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☼ trouper prolonged Zoloft / sertraline withdrawal


trouper

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I've just finished reading through your thread...you seem to be improving from couple months ago.

Also you have been a great help to me by your experience with lamo.

Thank you.

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

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thanks, lexy!  as you can see it was a bumpy ride for a few months trying to find my dosage "sweet spot." i'm glad to hear it helped you.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

Good to hear, trouper. How did you find your sweet spot?

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.

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alto,

i believe 1.25mg is my sweet spot which is 1/4 of a 5mg chewable that i have made into a liquid compound.

 

my bumpy lamotrigine ride:

i started at 12.5mg in february with doctor's intent to have me go up to 25mg. the side effects were way too intense so i went down down down until they were tolerable at 1.25mg. since starting in february:

- went off of lamo twice - once to determine if it was withdrawal or side effects and the other time to try a different med

- tried trileptal (which made me feel even worse and triggered some nasty side effects)

- tried a liquid compound of lamo (which was way too intense for me, even at .5mg)

- tried a dry compound of 1.5mg (which was also too intense)

- came back to 1.25mg where i've been since early may

 

since i started i've felt my withdrawal symptoms improve, even at 1.25mg. yes, it scares me to death to be on another med while my brain is healing since its healing with the med, the issue that got me here in the first place but i plan to do a very slow taper down. my doctor also assures me that lamotrigine helps to recover faster by showing the brain the correct way its supposed to be - kind of like training wheels. i'm trusting my knowledgable doctor with this and i really hope i don't get burned again.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

That's quite a journey. Trial and error is the only way....

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.

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I'm reading all I can to learn from others experiences.

Thank you to both.

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

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Good morning trouper

 

As you know I've been experiencing many symptoms with the lamo. I don't think I can handle the 25mg which I have to start on Monday. He calls me on Tuesday,...should I wait until in talk to him?

 

One question being at a lower dose than 12.5mg will it take longer to improve with the lamo?

I don't know if I should struggle on with this dose if itbmeans my depression wave will improve faster.

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

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  • Administrator

If you don't feel ready to increase to 25mg, I would stay at 12.5mg until you speak to him.

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.

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sorry lexy but i really don't know much and have no authority to suggest anything. :/ i would call him. he has worked with many people on lamotrigine. don't be scared to give him a call if you are suffering and anxious about what to do. he's your doctor and available to you in these situations. i agree with alto though that you shouldn't go up if you aren't ready.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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Thanks trouper

Cant wait to speak with the Dr.

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

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I'm finally in a window again after an almost month-long icky wave. this window is a mix of decent days with some symptoms and a few almost normal days. my wave wasn't too bad physically this time, but mentally it was the pits. i had bad neuro-anxiety, neuro-fears and intrusive thoughts which intertwined with my underlying GAD that made it much worse. i also have different health issues that kept popping up one after another which make it pretty hard for me to handle so depression and despair have been an issue as well, but i've been bouncing back. my longest window in 2014 has been 3 days (5 if you include the decent days with some symptoms) so I'm assuming this window will end soon. 

 

one of the hardest things about withdrawal is that it constantly changes. yes, i get several familiar reoccurring symptoms which I'm accepting and mindful about now, but new stuff creeps up so i have to wait for it to pass before i can trust that it was just withdrawal and i will be okay, while living in hell. here i am thinking things are lightening up and i've experienced all of the crazy symptoms and the worse of withdrawal and then i get sucker punched with this 3-4 week wave of horribly high fear with dark thoughts, which has really messed up my mental well being. who knows how long it can take to recover from that crap and who knows what else is in store. :P

 

aside from that horrible mental wave, i do feel i am getting better.. more decent days with low symptoms, physical symptoms not lasting as long, anhedonia seems to have lifted for the time being. i'm enjoying more things and wanting to do more things, but with some apprehension (i want to do something, then i think about withdrawals and "what ifs", etc. and try to talk myself out of it. i'm working on CBT  & ACT to help get passed that.) i'm finding myself worrying and thinking about some life stuff instead of withdrawals which is an improvement although kind of depressing when i see how my life has changed and what i've lost. sleep wise, I've seen improvements as well. for the past week i wake up a few times (due to a variety of factors), but most of the time i'm tired enough to fall back to sleep. sometimes i stay up for an hour or 2, but i can fall asleep again and i then wake up tired, which is such an odd feeling. ;) my doc thinks i may be able to go back to work in about a month if i don't get major setbacks. i'm hoping my health issues won't need to be resolved with surgery or the like, which adds to stress. :/

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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Are you only on Lamo 1.25mg?

