TaperCommunity
I live with my husband and four kitties in the Eastern part of the United States. I am passionate about supporting those who are struggling with tapering and withdrawal. I look forward to the Bible's promise of a new world where sickness, suffering, and death will be no more. (Revelation 21: 3, 4) - jw.org
Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.92 mg Trazodone - 50 mg Levothyroxine - 25 mcg “Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.” Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.
I slept well last night, but I really pushed myself too much yesterday with attending my meeting. I should have Zoomed it. Oh well, we live and learn. My CNS feels very fragile and sensitive right now. I'm taking it easy today and getting some things done around the house. My hubby and I walked this morning, which was nice. My journey off Effexor is a loooong one, but it has to be. Remember, your own journey is yours and no one else's.....and that' okay! Happy Sunday to everyone! 😊
I didn't have any tachycardia last night, so I'm very glad, although I do seem to deal with incessant heart pounding which gets worse with stress. I guess my CNS is just so dysregulated. I've been taking quite a large amount of chewable Vitamin C lately, and I'm thinking that maybe the tachycardia was a reaction to that. And then in looking at the ingredients, it was full of all sorts of bad stuff! SO, I'm not going to take it anymore. I do find Vitamin C helpful if I'm having a histamine reaction, so if I order some again I'll make sure it's free of additives and just take less of it. My CNS still feels a bit fragile, but I think I'm well enough to attend an in-person meeting this morning. I'll consider that a win! I just need to make sure I don't overdo any socializing. I hope everyone has a great weekend and is hanging in there okay! 😍
For some reason I had severe tachycardia all night last night. I remember having it one other time. I think my heart is fine; I've had it checked before. It must be related to the withdrawal somehow. Hopefully tonight will be better! I got the results of my lab work back this morning. My thyroid is still out of whack, so I will need to discuss with my doctor what to do about it since the Levothyroxine seems to cause me issues and I don't want to increase the dose. There is another drug called Tyrosint that I might try. The key is finding something that treats my hypothyroidism without it increasing my anxiety. My Vitamin D level is 31.7 and should be higher, but I can't tolerate supplements. I'll have to increase my sun exposure. It's frustrating when you need a supplement but your nervous system is too sensitized to handle it! My fasting blood glucose is 100. I'm very nervous about heading towards diabetes. My body needs a certain amount of carbs each day in order to sleep and function. I cannot handle eating a super low-carb diet. SO, I have to take other measures to help this issue. Evidently if you walk for 10 minutes after each meal, it brings down your glucose level by about 30%. I'm going to start doing this three times a day. Overall, I have recovered from the severe stress that I experienced last week and am feeling better in that respect. My CNS needs to keep strengthening itself. Hopefully it will become more resilient as time goes on. I hope everyone has a nice weekend! 🥰
As I mentioned before, I underwent severe stress last week when meeting with a new psych NP. It really did a number on my nervous system. The past couple days - after taking both Levothyroxine and Effexor in the morning - I have experienced severe activation a couple hours after my doses. I think the stress caused extra CNS sensitization. Both Levo and Effexor are very activating drugs. This has happened before, and I did experience some relief when lowering my Levo dose. I have consulted with my best friend (who is very knowledgable) about this, and we think it's best for me to reduce my Levo dose to 20 mcg starting tomorrow. In 6 weeks I will then reassess things. If things settle down by then, then I will reduce another Effexor bead and also do another 5 mcg reduction with the Levo. We also think that reducing the Effexor is causing my thyroid to become more functional, thus making the Levo dose too high. It's very hard to deal with this severe activation, and I'm enduring the best I can. Hopefully by reducing the Levo tomorrow will bring me some relief. I'll take anything I can get at this point. Sending healing vibes to everyone today! It's nice to see so many new members. Catina 🌸
I'm still struggling with a severe stress response that happened last Monday. I'm having lots of anxiety, agitation, and heart pounding. Other than a bit of insomnia early this morning I was able to get adequate sleep. I'm going to take it easy today and continue to recover. Sending everyone healing vibes today. 💗
Still feeling pretty rough with anxiety and some insomnia last night. It's crazy how dysregulated my CNS is. I will continue to rest and recover from my recent stress. The things that help me the most are exercise, slow deep breathing, vagus nerve work, warm baths, and EFT Tapping. I also remind myself that it's safe to relax. When you're struggling, acceptance goes a long way in helping you through. It's not your fault that you're injured. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion. Sending lots of love and support to everyone today! 💜
I'm still struggling quite a bit, but I'm feel a tad better than yesterday. Despite having some insomnia for a couple hours during the night, I did get 8 hours of sleep, which I really needed. I walked for 30 minutes on the treadmill this morning followed by stretching and my favorite Vagus Nerve reset exercise. I'm trying to regulate and calm my nervous system as best as I can after my stressful episode on Monday. My stress tolerance is extremely low. I will continue to rest for the remainder of the week and treat myself gently. I hope everyone is getting along okay today. I appreciate all of you. Let's keep encouraging one another because we're all in this together! 💜
I had trouble sleeping last night due to severe anxiety and heart palpitations. Today I feel a lot of anxiety, stress, and exhaustion. I'm going to take it easy and rest.
