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Blunted

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On 7/23/2018 at 3:43 PM, brassmonkey said:

Side effects are a different thing from WD symptoms, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.  We have some lengthy discussions about the differences around here somewhere.

 

Hey brassmonkey...just need some advice here...

 

i took lexapro (ssri) back in 2014 for 6 months for panic disorder, stopped it with no withdrawal or side effects...

 

several months later i took it again for my anxiety...it was working perfectly...i stayed on it for around a year and then stopped at once with zero side effects or withdrawals...

 

8 months after that i got depressed so i went back on it...slowly titrated from 5mg to 10mg...worked well...but when it got to 6 weeks..i dunno what happened but i became emotionally numb, i read that its a common side effect so i decided to stop the med...i did a fast taper..the emotional numbness is still there 3 weeks after stopping.

 

I dont know why this side effect would happen now but not before?

 

Four different psychiatrists told me to start effexor as it will help with this but im worried itll make it worse...i am now med free but the emotional blunting is still there...but i kind of feel it slowly improving in a way.

 

Please let me know what i should do in this case ..or what you think is going on here.

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added paragraphs

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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Mod Note:  Post moved from PSSD topic.

 

Hey guys. Not sure if what i have is pssd or what exactly...but its emotional blunting...i took lexapro (ssri) for 6 months back in 2014 for anxiety and it worked so well. I stopped it but started it again several months later because of anxiety...took it for around a year and worked like a charm...i even felt great after stopping it...however around 8 months later..i got depressed so i took it again...was working well..but 6 weeks after taking it i felt emotionally numb...and i read that its a common side effect of ssri..so i did a fast taper. Its been 3 weeks now after stopping but the emotional numbess is still there but has gotten slightly better...three doctors said i should go on effexor (snri) which would help with the blunting. Im worried it would make it worse. Any advice?

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added mod note

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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  • Moderator

Hi Blunted and welcome to SA.  I'm sorry to read that you're having so much trouble.  The emotional blunting you talk about is a very common side effect of these drugs and can continue for quite some time after they have been stopped.  It looks like you've made quite a few very large and abrupt changes over the past several years which have all added up and have left your body very sensitive to the drug.  Luckily your last change was only a few weeks ago which means that a reinstatement might be a good choice. We have a lot of good information on that right here:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 

 

If you decide to reinstate then there will be a long holding period to let your body stabilize, after which we can work out the details of a long slow successful taper.

 

Brassmonkey

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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37 minutes ago, brassmonkey said:

Hi Blunted and welcome to SA.  I'm sorry to read that you're having so much trouble.  The emotional blunting you talk about is a very common side effect of these drugs and can continue for quite some time after they have been stopped.  It looks like you've made quite a few very large and abrupt changes over the past several years which have all added up and have left your body very sensitive to the drug.  Luckily your last change was only a few weeks ago which means that a reinstatement might be a good choice. We have a lot of good information on that right here:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 

 

If you decide to reinstate then there will be a long holding period to let your body stabilize, after which we can work out the details of a long slow successful taper.

 

Brassmonkey

Thanks for the reply...but the thing is i dont know if this is withdrawal syndrome...because the emotional blunting happened while i was still on the lexapro...so i decided to taper off it quickly...the doctor now told me to start with effexor...but im scared to do so ...what do you think is my best shot here? I dunno if i should wait it out...but how long would that be? Or im thinking of trying wellbutrin because ive read it helps with the blunting. So my choices are to try wellbutrin or go for the effexor which the doc recommended....or i just wait it out...but i have uni next month and i really want to be functioning normally so im desperate to take action here.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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  • Moderator

You'd be getting a combination of withdrawal syndrome and side effects, it's quite common to get both and they are very hard to tell apart.

 

I would not start on Effexor. All that would do is compound the problem.  You would get CT withdrawal from the lexapro which would be partially covered up by the effexor, but not too well. Plus you would bet start up effects from the new drug.  Being in an unstable state your body would probably react badly to both. Also effexor is one of the harder drugs to get off of. In my opinion it would be best to try a very small reinstatement and see how you react, then stabilize and go from there.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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31 minutes ago, brassmonkey said:

You'd be getting a combination of withdrawal syndrome and side effects, it's quite common to get both and they are very hard to tell apart.

