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truth Effexor Nightmare Compounded


truth

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Admin note: link to benzo forum thread -  Truth: Xanax for 6 weeks

 

Is a severe withdrawal reaction to missing an effexor dose by 26 hours possible??? On 112.5mg for 12!!! Years.

Missed dose, woke to terror, fear, panic, dissociation, deptession, crying, brain zapping, pressure.

Reinstating immediately did ZIP! Upping dose x three over 3 months? Zip!

Detox, taper over 4 months from 300mg to 0: more terror, agitation, panic.

See psychiatrist: labels depression, bipolar, gad...

Desperate, take 9 meds in 7 months:

Prozac, remeron, depakote, lithium, Cipralex, Ativan, klonopin, zopiclone, Effexor again: some in cocktails, no washouts.

No recovery!

Currently 7.5 Mirt and .5 klonopin for sleep, but all terror, panic, fear, dissociation, agitation, depression symptoms remain. What to do ???

 

Told "whatever it is does not exist". You have psychological problems.

 

Note: zero physical symptoms but violent head pain and pressure... So, does this mean I am not in iatrogenically induced depression and withdrawal??

Edited by Shep
added link to benzo forum thread
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What a mess..

 

I would not change anything before some of the wise mods here give you an advice. Your doctor needs a foot up his...

 

Head pain and pressure are very common wd symptoms.

 

Welcome to SA. You have found a good place for help.

08 Cipralex 10mg for about 6 months. 11-12 Cipralex 20mg. Unsuccesful WD. 12-13 Zoloft 100mg with Diazepam 10-20mg as needed for anxiety.
Fall 13 Tapering Zoloft 100->50->25->12,5->0 in 2,5 months and CT Diazepam. 12/24/13 RI Zoloft 12,5mg
.

1/21/14 11mg

3/18/14 9,9mg

2/18/14 8mg

4/22/14 7,6mg

5/5/14 7,2mg

5/12/14 -> cutting 0,5mg per week, holding when necessary.

8/18/14 -> cutting 0,25mg per week holding when necessary.

10/20/2014 -> cutting 0,1mg per week, holding when necessary.
12/28/2014 Jump!

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I have not included the worst of this nightmare. The toxic drugging make me sicker and sucker; new labels, "treatment resistance" and such a terrified, agitated, dissociated, suicidal state that I agreed to ECT, totally uninformed and unaware of the risks. I "survived" set 1, deemed "better", but actually brain injured and simply showing signs of minor euphoria and organic brain syndrome that made me "less agitated". More drugging, more sick, deranged, agree to more ECT, given bilaterals that wipe out 5 years of memory, reduce my IQ, cause severe cognitive disability, trauma.

 

So, the standard horror story:,careless GP prescribes antidepressant for 12 years ( and I do not connect its use to massive sweating, lost libido, increased blood pressure, disbetes...)

Missing one dose causes trigger to total havoc and brain dyregulation and central nervous system shock. Failure to see it as withdrawal reaction leads to polydrugging leads to ECT and brain damage. Original symptoms remain, exacerbated by brain damage....

 

At the START of "syndrome", having odd 2-10 hours of "bearable" or less horrific every few days, but no pattern, and did not last. Was this rapid cycling? Window and waves??

 

Have been "fired" by all doctors who NOW refuse to prescribe any more "trials" of meds. NOW, they are stating "we do not know what this is"...

IF I had been bipolar or had GAD or depression, the drugs "should" have helped.

 

Led a completely normal, happy, productive, functional life previous to the skipped effexor dose. Is that kind of sudden "wake up totally unhinged" even possible?? My family says it is not....

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A single missed dose of Effexor would cause symptoms of WD in my mother when she was on it. I'm sorry that I can't help otherwise...

April / 2016: Cipralex 10 mg, Mirtazapine 30 mg, Lyrica 600 mg, Diazepam 20 mg, Bystolic 5 mg

2018: Lots of polypharmacy which is undocumented here. Started and stopped several drugs and changed doses of existing ones

August / 2018: Back on track! Cipralex 15 mg, Mirtazapine 7.5 mg, Diazepam 15 mg

September 2018: Cipralex 15 mg -> 12.5 mg

October 2018: Cipralex 12.5 mg -> 10 mg, Mirtazapine 7.5 mg -> 3.75 mg -> Stopped, Diazepam 15 mg

November 2019: Cipralex 5 mg, Diazepam 10 mg

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You are in withdrawal. And, your nervous system is completely hypersensitive. Alto, Petu or one of the others will be along shortly to help you further. Hang in there. I'm sorry you are suffering.

