings. Nov 15th back to Effexor 150 mg. 2012: tried again same pattern of tapering. Failure again. Too fast. 2013: Doctor told me to use Escitalopram to taper Effexor. january 2013: Effexor 150 mg/ Escitalopram 20mg. Slowly tapered: February 2013: Effexor 75 mg/ Escitalopram 20 mg. March 2013: Effexor: 37.5 mg, Escitalopram 20 mg. From there one bead away from Effexor about every other month. Escitalopram: 10 mg . Sept 1st 2016: 8 beads Effexor( I'll go to the drugstore to ask how much mg is that) : 20 mg Escitalopram. Sept 30 2016 : 7 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Oct 15 2016: 6 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram : horrible side effects: trembling, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty breathing, psychotic feelings... Oct 20 2016: 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. August 2017 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Nov 1st 2017: 7 beads Effexor, Escitalopram 20 mg. Horrible side effects again: insomnia, difficulty to breathe, anxiety, trembling and psychotic feelings. Nov 12 2017: back to 8 beads of Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Link to comment
Ali4 Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 8 hours ago, Tissi said: I will wait at least a month before doing anything. I decide to go slowly. I don't know if I should taper Escitalopram first or Effexor. I have Effexor XR and i was thinking to go to my pharmacist and give me half of it in normal Effexor and liquid. But was thinking to wait after Christmas. Or do you guys think I should taper Escitalopram. Is it hard to pass from 20 mg to 10 mg. I have done it in the past and I don't remember being as traumatic as the Effexor. In a way, if I could taper Escitalopram entirely and then have just this little bit of Effexor , it would be encouraging. But I don't know if keeping the Escitalopram will help me to reduce Effexor. What do you guys think? Thank you so much to everyone of you. Take care and one day at a time! I thought you started the Effexor taper? 10 years citalopram 30mg- tapered down in December 15/2015- Jan 15/2016 to 20mg for two weeks, ten for one week and five for another week, then stopped, less then two weeks later, sheer hell broke lose with debilitating withdrawal symptoms. Update-- reinstated 5mg of celexa on feb 5-- within hours noticed immediate difference in WD symptoms-- Holding holding and more holding. Updose- March 23/16 too 10mg- relieved the harsher head symptoms- current symptoms headaches, dizzy, numbness and tingling in my head. Benzos- 2015-Ativan on and off for 6 months 2mg- switched to clonazepam nov 2015- 2mg till Jan 2016 Zopiclone 7.5mg nov-dec 2015- was tapered off over 4weeks- Currently in protracted withdrawal. ???????????????????????????????? Update- ended up in the hospital April 18/16 major suicidal ( never had that before) was admitted/ been there ever since, put me back to full dose celexa 30mg no drugs added, IAM FINALLY STABLE AFTER 3 months of tortuous hell. Got a great physiatrist that new all about WD, he will help me taper properly in a couple of months at 5% deductions holding 8 weeks. I never want to relive that hell again. Udate- stable and holding, doing things slowly is key. Link to comment
Tissi Posted November 15, 2017 Author Share Posted November 15, 2017 Yes, I did but I am thinking to stay for a while with what I have... Severe severe insomnia from 1992 to 2009. All kinds of antidepressants including Remeron 45 mg, benzodiazepine Xanax 4 mg/day and Rivotril (clonazepam) and sleeping pill (lexotanil) . 2000 switched to Effexor: 150 mg. 2008 Effexor: 300mg . Tapered Rivotril. Used sleeping pills and Xanax occasionnally. 2009: insomnia gone! I sleep! 2010: tried to stop Effexor, total failure: sept 1st: 300 mg- sept 15 :150 mg - sept 30 :75 mg- oct 15 : 37.5 mg- oct 30 : 0mg ... terrible insomnia, trembling, dizziness, anxiety, psychotic feelings. Nov 15th back to Effexor 150 mg. 2012: tried again same pattern of tapering. Failure again. Too fast. 2013: Doctor told me to use Escitalopram to taper Effexor. january 2013: Effexor 150 mg/ Escitalopram 20mg. Slowly tapered: February 2013: Effexor 75 mg/ Escitalopram 20 mg. March 2013: Effexor: 37.5 mg, Escitalopram 20 mg. From there one bead away from Effexor about every other month. Escitalopram: 10 mg . Sept 1st 2016: 8 beads Effexor( I'll go to the drugstore to ask how much mg is that) : 20 mg Escitalopram. Sept 30 2016 : 7 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Oct 15 2016: 6 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram : horrible side effects: trembling, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty breathing, psychotic feelings... Oct 20 2016: 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. August 2017 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Nov 1st 2017: 7 beads Effexor, Escitalopram 20 mg. Horrible side effects again: insomnia, difficulty to breathe, anxiety, trembling and psychotic feelings. Nov 12 2017: back to 8 beads of Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Link to comment
cokemachineglow Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Hi Tissi, Good luck on your taper! It can be so slow and agonizing having to go bead by bead. I know that in the beginning I could take out 5 beads a week, and I was like `this is going to be easy and go so fast.` That lasted for about 37.5 mg, and now I am removing 1-2 beads every 2-3 weeks. Each person is so different, it is important to listen to your body and go slowly. I did visit a naturopathic doctor, and he prescribed a bunch of supplements (below) to help with the taper - I am also trying to taper off Effexor XR. I do find some of these supplements really helpful - reduced the tapering symptoms for me. 1. 1 tsp daily of NutraSea Omega 3 2. Vitamin C - chewable 500mg 3. AOR advanced Series - Advanced B complex 4. Can Prev Magnesium Bis-Glycinate 200 I have found that the Omega 3 and vitamin C are helpful. The magnesium gave me terrible stomach cramps, and the B complex doesn`t seem to do too much either way and was fairly expensive if I remember right. This is just what they prescribed to me, but it would be worthwhile to talk to your doctor or a naturopathic doctor about supplements to help support your taper. Not sure where you are in Canada - if you are in or near Toronto I can give you the name of my naturopathic doctor - he was extremely helpful and supportive. Congrats on getting to 8 beads! I will celebrate when I get to that many Cokemachineglow h/x: Paxil for 10 years, switched to Effexor XR 150mg for the last 8 years. Currently attempting to taper off of Effexor XR. Link to comment
Tissi Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) Hey guys! I have been on antidep for 20 years now and started to withdraw few years ago... Effexor 37.5 mg, I am opening the caps and take 8 beads. Escitalopram, I was on 20 mg in April... I started to reduce to 15 mg on May. And 10 , beginning of June, then end of June and 0 beginning of July. And around July 6 th, I started to feel horrible. It took me until today that it was for sure withdrawal effects. I think at the end, I decreased to fast... I feel horribly anxious. A week ago, I started to take 10 mg again.... How long do you think I will feel an improvement? Gosh, it's not the first time that I hurt myself sooo much by trying to withdraw it. But I have heard that EFFEXOR IS HARD TO WITHDRAW, cypralex, not so much. And i got excited and here I am. Do you think, i should start to feel improvement soon if I stay on 10 mg of Cypralex. I really don't want to go back on 20 mg but I feel so bad. How long should I wait at 10 mg to see if I will feel ok? Edited July 26, 2018 by manymoretodays just spacing for ease of reading Severe severe insomnia from 1992 to 2009. All kinds of antidepressants including Remeron 45 mg, benzodiazepine Xanax 4 mg/day and Rivotril (clonazepam) and sleeping pill (lexotanil) . 2000 switched to Effexor: 150 mg. 2008 Effexor: 300mg . Tapered Rivotril. Used sleeping pills and Xanax occasionnally. 2009: insomnia gone! I sleep! 2010: tried to stop Effexor, total failure: sept 1st: 300 mg- sept 15 :150 mg - sept 30 :75 mg- oct 15 : 37.5 mg- oct 30 : 0mg ... terrible insomnia, trembling, dizziness, anxiety, psychotic feelings. Nov 15th back to Effexor 150 mg. 2012: tried again same pattern of tapering. Failure again. Too fast. 2013: Doctor told me to use Escitalopram to taper Effexor. january 2013: Effexor 150 mg/ Escitalopram 20mg. Slowly tapered: February 2013: Effexor 75 mg/ Escitalopram 20 mg. March 2013: Effexor: 37.5 mg, Escitalopram 20 mg. From there one bead away from Effexor about every other month. Escitalopram: 10 mg . Sept 1st 2016: 8 beads Effexor( I'll go to the drugstore to ask how much mg is that) : 20 mg Escitalopram. Sept 30 2016 : 7 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Oct 15 2016: 6 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram : horrible side effects: trembling, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty breathing, psychotic feelings... Oct 20 2016: 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. August 2017 8 beads Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Nov 1st 2017: 7 beads Effexor, Escitalopram 20 mg. Horrible side effects again: insomnia, difficulty to breathe, anxiety, trembling and psychotic feelings. Nov 12 2017: back to 8 beads of Effexor, 20 mg Escitalopram. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus mammaP Posted July 29, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 29, 2018 On 7/25/2018 at 3:52 AM, Tissi said: But I have heard that EFFEXOR IS HARD TO WITHDRAW, cypralex, not so much. And i got excited and here I am Cipralex is as hard as any orher drug to be free of, which is ahy we recommend tapering no more than 10% of the CURRENT dose with at least 4 weeks between cuts. How are you feeling now? It takes a few days to reach a steady leve;l in the blood so hopefully you will be starting to feel a little better now but it could be a while before you are stable again. Here is the topic for tapering cipralex. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/ Would you update your signature for us please with the cipralex taper and reinstatement. **I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge. Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem) 1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat 2002 effexor. Tapered March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads. Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013 Restarted taper Nov 2013 OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015 Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014 Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg July 2017 30mg. May 15 2018 25mg Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33 Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible Link to comment
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