 

I would not start on Effexor. All that would do is compound the problem.  You would get CT withdrawal from the lexapro which would be partially covered up by the effexor, but not too well. Plus you would bet start up effects from the new drug.  Being in an unstable state your body would probably react badly to both. Also effexor is one of the harder drugs to get off of. In my opinion it would be best to try a very small reinstatement and see how you react, then stabilize and go from there.

So you're saying i should go back on the lexapro? Man im way too scared to do that as it caused the problem for me in the first place. What do you think about Wellbutrin? Isnt it used to counter those effects? Do keep in mind that the blunting started 6 weeks after reinstating lexapro (after being off it for around 8 months). So i think reinstating it again could make things worse? I've been off it for around 25 days now, but the blunting is still there. Should i give wellbutrin a try? 

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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3 hours ago, Blunted said:

Thanks for the reply...but the thing is i dont know if this is withdrawal syndrome...because the emotional blunting happened while i was still on the lexapro...so i decided to taper off it quickly...the doctor now told me to start with effexor...but im scared to do so ...what do you think is my best shot here? I dunno if i should wait it out...but how long would that be? Or im thinking of trying wellbutrin because ive read it helps with the blunting. So my choices are to try wellbutrin or go for the effexor which the doc recommended....or i just wait it out...but i have uni next month and i really want to be functioning normally so im desperate to take action here.

 

We really don't recommend one SSRI over another--we don't recommend any SSRIs on this site as we have all been harmed by them. Your best bet is to read the link Brassmonkey posted about reinstatement and think about whether that's something you're interested in.

 

2020: After 18+ years (entire adult life) on Paxil, a dangerous doctor-led "taper" in 2015, and four years tapering off the last 1 mg thanks to SA and the Brassmonkey slide, 

I AM COMPLETELY FREE OF PAXIL! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Forever.

 

2021: Began conservative, proper, CNS-respecting taper of Zoloft, led by the only expert on me -- me. Making own liquid. 5-10% plus holds.

2022: Holding on Zoloft for now. Current dose 47 mg. Hanging in, hanging on. Severe protracted PAWS, windows and waves. While I may not be doing "a lot" by outside standards, things are graaaaadually getting better

 

Yoga (gentle to medium); walks; daily breath practice; nutrition, fruits/veg; nature; water; EastEnders (lol); practicing self-compassion, self-care; boundaries; connection; allowing feelings; t r u s t ing that I, too, will heal. (--> may need to be reminded of this.)

"You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." - Baylissa

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12 hours ago, SkyBlue said:

 

We really don't recommend one SSRI over another--we don't recommend any SSRIs on this site as we have all been harmed by them. Your best bet is to read the link Brassmonkey posted about reinstatement and think about whether that's something you're interested in.

I see. But am i not risking another adverse reaction by reinstating lexapro? Ive been off it for around 26 days now. I mean this whole emotional blunting happened because i restarted taking the drug again. Also because im not sure if this is withdrawal, but rather a side effect from lexapro because it appeared while i was still taking it.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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2 hours ago, Blunted said:

I see. But am i not risking another adverse reaction by reinstating lexapro? Ive been off it for around 26 days now. I mean this whole emotional blunting happened because i restarted taking the drug again. Also because im not sure if this is withdrawal, but rather a side effect from lexapro because it appeared while i was still taking it.

Blunted, if you dont want to reinstate Lexapro, just dont do it. You know the best somewhere inside what is the problem and if it makes it better or worse. If it is a side effect, I wouldnt go back on it. But I wouldnt try any other drug either. If you can wait it out, then do it, if you can not then reinstate a very very small dose of lexapro. Just my opinion.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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1 hour ago, Martina23 said:

Blunted, if you dont want to reinstate Lexapro, just dont do it. You know the best somewhere inside what is the problem and if it makes it better or worse. If it is a side effect, I wouldnt go back on it. But I wouldnt try any other drug either. If you can wait it out, then do it, if you can not then reinstate a very very small dose of lexapro. Just my opinion.

Is there a chance that starting a new drug like effexor can help me feel better? And if i dont do anything how long would i have to wait? Because i have uni next month. And what do you think reinstating lexapro could do?

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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6 minutes ago, Blunted said:

Is there a chance that starting a new drug like effexor can help me feel better? And if i dont do anything how long would i have to wait? Because i have uni next month. And what do you think reinstating lexapro could do?

