SSRI support group - tapering while on benzo's or after recovery

[[bl...]]

Kpin:

Just went to 5 lexapro and feeling a bit better. First two weeks, at a lower dose, as you said--were rough with s/x and benzo issues. Feeling a bit better. Fingers crossed. Thanks for support.

[Guest [Kp...]]

bluepill, 

 

I find noting an AD works on you is one of the sweeter joys of life. And if it is an SSRI that makes things worse before it makes it better, then the experience is somehow more endearing. Also very few are able to endure an SSRI in a benzo taper. In my opinion they deserve a medal. 

 

You will feel even better.  Take good care of yourself -- eat super healthy, walk around the block and block anything that upsets you.

[[bl...]]

You rock, Kpin!  ;)thanks! Encouragement means so much these days. I think it’s going to help me and is very likely what I shoukd have tried years ago, rather than Klonopin. But, as we all know, nothing beats the immediate satisfaction of a benzo. If only we’d all known. Anyway, onward. Thanks again. Will check back in. Hope you are doing ok.

[[Fa...]]

I am on 20 mg. Lexapro. Was put on it when the floor came out from under me from stopping Ativan I was taking for an onset of insomnia. (See signature).

I am just over two months since my last Ativan (cold turkey after taking it a few times a week in February).

I tried to reduce from 20mg to 15 last week and WOW my anxiety came back with a vegence. I had to updoae. I got a scale and am going to try to do a 5% reduction over months and months.

Or should I wait for six months before I even touch it to be more healed from the Ativan?

I've only been on it for four months. I don't want to be on it any longer than I have to (I swore I would never take one but I was desperate that first couple weeks)...bit I think it is helping with the anxiety. If I taper super super slow will it keep the anxiety from coming back?

 

[Guest [Kp...]]

Hi FakeIt,

 

If I were you I would wait 6 months. You are lucky lexapro went back to working for you when you reinstated. Nobody really knows what's going on for sure, but sometimes people who dump their SSRI too early (like you tried) find it doesn't work when they reinstate. There is good reason to believe that SSRI's mask benzo withdrawals (ref. Ashton & BB experiences). So count yourself lucky and don't look the gift horse in the mouth [add few more cliches here]...

 

 

[[Fa...]]

I edited my post because it should have said I tried to go from 20 to 15. Not 5.

Thanks for the advice. I am just really struggling now with everything and a big part of me wonders if I would have been better off not starting the Lexapro. I feel like I am stuck on it now.

 

[[ga...]]

Fake, I can empathize with you as I am in a similar situation, except that I've been on ADs for a long time.  I am coming up on being 4 months off of benzos and I'm stuck on Cymbalta.  I desperately want off of it.  I tapered from 60 mg to 48 a year ago while I was holding at 5 mg valium during my benzo taper.  I hit the wall at 48 mg of Cymbalta and had to stop the taper.  ADs have never helped me at all, and the Cymbalta is agitating...I've felt poisoned ever since a psychiatrist crossed me to it from Lexapro.  I'm convinced it's making my benzo withdrawal worse.

 

I completed the benzo taper on 1/11/18.  Two weeks ago, I resumed my micro taper of Cymbalta.  I open up the capsules and remove beads.  I use a scale to weigh them as there are too many of them to count.  I was able to cut from 48 mg to 44 mg before the symptoms became unbearable.  I'm holding until I stabilize enough to try again.  I'm convinced it's making my benzo withdrawal worse.

 

At this rate, it may take a long time, but getting rid of even a small amount of the rat poison is good.

 

You might try a micro taper...can you get Lexapro in liquid?  It'd be great if it's available as that is a really good way to do it...much more gentle than larger dry cuts.  Unfortunately, Cymbalta isn't available in liquid, so I'm stuck with weighing and counting beads.

[[bl...]]

I am NOT recommending an AD to anyone but I do feel the need to chime in here. I started Lexapro (5 mg) about 2 months ago---3 years into awful taper--and my anxiety and sleep are much improved. I have never taken an AD before--never taken any drug but the benzo for sleep. Perhaps I will pay hell when time comes to get off Lexapro but it's easing w/d for now and I do not regret it as I was functioning in a state of complete anxiety before. Again, not suggesting anybody do it, only raising an unpopular hand that it has been useful for me.

[Guest [Kp...]]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, let me add my 2 cents (or paises or satoshis):

 

SSRi could be rat poison, it could be helping -- the benzo withdrawal.

 

In either case, it doesn't seem to be a good idea to taper it in benzo withdrawal simply because regardless of what the SSRI is doing, few in BB have felt better tapering the SSRI "too soon" after jumping their benzo (as per my experience of reading BB).

[[ga...]]

SSRIs have never helped me so there is no reason to think they are miraculously helping me now that I'm in benzo withdrawal.  I had genetic testing done in 2015 which revealed that SSRIs aren't effective for me.  That explains why they never helped since being on them since 1990.  I tapered off of Paxil in 2012 and felt no differently after I was off which only confirmed that they didn't help.  I was fortunate to not have had withdrawal...but that was before I was kindled as I am now.  The only reason I got back on was because of multiple traumatic events and I stupidly trusted a psychiatrist who told me to start taking an AD again.  BIG mistake.  Now I'm stuck on it and getting off of it post benzos is very tricky. I will never go to a psychiatrist again and certainly never take another psych drug. 