Well, I met with a new psychiatric NP this morning. I thought I was going to like her at first, but it ended up being a complete disaster by the end of the visit. She thinks the Effexor itself is causing my anxiety - not withdrawal - and so thinks rapidly tapering me off of it is the right thing to do. I told her I did not agree with this. In fact, I said it was reckless and walked out the door. It caused me a lot of stress and anxiety. Therefore, I sent my GP a message to see if she could possibly take over writing my Effexor and Trazodone prescriptions. She used to do it, but after I tapered too fast and ended up in the psych ward I was sent to a mental health facility for treatment. The experience I had today with the NP really reminded me why the mental health system causes so much damage to people. It's why people go begging for help on the internet after their doctor rapidly tapers them off psychiatric drugs.
I had quite a rough night last night due to the crippling anxiety from the stress yesterday. I slept from 9 pm - 1 am, but then I woke up and felt so much anxiety and heart pounding. It took me a very long time to get back to sleep. My nervous system just doesn't work right. It's very hard to deal with. I've always struggled with anxiety - even before going on antidepressants - but not at this level. I was much more functional in life before going on ADs and then trying to come off. I really regret going on these awful drugs, but that's water under the bridge now. These drugs are only studied for 8-12 weeks in trial studies, so ones like myself are the long-term "experiment" that was never done. I'm completely unable to handle stress, especially if it involves a lot of live conversation and socializing. It is what it is. I just have to live my life within my limitations. I think I pushed myself too much yesterday and suffered severe consequences. I hope everyone is hanging in there okay this weekend. Sending all of you lots of love and support. We're in this together! 🩷
I attended an in-person meeting this morning and did a bit of socializing, and BOY my poor CNS just can't handle it. My anxiety has been bad all day because of it. It's really disheartening to know that I can only converse with people in person for just a few minutes. At least my depression and fatigue have been a bit better these past couple days, so at least there's that. I meet with a new psychiatric NP on Monday because my psychiatrist retired. It's going to be stressful having to explain my entire history to someone new. I hope she'll support my slow taper. Maybe I can educate her on Hyperbolic tapering!
Feeling poor. Been having bouts of irritability, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia.
I've been feeling down and depressed lately. I still can't handle anything stressful. I experienced some stress last night and had an awful time sleeping with my heart pounding and feeling a lot of anxiety. I have a hard time being around anyone.
Doing so-so at the moment. I think the reason why I've been feeling so tired and depressed lately is that my thyroid is underactive. My hair has also gotten a bit more thinner and brittle than it was before. It really sucks! I had to lower my dose of my Levothyroxine because it was causing insane anxiety. So the anxiety is better, but now I'm having all these other symptoms. I'm going to do some research on how to handle this issue. Maybe switching to brand name Synthroid would be better. My GP says that some people have issues with the generic form. I don't know, but I plan to find out how to deal with this thyroid issue without sending my anxiety over the edge again. I just want to feel better! Sending everyone lots of love and support on this Friday! 💜
I'm feeling a bit better than I did yesterday. Yesterday the fatigue and depression were so bad I could hardly function. I went to bed early last night and slept well. I'm working around the house today, so the activity is good for me. I hope to exercise later as well.
