Moderator Emeritus dalsaan Posted June 8, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) ADMIN NOTE www.drglenmullen.com seems to be closed. The checklist is here (PDF will download) glenmullen_symptoms_AS Appendix 1.pdf or http://drglenmullen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/AS-Appendix-1.pdf Our esteemed member ChessieCat has provided these resources:PDF Monthly List of Dr Glenmullen's Symptoms to Print & PDF Monthly List BLANK to Print Excel Spreadsheet Monthly format of Dr Glenmullen's Symptoms to use on the computer (NOTE: once downloaded you will need to Enable Editing which appears at the top of the screen in a yellow highlighted strip) Dr. Glenmullen's Symptom Record for Month in Google Sheets created by our member @CeruleanSea To use: - click in the link. you will see a file. - to use/edit: go to File-->Make a Copy, create a copy and save in your own Google Drive space to edit. Related topics:Rate symptoms daily to track patterns and progressWhat symptoms should I expect while tapering?Papers on diagnosis of antidepressant withdrawal syndromeGuides to tapering off psychiatric medication Hi Glenmullen has provided a checklist of withdrawal symptoms available here [see below] I found this helped me put 2 and 2 together in terms of the diverse range of symptoms I was experiencing (some obvious ones I had identified as withdrawals, others I thought were an unfortunate coincidence : ). The checklist got me on the right page as such. Its also helpful to track changes with dose reductions and to take to Dr's appts. I have printed a heap of them odd and have them in a folder. It can help gps understand and accept what you are saying It may not be perfect but I think it helps to get your head around it and short circuits reading a lot of stuff Don't know if you want to put this with the intro stuff or start a thread for it or ... And I don't know how to make it a link as such Dalsaan Edited September 10, 2022 by Altostrata updated 3 Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist. Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014. Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September. Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015. Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15). Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past. DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017 >My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted June 8, 2012 Administrator Share Posted June 8, 2012 Thanks, dalsaan. A valuable addition to our Tapering section. I thought Joseph Glenmullen's book The Antidepressant Solution was excellent. His tapering schedule is moderate, but he specifies over and over that it should be slowed if needed for the individual. It's also a good book to give to your doctor. Joseph Glenmullen is a Harvard psychiatrist. The book has a complete citation section. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted June 8, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 8, 2012 Nice! You could totally print out a bunch of those and use them to journal and keep track of your symptoms. I think keeping a journal of symptoms and ranking them on a scale is really useful in withdrawal. Our subjective sense of how well or poorly we're doing is often not so great during withdrawal. I've seen it in myself and I've seen it in other people. The journal helps me see more objectively the patterns of ups and downs and how I respond to cuts and holds. Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010. Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea. Feb 15 2010: 300 mg Neurontin 200 Lamictal 10 Celexa 0.65 Xanax and 5 mg Ambien Feb 10 2014: 62 Lamictal 1.1 Celexa 0.135 Xanax 1.8 Valium Feb 10 2015: 50 Lamictal 0.875 Celexa 0.11 Xanax 1.5 Valium Feb 15 2016: 47.5 Lamictal 0.75 Celexa 0.0875 Xanax 1.42 Valium 2/12/20 12 0.045 0.007 1 May 2021 7 0.01 0.0037 1 Feb 2022 6 0!!! 0.00167 0.98 2.5 mg Ambien Oct 2022 4.5 mg Lamictal (off Celexa, off Xanax) 0.95 Valium Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus strawberry17 Posted September 2, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 2, 2012 I read the book "Coming off Antidepressants" by Joseph Glenmullen, and I always recommend it to people thinking of tapering, that book was my big lightbulb moment when I suddenly understood what was going on and that I was experiencing withdrawals, it is still available on Amazon and I can really recommend it. *** Please note this is not medical advice,discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner***http://prozacwithdrawal.blogspot.com/ Original drug was sertraline/Zoloft, switched to Prozac in 2007. Tapering from 5mls liquid prozac since Feb 2008, got down to 0.85ml 23/09/2012, reinstated back to 1ml(4mg) 07/11/2012, didn't appear to work, upped to 1.05ml 17/11/2012, back down to 1ml 12/12/2012 didn't work, up to 1.30ml 16/3/2013 didn't work, bumped up to 2ml (8mg) 4/4/2013 didn't work, in July 2013 I reinstated Sertraline (Zoloft) 50mg, feeling better now. A few months down the line I switched to 5ml liquid Prozac and tapered down to a compromise dose of 3ml liquid Prozac and have stayed there ever since, no withdrawals and no emotional blunting/loss of libido. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlitegirlx Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Thanks, dalsaan. A valuable addition to our Tapering section. I thought Joseph Glenmullen's book The Antidepressant Solution was excellent. His tapering schedule is moderate, but he specifies over and over that it should be slowed if needed for the individual. It's also a good book to give to your doctor. Joseph Glenmullen is a Harvard psychiatrist. The book has a complete citation section. I used his book as the template to doing my withdrawal. However, I should add that he writes in his book that imipramine withdrawal is limited to flu like symptoms for the most part and that the recommended decrease is 50 mg per month or so. That's about as far off from my experience as on gets. I think he's got the SSRIs pretty accurately, but there's not much info on other ADs like imipramine or perhaps taking it for 16 years is the factor. Who knows? But he didn't really acknowledge the severity of withdrawal that imipramine users can face and for the most part the book is about SSRI users, yet I have most of the right hand column from that sheet. Not all, thankfully, but a lot of it. I also had parts of the left hand column but they are mostly diminished. So in a way he's right, just didn't give it much coverage. My main withdrawal symptoms are physical at this point with some random emotional ones mixed in but I think they tend to be just coping with what I've been and am going through (like crying a lot or varied emotions which there's not way an experience like this would not cause a person to have a myriad of emotions to deal with). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlitegirlx Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I think you're right he does concentrate on the newer SSRI's, or that's the impression I get, he doesn't seem to address the older style tricyclic antidepressants. No, he doesn't. I was on the older ones - imipramine. I actually think that bodes better for someone who has been on an older one. The SSRIs are where this discontinuation syndrome or whatever more pleasant crock of hooey name they're calling it is where the focus is because it's more severe, sadly. Imipramine got a few pages toward the back and he was pretty far off in my case though he did say flu like symptoms seem to be the main withdrawal for tricyclics and most of mine (barring during worst parts of a withdrawal phase after a reduction) have generally been in the physical domain. I can pretty much go straight down that right hand column a check several of them. They seem to cycle as the diminish. Two good days then a worse day. Sort of like that. So actually, I'm going to take that as a sign of getting past this permanently. Your impression is accurate. I guess it's because the SSRIs, when they came out, was when docs started handing them out like pez candies thinking they were this miracle drug. I was lucky in that they had an immediate horrific effect on me so I never got put on them for more than a few months. Some, just weeks. That was decades ago. So this doctor is good for SSRIs, but that's his area. Much like my doc who knows about the issue with SSRIs, but is stunned at what I've been going through. Cie la vie. I'll get through it. It improves gradually. I had just expected once I was off and not decreasing any longer the withdrawal would go away and I'd have been fine within a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 2, 2012 Administrator Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) I wonder if The Antidepressant Solution and Coming off Antidepressants (a much better title) are the same book? It doesn't seem Coming off Antidepressants was published in the US. strawberry, is this table of contents from The Antidepressant Solution the same? http://books.simonandschuster.com/Antidepressant-Solution/Joseph-Glenmullen/9780743288989/excerpt Table of Contents Contents Preface 1. Antidepressant Withdrawal and Dependence: Defining the Problem 2. Resolving the Controversy over "Addiction" to Antidepressants: The BBC Exposé 3. The Withdrawal Spectrum: Mild, Moderate, and Severe Withdrawal Reactions 4. How