beconscious Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I'm wondering what is the maximum window of time after AD's are stopped that WD symptoms could begin. I see 3, 4 and possibly 8 months as possibly mile markers of when WD symptoms could return or crop up. Do we have any data or personal experiences on this? If I'm off meds for, say 12 months, am I in the clear? Thanks. 2008 Feb- 1MG Ativan As Needed 2010 Tolerance Withdrawal to Ativan begins. Source unrecognized. 2011 Fall Began Attempting to Come off Ativan 1 week taper as advised by doctor. Increase to 1mg Daily. 2012 January nervous breakdown symptoms. Source unrecognized. Withdrawal symptoms. 2012 May stopped Ativan cold turkey. Severe wd symptoms occurred by end of month. 2012 July 21st 50MG of Pristiq 2013 February 5 week increase to 100MG 2013 March tapered down from 100MG to 50MG in 2 weeks. 2013 March 27th first day of alternate day taper of 50mg to 0mg. 2013 March 13th first 2 2013 April 26th first 3 2013 May 1 first 4-day 2013 May 18th Last 50MG of Pristiq. Ever. Entirely drug free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted June 1, 2013 Administrator Share Posted June 1, 2013 If you've had any withdrawal symptoms at all, it's a good idea to be very conscious about the potential fragility of your nervous system and to treat it carefully henceforth. This means lifestyle changes to take care of yourself and your nervous system for the rest of your life: Avoid any chemical stressors, everything in moderation, keep your system stable. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 any suggestions for surgery? or the medications used in post surgery recovery? I agree keeping the system clear is best but sometimes if it can't be avoided are there any points that proved useful in a general way or is everything specific to each person? WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy131313 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 If you've had any withdrawal symptoms at all, it's a good idea to be very conscious about the potential fragility of your nervous system and to treat it carefully henceforth.This means lifestyle changes to take care of yourself and your nervous system for the rest of your life: Avoid any chemical stressors, everything in moderation, keep your system stable. for the rest of your life?? does this mean that even when you feel better that the cns will always be sensitised and therefore we can never live 'normally'? damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily severly disabled and lost everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted June 4, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 4, 2013 Iggy, like everything else, this is going to be individual. Everyone's history and genes are different. I think what Alto is saying is that it's a good idea to be careful and to pay attention and to learn for yourself what your own boundaries are. Don't just assume you can do what you were able to do before withdrawal. Eventually you'll learn what you can handle and what you can't, and that will probably change over time (like it does anyway in life). Just be aware that you need to be aware. Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010. Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea. Feb 15 2010: 300 mg Neurontin 200 Lamictal 10 Celexa 0.65 Xanax and 5 mg Ambien Feb 10 2014: 62 Lamictal 1.1 Celexa 0.135 Xanax 1.8 Valium Feb 10 2015: 50 Lamictal 0.875 Celexa 0.11 Xanax 1.5 Valium Feb 15 2016: 47.5 Lamictal 0.75 Celexa 0.0875 Xanax 1.42 Valium 2/12/20 12 0.045 0.007 1 May 2021 7 0.01 0.0037 1 Feb 2022 6 0!!! 0.00167 0.98 2.5 mg Ambien Oct 2022 4.5 mg Lamictal (off Celexa, off Xanax) 0.95 Valium Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy131313 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 like no more drinking alchol again? no smoking pot? no taking any kind of meds agin? its so scary damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily severly disabled and lost everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy131313 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 but I will certainly never take any prescription meds again, PTSD has already seen to that, I said to my mum the other day, I wouldnt go to the Drs even if my eye was hanging out, she disagreed, she thought I would go.....perhaps if it was both eyes lol. I know steroids and certain antibiotics are a big no no, and I wont touch them, no way, no how. I guess the only way to tell about the alcohol and pot would be to try a tiny amount (ot now, when Im more stable) and see how I tolertae them, and then go from there. Its weird, some people are able to drink through their bad withdrawal, to be honest I havent even tried it so I dont know if I can or not but fear is holding me back. In december I tried 1 puff on a joint to see if it would help me, it didnt, it made things worse...I tried 1 puff in march when I was feeling atble and it was fine, it was nice acctually, that was at the beginning of march and the rest of march was great, really good, maybe it helped, I dont know, but I will wait another good few