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Did antidepressant reinstatement work for you?


ajay

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Reinstatement of Effexor DID work for me 10 months out.  The thing is, though, that I didn't know I was in protracted WD, just thought I had seriously lost it and none of my doctors put 2 and 2 together even though I saw several and told them my history of going off.  So, when I was super bad, a p-doc put my on Remeron because I couldn't eat or sleep.  It initially made me feel much better, at 7.5 mg, but the effect was short lived and I found myself upping until I was at 37.5 mg four weeks later and in total despair, on the couch, complete apathy, agoraphobia, unable to function at all.  So, my p-doc reinstated, not because he knew I was in WD and that it was the antidote, but because I had "tolerated it" in the past.  He put me on 37.5 mg.  Now that I know about PWD, I should have gone on a much smaller dose given the amount of healing I may have had over those 10 months.

 

It was like the clouds lifted and the sun shone on me within an hour of taking that first dose.  What I don't know is, was my turn around because I was back on the drug I was withdrawing from, or was it the "magical" combination of Remeron + Effexor?  They call it "California Rocket Fuel," supposedly synergistic, the two together working better than each on its own.  Did the Remeron poop out fast or was it just too weak to take on the Effexor WD?  So many questions!

 

Now I am on two of the nastiest drugs to get off of - LOVELY!  So, I am now at 75% of the 37.5 mg Effexor, and 45% of the 37.5 mg Remeron.  I can honestly say that I feel better today than I did when I first reinstated.

 

I guess I sort of lucked out that that big of a reinstatement worked after all that time.  Could have been disastrous according to what I have learned here!

 

SG

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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  • 2 weeks later...

No trying to go back on Effexor caused a violent reaction ... vomiting like I had been poisoned it would no longer stay in my body I had been on 150mg 7 years... was taken off by a neurologist and put on on cymbalta which I reacted to so had to stop went back full dose Effexor ... no go tried 37.5 of effexor later that was a no go... it seems since then I cannot tolerate many drugs and no antidepressants... so cold turkey was my last option which I did... after trying a few other drugs and having even worse reactions. 

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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  • 4 weeks later...

Well, if we're calling this reinstatement -- I took Prozac for a couple of years, tapered off without a problem. A few years later, I started Paxil, the drug that changed my life (and not for the better). It seemed to "work" for a year or so (with a side of sexual dysfunction), then I got side effects of demotivation, emotional blunting. That did not seem to be constructive, so at the advice of the first psychiatrist I'd ever seen, I did a cold switch to Lexapro without tapering and got humungous withdrawal syndrome. The Lexapro didn't help, and it was clear it was too strong for me. I tapered off Lexapro pretty fast (couldn't get off it fast enough) and went back on Paxil, which did stop the withdrawal symptoms, but pooped out after about a year. Then I went to UCSF outpatient psychiatry for going off Paxil....and the rest is history. In October, it will be 7 years since I made that mistake. I'm sure most of us have a history of serial medications. In terms of reinstatement, I'd like to find out how people did when they went back on the same antidepressant or another within, say, 4 months of quitting. Did that do anything for withdrawal symptoms?

Alto, 

May I ask how long were you on the Lexapro when you made the decision to switch back to Paxil? How long of a gap between stopping Paxil and reinstating Paxil take place? How long did it take for the WD symptoms to go away? Do you recall those symptoms?    

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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I would also like to know more about people's experiences with reinstatement, good or bad, so please do share them here. I just want to learn more about it. I took Paxil for a month and then tried to stop it and had terrible withdrawal and then started Celexa and my withdrawal from the Paxil did clear up. And that happened in the past when I quit taking Prozac and then started on Wellbutrin later and my withdrawal depression resolved. So I think it's possible there may be enough overlap between the mechanisms of the different drugs that a different drug can help. But I also think that taking any psych drug is risky and a crapshoot. It's a very tough and individual decision. I know a couple of people who had to reinstate after terrible CTs and too-fast tapers, and who were able to reinstate and stabilize and then taper safely, and it was a lifesaving choice for them. I know other people who have reinstated and found that they feel no better, or even feel worse, PLUS now they still have to taper again. It's just such a crapshoot. I've heard a lot more benzo stories than AD stories, though, so I'd really love to hear more from folks who have reinstated, or switched to a different med to counteract w/d, what happened, how it went, how you feel about it now, etc.

Hi Rhi,

 

I hope you are well. I have enjoyed reading your posts and how you have been improving. May I ask what your symptoms were when you changed the meds during WD. How long of a gap there was between the switch? I know it was awhile ago.  

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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Over the past 16 years, I've reinstated many times, and each time it has worked for me, though the results I got from one drug or another were better or worse (for example, I really did not like being on Effexor, and Celexa was OK but it made me too emotionally flat). I don't know what would happen in the future, but I'm not willing to risk it. It's a crapshoot, like you say! Edit: I should mention that each time I reinstated at most 4 months had passed. I've never tried reinstating after a long period. I suspect that is when it would be most risky.

Hi Nadia,

 

I see you havent been to the site in awhile but hope you are well. 

 

I hope you are well. I have enjoyed reading your posts and how you have been improving. May I ask what your symptoms were when you reinstated during WD. Were they more of the regular WD symptoms of headaches and dizziness for a couple of weeks or were they even more severe. Not that those arent but I read those are more common WD symtoms immediately upon quitting an SSRI and are often resolved by reinstatement if done shortly after quitting. 