Changing the Dose of Antidepressants Up or Down May Make Patients Suicidal 5. Worst Offenders: The Antidepressants that Cause the Most Frequent Withdrawal Reactions 6. The 5-Step Antidepressant Tapering Program: How to Avoid Uncomfortable or Dangerous Withdrawal Reactions 7. Step 1. Evaluating Whether You Are Ready to Try Tapering Off Your Antidepressant 8. Step 2. Making the Initial Dosage Reduction 9. Step 3. Monitoring Withdrawal Symptoms After a Dosage Reduction 10. Step 4. Making Additional Dosage Reductions 11. Step 5. The End-of-Taper Evaluation 12. Tapering Children Off Antidepressants Afterword Appendix 1: Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms Appendix 2: Graph of an Antidepressant Withdrawal Reaction Appendix 3: Tapering Older Tricyclic and Heterocyclic Antidepressants Appendix 4: Tapering Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor Antidepressants Notes Acknowledgments Index Edited January 16, 2014 by Altostrata fixed text 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus strawberry17 Posted September 3, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 3, 2012 Hi Alto, just looked in my well thumbed copy and it appears to be identical so obviously mine is a UK/European copy, wonder why they gave them different titles? *** Please note this is not medical advice,discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner***http://prozacwithdrawal.blogspot.com/ Original drug was sertraline/Zoloft, switched to Prozac in 2007. Tapering from 5mls liquid prozac since Feb 2008, got down to 0.85ml 23/09/2012, reinstated back to 1ml(4mg) 07/11/2012, didn't appear to work, upped to 1.05ml 17/11/2012, back down to 1ml 12/12/2012 didn't work, up to 1.30ml 16/3/2013 didn't work, bumped up to 2ml (8mg) 4/4/2013 didn't work, in July 2013 I reinstated Sertraline (Zoloft) 50mg, feeling better now. A few months down the line I switched to 5ml liquid Prozac and tapered down to a compromise dose of 3ml liquid Prozac and have stayed there ever since, no withdrawals and no emotional blunting/loss of libido. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 3, 2012 Administrator Share Posted September 3, 2012 They probably realized Coming off Antidepressants is a much better title! The Antidepressant Solution gives the exact opposite impression. Dr. Glenmullen should update it and reissue it under Coming off Antidepressants. I like this book the best of all the withdrawal books. It's practical and to-the-point. Dr. Breggin's books are hard to get through. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlitegirlx Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 They probably realized Coming off Antidepressants is a much better title! The Antidepressant Solution gives the exact opposite impression. Dr. Glenmullen should update it and reissue it under Coming off Antidepressants. I like this book the best of all the withdrawal books. It's practical and to-the-point. Dr. Breggin's books are hard to get through. The Antidepressant Solution should be updated to The Antidepressant Solution Lie. That is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I read Dr. Glenmullen's book and got alot out of it at that time. Somewhere in that book I remember reading that he can be contacted for advise. It was very validating for me at that time. Hugs Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 OMG Dalsaan..... I have the left column symptoms. Moods, anxiety, terrible dreams, crying, etc. Don't really have physical stuff ~Except~ I just realized that I get numbness and tingling in my arms, particularly if I sleep for a short period of time with them under my body or bent. I though I was having nerve or circulation problems. I never made the connection as I sit here and journal and wonder what the heck is wrong with me every day of my life, over and over again with mornings being horrible. Could it be that I don't have physical symptom unless I drop the dose that I don't understand that my emotional stuff is in large part due to WD? But what about the other things going on? Where do we/I draw the line on what's what? Thank you Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted January 11, 2014 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 11, 2014 I am weird, because I basically have only psychiatric symptoms. but those I have big time! from medical symptoms, only maybe some from dizziness category. I remember when I did faster quit, which ended up in total disaster after 4-5 months after that - then I had initially also medical symptoms. but actually, as I think of it, they were also mainly dizziness symptoms, and maybe some sensory abnormalities - I remember I thought I had sharper vision. but that was all even then. am I some kind of mystery, because my symptoms are all psychiatric? that's why I haven't really understood, why I am so different - for example I have not got any intolerances (like for some foods, coffee, vitamins etc). I guess I'm lucky for that. although my symptoms are really not easier, I'm really tortured by them. No, it's not that weird, certainly not a mystery or anything. Withdrawal plays out differently for people, that's all. Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010. Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea. Feb 15 2010: 300 mg Neurontin 200 Lamictal 10 Celexa 0.65 Xanax and 5 mg Ambien Feb 10 2014: 62 Lamictal 1.1 Celexa 0.135 Xanax 1.8 Valium Feb 10 2015: 50 Lamictal 0.875 Celexa 0.11 Xanax 1.5 Valium Feb 15 2016: 47.5 Lamictal 0.75 Celexa 0.0875 Xanax 1.42 Valium 2/12/20 12 0.045 0.007 1 May 2021 7 0.01 0.0037 1 Feb 2022 6 0!!! 0.00167 0.98 2.5 mg Ambien Oct 2022 4.5 mg Lamictal (off Celexa, off Xanax) 0.95 Valium Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilu Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 What symptoms would you add to this chart? I noticed that there are a few consistent ones that I get, that are not listed here. Like, brainfog, dizzy, light-sensitive, noise-sensitive, insomnia (at bedtime and/or in early AM). Please contribute your experience! I am thinking of making a better chart to be used daily. Maybe even creating a custom journal somehow. I wish there was a 2014 planner that had all these categories listed, as well as sections on sleep, exercise, weather, etc. Kind of like: http://www.memoryminder.com/healthminder_detail_view.asp I also found an online journal that tracks symptoms based on conditions, and is currently free to use: http://www.symptomjournal.com/ For your convenience, I am posting them here: PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS That Mimic Depression 1. Crying spells 2. Worsened mood 3. Low energy (fatigue,lethargy, malaise) 4. Trouble concentrating 5. Insomnia or trouble sleeping 6. Change in appetite 7. Suicidal thoughts 8. Suicide attempts That Mimic Anxiety Disorders 9. Anxious, nervous, tense 10. Panic attacks (racing heart, breathless) 11. Chest pain 12. Trembling, jittery, or shaking Irritability and Aggression 13. Irritability 14. Agitation (restlessness, hyperactivity) 15. Impulsive 16. Aggressiveness 17. Self-harm 18. Homicidal thoughts or urges Confusion and Memory Problems 19. Confusion or cognitive difficulties 20. Memory problems or forgetfulness Mood Swings 21. Elevated mood (feeling high) 22. Mood swings 23. Manic-like reactions Hallucinations 24. Auditory hallucinations 25. Visual hallucinations Dissociation 26. Feeling detached or unreal Other 27. Excessive or intense dreaming 28. Nightmares MEDICAL SYMPTOMS That Mimic the Flu 29. Flu -like aches and pains 30. Fever 31. Sweats 32. Chills 33. Runny nose 34. Sore eyes That Mimic Gastroenteritis 35. Nausea 36. Vomiting 37. Diarrhea 38. Abdominal pain or cramps 39. Stomach bloating Dizziness 40. Disequilibrium 41. Spinning, swaying, lightheaded 42. Hung over or waterlogged feeling 43. Unsteady gait, poor coordination 44. Motion sickness Headache 45. Headache Tremor 46. Tremor Sensory Abnormalities 47. Numbness, burning,or tingling 48. Electric zap-like sensations in the brain 49. Electric shock-like sensations in the body 50. Abnormal visual sensations 51. Ringing or other noises in the ears 52. Abnormal smells or tastes Other 53. Drooling or excessive saliva 54. Slurred speech 55. Blurred vision 56. Muscle cramps, stiffness, twitches 57. Feeling of restless legs 58. Uncontrollable twitching of mouth 2005-2008: Effexor; 1/2008 Tapered 3 months, then quit. 7/2008-2009 Reinstated Effexor (crying spells at start of new job.) 2009-3/2013: Switched to Pristiq 50 mg then 100 mg 3/2013: Switched to Lexapro 10mg. Cut down to 5 mg. CT for 2 weeks then reinstated for 6 weeks 8/2013-8/2014: Tapering Lexapro (Lots of withdrawal symptoms) 11/2014 -8/2015: Developed severe insomnia and uncontrollable daily crying spells 12/2014-6/2015: Tried Ambien, Klonopin, Ativan, Lunesta, Sonata, Trazadone, Seroquel, Rameron, Gabapentin - Developed Anxiety disorder, PTSD, and Psychogenic Myoclonus 7/2015-1/2016: Reinstated Lexapro 2 mg (mild improvement, but crying spells still present) 1/2016-5/2017: Lexapro 5 mg ( helped a lot, but poor stress tolerance & depressive episodes) 5/20/2017 - Raised dose to Lexapro 10 mg due to lingering depression(Total of 2 failed tapers & severe PAWS) 9/11/2018 - Present: Still on 10 mg Lexapro and mostly recovered.(Anxiety still triggers Myoclonus.) 