Marielapoe Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 After being on 200 mg of Zoloft for almost 20 years, I think it's about time to taper off and see what's left of my once, quite-nice brain. I read the tapering guidelines and will start with a 10% reduction tomorrow (Dec 22, 2013). I successfully tapered off Clonopin a few years back so I think I know what to expect. My success with the Clonopin gives me courage. I'm 62 yrs old, and diagnosed with Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Pulmonary Fibrosis (Prednisone responding, thank God), Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Heart Problems, Depression, ADHD, PSTD, Anxiety Disorder, I sweat like a pig and a few more. Financially ruined (the hurricane didn't help) and living alone with no family of origin left and continually denied disability. On the flip side, I am extremely resilient, I used to be intelligent and am committed to researching my way back to health and happiness. And maybe making a living. Selling things on Ebay has been almost paying the bills. I've found a few good doctors but most have been useless. My cognitive abilities are deteriorating, perhaps from age, but I think it is from the effects of the Zoloft, all my other drugs, multiple autoimmune issues and perhaps gluten or some other dietary issue. So I am starting with tapering off the Zoloft. I'll tell my Doc but she could care less. Finding a better Doc would be a big help. I take suggestions well and welcome any and all input. I'll be using this as a journal. I am very happy to have found this website. Thank you for being her. Marielapoe Meds: Zoloft 200 mg/day (@ 20 years) Armour Thyroid 165 mg/day (@ 17 years) Prednisone 10mg/day ( @ 8 years ) Adderal 30 mg/day ( @ 9 years ) Bisopropol Fumerate 10/mgs/day ( @ 4 years) Lisinopril/HCTZ 10 12.5 ( @ 17 years ) Supplements Muti-Vitamin/Mineral Vit D Vit B-12 NAC Omega 3's Policosinol Kelp Alpha-lipoic Acid Calcium/Magnesium Vit C B-Complex DHA Probiotics Selenium Tumeric Starting 5% taper (Pills) on 12/22/2013. Meds: Zoloft - 200 mg/day (@ 20 years) Armour Thyroid - 165 mg/day (@ 17 years) Prednisone - 10mg/day ( @ 8 years ) Adderall - 30 mg/day ( @ 9 years ) Bisopropol Fumerate - 10/mgs/day ( @ 4 years) Lisinopril/HCTZ - 10:12.5/ day ( @ 17 years ) Link to comment
lexicon Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Hi Marie, God Bless you .. You are such a wonderful inspiration to me, reading your story .. I admire your perseverance and tenacity .. You will achieve your way back to health and happiness You have come to a caring place, with many loving and knowledgeble people to help you get there .. Wishing you many blessings. Love, Lexi Hello, I am tapering Lorazepam, and my daily dose is 1.125 mgs. I followed a long hold for 5 months, ( Nov-March 2019) hoping to find some stability, but it did not work. So I resumed my taper and hold pattern. For the last 3 years, I have been using a daily microtaper, cutting .001mgs per day, with holds as needed. Symptoms are head pressure, labored breathing, palpitations, abrupt surges of dizziness, this being my worst symptom for now, internal tremors, my latest nemesis, unsteadiness, anxiety, plus many other symptoms that cycle in, and cycle out consistently. Not a day passes, without grief I take no other meds. January 2013 - 15 day quick taper off 10 mgs of Lexapro, and 25 mgs of Sertraline, at a detox clinic. Link to comment
Marielapoe Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 Thank you Lexi! Starting 5% taper (Pills) on 12/22/2013. Meds: Zoloft - 200 mg/day (@ 20 years) Armour Thyroid - 165 mg/day (@ 17 years) Prednisone - 10mg/day ( @ 8 years ) Adderall - 30 mg/day ( @ 9 years ) Bisopropol Fumerate - 10/mgs/day ( @ 4 years) Lisinopril/HCTZ - 10:12.5/ day ( @ 17 years ) Link to comment
Meimeiquest Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 What a story! Besides this wonderful forum, I would commend to you beyondmeds.com and the e-book Unravelling CFS. And also to be sure you don't have sleep apnea. When I was tested, I was told the greatest damage is from all the adrenaline that is secreted. Welcome to our merry band! 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
