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Georgina

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I don't know why you think my signature says I am dropping every two weeks as that is not the case and I don't think that is what I have said.

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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"Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for two weeks and do another 5%, then hold for two weeks. "

 

That also sounds to me like you are making a cut about every 2 weeks.

 

A 5% cut every two weeks may work for you, we usually recommend a 10% cut every 4 weeks. If you start experiencing withdrawal symptoms which don't subside in a few days, you may want to slow your taper down.

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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Hi,

 

Sorry - I think my post sounded rude (I didn't mean it to! - I have just reread it and it sounds very rude). I am a bit confused: This is what Brassmonkey said a few weeks ago:

 

 

"Another possibility would be to try the Brassmonkey Slide Method. This would be doing a 2.5% drop each week for four weeks and then hold an additional 2 weeks to let things stabilize.  It lets you sneak up on the 10% so your brain has more time to get use to the idea of the drop.  It seems to really reduce the severity of the symptoms involved with each drop."

 

I asked, in return, if it would be safe for me to do 5% every two weeks and then hold for two weeks - so, in effect, 10% over four weeks and holding for two? The reply was affirmative so I feel really confused now. I was on 36mg for six weeks - after dropping from 40mg (a 10% drop). Only recently (last Sunday) did I drop by 5% - so I am now taking 34mg (10% 0f 36 is 3.6 divided by two is 1.8 [rounded up to 2]. Should I rather just drop in 10% increments every four weeks instead? 

 

Thanks and sorry again for sounding rude. 

 

Georgina

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

Hi Georgina--  Not rude, just confusion on both ends. Tapering can be a really tricky business and trying to explain it long distance with just a few typed words while both parties are not in their right minds can make for a lot of miss understandings.  I can see from your last post that your are, in fact, doing 10% every six weeks, which is what we are after. I got confused by the last sentence in your signature which doesn't make it clear about the middle two weeks.

 

So what it's saying is that 10% (2 X 5%) may be too much of a drop at this time.  Sticking with the six week time frame would be a good idea as the brain really needs the time to make adjustments.  I would hold your last 5% drop for the full six weeks and, if all goes well, then do your original plan except with 2.5% drops.  So it would go like this: 5% and hold for 6 weeks, 2.5% for 2 weeks, another 2.5% for 2 weeks, then a hold for 2 additional weeks.  There will still be some symptoms, but with luck this will keep them manageable.

 

Sorry for the confusion, and I really hope you're feeling better today. 

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Brassmonkey; thanks for the reply and for understanding. I really want to try and keep a 10% total drop every six weeks so how should I do that then? Is it not ok to do 5% every two weeks and hold for two weeks? So, 5% for two weeks; another 5% for another two weeks; hold for two weeks? Why is 10% over six weeks too much ( I think that's what you said?) thanks, G

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

Hi Georgina--

 

There is nothing wrong with that plan.  My other concern, besides the miss understood timing, was your talking about a cumulative effect of the symptoms.  So if the symptoms feel like they are getting worse with each drop it would mean that the drops are either too soon or too large.  That is why I suggested maybe trying 5% total instead of 10% total for each drop sequence.  If the symptoms are hitting at about the same level and then stabilizing by the end of the hold time, then you have the right combination.

 

The main thing is to keep it slow, keep it stable, and keep it simple.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Brassmonkey, 

 

That makes sense what you said about the cumulative symptoms. I am going to stay on 5% for six weeks and perhaps keep it at 5% every six weeks. Is it okay, some point at the future, if I feel able - to drop in 10% increments again? At this point, with it being Winter, very tough and stressful at work - maybe I am expecting too much of myself to do 10% every six weeks, for now. What has also made me reconsider is that I woke up this morning with such a deep feeling of sadness - I get that more often lately, where it feels like someone has kicked me in my chest and I just want to cry (I always think about people I love at these moments). Is this also normal? 

