quickfix: looking for solution

[quickfix]

My story is one that spans many years. I now look back and feel like a fool, but I own all the decisions.

 

Started 20+ years ago when I had some stomach problems and went to a doctor. We went through Prilosac and an assortment of stomach drugs to no avail. Then he said try this, at that time it was Effexor in the shield style tablet. It was a miracle drug for my stomach condition, I guess I was worrying too much and causing an almost ulcerous condition and this stopped it. Well we can now fast forward a number of years and the drug was continuously refilled as I guess doctors are afraid to stop drugs like this and just avoid the subject...FYI I also stopped the pills numerous times over the years to see what would happen and I got through what I thought were the "withdrawals" slight dizziness etc. but I always started to get real anxious etc. so I just started them again and all was well. 

 

OK fast forward to a year ago where I had the great idea that maybe there was a better drug out there and asked my GP what he would recommend, he said Lexapro because he had the least amount of complaints about that one... I did not like it as I got all the anxiety and stuff that I had when I quit Effexor. I now understand it was likely Effexor withdrawal showing through. Anyhow I decided I needed a more professional opinion so I went to a psychiatrist and we talked and she changed me to Welbutrin and Rexulti. I tried that combo for a couple months while tripping around EU on vacation and it also seemed to let through the fear and doubt. So I went back and we then went on straight rexulti .5mg and that worked well for a couple months until I lost all interest and ability to worry about anything.

 

This was 6 weeks ago and I quit Rexulti cold turkey and had no real effects until a bit of a anxiety started coming back, but not as bad I think as previous times. I also had calf cramps at night for 4 weeks which finally started subsiding. I was beginning to feel a bit normal but still quite negative about stuff, but I had definite glimpses of what I think are my real feeling come through (like 5 minutes at a pop) and I really liked that. but I was still not liking the anxiety I had etc. so I went out the the internet for help and came across this site, turned my world upside down. I am a pretty smart individual with a good profession and now I feel like a...let's just say I am sad and humiliated. I really never considered all the things I have now read about, I am a bit scared...

 

Then with all my wisdom I decided to try to reintroduce the Effexor 75 (I have a stockpile of all meds) and see if I could then do the taper I have just been informed I need to do, or should have done. I did 5 bb's out of a TEVA 75mb Venlafaxine capsule that contained about 70. first day was great, all signs of dread were gone and I have confidence like I hadn't felt in weeks. Then day two I took another 5 beads (maybe 3 hours earlier in the day) and I felt like I had just lit all my rockets, I was off to the races, couldn't sit down, chest was tight etc...this went on all the way till bedtime and I didn't sleep much. so day 3 I decided I better not take any more of that and stopped that. I was pretty ill most of day 3, still golfed etc. but got chills and did not feel good at all. By the end of that day I was feeling a bit better, slept solidly for half the night. now I am on day 4, little nauseous this morning and decided to write this letter to all of you and bare my soul.

 

I am unsure what to do - try the effexor for 4 days like things here say, did I take too many bb's? try going back on the Rexulti? I truly want off of all of this mess. I am fearing (lot's of reason for my bad sleep last night) that I am screwed and have no where to turn but to go through the heavy withdrawals. I have a life like I am sure all of you do and cannot or wish to not be bedridden etc. I like I said below am a bit worried about what the future has in store for me.

 

 

 

 

[Shep]

Hi, Quickfix.

 

Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants.

 

It looks like you were on Rexulti for at least a year. Is that correct? Since you've only been off it for 6 weeks, you may want to reinstate. However, you may not need as much as the dose you came off of. This thread will explain why:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 

 

We don't have a thread specific to Rexulti yet, as it's a fairly new atypical antipsychotic, but like all psych drugs, should be reduced at no more than 10% per month. 

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Here is information specific to Effexor:

 

Tips for tapering off Effexor (venlafaxine)

 

Here is some information on withdrawal: 

 

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain

 

Healing from antidepressants. Patterns of recovery video (4 minutes)

  

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

You may find some helpful information to handle your symptoms here: 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements, as many members report their nervous systems are simply too fragile to handle them. However, magnesium and fish oil tend to be calming to the nervous system and many people report they do help. Please only add in one supplement at a time and at a small dose. For more, please see:

 

 King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

• Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 As you provide more information, we can better guide you in reinstating and provide other information, as well. 