I think Effexor is quite strong drug, but I wouldnt take it on your place because it is horrible to come off and one day you would have to come off. If you decide to wait it out, it can take long time time till it disappears. From a few months until some years. So till the uni next month it wouldnt probably disappear. I guess reinstating Lexapro wouldnt help if it is a side effect, but if the withdrawal is unbearable tiny reinstatement may help.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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3 minutes ago, Martina23 said:

I think Effexor is quite strong drug, but I wouldnt take it on your place because it is horrible to come off and one day you would have to come off. If you decide to wait it out, it can take long time time till it disappears. From a few months until some years. So till the uni next month it wouldnt probably disappear. I guess reinstating Lexapro wouldnt help if it is a side effect, but if the withdrawal is unbearable tiny reinstatement may help.

I wouldnt want to worry about the future and coming off it right now...as long as it makes me feel better. Do you think theres a chance effexor could help me? If it does then i wouldnt mind starting it. What i know is i just cant handle the numbness anymore. Thats why i also considering wellbutrin which appeared to help many in my state.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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1 hour ago, Blunted said:

I wouldnt want to worry about the future and coming off it right now...as long as it makes me feel better. Do you think theres a chance effexor could help me? If it does then i wouldnt mind starting it. What i know is i just cant handle the numbness anymore. Thats why i also considering wellbutrin which appeared to help many in my state.

I dont think it really helps you but it can make you somewhat "high" (it is a very strong drug) and maybe then you wouldnt feel the numbness that much. If it is impairing for you  or if you are suicidal, then sure Effexor is better than suicide, but if it is bearable it is safer without. Because  the next drug can damage you again something and you can sink even deeper in the problem as you are currently.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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9 minutes ago, Martina23 said:

I dont think it really helps you but it can make you somewhat "high" (it is a very strong drug) and maybe then you wouldnt feel the numbness that much. If it is impairing for you  or if you are suicidal, then sure Effexor is better than suicide, but if it is bearable it is safer without. Because  the next drug can damage you again something and you can sink even deeper in the problem as you are currently.

Im not suicidal..thats never the answer because i know one day i will be better for sure. Ive been through a lot and always found a way out...but this numbness is something new to me which is what worries me. But i just cant function or "enjoy" anything from the numbness...even though i know i would enjoy the things im doing. If the effexor is the solution then i wouldnt mind taking it without having to worry about withdrawal later...as long as it makes me feel better now...would it be possible to try it for a few weeks and see if it helps? And stop it if it doesnt help? Or will i be stuck with it? Or what do you think about trying wellbutrin instead? I read it helped many people in my case.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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1 minute ago, Blunted said:

Im not suicidal..thats never the answer because i know one day i will be better for sure. Ive been through a lot and always found a way out...but this numbness is something new to me which is what worries me. But i just cant function or "enjoy" anything from the numbness...even though i know i would enjoy the things im doing. If the effexor is the solution then i wouldnt mind taking it without having to worry about withdrawal later...as long as it makes me feel better now...would it be possible to try it for a few weeks and see if it helps? And stop it if it doesnt help? Or will i be stuck with it? Or what do you think about trying wellbutrin instead? I read it helped many people in my case.

I think noone will tell you this on this website. I wouldnt try but I have never been in your shoes. If you want to try it for a few days, then do it. I want only that that you do it "informed". Yes, it can make you high, maybe it will cover the numbness somewhat but it will not heal numbness, it can make you additional problems and it is terrible to kick. The rest is individual. The most horror stories about withdrawal are mostly from Effexor. So if you try it, then do. The most important  is that you know all the pros and cons. I dont know much about Wellbuttrin. I have never tried it. You would have to try it yourself how it works on you.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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  • Moderator

Please read through the pinned post in the "Tapering" and the "Symptoms and Self Help" forums.  There is a huge amount of information there about making choices in how to survive WD.

 

As for right now this conversation is bordering on "Drug Shopping" or trying to decide which drug is better to try.  It is against the policies of SA to "drug shop" and continuing to ask these questions will result in the issuing of a warning. After four warnings a member is automatically banned from the site.

