Nuttinanna: Is this “normal”?

[Nuttinanna]

Hi 

I am a 71 yr old nana who has had Lupus for 30+ years.

I have been on Fluoxetine for approx 14 yrs.

Started on 40mg.

In 2013 reduced to 20 mg.

After tons of therapy and other improvements in lifestyle I now believe that Fluoxetine is not doing me any good and am trying to stop.  

Started 8 weeks ago skipping doses every 4 days which had no effects after 2 weeks.

So skipped one every 3 days and after a week started with withdrawal symptoms that have intensified. 

This has been going on for 6 weeks now and showing no sign of stabilising.

Am now thinking I should go back and start again more slowly and get the liquid form.

will be talking to Doc but although a great doctor she knows less about withdrawal than I do.

Any feedback or advice would be appreciated.

 

Also take Hydroxychloroquine, Ramapril, Bendroflumathiazide, Omeprazole,Thyroxine, Cod Liver Oil, Multivitamins.

 

Many thanks

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Nuttinana.

 

Please do not skip any doses of fluoxetine! Those withdrawal symptoms can get a lot worse.

 

If I were you, I'd take 5mg at the same time each day. This topic explains how to make a liquid so you can take 5mg Tips for tapering off Prozac (fluoxetine)

 

Why are you taking omeprazole?

 

Please put ALL your drugs in the Drug Interactions Checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php
and copy and paste the results in this topic.

[Nuttinanna]

Thanks for that but 5mg daily would be way too low as was on 20.  But did check out the link you sent.

 I realise now I shouldn’t have started by skipping doses every 3 days.  (Which was equivalent of roughly 30% reduction over 2 month)

In desperation I took the dose yesterday instead of missing it as just had to sleep.

Now am faced with the decision whether to :

a.  Continue on full 20mg daily for a month and stabilise before starting a planned 10% reduction per month or

b.  Get liquid on Wed when can see my doc and start at 15mg daily and go down from there.

 

i have chronic Lupus fatigue all the time anyway so have to be aware of anything extra that causes problems with sleep and other issues.

 

Dont know if all this makes sense!  

 

I am am just so glad to find this forum.

[Nuttinanna]

Taking Omeprazole for  acid reflux .  Had a colonoscopy few years ago and showed  some duodenitis.

[manymoretodays]

Hi Nuttinanna and welcome aboard,

 

Could you put all your medications in a signature(this is the section that you see below my post):

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Try to include medications used in the last 12-24 months.  Especially psychoactive medications.  I'm not real sure of some of those that you listed in your first post.  Yet.  I am familiar with the Omeprazole and Fluoxetine however.

 

Also it might be best to spell out the months.....e.g. January, with the day and then year following it.

 

Also do try and use the drug interaction link that Alto posted above and POST those results here as well.  This will enable us to help guide you much more efficiently.

 

Are you still on the 20mg. of Fluoxetine?

 

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by manymoretodays

[Nuttinanna]

Realise that my situation is straightforward compared to a lot of the guys on this forum.  Its just fluoxetine I need gone.

Have Lupus and so have chronic fatigue and depression from that.

I think Fluoxetine was contributing to the fatigue and disconnectedness so thats why I want to stop.

 

I have been skipping 1 x 20mg every 3 days but can't cope with effects.  I gave in yesterday and took one dose that would have been skipped cos was not sleeping.  That helped  little with the sleep.

Cant see doc till tomorrow so will hopefully get liquid fluoxetine and maybe start at equivalent of 18mg per day.

 

I did the drug interaction link thing but there were only a couple of medium ones from BP and Lupus meds

 

[Gridley]

Just as a reminder, as Alto wrote earlier, we don't recommend tapering by skipping doses. The half-lives of almost all psychiatric drugs are too short for this to make any sense. It causes the amount of the medication in your bloodstream to go up and down, battering your nervous system, and makes withdrawal worse.  

Your brain likes stability, to be treated gently.  It is ideal if you can accommodate it to lower and lower dosages. Move it slowly down a ramp by gradually decreasing dosage by an amount it may hardly notice.

[Nuttinanna]

Managed to get liquid Fluoxetine from doc and have started on 18mg (4.5ml) daily and will reduce by 10% as advised.

[manymoretodays]

Hi Nuttinanna,

 

Good job on your signature and listing all your medications. 

