success ☼ Hudgens's story

[Altostrata]

Taper them carefully, one at a time, and watch for any withdrawal symptoms.

[Hudgens]

I will, someday. But I can now see it was a stupid idea. I'm going to start using the Effexor in water on Thursday, and I don't need an extra variable in the mix. When I come up with dumb ideas like this (dropping my BP medication at the end of a marathon Effexor taper) I wonder how I got this far. But thanks again for helping me, Benz

[Hudgens]

I seem to be cycling through symptoms today--45 minute anxiety attack, window, depression, now anxiety again.

It was kind'a like this yesterday, too, only a little less borthersome. 23 days since my lastest drop to .29 mgs and I'm getting a wave. Strange, though, I'm not as disappointed by this one. Does practicing acceptance help eventually illiminate the waves or does it get you used to them or does it just help keep a bad thing from feeling worse?

 

I'm sensing some mild confusion lately too. And a couple of nights ago, just before falling to sleep I suddendly couldn't remember about my tapering. At the same time I was feeling a lot of anxiety but couldn't remember why I might be feeling so bad, and I felt like I was supposed to be doing something about it, but I couldn't remember what.

I sat on the edge of my bed and it all came back to me over the course of about ten minutes, that I'd been tapering for a long time off of my antidepressant, and that I didn't need to be doing anything about the anxiety except trying to relax and let it eventually pass. Even after all this came back to me, my thinking was pretty sluggish for another 15-20 minutes, during which time the anxiety did pass.

 

This has happened to me twice before in the last 6 months-once in Oct and once in January. However, both previous times I woken up in the middle of the night from a deep sleep, and the confusion lasted 20-30 minutes. The first time I had to read my journal to understand what was going on in my life at the time. And I had the same anxiety and the same feeling that I should be doing something about it, but couldn't remember what.

 

So I've had 3 of these episodes of confusion, each seperated by almost exactly 3 months. Sleep or almost being a sleep seems to trigger them. They're disconcerting but otherwise seem harmless, the confusion is pretty extreme but it also lifts pretty quickly.

 

I'm convinced this is a withdrawal symptom. What do others here think? Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

By the way, as I was writting this, the anxiety lifted. So, to bed and book. Hoping everyone has a peaceful rest, Benz

[Altostrata]

Screwing with your blood pressure medications can add to withdrawal symptoms. Give your system time to settle down.

 

See the topic on waves and windows in the Symptoms and Self-care forum.

[Hudgens]

Yeah, I can't believe I was thinking of doing that, guess I was thinking they were harmless for stopping or starting. Thanks again for heading me off. Anyway, feeling a lot better today toward the afternoon. Still wondering about the waking confusion, though. Guess it's just WD's. Benz

[Narcissus]

I have had similar, though less extreme, episodes like the ones you describe. I'm sure that it's part of the haywire of withdrawal.

[Hudgens]

Thanks, Pgd, This has only happened since I started having trouble with wd symptoms (about the last 6 months).

Seems to me it would be too much of a coincidence if it were not being caused by withdrawal. And if I ever get through all of this, I won't be surprised to see that it doesn't happen anymore.

 

Thanks once more, reassurance is possibly the most powerful aspect of this site, and a close ally of hope.

 

I really hope you're feeling well today, Benz

[Hudgens]

I'm about to start disolving my generic Effexor in liquid and measuring it with a oral syringe. I bought a 1ml syringe on line. Now I know there's always a space in the nozel of these syringes that doesn't get used when dosing, and so,isn't added to the dose. But I notice that my syringe has a plunger with a little bit of plastic

on the end just above the measuring disk. In other words, this piece of plastic goes up into the nozle when the plunger is pushed all the way up. It seems to me that this must force out some of the liquid in the nozle, and thus, throwing off the dose. The instructions say the resedue in the nozle will not be part of the dosage. Does anyone have a oral syringe like this? Benz

[Meimeiquest]

The plunger is made to fit the syringe. There should be something that resembles a flat line at the end/almost end of the plunger . Line that line up with the amount on syringe you want to deliver, then just press the plunger to its natural stop to dispense it. Hope that makes sense!

[Altostrata]

Don't try to be perfect, Benz, just be consistent. Use the edge of the black part of the plunger to measure, that little protrusion is harder to see.

