☼ moonbow0202: effexor and remeron withdrawal

[moonbow0202]

Romido,

 

 

Thanks for asking.

When I got the liquid SAMe I was taking a total of 760 mg. This was close to what I had been trying to take with the pills which I couldn't cut precisely. I stayed there for a week then dropped to 680 mg (about 11/16). I had an effexor WD type reaction the first day. I got woozy wooshy and buzzy and then very tired and couldn't stay awake.

 

12/1 620 mg

12/8 560 mg

 

I got a little woozy and buzzy and I did get tired but i managed to stay awake the last two times. i have started getting an appetite back and my stomach isn't really upset most of the time. I'm also starting to get some energy back.

 

My back has been hurting since I dropped to 620 , I didn't attribute it to WD initially. I do have some back problems from scoliosis but this has been different. From the base of my skull down most of my back has been very tight, painfully so. I will hold the SAMe and let my back catch up.

 

I've also noticed noise sensitivity this last week, another WD symptom very familiar from the effexor WD.

 

As far as panic symptoms, it's hard to tell SAMe WD from prolonged effexor and remeron WD. Morning panic has gotten much better since I am being more diligent about fish Oil. I'm taking 2160 of EPA+DHA.

[antoinette]

Romido that is really weird you said you had headaches and felt like your brain was rewiring. I've been saying that all week. I've been having tingling in my head and headaches and I swear I think (hope) its my brain healing. I'm 6 mos out on the 19th.

[Romido]

Antionette, the headaches are intense for me, like nothing I have ever felt before. Today I have a headache but it's more like a tension headache, so maybe that's a good sign the retiring is letting up! I swear I used to be able to feel the hemispheres in my brain ache in different regions! At six months, I remember I was still pretty fried.

 

Moonbow, Sam-e withdrawals made me have severe insomnia for months. It really chopped up my sleep. Interesting you are drowsy. I noticed I started feeling better as my sleep improved, so hopefully that's a good sign for you. I look at sleep as brain repair time! I haven't been able to tolerate fish oil, it gives me insomnia (as do most things I am sensitive to), so I can't take it. Keep going, you will be off Sam-e soon! Good for you for tapering, I wish I had!!

 

R

[moonbow0202]

I attribute the fatigue to the 560 mg of SAMe that I'm still on. That would fit with your insomnia during SAMe WD.

 

i got a stomach virus this week. I have gotten sick a few times with a cold, Flu, or other bug during WD. I don't realize I'm getting sick until i'm really bad. I generally feel like I'm coming down with something. I'm looking forward to when I can tell i'm getting sick.

[Narcissus]

I swear I used to be able to feel the hemispheres in my brain ache in different regions

Yeah, it's weird low localized the head aches are, isn't it? I wonder what's going on there.

[starlitegirlx]

Hi All,

I saw my integrative psychiatrist yesterday. On the plus side, I am still her patient so I still have a way to get the Remeron I need.

Much of the appointment was very frustrating.

 

According to my psychiatrist:

 

Length of time spent withdrawing from ADs does not matter healing does not really occur until you are completely off of antidepressants and then it takes a year for your body to recover.

My researching long term effects of AD withdrawal is a coping mechanism and not helpful. I think I'm experiencing symptoms because I'm on message boards.

I would be doing fine if I were doing my energy exercises. (see earlier post http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3110-moonbow0202-effexor-and-remeron-withdrawal/page__view__findpost__p__35008)

Morning panic is a result of the lack of the lack of direction my life has.

 

 

I told her about sensitivity to serotonergic substances and about the headaches, upset stomach and lack of appetite I am having from the SAMe. She said I could drop to 400 mg SAMe. I plan on going completely off of the SAMe eventually. I'm already tapering slowly.

 

I'm so grateful for this forum.

 

I'm late to your thread. Thought I'd pop in after you posted in the acceptance thread.