 

Please consider posting all the Moderate Interactions from the interactions, found at drugs.com.  This could prove really helpful in your journey off fluoxetine, and as we try to guide you in making the most harm free decisions.  It's entirely possible that you may be overly medicated, for your other conditions as well.......or that the interactions of all your medications actually cause some of your health concerns, mental or physical.........heck, even spiritual sometimes.

 

As you said, your doctor may NOT be very well versed in safe/minimal harm reduction approaches to getting you off fluoxetine.  The danger here is that he may write off your symptoms of withdrawal as mental illness, and want to further medicate you.

 

So you have already switched to liquid fluoxetine?  Did you feel stable-ish already on the dose skippage at all?  It's possible that you may also experience some further instability/symptoms from the switch from ? pill form of fluoxetine to the liquid. 

 

If I were you I would stay with your current dosage and formulation for 2 weeks.  That way you will give your system 4 whole days to register the dosage change and then another 10 for........hopefully, your withdrawal symptoms to shake out a bit and settle.

 

Love, peace, inhealing and recovery, and growth,

manymoretodays

[manymoretodays]

Here are some more things you may want to look at as well.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2390-dr-joseph-glenmullens-withdrawal-symptom-checklist/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/603-what-is-withdrawal-syndrome/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1112-non-drug-techniques-to-cope-with-emotional-symptoms/

 

I also encourage you to browse about the site for your own education, and to find more non-drug coping mechanisms, that might help with fatigue and sleep difficulties.......as well as feel free to post on others threads and browse their introductions and journals.

 

Best,

manymoretodays

 

   

 

 

[Nuttinanna]

Have read through resources on this site but don't understand why I feel like crap even though now on steady tapered dose of 10% per month.

I know I was skipping doses for 2 months but hoped things would have settled now been on 18mg daily for three weeks.

 

The brain shocks and dizziness have all but gone and my sleep is improved.

 

But seem to feel more disconnected and numb than I did when taking Fluoxetine at full dose of 20mg.  I am so tired despite sleeping better,  I ache all over and heave constant gas/bloating and pain, and intense health anxiety breaking through the numbness.

 

I normally fight chronic fatigue daily from Lupus but this is horrible.  I have the occasional moments of clarity and feeling better then it all crashes in again.

 

This cant be WD from just dropping 2mg surely???

[Nuttinanna]

Can someone please tell me if the above is normal when tapering by 10% -  as no-one replied to my post.

 

I thought it would feel ok if I tapered slowly.  I was only taking fluoxetine, (although for many years) and this is supposed to be the easiest to come off!

 

Feeling like a zombie - don't want to go out and don't want to stay in.  Don't want to do anything.  Cant feel anything except occasional anxiety re health.  

 

Glad sleeping is improving and brain zaps/dizziness is nearly gone but is this other stuff really down to such a small dose reduction?

[manymoretodays]

Hi Nuttinanna,

 

Yes.  The above that you mention can certainly be considered normal W/D.  I'm sorry I/we didn't respond to your earlier post until now.  I think we all strive to get to posts within 24 hours or so.

 

And you are then using the liquid formation of fluoxetine since your 10% decrease?  You switched formulations of the fluox AND started tapering at the same time?  

 

It would be helpful to us as well if/when you can......to update your signature to reflect your medication/drug change. 

 

That zombie feeling........is it kind of a cognitive dissonance, thinking thing?  And the demotivation and health anxiety(obsessions) are pretty normal for this early W/D phase.  Were you feeling pretty normal limit for you when you started the taper?    I think you'll reach a comfort level with your new W/D symptoms ......... it could be another few weeks. 

 

Unfortunately........it can be difficult.  My best recommendation would be that you focus on coping skills now, before you go further with reductions.  I've given you one link above.  And also read through some of the previous replies and see where or if you can answer on focus on some of the stuff offered to you.

 

I don't think we can really predict which will be an "easy off" for any one medication or individual at this point.  It is frustrating, huh?  Awesome that the brainshocks and dizziness have improved.   Try and keep as much as possible, if you can.........to your usual routines.  For me, isolation/rest/recovery time of staying home and giving in to it..........has never worked well beyond one day.  If/when I isolate beyond that........ooof..........it's that much harder, or set in, or something.........to get out.  Then it can kind of cycle into me canceling things, etc.  Not good.  I am happy to report that I am having a good run of it.......recovery life.........living while healing.........now though.