I haven't been feeling the greatest lately. I've been having more trouble sleeping and feel lethargic, depressed, and irritable. Last night I couldn't fall asleep so had to get up and eat some carbs. I hate having to eat so late at night, but I can always tell when I haven't eaten enough carbs. It's insane why my body reacts this way. I wish I could eat a low-carb diet because it keeps my weight down, but I need carbs in order to function and sleep. It's really depressing. I guess I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself right now. My taper is getting a bit more challenging the lower in dose I'm getting. I'm in this for the long haul though, so I have to endure the best I can. I will try to show myself some compassion and kindness today. One day at a time! I hope everyone else is hanging in there okay! Sending much love and support to all. 💝
I reduced by another bead today. I'm down to 56 beads. Slowly but surely I'm chipping away at my taper! My biggest challenges right now are fatigue and not being able to handle stress. We had a relative spend the night on Monday night, and it ended up causing me a lot of anxiety and stress, which then made it really hard to sleep. After they left Tuesday morning I had to go back to bed and slept for a few hours. However, the fact that I was able to have them visit in the first place shows that I've improved a little, even though my nervous system is still so dysregulated. It takes me a really long time to recover once I have experienced stress. I'm still having some weird skin issues and also some histamine issues. I'm grateful that things aren't worse than they are because I know they could be. I will continue to plug along ever so slowly in my taper. For me, it's the only way. I like how one member put it: "Stability over speed." Sending healing strength to everyone today! It's great to see the community really grow with people from all over the world. Thanks to Based Psychiatrist for creating such a much-needed space for people to learn how taper safely! Catina 🩵
I've been feeling pretty good today. I slept 10 hours last night! I attended an in-person meeting this morning and was able to socialize a bit without major anxiety. I'll definitely be ready to drop another bead on the 15th. Onward I go! I hope everyone is getting along okay today. For those who are struggling, keep going..... If you're a new member, jump in and welcome others as they join the community. We all need one another! 💜
Yesterday was an interesting day. I was sitting down reading in the afternoon when I started feeling severely fatigued and lethargic. I couldn't keep my eyes open! I headed for bed and my body completely shut down for a few hours. The last time I remember feeling something like that was when I used to have PMDD and the fatigue would get so overwhelming I would have to nap for a couple hours. It could be related to withdrawal, but I also need to consider that my thyroid and low Vitamin D level could be playing a part too. I'm getting both things checked again in September. So because I napped, it was very hard trying to fall asleep last night...but I finally did and slept well after that. I'm due for another reduction in another week, so I still plan on doing that. I hope everyone is getting along okay today! Check in when you can. Catina 💜
It's been awhile since I've made an update. My last bead reduction was 6/15/26. I'm definitely feeling the cut. It's crazy how such a small reduction can have such a great effect. I'm thankful I'm taking my taper so slowly! I just happen to have a very sensitive nervous system, and I've been on psych drugs for decades so it's going to take time for my body to balance out again. For the most part I've been sleeping well, but last night I had some heart palpitations and periods of insomnia. Overall, I'm really lacking energy. I feel irritable and a bit moody. I did experience some dizziness for a few days, but that has since improved (thank goodness!). I'm grateful to be a part of this community where I can help others with their own issues. It not only helps them, but it helps me too and keeps my mind off of myself. Sending everyone lots of love, support, and healing vibes! This journey may be hard, but it's worth it. Catina 💜
I dropped another bead this morning! Very excited about that. I didn't feel too different this past month with my prior bead drop. Things are going fairly well right now. I'm having a bit of anxiety at the moment, but it's situational and not related to withdrawal. Sending everyone some healing vibes and lots of love and support! ❤️
Had some insomnia last night during the middle of the night. Also, my CNS feels a bit fragile right now. Other than that, I'm doing okay. 🩷
I'm definitely feeling the effects of my one bead drop on May 17th. I'm having a bit more anxiety. I also feel a weird dizzy/spacey feeling in my head; it's hard to explain. At least the headache and nausea are better. I've been trying to expose myself to at least 10 minutes of sunlight each morning within 30 minutes upon wakening. It's one of the best things we can do for our bodies and has so many benefits. Even though I had a period of insomnia during the night last night, I could tell that the quality of my sleep was much better. Wishing everyone a happy Sunday! ☀️
Headache and nausea are much better today. Still having some anxiety though, but I'll take any improvement I can get. Happy weekend to everyone! ☀️
I have felt very "off" today with a headache, nausea, and increased anxiety. Not sure if it's a result of my previous bead drop or not. I'm really hoping it's not! Time will tell. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.