Moderator Emeritus mammaP Posted December 21, 2013 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 21, 2013 Hi Marielapoe, welcome to SA. You are a real fighter and I am sure you will feel better and better as you taper off the zoloft, You will still have your physical ailments but it is unbelievable just how much better you can be when the anti depressants are getting lower in doses! IF I were you I would go for a slower taper than the 10% to see how it goes, withdrawal symptoms on top of everything else is something you do NOT need! If you were to do a micro taper you could drop tiny amounts but a little more often. This is gentle on the brain and lessens the chance of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Here is a topic on micro tapers http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2878-micro-taper-instead-of-10-or-5-decreases/ It would be great if you could copy your meds list into your signature line, it would then appear at the bottom of every post. Here's how to do that. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/#entry70968 I'm glad you found us before you started tapering, most of us ended here AFTER a taper that left us suffering withdrawal! **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
Zoe Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Hi Marie- You have found the most wonderful site. The people here are so knowledgeable and kind. Hugs being sent your way. Jan. 1994 Pamelor 2000 switched to Zoloft 2011 Zoloft pooped out- Dr. switched me directly to Lexapro15mg -had a horrible 6mths 2013 upped Lexapro to 20 mgs-pooped out June 2013 Dr. added 150 Wellbutrin to Lexapro. July 2013 Switched back to Zoloft 100mgs.Was still taking Wellbutrin. Lots of anxiety from the Wellbutrin July 2013 Started to wean Wellbutrin- off by Sept. Oct. 2013 added 400 mgs of Neurotin to the Zoloft Jan 2014 Tapered off of the Zoloft and onto Prozac 30 mgs. Also still taking 400 mgs Neurotin Feb 2014 Reduced Prozac to 13 mgs. Still taking 400 mgs Neurotin Aug. 2014 Prozac 13 mgs. Finished with Neurotin. .7 Risperadol Link to comment
Nikki Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Hi and welcome.....you sound like a fighter....Bless your heart:) Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment
Marielapoe Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share Posted December 22, 2013 Thank you so much Lexi, Meimeiquest, mammaP, Zoe & Nikki for your warm welcome and good advice. I'm changing the taper to 5%. I feel like I've found the perfect place to drop anchor and get through this withdrawal with the support of this group. I'm grateful. Marie Starting 5% taper (Pills) on 12/22/2013. Meds: Zoloft - 200 mg/day (@ 20 years) Armour Thyroid - 165 mg/day (@ 17 years) Prednisone - 10mg/day ( @ 8 years ) Adderall - 30 mg/day ( @ 9 years ) Bisopropol Fumerate - 10/mgs/day ( @ 4 years) Lisinopril/HCTZ - 10:12.5/ day ( @ 17 years ) Link to comment
Lexy Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 You are a survivor. I know you will come out the winner in this journey. Started Effexor August 2012 Sept'12-150mg=extreme anxiety Oct'12 cut half-75mg severe wds Feb 2013 68.5mg. Mar'13- 65mg. Apr'13-59mg. May'13-57mg. June '13-52mg Aug'13 49.75mg. Sep'13-48.75. Nov'13-47mg Dec'13-45..5mg May 2014 42mg. Jun'14 40mg (depressive mood started). Aug'14 -40mg/ started brintellix 2.5mg Oct '14 -39 Nov'14 36.89 Dec'14 34.45 Jan 2015- 31 Feb'15 29mg. Mar'15 26.72. Apr'15 24.48. May'15 22.31mg. Jun'15 20.30mg Aug'15-18.89. Oct'15 16.96. Nov/16- 16.10. Dec/15- 15mg Jan 2016-14.22. May'16 11.45. Aug'16-9.60. Sep/16- 8.88mg. Oct/16- 8.39mg. Nov/16- 8.13. Dec/16- 7.89 Link to comment
Nikki Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 10% can be too much for alot of people. During a Lexapro taper I only tapered 1mg. at a time. I was using the liquid. See what the 5% does for you. Wishing you the best. Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment
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