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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One missed dose of effexor will cause withdrawal symptoms, but everything else sounds like either severe neurological issues, brain damage or a tumor, sorry for being honest but have you tried getting a brain scan or seen a neurologist...? 

 

Sorry for being blunt, but if you're in so much pain you dont really gain much from me not being blunt, and I'm not a doctor or qualified in any way and I hope I'm wrong. 

Have been on psyc drugs for years, too many to include in this signature.

 

Currently on 475 mg lyrica, 37.5 mg venlafaxine 50mg seroquel, 2mg melatonin.

 

1-2.5 litres chamomile, only thing that seems to help with all of this.

 

Multivitamin and vitamin D prescribed by doctor for not going out in the sun enough. 

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I saw a neurologist May 30, 2012. At this point, the pain in my head was excruciating. I felt fear, dread, panic, weirdness and told him it began spontaneously the morning after a missed dose of effexor on Feb. 22, 2011. He wrote: She said it felt like a "bomb going off in her head", as if "someone was pullling taffy from within". As I said. my GP tried to up Effexor from 112.5 to 300mg over four  months. I did not improve. I then detoxed over 4 months and was so sick I agreed to try Prozac 20mg. Did that for 5 weeks with increasing agitation, terror, head pain. Now could not sleep. Put on Zopiclone 7.5, Ativan 10mg. and Remeron 30 mg for 6 weeks. Was completely unhinged, suicidal, my sister-in-law putting hot and cold cloths on my forehead as i wailed. I just wanted someone to knock me unconscious. At this point I saw the neurologist. He suggested I was having "migraines"; I told him NO!, got rather hysterical; told him I felt insane! He wrote I might suddenly, after 54 years of normal life, be "bipolar" and he recommended depakote 1000mg. I was put on that , kept on Remeron and Zopiclone with no change. He ordered a CT scan, an MRI, and the shrink ordered a SPECT scan. CT and MRI were normal. SPECT showed reduced blood flow in parietal lobe and occipital lobe, an "indefinite" finding. Had a normal EEG.

After this, the new shrink prescribed Lithium 900mg and Cipralex 15mg for 3 weeks. Same. Detoxed off that  in two weeks and then the shrink suggested I try to "reintroduce Effexor at 75mg". The pain in my head was worse, agitation worse and I ended up in hospital, being told ECT was a final resort bc I was "treatment resistant". I survived the first round with minor memory loss and seemed "less agitated" or "better". Now I know I was just brain damaged. Minimal reduction of symptoms for 4 weeks, but no "remission".

A new referral led to a doctor insisting I was bipolar and stating Lamictal 100mg for 5 weeks would do the trick. No. Same agony. Back to old doctor and 150mg Zoloft plus Remeron 30mg. I was so sick I had round two ECT, with 8 bilaterals. NOW, yes, neurological damage. EEG shows epileptiform spikes from ECT damage. SPECT scan shows same reduced blood flow. No tumors. Left suicidal, desperate, in pain, pounded by waves of weirdness, strangesness, distortion, anxiety. I have loss "all my normal thoughts" about everything. I feel like a zombie, but terrified. I cannot listen to music, look at a tv, do anything, because it feels "wrong" and "hurts my brain". You want to talk scary, that is scary. It makes no sense at all. I would rather be barfing, having nausea, fibro, twitches, anything other than feeling completely "different" with my ability to just "unselfconsciously engage in life" gone.

I do not hear voices, have delusions, or hallucinations. But, I feel completely unhinged and crazy.

My family is disgusted with me, have given up on me, have told me to "get over it as far as ECT injury and memory loss and cognitive dysfunction go. They state that the doctors have told them whatever I "have", does "not exist". They believe I am being OCD and can't "move on". NOW, after polydrugging and ECT, my brain is truly injured, with the "original" symptoms still unbearable.

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Hi truth,

 

I have many symptoms similar to yours. I often experience sensory overload at stimuli such as TV and music. I have many of your symptoms. I got here taking drugs prescribed by my doctor. I have never had ECT. If I understand correctly, you have previously been on an SSRI for over a decade, and have been on countless drug cocktails since. Your symptoms are similar to many here on the forum (from what I have observed in a short time). I am sorry you are in so much pain.