 

Brassmonkey

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Blunted,

 

This just advice from bitter experience - do not try Effexor. It's is probably one of the most difficult AD drugs to withdraw from. In fact if you can avoid it, dont take any more antidepressants. Listen to the advice of the very experienced and passionate people on this site and try to rid yourself of medication if you feel you can. It won't be easy, thats for sure but it will be better for you in the long term.

 

Goof luck

2011 - started Venlafaxine (again) at 75mg Raised to 150 mg at some point - unsure of dates. Reduced back down to 75 mg. Doctor advised this would be a lifetime, maintenance dose

2017 - Side effects now intolerable. Started taper from June 15th - 5% dose reduction steps (two 12 hourly doses).

2017 - October 20th - took last dose of Venlafaxine - 4 mg. Debilitating symptoms followed.

2017/18 - diazepam - 8mg/day for 1 month - 7 week taper Feb 2018

2017/18 - duloxetine - max 90mg - now stopped

2018 - Feb 25mg quetiapine, increased to 50mg.

2018 - March/April - increased venlafaxine slowly (10mg steps) to 75 mg/day. Recovery from withdrawal followed.

2018 - July 13 - stopped quetiapine after 2 month taper. Late July - had to reinstate quetiapine due to intolerable withdrawal. Now tapering from 25mg

2019 - June - stopped quetiapine after 10 month taper. Mild insomnia only symptom.

2021 - June - venlafaxine approx 6.0 mg see Taper history details

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3 hours ago, Caspur said:

Hi Blunted,

 

This just advice from bitter experience - do not try Effexor. It's is probably one of the most difficult AD drugs to withdraw from. In fact if you can avoid it, dont take any more antidepressants. Listen to the advice of the very experienced and passionate people on this site and try to rid yourself of medication if you feel you can. It won't be easy, thats for sure but it will be better for you in the long term.

 

Goof luck

Thanks for replying...im just gonna stay safe and asked the doctor to put me on wellbutrin instead of effexor...he said okay try it out for a couple of weeks. Im just avoiding any ssri or snri because i know they might make me worse. I heard wellbutrin helps with people in my case..i guess its worth a try for 2 weeks...and if it doesnt ill just stop. 

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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  • Moderator

It may not be an ssri but wellbutrin is a very nasty drug in it's own right.  Please do a lot of research before just "taking it for 2 weeks and seeing what happens".

 

It also appears that, Blunted you are not paying attention to my previous post about "drug shopping". Please reread it and take it to heart.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Blunted. You had a reaction to lexapro because you reinstated a dose that was too high. Every time you go off it and think you are fine, you have to go back on iy because you probably get delayed withdrawal. This is common and people always think it is 'relapse'. Rinse and repeat a few times and you become sensitive to the drugs. 

On 8/2/2018 at 8:41 AM, Blunted said:

8 months after that i got depressed so i went back on it...slowly titrated from 5mg to 10mg...worked well...but when it got to 6 weeks..i dunno what happened but i became emotionally numb, i read that its a common side effect so i decided to stop the med...i did a fast taper..the emotional numbness is still there 3 weeks after stopping.

It happens a lot, reinstating a dose that is too high and then the body reacts to it. Stop it again and you get withdrawal, both the reaction and withdrawal are an unstable nervous system. We recommend very tiny doses for reinstatement of 0.5 for reinstatement. It can take a while to stabilise but is often successful. Lexapro is a strong drug so you could try citalopram which is a variation of escitalopram (lexapro) but not as strong.  A very tiny 1mg dose could help. 

 

Effexor os a terrible drug and so is wellbutrin. We don't recommend ANY drugs other than the ones that have been stopped. (citalopram is the sister drug but weaker).  You are not doing too badly and you will recover without any intervention eventually, you will have windows and waves as you heal, that is the way the body heals itself.   Windows and waves

 

If you really want to try wellbutrin, do some research first, this is a list of COMMON side effects from rXisk.com    Wellbutrin side effects

 

Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

Last reviewed on RxList 08/23/2017

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is an antidepressant in the aminoketone class used for the management of major depression and seasonal affective disorder. Wellbutrin is available in generic form. Common side effects of Wellbutrin include:

agitation,

dry mouth,

insomnia,

headache,

nausea,

vomiting,

constipation,

stomach pain,

dizziness,

ringing in the ears,

vision problems or blurred vision,

loss of interest in sex,

sore throat,

muscle pain,

itching or skin rash,

increased sweating,

increased urination,

tremor,

changes in appetite,

weight loss or gain,

joint aches,

strange taste in the mouth,

diarrhea, and

seizures (especially at higher doses).

