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SouthernFreeze: 10 years and finally clean


SouthernFreeze

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Glad you are starting to feel better  SF. Hope it continues for you.  :)

**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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  • Administrator

Good to hear, SF.

 

Irritability is a withdrawal symptom. Keep this in mind while you do your best to manage it.

 

Apathy is a common side effect of antidepressants, or it could be another leftover withdrawal symptom. This will change over time, be patient.

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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thanks guys

 

it's great to hear somebody actually confirm the Irritability as a withdrawal symptom. This has been a confusing thing for me to pin point in the past. Not being sure if it was me or the withdrawal....same with the apathy thing to come to think about it.

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

ok so a bit over a week later and my insomnia is terrible, i wake up about 4am every morning and can't get back to sleep. I work with a real insulting d*ck at work and i waste my weekends worrying and getting angry about comments he has made in the week of work. I cant help it and the memory's are so vivid. I wouldn't be able to handle any of this worrying and anxiety if it wasn't for about 40 minutes of meditation every day, and I can't stress enough about how much this helps with this and every day life, highly recommend it to everyone.

Even though this constant worry and anxiety is worse, i do realize it is something i need to work on to make better with changing my patterns of thinking and so on, not just numb with drugs....still hard and tempting though.

Does anyone know a way to get through this no sleeping thing? I know my worry and anxiety contributes to it, but it's not even like i wake up totally worried, it's things like a song i heard on the radio i don't even like that i heard the day before will be blasting in my head and all the other voices going through my head would so loud and vivid. I have tried all the herbal sleepy teas under the sun that get me to sleep ok, but don't keep me asleep. I take magnesium everyday and b vitimins every other day, i have even cut down my caffeine intake (though still high, is much lower than once was). 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Administrator

How long has this sleep pattern been going on?

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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How long has this sleep pattern been going on?

only about a week, not long, but enough to make everyday a very long tired one

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Sorry to hit you with bad news, but you need to cut the caffeine out completely, and any other stimulants (I wouldn't be taking B vitamins right now either if I were you). It's okay to taper it down to avoid the caffeine withdrawal symptoms I think.  Apparently caffeine has a really long half life so it can disrupt your sleep even if you only use it in the morning.

 

Other things that help are: Daily exercise if you can (long but gentle walks are helpful); staying away from blue light (TV or computer screens) for 3-4 hours or so before bedtime; keeping the lights low in general for 1-2 hours before bedtime.

 

I think there are lots of other suggestions in the Symptoms and Self-Care section as well. I'm sure there's at least one thread on insomnia. This is probably the most common and most problematic withdrawal symptom we hear about and experience ourselves.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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i don't think i will survive without the caffeine, it's the only thing that helps with the extreme apathy, though i guess i could try. My job is physical work and i am on my feet all day. I try to go fishing at least once a week, i know that's probably not enough. 

 

The anxiety and sleep deprivation are really getting me now, on the tip of falling in to a depression. I just finished the weekend and i feel like i just finished a week of work.  

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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  • Administrator

Agree on the caffeine, you don't need anything more to mess up your sleep.

 

Suggest gradually cutting down.

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.

Link to comment

Well i had one coffee yesterday at 6am and i still woke a 4 this morning, ya can't tell me caffeine lasts that long. Maybe it just takes time.

 

Anyway, remembering back when i was younger, before i got on any anti-depressant, i was always sleep deprived and was naturally an over sensitive emotional person. Sometimes (even though i'm not fully off them yet) i wonder if these are withdrawals or just the way i am. These withdrawals i'm feeling are the same feelings as to why i went on to the anti-depressants in the first place. i'm wondering (apart from the more noticeable, unnatural withdrawals) if i will ever get better, because this is how i felt before i had anything anyway.  

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Yes, caffeine has a very long half-life. Google it if you don't believe me.

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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ill take your word for it.

 

any opinions on my second comment ?

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

any opinions on my second comment ?

