homesteadmom Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 New here...Not new to antidepressants. I've been on antidepressants, antipsychotics, anti-anxiety, mood stabilizers and drugs for insomnia since my teens, (I'm now 41 yrs old). On and off, some years without anything and I did fine. I started doing research on the long term side effects, withdrawl symptoms as well as the hopefulness of incorporating a better diet, exercise, meditation, herbal supplements, yoga, changing the way i think about things...all these things into my life..all while tapering off my meds to try and find the real me that got lost somewhere all long the way. Currently I take Zoloft (recently went from 150 to 75 mg over the course of a month); Wellbutrin (200 mg to 0 over the past month), Lamictal 300 mg, and Ambien 10 mg (now I take 1/2 a tab). I've added several herbal supplements to counteract some of the terrible withdraw symptoms. I've tried going off Zoloft many times, only to end up feeling completely out of my mind, which led me to go right back on it. Not this time..I plan to endure whatever happens and keep focused on becoming healthier in mind & body. I have been on Lamictal 300 mg, Wellbutrin 300 mg, Zoloft 150 mg and Ambien 10mg, all for 5 yrs +. About a month ago I decided to start decreasing my meds.After talking with my dr., she recommended starting with the Wellbutrin, telling me I would not really notice any withdrawl symptoms. I had already tried many times to get off the Zoloft with awful results, but she said to go slow and see how I felt. She also wanted to see me cut my Ambien in half by our next visit. So I am currently not taking any Wellbutrin and my dose of Zoloft is now 75 mg. I am now taking 5 mg of the Ambien. So far I have gained 10 lbs and am very tired in the a.m., sleeping later than i did before. Link to comment
nz11 Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Welcome home homesteadmom Psychotropic drug withdrawal has the habit of breaking even the strongest of wills to endure, it really is not something you would want to do to yourself. Hopefully a moderator will be in soon to inform you of the best way to go.. I just wanted to welcome you and say i am so so glad you have found sa. nz11 oh yeah in the meantime you might like to do a drug signature . You can read about how to do it here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/ Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
nz11 Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 I think everyone is on a flexi day well a few people here have accumulated quite a few and deserve a day off thats for sure... So here goes the link dump. It is critical that you spend time reading these links. You will come to an understanding of why you have been unable to get out from the weight of these drugs and hopefully a plan of attack going forward. Your tapers are far too fast you will need to put aside years to taper not weeks. Your doctor has been misinformed. Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline) Tips for tapering off Wellbutrin, SR, XR, XL (buproprion) Tips for tapering off Lamictal (lamotrigine) Tips for tapering off Z drugs for sleep (Ambien, Imovane, Sonata, Lunesta, Intermezzo, etc.) Please read these also Before you begin tapering what you need to know About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms Why taper by 10% of my dosage? Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist These have helped many to understand what the hecks going on: Brain Remodelling Two great books are Anatomy of an epidemic by R Whitaker and Your drug may be your problem by the marvellous Dr P Breggin. Last but not least taking multiple drugs and wanting to know which to taper first Cheers nz11 Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted December 28, 2016 Administrator Share Posted December 28, 2016 Welcome, homesteadmom. Thank you, nz, for the excellent list of good links for homesteadmom to read. HSM, what are your withdrawal symptoms? Please do NOT make any more drug changes for the time being so we can sort out your next steps. It can take some time for your nervous system to settle down from the 2 large reductions you've made. Please put ALL your drugs in the Drug Interactions Checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.phpand copy and paste the results in this topic. To help us out with a summary of your recent drug history, see these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
homesteadmom Posted December 30, 2016 Author Share Posted December 30, 2016 thanks for the welcome, I know that I should go slower tapering my meds, but am ready to be done and ready to face whatever withdrawl symptoms that are ahead. My emotions, memory and sex drive have all been affected by these drugs and I feel pretty angry and bitter that I was over medicated and labeled with all sorts of mental illnesses when, looking back, I am far worse off than when I sought help. I have had a few days of extreme "clarity" since beginning this process and I can't believe the lies i believed about my mental state and what these drugs would do for me, how they were touted as miracle drugs that would save my life when in fact have stolen years that I can never get back. I have been on Lamictal 300 mg, Wellbutrin 300 mg, Zoloft 150 mg and Ambien 10mg, all for 5 yrs +. About a month ago I decided to start decreasing my meds.After talking with my dr., she recommended starting with the Wellbutrin, telling me I would not really notice any withdrawl symptoms. I had already tried many times to get off the Zoloft with awful results, but she said to go slow and see how I felt. She also wanted to see me cut my Ambien in half by our next visit. So I am currently not taking any Wellbutrin and my dose of Zoloft is now 75 mg. I am now taking 5 mg of the Ambien. So far I have gained 10 lbs and am very tired in the a.m., sleeping later than i did before. Link to comment
nz11 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 HM I admire your determination and i totally empathise with your anger. I also have experienced tremendous anger and feel deeply betrayed by the medical profession. However I know that I should go slower tapering my meds, but am ready to be done and ready to face whatever withdrawal symptoms that are ahead. You dont want to do this to yourself truely. And you already 'know' you cant do this either. Besides what has changed from previous 'many times'..I had already tried many times to get off the Zoloft with awful results In my experience each consecutive time trying to quit the drug ignorantly was progressively harder. Glenmullen makes a very sobering point in saying withdrawal symptoms have not been researched adequately and as such you should not be toughing it out. Tapering carefully (we are talking possibly putting aside years not weeks), is an insurance policy against any further damage that may arise from disabling wdl symptoms. I toughed wdl out and i often wonder if i would have the impairment i currently have if i had have done a planned safely paced taper such that i only experienced mild tolerable wdl symptoms. I will never know the answer to that. Withdrawal symptoms can be delayed by a month or two or three or more. After the 'next visit' with your doctor it would be very wise to get a second opinion from sa before acting on any of the doctors advice. nz11 Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted January 1, 2017 Administrator Share Posted January 1, 2017 The reason we advocate slow tapering is that many here have found the withdrawal symptoms are far worse and last a lot longer than they had anticipated, making the risk of speedy withdrawal not worth the advantage of being done with the drug. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
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