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@getofflex I continued my reinstatement doses at 0.5mg for now. After tapering down my caffeine intake, I stopped all coffee/caffeine on Saturday. I was forced to take lorazepam Saturday late morning to handle the rapidly increasing symptoms so it is hard to measure how Saturday really fared overall.

 

Sunday morning and afternoon were mild/tolerable. Unfortunately a pattern of significant discomfort started again early evening Sunday which seemed to mirror exactly what I experienced the previous Wednesday night. At 730pm, 3.5 hours after taking my reinstatement dose and 30 minutes after taking Propranolol, an intense surge of horrible feelings and symptoms picked up. This time I got up and started walking around, cleaning the kitchen, etc. I did my best to manage the symptoms, try to "float". After a while the head/brain symptoms decreased a bit and then came on even stronger. I ended up taking another 0.5 Ativan 3 hours after this started, and then struggled with one of the worst headaches of my life, even after the sedative kicked in. So all in all, not an enjoyable Sunday.

 

Other symptoms I have experienced this weekend:

  • Sensitivity to noise (as discussed)
  • Mild to moderate nausea
  • Light dizziness
  • Muscle fatigue
  • Continued anhedonia and brain fog
  • Ear pain/pressure associated with brain discomfort/pressure (they appear to be linked)
  • Lots of neck pain in the spinal area (what I think of as where the spinal cord meets the brain stem, the CNS control panel)
  • Internal trembling at night, mostly while sleeping or after waking
  • Continued chest "thumps" which I think could be the beta-blocker working? Not sure if others have made a similar association.
  • Facial flushing (lighter than last week)
  • Tingling

I realize this could be a big wave tied to multiple stressors, although this feels more intense than November and December. I continue to be suspect/paranoid that the reinstatement could be causing this, which is partly why I held the dose to 0.5mg. And I am devastated that I have needed to take Lorazepam multiple times! 

 

I don't even know what advice to ask for. I keep searching other threads looking for answers and similarities on the issue of reinstatement or symptoms but it scares me more than offers hope or direction. Thanks for all of your support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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1 hour ago, YachtRock said:

After tapering down my caffeine intake, I stopped all coffee/caffeine on Saturday.

I'm glad you have cut out caffeine.  That will rev up your nervous system.  

 

1 hour ago, YachtRock said:

I realize this could be a big wave tied to multiple stressors,

Multiple stressors could certainly put you in a wave.  It's happened to me many times.  The holiday season tends to be fraught with stress.  

 

1 hour ago, YachtRock said:

I continue to be suspect/paranoid that the reinstatement could be causing this, which is partly why I held the dose to 0.5mg.

But you said you were doing OK around 12/22, and on 12/27 you reported that the reinstatement had helped somewhat.  I believe the the stressors are probably the culprit here.  I don't think the reinstatement would cause it this far out (2 1/2 weeks).  If I were you, I would hold steady on the 0.5 mg for now.  Be patient, and do what you can to eliminate or reduce the stress.  

 

I suggest that you keep a daily journal of what and when you eat, when you sleep, and other activities, as well as environmental factors like weather changes, stress factors, etc.  You may very well find some patterns here, and be able to find out what triggers you.  I've done this, and it has helped me a great deal.  Many things can affect our nervous systems, and they are very sensitive when we are in withdrawal from psych meds.  I find I'm sensitive to stress, sudden weather changes, electrical storms, MSG, caffeine, among other things.  

 

1 hour ago, YachtRock said:

And I am devastated that I have needed to take Lorazepam multiple times! 

What non drug techniques have you tried for dealing with anxiety?  

Edited by getofflex

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Also, if you were a regular daily user of caffeine, maybe going off the caffeine suddenly has triggered your nervous system.  This started the day after you quit caffeine.  Are you abstaining from alcohol and other mind altering substances?  

Edited by getofflex

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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1 minute ago, getofflex said:

I suggest that you keep a daily journal of what and when you eat, when you sleep, and other activities, as well as environmental factors like weather changes, stress factors, etc.  You may very well find some patterns here, and be able to find out what triggers you.  I've done this, and it has helped me a great deal.  Many things can affect our nervous systems, and they are very sensitive when we are in withdrawal from psych meds.  I find I'm sensitive to stress, sudden weather changes, electrical storms, MSG, caffeine, among other things.

 

Actually I have been journaling daily since October on my Google calendar (and color-coding the days). I only recently in December started capturing everything from the day (meals, sleep, stressors, symptoms, exact times) and before that was just summarizing the day. I didn't think it made sense to copy and paste it all here, but I guess I could? I have been fervently studying it for patterns, in fact that is how I made the association between last night and last Wednesday, when a similar series of events and activities and timeframes seemed to be leading up to a massive brain wave that made me jump out of my skin last week. While I managed to avoid that same sensation, the head pressure, ear pain (and presumably anxiety) kept building and I seemingly could do nothing about it. While journaling has been very helpful, I realize it also makes me FOCUS on symptoms perhaps more than I should? As symptoms have increased, so has the length of my journal entries 🤔

 

3 minutes ago, getofflex said:

Also, if you were a regular daily user of caffeine, maybe going off the caffeine suddenly has triggered your nervous system.  This started the day after you quit caffeine.  Are you abstaining from alcohol and other mind altering substances?  

 

I have been thinking this today as well. I spent about two weeks drinking a medium coffee each morning with half the amount of grounds in each serving (we have a single-serving maker) prior to stopping. Caffeine withdrawal can include things besides headaches and those symptoms might have either triggered or exacerbated AD withdrawal symptoms. I also stopped drinking alcohol after Thanksgiving. But on the topic of stimulants, the biggest ongoing vice in my life is nicotine (currently Vuse Alto vape pods). This was next on my list to kick after ADs but now I feel unable to control it. Besides Ativan, it has been my rock for so much of my life and I believe an anxiety reliever. The best I can do is try to limit my nicotine intake, as I don't think going through full nicotine withdrawal right now is smart or manageable. But I am using "Dosecast" app on my phone to space out when I use it and eventually increase the time between. I estimate my daily intake around 36mg of nicotine and hope to get it below 20 by pacing myself. So clearly this is another factor, one I haven't mentioned much. It might also explain why my symptoms tend to cluster more in the evenings after it has built up in my bloodstream. I will search the forums later for more nicotine posts/stories. I have boxes of nicotine patches which might be a smart alternative as they would deliver consistent nicotine over time.