 

There is hope.

April / 2016: Cipralex 10 mg, Mirtazapine 30 mg, Lyrica 600 mg, Diazepam 20 mg, Bystolic 5 mg

2018: Lots of polypharmacy which is undocumented here. Started and stopped several drugs and changed doses of existing ones

August / 2018: Back on track! Cipralex 15 mg, Mirtazapine 7.5 mg, Diazepam 15 mg

September 2018: Cipralex 15 mg -> 12.5 mg

October 2018: Cipralex 12.5 mg -> 10 mg, Mirtazapine 7.5 mg -> 3.75 mg -> Stopped, Diazepam 15 mg

November 2019: Cipralex 5 mg, Diazepam 10 mg

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You are going through a withdrawal and possible multiple drug reactions. I'm not a doctor. Someone, one of the mods will be along shortly.

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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Just until someone more knowledgeable gets here, If I understand you correctly, truth, you rapidly withdrew from two anticonvulsants before having an abnormal EEG. I wouldn't know the significance of that since I'm not an expert.

April / 2016: Cipralex 10 mg, Mirtazapine 30 mg, Lyrica 600 mg, Diazepam 20 mg, Bystolic 5 mg

2018: Lots of polypharmacy which is undocumented here. Started and stopped several drugs and changed doses of existing ones

August / 2018: Back on track! Cipralex 15 mg, Mirtazapine 7.5 mg, Diazepam 15 mg

September 2018: Cipralex 15 mg -> 12.5 mg

October 2018: Cipralex 12.5 mg -> 10 mg, Mirtazapine 7.5 mg -> 3.75 mg -> Stopped, Diazepam 15 mg

November 2019: Cipralex 5 mg, Diazepam 10 mg

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I was drug and alcohol free to the age of 42 when my GP put me on Effexor 112.5. bc of the crying oand sleeplessness and 33 pound weight loss in 5 weeks after being told my husband was having an affair.

 

I recovered in 2 1/2 weeks, but my doctor kept me on the drug. By the time a few years went by, I noticed that whenever I missed the drug, within 5 hours I would start weeping for no reason, developed a violent headache and blurred vision. Not knowing this was withdrawal, I thought I "needed" the drug like people needed insulin to "stay balanced". The horrible crying and anxiety I felt made certain I did not even think of stopping the drug, even though i had massive sweating, no libido, weight gain, and later, high blood pressure and diabetes. I guess the drug was breaking down my body and I did not notice, because I was busy and felt mentally level.

 

So, I stayed on the drug for 12 years, thinking it was sort of like an aspirin, totally unaware of the dangers or long-term effects.So, until the day I got sick, I was not a person who used drugs, other than this one AD. I still do not know how I fell into the clutches of lunatic psychiatrists; I KNEW they were ignorant and dangerous deep down, but after I tried to regain my balance at home for a year just dealing with my GP, I got desperate and so did my family. They believed someone had an answer, a magic medication, unaware that they have ZERO clue and spend their time neurotoxic poisoning people, making them sicker, uneducated about the drugs they prescribe and so immoral and lacking in idea, they pull out ECT once they have driven someone even more iatrogenically insane.

 

I started reading up on the drugs and their dangers and my kids were very angry, saying I was "sabotaging any efforts to "help me". I refused antipsychotics and my kids were SO mad, convinced I was suddenly bipolar and this was just the cure! Now, looking back, that might have been just as useless, but certainly safer than electrical lobotomy.... and that is sad too, bc I read the pro literature by Julie Hersh and Kitty Dukakis, and Carol Kivler and Carrie Fisher.and watched the TED talk by Sherwin Nuland praising ECT. IGNORANCE> That kind of promotion is just wrong and evil, because desperate, drugged people are not making rational decisions.Today I look at my actions and choices and I cannot believe my utter stupidity. In my usual frame of mind, I would have known better.

 

But psychiatry is all about lies, deception, injury, and damaging people.

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  • Administrator

Welcome, truth.

 

I'm very sorry you've gone through this.

 

As everyone knows, I am not a doctor. It does sound to me like all your problems stem from that missed dose of Effexor and severe withdrawal, which left your nervous system more sensitive. The increased Effexor dosage and subsequent adverse reactions to drugs compounded this sensitivity.

 

I don't know if what you have is truly withdrawal syndrome, but iatrogenic damage from all the other treatments that have been attempted. At any rate, like prolonged withdrawal syndrome, you need to treat your nervous system gently and with patience to allow it to recover.