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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  • Administrator

Christian, your repeated questions about reinstatement are probably not applicable in your case. It seems more likely you are having adverse effects from overuse of zolpidem, your Lexapro reinstatement may not be any problem (other than the problems you're making for yourself).

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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Oh if you are right about that I'll buy you a steak dinner. Let's get rid of Ambien!!!

Lexapro: started in 2002 at 10 mgs.

Ambien: started as a as needed sleep aid in 2010.

Quit Lexapro cold turkey in June 20015 due to contributing to low sodium issues.

Restarted Lexapro in late November for a week (only 5 mgs) but quit due to dizziness side effects. Side effects worsened for 3 weeks until

12/24/15: Protracted WD hit, experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia lack of full concentration and social challenges.

Reinstated Lexapro on 1/1/16 at 5 mgs. Increased per Dr to 7.5 MG. Tapered off Lexapro in March 2016.

Started 50MG of Seroquel in late January 2016 for bedtime to help in eliminate Ambien. Tapered off both Seroquel and Ambien in March 2016.

2/14/16: Prescribed both Remeron (15 MG) and Temazapam (15 MG) for sleep. Also use Klonopin and Ambien again in place of Temazapam to avoid addiction. However I did take Temazapam 60 straight days

6/15/16: Stopped use of all benzo's and now use Belsomra 1-2 times a week. Still on 15 MG of Remeron

10/11/16: Off all psych medications

 

After kindling, trying to regain my strength suffering from severe mental and physical fatigue.

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Over the past 16 years, I've reinstated many times, and each time it has worked for me, though the results I got from one drug or another were better or worse (for example, I really did not like being on Effexor, and Celexa was OK but it made me too emotionally flat). I don't know what would happen in the future, but I'm not willing to risk it. It's a crapshoot, like you say! Edit: I should mention that each time I reinstated at most 4 months had passed. I've never tried reinstating after a long period. I suspect that is when it would be most risky.

Hi Nadia,

 

I see you havent been to the site in awhile but hope you are well. 

 

I hope you are well. I have enjoyed reading your posts and how you have been improving. May I ask what your symptoms were when you reinstated during WD. Were they more of the regular WD symptoms of headaches and dizziness for a couple of weeks or were they even more severe. Not that those arent but I read those are more common WD symtoms immediately upon quitting an SSRI and are often resolved by reinstatement if done shortly after quitting. 

 

I tried to reinstate shortly after quitting effexor and it was a no go. 

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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Reinstate(really just dose increase in middle of tapering) changed my whole taper to a quick downward sliding to complete disability. Compared to what I am now, I was doing very well before the dose increase June 2014, with only jaw an head pain. Due to stopping PPI, I started feeling lots WD issues back then, and increased the dose by guessing the amount needed to balance the effect of the PPI. Now I know I increased too much and my journey since then has been like a roller coaster fast sliding with tons of severe and serious issues that I can't list.

 

It seems like all other aspects dealing with these drugs, reinstate is very different for each person, drug, timing etc. completely unpredictable and hard to generalize.

Drug free Sep. 23 2017

2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks.

2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg

2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain

2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain;

2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain

2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg,

2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on

2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks.

2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR

2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg,8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg, 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg

2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg,

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Reinstatement after being off Lexapro for 2 years did not work for me. I didn't know anything about protracted withdrawal at the time and thought I probably needed to be on some kind of medication after all.  In hindsight I can see that I had been getting better, but it was slow and the patterns of recovery confused me, so I went back to my doctor and asked to go back on. I started by taking half my previous dose but within 5 days was feeling MUCH worse, my thinking became psychotic and I was hearing messages in my head that I had to kill myself. I had never experienced anything like this before. So I stopped taking it.

 

A month later I asked my doctor if I could try Prozac and a similar thing happened, but instead of having urges to harm myself, they were directed at other people, once again, nothing I had ever experienced before in my life, I stopped the Prozac after 3 days.

 

If that wasn't enough, I then tried reinstating my ADHD stimulant meds. Almost immediately a bunch of symptoms which had gone came back and stayed back for another year or more, even though I stopped the reinstatement after 10 days.

 

So in my case, trying to reinstate was a disaster, could have resulted in tragedy and set my recovery back. Its hard to judge how much its delayed my recovery, I've been completely drug free for 33 months now and I'm certainly feeling better now than I was right before trying reinstatement, but the set back to earlier symptoms lasted the best part of the following two years.

 

Thankfully the urges to harm myself and others stopped as soon as I stopped taking the drug which had caused them. Lexapro or any other SSRI had not caused these urges previously, but I think my nervous system must have become compromised by withdrawal and the drugs were now acting differently.

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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  • 2 months later...

Hi all, I am at the point of considering reinstatement due to high anxiety levels. My brain feels like it's on a roller coaster. I am 14 years on Paxil and off of it for 9 months. My psych dr suggests Lexapro since I had poop out with Paxil. (Bad reactions during my last year on Paxil, but I was also drinking every night so maybe that played a factor in my Paxil poop out. Some say reinstate on the same drug but what do i do in ,my case?

Been on Paxil 14 years. 40mg for the bulk of those.

20mg in 2014

10mg March of 2015 - then tapered to 5mg

Then to 2.5 to 1.5 - to 1mg, from Mar-August.

As of August 23 2015, I am flying without a net.  Paxil free!

