Tapering SSRI/Antidepressant support.

[[...]]

After a horrid Benzo taper/Withdrawal it's time to get off my other enemy, the SSRI.

 

Anyone currently tapering or want to?

 

Perhaps you already have ?  Any advice?

 

I am currently at 10% off my Cipralex, AKA - Lexapro.

 

Looking for support and to give support.

 

 

Fonz

[[Tr...]]

I can tell you what I did but everyone's situation is different.

 

I originally tapered off of 100mg Zoloft over the course of a month. I was fine the first few months but started to get depressed about my social and financial situation and it sent me in a downward spiral. I was taking .5mg of Klonopin a few days a week and I started taking it every day and every other day. It made things worse because it really wasn't helping the depression and I was getting inter-dose withdrawal. I didn't have a net to catch my fall and I got more and more depressed and hardly able to function.

 

I did three things then: I got back on Zoloft, I started therapy sessions and I eventually tapered off Klonopin. I felt much better, got a job and got my life back on track. i started mindfulness meditation and regular exercise. About 6 months later I decided to taper off the SSRI again. This time i did it slowly over 3 months and I've been off for over a year now.

 

The most important thing is to be able to self-regulate. If you've had problems with depression in the past and decide to go without an anti-depressant, you need to have a plan in place and new habits that will keep you from falling into a pit of your own dark thoughts. You need to be able to understand your triggers and to recognize when you're starting to feel down. Once that happens you need to have coping skills and habits that will take you out of your own head and help you bounce back. It's so important to be able to do that. For me it's meditation sessions, swimming, taking time off to take a walk in nature, etc. CBT can help, and there are self help books too.

 

Hope this helps!

[[...]]

Thanks for the reply TravisP.

 

I have taken my SSRI for 12+ years so a slight cut has caused some very apparent symptoms.

 

I will hold until I feel a bit better.

 

Nice to hear you got off it! 

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Fonz

[[Re...]]

I want to get off of Prozac. It is causing some not so welcome thoughts I believe. I'm afraid it's changing my personality but I need to get off of Valium and stabilize first

[[...]]

Recovery711, it's a rough road but you can do it!

 

I'm trying to take it slow with my SSRI as I know for sure it can alter my state of mind. Even small cuts have caught up to me and was causing intrussive thoughts and behavior. Scary stuff.

 

Hang in there.

 

 

Fonz

[[Gr...]]

Thanks for this thread.  I'm two months off Pristiq now.  I took four months to taper it starting in Nov. 2016.  I'm feeling a lot of anger today.  A few days ago, I felt so happy, I'm pretty sure it was manic.  I'm all over the place.   

[[...]]

Greencup, may I ask what you were given the medication for?

 

So it looks like you got off your drug very fast (4 months). From what I have read that could certainly cause Manic episodes along with a wide assortment of physical and physiological symptoms.

 

Are you holding up despite these symptoms ?

 

 

Fonz

[[Gr...]]

Hey fonz- I was given the Pristiq to replace the Wellbutrin, which I give to replace the zoloft, which I originally got cause I was feeling so depressed.  Three months on it, my anxiety was practically gone.  For about a year, I went around talking like a zoloft commercial, ignoring the diarrhea and weight gain. 

 

I think I'm holding up pretty good.  I'm trying to make my self take more walks in the park.  I live really close to a park and I just feel so much better when I have connected with nature again. 

 

The day before yesterday, I gave notice to my landlord to move, then stressed out for about an hour, and then begged the landlord to take me back.    So...I'm trying to stay away from decisions now. 

[[tj...]]

I tapered off pristiq about 2-3 yrs ago. They came in 50mg and were slow release so you couldn't cut them at all.  I was able to go to a compounding pharmacy and have them made up in like 45mg with slow release capsules.  Then I did 40mg and so on.  It was still tough.  I think it took about 4-6 months but honestly I just don't remember. 

[[Na...]]

Ya that's the problem with Pristiq as the doses only come in 100 and 50mgs. I have read that there's a 25mg pill available as well, but not 100% on that. And no your not supposed to cut them cause of being slow release. I've read Pristiq is just renamed Effexor and is an SNRI.

Wife is on this "badboy" and we'll be aiming the cannon at it next after the V taper. Not looking forward to this.........maybe the compounding is the answer or the Dr will switch her over to something more taper friendly. Not gonna hold my breath on that one.

[[...]]

GreenCup - It's nice that you can go to a park. Hopefully your landlord was not too upset

 

I can't find any compound pharmacy's where I live. I turn the tablets into liquid and do the titration myself, thusfar it's working fine. I did the same for my Benzo taper.