 

Our Symptoms and Self-Care forum http://tinyurl.com/3hq949z is full of topics discussing ways to deal with symptoms such as yours.

 

How long have you been taking 7.5 Mirtazipine and .5 klonopin? Has it helped at all?

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

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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I cannot believe what I allowed to happen to me after suddbeing able to restore my "normal". For the first 4 months, I tried reiki and acupuncture and see in my journals that I had little windows of a few hours of "bearable' and even a few that I recorded as "normal". However, my GP was upping Effexor as this was being done so the benefits seemed minor and I gave up, thinking the alternatives weren"t helping, rather than the toxins cancelling out the effect of calming interventions.Before I sought the "help" of those "who first do harm" or "usually do harm", I was also eating mega supplements in hope of a change. I took omega 3's, magnesium, vitamin B and C and D, and zinc. I tried Q10 and NAC. Nothing. Probably just more interactions and hyper sensitivity.

 

I WAS seriously stressed before I missed the effexor dose, constantly in fight or flight mode, with really elevated cortisol levels and adrenaline pounding my body, so perhaps the missed dose was the trigger on an already stressed out system.

 

 

I started taking Mirtazapine about ten days ago to knock me out to sleep , along with the Klonopin. I have used .25 to .5 klonopin on and off for 3 months, using up 50 of the .5 mg breakable tablets over a 90 day period. I cannot say they really do anything positive; in fact I am probably addicted and having interdose withdrawals from intermittent use.

 

My life is pure terror. I am almost certain I will end it after being unable to tolerate the misery one minute longer. I am confined to my house. I cry or lie in agony as my brain throbs and waves of panic attack

 

me and wash over my brain and body. I had a truly amazing life. I cannot believe what has happened to me. I wish I had continued the original suffering, using massage, reiki. and "healing" modalities,  without the toxins and electrical damage. I am too broken to ever be the person I was before I sought "help" from awful people.

 

Thank-you for your reply.

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if I have only taken Mirtazapine 7.5 for 10 days, what is a reasonable way to taper and stop? How long to taper off .25 klonopin used as described above?

 

Can melatonin be used for sleep? What dosage? Would benadryl work, or is this not a good idea?

 

There is really nothing in the way of meds that seems to help any symptoms,, but I wonder whether taking the supplements is a good idea?

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  • Administrator

Has mirtazapine helped at all? If not, I would cut the dose by quarters every 4 days.

 

Yes, melatonin can help sleep. See the melatonin topic in Symptoms and Self-Care forum http://tinyurl.com/3hq949z

 

It sounds to me like you are having interdose withdrawal from the Klonopin. This can be surges of anxiety or panic. Keep notes on paper about your daily symptom pattern in relation to when you take your drugs. This will help identify whether the benzo is causing those symptoms.
 

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

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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I personally use supplements extensively and I can vouch for melatonin wholeheartedly, another supplement I also use extensively is curcumin which I can also vouch for. 

 

I'm very sorry for the agony you're going through also. I had a period like yours but it wasn't caused by drugs, it was instead caused by incorrect qi gong practise.

 

Here's an article on it - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zou_huo_ru_mo_(medicine)

 

This is the beginning of the nightmare for me. 

 

I guess the quote - play with fire, get burnt is apt in my case. 

Have been on psyc drugs for years, too many to include in this signature.

 

Currently on 475 mg lyrica, 37.5 mg venlafaxine 50mg seroquel, 2mg melatonin.

 

1-2.5 litres chamomile, only thing that seems to help with all of this.

 

Multivitamin and vitamin D prescribed by doctor for not going out in the sun enough. 

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Truth, I am so sorry you are going through this. Sounds like the Effexor was a bit of an extreme prescription on the part of your doctor from the beginning. I was given it inappropriately as well (as far as I'm concerned anyway....something milder would have perhaps been appropriate for me, or maybe some therapy). I didn't have quite as extreme withdrawals as you, though I haven't had other drugs put into the mix. I was on it for about 3 years, and I've managed to get off since August...it is hard, and takes time. I can't really help you or give you any advice, but I just wanted to say my thoughts are with you and I really hope things get better for you soon!!

Oh.....and I took Benadryl to help me sleep occasionally....., but I did that when I was on a very low dose of Effexor, and I didn't have the other mix of drugs, I really don't know if it would be helpful or even ok for you to take....that would be a question for your pharmacist or doctor. Good luck Truth!