 

Do you think tihis window is due to the lamo or just time passing by or both?

 

You give me hope.

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

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i think time is helping me more than anything, and trying to remain calm and practice mindfulness and acceptance. I'm not doing a very good job of that though. i get setbacks when my anxiety gets bad and my worst wave to date was about 3 months straight with a couple decent days thrown in there. as for supplements, i take l-theanine when needed and i try to take omega3 and magnesium when i remember. sometimes i take a vitamin pill too. for anxiety i have a calming tincture which sometimes helps, i smell lavender, and take tulsi tea if I'm not trying to sleep through the anxiety.

my anxiety is very high right now which started yesterday morning, so obviously my window ended :( been a rough few days in that department. i need to get back to mindfulness meditation and read more of my mindfulness and acceptance workbook. having to stop my yoga classes definitely didn't help. 

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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Hey hang in there..I know it's so hard. Just getting yourself to a yoga class can be a challenge. Do you have a neighbor or friend that can push you? My neighbor just told me she's off of prozac and trying to get back into yoga and I told her sometimes with my anxiety I don't want to do things and she said she's going to push me and i'll push her-sometimes it's good to have a partner!

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stace, i'm glad you have a partner in crime   :) thats pretty awesome. i really don't have anyone who understands what I'm going through IRL.

 

i had to stop yoga due to my cranial chiropractor telling me i strained my sacrum which caused issues along the cranial sacral path and i shouldn't do yoga anymore along with other things. it really sucks and i hope its temporary. i was doing it almost every day so maybe i overdid it. i see him in a few days and will talk to him.the class was gentle yoga and it starts and ends with a 10 minute mindfulness meditation so i totally miss it and can feel the difference without it. it got me out of the house as well. i can try to emulate the environment and do it at home.

 

lexy, when i was on the higher dose of lamo i did feel it was calming the ickiness down slowly but being on 1.25mg really doesn't do all too much. you can ask your doctor to try you on a lower dose, but your side effects may come back. even at 1.25mg i can still sometimes feel the side effects.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

Dropping yoga entirely doesn't seem right. Ask the chiro which exercises to modify.

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.

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he gave me a handout that said this:

Avoid stretching the low-back and pelvis. This includes yoga stretches such as down dog, triangle post, forward folds, side lying & seated twists, pigeon pose, sitting cross legged, etc.

 

which kind of means everything :/ I'm trying it his way for a bit to see if it helps. if it doesn't i may just less often and try not to do the full poses. my withdrawal doc wasn't very happy to hear this either and said the same thing (do it his way and if it doesn't help, add it back.)

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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I would ask the chiro how to modify the exercises so you can continue to do yoga.

 

Seems odd he can't correct the misalignment so you can continue the exercises.

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.

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Trouper

When I have the anxiety I go into my room and light candles and meditate, also trying to do muscle relaxation technique.

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

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thanks, lexy. that sounds nice.. i will give it a try.  :)

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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how are you doing trouper?

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

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here is a "15 month off zoloft" update.

 

current issues:

  • brain zaps. mostly when on waking, but sometimes throughout the day. anyone else have brain zaps this far out? :/
  • anxiety:
    • can get anxious at the drop of a hat
    • dark/invasive thoughts, neuro-fear and neuro-anxiety. it was pretty bad a few weeks ago for a month. it still pops up throughout the day but hasn't been as bad lately.
    • because of above, sensitive to anything negative. i go in waves when its better but i still don't like it. no news, certain movies, certain songs, certain tv shows, etc.
    • my anxiety gets wrapped up in the invasive thoughts, neuro-fear and neuro-anxiety making me go back into waves once i start to feel better. :P
    • dark/invasive thoughts get progressively worse the more i am nervous, stressed, anxious.
  • still wake up at least 3 times before getting up 
  • health issues which may or may not be related to withdrawals. trying to tackle one at a time but new stuff pops up.
    • twitching middle finger and some pins and needles in hands/arms. this may be nerve/posture related.
    • weird face pressure near my sinuses and my top teeth. getting treatments for tmj issues which may be relieving this. usually comes during waves which makes me think its withdrawal related.
    • a flushing of goosebumps on my right thigh that is intermittent. i think this is withdrawal related
    • other misc stuff that doesn't seem related to withdrawals
  • I'm weepy often. goes in waves of days but i can tear up at the drop of a hat. wasn't like this before.
  • lately been feeling more off/crappy in the mornings but it seems to clear up around noon
  • weird sounds in my head wake me when asleep every now and then (phantom door bells, etc). i think this is related to glutamate activity. usually gets better when i take theanine.

