Dabhob33: introduction

[ChessieCat]

On 16/02/2018 at 11:26 AM, Altostrata said:

On the other hand, you might want to take a small amount of Prozac instead of Effexor for reinstatement. Substituting Prozac for Pristiq is
more iffy, but Prozac is easier to taper.

 

More iffy means that it may not work.

 

On 17/07/2011 at 2:52 AM, Altostrata said:

Pristiq is a drug made of Effexor's (venlafaxine) active metabolite, O-desvenlafaxine. Pristiq is to Effexor as Lexapro is to Celexa -- a tweaked and more powerful isomer molecule. In effect, Pristiq is concentrated Effexor.

 

[Dabhob33]

The burning pain travels throughout my body/head, consistently.   Is there a medication (non psych) or natural remedy that has been recommended?  I have a feeling I know the answer.    

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, Dabhob33 said:

I have a feeling I know the answer.  

 

Read back through your Intro topics.

[Dabhob33]

On 2/25/2018 at 12:23 PM, Happy2Heal said:

have you ever heard of a light box? I got one called Happy Light. https://verilux.com/light-therapy

 

 

to be honest, I have no idea if it works, because I've used it very infrequently and I was doing something else to fight off seasonal depression at the same time, I was taking vit D3 pills (I vary the dosage based on how much actual sunlight I get, now that the days are getting longer and I'm out more, I cut back a bit on my dose of vit D3)

 

getting out in the early morning, in the sun on a good day, as often as you can, can def help lift your mood. 

also avoiding sugar can help your mood, there's been studies that show if you eat something like leafy greens instead of some sugary dessert, you're going to feel better and the effect can be almost immediate.

it's worth looking into, even if it doesn't help lift your depression, it gives you something else to think about and to do

 

which would be my next two suggestions, try to distract  yourself and try to keep busy.

even when you don't feel like doing something, do it anyway

 

also I read, if you keep a list of things to do and check them off, that actually gives your brain a little dopamine boost that feels good. Imagine that, just crossing things off a list helps to boost your mood!

I never would have thought that would make any difference at all.

So you KNOW< now I keep lists and tick things off as they get done!! LOL

I hope you're having a better day today. 

I was going over my notes and realized I didn’t respond (or I don’t think I did).   Thank you for all the great info.  Have a great evening.  

[Dabhob33]

On 2/27/2018 at 5:01 AM, AliG said:

Hi Dave. Please answer Shep's questions as it helps to uncover the problem and causes of your symptoms. As I said in my initial post to you : this is multi - layered and could take a little time to fully unravel.

 

In the meantime, I just wanted to share with you : that many of us have had some of the the burning symptoms, in withdrawal. It's an uncomfortable feeling, but I have found that ice and coolness can help. For burning feet ~ I found, a tub of cold water and ice helped to relieve the pain and for the arms and body : wet towels and a fan. I found a cool towel around the shoulders/ or even legs, helpful. I also kept a gel pack in the freezer so that it was always handy. Menthol creams can also offer some relief, at various times.

 

This link has a discussion on the topic:

Hope this helps. This symptom does improve.

Thank you for your help and concern.  Much appreciated.  I miss some of these posts.  Sorry about that.  

[Dabhob33]

7 hours ago, Dabhob33 said:

Ok.  I’ll get Effexor.   I do have Prozac left if that would help.  They gave me that for a week to extend the pristiq taper.  

 

7 hours ago, Dabhob33 said:

Ok.  I’ll get Effexor.   I do have Prozac left if that would help.  They gave me that for a week to extend the pristiq taper.  

Nevermind re Prozac.  We addressed it in past thread.  

[Altostrata]

If you have Prozac, you might give it a try. It's easy to make a liquid with Prozac. I might try 0.5mg to start, use an oral syringe to take a small amount.

 

Cymbalta, Pristiq, and Effexor are in all the same antidepressant "class."

[Dabhob33]

The prozac comes in 20mg doses.  

[AliG]

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine

 

 

For very gradual tapering, for example, you can dissolve a 10mg capsule or orally dispersible tablet in 10mL of water to make a solution with 1mg Prozac in 1mg of water. To take 1mg Prozac, use an oral syringe to take out 1mL.

Refrigerated, it's supposed to be stable for 14 days

[Dabhob33]

3/2/18

6am - woke up

Shoveled drive and drove Kids to school

8 - 5mg Valium / Tylenol regular 325mg / 3 drops

Head and eyes pressure

9 - Breakfast

Slept

Agitated/anxious/restless

Ran errands - very anxious

1 - body burning

230 - Tylenol regular 325mg

4 - burning returned / heavy headed / anxious stomach

445 - migraine headache (interesting since I recently took a Tylenol  / extremely agitated

6 - dinner

730 - men’s group

8- 900mg Lithium / eye drops 

10 - 7mg valium / 3 drops

230am - woke up for an hour 

3/3/18

730am - Decent night of sleep

[AliG]

Ok ~ what have you decided to do? Liquid prozac ~ 0 .5 mg ?