WD symptoms since tapering mid- 2015:

Short temper, hostile. Brain zaps. Bruxism. Wild vivid dreams  Hives Food intolerance Lump in throat, . Joint pain. Knees, elbows.  Pain in feet. Numbness in hands. Shaking, like I'm cold. Trembling. Tremors, muscle twitches all over. Facial tics. Eye, lips. Head.  Floaters in my eyes. Severe Insomnia (between months 4-5)  then returned from March-October 2016. I'm sleeping better now. Dreams have returned to normal (month 7) High levels of anxiety when around large crowds or in large rooms. Intestinal spasms, heartburn.  Dizzy spells.  Panic/Anxiety Attacks suddenly developed months 8 out.  4 years out, 98% feeling back to normal.  (October 9 2019)

 

 

 

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I reinsated back onto amitriptaline after being CT and getting horrific withdrawl. I was off meds for 2 weeks with being on citralipam for 4days in between. It took a good 5-6 months to settle down. Unfortanitly i am now plauged with worse side effects than i had before its like most things that are in the leaflet are battering me. I am on a very low dose now so hopefully i can get off it successfully. I think that the reinsatement gave me the ability to function as the withdrawl was getting worse and not easier. It wasnt perfect it just stopped me wanting to kill myself and having pychotic waves.

Amitriptyline 20mg for 11 months for migraines. 24.11.14 CT from amitriptyline by doctor to swop to Citrolpam as doctor felt side effects of drugs were mental health issues. 12.14 Reinstated back to amitriptyline 2 weeks later after cronic withdrawl. 19.02.2015 Droped from 25mg to 20mg as drugs causing adverse effects of heavy sedation and anestetic propertys.03.03.15 Reduced 18.5mg to try and deal with sedation again. 08.03.15 Reduced to 17.5mg  28.03.15 15.7mg 12.04.15 14.9mg 19.04.15 14.2mg 26.04.15 13.5mg  2.05.15 12.8mg 9.5.15 12.1mg 15.05.15 11.5mg 21.05.15 11.0mg 24.05.15 10.0mg 2.6.15 9.0mg 4.6.15 8.6mg 13.06.15 8.1mg 20.06.15 7.7mg 27.06.15 7.3mg 4.07.15 7.0mg 9.07.15 6.6mg 13.7.15 6.3mg 19.07.15 6.0mg 24.07.15 5.7mg 31.07.15 5.4 8.08.15 4.9mg 15.08.15 4.4mg 22.08.15 4.0mg 29.08.15 3.6mg 06.09.15 3.2mg 13.09.15 2.9mg 21.09.15 2.6mg 28.09.15 2.4mg 05.10.15 2.2mg 12.10.15 2.0mg 22.10.15 1.8mg 26.10.15 1.7mg 2.11.15 1.5mg 9.11.15 1.4mg 16.11.15 1.2mg 23.11.15 1.1mg 10.12.15 1mg 1.1.2016 0.9mg 17.1.2016 0.8mg 01.02.2016 0.7mg 08.02.2016 0.6mg 14.02.2016 0.5mg 21.02.2016 0.4mg 01.03.2016 changed to liquid 1:1 ratio 0.4mg 8.03.2016 0.38mg 15.03.2016 0.36mg 20.03.2016 0.35mg 27.03.2016 0.32mg 08.04.2016 0.29mg 14.04.2016 0.27mg 23.04.2016 0.25mg  30.04.2016 0.23mg 07.05.2016 0.21mg 14.05.2016 0.19mg 28.05.2016 0.17mg 06.06.2016 0.16ml 13.06.2016 0.15ml 20.06.2016 0.14ml 27.06.2016 0.13ml 04.07.2016 0.12ml 11.07.2016 0.11ml 18.07.2016 0.10ml 25.07.2016 0.09ml 01.08.2016 0.08ml 08.08.2016 0.07ml 15.08.2016 0.06ml 22.08.2016 0.05ml 12.08.2016 0.04ml changed to 10:1 ratio 02.09.2016 0.036ml 24.10.2016 0.033ml  14.11.2016 0.030ml 01.01.2017 0.024ml 22.01.2017 0.022mg 12.02.2017 0.020mg 05.03.2017 0.018mg 26.03.2017 0.016mg 17.04.2017 0.014mg 07.05.2015 0.012mg missed few sig updates 09.09.2017 0.005mg missing few sig udates 29.07.2018 0.0001mg 17.02.2019 0.000006mg missed few updates 12.06.2020 0.0000000064mg 27.11.2021 0.0000000048mg 04.2021 0.0000000018mg 19.12.2021 0.00000000025641mg 27.03.2022 0.000000000128205mg 4.7.2022 0.000000000064mg reduced 31.12.2022 unsure exact dose now but know how make it up. Droped by 50% twice from current dose. **See entry in my journey for dose calculation**. Redution Sept 24.2023. Reduction Jan 1.2024

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  • Administrator

Toulouse, please see discussion in your Intro thread.

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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I tapered off 300 mgs of gabapentin way too fast. I followed the doctors orders! I was in severe withdrawal hell! Reinstatement did not work at all. I had to add 2 more drugs in order to stabilize.....doxepin and perphenazine. It worked like magic. All the symptoms went away within 3-4 days! I then obtained liquid gabapentin and did a very slow taper over a year and was able to get off with no problems! Then I stayed on doxepin and my perphenazine was switched to abilify.

