rubystar Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 (edited) Hi this the first time I'm posting here & I'm very confused about how to find things & unfortunately "my brain is not longer my own"! I'm a member in a few of the Benzo support groups & the only support I seems to get is TAPER BENZO FIRST! First here is my drug history: I have been on different A/D for 25+ years.(call me a guinea pig) It started b/c of being hit in multiple car accidents! The last one was 2007 when I was put on a cocktail of 4 new drugs: Seroquel 100mg/day, Wellbutrin 300mg/day,Prestiq 50mg/day & Clonazapam 1-4 mg as needed, (so that is exactly what I did. usually 1mg during the week & stressful weekends with Alcoholic husband took 4 mg)! About 3 1/2 years ago I know it was not just the issues with my accident injuries that made me sick so I tapered off Seroquel by myself over a 2 year period. (which was a cake walk compare to the K.)!!!!! Then I found the support groups & was recommended to start the K. as the next one! since I never been on a steady dose I started at 2.5 mg/day & tapered down to 2 mg in 6 months. That's when I started my liquid titration of K. 5% every two weeks. by April 1:st, I was down to 1mg. I needed to hold for a while to get stable. (which is soon 3 months). And even if I'm doing much better, probably what have improved the most is the physical pain! (the fibromylgia feeling & flu like symptoms) I still can't handle any form of stress: the worst is the depression & suicidal thought + sleeplessness. Of course I have many, many more sxs, but these are the one that will kill me! (I do believe that the depression & suicidal thoughts have a lot to do with my bad marriage too). Not to talk of the added stress with my husband active Alcoholism & our 23 year old son's drug addiction. Of course it doesn't help that I can't support myself or work= can't leave. The accidents & now the cribbling effects of my tapering & the horrific state I'm in b/c of all of this drugs for so long has made that impossible, so my only goal at this point is to get of this drugs as safe as possibel. So that is probably the biggest reason that I haven't start tapering again, b/c I totally dependent on my husband for everything the last 2 months of my tapering K. & I want to make sure that I will make the right choice? My dilemma & question is After reading your posts, It sounds like it's better to taper A/D first! So my question is can I keep on holding on 1mg of K. & start tapering my Prestiq instead? or would you recommend for me to continue tapering K. b/f I start with the A/D (I figured I start with P. b/c my Psychiatrist says that, that's the drug which have given me the chronic diarrhea! which by the way I have not have since I have been holding, but also I have no longer been eating "root veggies either, since I started to hold) Of course my concern is that I would get in tolerance with the K. I did read your post about Poly drugging (?) which made me more confused. Sorry for writing so much, but I figure for you to be able to give me an answer, you needed to know it all! And sorry too, if my spelling or grammar or expression is off, but this Is my 2;nd language, I was born in Sweden, but has lived in USA for 29 years, (we just did not learn about drugs/medical language in school) Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for your time & I really, really appreciate if you can shed some light on this so that I can continue tapering! I'M DESPERATE Love rubystar Edited June 29, 2013 by Karma added member name to topic 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus tezza Posted June 29, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi rubystar and welcome to the forums. I think you would be fine holding on the K and tapering the P as long as you're in a good place to begin the AD taper. Your writing is just fine. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1644-tezza-risperdal-withdrawal/ Seroquel and Mirtazipine Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus tezza Posted June 29, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 29, 2013 I moved you here since this is your first topic. You will get more traffic and advice here. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1644-tezza-risperdal-withdrawal/ Seroquel and Mirtazipine Link to comment
