Administrator Altostrata Posted July 3, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 3, 2015 Yes, it is possible even 1mg can relieve symptoms, that is why we suggest it. If you want to try more but feel wary of going to 2mg, you might try 1.5mg. Are you taking the liquid? You taper off by decreasing by tiny amounts. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 Thank you. Yes,liquid Re tapering: if I experience adverse effect from increased dose do I immediately discontinue the increased amount or do I wait a few days and see if things settle? I ask about tapering to know what I will be up against when the time comes, to alleviate my fears of having to go through the acute withdrawal again. Once stabilized at 2 mg ( for example), would I decrease by 1/2 mg for weeks or by a certain number of drops? meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 *moved from symptoms forum NRi 1 mg Prozac for the first time in 7 months, I'm starting to have an appetite... Trouble is, it's ferocious! And craving sugar! It's my understanding that it's best to avoid meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 4, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 4, 2015 You may feel strange when you increase the dosage. If the symptoms of this are minor, you might want to give it at least 4 days to reach steady-state, and see if the odd feelings decrease over time. If the symptoms are major or if they increase over time, you may wish to back down in dosage. When you taper off 2mg, you'd taper at 10% per month. That would be an initial decrease of 0.2mg. You've gotten most of these links before, please read: Why taper by 10% of my dosage? What is withdrawal syndrome? The Windows and Waves Pattern of Recovery About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms Tips for tapering off Prozac (fluoxetine) This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Thank you. To clarify.... If I get major-adverse effects when increasing dose from 1 mg to 1.5 mg, I would then decrease the new 1.5 mg dose by 10% (.15 mg) or discontinue the increased amount of .5 mg to return to the 1 mg dose? ( my apologies ,I am ordinarily an intelligent woman but my cognitive functioning has been severely impacted since withdrawal and I get confused easily) meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 4, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 4, 2015 No, you go right back to 1mg from 1.5mg. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted July 4, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) See: Appetite, Weight Loss/Weight Gain Cravings - sweets, chocolate, carbs etc Cut down on sugar to improve mental health Before asking a question in the symptoms forum, please search to see if we already have a related topic, we usually do. Then you can benefit from previously collected information and add to the discussion. This keeps the site organized with all available knowledge in one thread, easily accessible through searches. The search function on this site doesn't work very well. The best way to search this site for specific information is to use Google. Type in survivingantidepressants.org then the symptom or information you wish to search for. If after searching, you can't find what you're looking for, please start a new topic. Edited July 7, 2015 by Petunia moved from symptoms forum 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 Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Can I / should I expect reinstatement to help with the horrific anxiety/ akasthesia ? or am I just stuck with learning to deal with it as either withdrawal symptom or my previous anxiety state for which I took the benzos? Thank you. meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 4, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 4, 2015 If all goes well, your symptoms will reduce. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 I'm feeling really scared! Tho some symptoms are improving ( the brain electricity thing for one). ..thinking the akasthesia maybe getting worse w the 1 mg dose. Also just started to crave sugar (this makes me very nervous as sugar is bad for depression and anxiety from what I read) after being off it for 7 months and at the same time I'm experiencing strong sexual urges which were nonexistent in the past 7 months as well. Is this adverse effect? Should I get off the 1 mg? Be been on the 1 mg for 16 days.is it too late to just stop it? Would I have to decrease by 10% Oh crap... What have I done? meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted July 6, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 6, 2015 Hi Hangingon , usually an adverse reaction comes withing 24-48 hours of starting or increasing a dose. Do you think the sexual urges are PGAD (persistent