 

I have felt agitated ever since I was crossed to Cymbalta from Lexapro....it's only adding to the agitation I've experienced with benzo withdrawal.  There has never been anything helpful about ADs to me...ever.

 

There are people here on BB who have tapered ADs after benzos and they are ok.  That's not to say that it should be done....just that there are people who have done it.  Then again, there are many who couldn't do it and are worse off for having tried.

 

The only rule in this game is that there are no rules.  No two people are the same...we can only go by our own experiences and observe those of others.

[Guest [Kp...]]

 

There are people here on BB who have tapered ADs after benzos and they are ok.  T

 

I am sure there are and that I must have unconsciously glossed over these examples.

 

Can you point me to a few members in BB who tapered within a few months of quitting their benzo and immediately felt better?

[[ga...]]

I didn't write that I knew of someone who got off of an AD and "immediately felt better."  I wrote that I had read of people who had done so and are now ok.  I have read about people who tapered the AD post benzo taper, with difficulty and withdrawal, but were glad that they did in the end.  I doubt if anyone who is posting on a psych drug forum would be one of the fortunate ones who "immediately felt better."

 

I don't remember or record the names of posts that I read, nor bookmark them, so I don't have a list of buddie names to offer other than keeka, valgirl1 & bcalm2 who tapered off of a benzo and then an AD and had a rough go of it but managed.  I have read of others who have written similar stories although I don't record them.  They are there...you  just have to cull through the tens of thousands of posts to find them. 

 

The conventional wisdom is to taper one psych drug at a time and wait until one is through benzo withdrawal to taper another one.  That being said, there are some who are able to taper an AD within months of a benzo taper and even some who successfully (not without difficulty) taper multiple drugs simultaneously.  The experiences are all over the board and there is nothing scientific about it. 

 

 

[[ma...]]

Hello,

It's great to have found this thread that has so many interesting discussions and stories! I'm currently holding at 0.25mg lorazepam, after having tapered from 1mg. I also quit smoking three and a half weeks ago. Now, I intend to start tapering off Effexor (next week) at an initial rate of 10% per month. My plan is to reach half of my current Effexor dose which is 150mg, stabilize, and then resume the benzo taper. I'm glad to see that some people here are also tapering benzo and AD. For me it makes sense because both are making me feel bad. I'm still at a loss as to how I ended up in this mess. All my problems were circumstantial and I never used drugs (except nicotine and some alcohol sparsely at social occasions). I used to consider I was an intelligent person but now I feel so stupid! How come I accepted to take this damn drugs instead of changing my circumstances???!!! 

[Guest [Kp...]]

Gardenlady, yes, of course, I agree with all you say. There are many people who have quit their SSRI after their benzo and without trouble (in fact I intend to be one of them) there must even be people who quit their SSRI right after they quit their benzo and without trouble. The truth is we don't know who will react how to SSRIs and sometimes we can't tell if something is SSRI withdrawal or benzo withdrawal or the two compunded!

[[Ca...]]

I quit my Zoloft because it stopped working - I didn't have any sx. But, I will tell you this - DO NOT go back on your ssri After you quit. It will not work the same.

[[Fa...]]

Hello,

It's great to have found this thread that has so many interesting discussions and stories! I'm currently holding at 0.25mg lorazepam, after having tapered from 1mg. I also quit smoking three and a half weeks ago. Now, I intend to start tapering off Effexor (next week) at an initial rate of 10% per month. My plan is to reach half of my current Effexor dose which is 150mg, stabilize, and then resume the benzo taper. I'm glad to see that some people here are also tapering benzo and AD. For me it makes sense because both are making me feel bad. I'm still at a loss as to how I ended up in this mess. All my problems were circumstantial and I never used drugs (except nicotine and some alcohol sparsely at social occasions). I used to consider I was an intelligent person but now I feel so stupid! How come I accepted to take this damn drugs instead of changing my circumstances???!!! 

 

This is me to every last word.

Went in the hospital for an elevated heart rate and before I knew it I had insomnia and months later realize I am now brain damaged from benzos and got convinced to take an SSRI!, I swore I would never go on one and what happens. I get put on one because nobody realized I was going through Ativan w/d. Oh, it's a low dose and you haven't been on it long!

Yeah, right

I am microtapering Lexapro. Going down like .01 on a scale every week.

[[ga...]]

Is anyone else out there tapering an AD while in benzo withdrawal?  I'm 6.5 months off of the benzo and tapering Cymbalta at a very slow pace.  I was on 60 mg and am now down to 36 mg by opening the capsules and weighing beads.  Looks like it will be a very long process. 

 

My benzo symptoms are dp/dr, insomnia, fear, terror, anxiety, dread and depression.  I think the AD tapering makes these already-existing symptoms worse rather than adding new ones.