Plethora of pain killers, muscle relaxants and other scary stuff for neck injury, featuring medications such as Diclofenac, Celebrex, L-Dopa (BAD experiment by the doc), cyclobenzaprine, Baclofen, and several others. Those ended, then Effeor XR, 150mg, started 3 years ago....started tapering 1.5 years ago, 150 (maybe 112.5, can't remember) 75 to 37.5, a month or more stabilizing at each dose..... to 37.5 every second day (for ~2 weeks), then off. Celexa 20mg (lasted 3 days), Celexa 10mg ~1month, Celexa 5mg ~1month. Currently med free as of September 28, 2014 except occasional Advil, Benadryl or Cyclobenzaprine and Nuva Ring birth control (perhaps irrelevant). 
Current supplements: 1000mg fish oil, Magnesium +D, B50 complex, Multi vitamin

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Thank-you for the feedback, those who responded.

I am a bit concerned with some sites that suggest using melatonin is not a good idea bc it is a "hormone" and may reduce your body's natural production of melatonin.

I do not see the benefit of either small dose of drugs I am taking bc I just feel awful, but I suppose stopping them will intensify the havoc. Miss my old life...

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  • Administrator

Melatonin doesn't work like that. Please read the melatonin topic.

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 weeks later...

It has crossed my mind reading your history that perhaps you were in tolerance as in you were having the withdrawal symptoms while taking the drug... and missing the one dose put you over the edge.

Could you please post a drug history when your able.  If indeed you were on Effexor for 12 years that is plenty of time for tolerance to set in. I was tolerant in 6 but I was also taking celexa 

"WAS seriously stressed before I missed the effexor dose, constantly in fight or flight mode, with really elevated cortisol levels and adrenaline pounding my body, so perhaps the missed dose was the trigger on an already stressed out system."

 

I am curious if you can recall any other symptoms beside this fight or flight mode... before missing the dose... were you having memory problems is that why you missed the dose?

 

It sounds like everything was not exactly peachy before you missed the dose it was just not anywhere near as painful as the place your in now.  I too tried a few drugs docs suggested before I pulled the plug on it all.  I too could not watch tv hear music stand light noise ect... and many other things but Time helped it took a lot of time.  Self help things helped eventually not so much early on.  

 

I was 8 months into cold turkey before I heard a word about withdrawal.  I know you feel bad now but it can get better and your brain can heal... it takes time. 

I wish you peace

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Truth, I have just read your story and it made me feel very sad for you, that you were

treated that way is criminal but sadly happens to far too many people. I was in similar

situation 20 years ago and was given many drugs and ECT after reacting to seroxat and 

suffering withdrawal.  I was getting better when I was going through a stressful time and 

was given effexor which I took for 10 years before realising that it making me very ill! I had

test after test and doctors blamed 'depression' for my being housebound and bedridden.

 

I just wish I had never touched that stuff, I was recovering from all the drugs and withdrawals.

It will get better, but it takes time. I know that you want to be better NOW, and completely

understand why. It feels like this has gone on forever for you and you feel like you cant cope

with another single minute. I've been there and know how that feels.  Get through each day,

each day and don't worry about tomorrow. One day you will realise that you are actually feeling

a little better, try  to remember those days and acknowledge them as improvements. 

 

I'm glad you came here, we all understand and believe 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

It looks to me like perhaps Effexor always had a somewhat negative effect on Truth and put her sensitive system into a vulnerable state that broke when she missed a dose.

 

At any rate, Truth, you might try acupuncture etc. again, but very moderately, one thing at a time, to see what works.

 

You may experience waves and windows for a while. Hang in there, you'll find support here.

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

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Thank-you so much for the last three posts. I appreciate the comments and support.

 

I think my health was seriously declining before the big "snap". On Effexor, as I said, I was working like mad, but ignoring the diabetes, the high blood pressure, conditions I think were a direct result of being on Effexor. I was always feeling fatigue and had huge sugar cravings, but I attributed this to working too many hours and missing breakfast every day and sometimes dinner bc I was " too busy" or "in a rush".

 

The comment about memory is significant; I was having issues where I couldn't recall if I had THOUGHT about taking my meds or actually did! I used a pill keeper on and off. I taught 5 classes a day, 25-30 students in senior math and English and I would just look at a student and blank as far as his/her name went!! I would then just kind if nod or point, instead of saying the name.