 

Okay.  Hugs.

 

Love, peace, healing/inrecovery, and growth,

mmt

 

Edited January 26, 2018 by manymoretodays

[Nuttinanna]

Thanks MMD - I was feeling very alone and scared and wishing I could go back to before I started this and not bother!  I took Fluoxetine for all these years without ever questioning the reason for starting it in the first place & what they were doing to my brain.  Now I have decided to stop it seems I have messed that up by first skipping doses for 2 months and then changing to oral solution and tapering before my system got used to the change in formulation.  You told me to wait at least 2 weeks but couldn't wait & after a week I started the taper. Duh!  I guess its no wonder my whole system is 'off' and my gut is not at all happy.

 

The main reason for coming off was that I realised how disconnected I was (and had been for years) and things I had blamed on Lupus could have been the F.  When I reduced from 40 to 20 four years ago after the WD finally subsided I noticed I could think more clearly and the fog lifted a little so am hoping that will happen eventually now.  Although being in the middle of it right now I m not looking forward to at least a year of possibly of feeling like this.

 

Was feeling relatively ok before starting taper - this feeling has developed over the last week or so.  Feeling sad,  lonely,  empty,  cant focus,  automatic pilot (when I do anything at all,) numb, tired, depressed, really disconnected, upset gut.

 

But will soldier on trying to keep things as simple as possible and give my body chance to recover.

 

I cant really talk to anyone about the way I am feeling as my family have their own issues they are struggling with so this forum is a lifeline really.  Although I do feel that I am being a bit of a baby when I see what the other guys on this forum are going through!

 

Just a side point I noticed from the drug page is that Hydroxychloriquine (Lupus drug) should not be taken with fluoxetine as it affects the heart rhythm.  Think will talk to lupus clinic as have been taking both for years as they recommended!  

 

So happy that things are good for you now and so very grateful for the support from this forum.

 

Love x

[manymoretodays]

Don't be feeling like a baby, or that somehow everyone else here, has it so much worse.   Or spend too much time beating yourself up.  We all get here how we are, and it's okay.  I could barely string a sentence together.    Hmmmm........not sure I have improved much either......

 

For most of us.......doctors, family, friends.........don't understand W/D and/or expect it to be over rather quickly.  Many doctors discount it completely.  It can be crazy making.  Yes, talk to the lupus people, for sure and then try and check back with what they thought ..........before doing too much in the way of rapid drug changes.  Can you do a copy of all your medications and interactions here for us.  I just can't help wondering about interactions, as well as maybe....... you might find, or consider that over time.........you may be able to maintain on less.  That hydroxychloriquine has an awful sound to it.......don't mind me, but it does.

 

You can also add to or ask questions in some of the symptoms and tapering sections, as well as find others who are tapering the fluoxetine, and use that for some of your support.  Get comfortable here in other words. 

 

I'm not seeing any fluoxetine tapering links here yet in your introduction so I'll gather some now.  I don't think you will necessarily have to feel as yuch as you do now for an entire year.  Hopefully things will level out here sooner than that, and then you can do a more judicious taper from here on in.  Does that sound okay?

 

Okay......off to find some good links on the fluoxetine now and will add them here.  As well as some general important topics.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/6036-why-taper-paper-demonstrates-importance-of-gradual-ch

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine/

 

Love, peace, healing/inrecovery, and growth,

mmt

Edited January 27, 2018 by manymoretodays

[manymoretodays]

Oh hey.......this is a good one too.  Windows and waves........one must talk the lingo ...... and seriously, it can be helpful, among the members here.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization/

 

[Nuttinanna]

Wondering if maybe I should go back on full dose tablets  For a few months to just settle after all the changes I made in the last few months and then start again.  Getting really anxious about damage to nervous system.  

[Nuttinanna]

Didn’t realise how much this would impact my life and would take so long.  There’s a possibility of a big house move coming  in the next few months so maybe this is not the time to face this challenge.

 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Nuttinanna,

I don't think the changing the formulation of the fluoxetine once again, is a good idea.  Or increasing your dosage right now either.   Can you give it just a little bit longer to see if you stabilize?  My concern is that each time you do a change of formulation OR of dosage you may "rock the boat" a little further.   I think that if you do go up in dosage that you would want to go on up even less than the full 10% that you decreased.  A more gentle reinstatement.  Again though.......there are no guarantees of quick relief from that.