 

Thanks and I hope you have a good week. 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

Hi Georgina-- Remaining flexible is a really good thing while tapering.  Too many people get tied into the thought that I must drop this much, this often, and it frequently backfires.  Listening to your body is a must. If the 5% drops are going really well, then there would be no problem in trying a 10% one.  It is going to feel different, so that will have to be taken into account and adjust accordingly.  Being good to yourself is very important, it is hard to admit that we're in a diminished capacity while this is happening, but we really are and have to adjust our expectations accordingly.

 

WD has a bad habit of pulling up every negative feeling/experience you have ever had and magnifying it 10X and then worrying it like a dog does a bone.  It is also very good at causing depression and sadness over just about everything.  It especially likes to pick on people first thing in the morning, like it's doing to you.  The only thing I have found effective is a process referred to as AAF. Acknowledge, Accept, Float.  Acknowledge the feeling by exploring them and getting to know and understand them.  Accept that they are caused by the drugs, can't harm you and that there is nothing you can do about them.  Let them Float of as you go about your life as best as you can.  It's like an unwanted house guest, at first your friendly to them, then you realize that they aren't leaving and you can't make them, so you ignore them until they get bored and leave.

 

It's going to be a short week, two days of work then seven days vacation, now I just have to make it to Wednesday.  Hope you have a good week too, and let the work stress roll off like water off a duck.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Brassmonkey,

 

Thank you - I am going to stay at 5% for a while now (I will wait six weeks before I drop again - well, five now as I dropped five% last Sunday). I am definitely feeling withdrawals - my jaw hurts so much and I feel really weird for spells during the day - just out of it and strange. I hope I have the strength to do this withdrawal! I am sure I do … sometimes I feel a bit hopeless. I have the odd second or two when I feel almost normal. The rest of the time, I feel weird. I know this is the windows and waves thing. I am going to up my Omega 3 to three times a day and see if that helps a little. 

 

I love your analogy about the unwanted houseguest. I am going to try the AAF with how I am feeling … I am also going to give myself a couple of days off working. I am trying to catch up on stuff I didn't have time to do during the school term and I feel like I may just need to rest and I am not allowing myself time to rest. 

 

Enjoy your time off and I am sure you will make it to Wednesday! One more day. 

 

Georgina

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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Hey Georgina ,

It's sounds like your doing it slowly and you will get there.

Your not alone in this process and wish you the best. You will have slot of support here.

1995 started Paxil 20mg slowly increasing to 50mg until 2014

-2014 I decided to tapper myself not knowing how too and crashed , DR added 50mg Seraquel

-2015 tried tapering again and crashed

 

Started Tapering Both drugs at the same time 6% per month doing daily micro-taper 

Guided by Mark Horowitz

24/09/23  14.47mg Seroquel.  16.19mg Paxil 

27/11/23.  12.13mg. Seroquel.   13.85mg Paxil

 

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Thank you Cheeky! 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

Hi Georgina-- Make sure to take time for your self.  This stuff is exhausting so get all the rest you can.  I had a lot of jaw pain because I was clinching too much at night.  I went to a sporting goods store and got an athletic mouth guard. It was really easy to fit, and used it while I slept.  It really helped relax my jaw.

 

The AAF takes practice, but once you get it down it can be used for all sorts of things.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Brassmonkey,

 

Thanks - I took the day off yesterday and did nothing except watch TV, which is something I never let myself do. I also went for a run as I find running really helps clear my head; even if its just for ten minutes. I woke up today feeling much better. I am going to buy one of those mouth guards this week. 

 

Enjoy your vacation/holiday. 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good evening all,

 

I am feeling very weird at times. I get these weird sensations in my head that disorientate me - I was filling up with petrol this evening and it happened - it feels like I turn I turn my head and lose a few minutes of my life - it's very weird to describe. Anyway - this is off and on - If I remind myself to breathe deeply this sometimes goes away - but it keeps coming back! last night (after a very, very long day at work) I had a mini panic attack driving home. I know what it was because I have had them before - it makes it a little easier to give it a name but it doesn't help too much with the intensity of the feeling and feeling like I have nowhere to go! What if I crash! etc etc. Now, last week I felt pretty good. Quite relaxed and at ease - ish. This week, I am back at school (teacher, not student) and according to my fiancé, overworked and overstressed with too few breaks. I was at school until after nine last night, for instance. Can stress bring symptoms on while withdrawing? I have also been drinking a lot of tea (green tea and camomile) in pint cup sizes - I am worried that too many liquids can be causing this (I know as I type that sentence that that is not true!). I hope everyone else is well and managing ok. 

