Carmel5: exhaustion the day after light exercise

[Carmel5]

Topic title:  exhaustion the day after light gardening or paddleboarding

 

Big Decision to make - I am supposed to go to France for anniversary trip next month. Since March or April not sure when, after I do some exercise or light gardening, I am overly exhausted and have leg pain the day after with low mood. I feel I am stuck on the couch not able to do anything. I'm wondering if there is something I can do to improve my stamina and be able to go on this trip (it is not booked yet) because I really want to go away with hubby but he is concerned of spending alot of money on a holiday and not being able to sight see as he wishes, he does not want to be stuck in a hotel room somewhere.

Diagnoses - MDD, cPTSD,

Effexor - 225 to  47 mg since March 2018. Been on several antidepressants and anti anxiety pills since 1996.

Supplements, Omega 3, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, D-Hist, Estrofactors (hot flashes - menopause), Probiotic, Adrenal PX Balance, Curcumin, Iron twice a week, B12 keeps me awake but I am low according to my naturopath so will try to talk half the dosage. Melatonin and Magnesium Glycinate for night time.

 

Thanks for your suggestions. My first post here.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by ChessieCat
added topic title

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Carmel5.

 

It is one of the many sad aspects of antidepressant withdrawal that we can't do what undrugged people can do and that life seems on hold.  Fatigue is certainly one of the recognized symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal.  I have it myself.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

There really isn't anything you can do to boost your stamina.  In fact, supplements and training could worsen withdrawal.  Your body needs rest and support during withdrawal.

 

As I said, I'm in a similar situation to yours.  Perhaps my experience on a couple of recent vacations will give you some guidance.  We live in South America and love Buenos Aires.  Before I started tapering, I was able to walk basically the whole city, savoring every neighborhood.  The last two trips, during which I was tapering and in withdrawal, I had to severely curtail our expeditions.  That doesn't mean I stayed in the hotel room.  But we did less.  My wife, who is very supportive of my taper, was fine with this.  It seems to me a lot of your decision will hinge on your husband's attitude.  If he is able to accept that due to

your withdrawal condition, you will have to do less (not nothing, just less), that would be an important factor to consider.

If he thinks he's going to be wasting his money because you two can't do everything, this is likely to cause stress between you.

Paris is a great walking city; you'd just have to do less, and your husband would have to be okay with that.  It's a great museum city, and I would sit and rest while my wife explored the museums.   

 

Another factor to consider is your own ability to enjoy the trip.  If fatigue is your only limit and you would otherwise enjoy the trip, that's a plus in favor of going (again subject to your husbands's attitude).  

 

 

 

 

[Carmel5]

Thank you Gridley. I shared a little with my husband and its encouraging. We went to couples therapy this week as I was so down from the impasse we has regarding this trip. I think he is coming around the fact that it is what it is and sickly people travel all the time. My mood has improved bc of it and now with posting today and seeing that there is really no much else to do. My last taper was on May 22 this was to give my body time to adjust before the trip. I'll resume the taper after the trip

every 4 to 6 weeks.

[Carmel5]

Hello fellow warriors!!

 

Just wondering if this microtaper is gentler than the 10% percent drop. I have tapered from 225 mg and now down to 33.8 mg. I had two rough two day episodes where I am in bed or in the bathroom with headache, nausea, vomiting at times and stiff neck and jaw. I'm thinking microtapering this way might help.

[Gridley]

47 minutes ago, Carmel5 said:

 

Just wondering if this microtaper is gentler than the 10% percent drop

 

Yes, the Brassmonkey slide taper is gentler than the straight 10% drop.  This is because instead of hitting your system all at once with a 10% decrease, you do a smaller weekly decrease of 2 1/2% every week for four weeks, then hold for two weeks for your system to catch up.  I used this method for my Lexapro taper and I recommend it.

 

The symptoms you describe indicate you need to taper more gently and slowly.

 

The Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro-tapering

 

 

[Carmel5]

Thanks Gridley,

 

I just started counting my beads to 33.8 mg before I was compounding it at the pharmacy with out of pocket costs. Do you think this micro taper works well with counting beads also? I do have the scale recommended here but heard it was not that accurate.

 

[Gridley]

32 minutes ago, Carmel5 said:

Do you think this micro taper works well with counting beads also? I do have the scale recommended here but heard it was not that accurate.

 

I'm not sure how well it would work counting beads since you'd be dealing with a much smaller percentage (2 1/2%) than 10% and I don't know how that would play out in terms of removing beads.  You could try it and see.

 

I've been using the Gemini scale for 3 years and have found it accurate enough for my purposes.  The disadvantages are that it's not accurate below 3mg pill weight and you can't weigh half milligrams.  The lowest reading is one milligram.  

[Carmel5]

1 minute ago, Gridley said:

I'm not sure how well it would work counting beads since you'd be dealing with a much smaller percentage (2 1/2%) than 10% and I don't know how that would play out in terms of removing beads.  You could try it and see.

 

I've been using the Gemini scale for 3 years and have found it accurate enough for my purposes.  The disadvantages are that it's not accurate below 3mg pill weight and you can't weigh half milligrams.  The lowest reading is one milligram.  

I will need to ponder on this some more. If I do the weighing then I can use the spreadsheet more accurately. Thanks for your input on this. I haven't used the website that much and still learning on how to to post. I need to post more questions regarding stiff neck and jaw and neuropathy in my feet.

[Gridley]

19 minutes ago, Carmel5 said:

post more questions

You should post anything specifically about you, your taper and your symptoms in your main Introduction topic so all your material is together.  That's better than posting in the "tapering" or "symptoms and self care" forums.  You'll get more readers in your own Introduction topic.

[LarryS]

On 1/31/2020 at 2:58 PM, Gridley said:

You should post anything specifically about you, your taper and your symptoms in your main Introduction topic so all your material is together.  That's better than posting in the "tapering" or "symptoms and self care" forums.  You'll get more readers in your own Introduction topic.

 

@Carmel5  How you doing?   

 

I find this interesting that you have been all around this website but have posted very little in your introduction topic.  As Gridley says, you will receive more suggestions from others that may help you if you post here on your own personal thread.

 

I see you have had quite the long journey, always coming back to Effexor (Venlafaxine).  Are you on the name brand or the generic drug?

 

If your beads are consistent in size, do you know what the average value of a single bead is?

 

My Best Wishes to You

 

 

[LarryS]

@Carmel5  Your signature predicted that you would be close to ZERO in July 2023.  

 

Please give us an update here about your current status.

[Carmel5]

Hi Larry, 

 

I've read your questions. I'm now down to 4 beads or 1.6 mg. You are correct in saying I should be done tapering but held three times for 4 months each last one being last summer due to anxiety. I'm going down 1 bead per month now done October 31, 2023. I find this site confusing on how to update or post perhaps due to brain fog or deminished capacity of focus and follow through. Ill try to figure out on how to update my signature at least. thanks hope you are doing ok off effexor now.