10/7/2022 - 20 mg Lexapro (brand only) Plus occasional Klonopin for anxiety and Ambien for insomnia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I just read this recently and there is a WD checklist a bit more extensive than this on TheRoadBack Site. Yes, there are other symptoms, but this just about sums it up..... Thank goodness at least one doctor recognizes it:) Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinacc Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I agree. I have also thought about making a custom one. I especially like that it includes a section for diet and weather. I think those are two very important factors that are sometimes overlooked. I just purchased a 2014 Calendar/planner notebook. (for now) I figured I would be more likely to stick with the charting if the paper was already there and bound together rather than needing to print one out for each day, and find a way to keep them together and in order. However there's not much room for me to write. Blurb.com has spiral bound notebooks you can create. Not sure of the price though. I'm sure you could make a file on your computer and upload it to there. The healthminder journal you posted looks good too though. $13.45 for 95 days doesn't sound too hateful when you consider paper and ink. I might look into that one. - 2006 - 2009 Prozac 20mg - June 2009- February 2010 OB/GYN recommended switching to wellbutrin while pregnant with 2nd child. - February 2010 switched back to Prozac 20mg Have been weaning since 2013ish - Currently at 4mg My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/5546-kristinacc-intro/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted January 22, 2014 Administrator Share Posted January 22, 2014 Lilu, is that site specifically capturing withdrawal 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilu Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Lilu, is that site specifically capturing withdrawal symptoms? Probably Not...but I haven't signed up and explored it yet. 2005-2008: Effexor; 1/2008 Tapered 3 months, then quit. 7/2008-2009 Reinstated Effexor (crying spells at start of new job.) 2009-3/2013: Switched to Pristiq 50 mg then 100 mg 3/2013: Switched to Lexapro 10mg. Cut down to 5 mg. CT for 2 weeks then reinstated for 6 weeks 8/2013-8/2014: Tapering Lexapro (Lots of withdrawal symptoms) 11/2014 -8/2015: Developed severe insomnia and uncontrollable daily crying spells 12/2014-6/2015: Tried Ambien, Klonopin, Ativan, Lunesta, Sonata, Trazadone, Seroquel, Rameron, Gabapentin - Developed Anxiety disorder, PTSD, and Psychogenic Myoclonus 7/2015-1/2016: Reinstated Lexapro 2 mg (mild improvement, but crying spells still present) 1/2016-5/2017: Lexapro 5 mg ( helped a lot, but poor stress tolerance & depressive episodes) 5/20/2017 - Raised dose to Lexapro 10 mg due to lingering depression(Total of 2 failed tapers & severe PAWS) 9/11/2018 - Present: Still on 10 mg Lexapro and mostly recovered.(Anxiety still triggers Myoclonus.) 10/7/2022 - 20 mg Lexapro (brand only) Plus occasional Klonopin for anxiety and Ambien for insomnia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted January 22, 2014 Administrator Share Posted January 22, 2014 Unless it's specifically capturing withdrawal symptoms, my guess is if you check off symptoms that "mimic" psychiatric symptoms, that site is going to put you in the psychiatric diagnosis basket. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilu Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Unless it's specifically capturing withdrawal symptoms, my guess is if you check off symptoms that "mimic" psychiatric symptoms, that site is going to put you in the psychiatric diagnosis basket. I don't think that matters. It would be a private account that would let you track your symptoms daily. As long as the symptoms are listed, you can include them. But I think I found something even better - a downloadable and customizable mental health software! It is currently free, and can be found on this site: http://www.findingoptimism.com/ I looked at the screen shots of the software, and there is a section where you can add or delete symptoms and categories as you wish. Looks very promising. There's a section for goal setting, and it allows one to also track triggers and create charts and reports of your progress. I also noticed a SYNC button, I wonder if I can sync it with Outlook and create a calendar. I'll report back after I try it. I tried the optimism software and found that I can't use it due to the fact that the font is too tiny for me to see and there's no way to change it. Also there seems to be a bug in the software, as the main window can't be maximized. Also the only place to note the medication dose info is in the notes section. So I decided to just make due with a good old fashioned daily planner for now. 2005-2008: Effexor; 1/2008 Tapered 3 months, then quit. 7/2008-2009 Reinstated Effexor (crying spells at start of new job.) 2009-3/2013: Switched to Pristiq 50 mg then 100 mg 3/2013: Switched to Lexapro 10mg. Cut down to 5 mg. CT for 2 weeks then reinstated for 6 weeks 8/2013-8/2014: Tapering Lexapro (Lots of withdrawal symptoms) 11/2014 -8/2015: Developed severe insomnia and uncontrollable daily crying spells 12/2014-6/2015: Tried Ambien, Klonopin, Ativan, Lunesta, Sonata, Trazadone, Seroquel, Rameron, Gabapentin - Developed Anxiety disorder, PTSD, and Psychogenic Myoclonus 7/2015-1/2016: Reinstated Lexapro 2 mg (mild improvement, but crying spells still present) 1/2016-5/2017: Lexapro 5 mg ( helped a lot, but poor stress tolerance & depressive episodes) 5/20/2017 - Raised dose to Lexapro 10 mg due to lingering depression(Total of 2 failed tapers & severe PAWS) 9/11/2018 - Present: Still on 10 mg Lexapro and mostly recovered.(Anxiety still triggers Myoclonus.) 10/7/2022 - 20 mg Lexapro (brand only) Plus occasional Klonopin for anxiety and Ambien for insomnia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted February 1, 2014 Administrator Share Posted February 1, 2014 Thanks for reporting back, Lilu. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted May 21, 2014 Administrator Share Posted May 21, 2014 Glad you appreciate it! The bbs structure is good for collecting odd bits of info. The problem is finding them later. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Addax Posted May 25, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 25, 2015 I am wondering about the purely psychological symptoms of withdrawal (as opposed to the physical symptoms). Primarily the ones that have only been experienced AFTER taking and/ or withdrawing. I'm hoping people will add to the list if I've missed some (I'm sure I have). Some of the psychological symptoms I've experienced and read about in other threads are: Intense Anxiety "Complete" Anhedonia Ruminating thoughts (negative content) Extreme guilt/obsessing over things you feel guilty about Self loathing / extreme self consciousness Suicidal ideation 1988-2012: Prozac @ 60mg (with a few failed attempts to discontinue) Fall 2012: Returned to 40mg after horrid withdrawal symptoms Fall 2013: 40mg Fluoxetine, added 150mg Wellbutrin to treat fatigue Winter 2014: Attempting to taper (too fast) April 2014: 9mg Fluoxetine + 37.5 Wellbutrin Summer 2014: 8 mg Fluoxetine + 0 Wellbutrin Late summer/Early Fall 2014: Debilitating Withdrawal symptoms Oct- Dec 2014: Panicked reinstatement began ->30mg Fluoxetine March 2015->Jan 2021: taper to 20mg Fluoxetine Jan 2021 20 mg - Began tapering by 1mg every 2-3 months December 2022: 9mg My 2014 withdrawal experience: https://rxisk.org/antidepressant-withdrawal-a-prozac-story/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura1981 Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I had paranoid thoughts and thoughts that I would class psychotic at some stage. I also have crying spells and fits of rage. Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland: https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 • early-morning awakening with a) dread/terror & regret/hopelessness at the entire experience of the first few hours at least. • difficulty enjoying face-to-face meet-ups occasions • long periods of sitting without moving • sense of having been"left behind age cohort while using 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GardeniaBlossom Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 dissociation After being on (over 25) psychiatric meds continuously during a 16 year period, I began in July 2014 to taper off 1mg Klonopin. In September 2014, I came off Brintellix, Trazadone, Zoloft, Proprityline & Hydroxyzine in 2 weeks on my own without knowledge on how to taper properly. I've been off all psych "meds" since 10/2014 and am currently experiencing protracted withdrawal. Medication history: Vibryd, Wellbutrin, Lithium, Prozac, Xanax, Celexa, Cymbalta, Trileptal, Lamictal, Abilify, Zoloft, Trazadone, Citalopram, Effexor, Seroquel, Klonopin, Paxil, Brintellix, Protriptyline, Lexapro, Pristiq, Buspar, Clonidine, Lorazepam, Notriptyline, Hydroxyzine, Serzone. Introduction: http://bit.ly/1SIxWwl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura1981 Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 loss of caring for others, even family obsessiveness complete absence of motivation Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland: https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Dan998 Posted May 31, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 31, 2015 I constantly think about my life before meds. Grieving for the person that I used to be. Difficulty with language and comprehension. Inability to concentrate. 