 

I stayed on those two drugs for another year before next tapering the doxepin. That went smoothly. I got off doxepin without a problem. But I just tried to taper abilify and I am in withdrawal hell again. I started at 2 Mgs......1.5.....1.0....0.5.....off. It was just way too fast! My symptoms are horrible! I just reinstated to 1.0 Mgs of abilify about 3-4 days after quitting. My symptoms are not improving after 3 days of reinstatement. I'm not sure how long I can hold out without adding another drug to save me again! I hate this!

I am on 2.0 mg abilify for 2 yrs now.  I tired to taper every month 2.0....1.5....1.0....0.5....off.  I was fine until I jumped off at the end.  I will need to slow the taper down after 0.5.  Maybe try 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, 0.1, 0.05, 0.025...off.

 

8/2/17. Abilify  2.0 mg

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you are in withdrawal, and as you have been many years on drugs, it will take many months to be better insomnia is classic withdrawal i would not reinstate to not lose all these efforts, or else you will be entire life on meds, each time you will be off, you will suffer insomnia and many others, with time insomnia improves(i had it and have it less) hang on

 

Hi Stan,

 

How long did it take for your insomnia to get better once you got off meds?

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  • 2 months later...

I was on Remeron 30 mg for three years. I quickly tapered off to 0 over two months.

 

At five weeks off I went into severe withdrawal. I reinstated to a smaller dose without much effect. I was in an awful state and so the doctor tried me on two other ssri's for about a week each. I thought I was going to crawl out of my skin.

 

I reinstated to my original dose of 30 mg. I slowly got better over four months and my system has been settling down. Now at six months reinstated I am pretty much back to normal with occasional morning grogginess and a little anxiety that passes in a couple of hours.

 

I am back at work full time and am much relieved that I got better and every week the symptoms continue to fade. I am continuing to allow my nervous system to heal and will start a very very slow taper at the end of the year to get off this stuff.

 

I'm not in any rush, I did a turtle taper off Valium 8 years ago after a too quick taper and reinstatement and it worked because it was so slow that my body had time to adjust to the changes. It was almost 3 years spent tapering. It was a year off that I felt like my old self again. I had been on a very small dose of serzone years before and slowly weaned myself off and had no trouble.

 

I rushed off this time because I was so upset about the weight I gained from the Remeron. I am very regretful now, this experience was awful but I know from experience that the body does eventually heal itself. I'm a bit nervous about the weaning process ahead of me but I'll also be happy to be off this stuff.

Edited by scallywag
a few more paragraph breaks

I was on Mirtazapine 30 mg for 2.5 years because of severe debilitating menopause related depression and physical symptoms. I tapered down to zero in 2.5 months. Five weeks off on November 10, I started having severe withdrawal symptoms. Took small reinstatement and continued updosing until 30 mg Nov. 30, 2015 as nothing seemed to be getting better and I was impatient. Made a desperate mistake and tried two other ssri's for eight days, bad side effects and stopped. Went back to 30 mg of Mirtazapine and nothing else as of January 14, 2016. Slowly started getting better. After two months symptoms became manageable and continue to slowly fade.

I also take 1.25 mg Premarin/Climara patch for menopause symptoms and have to wean off that too.

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Rachel 1963 thank you for posting your progress so far since reinstating.  I am encouraged to see you are improving.  I am trying to stabilize after 5 years of failed tapers, med changes, etc.  I am trying to stabilize on prozac as I used it to bridge off of effexor.  Please keep posting your progress.  Best wishes.

1995 - 2015 antidepressants and antianxiety medicine
Multiple failed attempts to quit/taper anti d/anti anxiety meds since 2008

June 17, 2016 began prozac bridge to get off of effexor xr, stopped effexor xr on June 24, 2016, could not tolerate prozac due to severe side effects so I had to stop it  Currently...300 mg ER of lithium, 1 mg of estradiol, 60 mg propranolol ER, Fish oil 2 x a day, Magnesium Glycinate,  zinc, vitamin c, vitamin d, NAC

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi,

I decided to reinstate Lexapro 5 mgs five days ago. I feel pretty bad... nausea, little appetite, fatigue, zero motivation. Does anyone have advice for me? How long does it take to know if reinstatement is helping? I really appreciate any feedback.

I was put on antidepressants and klonopin 20+ years ago after developing mild CFS.

Took Lexapro 10 mgs. for over 15 years.

Weaned myself off of klonopin 20 years ago and felt much better.

Weaned off Lexapro (over a course of three-four weeks) about five weeks ago. 

Currently I'm on Trazodone 75 mgs. and Ambien 10-15 mgs. for insomnia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Moby, could you please post about this in your own thread so that your narrative stays together and we can refer back to earlier posts?

 

Thanks!

SG

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 month later...

I took Lexapro for 15 years and did a taper over about 1 month. After about six months things got really bad. Constant insomnia anxiety and depression. I reinstated after 9 months and it has been hell ever since. My symptoms are very physical in nature. I feel sick all the time. 3 weeks ago I started Prozac and I am starting a very very slow typer. I am hoping that getting off of all psychiatric medicines is what I need.

2002-2008 Lexapro 20 mg

2008- June 2016 Lexapro 10 mg

Jan-mar 2016 Welbutrin (cant remember dose, maybe 300)-did nothing, tapered off.

6-01-16-8-01-16 Viibryd(ugh)

For two months I was on Lexapro and Viibryd.  