 

3 minutes ago, getofflex said:

But you said you were doing OK around 12/22, and on 12/27 you reported that the reinstatement had helped somewhat.  I believe the the stressors are probably the culprit here.

 

Correct. I had a two day window on the 20th and 21st, and a big upswing in symptoms later on the 22nd after posting that (also had to take Ativan that night). Same with the 27th, both Christmas and the day after were mild to "good" and that window seemed to last until the 28th. Things sort of went off the rails on the 29th and stayed moderate or worse since then. This would coincide with roughly the two week mark of reinstatement. My theory on reinstatement is that some combination of the following are true and I have no clue which or what changes if any to make:

  1. The 0.5mg RI dose is too small to have any impact, and I am just riding the same waves and windows I would have had without it
  2. The RI dose just took effect mid to late last week and the previous 4 days are really only showing adverse effects now (no relief in 6 days). If having to take Ativan two days in a row considered "significantly worse"?
  3. A slow steady increase, even up to 5mg (my jump off dose) may be the only solution long term, but not if #2 is true. 
  4. Stopping the reinstatement dose might help, might introduce other issues, might do nothing if #1 is true.
  5. You could be right, the reinstatement is helping but the presence of stressors (even subconsciously) is the key to the increase in more unbearable symptoms.

But I have a hard time believing what I have experienced the past 4 days could be caused by only "anxiety". It feels like a mix of brain signals getting mixed and things misfiring...

 

1 minute ago, getofflex said:

What non drug techniques have you tried for dealing with anxiety?  

 

Diaphragmatic breathing, meditation (usually very difficult in a big wave for me), distractions (usually computer based), walking. I had only recently started learning about CBT and ACT and the Weekes approach and the AAF/float technique. I try them but it is like trying to change your clothes on a waterslide. I realize it takes a LOT of practice and all of the "Acceptance" techniques are difficult to put into practice. Thank you so much @getofflexfor your care and compassion!

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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20 hours ago, YachtRock said:

The 0.5mg RI dose is too small to have any impact, and I am just riding the same waves and windows I would have had without it

 

20 hours ago, YachtRock said:

You could be right, the reinstatement is helping but the presence of stressors (even subconsciously) is the key to the increase in more unbearable symptoms.

From what I can gather about your situation, the reinstatement helped somewhat, and you are having some waves caused by other factors, such as stress, watching stimulating fast paces shows at night, quitting caffeine, possibly the stress of the holidays.  

 

I would not stop the reinstatement altogether.  This stuff takes time.  Please remember our nervous system are very complex, and contain billions of cells, so it takes quite a lot of time for things to heal and stabilize.  The last thing we want to do is jump around on our drugs, and change or drop the dose anytime you hit a wave.  That will just make things worse.  

 

If you are really convinced you may be having an adverse reaction, the thing to do is to carefully chart your symptoms both before and after you take your dose each day, and see how you feel after you take your drug dose.  

 

If no adverse reaction, then I think you have 2 options:  

 

1). just stay on the 0.5 mg Trintellix for a while, tough it out, and allow things to settle down and stabilize.  The advantage to this is, you have less drug to taper off of in the future. 

 

2) Go ahead and do a slight updose, and see it that doesn't help.  I would go up 0.75 mg Trintellix.  As before, give this a minimum of a week to let it get into your system. Remember, there is some risk to changing the dose.  

 

Reread this link on reinstatement, and let me know what you decide to do.  

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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20 hours ago, YachtRock said:

Diaphragmatic breathing, meditation (usually very difficult in a big wave for me), distractions (usually computer based), walking. I had only recently started learning about CBT and ACT and the Weekes approach and the AAF/float technique. I try them but it is like trying to change your clothes on a waterslide. I realize it takes a LOT of practice and all of the "Acceptance" techniques are difficult to put into practice.

Good job on the non drug coping techniques.  Yes, they are not easy. They do not take away the symptoms, but help us cope with them better.  Please bear in mind that this is not permanent - sooner or later this will improve, and become a thing of the past.  They keys are time and patience. 

Edited by getofflex

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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3 hours ago, getofflex said:

Reread this link on reinstatement, and let me know what you decide to do.  

 

I have read almost every post in that thread multiple times, maybe even 5 of the last 7 days. It is great information but always leaves me "stuck" in the end 😑.

 

3 hours ago, getofflex said:

Please bear in mind that this is not permanent - sooner or later this will improve, and become a thing of the past.  They keys are time and patience. 

 

I can't thank you enough @getofflex for your wisdom, guidance, support and caring! 

 

Just got a callback from my current psychiatrist, who apologized profusely for the mixup on Friday (office closed, etc). He is a nice guy, best I have worked with yet. He fully believes what I am going through is withdrawal, with a heavy amount of anxiety driving my primary discomfort. He doesn't think my uptick in "issues" is due to the 0.5mg dose of Trintellix, says it is too small of a dose. Couldn't comment on increasing or decreasing it, but did suggest Buspirone (Buspar). Just based on the limited searching I have done on this site, it sounds like it could be problematic, while a few have seen some relief. But I have yet to find any stories of people starting Buspar while already in the throws of full antidepressant withdrawal? He is going to call me back later to continue the conversation.

 

So the general consensus is that my extreme anxiety level is driving these current issues/wave. The more I can work to eliminate stress and anxious thoughts, the more I can continue the healing process. It gives me some hope that Trintellix may still yet provide some relief if I can get the anxiety under control or enough time passes, but damn that would mean my anxiety is doing some very horrible things in my brain and CNS that I would normally expect only pharmaceuticals were capable of. I am already restructuring my working role to eliminate as many stressors as possible so good news there.