[Hudgens]

Alto, I don't think you understand what I'm asking. Won't the top of the plunger going in to the nozzle push liquid out of the nozzle and so make the measurement off? I mean, the liquid leftover in the nozle isn't supposed to be part of the measurement. Benz

[Hudgens]

Meimei, I just thought that the liquid left over in the nozzle after pressing the plunger all the way in, wasn't supposed to come out as part of the dose since this would throw off the measurement. And yet the top of the plunger I bought enters into the nozzle and must push some of the liquid out.

Do you think the overall measurement takes this in to account? I don't know why this is so hard to explain. But I'm going to call the online seller tomorrow morning and ask about it. I just don't want to start the liquid at some ammount much more than what I'm use to. I'm afraid it will shake up my taper. Benz

[Altostrata]

Alto, I don't think you understand what I'm asking. Won't the top of the plunger going in to the nozzle push liquid out of the nozzle and so make the measurement off? I mean, the liquid leftover in the nozle isn't supposed to be part of the measurement. Benz

 

Benz, some of us have wondered about this and we discussed it in the oral syringe topic which, if you had read it, would have answered your questions.

 

Don't worry about the liquid in the nozzle.

[Meimeiquest]

Meimei, I just thought that the liquid left over in the nozzle after pressing the plunger all the way in, wasn't supposed to come out as part of the dose since this would throw off the measurement. And yet the top of the plunger I bought enters into the nozzle and must push some of the liquid out.

Do you think the overall measurement takes this in to account? I don't know why this is so hard to explain. But I'm going to call the online seller tomorrow morning and ask about it. I just don't want to start the liquid at some ammount much more than what I'm use to. I'm afraid it will shake up my taper. Benz

 

Well, I have been just pressing it in to the natural stop point for 30 years as a nurse. How many have I maimed? LOL. Whatever your plunger, it was made to measure accurately with that syringe when you just smoothly push the plunger to a natural stop. But aren't you tapering a benzo? Of course you 're anxious and need to check out all the details. I can only imagine what I'll be like when my time comes!

[Hudgens]

Sorry, Alto, just let my anxiety get the best of me again. Thanks, too.

Thanks, Meimei, what you said is exactly right, but I'm getting off Effexor. The Benz isn't for benzo. When I 1st came to the post I'd never even heard them refered to that way.

Thanks again, guys.

[Hudgens]

Just started DIY liquid Effexor: 75mgs disolved in 75ml; .14mls am/pm = .28 daily.

I put 75mls in a clear medicine bottle and just dropped in a generic Effexor tablet and let it disolve. That took about fifteen minutes. Then I put the top on and shook it. When it looked evenly distributed, I replaced the top with a dosing Kork, put in the 1ml oral syringe, inverted the bottle and drew .14mls. Had to draw twice to get rid of a bubble. Then I squirted the liquid into the back of my mouth and drank a glass of water. I replaced the bottle's regular top and put the suspension into the refrigerator. I rinsed the syringe and Kork in warm water. Does anyone use a syringe brush to get rid of medicine residue? I'm not going to do that if it's unnecessary, I mean the stuff's pretty water soluble, and so I imagine the warm water flushes it out pretty well. I'm going to use each suspension I make for two days. I hope it keeps, but I can't find anything on line or on site stating Effexor + water's stability.

 

If anyone has any advice, I'd be glad to hear it, but I think I did it all right.

 

Feeling a little anticipatory anxiety today, otherwise, not bad.

 

Hope everyone is having a good day, Benz

[Altostrata]

Rinsing with warm water is sufficient. Make sure you put it somewhere to dry before using it the next time, or the water left in it will throw measurements off. It's good to have a few oral syringes to rotate, to let them dry.

 

This information is in the oral syringe topic http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/235-using-an-oral-syringe-and-other-tapering-techniques/

[Hudgens]

Thanks, Alto. I'm ordering another syringe soon. Benz

[Altostrata]

You can get them for free or a very small fee from compounding pharmacies or veterinarians.

[Hudgens]

I'm going to ask my vet. Thanks.

[tezza]

Hi Benz,

 

I keep my Remeron mixture in the fridge and one 30 mg pill lasts me for a week. It hasn't seemed to lose strength over the course of a week.