8-1, bridged from lexapro to prozac

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  • 4 months later...
  • Mentor

I reinstated on lexapro after a too fast taper (see signature) and then jumped off at 2.5mgs

 

approx 5 mos later I crashed hard and reinstated at TINY TINY doses, after hearing about others who did not do well at higher ones

 

I started back at 0.05mgs, felt some relief in about 4 hrs and then updosed til I got to 0.15 twice a day

 

It has gone very well, so well that I thought I'd start tapering again but that seems to be a mistake

(or, I"m a big wuss now and one bad day has sent me running back to the dose I was doing so well on LOL)
 

 

I have been on and off lexapro at least twice before, so if going back on was considered reinstatement, I've done this before, but in the past, I went right back on the high doses that I was taking in the past (20 to 30mgs)

I wasn't aware of withdrawal issues nor reinstatement issues, SO i wasn't looking for anything

 

I had assumed that I'd "relapsed" (and was also told that's what happened by at least one dr) so I went right back on my previous dose

 

I don't recall any major issues, but I was so sick back then, I barely knew my own name :P

 

I have actually been quite ill, I now realize, for many many years, bouncing on and off all sorts of drugs

 

I prefer not to put the full history in my signature as it's quite depressing and just leads me to think that I might be a hopeless case

and I REFUSE to believe that I've made it to 60+ only to be declared hopeless

 

in fact, I am fully confident that I will HEAL and I WILL recover and I will be stronger than I ever was in the past

 

:D

 

  • pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) 
  •  Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years
  • started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 
  •  2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs
  •  June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until  Sept, then acute WD hit!!  reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106
  • Tapered off to zero by  Oct. 2017 Doing very well. 
  • Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 
  • Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content
  • Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs ;) 
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  • 3 months later...

Anxiety is still with me this morning. Mentioned to my wife about tapering. She does not understand the theory, and I have to say that I have the same questions... such as, it's been nearly 4 months since I have been off of effexor, and I didn't quite do a cold turkey, and would going back on any does just to taper down now do anything for me, and does it risk bringing back the problems we had while I was on the medication?

Main thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/14472-shakeyjerr-say-hello/

History: Prozac & Lithium from 1999 to 2003. Ended up back on after 4 months because taking a beta-blocker caused immediate depression (just 2 doses - turned out I didn't even need it; I had no other withdrawal symptoms - I might have ended up med and withdrawal-free otherwise :(). - Switched to Effexor (75mg 3/day) and Seroquel (50mg 3/day) in 2010. - Did a self-taper during 2016. - Developed Discontinuation Syndrome 02/17.

Supplements: Magnesium-Glycinate 400mg split into 4 100mg doses throughout the day. Vitamin C 500mg - once per day. Fish Oil 1360 mg (950 mg Active Omega-3) - twice per day.

I'm not a doctor. I use the internet, experience, and trial & error. Seek medical advice if necessary.

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  • 2 months later...
On 2016-07-06 at 9:10 AM, Rachel1963 said:

I was on Remeron 30 mg for three years. I quickly tapered off to 0 over two months.

 

At five weeks off I went into severe withdrawal. I reinstated to a smaller dose without much effect. I was in an awful state and so the doctor tried me on two other ssri's for about a week each. I thought I was going to crawl out of my skin.

 

I reinstated to my original dose of 30 mg. I slowly got better over four months and my system has been settling down. Now at six months reinstated I am pretty much back to normal with occasional morning grogginess and a little anxiety that passes in a couple of hours.

 

I am back at work full time and am much relieved that I got better and every week the symptoms continue to fade. I am continuing to allow my nervous system to heal and will start a very very slow taper at the end of the year to get off this stuff.

 

I'm not in any rush, I did a turtle taper off Valium 8 years ago after a too quick taper and reinstatement and it worked because it was so slow that my body had time to adjust to the changes. It was almost 3 years spent tapering. It was a year off that I felt like my old self again. I had been on a very small dose of serzone years before and slowly weaned myself off and had no trouble.

 

I rushed off this time because I was so upset about the weight I gained from the Remeron. I am very regretful now, this experience was awful but I know from experience that the body does eventually heal itself. I'm a bit nervous about the weaning process ahead of me but I'll also be happy to be off this stuff.

Hello rachel1963,

reinstating remeron helped you for what symptoms? did you had gastroparesis ( slow digestion,feel full after eating a little,bloated,not much appetite)

thank you,i hope you are fine now

june 2014 remeron 15 mg for sleep and to eat more. jan,2015 remeron 30 mg. sept.to dec.2016: remeron 22 mg to 7.5 mg

jan. feb 2017 remeron 3.75, one week remeron 1.8?.

stop remeron march 5th (3 wks)

doxepin 6 - 15 mg march. 27th to april 6th

reinstate remeron 3.75 mg. april. 7th to 16th

remeron 7.5 mg april 17th

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On 2011-08-02 at 8:56 PM, Altostrata said:

Well, if we're calling this reinstatement -- I took Prozac for a couple of years, tapered off without a problem.

 

A few years later, I started Paxil, the drug that changed my life (and not for the better). It seemed to "work" for a year or so (with a side of sexual dysfunction), then I got side effects of demotivation, emotional blunting. That did not seem to be constructive, so at the advice of the first psychiatrist I'd ever seen, I did a cold switch to Lexapro without tapering and got humungous withdrawal syndrome. The Lexapro didn't help, and it was clear it was too strong for me.

 

I tapered off Lexapro pretty fast (couldn't get off it fast enough) and went back on Paxil, which did stop the withdrawal symptoms, but pooped out after about a year. Then I went to UCSF outpatient psychiatry for going off Paxil....and the rest is history. In October, it will be 7 years since I made that mistake.