 

Would love to hear others' experiences, especially those who successfully tapered the AD after the benzo.  I could use some encouragement.

[[Fa...]]

I tapered Pristiq rather quickly and stopped about two weeks ago. I feel worlds better being off of it. But I was only on ADs for about five months. I got put on Lexapro when I stopped taking Ativan and nobody knew it was benzo withdrawal. Lexapro was not good for me and I was switched to Pristiq. I only stayed in that a short time and said enough.

 

[[ma...]]

Hello,

It's great to have found this thread that has so many interesting discussions and stories! I'm currently holding at 0.25mg lorazepam, after having tapered from 1mg. I also quit smoking three and a half weeks ago. Now, I intend to start tapering off Effexor (next week) at an initial rate of 10% per month. My plan is to reach half of my current Effexor dose which is 150mg, stabilize, and then resume the benzo taper. I'm glad to see that some people here are also tapering benzo and AD. For me it makes sense because both are making me feel bad. I'm still at a loss as to how I ended up in this mess. All my problems were circumstantial and I never used drugs (except nicotine and some alcohol sparsely at social occasions). I used to consider I was an intelligent person but now I feel so stupid! How come I accepted to take this damn drugs instead of changing my circumstances???!!! 

 

Just a quick update: I later decided to finish the benzo first and at this date I'm almost done with it. I intend to start tapeing Effexor in September or October, depending on how I'm feeling.

[[ga...]]

Thanks, Fake.  Does anyone else have an AD taper post-benzo-taper experience to describe?

[[ga...]]

Bump

[[Sc...]]

I have many questions, concerns, don’t know if this is right place to post. I have had bad depression for years. I havnt really gotten started on my clonazapam taper yet & I have a long way to go.  I have, recently started generic lexapro, 1 week on 2.5mg, 5mg for 14 days, after being depressed for and dysfunctional for a long time & then becoming more destabilized from crossover to new generic clonazapam & then having si start. Mental illness runs in my family. I’m very med resistant for depression & have tried & failed many over the years. I’m not doing well. I know Meds are only a bandaid & only part of the solution for mental health problems. I’ve posted in depression & other Meds section with no response. I’m going over there now to copy & paste the meat of my question.

Thanks, SC

[[Sc...]]

Ok here’s mor of my deal. All input help appreciated. Am really feeling like I need the extra assistance of antidepressants right now in addition to healthy lifestyle changes. Thanks in advance.

 

Hi I know this is old but, I’m really needing some lexapro advice. I’ve taken brand lexapro 2-3 times in the past foe depression & it was helpful. Tha last 4th time I tried it it did not work, but didn’t make me feel this bad that I can recall. I don’t remember what start up side effects I Had in the past, but never recal feeling this bad from the start up of any antidepressant & I’ve tried them all.

 

I started 2.5mg on 8/4, been on 5mg for 13 days, I was already quite depressed with suicidal ideation prior to starting, that’s why I started it. Prior to starting, I wasn’t as anxious as I’ve been when anxiety picks up as a side effect(like want to jump out of your skin, frozen, chest pain anxiety that I can tell is from the lex-it happened in the beginnings & once all day since I’ve been on 5mg); furthermore my depression has worsened, like say before starting it I’d get short bursts(10-30minutes)of suicidal ideation with racing thoughts, sadness & anger or irritability, that may have included sobbing. Since starting lexapro, the depression is severe hopeless, can’t see the light suicidal ideation, sobbing uncontrollably for a good part of the day. The other day was the first day i almost didn’t cry since starting it, made it all day, but had short meltdown before bed, then made it through yesterday without crying except a short blip. Today was back to sobbing hysterically, hopeless, si, overwhelmed, can’t see anything good, till wore self out & took a nap. It’s also been causing insomnia off on(never did that in past just more sleep & sedation) I’m taking generic aurobindo, took brand in the past. I’m now on day 13 of 5mg & so far I’ve gone through what I thought were the start up side effects of it making me feel worse before better, as others have said it does. I’m desperate for it to work. I’ve had other side effects too, but thos are the worst. The other night I had about an hour of a gentle peaceful feeling where I felt happy & thought maybe it was starting to work. Last night I got silly & playfull with so, which was nice, then was up all night. Please give me your input. Does anyone think this could be the worse before better phenomena? So need something to work.

Thanks, SC

 

 

[[ga...]]

My Cymbalta taper is very rough.  I'd sure like to hear from others who are tapering their AD after the benzo.  I'm just shy of being 8 months off of the benzo and am having a really bad time with the AD taper....I'm going extremely slowly yet it's still difficult.  At this rate, it'll be another 18 months or so of tapering.

 

For me, the AD taper is much harder than the benzo taper.

 

I wish someone else who was actually DOING an AD taper would keep this thread going with me.  Anyone out there?

[[Be...]]

Hi gardenlady. I've been tapering AD trazodone after Ambien. It was very rough for me also. I'm sure it was because I was still in Ambien withdrawal also. I'll be finished in another month or so. In the new year I will start tapering mirtazapine. I know enough now to go slow so hopefully it won't be so bad.

 

Becky