 

You'll be at 4 weeks out since January 6th at the end of this week.

 

It can feel so crazy making.......all the anxiety or fear/panic that comes on initially.  Are you finding anything that helps you to calm and relax.  Can you list some of your W/D symptoms here with a time frame of occurrence, as well as when you are taking your medications?

 

I'll get you linked up with some more to read later, when I have a bit of time.  I have to run this morning and get to some stuff.  Try to just wander into nondrug symptom control and get some ideas.  Or take it easy........and do the best self care you have ever done for yourself.

 

Love, peace, healing/inrecovery, and growth,

mmt

 

 

Edited January 29, 2018 by manymoretodays

[Nuttinanna]

Hi MMD

Take 4.5 ml each morning when I wake up which can vary depending on what sort of night I had.  Does it matter within an hour or 2? (Or 3 if don't wake till 11)

 

Symptoms vary and fight each other for pole position  - Lot of anxiety specially heath - Aching pain neck, shoulders and upper body specially when standing for a while - Slight palpitations now started mostly at night in bed - Sleep erratic again - Over sensitive to everything - Stomach over sensitive - Nausea - Abdominal gas pain - Fuzzy head - Cant focus - Depressed - Disconnected - SO tired all the time - Want to cry but cant - Cant stop thinking ruminating - Hate myself, hate everybody and hate Fluoxetine!  the list is vague and endless.

 

I am just so scared that I have cocked my system up.

 

But its good point about making another change - so will just have to suck it up and wait it out.

 

 

 

[manymoretodays]

Okay Nuttinanna,

If I were you I think I would stick to the same time of day for your dosage.  Within an hour. 

It sure sounds like typical W/D symtoms.  Yet, I am really hoping that once you stabilize a bit we can avoid some of this in the future.

 

And thanks for the additional information.  I certainly wouldn't do another 10% taper yet.  I'm hoping that you find some improvement in symptoms and then at that point can consider another decrease......maybe even less than the 10% next time.  You might consider going perhaps even more slowly than the 10% decrease next taper.

 

If you can.......go on back and read the link about Prozac tapering.  I think that possibly because it's got a longer half life.........you may have been hit with W/D symptoms a few weeks into your taper. 

Although that doesn't account for the effects of your previous jumping around with doses.  It may just take a little longer now to get you back to a comfortable place........where you can begin some further tapering.

 

In anycase........I really admire you for taking this step of now,  trying to do the most harm free reduction possible with your fluoxetine.

 

Most of us do get through(and go through) the additional anxiety around permanent brain changes and damage to the nervous system.  I think if you can just keep things stable for now it might help in the long run.

 

And do feel free to wander around the site some and explore and even comment on other topics of interest.......or on other members introductions/ journals.

 

Love, peace, healing/inrecovery, and growth,

mmt 

[Nuttinanna]

Feeling a little better - everything not quite as horrendous.  Hoping that things are settling to a more manageable level.

Praise the Lord!

 

 

 

[manymoretodays]

And I will add a hallelujah!   That's super Nuttinanna.  I am hoping that as well for you.  Keep it slow.  Keep it simple.  Keep it stable.  3 K's.  I'm not sure I can link you to that one as I am out of town and not on my usual desktop.....

[Nuttinanna]

Well started tapering off Fluoxetine on Jan 5 taking 4.5 ml daily.  That first month was reasonably ok with moderate WD.  

 

Went down to 4 ml beginning of February and to begin with it was still ok but then about 10 days in started with terrible fatigue, brain zaps, Dizzies etc that went on for few weeks with little respite but then it began to lift and a lovely window opened for a few days in fact  on Tuesday this week I felt the best I have for months.

But woke on Wednesday with the fatigue again which then developed into three days of horrible nausea, dizzy, head zapping etc again -only this time worse!

i had just stared the next drop to 3.5ml and now don’t know whether I should have stayed on 4ml for a bit longer - will give it a few more days and see what happens.

The fluctuating emotional state I am in is difficult to manage - keep wanting to cry but can’t - don’t know what I would be crying for anyway!  And so irritable and disconnected.

I am staying with my daughter and family for a while and she is very encouraging and keeps reminding me the windows will come and I will get to the end of this nightmare!

