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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by hansi555 on May 21, 2010, at 11:18:43
Hi all
I am on 110 mg of Nortriptyline, 10 mg of Lexapro and 12 mg of Remeron.
I take 35 mg Nort + 10 mg Lex in the morning and 75 mg Nort + 12 mg Rem in the evening.
I have been on Rem + Lex for 26 months and Nort for 20 monthts.
I am going to stop taking these meds very soon.I would like to do a fast tappering rather than a slow one - even though all "experts" talk about that slow is much better.
I am afraid that a slow tapper would eventually make me give up the project. I have not suffered a lot of side effects during start up of the meds, my only issues now are dry mouth and gained weight.How would you suggest to do this? I have my vacation in July and will use some of it for this purpose.
I am taking fish oil pills and exercise regularly.All views welcome!
Posted by linkadge on May 21, 2010, at 12:31:57
In reply to Tappering off - pace?, posted by hansi555 on May 21, 2010, at 11:18:43
Slow tapering schedule is better. Rushing the brain is not a good idea.
I don't understand what you mean when you say that you will give up on a slow taper schedule.
Do you mean you will go back on meds cause a slow taper schedule is too painful?
How would a fast taper schedule be any less painful?
The brain is more likely to be adversely affected (and less likely to adapt to) sudden changes.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on May 21, 2010, at 12:47:30
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace?, posted by linkadge on May 21, 2010, at 12:31:57
Totally med free? Wow that's a lot in a short time. Although I've tappered off meds either another was substituted or I had only taken the med a week or so. I have found my brain won't give up a mere 50mg of luvox and I wouldn't attempt at the time anyway to take any lower a dose of benzos. Phillipa
Posted by hansi555 on May 21, 2010, at 13:02:31
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace?, posted by linkadge on May 21, 2010, at 12:31:57
> Slow tapering schedule is better. Rushing the brain is not a good idea.
>
> I don't understand what you mean when you say that you will give up on a slow taper schedule.
>
> Do you mean you will go back on meds cause a slow taper schedule is too painful?Yes (but what do I know?) it will be a long proces
On some web site it said: If you have been taking meds for 2 years, taper off in 2 years
Another place it was 10% per 2 weeks => 20 weeks in total> How would a fast taper schedule be any less painful?
It would not but maybe not take as long time> The brain is more likely to be adversely affected (and less likely to adapt to) sudden changes.
>
>
> LinkadgeOkay then, what do you think more precisely? In terms of no. of weeks and months?
What is considered a slow taper?
And a quick taper?I am going to ask my pdoc but I would like other inputs
Posted by manic666 on May 21, 2010, at 13:31:51
In reply to Tappering off - pace?, posted by hansi555 on May 21, 2010, at 11:18:43
hansi555,you seem to have it all worked out///you have imformed your work ,family an next doors cat/bbbbbbut who,s going to tell your brain ????you will have nothing to do with a full withdrawl ,your brain rule,s the outcome not you//who was this psycologist who said its easier to stop than to tapper off/// thats out of order an not true///do you think for one moment that you are going to have some small upset for a few weeks then a rainbow appears an the world is cool//may i just tell you reality from one who was forced into full detox //like you are thinking of trying//10 ativan a day stopped just like that,,number one i was admitted to hospital after a suicide atempt about 4 days in///death was better than that detox//i was eventually given back 4mg to stay alive//cool this isnt it,detoxing 6mg now an yes i did it///after 3 months of locking my self away like an animal an banging my head against the wall,shakeing none stop that bad would slide me of the bed//family pokeing there head round the bedroom door to see if i wasa live but scared to enter///first after months i let my dogs enter//even they were sh*tt*ng themselve,s //yes i managed to stablise after many months on 4mg of ativan //but i could not shift the lot i admit that ,an so do the doctors now//thats the sort of d tox you think you want to try//well i didnt have a say in it ,you have//the damage done in that d tox at that speed damaged me for ever//would do it again??????????NO i would sooner die///if i new how long it would take an the damage it caused ,i tell you now the truth, i could not do that again//detoxing meds fast takes you to a place worse than death//there was a effexor d tox going on as well just to make life as bad as it can be//thats why i dont like p doc,s they play god with your life //i dont no the amount of meds your on but i luck forward to the outcome it will be interesting if you are on a good level of meds when you stop dead //now i no your meds from your new post on the same subject //i think you dont stand a chance on fast detox an if your shrink say,s yes???? sack him
Posted by janejane on May 21, 2010, at 15:33:38
In reply to Tappering off - pace?, posted by hansi555 on May 21, 2010, at 11:18:43
I think you should listen to your body. It will tell you if you're going too fast. Maybe try half a dose, if that's too much of a decrease you'll soon know and be able to adjust. I think there's a lot of variation, even within the same individual. For example, I tried to get off effexor after taking it only a month or so, and I had a horrid time with brain zaps and nausea. I think the withdrawal lasted longer than I had initially taken it. But many years later, when I stopped prozac (after over 10 years) to start a cymbalta trial, I had no problems at all with an immediate switch over. Then, after only a short time on cymbalta (didn't even ramp up to the standard dose), I decided to go med-free and was able to do it cold turkey with virtually no problems. It surprised me a lot. (I also stopped long-term wellbutrin in middle of the cymbalta thing, and that too was no problem.)
