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Moe79: Introduction and help


Moe79

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Hello everyone,

 

From what I read so far on this site, I believe I finally found what I am looking for. Administrators: many thanks for maintaining such a great and well organized forum.

 

My story with generalized anxiety started in 2012 after a period of stressful events in my life. 1 year after constant suffering, I started taking an SSRI (lexapro) 10 mg. I felt better with no side effects, but after a year, anxiety came back strong, dose increased to 20 mg for 4 years. I was doing fairly fine until moving to a new country. Dose increased to 30 mg. Felt ok till the passing of my father in March 2021. Started to feel constant suffocating anxiety which lasted for 3 months. Decided to switch to a new medication. Started on 50 mg pristiq while tapering down lexapro to 10 mg. Stayed in this combination for 4 months. Was starting to feel ok. Anxiety then came back strong. Removed lexapro completely and switched to 100 mg pristiq. For the past two months, I alternate between feeling good for one week to feeling horrible the next. My worse symptom is a horrible morning anxiety that wakes me up like a jolt. I feel down on those days ( not sure if its anxiety or depression ). I certainly worry about getting depressed all the time. My psychiatrist wants to increase my dose to 150 mg pristiq. I am sick and tired of this trial and error process and want to feel better. Now, I am contemplating coming off all medications and need your help. 
 

My main concerns are the morning anxiety and the down feeling. I am not sure whether they are from coming off the lexapro, or the new drug not working. What will happen if I completely come off all SSRi?

 

Thanks,

 

Moe79

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Moe79: Introduction and help
  • Moderator

@Moe79

 

I'm sorry you are going through this, but welcome to SA. We are a volunteer run site where we have all gone through, or are going through the same types of situations as you.

 

This is your page to ask questions, make comments, and meet and talk with other members going through some of the same things. Please keep everything on this page so we can keep it neat and your information accessible to everyone that may need it.

 

I'm very sorry to hear about your father, that is very hard to deal with. I lost my mother 11 years ago and my father 8 years ago.

 

Unfortunately, Dr.'s don't know much about these medications and will move doses and/or switch medications as they have done with you. Lexapro is a very strong antidepressant and you went off of it much too fast. And then to be put on another one quickly.

 

I'm going to give you some information to read. 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Brain Remodelling

 

Managing the Morning Cortisol Spike

 

Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

 

Withdrawal Normal Description

 

Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)

 

 

 

If you haven't already, you may want to read Robert Whitaker's book Anatomy of an Epidemic. It explains how these drugs effect us and cause so many problems that are labeled so-called "mental illness."

 

I think I've bombarded you enough for now.

 

If you have any questions, which I'm sure you will after reading all of this, please reach out to us. We are here to help. If you want to speak with someone specifically just tag them and they will respond as soon as they are able. To tag someone just type the @ symbol and type a name. You will see a list come up, scroll down to the name and click on it, it will then show up in blue. It looks like this @Frogie

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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Dear Frogie,

 

many thanks for the detailed, prompt, and helpful response. It is such a relief to find this group with so many lovely people sharing their experiences.

 

I have already went through many of the links you sent me and found them to be very very helpful.

 

I certainly have many questions to ask but need time to comprehend what I read.

 

thanks,

 

moe

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • Moderator

@Moe79

 

I'm glad you found us and glad I could provide some information to you.

 

When you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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@Frogie

 

I read the book by Robert Whitaker and it is both depressing and eye opening. I felt so down after I read it learning all the statistics about the drugs inefficacy and them exacerbating the problem rather than solving it.  I have a few questions:

 

1. Now that I have been on pristiq for 6 months and going through this rollercoaster of ups and downs, is it advisable to start tapering down, or should I wait for my CNS to reach a new equilibrium?

 

2. does CBT and other non drug related therapies still work with drug induced emotional imbalances? 
 

3. Is there hope to stop and recover after 9 years being on lexapro 30 mg?

 

thanks,

 

moe

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • 6 months later...

