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freeruby


freeruby

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@ChessieCat thank you so much for your suggestion.  My intuition was to wait until after travel as well - as that can be stressful.   So important to really pay attention to what is going on in life while tapering - some times are not right for tapering.  AND importantly in this situation - waiting for nervous system to calm after tapering another drug a bit first. Thank you again

 

Edited by ChessieCat
unbolded

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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Well - I am very glad I did not continue to taper downwards from Lexapro or for that matter start the taper of the abilify YET.  I started to notice even more WD symptoms this week - which I am assuming is from tapering down the Lexapro.   My last cut was May 24 - when I went from 5.5 mg to 5 mg and here we are July 20th.    Some of the worst symptoms I am experiencing (anxiety - poor sleep) are NOW - months later.  This is fascinating and very informative to me - in that it is exactly what happened when I tryed to taper Lexapro before.  The worst symptoms were months after the last cut.  So I am starting to think I need to do a much slower taper - and perhaps employ the brass monkey method ...  for BOTH drugs (one at a time of course) when I resume my taper after travelling.  More than anything - is an awareness of needing to be WD normal before continuing a taper.  Feeling discouraged and getting that "will I ever get off these drugs" in my head a lot. Very aware that our life "envirmonment"  - how much stress we are under - really influences the tapering process.

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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  • Moderator Emeritus
57 minutes ago, freeruby said:

So I am starting to think I need to do a much slower taper -

 

You may  want to switch to a micro-taper going forward. This is the gentlest way to come off these drugs. 

 

 

The Brassmonkey Slide is a way of making micro-taper reductions weekly, as opposed to a larger reduction once a month.  This is also an excellent slower taper.
 
 
Try not to be discouraged.   You will get off these drugs.  It's a long, slow and often frustrating process but you'll make it.  
 
I've found that life stressors are a huge factor in how I feel and I think that's pretty common.  Days I go down to the village (no big deal to someone not in WD) I definitely have heightened symptoms. 
 

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 Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% 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

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


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.

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2 hours ago, Gridley said:

 

You may  want to switch to a micro-taper going forward. This is the gentlest way to come off these drugs. 

 

 

The Brassmonkey Slide is a way of making micro-taper reductions weekly, as opposed to a larger reduction once a month.  This is also an excellent slower taper.
 
 
Try not to be discouraged.   You will get off these drugs.  It's a long, slow and often frustrating process but you'll make it.  
 
I've found that life stressors are a huge factor in how I feel and I think that's pretty common.  Days I go down to the village (no big deal to someone not in WD) I definitely have heightened symptoms. 
 

Thank you so much for your encouragement @Gridley.  I do think I need a different approach to be successful and accept that 10% is too much / too fast for me.  My brain has been used to these drugs for years so I should expect it will need a slow patient approach.  I looked at your introduction had how you have been coming off of Lexapro as well - nicely done there - you have come a long way!!

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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CBD - seems to be very helpful with the anxiety associated with withdrawal.  In Canada - we can see a doctor and have them guide you with how to use it.  The doctor I saw was a specialist with Cannabis and he suggested using CBD oil for anxiety associated with WD (he also said it should take more than a year to slowly come off of anti depressants - which was a good sign about the doctor to me - given my PDoc first said I could get off in one month - which we all know is not true for many of us).  I wondered whether others have been using CBD to help with anxiety from WD?  I have no side effects from it so far. It also seems to help with sleep.

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

* 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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  • 3 years later...

What to do when UK does not provide small dosing of Abilify (Aripiprazole)

 

Hi Everyone, Long time no connect. I am back.
The most exciting thing happened ... I met a lovely man unexpectedly and we are to be married (very unexpected at 58 years!) he lives in the UK so will be moving there.

I have been trying to taper off abilify - because - (I have wanted to get off it from the start and have tried and it went very badly) ...

they do not do small doses of Abilify - even at compounding pharmacies in the UK. Abilify is not used the way it is used in North America as an adjunct to SSRI's.  

