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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JohnSky on August 20, 2007, at 12:14:40
Hello.
We'll I have been on EMSAM about 7.5 weeks and it just didn't work for me. I went up to 9mg and the anxiety just got worse. I went back down to 6 mg 8 days ago. I just couldn't handle the increased anxiety. I think some feel this as a big boost of energy while others feel it as anxiety. After talking with my Doc on Saturday I started reducing the dose to 3mg by cutting the patch. I am on day 3. I plan to do this for 7 days and then stop the patch all together. Maybe I will cut it to 1.5mg patch for additional week instead.
Any input on what withdrawal I might experience... and how others have gotten off? At this point I am feel dizzy, tired, hard to concentrate and maybe more anxious... which might just be my fear of the withdrawal. I am trying to take things slow and easy to make this easy as possible on me.
Any input/ideas from anyone that went off the medication.
I am praying that the Lithium I have been on for roughly 3 months will help me with the depression at this point. And that I won't slip down when I get off the EMSAM. God I pray for this.
Thanks
John
Posted by d0pamine on August 20, 2007, at 13:40:59
In reply to EMSAM Withdrawal - ideas?, posted by JohnSky on August 20, 2007, at 12:14:40
If you don't feel like you have the flu and basically pretty much neigh unto death, then you likely did not use EMSAM at a high enough dose for a long enough period of time to result in withdrawal upon termination and or reduction of dose. I quit EMSAM twice, the first time was "cold turkey" after 1.5 years use at 12mg ...heh, that was a mistake, but cutting a sliver of a patch that was probably just big enough to deliver a 1mg dose and leaving it on for 3 or 4 days (allowing the patch's own multi-day dose curve to handle the dose reduction) then pealing it off resulted in pretty much no withdrawal effects at all. Best of luck and I'm sorry it wasn't effective for you.
Posted by JohnSky on August 20, 2007, at 15:57:12
In reply to Re: EMSAM Withdrawal - ideas? » JohnSky, posted by d0pamine on August 20, 2007, at 13:40:59
So that I understand you, you took one patch and cut it down and wore that for 4 days as your withdrawal method? I don't feel like I have the flu. I just feel tired, dizzy, and a little down from goind from 6mg to 3mg. At the end of this week I may go to 0mg or to 1.5mg for a few days. Not sure what would be the easiest on me. After a cymbalta withdrawal 4 months ago I am gun shy.
> If you don't feel like you have the flu and basically pretty much neigh unto death, then you likely did not use EMSAM at a high enough dose for a long enough period of time to result in withdrawal upon termination and or reduction of dose. I quit EMSAM twice, the first time was "cold turkey" after 1.5 years use at 12mg ...heh, that was a mistake, but cutting a sliver of a patch that was probably just big enough to deliver a 1mg dose and leaving it on for 3 or 4 days (allowing the patch's own multi-day dose curve to handle the dose reduction) then pealing it off resulted in pretty much no withdrawal effects at all. Best of luck and I'm sorry it wasn't effective for you.
Posted by d0pamine on August 20, 2007, at 19:38:45
In reply to Re: EMSAM Withdrawal - ideas?, posted by JohnSky on August 20, 2007, at 15:57:12
That is correct. A patch is actually capable of delivering selegiline for at lest 3 days and it has a very smooth downward curve so that seemed to me to be a nice smooth way to decrease the dose. I was in a hurry, but it's certainly always better (i.e. more comfortable) to take as much time as you need for decreasing the dose.
Posted by JohnSky on August 21, 2007, at 11:09:03
In reply to Re: EMSAM Withdrawal - ideas?, posted by d0pamine on August 20, 2007, at 19:38:45
Thanks. Interesting mechanics of the patch to smoothly curve down over 3 days. That should make my last dose of 3mg later this week more easy than I thought. I'm still considering doing
1.5mg for 3 days at the end of this week and then go off.John
> That is correct. A patch is actually capable of delivering selegiline for at lest 3 days and it has a very smooth downward curve so that seemed to me to be a nice smooth way to decrease the dose. I was in a hurry, but it's certainly always better (i.e. more comfortable) to take as much time as you need for decreasing the dose.
