John Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I've been comparing myself (only an Effexor taker) to everyone else in here, but it dawned on me; what other meds are you guys withdrawing from or taking? I can imagine that depending on the drug(s) are, it could mean worse withdrawl or maybe milder. On Venlafaxine XR 75mg > 20 years, because a general MD decided to try these new "calming pills" taken from his sample closet because my pulse was a little high since I get nervous going to the doctor. June 2010 - Cold turkey September 2010 - Sudden onset of EXTREME anxiety, constant terror and fear that got marginally better at night. I had no idea what or why this was; had no idea it was the quitting of Effexor. December 2010 - reinstated 75mgs Effexor XR, felt no better months later January 2011 - Began 5% taper every month 2012 - Anxiety began improving by had many windows and waves January 2014 - Fell back into sudden onset of same anxiety, fear as in 2010; realized I was tapering too quickly. I was not allowing withdrawal effects to dissipate before another taper. Began 2% taper every 6 to 8 months 2016 - Fear, anxiety began to wane 2017, 18 & 19 - Constant Fear & anxiety stopped, just occasional minor bouts that lasted 3 days or so December 2020 - Now at ~31mgs Effexor XR, 5mgs Crestor November 2022 - Added 6% minoxidil and 0.3% finasteride topical. Used for a year. Got systemic side effects. Quit 11/19/2023. Also intermittently used 10 to 20mgs propanolol for adrenaline surges/pvcs. Stopped them also on 11/19/2023. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 That would depend I think a lot on what you understanding is of the time line for withdrawal. If the said person were in protracted withdrawal from one drug then given another drug as treatment or just given another drug because a doctor did not recognize the symptoms of withdrawal...it could be years later and the said person could still be having withdrawal from the first drug. If they quit the second drug through taper within the time line believed say from a protracted withdrawal they may well be in withdrawal from two drugs. Since most doctors do not recognize withdrawal be it protracted or not... this is a tricky questions. I myself given my understanding that most protracted withdrawal cases say they have been healed in 7 years would say I have been withdrawing probably from Effexor and Celexa tho the big symptoms of withdrawal hit me when I was off Effexor cold turkey. I was on Effexor two years my doctor had tried to increase my dose from 150 to the next level when beginning treatment I went manic so he knew that was not an option. After 2 years on 150 E was not working any longer he added 20mg of Celexa. At 4 years on Effexor and 2 years on 20mg... at some point I do not recall... Celexa was bumped up to 40mg while still on the 150 ... I was ill... I quit taking the Celexa in 2005 after a gastro bleed pancreatiitis and mass confusion . Repeated infections and further bleeding problems prompted me to go to half dose of Celexa and then 0 in 2005....2006 added symptoms of MS had me cold turkey of 150mg of Effexor. Could I have been in withdrawal from both Celexa and Effexor at the same time sure I could have been if I was having a protracted withdrawal from Celexa as I am having from Effexor. Hard question to answer because there is not enough solid research to determine the timeline for withdrawal. 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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