[Shep]

Quickfix, I also want to draw your attention to a "moderate" drug interaction between Effexor and Rexulti.

 

Drugs.com - Interactions - Rexulti and Effexor

 

As you provide more information, we can help you space out the drugs and to help minimize this type of interaction. 

[Lloyd]

Hi QuickFix, I'm also going through Effexor withdrawal (Like allot of other members here). I also did small reinstatement's over the last 14 months but couldn't seem to stay with it. I think i was experiencing severe anxiety about taking the beads which made it feel like the effexor was making things worse when in fact i am not sure it was. I also noticed immediate differences when taking just 5 beads or so. My advice if you are going to try a reinstatement i'd give it as much chance as possible because i know i keep going over and over in my head about should i take the meds again.I think about it all the time like a heroin addict. It drives you mad!

 

Here's my intro thread 

 

[quickfix]

Thanks for the help.

 

Had I known I needed to I would have taken better notes on drugs and dates...

It is truly amazing how life can get spun up in these drugs. As in my screen name I truly am looking for a quick fix. I am also a recovering alcoholic of 23 years (this month) so I guess this changing personalities thing should come of no surprise. Funny thing is I won't take more than an aspirin for pain, so I am truly careful in that way. Just never dawned on me the potency or severity of these meds, as I have been on them for a long time.

 

Shep I would say that I have been on Rexulti for very close to a year. Drug works good if you want to be super mellow and not care about much. I found it was not for me, everything was like "why bother", made life and me extremely boring. 

When I stopped the Rexulti I was really having very little withdrawal from anything other than quite a bit of anxiety, itching, leg cramps while sleeping. then I found this site and thought/think I had done everything wrong, I did not want any major crash to be on the horizon. I thought the anxiety etc. creeping back through was the Effexor (even though it had been a year since I had taken that one) and that I might try and get back on that and taper correctly. I chickened out after two days of reinstatement as I think it was just a little too powerful at 5 beads, but I was feeling pretty good, just too wired - but all confidence back and anxiety gone. Not sure what would have happened if I had continued with the effexor for a few more days as I have read a lot on this site and saw that reinstatement often will not work. After stopping the reinstatement I was miserable for 3 days, just today coming out of that, could barely live in my own skin. Hopefully my two days at 5 beads each did no harm. Still not sure if I should go back on that drug, not sure if reinstatement would have gotten better, my dose was too high (5 bb's out of a 75mg capsule that contained 70), or if just running away from effexor is best now that it is better than a year behind me.

 

What I really want to do is become drug free with the least amount of withdrawal problems. I want to see what it is like to be just plain me, I have been adjusted for so long I really want to know.

 

I may be in a window here for Rexulti, but I do not like that drug much. Thinking that I may be best to get back on it and taper off of it would be smartest solution. Just not sure as the withdrawal symptoms so far are not bad. Leg cramping (seems to be subsiding) itching (also subsiding), anxiety is fairly strong though and that sucks. These decisions are hard, and with no real life experiences on this new drug they are for sure a crap shoot. The million dollar question is how long will it last and will it get worse.

 

Comments and suggestions are welcomed, appreciate this site a lot. 

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, quickfix.

 

We don't do quick fixes here, we don't know how.

 

As I understand it, your worst withdrawal symptom is anxiety, is that correct? Does this occur at any particular time of day? How's your sleep?

 

Other than your experiment with 5 beads of venlafaxine XR, how have your symptoms changed since you went off Rexulti in January?

[quickfix]

Ha - thought for a while on a screen name, maybe not the best one was chosen. But it was hard putting all this stuff on paper and I needed a name first...

 

After getting off Rexulti I wake to anxiety and have it off and on during the day. Anxiety and self doubt wakes me up a couple hours earlier than normal, but I have been able to sleep. I found your site when I was worrying about everything and quite anxious, then googled to start figuring out if one could ever get past the grip of these drugs, as this was the first time I suspected that the drugs were causing anything.