 

Edited by ChessieCat
bolded red font

**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    :D 

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

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus
1 hour ago, mammaP said:

If you really want to try wellbutrin, do some research first

 

My 2 cents worth:  the doctor may (will most probably) give you a dose which may/will be too high for you with a sensitised nervous system.

 

1 hour ago, mammaP said:

insomnia

 

Many members here suffer from insomnia.  This could open up a whole new level of suffering.

 

You are looking for a magic fix.  There is none.  Reinstatement is the only known way to reduce withdrawal symptoms.  Please re-read the suggestions made by the other mods.  Time is the best and safest healer.  It is better to learn and use Non-drug techniques to get through this than turning to a different drug.  Introducing a new drug can cause problems:  withdrawal symptoms from the drug you have gone off, start up and or side effects from the new drug.  You will not know what is causing any issues.

* 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

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  • Moderator Emeritus
1 hour ago, mammaP said:

Common side effects of Wellbutrin include:

agitation,

dry mouth,

insomnia,

headache,

nausea,

vomiting,

constipation,

stomach pain,

dizziness,

ringing in the ears,

vision problems or blurred vision,

loss of interest in sex,

 

Loss of interest in sex.  Note that is a common side effect.  This is another thing which can add a whole new level of suffering.

* 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

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20 hours ago, mammaP said:

Hi Blunted. You had a reaction to lexapro because you reinstated a dose that was too high. Every time you go off it and think you are fine, you have to go back on iy because you probably get delayed withdrawal. This is common and people always think it is 'relapse'. Rinse and repeat a few times and you become sensitive to the drugs. 

It happens a lot, reinstating a dose that is too high and then the body reacts to it. Stop it again and you get withdrawal, both the reaction and withdrawal are an unstable nervous system. We recommend very tiny doses for reinstatement of 0.5 for reinstatement. It can take a while to stabilise but is often successful. Lexapro is a strong drug so you could try citalopram which is a variation of escitalopram (lexapro) but not as strong.  A very tiny 1mg dose could help. 

 

Effexor os a terrible drug and so is wellbutrin. We don't recommend ANY drugs other than the ones that have been stopped. (citalopram is the sister drug but weaker).  You are not doing too badly and you will recover without any intervention eventually, you will have windows and waves as you heal, that is the way the body heals itself.   Windows and waves

 

If you really want to try wellbutrin, do some research first, this is a list of COMMON side effects from rXisk.com    Wellbutrin side effects

 

Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

Last reviewed on RxList 08/23/2017

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is an antidepressant in the aminoketone class used for the management of major depression and seasonal affective disorder. Wellbutrin is available in generic form. Common side effects of Wellbutrin include:

agitation,

dry mouth,

insomnia,

headache,

nausea,

vomiting,

constipation,

stomach pain,

dizziness,

ringing in the ears,

vision problems or blurred vision,

loss of interest in sex,

sore throat,

muscle pain,

itching or skin rash,

increased sweating,

increased urination,

tremor,

changes in appetite,

weight loss or gain,

joint aches,

strange taste in the mouth,

diarrhea, and

seizures (especially at higher doses).

 

Thanks for the reply...my doc said my body might have developed a tolerance so thats why i might have had an adverse reaction...but what youre saying also makes sense. I know brassmonkey told me to stop "drug shopping" and im trying to avoid that..but it appears that i need to take some action here...from what ive read..changing the antidepressant type is often done successfully when you build a tolerance to one. I just got back from the psychiatrist and he told me that if youre too scared from effexor...try wellbutrin which usually helps with the apathy...if it works then it does...if it doesnt then add effexor to it. But im not sure about adding effexor...so what do you think of trying wellbutrin for 2 weeks and then maybe reinstate lexapro in very low doses as you mentioned. The reason i want to try wellbutrin is because i heard alot of success from it for apathy and doesnt have a side effect of emotional blunting..which is my main concern. Again i dont want to break the rules of SA and drug shop im sorry but it appears im in a situation which needs this sort of intervention. My goal is to get off all drugs..but im desperate to find some sort of stablity now because my uni starts next month and its my final year..its basically what decides my whole future. So what do you think of trying wellbutrin and see how it goes..and then maybe try what you said and reinstate lexapro...but from what i know the smallest dose is 5mg...which is a 10mg split into half..how can i take 1mg..any tips and ideas? Id highly appreciate thanks guys.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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18 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

My 2 cents worth:  the doctor may (will most probably) give you a dose which may/will be too high for you with a sensitised nervous system.