 

Thanks for listening. Georgina 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

Hi Georgina-- green tea is loaded with caffeine, and that could be adding to the problems.  Stress will set them off too, as well as being over worked and tired.  When is feel panic starting to rise, I say a guick "Oh no you don't" take a deep breath and let my entire body drop, then pull it up and get on with what I'm doing.  A little practice and it stops it most of the time.  It can be tricky to do while driving though.  The trick is to not give in to it, don't let it get even the smallest toe hold.

 

Make sure to take your breaks and relax.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Brassmonkey,

 

i made sure I had no green tea today (just had peppermint tea and hot water with lemon) and I certainly don't feel half as panicky as I did yesterday and the day before. I didn't realise that green tea had so much caffeine - it also has some other thing that can add to anxiety - I googled it today. Thanks for the advice because I could certainly feel a difference today. And I am using your advice (when I feel rising panic) and saying that I will not allow it to get a toe hold. I tend to overdo things (pints of green tea for instance! … because I read it's good to prevent cancer!). Have a good weekend. Thanks for your help. 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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Hi all,

 

I am finding it really difficult to kick alcohol. I know it will help with the way I feel during withdrawal (cutting way back or even stopping alcohol) but I feel like I take a few steps forward with cutting back and then about ten steps back. Yesterday I was feeling quite panicky and odd and thought a drink (just one or two beers) would help with the anxiety. It did, but I ended up having about ten and today I feel really awful and am been very hard on myself. I find it very difficult to see progress (for instance, I am drinking beer that has a lower alcohol content and smaller bottles). I also have, or try my best to have four alcohol free days a week. Does anyone else struggle with this? Thanks

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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Ten beers? Oh my God, I have never managed to drink more than four :-)

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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But mine were half of liter bottles ..

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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  • Moderator

Stopping alcohol can be pretty tough.  I wasn't able to stop all at once.  I was able to cut out the large quantities of vodka in one shot, but I still had the cravings so got by with just two bottles of beer a day for about a year and a half before I stopped all together.  I noticed that if I would give in and have more that two a night it would make me very sick that night and hung over for a few days afterwards.  I finally decided it wasn't worth the pain and was able to limit myself.  It takes a full three months (90days) for the brain to adjust to not having alcohol, after that things settle down a lot.  It's another very powerful drug and very hard to control, so don't beat yourself up over having trouble.  One day at a time and eventually it will happen without thinking. 

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Brassmonkey, 

 

Thank you - I am trying to work out an alcohol strategy - perhaps drink only one day a week (have a few with fiancé) and abstain the rest of the time, or just mix soda and bitters. I am so tired of feeling bad because of alcohol. I need to do something about it and the sooner the better. Thanks for helping give me hope! Also, since I cut out so much green tea, I have not had those weird spells I had last week. Alcohol is tough - ! I will take it one day at a time (I did an AA stint a long time ago and can't say I had a very positive experience) so I really want to avoid that. And alcohol also makes me obsess - because I overdo it I convince my brain that I will get an awful disease and can't let that thought go for a good few days. Have a great week. And thanks Martina23 for replying too. 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

I found a lot of AAs teachings and techniques to be of help, but the meetings were very distressing.  The only thing I had in common with those people was a drinking problem, and even that was largely caused by the paxil.  I'm glad cutting out the green tea has helped, I love the stuff, but can't take the side effects.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Don't beat yourself over it, the worry dosn't help, we can't be perfect in a none prefect world. Cut down slowly so your body adjusts to it any sudden change can bring in withdrawal . Little by little is the key to anything in life . I wish you well

1995 started Paxil 20mg slowly increasing to 50mg until 2014

-2014 I decided to tapper myself not knowing how too and crashed , DR added 50mg Seraquel

-2015 tried tapering again and crashed

 