 

Snapshot of my journal from January 3rd (moderate day, horrible late night/sleep, no lorazepam). This was an attempt to strip back my evening, where symptoms appear to be the worst, by skipping TV and other stimulation. Yet I still had a really bad night's sleep. And as you will see I had to return to a light amount of coffee as the headache was extreme.

 

630am awake, no headache at all but not feeling great. For a minute things felt "normal"
730am Reading SA, wrestling with the enormity of it all, feeling internal tremors/shakes, nausea, slight head and neck pain still. 
930am Nausea, head pressure and dry mouth currently. In a super fog, not sure what to think.
10am 10mg Propranolol working on the couch/laptop. Ate yogurt and granola. Did 25 minutes on the NordicTrack bike, then took a shower.
230pm Moved downstairs to continue working, ate a roast beef wrap
300pm Feeling only minor blips. Took 0.5mg Trintellix
430pm Made a small coffee as I felt more head pressure coming and want to avoid another massive headache if possible. 
600pm completed about 30min meditation (nindra). Emerged calm but still tense. Can sense inner vibrations, chills/tingling, slight head pressure but no headache.
7pm 10mg PR. Ate chicken and veggies for dinner.
745pm symptoms holding steady. Avoiding as many triggers as possible. Chest thumps starting
915pm In bed reading on laptop. So far still stable. No TV and minimizing stimulation.
11pm start to work towards sleep
(had horrible sleep, awoke multiple times from what seemed like nightmares, total around 6 hours)

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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23 hours ago, getofflex said:

If you are really convinced you may be having an adverse reaction, the thing to do is to carefully chart your symptoms both before and after you take your dose each day, and see how you feel after you take your drug dose.  

 

Without question, there has been a consistent pattern of mild morning symptoms improving until early afternoon, and then late afternoon -> evening -> late evening increase in symptoms and discomfort. I take my reinstatement dose at 3pm and it starts like clockwork about 90/120 minutes later. Trintellix hits peak plasma around 7-11 hours, which could explain why it gets so intense right as I am trying to sleep, and also happens whether I watch TV, work/play on the computer, or sit silently in my bedroom reading as I have done the past two nights to test this theory. This quote from @Altostrata on this thread basically summarizes my main concern:

 

Quote

Once disinhibition of the alerting system takes hold, it can become self-perpetuating. The whole question of neurotransmitter imbalance -- a chimera of psychiatry anyway -- becomes moot. No manipulation of serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine is going to help. In fact, it usually makes the condition worse.

 

I know it seems like I am constantly wrestling with this and your words have been extremely helpful/encouraging! My analytical mind just can't let go of this concern, no matter how "long term" my thinking is. In fact, the long term part is what worries me more (doing more damage over time or suffering worse). Is it standard WD or adverse reactions from RI. And I fully accept that nobody can answer that but me.  So apologies if I keep questioning the "stay the course" approach, I desperately hope I don't sound combative. Will keep going another week at this dose and see what unfolds. A window at any point might give me an entirely different perspective!

 

Here is my journal from yesterday. Will do my best to keep these more concise. And I am not considering Buspar...

 

5-530am awake after a restless night full of vivid dreams and quasi nightmares and extremely strange visualizations.
-- Last night was as low key as I could pull off... No TV, minimal screen time, meditation, reading. 
-- Kept the head symptoms and anxiety to moderate levels... but just barely.
6am Back to wrestling with reinstatement. Realize to stop it now would be tricky and may kill hopes of seeing improvement
815am slept another hour
9am up and trying to work. Mild symptoms
10am Small coffee, mushroom egg bites, 10mg PR
12pm Shower, still feeling mild+ symptoms all morning and as I worked last 2 hours
1230pm Office desk setting up for customer zoom call (anxious)
1pm Call generally went OK but some heavy chest thumps in the middle and a wave of anx. HR rose to 92 according to watch
2pm Call from Dr. Som. Will continue after 3pm but suggested Buspar.
-- Mood and symptoms slightly improving at the moment. New hope?
3pm 0.5mg Trintellix (19th reinstatement dose). Ate a turkey wrap
330pm Feeling ear pain starting again and body chills
4-430pm Had follow up with call Dr. Som, still feeling creeping anx.
-- Is all this more from the anx than adverse reactions?
6pm bedroom relaxing. Mild+ Ear pain, stuffy head, light tingling, facial tension, jaw (clenching?)
630pm internal trembling as I lie down and meditate
730pm reading ACT book. Same symptoms, still moderate level
8pm slight wave of chills and chest thumps. Few pieces of Krave jerky.
830pm still just sitting and reading. Symptoms slightly growing all around.
9pm suddenly warm all over, slight nausea (no dinner?). Ate some trail mix.
1130pm trying to fall asleep, restless, increase in symptoms
1230am jolted out of sleep, thought I was dying or had died. Suddenly massive spike of adrenaline. Horribly disturbing

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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  • Administrator

Hello, @YachtRock

 

Overall, do you feel better or worse since you started taking 0.5mg Trintellix? Do you feel better or worse after you take it in the evening?

 

How did you feel while you were taking 10mg-20mg Trintellix April-August 2021?

 

Please keep daily notes of times o’clock you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. We need to know how you feel before and after taking each drug, and your symptoms in between. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time o’clock on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right. This can show if your symptoms are adverse effects from one of your drugs.

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.

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Hello @Altostrata. I am capturing times, doses and symptoms daily since 12/28 and daily summaries since September. I will continue posting the logs going forward. Is my format too much info? To answer your questions:

  • I felt slightly better 4 of the first 11 days of reinstatement, which was 4 months after I stopped 5mg. My working theory is that the drug was still ramping up and not yet at full affect (66 hour HL) so this was a continuation of the 2 day waves/windows pattern I had through November and early December.
  • As of day 12 the intensity of newish head/brain/ear symptoms and insomnia dramatically increased. This felt distinctly different and more intense than before. This has continued the past 7 days in the same late afternoon evening pattern I described. Use of Ativan went from sparingly to a few times a week.
  • 6 of the past 7 days have seen the same symptom/pattern increase at the same time of day, starting roughly 2 hours after my 0.5mg dose, and continuing through to sleep (or attempted sleep). It is just nearly unbearable, which would be my trigger for taking Ativan (3 of those 6 days). Could be anxiety about the dose itself, or RI in general, which I wrestled with for a month before starting.
  • I never had ANY side effects or adverse reactions the entire time with Trintellix and nothing more than standard anxiety through the four month taper and 2 weeks following DC. And of course I switched from Effexor to Trintellix so the only drug I have some semblance of the initial side effects of was Cymbalta. I don't remember any issues from either time I switched.

