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☼ Ibid: Prozac stopped doing it


Ibid

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  • Administrator

The cardio effects of antidepressants and withdrawal syndrome are well documented. Search http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ for papers and let us know what you find.

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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  • 4 months later...

I've been a long time away from Surving ADs. That is to say, I haven't written. Have done much reading of forums and recommendations of books and articles I found in forums. Thanks for all the insights.

 

To update: I'd been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation three months after going cold turkey off fluoxetine. I was put on a beta blocker and discouraged (by two cardiologists and assorted GP's) from thinking that discontinuation (w/drawal) was a contributing factor. Well, my last palpitation episode was August 9. Still taking the beta blocker but I remain curious about the withdrawal issue. Not quite ready to experiment by stopping the medication, though. Three months of freedom from this annoying symptom has been great and I'm hopeful. Any advice on tapering metoprolol (beta blocker)? 

 

Commenced mirtazapine taper mid-August and have now dropped from 30 to 15 mg. Going to stay at 15 till I next see my shrink--about a month. Haven't been able to identify any withdrawal symptoms. Sugar craving much diminished, thank heaven. Have lost 17 pounds since getting off Prozac..

 

In my new life of relative freedom from ADs, I've found race walking (not really very fast) helpful and satisfying. Also am taking a stab at breath meditation, but doubt I'll get further into it unless I can find a good teacher.. As we say in New Orleans, I'm keepin' on.

 

Best to all,

 

Ibid

 

p.s. Have modified my signature accordingly.

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • Administrator

I would not taper both a beta blocker and mirtazapine at the same time.

 

The principles for tapering beta blockers are the same: 10% reductions per month calculated on the last dose.

 

Do NOT go off a beta blocker suddenly!

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 year later...

Well, I'm off mirtazapine after about a 2-year taper. It's been three days and I'm feeling OK. Have gone to bed later than usual, woken up a bit earlier than usual, but no real hair-pulling insomnia. Mild anxiety, but it comes and goes and I'm used to dealing with it.  I'll keep SA posted if anything that could be called withdrawal happens. 

 

I really appreciate the slow taper advice and all the information contained on the site. This is an amazing resource and it's good to know that it will be here for all the newbies--users of Abilify and other brand name, still on-patent drugs being foisted on the unsuspecting. I was not much of a believer in support groups before I joined this one. Thanks. More later; it's 1:30 a.m. zzzzz

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Thank you for coming back to update Ibid.  Congratulations on completing your taper, that's great news.  :) 

 

What dose did you decide to jump off at?  Did you stick with 10% cuts, or did you find you needed to go faster/slower?  Any significant bumps along the way?

 

Was there anything which you found particularly helpful?

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Thank you for coming back to update Ibid.  Congratulations on completing your taper, that's great news.  :)

 

What dose did you decide to jump off at?  Did you stick with 10% cuts, or did you find you needed to go faster/slower?  Any significant bumps along the way?

 

Was there anything which you found particularly helpful?

 

Hello, Petunia. I tapered down to about 2 mg then stopped. Had so few wd symptoms over the course of the taper that I didn't measure with precision, but went from about 6 to 4 to 2, then done. Stayed with each level for about a month.  At the beginning of the taper--or maybe at about 15 mg--I decided to lose weight. (I'm a skinny person but had gained 30 pounds or so over the last several years.) Anyway, I lost 25 pounds over about a year. Then, when I got down to about 6 mg mirt, I got epic sugar cravings and gained about 10 pounds back. Right after finishing the taper, the sugar cravings stopped and I don't know how to explain that, so I'm just offering it as data. Have also mentioned it on Healy's site. Anyway, nothing really painful has happened during tapering mirt.

 

The thing that I feel has helped more than anything is exercise. At least one hour/day unless my chronic back problems decide to prevent it. (I recently turned 70.)  

 

I'll have to take a beta blocker (metoprolol) for the rest of my life as I have atrial fibrillation when I don't and would just as soon not have a stroke.

 

I'm still having a bit of insomnia. Still, since mirt was originally prescribed so I would sleep better, it's not surprising. I've always been a nervous sleeper (and a nervous communicator) and the mirt helped for about 6 months, but then it didn't. I've had other intermittent symptoms (anxiety, bleak mood, cynicism, quick temper [i.e. dysthymia]), but nothing I didn't experience before and during my flirtation with antidepressants. 

 

I'm still sort of waiting for delayed withdrawal. If it doesn't happen in a month or two I'll post a success story.   :wub:

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • 8 months later...