11 hours ago, Altostrata said:

If you have Prozac, you might give it a try. It's easy to make a liquid with Prozac. I might try 0.5mg to start, use an oral syringe to take a small amount.

 

Cymbalta, Pristiq, and Effexor are in all the same antidepressant "class.".

 

[Dabhob33]

4 minutes ago, AliG said:

Ok ~ what have you decided to do? Liquid prozac ~ 0 .5 mg ?

 

how do I make the liquid Prozac?   How do I determine .5 of a 20mg pill?  Apologize for my ignorance. 

 

 

 

3/2/18

6am - woke up

Shoveled drive and drove Kids to school

8 - 5mg Valium / Tylenol regular 325mg

Head and eyes pressure

9 - Breakfast

Slept

Agitated/anxious/restless

Ran errands - very anxious

1 - body burning

230 - Tylenol regular 325mg

4 - burning returned / heavy headed / anxious stomach

445 - migraine headache (interesting since I recently took a Tylenol  / extremely agitated

6 - dinner

730 - men’s group

8- 900mg Lithium / eye drops 

10 - 7mg valium

230am - woke up for an hour 

3/3/18

730am - Decent night of sleep

[ChessieCat]

5 hours ago, AliG said:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine

 

 

For very gradual tapering, for example, you can dissolve a 10mg capsule or orally dispersible tablet in 10mL of water to make a solution with 1mg Prozac in 1mg of water. To take 1mg Prozac, use an oral syringe to take out 1mL.

Refrigerated, it's supposed to be stable for 14 days

 

1 hour ago, Dabhob33 said:

how do I make the liquid Prozac?   How do I determine .5 of a 20mg pill?  Apologize for my ignorance. 

 

Dissolve 20mg pill in 20mL water - ratio is 1mL of solution = 1mg Prozac

Extract and take 0.5mL of solution for 0.5mg dose

 

OR 

 

Dissolve 20mg pill in 40mL wate - ratio is 2mL of solution = 1mg Prozac

Extract and take 1mL of solution for 0.5mg dose

 

OR

 

Dissolve 20mg pill in 400mL water - ratio 20mL of solution = 1mg Prozac

Extract and take 10mL of solution for 0.5mg dose

[AliG]

Are you ok with that Dave?  I understand if you need more help ~

[Dabhob33]

I think I have it.  

[Dabhob33]

Just take one dose?

[Dabhob33]

I just made the dose.  .5ml is verrrrry little.  I took it.   I dumped the rest. Please let me know if need to do anything else.   

[ChessieCat]

40 minutes ago, Dabhob33 said:

I dumped the rest.

 

See:

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

Refrigerated, it's supposed to be stable for 14 days

 

 

40 minutes ago, Dabhob33 said:

Please let me know if need to do anything else.

 

This is very important to do:  Keep Notes on Paper

 

And also:  Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

[Dabhob33]

Oops.   I dumped it.   How often do I take the Prozac?   For how long?  I read the “keep it simple”.  

 

I keep and post a journal daily.  

[ChessieCat]

24 minutes ago, Dabhob33 said:

How often do I take the Prozac?

 

Same dose, every day at about the same time.

[Dabhob33]

My next 20mL batch (tomorrow), I will refrigerate.   A pill will essentially last 14 days. 

 

Edited March 4, 2018 by ChessieCat
removed quote

[ChessieCat]

It may be best to use bottled or distilled water if you are keeping it for 14 days.

[Dabhob33]

 

3/3/18

730am - Decent night of sleep

8 -  5mg Valium / 3 drops 

Decent morning.   Anxious chest and heavy head.  Feel slow

Family fun outing

Noon - lunch

1 - irritable, agitated, crawl out of skin, head pressure, depressed,burning, lips/face burning  (morning valium wear off?)

245 - Tylenol 325mg reg strength

Symptoms died down, but still there a bit

5 - dinner 

6 - prozac .5mg liquid

8- 900mg Lithium / eye drops 

10 - 7mg valium

Physical Symptoms are minimal during evening 

11 - woke up burning all over body

3/4/18

2am - woke up burning - took 325ng tylenol 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2018 by ChessieCat
remove quote

[Shep]

 

4 hours ago, Dabhob33 said:

3/3/18

730am - Decent night of sleep

8 -  5mg Valium / 3 drops 

Decent morning.  

 

This is an excellent report, Dabhob. And this was written three days after your benzo updose and before the Prozac reinstatement. 