genital arousal disorder) ? See this thread http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4587-persistent-genital-arousal-disorder-pgad/ 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 I'm feeling really scared! Reposting.... Tho some symptoms are improving ( the brain electricity thing for one). ..thinking the akasthesia maybe getting worse w the 1 mg dose. Also just started to crave sugar (this makes me very nervous as sugar is bad for depression and anxiety from what I read) after being off it for 7 months and at the same time I'm experiencing strong sexual urges which were nonexistent in the past 7 months as well. Is this adverse effect? Should I get off the 1 mg? Be been on the 1 mg for 16 days.is it too late to just stop it? Would I have to decrease by 10% Oh crap... What have I done? Psychiatrist wants to increase dose ( she is hoping to aim for 3-5 mg) .... Confused, scared, what to do.... Grrr meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Is it safe to take magnesium with Prozac? meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted July 8, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 8, 2015 Yes , generally speaking it should be fine. Too much magnesium results in the runs , so try a low dose and work your way up. What do YOU want to do re increasing? Are you still thinking about just stopping? 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus bubble Posted July 8, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 8, 2015 It happens very often that fears magnify our symptoms. The most common solution that any psychiatrist will advise if you complain to them is drugs and more drugs. You seem to be very scared of both withrawal and your original anxiety. However hard such periods are also an opportunity to grow and learn how to manage our fears. Drugs are never a solution. Have you ever had any kind of talk therapy to reinforce your inner strength? Eating more sugar is lesser evil than destabilising your CNS by jumping around in dosaging. Also, there are loads of healthy sweets without sugar, flour and even eggs. When you use the word akathisia what do you mean exactly? Building our capacity for acceptance of often very uncomfortable symptoms as we watch them come and go is a very important thing to do. To me it looks very positive that some of the symptoms reduced. Metabolic and hormonal changes take longer to manifest. I would personally stay put at 1 mg. Hang in there. Current: 9/2022 Xanax 0.08, Lexapro 2 2020 Xanax 0.26 (down from 2 mg in 2013), Lexapro 2.85 mg (down from 5 mg 2013) Amitriptyline (tricyclic AD) and clonazepam for 3 months to treat headache in 1996 1999. - present Xanax prn up to 3 mg. 2000-2005 Prozac CT twice, 2005-2010 Zoloft CT 3 times, 2010-2013 Escitalopram 10 mg went from 2.5 to zero on 7 Aug 2013, bad crash 40 days afterreinstated to 5 mg Escitalopram 4Oct 2013 and holding liquid Xanax every 5 hours 28 Jan 2014 Xanax 1.9, 18 Apr 2015 1 mg, 25 June 2015 Lex 4.8, 6 Aug Lexapro 4.6, 1 Jan 2016 0.64 Xanax 9 month hold 24 Sept 2016 4.5 Lex, 17 Oct 4.4 Lex (Nov 0.63 Xanax, Dec 0.625 Xanax), 1 Jan 2017 4.3 Lex, 24 Jan 4.2, 5 Feb 4.1, 24 Mar 4 mg, 10 Apr 3.9 mg, May 3.85, June 3.8, July 3.75, 22 July 3.7, 15 Aug 3.65, 17 Sept 3.6, 1 Jan 2018 3.55, 19 Jan 3.5, 16 Mar 3.4, 14 Apr 3.3, 23 May 3.2, 16 June 3.15, 15 Jul 3.1, 31 Jul 3, 21 Aug 2.9 26 Sept 2.85, 14 Nov Xan 0.61, 1 Dec 0.59, 19 Dec 0.58, 4 Jan 0.565, 6 Feb 0.55, 20 Feb 0.535, 1 Mar 0.505, 10 Mar 0.475, 14 Mar 0.45, 4 Apr 0.415, 13 Apr 0.37, 21 Apr 0.33, 29 Apr 0.29, 10 May 0.27, 17 May 0.25, 28 May 0.22, 19 June 0.22, 21 Jun updose to 0.24, 24 Jun updose to 0.26 Supplements: Omega 3 + Vit E, Vit C, D, magnesium, Taurine, probiotic I'm not a medical professional. Any advice I give is based on my own experience and reading. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 8, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 8, 2015 Okay, let's take a step back. Are the withdrawal symptoms less now? You can manage inclinations towards sugar. Are the sexual urges unusual or are they normal sensations coming back? How old were you when you started on psychiatric drugs? How old are you now? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 See: Appetite, Weight Loss/Weight Gain Cravings - sweets, chocolate, carbs etc Cut down on sugar to improve mental health Before asking a question in the symptoms forum, please search to see if we already have a related topic, we usually do. Then you can benefit from previously collected information and add to the discussion. This keeps the site organized with all available knowledge in one thread, easily accessible through searches. The search function on this site doesn't work very well. The best way to search this site for specific information is to use Google. Type in survivingantidepressants.org then the symptom or information you wish to search for. If after searching, you can't find what you're looking for, please start a new topic. My apologies. I'll try and be more vigilant with it. meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Okay, let's take a step back. Are the withdrawal symptoms less now? You can manage inclinations towards sugar. Are the sexual urges unusual or are they normal sensations coming back? How old were you when you started on psychiatric drugs? How old are you now? the withdrawal symptoms seemed to improve for a bit. Those around me commented that some of my symptoms seemed better. Now I am not so sure. They seem to be worse again. I am still suffering from the brain zinging, akasthesia, hot spots over the body (this is fairly new as for months I was freezing), shakes both internal and external, anxiety, panic attacks, derealization, intense fear, agoraphobia (I have become afraid of everything! including things I used to love- the sun, water, gardening, meditating, music, bathing, washing my face,... it is so bizarre! CBT does little to help, breathing may work for a small moment. w/d has a mind of its own.) cognitive difficulties... the usual. What I find most disturbing is the brain sensations and the akasthesia. I am feeling so much fear around reinstating and deciding whether to increase the dose a bit to see if I get more relief or stop the reinstatement. If I stop the reinstatement, do i have to taper off the 1mg or is it ok to just stop ? I can't fathom having to go through more withdrawal symptoms. Yet just as terrified to continue. The psychiatrist is confident that a tiny dose will give me some relief and that its ok to take that indefinitely. Family is insistent that I take the meds. They are ready to commit me. Trust me, if I felt going to hospital would help in any way, I would do it. Control your thoughts, control your breathing... that's what I do all day long. this whole withdrawal experience has turned me into a paranoid mess! I don't really think the sexual urges are normal - they are so intense and not easily relieved. They were non existent during the acute withdrawal tho so maybe just coming back and seem more intense than they actually are because I am so sensitive now? I was 25 years old when I started my first antidepressant, and progressed thru many ssri, snri, neuroleptics, benzos, etc... I am 50 now. (which is bringing its own set of issues) meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 9, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 9, 2015 Nothing is going to immediately eliminate the withdrawal symptoms and make you feel as good as new. Read What is withdrawal syndrome? The Windows and Waves Pattern of Recovery About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms You reinstated on July 3, correct? It takes at least 4 days for the drug just to reach steady-state in your bloodstream. It initially seemed to help, it didn't make you worse and it sounds like your symptom pattern is changing. It can take a while for a subtle improvement to be noticeable. If I were you, I'd definitely give this reinstatement more time. Do you have a habit of worrying yourself sick? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 No, I reinstated June 19 th ....made a few mistakes with cutting the dose back and going back to 1 mg This 'worrying myself sick' is an exasperated form of my previous anxiety... I was NOT like this before I quit the drugs! meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 9, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 9, 2015 Oh, I see, a lot of dosage changes. Still, I would stick with it. I would say the signs are promising. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 9, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 9, 2015 When did these odd sexual urges start? Do they follow any daily pattern? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 A couple of weeks ago ? Started out in the early evening ..now progressing throughout the day, strong in late afternoon as well. I don't ever recall day time urges like this. meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 9, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 9, 2015 Are you taking any other drugs? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 No other drugs. Inositol,phenyl gaba,(gabamax), omega 3 ,vit d meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 9, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 9, 2015 On one hand, when you added 1mg Prozac, the brain zaps went away. On the other, you have these sexual side effects. I would be hesitant to remove the Prozac because of the brain zap issue. Are the sexual side effects uncomfortable? Inositol can make serotonin receptors more sensitive. This may be your issue. If I were you, rather than reducing the Prozac, which is helping with the brain zaps. I would reduce the inositol by, say 1 gram in the 2 afternoon doses (2 grams overall), and see if this helps. Phenyl GABA is not a harmless herbal remedy, it is a powerful gray market drug https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenibutthat requires tapering to avoid its own withdrawal syndrome. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 The brain zaps aren't gone, thought there was some improvement in the beginning but definitely still there that's why I was going to try the 2 mg as suggested by others and the psychiatrist .i am only taking inositol at bedtime with the gaba I withdrew the afternoon dose of gaba without difficulty and 1/2 tsp at bedtime to help me sleep. Max dose is 2 tsp / day. So, omit bedtime inositol and gaba? The folks at gabamax say it's safe to take with antidepressants. Rxstress.com meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 10, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 10, 2015 The folks at Gabamax likely do not know anything about antidepressant withdrawal syndrome. Did they tell you PhenylGABA needs to be tapered? I think your taking the inositol and Gabatrol are making your situation much more complicated. It is possible those supplements are adding to your problems. But I can't tell, the only way you can find out is by trial-and-error. Because PhenylGABA needs to be tapered, if I were you, I'd try cutting the bedtime inositol by 25% and see if your symptom pattern changes. You'll need to give it at least 4 days, then assess. Please keep notes on paper of your daily symptom pattern -- when you get the zaps, for example -- with your drug dosages and when you take your drugs, including the supplements. My guess is that increasing the Prozac a bit might help the zaps, but those supplements are muddying the situation and you'll want to see what it is they're adding before changing Prozac. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Psychiatrist suggested increasing Prozac to 1.25mg Are you suggesting I decrease both the gaba and the inositol by 25% per day for four days until of and then increase the Prozac? meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Where did you find information on inositol making serotonin receptors more sensitive? Does it actually increase serotonin? meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 11, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 11, 2015 It's not clear what inositol does, but it appears to involve the serotonin receptors. It can cause unpleasant reactions. Adding serotonin when a person has withdrawal syndrome is not necessarily a good idea, see What is withdrawal syndrome? What I said above was: I'd try cutting the bedtime inositol by 25% and see if your symptom pattern changes. You'll need to give it at least 4 days, then assess. We are very wary of changing more than one drug at once. I would not touch the PhenylGABA now, or change the Prozac. Changing the inositol dosage is a milder change than increasing the Prozac. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 The folks at Gabamax likely do not know anything about antidepressant withdrawal syndrome. Did they tell you PhenylGABA needs to be tapered? The website doesn't say anything about it so I contacted them. They said it was best to take periodically but ... "If you struggle with chronic anxiety or stress, you can use Gabatrol everyday for uninterrupted relief..." No mention of having to taper the product. Then I asked them about going off my dose... "...Coming off it, we suggest going to local health food store and asking for a high quality magnesium (magnesium threonate or glycinate) at 1 gram daily. Also Theanine (500-600 mg daily) and Glyine (3 grams before bed) can help. Potent herbs that also help a lot are Kava Kava (I personally find I need more than the bottle suggests), Passiflora, Lemon Balm and Holy Basil. With all these to feel relaxed I typically find I personally need a little more than the suggested dose. Ask the local health food store as they know these products since they stock them! " Great! Not going to add more fuel to the fire! The gaba was recommended by another 'alternative to antidepressant supplement program', (she has experience w people going through post discontinuation syndrome) use the gabamax to help heal gaba receptors and get some relief from the intense 24/7 anxiety I was experiencing so I tried it and yes, found some relief. She said it was safe, her daughter in law took it for a year and was easy as coffee to get off.... So I trusted her and took the product. She was not selling the product. ----- I think your taking the inositol and Gabatrol