Posted by JohnSky on August 23, 2007, at 16:25:02
In reply to Re: EMSAM Withdrawal - ideas?, posted by JohnSky on August 21, 2007, at 11:09:03
I have really had periods of anxiety the last few days. Not sure whether to attribute it day 6 of withdrawal or what. Anyone get anxiety when coming off EMSAM? I am on 3mg and will go to 1.5mg on Saturday for 3 days and then I will be done. The anxiety has me so wound up I haven't slept well. Panic attack in the middle of the night. Man am I tired of this. I am trying to just let go and not resist the anxiety.
John
Posted by d0pamine on August 23, 2007, at 20:39:08
In reply to Help EMSAM Withdrawal - Anxiety, posted by JohnSky on August 23, 2007, at 16:25:02
I expect that would be a pretty atypical reaction. When I quit EMSAM all I could do was sleep. I slept all night and a big chunk of the day for better than a week. Anxiety was the furtherest thing from me. Hopefully it will subside in another day or two.
As a side note, the only time I've ever even felt anxiety was when I quit parnate (after only 3 weeks). I didn't even know what anxiety was prior to that, but it was so bad that I thought I was going to have to call 911 or something. It was like being on fire (without the smoke). It certainly gave me a new understanding of all those who have to deal with such feelings on a daily basis. I'll take my anhedonic can't get off the couch depression over that anxiety stuff any day. Nasty stuff.
Posted by JohnSky on August 24, 2007, at 9:50:18
In reply to Re: Help EMSAM Withdrawal - Anxiety, posted by d0pamine on August 23, 2007, at 20:39:08
Thanks for the reply. It seems I am just so sensitive to any medication change I seem to get rare reactions. Last night the anxiety (actual or caused by my worr) kept me up half the night. Things that normally relax me aren't... so it has to be the withdrawal doing this to me.
Today was the last day I took 3mg. Tomorrow I will put on a 1.5mg patch and just leave it on for 3 or 4 days as you suggested. Makes sense. My doc wants me to go to zero tomorrow but I thought I would do things a touch slower.
John
> I expect that would be a pretty atypical reaction. When I quit EMSAM all I could do was sleep. I slept all night and a big chunk of the day for better than a week. Anxiety was the furtherest thing from me. Hopefully it will subside in another day or two.
>
> As a side note, the only time I've ever even felt anxiety was when I quit parnate (after only 3 weeks). I didn't even know what anxiety was prior to that, but it was so bad that I thought I was going to have to call 911 or something. It was like being on fire (without the smoke). It certainly gave me a new understanding of all those who have to deal with such feelings on a daily basis. I'll take my anhedonic can't get off the couch depression over that anxiety stuff any day. Nasty stuff.
Posted by JohnSky on August 28, 2007, at 11:50:38
In reply to Re: Help EMSAM Withdrawal - Anxiety, posted by d0pamine on August 23, 2007, at 20:39:08
I completed getting off EMSAM yesterday. I worked down to a low dose and then yesterday took off the small patch that remained. For the first week I went from 6mg to 3mg. And then the last 3 days I put on patch cut down to roughly 2 mg and then just left it on until last night.
I am feeling out of sorts and I hope it doesn't last too many days? I am not sleeping well and my anxiety is pretty high, and my mood is down some. I would think the sleep issue and anxiety are items worked up by the withdrawal? Any idea how long this could last. I am so sensitive to meds... and withdrawals seem to hit me the hardest.
Thanks
John
> I expect that would be a pretty atypical reaction. When I quit EMSAM all I could do was sleep. I slept all night and a big chunk of the day for better than a week. Anxiety was the furtherest thing from me. Hopefully it will subside in another day or two.
>
> As a side note, the only time I've ever even felt anxiety was when I quit parnate (after only 3 weeks). I didn't even know what anxiety was prior to that, but it was so bad that I thought I was going to have to call 911 or something. It was like being on fire (without the smoke). It certainly gave me a new understanding of all those who have to deal with such feelings on a daily basis. I'll take my anhedonic can't get off the couch depression over that anxiety stuff any day. Nasty stuff.
This is the end of the thread.
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