I have analyzed and postulated many theories with @getofflex about the good and bad of my particular reinstatement. As soon as I share my current thinking here, I am surprised by something new. For example today, after my last post, I felt an increase in symptoms in the hour prior to taking my RI dose, and a reduction immediately after. But if I had to bet, I will have a similar pattern this evening and would be thrilled to be wrong! If my psychiatrist and getofflex (and my wife) are correct, these are more influenced by massive anxiety patterns and not Trintellix, but as I said, these latest symptoms are distinctly different than what I have experienced before. And two fully low-stress low-stimulation evenings have shown no shift in the trend.

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I'm glad you are not going to take Buspar.  That is what doctors do, they give drugs to people.  

 

What I need you to do please, is try and determine if your symptoms worsen each day after you take your 0.5 mg of Trintellix.  I know you said they did the one day.  But, we need to try and find patterns here.  

14 hours ago, YachtRock said:

As of day 12 the intensity of newish head/brain/ear symptoms and insomnia dramatically increased. This felt distinctly different and more intense than before. This has continued the past 7 days in the same late afternoon evening pattern I described.

 

From this, it sounds as if they do worsen after you take your Trintellix.  

14 hours ago, YachtRock said:
  • I never had ANY side effects or adverse reactions the entire time with Trintellix and nothing more than standard anxiety through the four month taper and 2 weeks following DC. And of course I switched from Effexor to Trintellix so the only drug I have some semblance of the initial side effects of was Cymbalta. I don't remember any issues from either time I switched.

 

Oftentimes, drugs that caused us no problems before can cause us problems.  That is because the more we change drugs, go on and off drugs, change doses, etc, the more our nervous systems tend to become sensitized.  This is called kindling.  

 

I think it's probably a good thing to not cold turkey off caffeine altogether.  That adds another variable to the mix, and it would be hard to figure out what is causing what.  Suddenly stopping caffeine can cause headaches.  

 

14 hours ago, YachtRock said:

For example today, after my last post, I felt an increase in symptoms in the hour prior to taking my RI dose, and a reduction immediately after.

I see.  Continue to keep your daily journal, and see which patterns persist.  Perhaps the quote above was just a one day fluke.  

 

It may just be that you are in a windows and waves pattern of recovery from these drugs.  You may just have to ride this out, and continue to use and perfect non drug strategies and ways of coping with the symptoms.  That is what I have done as I've gotten off my Lexapro, and it has paid off.  It sucks, and it's not pleasant, but time and patience really are the keys to healing from these nasty drugs.  

 

Good job on trying to keep things low key, and avoiding extra stimulation.  Keep us posted on how you are doing.  

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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  • Moderator Emeritus
14 hours ago, YachtRock said:

I felt slightly better 4 of the first 11 days of reinstatement

Please try and take an overall average of how you felt after the reinstatement.  Overall, have you felt better, or worse, or the same since the reinstatement?  

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

Link to comment
1 hour ago, getofflex said:

Please try and take an overall average of how you felt after the reinstatement.  Overall, have you felt better, or worse, or the same since the reinstatement?  

 

Overall I would say worse. But I actually believe this is because I was not "stable" to begin with. My symptom patterns were still changing just as I started reinstatement. AND it took a long time to reach full effect (the little effect that 0.5mg may have). Sort of like braking a car while going downhill. It is hard to compare the brake performance against "normal" under those conditions. This is probably why I struggle so much identifying better, worse and adverse.

 

But I can happily say I was wrong yesterday. Maybe it was a fluke, but the pattern broke and I scored only 17 points vs low 30s since Sunday. The differences were better sleep last night (7 hours), easier time falling asleep, no nightmares, less ear pain and improved appetite. I actually went back for seconds on the sushi 🍣😋! But the other symptoms (chest pain/thumps and head pressure) were still there.

 

So while I still did have an evening "ramp up" of symptoms, it was more mild and held at bay by continued low-stress activities and meditation. And this morning is similar to last Saturday the 1st, where symptoms ramped up dramatically in the AM instead of the PM. 

 

January 5th 

630am Awake, just under 6 hrs
730am Get up, small coffee, granola and yogurt
8am Chest heaviness, very tired, brain fog but functional 
9am HR elevated and chest pain. Car alarm in garage, EV is bricked again, needs tow. Major unexpected stressor. 
10am 10mg Propranolol. Work meetings
11am Car has been towed, feeling warming sensation in chest along with tightness and sharp pains. Knowing this is anxiety, accept and float, deep breathing. Head and ears still at mild state. 
1pm Working/journaling with mild but very frustrating sx (chest, head/ear pressure, light nausea, chills/tingling)
230pm shower, mild uneasiness, muscle fatigue, chest thumps, light trembling, nausea. Ate a little leftover keto gumbo
3pm general WD sx increasing (before dose) in head and chest to mod+ levels. 10mg Trintellix for good measure
4pm Symptoms relented a bit, slightly less head, ear and chest pain.
430pm Simmering tension, light chills, slight tremor in left leg (inside and out) when reclined.
530pm Mild sx head/ears ringing. Ate light sushi/gyoza
600pm 20 min Nindra meditation. HR 77. Feeling itchy inside? Slight chest pain.
700pm Sharper chest pain. Ate more sushi/gyoza (improved appetite!) Took 10mg Propranolol. Noticing metallic taste again.
800pm Increase in body sx (chest thumps, face/left eye pain, left leg feels hollow?) and slight increase in head pressure. Ears same. HR 74. Brain now itchy and more tense. Metallic taste only mild.
900pm reading in bed, HR 72. Body sx mild, head about the same, less tension, less "itch" and metallic taste but ears still painful. Solfeggio audio headphones and reading paperback on mental resilience (no screen!)
930pm HR 67. Sx same
10pm fell asleep reading (miracle) mild brain fog
11pm back to sleep

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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  • Administrator

I don't see the Trintellix dose in your notes.