Dropped another bead this morning! I'm now taking 58 beads and am at 18.56 mg. It's one step closer to getting off this horrible drug. One more bead that has left my body forever...never to return! It's progress.
It's been awhile since I've checked in, so let's do this! I've been quite sick for over the past two weeks with a severe cold. I got checked for Covid, but it was negative. Today is the first day that I feel a very slight improvement. It's been rough though, and I haven't had much energy to do anything. I got the results of my blood work back. My thyroid level went down from last time, but it's still elevated. However, I don't care what the numbers say because I feel better being on the lower dose of Levothyroxine. My Vitamin D went up a few numbers, but it's still very low at 30. It should be twice that! I need to get more sun each day, so I need to work on that. For those who aren't aware, I can't tolerate Vitamin D supplements as they cause severe CNS activation. Tomorrow I will be reducing another bead, so I'm happy to be moving forward again. That's all......until next time, good people! 😊
Feeling much better other than having some very mild anxiety. Not much else to say today, but I guess that's good sometimes, right?! If you're reading this, I hope you're doing alright. Wishing you a great day! ❤️
Still feeling a little extra revved up today, but it's better than yesterday. At least the headache and dizziness are gone. Going to get in a walk today.
Hello good people! My headache is pretty much gone, thank goodness. The dizziness also feels better. But for some reason I feel extra revved up by my meds today (Levothyroxine & Effexor). Oh well, I'll take that over having a debilitating headache! I'm not going to reduce by another bead until I feel completely stable. Slow and steady is the name of the game.
For the most part, I slept well last night. My head pain level is about a 2-3/10 today. I'm still feeling a bit dizzy. All in all I'm doing better, so I'll take any relief I can get. I have to spend some time today counting and preparing my bead doses for the coming week. It's a shame we have to become our own pharmacist. I don't want to switch to liquid because Venlafaxine (Effexor) extended-release can't be made into liquid. If I switch to liquid (immediate-release) I'd have to take it twice a day, and I don't want to increase the chances of missing a dose of this horrible drug. Bead counting - although tedious - is the best way for me. As Jules says, "One bead at a time!" That's a fitting mantra for me.