 

It sounds like the benzo updose is helping. 

 

4 hours ago, Dabhob33 said:

6 - prozac .5mg liquid

 

In your previous AD history, did you take Prozac in the evening? I'm concerned that this might be a drug you want to take in the morning.

 

It may be helpful to read the below thread, as it explains the concepts of "brakes and accelerators" and how different types of drugs effect us. Some people find that taking a SSRI in the morning is best. Please let us know what you think after you have a change to read through the first post in this thread:

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

[Dabhob33]

13 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

See:

 

 

 

 

This is very important to do:  Keep Notes on Paper

 

And also:  Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

. 

3/3/18

730am - Decent night of sleep

8 -  5mg Valium / 3 drops 

Decent morning.   Anxious chest and heavy head.  Feel slow

Family fun outing

Noon - lunch

1 - irritable, agitated, crawl out of skin, head pressure, depressed,burning, lips/face burning  (morning valium wear off?)

245 - Tylenol 325mg reg strength

Symptoms died down, but still there a bit

5 - dinner 

6 - prozac .5mg liquid

8- 900mg Lithium / eye drops 

10 - 7mg valium

Physical Symptoms are minimal during evening 

11 - bed

[Dabhob33]

Thanks.  Had a horrible night last night.   No sleep.   Wondering if prozac is necessary with things balancing out with updose valium.  

[Shep]

1 minute ago, Dabhob33 said:

Thanks.  Had a horrible night last night.   No sleep.   Wondering if prozac is necessary with things balancing out with updose valium.  

 

Please see my last post. I think it may be a timing issue - many people find the SSRIs to be activating and find it's best to take it in the morning. 

 

[Dabhob33]

3/4/18

630am - didn’t sleep last night

8 - 5mg valium / .5mg prozac

9 - breakfast

BURNING - this is getting worse!  Restless

Noon - lunch 

Laid on couch

My wife is getting frustrated

4 - Son’s football game.  Burning and jittery. 

530 - magnesium drink

6 - dinner 

Burning

645 - Tylenol 325mg

Very agitated with my family today.    Not normal at all.   Can’t get thought that I may be still dealing with rapid taper from a year ago.  And I still have to balance and get off valium.   Agitation and burning is too much.  

8- 900mg Lithium / eye drops 

10 - 7mg valium

1130 - sleep

3/5/18

1 - woke up burning

meditating

630 - no sleep last night  - ruminating /anxious, couldn’t settle down

/  burning / 325mg tylenol

[Altostrata]

Not a good idea to change 2 drugs at the same time. If I were you, I'd stop the Prozac for now and see what the benzo updose does.

[Dabhob33]

Ok.  One of the staff mentioned doing it.   I thought it’s a concensus thing when a suggestion is made like that.   I’ll stop the Prozac. 

[Shep]

12 minutes ago, Dabhob33 said:

Ok.  One of the staff mentioned doing it.   I thought it’s a concensus thing when a suggestion is made like that.   I’ll stop the Prozac. 

 

Yes, I was one who suggested it, Dabhob. It was worth a try, as you had stopped sleeping and were heading into a crisis state. 

 

But in light of your reaction to the Prozac, Alto's suggestion is best. 

 

I'm sorry for the back and forth of suggestions as we try to get your drugs sorted out. Let's see how you do with the benzo updose.

[Dabhob33]

Thank you all for your help and concern.  Can’t tell you how good it feels to have the educated support in my corner.  

[ChessieCat]

I hope things start settling down for you very soon.

[Dabhob33]

3/5/18

1 - woke up burning

630 - no sleep / burning / 325mg tylenol / eye drops

8 - breakfast / 5mg Valium / .5mg prozac

30 mins after valium heavy head and depressed

9 - psychiatrist - suggested Gabapentin to help with burning.   Not filling it.  

Feeling ok

Magnesium drink /omega 3

12 - lunch

Feeling ok

130 - dozed off.  Woke in panic. 

Feeling awful!!!! - heavy head and scared of sleep...dread it 

2 - helped parents

330 - Tylenol 325mg

5 - dinner at parents (just me) - symptoms backed off, except for heavy head 

8- 900mg Lithium / eye drops 

830 - snack

10 - 7mg valium

11 - sleep / doxylamine - 12.5mg (need to take since no sleep for days)

5/6/18

8 - Slept through night

[ChessieCat]

6 hours ago, Dabhob33 said:

5/6/18

8 - Slept through night

 

That's good.

[Altostrata]

What part of the day do you NOT have burning?

 

What does the burning feel like? Where is it?

 

Is your bedroom darkened with blackout shades, curtains, etc.?

 

Did the burning change at all after you took Prozac?