 

reading through this it does look like it is “normal“for fluoxetine WD but keep panicking that it isn’t.

[RealMe]

Hi Nuttinanna,

I'm not a moderator, so I don't have any advice; but I'm also in WD from fluoxetine and am having lots of fatigue.  I think it's important to hold long enough so that our brains and central nervous systems have time to get accustomed to the new lower dose when we taper by 10%.  I would guess that amount of time might be different for each of us.  Right now I'm on 2mL and holding till I feel more stable.  Good luck with your taper.  So glad you have a supportive daughter.

Best,

RM

[ChessieCat]

Hi Nuttinanna,

 

Here's the link that MMT mentioned:  Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

 

SA's recommended tapering protocol is 10% of the previous dose followed by a hold of about 4 weeks.

 

Your reductions should have been 5mg, 4.5mg, 4.05mg, 3.645mg.  It the numbers are too difficult to get that dose it is best to round up, so for 4.05mg rounding up to 4.1mg might have been easier to measure.  The next reduction would then be 4.1mg x 0.90 = 3.69mg (round up to 3.7mg).

 

The reason I have given you these figures is because after the first reduction (5mg to 4.5mg) you have been reducing by more than 10%.  Many members find that the lower their dose gets the slower they need to go and/or the longer they need to hold.

 

It is best to throw out the calendar and to listen to your body.  The suggested hold on a dose is about 4 weeks, however it is suggested to hold for longer if you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

 

Q:  When did you reduce to 3.5mg?

 

Please update your signature with the date and dose whenever you make a change.  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

If you do decide to updose, you could try a very small increase.  3.6mg if you can measure that amount.  These drugs are strong.  Going back to 4mg may be too much depending on when you reduced to 3.5mg.

 

I suggest you do a good long hold of at least 2 months whether you updose or stay at 3.5mg.  You need to give you brain a chance to catch up with not getting as much of the drug.  If you continue trying to reduce there is a possibility the symptoms could get worse or you might develop additional symptoms.

[Nuttinanna]

Thanks RM and CC x

 

  CC - Answer to your question I dropped to 3.5ml on Thursday 28 Feb - because the timing of the WD last month was different I thought this was just a “blip” and it would go away.

 

By the way I notice you are quoting “mg “ but I am doing “mL” of the liquid.  Maybe I should have used the capital to make it clearer?

 

Does your advice still stand in mL?

 

i think maybe I was just to eager to get this done!  I know you all say 10% of previous dose but thought I would try to do it quicker.

 

Love NN

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, Nuttinanna said:

By the way I notice you are quoting “mg “ but I am doing “mL” of the liquid.  Maybe I should have used the capital to make it clearer?

 

That's a good idea capitalising the L.  Definitely makes it clearer.

 

 

2 hours ago, Nuttinanna said:

y the way I notice you are quoting “mg “ but I am doing “mL” of the liquid.

 

Thank you for pointing that out.  It is very easy to get them muddled.

 

The percentage drops are still the same.  However you are taking a high mg dose than I was thinking.  I've calculated so the amounts are in mgs so it makes sense to me.  Because you are working in mLs you can multiply 3.5mL x 0.9 = 3.15mL for your next 10% reduction.

 

Liquid:  5mL = 20mg    (I looked this up on the internet so I assume yours is the same)

 

1mL = 4mg

 

4.5mL = 18mg        20mg x 0.9 = 18mg

 

4mL = 16mg           18mg x 0.9 = 16.2mg

 

3.5mL = 14mg        16.2mg x 0.9 = 14.58mg

 

Yes you are gradually getting larger reductions.  Because it's a higher dose it isn't quite as worrying as what I thought but it may still be causing you issues and if you had continued every 4 weeks reducing by 0.5mL you would have probably ended up having issues so it's good that it's been picked up now.

 

2 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

If you do decide to updose, you could try a very small increase.  3.6mg if you can measure that amount.  These drugs are strong.  Going back to 4mg may be too much depending on when you reduced to 3.5mg.

 

3.6mL = 14.4mg so that would be almost 1/2 milligram increase.  That may be all you need.

 

2 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

I suggest you do a good long hold of at least 2 months whether you updose or stay at 3.5mg.  You need to give you brain a chance to catch up with not getting as much of the drug.  If you continue trying to reduce there is a possibility the symptoms could get worse or you might develop additional symptoms.