Started Tapering Both drugs at the same time 6% per month doing daily micro-taper 

Guided by Mark Horowitz

24/09/23  14.47mg Seroquel.  16.19mg Paxil 

27/11/23.  12.13mg. Seroquel.   13.85mg Paxil

 

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Thank you Brassmonkey and Cheeky. I think I had what is called a proper 'brain zap' today. I was sitting, staring at my computer and suddenly it felt like someone had tasered my brain. I really had to breathe and focus and then just get on with what I was doing - the feeling went away pretty quickly but it was very scary. It's the most powerful one I have had yet - I am still on 34mg!! How long is this going to take!? I hope everyone is well. 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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The people are healing when they get brain zaps. I envy you, I have never had any.

05/2013 Lyrica 100 mg / per day for pain + PGAD resulting from caesarian delivery11/2014 started to taper: 50 mg per day/ for one week then c/tafter one month reinstated at 50 mg /per days of 10 July 2015 drug free-

symptoms OCD

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Georgina,

I just caught up with your thread. Its great to hear that you're making so many positive changes, cutting down alcohol, caffeine and tapering sertraline. We suggest making only one change at a time though, this will help keep the nervous system stable. Stability is key when it comes to avoiding symptoms while tapering. Give your body a chance to recover from one reduction before making another change.

 

See: The rule of 3KIS: Keep it simple. Keep it slow. Keep it stable.

 

Are you having any other symptoms besides brain zaps? These are actually withdrawal symptoms, and an indication you may need to slow down or hold for a bit longer.

 

Once someone has made the decision to come off their meds, its natural to want to get it done as fast as possible, but by listening to your body and slowing down when symptoms arise, its possible to become drug free without too much discomfort. It can sometimes mean the difference between being able to remain functional in your daily life and not.

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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Hi Petunia, 

 

Thank you for your post (and thanks too, Martina 23). The brain zaps are terribly uncomfortable but they don't happen very often. I am keeping a symptom sheet from Glenmullen's book - I have had a few near full on panic attacks and irritability, irrational anger, some nausea and one or two other things - they all seem to be calming down at the moment - or so I thought until yesterday morning where it felt like someone was shaking the world arounds and I was standing still. Very weird. I just made myself breathe deeply, five in, five hold, five out and the feeling went away. I am planning to drop another 5% in two weeks (so it will then be six weeks since my last 5% drop). So , at the moment I am only at 5% drops every six weeks - maybe at some stage I will be ready and comfortable enough to make it 5% every four weeks. I stopped taking Fish Oil because I wonder if that is part of why I feel so weird at times - I will give it a few days and see. I hope you are well. 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Good afternoon. I hope that everyone is well. Please would someone who is mathematically gifted, help me check the following calculation for accuracy. I went to the pharmacy yesterday to fill a prescription for Sertraline and they gave me a different type of tablet (so, still Sertraline but from a different manufacturer). It seems to have more filler in than my previous tabs because it weighs more and I have spent hours trying to work this out: 

 

My old tablet was a Pfizer, the new one is a TEVA:

 

So, a 50mg Pfizer tablet actually = 0.153mg on the scale or thereabouts 

 

The new 50mg TEVA tablet actually = 0.210 on the scale or thereabouts

 

so, I subtracted 0.153 from 0.210 (0.153-0.210) and got 0.057 (so, this is the difference)

 

so, if I am on approximately 32mg at the moment, that = 0.097 or thereabouts on the old Pfizer tablet

 

so, I need to ADD the difference between the two weights to the new tablet, as it is heavier i.e. 0.097 + 0.057 = 0.154mg (the new TEVA tablet). 

 

I also worked out that if i divide 0.154 by 4.8 then it gives me 32mg approximately, so I know how many mgs I am on. 

 

I hope this makes sense to someone mathematical. My chief concern is what do I do with the difference between the old Pfizer tablet and the new TEVA tablet. I think I need to add the difference as there is more filler in the TEVA tablet. 