are making your situation much more complicated. It is possible those supplements are adding to your problems. But I can't tell, the only way you can find out is by trial-and-error. Are you thinking they are contributing to brain zinging, causing increased anxiety and akasthesia problems? I've been taking the inositol don't think the inositol actually helped that much before but having reduced it, it seems my symptoms are worse so it has likely messed something up. Because PhenylGABA needs to be tapered, if I were you, I'd try cutting the bedtime inositol by 25% and see if your symptom pattern changes. You'll need to give it at least 4 days, then assess. I reduced it last night and woke with strange sensations this morning. Extreme fatigue and numbness in my face. I felt that when I took the tryptophan. My guess is that increasing the Prozac a bit might help the zaps, but those supplements are muddying the situation and you'll want to see what it is they're adding before changing Prozac. Please read thru the above quote as I input comments and questions with it. Didn't know it would all show up as a quote... ThxHow long of a window do I have to increase the Prozac? Probably or a good time to add the magnesium with all the other changes? I'm going absolutely out of my mind with the anxiety/akasthesia! meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 It's not clear what inositol does, but it appears to involve the serotonin receptors. It can cause unpleasant reactions.Are you able to comment further on what the unpleasant reactions may be? meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 11, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 11, 2015 Please read the inositol topic Inositol I am trying to figure out the lowest-impact change you could make to reduce your symptoms, other than changing the Prozac dosage. I'm not a bit surprised that when you changed the inositol dosage, you had an odd reaction. It is neuroactive. These supplements aren't neutral in combination with psychiatric drugs (or on their own, for that matter). Yes, as I said, I think the supplements are making your situation more complicated, and possibly adding to your odd symptoms. As reducing the bedtime dose was too much, I would try this: ... I would reduce the inositol by, say 1 gram in the 2 afternoon doses (2 grams overall), and see if this helps. .... This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hangingon Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 I have not been taking an afternoon dose for a few weeks meds tapered @ 50% under psychiatrist June 2013 to October 2014 taper Effexor 150mg, Prozac 40mg,HRT,Gabapentine 500mg tid,Lamotrigine 25mg bid, Librium 5mg qid. October 2014 reduced final med prozac 40 mg-0mg in 4 weeks! 6 weeks later major wd kicked in. Off all meds oct 2014 supplements:Omega 3 4000mg, Vit D 2000mg,March added Inositol 6g 4/ day, TrueHope EMP 2.5 caps. + GabaMax (Phenyl gaba) 1/2 tsp 2/ day, choline bitartrate 250 mg up to 4/ day. June + ltryptophan adverse reaction. Reinstatement 1 dose 10 mg fluoxetine. adverse reaction face & chest rash the next am...related?saw my neutrons firing, felt like brain swelled or was growing. Too high dose and possible interaction w supplements.June 22,15:Update...stopped emp plus.not sure if it was helping or hindering. Reduced inositol from 24 g/ day to 6 g @ bedtime w gabamax June 1 mg x ?days, panicked! June, reduced to .50 mg x 2 days,family freaked out, back up to 1 mg Sometimes think I maybe reacting to meds but it could also just be continuing or new wd symptoms. Occasional rash concerns me but I'm pretty sure an allergic rash would not be intermittent? August: Prozac 1 mg, quetiepine 6.25 mg @ bedtime, omega 3, vit d doses same. inositol 1.5 tsp w 1/4 tsp gabamax (300 mg phenyl gaba + other ingredients) Still experiencing disabling symptoms. Disappointed that I don't feel better being off meds as many report experiencing sx but feel better in the mind...I feel worse. Learning to cope w sx Mid August reduced inositol to 1.25tsp,gabapentin down to 1/8 + 1/2 of 1/16 tsp (going slow as anxiety increases w each reduction) August 28: increased Prozac to 1.5 mg hoping for some relief. Biggest problems now are fear,anxiety,depression along w the physical weak legs and exhaustion. Upset with myself that I was drug free and then caved looking for relief. All is not lost just because I am taking minimal doses of these drugs. Must remain strong and have faith that I can do it without the drugs... Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 12, 2015 Administrator Share Posted July 12, 2015 How did your symptoms change after you dropped the afternoon inositol? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
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