Administrator Karma Posted June 29, 2013 Administrator Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi Rubystar and welcome to our community. You can absolutely hold the K while you taper the AD. I am holding Xanax while I taper Effexor and it is working fine for me. Every now and then I need to nibble the edge of a Xanax for a little anxiety relief, but I haven't had to raise my benzo since I got down to .75 mg. Here is our general tapering thread - it has some very good ideas and information in it and may answer some of your questions: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/300-important-topics-in-the-tapering-forum-and-faq/ Here is our thread specific to Pritiq - Pristiq is difficult to taper off of because of its coating and it is not recommended to cut up the tablets ... although some have. In some cases people find that if they switch to Effexor they can do a more controlled taper. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/876-tips-for-tapering-off-pristiq-desvenlafaxine/ When you get a chance please add your withdrawal history to your signature. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/ Your signature shows up with each post and will provide a quick reference for mods or members to understand your history when they respond to you. Use this thread as your journal to post updates on your progress or questions. Glad you found us, you'll find lots of support here. Karma 2007 @ 375 mg Effexor - 11/29/2011 - 43.75 mg Effexor (regular) & .625 mg Xanax 200 mg Gabapentin 2/27/21 - 194.5 mg, 5/28/21 - 183 mg, 8/2/21 - 170 mg, 11/28/21 - 150 mg, 4/19/22 - 122 mg; 8//7/22 - 100 mg; 12/17 - 75mg; 8/17 - 45 mg; 10/16 40 mg Xanax taper: 3/11/12 - 0.9375 mg, 3/25/12 - 0.875 mg, 4/6/12 - 0.8125 mg, 4/18/12 - 0.75 ; 10/16 40mg; 1/16 0.6875 mg; at some point 0.625 mg Effexor taper: 1/29/12 - 40.625 mg, 4/29/12 - 39.875 mg, 5/11/12 - Switched to liquid Effexor, 5/25/12 - 38 mg, 7/6/12 - 35 mg, 8/17/12 - 32 mg, 9/14/12 - 30 mg, 10/19/12 - 28 mg, 11/9/12 - 26 mg, 11/30/12 - 24 mg, 01/14/13 - 22 mg. 02/25/13 - 20.8 mg, 03/18/13 - 19.2 mg, 4/15/13 - 17.6 mg, 8/10/13 - 16.4 mg, 9/7/13 - 15.2 mg, 10/19/13 - 14 mg, 1/15/14 - 13.2 mg, 3/1/2014 - 12.6 mg, 5/4/14 - 12 mg, 8/1/14 - 11.4 mg, 8/29/14 - 10.8 mg; 10/14/14 - 10.2 mg; 12/15/14 - 10 mg, 1/11/15 - 9.5 mg, 2/8/15 - 9 mg, 3/21/15 - 8.5 mg, 5/1/15 - 8 mg, 6/9/15 - 7.5 mg, 7/8/15 - 7 mg, 8/22/15 - 6.5 mg, 10/4/15 - 6 mg; 1/1/16 - 5.6 mg; 2/6/16 - 5.2 mg; 4/9 - 4.8 mg; 7/7 4.5 mg; 10/7 4.25 mg; 11/4 4.0 mg; 11/25 3.8 mg; 4/24 3.6 mg; 5/27 3.4 mg; 7/8 3.2 mg ... 10/18 2.8 mg; 1/18 2.6 mg; 4/7 2.4 mg; 5/26 2.15mg; 8/18 1.85 mg; 10/7 1.7 mg; 12/1 1.45 mg; 3/2 1.2 mg; 5/4 0.90 mg; 6/1 0.80 mg; 6/22 0.65 mg; 08/03 0.50 mg, 08/10 0.45 mg, 10/05 0.325 mg, 11/23 0.2 mg, 12/14 0.15 mg, 12/21 0.125 mg, 02/28 0.03125 mg, 2/15 0.015625 mg, 2/29/20 0.00 mg - OFF Effexor I am not a medical professional - this is not medical advice. My suggestions are based on personal experience, reading, observation and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers Link to comment
rubystar Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Thank You tezza & Karma, I really appreciate your response! I'm so grateful to have finally find you guys & figured out a little bit how to use this web page! I have been getting really anxious over this for the last few weeks & don't want to start taper b/f I'm sure!So why & how whould you get in tolrance from holding on K.? Alot of my friends in the Benzo groups think I'll.Thats the only reason I have been holding for the last month is to figure this out! F.Y.I. basically my history is all in this thread, (because I wanted to get as "right" answer as possiblet I will for sure do thay though!as son as I get some more energy! PS! Looks like a lot of great info. Oh! I see you guys are writing very detailed history, unfortunately I don't have it that detailed! Love rubystar 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted June 30, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 30, 2013 The idea of "going into tolerance" while holding a benzo taper has no real scientific evidence behind it and I personally think it's a myth, mostly because it doesn't make any actual sense, and I've experienced no evidence of it. I don't think you'll run into any problems from holding your K for a while. However, you may continue to experience withdrawal symptoms from what you've cut so far. It can take a long time for benzo withdrawal to play out and resolve. Probably you should continue to hold a bit longer before beginning your taper of Pristiq. If I recall correctly that's a tricky one, so you can take this time and learn about what has worked for other people trying to taper it. Good luck to you, and welcome! 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
Meimeiquest Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Hi Ruby, Welcome aboard! Just wanted to let you know I am holding a benzo, and it is going ok. I don't think it is doing anything for me except keeping me from withdrawal from it, but that is worth something. I hope your taper goes well and that things improve with your family. Warmly, Meimei 1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms. Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12 Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13 Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15 11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble) 9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol 7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol 56 years old Link to comment
