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Josie: Withdrawal or recurring illness?


Josie

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I have been on and off antidepressants for 25 years. I'm not sure what normal is. I first went on them for panic disorder but every time I come off them for 3 plus months I suddenly hit a wall if crippling depression and extreme anxiety. I don't remember having this before but would it really take 3/ 4 months for the psychological withdrawal to hit me? I just don't know whether this is depression or withdrawal, so confused...

Edited by Shep
added username to title

Seroxat 1995- 1997

Citalopram 2002- 2002

Escitalopram 20mg  2002- 2017

Sertraline 100mg/ 50mg 2017- 2019

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Welcome to SA, Josie.  We are a site for tapering off psychiatric drugs and helping members cope with withdrawal.  You will find the members and moderators here supporting and sympathetic.

 

It is extremely common for withdrawal symptoms to first appear around the three--month point, so yes, it can definitely take 3-4 months for withdrawal to hit.  The fact that these symptoms repeatedly occur at this three-month point, and that you don't remember having the depression and anxiety before indicate strongly that what you're experiencing is withdrawal and not recurring illness.  After 25 years on and off antidepressants, it is very understandable not to know what "normal" is.

 

I have two questions.

1.  What psychiatric drugs are you now taking and at what dosage?

2. When did you attempt to come off the drugs and how did you try come of them?  Cold turkey?  If you tapered, at what rate?

 

We recommend tapering no faster than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

So that you have a better understanding of what you're experiencing, here is some information on withdrawal.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome. 

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF)

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can answer my questions, ask your own questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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  • Mentor

Hi Josie

 

I wondered the same thing during WD...what's normal for me?  I started taking Paxil in 1999 and tapered off about 10 years later.

 

I finally realized I had to build a new normal for myself.  Whoever I was before all this wasn't coming back, and that wasn't a bad thing.  I'm more empathetic and sensitive to others' feelings.  You can choose the "new you" and make that person what you want to be, not what depression says you were. 

Tim C

Started Paxil for GAD in 1999

Unsuccessful taper attempt in 2006

Paxilprogress helped with a successful taper completed in 2009

Using therapy and CBT to manage my anxiety

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Thank you so much for the responses, I can't express how helpful this is. I started on seroxat in 1995 due to panic attacks (which took 2 years to diagnose so by that time I thought I was completely mad and my symptoms had gone crazy). I came off due to side effects and then started on citalopram when the attacks came back in 2001. I stayed on them until i found out i was pregnant and quit cold turkey when i did. Scary looking back but I couldn't bear the thought of them doing my unborn baby harm. I then started on escitalopram in 2006. I was off it while pregnant again in 2009 but back on in 2010. It caused horrendous fatigue so after trying to quit and getting horrendous terror and anxiety 3 months after withdrawing I changed to sertraline.  I was taking sertraline/ zoloft from April 2017  prior to stopping in October 2019. I reduced from 100mg to 50mg (over 3 months) a year in, due to gastro intestinal issues.  I then quit drinking alcohol altogether in June 2019 and decided to begin tapering at the end of July. I wasn't able to decrease my dose in 10% increments as only tablets were available to me via my GP which come in 100mg and 50mg only, (ridiculous). I began leaving longer between 25mg doses towards the end of tapering. Nothing scientific, but this was much more protracted than my GP advised. 

 

It is so comforting to have hope to hang on in there. I am a hopeful person but the extreme terror of ruminating dark thoughts, cortisol coursing through me and obsessive negativity which suddenly hit me last thursday almost made me turn straight back to meds again. I'm so glad I didn't, finding this website is a lifeline and I had an almost normal day today just remembering that this is a healing process. Thank you so much. 

Seroxat 1995- 1997

Citalopram 2002- 2002

Escitalopram 20mg  2002- 2017

Sertraline 100mg/ 50mg 2017- 2019

 

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Now I have read the withdrawal symptoms checklist I can see I was having symptoms all along. Increased energy/ mania, intense headaches (which I thought were migraines but reflexologist suggested weren't interestingly), dizziness, 4 weeks of what I thought was a cold/flu, bloating, tummy pains amongst others. Other strange thing was sinus pain and discomfort but not sure it's connected?

Seroxat 1995- 1997

Citalopram 2002- 2002

Escitalopram 20mg  2002- 2017

Sertraline 100mg/ 50mg 2017- 2019

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus
9 minutes ago, Josie said:

sinus pain

 

I'm glad the information was helpful.  It is very liberating to know what is happening.  All the symptoms you list, including ruminating dark thoughts, are known withdrawal symptoms.  By the way, the vast majority of doctors, including psychiatrists, don't believe withdrawal exists.  You and we know differently.

 

Sinus pain is another the many, many withdrawal symptoms.  If you wish you can check it out to see if you have a sinus infection.

Allergies, sneezing, stuffed up, nose, sinus - antihistamines ...

 

 

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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