 

Thank you and have a lovely evening. I am so stressed at work that I feel I am always struggling to figure out if the weird feelings I feel are work related or withdrawal related … 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

Hi Georgina--  I think that's taking the long way around and has a lot of chances for errors to creep in.  I would go at it like this:

 

Old pills;  153mgpw (pill weight), 50mgai (active ingredient), 153/50=3mgpw/mgai meaning you get 1mg of med for every 3mg of pill

 

New Pills; 210mgpw (pill weight), 50mgai (active ingredient), 210/50=4.2mgpw/mgia meaning you get 1mg of med for every 4.2mg of pill

 

Your want a 32mg dose or 32mg of active ingredient. So:

 

Old pill; 3 X 32= 96. Meaning 96mg of pill will give you 32mg of active ingredient

 

New Pill; 4.2 X 32= 134.4. Meaning 134.4mg of pill will give you 32mg of active ingredient.

 

This could count like a change in dose, even if you are taking the same amount.  Because of the different manufacturer and pill size there could be some small variations that could cause some side effects to show up.  If they do, don't panic they should settle out in a couple of days.

 

Hope this makes some sense.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Dear Brassmonkey, 

 

Thank you. I don't know what I would do without your advice and help here because I still don't know what I did wrong with my calculation but yours makes sense. I was panicking about it because … well, I am feeling pretty panicky most of the time anyway! Just a 2mg drop has made a difference to how I feel. I know it will probably take six weeks to feel better again and then I drop again! It seems non stop and I have so far yet to go. Anyway, I have been reading some of your posts and you are very inspirational and a huge help, so, thank you again! 

 

I hope all is fine with you. 

 

Georgina 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator

That's one of the things about tapering that's hare to get use to. Once you start feeling better you have to force yourself to take the plunge again.  This was only your third drop so your body is still getting use to the idea of  tapering, things should settle in a bit pretty soon.  Let me float an idea for your next drop.  Maybe try dropping 2.5% and holding for 2 weeks then dripping another 2.5% and then holding for 4 weeks.  That way you will still be dropping 5% every 6 weeks but the smaller drops might lessen the symptoms by spreading them out a bit.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Georgina, 

 

Just wanted to drop in and say hi.  I have found myself feeling the same as you in terms of feeling distressed or frustrated by how much longer it will take to get off the meds.  That feeling comes and goes.  I have found the effects of 10% drops every four weeks to be a bit too uncomfortable so am doing 5% every two weeks.  Since I know that going any faster will definitely lead to feeling worse, I guess I have come to accept that it is what it is, and to try to stop myself when I find I am overthinking and stressing about it. That's all we can do.  At this point in time I feel pretty darn good and am quite pleased by that fact, and I know that I don't want to feel worse again, so all I can do is plug away and not allow the thoughts on the matter to consume me!

 

For me what is tough about tapering is that the worry about withdrawal and being stuck on these drugs tends to be a part of my thoughts every frickin' day. It's like it is the primary focus of every day, and getting on with living takes a back seat.  It has become part of my identity.  Who am I?  A person who went through horrid protracted wd from psych meds last year and who is now on the journey of properly tapering off.  Being in our shoes has a tendency to consume us!

 

I got the gel caps and now weigh out my doses for two weeks at a time, for several reasons.  1) I am less tempted to tweak the taper day to day  2) one weighing session means scale consistency for that two week's worth and 3) it eliminates some of the obsession with tapering since I only have to go pop my pills and be done with it and 4)  I seem to be able to focus more on feeling ok rather than fretting over possible WD.

 

A couple of notes on the scale.  Mine has produced variation that led to noticeable withdrawal symptoms even though the dosage was the same as the last weigh session.  So, I always calibrate the scale at the beginning of the session, and then I use one of the weights to check that everything is still weighing true multiple times throughout the session.  Sometimes the measurements actually do change (my 10 g weight no longer weighs exactly 10 g!) and so I have to recalibrate during a weighing session!  So, just something to be aware of!

 

Glad you are here, Georgina!