rubystar Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 Dear Rhi & Meimei!Thank you so much for your input, it means a lot to me that you both took time to reply to my post! I just read the whole info. about tapering of Pristiq! If I wasn't confused b/f, now I'm for sure! Anyway, this is what I'm doing!First off all I have been asking ppl. how to taperr Pristiq for 1 1/2 & nobody knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(as you all know, this drug was made to not be able to taper off) My Psychiatrist tried to switch me to Prozac, without any overlap. I got very sick!!!! I went back on my regular dose of 50mg of P.Then she has told me to change to Effexor, when I used to take Effexor I got really sick + gained 50 lbs in a few months!I'm not doing that!I have a wonderful pharmacist, who has helped me immensely! He called the Drug Company for me & they told him that you could not taper of Pristiq!!!!!!!!So he did his own experience, & he said that when he cut into the pill that you do not destroy the extended release (or something like that, but basically the point was that you will not get all the "poisen" at the same time)!He said that is not the case when it comes to Extended Release Wellbutrin, that one you can not cut! Anyway I know another lady who has just cut the pill in 1/2 (50 %) rec. by her Dr. *now on slower taper! I'm not doing that!I'm cutting it 10% every 10 days, (is my plan for right now)Today is day # 7 & 'knock on wood', I feel better than b/f I started to taper it! (I'm holding my K. for right now, but if this continue to go good I'll start taper it at a rate of 2.5% a month! I'll let you guys know how I feel, my next cut is Tusday when I'll go to 20%And I'll talk with my Pharmacist again if he thinks it's better to crush it? right now I'm dry cutting, which is the simlest due to the shape of the pill! (I cut 10 pills at the same size) That's how I got off Seroquel 3 1/2 years ago! (Of course that one was not extended)! Love Rubystar 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 7, 2013 Administrator Share Posted July 7, 2013 Cutting Pristiq tablets is inexact for sure but pretty much the only way to directly taper off Pristiq. If your pharmacist has another suggestion, we'd like to hear it. How would he crush the tablets? I suppose he'd weigh the powder? 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
rubystar Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Dear Altostata Thank You, thank you, thank you!!! For taking time to write, I can't imagine how busy you must be!I just love all the good information!All the info. is the best I have found so far! Thank you soooooooooooo. much for starting this grop & for helping ppl.You are truly a remarkable woman (& of course all the ppl. who hepls too).This is going to help to save a lot of ppl. life! Have you ever thought about changing the groups names to something like "Surviving Psychiatric Drugs" since you have info about Benzo's too? I'll try to get hold of my favorite Pharmacist this week!I realize it's not an exact cut Altostrata, however so far so good! Like I said if I can find somebody to compound it, the Insurance will not cover, (that's what happened when I tried to compound K.). I also like to mention, I save the "edges" that I cut off with a knife & I do count every shaving I do too.! & I take the edges with my pill! Until I find somebody else with any better suggestion & experience this is what I'm doing.Of course I'm still investigating all possible ways to do this! Like my husband said, If it was poisonous I should be dead by now. lol! Love Rubystar 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted July 8, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 8, 2013 Ruby, I'd recommend getting a milligram scale like this one: https://www.google.com/shopping/product/2682853058188261477?q=milligram+scale&rlz=1CASMAE_enUS539US543&oq=milligram+scale&aqs=chrome.0.57j5j0l2.6991j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ei=Kjv Use the scale to measure the weight of your cut pills so that you know you're getting a consistent amount. Just "eyeballing" the pills is not accurate enough and you can end up with a lot of fluctuation of dosages. I think this is how most people do their dry cutting tapers. It's what i did when I was dry cutting, because it's what was suggested to me at that time, and it worked pretty well. Also, you mentioned restarting your K taper. Please don't do that while you're tapering the Pristiq, or at least not until you've been tapering it for 6-8 months and are having a super stable taper. Preferably though just wait until you've finished the Pristiq taper before you go off the rest of the K. 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