 

This bit from your doc makes me want to pop her in the head and I'm not a violent person but these docs are the main root of the problem with their indoctrination to the belief that meds are good and do no harm. What a bunch of tools that they can't even open their eyes and see that people could have problems getting off these meds. Of course, that would be bye bye to their money train. Same for big pharma.

 

It's a sad day when wacky scientologists turn out to be right about the psych drugs but look crazy for it (of course that's probably related to them calling it a religion which is based on aliens). Still, I have to wonder about how topsy turvy the world is when they're mainly the only ones, aside from those of us that live through it and those close to us who witness it with any kind of openness, (rather than saying it's because we're not on the meds) that admit there's a problem and these drugs are dangerous. If I had the money, I'd start something to inform people about the suffering caused by these meds. I'd put up you tube videos from everyone willing to participate. I'd trash the psychiatric community and call them on their do no harm principle which they break every time they prescribe these poisons... but ah, to dream...

 

I hope you're feeling better, having a better time of it.

[Altostrata]

I agree with starlite!

[moonbow0202]

i met with my psychiatrist yesterday. I really tried to prepare myself for approaching the appointment with a positive outlook. I maintained this better than the last visit although at times the voice in my head was yelling at her "just shut up" and "stop being stupid".

 

When I told her that i was holding on the SAMe because my back was hurting in a different way, she told me I needed to stop blaming every problem that I had on meds. She said that my back hurt because of something going on in my life, even if i wasn't aware of what that something was.

 

I told her that I had come to some gratitude pretty quickly after having a meltdown on the support site I was on. The look on her face when I mention online support is really pretty funny.

 

I have not told her about my efforts towards starting a F2F (face to face) meeting. On that note, the other member of this site who I've been in touch with and i are scouting locations.

 

Sometime soon I want to start a general topic in symptoms and self care about starting F2F support groups.

[starlitegirlx]

Good for you.

 

Personally, I'm all for the throwing it in her face how these meds suck and are making things worse. Even if you are her only patient that does it, the fact that you don't fit the bill, that the meds made you worse and you got better off them after WD is going to sit there like an infected splinter in her finger.

[Altostrata]

Sometime soon I want to start a general topic in symptoms and self care about starting F2F support groups.

 

Great idea. The Actions forum would be the place for it.

 

Perhaps next time you see this doctor, you could open up a discussion about a relationship of mutual respect. It's possible she'll get the hint.

[moonbow0202]

Sometime soon I want to start a general topic in symptoms and self care about starting F2F support groups.

 

Great idea. The Actions forum would be the place for it.

.

 

Actions forum it is.

[moonbow0202]

I haven't posted in a few months. I've continued with yoga classes 2x a week and it helps. i'm not exactly graceful, by balance isn't the best, but I'm gradually improving. Yesterday I "came out" in my yoga class and told them I have been getting off ADs and going through WD.

 

I could no longer afford to see the integrative psychiatrist due, in part, to changes in my insurance. Overall, it's a good thing. We had not been agreeing on much. i was forced to try and find another doctor. I found a psychiatrist with some holistic leanings who has agreed to help me with my goal of getting off the meds. My first appointment will be at the end of this month.

 

I increased my remeron about a month ago to 7.5 because I was severely depressed. I also reinstated SAMe to the level it had been before my last decrease. My mood improved, I don't know if the SAMe or Remeron had anything to do with it. Actually, a therapist visit did help a lot.

 

I'm taking the SAMe WD very slowly, 10 of current dose or less. The SAMe liquid I have is the equivalent of 20 mg. The primary WD symptom is back pain that lasts for 7 days +/_ 3 days. I do have back pain due to some scoliosis but when I lower the SAMe it is a different kind of pain. it's a solid pain that starts at the base of my skull and goes down and all across my back. It feels like my fascia is very tight and painful.

Here is a plan I am considering presenting to the new psychiatrist.

