LostaDecade - Went off cold turkey

[LostaDecade]

Hi all - Reading Whatever's post was like reading my own tragic story. So much lost love, lost jobs and bizarre behavior over the last decade for me. Many thanks for that post as well as this website which I just joined after looking up withdrawal symptoms online. In 2002, I was going through a divorce when a doc diagnosed me with ADHD. He put me on Adderall (see dosages in my signature), then from there, the meds just kept coming. Effexor, Klonopin and Seroquel were what I eventually ended up on (in addition to the Adderall). Although I'm ashamed of going off cold turkey, that's exactly what I did just about a month ago because I ran out of insurance and Klonopin. I decided to stop taking everything except I added back the Seroquel because I couldn't sleep (I wouldn't be speedy but I'd be wide awake until the sun came up). I had major night sweats and I'd laugh or cry at the drop of a hat. These past 3 symptoms do sometimes still happen. There have been some positive changes as well. I smoke and drink WAY less cigs and wine (more on my nutty behavior in a following post), my creative writing has greatly improved as well as my ability to figure things out. Every day I have major relavations and think "Duh! Why didn't I ever think of that before?" I actually read the manuals and instructions to (some) things instead if trying to figure them out by trial and error. I even drive my stick shift differently. Like Whatever wrote, the pounds started to simply melt away and I've lost about 20 lbs. The night sweats had me thinking I was going through menopause (I'm 49) but once the fog cleared I realized I must have been going through withdrawal and I'm extremely lucky that it wasn't (and isn't) worse than that. I don't have a doctor or health insurance but after seeing all of the terrible withdrawal symptoms that can take place, I'm going to bite the bullet and go to the free clinic because I'm so scared of developing tics or anything else worse than that happening. Today I decided to re-start taking half of my previous Effexor dose and half of my Adderall dose because although my family, boyfriend and work all see a huge positive change in me, I'm terrified of developing tics or god forbid something worse happening. Your feedback would be most appreciated. I'll write more on MY embarrassing adventures when I get to a computer. Thank you again so much for this website.

 

LostaDecade

Effexor 75 mg.

Adderall 20 mg.

Seroquel 50 mg.

[peggy]

welcome LostaDecade!

You will find comfort and solace here. If only we knew then what we know now!!!

It is a good thing to reinstate so you can do a slow taper.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, LostaDecade.

 

How are you feeling now? Have your symptoms gotten less over the last month?

 

Are you still taking Seroquel?

[LostaDecade]

Hi thanks so much for posting. I'm on a cellphone since I killed my own computer twice thinking I could make it better! After reading up I took 75 mg Effexor and 10 mg Adderall today which was half my normal dose and I feel horrible. Headache sweating and extremely irate. So irate I can't stand to type on a cell right now. :-( One if the biggest problems I'm having are my parents not understanding what I'm going through which is why I think I needed Whatever's story. I feel like my lifelong normally happy disposition makes people blow off what I'm going through.

 

LostaDecade

75 Effexor

10

[LostaDecade]

Oops 75 Effexor and 10 Adderall

[Altostrata]

Your situation is complicated because there are 3 drugs involved and it's been a month.

 

Maybe, if I were you, I'd try reinstating the 75mg Effexor but not add in the Adderall at this time. Maybe the combo is overstimulating.

[LostaDecade]

Thank you so much. As much as I talk about reading directions I still haven't read through yours so I very much apologize in advance if I'm screwing up here. I was just so grateful to find a website that I trusted after finding some terrible ones and I really needed your support. I promise to take the time to read what I was supposed to as soon as I can. Definitely not going to take the Adderall anymore. I may have thought it worked in the beginning but now I really see that for me it didn't do anything except make me hyper and anxious and, if it was already a part of my bad symptoms these last couple months than I definitely don't want to start them again. The only bad symptoms I have left are not sleeping and being incredibly frustrated about my past behavior and, little by little, dealing with all the messes I've made in my life. That mess is cleaning up I'm under alot of pressure today to get a major project done and I'm having a terrible time. The way I feel I don't want to take the Effexor tomorrow either as I felt so normal and clear headed before today but maybe I should try the half dose again tomorrow and see how I feel. I definitely am terrified to have something happen if I continue cold turkey without it.

 

After doing some research I figured out that I stopped taking Adderall, Effexor Klonopin and Seroquel all at least by July 19th. I know this because I remember that I went to see Laurence of Arabia for my bday and although I was feeling better, I just remembered that I was up all night. I'm definitely not going off of the Seroquel fully just yet. Maybe if I continue taking at least a half dose of Seroquel (25) I can not take the Effexor (that is, if I feel like crap tomorrow after taking the Effexor). I feel like I'm babbling and taking up all of your time. I'm sorry :-(.

 

LostaDecade

Adderall 10

Effexor 75

Seroquel 75

[Altostrata]

I'm sorry, sometimes reinstating the medications doesn't work to resolve withdrawal symptoms, particularly if some time has passed. It's best done within weeks rather than months.

 

Are you taking Effexor XR in capsules containing beads or regular Effexor tablets?

[LostaDecade]

Hi all. It's now been about 5 months since I went off Effexor, Seroquel, Adderall & Klonopin and although I'm much better, still having lots of trouble getting my life together. Not being able to find work is the most frustrating thing right now. Due to my jumping around from job to job for so many years and having people think I was nuts (I was) hasn't helped my resume or my search for references who are still willing to vouch for me. Christmas and no money for gifts only makes me more depressed. In my case, since I was in 4 different meds, I know it's hard to pinpoint which was the worst offender but I'm convinced it was Effexor. I truly hope they take this medication off of the market someday. Thanks to everyone who posts, I think we all save each others lives, one post at a time. Hang in there, and yes, the crazy brain zaps DO go away. I hope the rest of my symptoms do as well with time!

[Altostrata]

Good to hear from you, LAD.

 

Maybe temp work for a while, to build up references?

 

Hang in there. Holiday good wishes to you!

[LostaDecade]

Thank you, yes, got the resume done & very frustrated (getting simple things done during the day when not working seems very difficult which leads to guilt because I certainly have the time!) but I do believe that hanging in there is a step in the right direction. Playing my ukulele keeps me sane. :-)