 

 

Many members here suffer from insomnia.  This could open up a whole new level of suffering.

 

You are looking for a magic fix.  There is none.  Reinstatement is the only known way to reduce withdrawal symptoms.  Please re-read the suggestions made by the other mods.  Time is the best and safest healer.  It is better to learn and use Non-drug techniques to get through this than turning to a different drug.  Introducing a new drug can cause problems:  withdrawal symptoms from the drug you have gone off, start up and or side effects from the new drug.  You will not know what is causing any issues.

The doctor told me to start with 150mg of wellbutrin and then 1 week later increase to 300. Any thoughts on that? Id see if i improve..and if not id consider reinstating the lexapro in small doses.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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16 minutes ago, Blunted said:

The doctor told me to start with 150mg of wellbutrin and then 1 week later increase to 300. Any thoughts on that? Id see if i improve..and if not id consider reinstating the lexapro in small doses.

Blunted, I dont know, but 150 mg seems me too much, that is typical psychiatrist, bump the dosage so high that it would anesthetize even the ox.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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2 minutes ago, Martina23 said:

Blunted, I dont know, but 150 mg seems me too much, that is typical psychiatrist, bump the dosage so high that it would anesthetize even the ox.

Isnt that the lowest dose? What do you suggest i do then?

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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  • Moderator Emeritus

We can't advise starting wellbutrin,  we have seen so many people start another drug then come back here worse than ever.  Your psychiatrist is doing what they do best, throwing drugs and more drugs at the problem. When wellbutrin doesn't work or you react to it more will be added.  You could be in a worse situation than you are now for years. I was where you are now and spent 22 years swapping and changing drugs, housebound and disabled from the effects of them all. Many people here have done the same thing.  Please read throuhgh the replies again carefully, if you want to do what your psychiatrist is suggesting then this is not the site for you and you may be better with one of the many depression forums where people share which drugs have worked for them. We are about getting people OFF them safely and learning non drug ways of coping. I am sorry if this seems harsh but we have many many members who have been harmed by psychiatry and do not want to see you added to that list. 

**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    :D 

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

 

 

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41 minutes ago, Blunted said:

Isnt that the lowest dose? What do you suggest i do then?

Blunted, MammaP explained it perfectly. That is the best advice you can get here. I also wouldnt take wellbuttrin at all. But also 150/300 mg comes me a lot. I have never taken it but even Effexor has also 75 mg pills, therefore 150 mg comes me already quite "decent amount" of that stuff.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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3 hours ago, mammaP said:

We can't advise starting wellbutrin,  we have seen so many people start another drug then come back here worse than ever.  Your psychiatrist is doing what they do best, throwing drugs and more drugs at the problem. When wellbutrin doesn't work or you react to it more will be added.  You could be in a worse situation than you are now for years. I was where you are now and spent 22 years swapping and changing drugs, housebound and disabled from the effects of them all. Many people here have done the same thing.  Please read throuhgh the replies again carefully, if you want to do what your psychiatrist is suggesting then this is not the site for you and you may be better with one of the many depression forums where people share which drugs have worked for them. We are about getting people OFF them safely and learning non drug ways of coping. I am sorry if this seems harsh but we have many many members who have been harmed by psychiatry and do not want to see you added to that list. 

Considering my situation right now..how long would it take for my brain to get back to normal again without any meds..i know its unexpected..but usually? Considering that i only took lexapro for less than 2 years in total (on and off)..and was on not such a high dose of 10mg max.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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  • Administrator

Hello,  Blunted.

 

Is emotional anesthesia your only current symptom, now that you're off psychiatric drugs?

 

Emotional anesthesia is a common side effect of antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs while you're taking them and it can persist after you go off. It also can occur as a withdrawal symptom. This will very, very gradually go away over some months, even years.

 

If this is your only withdrawal symptom, if I were you, I'd leave well enough alone and avoid other psychiatric drugs. They all have side effects. You are experiencing one of them, post-discontinuation.