 

I'm sure most of us have a history of serial medications. In terms of reinstatement, I'd like to find out how people did when they went back on the same antidepressant or another within, say, 4 months of quitting. Did that do anything for withdrawal symptoms?

Allo altrosatrata,

don't know if for me reinstating is working.

When I stopped remeron:  nausea,stomach pain,eat less ans less ( slow digestion) some headache, some sweating.

21/2 months ago when reinstate it I also take domperidone ( motilium) too ( I know that domperidone helps for slow digestion

( gastroparesis) because I already used it for some months in the past about one year before starting remeron, remeron I was on

for 3 years and never had any kind of digestive problem while on it).

With time it got better but I don't know if it is because of reinstating remeron or domperidone or both.

I tried to lower domperidone but slow digestion come back.Don't know if remeron is helping but I think I didn't stabilize yet

because still need domperidone.

Does somebody had slow digestion( kind of gastroparesis) when stopping AD and when reinstating AD resolved it?

june 2014 remeron 15 mg for sleep and to eat more. jan,2015 remeron 30 mg. sept.to dec.2016: remeron 22 mg to 7.5 mg

jan. feb 2017 remeron 3.75, one week remeron 1.8?.

stop remeron march 5th (3 wks)

doxepin 6 - 15 mg march. 27th to april 6th

reinstate remeron 3.75 mg. april. 7th to 16th

remeron 7.5 mg april 17th

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Mentor
On 8/2/2011 at 8:56 PM, Altostrata said:

I'm sure most of us have a history of serial medications. In terms of reinstatement, I'd like to find out how people did when they went back on the same antidepressant or another within, say, 4 months of quitting. Did that do anything for withdrawal symptoms?

 

 

I've been able to piece together parts of my extensive drug history with the help of the local pharmacy that I've used for most Rxes since 1990

 

incredibly, I discovered that I was off lexapro for 7 mos and went back on (and I'd been rapidly increased from 20 to 30 to 40 mgs!!!)... and was "ok" (the anxiety that prompted me to go back on, went away quickly when I got back on the lexapro and I was convinced I "needed" it to be "well"- as i'd been told so many times)

 

I tried to taper off lexapro at least two other times, always reinstating back to my original dose (usually 20mgs) because WD was so intolerable.

 

this time, I reinstated at a tiny amnt, after 5 mos off- as is shown in my signature, but after so many failed& rapid tapers,

so many CTs and rapid switches to mulitiple pysch drugs over decades, things have not gone quite as well as they did in the past-

probably because NOW I can NOT go up in the dose, i have to either hold or go down.

 

going up in the dose causes worse problems now, than tapering.

 

and so I go forward, because I can no longer go back.

 

and on days like today, I am very upset about that. Mad, sad, depressed, you name it, I feel it.

 

but when I have a good day, I am glad I am getting off this crap- finally.

 

  • pysch med history: 1974 @ age 18 to Oct 2017 (approx 43 yrs total) 
  •  Drug list: stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium, zoloft, celexa, lexapro(doses as high as 40mgs), klonopin, ambien, seroquel(high doses), depakote, zyprexa, lamictal- plus brief trials of dozens of other psych meds over the years
  • started lexapro 2002, dose varied from 20mgs to 40mgs. First attempt to get off it was 2007- WD symptoms were mistaken for "relapse". 
  •  2013 too fast taper down to 5mg but WD forced me back to 20mgs
  •  June of 2105, tapered again too rapidly to 2.5mgs by Dec 2015. Found SA, held at 2.5 mgs til May 2016 when I foolishly "jumped off". felt ok until  Sept, then acute WD hit!!  reinstated at 0.3mgs in Oct. 2106
  • Tapered off to zero by  Oct. 2017 Doing very well. 
  • Nov. 2018 feel 95% healed, age 63 
  • Jan. 2020 feel 100% healed, peaceful and content
  • Dec 2023 Loving life! ❤️ with all it's ups and downs ;) 
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  • 3 weeks later...

My withdrawal syndrome started because of getting off olanzapine cold-turkey.
Started a new antipsychotic in May 2017... And it helped with anxiety and depression symptoms, but the side effects are disgusting, because, of course, it's an antipsychotic.
Haven't had any depression or anxiety symptoms since the May 2017, at least not intense and they didn't last long.

I'm not, on any way, saying that I'm mentally good.

 

Mentally, I'm being destroyed by the lack of ability to understand things around me which is a side effect of any antipsychotic. As I'm reducing, it's getting better.
So, I'm just sharing my experience with you that sometimes, side effects, no matter how awful they are, are more bearable than anxiety and depression from withdrawal. That's how awful withdrawal is. Which doesn't mean that I will stay on meds, but sometimes it gets so awful that updosing/going back on the medication in the minimal doses is the only way to survive, and when I'm saying "survive", I literally mean it. I was suicidal, felt like there's no way out and making me a zombie so I'm not able to even think about some normal things was the only way out, and we'll see what will happen after I completely get off the new medication, which was the mistake (I should've taken olanzapine, not the new med).

It's awful, but that's the truth (for me, at least).
Maybe my experience will help someone; that's why I'm sharing.

My withdrawal journey (click)

 

"If you're going through hell - keep going".

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I ct'd off 25 mg Zoloft after 4 years on. I was off of it for 1.5 years and tried to reinstate at 25 mg. Did it work for me? Absolutely not. I had a severe adverse reaction to it.