 

 

If you are naturally a sensitive, emotional person, then I would expect you would return to feeling this way when you stop taking a medication which has the effect of blocking emotions.  Just because someone is sensitive and experiences emotions strongly, that doesn't mean they ill.

 

We live in a very stressful, stimulating world these days, it can be overwhelming for people who tend to be more sensitive, so we need to learn how to take care of ourselves and take the time to relax and find some inner peace.  Things like learning meditation, mindfulness and yoga can help.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Thanks Petu,

Opened up my eyes a bit, maybe i do just need to accept that this is just the way i am. I guess it's just hard to see it like that sometimes when the extreme emotions do things like stop me sleeping and lead me towards depression, also extreme anger and guilt and so on...by far outweighing any happy positive emotion. 

 

i meditate everyday (well try to) sometimes i'm just twitching and stuff too much and my mind just can't settle, i have some short period yoga techniques but can;t get pass the anxiety enough to go to a yoga class.

 

I read this book http://www.amazon.com/The-Mindful-Way-Through-Depression/dp/1593851286 and done the 8 week program and haven't really stopped since. It worked amazing when on the full dose of effexor, but now i feel like i'm doing the meditations just to hold my self together.

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Remember that you are still experiencing nervous system sensitivity due to your too fast taper.  You are now trying to re-stabilize so that you can continue with a proper taper, don't expect that you will be able to eliminate all your symptoms at the moment.  This is going to take some time before you reach your own natural balance again.

 

If you are experiencing extreme anger and guilt, its probably due to withdrawal, often called neuro-emotions, we have a thread about it:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/137-neuro-emotion/

 

It sounds like you are doing some really healthy things, which in the long run will be very helpful, try and be patient.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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  • Administrator

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.

Link to comment

Thanks for the encouragement and the helping me to look at the bigger picture a bit more Petu, i think i kind of just needed that as i was getting disillusioned a bit.

 

Thanks Alto i will read up on that when i get home from work. The thing with the caffeine is, when i was on  effexor xr all those years, i drank about 1000 mls of energy drinks plus a coffee pretty much every day, i kind of think it was an addiction that became of wanting to feel something.....maybe so with my alcohol problem too (not that i'm willing to pick up a drink ever again to find out)

So it is a massive achievement for me to be having only one coffee a day and it boggles the mind that i slept so much better back then, even regular afternoon naps.......damn those drugs are strong! i didn't even notice..

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

I loved my tea, nice and strong with 2 sugars. And a glass of wine....or 3, but only had 1 cup of coffee

in the mornings. Fresh coffee not instant and loved that coffee.  First the wine went, years ago.  Then

when I started tapering the tea was reduced to 2 cups a day. Then went onto decaff tea, then decaff

coffee.  Yesterday I went to put on the kettle and realised I hadn't had any tea or coffee of any kind 

for days.   I'm not sure if I felt withdrawal from caffeine because I was in withdrawal anyway, but now I

have zero caffeine and honestly don't miss it one bit  :)

**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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yeah, lately i'm starting to see the image of a day where i don't need a coffee hit, still a little way off yet.

 

As for the teas i'm not sure, i have kind of made a bit of a hobby of collecting herbs for making teas, My kitchen shelves are full with jars of different herbs for teas, almost don't want to look most of them up on this site due to the fact that they're probably all not recommended :P   

 

But they do relax me, probably just few i might need to stop drinking.

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Ok so i have been pretty stable for just about two months. I have been going through the usual windows and waves sometimes in two day periods. They do seem very short now the windows and waves. As for the waves it's the usual symptoms i get of bad sleep apathy and finding hard to handle stress, but thats not what i want to talk about.

 

From a very young age i surfed, i loved it more than any thing and would surf everyday i could till about the age of 25. By that age i had been on antidepressants for a few years and had become quite involved in my drinking.