 

2 hours ago, YachtRock said:
9am HR elevated and chest pain.

 

Does this happen every day? Have you had the chest pain checked?

 

Please avoid using the <code> tag, paste plain text, thanks.

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.

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2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

I don't see the Trintellix dose in your notes.

 

I will put it first. 10mg Trintellix (or sometimes TR) at 3pm every day.

 

MOD NOTE: He made a mistake, so I'm editing this for him.  It should have said 10 mg Propanolol instead of Trintellix.  

 

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Does this happen every day? Have you had the chest pain checked?

 

Not every day, no. This has been a pattern for a LONG time and consistently appears to be a symptom of anxiety. I had my heart checked (EKG, bloodwork, and 24 hour monitor) in early/mid October after one of my first WD bad experiences, which led to the Propranolol Rx. I am always paranoid about it and the medical checks always come back with nothing. But thank you very much for asking that! 

 

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Please avoid using the <code> tag, paste plain text, thanks.

 

Absolutely, no problem. I realize the text doesn't wrap as well. I am using it constantly for work related communications (software).

Edited by getofflex

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
  • Administrator

When did you increase to 10mg Trintellix?

 

Do you regularly take propranolol only once a day?

 

How do you feel before and after you vape tobacco? How often do you take a benzo? Please include this in your daily notes.

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
16 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

When did you increase to 10mg Trintellix?

 

I never increased. I was switched from Effexor to 20mg Trintellix at the beginning of 2020 which I took for 16 months (approximately). I tapered to 10mg for 2 months then 5mg for two months before stopping last August. You may have been confusing it with...

 

18 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Do you regularly take propranolol only once a day?

 

No I take 10mg of Propranolol (PR) twice a day at 10am and 7pm. Sorry if I forgot to include that in one of the logs. It was prescribed in October after the concerns about racing heart and going to urgent care the next day. My current psychiatrist suggested it knowing I was having some extreme anxiety and said beta blockers would help.

 

19 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

How do you feel before and after you vape tobacco? How often do you take a benzo? Please include this in your daily notes.

 

I don't feel specific effects from vaping nicotine (not tobacco). This may be because it is so engrained in my daily life. As I told @getofflex it was next on my list to taper and quit after Trintellix. I've been mostly successful at timing my intake the past few weeks, I space it out by 20 minutes and only "puff" on it 3 times. But throughout the day I forget and do it without thinking about it. I realize it is a critical stimulant that I need to keep under control and reduce as much as possible (like caffeine) so doing my best! 

 

As for Lorazepam, I have not taken it since Sunday. It is purely as needed (0.5mg), and desperately trying to keep it that way and take as little as possible. It was always been my "rescue" dose when anxiety got really bad, and primarily for long flights. Once WD kicked in fully in December, I "had" to take it a number of times, and a few times took 1mg. I have been keen to look out for separate/new withdrawal symptoms that might indicate tolerance or dependence, but thankfully that has not been an issue. Now that I know more about benzos, I am truly trying every non-drug coping mechanism and new learning I can find before resorting to it.

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
1 minute ago, YachtRock said:

How often do you take a benzo? Please include this in your daily notes.

 

Ah you wouldn't see it in the three daily notes I have posted as I have not taken it the past 3 days 😬

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
1 hour ago, YachtRock said:

I will put it first. 10mg Trintellix (or sometimes TR) at 3pm every day.

Is this a mistake?  Did you mean to say 10 mg Propanolol?  Are you still on the 0.5 mg Trintellix? 

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

Link to comment
7 minutes ago, getofflex said:

Is this a mistake?  Did you mean to say 10 mg Propanolol?  Are you still on the 0.5 mg Trintellix? 

 

OOPS yes apologies. That should say 0.5mg Trintellix. And I take that at 3pm every day. Can't edit our own posts can we?

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

I can edit that for you.  Please check my edit and make sure it is correct.   It's highlighted in green. 

 

Edited by getofflex

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

Link to comment
9 minutes ago, getofflex said:

I can edit that for you.  Please check my edit and make sure it is correct.   It's highlighted in green. 

 

Thanks for that. Actually no it should have said 0.5mg Trintellix at 3pm every day. The 10mg Propranolol I take at 10am and 7pm. Sorry for the hassle lol. 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

OK, please update your drug sig with the correct drug dosing information and times of day.  It will no longer let me edit your post.  

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

Link to comment

Yesterday was worse than the day before, but not as bad as Monday and Tuesday. Still no Ativan, but multiple periods of discomfort/unease throughout the day, more intense at night. Initially had trouble staying on the couch in the evening, but later managed to play solitaire while my wife watched TV. I can only spend so many evenings in a row in bed reading... Had more anxiety than usual mid-day (for known reasons) and slightly less anxiety in the evening (floating?) but the head/brain symptoms and unease were higher after the RI dose than before. Both yesterday and today have seen spikes in symptoms early in the day, and I am still battling them as I write this.

 

It occurs to me that while focusing on the daily micro symptoms, I often don't mention the "macro" effects of my withdrawal. I am now very fearful of travel (two big trips already canceled), weary of anything longer than a few hours outside the house, even knowing I would have Ativan available to me. I remain sensitive to noises, ears constantly ringing, general loss of appetite, completely disrupted/modified daily routine, unable to enjoy most TV, movie and game content. No desire to cook, although I have no issues cleaning. And lack of motivation to get basic things done around the house. And perhaps most importantly, it has taken a toll on my ability to work, as I have cut back my hours by half and changed my role at work starting this week. This was going to happen at some point any way, but withdrawal has accelerated the timeline.