 

I then tried Paxil, Celexa, buspar & lamictal and had severe adverse reactions each time with each one becoming more serious. (Of course, I didn't know any better & was following doctors orders and found this site afterwards.)

 

Still healing from those reactions. My original withdrawal was a cakewalk compared to my reactions upon trying to reinstate at a large dose so far out. 

2011-2014: 25-50mg Zoloft then CT via doctors advice. Some mild physical sx but fully functioning, unaware that withdrawal was a thing. Dr didn’t know why I was chronically dizzy with brain fog & advised to try Zoloft again.

2016: severe adverse reactions to Zoloft (1 dose), Paxil (3 weeks), celexa (2 weeks), buspar (1 dose), lamictal (4 doses). Ativan 12 times within a month. Also tried Xanax & klonopin a couple times. Each reaction became more severe. Kindled. Became disabled from these meds.

Drug free 12-16-2016
Month 1-20: +5% healing every month
Month 21- present: setback to acute from amoxicillin antibiotic (1 dose)
Month 32- 11 months into setback from antibiotic. Seems I was floxed by amoxicillin somehow. Horrific.

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Waiting12 -- Returning to the previous full dose 14 months after the last time you took was worth a shot, even though it is better described as "starting over" than reinstating.  How long were you on the 25 mg after the restart?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm so incredibly ill after stopping Effexor at 37.5 April 2016. Reinstated 5 beads and felt great for only 10 days. I've been on 5 beads all of this time because of a sensitivity that developed to Vyvanse. I'm down to 2.0 mg Vyvanse now. 

 

My dr. wants to reinstate me on Pristiq. He says it's not advisable to cut Pristiq but because I'm so sensitive, he wants me to half them.  I never had success with Effexor. I only started feeling better after Vyvanse was added but stayed on Effexor also. 

 

My DNA results show that I'm a slow metabolizer of Effexor but Pristiq shows to metabolize normally. 

 

I'm still bedridden and of course can't drive. Hubby prepares all meals, etc. The terror and depression are relentless. I don't want to live every day.   

 

I have the Pristiq but haven't taken it yet. Hubby wants me to start in two days when he'll be home.  I'd love opinions on this. 

 

Thank you so so very much. ❤️

Effexor XR 300 (brand) mg & various SSRIs 15 yrs (Effexor XR 300 mg past 10 yrs

Clonazepam, 1.0 mg. am, .5 mg pm. - 15 yrs, 7-17-16- Began .5 three times a day

Vyvanse 60 mg, - 2 yrs, Cut to 50 mg for 6 mths, Cut to 30 mg. on 4-1-16. Tapering.

Approx. 4-1-15 began Effexor XR 300 taper, very slowly for a year. Held at 37.5 for about 3 mths. Cut to 18 mg for 2 wks to 0. WD began 2 wks later. Depression, anxiety, paranoia, low appetite, nausea.

7-14-16-Reinstated 5 beads Effx after 4 mths misery.Pooped out 10 days.

9-12-16-to present- Wide eyed terror, bedridden fear, no appetite/feeling of being full.

10-30-16- Began 15% liquid tapering of 30 mg Vyvanse. (25 mg)

11-13-16- Liquid Vyvanse 22 mg,11-27-16- Liquid 15 mg, 12-12-16- Vyvanse 12.5 for 5 days. 12-16 - 12-29, 15 mg.

11-20-16- Switched back to 1.0 clonazepam am & .5 bedtime

12-30-16- Moved to 15 mg COMPOUNDED Vyvanse.Current 4/11-4/25 7.5 mg.(10% ev 2 wks) Off Vyvanse

Current meds:Effexor XR- 3 Beads, Clonazepam-1.0 mg am, .5 mg bedtime,Vyvanse-(tapering) Estradiol- 2

mg,Progesterone 200 mg,Testosterone 30 mg/ml,Nature Throid- 48.75 mg.(12-21-16-65 mg.) (4-18-17-81.25 mg) Current supplements: Fish Oil-1360 mg, Curamin- 2706 mg.

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  • 6 months later...

No, reinstatement did not work for me,when I reinstated Prozac which I was on for 10 years ,I went through kindling now it's been 6 years through this ,then I did an other mistake of switching to lexapro two years ago ,steel tapering & felling miserable .I don't know if I  shall go back to Prozac or up my lexapro dose which is ultra low now 2,7 mg ? I m lost !

Mars 1997- juillet 1997 Anfranil 25 mg, Tranxène 5 mg, Librium 10 mg, sulpiride 50 mg (juillet 1997)

Oct 1997-nov 1998 Anfranil 25mg, Tranxène5mg (rétabli ces deux médicaments seulement)

Nov 1998-mar 2000 Drugs off ( tapered with my psychiatrist help)

Avril 2000-juin 2001 Anfranil 25mg, Tranxène5mg (réinstatement these only drugs after 18 months off)

jul 2001-sep 2010 Prozac 20mg, Tranxène 5mg (passé de l'anafranil 25 à Prozac 20mg depuis juillet 2001)

jun 2007- jan 2010 Tapered Tranxène 5mg ( quick tapered  it while steel on Prozac 20 mg(les choses se passaient bien, pas de retraits)

sep 2010-mai 2011 Prozac 20mg conique (les choses se passaient bien sans retrait)

mai2011-mar 2012 Dugs gratuits (les choses étaient bien, pas de retraits)

mars 2012 rétabli Prozac 20mg (too late reinstatement = adverse reactions ) 

mar 2012 -apr 2016 prozac 20 mg on / off plusieurs jours cold turkeyed ( going on it back & forth )  et réintégration (effets indésirables et embrasement, neurotoxicity ) 

avril 2016-2018 lexapro 10mg on / off depuis sep 2017 lexapro tapering (effets indésirables et embrasement)

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On 7/16/2011 at 7:26 AM, Punarbhava said:

I completely agree with Stan.