2001: 20mg paroxetine2003-2014: Switched between 20mg citalopram and 10mg escitalopram with several failed CT's2015: Jan/ Feb-very fast taper off citalopram; Mar/ Apr-crashed; 23 Apr-reinstated 5mg; 05 May-updosed to 10mg; 15 Jul-started taper; Aug-9.0mg; Sep-8.1mg; Oct-7.6mg; Nov-6.8mg; Dec-6.2mg2016: Jan-5.7mg; Feb-5.2mg; Mar-5.0mg; Apr-4.5mg; May-4.05mg; Jun-3.65mg; Jul-3.3mg; Aug-2.95mg; 04Sep-2.65mg; 25Sep-2.4mg; 23Oct-2.15mg; 13Nov-1.95mg; 04Dec-1.75mg; 25Dec-1.55mg.2017: 08Jan-1.4mg; 22Jan-1.25mg; 12Feb-1.1mg; 26Feb-1.0mg; 05Mar-0.9mg; 15Mar-0.8mg; 22Mar-0.7mg; 02Apr-0.6; 09Apr-0.5mg; 16Apr-0.4mg; 23Apr-0.3; 03May-0.2mg; 10May-0.1mg Finished taper 17 May 2017. Read my success story I am not a medical professional. The information I provide is not medical advice. If in doubt please consult with a qualified healthcare provider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLB Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Wow Dan, I constantly think about me before meds too and I grieve for the person I was too but it is ever so slowly coming back so have hope..... Paxil start September 2003 due to Fluoroquinolone adverse reaction that I wish doc. knew what it was. 10mg. most of the time with a few short runs of 20mg. FAST tapered 3 times and finally hit poop out or a reaction to nsaid's in Nov.2013. Started a 10% taper Jan. 2014 and have been ok until Sept 14 and went through a short hell. Now plodding through and looking for the light with unrelenting insomnia and pain, fog, loss of interests....<p>12/20/14 - .8mg. 1/01/15 - .75 mg. 1/15/15 - .42 mg. better sleep now, hope it continues... 2/11-15 - .25 mg. doing really good!! 2 weeks feel 85% of old me! 3/17/15 .14 mg. Knee pain bad! 4/07/15 .05 mg. this is so small now that I am estimating and just licking it off palm small as a "." 4/13/15 NOTHING !!!! Took my last little micro dose on 4/12/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura1981 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Me too.... I look at old pictures and cry.... Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland: https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a99 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 impaired short term memory horrible DR/DP sky high anxiety ruminating thoughts On and off prozac from 2010 -2014 . Several failed fast tapers and reinstatements . Cold turkey : March 2014 . ----------------------------------------- took lysanxia 40 mg a day for almost a year november -14- 2018 weaned to 30 mg november -26- 2018 weaned to 20 mg symptoms that got better : fatigue current symptoms : severe anxiety one rescue dose (10 mg ) december -15 -2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Addax Posted June 1, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 1, 2015 Laura, Westcoast, Gardinia, Dan, DLB, and a99, thank you for contributing to this list. Hopefully there will be more contributions and of course if you think of others add them. Feeling as though the pre-medicated person is lost... Grief. That's one I hadn't thought of in terms of grief until now, but it's definitely something I've read about repeatedly in people's threads. 1988-2012: Prozac @ 60mg (with a few failed attempts to discontinue) Fall 2012: Returned to 40mg after horrid withdrawal symptoms Fall 2013: 40mg Fluoxetine, added 150mg Wellbutrin to treat fatigue Winter 2014: Attempting to taper (too fast) April 2014: 9mg Fluoxetine + 37.5 Wellbutrin Summer 2014: 8 mg Fluoxetine + 0 Wellbutrin Late summer/Early Fall 2014: Debilitating Withdrawal symptoms Oct- Dec 2014: Panicked reinstatement began ->30mg Fluoxetine March 2015->Jan 2021: taper to 20mg Fluoxetine Jan 2021 20 mg - Began tapering by 1mg every 2-3 months December 2022: 9mg My 2014 withdrawal experience: https://rxisk.org/antidepressant-withdrawal-a-prozac-story/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Addax Posted June 1, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 1, 2015 This complete absence of motivation I experienced last fall. For me it wasn't part of depression. It wasn't like, I dont "feel" like doing... Whatever. It was not feeling at all. Numb. Intellectually I knew I should do it, but that was the extent of it. Even eating and showering. It wasn't that I didn't feel like doing them. I just didn't feel anything about them and didnt do them. Does that sound familiar to anyone? 