I'm slowly clawing my way out of the pit of torment I've been in for the past week. My head pain is about a 3/10 today, so I'm grateful for further improvement. I'm still feeling a little dizzy, but it's better. I can tell my body is working its way back towards homeostasis. Last night I had trouble falling asleep due to feeling revved up, and my restless leg syndrome was really acting up. This has happened to me before, so I knew it was a sign I didn't eat enough carbs during the day. So, I got up and ate an apple and then was able to fall asleep and slept well after that. It's very interesting how different we are when it comes to diet during withdrawal. My body needs a certain amount of carbs to feel calm and to sleep. I'm a person who cannot eat a ketogenic diet. It gives my mitochondria way too much energy. Many people do have success with it, and what it really shows is just how powerful diet is when it comes to how we feel. Poor metabolic health is at the root of so many health problems, that's a fact. I'm going to Zoom a meeting this morning instead of attending in person just to allow myself some extra rest. Life is easier when we don't try to push ourselves too much. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! 🌼
I slept 9 hours last night, which I am grateful for. My headache is probably about a 5/10 today along with feeling some dizziness. I took the Turmeric/Curcumin yesterday and am not sure it did anything. At least my level of pain has come down. I cannot put into words how tortuous the pain was when it was a 10/10. I'm hoping this episode was just a fluke and not every bead drop is going to be like this. If so, it's going to be a very wild ride lol. I can tell my body keeps moving toward homeostasis again. That's the thing - during the bad times we just need to hold on for dear life because things always get better eventually. I'm still not feeling great, but there has been improvement so I'll take whatever relief I can get! Happy Friday to everyone, and I wish you all a wonderful weekend! 🩷☀️
I slept well last night. My headache is about a 6/10 today, so a little better than yesterday. I feel a little dizzy and kind of strange and spacey in my head; that's the best way to describe it. I bought some Turmeric with Curcumin to see if it will help my headache. We'll see if I can tolerate it. I know we need to be cautious with supplements, but I figured it was worth a try. I think that's all for today's update. Bye good people! 😍
Yesterday my excruciating head pain was a 10/10. Today it's about an 8/10. A little improvement, but I'm still in agony. It's making me wonder if I accidentally missed a dose of Effexor or something. It's just a very severe reaction to have from only one bead drop. Oh well, it's water under the bridge now and there's nothing I can do except to treat it as best as I can. I've suffered through this before, so I know eventually it will get better, but boy I've been miserable! Effexor withdrawal does not agree with me at all. Sending love and support to all my fellow members today. The road to healing can be difficult at times, but we have to keep enduring and moving forward. 💪🏻 🌸
I'm having really bad head pain and pressure. Not feeling too great today. I did sleep well last night, so I'm grateful for that. I'll probably use some heating pads on my head again today. Goodness I hate this drug and all the harm it has brought to me. I've started to both count **and** weigh my beads when I prepare them each week. Since I'm so sensitive to dose changes, I'm hoping this helps keep things as stable as possible. Sending my love and support to everyone today. For those of us who are struggling extra hard, may we show ourselves kindness and compassion. 💜
Good morning everyone. I slept very well last night, and I think it was because I took a warm bubble bath right before bed. Soaking in the tub has got to be one of my favorite self-care rituals. I love adding Dr. Teal's Lavender bubble bath with Epsom salt. No matter how bad I'm feeling, taking a bath always makes me feel better. I'll choose a bath over a shower any day! I'm still dealing with some dizziness and head constriction/burning today, but at least it hasn't gotten worse. This is the fourth day of having these symptoms. My body is super sensitive to Effexor withdrawal. I experienced severe, long-lasting harm when I missed a dose some years ago, so tapering off is no walk in the park. I thought removing one bead would be easier, but it is what it is. I'm thankful I'm taking things slowly and listening to my body. That is key. I might use a heating pad on my head today. For whoever reads this, I hope you're hanging in there okay too. 🩷
I slept well last night except for one period of insomnia at 4 am. I'm grateful that for the most part my sleep hasn't been affected. I had a few minor brain zaps upon waking. Thankfully, my eyes weren't blurry this morning. I'm still having feeling of dizziness and head constriction. It's not severe, but it's bad enough to make me feel not so good. I'm Zooming a meeting this morning that I normally attend in person. That's it for today's update. I hope everyone is getting along okay! 💜
I slept well last night. I'm still feeling a bit dizzy today with some head constriction, but it's slightly better than the past couple days. I'm glad it hasn't gotten worse, that's for sure. My vision was a bit blurry this morning but quickly resolved. Minimal anxiety. No brain zaps. Now that I'm consistently removing one bead per month, I'm curious to see what my symptom pattern becomes. Next month, I'm getting together with family around the time when my symptoms will emerge, so I may delay my bead drop by a week or two. Sending love and support to everyone today! 🌸
I slept well last night, so that's the good news. However, I'm still feeling the effects of one friggin' bead drop. My symptoms are manageable, but it's still a bit disheartening to know that one tiny bead can have so much of an effect. And to think at one point I had mental health "professionals" instruct me to cold-turkey off the "lowest" dose - ha! What a joke. I feel slightly dizzy today. Every morning when I wake up now my vision is blurry, but then it clears up pretty quickly. I don't have a headache per se, but my head feels like it wants to constrict a little, if that makes sense. My CNS also feels a bit more fragile. But...onward I go! Hopefully things won't get worse, and once my brain adjusts to the lower dose then I'm sure I'll feel better. I just hope it's sooner rather than later. Happy Friday to everyone. I hope all of you are hanging in there just like I am!