months until Im more stable to try, I would be more inclined to try a puff of MJ than alcohol, I have never liked alcohol, I dont like the way it makes you feel, but as a musician I have always enjoyed the odd smoke of MJ, not over the top, all things in moderation, but that was my vice. I stopped as soon as w/d started, in fact as w/d didnt start until 5 months off, I wonder if smoking the MJ helped me not notice the w/d until that point..anyway, I know smoking pot isnt the be all and end all, all I want right now is to be able to function as a human being and not be in constant agony mental and physical, but I would liek to think that one day I can enjoy some of the things I always did before. I know a lady who had a very very bad withdrawal, she was mainnly recovered by 2 years and has since had 2 children, one 3/4 years off and one 6/7 years off, after the forst child she went back into w/d and felt very bad, the experience after her second child she said was like night and day so I guess this is what you and alto mean? even when you feel healed you need to be careful with things that effect hormonal or other systems? I dont know if I can ever have another child now, but Im only 32 so maybe when Im 40, if I am recovered in a couple of years from now (wishful thinking) I could consider it. how sad. thanks for clarifying everything... and to give my laymans opinion on the OP..I would say if big time withdrawal hasnt kicked in after a year then you are in the clear from having a sudden unexplained onset of withdrawal symptoms but second what alto said about being careful, I would go out and take lsd, or steroids. damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily severly disabled and lost everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 I think it is a long term thing and after suffering thru withdrawal I would settle for a much more restricted life now than I ever would have accepted before all this. Long term reactions has been my experience avoiding the things you know can hurt you is just wise... and careful consideration needs to made before attempting situations or substances that have the potential to hurt you. I just had surgery. I am 5 years 6 months post cold turkey. I have not talked to the surgeon yet but I have a bruise on my leg where I suspect I was given an injection during surgery. The risk of surgery for me was a painstaking process... even tho it was medically needed... I thought long and hard about it. If the same situation had come up when I was in hard withdrawal ... well lets just say good thing it didn't. I don't know what I would have done. There are some things we can't control like needed surgery... that may be especially risky for us I think they are for some of us and remain so... there are other things like smoking pot... drinking... I don't care if I ever touch as long as I live. The risk is too big... yes I have been changed from a moderate risk taker to a not willing to risk anything type person... I have learned some very hard lessons. We all will make our choices ... from my perspective I believe some of us are changed long term.. maybe forever. What was ok before is not now. It is that simple. After a long and hard withdrawal and basically no life .... any kind of a life starts to look... almost livable. WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy131313 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 btdt, is your life still hell nearly 6 years on? damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily severly disabled and lost everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy131313 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 and I agree, pot, booze all minor things, this morning that was what I was chossing to ruminate about, but if someone said to me, ok you can be healed but never again booze or pot or meds, I would bite their arm off, DEAL! damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily severly disabled and lost everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beconscious Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 I tend to avoid anything stimulating, anyway. Caffeine, sugar, alcohol and recreational drugs are not a part of my life. The only thing to manage is the intensity of my work-out, and the emotional response to stress. 2008 Feb- 1MG Ativan As Needed 2010 Tolerance Withdrawal to Ativan begins. Source unrecognized. 2011 Fall Began Attempting to Come off Ativan 1 week taper as advised by doctor. Increase to 1mg Daily. 2012 January nervous breakdown symptoms. Source unrecognized. Withdrawal symptoms. 2012 May stopped Ativan cold turkey. Severe wd symptoms occurred by end of month. 2012 July 21st 50MG of Pristiq 2013 February 5 week increase to 100MG 2013 March tapered down from 100MG to 50MG in 2 weeks. 