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☼ Wildflower0214 Effexor WD and PTSD


Wildflower0214

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So, I was on Lexepro for 8 years, and then it started giving me side effects, so switched to Effexor.

 

Ended up with awful panic attacks on Effexor. I tapered off. I am about 5 weeks off Effexor. I cannot find a Dr who knows how to help me. I have complex PTSD and the withdrawal is not helping my situation. I have met with Dr's who know about SSRI wd, but they tried to give me Amino Acids which made me really sick. I now seem to have a problem tolerating anything that crosses the blood/brain barrier. So, Fish oil etc.. is a big NO NO.

 

I tried neurofeedback, which scared the hell out of me, it was an awful experience. And, even integrative psychiatrists dont know what to do, and basically when I dont respond well to their herbs/supps they just dont want to even deal with it. I wish I could find a Dr that could oversee this and just coach me along.

 

 

 

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi JDM

 

Welcome to the forum. I moved your post to the intro section so that you can use it to keep track of what's happening for you and others will chip in.

 

Can you tell us when you last took Lexepro and what side effects you had? Can you also tell us how you tapered off Effexor? When we have a better idea of your history we will be better positioned to offer you support

 

It sounds like it has been very difficult for you. Hopefully we can help

 

Take care

 

Dalsaan

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi JDM, welcome to SA.  I'm sorry you are having withdrawal that is hard to cope with. 

 

As Dalsaan said we need a bit more info but once we have that we will be able to offer some advice.

In the meantime take a look at the symptoms and self care forums for some topics on how best to 

deal with withdrawal and what others have found to be helpful. 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/

**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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i am scared crapless after my whole drug ordeal. I had an awful experience on Effexor and now have a new found phobia of being bi-polar. Literally, scares the living hell out of me. Its not a fear that I ever had before. Thank You Psychiatry.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi JDM,

I moved your post here from symptoms.  Its highly unlikely you have bi-polar, I'm assuming those symptoms began after you were started on an antidepressant.  For some people, some antidepressants can be too stimulating and cause an adverse effect which often gets labelled as mania.  This is then used as evidence of bi-polar, rather than being seen as an adverse effect of the original drug.

 

Doctors receive the information about the drugs they are prescribing from the pharmaceutical companies who want to sell more drugs.  By calling adverse effects from a drug, symptoms of a new illness, then more drugs can be prescribed.

 

If you provide more details, as requested in earlier posts, we will be able to offer more advice.

 

Petu.

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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Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies. I was on Lexepro for 8 years, when they upped the dose the last time to 20 mg, I got vertigo, and blurred vision, and all the while I think I was getting more depressed. I thought I had MS or something. I never attributed any of it to Lexepro. A few months later, the vertigo and overall crappy feeling got worse. I again felt more depressed. I went to Dr started taper only down 2.5 mg at a time, and all hell broke loose! Anxiety at a level I have never in my life experienced. In the fetal position, scared of everything. Dr tried to take Lexepro back up, but it had no effect. I changed Dr's and when I showed up they did not taper me off Lexepro even through I had been on it 8 years. They abruptly switched me. One day Lexepro 20 mg the next Effexor 37.5. That's how they switched me. Effexor made me irritable and nervous and I was still going through Lexepro wd. Did Effexor 37.5 mg for four weeks, they upped it to 75 mg. I had extreme dizziness the whole four weeks at this dose, I ended up in the ER with most intense panic attack I've ever had. My norepinephrine ws through the freaking roof and I had a body buzz. I immediately went back down to 37.5 because I was so uncomfortable, then 37.5 every other day, then every third day, then I stopped. It has been five weeks off Effexor completely. I had to get off of it. My norepinephrine was high and still is. It's a very distinct clear nasal feeling. It's awful. It's like my body isn't clearing it. I had my neurotransmitters tested right after hospital visit and it confirmed my suspicion that Effexor had pushed my norepinephrine through the roof! And, in the midst of all of the above, they gave me ativan which has also been tapered down.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Petu,

Thanks for reply. No, I've never had any bi-polar symtoms aside from medication. I feel like Effexor drove me into some kind of low grade hypo mania. But, my norepinephrine is still elevated and hasn't cleared out of my body the way I feel it should have after stopping Effexor. I'm scared to death from all of this. The whole experience was traumatic and like a forced drug experience. I was horrendous. But now, I'm anxious and having trouble sleeping. I'm just scared. I'm afraid those drugs screwed me up permanently.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Also, to all, I have another question. I know I ended up in a psychiatrist office for a reason, and was seeking some medication for a reason. At one point, all of us were. But, I believe the meds for most of us became unbearable, what to do with the original symptoms that brought us to psychiatry in the first place? I mean I know I'm going through wd, but when does it become an emergence of original symptoms and not wd?