 

I was waking up in a pool is sweat and I was told I snored loudly and shrieked and called out and thrashed in my sleep increasingly in the last 3 years, something I also connect to Effexor.

 

But, outside the crushing fatigue, my mood was up and very positive. I was just blindsided by this, and when it was escalated by more drugs, I just was in a state of panic.

 

I was really tired and stressed, and the missed dose may have been the last straw.

 

I had the "windows" and "waves" happening when I first got sick, but did not know what this was. I was suddenly given a label of "bipolar", being told these were mood swings. This was nothing I had b4 so that seemed unlikely...But not one of these lunatics was listening or hearing me...

 

I have gone to the link on melatonin, but am a bit scared to try it... Bc I read a few articles outside this site a few weeks ago that listed scary reactions...I bought some 3mg tablets and was looking at cutting them into quarters, using that as a possible dosage...

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One thing I do recall is very odd. I had been on Effexor for 7 years with what I thought was worth the "trade off" for being happy, productive, and well, that trade-off being massive sweating, weight gain, zero libido... I happened to turn on the TV and there was Tom Cruise ranting about how terrible it was that Brooke Shields was attributing her recovery from post partum depression to that lovely drug, Paxil. He called the drugs poisons, basically and was very upset.

 

I clearly recall sort of musing: " Right! You are one of those scientologist weirdos! What do you know?? Have you ever been feeling mentally unwell. These drugs save lives!!"

 

I really thought my "recovery" in 2 1/2 weeks could be directly attributed to that wonder drug Effexor and my "maintenance" on it had saved me from "relapse"! I see now that I probably recovered because I cut my job to 3 hours a day, started eating and sleeping properly!

 

Well, Tom was right and the scientologists are right, at least in terms of their position on antidepressants, psychiatrists, and psych drugs.

So, stupid me! And in a way, how gullible, I did not drink, smoke, or take illegal drugs, ever, but I tossed down this one legal neurotoxin for 12 years...

 

I truly believe that it should be MANDATORY that doctors hand patients the consent form posted on MIA regarding psych drugs... If they did, no one would fill a prescription...

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I know just what you mean Truth! I was praising my 'magic medicine' when I thought it worked brilliantly.

I said I would put up with any physical illness if my head was put right, and I did, for 10 years! 

I was in bed most of the time but alert and happy, just too weak to do anything. I watched tv and 

trawled the internet, and made jewellery in bed. I was 'content' because the crippling depression had 

lifted. I was high as a kite and spent thousands of £ on internet shopping. It makes me shudder now.

I had lots of meds for the side effects of effexor but still got worse and worse until eventually I could do

nothing and I had no motivation to do anything, no beading, no tc and the internet was just one game site

that I whiled the hours away on. 

 

Thought you might like to watch this.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwIDfcc5Z3w

**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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  • 4 months later...

Oops. Also on 7.5 mg olonzapine for 5 weeks. No benefit from either except for ability to sleep. Can they be dropped over 3 days if I have been on them for such a brief time?

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi truth,

I moved your last two posts from the tapering section, they were related to your own specific situation and we need to keep all your information together, so we can see your whole history in order to give the best advice.  Please add information and updates about your changing circumstances, and ask questions here.

 

Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature.  Putting a short version of your drug and tapering history in your signature helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts.  Here are instructions for how to do it:

 

http://survivinganti...your-signature/

 

Are you taking any other drugs besides lithium and olonzapine at the moment?

 

Any drugs that have been taken for more that a few days need to be tapered, 5 weeks is enough time for your body to have become dependent on them.  We recommend only tapering from one drug at a time.

 

Why did your doctor put you on these two drugs?

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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I take a high blood pressure med and metformin for diabetes.

The last drug I took recently was an MAOI,moclobemide, on August 2014 for 6 weeks.

Prescribed for "treatment resistant depression" or bipolar depression. The long history above gives background.

I tried to add a history, but it is not working. Cannot find the arrows or settings.

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  • 1 month later...

truth, please pm me so we can talk.  I am going through the same thing, not caused by ECT but amphetamine overdose.  I believe I fried my brain, due to careless psychiatrists.  I cannot believe I blindly trusted them, and now I am paying the price.  Went from Engineering student to virtually bedridden.  My life is over.  (I'll give you  my email address through pm).

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