I've been off mirtazapine for about 8 months, I think. Still tend to wake up around 6 a.m. and may go back to sleep, but it's very fitful sleep. Still and all, I'm getting about 6 hours a night (I'm usually late to bed), so I'm rarely suffering from sleep deprivation. Given my age I have pretty good energy, exercise an hour or so most days (power walking, old-man-level weight workout, lots of yoga stretching, and lower back work [back issues are another story]). Since I've been retired, an afternoon nap works well for me some days. Old people quite frequently sleep poorly so I'm not blaming it entirely on withdrawal and am doing my best not to worry about it, especially after reading some SA members' experiences of sleeplessness.

 

My other symptoms are being driven crazy by some sharp noises, some music, and some TV. (The sound of Donald Trump's voice is especially annoying.) This is partly caused, probably, by a rapid deterioration of my auditory faculties beginning around 2010. This has also caused difficulty understanding the spoken word--confusing one word with another, etc. It's hard to tell how much of the irritation is due to hearing loss, but it appears to be worse when I get the least sleep, so I think WD is tied in here somewhere. 

 

I also continue to have tinnitus, although I've had it to some degree as long as I can remember. It may be worse now that I know it's a frequent wd symptom (!!) and it certainly adds to my general annoyance with sounds and decreased ability to decipher the spoken word.

 

Partly because of hearing problems and partly because I don't have Prozac anymore I'm more socially nervous and reserved. Social situations also irritate me. (I don't drink anymore, which tends to isolate people who live in this city, and which also contributes to the return of inwardness.) It's clear that Prozac made me more self-confident and outgoing--until it didn't. It definitely made me a more entertaining lecturer and probably a better teacher overall. Retirement has ended my classroom performances and I have no desire to teach "part-time." Actually this is mostly due to hearing issues. Sociability is increasing a little at a time, although I don't hang with former drinking friends anymore, at least not when I can avoid it. I'd say, though, that I'm more socially isolated than is healthy and I'm looking for ways to get out more often. 

 

I also suffer from occasional anxiety issues, but this is nothing new for me. I still medicate sometimes with lorazepam, but I'm very careful with my dosage and frequency and don't think I'm physically dependent. (This is one thing I can talk to my shrink about.) I'm in no hurry to give it up completely and am cognizant of the likelihood that it could be very difficult. (Geez, this makes me feel guilty, hence the defensive tone.)

 

Two other issues that may be withdrawal-related will have to wait a bit, but I will soon bring them up to date: heart palpitations (atrial fibrillation) and abdominal (flank) pains, both of which haven't bothered me in some time, but which I should bring up-to-date.

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • 2 months later...

I hope you are still on your SA journey.

How can you get 6 hr of sleep and me 4 ? I wasn't on mitraz but was on SSRI for 18 yr.

 

What happens when you dont exercise ?

 

I also am on Lamictal 100 mg which may be killing sleep ?

1997 - 2002 20 mg Paxil, 750 mg Depakote2002 - 2005 10 mg Lexapro, 750 mg Depakote2005 - 2014 10 mg Citalopram,750 mg Depakote1/2014 - 1/2015 `10 mg Citalopram, 500 mg Depakote1/2015 - 8/2015 5 mg Citalopram 300 mg Lithium (no more Depakote)8/2015 - today 0 mg Citalopram 300 mg LithiumAlso added to 300 mg Lithium9/2015 - 1/2016 titrate from 0 to 100 mg Lamictal (Lamotrigene)1/2016 - May 7 100 mg Lamictal and 300 mg Lithium. Get about 4 hours broken sleep. Also depression, akathisia that is somewhat reduced by Lamictal.
June 1, 2016 relapse back citalopram 20 mg
July 1. 0 mg Lithium

​Sept, 2016 back on 300 mg lithium, still on 100 mg Lamictal, 20 mg citalopram

Nov 6, 2015: Lamictal (Lamotrigne) reduced from 100 mg to 75 mg. Sleep seems to have improved due to lower Lamotrigene.

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I hope you are still on your SA journey. Thanks, Dawes. Yes, I'm still journeying. No change, really. 

 

How can you get 6 hr of sleep and me 4 ? mI wasn't on mitraz but was on SSRI for 18 yr. I really can't say.  Some of us have few serious WD effects and some are virtually (or actually) bedridden. I do know that mirtaz is atypical and is often--as was my case--prescribed to facilitate better sleep. As I've said before, this worked--until it didn't. So I really think I'd built up a tolerance to mirt and this sort of drove me to give up antidepressants. I had no problem with sleep until I was completely off mirt, then all of a sudden...fairly punishing insomnia. But mixed in with all this is the fact that I gave up a fairly heavy drinking lifestyle around the same time and that I still take lorazepam sometimes. (I know I need to taper this, but I've been more concerned with other issues lately. [see above: atrial fibrillation and, more recently, back problems.]) Also, I'm 71 years old and thus I've got to assume that my sleep patterns are influenced by all of these: aging, alcohol damage, antidepressant damage and withdrawal (fluoxetine as well as irt), lorazepam (and tolerance to loraz), hearing loss, etc. So who can say why I average 6 hours.