 

I currently take 5 mg of Escitalopram (LEXapro in U.S.) and .58 of abilify....

 

The smallest dose they do in UK is 5mg pill or a 1MG solution.  I am currently on .58ml liquid .... doing a very slow taper.  maybe 2.5 - 5 percent a month I think... (since june where I started at .8ml)
I want to come off everything eventually -- but this is a problem. I can bring compounded pills with me - 

 

I have compounded pills at .4 mg, .8 mg, 1 mg.  Can these be made into a liquid if they are already compounded?  

 

I know it would be better to come off the SSRI first - but this technical issue with the UK - makes it that abilify has to go first I think....

 

Any suggestions?  

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

 

Please see Post #1 of these topics which provides information about how to get non standard doses:

 

Tips for tapering off aripiprazole (Abilify)

 

Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)

 

  

7 hours ago, freeruby said:

I have compounded pills at .4 mg, .8 mg, 1 mg.  Can these be made into a liquid if they are already compounded?  

 

I was able to make a liquid from the contents of my compounded Pristiq capsules.  Because of the filler they use I had to add it to the water and shake it up really well and then let it rest for the bubbles to subside.

 

7 hours ago, freeruby said:

I know it would be better to come off the SSRI first - but this technical issue with the UK - makes it that abilify has to go first I think....

 

Find out all your options first.  It's a bit silly wasting mentally energy making a plan C when plan B might work.

 

Edited by ChessieCat

* 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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Thank you @ChessieCatfor your response to my question.  I would love to be able to utilize the Abilify pills that I have, but I am not sure how to use them right.

I wonder if there are instructions --- for example. If I took one .8mg pills contents and mixed it with water. I am not sure how I would end up with a .58ml dosage?

So far I have been able to use a compounding pharmacy for a liquid version of abilify -  that I can take with me. But it doesn't last that long (three months) and I suspect I will run out in the UK before my taper is done.  So it would be good to use what I have.  

 

Any further suggestions would be very welcome. I am scared I would get the math wrong - and give myself the wrong dose, but maybe its easier to do the liquid then I think?

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I will give you some examples using a 10mg tablet as well as explain what I did to get the results.  That way you can use the examples with your own tablet dose to work it out.  To start with you could try practising the calculations with 5mg tablet (use the same amount of water as the examples - the dividing number will not change but the 1mL contains ?mg will) because then the results will be 1/2 or double (depending on what part of the process you are working out/looking at) what have been provided below.

 

Please double check - I am human after all.

 

If you put a 10mg tablet in 10mL of water each 1mL of liquid will contain 1mg dose.  Divide both sides by 10.

 

If you use more water the liquid is weaker so you need to take more, but it is sometimes easier to measure and you can be more accurate and get doses with more numbers after the decimal point.

 

10mg tablet in 20mL - each 1mL will contain 0.5mg dose  Divide both sides by 20.  This is so you can find out mg per 1mL.

10mg in 50mL - each 1mL will be 0.2mg dose.  Divide both sides by 50.

10mg in 100mL - each 1mL will be 0.1mg dose.  Divide both sides by 100.

10mg in 200mL - 1mL will be 0.05mg dose.  Divide both sides by 200.

You can use the above to make your own calculations.

 

Basically:

 

tablet mg : water mL

 

Divide both sides by the mL amount to find out what dose 1mL of liquid will contain.

 

Getting the dose:

 

If you want to take 7mg dose choose which dilution you want to use.  In this example I will use 10mg in 50mL / 1mL = 0.2mg

Divide 7mg by the dose amount per for 1mL of liquid; in this case 0.2mg.  So 7mg divided by 0.2mg = 35.  So because each mL of liquid contains 0.2mg dose to get a 7mg dose you would take 35mL of liquid (ie 0.2mg x 35).