 

But my worst is fear and anxiety, but a lot of that is not understanding what is happening (being uneducated on what happens when one quits these drugs). So now I have anxiety but think understanding it is helping me cope with it. I have cramps and itching as well so far. I had no idea they were from quitting the drugs. Truth be told I had absolutely no clue there would be any repercussions from stopping antidepressants, never was told. Doctors just say you need another refill on that one? never telling me details on how they work and how to get off of them etc... I feel quite stupid now and I am no dummy. Over the 20+ years of Effexor I had quit for weeks at a time several times and just got glum and fearful/anxious and figured I needed the drugs after all, and did not know that those were withdrawal symptoms. I skipped doses for a multitude of reasons (sex, sports coordination, forgetfulness) and never had any symptoms. Main reason I switched from Effexor was I figured since I needed to be on something that there must be something better that allowed one to function a little better.

 

Sorry for long winded answer but I do not want to leave out any of my thoughts.

 

thanks

[Shep]

Quickfix, it will help if you can post a drug and symptoms journal for a few days. Please use the below format and also include:

 

• any supplements you are taking
• the number of hours you sleep each night

 

On 9/27/2016 at 2:49 PM, Altostrata said:

In the course of discussion in your Introductions forum topic, you may be asked to keep notes on paper of your daily symptom pattern, including when you take your drugs, their dosages, and any symptoms. We ask this because there may be something we can do to reduce the symptoms.

 

What we need to see for every single day over several days is what symptoms you get before and after you take your drugs. If you're not taking any drugs and have withdrawal symptoms, we still need to see your symptom pattern throughout the day:

 

The time of day, dosage, and severity of symptoms are essential information. Include

 

- Time and dosage for all drugs taken throughout the day, psychiatric and non-psychiatric.

- Following each dose, note any symptoms. If you are having a reaction to the drug, it may take hours for a symptom to show up -- that's why we ask you to keep notes all day long.

- If you're not taking any drugs, your symptoms throughout the day.

- Your sleep pattern. Since so many drugs disturb sleep, if you find you're waking in the middle of the night, it could be from a drug you took earlier in the evening. If you're not taking any drugs, there may be ways you can improve your sleep.

And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, looking something like this:
 
6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

 

 

 

[quickfix]

Last night slept from 11:45 – 6:45 took Melatonin to help

Mar 13

6:45am Woke up because my mind was racing with negative thoughts (work related)

7:15am Took Levothyroxine (Hypothyroid) Losartan/Amlodipine (HBP)

7:30am  Started on computer for work – feeling better now, not so anxious/afraid of work.

9:00am Terrible anxiety

10:30am feeling better, was able to make a phone call to a customer, having a bit of self-doubt earlier.

12pm Doing pretty good, worked a little in the yard and continue to do email. Just anxious about this predicament of withdrawal.

7pm finished walking 18 golfing and feel just fine

11pm went to bed, took Trader Joes calming formula (L-Theanine, 5-HTP, and Melatonin) Slept till 7am with a little sweating and normal restroom breaks

 

Mar 14

7am Up medium anxiety made it tough to sleep any longer, not a pleasant awakening, but not terrible.

7:30am up and working, all is fine.

9am feeling ok – a little anxiety – not taking normal meds this am to see how I feel.

1030am feeling ok – very wired, lots of energy, not all bad just hard to sit at computer.

1252pm feeling ok, need to get out and walk, too much energy

2:30pm went golfing walked 18 and felt good afterwards

11pm went to bed, took Trader Joes calming formula (L-Theanine, 5-HTP, and Melatonin) Slept till 6am with a little sweating.

 

Mar 15

6am woke up very wired, not anxious but wired. Did not feel too good.

7am Still wired but feeling a little better.

730am took amlodipine and losartan

8am feeling good

9am went to office

2om left office – generally felt and interacted good

11pm went to bed, took Trader Joes calming formula (L-Theanine, 5-HTP, and Melatonin) Slept with a couple wake ups till 6am with a little sweating. Was not pleasant.

 

Mar 16

Woke at 6am, amped all day so far.

 

Basically I am mostly wired to the point of not being comfortable, it's barely tolerable

 

I took some Magnesium the first day and I have a bottle, I think it helped a lot  but it is 500mg and I then read to take 25 to 50mg ooops. So I have yet to go buy more. I had no adverse effects on the 500mg but I wasn't sure I wanted to take a chance.

 

thanks