 

January 6th

6:30am awake, good sleep, no nightmares (7 hours total). Avg HR 59.
7:30am in bed reading, mild head and ear symptoms. Body sx low.
8:00am oatmeal with raisins and almonds. Feel sharp rise in discomfort, uneasiness, fear. Body and brain "itchy" again. Breathing exercises.
9:00am at the computer, sx abating slightly
10:00am 10mg Propranolol, sx still mild, new life/work stressors
11:00am Still mild, mixed symptoms
12:00pm Ate a few sushi leftovers, mod stress, feel head/ear pain increasing and light tingling
2:00pm Exactly the same, no changes. Feeling a bit lethargic.
2:30pm Ate a few more gnocchi leftovers (happy to be hungry). Slight burst of anxiety for known reasons.
3:00pm 0.5mg Trintellix. 25 min neighborhood walk.
3:45pm Feeling more tingling, ear pain, same anxiety from earlier. Minor palpitations. A few short breathing exercises.
4:00pm Moved back to my laptop to try distractions. Anx/tension easing a bit. Feeling a little clammy/sweaty palms.
5:00pm Mod uneasiness, head pressure and ear pain, discomfort. Little waves coming over my body.
5:30pm Little better now than before.
6:00pm 20 minute guided meditation. Feeling tingles and light waves. Still moderate anxiety and head pressure
6:30pm Increasing discomfort, head "swirling" a bit. HR 84
7:00pm 10mg Propranolol. Head pressure, anxiety increasing. Moved from couch to bed, quiet room. Chest thumps, body buzzing. Still health/drug anxiety and worry. Much worse than AM.
8:00pm Playing solitaire on the couch, semi-relaxed. Head and chest pain. Brain pressure. Have relieved the anx but now just riding the mod+ wave head and body. HR 65
8:30pm ate leftover sushi
9:00pm increasing chest pain
10:00pm in bed reading, music. Head congestion.
11:00pm Trying to go to sleep but feeling restless.

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

It sounds to me as though you are having an adverse reaction to the 0.5 mg of Trintellix. Therefore, I would not updose.  However, you are also having symptoms of withdrawal from the Trintellix.  This puts you between a rock and a hard place.  We have to get you off the Trintellix, but not so fast that the withdrawal symptoms become severe, and worse than the adverse reaction.  

 

If it were me, I would hold steady on the Trintellix reinstatement for now.  Then, on January 14, I would make a slight reduction.  I would reduce to 0.45 mg of Trintellix.  That is a 10% reduction.  

 

I know this is rough, but hang in there.  As you very carefully get off of this, gradually the withdrawal and adverse reaction should get better.  

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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59 minutes ago, getofflex said:

It sounds to me as though you are having an adverse reaction to the 0.5 mg of Trintellix. Therefore, I would not updose.  However, you are also having symptoms of withdrawal from the Trintellix.  This puts you between a rock and a hard place.  We have to get you off the Trintellix, but not so fast that the withdrawal symptoms become severe, and worse than the adverse reaction.  

 

Definitely not updosing at this point. In fact I am supposed to take my 3pm dose in 10 minutes and now scared to do so. Regarding the timing and taper amount, I believe Alto had said you could drop by as much as 25% from these smaller doses, if you were not on them long? CORRECTION it was KarenB who said:

 

Quote

It would pay to taper, but it can be done at a faster rate than the usual 10% monthly (unless w/d symptoms indicate otherwise).  You could try reducing by 25%, waiting a week and assessing how you are feeling.  If all is good, try another 25% and so on.  If symptoms increase, that is a clear sign to slow the taper.

 

Regardless, I only have 15 milligrams of pill weight to work from (0.015 on my scale). And it is really hard to nail specific weights of powder. My thought was to drop to 0.012 (ish) which would be 20% and hold a while? But not sure I understand your thinking on waiting another week before starting that?

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment

Friday was still a little worse than Thursday, mostly concentrated around late morning and midday. The late afternoon and evening symptoms were present and disruptive but tolerable. I managed to get through two full "light" movies for the first time. I had some GI/bowel issues that I am certain was from eating leftovers that were no longer good. While tension and discomfort were up there at times, it seemed like the underlying anxiety remained mild/low the last two evenings. But these days with new symptoms and sensations popping up, it gets harder and harder to differentiate the bad feelings. I did not take any Ativan the entire week which is a win.

 

Regarding the status of reinstatement, I recognize that there could have been some small benefits from the Trintellix this past week, amidst what may have just been a very challenging wave. @Altostrata based on my exchange with @getofflex yesterday, do you think it is safe to taper the 0.5mg Trintellix at 20%? I need to crush and weigh out more pills so I have to decide in the next five hours. I may stick with 0.5mg for now until we sort this out.

 

Friday January 7th

6:00am Awake, slept 6 hours (HR 58). No nightmares or trouble falling asleep other than mild restlessness. Woke to light internal trembling and ear pain.
7:00am Stomach discomfort, no nausea. Reading in bed.
7:30am Anxiety increasing over physical sensations. Mind racing a bit. Cortisol spike?
8:00am Odd feelings, thoughts. Can't focus on reading.
8:30am Getting a wave of brain patterns that are new and uncomfortable (moderate)
9:30am Laptop working/journaling, tension easing a bit
10:00am 10mg Propranolol. Now light nausea.
10:30am Felt light smothering (haven't felt that in a while, my least favorite) along with chest thumps. Tension and discomfort is higher than usual.
11:00am Nausea increasing, ate a bowl of cereal. Sx about the same (moderate). Strange metallic taste in my mouth, different than normal (med taste).
12:00pm Things improving slightly. Chest heaviness when sitting down. Sun came out for the first time in weeks, literally a "ray of hope"
12:30pm Regular sx tiny bit less, still trying to work and float above it. Massive JOLT of dizziness while working on my laptop (not moving other than eyes and fingers). Vertigo? Disequilibrium? Would seem tied to all the ear pain/issues, which have increased the past few days.
1:00pm Still trying to figure out what that was. Perhaps time to rest for a bit... Feeling jaw tension and strange body feeling. Hands have gotten more clammy in the past two hours
1:30pm Still cautious about the disequilibrium, strange head sensations continue, which trickle down to arms, chest, etc. Eating some keto gumbo for protein.
2:00pm stopped working, laying down to breathe/relax
3:15pm Took last 0.5mg Trintellix pill I had and considering taper down for adverse reactions.
3:45pm Most of the AM symptoms have simmered down. Those were hairy and unexpected.
4:15pm Feeling head/brain symptoms increase once again. Slight headache (left side)
5:00pm laying down on the couch. Mod internal trembling, head pressure and ear pain
6:00pm Same but noticing much less general anxiety, just tons of discomfort.
6:30pm Ate cauliflower pizza. Chest tension.
8pm Watching light TV. Chest tension/warming. Slight increase in head waves/surges.
9pm In bed relaxing, reading
10:45pm Asleep ** Slept 8 hours uninterrupted! **