2013 March 27th first day of alternate day taper of 50mg to 0mg. 2013 March 13th first 2 2013 April 26th first 3 2013 May 1 first 4-day 2013 May 18th Last 50MG of Pristiq. Ever. Entirely drug free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitby50 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 If you've had any withdrawal symptoms at all, it's a good idea to be very conscious about the potential fragility of your nervous system and to treat it carefully henceforth.This means lifestyle changes to take care of yourself and your nervous system for the rest of your life: Avoid any chemical stressors, everything in moderation, keep your system stable. So I am wondering if having a cortisone shot would have a bad effect, since it has steroid in it? If my shoulder does not heal up soon, my doc may suggest a shot. Any thoughts on con's of a cortisone shot? Sept-1990 started my first AD Zoloft never got higher dose than 50mg Dec-1990 Quit Zoloft =Nov-1995 Back on Zoloft for Post-partum depression/anxiety early-1998 Quit Prozac to get pregnant =Feb-1999 Back on Prozac 20mg 10-1999 Prozac 30mg =12-1999 Prozac 20mg 7-2001 switch to Wellbutrin SR 100mg 8-2001 increase Wellbutrin SR 150mg 10-2001 adding back Prozac 20mg 5-2003 tapered off Prozac =7-2003 back on Prozac 20mg 8-2003 Add in Imipramine 25mg then to 50mg (given Xanax for bad panic episodes 9-2003 Imipramine 75 mg then to 100mg 1-2004 switch to Lexapro 10mg 8-2004 Lexapro 20mg, Imipramine 75mg 4-2006 Adding Wellbutrin 150mg then to 200mg 7-2006 switch Lexapro to Celexa 12-2007Celexa 40mg Wellbutirin 150mg 9-2009 switch back to Lexapro 20mg, WellbutrinXL 150mg 2-2010 stop Lexapro start Celexa 40mg 11-2010 switch Celexa to Cymbalta 60mg 3-2011 Cymbalta 60mg switch to Effexor 37.5 to 75mg 10-2012 thru 12-2012 taper Effexor 75mg to 37.5 and off. 5-2013 start generic Prozac 10mg to 20mg, Trazadone 25mg BEGIN THE TAPER(6-2013 Prozac 20mg to 10mg, Trazadone 25mg. 7-2013 liquid Prozac 7mg, Trazadone 25mg 8-2013 liquid Prozac 8mg, Trazadone 25mg9-2013 liquid Prozac 5mg, Trazadone 25mg10-31-2013 liquid Prozac 3.25mg, Trazadone 25mg=11-11-2013 liquid Prozac 3.0mg, Trazadone 25mg=12-4-2013 liquid Prozac 2.8mg, Trazadone 25mg=12-13-2013 liquid Prozac 2.5mg, Trazadone 25mg=1-5-2014 liquid Prozac 2.0mg, Trazadone 25mg=(CURRENT/06-01-2014 LAST dose liquid Prozac, Trazadone 25mg)((Aug. 13, 2014 reinstate .20mg of liquid Prozac for crippling anxiety, dread (still on same Trazadone...)supplements are probiotic, Vit. D3 and Fish Oil daily)Aug 19th reinstate 6.25mg Zoloft, Sept. 4th 25mg Zoloft.CURRENT(50mg Zoloft, 25mg Trazadone) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy131313 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 personally I think that would be a bad idea, I have seen people react badly to hydrocortizone nd also nasal spays and cortisol inhalors, hopefully others will chime in, but for me, I wouldnt recommend trying it. x damaged by citalopram - severe suffering for 3 years now...no improvement akathsiia, pgad, dp/dr, terror, and so SO many more daily severly disabled and lost everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus mammaP Posted June 5, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 5, 2013 I had a cortisone shoulder injection 3 months ago while in withdrawal and was fine this time but 12 years ago had injections in both hips and 1 shoulder and it had a terrible effect for a few days. I was angry and agitated at nothing. I was a bit worried this time but the pain was intolerable and couldn't get any sleep so went for it and the doctor said it was highly unlikely to cause that problem again but there are no guarantees. I was fine this time but someone else might not be. **I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge. Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem) 1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat 2002 effexor. Tapered March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads. Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013 Restarted taper Nov 2013 OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015 Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014 Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg July 2017 30mg. May 15 2018 25mg Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33 Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 btdt, is your life still hell nearly 6 years on? Things are no where near the tragic existence of the first 2-3 years... the affects of years drugged and complete collapse of everything in my life including me... has left its mark. I am not where near as functional as I was before the drugs or before withdrawal, however we have to think too I am older... and much more jaded. I have a limited energy and interests... just not the same person any longer. Things linger on... digestive issues ...pain ... broken bones and surgeries keep my off balance. I feel nowhere near social would rather just avoid people.. most of the time...may be in part due to the fact I don't fit with any people who are my age they are all established ... I am still renting a room and can't get it together. So there you have it I do feel better than I did... and that is a lot considering how bad withdrawal was for me. Some thing linger sleep waves digestion and series of broken bones top the list for me...no initiative none. WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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