rubystar Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Dear Rhi Thank you for mentioning the scale. I will definitely get that!That darn pill is really hard to cut! (keeps on breaking, it's easier to shave it )! Just curious, why would you say to wait with tapering the K? a lot of ppl. have told me I could micro taper it while tapering an A/D? As far as K. goes I would only taper 1.25% every two weeks, 0.625 % a week that's 0.089% a day & tapering I mg of K. would take 400 days! My last liquid titration from 2 mg to 1mg where I'm now, only took 140 days! (that was 5% every two weeks) I will see how I feel!It's just that right now I feel better than I have done in about a year! (since I started tapering the Pristiq 9 days ago)! And I have already tapered for 3 1/2 years. + I have 300 mg of Wellbutrin left after this too! Anyway I'm still researching.................. Wish you wouldn't have to be your own Dr. the w/d & tapering should definitely be more than enough! Love Rubystar PS! I did write my history to my signature yesterday, but it doesn't look like it showed up? 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
rubystar Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Hi there all ppl! Hope this post find you all at a good or at least peaceful place! Just ordered a the scale that was suggested! I start a 20% dry cut taper for 10 days of my 50mg Pristiq today! So far, very well! (I do Muscle Testing & my body is happy with what I'm doing, & I'm not going to worry b/c that just makes me sick)! If I feel bad trust me I will change. I hate to feel bad! My pharmacist is on vacation to next week, will keep you guys updated! Love Rubystar 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
rubystar Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 Hi guys!Today is day # 6 of my 20 % dry cut taper of Pristiq! (again don't want to jinx it) And I'm doing very well. Much better than b/f I started my taper! And I finally got my scale today, so now I can be more accurate! Love Rubystar 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted July 16, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 16, 2013 It's extra tough to try to taper two meds at the same time. You have to taper both of them much more slowly than you would if you were tapering just one. If you start to feel bad it's hard to figure out which one might be causing it. It can be done but it takes lots of learning and practice and while you're doing that, you have to go very, very slowly. Pristiq can be tough to taper. Benzos are almost always tough to taper. So I think it would be best if you would just taper the Pristiq for now. 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
rubystar Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Hi everybody, Update:I'm now on 40% dry cutting of Pristiq! And I'm still doing very well!The scale have helped immensely!This is the best I have felt of any of my tapering! Love & hope this msg. finds ppl. well!Rubystar 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
Member cymbaltawithdrawal5600 Posted August 5, 2013 Member Share Posted August 5, 2013 Hi Rubystar and welcome! There is an entry in your profile settings for a 'signature' and yours is not showing up because your info didn't get entered there. I believe you put your history in the 'About Me' section. You could just do a 'copy and paste' of that info into the signature area and it will show up at the bottom of every post you make. You will find much support here! What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878 July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site. Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey. Link to comment
rubystar Posted August 22, 2013 Author Share Posted August 22, 2013 Hi guys!Just wanted to update you on my taper!When I went to taper 50% off Pristiq Aug. 9 I started to feel depressed for the first time during the P. taper so I decided to taper 45% instead & hold for another 10 days & I'm doing really good again!(PS! I had some bad personal things that happened to me, right at the 50% taper, so I wasn't sure if my strong reaction was enhanced by the taper or not, that's why I decided to go a little slower)Love Rubystar 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
rubystar Posted August 22, 2013 Author Share Posted August 22, 2013 And yes, Altostrata I was suppose to report back what my pharmacist said about the Pristiq taper!I haven't really had time to talk to him, except he told me that he still believes the way I was tapering was the best & safest way!Next time I see him I will try to have a more informative discussion! LOL! 25+ years ago, put on Prozac, very shortly, twice b/c close friends committed suicide! 1989 - 2007 put on every imaginable drug both A/D & Benzo's. b/c off car accidents.2007 cocktail of 100 mg of Seroquel, 300mg Wellbutrin XL, 100mg Pristiq ER & 1-4mg/dayily as needed of Clonazapam! Jan. 2010Tapered myself of 100mg Seroquel over 2 years. Jan. 2012 went from 4mg to 2.25mg of K. Mar. 2012 form 2.25 mg K. to 2mg K. Nov. 2012 started Liquid Titrate 2mg of K. April 1, held for 3 months. July 1, started micro LT. taper K again, 1mg over 400 days Link to comment
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