Tapering of Zoloft 50 mg

 

Dear All,

 

My psychiatrist has been playing hit and miss with my brain since last August. I was put on 50 mg pristiq plus 10 mg lexapro for anxiety. Felt good for a couple of weeks then went into cyclic hell for a month. She decided to drop the lexapro and increase the pristiq to 100 mg. Made me more depressed so she uped the dose to 150 mg at which point I was crawling out of my skin because of anxiety. I told her i am getting off the pristiq into something else. We dropped the dose from 150 to 100 over a period of 1 week, then went from 100 to 50 at which point she put me on Zoloft 50 mg. I then reduced the pristiq to 0 over 1 month and stayed on Zoloft 50 mg, which is the least amount of medication I have been on since 2012. Once i stopped the pristiq the depression lessened. Btw, I only had depression on the pristiq.. never was a depressed person. Over a period of one month the morning anxiety started to fade slowly. Then i had the best two weeks of very little anxiety on Zoloft 50 mg. Two weeks ago, out of the blue, I woke up with severe morning anxiety. It was getting worse everyday for a week, then yesterday i started to feel depressed again. I really do not know what is happening, but I am really sick living this roller coaster. I decided today that I want to taper down Zoloft to be medication free. I have a few questions. 

Q1) I have changed so many drugs over a short period of time. Is it a good time to start tapering down?

 

Q2) is the depression drug induced? I have never suffered from depression. I am very anxious but happy person in general.

 

thanks for reading through my long post.

 

best,

 

Moe

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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@Moe79

Ugh, I'm so sorry you're going through this. 

 

16 hours ago, Moe79 said:

My psychiatrist has been playing hit and miss with my brain since last August.

 

What a striking sentence. So awful and apt. 

I'm sorry. 

 

16 hours ago, Moe79 said:

I really do not know what is happening, but I am really sick living this roller coaster. I decided today that I want to taper down Zoloft to be medication free.

 

Congratulations on your brave decision. 

You've come to the right place.

I trust the mods can help you figure out how to move forward towards attaining your goal. 

 

Hang in there, Moe. 

1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs)

2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?)    Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg  -->  July 2018 - 0mg

2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg    2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg  -->  July 2021 - 0mg

March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT)  -->  April 28th, 2021 - 0mg

supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin 

August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin

 

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.  - Karle Wilson Baker

love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.  - Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are.  - text on homemade banner at Afiya house

 

I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. 

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Many thanks for the encouragement, Ariel.

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • Administrator

Welcome, @Moe79

 

On 6/29/2022 at 7:08 AM, Moe79 said:

Two weeks ago, out of the blue, I woke up with severe morning anxiety. It was getting worse everyday for a week, then yesterday i started to feel depressed again.

 

What times o'clock do you take your drugs, with their dosages? Do these symptoms occur before or after you take Zoloft? Are they better or worse at any particular times of day?

 

On 6/29/2022 at 7:08 AM, Moe79 said:

then went from 100 to 50 at which point she put me on Zoloft 50 mg. I then reduced the pristiq to 0 over 1 month and stayed on Zoloft 50 mg

 

You went off Pristiq in April, correct? How long were you on both Pristiq and Zoloft? How did you feel during this period? How did your symptom pattern change after you went off Pristiq?

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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It sounds to me like they’ve jerked your nervous system around so much that they gave you akathisia. Obviously I defer to the people on this site who know far more than me on the best way to go forward, but when I got akathisia I went back to the drug/dosage that my body was accustomed to (150mg venlafaxine) and let my body stabilize then I started the long and arduous process of getting off all drugs. I’m 10 months off and while I haven’t healed completely, I’m far better off for it and anticipate full recovery in the future. 
 

My best advice to you is this: the doctors don’t know what they are doing, the moderators on this site do. I followed the doctors for ten years and it almost killed me. I followed the people on this site for 18 months and I’m recovering. I suggest you do the same. 

2000 - 2020 - Effexor 250 mg

November 2020 began Nardil 60 mg

reduced Nardil from January 2021 to August 2021 to 0 mg. Drug free. 