 

 

BTW, I reinstated after only 8 days off (from a fast taper) and I was never able to stabilize despite repeated up-dosing. I developed complete tolerance and this second attempt to WD was violent (no exaggeration), completely bedridden trying to taper off.

 

 

The first rapid taper (although I experience WD effects) was a cake-walk compared to the second taper. I was able to stabilize after each large dose reduction. However, once I reinstated, I could never stabilize. I'm still in disbelief regarding the horror of it all, not to mention traumatized from the experience.

 

BTW, I never felt traumatized the first time I tapered, despite experiencing WD effects.

 

If I were you, I'd stay the course..........do not reinstate at this stage. You have 9 months of healing that has taken place and as Stan mentioned, I would not interfere with this.

 

With all that said, some people are able to reinstate and do okay however, it's a huge gamble........one where the outcomes cannot be predicted within any given individual.

 

No matter how horrid you feel ATM, you WILL HEAL from all this.

 

 

Much More Healing to You!

 

Punar. 

 

Why do we continue to assure folks that they will heal? I never did 6 years later!!! I'm not saying most won't but there is a risk and people need to be aware of that risk when deciding whether to go back on.

Paxil 10mg 2004-2011

7.5mg 4months

5mg. 4months

2.5mg.8 months no wd issues

Dropped pax 4-10-12

5-9-12 started prozac to alleviate symptoms (no relief)

5-22-12 reinstated paxil 2.5mg

5-28-12 5mg pax (couldn't tolerate sides)

6-22-12 Pax 2.5

6-30-12 Pax O

Cerebrolysin to help with wd at 29 months. Horrible decision much worse.

Still suffering sever Brain fog, Confusion, slow thinking,And just feeling sick and weird (hard to explain),facial twitching, weakness, shaking and jerking

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32 minutes ago, fj929 said:

I never did 6 years later!!!

 

Altostrata suffered for about 7 years but she did eventually heal.

 

Video:  Alto Strata's Paxil Prolonged Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome (8 minutes)

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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3 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

 

Altostrata suffered for about 7 years but she did eventually heal.

 

Video:  Alto Strata's Paxil Prolonged Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome (8 minutes)

Yes she did and so have others but there are also many who after 10+ years have not. I don't think most people like acknowledging that because it's scary and deflating but if your weighing getting off the drug you need to weigh the real risks.

Paxil 10mg 2004-2011

7.5mg 4months

5mg. 4months

2.5mg.8 months no wd issues

Dropped pax 4-10-12

5-9-12 started prozac to alleviate symptoms (no relief)

5-22-12 reinstated paxil 2.5mg

5-28-12 5mg pax (couldn't tolerate sides)

6-22-12 Pax 2.5

6-30-12 Pax O

Cerebrolysin to help with wd at 29 months. Horrible decision much worse.

Still suffering sever Brain fog, Confusion, slow thinking,And just feeling sick and weird (hard to explain),facial twitching, weakness, shaking and jerking

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31 minutes ago, fj929 said:

I don't think most people like acknowledging that because it's scary and deflating but if your weighing getting off the drug you need to weigh the real risks.

 

Yes, I agree that people need to weigh up the risks.  Post #1 of the reinstatement topic explains this.

 

However by staying on the drugs you risk developing tolerance to the drug, which creates a whole different issue, having to take a drug that is no longer effective but not being able to get off quickly because of the risk of withdrawal.

 

It's the same for anything with psychiatric drugs regarding being on, getting off, reinstating, changing drugs.  Nobody knows what is going to happen.  There are risks with everything.  We have some members here who have only ever taken 1 psychiatric tablet and had a bad reaction and are suffering.  Like anything in life the most important thing is to do your own research so you can make an informed decision.

 

SA doesn't tell members what to do.  We offer suggestions and information but in the end it is that member's decision what they do.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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On 8/5/2017 at 6:32 PM, scallywag said:

How long were you on the 25 mg after the restart?

 

1 dose. Blew my system to shreds.

2011-2014: 25-50mg Zoloft then CT via doctors advice. Some mild physical sx but fully functioning, unaware that withdrawal was a thing. Dr didn’t know why I was chronically dizzy with brain fog & advised to try Zoloft again.

2016: severe adverse reactions to Zoloft (1 dose), Paxil (3 weeks), celexa (2 weeks), buspar (1 dose), lamictal (4 doses). Ativan 12 times within a month. Also tried Xanax & klonopin a couple times. Each reaction became more severe. Kindled. Became disabled from these meds.

Drug free 12-16-2016
Month 1-20: +5% healing every month
Month 21- present: setback to acute from amoxicillin antibiotic (1 dose)
Month 32- 11 months into setback from antibiotic. Seems I was floxed by amoxicillin somehow. Horrific.

 

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3 hours ago, Waiting12 said:

 

1 dose. Blew my system to shreds.

Same thing 6 years on 4 months off, one dose every thing bad happened.

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