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Fonz: Sick After Taking Dose?


Fonz

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Glad to hear that your taper seems to be working.

 

So you were on 5mg ? Are you cutting via liquid titration? I tried this but found the powder would not distribute evenly in the water. I failed to believe my mixes could possibly be truly accurate.

 

I own a nice scale and was debating using that for dry cuts. Dry cuts would be much easier but I would have to purchase a second for backup. Some say it's very important to be very accurate during the final amounts. This being said I know many prefer liquid titration.

 

How did you manage to switch to taking a dose every 12 hours ? That sounds like a tough thing to do.

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

Fonz

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Fonz , welcome back. The reason precision is so important at these small doses is that if you beak tablets unevenly , you could

be bouncing around daily within a window 10% either side of the dose you're aiming for. That's a tonne of bouncing.

 

You can buy liquid suspensions so that fragments are distributed evenly , see

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3068-pharmaceutical-liquids-to-make-suspensions/

 

Please could you update your signature when you can since you started tapering last year.

If you click FOLLOW at the top right , you'll receive an email each time someone posts.

 

best wishes , Fresh

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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Great thank you Fresh!  I am not cutting my SSRI, I tried a while back but failed. I have a question.. I take a dose of 5mg but to save money I purchase 10mg tabs and break them in two on the line that is on the tablet. Is it possible this could be the issue???  Have you ever heard of this ?? 

 

Thank you.. 

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Yes , in theory it should be fine. But you know how sometimes there are "big halves" and "small halves" , so

maybe one is 4.5mg and one is 5.5mg. Each time the dose fluctuates is another shift for your brain.

Try weighing each "half" the next few times you break the scored tablets , and you'll see what I mean.

 

The thread on liquid suspensions addresses the issue of the floaty bits. If you shake the mixture up each time ,

they're evenly distributed and suspended.

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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Well, this gives me hope.. I mean it makes sense! To be honest there is no way you can break them in half perfect.. Often I see a difference but ignore it.

 

I truly hope this is my issue. It makes major sense!! Thank you..

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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I just weighed 8 halves.

 

They ranged from .058 to .065. Most were within .062 and .064.. But, thats only based on 8 halves.

 

I think the percentage gap there is up to 10.77% (if my math is right).

 

Not to mention the 10mg tablet may have filler leaving either side to have more or less.

 

What do you think ?

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Yah , your maths is right , and it may be enough to be making a difference. Anyhow , you need a strategy moving forward , right?

 

Look in the Tapering section for a thread on Other Tapering Techniques. I recall someone explaining how to use a nail

file to file powder off to reach the desired weight.

 

For now , you might file each half to weigh 0.58 for a few weeks , so you know the dose is consistent.

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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What a simple yet genious idea! For the first 5mg cut I did I was using a knife.. the file sounds better.

 

I think I will switch to 5mg tablets and try to file those..

 

Is the fact I am down to 5mg going to make it any easier for me to get off? I guess it's better than 20mg. I'm sure the last 10-20% must be rough.

 

One could say I survived the most brutal Benzo WD that I should be able to push through the SSRI.. the catch is it doesn't work like that, life is within the moment and if it's rough its rough no matter what you have gone through before.

 

Fonz

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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  • 10 months later...

It's been 10 months since I last posted, I never managed to cut my Cipralex. 

 

I was put in the hospital the other day, things have just NOT gotten better. I continue to get horrible symptoms AFTER taking my SSRI dose. It hits me 30min - 3 hours after taking it. Strangely enough I get random days where it does not make me sick, but most days it does. 

 

Is this poop out??  Has my brain decided it's had enough of the drug? 

 

For those that are wondering the symptoms I get are: Head pressure, pulsing, vibrating, pulling, Upper Jaw and teeth pressure, cold and tingly tongue almost like after using mouthwash,  My brain turns to mush, I feel fried.. a fierce electrical storm sometimes to the point I'm borderline drooling while staring off into space.  It get's so bad that I can hit myself on the head very hard and it does not hurt, it almost gives me relief. 

 

Doctors just shrug all this off saying things like "It's anxiety", "People are all different, you are just sensitive".   haha.. I'm not a small man and I can tell you this brings me to my knees, to tears at times.

 

Any ideas anyone???    I feel I have NO choice but to battle my way off this poison.