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Dear @Altostrata,

 

many thanks for your response. I only take Zoloft 50 mg at 10 pm right before going to bed. These symptoms started to occur last year when I was on 30 mg Escitolopram … they started after a major stressor and would not go away. My psychiatrist said that this is because escitolopram stopped working after 8 years and that i need to switch to a new medication. She suggested to stop escitolopram right away and switch to prestiq. I refused and cross-tapered over a 2 month period. I stayed on pristiq 50 mg and escitolopram 10 mg for about 3 months and felt ok. A cyclic pattern if windows and waves ensued for almost two months. The psychiatrist upped my prestiq dose to 100 mg and removed the escitolopram all together. I felt i was getting worse. So she upped my dose of pristiq to 150 mg at which point my anxiety went through the roof. I tried to stay on it for more than one month but could not. We then tappered down to 50 mg and introduced Zoloft 50 mg early march. Over a period of two weeks I tappered down the pristiq and stayed on the zoloft since April. I really did not notice any changes in the symptoms besides the 1 week window when I felt like my old self.

 

The feelings are worst in the morning and after eating. Best is at night.

 

best,

 

Moe

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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Dear @NardilTime,

 

many thanks for your kind words and feedback. I will work with the moderators to see if we can figure out a better plan moving forward.

 

best,

 

Moe

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • Administrator
16 hours ago, Moe79 said:

I really did not notice any changes in the symptoms besides the 1 week window when I felt like my old self.

 

Sorry, I have difficulty following the timeline. What were you taking at the time of this 1-week window, and when was it?

 

Need more info about current symptom pattern: 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 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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Dear @Altostrata,

 

During the one week window, I was only taking Zoloft 50 mg. I take it every night at 10 pm before I go to bed. At the same time, I take Magnesium Citrate 400 mg. This is all I take since the beginning of April.

 

My symptoms start early in the morning around 4:30 am. They manifest as severe anxiety that wakes me up, tightness in my chest, a knot in my stomach, adrenalin rushes, and nausea. Once I get out of bed the symptoms lessen a little bit, but I feel worried throughout the day with no excitement to do anything. The tightness in the chest continues with no appetite.  Symptoms start to improve after sunset, typically around 6 pm and they get better at night. 

 

Best,

 

Mohammed

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • Administrator

Do you find the Zoloft at 10 p.m. makes you sleepy?

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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No. Not really.

 

best,

 

Mor

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • Administrator

I suggest you move the Zoloft earlier by one hour each day until you're taking it at noon. This may cause the symptoms that wake you up to move into the daytime, where you might be better able to cope with them. Please let us know how you're doing.

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 weeks later...

I tried this but it does not seem to be working. 
 

I am now on 50 mg Zoloft, and go through cycles of feeling ok (not great) and feeling bad. Do you guys think that tapering down slowly would help? My doctor thinks that I should increase the dose not decrease it. I told her i want to taper it down. She said you can take a drug holiday but she expects me to feel much worse. I am confused!!

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • Administrator

What times o'clock do you take your drugs, with their dosages? How long have you been taking Zoloft at noon? What is your current symptom pattern? What is your current sleep pattern?

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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2pm 50 mg zoloft for 10 days now. I wake up at around 5 am feeling so much of anxiety (tightness in the chest, knot in the stomach, and lack of motivation to get up). The anxiety continues for the whole day but at a more manageable level. It switches into intrusive thoughts during the day. The lack of motivation also persists. I sleep fine … 10 pm to 4:30 or 5:00 am.

-2013-August 2021 lexapro 10, 20, then 30 mg

-August 2021 abruptly reduced lexapro to 10 mg and added 50 mg pristiq.

-December 2021 tapered off 10 mg lexapro over 1 month and increased pristiq to 100 mg.

-March 2022 increased pristiq dose to 150 mg only for 4 weeks then started tapering down back to zero over a period of 1 month. Felt so depressed on it.

-started Zoloft 50 mg since April.

 

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  • Administrator
12 hours ago, Moe79 said:

The anxiety continues for the whole day but at a more manageable level. It switches into intrusive thoughts during the day.

 

When does this switch occur?

 

Do you feel better or worse after you take 50mg Zoloft at 2 p.m.? How has your symptom pattern changed in the last week?

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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