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment

Damn, I missed one. I DID take another 10mg Propranolol at 7pm but forgot to record it, sorry.

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
  • Administrator
3 hours ago, YachtRock said:

10:00am 10mg Propranolol. Now light nausea.
10:30am Felt light smothering (haven't felt that in a while, my least favorite) along with chest thumps. Tension and discomfort is higher than usual.

 

Do you often get odd symptoms like these after taking propranolol?

 

3 hours ago, YachtRock said:

8pm Watching light TV. Chest tension/warming. Slight increase in head waves/surges.

 

What happened after the 7 p.m. propranolol? What dosage? Did you feel better or worse?

 

3 hours ago, YachtRock said:

10:45pm Asleep ** Slept 8 hours uninterrupted! **

 

Is 8 hours of sleep unusual? What has your sleep pattern been in the last 2 weeks?

 

If I were you, I would obtain more Trintellix. You don't want to just quit, do you?

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.

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20 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

If I were you, I would obtain more Trintellix. You don't want to just quit, do you?

 

I have more Trintellix 5mg pills leftover from July. No I am not planning to CT. I just haven't crushed any more yet. I took my last microdose pill yesterday. And I have a Rx I can fill this week which would give me 30 x 5mg more. I will be crushing more powder shortly for my reinstatement dose. I can either stick to 0.5mg or begin tapering. The question would be by how much?

 

21 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Is 8 hours of sleep unusual? What has your sleep pattern been in the last 2 weeks?

 

 

I have been averaging 6 hours of sleep the past week, closer to 7 the week before, so 8 was a pleasant surprise. Plus no trouble falling or staying asleep.

 

22 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

What happened after the 7 p.m. propranolol? What dosage? Did you feel better or worse?

Do you often get odd symptoms like these after taking propranolol?

 

No that is not a usual occurrence. I take 10mg of Propranolol twice per day. I sometimes associate the "chest thumps" with it, as logic tells me I am feeling it actively block the adrenaline from affecting my heart. But that could just be in my mind. I have taken it twice a day for 3 months. I can't say that I see an association with increased WD symptoms within the hours after taking Propranolol. I was told that it does not break the blood brain barrier and would have only a light effect (especially at only 20mg/day total).

 

Thanks @Altostrata

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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  • Administrator
4 hours ago, YachtRock said:

I have been averaging 6 hours of sleep the past week, closer to 7 the week before, so 8 was a pleasant surprise. Plus no trouble falling or staying asleep.

 

If I were you, I'd stay at your current dosing schedule for a good while longer, let this improvement consolidate. This may indicate further stabilization of other 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
2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

If I were you, I'd stay at your current dosing schedule for a good while longer, let this improvement consolidate. This may indicate further stabilization of other symptoms.

 

Thank you @Altostrata. So you do NOT think my symptom patterns are an indication of a failed reinstatement or adverse reaction? I can see the possibility that it has done some good in the past three weeks, but am distraught when the scores on my symptom tracker are increasing and trending in the wrong direction over time, and the symptoms keep changing. Just worse waves in my 5th month of WD?

 

Your questions about Propranolol have led me to think more about it, study more of my symptom logs and do much more research. I now realize that Propranolol (and all beta blockers) can cause Tinnitus. I knew about dizziness but not all the other possible (though rare) symptoms (Mayo Clinic). I would be concerned that tapering or eliminating it will bring back more intolerable anxiety (heart related), akathisia or worse.

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment

Hello @getofflex and @Altostrata. I could use some guidance or words of encouragement. Yesterday (Saturday) was both the BEST day of the month and the WORST night of the month so far (2nd worst total score since scoring my symptoms). I fear I have caused this through my actions and choices, but I am so tired right now I can not properly think through it. I am fairly certain I weighed my reinstatement dose properly, even calibrated the scale as usual. The only difference was "new" powder from crushing 4 pills yesterday vs the first round of powder from 3 pills on December 17th. But the number of pills shouldn't matter. The food choices were not smart, but I was really excited about the river walk, fresh air, sunshine (badly needed Vitamin D) and encouraged by the pace and symptom levels in the evening. I did (as we all do) continue to look up and learn about symptoms and read other members' stories, and was hyper focused on recording every detail of the day. Somewhere in there I went wrong... 