* 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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@ChessieCat Wow - so I think I could actually handle this!  I am going to look at what I have and go from there. I could use my syringe that is 1ml to get the water exact.

This is very helpful and HOPEFUL - thank you so much. I am determined to do this.

I am likely to try to hold my dose where I am for a while as its been a bit rocky with all the stress added to the mix.

 

However  - I feel grateful to know that I can use my already compounded pills in the future when i am in the UK.  Thank you so much.

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

You are welcome.

 

I found it helpful to have a 100mL graduated cylinder, a 5mL medicine dropper (for getting the level right in the cylinder) and various sized syringes; 1mL, 3mL, 5mL & 10mL.  I don't know if I used all of them but it made sense to have them on hand in case they might be needed.

 

I would do my calculations at a time when my brain was fairly clear and then double check it again after having a break.

 

Keep everything the same for a reduction cycle; ie for the same dose.

 

I found it helpful to write down my "recipe" for each reduction cycle and put it with my tools and then replace it with the new one for the next cycle.  You could even write down the tools and the order you do it in.

 

Always use the same place to measure; most surfaces are not exactly level.  Always measure things the same way for a reduction cycle.

 

Stir the liquid gently before drawing out your dose.

 

Depending on the drug, you might need to dose 2 x per day; sometimes the dose will not "cover" a 24 hour period you can experience interdose withdrawal.  An indication that this is happening is if you feel worse leading up to the next dose time and the a few hours after your dose you start to feel a bit better and this happens every day - a pattern.

* 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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So - this week - has been really difficult. I am starting to get what I think is Akathisia - - which is what I am sure I had when I tapered down before on Cipralex -- and how my doctor every put me on abilify in the first place - to get rid of the Akathisia. 

 

I am not sure how to move forward. Maybe i need to up my abilify dose from .58 to .6 to see if I stabilize.  I went down to .58 at the begnning of september and  I cannot seem to get any peace.  I also have so much life stress right now - my anxiety is having all the air time - it feels unimaginable that I will taper further while there are so many changes going on.  (moving overseas, planning a wedding, and much much more).  This is the only time for me to enjoy my engagement and wedding planning - - and now I am in withdrawal symptom and not managing.  Not sure what happened. Degraded abilify? Going too fast?

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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Q:  How are you feeling now compared to your last post?  Have you noticed improvement/worsening?

* 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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  • Administrator
On 9/28/2022 at 2:20 PM, freeruby said:

(moving overseas, planning a wedding, and much much more).

 

If I were you, I'd postpone any drug changes until you are settled after your move, wedding, etc. It's highly likely you are experiencing normal anxiety over any of these, not drug-induced symptoms. We cannot advise you on a drug mix that would eliminate these symptoms.

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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2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

If I were you, I'd postpone any drug changes until you are settled after your move, wedding, etc. It's highly likely you are experiencing normal anxiety over any of these, not drug-induced symptoms. We cannot advise you on a drug mix that would eliminate these symptoms.

Thank you @Altostrata . I 100% agree with this.  I find myself wishing the process was different than it is - for drug tapering etc - but don't we all.  for now - I need to put it aside and enjoy this time in my life as it likely will only happen once.  I thank you for your words of wisdom here. I will revisit the process once things have settled down in my life.  Warm regards.

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was hoping things would start smoothing out since I am holding my dose of abilify and not changing it.  But my sleep for the past 6 weeks (or more) has been - very much what I recall it being when I was tapering cipralex.  I only sleep for two hours then wake up.  I might fall asleep again for an hour --- I keep getting up to pee.  but by 4 a.m. That's it for any kind of sleep.  I am in a very high stress stage of life - a lot going on - but it seems like my tapering the small amount I did of abilify perhaps has made this worse.  Any suggestions? I have looked through sleep threads and they are very helpful - - but I am wondering things like for example - now that the ratio is different with abilify and cipralex - - the "activating" drug now has more of a presense. But what do I do - since I don't want to make any changes right now.