1988-2012: Prozac @ 60mg (with a few failed attempts to discontinue) Fall 2012: Returned to 40mg after horrid withdrawal symptoms Fall 2013: 40mg Fluoxetine, added 150mg Wellbutrin to treat fatigue Winter 2014: Attempting to taper (too fast) April 2014: 9mg Fluoxetine + 37.5 Wellbutrin Summer 2014: 8 mg Fluoxetine + 0 Wellbutrin Late summer/Early Fall 2014: Debilitating Withdrawal symptoms Oct- Dec 2014: Panicked reinstatement began ->30mg Fluoxetine March 2015->Jan 2021: taper to 20mg Fluoxetine Jan 2021 20 mg - Began tapering by 1mg every 2-3 months December 2022: 9mg My 2014 withdrawal experience: https://rxisk.org/antidepressant-withdrawal-a-prozac-story/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prestorb Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Complete lack of motivation and depression much of the time, then something will trigger a switch to the other extreme - emotional overload, crying, etc... I try to see this as progress because I am "feeling", it is just highly unregulated. Maybe the other extreme is my brains way of protecting me from overwhelming emotions all of the time. I can appreciate this, even though both ends of the spectrum are challenging in their own ways. 2005-2009, Lexapro 10 - 20 mg, CT WD w/severe depression and anxiety: 2010-2015, Paxil, 30 - 40 mg, tapered off at 10 mg/week, moderate anxiety and depression: 2010-2015, Clonozapam 0.25 mg, as needed for anxiety and sleep: 1/10/2015, Zoloft 25 mg, tried to increase to 50 and 75, but nausea and dizziness: 2/13/2015, Paxil 5 mg, added back after 2 weeks at zero to reduce WD: 2/28/2015, Paxil 10 mg, increased from 5 mg to reduce WD, HOLDING: 3/04/2015, Zoloft discontinued (reduced to ~12.5 mg on 2/19, ~6.25 mg on 2/26, then zero): 4/26/2015, Paxil starting 10% taper (no scale so was inadvertently at 20% taper, yikes!): 4/30/2015, Paxil 10 mg, reinstated (WD disappeared between August 2015 and May 2016) 5/02/2016, Started 10% taper, reinstated to 10 mg on 5/11/16: 4/29/2017, Last dose of Paxil (working with holistic psychiatrist, lots of supplements to aid WD): Primary symptoms: apathy, demotivation, anhedonia, fatigue, stress intolerance, moderate social anxiety 7/1/2018 Finally feeling like myself again, success!!! Praise God! Even with the stress of relocating recently, I am feeling pretty good most of the time now. Granted, I eat healthy, I exercise, I don't drink caffeine or alcohol and I try hard find a healthy balance of quiet and social times. Hang in there and keep the faith, you can do it too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I found an interesting diagnosis in ICD-10. I wonder if they made it for post-AD syndrome. I googled but haven't found its origin yet. I hope it isn't a thread hi-jack. It doesn't all ring true, but some of it does. Enduring personality change after psychiatric illness Personality change, persisting for at least two years, attributable to the traumatic experience of suffering from a severe psychiatric illness. The change cannot be explained by a previous personality disorder and should be differentiated from residual schizophrenia and other states of incomplete recovery from an antecedent mental disorder. -This disorder is characterized by an excessive dependence on and a demanding attitude towards others; -conviction of being changed or stigmatized by the illness, -leading to an inability to form and maintain close and confiding -personal relationships and to social iso-lation -passivity, reduced interests, and diminished involvement in leisure activities; -persistent complaints of being ill, which may be associated with hypochondriacal claims and illness behaviour; -dysphoric or labile mood, not due to the presence of a current mental disorder or antecedent mental disorder with residual affective symptoms; -and longstanding problems in social and occupational functioning. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura1981 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Arghhhh... misdiagnosis made it into the DSM... that so doesn't surprise me Feb 2015 Took venlafaxine for 5 days only... experienced withdrawal that made me completely non-functional Mar 2015 took under 1mg of Sertraline for 10 days in an attempt to combat Venlafaxine withdrawal. Got adverse reactions. After stopping Sertraline, withdrawal got much worse. New, horrific symptoms. June 2015 Still non-functional but slowly getting better. Still brain zaps, migraines, sweating, heart racing, depression, crying spells September 2015: 24/7 brain zaps, twitches in the face, no concentration, bad memory, language skills deteriorating. Profile feed: http://goo.gl/3g2GRn Sign this petition for a blackbox warning on Prozac in Ireland: https://www.change.org/p/leo-varadakar-hpra-the-lack-of-a-blackbox-warning-on-prozac-in-ireland-and-its-use-by-the-hse-in-under-18-s?recruiter=63289046&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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