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Guys, I really need some feedback on the above posts. Anybody? I know you were so kind to reply pretty quickly to my first post and everyone has lives, I know. But, just need some validation.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi JDM,

I'm sorry you are going through this.  First I want to say, take some deep, slow breaths and try and calm yourself.  You are not permanently damaged and you will recover.

 

From what you have written, it looks like you are experiencing withdrawal from lexapro.  Added to that, you had an adverse reaction to effexor.  I would conclude that your nervous system is in a destabilized state and it will take a while before things settle down again.

 

Its still not clear exactly when you stopped taking lexapro.  Could you give us the month, it doesn't have to be the exact day.  If not too much time has passed, its sometimes possible to reinstate a small amount of the drug you are in withdrawal from.  Sometimes as little as 1mg - 2mg is enough to relieve withdrawal symptoms, then after stabilizing for several weeks, a slow, safe taper can be started from that small amount.

 

There is no guarantee it will work though, and in your case its a bit more complicated because of the subsequent bad reaction to effexor.  Reinstatement is best done immediately upon appearance of withdrawal symptoms. The more time that passes, the less likely it is to work.  Here is some information about reinstatement to help you decide if its something you would like to try:

 

http://survivinganti...rawal-symptoms/

 

As far as I'm aware, its not possible to test neurotransmitters in a living human brain, so those blood and urine tests are pretty meaningless.

 

 

Also, to all, I have another question. I know I ended up in a psychiatrist office for a reason, and was seeking some medication for a reason. At one point, all of us were. But, I believe the meds for most of us became unbearable, what to do with the original symptoms that brought us to psychiatry in the first place? I mean I know I'm going through wd, but when does it become an emergence of original symptoms and not wd?

 

If you are experiencing symptoms that weren't there before starting on drugs, or if they are more severe, then its most likely still drug effects.  For some people, it can take a long time to recover fully.  Many doctors do not know about withdrawal symptoms at all, call whatever you're experiencing "relapse," tell you it's evidence you will need to be on an antidepressant permanently, and prescribe some other antidepressant that's struck their fancy.  See:  what should I expect from my doctor about withdrawal symptoms

 

There are non-drug ways to deal with emotional problems and life difficulties.  Here is the link to our symptoms and self care section, you may find some useful non-drug ideas to help manage symptoms.  Especially read the topics pinned at the top.

 

Have a look around the site, there is a lot of good information here.  I hope you start to feel better soon.

 

Petu.

 

 

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, it's been difficult. I switched to Effexor from Lexepro abruptly around March. Also, I cannot seem to tolerate anything stimulating.. Fish Oil, 5HTP, etc... So, supplementation is not an option at this point. The integrative psych I had told me should would NOT counsel me through the WD unless I agreed to take supplements/herbs, even though I explained my adverse reactions. She thinks if she "Muscle Tests" something on me then I'll be fine. If your nt familiar with muscle testing look it up. It sounds like crap to me, and I know my body ad what has happened. He is CHOOSING to ignore me. So I'm now without a dr because I refuse to take things I know my body cannot handle at this time.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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me too

 

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

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  • Administrator

Welcome, JDM.

 

Quite often, when someone goes off an antidepressant too fast, as you did when you switched from Lexapro to Effexor, the nervous system becomes sensitized to anything that might be stimulating -- drug, supplement, or even foods.

 

Plus, you had a fairly clear adverse reaction to Effexor. Your nervous system is riled up now. You need to let it calm down.

 

Even integrative psychiatrists can have a very poor understanding of tapering and withdrawal syndrome. Why do you think your "norepinephrine is still elevated"? There is no valid test for this. Besides, there is no such thing as a "chemical imbalance" in mood disorders. Your doctor is barking up the wrong tree, as they so often do. I would not spend any more money on that doctor.

 

Are there any activities you find soothing? Swimming, massage, walking, reading?