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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Q:  What time/s do you take your drugs?

* 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
7 hours ago, freeruby said:

But my sleep for the past 6 weeks

 

The following might be the reason.  Think about other times when you have had an appointment or job interview the next day; generally it affects your sleep.

 

7 hours ago, freeruby said:

I am in a very high stress stage of life - a lot going on

 

I have found relaxation techniques very helpful.  With the relaxation I think it is better to do short periods of it throughout the day, regardless of whether you feel you need to do it.  Think of it like an old fashioned kettle on stove, the sort with the whistle.  If you keep turning the heat on and off the whistle will never blow because the steam won't build up.  Relaxation techniques work in a similar way.  You probably won't get rid of the stress completely but you keep bringing it down a bit so that it doesn't get to the build up.

* 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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3 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

Q:  What time/s do you take your drugs?

Hi @ChessieCat - I take my abilify and cipralex together in the morning very early (like 6 a.m.)

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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3 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

The following might be the reason.  Think about other times when you have had an appointment or job interview the next day; generally it affects your sleep.

 

 

I have found relaxation techniques very helpful.  With the relaxation I think it is better to do short periods of it throughout the day, regardless of whether you feel you need to do it.  Think of it like an old fashioned kettle on stove, the sort with the whistle.  If you keep turning the heat on and off the whistle will never blow because the steam won't build up.  Relaxation techniques work in a similar way.  You probably won't get rid of the stress completely but you keep bringing it down a bit so that it doesn't get to the build up.

Thank you - I am so sure you are right.  I think you are suggesting some very helpful things. I will try to incorporate more "letting steam out" throughout the day so it doesn't build up at night while I am trying to sleep.  Maybe yoga and breathing exercises during the day. Thank you thank you for listening and suggesting things.

1997 - effexor for 4 months. Came off without issue (as far as I recall)

2000 - 2004 - Celexa 10 mg (came off very quickly - and had a "nervous breakdown" to use my words. High anxiety, out of control and life became unmanageable. Reinstated briefly then came off successfully )

2006-2009 Celexa 10 mg - somehow came off for a while but then... things got hard.

2010 - started (Lexapro in the U.S.) 5 mg  2012 for 6 months I was on 2.5 lexapro,  ativan - for sleep very occasional use 2014 5 mg cipralex (lexapro) : attempts to come off 5mg  2014 failed - way too fast - terrible anxiety  2015 march ---- started a SLOW taper of Lexapro. I was able to get down to .5 mg Lexapro in early 2016 February and March started to get intense strange symptoms of shaking body, loss of control, panic, weight loss.  Especially in early morning.  Reinstated- on Psych. Docs advise. (sadly! now I think but didn't know what else to do). 

August 2016 was on 6 mg Lexapro and still having panic and anxiety. Re-instating was very hard. Took .5 mg Ativan 3 x per day for two months. August 2016 - started 1mg Abilify and tapered off of Ativan over three months. 

From November 2016 - Janaury 2018:  1mg Abilify - 6 mg Lexapro

 ABILIFY taper started May 2018:  lots general anxiety. Moved to a liquid dose of Abilify. September 2018: 6mg lexapro a day,  Abilify taper is at .4mg. Experienced terrible anxiety, worry, restlessness, sleeplessness. Then Father died traumatically. P-Doc said to go back up.  reinstated 1mg Abilify started Nov. 28, 2018.   LEXAPRO 6mg.

2019 April started taper of Lexapro to 5.5, June 2019. Lexapro 5 mg, Abilify 1mg.  Holding for now til life stabilizes. Fish oil, melatonin, vit d, bio identical hormones, magnesium citrate.

2020 - Abilify taper to .8mg, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg

2022 - Abilify taper in progress started in june at .8mg.  September .58, Lexapro 5 mg, Progesterone SR 300 mg. Going as slow as possible - but worried I will be too old by the time I get off of everything to eventually have a life left to enjoy.

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