 

What happens when you dont exercise ? Nothing much except I don't get sleepy till 1 or 2 a.m. Since I tend to wake up at 6 or 7 at the latest, this means that exercise is essential to getting my quota, whatever my quota is these days.

 

I also am on Lamictal 100 mg which may be killing sleep ? I don't remember ever hearing of this drug until just now, so I don't know.

 

Thanks for reading. I hope your sleep and anxiety both improve. With a bit more time, I'm sure they will. Hang in there.

 

Best,

 

ibid

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg

2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg

Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta

Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months.

July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months.

Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg.

October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive.

March 2016 , 21mg

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  • Administrator

Good to hear from you, ibid. I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol



to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

 

Have you tried fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

These could help the tinnitus and palpitations, possibly improve sleep, too.

 

Your sleep pattern may be your nervous system's way of asking you to get up and go to bed earlier, at least for a while, until your nervous system gets more stable.

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

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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Wow ibid you have come so far.

What do you lecture in?

Not one to recommend a switch but if you are getting an earache from listening to Republicans you could always switch to listening to the wonderful soothing sound of Democrats and the voice of your next President ..Clinton!

 

Hope those flank pains aren't serious.

Thats amazing you are exercising 1 hr a day.

 

nz11

If i was American id be a Democrat.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol

 

 

to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

 

 

Thank you, Altostrata. I don't feel as though I've been sick enough (for example exercise has always been possible) to be rewarded, but I'm surely better than I was. (Just updated signature.) Still need to improve a bit more before I'm a "success story," I think, but success in this endeavor is relative. I'll work on something for that forum if you think it's warranted. (Actually, I'm also a bit superstitious about it so I will probably procrastinate.)

 

Yes, I take the supplements you've recommended. I take fish oil, magnesium citrate, melatonin, B-complex, a multivitamin, glucosamine (for arthiritis), and a low dose aspirin. Occasional indica vapors, to general good effect, I think -_-, but alas it doesn't help the insomnia.

 

This is mentioned in the new signature: The beta blocker is no more, which helps build contidence that my atrial fib was induced by mirtazapine withdrawal.  (Cardiologist will weigh in on the subject next month. This is my favorite doctor. He did not try to get me onto an anticoagulant and gave me the green light to quit the beta blocker. Basically, he thinks I'm in the pink, Believes most medications should be avoided if possible. This he calls "conservative," a word to which I'm not ordinarily partial. [Can't wait to hear his reaction to my new theory, which I found on this site, of AD withdrawal and vagus nerve problems.])

 

Hearing from you and acquiring the sun symbol was almost as cheering as the hooray from NZ11, which I also appreciated.

 

More to you later, NZ, when daytime cortisol sharpens my wit. Right now my computer's blue light blocker is fully activated. 

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • 6 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

HI Ibid

 

I am also tapering Remeron Buddy. I am way younger though and still with a lot of problems on my way 40 Years old only anyway i am determined not to get stuck in these meds.

 

How are you currently doing...??? Is everything OK with you???

 

All the best

2015 -  2016 Xanax only rescue doses of 0.125 mg 1-2 times per month
 March 2016 0.125Mg * 2 Xanax for 10 days.

20 March 2016 0.25 Mg * 2 Xanax for one week. 1 April 2016 Tranxene 5 mg and Fevarin but bad reaction for 5 days.4 April 2016 25 Mg Amitryptiline + 6 MG bromazepam at night

Started tapering Bromazepam 6 days later reached up to 3 MG in 10 days and withdrawal. Pdoc asked to go 6 MG again.

10 of May started Remeron 15 MG and started tapering Bromazepam again.

SINCE 09/06/2016 BENZO FREE - Started Tapering Remeron 04/07/2016

 

04/Jul/16 12.8 Mg, 11/Aug/16 12 Mg, 20/Aug/16 11Mg, 3/Sept/16 10Mg, 11/Sept/16 9 Mg, 30/Sept/16 8.1 Mg, 14/Oct/16 7.25 Mg, 17/Nov/16 6.7, 23/Nov/16 6.5, 2/Dec/16 6.25, 9/Dec/16 6Mg, 25/Dec/16 5.7Mg, 4/Jan/17 5.4Mg, 20/Jan/17 5.2Mg, 07/Feb/17 5 Mg, 15/Feb/17 4.8Mg, 27/Feb/17 4.5Mg, 15/Mar/17 4.2Mg, 23/Mar/17 4Mg, 1/Apr/17 3.7Mg, 14/Apr/17 3.4Mg, 27/Apr/17 3.1Mg, 06/May/17 2.8Mg, 22/May/17 2.6Mg, 31/May/17 2.3Mg 09/Jun/17 2Mg, 20/Jun/17 1.7Mg, 29/Jun/17 1.4Mg, 11/Jul/17 1.2Mg, 20/Jul/17 1Mg, 31/Jul/17 0.8Mg, 11/Aug/17 0.6Mg, 23/Aug/17 0.5Mg, 05/Sept/17 0.4Mg, 13/Sept/17 0.3Mg. 22/Sept/17 0.2Mg, 03/Oct/17 0.15Mg, 10/Oct/17 0.1Mg, 23/Oct/17 0.05Mg, 22/Nov/17 0.025Mg, 06/DECEMBER/2017 MIRT FREEE.