I'm starting to feel the effects of my April 1st bead drop. I got up too quickly in the middle of the night to use the restroom and felt dizzy. I still feel a bit dizzy today, but it's not too bad. My vision was also blurred this morning, although it's better now. I'm also feeling a bit of increased anxiety, but nothing major. In addition, I just feel a bit "off." It's hard to put into words exactly, but I can definitely feel the effects of the drop. All in all, things could be worse so I can't complain too much. Sending peaceful and healing vibes to my fellow TC members today! ❤️
I'm feeling pretty good today. I had one tiny brain zap upon wakening this morning. Some very mild anxiety, but nothing to complain about (because you know I would otherwise 😂!) My friend shared information with me about how a study showed that reading a book is one of the best stress relievers and distraction tools we can use! She reads her Kindle all the time. I'm going to try and do more reading. It really is relaxing and helps you to focus on something other than yourself. It's something we can recommend to other members as well. It's really calming and healing for the nervous system. Happy Friday to all! 🥰
I slept well last night except for waking at 5 am - oh well! I feel pretty good today otherwise. It's nice to see Taper Community listed as a helpful resource for people on the new website called prescribed-harm.com. I hope everyone is getting along okay today! 🌹🌼💜
Feeling pretty good today. No brain zaps or weird things with my vision. Anxiety is feels better. I've been sleeping very deeply these past few nights, and I think it's because I've been taking walks outside and have gotten some Vitamin D. Sending everyone healing vibes today. 🌅💜🌼
For the most part I slept well last night. However, every time I woke up out of a deep sleep I could feel very tiny brain zaps. Also, when I woke up this morning and turned on my computer, everything was blurry and like I was seeing double! This happened one other time last year, so I knew it would eventually clear up, which it did. I'm having some mild anxiety today. I'm so glad I'm taking my time and only reducing by one bead per month. As we like to say around here, "one bead at a time."
I'm feeling pretty good today. I slept well last night and feel fairly calm. One recent change I've made is that I have given up drinking decaf coffee. My close friend sent me some information about how even decaf coffee can affect the absorption of medications. Google AI said: "Decaf can decrease the absorption of specific medications and supplements—including thyroid medication (levothyroxine), iron supplements, and some antidepressants—if consumed simultaneously." So far, I'm not feeling any effects from my recent bead drop, so that's great news! I hope everyone is doing okay today! 🌼
Feeling better today. I'm having some mild anxiety and activation-type symptoms, but that's somewhat normal for me. My husband and I have taken walks the past three days in a row. I'm happy that I'm able to get outside and get some sunlight and Vitamin D, which I need so badly since my level is low. I hope everyone is getting along okay today! 🌸
I'm feeling better today than I did yesterday. However, I've decided to attend a meeting this morning on Zoom rather than in person to give my CNS some extra rest. I've been on these drugs for so long, it's going to take awhile for my system to learn how to deal with stress again as I taper off. I'm in this for the long haul and am willing to soldier through whatever withdrawal throws at me because I desperately want to be drug-free! I know a better life is waiting for me. Sending love and support to everyone today! 🌸🩷🌸
I am glad that I was able to be at an important event last night, but it really took its toll on me. When I undergo a lot of stress, the level of anxiety I experience is off the charts. I'm not sure how much of it is just the real "me," how much is due the drugs themselves, or how much is due to tapering. At any rate, it's very hard to deal with. I did sleep well last night though, and boy I needed it! But today I still feel anxious and emotionally exhausted. I'm not good for much other than resting and trying to recover. Sending healing vibes to everyone today! It's nice to have a safe space where we can share our struggles and feel supported.
I am attending an important event tonight where there will be a lot of people, so I've been battling severe anxiety symptoms today. Anxiety is something I have always struggled with - even before going on antidepressants. However, tapering off an AD has definitely made my stress response more sensitive and acute. I am dealing with it the best I can, and that's all we can ask of ourselves. It's okay to feel anxious, and we shouldn't beat ourselves up because we struggle.
So far I'm feeling good today. It felt great to be able to change my dose to a lower number this time! I'm inching my way toward zero baby...woo hoo! I think this snail's pace taper will do me good. I refuse to go through what I went through last time when I tapered too fast. It's insane what this drug has put me through, but I'm still here fighting. Sending healing vibes to everyone today! 🌅
Well, it's the last day of March...can't believe it! The month has flown by. I'm feeling better from the stress and anxiety from a couple days ago (thank goodness). I was going to wait until June 1st to begin tapering again, BUT... I have changed my mind and am going to reduce by another bead tomorrow! I feel ready to, and I want to keep moving forward so I can get off this horrible drug and move onto the next one. I will continue to use the "check-in" feature each day to log my dose and symptoms. Thanks to everyone for supporting me so far - it means so much! 🥰
I'm not feeling too good today after undergoing some stress yesterday. I pushed myself way beyond my limits, and I ended up paying for it. I'm struggling with anxiety today. Although it's better than in the past, my CNS is still dysregulated when it comes to handling stress. It's discouraging, but I'm still hanging in there. I'm keeping things low-key today. My husband and I are going to take a walk later. I'm also trying to breath slowly and deeply and just remind myself that I'm safe.
I engaged in some volunteer work this morning, which involved interacting with people. Although I'm proud I was able to do it since I haven't been able to for so long, I think it was a bit too much for my nervous system to handle. It's okay, though. At least I made the effort, and my husband was happy that I was there! I'm having a moderate amount of anxiety now and am going to take it easy the rest of the day. I hope everyone is doing okay today! Sending healing vibes to everyone.... ❤️
Feeling well today; no anxiety or anything else to complain about lol.
I'm feeling good again today. No specific complaints - yay! I'm just looking forward to tapering the Venlafaxine in the near future. I don't want to make anymore changes until I get my thyroid tested again in May. To whoever reads this, I hope you're getting along okay today! 😍
Still feeling pretty good today! Can't complain, which is a rare thing for me 😂. I hope everyone is doing okay today...thanks for your support. ❤️
So far I'm feeling good today. I never thought I'd be able to say that. A few months ago I was ready to throw in the towel; it was becoming too much to bear. It shows that we have to keep holding on because something could change for the better. Sending much love to everyone today! I'm so grateful to be a part of this community. 💜 🥰
Feeling pretty darn good today. I did some shopping this morning and was able to do it without any anxiety - woot woot! I plan on getting in some exercise this afternoon. Sending healing vibes to everyone today! 🌸
I'm feeling pretty good today so far. The anxiety has gotten much better after lowering the dose of the Levothyroxine. My heart pounding during the night has gotten better too. To have some relief after suffering for so long feels good. Thinking of everyone today, and I hope you all are doing okay! -Catina 🥰
Feeling okay today. Not as good as yesterday, but still a lot better than the past 5 years! I hope everyone is doing okay today! 🤗
I'm feeling pretty good today - no major complaints. 👍😊🙏🏻
I'm feeling fairly well today so far. Minimal anxiety. Not much else to report. I'm looking forward to when I can start tapering the Venlafaxine again. I want to be free of this drug more than anything! Sending healing vibes to everyone today..... 💝💝💝
I'm feeling pretty good today....more stable now than the past 5 years. It's been a very long road, but I'm in this for the long haul...no matter how long it takes! Thinking of everyone today and hoping that you're hanging in there. ❤️
Feeling fair. Having some minor anxiety regarding some errands I have to run at a particular time.
I'm feeling just a minor amount of anxiety today. It's nice to feel fairly stable for a change after everything I've endured for so long. I hope everyone is getting along okay today!
I'm generally feeling rather stable today. I went through a rough patch after lowering my dose of Levothyroxine, but I feel like things have finally leveled out. I get my thyroid levels checked again in May. If I don't need to make any further changes with the Levo, I think I could be ready to taper the Venlafaxine again at that point. The last five years of my life have been incredibly difficult, but I've been able to meet some incredible people in the withdrawal community and have been able to help others in their darkest moments. I'm glad I never gave up on my life and am still here fighting.
Feeling fairly well today. I'm doing some things around the house, which doesn't cause me too much stress. I've been sleeping well for the most part except for a bit of insomnia in the early morning hours. On average I probably get 9 hours a sleep each night, which is what my body needs. I hope everyone getting along okay today!
Not feeling too bad today. I was able to attend an in-person meeting this morning and was able to do a bit of socializing. My nervous system has been very slowly able to take on more stress, but it's still a challenge. When you've been on these drugs as long as I have, it takes a long time to peel away the chemical layers so the brain can work normally again. I'm willing go the distance because I'm very motivated to become drug-free. I hope everyone is getting along okay today!
Feeling fairly well today. I'm always battling with some degree of anxiety, but right now it's manageable as long as I keep things low stress. I always deal with some heart palpitations / heart pounding during the night, but for the most part I sleep quite well. So, that's today's check in! I hope everyone is doing well today.
Feeling so-so today. I had to run a lot of errands this morning and felt very rushed with a good bit of anxiety. I look forward to relaxing a bit this afternoon and plan to get in some exercise. The results of my thyroid ultrasound were normal, so that's one less thing to have to worry about! I'm so happy to be on this forum and to be able to contribute in a meaningful way. It really means a lot to me. I know it will continue to grow and help countless people to safely taper off psychiatric drugs. It just may save some lives too!
Time to check in again! I slept very well last night - much better than the night before. My anxiety, heart palpitations, and hypersensitive nervous system feel a little better today too. I'm really thankful for this online check-in. It makes things so easy!
I'm still dealing with a very sensitized nervous system. I laid out in the sun yesterday for 40 minutes to get some Vitamin D, and I reacted poorly to it. It seemed to activate my nervous system a bit more. I had a period last night where I couldn't get back to sleep for hours. I've been experiencing some hypersensitivity ever since I took a tiny bit of a Vitamin D supplement and two ibuprofen. I had also lowered the dose of my Levothyroxine, which was too high and was causing anxiety, agitation, and heart palpitations. All of those changes at once have had a negative effect on me. I had a thyroid ultrasound yesterday, which my doctor ordered to see if there are any abnormalities. I'm waiting for the results of that. I'm glad I'm holding my Venlafaxine taper for the time being while things settle down a bit.
Still having some anxiety, but I'm doing okay. My CNS has been extra sensitive lately due to decreasing the dose of my thyroid medication.
Still having anxiety issues and some CNS activation, but I was able to attend an in-person meeting this morning.
Still having anxiety. I had a lot of heart pounding during the night last night. I think I need to increase my salt. I did this another time and it seemed to help.
Feeling a bit better today. I got plenty of sleep last night. I'm holding my dose for the time being until I resolve a situation with my thyroid medication.
Still having quite a bit of anxiety due to some recent stress. My nervous system has a hard time dealing with stressful events, and it takes me a long time to recover. The goal for today is to do some vagus nerve exercises and get in some quality physical exercise.
Having lots of anxiety. I'm going to take it easy today and do some relaxing self-care.
Something happened this morning that caused a tremendous amount of anxiety, so I'm really struggling at the moment.
Feeling better than I did yesterday since I got lots of sleep last night. Still feeling a bit of anxiety.
My tolerance for socializing is very low. I had to socialize for 30 minutes yesterday and it caused severe anxiety. I have social anxiety in general, but going through psych drug withdrawal makes it worse. I've been laying low today trying to rest my nervous system.