 

improvements:

- anhedonia has been lifting for a few weeks now. even had a few moments of motivation and creativity.

- i seem to recover from my waves faster.

- having more and more moments of feeling "normal" and more myself.

- physical stuff (brain fog, icky head stuff) doesn't happen as often nor last as long lately.

- although i wake up a lot still, usually i can go back to sleep easily (unless after an anxious day/episode.) i wake up tired, too. i miss ~4am wakings sometimes, too.

- sometimes waves are so mild I'm not even sure i am in them and have to think about it.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Trouper,  you seem to be improving a lot. It's great that the waves are shorter and

you sometimes have to stop and think about it. They will get less and the windows will get longer and better.

All the symptoms you are getting must be very uncomfortable but lessening in severity which is good to see.

You are doing great and will get there in the end.  :)

**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 so much for the kind words, mammap :) i see a lot of improvement on many fronts but other stuff keeps happening that is still keeping withdrawals harder to deal with.

 

right now I'm having sleep problems. when i'm relaxed enough and am on the verve of falling asleep its like my mind already started dreaming. i get this mental subconscious chatter or something and it scares me and wakes me up. i barely slept last night and not sure what to do. i take some l-theanine but not sure if its doing much. I'm trying to be mindful but I'm unsure if this is normal in withdrawals or something more serious so my anxiety goes sky high, which i know its making it worse! this usually happens a few days after i have a big anxiety episode. any information would be greatly appreciated.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

I find glycine seems to improve quality of sleep.

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.

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good to know! thank you! have you had this?

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

I've had all kinds of sleep disruption.

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.

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i went to see my knowledgable doctor yesterday. My anxiety and fears are still high and are my worst symptom now, which actually are hindering my healing. Because of that, and the fact that i still am having brain zaps 15 months out, he thinks my serotonin still isn't being regulated correctly so he wants me to start taking Buspar to hopefully calm things down. he's incredibly knowledgeable with withdrawals and i really do trust him but it sucked to hear that and I'm apprehensive about taking it. he said he would kick himself if he didn't put me on it to try if its something that can potentially help me. i know this is trial and error but it may be worth a shot. he said there is no dependency with buspar, its not a benzo nor ssri, no need to taper off of it but it just helps settle the serotonin down.

 

alto, i know this goes against your beliefs but I'm just reciting what my doctor told me. thoughts?

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Trouper, personally I would be very wary of taking another anti depressant but can understand why you are tempted. Buspar does need to be tapered, here is the thread on tapering it.http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3210-tips-for-tapering-off-busipirone-buspar/?hl=buspar

 

Alto or the others may know more than I do about whether it is worth trying I would be reluctant to try anything that might set me back again.

**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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thanks for the info, mammap!

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

My beliefs are to work with a knowledgeable doctor if you can find one. You have one. If he thinks Buspar might help, it's worth a shot. It helped MrAnxious.

 

I would still taper Buspar.

 

However, have you tried techniques such as meditation? My impression is you have a long-standing pre-existing habit of anxious thinking.

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.

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thank you, alto. :)

and you are correct... anxious thinking is why i was put on zoloft to begin with. 

i practice mindfulness but i have been slacking on meditation. i am getting carried away with the anxious thoughts again as the distraction of my withdrawals symptoms are subsiding.  i should get back into meditation. thank you for the reminder.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

You may find you don't need Buspar if you can self-soothe your anxiety.

 

On the other hand -- your doctor may know something about Buspar correcting brain zaps that I don't know about. You should ask him about this.

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.

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he believes my high anxiety and zaps are due to the serotonin and receptors still being out of whack. i don't think he believes buspar will directly fix the zaps but he hopes buspar, like lamo, will help show my brain the correct way to function in hopes it will fall back into place.  aside from that, he knows I'm anxious and its causing me setbacks so I'm sure thats an added bonus.

 

i've been anxious all morning. i had a wave of ickiness a short while ago which didn't last too long but after it passed, my anxiety passed with it. i love these little reassurances that it is withdrawals and not how i am now.

 

i need to practice staying on the shore to watch the waves instead of jumping in the waves and getting carried off to sea.

on 37.5 - 50mg zoloft/sertraline for GAD from 3/1996 to 4/2013 (17 years) 

too fast taper from 1/13-4/13

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  • Administrator

Perhaps you could try a little Buspar AND use non-drug techniques to control your anxiety and help the drug do its work.

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.

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I was on buspar for 4 -5 days before effexor. It just made me sleep all day. I didn't like this feeling as it was summer...little did I know what was to come...effexor HELL!

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

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