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HI Ibid

 

I am also tapering Remeron Buddy. I am way younger though and still with a lot of problems on my way 40 Years old only anyway i am determined not to get stuck in these meds.

 

How are you currently doing...??? Is everything OK with you???

 

All the best

Hello, Santino. Thanks for visiting my intro page. I'm doing quite well and hope you are too. I'll visit your intro soon and see how you're doing. Hope your taper is going well. 

 

To give a quick look at my withdrawal and "recovery," I'm pretty much back to normal except for sleep difficulties, which haven't changed much since my last post. The other symptoms I mention in my signature haven't recurred.

 

I definitely need to write a more detailed update (maybe the "success story" that's been requested) and will do so soon. Right now I'm so preoccupied with the insanity of American presidential election campaign that I can't get myself to write much. I've threatened to reinstate either mirtazapine or bourbon whiskey if things turn out badly :wacko:. (Not seriously.) My shrink urges mirtazapine, but right now I'm getting by with the occasional lorazepam and/or indica vapors.

 

My only advice is one you will hear all over this site: slow and steady. From your signature I see you're going slowly. My mistake, I think, was to go from 2 mg mirtazapine to none at all. My worst symptoms happened a month or two after I was completely free of the drug. Follow the 10 per cent (or less) rule! My best to you on your path to freedom from AD's. 

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Sorry I haven't kept you informed. Things aren't so good right now, as I mentioned in tonight's post on NZ11's page

 

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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Sorry that things are not good.

Wishing you strength at this time.

Hang in there. Remember wdl has good and bad days and then a not so bad day.

Thanks for popping in and commenting in my intro.

nz11

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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I forgot to mention that, although being obsessed with political events has made me crazy, most withdrawal symptoms are in remission. Some trouble sleeping through the night. Election campaign has made that worse but hasn't brought on the symptoms that were bothering me months and years ago (see signature). Thanks for the kind words, NZ. Had no intention of bringing politics into SA, although I don't consider what's going on as "just politics."  I do that on Facebook, though, and follow certain FB pages all to religiously.

Diagnosed w/ ADD and minor depression in 1990. Fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Also methylphenidate, but hated it and quit after about a week. Quit fluoxetine cold turkey (ignorance) 18 January 2013. Experienced brain zaps, flu symptoms, heart palpitations. Nothing after August 2013. Mirtazapine 15 mg/day for sleep beginning around 1999. Began tapering August 2013.  As of March 2015 I'm off mirtazapine and antidepressant free. Don't sleep well after sunrise, feel anxious and sad some of the time, still have tinnitus. Still occasionally take lorazepam for anxiety but never more than 1 mg.  Prescribed metoprolol (beta blocker) for atrial fibrillation diagnosed June 2013. Medical  opinion (two cardiologists) is that it's not caused by fluoxetine w/drawal and is a dangerous, chronic condition requiring lifelong medication. As of Aug 2013 heart palpitations for the most part ceased. Tapered beta blocker and am off of it as of Jan 2015. No wd symptoms or recurring afib at all so far. Maybe it was wd after all, but doctors don't think so, surprise surprise. However, a small victory: the last doctor I related this to shrugged her shoulders. Getting lots of exercise, which has me physically pretty robust at age 71 in spite of persistence of mirt wd symptoms, mainly insomnia and anxiety, but also jaw-clenching annoyance at noises of a certain pitch and timbre. Incessant media fixation on the presidential campaign has ruined my disposition and my faith in the future. My Introduction.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

You're not alone, Ibid. I heard/read a report that a group of American psychologists were recommending that people reduce their exposure and consumption of election-related information. Apparently they are seeing an increase in stress/distress symptoms in their clients.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Yes i think i have llearnt something ...do not talk politics on SA !

 

Thats great that most wdl symptoms are in remission.

 

Remember the rec  TV taper is 10% of previous viewing per month??

 

Go well.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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  • 5 years later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi @Ibid--I've appreciated your thread and am wondering how you're faring.

Arbor

Zoloft: 1995 - 2015

Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on  December 15, 2018

Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019  (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019

Enalapril: 2010 - 2019

Lipitor: 2017 -2017

Metformin: 2000 - 2020

Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019

Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022

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