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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Thanks Brassmonkey … I will think about that - as you can probably tell, I am not very good with numbers and once I have figured something out (or someone else like you have figured it out for me) I like to stick with it. I feel a bit better today and I don't know if that's because it's Friday and I don't have to go to work for two days or because my body is settling down again. I have not been feeling well - very irritated and angry, teary and a very messed up stomach, but I am now feeling better. I think it is definitely withdrawal but almost certainly also school and the stresses of managing so many teenagers and micro-managing staff every day. 

 

Thanks SG for your post as well. I read it with great interest - I wouldn't mind doing 5% every two weeks because then at least I would be at 10% every four weeks but I just cannot do that yet. I will wait for a few more months and see if I think I am ready to drop a little faster. I have the same worries as you - every day thinking of how awful it is to be dependent on something that I feel like is poisoning me and having to stay on it … i also feel really down about it sometimes. I am going to start doing what you are doing with the calibration - I have a feeling that my scale is not always as accurate as it could be and the last time I calibrated was in September! Thanks very much for taking the time to respond as well - I really appreciate it and I am so glad to be able to relate to a lot of what you say as well. 

 

Take care both and have a good evening. 

 

Georgina 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi All, 

 

I have found myself incredibly anxious the last few days - so much so that I have bought Nicorette - which I gave up three months ago. At lest I am not smoking again but it worries me - I suddenly seem to be right back where I started with the Nicorette - clinging to it like its the elixir of life. We went away for Christmas and although the place we went to was just fabulous and fantastic, the drive there made me very anxious. It was eight hours on a motorway, something that has always made me a little tetchy, but this was worse. If anyone knows the M4 in England it just goes on and on and on and there are so many trucks. Anyway - that must have made me anxious because the minute we arrived, I said I needed a nail file and went to the pharmacy and bought Nicorette. The few days we had there was awesome - beautiful coast - too much beer as always - but, beautiful. The drive back was horrendous. I drove back for an hour and whilst I was overtaking a truck I had a full on panic attack and had to go straight to the hard shoulder - much to the consternation of my other half. He took over driving but i was a ball of anxiety all the way back. I am really struggling to get an equilibrium. I have been off work for a week and a half (holiday) and almost every night I have been dreaming about it (work) in some way (it's a very stressful environment). I have also decided that I need to do a Dry January but I am really worried that I may be overstepping my limits here - that I may be giving myself too much to work on. Sometime the only thing that relaxes me is beer (my only problem is that I cannot stop at one!). I ask have a lot of questions re. God and spirituality etc. Do other people have this? I always feel like a massive failure to God and that I must be doomed. Anyway - I am still on 32 mg (thanks Brassmonkey for your mathematics) and will stay there until the 10th Jan (six weeks). 

 

I hope everyone else is well. 

 

Georgina

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Thanks for updating Georgina.

I'm sorry you had some moments of increased anxiety while traveling for your holiday, but it sounds like you had a nice time while you were away.

 

I'm wondering if giving up alcohol completely might be something to consider, at least while you are tapering and recovering. I can no longer drink at all now.  Many people find that once the nervous system gets sensitized by withdrawal, alcohol can turn paradoxical, causing increased instability and worse symptoms.

 

Have a look through our symptoms and self care section for non-drug ways to help you relax, using beer for this purpose might not be in your best interests at the moment. If you need to use Nicorette at the moment, try and use it on a regular schedule. The idea is to keep your nervous system as stable as possible, this supports successful tapering.

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.

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VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Hi Petunia,

 