Even though i haven't surfed for the last 6 years i still fascinated about it, dreamed about it and relived those surfing days in my head. I would still constantly check and watch the surf everyday but never get the motivation to go out. It was like i had lost the motivation to do what i love and makes me happy.

 

I'm not sure if this has to do with the anti depressants or not, but i a'm pretty sure it does because when people asked why i stopped surfing i have no real answer. Anyway being on this much lower dose i have noticed i a'm looking at the surf now with massive enthusiasm to get out there, my fascinating about it almost seems real, not a dream. I think i a'm actually going to go and buy a new wetsuit ans save for a board.

 

It actually kind of scares me that i a'm making such rash decisions and get a few bouts of self doubt saying i't just some kind of weird thinking from the withdrawal. I am also a bit worried about putting my body through a lot exercise again, though i never remember it being like exercise, just something i did for a lot of fun. One thing i do no is that i have this feeling like i just have to get back out there....i haven't had that feeling in a very long time

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

When I was tapering down off Celexa I remember very clearly that when I got below about 3 mg I began to have some enthusiasm for doing things I used to love. Below 2 mg I started actually going out and doing things. It's hard because I'm single and older and physically out of shape now, and most of the stuff I loved to do was pretty physical. I'm down to 1 mg now and yesterday I bought a tent and I'm going to go camping next weekend with some people I know. I haven't been camping in years, basically quit once I started taking psych meds, just lost my enthusiasm for it.

 

So I can really relate to what you're saying. It sounds like a healthy sign to me that you are regaining your enthusiasm for things that you used to love. Just be aware that you're physically out of shape, so don't try to go full-out right at the start, build up your strength. Withdrawal may also slow you down, doing a lot when we haven't in a while can make the WD symptoms slam us, so again, take it as slow as you can.

 

But yes, this happens to other people too as they come off the meds and recover, people often get back their old enthusiasms for hobbies and things. 

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

Link to comment

Yeah i was a little worried after reading a few things on here about more strenuous exercises, I a'm going to try and go into this with a strong mindset i think using some of the mindful tools i have learnt. I'm going to try not to rush into things, just go out when the waves are smaller at spots where i can be more alone. Just enjoy being in the water and in nature instead of worrying about how well i am surfing, how fit i am, or comparing myself to other people in the water.

I think if i can get surfing back as part of my life style again, slowly but gradually, it could be a major factor in my well being....but yes i think the key will be to remember to take it slowly.

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

so i dropped from 15 to 14 beads for a week, but then thought i might actually do 13. I have been on 13 for three days and in the last three days i have  started to notice signs of withdrawal.

I no this is probably from the drop to 14 so i am worried what the drop to thirteen is going to be like in a week or two. Would it be safe to carry on reinstating 14? 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment

or should i just keep on 13, any answers? i want to get stabilized on something before it's too late

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

If you're feeling worried, it should be okay to go back up to 14 and hold there until you feel really stable again.

 

Now that you're down to so few beads, each drop is a bigger percentage. At 14 beads reducing by one bead is a 7% drop. Don't underestimate those drops at these lower doses, they are a lot more powerful than at higher doses. Did you see those charts in the Tapering section? 

 

Anyway yes, I think you should be okay with going back up to 14 at this point, and then hold there until you've been feeling really stable for a couple of weeks. You're still kind of fragile from that CT and there's no point in rushing, no particular advantage to going fast at this point, it's not a race and you won't get a prize for getting there faster, just more withdrawal symptoms.

 

At this low dosage the effect of the drug is minimal and you're going to continue to enjoy more and more recovery from its effects. Don't sabotage your healing by trying to get off this last bit too fast.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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i have looked at those charts before but,forgot to look

 

thanks so much for replying, i have been looking at my phone every second all day waiting for a reply.

