MissSerene Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Have others found that, over time on their AD, they have become zoned out, sort of "slack-jawed" or checked out mentally and attention-wise, in addition to flat affect? So often, when someone asks me a question, I find I haven't been paying attention or have been staring into space. And in conversations, the tendency is to give very general and unfocused responses like, "Wow." I was never like this before my AD. Any suggestions, during taper, for combatting this? Current: *Abt 1995, started fluoxetine 20 mg/day, later raised to 40 mg; *Abt 1997, started Klonopin ? mg/day *Abt [??] started first, very slow Klon taper *Sept 2016, Klon updosed; swapped fluox for duloxetine/lamotrigine/Seroquel (very small dose of last, for sleep) cocktail *Early 2018, stopped Seroquel; *2020, started second Klon taper *Abt July 2022, accidental 33% Klon cut, w/no updose; have been holding for 15 mos *Mar 2023, abrupt lamotrigine cut from 75- to 50 mg/day; *May-June 2023, abrupt dulox cut from 90 mg- to 60 mg/day *As of June 2023, taking lamotrigine 50 mg/day, duloxetine 60 mg/day, Klonopin .25 mg/day, metoprolol 50 mg/day, Eliquis 5 mg/day, levothyroxine 75 mcg/day "Forget to remember; remember to forget." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus mammaP Posted August 9, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 9, 2013 AD's have this effect on me too. One time a friend and I were chatting and as usual I couldn't follow the conversations. I made all the right noises in all the right places.....or so I thought! I was horrified when she said I hadn't heard what she said, she'd just told me her daughter had miscarried and I'd responded with a totally inappropriate comment. I felt really bad but fortunately for me the friend knows me well and knows I have difficulty concentrating so wasn't offended. It happens all the time but is getting better . I can concentrate and follow a conversation a bit more than previously, it just gets better without noticing really, I didn't realise how much better I am in that way until I read this. I had friends round today and coped but a year ago I wouldn't have understood much of what was said and would have asked them to repeat themselves a few times. It's almost like listening to someone speaking a foreign language, can hear the sounds but not make sense of the words........if that makes sense **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...
Barbarannamated Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 I dont know if this is same, but my husband (on many meds for many years) responds to any question i ask with "I don't know". Are you hungry? I dont know. Did you sleep ok? I dont know. Do you want to go out to dinner? I dont know. Do you want to go _____? I dont know. It's a reflex, no thought, and no follow up discussion. This is final answer unless I really push it which I gave up on long ago. Needless to say, discussion in our home and life is bare minimum. Truthfully, only what is necessary to exist. Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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