 

So why is everyone deciding to get off the SSRI ?  For myself I found a specialist whom believes I suffer from Seretonin syndrom and told me I need to slowly taper off.

 

 

Fonz

[[Gr...]]

Yeah, I think I had seretonin syndrome also!!!  That was my immediate concern.  I also gained a bunch of weight while on these as well as lost the desire and need for friends and human connection...so...it's weird cause it really helped my anxiety but not my life, at least not the part where other people are concerned. 

 

My Pristiq pill was time-released, and ya know what?  I cut it up anyway.  I read about some pharmacist who did it.  And basically I took my 50mg time-released tablet, and cut it up into four pieces, and then took three of those pieces, spread out in the day.  So, one in the morning, and one around lunch, and one at night.  I took one less piece each month, and that worked for me.  It wasn't pleasant, but I do think I did stabilize somewhat by the end of the month.  By spreading out the doses I was able to counter the loss of the time-release mechanism somewhat.  It wasn't perfect but it did work.

[[Tr...]]

I tapered because I'd been on for 10 years and forgot what my baseline was. I wanted to figure out if problems in my life were made worse because of the SSRI. I quit weed, alcohol, Klonopin and Zoloft over the course of about a year. I'd recently divorced so this was a way to clean up and rediscover myself.

 

On Zoloft I had difficulty achieving orgasm, had gained weight, and was easily fatigued. I had a hard time feeling emotions and I lost the ability to dream. Now things are much better in those areas, but I have to be extra careful not to let anxiety and depression get the best of me. It's more work for me to keep an even head, but on balance I find it better to be free of medications.

[[Na...]]

Yeah, I think I had seretonin syndrome also!!!  That was my immediate concern.  I also gained a bunch of weight while on these as well as lost the desire and need for friends and human connection...so...it's weird cause it really helped my anxiety but not my life, at least not the part where other people are concerned. 

 

My Pristiq pill was time-released, and ya know what?  I cut it up anyway.  I read about some pharmacist who did it.  And basically I took my 50mg time-released tablet, and cut it up into four pieces, and then took three of those pieces, spread out in the day.  So, one in the morning, and one around lunch, and one at night.  I took one less piece each month, and that worked for me.  It wasn't pleasant, but I do think I did stabilize somewhat by the end of the month.  By spreading out the doses I was able to counter the loss of the time-release mechanism somewhat.  It wasn't perfect but it did work.

 

GreenCup, I read somewhere of someone doing that as well......dry cutting the Pristiq and did ok. They make you believe you must not do that

 

Reason my wife needs off is, she never needed it in the first place. Very happy go lucky type personality and was NEVER depressed. Bloody Pdoc just added it in at some point telling her it would help with the anxiety.....what a joke! Meanwhile her anxiety was ramping up due to tolerance from the massive benzo and Z drugs she was on 

 

And to be honest, I think the Pristiq is now adding to her anxiety

[[...]]

Thanks for the responces.

 

It's interesting as we all have an invidual, unique story.

 

SSRI's have brought many problems my way, including in the beggining 12+ years ago. I started with Paxil but that can be a mans worst enemy as stated above. I was tossed on Welbutrin and affexor but ended up on Lexapro.

 

For me these drugs distort reality and cause new issues. Therapy is is key for anxiety/panic. I learned the hard way thay if you actually take your time to do the homework that is given such as progressive muscle relaxation, thought records and exposure tharapy one has a solid chance of healing.

 

90% to go for  me. I am holding at 10% as WD started to catch up.

 

 

 

Fonz

[[tj...]]

Yeah, I think I had seretonin syndrome also!!!  That was my immediate concern.  I also gained a bunch of weight while on these as well as lost the desire and need for friends and human connection...so...it's weird cause it really helped my anxiety but not my life, at least not the part where other people are concerned. 

 

My Pristiq pill was time-released, and ya know what?  I cut it up anyway.  I read about some pharmacist who did it.  And basically I took my 50mg time-released tablet, and cut it up into four pieces, and then took three of those pieces, spread out in the day.  So, one in the morning, and one around lunch, and one at night.  I took one less piece each month, and that worked for me.  It wasn't pleasant, but I do think I did stabilize somewhat by the end of the month.  By spreading out the doses I was able to counter the loss of the time-release mechanism somewhat.  It wasn't perfect but it did work.

Not a bad idea to do that.  My insurance covered my compounded pristiq so I was surprised and just went with that.  I remember having horrible brain zaps and night time sweating real bad. 

 

In hindsight I wonder if tapering just like a benzo would be best.  Liquefying it and reducing it by like 1mg a week.  Maybe if you drank 25 ml of liquid 4 times a day out of 100ml or so and just cut 1-2 ml a week??