I bought a surfboard and have been surfing everyday possible since i last posted on here i think. It really has been amazing, it's like i have got my life back, i can't even explain how alive(or normal) i feel every day...anyway when i started feeling the apathy and the anxiety, the extreme ups and downs and so on creeping back i knew exactly what it was and felt so annoyed like "please don't take this away from me, i just can't go back there not after getting surfing back, not after coming this far! noooo "

 

so yeah, thanks

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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  • Administrator

Well, it sure sounds like you're on your 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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  • Moderator Emeritus

It's great to hear how much you're enjoying surfing again! I can really relate, after 20 years of not caring much about doing things, that feeling of "oh I want to go do that!" is really fun. And for me a little unfamiliar, but I do recall that I used to always be out and about and doing things back before the drugs changed me.

 

Let us know how you do at 14. Like I said, it's not a race, especially now that you're at a low enough dose that the drug isn't keeping you from enjoying your life. 

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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  • 5 years later...

Hello people 

 

I used to have the user name southernfreeze, for some reason I can't log in anymore, (this has been fixed)

 

I think it has been about 3 years since I could log in. Its been a little sad as this place was the only support group that I've had who fully understands the problems with these drugs. 

I didn't look at my old intro as I thought I'd probably have to fix a lot of things, it would also be painful. I'll tell it in short and give an update since then. Go back and look at my intro yourself if curious. 

 

Diagnosed with depression and told I had a "chemical imbalance" at 17.

Put on aropax for a number of years

Then fluroxatine for a year or more

Then citelopram for a few years I think

The finally effexor 150 grams. 

 

At 32... I think, after quiting the drink and getting into meditation and Buddhism I decided to get off the drugs. 

 

I battled for a few years until I got to about 13 beads if I remember correctly. I think that's where I left off. 

 

Since then I had a daughter and started my own business. I bridged to fluroxatine and then tapered off over a few weeks. Waaay too fast I know. I did make it through a year though. I would have a month of feeling alright and then a few weeks of feeling totally irritable and dead to any emotion. It never really got any better than this. 

I made the mistake of taking St John's wort near the end ( it actually does work like an anti depressant, I was quite impressed) but It made me really short of breath so I stopped after a week. Then I started getting withdrawals from the St John's wort, I couldn't believe it! So it felt like I went about 5 steps back in my progress.... If you could call it progress. 

Soon I couldn't sleep, I tried melatonin but that only helped me get to sleep, the problem was waking up at 3 and not being able to get to sleep again. Eventually I had no enthusiasm for anything, I was walking around like a zombie. I couldn't bear the slightest of a stressful situation which made my business and wife suffer, and I was emotionless for my baby girl..... I had to do something. 

 

I went back on fluroxatine. The lowest they do here is 20mg, so I got dispersables. I put it with water in a 30ml syringe and squirt out 5ml every day, probably not an exact amount everytime but I'm not sure how to do it any better. 

 

I felt the effects straight away. One thing I noticed was the shortness of breath, poor bowel movements, sore back muscles and craving for alcohol. All things I had got rid of in that one year. But at least now I could sleep and be more present for my family and work.

 

I'm 36 now and have been doing the 5ml thing for just about a year... I think (I'm terrible with time periods and dates) alcohol has got the better of me and I have drunk small amounts since going back on the fluroxatine, it just feels sooo good to get rid of the numbness! I wonder if I ever actually was an alcoholic, or if I would have been as bad as I was. I do hope to carry on in my journey to get off this medication in the future, though I'm very scared. My psychologist says I should be able to get off these if I got off effexor, she has no knowledge but I hope she's right. I think it will have to be a very slow process, I've learnt a lot over the years though I still feel like I'm in a prison. 

 

Feels great just to write these words. 

Thanks so much to anyone who reads. 

 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added note

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to SouthernFreeze: 10 years and finally clean

OK I have my old account back. 

 

Looks like I actually thought I was drug free from effexor for a period before I done the bridge to fluoxetine. Its almost funny to read my old posts and see how naive I was back then. 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
5 hours ago, SouthernFreeze said:

 

I'm 36 now and have been doing the 5ml thing for just about a year.