 

Your nervous system is already telling you it's been changed in a way that doesn't feel good to you. Going on and off drugs causes it to become vulnerable to further adverse reactions. Experiment further at your own risk.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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10 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Hello,  Blunted.

 

Is emotional anesthesia your only current symptom, now that you're off psychiatric drugs?

 

Emotional anesthesia is a common side effect of antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs while you're taking them and it can persist after you go off. It also can occur as a withdrawal symptom. This will very, very gradually go away over some months, even years.

 

If this is your only withdrawal symptom, if I were you, I'd leave well enough alone and avoid other psychiatric drugs. They all have side effects. You are experiencing one of them, post-discontinuation.

 

Your nervous system is already telling you it's been changed in a way that doesn't feel good to you. Going on and off drugs causes it to become vulnerable to further adverse reactions. Experiment further at your own risk.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

Hey, yes its practically the only symptom i have which is stopping me from doing anything. I know its a common side effect which is why i stopped the lexapro, but in my case it may not have been a side effect but rather a reaction because my body built a tolerance for the drug, i'm really not sure, you guys know better. I am doing my best to avoid the really strong drugs which the doc prescribed like effexor because i know thats a nasty one. I know it will gradually go away but i cannot wait anymore because i feel vegetative over it and cant get anything done. I would have probably waited it out if i didnt have university, but I have uni next month and its my final year and my whole future is dependent on this final year as i have to support myself, so its important i find a fix, even if temporary, that will help me through it. This leads me to wanting to try a drug that isnt too strong from what i've read, but works well for emotional anesthesia. I'm not even planning to stay on it for too long, just until im functioning again at least. I mean I'm gonna try it for 2 weeks and see if it helps, if it doesnt i will stop it completely and then ill find another way. I just dont want to fail my final year, which i worked so hard to get to, and then that would put me in a whole different state of misery on its own because i practically ruined my future.

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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  • Administrator

If I were you, I would not take another psychiatric drug, ever. You are lucky you only have emotional anesthesia.

 

Strongly recommend you pursue other remedies, such as exercise.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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25 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

If I were you, I would not take another psychiatric drug, ever. You are lucky you only have emotional anesthesia.

 

Strongly recommend you pursue other remedies, such as exercise.

I totally understand your point, but im basically forced to take action now or i lose my whole future, which is gonna put me into a whole lot of despair and misery for the rest of my life. What i have is just emotional anesthesia yes, and im willing to trade that off with any other physical side effects wellbutrin might give, if you know what i mean. I know in SA you dont promote drug use, and i respect that and i want to follow that actually, but i think im in a spot where something has to be done now. I've just read a lot that people have success with wellbutrin when it comes to emotional numbness and loss of interest in things. I'm gonna test it for two weeks and see how it goes, who knows. I most likely wont experiment further than wellbutrin however to not make things worse. I know im being stubborn about it but my heart is just saying this. I think i made a good choice avoiding the effexor and going for wellbutrin, it's not even that strong of a drug. Anyways ill keep you guys posted on what happens. Let's just hope i dont come back here saying "You told me so" :)

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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  • Moderator Emeritus
17 minutes ago, Blunted said:

I've just read a lot that people have success with wellbutrin when it comes to emotional numbness and loss of interest in things.

 

I suggest you read this member's experience with her husband going on Wellbutrin.

 

"He began taking Wellbutrin about 6 months ago for severe stress at work and slight depression. Pretty quickly, he started to become distant ..."

 

marriages-destroyed-by-ssri-snri-topix

 

* 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

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  • Moderator Emeritus
6 hours ago, Blunted said:

lexapro...but from what i know the smallest dose is 5mg...which is a 10mg split into half..how can i take 1mg

 

If you do decide to reinstate Lexapro please see this topic:  Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

* 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

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Just now, ChessieCat said:

 

If you do decide to reinstate Lexapro please see this topic:  Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

Almost a month off lexapro now...is reinstating safe at this point? Or could it make things worse? I was on it for 6 weeks then tapered off quickly

Lexapro 10mg: October 2014 - April 2015 (stopped successfully with slow taper)

Lexparo 10mg: ~March 2016 - November 2017 (cold turkey)

Lexapro 10mg: May 2018 - June 7th 2018 (fast taper)

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