I think a little 5-HTP might help while tapering off an SSRI, not sure about the other drugs. (When I say a little, I mean, get a 50 mg tablet and cut it into quarters or even smaller. That's insignificant most standards, but I think it's good to be conservative.) Benadryl might help too. I know it helped my nausea when I was going off effexor.
Posted by StillHopefull on May 21, 2010, at 16:05:44
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace? » hansi555, posted by janejane on May 21, 2010, at 15:33:38
I really believe slow and steady is the best.
When I was quitting my meds, I reduced my dosages by 10 percent (or less) per week. It took about 3 months for me to get off everything. And it has been another 4 months med free and I am only JUST NOW feeling a little bit better. I still have a long way to go, but I am,
StillHopefull
Posted by linkadge on May 21, 2010, at 19:11:06
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace? Slow + steady, posted by StillHopefull on May 21, 2010, at 16:05:44
I just know that whenever I have got into that mindset of "I want off this crap NOW!", I have always made things much worse and ended up back on the meds (if not more).
I'd say take at least 4 months to get off those meds.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on May 21, 2010, at 20:06:06
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace? » hansi555, posted by janejane on May 21, 2010, at 15:33:38
Jane I remember when I took effexor new then. Took for maybe a week and couldn't handle the head side effects. I stopped it immediately. I remember the pharmacist saying it would take about four or five days to be completly eliminated. Each day was a bit better for me. Phillipa
Posted by manic666 on May 22, 2010, at 3:50:40
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace? » hansi555, posted by janejane on May 21, 2010, at 15:33:38
im lost hear to many spilt posts//dont forget im damaged i carnt keep up //seems like every body detoxing///i will just talk to the thread//5htp is used when off the med ,not when still on it//will cause probs///for sleep in england ,nightnurse med is like benadryl//only stronger its for colds an flu ,but knocks you out///you can only but 1 bottle at a time as ,smackheads mix it with methadone///but it make you sleep in d tox ,but gives a hangover feal next day.phillipa you never done more that a few days trial on any med for 30 years//you always bottle it/yet you have cosmetic tummy tucks aint that more painfull than meds//the poster is asking i think/ big med user d tox help
Posted by bulldog2 on May 22, 2010, at 17:34:27
In reply to Tappering off - pace?, posted by hansi555 on May 21, 2010, at 11:18:43
> Hi all
> I am on 110 mg of Nortriptyline, 10 mg of Lexapro and 12 mg of Remeron.
> I take 35 mg Nort + 10 mg Lex in the morning and 75 mg Nort + 12 mg Rem in the evening.
> I have been on Rem + Lex for 26 months and Nort for 20 monthts.
> I am going to stop taking these meds very soon.
>
> I would like to do a fast tappering rather than a slow one - even though all "experts" talk about that slow is much better.
> I am afraid that a slow tapper would eventually make me give up the project. I have not suffered a lot of side effects during start up of the meds, my only issues now are dry mouth and gained weight.
>
> How would you suggest to do this? I have my vacation in July and will use some of it for this purpose.
> I am taking fish oil pills and exercise regularly.
>
> All views welcome!Actually the fast taper would make you want to give up on the getting off all the meds project. Listen to the people who have gone thru it. A fast taper is not necessarily faster. If it is to traumatic and you do some damage to your brain you will take much longer to heal than a slow taper.
You feel you are ready to get off of meds. You have healed your brain with the aid of meds of a long period. In order to keep those gains you must go slow.This is a marathon and you must pace yourself inorder to finish otherwise you will burn out. Everyone has an urge to finish something immediately and get it over with.
Think of pacing yourself as part of the healing project. Listen to the voices of reason or you risk losing months or years of healing.
Posted by hansi555 on May 23, 2010, at 12:33:45
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace?, posted by bulldog2 on May 22, 2010, at 17:34:27
> >
> Actually the fast taper would make you want to give up on the getting off all the meds project. Listen to the people who have gone thru it. A fast taper is not necessarily faster. If it is to traumatic and you do some damage to your brain you will take much longer to heal than a slow taper.
> You feel you are ready to get off of meds. You have healed your brain with the aid of meds of a long period. In order to keep those gains you must go slow.This is a marathon and you must pace yourself inorder to finish otherwise you will burn out. Everyone has an urge to finish something immediately and get it over with.
> Think of pacing yourself as part of the healing project. Listen to the voices of reason or you risk losing months or years of healing.
>Would it change anything in your view of pace if I told you that I dont think the meds are helping me that much or at least only partly?
Posted by manic666 on May 23, 2010, at 12:55:10
In reply to Re: Tappering off - pace?, posted by hansi555 on May 23, 2010, at 12:33:45
you are posting on the boards //something i carnt do when ill ///so they must do something//the 10 ativan were doing nothing my body was used to them //anyone else would be asleep for a couple of days on that amount// so i drank a bottle of brandy ,that did nothing after a while or so you think till you stop//i was not an alcholic just self medecating//the drugs in your body seem like there doing nothing an mabye there the wrong ones//an mabye you dont need any///we are not disputing that//we are disputing a cold stop...there are a few meds there something must be wrong for someone to prescribe that amount//you say you had a breakdown with depression 2an a half years ago //what makes you think your well enough to stop//the meds of course ?//its a classic mistake we all make //stop the meds were fine //why not tell the shrink you think these meds are wrong //what can i do ,have you ever asked him that or just telling us first
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