Reinstate Effexor @ 30 mg (possibly as much as 75 mg) and hold

Continue with SAMe reduction - possibly much quicker since the symptom I'm having is back pain and the Effexor may combat that

after a few stable months start lowering Remeron very slowly

After completing the Remeron WD and when I'm stable, lower Effexor

 

I've done a couple of Effexorreinstatements which got me out of severe depressions. The integrative psychiatrist would tell me it was placebo effect and to stop cold turkey.

I didn't have any Effexor left to reinstate on my own and Dr. wouldn't give me a scrip.

If I had followed a 10% of current dose per month detox, I would currently be on 30 mg Effexor and 7.5 mg Remeron. ( I didn't want it to take that long - that sure would have been easier)

The negative mood effect of mirtazapine decreases was a lot less when I was still on the Effexor.

I've been on the Effexor the longest.

My therapist doesn't want me to go back on Effexor. He thinks I can ride out my problems. Sometimes I agree with him. Other times, I feel like i can't take it anymore.

[peggy]

moonbow, if your plan is to reinstate effexor, is it possible to find a Dr to prescribe it before you see the new psychiatrist? If you are not seeing this new Dr until the end of the month, the window to reinstate might close.

[moonbow0202]

moonbow, if your plan is to reinstate effexor, is it possible to find a Dr to prescribe it before you see the new psychiatrist? If you are not seeing this new Dr until the end of the month, the window to reinstate might close.

 

A month ago I was ready to go to my GP and beg to be put on effexor. I think my GP would be reluctant to prescribe effexor since I'm already on remeron, 7.5 mg and SAMe, 460 mg. With fairly low dose of both remeron and Same i don't think there's any risk of serotonin syndrome but a GP might be afraid. My GP is very hard to get an appointment with.

 

I guess I'm not sure I want to reinstate.

[tgirl]

Moon,

How are you doing now?

[Altostrata]

moonbow, how are you?

[moonbow0202]

Hi All,

 

It's been a long time since I posted.While this site has been enormously helpful, online communication frequently leaves me feeling lonely. 

 

I've been completely psych med free for something like 20 months.I have anxiety and low mood issues that can be quite bothersome sometimes. Herbal adrenal support has helped with the anxiety - it brought my resting pulse rate down 10 points.

 

I've been struggling with a low mood lately - mostly  related to trying to figure my life out.

 

My dog is also med free and is doing well.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8978-75-mo-off-all-psych-meds-im-ok-the-world-round-me-is-crazy/

[Altostrata]

Where would you say you are now compared to 3 years ago, moonbow? How often do you have waves of anxiety?

[moonbow0202]

Alto,

Thanks so much for asking that question.I am so much better than I was three years ago! I may struggle with my mood and sometimes, like today, it may feel pretty bad but it is not that overwhelming darkness that occurred during WD. It is also not nearly as bad as what would occur when I was on antidepressants.

 

Today, med free, I have the ability to do things to stop the progression towards a depressive state.And unlike when I was on antidepressants doing things to help myself actually work now! 

 

Your question made me realize how much more functional I am in general.

 

The anxiety comes pretty frequently but it's nothing like the morning panics of early WD. In fact, I've done some pretty scary new things the last couple of months. I could never have done theses things in early WD.

[nz11]

Wow Moonbow so glad to read that you and your dog are med free and doing well at 20 months off.

Im sure things will  continue to improve ..

 

Don't forget to do the 2 yr update.

[moonbow0202]

I just put a reminder in my calendar to do a 2 year update. I'm going to make an effort to visit here more often. I am thrilled to see the members near you section! 

[ang]

Thanks Moonbow, I love your thread, only two pages, and wow, look how far you have come. Fantastic, please remember that update, you are giving me hope.

[dj2010]

really needed to read this thread it gives a lot of hope, great to see moonbow recovered after being on a high dose of venlafaxine and other psych drugs for over 15 years, well done!

[leavingorganon]

Moonbow,

How is life now after all these years? I'm coming off Remeron (and others) and this thread is a beacon of hope to me. 

[Altostrata]

Because you're feeling better, I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol ☼ to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

 

Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually!