JaqSmith Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Hi there, everyone! I just joined today and have been a bit disheartened to find no advice for those who no longer have the option to taper. I was put on 225 mg Effexor for one month in October of 2016. After serotonin syndrome (which has similar effects to severe withdrawals) my doc had my taper over only 5 days. I was unaware that a new and more dangerous condition was replacing the old. I am still struggling with severe GI, psychological and nerve issues. GABApentin 300mg daily seems to bring the only relief. At several months past the year mark I am terrified that this is my life now. Like many on this sight, it's hard to see a future worth living for. Has anyone had success recovering from long-term damage? Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted January 21, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 21, 2018 Hi JacSmith and welcome to SA, We ask all members to create a drug signature which will show below every post you make. Please use the following 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. This is your own Intro topic where you can ask questions and journal your progress. We encourage members to visit other members' topics so you can support each other. * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft;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
Moderator Gridley Posted January 21, 2018 Moderator Share Posted January 21, 2018 Hello, JacSmith, and welcome from me too. I think you might find these long-term success stories encouraging: Success stories - 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 taper at 6mg End 2022 year 2 of taper at 2.75mg Current dose as of Sept. 22, 2023 1.4mg Taper is 92% 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 Taper is 87% complete. Supplements: omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotic, zinc, melatonin .3mg 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. Link to comment
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