[Hudgens]

Thanks, Tezza. I'd like to get as much milage as possible out of each liquid preparation. The process is already tedious.

 

I took my PM dose and felt very spacey in about 20 minutes. I remember feeling that way after going back on 75mgs after being off of it for two months. So I think that my starting liquid dose of .28 might be an updose from what I was used to in powder form.

 

Didn't feel too great, but mostly just odd, like I had too much clarity or something, hard to discribe, almost like too much coffee. It's easing now, and I tried not to overreact to it. And so what if I updosed a little? .28 is still a very low dose, and I can just start there, if I don't have much more trouble with it. I'd like to wait until May 1st and then drop to .24. But who knows.

Thanks, Benz

[tezza]

Try to stabilize as much as possible before tapering.

[Hudgens]

Yes, I will. Thank you.

[Hudgens]

Second day using DIY suspension of generic Efeexor. When I tried to sqirt the dose into the back of my mouth, nothing came out, the dosing Kork had clogged, despite the fact that I cleaned it very well. So I just dipped the 1ml syringe into about the middle of the bottle and drew the dose. I guess since, done that way, I should be carefull not to let the sides of the syringe touch my mouth or inside of my mouth, to avoid getting the extra

effexor clinging to its sides added to the dose. I threw the Kork out and will just dip the syringe from now on. For me, the simpler the better.

 

Still feeling low level anxiety and light headedness. But slept pretty good last night.

 

I'm keeping the leftover suspension and alot of the water from the bottle rinses in an old Gator Aid bottle for disposal. We have a well and I don't want alot of this stuff getting into the ground water. Does anyone know how to dispose of this stuff? Safe just to let it go to a land fill? Benz

[Meimeiquest]

Sounds like you're doing as well with the transition as possible. When I measure by dipping at work, I wash the outside of the syringe under running water. Current guidelines for disposing of medications is trash/landfill, although what you are describing is tiny....at work we worry about bottles of leftover pills and solutions. We used to flush them down the toilet, but no more. Hope you're back to baseline soon!

Edited April 12, 2013 by Altostrata
deleted extraneous quote

[Meimeiquest]

Oops, don't know how I did that quote

[Altostrata]

It picked up a quote from a previous topic. I deleted it.

[Hudgens]

Thanks, Meimei. Just took my PM dose/day 2. Feeling a little like I did a cut today. Anxiety increased to moderate level and more dizziness. The great increase of consistancy is worth the risk of going from measuring by eye to syringe, just hope I don't end up throwing my whole taper off.

Thanks for the disposal information. BTW, when you swtched to liquid, how did you know what amount to switch to? Benz

[Meimeiquest]

I switched to the same dose...from tablet to homemade suspension. But it seemed the solution absorbed more quickly. My brain is whacky right now and it takes nothing to make me manic or in withdrawal from the Wellbutrin. I've dropped down now to 100mg which comes in sustained release form. I have just had a round of nausea each day, but I'm not far enough out to know how bad it will hit in a couple of weeks. But being manic is the symptom that will make the whole world think you need drugged, so I have to stay ahead of that. I will go with a compound with my next drop because I need that extended release.

 

I did get the Zyprexa compounded to try re-in statement. I took one dose and it was a big fail, but the absorption seemed to go smoothly. If the water solution doesn't work out for you, that would still be an option. My pharmacist said a drug would be absorbed over 8 hrs if it is made with methyl cellulose. But I am beginning to suspect no healthcare professional understands the sensitivity of withdrawal, so who knows.

[Hudgens]

Got a pretty good night's sleep. Having a partial window this morning and afternoon, so far. A little sort of background anxiety, that's all. Taking my PM dose at 430. I've felt pretty iffy for the past 7 days, so this is a welcome relief. Benz

[lexicon]

Hi Benz,

So wonderful to read that you are a little better. ..How did you sleep last night, and how are you this morning?

Thinking of you, and wishing you well ..xx

[Hudgens]

Hi, Lex, hope you're having a better sort of day. Got a friend coming over to help you? That's good.

Hey, I wanted to ask you, are there parts of your day that are more tolerable than other parts, or is the distress pretty much uniform throughout?