 

There is a chance a very small amount of Lexapro, perhaps 1mg, might help your symptoms, but no guarantees.

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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  • 4 weeks later...

Westcoast,

Thank you for the reply, and forgive my delay in responding. They can do a 24 hour saliva test for cortisol levels and I know they can test dhea, which is also produced by your adrenal gland. Antideppresants are known for causing Adrenal Fatigue. They "tested" my neurotransmitters, but now I realize that the urine test they gave me may not have been accurate, so I wouldn't suggest wasting money barking up that tree.

In regards to hot flashes, I hate them, sorry u have them too. I'm 30, so I'm pretty sure I'm not going through menopause. :)

 

Hope u are feeling better. The testing for cortisol may be of value, I know supplements help some people with Adrenal Fatigue. But, be cautious, some can really overstimulate if your nervous system is already touchy.

 

:)

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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AltoStrata,

 

Thanks for your response and the info regarding the neurotransmitter testing. In answer to your question about my norepinephrine being elevated, I noticed when I was on Effexor that I had this very very distinct clear nasal sudafedy feeling, almost like I was getting too much oxygen. I had only had this feeling before when I had a severe cold and took too much sudafed to try and clear up the congestion. It is an awful feeling and very distinct, and I know Sudafed acts on norepinephrine. So, when I felt it while taking Effexor I was baffled, till one night I thought, oh! Effexor is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor!!!!! I've also had mild versions of it in the last few years when under acute stress.

 

I've only been off the Effexor for 10 weeks after a much too rapid taper. And, my nervous system is a mess. I have had a hard time doing anything I used to enjoy. I used to exercise, but even walking can be too overstimulating. And, I've been so traumatized in the last 7 months on this drug roller coaster that I'm paralyzed in a sense. Just scared crapless, and paranoid.

 

Before going on Lexepro in 2006, I had had a bout of anxiety and depression during a time of acute stress at age 11. I've always been kind of obsessive. Just prior to going on Lexepro, I was in another extremely stressful situation which had been going on for months. During that time,I had moderate general anxiety but was still functioning, and I had a few panic attacks, and 2 distinct off the wall intrusive thoughts.

 

Now, I have been out of work for over 6 months and am scared to death that all of these drugs have given me a chemical imbalance. I have never in my life been like this. I swing from irritable, angry, impatient, anxious, paranoid, periods of super hyperarousal, intrusive thoughts about self harm, depression... It's awful. I feel like a basketcase. And I'm scared I won't ever come out of this.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Ok, my post button got stuck. :-/ sorry for that.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Well, I am having trouble with anxiety and have been taking Gaba which does calm me down, but also makes me depressed with intrusive thoughts of self-harm.

Not good. Bought some Passion flower and split capsule open and only took very very minuscule amount, and it made me feel like I drank a venti espresso. So, no go on that.

Has anyone experienced anything similar?

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Also,

I've been on .25 mg of ativan for about 5 months. I was holding the dose to keep me out of yet another withdrawal. But, Dr I have found who is a Psychiatrist who does nothing but taper people off this crap told me I may be experiencing symptoms from becoming dependent on Ativan! If this is the case, I'm already not stable through this ssri wd, but maybe it's really the damn ativan! Help!!!!!

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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  • Administrator

You can get a paradoxical reaction, interdose withdrawal, or tolerance from taking a benzo too long.

 

Interesting about the doctor. If you can recommend him for tapering, please add his contact info to this topic http://tinyurl.com/7cp8l8v

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

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Ok, so what do I do? I'm only 10 weeks into this ssri wd, I don't know if it's wise to dose down on Ativan...

I'm a bit scared.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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My own experience with Ativan was scary. I was on it for a few weeks at most, and ran out. I came close to passing out with some kind of horrible malaise. I found a partial tablet, took it, and got better right away. I took no more after that and was fine (though very messed up from other drugs).

So I would say--in my case--discontinuing it was a problem. For others it could be even worse.

I'd be very careful and do it with supervision.

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

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  • Administrator

JDM, what kind of Ativan tapering schedule did this psychiatrist suggest?

 

What about the problem of going off Effexor?

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 told me NOT to touch the ativan because I am having such trouble with the Effexor. I found him AFTER I was already off the Effexor. So, he wasn't involved in that.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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So does this mean you're no longer taking the Ativan? Either way, how are you today?

And thanks for the info above in response to my question.