[[Gr...]]

Inspiring to read people are persevering with getting off these drugs...

 

I was gonna say I've been pointed towards a site called beyond meds that has loads of info on withdrawing from all kinda drugs...that or surviving anti-depressants can't remember off hand which one has the forum.

 

I'm not quite 20 months benzo free yet. From what I've heard and what rings true for me is to let the brain recover from the benzo withdrawal before tapering another if thats possible. Sounds like thats something you've considered.

 

I wasn't able to gradual taper the benzo and got in all sorts of trouble and ended up getting taken off in a detox place.

 

My hope is to taper very slowly when I come to taper the sertraline...very slow.

 

 

[[...]]

What you say is true GreenTea1, to allow your self time to heal from benzo WD before messing with the SSRI.

 

In my case I gave it nearly 3.5 years, and for me that's what it's taken. Obviously that timeline and does not reflect another persons experience.

 

According to my doctor and research the benzo was actually preventing seretonin syndrome. After cutting out the benzo it likely stired up issues and my seretonin levels were no longer being held at a stable spot. I have no idea how it's all connected but it's an interesting but unfortunate scenario.

 

What is everyones doctors saying about getting off the SSRI's ?  My family doc does not know and I'm NOT telling her until I'm off. She has never supporting me getting off and has only tried to updose.  Obviously I don't recommend hiding this from a doctor, it's just a personal decision.

 

I ran into an issue in the past where the doctor wanted me to get off "fast", 50% cuts and tried messing with my prescription... never again!  I have found my doctors didn't agree with liquid titration as they felt it was an "obsession". Haha.. Give me a break.

 

Fonz

 

[[ne...]]

GreenCup - It's nice that you can go to a park. Hopefully your landlord was not too upset

 

I can't find any compound pharmacy's where I live. I turn the tablets into liquid and do the titration myself, thusfar it's working fine. I did the same for my Benzo taper.

 

So why is everyone deciding to get off the SSRI ?  For myself I found a specialist whom believes I suffer from Seretonin syndrom and told me I need to slowly taper off.

 

 

Fonz

 

 

Fonz,

 

that "specialist" is a strange one in my opinion. In case of serotonin syndrom you do not SLOWLY taper off but have to get off the drug immediately since it might be life threatening.

[[ne...]]

GreenCup - It's nice that you can go to a park. Hopefully your landlord was not too upset

 

I can't find any compound pharmacy's where I live. I turn the tablets into liquid and do the titration myself, thusfar it's working fine. I did the same for my Benzo taper.

 

So why is everyone deciding to get off the SSRI ?  For myself I found a specialist whom believes I suffer from Seretonin syndrom and told me I need to slowly taper off.

 

PS: I just had a look at your webside and LOVE your photographies. They are just beautiful!

 

 

Fonz

 

 

Fonz,

 

that "specialist" is a strange one in my opinion. In case of serotonin syndrom you do not SLOWLY taper off but have to get off the drug immediately since it might be life threatening.

[[...]]

Neverending79, I understand your concern. In my case it's not an immediate life threatening case. I was informed Seretonin Syndrome can cause a wide range of symptoms individual to each person (like benzo WD). In a life threatening case I can see removing the drug quickly but in my case removing the drug quickly could result in horrid consequences.

 

Even after a 10% decrease I feel some relief as I was gravely ill after each dose. I have had to slow my taper as WD has creeped up.

 

Of the 12 or so doctors I have seen this is the only one that admit these drugs CAN harm you and that he has seen it MANY times. All the other doctors played it off as I am making it up or have anxiety.

[[Gr...]]

The over arching advice I've had is to reduce by 25mg so from 100, to 75 to 50 to 25...

 

by the power of grey scull (don't know why that Thundercats ref just popped in my head) I say No way!!!

 

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to do it on my own. Can't shop around for docs here in the UK.

[[Gr...]]

Power of Grayskull! Is He-man!!!

[[...]]

Yes, it is He Man! Haha.. I had a few action figures from the series, like 28 years ago.

 

 

[[Gr...]]

I used to LOVE He-Man.  So, that rumor I heard about the third month off of SSRI's being pretty hard- it ringing true for me so far.  Yesterday I felt a cold coming on, sore throat, some sneezing.  I took a bunch of vitamin c, and wrapped myself in a blanket and was shivering.  Now, today, I feel much better and am wondering if this is really a cold or just another bizarre part of withdrawal. 

 

I found a channel on my cable tv I couldn't find before, and watched two episodes of I Love Lucy, and I highly recommend that show.  It definitely made me laugh.