Thanks for your reply. I have been drinking too much for many years now and I have always been worried about how much I drink. I have just been on a pretty much three week drinkathon with the last two days seeing me put back what is probably the equivalent of a medium-sized brewery. I feel terrible today (I am starting to feel a little better now) but have been trying to ward off rising panic and hysteria all day. I had a nap this afternoon when I could eventually calm my brain for long enough to fall asleep, but it was fitful rest. I don't know why I do this to myself. Whenever I drink so much (which is often) I always look on the net for diseases caused by alcohol and scare myself sick. I have imagined that I am having a brain aneurism today because I have a headache. I have also convinced myself that I will probably get breast cancer and have explored that probability too by searching the internet. I even had a sneaky half cigarette this morning because I was so hung over (to add to the mix of worries). I also can't eat when I feel like this because I get so scared that I am going to choke on my food. So, why do I do this to myself? I have decided to stop drinking for a while (a month at least). What scares me is that I have said that so often and never managed past four days. I don't know why I am so scared to stop drinking. It is very, very bad for me. It makes me so afraid! I feel better when I don't drink ... and then I drink again! Do you think if I stop drinking that my health anxiety might get better? I don't know why I had a sneaky half cigarette this morning. I feel so horrible about myself and feel like I am a total failure, an alcoholic and am probably going to die of an awful disease. I catastrophes a lot, I think. I have tried AA and NA in the past - Stayed sober for four years in my early twenties - but I do not like AA or NA. I have been there and done that.  I guess I am just asking for some reassurance here. Can I quit the drink? Will I be ok? Anyway - I am still on 32mg and planning to drop next Sunday. I just want to stay sober! 

Started on SA website May 2015: Efexor at age 16 for a few years. I am now 35. Took a 'street' drug at 18 and suffered massive panic attacks. Epilim for approximately one year. At age 22 put on to Sertraline 100mg - took that for approx. 8 years. Dropped to 50mg around age 30. No problems. Tried to taper off 50 mg at age 32 (3 months taper). Was fine for a few months and then had massive panic, anxiety, depersonalisation, health anxiety etc. Went to 100mg for a few months. Dropped back to 50mg. Been on 50mg for past three years. Tried to taper again; went to 37.5 mg, then 25mg and started feeling weird so went back to 50mg. Tried 37.5mg again, found this site and read it's best to taper in 10% increments so put myself up to 45mg on Monday. <p>40mg since April 2015. Dropped to 36mg 06 Sept 2015. Dropped to 34mg 18 October (5% drop). Going to stay on for six weeks. Dropped to 32mg 29 November (5% drop). Dropped to 30mg 10 January 2016 (5% drop). Dropped to 28mg 31 January (5% drop). Dropped to 26mg 20 March (5% drop). Dropped to 25mg 08 April. Dropping to 24mg 17 April. Drop to 23mg 08 May. Drop to 22mg 21 May. Drop to 21mg 02 June 2016. Dropped to 20mg 17 June. Dropped to 19mg 09 July. Dropped to 18mg 20th July. Dropped to 17mg 18th August. Dropped to 16mg 25th September 2016. Back up to 17mg 10 October 2016. Back up to 19mg 20th October 2016. Back up to 20mg 27 October 2016. Held for a while. Dropped to 19mg 24 March 2017. Dropped to 18mg 05 May 2017. Dropped to 17mg 04 June 2017. 16mg 03 July 2017. 15mg 14 August 2017. 14mg 03 September 2017. 13mg 03 Oct 2017. 12mg 04 Nov 2017. 11mg 04 December 2017. 10mg 13 January 2018. 9mg 19 February 2018. 8mg 24 March 2018. 7mg 20 April 2018. Dad dies in May. 6mg 27 June 2018. 5mg Aug 2018. IBS symptoms start. 4.5mg approx. 03 October 2018. 4mg 20 October 2018. 3.5mg approx. 12 December 2018. 3mg January 2019. Approx. 2.5mg Feb 2019. Shoulder pain starts.  2mg 03 March 2019 (liquid suspension starts). 1.8mg 30 April 2019. 1.6mg 21 August 2019. IBS symptoms gone. Weird shoulder/neck symptoms/dystonia still around. 1.4mg 30 Sept. 2019. 1.2mg 5 Nov 2019. 1mg 8 Dec 2019. Facial spasms start. Dystonia still around. Developed Raynaud's Phenomenon. Updose to 1.2mg 21 Feb. 2020. Back to 1mg 02 March 2020. 0.9mg 08 March. 0.8mg 12 March. 0.7mg 16 March. 0.6mg 24 March. 0.5mg 27 March. 0.4mg 31 March. 0.3mg 11 April 2020. Dystonia still around. 0.2mg 27 April 2020. 0.1mg 02 May 2020. 0.0mg 07 May 2020. 

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