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

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Hang in there babe! I have ptsd very bad. However, I've never experienced panic like I did in my withdrawal. I even went to the er bc the chest pain n shortness of breath was so severe n I have a bad family history of heart disease. It was hell. The panic attacks got to be so bad that I was in constant chest pain n shortness of breath. My therapist n my shrink would tell me to meditate n deep breathe, well deep breathing n meditation was not an option for me. If I tried to meditate n focus on my breathing, I then started hyperventilating. It IS agonizing.

I did find comfort through reading stories, I found a release of the anxiety induced severe muscle tension through magnesium. I posted before, I even applied icy hot all over my body to try to relax. I have also looked into hypnotherapy. I had a chronic n intense anxiety throughout seven maybe eight weeks into my wd. I can tell you this. It gets easier. It will pass. One thing that I did do that helped was journal. I had flashback nightmares when I could sleep which only made sleeping harder.

I have realized now that I have never dealt with these traumas. It is all coming out at once only to me 10000 million times intensified by the wd. Please keep posting. You may be able to see a pattern. If anything getting it out, just helps.

I had severe panic. Panic attacks. Every night for three weeks. Some people would tell me to write what I was panicked about. How could I possibly do that when I don't even have the slightest. I couldn't explain it. It was just there.

Of course shrink said it was my symptoms coming back. However,I've never experienced this prior to meds or the wd.

Hang in there. I'm cheering for you.

Was on antidepressants on and off from 2000-2007 dx with MDD n anxiety.

2009- had like a physical breakdown. Was exhausted n not functioning properly. Still have depression n had become suicidal. Shrink dx bipolar while I never had a single manic episode. I got at least 8-9 hours of sleep every night. I required that to function since a child. I was admitted to the psych ward immediately. Was then put on a cocktail.

Lithium, lamotrigine, wellbutrin, prozac, depakote, Xanax, trazadone and ritalin.

Went through over 50 shock treatments n put on Invega in addition

Spring 2014, made the decision to try to get off some meds.

11 weeks ago I qt quit invega

10/6 reinstated 150 mg of Wellbutrin

I currently take 40 mg of prozac, 300 mg of lamotrigine, 1 mg of Xanax, 150 mg of trazadone

I am down from three medications. The forementioned others that I was initially put on I stopped prior to 2014.

I am hoping to be med free one day. I do not have any intention of stopping the current ones right now. I'm going to give my body a little more time to adjust.

Progress not perfection!!

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  • Administrator

JDM, please keep notes on paper about your daily symptom pattern relative to when you take Ativan, etc.

 

You can take a partial tablet of GABA.

 

Many people do better with magnesium supplements, they're calming, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

Please don't worry about your neurotransmitters.

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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WestCoast,

Clarification: He told me not to touch the dose, just to leave it and not try and cut it down.

 

I just went through my first night last night with absolutely no sleep at all! This had never been a problem for me before meds. :( sigh.

 

I'm irritable and anxious today. I've tried to start looking at foods and start doing an elimination diet, because I feel like I'm reacting to food now, which also never happened before meds.

 

Thanks for the support! How are you?

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Crazy Katie,

Thank you soooo very much for your response. I'm about 13 weeks out from my last dose of Effexor, and I've had windows that are ok, but I have days where the irritability and agitation are awful and I feel like I'm plugged into a generator.

 

Last night I did not sleep at all, not one minute. I take melatonin but it didnt work. :-/ thank you for the support and I hope you are well. How are you today?

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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AltoStrata,

I take Gaba from time to time, but find it makes me weepy and depressed. But, so did the Ativan.

I am keeping a journal, but it seems to me that Italy have to go with food :-/ I get rapid heartrate and feel irritable after some food now. This never happened before meds. I may try magnesium, but I am soooooo sensitive to supplements now. Fish oil makes me anxious, Passion flower makes me hyrper, 5htp felt like a drug experience. I feel like I'm backed into a corner. But, going up change diet and see what happens.

 

Thank you for answering me, I hope you are well. I appreciate your responses.

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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may* not Italy. Sorry

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Alto Strata,

I have a question, I think the chemical imbalance theory is over simplified and obviously not the case in every situation. But, if it plays no role at all then why did the Lexepro help me for many years? I just don't think I fully understand. Help?

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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Weighing in here...