 

I find that, at least lately, I'm worst upon waking. At this early point in my day, I usually just relax in bed, sometimes as much as two hours, long before which time any symptoms (usually anxiety or mild nausea)have subsided for the most part.

 

Most times I feel even better after getting up (weak cup of instant coffee) and I feel pretty good until early to late afternoon. Symptoms return and intensify (if they are going to) in the early evening and until 9-11 PM. Many times (last night for example) After a few hours of anxiety while watching TV, I'll suddenly get a window for maybe an hour and then the anxiety returns for an hour and then goes away again. Back and forth. I'm getting used to this.

 

Finally, most often, any symptoms after TV watching ease or disappear soon after lying down in bed to read and sleep. I find that the more tired I am, the faster the ease.

 

Yesterday was something like this typical day, I had a nice partial window midday and until about 4pm when I took my second dose and felt as though I'd taken too much, like I updosed or something. This went away in about two hours.

 

But then I couldn't sleep more than about two hours during the night. Anxiety and unusual muscle pains.

 

This morning I woke up with fairly intense anxiety. I did my breathing thing (by the way, I checked, and I only begin by exhaling without brething in again for at most 15 seconds NOT a full minute!)

I deliberately took 4-5 slow half breaths after that before returning to natural breathing--And the anxiety almost immediately stopped. I'd never used it before to stop anxiety, just to get rid of the "can't get a full breath" feeling. But it seems to have worked. Maybe I was hyperventilating in my sleep. I'll try it again next time the anxiety comes back. Still feeling pretty good an hour after first dose. The lightheadedness I've felt most of the time for a week or so is gone.

 

Remember to post about how everything goes with your friend's visit. Thanks for letting me blab. Hoping you find some peace today, Benz

[lexicon]

Benz, can you please tell me with a little more detail, about the 4-5 half breaths?

Do you breathe through the nose? Do you hold at all?

Well, I do wake up at night, with tossing and turning ..But I am able to sleep about 5 hours ..

Mornings are a mess .. My issues are neuro, and head mostly ..

I wake up and have the head problems ..heavy and numb feelings, zaps, dizziness that prevent me from walking freely ..Also the neuro, with trembling and slight twitches beneath the skin ..

Then the anxiety starts, with my heart and stomach hurting ..

The anxiety comes and goes ...It does not stay most day, as it used to do... So maybe that is s tiny window,?

Yesterday it was like I said above, and then after dinner I had a scarry occurrence, to where I felt an aggressive type feeling in my head, anxiety, and totally dizzy ..

Also, I wanted to thank you, for

I took a quarter Ativan and stayed laying down till it passed ..

I went to bed early at 8:30 pm.

I wanted to tell you that the only other person here that has similar issues is Abir ..I feel for him, because I share his issues ..

Benz, I wanted to thank you for responding to the issue with mu doctor. ..You were very kind in your thoughts about him ..

I am upset with him, as I feel that he put me in this situation, by dumping the. AD 'S so abruptly ..

I hope your afternoon and evening are uneventful and serene ..xx

[Hudgens]

Lex, don't worry about the breathing thing, I've tried to explain it a few times and I'm just not good at getting things acrossed to others.

 

Not a bad day today. However, that flu-like feeling came on two hours after 2nd dose. Could be a wave or reponse to a inadvertent cut when switching to DYI liquid. Either way, not severe, just annoying and uncomfortable. Trying the suspension for 3 days this time before making new. Kind'a nice to just have one symptom to think about at a time.

 

Question: do oral syringes (mine's a Baxa) wear out eventually, or do they last more or less indefinitely? I want to get back ups but my vet doesn't have anymore and I can't seem to get them on line without buying 100 at a time.

[Hudgens]

I keep my bottle of DIY Effexor liquid in the refrigerator. I made the latest mixture yesterday morning.

Today there's a glaze of particals on almost the entier inside of the bottle. Shaking the bottle does not

remove this glaze. This has to reduce the strength of the suspension. That's got me worried. Now there's a lot of experience accumulated here with the use of this method, is it generally agreed to that this method gives a greater accuracy of measurement and consistancy? The seemingly frozen, particulate film on the inside of my bottle after being in the refrigerator all night, seems to contradict this.

 

This is my 3rd day using liquid.