 

I still think this would be the best thing to do.  Make sure your brain has caught up before restarting your taper.

 

BTW the mL definitely makes a difference.  Thanks. 

 

I've just had to edit one of the amounts.  It was 16.2g ha ha!!!

 

Edited March 2, 2018 by ChessieCat

[Nuttinanna]

Nearly at end of third month tapering 10%.

Down to 3.6mLat beginning of March - felt ok till around the 12th when it all came crashing in.  Wondered if it was the half life of Fluoxetine?  Now its 24th and although emotional stuff is better and don't feel so low and irritable, the head stuff is still as bad.  I now have what I call 'zinging' and dizziness when I stand, move my head etc as well as the more pronounced zaps or shocks.  But have been doing more recently and getting really tired and wonder if that is making it worse maybe?

Not going to drop again until head is at more manageable level.

[ChessieCat]

Q:  Are you taking your fluoxetine every day?

 

From:  tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine

 

 

On 7/3/2011 at 4:11 AM, Altostrata said:

It has the longest half-life of any SSRI. After you take it for a few days, half-life is about 16 days. Fluoxetine itself has a half-life of 2-4 days, but as it is processed, your body creates an active antidepressant metabolite, norfluoxetine, which has a half-life of 7-15 days. So Prozac keeps on extending its half-life as it is metabolized.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluoxetine , fluoxetine and norfluoxetine inhibit each other's metabolism, extending the half-life of the drug. Because the half-lives are so long, the full effect of Prozac on the brain may not be felt for several weeks.

fluoxetine (1-6 days) ---> norfluoxetine (up to 16 days) ---> other metabolites

 

[Nuttinanna]

Yes taking every morning.

 

Going back to November (before I started tapering properly and began dose skipping) - it was around 12 - 14 days before the WD symptoms started so this time frame seems significant.  

 

It is 2 weeks now with not really any let up in head symptoms and palpitations too.  But hey its got to settle soon yeah?

 

 

 

 

[Nuttinanna]

Still struggling with head zaps, ‘zinging’, palpitations, mood swings, depression.

 

After last drop to 3.6 mL at beginning of Feb the WD started on about 12th nd haven really let up.

 

if I am only doing 10% taper each month why am I getting all this?  Someone said that palpitations usually means you are tapering too fast but I am not going fast.

 

havent made any further drop yet  as not sure what to do.  Guess I will jut stay on 3.6mL and hope things eventually subside.

 

Any thoughts anyone?

 

Finding it increasingly hard to remain positive about this decision to stop Prozac and wondering if I will ever feel ok again.  

 

Xx

[ChessieCat]

When was the last time you had your thyroid dose checked?

 

 

[Nuttinanna]

Had thyroid checked recently.

 

[ChessieCat]

21 hours ago, Nuttinanna said:

but I am not going fast.

 

Many members find that the lower their dose gets the slower they need to go, holding longer and/or reducing by less.  Just as some people can taper faster there are some members that even the smallest reduction can cause issues.  There is no "one size fits all".  The 10% every 4 weeks is a general guideline.  We need to listen to our own bodies and adjust our tapers according to how we are affected.

 

Have you seen the BrassMonkey slide way of tapering.  You divide the new reduction dose by 4 (eg current dose 100mg and next reduction 10mg / 4 = 2.5mg) and make a reduction of this amount every week for 4 weeks and then hold for 3 weeks after the 4th reduction.  Brass Monkey Slide

 

You might find this interesting:  Why taper paper: dose-occupancy curves

[Nuttinanna]

Thanks for that - and for replying.  Sometimes I feel so alone in this and so afraid that it’s not going to get better.  Specially when I don’t sleep well.  I read the resources on this site and I understand it on one level but emotionally there is just turmoil.  Just now I needed to talk to someone whowould say it’s ok and will pass.

 

i am staying with my family right now which is good as my daughter is very supportive but I feel guilty that a lot of the time I can’t be a proper Nanna.  She has her own health issues and has 4 children under 10 so things get a bit crazy n noisy sometimes!  I feel bad that I find it overwhelming often.

 

i cope better when things are calm and quiet but don’t like being completely on my own so think this I th best solution right now.

 

Am very grateful to you guys for taking the time to be there for people like me.

 

xx