 

January 8th

7:00am Woke up, 8 hours of solid sleep! No issues
8:30am In bed, YT videos, slight tingling but calm. Sneezed a few times...
9:30am Cereal and small coffee. Reading laptop feeling slight uptick in head pressure or headache
10:00am Took 10mg Propranolol
11:00am Lying down reading. Light head pressure/ear, light tingling/chills, tiny bit of dizziness. All steadily increasing?
11:30am Less ear issues but more chest (thumps) and head pressure
12:00pm Feeling better, showered and leaving the house for a walk
1:00pm We walked 1.25 miles along the river. Kept the pace slow to avoid dizziness (felt none)
2:00pm Ate Steak burrito, guacamole and some chips. Have been feeling light chest symptoms since we got back in the car, and while picking up food. Notice ear pain starting to increase as well.
2:30pm Less sx at home, during and after lunch
3:00pm 0.5mg Trintellix (new powder). Ear pain about the same, still light/mild symptoms overall. Will try to take it easy the rest of the day. Pre-RI dose feeling mostly good/ok.
4:30pm Couch/TV. Slight internal trembling. Watching Doctor Who episodes (light, campy scifi)
5:00pm Was feeling very sleepy on the couch, scared me from the two surges I had the past week. Chills/shivering, faded after 30 min.
7:00pm 10mg Propranolol
7:30pm Feeling ear pain increase, no head or chest symptoms noticeable
9:00pm Now less ear pain, mild chest thumps and some underlying anxiety (repeat of AM?). Reading SA, movie in the background.
10pm Generally low symptom evening. Ate two chicken fingers and half a small Oreo ice cream (sugar/chocolate) and instantly regretted it.
1130pm Trying to fall asleep, had an immediate surging sensation followed by a triggering thought that RI dose was too much, too strong, I couldn't handle it, which caused a flood of adrenaline/panic. Instant chills and tingling, discomfort, up out of bed. GI issues from something I ate today out of control. Tried Breathing and floating, persisted until after 3am. Frequent urination, restlessness, dry mouth, medicinal taste (Trintellix).

5:00am (ish) Slept less than 2 hours then awake again with intense internal trembling, worry, ruminations, visual disturbances, slight disorientation, others I can't remember or describe. Feeling scared. Again trying to float and count backwards from 1,000.
6:30am took 0.5mg Ativan to try and calm things down (trembling) and get some more rest. May have gotten another hour but mostly restless, laying there. Nothing really helped.

 

Analysis:

  • Obsessing over symptoms (bad)
  • Perhaps the walk was too strenuous? I don't walk every day but many times per week (or light stationary bike)
  • Food choices were horrible causing GI issues that may have escalated WD symptoms
  • A little too much TV stimulation, even though the content was mild to moderate
  • I find it interesting that Akathisia was one of the symptoms I read a lot about, and it almost came to life in the middle of the night for the first time. Perhaps Propranolol has been helping keep it at bay?
  • Did not meditate yesterday and breathing exercises were not really focused or productive
  • Taking the Ativan at 6:30am was a desperate move and unlikely to help that late into the night. But perhaps it blunts the symptoms a bit today.

When the panic initially set in I thought it was a sign that I DO need to start tapering the Trintellix, and validating the adverse reaction theory. But I am 95% sure it was exactly the same dose as those prior. Perhaps no coating fragments in the mix which could have boosted the mgai of the final pill.

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

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  • Administrator

You need to manage your health anxiety, it may very well be causing the symptoms you are entering in your symptom tracker, which is a primary drawback of those apps -- they cause you to fixate on your symptoms. See 

Health anxiety, hypochondria, and obsession with symptoms

 

Maybe you should delete it. For our purposes, the daily symptom notes are far more meaningful.

 

Please read this again The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Do you feel better or worse after propranolol? It needs to be tapered to avoid risk of rebound hypertension.

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.

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1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Do you feel better or worse after propranolol? It needs to be tapered to avoid risk of rebound hypertension.

 

I can only associate the "chest thumps" with this medication, which seemed to replace the "smothering" I was getting early on. In the grand scheme of my WD they are a lighter symptom, just annoying. I didn't have hypertension before Propranolol but I have read all the possible issues that can come from abrupt discontinuation. My blood pressure was occasionally perfect but usually a little high. The 10mg pills are scored so I thought of reducing to 15mg total per day, then 10, then 5 once a day over a month or longer? Not sure I can stand grinding two different medications, it is hard enough filling the Trintellix! My only fear is that with a night like last night, my heart would have been beating over 100 for 3 hours straight. This happened to me twice in the pre-SA days. Jury is still out on whether to reduce it.

 

Excellence advice on health anxiety and symptom obsession. I do believe that threw me over the top last night. In weighing out my pills today, I ended up with a smaller Trintellix dose of 0.47mg (14mgpw) and I was consistently unable to hit 15mgpw so I will go with that for a week, keep the Propranolol the same and monitor for changes. If things improve I may drop down again to 13mgpw (ended up with about 10 of those pills too) which would be roughly 0.44mg. So very tiny reductions. But I think it may even help my anxiety by knowing it is even a tiny bit smaller. In the end, even when I tare and weigh the final pills multiple times multiple ways, I always see small deviations, along with the presence of the pill coating fragments, so I am still in the same ballpark. It is even possible the pill I took yesterday was a higher dose by accident.

 

As for the symptom tracker, how about I just do one update in the morning for the previous day, and not look at it at all the rest of the day? That is a start at least. I won't even look at it the rest of today.

 

 

 

 

My Introduction thread

2002-2003 Celexa/Lexapro (first ride, very mild withdrawal). 2004-2012 Drug free
2013-2018 Cymbalta 60mg | 2019 Effexor 75mg - 150mg (can't recall specifics)
2020-Apr 2021 Trintellix 20mg | May-Jun 10mg | Jul-Aug 5mg (stopped Aug 12th, 2021)

WD symptoms began 4-6 weeks after last dose, increased severely at the 4 month mark
2021 Oct 9th Propranolol 10mg 2x/day (10am and 7pm) tapered to 5mg. Stopped 2/1/22.
Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5-1mg as needed

Started a 0.5mg Trintellix reinstatement on 12/17/21 

Tapered to ~0.4mg and 0.3mg by end of May 2022

Stopped Caffeine 1/1/2022 and Nicotine on 4/1/2022.

Jan 19, 2022 - Added Vitamin D3 (2000iu), Super Omega-3 (2500mg) 

December 2022 - Finished taper of reinstatement dose around 0.09mg

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Up to you to relate to your symptom tracker. As I said, it's probably not useful to us.

 

If you're getting thumps after taking a dose of propranolol, it's possible the dose is too high for you. You might want to reduce it to 9mg at a time, see if symptoms lessen. See Tips for tapering off propranolol

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.

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