 

Welcome back.

 

Could you update your signature to reflect your current drug and dosage and the approximate date you began it? Here's the link:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • 2 months later...

So I'm using dispersible 20 mg Fluoxetine. I put it in a 30ml syringe and squeeze out 5ml. I have no idea how many mg this works out to be and I know it's definitely not accurate, but it seems to work OK....until recently. I kind of feel like I'm withdrawing again. Waking up in the morning with bad anxiety, thinking everybody's against me, terrified of confrontation, extreme fatigue. It goes in rapid waves  changing from day to day, I'm suicidal one day and booking Buddhist retreats the next.......... Actually as I write this I'm seeing some connection to the mood swings and the way I take my pill. I guess I just haven't had this uneven withdrawal until the last couple of weeks so it's confusing. 

Does anyone have any idea on how much I would be taking in mg, also is there a more accurate way to do this? There is no liquid options here and 20mg is the lowest mg you can get. 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

I like math!  20mg/30 ml comes to 0.67mg/ml.  If you are taking 5 ml, that is 5 X 0.67mg or 3.33 mg. Did you make a cut recently, and if so what was your previous dosage in ml?

Started ADs back around 1995 after bad break-up, starting with Prozac.  Switched to Wellbutrin, and then to Effexor in 2002
Effexor XR 2002-2014 up to 225 mg at one point, down to 37.5 mg towards end but back up to 75 mg in 2014; now realize I had W/D as I dropped down, memory very poor about history.  Extreme emotions, poor concentration as I stepped back down, didn't connect the dots!
Summer 2014 reduced to 0 very quickly, was sick of anhedonia/sexual dysfunction due to meds, depression never controlled if not worse. Didn't recognize WD since symptoms built slowly (thought I had ADD! and menopausal on top of it), starting with severe sweats, very bad cog-fog and memory issues, culminating in weight loss, severe anxiety and depression, panic, severe apathy and insomnia by eight months off.  Saw p-doc who put me on Remeron, increased from 7.5 mg/day to 37.5 mg by May 22, 2015; still doing very badly though able to sleep.

June 1. 2015 Reinstated Effexor XR 37.5 mg, Remeron dropped to 30 mg PM. Immediate relief of symptoms, like nothing had ever happened!  Joined SA and began on advice of friend who recognized it was WD all along! Began tapering in July 2015.

Been tapering both meds ever since, focusing on one more than the other or doing no more than 5% of each per month.

12 mg Effexor and 5.8 mg Remeron (mirtazapine SolTabs to make a solution with OraPlus) as of 5/4/2017 

Update 3/14/18: 2.9 mg Remeron and 6 mg Effexor; 6/10/18:  2.6 mg Remeron and 4.9 mg Effexor

 

My intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9313-squirrellygirl-effexor-withdrawal-etc/page-2#entry196679

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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1 hour ago, SquirrellyGirl said:

I like math!  20mg/30 ml comes to 0.67mg/ml.  If you are taking 5 ml, that is 5 X 0.67mg or 3.33 mg. Did you make a cut recently, and if so what was your previous dosage in ml?

Oh wow thanks! I didn't really expect an answer to that one 😁. No I haven't adjusted the ml at all. 

Maybe the pill has stopped working I don't know. 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

Link to comment
  • Administrator

How old is your fluoxetine liquid? You might need a new batch.

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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2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

How old is your fluoxetine liquid? You might need a new batch.

Its not liquid, it's 20mg dispersible fluoxetine pills I desolve on a 30ml syringe. Because I use the whole pill I am on par with the normal priscription. 

10 years on various anti-depressants

5 years Effexor xr

tappered of 150mg in 6 months

nothing for two weeks

Reinstated 15 beads for 50 days

Tappered off then clean 2-3months

gradually went back up to 13 mg 3 years

bridged fluoxetine 10mg

2 week tapper

1 year clean

reinstated 5ml dispersed fluroxatine for 6months

 

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