It is said that SSRIs are a lot like speed. Speed makes just about everyone feel better. So lexapro might have seemed to correct something or might just be a mood booster like speed.

I have always heard that if a non-depressed person were to take an AD, they'd feel no different. That's part of how I came to understand they were safe. I doubt that highly at this point.

I had a 100% sleepless night a few weeks ago. A benefit was that I did sleep pretty well the following night.

I am the same as I've been, in a moderate-strength wave. I never feel "right."

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

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How does 'free-floating' suicidality sound? That's how I'd describe my days and nights. A desire to flee from the haunting thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. However I do not plan or embrace suicide. It's just an unwanted companion that I have to fend off several times a day.

2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink.

2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ...

Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.
2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures.

:o 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years.

I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body.

2015: I  began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning.

I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral.

And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. 

I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up.

In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body.   :unsure:

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Hi JDM,

I hope this isn't a window because going through that constant panic was horrendous!

I'm doing pretty good!! How about you??

Was on antidepressants on and off from 2000-2007 dx with MDD n anxiety.

2009- had like a physical breakdown. Was exhausted n not functioning properly. Still have depression n had become suicidal. Shrink dx bipolar while I never had a single manic episode. I got at least 8-9 hours of sleep every night. I required that to function since a child. I was admitted to the psych ward immediately. Was then put on a cocktail.

Lithium, lamotrigine, wellbutrin, prozac, depakote, Xanax, trazadone and ritalin.

Went through over 50 shock treatments n put on Invega in addition

Spring 2014, made the decision to try to get off some meds.

11 weeks ago I qt quit invega

10/6 reinstated 150 mg of Wellbutrin

I currently take 40 mg of prozac, 300 mg of lamotrigine, 1 mg of Xanax, 150 mg of trazadone

I am down from three medications. The forementioned others that I was initially put on I stopped prior to 2014.

I am hoping to be med free one day. I do not have any intention of stopping the current ones right now. I'm going to give my body a little more time to adjust.

Progress not perfection!!

Link to comment

Hi JDM,

I hope this isn't a window because going through that constant panic was horrendous!

I'm doing pretty good!! How about you??

Was on antidepressants on and off from 2000-2007 dx with MDD n anxiety.

2009- had like a physical breakdown. Was exhausted n not functioning properly. Still have depression n had become suicidal. Shrink dx bipolar while I never had a single manic episode. I got at least 8-9 hours of sleep every night. I required that to function since a child. I was admitted to the psych ward immediately. Was then put on a cocktail.

Lithium, lamotrigine, wellbutrin, prozac, depakote, Xanax, trazadone and ritalin.

Went through over 50 shock treatments n put on Invega in addition

Spring 2014, made the decision to try to get off some meds.

11 weeks ago I qt quit invega

10/6 reinstated 150 mg of Wellbutrin

I currently take 40 mg of prozac, 300 mg of lamotrigine, 1 mg of Xanax, 150 mg of trazadone

I am down from three medications. The forementioned others that I was initially put on I stopped prior to 2014.

I am hoping to be med free one day. I do not have any intention of stopping the current ones right now. I'm going to give my body a little more time to adjust.

Progress not perfection!!

Link to comment

WestCoast,

Thanks for responding. Ya, I've hear the same line about how AD don't do anything to people who aren't depressed.

 

I'm sorry about the suicidality. I know the feeling. I feel like I'm disappearing sometimes, and everytime I try something to help, and I get a strange reaction, I just feel hopeless. And I want I just wake up when this is all over. :(

 

Tell me again, because my brain is mushy, what did you come off of besides the benzo? And how far are you into WD process?

2005-Zoloft bad reaction.....2006-Lexepro......2012-Upped Lexepro.......2013-Upped Lexepro......2/2014- Attempted Taper Lexepro...2/2014- Updosed Lexepro.......3/2014-Ativan.....5/2014- CT switch from Lexpro to Effexor.....

5/2014-7/2014-Tapered Ativan from 1mg to .25mg.....6/2014-Bad reaction to Effexor........7/2014- Rapid taper Effexor every other day......7/5/2014- Off Effexor.......7/2014-12/2014 - Ativan .25mg.......12/25/2014 -Taper Ativan by 4% due to paradoxical reaction .24mg...11/18/2015-Taper Ativan 1% CURRENTLY ON: .2376mg Ativan taken in 6 .0396mg doses.

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