 

I'm 3.5 years Benzo free, am I still healing from this?   I also have a record of neurological issues which are migraines with Auras. I know I get "silent migraines" but these are brought on by triggers. The symptom after taking my SSRI are different with only a couple similarities

 

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Fonz 

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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Hi Fonz, glad to have you back! I'm so sorry you are still stuck.

 

I know exactly what you are going through as that has been part of what I have been going through for a long time.

it sounds to me you are stuck in between drug toxicity and WD, and 5% drop causes intolerable WD while taking the drug makes you ill everyday. This is how I think:

 

1) try to reduce Lexapro dose at smaller rate like 1%

2) if the WD is tolerable, and the drop provides some relief from the toxicity, then continue the slow tapering,

3) if the WD is still intolerable, and the drop provides some relief from drug toxicity, then you may want to consider switching to a different drug

 

With the benzo WD in the mix, the symptoms can be confusing in terms of consistent patterns such as sometimes you feel ill before dosing and sometimes after. One thing you can try is to get a list of the symptoms for before and after see if they are different even they are not completely separable. For me I know exactly what is from WD and what is from toxicity which helps with the tapering plan.

 

Just for your reference,

My main WD symptoms are numb and pressure, brain, arm, leg paralyzed, all on left side from head to toe, plus many others but not as constant like daily. My toxicity symptoms are blurred vision, DR, painful pins and needles, burning, brain spasm, and akathesia like feeling ( extreme tight teeth, muscle twitch, swollen head, hands. Like you, I get them immediately after taking tiny doses.

 

Just my thoughts trying to help.

Lex

Drug free Sep. 23 2017

2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks.

2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg

2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain

2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain;

2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain

2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg,

2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on

2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks.

2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR

2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg,8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg, 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg

2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg,

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Fonz, it seems you must be much worse than you were a year ago for you to be taken to hospital?  5mg is actually quite a high dose, it is much stronger than other SSRIs and would be equivalent to 10-20mg of celexa.  I agree with Lex that a tiny reduction would test whether you can tolerate a taper. 

 

Lexapro is available in liquid form which would be much easier than shaving tablets, or you can make your own liquid. I would try just 1% first.

 

Here is the topic for tapering lexapro/escitalopram

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/

**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    :D 

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

 

 

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Thank you for the information Lex. About 90% of the time I get hit within two hours of taking my dose. It's rare that I get hit before my dose.

 

Mamma, thanks for the response.

 

I tried shaving off some of the tablet but my scale although not cheap will not go that low. I'm stuck with liquid titration for 1% cuts. Last time I tried this I got very sick and I blame it on the powder not suspending properly. The moment I would stop shaking the liquid I could see the particles falling to the bottom.

 

As far as tolerating a taper goes, I feel I have no choice. If I can even get halfway off this drug surely the side affects/toxicity would be lowered ?

 

I can't see I would feel the first 1% or 2% cut, fact is when I break my 10mg tablets in half neither side is ever identical, it's impossible. I can not purchase 5mg tablets here, plus 5mg tablets are more expensive than 10mg.

 

I'll check out the taper page but I hope there is a silution for the drug not suspending properly.

 

 

 

Thank you for your help. Anymore input would be greatly appreciated.

 

This has been a long road.

 

 

Fonz

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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Good news! 

 

I spoke to a new Psychiatrist today and without hesitation gave me a diagnosis that he is very confident with. 

 

He said he has seen it MANY times before. Serotonin Syndrome. He told me although some of my symptoms may be a little different to what websites say he said everyone has their own list of symptoms. He recognized many of my brain symptoms. Mix those with rapid heart rate, heart PVC's and numbness etc and again he was pretty darn sure.

 

This is the first REAL answer I have ever gotten from any doctor. The rest just had no idea.  

 

He also said where I have been on the drug so long and went through Benzo WD that it could all have played a role in causing it. 

 

I'm very pleased with this diagnosis as it only encourages me more than ever to GET OFF the SSRI. 

 

 

 

Fonz

Took 5mg Lexapro (Cipralex) for 14 years.

Did 8 Month taper, jumped off December 2017.

 

Took Clonazepam for 10 years. Went through Benzodiazepine Protracted withdrawal. I am five years out but still not fully recovered. I was bedridden for the first two years.

 

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